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00:00 I guess can you compare and contrast the energy you guys had at practice before the Christmas break and the last few days you had here down in South Florida?
00:07 I think anytime you leave your facility there's an acclimation to it.
00:11 But I think our guys responded well. I think they were really good on our Tuesday practice.
00:16 We had a great couple days there in Tallahassee and then given the Christmas break, traveled down here on Christmas night.
00:23 Next morning we woke up, good meetings, good practice. We're very much on our weekly schedule at this point.
00:30 I thought our guys had done a really nice job.
00:32 You guys preach response, opportunity. What is this opportunity like for you guys and what's the response been overall?
00:40 Well, it's the last game of this season. A season that's been a 13-0 season.
00:48 Our guys have done everything we've asked them to do at this point.
00:53 Just to have it finish out in a venue like this against a well-respected opponent, it's a great opportunity.
01:01 I think our guys feel that. They want to finish the season the right way.
01:05 It's been a balance of us trying to make sure they understand how proud we are that they've got us at this point.
01:11 But now we've got another game and another opportunity to take advantage of.
01:15 That's been really the message. I've got no question that our guys will do it the right way because they've done it the entire season.
01:22 When you studied Carson Edwards' defense, what did you learn? What are some things that you learned?
01:30 He's obviously a really efficient passer. You just look at the numbers.
01:35 Having them be in a different league and never really competing against them before.
01:41 I believe Coach Bobo was at Colorado State when I was at Marshall and we played a bowl game.
01:46 Just having a sense of what you think it's going to be but not really sure.
01:50 Then when you go and watch the efficiency that he's been, they're third down numbers.
01:55 They're second in long numbers. They're third down numbers.
01:58 The balls, they're throwing the football.
02:01 They've got a real veteran offensive line. They've done a good job in the run game.
02:05 They've really scored points at the efficiency of the throw game.
02:09 They're third down numbers as good as anybody in the country.
02:12 I think what he does a really good job of too that he probably doesn't get a lot of credit of.
02:16 I don't think he's a runner but his ability to scramble.
02:20 Scramble for first down, scramble for positive yards.
02:24 He's a big, great delivery, good accuracy. He's had an excellent season for them.
02:30 What do you think is the key to them being so successful in those third balls?
02:34 Is it tradition or not?
02:36 Well, they protect the quarterback. One, I think they've only given up.
02:39 They're probably the top five in the country giving up sacks.
02:42 Do that. Don't give up negatives.
02:45 Get the ball thrown by an accurate passer so you're protecting them.
02:49 Then you've got good receivers. You've had a great tight end.
02:53 You put that together. That's why their numbers are so good.
02:57 You guys are rolling this morning.
03:03 When you guys had some of the question marks in terms of the off-bounds,
03:07 how do you go as a coach about preparing your junior or whatever,
03:11 I guess, the aggrediation they have going into a game like this?
03:14 It's not even a question. This is football.
03:18 Every week this guy's practicing. Will he be able to play in the game? Not sure.
03:23 An opponent, that quarterback could be out.
03:26 It's part of the magic of coaching this sport.
03:29 There's so many pieces constantly.
03:31 Special teams, offense, defense.
03:33 I'm not trying to minimize what's happening down here
03:36 and what's happening now in college football.
03:39 You don't want to say "next man up" mentality
03:43 because that's the label that we put to this whole thing.
03:46 But you're getting ready for this game in January, in September.
03:53 The investment into the players that it's their turn didn't start last week.
03:58 It started when they arrived.
04:00 I think as coaches you need to have that mentality daily.
04:03 You can say "Wow, I got these five DBs, I got these three linebackers,
04:06 and they're really, really good.
04:08 But what about the next one? He's not playing yet.
04:11 But if you're failing him today, he's not going to be ready for his opportunity tomorrow."
04:15 I think as a coach you're constantly trying to work that battle of
04:18 everybody just wants to be okay.
04:20 Everybody wants to look at their team and say "I got a great 11, I got a great 12.
04:23 We're going to be great this game."
04:25 What about the guys that are the next 11?
04:28 You owe it to them to make sure that you push, have a standard of excellence,
04:32 make sure they're improving daily, creating those habits for them.
04:36 So when the moment comes, you've got to react.
04:39 The kids look at you like "Why is it so urgent now?"
04:42 It's been urgent since the day they walked on campus.
04:44 I think that's why we've been so consistent as a program.
04:48 I'm excited to be working with some of these younger guys.
04:51 They've done drag. This is a full-blown title.