Muschamp's Monday Press Conference Video and Transcription
Monday, October 27, 2014 | Football
Florida Gators head football coach Will Muschamp addressed the media Monday to preview Saturday's classic SEC East rivalry match up with Georgia.
Opening statement…
Sorry I was a little late there. Looking forward to Georgia week here, getting over to Jacksonville in one of the great rivalries in all of college football. There's nothing like it coming over the bridge and getting ready for this game and the excitement that'll be in the air certainly on game day but also in the buildup to it. You look at Georgia, the one thing that jumps out at you is the turnover margin. They're plus-13. They've only had four turnovers the entire season. That's the reason why they are where they are. One fumble and three interceptions. They take care of the football. They've got a fifth year senior who has certainly waited his turn, Hutson Mason, leading their football team at the quarterback position. Very efficient in what he's doing. He's completing right at 70% of his passes. Talent at the wide out position in [Michael] Bennett and [Chris] Conley and [Malcolm] Mitchell's coming off of an ACL and looks good. Extremely talented running back, Todd Gurley's one of the best football players in college football. Violent runner, he's a great competitive guy that really competes on every down in what he does.
Nick Chubb has done an outstanding job in his absence so far. Sony Michel has been injured. He's a good player for them. Keith Marshall has been banged up a little bit too. I certainly expect him back, and Brendan Douglas. They've got good depth at the running back position. Jeb Blazevich has been a good addition for them at the tight end position, and their offensive line is playing extremely well as far as the run game and pass game is concerned. So scoring a lot of points on offense, doing a good job of moving the chains versus everybody. They play defensively. [Leonard] Floyd and [Jordan] Jenkins and [Ramik] Wilson and [Amarlo] Herrera, but all of those guys are good players. Floyd and Jenkins certainly rush the passer extremely well. Both linebackers are instinctive, tough players. They play the run well. They're very good on third down. They're very opportunistic defensively of getting the ball off people. Special teams, Marshall Morgan is an outstanding placekicker. They punt the ball extremely well. They've done a lot of directional punting. They're averaging less than two yards a return, so that's something that's been an advantage for us.
We need to try and get some more going. They've been very good in the return game. Isaiah McKenzie has been a guy that's done a nice job for them. We're very healthy at this point in the season. The off week, we met on Sunday and then watched the game film from the previous game. Monday we were off and recruited as a staff. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday we practiced, started on Georgia. More of that focus on Thursday. We had a good practice there, Friday we were off. Again, the staff recruited then. Saturday we were off and we got back Sunday. We look forward to the game on Saturday and I'll open it up for any questions you might have.
On identifying what the offense has done well during the off week…
Well, we struggled without identity. I think more than anything, when you have 15 turnovers in four games, it's a struggle to get anything going offensively, but, we've run the ball pretty well through the year. We need to continue to build the play-actions off of that. Treon [Harris] will be getting his first start. I'm excited for him and what he's going to be able to do, a guy that has a knack for making plays, certainly is a guy that… calm, cool, collective about himself and how he carries himself, and I think we'll play well. So, identify some things we feel comfortable with, and as we continue to move forward offensively, and that's, you know, again, I think as much as anything we've struggled with an identity because of the turnovers. That's been a major issue.
On how Treon Harris has handled taking first team reps…
Couldn't tell the difference whether he was starting or he was fifth team. I mean, that's just his mentality, the way he carries himself. He's just a very calm, cool kid. Young man, excuse me.
On anticipating Todd Gurley playing on Saturday…
Absolutely. I would expect him… I would expect him to play.
On the challenge ahead in facing different running styles from the Georgia backs…
They don't have a lot of different styles. Those guys are all physical guys that run the ball north-south pretty quickly, so I don't know that there's a difference in how they run. Obviously, Todd [Gurley]'s got a lot of experience and Nick [Chubb]'s been a guy that's come along and played extremely well for them.
On working on turnovers…
We have the ball security period every single day that we've been doing for two years now, so we changed up some things we were doing as far as that was concerned, but just continuing taking care of the football. You can't turn it over six times and win. It's not going to happen.
On finding a role for Jeff Driskel…
We will as the week rolls on. We really didn't get started as far as game-planning on Georgia until Thursday. Jeff's had a sore back a little bit. He missed most of last week as far as just getting some rest with him. But he'll be back at practice today and be ready to go. And we'll identify those things moving forward.
On what has contributed to the poor offensive performance…
I would say inconsistency at quarterback and receiver. I think that those two positions have not been what we've needed them to be. I think if you go back to our first year when we got here, John Brantley was a senior and Tyler Murphy was an underclassman. We recruited Jacoby [Brissett] and Jeff [Driskel] and both came in as freshman quarterbacks. John got hurt in the second quarter of the Alabama game. We threw the ball extremely well in the first half, over 200 yards passing against probably the best defense in college football that year. Him coming off the injury, he was never healthy as the year moved forward, so we had very inconsistent performance on top of missing some playing time. Our second year, Jeff's first year as a starter, we were very good on defense, we were very good on special teams, we were a very physical run-football team, and quite frankly as the head coach, I made decisions that we were going to play to our strengths and that's run the football, play-action, use the quarterback's legs in the run game. And it afforded us 11 wins, so it worked. And then I don't think it's really fair to judge last year from the standpoint we went through three quarterbacks. We went through a lot of different offensive line combinations, especially at the tackle positions, and we struggled mightily throwing the football. Going into this year, I felt very comfortable as far as coming out of training camp and how we were throwing the football. I really did. You look at our first couple of ball games, I thought we were very efficient throwing the ball, especially in the second half of the Kentucky game. For whatever reason we have lost some confidence, whether it's dropped passes, whether it's timing, whether it's forced throws. And we've had way too much inconsistency as far as our ball security at the quarterback position and turnovers. And that's why we're going with Treon [Harris].
On different offensive coordinators factoring into the downward trend of the offense…
I don't think that that's… I think it's more inconsistency of play.
On if game week feels like a relief…
Every week is the same during the season. It's Groundhog Day as far as hours, time, time spent watching film. I'm hardly ever in my office. I'm in the staff room constantly, you know, constantly helping them get ready for a game. Complete bunker mentality during the season. As far as what we need to do to be successful, as far as all the other, I travel from home to work and work to home, and that's about all I do, so I'm not into the other stuff. I'm watching film and getting this football team ready.
On what the Florida-Georgia game means personally…
Well, we need to get a win, that's the first thing. But you know, again, it's one of the great rivalries in college football. You look at the Florida-Georgia game, you look at Texas-OU. To be in a stadium that's split 50/50, and the importance of the game to both universities is very special. So it's obviously very important.
On the seniors' motivation to get a win…
Well, I certainly—our guys understand the importance of this game to the University of Florida, and that's enough said.
On scaling back the offense for Treon Harris…
I think in the open week, our offensive staff has done a pretty good job identifying some things that Treon does extremely well. We won't pare things down as much as you might think with a freshman quarterback. He's an extremely bright young man; he's able to handle a lot of things on his plate. I think that the repetition of Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday of last week and now, you know, an extra day of Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and a walk through on Friday, again, accompanying with all the reps he's gotten so far this fall will help him.
On the history of the Florida-Georgia series…
Well, you know, I can only speak to my time here, or would speak about my time here. I think that we've had three games that have come down to the last drive and we need to coach and play better in those situations. I told our team that Thursday. We've had our opportunities to get off the field defensively; we've had opportunities to go for a possible tie in another situation and we haven't done it. Credit their team and what they've been able to do. We certainly had our opportunities.
On remembering Georgia players' reactions after the 1993 game…
I think maybe after the season is over you reflect on things like that, but during the season, I wouldn't reflect that way and I don't know if I ever saw that.
On the 1994 game in The Swamp…
Georgia had me covering, that's what happened. They asked for an ability to line up versus Jack Jackson, who was out of the stadium. Florida had a very good team that year, and they had me covering at Georgia.
On not being able to get out there and cover for Georgia this weekend…
I can't cover anybody. I can cover this (the podium).
On still believing this is the most talented offense he's had at Florida…
Well, I don't think we've played up to our capabilities, you know, to be honest with you. Demarcus Robinson is the one receiver that's been consistently productive throughout the year. Again, I think in the run game… the game changed the other night because of the scoreboard, and as far as having to get away from some run game things. But we've done some decent, productive things. Our offensive line for the most part has played well. Then the other night we got into a drop-back game and that's not something we're going to be able to do consistently well, as far as the scoreboard was concerned. It's been disappointing coming out of training camp and thinking about where we were and where I thought we were. For whatever reason, from a confidence standpoint, lack of production has been there.
On rebuilding team's confidence leading up to Saturday…
When you get opportunities to make plays, you've got to make plays. That's how you build confidence within a game situation. Those opportunities will happen on Saturday. You've got to go out there and coach well and prepare your players for those situations when they happen. You have to go make some plays, you have to catch the ball, you have to throw it to the right spots, you can't force the ball and you've got to take care of the football. The number one thing our team needs to do right now is take care of the ball. If we're able to do that we'll give ourselves a chance to win. If we don't take care of the ball, it doesn't really matter.
On the offensive line breakdowns against Missouri…
I think as much as anything, when the scoreboard changed, we had to get into a drop-back game. They have two very good ends and we have good tackles and we locked them up for a large amount of the game. When they're pinning their ears back, most every down is going to be a drop-back situation. To be able to pin their ears back and get some pressure on the quarterback, again, I told our guys in those situations we have to be able to block. I feel good about our tackles. Given that situation, we need to respond better.
On bright spots on offense…
We've played well at the running back position. The offensive line has played well and we've continued to improve throughout the year on defense. There was a busted coverage against LSU, a critical play, and other than the secondary, the run defense, linebacker [has played well]. LSU was a pretty good football team running the football. Our run has improved pretty good for the most part. We're seeing improvement throughout the year. Inconsistent play from the quarterback and receiver position hurt.
On negative talk affecting a coach and his family…
As a football coach, it's a bunker mentality. It is what it is. It's what you deal with when you get in this profession. I told the team after the game Sunday, I said 'as a fan, you buy a ticket, they reserve the right to boo. They buy the ticket they can come boo and chant and holler and scream and start a website and all that stuff.' If that's what they want to do, that's certainly their prerogative. As a coach or a player when you come to the University of Florida or a place like this, that's something you've got to accept. That's part of it.
On dealing with criticism as a father…
Well, you've got to get home and explain to your 9-year-old why they're chanting to fire your dad. That's not very fun. But, again, my family understands it. They understand the deal of being a coach. There's some great things that come along with this job and there's some tough deals you've got to deal with. I don't complain about any of that stuff. That's part of the job when you come here. It is what it is.
On difference in Georgia's scheme with Jeremy Pruitt as defensive coordinator…
You know, I think from just watching them, I think the two ends, [Jordan] Jenkins and [Leonard] Floyd, are very active in what they do. Both guys are very slippery in the rush. They can both get on the edges. Both linebackers are very instinctive. [Amarlo] Herrera and [Ramik] Wilson are both guys that do a really good job in the run game. But they still, the years before and into this year, they've been pretty complex schematically in what they do and mix coverage pressure. I think they've continued to do a nice job of that. But they've been really limited, they have not given up many big plays. That's probably as much as anything from last year; they were very young in the back end, gave up some big plays. I haven't seen that as much. They've been very opportunistic and they've gotten some turnovers. But they haven't given up a lot of chunk plays down the field.
On if Quinton Dunbar has been benched…
We need to be productive. You know, Ahmad [Fulwood] has been a guy that's been very productive at practice and working hard. Quinton had a good off week. He'll play against Georgia. We'll continue to work through the repetitions throughout the week.
On how Brandon Powell will contribute Saturday…
Yeah. He'll have a significant role in the game.
On if the Georgia game isn't just “another game”…
Well, it's an important game to the University of Florida, so that means it's an important game to me. So you take it as that. Certainly, the Gator Club meeting in Jacksonville will be easier next fall or next spring. But again, it's a critical game. It's an East rival. It's an SEC rival. It's a rival of the University of Florida. And it's very important to our university.
On if this game is personal…
Well, they're all personal.
On big, physical running backs trending in the SEC…
Well, I think it's no different than when you're buying a boxing ticket. Do you buy it to go see the featherweights fight or the heavyweights? Heavyweights. So, again, if you take a 6-2, 230-pounder that's got good speed as opposed to a 5-9, 175-pounder who in our league in my experience — I'm not saying they don't make it through the season without an injury — those guys have a hard time sustaining throughout the entire season to take some of the hits they're going to be taking throughout the year. Regardless of your size, in our league, you have a hard time making it through with one or two. You need to have three to be able to maintain the physicality. And certainly having a bigger back who's got the top-end speed to finish down the field is critical.
