[Upchurch]

Things Discussed

• The run blocking was great
• Scott Frost said some things two years ago
• Injury updates on Chris Evans and Rashan Gary
• Ben Mason did Ben Mason things

[After THE JUMP: LOL Nebraska]

 

 

Can you talk about your offensive line and what they did today?

 

“Yeah, really ran the ball well. Protected the passer extremely well and did a good job really on all the plays. The outside, C and D gaps, especially good. Really good moving — controlling the line of scrimmage. I really thought in all phases our offensive line played extremely well, maybe their best game.”

 

Just kind of along those same lines, since the Notre Dame game, what has been the difference in the offensive line?

 

“Well, I think they’ve said it really from the beginning. I think they’re improving from spring ball to training camp, first game I thought was, to the second, to the third, to now the fourth — hard work’s paying off for our entire team. It’s very noticeable, it’s a very hardworking team and that’s paying off. You can see it in the way they play. And they’re the ones doing it, they’re putting in the work, putting in the effort.”

 

Coach, your players commented on wanting to make a statement regarding hitting and toughness. Can you comment on how well they did that today?

 

“I thought our team played very physical, in all phases. Offensively, defensively, special teams. Showed up in a lot of the one-on-one matchups, showed up in the goal-line, short yardage football on both sides. Thought our receivers blocked extremely well again. Donovan (Peoples-Jones) had a great — has been blocking extremely well. Showed up on the punt return, there was some great blocks there. Yeah, just, I thought physically our team played well today.”

 

Jim, a few games come to mind in terms of dominance since you’ve been here, that three-week shutout streak in ‘15, the bowl win over Florida. Do you feel like — was today the most dominant your team has been since you’ve been here?

 

“I don’t know. I just, what really stands out is, our team is working hard and it’s paying off for them. It’s showing they like to practice, and then they’re improving. It’s an improving, ascending team. And it’s paying off.”

 

Coach, Shea Patterson had another high completion percentage game today, and then Dylan McCaffrey came in and ran for a score that got called back, also threw for a touchdown. Can you evaluate Shea and Dylan’s performances today?

 

“Yeah, I thought they were both good. Really, really on top of everything they were doing, really in control. Thought both had real good presence in the pocket, going through their reads and throwing the ball accurate again. That’s great to see. Dylan continues to improve every time he gets in. That’s a position like all the positions in football, but especially quarterback, it takes playing and having time on task and being out there. And it — he’s getting that. It doesn’t — it’s never too big for him. I really like that about Dylan. So, all good there. Both quarterbacks really played well.”

 

Couple guys that seemed to pass the eye-test today, Josh Metellus and Aidan Hutchinson, can you sum up their play?

 

“Yeah, really good game. I thought Josh Metellus showed up quite a few times, in coverage and in tackling. Thought he was getting around the field well. Really locked in and playing good. Great experience for Aidan Hutchinson, as much as he’s been playing, and he’s in the two-deep now, doing a good job. I thought our defensive line really, the pass rush was really good today,. And the discipline in the rush lanes was evident today. They didn’t run by the quarterback, they didn’t let the quarterback get out on the scrambling. The rush lanes were really condensed and they were on the quarterback fast. It was good to see. All those guys, I thought, really played well up front. Chase (Winovich) and Rashan (Gary) and Bryan Mone, just a great job by our front four. And Devin Bush continues to shut down the option plays, looks as fast as the backs, which he is. He’s doing a great job. It’s good, really good. Good to see Brad Hawkins, he’s ascending as well, he had a great block on the punt return by Donovan and played well in his time. Good — more disciplined football it seemed, by both our offense and our defense today.”

 

Jim, you were without Chris Evans today, did he have a setback in practice this week? And then Karan (Higdon’s) condition, looked like he found holes a lot early

 

“Yeah, we kept Chris Evans out. Didn’t have a setback, just didn’t feel like he was ready to go. And Karan, he was ready to go. Karan was ready to play. You could see it really from even before the game. Great to have him back. It was also great to see some of the other backs get the touches. Tru Wilson again played well, and great to see Christian Turner on the scene now. We’ve been watching him in practice for quite some time and know it was just a matter of time before he would make his presence known. Thought that was really good. Really liked to have gotten Hassan Haskins in there a little bit as well, but we did get quite a few. Quite a few backs in there and thought the passing game, we were spreading the ball around really well to different receivers. Nice to see Ronnie Bell make a heck of a play, and finish it. Excellent pass by Dylan. Lot to point to — field goals, great to see the 50-yarder and Quinn Nordin hit two big field goals in the game as well. Will Hart continues to punt well. So, back to work for our team. Today was — probably there was, not only did we get the win, we also improved as a team.”

 

What went into the decision to give Ben Mason a greater share of the carries today and how do you feel about his impact?

 

“Inertia was the main factor in the decision. When he gets going, he’s thunder. I think he’s 258 pounds, he gets moving fast and he gets moving fast and he’s running hard. So, that was just — he’s got talent and ability and like having Ben Mason in the game. Talk about physical player, he is known as that on our team already and taking advantage of his skill-set.”

 

Jim, you’ve said a couple times today, in the last week, that this team likes to practice, seems like it likes to prepare. Young group last year to have coached, how (is) the maturing process happening right now for the roster at large?

 

“It’s just, hard work is paying off for this team. That’s mainly what I noticed, and they don’t complain about it. They don’t — they actually get it, ramp it up every day. They don’t need — they don’t need motivational swings or talks or any, some of the things that some teams need. They just go to work, and looks like they enjoy it, that part of it. And they’re playing better. And it’s probably not making more — simple as it is, it’s paying off for this club.”

 

Did you guys keep Rashan out as a precaution there, in the second half?

 

“Yeah, there was, Rashan, Chase, they both were out early. Good to see those other guys getting play. I don’t know if this is a record or whatever, we played 78 guys today. And not only good for the morale of the team, but it’s good for the progress of the team.”

 

Jim, your players really emphasized how important it was to be physical today, and referenced what Scott Frost said a couple years ago when he was the Central Florida coach, about how they out-hit you guys. Did that give your team extra juice today?

 

“Ahhh, I don’t remember that. I’m surprised that they remembered that. Maybe — did you remind them? I haven’t even thought of that.”

 

Don Brown reminded them

 

“Oh, did he? Ok.”

 

You really don’t remember that?

 

“I — not until you mentioned it, no. It wasn’t something that I spoke about or anything. But no, just one of — that’s what you want. You want your team to be tough, play physical.”

 

Speaking of tough and physical and flying around, is it hard to teach with the targeting rules?

 

“No. It’s not, it’s pretty simple. Hitting the quarterback, you can’t lead with your head. You can’t hit him in the head or neck area, and you can’t hit him below the knee. And you have to — you can’t lead with any other part of his body, with your head. So, it’s pretty simple.”

 

Rashan Gary update? Did he —

 

“Yeah, he played really well.”

 

Did he tweak something or you just rested him?

 

“We just talked about that.”

 

So, sticking with Hudson, do you think that was an accurate targeting call?

 

“Yeah, I just — can’t lead with your head, to the quarterback.”

 

Jim, can you talk about how Jordan Glasgow played?

 

“Yeah, I thought he played good. He was — he was aligning in all different parts of the field. I thought he was in the mix on everything. From what I saw, from the sidelines, thought he played well.”