Head coach Urban Meyer and several members of the Gator Football team met with the media on Monday to recap the 48-14 win over the Kentucky Wildcats and to look ahead at this Saturday’s showdown in Tuscaloosa against the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Head Coach Urban Meyer
On the plan to win:
“Hey guys, thanks for coming. Just a quick recap of the Kentucky game and the plan to win: our defense obviously played very well. Held, I believe at the time, the top offense in the SEC, as well as three really good playmakers to a very much limited 352 total yards. The key stat is five-of-14 on third downs and they were only one-of-three in the red zone. Turnovers, we continue to do a dynamic job on the back end with interceptions – plus-eight on the season – we created two and we had one turnover on offense. An area that we were very much improved in from last year and then throughout the course of the year we are getting better and better is in the red zone. We had it six times in there (and) we had six touchdowns. For the year, we are 17 of 19 with 16 touchdowns. Kicking game, we continued to improve and unfortunately we gave up the first punt return over any yardage in quite a long time. It was a 60-yard punt and we still had a chance – seven of nine goals we reached. The key stat is we were 63 percent efficient on third down and Kentucky was 35 percent on third down.”
Junior Quarterback John Brantley
On the performance against Kentucky:
“I felt good, I thought it was a great team win. We got out and started real well out of the gates, everyone was clicking. The offensive line was doing a great job, the receivers were doing a great job and the running backs also. Overall I thought it was a good team win and I was real happy with it.”
Senior Center Mike Pouncey
On the keys to winning the game against Alabama:
“We got to have a great week of practice, we have to prepare all the right ways and do all the right things and be the most prepared team on the field on Saturday.”
Freshman Quarterback Trey Burton
On what positions he might play against Alabama:
“I am not sure (what I’m going to play), whatever coach Meyer wants me to do and he knows I am willing to do it. I am blessed and I’ll do whatever the (coaches) want me to do and I am all for it.”
On his thoughts about the game plan against Alabama and Mark Ingram:
“He is a good running back. We have to prepare just like we do every other week, come out and stop the run. That is our main focus this week, stopping the run.”
Senior Strong Safety Ahmad Black
On his last memory of losing to Alabama:
“I just remember going there and not playing the best that we could. Alabama going out and beating us left a sour taste in my mouth, not only that they beat us, but we went out there and didn’t play the best that we could.”
