⚡ CFB Dashboard

Opening Statement There were a lot of mistakes made … coaches and players included. We've got to do a better job as coaches. Situational football wasn't its best tonight. And that goes on me. We have to go back to the drawing board. We can't let this one moment snowball into another bad performance. So we'll look at the tape, make the necessary corrections, and move on. I'm very proud of our team for fighting and not giving up … and believing they had a chance to win that entire game. We have to work on the little things. It all goes back to tackling, blocking, and what's needed in situational football.   On his team's mindset after the pivotal Tackett Curtis interception: Yeah, that's always tough. I thought that was a turning point as well. We got a big pick; we got the ball in plus territory … and we give the ball right back. Our defense had stopped their offense and so they were a little winded as well. We have to do better on offense and think about playing complementary football there. People were open, we just made a bad read … I just put that on us as coaches. We have to think about the totality of what's going on … what's the situation … understand we're the underdog here, and try to shorten the game and do what we want to do. On how his team's offense was really clicking in the first half. We were able to run the ball, I thought. Our tempo was good, too, so that allowed us to exploit some things in their defense. In the second half, we just didn't get anything established. They came out … the first play of the second half and burn a long one, and we come back and answer with a score. But they've got a good football team. We were underdogs from the standpoint of facilities, money … all those things. We really don't have the resources or money Central Florida has, and we knew that going into the game. Us having a will ... a fight … and our standard that we're going to compete every single time we step onto the football field. That was who we are. We're going to do that no matter who we're playing. That's the part I'm most proud of. We're not playing this game for consolation prizes or anything like that. We expected to win, and that was the plan coming down here.   On what his team can take away from playing a P4 team: Yeah, the environment was electric. It was loud, so this will prepare us for our road games and for our conference … so we will take that from it. But in just so many situations, it goes back to, we really worked as coaches and players when we had those opportunities in practice. All the short yardage situations, fourth-down plays, four-minute offense, get the ball back, onside kick … I mean, every little scenario that came up was hit on during this game. So we've got to make sure we stress those different points, learn from it, and get better from it.   On why he kept his offense on the field in two early fourth-down situations: We're not here to lose, and I had confidence in our plan coming into the game. Unfortunately, we didn't get either one. The good thing is, our defense held one opportunity to a field goal, and then we were able to get things going in the first half. So I was really proud of how we responded throughout the game because that's what it's all about. You can't hang your head … can't look at the scoreboard. You have to respond to bad moments, and I thought our kids did that.   On (Knights' running back) Duke Watson's performance: Just a lot of missed tackles, bad run fits, things you've got to work on and control. We have to become a better tackling football team in all phases – special teams included. So we have to look at some personnel. Our guys got a little winded, and that's to be expected to some degree … but like I said, I'm proud of our guys and how the fought. We just have to go back and reassess some things. Give UCF credit, they made the plays necessary in the moments that decided the game, so our hat's off to them, their staff and their players.   On if he felt many of his team's miscues were self-inflicted: Most of the time that is the case. When you look at a game, a lot of times it isn't what the other team is doing; it's lack of details, lack of eye discipline, lack of fundamentals in situations. I don't care what level of football you play, that's what it all boils down to. But that's me as a coach, so I take full responsibility for that. Didn't have our guys prepared to win a four-quarter game – and we can't turn the ball over. We've got to have more explosive plays than UCF, and that wasn't the case. So our hat's off to them.   On playing without standout running back Dennis Murray and when he's expected back: I don't want to disclose what he's got right now. Hopefully, he'll be back in a couple weeks, and we'll kind of see where it goes. But he could not play tonight and I'm not sure if he's going to be able to play next week, either. He was there and we really miss him. He's a big play guy for us. But (Qwantavius) Wiggins, our true freshman, filled in well … and Deuce Butler played some, and Lanearr McQuery. They did their jobs to a certain extent. But we have to continue to get healthy. Both teams are banged up a little bit. It was a physical football game. We've got a long plane ride home and there will be a lot to think about as coaches and players. We've got to learn from this moment, flesh it out tomorrow and get ready again on Monday.   On Dennis Murray's specific talents: He's a really vocal leader of ours. He's on the leadership council and he's a tremendous young man. He's a big play waiting to happen. He's really good in the backfield catching the ball and giving protection. He's a complete back despite his size, and we really missed him tonight … miss his leadership, really.   On UCF's depth being a factor as the game wore on: Y'all know, you guys are big and physical, I mean just a different level. But … our kids weren't going to shy away from it. We knew what we saw on tape and felt like we had a chance, but we had to do everything the right way. And we just didn't play to that standard from the execution standpoint of playing clean … and the little things that it takes to win a game on the road against a team that has more than you have. The physicality was there, but the details of the small things were not throughout the entire game – which you've got to do. You've got to sustain that. Going back to the interception, that was a huge turning point in momentum, I thought. Our defense did a good job of getting that interception and gave us the ball in plus territory … and we've got a chance to go up, and now the pressure's back on UCF. So, momentum is a thing in football and it's always tough to overcome it.   On what he told his players after the game: Learn from this. You played your butts off. It was my fault; I always take the blame for any loss. And we can't let this loss trickle into next week. We've got to flush it really fast, learn from it, and let's move on. Still nine other opportunities left, and the next opportunity is the most important one now.