UCF head coach Gus Malzahn gave an important update at the beginning of the press conference: Starting quarterback John Rhys Plumlee's leg injury suffered at the end of the Boise State does not require surgery and he is expected to return at some point this season.
Opening statement:
"First of all, real pleased with our team. Real proud of our team to win the way we did on the road in a hostile environment. We let some things get away as far as some opportunities, scoring opportunities early. We could have won that game by a bigger margin if we had played a little better. They had a lot to do with it. But a lot of times the way you win, and to win like that with all the pressure on, the way our team responded like champions, that will help us in the future. So I was real proud of our team with that to get the victory on the road. That'll help us moving forward.
"Update on John Rhys, he had injury late in that game, took a pretty good hit. He's going to be out this week and he'll be out for a few weeks. The good thing is he doesn't need surgery. He will be back. I'll keep you updated as we go, but we're going to go with Timmy McClain this week.
"Timmy's a guy that we think very highly of. He's had a really good fall camp. In practice on Tuesday and Wednesdays, he's got really equal reps almost to John Rhys. So he's ready to go. We have a lot of confidence in him. A guy that has played and started football games as a true freshman. So really feel good about Timmy taking over for that.
"Dylan Rizk will be our No. 2 guy. I'm really excited for him too. He had a very good fall camp too. Like I told our team, I mean, JRP is one of the better quarterbacks in all of college football. So when you lose somebody like that, everybody else has to go to raise their level. That's our challenge for that. I'm confident we'll do that.
"And as far as Villanova goes, they've got a really good coach. Really good coaching staff. Had great success in the past. You look at their defense right now. I think they're giving up 55 yards a game rushing. Their quarterback is throwing the ball extremely high level right now.
"We'll need to play good football, but we're happy to be back home. This week is really gonna be about us. There were quite a few mistakes we made from a big picture standpoint that we're focused on. We watched the film with our players last night and there's a lot of things that we've got to improve on before we get to our conference season. This will be a big game for that."
So in regards to John Rhys Plumlee, after the doctor's evaluation, there is hope that he will return this season?
"We're confident he will return. Until we found out, we were thinking... we just knew he couldn't walk real good. So that was really a good positive for that and we're confident he will return. Like I said, no surgery needed. Anytime that happens, that's really good. Now, obviously, he's not gonna play this week, probably out a couple of weeks. What I'll do, I'll just keep you updated week to week as it goes. But I'd say right now we're confident he'll be back and we'll see when.
Can you clarify that it's a knee injury?
"I don't want to get into specifics, but it's a leg injury. I think everybody saw that."
You also had DeJordan Mask go out early in the game. How is he doing?
"He's a tough guy. He wanted to come back in. We chose to hold him out. Confident he'll be back in a short period of time. We'll see as far as what that means after he practices this week, but he's really a real strong player. I think everybody knows that. We think we'll have him back in a short period of time, possibly this week."
There was a questionable non-targeting call towards the end of the game on JRP. What did the staff do to evaluate him because he went back into the game right afterwards. He looked a little shook up.
"He wanted to finish the game, so that's how we did it."
Coach Hinshaw talked a lot about Timmy's improvement over the last few months. Where do you see Timmy's improvement?
"I think just overall understanding of the offense with the little things. He's performed very well in practice. And you know, even the game reps he got in the fourth quarter of the first game, he performed at a high level. He started his true freshman year at another school and he has that experience too. So, it won't be a shock to his system and I'm confident he'll play at a high level."
What does it say about the resilience in this group, taking so many punches in that Boise State game and still win it.
"Yeah. There was a lot of stuff that happened during that game that you go, wow. We think we have a touchdown and all of a sudden it's an interception. But our players never flinched. On the sideline they kept believing, they kept picking each other up. That's a sign of a really good team/ I was real proud of our team doing that. I was real proud of our staff. It's hard to do what we did.
"We didn't play our best. Give them credit, they had a lot to do with why we didn't play our best. But to be able to do that and win that way when the pressure was at the highest. The defense did a great job during the game. And of course they had the drive down there and they scored and they had all the momentum. The place was going bananas and they're flashing lights and playing music and our guys found a way to go down and kicked the field goal the last play of the game. That's hard to do.
"We worked really hard on end of the game scenarios. I've been saying it like a broken record, but until you actually do it against another team. That's when you say, okay, we got that. My experience is that once you have that, you don't lose it. Our guys will be very confident in end-of-game scenarios and I think that's very important moving forward."
There's never a good time to have a starting quarterback go out with injury, but you win the game and you can start a full week of practice knowing Timmy is going to be the starter of this game, a week before you start Big 12 play.
"Yeah, it's not a conference game so that you can look at it that way. He can get his feet wet and being in charge of the offense. If there is any growing pains, we have it at home, but we'll see.
"Like I said, JRP, it's really unfortunate. The guy played one of his better games. He's playing at such a high level and I believe he's one of the best football players in the country, not just quarterbacks. That's a loss.
"Good thing is a great opportunity for Timmy. And like I said earlier, we're confident that he'll play well. He's confident he'll play well too.
Hinshaw said he thought this was one John Rhys' best all-around games at UCF. What did you see?
"Yeah, I thought he played phenomenal. It's a game on the line. He made some of his best plays. He's very efficient and made some things when things broke down and made some really, really good throws."
From week one to week two is when you said good teams make the most improvements. What can you say about your team's execution last week?
"I think we improved. There were some areas that we didn't improve on, but for the most we did. Our guys played hard. They played their guts out. The great thing is we have a lot of areas to improve on still. So yeah, we did improve from week one to week two. You know our week one opponent (Kent State) they played pretty good in week two. A lot of times you don't know exactly until the season really gets going about how quality of a win a certain game was. We got a lot of areas to improve on. Our players understand that. They're ready to do that. I think we're in a good spot as far as that goes."
You have a security blanket in Colton Boomer. He's missed just one field goal in his career, a 63-yarder.
"That 63 yarder, it wasn't even supposed to be snapped so you can take that out. I think he's 100 percent since he's been in college football. He is 100 percent. He's one of the better kickers in the country I think he's one of the bigger weapons in the country. He's doing a good job with his kickoffs too. That's a huge weapon."
John Rhys has always been a positive, upbeat type of guy. What's his mentality knowing he has to miss a few weeks?
"I think more than anything, he was real pleased that he's going to be back Anytime you have an injury and there's no surgery, I think that's a blessing. He was very excited with that. I think all of us were and our team was too. He's not just a leader, but he's really probably the team leader. He's the heartbeat. He'll still be there when he can't play. He will be there helping lead."
Timmy McClain, what kind of quarterback is he? How does he differ from John Rhys?
"He can make plays when things break down. He's really good within the system. He throws a really good deep ball. He can push the ball down the field. The ball comes out. He has a high release for receivers to see.
"Like I said, he has experience. I mean, that's the thing that I'm excited about. He's been there and done that. He's felt what it feels like to be a starting quarterback. Felt like what it feels like to be on the road.
"And if you remember, we played him right out here. And we went down to the very end. He made a lot of plays when things broke down to get him down to that very last deal. So we're in good hands with him. We recruited him for this moment. He's got a good understanding of our system and what to do. I'm excited to watch him play."
Addison Williams was a little upset about how defense closed on Boise State's last possession. But overall, what do you see from the defense through the first two games?
"Our defensive line is playing at a high level. They're controlling the line of scrimmage. They got us on a couple runs. We had a blitz and they gapped us out. And they cut it back. We didn't set the edge a couple of times. But our defensive line is playing at a high level. Our defense, to hold the first opponent to six and then 16, they're off to a really good start. There's a lot of areas that they can prove more. And they know that. We will get better. But I think our defense is off to a really good start."
You made the adjustment in the game to go with RJ in the Wildcat formation. What went into that decision? And does he offer more being a high school quarterback?
"Well, Jordan had the 3rd and one. We ran the power. There was two guys, and he cut the inside shoulder, did a great job of picking up the first down. Sometimes you go with the veteran guy. It was late in the game in the fourth quarter, on the five yard line. And he did a good job of setting up his blocks. And Paul Rubelt did a great job of washing down. Zach (Marsh-Wojan) cut off that backside and allowed him to go.
"We got two really high level Wildcat guys I feel like with him and Jordan. And I think that's really good."
What are your thoughts on playing schools from the FCS?
"I'm good with playing anybody, to be honest with you. You get 12 games and this is just one of the games on our schedule. We inherited it and I'm fine with it. We need to play really, really good football. Doesn't matter who we're playing. That's our mindset. It just so happens, we're playing a high level I-AA program with a high level coach. And obviously they're off to a really good start."
Good teams face adversity during good season. Are there some emerging leaders that you're seeing or maybe some guys you'd like to see become a little bit more vocal within the locker room?
"No, I think our locker room is pretty good right now. I think it's real healthy right now with our leadership and the way that they're responding. They pick each other up. They're there for each other. And you find out what truly is all about with a game like we just had. Because whatever is in us is gonna be coming out. And our guys handle their selves like champs. Like I said, they stuck together. There was a lot of adversity that we had overcome to win that game. They stuck together, they believed in each other, they picked each other up, and they found a way to win."
Was it good to win in an atmosphere like that knowing you'll be playing games in the Big 12?
"Yeah. We learned a lot. We got five more road games that are real similar to that. And we didn't handle the noise very well. Those self-inflicted ones, snapping the ball late, snapping it early. You can't have that. And so there's a lot of things that we looked at, you know what? Before we go on the road again, we got to correct. And we better correct it now. That's things we're addressing right now."
Now that you were in a close game with the new running clock on first down rule, Boise State was able to run a lot clock. I know Chip Kelly has spoken out in against of it. What's your opinion?
"I wish it was like it used to be. I don't know why you'd shorten the game right now. I mean, it looks like to me the commercials are still the same length. I would say the casual fan wants to see more football than less. But really, from a coach's standpoint, we gotta adapt. My mindset, like I said last week, I'm worried about it being a shorter game and all that. But once you get going, it is what it is. You just adapt. And so to be honest with you, I thought about it before the game again. And then once the game gets going on, you just use your instincts and you coach and you adapt. "
A lot of the players talked about Colton Boomer's personality. What do you see from him in that regard, and what kind of makes that special for a kicker?
"You can tell he's a real self-confident young man. He really strains himself in practice. At halftime, I mean, he's over there reading the Bible when we're making halftime adjustments. He's a wonderful young man. Like I said, he's got something special to him. That's so hard to do. You guys have played golf before. If you've ever been in a pressure moment playing golf and people are watching you, how nervous you get, think about what he's doing with a million people. It doesn't bother him.
"The special ones in my experience, and I've been real blessed to coach some of the better kickers in all of college football, and he's in that mode with that ability. Like when the pressure's the highest, he's at his best. That's rare, that's hard, but he's got that."
In camp, you talked a lot about situational football. Seeing the success you've had the last two games, is that something you've always done or did you put more emphasis on it?
"I think we put more of an emphasis from the standpoint just knowing our schedule and looking ahead. Six road games. We're traveling more than any team in all of college football. To win road games, especially in a Power Five conference, you're going to have a lot of close games. So that was really the focus. I look back at times when we won championships. I think in 2010, 2013, I think there were seven games in both seasons that went down to the last possession. That was just part of the plan. We're 1-0 on the road and that's a big piece to it."
Xavier Townsend only had two touches in this game, but again he had another explosive carry of 39 yards. What is his role going forward in this offense? Is he a gadget player? Week one he had more receptions.
"I don't know. After two weeks, would you say he's a gadget player or would you say he's a receiver? I'd say he's a receiver. I'd say he's a real receiver. And he's an impact player. So there's no gadget to Xavier. Whoever told you that is mistaken."
With obviously a backup having to start, you have to move up everyone in the depth chart. What have you seen from Dylan Rizk?
"Dylan's a very talented young man. We let our quarterbacks go live, all but JRP in one scrimmage. And a lot of times we can learn so much about it. He was playing every snap like it was a Super Bowl. He's a very talented young man. In high school he was used to winning. He can really throw it, but he can run. He's a fast young man. He can do the things that we want our quarterback to do in our system, and that's a great thing. JRP's out, our other two quarterbacks, we're not gonna have to change what we do. They're in that mode, and I think that's real important."
With Timmy, do you change anything? Do you add any wrinkles?
"Here's what you do as a coach. I'm an old high school coach. When you're a high school coach, you got what you got. The good high school coaches, they take what they got and build around their strengths. We will have the same system no matter who our quarterback is moving forward.
"But Timmy may do some things differently than JRP did. The things that he did, and me and Darin, we watched every clip of his scrimmages in the spring and (camp) this morning just to get a feel. 'He's really good at this.' You build around that. That's the old common sense, old high school coach in me. We'll do the same thing with each one of our quarterbacks. It will be within our system. It won't have to be creating almost a new offense if that makes sense. I think he'll be really, really successful."
After two weeks you have the highest total output of yards in the country. You have a first year coordinator. What does that say about Coach Hinshaw?
"He's done a great job with the relationships and a great job just leading the offense. The thing about our offense, and we watched it last night as a group. There's so many areas that we can improve on. That's really what we're focused on. Two weeks, stats, that's great. But our offense, they're thinking bigger and better things. We know we've got to improve some things like I said. Probably the self-inflicted wounds about the penalties and things like that, the motions. There's some things we're going to work really, really hard on that I think we can improve on."
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