good okay guys we um before we get going here obviously want to say that our thoughts and prayers are with Ricky peol you know and his family obviously a difficult thing to go through there uh but we are glad that he's feeling better that he is stable and on his way back to a full recovery um little bit of a summary of the Miami game you know I want to thank our fans you know our fans showed up um and did a great job we need to do our part you know and to so that they could have been more of a factor in the game you know I think certainly we contributed to that you know offensively we didn't block them very well you know in the Run game and certainly struggled in protection at times and we lacked Precision in the throw game um and I think conversion Downs in the first half obviously went over for there and that was critical we couldn't sustain drives um we lack consistency we need more plays where we've got 11 players doing exactly what they should do and defensively two critical penalties that led to touchdowns on those possessions um they played ahead of the sticks I thought they did a good job they had balance we struggled to affect the quarterback you the pass R Us was not much of a factor and I do think that he made some plays the quarterback played a heck of a game and made some plays on some extended plays we had a few miscommunications in the back end in man coverage two led the touchdowns uh I will say this um defensively there's a lot of good things on the tape uh although they did score a bunch of points and move the ball I do think that um the players played extremely hard I thought that they played tough I thought that they played with good fundamental uh but we've got some things that we need to clean up we just have to be a little bit more consistent uh we'll have a player make a mistake that keeps a drive alive special teams was the bright spot um I thought all six phases of the kicking game the film was really impressive probably the best I've been around as a head coach to be quite honest um and I do think the team is in good condition you know there was not a ton of Loaves on the tape um I think reality here is that execution wins and we did not do enough um to be competitive in the game we got to go do it when it counts you know and that's reality so um we'll get another opportunity this week obviously a sford team that has um ex history with Florida Chris Hatcher is um a great coach I think this is year 10 for him um you know Sanford's one of the more competive itive FCS programs in the country he's done a good job of building a program they've continued to invest there and he's got a good mix of players you know he's got some portal players and he's also got some good high school players uh they have a history of being competitive in these games you know they played several of these throughout their time uh and I've got a ton of respect as a former FCA FCS guy um you know these games are important to programs like Sanford so um one thing that we're going to do this week is we're going to punt all the injury questions until Wednesday uh we're working on our in-house process as far as the SEC um injury report and then we'll have some information for you on Wednesday officially and we're going to try to work you know we're kind of bulletproof in our process inhouse so what questions do we have there was quite a bit of rotation along the offensive line you mentioned the struggles in in pass Pro what what led to so much changing especially with guys like Austin Barber who performed pretty well but you know didn't really get to play as many snaps as some other guys well we I think we made a commitment and a decision to play guys in rotations based off of how they've been practicing you know um and Devon Manuel had had some good days in Austin it was competitive there to some degree I think we played Devon the third six and N series or something like that so not the entire game but a commitment to to play a guy who had had took all the Reps in Spring um now obviously that all those things changed week to week right we go back to square one and we've got it you know got some evidence from the game there that um some guys can do better I know what you just said but people want to know so I'm going to ask it this way do you have to have DJ ready to go on Saturday as as the start well it's to be determined right now you know I mean I think we're moving our way um you're talking specifically about gr is what you're saying yeah yeah yeah I mean I I think obviously we we are checking boxes in protocol you know so regardless of the injury that he has I I don't have that answer today right but um we're going to go practice today and obviously DJ will be taking those reps how confident just are you in him based on what you saw on Saturday you know if he was to start how his Readiness and so forth well I mean I think we would play a branded football that reflects his experience and his strengths right um no different than we do each week but I've got a ton of confidence in DJ and I think we've had him since January uh he's a completely different person and player than he was uh when he first arrived so he's got a a really good knowledge of our system I do think coach to player helps a Young quarterback right so there's an advantage there that maybe you wouldn't had a year ago do you have something else in I was to say does the way Saturday shook out make you question the roster construction methods because Miami obviously was much more aggressive in the portal and has been do you feel like you could have improve the roster faster doing it more similarly to the way they did it well a lot of things contribute to those decisions right you it's not necessarily like okay hey this is our philosophy and this is how we're going to go do it I mean I think uh there's a number of factors that contribute to your ability and strategy in terms of how you build a roster right so um we've had our fair share of success in the portal as well you know so um I think ultimately uh specifically the quarterback I would say is the main difference maker you know so uh we've been in that situation before we went and got gram Merz Billy how are you guys dealing with the negative reaction you talked about it the other night but how how's how are you guys kind of weathering that yeah I mean I think it's um yeah again I think we we've got a responsibility to represent this place um and we need to do it better you know that's that's my to keep it very blunt um I think as coaches um we need to do our part to help the players and then obviously we have a handful of players that can play better as well but yeah I mean I think um it's part of the job I mean I think and ultimately I would tell you that whether it's failure or success you're always managing that part of the job regardless of where you're at so I think it's a critical that you set the tone from a leadership standpoint you've got to be a really good example to the players and you try to keep it technical um you try to to make them realize hey look when you do it right you get a good return when you make mistakes when you're playing a really high quality opponent the margin of error is small you get exposed right so um I think that's the message it's just like look you know here's the tape um here's what you need to do better here's what we can do better to help you I mean I think we got to take all parts of the building have to take ownership uh but yeah I mean I I uh I don't see it it's it's part of the job I me how hard is a bunker mentality though in 2024 I mean when you had a staff of what nine people 2 gas and whatever recruit I mean there wasn't a lot of people seeing hearing you got a huge staff a lot of young guys are on social media the devices are out 247 how how do you kind of have a bunker mentality these days I think that I think you'd be surprised um I mean it's a it's the world that young people grow up in today you know when it's good it's good it's bad it's bad um I would tell you the season's is probably a little easier than the offseason to be quite honest because you've got a task that's right in front of you that you can focus on and you have an immediate opportunity to go maybe change the result you know so um and I joke around all the time I think young people are more resilient than the adults are to some degree so um they're used to it maybe we're not you know so uh but yeah I mean I I think uh you you're going to get criticism when you perform the way we did Saturday in certain parts of our team keep technical sounds easy but I'm sure it's not is the emotional part for you is it hard to try to maybe flush that stuff and and present the side that you want to present to the team yeah it's the it is the probably the one of the bigger challenges you have as a head coach you know in terms of turning the page you know how do you filter the results how do you evaluate the game especially when it's negative and I would tell you one of the other big challenges when you do win but maybe you were sloppy and you didn't play well that's another big challenge because they they're all happy gol lucky but reality is like look I can remember standing up here when we B Utah the first year telling you guys like look we we I know everybody thinks we're going to win the Super Bowl this year but we we have things things that we have to clean up as a team right so um you know I would say this there is no better um learning experience than game experience you know I mean there's an old military line like you know we can have a lecture about bullets flying okay and we can talk about that all for years but when you're in there and the bullets are flying I think that's an area where you you know the consequences become real and I've played on championship teams I've been a part as a coach on national championship teams SEC championship teams Conference champions division Champions uh and very rarely did we win every single game you know and I think ultimately a loss early uh can be a blessing if you don't waste it and I think ultimately um one thing I can say is we have a group that's working hard um I do think that we have character um we got to go to work on the football part you know and I think we got to get more we got to become a more consistent team and we have to execute better and if we can focus on those things and not necessarily what some guy in his basement saying in you know rural Central Florida on social media then we got a chance to get better right so um I think that's the key you know know but um sometimes you deserve criticism you know and I think that's one of those things I would say I have no excuses right so we got to go get it fixed I know thing coach that you saw on film after analyzing the film that was uncharacteristic from what you'd seen in the fall as you prepare for the game anything that obviously that would be disappointing but was there anything that was just uncharacteristic of what youve been seeing in the fall yeah I think the yeah I just think offensively we weren't very clean you know I I didn't think that we were you know we weren't very precise you know I didn't I think we pressed a little bit you know and I think overall every position group I mean the running back group had a solid day you know but I think all the other position groups can be much better in my opinion based off what I've been observing um in practice like Pace on route route running things like that yeah 100% you said a loss early can be a blessing if you don't waste it what gives you confidence that this program can not waste this one I I just think we we've got the group of players that we have you know I mean I think observing them you know I think I mean we had almost the entire team came to the building yesterday when they were off right so um I think that's a good example of you know the type of group that we have here so um yeah I mean look they're embarrassed I mean that's reality right so I mean I said it post game I mean I I think um they know they're capable of better um and look got every opportunity there's a lot of football left here you know and I think that's what we got to do we got to focus on the the next opportunity did did the result cause you to kind of look at any of the specific game prep process are there changes that you think you need to make you know immediately what what were your thoughts on just how the week leading up went and and the processes within that yeah I mean I I think um I think offensively that I had you know I think that um I was a little surprised to be quite honest with you I thought we' played much better you know that's just just the honest truth um I do think defensively there's a lot of good on the tape you know I think off I think Miami I think the quarterback's a really good player you know so I think he made he played a heck of a game made some exceptional throws he's a challenge they got a good group of skill um and uh they did a nice job protecting them so but I I do think the kicking game was impressive um so we got work to do Billy what's Billy what's DJ going to have to do to kind of accelerate uh his well I mean just kind of his Readiness I guess would be a way to say it this week well you would like to think that he just finished preparing as if he was one play away from being out there you know and I think ultimately that's what we try to do for the backup is create an environment where like you know every day is a is a challenge just like you're going to have to run out there you know and be the St of the end entire week you know that's what we've always challenged the backup to do is like look you got to start your week as if you're going to be the guy you know knowing that the entire building is going to be dependent on you when you get that opportunity and really that applies to all backups you know I think you want a culture where the backup is working consistently as if he may have to play because this is a game where players get hurt you know and I think the depth that you have at every single position not just quarterback it's that you've got that type of culture and how you prepare to for the game each week I know you uh I know you said that that no excuses obviously I mean how would you evaluate yourself from a play calling standpoint first four or five drives of the game well I think that um offensively as a whole um you know the entire approach there every part of our building is being quality control every day so I think that part is obviously you know part of the equation right so I think in general here this is no different than the itinerary from Friday Saturday and and what we can do better uh from a travel perspective every part of our building is being evaluated you see okay you mentioned that there's nothing like getting life snaps for a guy what would it mean for DJ to get a full game I mean what how would that expedite his maturation well just the fact that he got to play a couple possessions the other day I think and then to see him realize like okay now I know you know what it's like out there I think we dealt with that a little bit with some of the Freshman that had to play last year right so but yeah I mean I was a player um you know I can still remember the first time I ran out there against William M on the road as a red shirt freshman you know I mean and we got control of the game and I'm out there playing you know I mean that there's no substitute for you know you have that it's just imprinted in your mind you know so um Side Story I got a concussion in that game too but um you know I think there's no substitute for that right so I mean I think in particular at quarterback I think it's just really valuable Russ's first game as cooc he was up in the Box how did that Dynamic work where you guys were talking and he has kind of different almost 30,000 foot VI yeah Russ's done a good job leading the offensive staff um you know he's taking some things off of my plate and uh he's a bright young coach and certainly it's been good to see him be more involved you know I think definitely a positive to have him up there and have his eyes for sure it all or is it still well I think all of that um you know I think it's is going to be determined based off how we perform you know I think his role um you know we want to give him a bigger piece of the pie we've done that and then I think each week we evaluate that accordingly you pup Howard play I thought pup did a lot of good things you know um you know I think pup's pup's one of the more I think he's got leadership traits I think he's mature uh he's big he's rangy I thought he played well um I think the line group linebacker group as a whole did a lot of good things we've got to be a little bit better um in some of our Zone coverage drops you know that was one of the issues that we had in the game but pup's got a bright future for sure what about safety play how how did you evaluate safety play I mean you had a lot of experienced guys out there and just did it come together the way you thought it would uh I think that uh overall all there was some good there I mean I think some of our issues were in we had some manto man miscommunications uh we had some underneath Zone coverage communication some of the extended plays you know where we need to stick on guys when the quarterbacks extends the play um but again I think it's never as good never as bad I think on defense as you think I mean I think that they played well the quarterback I think is is an except player um but I think we've got a chance to have a good unit on defense I really believe that new faces on that side of the ball how was the communication on game in there yeah I think we played clean you know I think the execution part that's where we got you I don't think we had any issues there coach the player was smooth I think the tablets on the sideline was a huge benefit um I think that you know we executed the game Day weekend and I think it overall went really well got to play better there was a lot of concern about Montreal and fall Camp certainly to see him perform the way he did uh how much confidence does that give you going forward with with his status yeah no he's great um you know obviously you had a minor scope you know it's one that's people have overcome no surprise that he came back quicker than most you know his self-discipline his work ethic his toughness uh and then you know the guy's just experienced player I think he went over 2500 yards Saturday so uh and he's one of the best leaders that we have in terms of his example I mean he's he's what you want coach you talked about previous experiences you know in your coaching career is there any that you could point to where the the initial game just just wasn't really great but then as the season progressed things really got turned around and I mean is that something that you can kind of recall and then draw from or is it just kind of yeah I mean we had a handful of losses at Alabama in the first half of this season you know that I think gave you a chance to kind of reenter uh just from a you know urgency standpoint that I think allowed us to get the most out of our team um you know we had a number of times there where we slipped up early in the year and it ended up being a positive just because I think it got everybody's attention um and I think the same at Louisiana we had a couple losses early in the season and I think makes it real like hey look um we've got to be at our best or we're going to face the consequences um and then it kind of puts your back against the wall a little bit in terms of longterm some of your goals so there's got to be more again there's no substitute I mean can you point to one particular key that really really drove the message home or was it just tell the truth you know I mean I think ultimately kept player ownership I think certain parts of your building realizing that hey look I got to pick it up you know my piece of the pie maybe didn't you know come to play you know so my contribution to the staff my contribution to the team like you know I need to go to work and do my job better right I think all hands on deck in that regard because I think if you're doing it right everybody contributes and everybody feels as if they can make a difference difference right so what I would hope is happening right now is no matter if I'm the equipment guy or I'm the strength coach or I'm the offensive line graduate assistant I'm thinking about man in that 10-day prep what could I have done better that maybe would have affected the outcome to some degree so I think it's just a it's a challenge to each part of your building each person not only football players now we're talking about staff members as well um and you got to use it you know and I think that's the key the NFL finds NFL Finds Its Defenders for roughing the passer late hits on the quarterback are you guys at that point where you you're able to find these guys for that no we technically um aren't allowed to do that okay