Notes and Quotes from football media day
Monday, October 4, 2010 | Baseball, Football, Scott Carter
Florida coach Urban Meyer and several players met with the media Monday morning at Ben Hill Griffith Stadium. Here are some notes and quotes from the press conference:
--UF defensive tackle Duke Lemmens led the Gators with a career-high eight tackles in the loss at Alabama. Lemmens, who played mostly in a hybrid linebacker spot, is hoping to make the same impact in Saturday's game against LSU.
“I know they have a big, strong athletic offensive line,'' Lemmens said. “I think LSU might be my favorite game at home at night.''
--Lemmens on the loss to Alabama and what the Gators must do next: “It was a wake-up call. We have a chance to either go uphill or downhill from that game.''
--Running back Jeff Demps was a game-time decision to play at Alabama. His sprained foot remains sore, but Demps expects to play on Saturday.
“I was about 90 percent,'' Demps said of his health against Alabama. “I'm trying to tough it out.”
--The Gators' defense will face the SEC's leading rusher in LSU's Stevan Ridley on Saturday. This is the third time in four SEC games that Florida has faced the league's top rusher.
Florida held Tennessee's Tauren Poole to 23 yards and Kentucky's Derrick Locke finished with 104 yards, most of them coming in the fourth quarter when the game was out of reach.
--“History shows it. We picked it up and rallied behind [Tim] Tebow. We're going to do the same thing now.'' Gators OL Carl Johnson on how the team responded after the 2008 loss to Ole Miss.
--"If we had won the game, his contributions would have probably been player-of-gamish.'' – Florida coach Urban Meyer on K/P Chas Henry's outing vs. Alabama.
Henry, the team's starting punter, filled in for injured kicker Caleb Sturgis and made field goals of 39 and 21 yards; he also averaged more than 62 yards on three punts, including a career-long 75-yard punt.
--“It's over and if you don't follow our plan you'll get your tail kicked in.'' –Meyer on what he hopes team took away from the loss to Alabama.
--With Demps still slowed by the foot injury and running back Mike Gillislee nursing a bone bruise on his right leg that caused him to sit out the second half of the Alabama game, freshman Mack Brown could be an option in the backfield.
“We are trying to push that accelerator as much as we can,'' Meyer said.
--Meyer says OL Matt Pachan (wrist) remains doubtful for Saturday's game against LSU.
“We need him,'' Meyer added. On the flip side, Meyer said the good news is that UF's battered offensive line escaped the Alabama game healthy.
--While the offense stalled at times in the first half Saturday, Meyer saw enough on the opening drive and in the second half to keep the lineup intact. He said not to expect to see a significant change in the lineup and that the coaching staff continues to evaluate film to identify areas to correct.
"It wasn't one person's fault. It was several. We just have to improve our execution and not have the miscues,'' Meyer said of the team's struggles in the red zone.
--“We did not play great defense. We played admirable.'' -- Meyer on the Gators' defensive performance.
Meyer said the Gators missed only six tackles.
--“No one was pointing fingers. We all stuck together and kept moving forward and kept fighting.'' – Gators starting quarterback John Brantley on the team's attitude following Saturday's game.
--“I tripped over Carl [Johnson] when he was pulling. I've got to get out of there quicker.'' – Brantley on the fumble near the goal line on an exchange between running back Emmanuel Moody.
