11/9: Addazio, players speak to the media

By Adam Silverstein
November 9, 2010

Florida Gators offensive coordinator Steve Addazio, and defensive tackles redshirt senior Terron Sanders and redshirt sophomore Omar Hunter spoke to the media Tuesday as the team took a final look back on its win against the Vanderbilt Commodores and ahead to its game against the South Carolina Gamecocks.

THREE-HEADED MONSTER BEHIND CENTER

With redshirt junior starter John Brantley, redshirt freshman tight end Jordan Reed and freshman Trey Burton all sharing quarterbacking duties these days, Addazio was asked Tuesday if he has ever seen a team employ a similar strategy and why it happens to work for Florida. “No. Three quarterbacks? No, I have not,” he said. “For us it’s working right now, and it’s working because we have some really unselfishness guys who really want all for the team and winning. That’s very evident. It’s created a level of excitement and energy; it’s been a real positive thing for us.”

Though each player has his own specialized plays and duties, managing three signal callers with such unique skills is proving to be a work in progress for the entire coaching staff. “You’re moving a lot of checkers around and that takes a lot of time,” Addazio said. “You got to be exact in your practice time; you have to be exact in things. Systematically it’s a little different routine than what you’ve been accustomed to. Our whole deal has always been trying to get the right pieces in the right places.”

SATURDAY’s BIG GAME WEIGHING ON SENIORS IN GOOD WAY

In addition to playing for the Southeastern Conference Eastern division title on Saturday, the Gators’ senior class will be participating in their last home game of real significance seeing as Florida State is a road game this year. Sanders realizes how important the outcome of the game is not only to the team but also his classmates. “This is a make it or break it game for us,” he said. “As seniors, we don’t want to not make it to the SEC Championship game. It will hurt knowing that we had it right in the grasp of our fingertips and we let it go if we don’t come out and do what we need to do.”

Hunter, who has been wearing the orange and blue for some pretty big games already in his young career, doesn’t think Florida holds any advantage due to the game’s importance. “I think it’s irrelevant. It’s the SEC. Every week is a big game,” he said.

QUOTES (After the break…)

Addazio on redshirt junior wide receiver Chris Rainey’s second chance and turnaround: “It was real powerful for him. [Football is] his world. It’s really very, very important to him. Obviously it was devastating for him not to be a part of this whole thing. To watch him really get that, and the way he’s responded, has been great. I’m happy that’s happened and of course he’s got the day-to-day of working on really everything he needs to work on. You make changes and you try to push forward and every day you have to work real hard. I think that’s where his mindset is right now. What I see is a guy that’s really locked in and focused on all aspects of here – his academic life, his athletic life, everything. I see a happier guy right now. There’s no question you see a change. So that’s really positive and really good to see, because at the end of the day all of us are into watching people develop and grow and have an opportunity to overcome. And he’s doing that right now – that’s exciting.”

Addazio on running trick or gimmick plays: “Every week, every year, we go into every game [with] what we call a couple of ‘specials.’ Call them what you want. They could be reverses, they’ve been a whole host of things here. And every week we do that. You’ve seen them every week happen, usually in the form of reverses, possibly screens, any kind of trickeration little kind of deals. Everywhere I’ve ever been we’ve done that. It’s kind of fun, the kids kind of grab onto it.”

Sanders on his fumble return touchdown: “It felt good, that’s something that a lot of big men dream of – getting in the end zone. It felt really good to have the support of my team behind me – for them to meet me in the end zone and celebrate with me.”

Sanders on if giving up the punt block negated his happiness: “A little bit. You don’t never want to give up a punt block. We haven’t allowed one in years. To know that you’re the sole reason for it – it kind of puts a damper on it. […] It was a mistake on my part, and I told coach Meyer it wasn’t going to happen again.”

Sanders on facing South Carolina QB Stephen Garcia: “Simply because of the stakes that are on the line, we know that they are going to come into The Swamp and give us everything they got. We know it’s going to be a tough challenge for us to contain the running backs and the quarterback as well. It’s going to take tremendous focus on our end to get the game plan in and go in there with the game plan, shut it down.”

Hunter on Gamecocks RB Marcus Lattimore: “He’s a powerful back, great back. Just his speed and his power, he’s so powerful. He runs hard every play.”

One Comment

  1. david says:

    Someone needs to tell Easley about Marcus DuPree …

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