Watch Now: Muschamp and Staff Preview Spring Practice
Monday, March 14, 2011 | Football
University of Florida Football head coach Will Muschamp, offensive coordinator Charlie Weis and defensive coordinator Dan Quinn held a press conference on Monday afternoon to preview the Gators' spring practice period that begins on Wednesday.
Interested viewers can now watch the full press conference on-demand on GatorVision Online.
The following are selected quotes from Monday's press conference:
Head Coach Will Muschamp
COACH MUSCHAMP: First of all I want to congratulate Mike Holloway and our SEC indoor track and field team, here at the University of Florida and very happy for him. I want to congratulate Jeff Demps winning the SEC and national championships again in the 60 meter, hopefully Charlie [Weis] can figure out a way to get him in some space this year and make a play or two, which I think was supposed to be funny, but it wasn't. (Laughter).
Really proud of where we are right now. We just finished a five week off season program and really put the players through a lot, worked four days a week, as far as agility system, plyometrics, endurance training, lifting with Mickey [Marotti] in the weight room, so real proud of their effort.
I really think in the off season, that's where you build your football team. You build the mental toughness it's going to take to be successful. You find out a lot about individual players at this time what they are willing to push through. You find out a lot about where your leadership is on the football team and that's what we need to continue to address and work on. But you start to identify your identity in the off season. I'm really pleased with where we are, and I'm excited about what those guys accomplished in our off season program.
Offensive Coordinator Charlie Weis
Q. How much potential do you see for John Brantley in your office?
CHARLIE WEIS: First of all, he's a good fit. I think that from the quarterback standpoint, you know, you have to be a good fit. And you know, fortunately for him, with what he does the best, you know, what he does the best athletically, it fits with what I like to do.
Now, that doesn't guarantee him a spot, but it gives him an upper hand with the experience that he has now fitting into an offense that fits what he does. I think that gives him a pretty good chance.
Q. Is there pressure that comes with that? Here is Charlie Weis; what can fans expect site unseen from a Charlie Weis offense?
CHARLIE WEIS: First of all this is Coach Muschamp's offense, not Charlie Weis's offense. This is the University of Florida, this is not Charlie Weis's offense, and you know, we work as a unit and I follow his lead. I appreciate the confidence they have known in me by bringing me in.
Here but at the same time, it's going to be a collective group effort because there's going to be games that we might go in, 17 14, there might be another game we win 45 41. You don't know what you're playing or what it is going to take to win. I'm not really worrying about that. I'm just trying to get us back to winning on a regular basis and I think we all want the same thing.
Defensive Coordinator Dan Quinn
Q. Dan, can you talk about the decision to leave the NFL?
DAN QUINN: Sure. You know, after Will [Muschamp] had got the job and I kind of had a very good feeling about Will, worked together at Miami, and when he left and went to Auburn and on to Texas, it was always somebody that I kept up with and we kind of saw football in the same way so, when the opportunity came to come work with them, it really was an easy for me.
I thought the guy had all the right stuff about him as a coach. So when it came to an opportunity to come to a place like this, it really was easy for me. I had a great experience at the NFL, loved, it made terrific connections, players and coaches and front office people and it was a great challenge for me and something I was looking forward to doing.
Q. Will said you would be in charge of calling the defense; how do you envision that relationship working?
DAN QUINN: He would say, "Hey, Dan, we need to think more about this," and then I would say, "Okay."
Honestly, I mean, really to put it as ease, we see football a lot in the same way and that connection is what brought me here, even though we only worked together the one year, we really saw things the same way. And like I said I went to go visit with him in Auburn and went to work out with him and stayed with him for two days, and same thing at Texas so we do see things along the same line.
