Please Read: Welcome to the new-look Inside the Gators
- Florida-Texas A&M Box Score
- Who is on your Coaching Board
- Share your 👍👎
- O&B Board: Florida vs Texas A&M Game Thread (All Game Talk in Here)
Florida head coach Billy Napier along with quarterback Graham Mertz and cornerback Devin Moore met with the media after Saturday’s 33-20 loss at the hands of Texas A&M.
BILLY NAPIER
BILLY NAPIER: I will tell you what I told the players. I think ultimately when we don’t have success and we don’t play quality football on Saturdays, it’s my responsibility. Everything that happens within our organization from top to bottom is under my direction and control, and certainly I take full responsibility for that.
I do think players are young people; they come to the University of Florida; we provide structure, we provide routine, we teach football, we teach values, we teach way of life. But ultimately at some point it becomes about production.
We have not played — two out of three weeks here, we have not played good enough football in many parts of our team at all.
Today obviously couldn’t capture any momentum early. I think we struggled to stop them. I think we had multiple opportunities to get off the field, and we could not. The play count got way out of hand; it was like 53-18 at halftime. Time of possession was very distorted there, and I think maybe we had three real possessions there on the offense. We did have a possession right there right before the half, I think there was 40-something seconds left.
Did score the first possession of the second half, got it back to two scores, then we quickly — two plays later we give up an explosive pass with a mental error in the secondary.
We couldn’t run it, and they obviously rushed it effectively, and they beat us today. Give credit to their backup quarterback. I thought he played a good football game. They used his skill set, and he caused issues for our team today.
What questions do we have?
Q. You take responsibility, but how do you explain the team coming out so flat for such a big game like this?
BILLY NAPIER: Well, I don’t necessarily think we were flat. I just don’t think that we executed. I think we actually had — we came right in after the running delay and had almost every single clip, and I think there was — yeah, I think there’s opportunities to make plays. I think there’s mental errors. I think there’s fundamental mistakes.
I do think that — yeah, we just didn’t have the ball. Then obviously they kept the ball. So it got out of control early there.
Look, we have to play complementary football. That’s the type of team that we have. If we’re out of whack in one area, it’s certainly not good for our team.
Q. Is there something you can pinpoint defensively at this point?
BILLY NAPIER: Yeah, I think we struggled getting lined up and executing basic calls, just to be quite honest. We got the guy dead to rights handful of times in the first couple drives of the game. His legs caused some issues for us. We lost contain one time. We missed the guy for a sack one time. Then we got a couple busts in the secondary.
We forced them to a field goal, but then here we go again, right.
I’ll be able to tell you more Monday, but overall I would just tell you, not good defense. That’s about as simple as I can put it.
Q. Two defensive penalties also were pretty critical in keeping two touchdown drives alive. Does it get to the point where you have to bench guys over that? How do you fix the mental errors with regards to that?
BILLY NAPIER: You’re talking about the targeting and the holding penalty? Yeah, I’d be interested to see the video from the targeting. They told me he used the crown of his helmet. We’ll see what that looks like. We’ll obviously ask for interpretation on that.
Then the holding, the guy — there’s no doubt the guy ran a wheel route, kind of a little bit of a tug on the jersey there on their sideline. So yeah, I think ultimately those players, they committed penalties.
Q. Getting booed is part of the job, but it was pretty loud and pretty intense at the end of the first half and again leaving the field. What’s that feel like for you, and do you think you deserve a chance to get this thing turned around?
BILLY NAPIER: Well, I don’t blame — I have no excuse — I have no negative comment about that. Ultimately when you play a certain way in this arena, you’re going to be criticized.
This is one of those places where there’s history and tradition and expectations. There’s been a lot of really good football teams that played in that stadium in the past, and when you play ugly ball, and maybe it doesn’t look quite like we all want it to, then hey, it comes with the territory.
I probably would have done the same thing, truth be known.
Q. What gives you confidence that you’re the right man for this job?
BILLY NAPIER: Well, I think that ultimately we’ve worked extremely hard, and I think we’ve — there’s been a ton of progress made.
I think my frustrations are with how we’ve played two out of the last three weeks. That’s where my frustration is.
I think we’ve done a lot of good in terms of behind the walls and just the organization as a whole. I truly believe that. I think most people that have familiarity with our program would say that.
We’re not getting the result on the field right now that we want, but ultimately that’s how you’re judged to some degree in this arena, so it comes with the territory. We all understand that as coaches. So we have to play more competitive football. We have to play better quality football. That’s my responsibility.
We’ve spent a lot of time — we work extremely hard. We have good people. But this is a production business, and ultimately we’ve got to play better.
Q. Coach, both sides of the line of scrimmage I think against the power four teams have struggled but specifically the offensive line. You’ve stated the importance of having two coaches. Have you guys recruited and developed well enough to play this level of competition there?
BILLY NAPIER: Well, I think if you watched the Miami game and the Texas A&M game, you would say no. So ultimately we’ve got to do something to fix it. That’s about as simple as I can put it.
We have struggled to rush the ball, and we have struggled to protect the ball. I mean, protect the quarterback.
Now, is that group working hard? Do they have good intentions? Yes, I think so. But we certainly — that’s our responsibility. When it’s not good enough, as coaches, it’s our responsibility.
I do think there’s an element of it — there is an evaluation in the recruitment and developing part, developing some cohesion with that group, trying to build a veteran group, but we haven’t played well enough up front on offense in the opener or today. That’s about as blunt as I can be.
Q. When you talk about the intention to get better and to prepare, are you starting to see things or have you seen things in the first three games that are uncharacteristic of what you might be seeing during the week, things that are being taught but then not being transferred on game day to the play?
BILLY NAPIER: Yeah. I mean, I think that’s some of the frustration. I mean, we come right in during the lightning delay and watch the tape, and I mean, it is what it is. What’s on that tape is who we are. I think we tell the players that, and I would tell the assistant coaches that. Our film is our resume, and ultimately we have to do a much better job.
Q. What’s your message when you see those things that are uncharacteristic on a continuous basis? Is there messaging that you’ve leaned on, or is it just something that continues to work itself out in your experience?
BILLY NAPIER: Well, you know, they know. Players are very aware. I think ultimately it’s not like they don’t understand or are not aware. They completely understand and are aware that, hey, I didn’t do what I was supposed to do at times, or maybe made a poor decision or used the wrong technique, whatever the case may be.
Look, I think my message to the team — the number one thing that’s critical for that group is that they stick together because ultimately that’s what they’ll have. 25 years from now, they’re going to have those relationships with their teammates. It’s critical, regardless of how negative it may be and will be outside, it’s important that they stick together, and really behind the walls, that’s all they have.
We may not be able to control what people say about us on the outside, but we can control what we do on the inside and how we — the words we speak, the actions that we take, our attitude, our effort, our approach, and that’ll be the challenge. That’ll be the challenge. Can they do that and can we improve, can we find ways to eliminate some of these issues and play better football going forward.
So that’s what I told the players, and ultimately I think that’s what’s most important at this point.
Q. With regard to some of those errors, is there anything that you can pinpoint with your process in practices, whatever the case maybe, that’s led to some of the repeat issues, missed tackles and poor offensive line technique? Is there anything in the process that you see is kind of a fault?
BILLY NAPIER: If I knew that, we probably wouldn’t have the issues we have right now. Ultimately I’m trying to solve those problems. It’s my responsibility to do that.
Yeah, that’s what we’re doing. We’re in the process of trying to figure those things out.
Q. The quarterback situation today, how do you feel like that played out, and do you regret not sticking with Graham after that touchdown drive he had in the third?
BILLY NAPIER: No, I think ultimately we have a really talented young player, and we have a really talented veteran player that’s experienced and has great command and knowledge of our system.
We ultimately made a commitment to rotate the players a certain progression, a certain way, regardless of the outcome, basically just to keep those guys in a good frame of mind relative to not looking over their shoulder. They have a really good relationship. They work really hard together to prepare together. It’s incredible to see them interact throughout practice, meetings. Even when we told them in the meeting, hey, this is the approach we’re going to take, they fully supported each other.
Yeah, I think we felt like it was in the best interest of the team to do it that way, and we did it, and I don’t necessarily think that that was one of our — that wasn’t the reason that we got beat today. I think there were a lot of other things that contributed to that.
Q. Over 300 yards on the ground. What did you see there and how disappointing was that from your defense?
BILLY NAPIER: Yeah, it’s disgusting. I mean, ultimately that’s my fault. We need to do much better.
Q. I know you’re a process-oriented guy and you focus on the process, but when you zoom out and look at the macro in year three, what do you see?
BILLY NAPIER: Not good enough. Not good enough against Miami, not good enough today. We’ve done a lot of good behind the scenes in terms of building infrastructure. We’ve got a great organization, but the quality of football in the opener and today, not up to standard.
I think we’ve played some good football at times and gotten beat, and maybe I’d have been able to stand up here and say, hey, we did a lot of good things, we’re close, but that’s not been the case. So that’s the facts. We have to do much better.
Q. Do you feel like you’re making progress?
BILLY NAPIER: I think that we’ve made progress in a lot of areas. I just don’t think that the quality of that football out there is what I would like.
And look, again, we’ve got a lot of people taking ownership that are not in this room, and I think that’s a good thing. But we’ve got to get it fixed.
Q. I know there’s not a lot of patience in this profession, but what is your sense where the patience is with you and this administration, and how important is it for you to be patient, stay the course during what’s clearly a tough time for this program?
BILLY NAPIER: Yeah, I think the most important thing is that we make decisions with perspective. I think we’ve got to try to be objective. That’s the biggest challenge in leadership, I think, is kind of trying to put your ego on the shelf a little bit and evaluate things objectively and try to make decisions that reflect that.
For me, all my decisions are about stewarding the people that have been entrusted to you, the players, your staff members. Ultimately that’s how I try to view it. That’s my responsibility to the players to do better for the players. That’s probably what I struggle with the most when we don’t play well is what are we — what can I do to help those young people in that locker room, because I’ve seen them work their tails off since January. You just want the reward for the player, and I think that’s what motivates me.
GRAHAM MERTZ
Q. Graham, where is this team at mentally right now? Two big games, you weren’t really in either of them. What are you guys telling yourselves right now about where the program is?
GRAHAM MERTZ: Yeah, I mean, I think all the guys in the locker room, they’re tired of losing. I think if you’ve ever been on a team and you’ve lost a big game or you lost a game at home at your high school, you feel like you let your fans down, you let your team down. We don’t want to feel that anymore.
I think that the guys in that locker room — I just got done talking to a few of them, but that’s where we’re at. We know what it takes, and reality is we got our butts kicked today, and early. It was weird for the offense. I think we had 12 snaps in the first half. That just showed us that the amount of drives we made in the second half, we had to maximize them. There’s no time to waste, especially in SEC play. You need to start fast and you need to get that going, and that starts during the week.
I think looking back at just what we’ve done, we need to have more urgency in practice. We have great plans, but it’s on us as players to execute them during the week and really sharpen that blade going into the game.
Q. Tremendous heat on Billy right now, and he’s 12-16 right now at UF. What would you say to us, outsiders, people who are saying it’s not working? Your support of Billy basically.
GRAHAM MERTZ: Yeah, he has my absolute full support. I’ve never seen somebody prep the way that we prep, prepare the way we prepare. We have a great plan going into every game, and I know everybody in the locker room trusts Coach with everything we’ve got.
It’s up to us, honestly. It’s up to us and what we do during the week, what we do during the game. Are you playing with heart or are you not?
I think that’s where us as a team, we need to come together and the players need to — we need to play the ball that we know we can play. So I think that really, we have so much — so many resources during the week that we prep, and our coaches are fantastic, and I think that we need to do a better job as players of putting ourselves in the right position and executing.
But no, he has my absolute full trust. I know as an outsider, you’re not in the building every day. You don’t see what we do every day. But as somebody that’s been in there for a year and — almost two years, there’s nobody I’d rather play for.
Q. What was your assessment of the two-quarterback system, and did you feel like when you caught a little fire there in the second half and then to have to sit after that, was that frustrating, disappointing, anything like that?
GRAHAM MERTZ: No. I mean, every time that — anytime you have an opportunity to go out and play, it’s up to us to go out there and execute it. To me, you can’t let the factors of what’s going on take you away from doing your job.
For me, every time I step out there, every play that’s called, it’s up to me to make it right. There’s no time to sit and self-pity when you’re in an SEC football game.
Q. I think they came into the game 110th in the country against the run. How surprising was it you couldn’t get that aspect of the game going on offense? Were they overloading a little bit? What were some of the reasons you couldn’t get the run game going today?
GRAHAM MERTZ: Yeah, we knew just their philosophy. They’re trying to get an extra hat in the box in a bunch of different ways, a lot of middle close zone, fitting the box from safety level with speed.
For us, we’ve just got to get all 11 moving as one, and what we’re going to be harping on all week. If we want to establish the front, if we want to run the ball, we need to do it every single day. I think that’s one thing I can do a better job of getting guys the simple, hey, there’s a guy coming from the field right here, little simple alerts that I can help just do my job better to help us all move as one.
I think we need to do a little self-reflection on how we can do our job better to free up everybody to go play.
Q. It looked like there were some timing issues on some handoffs, too.
GRAHAM MERTZ: Yeah, it was a simple miscommunication. We had a run called. Yeah, can’t have that.
Q. You had a few more deep balls than usual today, a couple of completions that went for 20 and 30 yards. Were you trying to air the ball out a little bit more to complement your compatibility with DJ and the receivers or was that just natural instinct?
GRAHAM MERTZ: No, I was trying to win. I was trying to do my job. I was trying to execute any play that was called. No, I just go out there and try to make my reads and do my job.
Q. Obviously the fans had a lot to say this week about the quarterback competition. How do you avoid letting that get to you on a personal level in the days coming up to the game or as you take to the field?
GRAHAM MERTZ: Yeah, I think it just goes back to what you pay your attention to. We knew during the week — DJ had a great game last week. It was no surprise that we were going to do that. For me, like I said earlier, it’s so easy to make this game a lot more complex than it is, or you can simplify it and realize, hey, I’ve got a job I’ve got to do, and when my number gets called, I’ve got to go out there and execute.
Like I’ve said a few times, I like to simplify this game and just try to go do my job.
Q. We’ve talked to you quite a bit about how strong the culture is and the togetherness. How important is that right now?
GRAHAM MERTZ: It’s the most important thing. I think that — I was on a team at Wisconsin, we started 1-4, and we won out, and it was a credit to the guys that we had on that team, the coaches we had on that team, guys coming together. We all know there’s going to be a lot of noise, and it’s up to us players what we pay attention to. Is it each other, or is it what’s going on externally? Is it doing our job, or is it something else?
We’re going to rely on the older guys who have been through a lot of these experiences. I shared it with Chim when we were at Wisconsin. We know what it looks like. We know it all comes down to winning and doing your job every single day of the week.
DEVIN MOORE
Q. Devin, they obviously had a lot of success running the ball, 300 something yards. What did you see from your run defense tonight?
DEVIN MOORE: I think the coaches put us in a great spot, the play calls, and just the leverages and assignments. I think the coaches put us in a great spot. We prepared very well during the week. The coaches worked so hard to put the game plan together. I think it’s really just on us as players to go out there and execute. It doesn’t matter what the game plan is if we can’t execute as players.
Q. What did it do to the defense to get on its heels a little bit with the 3rd downs early on and they just continued to keep drives sustained?
DEVIN MOORE: Yeah, as a defense we’ve got to be just more resilient, even when they do complete one or two 3rd downs. The drive is still not over. We’ve got to finish drives better and don’t let those 3rd down completions lead to points.
Every defense is going to give up 3rd downs here and there, but as a defense it’s on us to eliminate how much more they can do with the drive.
Q. For a defense, how demoralizing is a play like the long touchdown right after you guys scored and seemed to have a little bit of juice there?
DEVIN MOORE: Yeah, it can definitely affect us a little bit, but that’s why we play the game. We can’t let it affect us. It’s the next-play mentality. Figure out what went wrong on the play and make sure it doesn’t happen again.
Q. Talk about you had some extra time with the weather delay. By then the defense was struggling a little bit. Was anything discussed during that delay to really try to improve what had been happening up to that point?
DEVIN MOORE: Yeah, for sure. The coaches had their iPads. They just went over with us what they were seeing, and like I said earlier, the coaches can put together the perfect game plan. They work countless hours on us. It’s just on us as players — for instance, in the run game, just to make those tackles, get off blocks, have gap integrity. Yeah, we went over some stuff during the lightning delay.
Q. You mentioned execution, and there’s been some mistakes. There was obviously the holding on 4th down, the targeting near the end of the half, both of which led to touchdowns. As the season progresses, I know you said the coaching has been solid, so as players what specifically needs to happen, especially now heading on the road to prevent those mistakes from occurring again?
DEVIN MOORE: Yeah, I think Graham harped on it earlier. It’s just the weekly process. You’ve got to lock yourself in the facility. Every little resource that’s available, because the coaches provide so many for us, you’ve got to take full advantage of it, work countless hours for it, and just be able to go out there on Saturday and just apply it.
Q. A lot of missed tackles today. How concerning is that, and how do you get that fixed?
DEVIN MOORE: You know, it comes down to just execution. We work tackling drill every day, tackling stations every day in practice. It’s just on us as players to if we’ve got to stay after and do some more, then that has to happen.
Q. Weigman was a game-time decision today. Did you feel you were as prepared as you should have had for a mobile quarterback and read?
DEVIN MOORE: Yeah, for sure. Our coaches, they looked at that during the week, the reports of him being questionable. Our scout team and just throughout practice, we were preparing for both quarterbacks to play. Like all the quarterback read game, all the quarterback keep game, we definitely prepared for that, too. We’ve just got to execute as players.
Q. What would you say to fans who question the direction of the program under Billy?
DEVIN MOORE: We’ve just got to keep going, keep just trusting us. We’ve got to stay together. It’s not always going to be bright, sunny days, but you’ve got to ride out the rainstorms, and us as a team, we have to get better and just trust our coaching more and go out there and execute. It’s really on us as the players. The players got to execute; that’s why we play the game.
Q. When you hear all the criticism tonight, how do you guys process that?
DEVIN MOORE: You know, we know all the hard work Billy and the coaching staff puts in. Just going out there to fight for them. They take hours to put together a game plan. As players we need to kind of match their energy and intensity, put in all the hours they do, just so we can go out there and execute and avoid situations like that from happening.
Transcripts courtesy ASAP | Videos courtesy GatorVision
(His answer should have been $26 Million Dollars)