UCF head coach Gus Malzahn talks about the War on I-4, Dillon Gabriel's status, what he's thankful for and more.
Opening statement:
"Obviously excited about rivalry week coming up. Looking at them, they've played a very tough schedule. One challenging thing is they dismissed their defensive coordinator yesterday. Obviously you've got to predict if anything is going to be different as far as that goes. Their quarterback is a young guy, but he's a playmaker. You look at their special teams and one of the best kick returners in college football. Their field goal kicker is one of the best. I don't think he's missed, 9-for-9 with a 52 yarder. Obviously a big game for us. Short week. I think it's our third short week game. We're using the same routine as far as that goes. We're excited to be at home again in front of our home crowd."
Last week you said Dillon Gabriel returned to practice. He didn't dress last game, but was throwing a bit in pregame. What's his status and is there a chance he plays Friday?
"He's been sick the last two days. I think that's going to be tough. Looking at Mikey (Keene), this will be his ninth game. He played his best game I think last week. He is improving each game. You saw him with the touchdown on the ground. That's really a game changer for us with him moving forward. I think he's doing a super job leading us."
When the opposing team fires their coordinator a few days before a game, what challenge is that?
"There are some challengers with that. There's no doubt. This late in the season you've got a lot of information as far as their personnel and what they've done, all that. It's just the unknown. Who's going to call it, what's going to be different. You've got to be prepared any time that happens. When you throw in a short week, that makes it a little more challenging too. You throw in it's a rival too. We'll have to be able to adjust."
On being thankful to play games:
"First of all, we're thankful. There's no doubt. It's great to be in front of a crowd like ours. It's fun, even fun for me. Our guys have hung in there all year. They've come out ready to play and played hard every game. It's the last game. This is it. This is the last rodeo before the bowl game. Obviously it's a big one for us."
How have you noticed the game slowing down for Mikey Keene?
"You can tell just by watching him, his demeanor and everything. Of course the communication he has in between series. Really, the communication leading up to game week. Just the questions he asks and the things he likes. He's 18 years old. He's a true freshman. At first, you'd ask him a question and he's good with everything. Now he's getting to a point where he says he feels more comfortable with this or that. That's good. That's growth. That tells you that he's starting to understand the big picture. That's been really good."
Two games into that platform setup, are you getting more comfortable with that? How that's working out?
"I was more comfortable because we won. That's really about the only difference. I will say this about our officials. I really appreciate the officiating crew. In between every series they were coming up to me and communicating with me. That was a really, really good feeling. The week before it wasn't that way. It wasn't good. I really appreciate the fact that they came in and checked in. A lot of times from a coach's standpoint, just that communication whether you agree or disagree, that communication was like if you were on the field."
What do you know about this rivalry between UCF and South Florida?
"I've heard a lot about it. Since I was hired, I've heard how important it is to our fanbase. I've been blessed to be a part of rivalry games. This is a big one too. I'm looking forward to it. I like coaching in rivalry games. I know their head coach pretty well. I know their receiver coach. He was with me some at Auburn. We're very familiar. Looking forward to playing."
Going back to Mikey Keene, how did he deal with the different center, Cole Schneider coming in for Matt Lee?
"That's another thing that stresses you. If you've got to make a center change... We don't do a lot of up-under, but we have certain plays each week that we do from up-under. Just that quarterback/center exchange, that was the biggest stress. This is later in the season. We've done that a couple times during the season. That's really helped us. There's not near as much anxiety and stress as there was when he first started playing and we had to switch centers."
Johnny Richardson had his best game last week. When did you know he was ready to carry the load?
"It's been a growing process. He's a young guy too. He's done some really good things for us. He's been very explosive with the ball. He's made some really big-time runs. It was good. You can see him growing and maturing. He's starting to understand that he's a really good running back. A lot of times, young guys, it doesn't matter the position, it takes a while even though they're talented, to understand they're really good. He's got a chance to be really good. He's starting to get the confidence to play with it. You get him on the perimeter and he does some good things. And when we handed him the ball inside, he did some good things. I want to say this Mark. Mark is growing up too. Mark is a guy that is really a load. That touchdown run, he willed himself to getting in the end zone. Without Bowser, it's been a deal that we were able to develop some depth. Both those guys are getting confidence. I think they had their best games last week."
Kalia Davis and Ryan O'Keefe were both named to the CoSIDA All-District team? How have they impacted the locker room?
"First of all, they're wonderful people. They're very well respected by their teammates. I think both those guys are NFL guys too. It's always great when your best players are great leaders and teammates. It really helps the whole team."
What have you seen from USF on offense? They have some talented local players that played at Sanford Seminole in quarterback Timmy McClain and wide receiver Jimmy Horn.
"They're explosive. Those two guys are real explosive. They've got another receiver that's impressive too. We got a chance to watch them against Temple because we played Temple right after. They were very impressive. They've got playmakers. We know that. We know they're going to give it their best."
What's the status of Isaiah Bowser?
"He is getting more healthy, getting closer. We're hopeful. That's probably the best way to put it. We dressed him out, seeing what he can do. It was kind of emergency only last week. We'll have that same mentality each week. He did practice today, so we'll see what that looks like come game time."
The coaching profession can be crazy. You went through an experience a year ago. It's crazier this year when you look what's happening, especially in the SEC. A coach that won a national championship two years ago is on the way out. Dan Mullen at Florida really only had one bad season and he's out. From your perspective having coached in the SEC, what do you think about everything going on in college football?
"I think that's just college football this day and time. I think from a coach's standpoint, you know what you're getting into. You've got to win. Everybody understands that. There's some great coaches that got let go. There's no doubt about that. Coaches I have a whole lot of respect for. They'll bounce back. There's no doubt. This is the day and age of college football. You know what you're getting into. They pay you a lot of money and they expect you to win. If it doesn't go that way, they get somebody else and see what they can do."
In a rivalry game, what makes a 2-9 team dangerous?
"Just a rivalry. It doesn't matter. You throw out the record books in any rivalry. Here's what you know. You're getting the best from both sides. We're getting their best, they're getting our best. That's part of being rivalry and what makes rivalries special. Throw the records out the door and see who the best is."
We know about the rivalry you came from, Auburn-Alabama. Are there other rivalry games in your past, maybe in high school? What's your personal history with rivalry games?
"We had one in high school. Springdale High School vs. Fayetteville High School in Northwest Arkansas. It was a real rivalry. It was personal. When you know everybody in the town, that's a personal deal. That was really my first real rivalry, when you know it's so important and you better win or you may not want to go to work the next day. That kind of deal. That really prepared me for the Iron Bowl. That was a pretty good one too. Looking forward to this one also."
This is your third Friday game. You mentioned you have the routine down. How does Thanksgiving change things?
"Thursday is going to be our Friday, so usually we give our guys off until about 3:30. That's going to give them a chance to be with their families, which works out pretty good. Wednesday night, we'll have a little family deal with our players and all that after practice. That will be pretty cool. Then we'll come back at 3:30, start our meetings and treat it like a normal Friday even though it's Thursday. Getting used to these Friday games. The short week, it's always interesting."
Speaking of Thanksgiving, what are you most thankful for right now?
"I'm thankful for a lot. I'm thankful for my family. I'm thankful for my family's health. I'm thankful to have these players I've been blessed to inherit and coach. They've been a true blessing. And blessed to be here. This is a special place. I knew that from afar, but when you get here and you figure out how good it is. The people are wonderful. Really, it's a whole lot to be thankful for."
What do these seniors mean to this program?
"It means a lot. These guys have won. They've helped develop the foundation of this place. A new coaching staff comes in and it's always harder on the seniors than anybody else. You do things differently. You've got a new leader. New expectations as far as different things. Just real appreciative of these seniors and the way they've responded. The way they've bought in. They're really the main reason that we hadn't folded our tent at times. There's been plenty of opportunities to point the finger or throw in the towel and they haven't flinched. They've really kept this thing together and allowed us to be here at this time. We're going to fight like crazy for win No. 8."
You said you're familiar with Jeff Scott at USF. How do you know each other?
"When he was at Clemson, Chad Morris was the offensive coordinator and one of my good friends. Jeff coached with him. They came over to Auburn a few times and we talked football. He's a guy I've known for a long time."
What's your favorite Thanksgiving side dish?
"I'm a big dressing guy. I like dressing with a bunch of gravy on it. I usually make myself sick. I get excited. That's it."
You talked about this War on I-4 rivalry. At these coaching tour stops in the spring, were fans talking to you about this rivalry, telling you how important it is?
"Yeah, I think it was the first day I was hired. Somebody told me, that's the one. Okay. When you take a job, you look. I know how important it is. This will be my first rodeo with this rivalry. Like I said, I'm looking forward to it."
How do you approach rivalry games vs. another game on the schedule?
"I think it's important you let your seniors and your older guys express what it means to them. They've been through it a long time. We'll do that. That will be good for our staff to hear and all that. It's the kind of game you play for. You look forward to playing. You know how important it is. It's fun to coach in games like this. It's fun to play in games like this."
When you've got a rivalry and one time that is clearly rebuilding, how much of a leg up can that be in recruiting because sometimes you're recruiting the same guys?
"There's no doubt. All rivalry games from a college standpoint, you think about recruiting. They're all important as far as that goes. I'm real excited about how recruiting is going here. We've got a real chance to finish this thing really strong. I think I've told you this before. It's going to be an unbelievable destination place for transfers. The future is bright."
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