Florida Gators Football Press Conference 8-19-2024

Opening Statement okay ready to go here okay before we get going here I want to congratulate um Nick David Tori and his wife low on their first child they brought a got a daughter and um I can remember like yesterday I felt like Annie was born just yesterday so we congratulate Nick glad everybody's healthy and doing well you know it's been a good week um we've had some really unique speakers that have had an opportunity to talk to our team Scott cochr was here uh what an incredible talent and story that our players were able to learn from very thankful for his passion for the things that he's been through and Patrick young um you know just incredible perspective um and I would tell you what an inspiration you know I think I'm just really impressed with his overall attitude and approach as Mom Bonita was here as well uh what an Incredible family and just to hear his story and how much he cares for the University of Florida and the experience he has and the things that he learned as a competitor and now in life and he had a great message you know he talked about how life is now you know and and to be grateful for today um I think finding the Gratitude and viewing every day is an opportunity uh he talked about how your belief system at some point will be be tested you know what are your values what are your convictions what do you stand on what are your non-negotiables you know what faith do you have and I just really impressed with him you know and I think obviously um excited to have Patrick back any day in time to be around the players in our team know the scrimmage went well um we were able to get a ton of work I think we played about 160 plays total uh counting offense defense and kick game I thought the defense um was much better U Less mental errors I think the Run fits were polished up and better I think that we did a good job playing red zone defense and we got some takeaways um and I think we cleaned up um the penalties on offense but we did have a few penalties on defense to work on I do think offensively we had a good day on third down um you know overall all much cleaner you know I thought we were much more efficient we got out of there injuryf free for the most part we did have a few typical injuries but overall what we've talked about showed up I think now going forward the details really important the urgency is really important it's very evident that there's great competition uh we definitely have more depth than we've ever had and it's a long season right we will need everybody we're going to need every single person I think it's it's important that we embrace our role and we work hard to earn more depth is critical in this league and certainly with the schedule that we have so you got to work while you wait you know Tony robish show used to say that U at the University of Louisiana when I had a chance to be around him and I think that applies to parts of our roster so um pleased you know very pleased I do think um we'll work on ourselves here for a couple couple more days uh we just got done uh doing a little bit of an in-game process walkth through we worked on uh pregame orientation uh we partnered up with the band and and sang the fight song in the stadium um so yeah it's been good and we'll work on ourselves two days here Tuesday and Wednesday and we'll Turn the Page to Miami on Thursday what questions do we have you uh you mentioned developing Explosives explosives through the air uh in these scrimmages especially after the first one how how did you see that progress in the second scrimmage we had some explosives we did um I do think the defense did a good job limiting explosives but there's no question that we had some throughout um look we know turnover margin and explosives are critical factors relative to winning so we want to be intentional about trying to do that you know I think you can Rush the ball then you have a chance to the Run action pass the naked game um staying on schedule on third down um so I I think that that's an area where we need to continue to have focus and do that Weekly that's always a point of emphasis what is your assessment Offensive line offensive line right now and are jobs still up for grabs there yeah no I've been very pleased um I think that we have more depth there's more competition uh we definitely have a two deep there that we have confidence in uh but there is competition you know and I think there'll be um you know a lot of what's the ratio of plays you know is it 1 to one is it 2 to one um and then who's the next best inside player who's the next best tackle uh and then a lot of that will be determined I would say week to week you know but I do think feel really confident in particular the path protection has been much better um we need to continue to work on developing some of our younger players you know we still have some very talented players that are very inexperienced that need every rep that they can get so um yeah we've got a good healthy rotation there and and feel good about that group at least with communication now that you've got a couple scrimmages under way with all Communication three phases and communication with the staff when they're on the on the field yeah it's been a huge point of emphasis you know and I think um you know it's one thing to communicate in the practice setting you know we talk about communicating early loud and often uh and then clearly and concisely with confidence right that's the way we would describe it uh interesting Dynamic is we do these walkthroughs all through TR training camp and we we actually do crowd noise during the walkthroughs right so there's some verbal communication that has to take place but there's also a lot of nonverbal you know in this game so um when you ask that question I immediately think about some of these walkthroughs where you know upfront in the secondary you know and third down in that that place we call the swamp is U it's hard to hear your guy sitting right beside you much like much less the the corner the safety the nickel all being on the same page so I think it's one of the challenges and we try to replicate that for the players in training camp talked about Aris and being kind of explosive and is is he unique and and how's he improving in the tight end aspects of the position he's had yeah he's a year older you know and I think he's got much more um experience and confidence you know this time last year I mean he didn't play to play I don't think so um yeah I think you went through the growing pains last year and then you kind of regroup you know what it's like out there um and then I think you train and prepare a certain way anticipating okay now I understand what's required but um yeah he's unique I think he's a mismatch player he's loose he can change direction he can separate uh and then he's a good run after catch player and he's is really hard to tackle um so uh we've had I think there's a number of examples but just two minute the other day he was able to take one the distance so I think he's a vertical threat um and he has the ability to run after catch when you throw him the short and intermediate stuff as well running backs Runningbacks uh I think we saw Jaden B had a a touchdown run in in uh the highlights but how did they look without Montell and then what's Monell's current timeline in terms of his recovery and his rehab yeah so Montreal is doing fantastic right he's um he's been able to do a few things uh we expect him to be able to participate in practice um whether that's modified and at some point um full speed but um we'll give you an update obviously we're getting ready to turn the page into game week but we'll give you updates per the timeline up until the game but we have confidence that Montreal is doing great um and feel good about his return um I do think that the four other kids have had fantastic training camps and it is extremely competitive like I can tell you who's running out there next right now now I know Tryon web has game experience and I trust him he's by far the best protector he's tough he's durable um he's smart um but also standing back there behind it um and I'm watching Jaden ball and jacobe and KD and these F these two scrimmages and we we feel good about that room you know they're young they're inexperienced it's important for those players to understand that they have to play without the ball you know and when it's third down you know and and you're checking your way out and that corner comes from off the outside receiver to the boundary you've got to have good eye discipline and those are some of the lessons that we've learned the last couple weeks so those guys will be ready to go when it comes time Billy back in Team Culture the spring you talked about as part of building the culture you wanted your guys to have a room full of guys that wanted to be better teammates are you seeing that from this Bunch as we progressed through the summer yeah no it's it's uh it's the one of the best things about this team I think is there uh the trust level the respect level um there's a certain loyalty that I think we finally have here you know where there's an expectation that you're going to do your best for your teammate and and I do think there's a sense of humor too right we had just yesterday right here in this room we had our annual rookie skit right so to finish off training camp and just to see the camaraderie the ability to have a little sense of humor um and jab at each other a little bit not only players but coaches too right so um yeah I mean I think that's the fun part of being around this team um and experien too right guys that have been here multiple years um so great I think one of the things that Scott Cochran talked about was connection and togetherness those are the two of the key elements to some of the significant teams that he's been a part of so I think this group has definitely made progress in that area is it much further along than the previous two teams you say I think that's a good question for the players you know and I think most players that you talk to would say the answers yes about the how Development about the development from January to now I mean how much are you seeing players getting better you know in terms of and I know the strength staff goes into some of that but just in terms of you know F we're seeing Castell for example freshman sophomore he has a couple interceptions and so forth in terms of just the Improvement yeah just see um I think it goes back to kind of what we've been talking about it's it's one thing to train and practice for a battle that you have no idea what the battle is going to be like you know you have no as a competitor like I played football Maybe I played somewhere else maybe I played in high school you know and I'm training hard and I'm practicing I'm trying to do what my coach is telling me but when I run out there I have no clue what that's really going to be like right so I think we have more players on this team that have been between the lines they played in the critical moments they know how to prepare Sunday to Saturday to get ready for a game uh and they won't be as um anxious um or un certain about what it really will be like when they get out there so and don't get me wrong we have a handful of those that will have to contribute to our team but I do think that we'll be able to grow and develop those guys as the season goes so yeah I think just the experience Factor really matters when you start talking about getting ready for an opener I think there's part of me that would say that that's important wide receiver we saw Injuries past couple days Quon frasers and tank Hawkins collect they're dealing with ailments can you provide any detail yeah so lower body injury for uh Baby J um Andy Jean is the other player that has an upper body injury uh that will probably take a little bit of time uh and then tank I think is dayto day you know I think we'll see where he's at but nothing longterm for tank um and I think baby J and Andy are to be determined did S have a pick six I'm surprised that he didn't post that on social media was he excited I'm curious yeah Not only was he excited but that entire defensive sideline was excited so was a great uh fundamental play by Jack pyrn you know it was a nearhand bat uh off the quarterback's hand and um It's actually an RPO that got tipped up into the air and then it was a Christmas Day for one Tyreek sap how long how long do you run it back it's was probably probably 70 yards I would say 70 yard don't tell anybody but Jaden ball hawked him down okay so but uh no he he scored he did and celebrated I yeah we had an entire sideline that was celebrating Deon Moore Progress on defense is another guy you know we saw him in I guess he was in a black Jersey on Friday and then we didn't see him is that the tonsil still or that tonsils yeah we'll getting him back here soon what are you pleased with the progress your defense has made uh week to week to week so far in Camp I am I see um I see flashes of what I would expect I think we have high expectations for how we want to play defense around here uh as a head coach I would tell you when we've won games we've been good on defense I think if you look at year two three and four at Louisiana we were 25th 18th 11th in the country defense and uh we want to play complimentary ball we understand look at champ ship football teams um Power five football power four football now got to be good on defense so we've got high expectations for how we want to play um and I do think that we've made a bunch of progress now the games are here I won't be long we'll get a chance to go out there and prove it but our ability to do that consistently is the key and I think coach Robertson coach Armstrong coach Harris coach Chapman Coach Peterson that entire group would tell you the same thing now it's about the attention to detail it's about the urgency and it's about being able to do your job uh consistently can you have the self-discipline to show up and prepare the right way when the game plan changes and the opponent changes so one week at a time I think your ability to take the information to study the opponent and then get yourself ready to prepare when it matters um and to do that week in and week out so but yes I do think we have more experience we have more competitive depth and I think the coaches have done a good job you mention 160 plays I Pace of practice believe on Saturday is that an indicator of guys understanding more the pace of play that you want to play at and understanding how the flow of the scrimage was supposed to go no it's about right I mean I think we're usually between 120 and 135 um and then we've got a certain number of plays we're trying to hit from a kicking standpoint um kicking game standpoint but yeah I mean I think we have more threes so threes get maybe a few more reps than usual and got more players to roll through to make sure that we hit play counts you know I think we're trying to get each player a certain amount of work and we spread that out but we worked our way through all the situations and um yeah good competitive work it was back and forth throughout I think both sides had success throughout um and that's what you like to see sometimes you don't sleep very good if it's lopsided I would say what do you think uh what do you What do you think DJ Moore has gotten out of camp think DJ's gotten out of camp in his development just a million reps right I think just overall familiar familiarity with all the concepts you know offensively then all his progressions in the throw game and then just overall knowledge of front pressure coverage he's seeing a ton of variables trading Camp's hard for the thinking positions you know for the guys that have to process and communicate the quarterback the offensive line the tight ends uh the inside backers the safeties um because you you got a ton of offense in and you got a ton of Defense in and the number of variables just starts going up so um very challenging for a young player at any position much less quarterback what's been his like Whats been DJ Moores resilience level resilience level when he makes mistakes it sounds like he might have had a had a couple few in the last couple weeks during scrimmages and how does he move past those oh I does great I mean I think he's um he's very mature um I think he's he's a great competitor I think he's learning I think it's healthy I mean heck I think it's really harder is better for a young player I believe that and I think it's the only way that you improve you know I mean I think ultimately you got to go through some challenge right you got to make mistakes I mean repeatedly in a practice setting for a young player you fail and then you get up off the ground and you go back at it and don't forget um um there's also a side of this to where you have have to handle having tremendous success right so I think well history is the best indicator of the future so those guys get banged up right we know that um so I think we're going to need every single one of them you know and I think our ability to practice and develop our team is key too right you need a stable of backs right so um again it's about doing their job consistently for the inexperienced players right so how you play without the ball is as critical if not more critical a lot of the important Downs in a football game you may not have the ball you may be protecting the quarterback right so and these guys are going to play on special teams now you know I mean I think there's and some of them are really good special teams players so um yeah we got that's a good room you know coach deluke continues to produce you know I mean that's just what he does right so I don't ever have to worry about the running backs and uh those guys always are ready to playance talk to about kick and fr On kick and punt returns return a whole bunch how have you seen those areas progress and and who maybe are the standouts at those in those roles yeah I know it's it's um yeah it's really competitive right I mean I think um Chim DK Trey Wilson tank Hawkins Montreal's work back there Jaden balls worked back there um that's punt returner you know kick returner Jaden ball has gotten work um obviously tank myel um so yeah I mean I think we running out there today we got options you know something important to understand is um when you're the returner the most important thing is to secure the ball let's get the ball back to the offense right so your decision making and your ability to communicate is probably the most important part ball security and your ability to make a good decision in the moment and communicate with the other players so um I think that the kick returner and the punt returner that's part of their job and that's the area where we have some good players that can do that well and then we have some talented players that need to improve in those areas was that maybe an On return game area that fell a little short last year for you guys just the decision-making aspect of returns when to take touchbacks versus when to bring it out and all those kinds of things I think we did better at that last year I think the first year is where we had issues with that beginning of the season right so I think we did better in that um and look I think P return you know we we've had some success there you know I mean I think statistically we've been pretty good when it comes to explosive Play On Trey Burton Trey made a big splash last year where does he go from here I what do you want to see will we see that yeah I think Trey's um you know Trey's ability to be consistent to ignore the hype you know to don't believe the hype to be a consistent worker you know in the film room your practice habits uh how you approach your self-discipline how you take care of your body what you eat what you drink how much sleep you get um you know your commitment to continue to improve your skills throughout the season how many balls did you catch on the jugs today um you know I think he had a good example in Ricky peara last year there wasn't a day went by that Ricky didn't catch a 100 in that indoor so um he knows what it looks like and now it's his turn to do that every single day how think going with the mat On Special Teams the Special Teams M we saw it a little bit I think on Thursday yeah that was great yeah I think we um yeah I mean every anything and everything that we can do to uh improve our process we're going to do it I was On Rod Smith do cross training and just what files he you guys his ability yeah Rod is uh definitely improved you know I think about where Rod's at today compared to maybe when he first got here he showed up at 265 lbs I think he weighs like 310 now and looks great um I think the defensive lineman would tell you that he's got great play strength he's crafty as a blocker he's improved his ability to communicate uh to play with technique um and now it's time to uh hopefully at some point get some game experience and and learn what it's like out there you know so Rod is one of our leaders you know Rod has incredible character and intangibles he's a he's a worker and he has the ability to inspire and affect other people so he's a guy that sets the tone around here for sure how much does On Hayden Hurst ha for over the course of the last year now that he's here really play Under I think I think he's very much like arless in terms of last year you know I mean this guy's has zero experience you know he's a former High School quarterback um so yeah Hayton has changed his body completely I think some of his body composition numbers are a reflection of how hard he worked and I think the straight conditioning the nutrition program worked for him but he's just a smarter more aware player hayton's a leader he he's focal um he's a smart player he's a good communicator um he's a big man I mean this guy's 66 270 lbs you know so um seems like yesterday I'm I'm in Weatherford Texas right sitting in his living room with his mom and dad on that ranch so um yeah Hayden's a he's one of our best he continues to do a really good job thanks all right guys thank you all