Tony Elliott, John Rudzinski, and Des Kitchings speak on UVA's 14-12 loss to Miami.
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00:00 >> The difference in this game and why was the red zone such?
00:06 >> We just, we needed to make, the issue was we needed to make one more play than
00:10 they did.
00:10 And they made a play there at the end and we didn't make a play.
00:14 But it's been, it seems like that's been the theme with us offensively is we're
00:18 just leaving points on the field.
00:21 There was several trips to the red zone.
00:23 It's why you always tell him like a bell, he's trying hard, but
00:26 man, find a way to keep your feet score a touchdown.
00:30 Miss, you have the ball got on you quick, man, find a way to make the touchdown.
00:34 Might get the ball in the end zone.
00:35 Because we knew coming into this game and our challenge to guys offensively,
00:40 that defensive line that Miami has is pretty good.
00:43 They're pretty stout.
00:44 They played a lot of football, they're experienced.
00:46 I knew that it was gonna be a challenge for London football.
00:48 And we were gonna have to do a good job to be able to protect.
00:51 But there were some plays there, we gotta make it.
00:54 Opening, I think maybe a second play, first second play, we got mixed open.
00:58 We gotta make those plays.
01:00 And the guys continue to strain, they continue to fight.
01:02 I thought that overall, the team made progress.
01:06 You look at two weeks ago versus Louisville.
01:09 We were trying to give the game away early.
01:12 And we come back, we battle through adversity.
01:14 And then now we're in a four quarter game, four overtime game,
01:17 all the way down to the end.
01:19 So definitely not the outcome that we wanted.
01:21 And the guys are gonna be sick when they watch those four or five,
01:25 maybe six plays that would have made a big difference in the game that we didn't make.
01:29 >> How often do you guys practice the overtime scenarios?
01:32 You wanna deepen overtime with the two point stuff?
01:35 And what you think of- >> Yeah, so that was a tough situation
01:40 there because you don't know if you're gonna go first.
01:42 You don't know if you're gonna go second.
01:44 You're kinda seeing if you need a touchdown.
01:46 We knew that our kicking situation, we couldn't lose any yards.
01:51 But at the same time too, we don't wanna end the game by putting the ball in
01:54 the air, you know what I'm saying?
01:56 In some of those earlier overtime situations.
02:00 In two point, you work on it on Mondays, you work on it on Thursdays.
02:03 And then there's gonna be some time on Wednesday when you work all your red zone
02:06 stuff to be able to have a plan for your overtime.
02:10 You carry probably six or so,
02:13 maybe seven plays that you feel good about in the low red.
02:16 So it's not just two point, but it's third and three from the three.
02:20 It's third and four from the four.
02:21 So you're gonna practice those plays all throughout the course of the week.
02:24 >> Tony, obviously there's tons of football after this play.
02:28 But when Brendan overshoots Dontavian on your first offensive play,
02:32 you have a pit in your stomach thinking, here we go again?
02:35 >> No. >> Does it set a tone?
02:37 >> No, and what I read over the wicks and
02:39 what I told VA is man, sometimes you just gotta send a message.
02:42 And that was something that we challenged these guys.
02:45 Miami's corners are as good as we're gonna play.
02:47 Tyreek Stevenson is good.
02:49 Ivy is, they're long, they're gonna jam me.
02:51 And we knew that the receivers were gonna have to play well versus man coverage for
02:55 us to have a chance to win.
02:56 And so no, not here we go.
02:58 It's like, yeah, that's early in the game.
02:59 You're trying to get everything fine tuned.
03:01 I was just happy to see that we won and we were inside.
03:04 So it encouraged me that okay, all right, Tay's ready to go.
03:07 We beat man coverage, we're ready to go.
03:09 VA, you're juiced up, overthrew it.
03:11 All right, move on to the next play.
03:13 So no, I wasn't like, here we go.
03:15 I was like, okay, we're sending a message to these guys that we're ready to play.
03:18 >> Defensive football, I tell you what,
03:20 compliment to these young men fighting all day long.
03:24 And again, we had a chance to win football.
03:28 And so we're getting compliments from Miami.
03:33 >> How often do you guys talk about those two point conversions at the end of
03:36 the game, practice it at all?
03:38 >> Yeah, it's something we do on Wednesday, every week.
03:40 Every week we go through those two points.
03:41 And so we have a few calls on that menu that you go through.
03:45 And we had a chance to, really, if we would have done our jobs there on that,
03:51 we had guys in position to make plays.
03:52 And again, compliment to Miami for making the final play.
03:55 >> Sorry if you did this already, but what did you see on that conversion?
03:58 What did you- >> Yeah, no,
03:59 I mean, like we're always gonna have to do is somebody's gotta take the quarterback.
04:03 Somebody's gotta take two to the flat.
04:05 And so again, they out executed and that's what it comes down to.
04:10 That's what good football teams do is they go execute.
04:14 >> How unusual are those overtimes?
04:16 How much do you work on them like that?
04:17 >> Yeah, no, I think you get a chance to work the red zone situation a bunch.
04:22 And so for us, working as far as the true overtime, you work two point plays and
04:26 then you work the red zone, which ends up being a good simulation for
04:29 those situations.
04:30 >> Is there a need, especially after today, I saw a lot of players really frustrated
04:33 after that last two point conversion to kind of regroup these guys going forward?
04:36 >> I'll tell you what, I want these guys to be frustrated.
04:38 Shoot, we're frustrated as coaches.
04:39 We wanna win.
04:40 We wanna win for that V Saver.
04:42 We wanna win for Charlottesville.
04:44 We wanna win for all the folks here in the state of Virginia.
04:47 And so, yeah, we're frustrated.
04:49 And at the same time, there's a lot of good things that we can learn from.
04:53 And you know what, we owe it to this university to play at a high level and
04:59 then ultimately, frankly, to win.
05:01 >> John, how would you evaluate your corners?
05:03 It seemed like when they did take shots down the field,
05:05 your corners were in great position.
05:06 How pleased were you, I guess, with the secondary and regulation?
05:09 >> Yeah, they did a great job.
05:12 The play Clary made in overtime, the interception.
05:14 And early in the game, I think he kind of blew up one of their play tries.
05:18 What did you see from Clary today?
05:19 >> Yeah, Clary flew around.
05:20 I mean, all these guys flew around.
05:22 I'll tell you what, they bled for the V Saver.
05:25 And they bled over and over and over again.
05:27 And that's on all three phases of the ball.
05:29 And so, again, compliments to Miami.
05:32 >> You had Trey McDonald in there.
05:34 He almost got a pick.
05:35 I know Stevie Bracey was playing more.
05:36 Have you just been wanting to rotate more guys to keep Nick and
05:42 James fresh, or are these guys just running it with their practice?
05:46 >> Depth is super important.
05:48 Late in the season, and those guys earned the snaps.
05:51 They've come on as freshmen.
05:52 And they're no longer freshmen for us here in this program.
05:55 But what they are is they're older guys now, for as many reps as they've gotten.
06:01 So we're excited, and great opportunity for young guys to come in here,
06:06 learn the system, and be able to contribute.
06:08 >> As that game's going along, and you guys know you have to not allow touchdowns,
06:12 what's the feeling, what's the conversations on the sideline?
06:14 As you try to keep giving your offense chances?
06:18 >> No, I mean, it's a one play mentality, and it goes both ways.
06:21 And there'll be an opportunity down the stretch where the offense will score
06:25 a bunch of points, and they'll, so we're gonna play great complimentary football
06:30 here at Virginia, and we didn't do enough today.
06:34 >> John, I noticed you weren't down on the field.
06:36 Have you been down on the field much this year?
06:37 >> Yes, sir. >> You've only been in the booth and
06:38 on the field?
06:39 >> Been on the field all year.
06:40 >> All year?
06:41 >> As the final seconds of regulation are unfolding.
06:45 >> Yes, sir.
06:46 >> What was your understanding?
06:48 Is there going to be a runoff?
06:50 There's not, what the heck was going on?
06:52 Cuz we couldn't tell.
06:53 >> Yeah, obviously that took a little bit too long for the fans, and
06:56 then obviously for our players to sit around for that long.
06:59 So we'll wait till midnight if we had to.
07:04 We'd still be playing out there if we could.
07:06 >> Coach, did you feel like there should have been a couple of IMTs?
07:12 Cuz there were a lot of tipped balls.
07:13 >> Yeah, heck yeah.
07:14 Shoot, I'll tell you what, we play zone coverage.
07:16 We've got to, tipped ball's gotta be pecks.
07:18 And we take pride in being around the football.
07:21 >> Popped a big pass to Lavelle, and then we fought on the three.
07:26 And then we missed the deal with Katie on the pass, and
07:29 we had to drop on the fourth down.
07:31 Another drive on the third down, Mike Hollins gets down there.
07:35 I thought he scores.
07:36 He gets out of bounds, and we stall out there.
07:39 And another one down there, bad third down call,
07:42 going into our locker room area there in the fourth quarter, third down and three.
07:45 Should have had a better call there.
07:47 They stopped us there on that third down, and actually had to kick a field goal.
07:50 So it was a combination of things, just not, we're talking about competitive
07:54 stamina, the guys showing that they battled for four quarters.
07:58 They've been working hard,
07:59 love for the benefits of their hard work out there today.
08:03 They deserve to win, and unfortunately we didn't get it far.
08:05 >> Obviously you have a ton of football left after this play.
08:08 But when Armstrong doesn't connect with Wicks on your first offensive snap,
08:12 do you have a little feeling in the pit of your stomach like that?
08:14 >> No, I don't, cuz again, just the way the guys have been mentally tough and
08:19 battling throughout that, we was gonna make it a full quarter game.
08:22 And guys can compete, and they did.
08:24 We're just unfortunate of not making some plays at some critical times.
08:29 And I didn't give them a chance to throw that third down.
08:31 I'm down here late in the fourth quarter, so.
08:34 >> How would you assess yourself play calling wise in the red zone right now,
08:37 just after today?
08:38 >> Yeah, it's a combination of things.
08:39 I mean, we have a lot of drops in the red zone.
08:42 So there's that, and yeah, there's always gonna be a call or two I'd like to have
08:45 back, but we gotta execute and give them a better chance to execute down there.
08:50 >> Did you have to change your play call after that full start?
08:56 >> Yes, I did.
08:57 So we went to that and knowing that they will be in a man situation.
09:02 So we had Wicks one on one in that man situation.
09:04 If they play zone, then we had KT and Billy on a double out.
09:09 Well, they'll run the back line so we can hollow it there.
09:12 So we had a man's own answer on that deal, and they gave us the man look.
09:15 And it was followed by BA, which unfortunately didn't come up with that
09:18 play.
09:18 >> It looked like you were trying to do something formationally there.
09:22 >> Yes.
09:22 >> What caused the whole confusion?
09:26 >> Well, it's just, I mean, guys were prepped up, come off the sideline.
09:30 We had a motion on there with it.
09:32 And it looks like the center didn't stop the ball when the set hut was called.
09:40 >> The deep one to Lavelle, if it's not under thrown, that's six for you?
09:44 Is that just on Brandon?
09:45 Was that a personal?
09:46 >> I mean, I wouldn't say the ball was on the throw.
09:48 You had to adjust to it, but just keep your feet, buddy.
09:52 Get it in there for us, but it's just kind of been our luck this year.
09:57 >> How about the would be touchdown to Mish?
09:59 Was that thrown too hard?
10:00 Was that just a drop?
10:01 >> Just a drop.
10:02 Just a drop.
10:03 Just a drop.
10:03 It's a four count situation right there.
10:05 Felt like we had a good call forward.
10:07 And if we didn't get it, they would pin on the one yard line, get a stop, and
10:12 flip the field back and give us an opportunity to get another possession.
10:16 >> How do you deal with these- >> Any thoughts to go to Hollins after
10:18 the big, after his long play?
10:19 >> Say that again?
10:20 >> Any thought to go back to Hollins after the big long catch and run he had?
10:24 >> Well, the flats, right?
10:28 And underneath is where we thought we could attack them.
10:30 So Billy and KT had some slants inside early in the game.
10:34 And the running backs out the flats was a thought.
10:36 So particularly on third down, and BA did a good job of finding him.
10:40 And it converted for a big third down conversion for us.
10:42 So I mean, those guys rotate.
10:44 They're all pretty much the same at the running back position.
10:47 >> How do y'all deal with the frustration from this team?
10:49 A lot of guys hanging their heads coming off the field today.
10:51 >> Yeah, I mean, the guys, they put it all in.
10:54 And we're gonna bounce back.
10:55 It's a good group of kids, character kids and coaches.
10:58 And we're gonna bounce back, pull ourselves up, and put in the work to play again
11:01 next week here against North Carolina.
11:03 >> Denz, you said you should have had a better call.
11:06 >> Mm-hm.
11:07 >> Yep.
11:08 >> In your mind and hindsight, what should you have done?
11:11 >> I probably should have thrown it.
11:13 Yeah, I probably should have thrown it.