9/27-28: Florida footballers speak to the media

By Adam Silverstein
September 29, 2010

A number of Florida Gators players spoke to the media on Monday and Tuesday as the team takes a look back on its 48-14 home victory over the Kentucky Wildcats and ahead to its match-up against the Alabama Crimson Tide on the road on Saturday.

Offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Steve Addazio, redshirt junior quarterback John Brantley, senior defensive end Duke Lemmens, redshirt senior wide receiver Carl Moore and redshirt sophomore cornerback Jeremy Brown all had plenty to say…which you can read after the break!

OC ADDAZIO
On how running back Jeff Demps’ injury is healing: “Obviously he’s a great player, but Mike Gillislee, Emmanuel Moody and those guys will ramp it up. You saw that on the field. We’re going to run. We’re going to roll. Jeff will be ready to roll.”

On combating Alabama’s defense: “We anticipate seeing a very talented and really coordinated scheme defense that we’re going to face with some multiplicity. […] I think they’re just an outstanding defense. I really do.”

QB BRANTLEY
On Saturday’s game against Kentucky: “It felt good. I think it was a great team win. We got out starting real well out of the gates. Everyone was clicking. The offensive line was doing a great job, the receivers were doing a great job, the running backs also. Overall I thought it was a really good team win, and I was really happy with it.”

On Alabama’s defense: “They’re a great team. Their defense is great every year. We’re just going to have to spend a little bit more time in the film room and be ready for them, be prepared.”

On playing in Tuscaloosa, AL: “Neyland [Stadium] was definitely a good little taste for it. It’s tough to prepare for it. I think more is you just have to prepare mentally. You know what you’re getting into. Try not to let the crowd affect you too much. Hopefully prepare well enough this week where the crowd isn’t a factor where you can just concentrate on what you have to do every play.”

On he and freshman QB Trey Burton getting comparisons to the Chris Leak / Tim Tebow combination: “I like it. I’m a fan of it. I’m not going to be the guy running the ball like Trey does. But you know what, that’s a big part of our offense. I think we need to be able to implement that in our offense, so I think it’s great.”

On if the players are being reminded about last year’s loss: “It doesn’t really have to be brought up too much. It’s always in the back of your head. We know what happened in the past and we’re going to prepare like it’s any other game, really.”

DE LEMMENS
On Alabama RBs Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson: “Not only is that probably the best running back corps maybe in the history of college football with those two, but they have a great O-line and it’s a great task for us. That is why you come to Florida, for games like this.”

On if Ingram’s talent is concerning: “I mean, he’s a great running back and there’s no doubt about that, I respect him. But I’ve never been scared of another football player. I go against big Carl Johnson every day, if he doesn’t eat me, I’m good.”

WR MOORE
On if Saturday’s performance has made him more confident: “My confidence has always been up, it’s just a matter of us going out there and executing. That’s what we did last week.”

On if teams cover him tougher on third down now: “If that’s the case, someone else will be open, so we’ll keep getting first downs. That will be fine.”

On playing in Tuscaloosa: “It’ll be loud, but every game is loud. We go through practice, we go through the speakers being loud, so we’ll be prepared for it.”

CB BROWN
On how the defense will improve from last year: “Defenses are most effective when it’s a gang tackle, when you have 11 hats on the ball. So looking at last year, missing a lot of tackles, that’s something we’re going to emphasize in practice.”

On Alabama’s pass catchers: “They have three, four receivers who could start almost anywhere in the country.”

10 Comments

  1. Gatorbuc15 says:

    Gillislee & Moody will definitely need to have a great game if we are to beat Alabama. Demps will not quite be his explosive self this Saturday. At least he’ll be able to play.
    Burton will need to make a big impact on the ground as well.

  2. Drew 4 Orange & Blue says:

    Bama does not have the dominant defense from last year….they also lacked rythem offesively against Ark….the probablem is to me they would be best if they just used Ingram for running and Richardson as a 3rd down back but Richardson is so talented how do you not utilize him more….McElroy is the weak link let’s hope we can get in the right down and distance to expose that….will be a huge challange but I saw Auburn do it to them last year so it can be done

  3. npgator says:

    Bama’s strength is really just pounding the ball with Ingram and Richardson and that is a difficult thing to stop late in a game.

  4. John S says:

    Hopefully McElroy won’t have the game of his life like he had in the SEC title game. They missed a lot of tackles in the Arkansas game. If we throw on first down occasionally and have a couple curve balls ready we should give them a much better game than the last time we met in Atlanta. Go Gators

  5. ejlgator says:

    Addazio needs to give the darn ball to Gillislee more…the kid is smooth with his cuts and gets the ball north-south down the field

  6. Mr2Bits says:

    I’m liking the way we are lining up for this game. ESPN is giving the Gators “ZERO” chance to win this game and were underdogs which is my favorite side to be on. When we are supposed to lose, we always play out best as the focus is nowhere else.

    Bama’s defense is extremely weak and will not be able to stop us if our offense rolls like it did against Tucky. The Bama running game is stout without question so hopefully we wrap up and do not rely on arm tackling as that will not work. If we can pressure McElroy, he will make mistakes and turn it over 2+ times. If he has all day, he will pick us apart. I hope Urbs is running defensive screen drills 500 times this week as you will see allot of that with Bama. Bama is high on their horse right now but have not faced a D like ours yet. I know Ark was getting allot of love but their defense is not in the same universe as ours right now. Arkansas won that game running away had they stuck to their game plan and not tried to force things(Mallet).

    In summary from what I saw this past Saturday, Bama really reminds me of our 2007 squad. High octane offense but the defense is young and easily exposed. If Florida can call a fluid game that takes advantage of their D and pressuring McElroy as well as limit the mistakes(ala turnovers, bad snaps and blown D assignments) we should be able to win this game running away.

    Lets go kick some red elephant ass and crush their hopes.

  7. tank says:

    I love this quote by Lemmens:
    “But I’ve never been scared of another football player. I go against big Carl Johnson every day, if he doesn’t eat me, I’m good.”

  8. Chaz says:

    Problem: 2 of the best smash mouth RBs in college football + a lot of rollout passing

    Answer: I don’t have one. I’m counting on Coach Meyers and the Gators having a big answer.

  9. caligator says:

    Roll the Tide…GO GATORS!!!

  10. GG says:

    Problem 3 & 4….no real pressure from DE’s and no return game

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