2012 Florida Football Postgame Notes Florida 27, Bowling Green 14 September 1, 2012
Team Notes With its 2012 debut victory over Bowling Green, Florida improved to 79-27 (.745) on opening day, including a 64-6 (.914) mark in Gainesville In UF’s last seven season-openers, UF has outscored opponents by a combined 303-52 (43.2-7.4 points per game) The Gators own a SEC-best opening-day win streak, which they extended to 23 games Saturday. The streak ranks second in the nation to Nebraska (27) Senior running back Mike Gillislee punched in UF’s first touchdown of the afternoon to even the game at seven-all with 9:29 on the clock in the second quarter. The 15-yard TD run capped off a 13-play, 85-yard yard scoring drive that took 6:48 off the clock. On the drive, Gillislee accounted for 44 of the 85 yards with six rushes (7.3 avg), including runs of 17 and 15 yards Gillislee struck again for the Gators with 5:03 remaining in the first half, notching a 38-yard score on the ground for his second touchdown of the game and marking his third two-touchdown performance – last achieved against Vanderbilt in 2010 Gillislee’s two touchdowns were his 11th and 12th of his career The Gators have now scored rushing touchdowns of 35+ yards in each of the past five season openers: o 2012: Mike Gillislee – 38 yards vs. Bowling Green o 2011: Jeff Demps – 35 yards vs. FAU o 2010: Jeff Demps – 72 yards vs. Miami (Ohio) o 2009: Chris Rainey – 76 yards vs. Charleston Southern o 2008: Jeff Demps – 62 yards vs. Hawaii Gillislee finished the day with 148 yards (6.1 avg), including 94 yards in the first half alone, for his first career 100- yard performance. Gillislee and junior Trey Burton are the only two active Gators that boast 100-yard rushing performances in their Gator careers. The last Gator to rush for 100 yards was Chris Rainey Nov. 12, 2011 vs. South Carolina (17-132) Former Gator Jeff Demps was the last Gator to rush for 100 yards on opening day, accumulating 105 yards on 12 carries against FAU in last season’s home opener Gillislee’s 148 yards mark the most for a Gator since Jeff Demps’ 158 against Vandy Nov. 5, 2011 After Bowling Green scored the first touchdown of the game on an 89-yard scoring drive in the first quarter, the Gators forced three consecutive Bowling Green three-and-outs for six yards of total offense before the Falcons converted on 4th and 7 with 16 seconds on the clock in the first half and proceeded to miss a 31-yard Stephen Stein field-goal attempt as time expired. Stein then missed a 29-yard attempt with just under two minutes remaining in the third quarter Florida rallied for a total of six ‘big plays’ in Saturday’s opener: Gillislee (17, 15, 38 & 28-yard rushes), 17-yard Matt Jones rush and 50-yard Driskel TD pass/Frankie Hammond, Jr., reception Senior kicker Caleb Sturgis put UF up, 17-14 with a 34-yard field goal at the 6:03 mark in the third quarter, his first FG of the 2012 season. Sturgis then connected for a 51-yarder with 8:28 left in the fourth quarter, his sixth career 50-yard field goal, extending his school record and taking UF up, 27-14 Junior athlete Andre Debose accumulated 83 yards of total offense Saturday, including 45 punt return yards and 38 kickoff return yards. Debose additionally ran for a career-long 32 yard punt return in the first half Sophomore defensive back Marcus Roberson intercepted a Matt Schilz pass with just under 14 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter for UF’s first INT of the season, returning his second career interception 31 yards to set up UF’s scoring play Jeff Driskel and Frankie Hammond, Jr., connected for a 50-yard passing touchdown with 13:18 remaining in the fourth quarter to take Florida up, 24-14, marking career-longs for both Gators After a Cody Riggs forced fumble following a Gator fourth-quarter punt, redshirt sophomore long snapper Drew Ferris was credited a fumble recovery Three two freshman defenders in Antonio Morrison, Dante Fowler and Jonathan Bullard combined for seven of the Gators’ 57 tackles in UF’s season-opener Sophomore defensive back Loucheiz Purifoy, sophomore quarterback Jeff Driskel and redshirt sophomore linebacker Neiron Ball all made their first career starts donning the Orange and Blue Saturday afternoon Florida sophomore Jacoby Brissett earned the start at quarterback for the Gators, his third career start at UF A total of eight true freshmen made their debut for UF versus Bowling Green: Antonio Morrison, Dante Fowler, Latroy Pittman, Kent Taylor, Matt Jones, Mark Herndon, D.J. Humphries and Jonathan Bullard Additionally, two redshirt freshmen in Valdez Showers and Kyle Crofoot saw their first playing time as a Gator
Other This afternoon’s attendance: 84,704 Game Captains: Senior DB Josh Evans, senior RB Mike Gillislee, senior DL Omar Hunter and junior OL Jon Halapio Weather at Kickoff: 91 degrees, winds from the North at 4 mph, humidity 51 percent Two F/A-18-C Hornets of the V-F-A-12 Fighter Squadron out of Oceana, Va., performed Saturday’s flyover prior to kickoff: Captain James Nichols, University of Florida graduate, Commander John Mooney and UF Assistant Professor of Naval Science, Lieutenant Bill “Cookies” Tolson 2012 Florida Football Postgame Quotes Will Muschamp, Florida Head Coach Florida 27, Bowling Green 14 September 1, 2012
Opening statement: “We gave them a short field and we had a guy out there to contain, but their punter out-ran one of our safeties so we have to figure that one out. Other than that, we gave them a short field and their field goal kicker missed a couple field goals. It was a timing, throwing game and the ball was coming out of the quarterback’s hand relatively quick and we tried to get pressure and pressure at times and it is tough to do when the ball is out. Just pleased with the win, but obviously looking at the game and at the tape, there are some things we need to tie up as far as creating some plays down the field and I think the run game will do that. It was good to see Frankie Hammond step up and make a big play for us and Marcus Roberson make an interception for us. We just need to go back and look at it and move on with the season in front of us.”
On whether Jeff Driskel is the starting quarterback: “I haven’t made that decision and we felt like Jacoby did a good job. I felt like the rhythm of the game dictated that we were going to need some movement in the pocket. Jeff gave us that opportunity. We just felt like we needed pocket movement as the game moved along for us.”
On being able to rely on Caleb Sturgis to make field goals: “I think he is the best kicker in the country and I have tremendous confidence that when we hit that 35, 38-yard line I feel very comfortable about Caleb. I think the ball might have been tipped so we have to look at the protection on that so I don’t know if that is a miss on Caleb’s part.”
On getting a feel for the offense and when to open up the playbook: “As our competition heats up a little bit we have got to be able to open up our offense more. You have to understand that it is not just about what we did here in game one, we have to win the game and do what we have to do to win the game.”
On the comfort level heading into the next game: “I like this football team and I like the way we are. We are 1-0 after today and regardless of the outcome of the game there are things we will work on and tie up and things to improve on from game one to game two. I certainly feel a lot better than I did a year ago, I can tell you that.” 2012 Florida Football Postgame Quotes Florida Players Florida 27, Bowling Green 14 September 1, 2012
Sophomore QB Jeff Driskel On the quarterback situation: “I’m not worried about that right now. The goal was to get a win and that is what we came out with. We were worried about game one and that is it. We are happy with the win.”
On touchdown pass to Frankie Hammond: “We were just looking to get the sticks. We wanted to pick up the first down so I just wanted to give [Hammond] the ball and one-on-one he made a good move. That was all him.”
On when he knew he was going to start: “They told us yesterday that we were both going to be on the field for the first play. After that I would take the first quarter and Jacoby would take the second quarter then go from there.”
Redshirt Senior DL Omar Hunter On the penalties in the first half: “When we got in the locker room, we told each other we have to take the penalties out and that everyone has to focus so that is what we did.”
Redshirt Senior WR Frankie Hammond Jr. On his touchdown: “First, just getting out of a tackle and then once I caught my balance I think the safety was overplaying me and I saw green grass and ran for it. As you get closer, you just turn on the jets and want to run. As you get closer to that goal line, it makes you hungrier to get there.”
On how it helps the quarterback to go after balls that may not be good passes: “It helps them a lot and not only from our standpoint but as far as the defense’s standpoint it makes the game easier, makes defenses back up off you and makes the run game easier because it will open things up for us vertically.”
On if he sees there being more of a balance in the rush-pass ratio: “At the end of the day, if you can’t run the ball it is hard to win, especially in this league. When you establish a running game it will open up a whole bunch of things, as far as the pass game and play action.” 2012 Florida Football Postgame Quotes Dave Clawson, Bowling Green Head Coach Florida 27, Bowling Green 14 September 1, 2012
Opening statement: “First of all, I’m extremely proud of our football team. I thought our guys prepared hard, competed hard, and played very hard for four quarters. We did some things you can’t do to win the game in the fourth quarter, the two turnovers, missed field goals, not handling that punt, we really put ourselves going into the fourth quarter with a chance to win the football game and didn’t execute well. Missing those kicks hurt a lot too. Get those two kicks and it’s a one-score game with the ball at the end. Congratulations to Florida, I think they have a good football team but we certainly feel like we let one get away.
On fourth quarter mistakes (INT, missed tackle on TD, etc.) “The ball hit the receiver in the hands. I thought it was a well-thrown ball and one you’ve got to make a play on. That should’ve been a catch and a conversion, then we keep the drive alive, but we didn’t catch the ball and it got batted in the air and they made a nice return on it and obviously that was a huge game changer. They were playing man coverage. … I thought we defended their base run really well, it was just the big plays.”
On field goal struggles: “We’ve struggled with field goals for three years and I was really optimistic going into this season, we had a great camp with it. Our one scrimmage we were 7-for-7, we’d been more consistent with those kicks than we’d ever been, but you’ve got to take it to the game and we didn’t do that.”
On Florida’s defense: “They’ve got a bunch of NFL players, those tackles, those ends, the two linebackers [Jon] Bostic, [Jelani] Jenkins, the safety [Matt] Elam, corners, that’s a legitimate defense there. They’re going to be able to win low-scoring games this year because I don’t think a lot of people are going to be able to put points on them. That’s a good defense. 2012 Florida Football Postgame Quotes Bowling Green Players Florida 27, Bowling Green 14 September 1, 2012
Redshirt Junior QB Matt Schilz On the offense: “We wanted to get a running game going. They (UF) didn’t bring many complicated blitzes. They relied on their D-line to get the rush. We just wanted to start off running the ball and be smart, and that kept us in the game until third and fourth quarter.”
On UF’s defense second-quarter adjustments: “It wasn’t too different. They were dropping into more cover 2, playing a little off zone. Our game plan really stayed the same. We started running the ball well in the second and third quarter.”
On the inside slant: “It was part of the plan. They played a lot of cover one and our receivers did a good job fighting to get off the press.”
On playing in The Swamp: “It was a good experience. We’ve played in big stadiums before, this is my third year. It was definitely an enjoyment, and we soaked it in during the game there.”
Senior middle linebacker Dwayne Woods On the mood in locker room: “After the game, you know it hurt. After we battled all summer, all winter, and all camp, to come up short in a game like this really hurts a lot. We know what we still have in store for ourselves, but right now we’re feeling it. After 24 hours, we are going to move on and get ready for Idaho.”
On putting mistakes behind you: “Always hard, but that is what practice is for. We’re going to get in here tomorrow, get better and get ready to go. Those mistakes, especially when we aren’t young anymore, those can’t happen anymore. We’ll continue to work hard, continue to practice and get better and get ready for next week.”
On the defense against the run: “As a veteran group, we still tend to get off focus. If we continue to stay locked in and get our focus better, we’ll be better as a unit. Once that happens, I think the numbers will improve and our run defense will improve tremendously, also.”