Nov. 7, 2006
Columbia, S.C. –
The South Carolina Gamecocks (5-4, 3-4 SEC) wrap up their SEC slate as they travel to Gainesville to take on the sixth-ranked Florida Gators (8-1, 6-1 SEC) on Saturday, Nov. 11. Game time is set for 3:30 pm ET at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Florida Field (88,548). The game will be nationally televised by CBS with Verne Lundquist and Gary Danielson in the booth and Tracy Wolfson on the sidelines.
Opening Statement
Again, we are very healthy as a team this time of year. No injuries whatsoever coming out of the Arkansas game. It was a game we sort of fell back, got in position but could not do it. It was a typical game; we’ve had about three like that where we have lost by a touchdown. We get way behind, sort of get close and then don’t do much. Anyway, that’s where we are right now and we hope to get the ball bouncing our way a little bit better. We have to make those things happen, make the ball bounce that way. Looking forward to going down to the Swamp, play the Gators, see what happens. They have already clinched so we are both trying to win a ballgame, of course they may have a chance to get to the final game if they run the table, who knows what can happen. They are in excellent shape to have a real good season. We are trying to win the sixth game and we know it will be difficult. We will go down there, pitch it around, run it around, see what happens.”
On if Florida is the best team the Gamecocks will face this year
I’ll let you guys rate the teams. I don’t like to rate the teams. I get coaches mad one after another. I think they are all together. They may clobber us, I don’t know. The other teams haven’t. We played Auburn, Tennessee, Arkansas very close I guess. I don’t know, Florida may clobber us or we may play them close. Heck, I’m hoping something will happen and we may obviously win the game. I think you need to ask when it is over. I think that they do have as good a defensive line as any in the country. They really create a lot of problems for the offensive guys. Their offense at times looks really good and at times they have sputtered around a bit. They’re even surprised that they haven’t scored quite as many points as they thought they would. Still, they have scored enough to win every game but one.”
On going back to the Swamp
“I don’t know exactly what the reception (will be); I think it will be fine though because it was fine the other two times I was down there. I’m sort of glad I was there for those two occasions and really glad to be there to visit with the 1996 team and share that moment before the game with all the players and coaches introduced. We had about 75 players, coaches there, trainers, and student managers, little bit of everybody. Then the Ring of Honor, established the Alabama game, a month or so ago, that was nice. I’ve been back to the Swamp and probably the loudest ovation I have had in my life was when I was inducted into the Ring of Honor. For 12 years, I had a wonderful relationship with the Gator fans and I look back on those 12 years and we probably had maybe the best football players in the country over those 12 years, close with some other schools. We had excellent coaches and of course I thought the Gator fans were the best in the country during that time. We didn’t win it all, all the time it was always adventurous to me, sometimes our teams that weren’t the best won the conference championship and a couple that probably should of, didn’t. The best team doesn’t always end up a champion, but we were fortunate to win our share. It was a wonderful 12 years and most all of you heard me say it before and I’ll say it to get it all out once, I left on my own, I thought there was a new challenge I needed to take on. After two years in the NFL, that was not what I was looking for and it wasn’t working. Then I felt like I wanted to coach again, and this opportunity at South Carolina came up. I’m very happy here, I love a challenge and we do have a challenge. That’s the fun part though. It’s a challenge but we’re making progress.”
On last year’s win against Florida
“It was a nice win for us and it got us our seventh win (of the season). We beat a team we hadn’t beaten in a long, long time. That was important, beating (Florida), Tennessee and Arkansas. We haven’t done it this year but the first two teams don’t have losing records like they did last year in Tennessee and Arkansas. Maybe that isn’t why we have done it the last two weeks. We have another shot to pull an upset, it won’t be easy but we look forward to the challenge, see what happens.”
“I use a double headset, so there is no noise you can hear. You are talking to the coaches up top and the offensive coaches are on the line so I can talk to all of them. So you really start calling plays, watching the defense and I won’t be able to scream any audibles out there. It will be loud, we know that and I expect the Gator fans to be loud. That’s a good part of the game. That’s what should happen. But you are coaching your team to try to beat the other team.”
