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00:00 I thought today was a good work day.
00:02 It was good, just really with how our guys approached this week.
00:06 The first five practices over the weekends,
00:10 really had a big developmental focus.
00:13 Didn't really get into too much about our opponent.
00:17 Coming into this week, we wanted to basically run through a game week.
00:21 Give the guys a little bit of downtime for them to be able to go and be around their families.
00:26 For the holidays, we're going to meet down there on Christmas night.
00:30 But really pleased with the work that I've seen.
00:33 Our guys, they're challenging themselves, pushing.
00:36 I'm excited to watch them compete.
00:38 We've got our game week leading into the Orange Bowl once we get down there.
00:43 Still all about the work.
00:45 I really like the mindset which our guys are bringing
00:47 and the way that they're pushing themselves throughout these practices.
00:50 I think we've definitely gotten better throughout the week.
00:54 [Inaudible]
01:04 For all the freshmen, it's great.
01:06 I think when you look at that freshman receiver group,
01:09 Vitravius, Dustin, obviously Hakeem.
01:12 Hakeem got banged up towards the end of the season.
01:14 He was really just ascending at a high level.
01:18 It was unfortunate he missed basically the rest of the regular season
01:23 and really the championship game.
01:25 But it's good to see him back out there.
01:27 He's moving fast.
01:28 You see that continued confidence.
01:30 I think all three of those guys are going to be really good football players
01:33 here as we move forward.
01:35 They're trying to capitalize on opportunity.
01:38 Just with every practice, you're about to get better.
01:41 It's good to see that and really just some of the older guys
01:45 that are continuing to bring them along throughout that competition.
01:48 I think it's been good for all of our position groups.
01:52 You look at over defensively, looking at that linebacker core,
01:57 those young freshmen, I think Juice and Blake have really taken some great strides
02:03 through these last couple weeks.
02:04 I like what I'm seeing there.
02:06 It's good to see D-Lo and Tatum and those guys that have played so much football
02:11 be able to kind of pour into them, in it.
02:15 It's good to see all those guys working together.
02:17 I think it's been a great whole prep.
02:20 We've still got one more week to go in it.
02:23 With some of the guys who've left or opted out of running back,
02:28 have you figured out what you're going to do there in terms of just kind of
02:30 the position changes?
02:32 Yeah, we've got some personnel things that we're looking at.
02:34 Good thing is we've got great versatility within our football team.
02:38 Guys that have--with Trey opting out, it definitely takes a hit on us.
02:46 And then just different personnel things that have showed up.
02:50 It provides opportunity for some guys that have been preparing throughout the
02:56 course of the season, because Holmes is a guy that I think has really got a great
03:00 chance to make an impact.
03:01 And he's somebody that has showed up throughout these practices.
03:05 If you see growth.
03:06 But we've got all different plans for this game.
03:09 And we're going to have a lot of versatility in where guys are going to be able
03:14 to be used.
03:15 I'm looking forward to--I've liked what I've seen so far.
03:18 I'm looking forward to it as we get into the game week.
03:21 Tate got the start against Florida, obviously went down with a concussion,
03:23 missed the ACC Championship game.
03:25 How big is this for another start for him, for his experience?
03:28 It's great.
03:29 Tate these last two years has had three opportunities.
03:33 It's pretty remarkable.
03:35 Two of those were on the road.
03:36 All three of them, we had found ourselves, whether when he was coming in or even
03:40 when he was part of it, that we were down.
03:43 And so I think you see just the mindset.
03:46 He's not somebody that gets rattled.
03:48 Obviously we're going to be playing really good defense, a defense that shows a
03:52 lot of different looks.
03:53 But I know Tate, he's preparing at a high level.
03:56 And I'm excited to see him go out there and compete and just go be himself.
04:00 I think the Championship game was great for Brock.
04:03 It was awesome to be able to have some of the really good and then some of the
04:08 things that he can learn from.
04:09 So each time you step on the field, it's a great experience for your development.
04:14 That's something I think even with Brock coming out of it, you see a different
04:19 level of confidence in really what to expect and what it needs to look like,
04:24 but also things of areas of growth and improvement.
04:28 I have a big picture recruiting question to ask.
04:31 With the way things have changed over the last decade or so with the transfer
04:34 portal, five years or so, can you be as, I guess, like forward thinking in terms
04:41 of signing guys that might need two or three years to develop when you don't
04:44 know if they're actually going to be at your school in two or three years?
04:46 Has that changed anything at all?
04:48 Yeah, I mean, yes and no.
04:52 I mean, it's still -- I believe in the program that we have and the development,
04:59 the examples that we can use.
05:01 You try to be very open and transparent.
05:04 I mean, there's some guys we signed yesterday that I think elite level
05:08 ceilings.
05:09 Now, it might take them a little time, and I don't stray away from that.
05:13 I don't tell them just what they want to hear in the recruiting process.
05:16 This is a work -- I mean, I'm not going to put limits on what they can
05:19 accomplish, but they've got to come do it.
05:21 But when you believe in the young man, when you believe in who they are, how
05:28 fit that they are for this program, sometimes you're willing to wait for
05:32 great things.
05:33 But it's still -- it's about the work.
05:35 It's about the impact they'll make.
05:37 Does that mean that the kids, they're still 18, 19, 20 years old, and it's
05:44 sometimes hard for them to see past what is just today.
05:47 But ultimately, I mean, that's what it's all about.
05:51 I don't ever want to lose sight of that part of it.
05:57 I mean, it's enjoyable to see guys come in and grow and develop throughout the
06:01 program.
06:02 And then, you know, just all that they can accomplish.
06:04 We've got some guys that are going to play this game for a long time that
06:08 maybe they weren't the most celebrated coming in, but, you know, we believed in
06:13 them.
06:14 And as they've worked and grown, I mean, you have really special players that
06:18 are doing great things for us now.
06:21 Like the movie "Pass the Hood" and disappointment of what happened, what's
06:25 been your message to the team in terms of motivation level, you know, to play in
06:30 this game when maybe it's not the one that it was meant to be?
06:34 Yeah, I mean, it's still our opportunity.
06:36 And, you know, you get to play against a great opponent.
06:39 You get to play in, you know, the 90th Orange Bowl, I mean, which is just a
06:42 special, special game.
06:44 You know, it's got -- I don't ever want to make it about that.
06:49 No, I want to just -- I mean, it's what's in front of us.
06:51 So, you know, yes, we all are hurt.
06:53 I mean, all of that was real coming out of, you know, the championship weekend.
06:59 But at the end of the day, you know, good Lord's bless us with an opportunity.
07:02 I mean, go be better.
07:03 Like that's -- individually, you know, obviously as a football team, I mean, you
07:08 know, in today's age, I mean, it is -- there's a lot of people surrounding, you
07:13 know, young men.
07:14 And, you know, there's so much access, whether it's, you know, social media and
07:18 all the news and all those things.
07:19 So, it's easy to get distracted with, you know, with other things.
07:22 But, you know, you get a chance to go compete.
07:25 You get a chance to go, you know, get better.
07:27 And that's really been it.
07:29 And I don't want to have to give a motivational speech for opportunity.
07:33 And, you know, in this game, heck of a life, I mean, you're not guaranteed
07:37 anything.
07:38 You've got to make the most of what you have.
07:40 And, you know, I'm grateful to these guys and the way they've come to work.
07:43 I think the practices have been really good.
07:46 It's not something that I'm having to go out there and, you know, ramp up.
07:50 I mean, it is what's in front of us.
07:53 And if we're only dictated by circumstance, you can miss out on some great
07:58 things that are out there.
08:00 So, we have a great opportunity.
08:02 And, you know, I'm looking forward to seeing these guys go out there and
08:05 compete to the best of who they are.
08:07 Would you like to see changes in the December calendar as far as -- there's a
08:11 lot going on right now.
08:12 Obviously, you've got the portal and signing window for high school
08:15 prospects, too.
08:16 Yeah, I mean, it's a ton.
08:17 And so, I, you know, I think sometimes there's changes that are made and, you
08:23 know, things that sound good in the moment.
08:25 But, you know, as one change is made and then, you know, other things, you
08:28 know, stack upon it, it really becomes -- it's an overwhelming time, you know,
08:34 for really all.
08:36 I mean, players, coaches, all -- you know, when you think about signing day
08:42 yesterday, obviously transfer portal, you know, preparing and doing all things
08:47 for bowl games, I mean, it's difficult.
08:51 But, you know, I think you've got to make sure that, you know, with whatever
08:55 change, you know, you can rush to change something and it can have a negative,
09:00 I guess, reaction off of that.
09:03 So, I think there are some ways, there are some methods that could make it
09:08 better.
09:09 You know, maybe a freer opportunity when it comes to signing rather than, you
09:14 know, just having a set day or maybe an earlier opportunity if guys know what
09:18 they want to do.
09:20 Or, you know, I know there's been discussion of possibly if it was to ever
09:23 push back.
09:24 You know, it's just -- there's always going to be consequences and repercussions
09:29 to it.
09:30 But, I mean, it's definitely difficult to be great in all the areas.
09:34 But that's what we're striving to do.
09:36 Do you remember why they made an early signing period?
09:39 I mean, there's all different -- I mean, different discussion.
09:43 I think there are some -- I mean, there are some perks to it, especially in the
09:49 month of January of what it was.
09:51 Because a lot of kids, when you look back of when guys were committed, the
09:54 percentage of guys that stayed committed throughout January to February, you
09:58 know, being able to allow them to almost a relief of, you know, they know where
10:03 they're going.
10:04 But once you move it, you know, it was initially said, hey, well, just be the
10:09 guys that want to.
10:10 But then it becomes the new standard signing day.
10:13 So, it's always going to be a lot of -- like I said, there's going to be a lot
10:18 of consequences to every decision.
10:20 So, we'll see where it goes.
10:22 Earlier this morning the ball was in and L.T.
10:25 was going to play for you out here.
10:27 How big will he be now that you've been switched?
10:29 No, I mean, L.T. is a -- I've loved -- he's been a great playmaker for these
10:34 last four years.
10:35 And just seeing all that he does, you know, in the backfield, you know, out
10:40 space.
10:41 I mean, MVP of the championship game was a special game for him.
10:45 But, you know, he's been doing that for a long time here.
10:48 And I think there's still more growth, more opportunity for him.
10:51 And, you know, I'm just excited to watch him on that journey.
10:55 All good?
10:56 Thanks, guys.
10:57 Thank you.