Pierce has come a long way

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• One-on-One with Steve Spurrier (Audio added)
• Where are they Now: Shane Matthews talks Florida Football

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Dameon Pierce, Jeremiah Moon, and Ja’Quavion Fraziars spoke to the media this afternoon ahead of Florida’s trip to face LSU in Baton Rouge this Saturday.

Here are the main takeaways.

• The LSU-Florida rivalry was the main talking point for all three players. Dameon Pierce, a senior, said, “there's a mutual dislike between the two teams, it's gonna make it a big game.” Redshirt freshman Ja’Quavion Fraziars, who’ll be getting his first real taste of the rivalry, said, “It'll be exciting this year to actually experience this rivalry.”

• Pierce was talking about the environment and challenge of playing at LSU, and began talking about the difficulties of playing a night game in Death Valley, before a reporter had to interrupt him with the news that Saturday’s game is not at night, and in fact kicks off at 11 a.m. local time. “What 11 a.m.? Well, correction,” said Pierce, “we've got an almost noon game. It's gonna be hot, it's gonna be a good one." 

• Pierce also talked about his growth over the last four years. “I've come a long way,” said Pierce, “I come from averaging 25 carries a game to coming here and becoming an open field back.” He also noted how running backs coach Greg Knox has been key to his development. “He's definitely gotten even more detailed,” said Pierce of coach Knox, “I look at the game in a completely different way.”

• Jeremiah Moon brought up a story from his first trip to LSU back in 2016, his redshirt freshman year. He drove from Gainesville to Baton Rouge with four friends to see his Gator teammates make a game-winning goal-line stand. “I was in the stands,” said Moon,” then on that last play, I went down to the fence and then they stopped them there, I jumped over the fence and went into the locker room to celebrate.”

•  Ja’Quavion Fraziars, who’s from Dunnellon and grew up a Gator fan, was asked where the LSU rivalry ranked to him. “For me, probably behind Florida State,” said Fraziars. More notable was the follow-up, where he said, “I grew up a Gator fan, the only Gator fan in the house, everyone else was Florida State.” He said he did get an offer from FSU, but was always set on being a Gator.

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WCC: Updates on everything the players had to say can be seen HERE.