UCF head coach Gus Malzahn talks about the program's inaugural Big 12 conference game at Kansas State, reflects on quarterback Timmy McClain's first game as starter and more.
Opening statement:
"Okay, got Kansas State. They're defending Big 12 champs. You turn on the film, you can see why. Their head coach is an excellent coach. All three phases, they're sound. Defensively, I think they're third in the country in rush defense at 50 yards, sixth in tackles for loss. 16th in sacks. I mean, they play in those people's backfield. They're very disruptive. Odd front team that pressures a lot. Pretty unique on the back end with their coverages. It has some challenges with ID'ing things.
"Offensively, their quarterback, excellent guy. They protect the football. They have a tight end that you definitely gotta know where he's at. Really, really good player along with a couple of receivers too.
"When you turn on their film, their special teams, they do a great job. And what I like and what I respect is they're a very physical team. Very physical. They know how to play and that's a reflection of their head coach."
What does this moment meant to UCF? I know we've talked a lot about the Big 12, two years since the invitation went out, but now you're playing in your first Big 12 game. What does that mean to the program?
"Yeah, of course we've talked a lot about it. We're glad it's here. We just happen to be playing the defending champs in the league. You can see why when you turn on the film. It'll be a really good challenge for our team about where we're at right now.
"We're real happy to be 3-0, but we've not played anybody in the caliber that we're fixing to play. I've been there before (at Auburn in 2014), it's a great environment. We had a really, really good team and we barely got out there alive. It was just a really loud environment and we'll have to do a good job handling the noise."
How did the Boise State road trip prepare you for this weekend and what are you doing to combat the noise issues?
"That's a big part. We've got to solve our pre-snap penalties. We had pre-snap penalties last week at home and it was quiet. That has to be solved. That's been a point of emphasis. It will be loud there. We know that. We'll have crowd noise every day in practice. We've got a new quarterback too on the road, so we'll have to handle that but that's part of it. It's game four, we need to do a good job not having to self-inflicting wounds."
Kansas State's quarterback was banged up a little bit against Missouri and it's 100 percent clear if he'll play. How much of an extra level of challenge does that have in preparation?
"You've just got to be prepared for all the what-ifs each week. We'll cross that bridge when it gets there and got to prepare for both the quarterbacks."
What progress do you want to see Timmy McClain make from game one to game two?
"Yeah, I think more than anything it's just experience. The first quarter, of course, we didn't do a great job. We snapped the ball late one time. We snapped the ball early one time. We rolled it back there. That made it extra tough for him in the first quarter.
"But like I said, you saw him. Once the game got going, he settled down. He made some good plays. He made some really good plays when things broke down. That's a sign of a good quarterback. And he made some plays with his legs. He was efficient in the passing game. We'll have to really keep building on that. I really believe each time out there, he's going to get more and more comfortable.
"But this is one of the better defenses we'll face all season. So we'll have to be really good around him too."
You mentioned how good Kansas State's rush defense is. You guys are one of the better rush offenses in the nation by statistics this year. How important is it to establish that run game?
"Yeah, you have to. I mean, we're a run, play-action team. They're one of the best. We've got to be successful running the football. And that's a big challenge. But that's what we've got to do if we want to have a chance to win the game. We'll have to have a good plan and have to be effective running the ball."
In such a historic game for the program, what's the message to the guys to keep them calm but also treating this opponent with such respect?
"Well, they can turn the film on today and they can see we're playing a higher level opponent. Our guys understand that. We have a lot of veteran guys that have played for us in some pretty big games. Then we have all these transfers. A lot of those guys have played in big games too. So we know what we're getting into. I mean, it's time. It's time. We've got to raise our level. Our guys understand that. They're looking forward to it. This will be a lot of fun."
You mentioned the center miscues. How do you approach that this week? Is Caden Kitler the starter? Is this a competition going forward?
"There's some competition. Like I said, we're not going to have any more self-inflicted wounds up front with that position so we'll have some competition and we'll see. Obviously game four, you'd like to have all that lined out but we're still a work in progress figuring it out. We've played multiple guys up front. We had a couple injuries, moved some people around so it's time we start kind of zeroing in, getting those five guys that we're going with ready so it'll be some competition this week in practice. We'll go from there."
Is there an update on Ricky Barber, DeJordan Mask, players who didn't play?
"Yeah we're hopeful all the guys will be back playing. We'll see. We hadn't practiced yet, but right now I'd say all those guys besides JR (John Rhys Plumlee) will have a chance. We're hopeful they'll play."
What have you seen from the defense in the first three games?
"I think we've done a really good job. I think up front we've disrupted people. We knew going into this season we'd have a chance to be good. We're going to have to be really good up front again this week. I think we've done some good things on the back end too, so we'll just have to get better each week."
What have you seen out of the wide receiver position?
"I think we've done a good job. We've had a couple drops. We've got to solve the drops. That's really the big thing. We're playing without the ball better. We still need to grow in that area, but we need to solve the drops. When you start playing the better teams, especially on the road, you've got to take advantage of every opportunity you get."
You touched on it in your opening statement. You played at Kansas State at your previous school in 2014. It'll be like this all season long in the Big 12. What do you remember about that game and that atmosphere?
"I remember they had a bunch of Harleys in their were pre-game. There were probably a hundred of them. That stood out to me. And then once the game got going, they're pretty close to you. It was extremely loud. It was a real atmosphere. We expect that again."
You mentioned John Rhys. It's just been a week since his injury, but how would you describe his progress and what sort of factor has he been in the locker room?
"I think his progress is going really well. As far as his recovery, he's doing everything he can. He's in every meeting. He's on the sideline talking to our quarterbacks, helping with adjustments, things like that. He's just doing anything he can to help us win until he gets back."
Kansas State is coming off a really tough loss at Missouri. They lost on a 61-yard field goal, the longest in SEC history. Obviously that's not your concern, but what does that do to a team when they're coming off a loss like that?
"We're going to get their best. I know from a coach's standpoint, once you get done with the non-conference, it's kind of a different feel going into conference so I expect them to feel the same way we are. Bottom line is we've got to play good football. We know that. We've been planning for this. We saw them on the schedule, the defending champs. Their coaching staff is one of the best. We know it. If we want a chance to win, we've got to play good football. That's the expectation.
"And I'm excited for our guys to go out and practice this week. I know they're excited. We had practice last night. You could feel it. You could feel it's a little bit different with our urgency, and really that's what's got to happen. I expect our guys to be ready."
What are some of the advantages of going against the reigning conference champions on your first game in the conference?
"You're going to see exactly where you're at. That's what I would say. They still look like they're right up there at the top, if not the top. So it will be a good measuring stick where we're at. Looking forward to playing."
UCF has five Big 12 road games this season. How much of a confidence boost would it be to win this one?
"Oh, yeah. Every time you go on the road and you win, even like the Boise State game, that gives us confidence the next time. It's hard to do. We're preparing for those situations, the end-of-game scenarios and everything that goes with it. It's hard to win on the road in college football. It's hard to win on the road against really, really good teams in college football. But we knew that. That's part of it. That was the schedule we were given and we're embracing it. We've talked about it, so we're looking forward to it."
Freshman defensive tackle John Walker is coming off a big performance against Villanova. Beyond the stats, what have you liked about him on film?
"When we recruited him, we knew he's one of the best in the country we felt like and now he's proving it on the field. My experience is, and we recruited a lot of really talented freshmen. Some freshmen have the mental aspect of college football, it takes them a little bit. And so far it hadn't taken him a lot, and that's really stood out to me.
"There's some other freshmen too that are out there playing at a high level. We got a really, really special group that we recruited. The future is really set up."
How important was that experience for Timmy McClain last week, getting his feet wet as starter, especially going into such a big game like this?
"It really played out really well for him in that situation. There's nothing like experience. Like I said, he hadn't started in two years and now you feel what it feels like again. You go out there, you're around your teammates, you got other teams, you got to adjust, you got to protect the football, you got to communicate.
"Just all those things that you take for granted, there's nothing like experience. And I really feel like each time he's out there in each play it'll slow down more and more, and it slowed down for him as the game went on. So we'll have to continue to do that."
Going into a hostile environment, what do you tell Timmy, his first road game in two years, to calm him down?
"Just run the offense. I mean that's really it. We've got to be really good around him and all of that. Just be himself. He's a really good quarterback. He's got the attributes to be a really good quarterback. So he just needs to go out there and play and adjust as we go."
When you look at Kansas State offensively or defensively, what else kind of stands out?
"What stands out to me when you turn the film on, they're a physical football team. I got a lot of respect for physical football teams and I got a lot of appreciation. So it'll be really good for us to experience that, looking forward to it."
With a 3-0 start, what are you most pleased about with your team?
"The way that we've handled ourselves. We hadn't played our best football, but we played extremely hard. We got a lot of area to improve on. That's probably the big positive. Our guys understand that. But we need to be one of those teams that every week, we get a little better, get a little better. College football, I've said it before, very few teams can do that. That's our challenge. But we have a lot of areas to grow."
What kind of growth have you seen from Kobe Hudson? We heard from Hinshaw last night about the jump he's taken and how serious he's taken everything. Just all the little things that he's doing right now.
"It's been his approach to practice off the field. He had his best two weeks of practice since he's been here in two years. Every rep was a game rep. And what happened, it carried over in the game. So he's that type of player. My expectations are that he'll continue to do that. If he does that, then he's going to have a really good year."
How do you feel Timmy McClain operated in the pocket? I know he said he's real comfortable with that backyard style.
"It's just a feel thing. Like I said, in his defense, there's a lot of those plays that was the first time against an opponent in a game-like situation that he experienced those. Then he saw some things. Okay, yeah, next time I can do this. Next time. But he does have playmaking ability, like you said. When things break down, he has some natural things to him. I think that's important in college football, because everything's not going to be perfect every time. He does have that ability."
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