Mr2Bits
Gator Fan
On the defense…
“I was really pleased with the way the defense played, especially the way they started. They started fast and I think momentum is worth 14 points at least. Hats off to Coach Strong and the staff and more importantly our players.”
On Brandon Hicks
“He’s making that normal progression, but he played well on kickoff and phenomenal on defense. He’s a terrific young person, and he’s right on schedule.”
On A.J. Jones not playing…
“I thought he would play because he was bouncing around in practice. He has a PCL sprain in his knee. We thought we would have him ready. Other injury updates, Carl Johnson has an MCL sprain and Jason Watkins left the game with a concussion, but he’ll be back.”
On Charlie Strong…
“Charlie is one of my close friends, but he’s also turned into one of the best coordinators in the country. I don’t know if it’s scheme, but I think it’s more of him developing players. If someone asked me to evaluate Coach Strong and the defensive staff, I wouldn’t say they’re scheme doctors. I would say they do a great job at developing players. Brandon Hicks, Ahmad Black, Janoris Jenkins, Will Hill had a great play tonight.”
On taking the load off the offense…
“The way that thing started is we had two picks and then they try that throw back at the 1-yard line. That’s great defense and great special teams. I do the same thing, I look at the scoreboard and it’s 28-0, but we only have 100 yards of offense. The kids are buying into it, making plays and shortening the field.”
On taking the load off of Tim Tebow…
“When you have Percy Harvin have one catch and Murphy have four and Coop only one, there’s not one guy you have to rely on. It’s a sign of good recruiting and good players.”
On maintaining the high level of play…
“This goes as No. 1 ranked for concern. You don’t get concerned when you’re fighting for an SEC title. You get concerned about complacency because we are still relatively young. I’m starting to sound like a broken record, but I admire their professionalism and their approach to practice Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. They’re real serious, and they’re acting like a bunch of grown men.”
On what he said to Coach Spurrier after the game…
“We just said good luck to each other. We talk a lot at the end of the season. That’s a first class outfit with a lot of good players. I’d love to have that tight end, he’s a first rounder and No. 11.”
On Percy Harvin…
“Sometimes when you evaluate him, I’m not sure he’s a tailback. He weighs 200, benches 400 and he’s a 10.2 100-meter guy. He hits it and when he hits hit, I told him the first day I saw it. He’s got the best first step I’ve ever seen, and I’ve been around some really good players. If he’s not the most dynamic player in college football, then he’s one of the top.”
On Jimmy Buffett in the locker room…
“You guys may not believe this, but that’s way up there. That’s a hell of a deal, man.”
Favorite Jimmy Buffett song…
”It’s five o’clock somewhere.”
On playing a complete game…
“The last couple Tuesday, Wednesday practices have probably been the best we’ve ever had. And that’s with winning the SEC East and still not having a senior on defense. We had a lack of maturity at certain positions where we’ve really grown up. I love these guys. I trust them and I enjoy watching them work. That goes for the staff, too.”
On giving Spurrier his worst defeat…
“I’m proud of our guys. That was the best South Carolina team going into it. What happens is when a couple of those scat guys get out of there, that’s when the stats get blown out of the water. That’s a good team. It’s a team that will win a bowl game.”
On defense playing smarter…
“A guy named A.J. Jones didn’t play and a guy named Brandon Hicks went out and played real hard. I got a good feeling that A.J. Jones is going to practice real hard this week because he wants to get on the field. You want to be on the field right now with this team. There are guys fighting. There are three safeties playing at a high level – don’t stub your toe. It makes you play harder and smarter.”
On the rushing game…
“I’m very pleased, and I believe it all starts with the offensive line. If they get those players to the second level, watch out. We’re talking Nos. 1, 2 and 3 and No. 21. They are dynamic players. There’s a lot of focus on doing that. Our goal is to get those guys to the second level.”
On Brandon Spikes’ injury…
“It’s a light sprain of his ankle, but the trainers say he should be okay.”
On Spurrier saying this team is better than 2006…
“That team was a national championship winner. I’m not disagreeing with coach, but this is our ninth win. I’ll make that decision as we continue to go along here.”
On the Spikes interception…
“We were at a meeting in the hotel and we said we’re going to go after this from the beginning. We were going to go after a punt, which we did. Low and behold Brandon Spikes makes a play and I think it was the play of the game. Then James Smith makes a play on special teams on the throw back.”
On Lou Holtz picking a South Carolina upset…
“Did he really? I’ll have to give him a call. I had that same sick feeling in my stomach to be honest. I saw the film and all you have to do is give coach Spurrier a couple weapons and you don’t know what he can do, and he’s got a couple good weapons. But so do we.”
On this being the best six game stretch of his career…
“I think it is. If I had time, Id’ show you the film on our kickoff team. That’s how you win games. Offense, defense are doing a good job, but special teams are fighting. It’s a fight to get out on that field right now.”
On having fun coaching this team…
“I think it’s obvious, yeah.”
On how he wants the players to feel right now…
“I want them to enjoy themselves and their families. People are going to say nice things about them, and so am I. Then we’ll come back after Sunday’s meeting and it’s over. That’s why I love this team. They’re going to go on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday.”
On what’s fueling the team’s intensity…
“I think they’re embarrassed by the way the played at the end of last season. I believe there’s a lot of talent here. I don’t see the selfness. They all care for each other, they all block for each other. The chemistry on this team borders on phenomenal.”
“I was really pleased with the way the defense played, especially the way they started. They started fast and I think momentum is worth 14 points at least. Hats off to Coach Strong and the staff and more importantly our players.”
On Brandon Hicks
“He’s making that normal progression, but he played well on kickoff and phenomenal on defense. He’s a terrific young person, and he’s right on schedule.”
On A.J. Jones not playing…
“I thought he would play because he was bouncing around in practice. He has a PCL sprain in his knee. We thought we would have him ready. Other injury updates, Carl Johnson has an MCL sprain and Jason Watkins left the game with a concussion, but he’ll be back.”
On Charlie Strong…
“Charlie is one of my close friends, but he’s also turned into one of the best coordinators in the country. I don’t know if it’s scheme, but I think it’s more of him developing players. If someone asked me to evaluate Coach Strong and the defensive staff, I wouldn’t say they’re scheme doctors. I would say they do a great job at developing players. Brandon Hicks, Ahmad Black, Janoris Jenkins, Will Hill had a great play tonight.”
On taking the load off the offense…
“The way that thing started is we had two picks and then they try that throw back at the 1-yard line. That’s great defense and great special teams. I do the same thing, I look at the scoreboard and it’s 28-0, but we only have 100 yards of offense. The kids are buying into it, making plays and shortening the field.”
On taking the load off of Tim Tebow…
“When you have Percy Harvin have one catch and Murphy have four and Coop only one, there’s not one guy you have to rely on. It’s a sign of good recruiting and good players.”
On maintaining the high level of play…
“This goes as No. 1 ranked for concern. You don’t get concerned when you’re fighting for an SEC title. You get concerned about complacency because we are still relatively young. I’m starting to sound like a broken record, but I admire their professionalism and their approach to practice Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. They’re real serious, and they’re acting like a bunch of grown men.”
On what he said to Coach Spurrier after the game…
“We just said good luck to each other. We talk a lot at the end of the season. That’s a first class outfit with a lot of good players. I’d love to have that tight end, he’s a first rounder and No. 11.”
On Percy Harvin…
“Sometimes when you evaluate him, I’m not sure he’s a tailback. He weighs 200, benches 400 and he’s a 10.2 100-meter guy. He hits it and when he hits hit, I told him the first day I saw it. He’s got the best first step I’ve ever seen, and I’ve been around some really good players. If he’s not the most dynamic player in college football, then he’s one of the top.”
On Jimmy Buffett in the locker room…
“You guys may not believe this, but that’s way up there. That’s a hell of a deal, man.”
Favorite Jimmy Buffett song…
”It’s five o’clock somewhere.”
On playing a complete game…
“The last couple Tuesday, Wednesday practices have probably been the best we’ve ever had. And that’s with winning the SEC East and still not having a senior on defense. We had a lack of maturity at certain positions where we’ve really grown up. I love these guys. I trust them and I enjoy watching them work. That goes for the staff, too.”
On giving Spurrier his worst defeat…
“I’m proud of our guys. That was the best South Carolina team going into it. What happens is when a couple of those scat guys get out of there, that’s when the stats get blown out of the water. That’s a good team. It’s a team that will win a bowl game.”
On defense playing smarter…
“A guy named A.J. Jones didn’t play and a guy named Brandon Hicks went out and played real hard. I got a good feeling that A.J. Jones is going to practice real hard this week because he wants to get on the field. You want to be on the field right now with this team. There are guys fighting. There are three safeties playing at a high level – don’t stub your toe. It makes you play harder and smarter.”
On the rushing game…
“I’m very pleased, and I believe it all starts with the offensive line. If they get those players to the second level, watch out. We’re talking Nos. 1, 2 and 3 and No. 21. They are dynamic players. There’s a lot of focus on doing that. Our goal is to get those guys to the second level.”
On Brandon Spikes’ injury…
“It’s a light sprain of his ankle, but the trainers say he should be okay.”
On Spurrier saying this team is better than 2006…
“That team was a national championship winner. I’m not disagreeing with coach, but this is our ninth win. I’ll make that decision as we continue to go along here.”
On the Spikes interception…
“We were at a meeting in the hotel and we said we’re going to go after this from the beginning. We were going to go after a punt, which we did. Low and behold Brandon Spikes makes a play and I think it was the play of the game. Then James Smith makes a play on special teams on the throw back.”
On Lou Holtz picking a South Carolina upset…
“Did he really? I’ll have to give him a call. I had that same sick feeling in my stomach to be honest. I saw the film and all you have to do is give coach Spurrier a couple weapons and you don’t know what he can do, and he’s got a couple good weapons. But so do we.”
On this being the best six game stretch of his career…
“I think it is. If I had time, Id’ show you the film on our kickoff team. That’s how you win games. Offense, defense are doing a good job, but special teams are fighting. It’s a fight to get out on that field right now.”
On having fun coaching this team…
“I think it’s obvious, yeah.”
On how he wants the players to feel right now…
“I want them to enjoy themselves and their families. People are going to say nice things about them, and so am I. Then we’ll come back after Sunday’s meeting and it’s over. That’s why I love this team. They’re going to go on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday.”
On what’s fueling the team’s intensity…
“I think they’re embarrassed by the way the played at the end of last season. I believe there’s a lot of talent here. I don’t see the selfness. They all care for each other, they all block for each other. The chemistry on this team borders on phenomenal.”
