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00:00 First off, just so proud of our football team.
00:03 The work they put in, the journey we've been on,
00:06 the ups and downs, the adversity that we faced.
00:09 Tonight, starting a true freshman quarterback in ACC championship game.
00:13 Not necessarily how we envisioned it as we've been going through these last 13 games,
00:20 but it was a football team that responded together.
00:23 And that's what we have. We have a real team.
00:25 No matter how you've got to do it, no matter what it needs to look like,
00:28 we find ways to win games.
00:30 We've got the most power five wins over bowl-eligible teams in the country.
00:34 This is a team that has just been resilient in the way that they've had to overcome.
00:40 And it shows up in how they play.
00:42 Defense had to show up big tonight, and they did.
00:44 That was a really good Louisville offense that's been playing.
00:47 I think it scored 30 points in the last five or six games that they played.
00:51 And to be able to hold them to six points was awesome.
00:54 And we made the plays necessary.
00:57 And that's what this team is all about.
00:59 There's times that you face challenges and you've got to get yourself up.
01:06 And we've been through that.
01:07 We've been through that the last four years.
01:09 And so I'm grateful for all those challenges to allow this team to go up
01:12 and to show up in times just like this.
01:16 I knew it was going to take everybody, and it absolutely did.
01:20 To be able to finish up 13-0, conference champions,
01:25 the schedule which we played and how we've had to work through it,
01:31 it's a special group, and I'm just honored for the opportunity to coach them.
01:35 Questions?
01:36 Third row.
01:38 Adelson, ESPN.com.
01:40 Mike, I asked you yesterday about trying to lobby for Florida State,
01:44 and there's a lot of people questioning whether you deserve a playoff spot
01:47 because you don't have your starting quarterback,
01:49 and that has increased since this game ended.
01:52 So what do you have to say about why this team belongs in the playoff?
01:57 Because this is a real team.
01:59 It's one that finds a way to win games, whatever it needs to look like.
02:03 And there's plenty of teams that have talent.
02:05 There's plenty of teams that you can sit there and point to a moment here
02:09 or a moment there, but it's about getting the win.
02:13 It's about making sure that you show up and you do the things necessary
02:16 to achieve in each situation.
02:19 And we've done that on the road.
02:20 We've done it at home.
02:21 We've done it with a backup quarterback,
02:23 and now we've done it with a true freshman quarterback.
02:26 And this team just continues to find ways to make it happen.
02:30 And you sit back and you look.
02:31 Since BCS was created, I mean, in the history of it,
02:34 there's never been an undefeated Power 5 team that has been denied an opportunity
02:39 to play for a national championship over a one-loss team.
02:43 There's a reason, because you have to earn it on the field.
02:46 I don't care how much talent you have.
02:47 I don't care what it looks like on a game or in a moment.
02:52 You've got to get it done.
02:53 And if you've got all that ability, well, go finish.
02:57 That's what this team's done.
02:59 And this team has showed up week in and week out, and they work for it.
03:02 And we've had some one-play games.
03:05 We've had some challenge moments.
03:06 They had to respond.
03:08 And that's what makes a champion.
03:09 And these guys are champions.
03:11 And you know what?
03:12 We get our opportunity, which I fully expect to get.
03:15 This is going to be a team that's going to continue to do all things necessary
03:18 to put themselves in a position to go take the next step.
03:22 And, you know, I believe in this football team.
03:24 And there's plenty of people that can count us out.
03:26 "Oh, Jordan Travis went down."
03:27 Let me tell you, that is a special player.
03:29 He means everything to our program.
03:32 When he went down, we still went on the road.
03:35 And big rival found adversity and responded to it
03:40 and found a way to get a win.
03:42 Tonight, same thing.
03:43 I mean, adversity shows up, challenge is set in.
03:46 This team is built for it.
03:48 And I believe in them.
03:49 And I don't care where, who, when.
03:51 Because I've had 13 straight games this season and the final six last season.
03:57 And, you know what?
03:58 We beat a lot of teams from all these different conferences that, you know,
04:02 presumed are at this other -- we just show up and play.
04:08 And we find a way to win.
04:09 And that's what this team has done.
04:11 Third row, middle of the room.
04:13 Coach, to follow up on that, her question, I mean,
04:17 do you feel like you could compete with the other, you know, three teams
04:20 if you make it to the college football playoff?
04:24 I believe in this team 100%.
04:26 I don't care who, where, when we play.
04:29 I mean, this team is going to show up and they're going to battle.
04:32 You know, you could take any stat line.
04:34 And, you know, we told our guys, you know, if we do it tonight, whatever it takes.
04:38 If it's offense, if it's defense, man, we've got to help
04:40 and we've got to respond and we've got to have each other's back in situations.
04:43 And, you know, we scored 16 points tonight.
04:48 You know, if somebody said, "You scored 16 points, what's it going to look like?"
04:53 Well, tonight it looked like a win, something that will be remembered.
04:56 It's something that obviously, you know, our football team did what was necessary,
05:00 right, to be able to achieve success.
05:03 Because that's what it all comes down to.
05:05 You can have all the talent in the world,
05:06 but it comes down to doing the things necessary to win games.
05:08 And that's what this team just consistently does.
05:11 Second row.
05:12 Mike, Chris, Nate, with Norris 24/7,
05:14 can you talk about going to OT and the Wildcat, getting the spark offensively,
05:17 and just the decision to do that with UL's run defense being very good?
05:21 Well, we knew.
05:22 I mean, we talked about it all week.
05:23 I mean, it's a defense that doesn't give up much in a run game.
05:26 We felt that, you know, we could gain a little bit of an advantage
05:29 if we were able to implement a little Wildcat into it.
05:33 You know, we really put it in late in the week.
05:36 You know, and it was something that, you know, these guys,
05:38 they did a wonderful job of being able to adapt to it.
05:42 You know, LT had just an unbelievable game.
05:45 The big run, the touchdown, I mean, it was a spark we needed.
05:49 You know, and our offensive line, I mean, we knew there was going to be some challenges.
05:53 I mean, that was a really good defense that we played against.
05:55 But, you know, they rose up in the moment and were able to get it accomplished.
06:00 Third row to our right.
06:01 Hey, Mike, Chris Hydell from Herbis Memorial in Baltimore.
06:03 How scary is the defense now, because after tonight,
06:05 I feel like, you know, going into this college football playoff,
06:08 some of these three teams, you've got to look out for our defense.
06:11 Yeah, you know, I think our defense has played at an extremely high level.
06:14 And, you know, we've gotten better throughout the season.
06:16 I mean, you look at the way they played in the second half of games.
06:19 You know, they can adapt, they can adjust, they can go out there and execute.
06:24 You know, they got put in challenging situations tonight.
06:27 You know, to be able to get the interception there with Tatum, you know, in the end zone,
06:32 it was such a huge play.
06:33 But, you know, these guys, they have such heart.
06:36 They're such competitors.
06:38 And so, you know, whoever lines up across from us, you know,
06:41 we know we've got to embrace a challenge.
06:43 Well, we're built for challenge.
06:45 That's the way that we work, the way that we, you know,
06:49 push the standard of what's necessary here at Florida State.
06:52 It's how we've gotten the program, you know, back to where it is.
06:55 Because the choice of guys like this, and it's just a great group.
06:59 And I thought our defense was lights out tonight and, you know,
07:02 helped carry us to the championship tonight.
07:05 Questions for LT also, front row.
07:08 For both of you guys, Elston Castron, Tallahassee Democrat, just Brock Lynn,
07:12 you know, showed some poise at different times,
07:14 made the throws when you guys needed to.
07:15 He obviously did enough, like you mentioned, to win the game.
07:18 Just talk about his performance.
07:20 Yeah, you know, it was remarkable.
07:22 I mean, you know, to be able to go in there.
07:25 And that's the thing, he's a true freshman, but he missed the better part,
07:28 you know, in the middle of the season due to injury.
07:31 And, you know, he's got great confidence.
07:34 You know, he's going to be a special player.
07:36 I've got a lot of confidence in where his career is going.
07:40 But, you know, he does have poise, and he's able to go out there and execute.
07:44 You know, we put a lot on our quarterbacks, and he embraces that as well.
07:48 But, you know, for a true freshman to get his first start in the ACC
07:53 championship game, I don't think that's happened, you know, in --
07:56 what was it, Derek, 20-something years for a first-time starting quarterback.
08:00 You know, is that --
08:02 Two times in the last 20 years.
08:03 Two times in the last 20 years that that's had to show up.
08:06 And we got it done.
08:07 Thanks for the stat.
08:09 LT.
08:10 We are extremely proud of him, man.
08:11 You know, he comes to work every day, and he just has the mindset that if
08:16 anybody goes down, he's got to be ready.
08:18 So I'm very proud of him in showing the moments
08:21 and just being ready for his moments.
08:23 So I'm definitely proud of him for that.
08:25 Second row.
08:27 We were watching on Instagram, waiting for you all to see,
08:29 and Braden and then Jared break the rock.
08:32 I mean, you talk about the defense, but especially the line.
08:34 It feels like everyone in that unit played at a truly unreal level tonight
08:37 to contribute to that.
08:39 No, and that was a talented offensive line group from Louisville, too.
08:43 But those guys knew that it was going to take all of them.
08:46 I mean, you can go down the line, like you mentioned, you know, Pat, you know,
08:50 Fabian had a couple big plays, you know, Josh Farmer, you know, Jared, Braden.
08:54 I don't want to leave anybody out because all of those guys were impactful.
08:58 I thought our linebacking core, you know, really flew around the ball.
09:01 You know, our secondary embraced the challenge, did some huge plays
09:04 in one-on-one situations.
09:06 You know, we're guys just -- you know, they got the job done.
09:09 And, you know, we wanted to be aggressive.
09:11 We wanted to attack.
09:13 And, you know, I've got all the respect in the world for Coach Brom
09:15 and the offensive mind that he is and the players that they have on that team.
09:19 But, you know, our guys, they were special tonight.
09:22 Second row, far left.
09:24 Hey, LT, Matt Baker with the Tampa Bay Times.
09:26 What was your reaction during the week as it became clear the Wildcat was going
09:29 to be a bigger part of the package?
09:31 And then what did you see on the big 73-yard run?
09:33 I mean, I was just trying to be ready for my moment, you know what I'm saying,
09:36 be able to make it happen if it was need to be done.
09:39 So, on that play, it actually just opened up.
09:42 It was a perfect block, and, you know, the lineman and, you know,
09:46 running back in the backfield, he blocked for me too.
09:48 So, it was really just me running, you know what I'm saying.
09:51 So, definitely grateful for them.
09:53 You did it fast, and I liked it.
09:56 Middle of the room.
09:58 Yeah, Corey Clark, WarChant.com.
09:59 Mike, are you surprised that, like, it's even a conversation?
10:02 Like, going undefeated in a Power Five conference,
10:06 the whole point is to win the games, and other teams haven't.
10:10 So, are you surprised it's even a conversation?
10:12 Yeah, I mean, it's, you know, it's entertainment and something to be able to
10:17 have the conversations, but I don't think there is a conversation.
10:20 You know, we're at Florida State.
10:22 We opened up a season with LSU on the road, you know, probably, you know,
10:25 maybe a Heisman Trophy candidate, you know, maybe a winner in there,
10:29 quarterback that, you know, we showed what we were about then, defensively,
10:33 special teams-wise, offensively, the talent that we have, you know,
10:37 the way that we've won games, to go on the road at Clemson, you know,
10:41 I think nobody else was able to accomplish that.
10:43 Some ranked teams went in there, but we're the only team that was able to
10:47 beat them on the road, and it was tough.
10:49 We've been down in games.
10:51 You know, we've been down, you know, 10 points, I think,
10:54 in three or four different games, and we responded.
10:56 And it's not just like we came back and, you know, we came back and finished games.
11:00 We came back and were able to do the things necessary to, you know,
11:05 achieve victory.
11:06 So, I don't think there is a conversation.
11:09 You know, this is a team that is well-deserving.
11:12 This is a team that has earned it.
11:13 This is a team that has showed up consistently and proven that they have
11:17 what it takes to win, and we've done it against more Power 5,
11:20 bowl-eligible teams than anybody else out there.
11:22 So, I don't want to hear about the schedule.
11:24 We actually -- we schedule a tough non-conference.
11:28 We put ourselves out there, right, and then you embrace it
11:31 in how you go about your business.
11:33 And this team, they've earned it.
11:35 And, you know, there's -- like I said, you know, I'm pretty good at saying,
11:38 you know, each week it changes what's the hot team or the most talented team.
11:42 But then when they lose a game, there's a reason.
11:45 This team has all the ability, and, you know, they just get it done.
11:51 Third row to your right, Coach.
11:55 Yeah, Matt Trucnoi with Herb FM Sports Radio.
11:58 Coach, yeah, playing with a third-string quarterback in the ACC Championship game
12:03 and winning it is an amazing and phenomenal feat.
12:06 So, just talk about your -- well, the adversities,
12:10 what your team has had to overcome, along with the grit
12:13 and determination that the team has portrayed during this game
12:17 and throughout the whole season.
12:18 Yeah, I mean, it's -- you know, they're built for it.
12:21 And, you know, like I said in my open statement,
12:23 I thank God for the challenges we've had over the last four years.
12:26 Because like I said, through that journey,
12:27 sometimes you have to go through what you need to prove you can get through.
12:30 We can get through a lot of things.
12:31 We can get through a lot of challenges.
12:33 We can get through a lot of adversity that's thrown at us.
12:35 You know, I believe in these players.
12:37 That's what gives me such great confidence because I watch them every single day.
12:42 And it's not just on the field.
12:44 Everybody can get excited about 13 wins or whatever, 19 straight wins, you know,
12:48 that these guys have been able to take those steps.
12:52 I also watch them in the classroom.
12:54 We've got a football team that's over a 3.0 team GPA.
12:57 That's best ever in program history.
12:59 There are challenges that they embrace.
13:01 And a lot of things they don't necessarily like to do,
13:03 but they're willing to do it because they want to uphold the standard of what
13:05 Florida State deserves.
13:07 And, you know, they love and care about each other,
13:09 and I think you see that in how they play.
13:11 And, you know, we push them.
13:13 And I'm not going to stop pushing them because I believe in where they can go
13:17 and I believe all that they can accomplish.
13:19 Third row, middle of the room.
13:21 Hey, LT, I just want to hear from a player's perspective.
13:23 Why do you feel like you guys should make the playoff?
13:27 I mean, does it anger you that, you know,
13:29 people are talking about you not making it?
13:31 Honestly, I feel like, you know, we go out there and work every day.
13:34 You know what I'm saying?
13:35 We play for each other.
13:36 We're a close-knit team.
13:37 And I feel like, you know, we haven't lost a game yet.
13:40 So, I mean, we're proving our point and showing what we can do.
13:44 So, that's how I feel, honestly.
13:46 Back of the room.
13:48 Hey, Mike.
13:49 Darren Sultz, West 2, Orlando.
13:51 Your resume is incredible, obviously.
13:54 But what would you say to the committee if they're saying, hey,
13:56 that team that you had tonight is not the team that won all those games?
14:00 How do you put that together with such a big part of your offense missing?
14:04 We just beat a top 15 team with a true freshman quarterback.
14:09 Mike, that doesn't matter.
14:11 Like, I don't care perspective what people think.
14:14 I mean, Watchville, we win.
14:16 We win.
14:18 And you know what?
14:19 We get the opportunity to go play in the national semifinal,
14:23 oh, it's going to be a challenge.
14:25 I believe in this team.
14:27 I believe in what they can do.
14:28 I believe in who they are.
14:30 And you know what?
14:31 They showed up every single week and done it.
14:33 And so, I don't really care about what everybody else's opinions are.
14:36 I know who I coach.
14:38 And I know we get the opportunity.
14:39 They're going to go fight for everything they get because they've been doing it
14:41 for the last four years.
14:43 And whatever the next opportunity is, I promise you they're going to show up.
14:47 Front row.
14:48 Jack Williams from the Tallahassee Democrat for LT.
14:50 You know, this coach talks a lot about adversity and stuff like that.
14:53 The running back room has faced adversity throughout this entire year,
14:55 you know, example being the Clemson game.
14:57 You know, how motivated has this team been?
14:59 The running back room playing with a chip on its shoulders,
15:01 you just have that game and you know you really have that game tonight.
15:04 Yes, sir.
15:05 I mean, we always -- you know, all of us together,
15:07 we're just pushing each other.
15:08 We feed off each other's energy.
15:10 So, I mean, we really just were playing our part, you know what I'm saying?
15:13 Like Coach Jack says, we're on fries, you know.
15:15 We're doing our part, you know what I'm saying?
15:17 And, hey, we had a big part today, so we had a big role.
15:20 We had to step up to the plate.
15:22 Last room.
15:23 Last question, back of the room.
15:24 Allen Sandich, ESPN Richmond, 106.1.
15:27 LT, coach is pretty, like, amped right now.
15:30 Was there any extra emphasis on physicality today for you guys?
15:34 I mean, the human element, there's been a lot of talk about, you know,
15:37 the injuries and so much.
15:38 Was there any extra motivation to come out and make a statement?
15:41 That's every day, man.
15:42 You know what I'm saying?
15:43 Hey, early in the morning, 6 o'clock in the morning, you know what I'm saying?
15:47 Ready.
15:49 Okay, thank you.
15:51 Congratulations.
15:52 Thank you, guys.
15:53 Y'all be safe.
15:54 Good job.
15:55 Appreciate you.