Mac press conference 11/7/16

Lots of "and yets"

“To start off with, obviously very disappointed in a lot of things that occurred in that ballgame. The one thing that you know having been in this for a while, this is a very humbling game. It was a tough Sunday, and yet the routine and how you go about getting a little better, that’s what we’ve got to do. I’m very disappointed in our performance. And, you know, each game is different, each opportunity is different and we get an opportunity to come back into The Swamp.”
“One thing I do know is I really like this football team, I like our guys, I like our locker room. … They came back with some resolve last night at the team dinner. I think sometimes they get over it a little faster than maybe the coaches from the standpoint of knowing we’ve got to move forward and continue to get a little bit better.”
Injuries: DE CeCe Jefferson will be a game-time decision with a foot injury. KOR Chris Thompson (concussion) and WR Tyrie Cleveland (ankle) are “highly questionable.” LB Jarrad Davis (ankle( “will probably be out.” C Cam Dillard (knee) “will be out for sure.” LB Alex Anzalone had surgery today for his broken arm. And QB Luke Del Rio is out with a shoulder.
On Del Rio: “Looking back, hindsight is 20-20. In halftime of that ballgame, I think it speaks to the belief of our team and the toughness of Luke. And yet, sometimes you’ve got to be honest. He was banged up, played that way and you know, looking myself in the mirror we should have made a change at halftime. And yet, part of the reason that we didn’t, obviously didn’t know the severity of it, No. 1, but No. 2, there wasn’t ever a panic. He didn’t play up to par and you understand why.”
QB Austin Appleby will take the first snap at practice today, but freshmen Feleipe Franks and Kyle Trask will be involved too. “We’ll go with all three guys. … We’ll see as the week goes on to see where and how we play those guys.”
“It’s an opportunity for a lot of guys because of these injuries.”
On struggles of the offense and play-calling: “I think that’s natural, when things aren’t going well that’s where you point. It’s like playing the position of quarterback, when things are going well then everything’s good. When things aren’t, you point fingers at that guy. It’s the same thing you get as a coaching staff, and yet, you know, part of what you have to do is you still have to be able to do some things up front that doesn’t disrupt exactly what you’re trying to get accomplished to get a rhythm going. And we didn’t do a very good job of that. We’ve done that at times, and for us to be successful, we continue to get parts here and we’ve got to get the parts to work together. That’s where it is. That’s a natural thing for people. I get it. I’ve been doing this a long time. I’ve been on both ends of that, where they’re ready to put you in Ferris Bueller’s parade and then when they’re ready to hang you after a loss. So I get it. That’s the business we’re in.”
On how ready those rookie QBs would be to play: “One of the good things we do is they don’t get lost down on the scout team. We do a lot of drills and stuff against each other so they’re in the offense as far as knowing what to do. You know, we’ll see as the week goes on.”
Added that the onus is on the rest of the team to help elevate the QB: “The big thing is the people around him, it goes back to that a little bit, elevating their play a little bit and probably cutting down the field from a read standpoint and making sure you change the launch points so guys can’t get on them.”
On facing former Florida coach Will Muschamp: “We all know. This guy’s really a good football coach. What they’ve done, I think a great job (of), is not turning it over on offense and creating turnovers on defense. They fly around to the ball and are playing very enthused. The guys are playing their tails off. … He knows what he’s doing, he has a plan and his guys are really executing it at a high level right now with a lot of belief.”
“As I’ve said from the get-go, Will did a heck of a job and he’s a really good football coach and sometimes things don’t work. And that’s no fault of his. There’s good players, you’re going to see them go out there on this Senior Week, that he brought into this organization. He means a lot to them and vice versa, and that’s the way it should be. That’s the sign of a good coach. I’m sure there’s things going through his mind, and yet, I’m also sure he’s worried about his team, just as I am about our team.”
After reviewing game on Sunday, what was most disheartening? “How long do we have. … Probably just the way that they took it to us physically, and give them credit. They used that off week and used it well. That, I think, was really disappointing.”
Who steps up at LB with Davis and Anzalone out? “David (Reese) and KC (Kylan Johnson) and obviously D-Mac (Daniel McMillian) and Vosean (Joseph), who all played in this last game. Christian Garcia. Those guys played and, you know what, they’re going to play a bunch this week.”
Will it be an open competition at QB? “Yeah, will figure it out.”
How ready are the freshmen? “We’ll find out.”
On Del Rio’s injury: “He’s a tough guy. He never said anything. … Like I said, had I known the severity, I probably would have (taken him out).”
McElwain said “he’ll be out for a while.”
Is Del Rio’s injury season-ending? “I don’t know that. We’ll see once we get everything read. It’s bad, man. When you can’t lift your duffle bag up, chances are something’s hurt.”
When did injury happen? “Middle of the second (quarter), maybe, it was. Somewhere in there. You could really see (on film). Again, retrospect. You know, the interception thrown to Callaway down the middle, yeah.”