University of Florida Football Media Conference
Monday, November 18, 2024
Gainesville, Florida, USA
Head Coach Bill Napier
Press Conference
BILL NAPIER: Obviously before we get moving to the next one, I just want to thank our fans. I mean, I think it's 11 straight sell-outs. We're hopeful for the 12th this weekend, but just really special environment. I thought they played a major factor in the game.
I think this group and our team have been vocal about how thankful they are that our fans continue to show up. Obviously we've been frustrated ourselves at times, and for them to continue to be there and play a major factor in the game, I think we're very appreciative of that.
We're going to need them Saturday. Obviously a good Ole Miss team coming into town and a lot at stake. So the big thing for us is we have to earn the right to win, and I think that's got to be the approach each day of the week. I thought we wanted to be the most prepared we have been to play last week. That was the big message and challenge, and I think we were.
So this week it's all about earning the right to win, and we have to have a little bit of a playoff mindset ourselves to some degree. You know, can we handle the praise, the positive?
Obviously played well Saturday and get a lot of gratification from that, but I think it's important that we hit the reset button here, and it's about the next challenge. You're either growing or you're dying. You're either getting better, or you're getting worse. Our attitude and our approach towards meetings and practice and our self-discipline, our routine this week will be really critical.
But Ole Miss has got playmakers on offense. Obviously a veteran quarterback. Then defensively they've got some disruptive players up front. I think overall just a very veteran team. 32 seniors in the two-deep on offense and defense. Not to mention a couple of redshirt juniors.
In general they're in position to -- you know, they've had a good year. So I think this is a good football team, a ranked opponent, and we're excited about the challenge.
What do we have?
Q. You worked with Lane for years. What are your thoughts on him as a coach and an offensive mind?
BILL NAPIER: Charlie Weis Jr., the offensive coordinator as well. I worked with Charlie. We were all at Alabama together there for a couple of years.
So just in general one thing I would say is that I learned a lot. I think that environment, the people that we had in the building, when you start looking at the list of coaches and support staff, I think that was a beneficial time in my career just because of the people that were in the building. Obviously Lane was a part of that staff.
Yeah, that's what I would say. That entire experience was extremely beneficial.
Q. Was it just his personality? What do you think he kind of brings to the game? He's kind of got a little Spurrier brashness and likes to kind of poke people, and he's obviously the offensive kind of guy?
BILL NAPIER: Yeah, Lane has always been that guy. He's got tremendous experience. You know, I think Lane has shown a ton of growth in my opinion.
I obviously know him well. When his dad passed away, we spent a lot of time talking about some of that. Obviously I had been through that. He's a coach's son. I'm a coach's son. I think we love ball, right? We love everything about the game.
Lane continues -- you know, he has had multiple opportunities as a head coach. I think maybe this is his fourth opportunity. So just in general a very accomplished and experienced coach.
Q. You guys chatted on the phone about when Monte Kiffin passed?
BILL NAPIER: We did.
Q. What about the intricacies of the offense? Traditionally they're tough and the challenge of that, and coming off your defensive performance, what kind of challenge that's going to be this week?
BILL NAPIER: I think very systematic. I think he's had a number of different coordinators. I think you go back to the transition at Alabama and then obviously when he got the job at FAU, Kendal Briles and then it was Jeff Lebby, and now it's Charlie Weis Jr.
I think he's had a number of different coordinators that have contributed to the evolution of that. The tempo being part of that. Then I think you add in some of the unique formation variables that maybe goes to our background with the pro style.
Yeah, I think it's been challenging for people to stop. I think obviously they've had good balance too. It's not necessarily one-dimensional. So last year obviously very rush-heavy, and then obviously this year the quarterback being the premiere player. Obviously they have a really good group of receivers.
Lane has always done a good job of taking whatever skill players he has and playing to those strengths.
Q. Sending the seniors out in the last home game on a high note, is that something that you discuss with the locker room? I know that you don't need to give the team any additional fuel, but do you bring it up at all as something for the younger players as a motivational factor?
BILL NAPIER: Yeah, I do think it's a unique week in that regard. Obviously this group of seniors are a unique group. There will be a part of that for the younger players to want to do their part for that group. So that will be a portion of the motivation I would say.
Those guys will talk about that. Obviously it's going to come up, and the families are involved, and I think it's a big deal. Especially a place like Florida playing in that venue, which is a privilege. You only get so many opportunities to do it, so I do think it's a special, special day.
Q. I want to ask about your secondary the other day, but those guys, the corners and safeties I think played all 93 snaps. Just the job they did to cover at a high rate to allow the defensive front to get home, how critical was that in the win in your opinion?
BILL NAPIER: Yeah, I thought it was huge. I mean, it was a big part of the challenge in the game. They've got really good skill, and obviously the quarterback to go along with that. You pair the running game with the tight end and the receivers there and some of the unique matchups.
So I thought we stayed on top of them pretty good. We played with better leverage. I thought the communication was really good.
There was only a handful of plays that we were maybe a little bit out of whack, and some of that was underneath coverage. So Trikweze Bridges' position flexibility has proved to be very valuable. He can play corner the entire game.
Then Bryce Thornton I thought really stepped up, and we're getting good play out of the nickel and free safety position. So DD, man, what an incredible example to other players relative to his toughness and grit playing through injury.
Those guys got healthy last week. We leapt into that Texas game, and they played, but they weren't quite themselves. I think being healthy helped them, but there's no doubt some coverage sacks in the game, they were a big piece of that.
Q. (Off microphone)
BILL NAPIER: Yeah, I mean, I think ultimately that group is -- they played every play, which is unique. You know, Sharif played at star with Gates. That position does quite a bit of running. It's a different type of position, but I think that's who we are right now. It's who we have to be. Pro ball, it was an NFL game, you know?
Q. You go from a game where you have a stationary quarterback in Nussmeier to Dart, who is very, very active, very mobile. Talk about the challenges that presents.
BILL NAPIER: Yeah, I think you're thinking like me now, but I think it's one of the more demanding parts of the matchup. Not only do you have to match up with the skill outside and the coverages, you would like to play to leverage all the routes the right way. It puts you in a position where the quarterback can hurt you, right? You are kind of picking your poison.
I think they are committed to the run. There's a ton in RPOs in his system as well. That will be one of the chess matches that will be taking place.
One thing I would say about Jackson Dart is he is 225 pounds. He is 6'1 1/2". He is dense and proven to be effective in this league as a runner. They mix him in there throughout the game when they need him, and he's effective.
Q. Senior Day, how tough is that for you going through a Senior Day?
BILL NAPIER: Yeah, man, I think the pregame routine changes up a little bit. We got some special ones in this group, some guys that I think have shown outstanding leadership. We've got some guys that are injured as well that are part of this group.
Yeah, I think as we get closer to that day, you'll spend a little more time thinking about each one of those individual players.
Q. Has there been any discussion with Asa about applying for a medical year?
BILL NAPIER: Not that I know of.
Q. He can, right?
BILL NAPIER: I don't necessarily know that he is thinking in those terms, but obviously I imagine that that could be out there for him.
Q. With the back field, obviously Montrell coming back from injury and then Jadan and Ja'Kobi just having excelled in the last few weeks, what are you expecting to see from this group, which has really found its footing as of late? What are you expecting to see from them going into Ole Miss and the homestretch of the season?
BILL NAPIER: The two young ones continue to get better with confidence. I think the biggest area of growth for them is just overall understanding of the scheme and the protection part. They've got really good instincts with the ball.
I think typically running backs early in their career are pretty good with the ball. It's the protection piece that's key. You know, again, you're either growing or dying. They need to not rest on their laurels here and have a great week of prep and try to finish the season trending in the right direction. So far so good with those two.
Q. When you look at the two-deep right now, it's still a lot of freshmen and sophomores. How invaluable are the next couple of weeks going to be to finish up and have been maybe in SEC competition and what that means for the future of the program as well?
BILL NAPIER: Yeah. Look, for us I would like to see some maturity from our team. Can we handle -- this group has been able to ignore the noise. Can we sort through the hype a little bit and stay consistent in the way we prepare, our practice habits, our self-discipline, our film review?
I think long-term as a program to go where we want to go, we're going to have to navigate that week in and week out. This league in a playoff format will challenge that.
So not only physically turning it around and being ready to play, but mentally new set of variables, new personnel, new plan, and then emotionally you have to sort through that too. Are we mature enough to handle all the praise, and can we turn it around and do it again?
Q. I was going to ask you about DJ Lagway. He woke up Sunday and still feeling good. That's probably the most he had done in two weeks. What do you expect out of him this week from continuing to progress standpoint? Do you anticipate ramping it up a little bit more for him in practice?
BILL NAPIER: Well, I mean, I think he didn't miss a rep with the first unit last week, so we'll take the same approach this week.
I think the soft tissue injury, again, those are very subjective, so we've got every gadget that is known to human -- I mean, every gadget that you can imagine downstairs. I think we're using all that data and all those metrics to make decision to try to put him in position to be as healthy as he can be.
Yeah, I mean, we're going day-to-day. He did have a setback, and I think he feels a little bit better at this point in the week than he did last week.
Q. What was his week like in terms of kind of having to adjust his thinking to how he was going to play? He talked about it being kind of -- I don't know if you saw his interview, but he said he took it on as a challenge to kind of like operate from the pocket because that's not really his full game.
BILL NAPIER: Yeah, I think that was part of the message was, look, I think this is part of the challenge. Can you evolve as a player? Can you play a little short-handed? This will be good for your development as a whole. You have to view the game in that regard. It's not an option.
Now, don't get me wrong. I think he did extend the play. He did move in the pocket. He did a really good job in that regard, but I thought overall he handled it pretty well. Look, there were a handful of plays out there, missed opportunities. I mean, he could have had a big, big day.
He's still a young player. He's still evolving. I think that was a good kind of experience for him long-term that he can lean on in the future.
Q. A quirk of the portal this week with Princely back, on Senior Day of all things too. Probably will be his Senior Day. What have you seen from him? He's having a pretty huge year.
BILL NAPIER: Yeah, I think it's just another week in college football. Get used to it is what I would say. Yeah, I think I've commented on that in the past, and I think it's just the next challenge.
Q. This is a team that also leads the country in sacks, and you're coming off a game where your offensive line did a terrific job in pass protection. Talk about the challenge and they seem to get so much of their pressure just from their front three.
BILL NAPIER: Sure. Yeah, I think they've got some unique players up front. I think they cover them pretty good in the back end. I think it's structurally -- obviously you guys have done your homework here. Pete Golding and Ron Roberts, that relationship is a big piece of the puzzle in this game in terms of defensive structure.
Much like us when the rushing coverage worked well together, they can affect the quarterback. I think at times they've done that.
Q. Who taught you how to do The Griddy?
BILL NAPIER: My sons have been very critical of my Griddy the last day or two. No, I think players ask for it. I delivered. I think I got a six out of ten or something like that. Maybe I'll do better next time.
Q. What type of weekend does that do for recruiting, momentum? What do you think feel like that could carry into this last few weeks?
BILL NAPIER: Winning helps recruiting. That's what I will tell you. I think for us that game day environment, seeing players produce, seeing players improve, I think it just kind of -- it's a final piece of your product.
I think we've worked on all the other parts of the player experience here. I think it's second to none, and I think seeing players improve and develop and grow into guys that can be some of the better players in the country at their position and have future NFL careers, that's important. Winning is important.
Then just having a seat in that Swamp when it's on fire like it was Saturday night, I think that's important as well.
Q. (Off microphone)
BILL NAPIER: Yeah.
Q. Three in a row at home, is that a reflection of your team? The last home loss was in September against Texas A&M. Is it a reflection of the growth of the team?
BILL NAPIER: Yeah, it's part of being a good team and part of having a championship contender. Trying to become a championship contender is you have to be strong at home. You have to win those.
I mean, home field advantage in this league has got to be -- it's a big piece to the puzzle. If you look at the history of this program when we were winning championships around here, they dominated at home. We understand that and know that, and that's a big part of it.
University of Florida Football Media Conference
Monday, November 18, 2024
Gainesville, Florida, USA
Jack Pyburn
Press Conference
Q. What did you think of Billy's Griddy?
JACK PYBURN: I would say the six out of ten evaluation was pretty on.
Q. Did you know it was coming?
JACK PYBURN: No, I didn't know it was coming. We were all trying to get him to dance because he was actually trying to get a team break, and we were all just still dancing and the music was going too crazy. He is, like, Keep it going. He did his break, and he said, Turn the music back on, and he hit that dance. It was pretty funny.
Q. What did that win, that game, and just that moment over the weekend mean for this team?
JACK PYBURN: I think it was huge. Guys came in wanting that win really badly. You know, we prepared all week for it. We worked really hard to come back from a pretty bad letdown game the previous week, and we wanted to respond in the right way and show that we were that team that we knew we could be again and get back to that standard of especially what our defense is.
I think we came out there, and we showed that we can be a team that's serious to deal with.
Q. Does it become like a feeding frenzy?
JACK PYBURN: Oh, yeah. Once you get one, you smell blood in the water for sure. You can look at another guy and see the panic in his eye and see that he is like -- especially offensive linemen or quarterback. You just see they're bewildered a little bit. It's like, Oh, yeah, it's on, we have this guy on the ropes.
Q. It's supposed to be the best offensive line in the country, and you all kind of whooped them up pretty good, didn't you?
JACK PYBURN: They were a good group. They played with good physicality. They played good technique, but I think that we just wanted it more, honestly. I think that we came out there. As the game went on, we really realized that, Wow, we are taking it to these guys. They can't really --
I just felt like overall as a front no matter who was in the game, we were kind of on another level and kind of on Cloud 9 the whole day.
Q. How much do you think that performance was motivated by how disappointing the showing in Texas was a week prior?
JACK PYBURN: I think it definitely played a big role because we've been playing really good defense up to the point of the Texas game. You know, we had a little bit of a letdown against Georgia. We had high hopes. We felt really good the whole game, and then stuff happened, what not.
Then going to Texas, lose like that knowing that it's not that they were better than us. It was just so many mental mistakes all over the place. When we turned on the tape, it wasn't that we were really getting dominated up front too badly or anything. It was just purely us beating us.
We were, like, you know, we can't do that. We can't miss that many tackles. We can't have that many mental busts. We worked through the whole week to get back to where we were. That's the product that we displayed.
Q. There were a couple of guys on the defensive line that said that LSU's offensive line last year was kind of telling them that they couldn't hang with them in this game. Caleb said he heard it from Emery Jones and Will Cam. Do you think that was a motivational factor coming into this game?
JACK PYBURN: I definitely love guys that talk back to you and talk trash. It gets me going a little bit more. I can tell you that.
They came out and trying to a lot of trash, and we were talking even more trash. I think our trash talk ultimately spoke for itself a little bit more than theirs.
Q. Did they stop talking after a little bit?
JACK PYBURN: Yeah, they stopped talking.
Q. Because of injuries, a lot of freshmen and sophomores have been thrust into roles and some have really risen to the occasion. What kind of energy is that providing for the team and what does it say for the future?
JACK PYBURN: I think it speaks tremendously for our future. It just shows the depth that we have. I think in previous years had some of those injuries happened, we would have had to put guys in that weren't ready to play, but now we have so much more depth on the roster overall.
When those guys step up, they are ready because they've been developed under older players and also taken a lot of reps. Just overall depth helps. When you have a deep locker room, when you have guys that can step up at every position, you know, ones and twos without a major dropoff, that's how you play great defense.
Q. The challenge of going from a quarterback who is very stationary, like Nussmeier, to one that's very mobile like Dart...
JACK PYBURN: Yeah, I think overall we have to do a good job of keeping him in the pocket, but also getting him off his spot and creating pressure.
I think that Ole Miss does a tremendous job with the tempo of their offense. I think they do a good job of moving the ball downfield, taking vertical shots, getting the ball to the perimeter, establishing a run game.
So we need to stop the run like every week and then get him off his spot and force him into positions where he is uncomfortable and force him to make mistakes.
Q. Motivation for a bowl and even to play spoiler too. You did it to LSU. Ole Miss -- how much motivation does that provide for the week?
JACK PYBURN: I think overall we're just looking each week just to win each game one at a time. You know, carry momentum, continue to win, and just focus on this week.
So right now we're just focused on this week, winning this game, playing our best brand of ball, and continuing to improve upon what we've been doing.
Q. You said there's nothing nice about kind of ending another team's --
JACK PYBURN: I didn't say that, but you know... (laughing)
Q. So you kind of addressed it more, but the Texas game you feel like that was kind of an anomaly, or did you feel like coming out of that like, yeah, we got to get back on track because it's like you guys had shown up ever since the month of September week after week.
JACK PYBURN: Yeah, I think for us -- I wouldn't say I felt like it was an anomaly. You know, when we turned on the tape, we saw the mistakes we were making. It was way too many missed tackles that we have not been, like you said, since September we have been a great tackling defense. We've been a defense that's been flying around.
I just feel like we had a lot of mental busts that were, like, no-brainers. We just don't do those kind of things. Then it's just you can't do those things against a big-time opponent like that. In the SEC if you come out there and aren't on your A-game, it doesn't matter what opponent you're going to play, you're probably not going to walk out with a win.
Q. What do you say from a Lane Kiffin offense, what stands out?
JACK PYBURN: I think they do a good job with their temp crow. I think we need to create first and second down negatives, get them off the tempo. Not allow them to run their game plan because I think in any game you have seen where they've been able to take control of the game and run their offense and use their game plan.
They've been extremely successful, and it helps their quarterback be very successful. So we need to go in there and play our game and not their game.
Q. What do you think of Kiffin, just his personality? I'm sure you've seen him on social. He trolled you guys a little bit during your spring game. Are you familiar with kind of his persona?
JACK PYBURN: Yeah, I think he's a great coach. He Tweets a lot. He says some funny stuff, but I'll respect him as a coach and for everything that he does. I think he's a tremendous coach, and he has a great pedigree. I look forward to playing against his team.
Q. Is it fun for the game you think having a guy like that, the foil and kind of needles people and stuff, or do you even care?
JACK PYBURN: Not really, no. I'm going to be honest. I don't really care what their head coach is doing or saying unless he is talking some crazy trash and then I'll be like, Okay, show me.
Q. How do you normally deal with outside noise like the hype, conversations around Lane and Billy and all the drama that's been going on throughout the season? How do you tune out all that outside noise?
JACK PYBURN: Again, I just think we have to be focused on our team, what we have now, what is we're trying to work for. If you concern yourself with all the outside noise, you lose track of what is in front of you, which is an opportunity to play against some of the best teams in the country, and that's what we've been doing all year.
I feel like in life if you buy in too much to the outside noise of the opinions and what not that's not the people in your circle, it's not going to be beneficial to you. You just need to focus on what's in front of you and what's going on.
Q. Speaking of social media any thoughts on Princely coming back?
JACK PYBURN: Again, all respect to him as a player. I think he's a great player. He's a friend of mine. He's a great dude, and I know he is looking forward to coming here and we're, again, looking forward to having him.
Q. Going against this offensive line this season, your offensive line, how much have you seen those guys improve in practice? A year ago they gave up 39 sacks. I know there's a lot of factors involved in that, but only 13 this season. How much have you seen them come along this year?
JACK PYBURN: I think they've done a tremendous job. I think overall it's been mentality. I think that you've seen their play extremely elevate since kind of that after September.
You can speak to some of the guys on the offensive line. I mean, honestly practice, it's harder than the game a lot of the times. The good-on-good reps in practice are so fast-paced, physical, and violent that when you get in the game, it's easier.
I think going against a great offensive line every day and them going against us, I feel like we're an amazing defensive line at this point. We're just making each other better. Again, iron sharpens iron.
Q. I'm going to go back to Billy hitting the Griddy. Did you ever see the video of Adam Schefter when he tried to do it? He tore his meniscus.
JACK PYBURN: I don't think I've actually seen that video, no.
Q. (Off microphone)
JACK PYBURN: I don't think it's -- it doesn't seem like it's too dangerous, but that's kind of unfortunate. I didn't know he tore his knee doing that.
Q. The trash talking, is there anything that you kind of got on one guy with and maybe he just -- at the end of the game he was kind of like this? Can you repeat?
JACK PYBURN: The only thing I'll say is, you know, they were talking -- especially their front was talking a lot of trash at the beginning of the game, and after the game none of them came out to shake our hands, and they all just walked in the locker room. So I thought that was pretty funny.
Q. Was the most disappointing part of the game for you when you got your helmet ripped off on Saturday?
JACK PYBURN: Yeah, I was pretty -- yeah, I was pretty annoyed. Then I put my hands up. I was, like, Don't flag me. I stopped. Don't flag me.
If that was me last year, I probably would have dove on the pile and done something stupid and gotten a flag, but in that moment I blew up the dude, and my helmet popped off, and I was, like, Oh, all right, all right, let me not get a flag and hurt my team.
Q. That's improved discipline there?
JACK PYBURN: Yeah, definitely.
Q. Shemar got SEC defensive player of the week this week. Just kind of leader he is for your starter, what he has meant to the defense?
JACK PYBURN: I was so proud of him on Saturday. I kept telling him in the middle of the game -- I just kept running up to him and celebrating with him. He's just come a long way.
Me and him sat there in the offseason both kind of injured together and went through a rehab process together and got really close. I am so proud of him and the way that he's responded every single week and continued to get better, and I think on Saturday he had a career game, and it was amazing to watch.
Q. Was there a point in the game late in the fourth quarter when you looked at him and they looked at you, and you just knew they were whipped, that they knew the game was over?
JACK PYBURN: We didn't even have to look at them. We could just look at each other on the sidelines as like a team in general. Just the energy. I think the energy in general without even having to look at them, you could see it. Our sideline was just buzzing, and their sideline was just kind of bewildered. I would definitely say they looked a little scared for sure.
University of Florida Football Media Conference
Monday, November 18, 2024
Gainesville, Florida, USA
Chimere Dike
Press Conference
Q. How do you feel about Senior Day?
CHIMERE DIKE: It's obviously bittersweet. I'm grateful to be able to have the experience of being a Florida Gator, come out with the guys that we've been working really hard with this season and through some adversity, but it's obviously a big game as well.
I'm excited, and I think I've played enough college football for everyone, so I'm ready for the next step. I'm definitely going to cherish this one Saturday.
Q. What lift did DJ provide?
CHIMERE DIKE: You saw it. Just the way that he carries himself, the moxie he plays with, the maturity for a young age. I think other people feed off of that. I think we played well around him, especially defensively.
They played a great game in my opinion. They were on the field I think 93 snaps and continued to battle, continued to fight and got the job done. He played a great game as well.
Q. Is there something unique about just how unflappable he is? He'll make a throw maybe that was picked off or goes off a guy's hands, and it's like he is just making a great throw. Like the 34-yarder where he just dropped it in there. It looked kind of shaky at that point. (Indiscernible).
CHIMERE DIKE: Honestly in my opinion I think that's partly God-given. You just have it or you don't, and he just has that "it" factor. I think he was raised the right way, and he understands the context of the game.
You're going to have good plays and bad plays. There's plays I could do better every single game. There's good plays that I make every single game as well. I think that goes for everyone. Being able to flush it and move on is very important, and he has that at a young age.
Q. What about the maturity in his preparation? He is probably limited, right, and to be able to have that kind of performance when he knew maybe wasn't 100%.
CHIMERE DIKE: I think Coach Napier did a great job having a game plan and making it one that he was comfortable with and kind of fit what we needed to do obviously offensively, but also with his ability.
We were able to go out there and execute it. All of our coaches do a great job of making sure that we're prepared and understanding of our responsibility. It's just our job to go out and execute it.
Q. How much energy are some of the younger players providing on offense, like DJ, Baugh, and Mizell? When you look at that, what does that say about the future of the program as well?
CHIMERE DIKE: Yeah, I think it's amazing. Those guys obviously have been making a lot of really big plays for us. J. Baugh had the 55-yard touchdown. DJ has been playing great. Aidan has been adding really good things to the receiver room. I think for the future of the program that's huge.
When you have young players that get experience and win games like that, going into the future being able to learn from that and carry that forward is huge. One of my goals to end the season is to just help those guys take that next step the best I can and obviously win football games.
Q. This could be 78 degrees today here. What's the temperature going to be up in Madison?
CHIMERE DIKE: I'm not sure, but it's pretty cold. I think this my mom was saying it was getting in the low 40s a week or two ago. So it's probably getting to the high 30s.
It's definitely a little bit different. I'm not used to playing in November when the weather is still nice, but I'm definitely enjoying it. I can avoid another winter. This is my second winter in a row of avoiding, so I'm getting spoiled.
Q. Will your family be here for Senior Day?
CHIMERE DIKE: Yeah, they'll be here. My parents will both be here.
Q. That's a whole different dynamic in this transfer portal. How do you think you will look at Florida in 10 or 20 years? Like in your college football career you played mostly Wisconsin, but then having a Senior Day here. What's it going to be like?
CHIMERE DIKE: I'm a forever indebted to the University of Florida. Coach Napier gave my an opportunity to come here. Being able to play at a university like this with the history it does in this conference and for these fans, that's a blessing.
Even though it was only a year, this place has forever impacted my life. I'm proud to be a Gator. This is a place I'll cherish regardless.
Obviously I had a lot of really good times at Wisconsin and memories and people that I took away. So I've been blessed. I'm very thankful for all the games and people I've met throughout the way.
Q. Do you see that Wisconsin fired its offensive coordinator?
CHIMERE DIKE: I did see that, yes, sir.
Q. Was there a close relationship with him?
CHIMERE DIKE: No, I don't talk to him too much, but I'm wishing him all the best. Obviously all those guys over there too.
Q. What did you think of Billy's Griddy?
CHIMERE DIKE: I thought it could use some work, if I'm being honest. I loved it at the same time. It was exactly what we needed.
Our team has been through a lot of adversity and been knocking at the door in some of those big games. To be able to get over that hump, he's been a steady leader throughout. He hasn't wavered in the way that he has pushed us and to allow us to grow. That was one that felt good.
Even though it was a bad Griddy, it was a good Griddy too?
Q. Do you enjoy seeing him with his hair down like that given everything?
CHIMERE DIKE: Yeah, I think you always enjoy it. We work extremely hard and do those things day in and day out to have that payout with guys that you care about and guys that you go to war with every weekend. It's a lot of fun.
Q. He said you guys were asking for him to do that?
CHIMERE DIKE: Yeah, we wanted the Griddy.
Q. Did you think he was going to do it?
CHIMERE DIKE: I did, yeah. Coach can be a fun guy, so...
Q. He said it got a six out of ten. What would you have given it?
CHIMERE DIKE: I think that's a fair grade. Could have used improvement, but if you look at the context, it was ten out of ten.
Q. His ability to stay the course that you just touched upon, what's it mean to the players to be able to kind of validate what he's doing with a win like that beating a ranked team? It had been a while. The Swamp was really energized in a way that it hadn't been in a while too.
CHIMERE DIKE: I think it just speaks of his leadership. A lot of people would waiver in that situation. He never did.
I think our team has grown from that. Because we saw him never waiver, we never did either. Obviously we have a lot of things we have to clean up and improve still, but I think that we're seeing the progress that we want.
This program is going in the direction that it wants to. I'm just proud that I can be a part of it, and I want to impact as much as I can.
Q. As the game progressed, could you feel the electricity that you could feel even in the press box? Did you feel that down on the field too that it was growing in that stadium?
CHIMERE DIKE: Yeah, The Swamp was rocking. It was rocking. I've played in I want to say like 55 college football games, and that one was one of the ones I'll remember the rest of my life.
Q. Do you have a punt return TD in you?
CHIMERE DIKE: I hope so. I muffed one in the fourth. Just not disciplined feet. I'm going to get that cleaned up and Coach Houston works so hard for us. His scheme every single week is so detailed, and our guys bust our butts.
I'm just thankful to be a part of that unit, play for him. We're looking to get one of these the last couple of weeks. That's the goal.
Q. Have you ever had one in college?
CHIMERE DIKE: No, I should have had a kickoff return touchdown against -- in Arizona against Oklahoma State, but I got tripped up, so no, I've never had one. No punt return touchdown yet.
Q. You have to get one here.
CHIMERE DIKE: It would be awesome. The guys on the unit, Taylor Spierto, Derek Wingo, Baby J, the list goes on, but those guys bust their butt every week for me trying to get pressure, hold-ups. You watch the Tennessee game, the fourth quarter punt return, if you just watch DD on that play, it speaks volumes to the kind of teammate he is.
To get one with that group would be really fun, but as long as we're getting the win, that's all that matters.
Q. I know you said you played enough college football games, but if this team were to secure bowl eligibility, what would be your motivation to want to participate in that game one last time?
CHIMERE DIKE: I think my motivation is like what I said before. It's this program has given me so much. I want to make as big of an impact as I can on it.
Obviously we have stuff ahead of us that we have to get done first, but I haven't really thought about not playing in that game, so...
Q. Are you an emotional celebrator? Are you a crier?
CHIMERE DIKE: I'm not a big crier. I will cry if I get really, really emotional, but yeah, I was more just elated, so...
Q. Will your folks be eyes bawling?
CHIMERE DIKE: My mom might a little bit, but I don't know. It's hard to say. I think that I won't cry before the game. Maybe after the game, but my mom will probably cry before the game.
Q. What are your thoughts about Graham being out there, and what kind of ovation would you want to see him receive given everything that's gone through?
CHIMERE DIKE: I think he deserves the biggest one (laughing). He's given everything he has to this program. The leadership he's shown to DJ and the rest of our team this year has been really impactful.
I think he played really good football when he was given the opportunity at the University of Florida.
Q. How involved is he still with DJ as you all are preparing for games now?
CHIMERE DIKE: Yeah, Graham is in every single meeting, which shows to his character. He doesn't have to do that. He could have just gone to rehab and kind of checked out, but he wants to be involved. He wants to impact it, and he is.
I think DJ benefits from it just having a veteran player. Obviously your coaches have a lot of knowledge, but a guy that's been in your shoes really recently. I think that him and Graham have a really good relationship and connection that they both have really benefit from.
Q. Billy said he is really looking for some maturity out of this team this week. What's that kind of mean in your eyes?
CHIMERE DIKE: I think it's the understanding that we have to continue to work and continue to get better. I think that we fought through adversity, negative adversity, really well this season. I think that when positive things happen, they can be distractions as well.
I think that the way that we've handled our past situation speaks to the kind of way that we like to approach it, and that's to go back to work.
Ole Miss obviously is a really good opponent and being able to prepare for them and put in the work every single day so we can go out on Saturday and we're with prepared. I this that's what he means.
Q. You've already talked about what Graham means to this team with his leadership and what he's done for everyone, but just considering everything that you two have been through together, what's it going to mean to go out with him one last time on Senior Day?
CHIMERE DIKE: It will be special. That guy has impacted my life as much as anybody besides my parents. My relationship with him is obviously really good off the field. Obviously on the field we've been able to grow together and learn a lot.
So I'm very thankful. It will be definitely really special to go out with him and the rest of the guys with him. I'm thankful to be able to play with all these guys on this team.
Q. You had a hamstring injury in the spring, right? Were you surprised given that you have been through similar circumstances that DJ was able to be out there less than two weeks after he got injured?
CHIMERE DIKE: I wouldn't say necessarily surprised, but it's definitely a testament to how much hard work he put in in the training room and how much our training staff invested in him to be able to be back out there. It was huge for our football team. No, not necessarily.
www.espn.com
