After taking No. 6 Oklahoma down to the wire, Gus Malzahn feels confident UCF will turn the corner heading into their final five Big 12 games.
Here's everything Malzahn had to say in his postgame press conference.
Opening statement:
"Okay, first of all, I'm extremely proud of our team, the way they fight. We were right there in the middle of it in the fourth quarter against one of the best teams in the country. Just proud of the way we fought defensively, played really our best game.
"We got a little worn down towards end, we lost some guys and giving them credit, that's one of the best offense in the country. And then defensively, they're a challenge. They were mixing things up, daring us to throw the football.
"The last drive, I was real proud of our guys in that moment to go down there. And obviously we came up short with a two point conversion. But overall, I told our kids, I'm extremely proud. This wasn't the same team that played against Kansas.
"And I'm proud of our coaches and I'm proud of our players. We're disappointed we didn't win. I mean, we were right there and had an opportunity. I think everybody saw that. But in the big picture, I think we got a good football team."
"We'll finish strong now. I will promise you that. But right now we're disappointed and give them credit. And I think that's one of the better teams in the country. And our guys fought toe to toe with them in their home field."
To be in position to win the game there with that two point try, what was the intent of the play going to Xavier Townsend?
"Yeah, it's a play that we've worked all the way back in fall camp. We felt really good about it. I mean, obviously when a play like that doesn't work, you get questions. But at the time we felt really good about it. We'd used one of our two point plays on the third down and goal. We had another option to run it, but that's the way it goes sometimes. That's what we felt and give them credit. They made the play."
I guess this is the third game you guys had a lead or been in the game late in the game, but you guys weren't able to finish. What's the message for you to your team to get over the hump?
"Yeah, we really separated that. I mean, obviously everybody knows those last three games. I mean, I wasn't happy. No one was happy. This is really the first game of the second half of the season. That's the way we're looking at it.
"And we're going to finish this thing strong. Yeah, I mean, they're disappointed. There's no doubt. But they also know that we played toe to toe with one of the best, if not the best, we'll see. I mean, that team will be in the conversation, I promise you that. So that's the way we're looking at it. "
Earlier this week, you talked about the reset. How much of that reset did you see?
"Yeah, it was night and day. It was just a different kind of energy. I think Addison (Williams) coming down on the sidelines was really good for that. And we got JRP back too. And he's not 100%, you all saw that. There's a couple of those runs if he's healthy, probably would have broke. But he's a difference maker when he's on the field for us too."
On the run defense in the fourth quarter:
"Yeah, we had a couple of our guys go down. I mean this is no excuse, but I think we had 13 guys that had to get IVs this morning. So we're kind of under the weather, but you know, we got a few injuries and lost a couple defensive guys, but they're really good, give them credit. "
On UCF's pass rush and forcing three sacks:
"Yeah, we tried to switch up our looks, and I think Addison did a good job with that. Our guys did a good job. We tried to attack some of their protections, but it's got to be like third and seven plus because they're so good at running the football with the RPOs.
"But our guys, we got after him some and tried to keep him off balance, but he's a really good player."
On how limited John Rhys Plumlee was with his leg:
"Honestly, they were taking a lot of his run game away... They were popping a guy. They were pulling really, really wide and sometimes they mess charge and they mix some things up, but, you know, you can see he's not quite 100%, but he's a he's a battler and I think each week he'll get healthier."
Defense struggled big time two weeks ago at Kansas. Talk more about their effort and what you saw there today from those guys.
"You know, we went back to the basics, like I said, and we went back to day one, day two. We did, gosh, I don't know how many, you know, five, six racks of old school inside in the off week and leading up to and just commitment that we're going to stop the run. And, you know, they did that."
Is there a moral victory in this?
"You know, I'm not, honestly, I'm not one of those guys that are not much into moral victories. I think you gotta put everything in perspective with what this team has went through. And you saw a different team today than you saw the last three weeks. That's what I'm proud of. And our guys fought, and they got better. Most teams in college football will not get better the second half. The challenge is we've gotta be one of those teams and finish this thing on a high note, and I know we can."
You said you had 13 players with IV. Is it a flu? What can you say about that?
"Yeah, it was a little bit of a flu that just kind of hit. JR was one of those, you know, JRP. Last night, didn't make the meeting, so he had to go to sleep and IV. Like, it was just one of those things going around. And we got some coaches, same way, but that's part of it. But they didn't let it bother them. They just went with it."
You say you don't believe in moral victories, but to take the No. 6 team in the nation in their house, to have an opportunity to tie the game at the end. What does this say about your football team?
"Yeah, it says we're capable of being a really good team. That's what it says. And like I said in my opening statement, the thing that I'm just so proud of those guys. College football, you know, the social media and the negativity. It can really weigh on young kids, programs and all that. They read it. These guys, they put it aside and they battled. And like I said, we'll finish strong. But I'm just proud of the guys."
On the execution of the two-point play:
"They did a pretty good job. You know, it's kind of one of those deals, the goal line quarters, you throw it out there, you want them to come up. There's a little window. You know, we practiced it. I mean, that's one of our staple plays that we probably practiced 20 or 30 times. Obviously, it's man, you got a chance to run the thing in. But they played like a goal line quarters. They played a pretty good deal. The guy got it in his face. It was running left. It was just hard for him to get it too. So give them credit."
On rush defense:
"Yeah, we really simplified things is what we did. Simplified things. We had two linebackers in the box majority of the time and they're really good running the football."
Their rush defense?
"First of all, they're really good. I think that's one of the better probably defenses in the country is what I would say. Just from what I've seen, I know it's the best we've faced. But they popped, they did some different things. I mean, their coaches, you know, Venables is really good. But at the same time, I hadn't really looked at stats, but they held us to what, 150 yards rushing.
"We knew we were gonna have to run the football to be successful and do that. But we also threw for 248. That last drive, I'm real proud of our guys. That last drive, that's hard to do against a defense like that to give us a chance."
On Brent Venables' defense:
"Yeah, well he's really good but when he's got really good players, he's one of the best and he's got really good players. We knew that on film, you turn the film on, it won't take you long. The linebackers are good, the defensive line is good, they're safeties. They do a lot of, they mix things up and they make you do a lot of progression things, it's hard to scheme them up.
What did you think about Dillon Gabriel and were you able to talk with him before or after the game?
"No, I'm going to try to find him before we go, but I got a lot of respect for him and he's really good."
On whether he received an explanation from the officials about the celebration penalty:
"No, I guess we had a celebration, I didn't see it. I just know that we had to kick off from the 20 yard line and then they had a field goal right before half. So we got to do better, bottom line. Hand the ball to the officials, let's go back and not kick off in the 20 yard line. That was one of the disappointing things, but no, I didn't get an explanation."
