The Florida Gators (5-2, 3-1 SEC) are set to face off against Georgia (7-0, 4-0 SEC) inside EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville for a critical week nine SEC East matchup.
Gator Country compiles every quote the Gators made on Georgia throughout this week’s press conferences.
Head Coach Billy Napier
Q. Georgia puts you in a bind from a defensive standpoint, how do you answer those binds?
BILLY NAPIER: “Yeah, no, I think they do a fantastic job. I think the personnel is really good. Height, length, really good players at every level of the defense. Going to have to earn everything. I think is year eight for Kirby, if I’m not mistaken. There’s good continuity in terms of the veteran players have a good comprehension of the system.
Overall it’s about the fundamentals, it’s the execution and the personnel.”
Q. You were on a staff of a team that won 26 straight. What goes into something like that? Georgia won 24 straight. How impressive is that?
BILLY NAPIER: “I think ultimately, much like I mentioned before, it’s a new set of problems, right? It’s a new set of issues that you’re managing relative to keeping your team motivated.
They haven’t had one of those experiences that kind of recenters you at times, right? I think oftentimes we used to say sometimes maybe getting beat early in the year is good for you. Most of those championship teams did get beat early on.
Ultimately I think it speaks to the level of consistency that they’ve been able to achieve from a continuity standpoint. The systems on offense, defense and in the kicking game have remained the same, therefore the players continue to develop. They’re working on the same concepts, the same set of fundamentals. I think they benefited from that.
Obviously they’ve got a talented team. This is a result of a lot of hard work. I can remember, I think I told you guys this, when I got the job, I saw Kirby for the first time since he won it, I congratulated him because I think we all know, having been a part of that, the amount of work that goes into it.
It’s evaluation, it’s recruitment, it’s teaching and development. I think there’s an intangibles side of that as well that’s important. I think to sustain that is impressive.”
Q. A lot has been made about Bowers. They have quality players on that team. To what impact does that change your defensive game plan?
BILLY NAPIER: “Obviously this is not only one of the best players in America this year, last year, I mean, this is one of the best players of all time, if that makes sense. I mean, this guy is a really, really unique matchup relative to his ability to run routes and get open, his ability to run after the catch. They’re handing the guy sweeps. They were handing the guy the ball. He’s a terrific blocker. He’s tough. He’s got a really good set of fundamentals. Made him really hard to defend.
I think ultimately the matchups just change. I think these are probably questions more for them than they are for me. But we’ll prepare for the personnel that we’ve been watching.
What direction they go I think will be part of the next couple weeks for them. But probably having an open date helps. They’re not lacking for skill players. They got ’em, all positions. Obviously up front, it’s a big, tall, long group that’s very effective.
I think the quarterback gets a little bit better each week obviously as he gains experience.”
Q. What do you see from Oscar Delp stepping in Brock Bowers?
BILLY NAPIER: “Obviously talented at every position. It’s a deep team. They’re able to survive some of those injuries. And look, the freshman’s really good, too. They’ve got a very capable group. That guy has made plays this year, too. It’s plug and play. I do have a ton of respect for the caliber of player Brock Bowers is. He’s certainly a generational talent. I’d rather play them without him than with him. It is what it is.”
Q. On Georgia’s offensive line and how Florida can get pressure on Carson Beck
BILLY NAPIER: “I don’t know that we want to get that specific in terms of that. But that’s a good question. Every week I think protect and affect. I think, ultimately, it’s about protecting your quarterback and affecting their quarterback. It’s an element to the game. You want to try and disrupt (their quarterback). I think takeaways start with the quarterback, to some degree. So, yeah, it’s part of each game and certainly it’s part of this game. We’ll be trying to do both of those — protect our quarterback and affect theirs.”
Q. On winning the line of scrimmage this week vs Georgia
BILLY NAPIER: “I think every week in this league is a line of scrimmage emphasis week. There’s not a week off. I think, ultimately, if you want to have a program that is a consistent contender, that can win a championship, that can be sustainable and can win a championship, that can be sustainable, and repeatable you have to have really good play in the trenches. You’ve got to have the height, the length, the power, the twitch on the edges. That’s a really important piece of the puzzle. I think, ultimately, a huge part of their success is they have had that in the past. I think a lot of the teams that I have been a part of that were able to win championships had really good line of scrimmage play. They had significant players on both fronts. It’s definitely part of how we’re trying top put our football team together and part of their formula for success has been being good up front on both sides.”
LB Shemar James
Q. On Oscar Delp stepping in for Brock Bowers:
SHEMAR JAMES: “Delp, he’s a great player. You know, he was a backup behind Brock Bowers. We just have to prepare the same as we do every week. But he’s a great player, we worked on covering tight ends, inside leverage, wide side carry. I feel like we’ll be good this week.”
Q. On his takeaways from last year’s matchup:
SHEMAR JAMES: “Their protection is pretty unique. I don’t want to say on air, but we kind of studied that a lot and we have a game plan to pressure the quarterback.”
Q. On whether Beck is a sneaky gun runner:
SHEMAR JAMES: “He’s a sneaky good runner. He can get out and use his legs when he needs to. He’s a bigger quarterback, big arm. He can make a lot of tough throws.”
Q. On whether Beck is a sneaky gun runner:
SHEMAR JAMES: “He’s a sneaky good runner. He can get out and use his legs when he needs to. He’s a bigger quarterback, big arm. He can make a lot of tough throws.”
Q. On being fired up over underdog role:
SHEMAR JAMES: “Most definitely. They say we’re coming in as the underdog, going to lose by two touchdowns. But we’re still the Florida Gators and I feel like we’re always going to have that chip on our shoulder going into each and every game no matter who we play. So, that just added fuel to the fire.”
Q. On what will be required physically:
SHEMAR JAMES: “It’s going to be a game won in the trenches, from the D-line to linebackers, the offensive line to the running backs and tight ends. If we can’t stop the run, then unfortunately we’re not going to win the game.”
Q. On Brandon Spikes message to the team:
SHEMAR JAMES: “His message since being here from the spring to the summer, since we did Rivalry 101, was that he hates the Dawgs. It’s just pure hate with him and the Dawgs and that’s what he instilled in us. This week is different than Vanderbilt week or South Carolina week. We’re just preparing different for Georgia. There’s a lot that goes into this week.”
QB Graham Mertz
Q. What stands out about Georgia’s defense?
GRAHAM MERTZ: “I think definitely multiple in what they do as far as fronts, coverages, pressures. I think they’re physical up front. They’re fast. You see that on tape. They fly around, make plays. Like I said, physical defense.
Across the board, they play a brand of football on defense that you can see when you’re watching film.”
Q.As a quarterback, what kind of weapon is Brock Bowers?
GRAHAM MERTZ: “I’ve seen highlights. First off, anytime a guy gets hurt, that’s never fun. I’ve been around a bunch of guys that have had injuries that have to deal with that. Obviously praying for him in that sense. It’s an NFL tight end. He’s an elite, elite tight end.
After every game, you go on your phone, you’re swiping, you see guys’ highlights, I see him every weekend. He’s a baller. I wish him nothing but the best in the future.”
WR Ricky Pearsall
Q. You saw Georgia’s scheme last year. What did you learn from that?
RICKY PEARSALL: “Yeah, that they’re a really tough team obviously. They haven’t lost in about three years.”
Q. What makes their defense effective?
RICKY PEARSALL: “Just about everything, man. They’ve just got gifted players out there. They’re really well-coached. They’re really fast.
I think the biggest thing I remember from last year that stands out is they run to the ball. They gang tackle. They do all that.”
Q. What do you appreciate about Brock Bowers?
RICKY PEARSALL: “Man, he’s a really good player. I feel like I can’t say enough about him. He’s a super strong runner. He’s hard to take down. That’s the biggest thing I take away from him.
I’ve heard a lot of good things, the way he carries himself in the locker room, the amount of dedication he has in the locker room, in the film room. I think the most impressive part is just him as a player, going out there and making plays when his name’s called. He’s a great player. I think everybody can say the most about him.”
Q. What Georgia has done, how impressed are you?
RICKY PEARSALL: “I’m really impressed, man. Especially being in the SEC, being in a high-level football like that, you can’t say enough about it. They’re on one of the greatest winning streaks ever.”
Q. Have you noticed anything similar schematically between Georgia’s defense and the one you practice against?
RICKY PEARSALL:” Yeah, man, I think our defenses are just unique in their own ways. Different players, different coaches, different way of doing things. At the same time both really good defenses.
I’m going to take Jason Marshall over anybody going against them each and every day. He gets me better, I get him better. Competing against each other every day, that’s the main thing.”