Florida Gators Football: Will Muschamp Notebook

Florida Gators head coach Will Muschamp met with the media for his weekly press conference Monday. The Gators are on a two game winning streak and have the chance to keep their SEC East push with a win over South Carolina.

The Gators had 429 total yards, nearly an even split between the run and pass (214 to 215, respectively). The defense also forced four turnovers and four three-and-outs.

Florida’s offense has another opportunity to have another big day this Saturday. South Carolina is last in the SEC in total defense, allowing 460.6 yards per game and 36 touchdowns this season.

Here is more of what Muschamp had to say:

Injuries:

“Keanu Neal hoping to get him out there maybe Wednesday looks to be doubtful at this time. Trenton Brown, not ruling him out at all, hopefully Wednesday to get him back on the field. Tyler Moore had an ankle, he should be fine. Chaz Green had a sprained knee, he should be fine. Jeremi Powell sprained his knee that he had surgery on, he may be doubtful for this game as far as being a special teams contributor for us. And Gerald Willis we will try to get out and move around today. But I expect him to play this Saturday.”

If anything has changed with Leon Orr:

“No, nothing’s changed.”

The importance of practices of to freshmen and the edge it gives to returning players:

“You’re able to go out there and get another probably 12 to 14 practices in before a bowl game depending on when it is. But you look at Loucheiz Purifoy our first year, he started the Gator Bowl. He didn’t start a game all season but he came out and had a great bowl practice. He was a true freshman. He had more time. When you’re in a bowl situation kind of like training camp and spring ball, you’re not getting ready for a game and you’re not game planning. You’re teaching the defense, you’re teaching the offense, you’re teaching the techniques and the fundamentals that go with the position at a very slow pace as opposed to when you’re getting ready for a game, you’re still teaching fundamentals and techniques but you’re also trying to recognize sets. And there’s a lot more going on mentally and so there’s no question I’ve seen guys take huge steps forward on the football field in a bowl situation. No doubt.”

On how wide receiver Quinton Dunbar handled being benched:

“He dealt with it very well. We weren’t getting the production we needed and Ahmad had been a guy that had done a nice job getting those opportunities. Ahmad should be fine Saturday, had a little turf toe in the game on the deep ball down their sideline and Quinton went in and did a good job. So you go in and cash in on your opportunities when you have it. Man down, man up and that’s what he did. So I’m very proud of how he handled the situation.”

What going for it on fourth down can do for the players on offense:

“I just feel like that as a defensive coordinator, when you call a game aggressively, sometimes your players play more aggressive. They feel a little more cutting it loose and our guys feel like that offensively from a standpoint that they know we’re going to go for it in those situations. And I talk to them about those situations all the time. To me, it’s always important for the players to understand why we’re doing it. If we get into the situation we’re in that range where we’re outside of field goal range, maybe the 38-yard line, it’s 4th and 1, go for it in those situations.”

If the offense is in position to provide a balance:

“I think so. I think we’re getting there. We’ve got to continue to run it well to develop things in the passing game. You know, whenever you put it on tape, it’s not just to throw it deep, but complete it deep. As a defensive coach, now you’re saying ‘OK. These guys are willing to do what they need to do.’ There was no question Vanderbilt was bound and determined to make us throw the football, and we saw that early in the game. We knew we were going to have some opportunities to take some shots.”

Ryan Randall
From Melbourne, Florida, Ryan has lived in Florida since he was three, becoming a sports fan around that age. His passion for journalism rivals his love of sports. Shortly out of high school he covered prep and community sports for his hometown paper in Brevard Country, before moving to Gainesville, where he covered the Gators in the pros as well as prep sports for a few publications. A Telecommunications major at UF, Ryan now interns at Gator Country and ecstatic to showcase his talents for the publication. When not working on stories, Ryan enjoys playing basketball, music, as well as art. Follow Ryan at @_RyanRandall_