"We obviously have a tremendous challenge this week. I've gotten a lot of unbelievable questions about how does this relate to last year. We're on a different planet than we were a year ago, and our whole intent is to make sure we get a little better. That's it. There's not a big rally cry. We're not going to have a bunch of slogans around here. It's gotta get a little better. The good thing is when I start reading off some of those young players' names grading champions against a team like Auburn, they have to improve this week because we're playing if not the most talented in America, I haven't seen anyone more talented."
You talk a lot about trust on a team. With a team this young, do you see it there between them, and do you think after five games you need to trust them a little more and not play as soft coverage?
"We're not playing softest coverage. That comes with confidence, not so much trust. There's only one way to develop trust – you experience it and see it and live it, and we're starting to see that. There are a lot of players you are starting to trust that can do things. However there are other times when you can lose a little bit of trust. Playing at midfield and a guy lines up wrong. You rush a punt, but the guy who hits him (the punter) is not even supposed to be rushing. He's a contain player. Those are issues when it's not good team football. Those are two possessions right there that you take back. In a game that tight, those are major league mistakes in a major league college football game."
Tim Tebow said the message today was to get back to outworking the opposition. Does this team need to practice better? Is that part of it?
"No, they just need to practice. They need the game experience and practice. Do we need to practice better? No, we had actually a good week of practice. It is what it is. I hear people say that I say what does it mean? We're a young team that's getting a little better. We had those two possessions, and without taking anything away from the team we played, you take those two possessions back, and I think it ends up maybe different."
How important is Andre Caldwell's return given LSU's defense?
"Yeah, they're fast on defense, and more than that, it's who Bubba Caldwell is and what he's become. He's become a leader. He's an inspiration to the team. He was wild on the sideline there. He has to keep control of his emotions because he's such an emotional guy. We need Bubba back."
Tony Joiner said after the meeting today he had gotten the impression that things were going to get a lot stricter and you weren't playing around anymore. What would he mean by that? Do you think you might have been getting a little softer?
"I don't believe I am. We're just so young. I've got to quit using that an excuse, but it's not an excuse. It's reality. That punter coach has got to get that punter to line up on the line of scrimmage on the fake punt, and the punter coach didn't do that, and the punter coach is standing in front of you. Those are all the important things. All the other stuff is not important."
Unlike the loss to Auburn a year ago, there's a chance for immediate redemption. There's something to shoot for and you can be right back in this thing with a win.
"Absolutely, and our guys know that. The Southeastern Conference, I think the East side everybody has a loss except for Kentucky, and there are some excellent teams in the East. Last year we had what I called the State of the Union. I realized it's the nature of the beast that people were going to start talking about who's the BCS, so every Monday I would talk to the team about the country and what was going on. You want to talk about USC, talk to me because at least I'll do a little research and you won't hear it from someone who doesn't understand. We would actually talk about that. This year there's none whatsoever just because we're not at that point yet. We need to tighten up coverage a little bit. We need to get that punter to line up the right way. That's the punter coach's job to get that done. For me to waste time to talk about other things, the only thing that matters is coming out today and having a good practice. We have to get better. You see some of these (championship) grades (for the Auburn game), and I was really impressed when you start saying Major Wright, Wondy Pierre (-Louis), Jermaine Cunningham and Brandon Spikes. That's pretty powerful stuff and not a lot of football played there. That's pretty good. We have some other guys who have to improve as well."
Did you mention any of that soul of the man stuff with your players?
"Sure. That's great stuff. I've gotten a bunch of text messages from some friends as if I thought of that. I didn't think of that. I was taught it, and I think it's true. Every human being is measured when they get hit. I tell people all the time, boy, it's easy to walk upstairs to my office and pick up that championship trophy. That's not hard. When you get hit right square, how do you react? We got hit square. That was a frontal, frontal shot at home."
What are you going to do to get Kestahn Moore more touches?
"Hand him the ball. We have to block a little better. We had some injury issues at right guard with Maurice Hurt and Maurkice Pouncey. They didn't practice much last week because of injuries. We just have to block them a little better."
Are you happy with the way the ball is being distributed the last couple of games?
"I probably worry about that too much. Like I said, I have to worry about getting that punter lined up on the fake punt. We have some dynamic playmakers. Last week Riley Cooper, Percy Harvin and Bubba Caldwell didn't practice, so all of a sudden the speed of the offense drops a little bit. I think we'll have most of those guys ready for practice this week. There's timing and other issues we have to get, but most importantly a guy like Bubba can help us. I'm not so much worried about the touches because a lot of times a defense dictates that. A couple of guys have to touch the ball, but a lot of times the defense dictates where the ball is going to go."
Was your anger Saturday night at yourself, your coaches, players, and where does that come from?
"You don't get angry at players. Our job is not to criticize players. Our job is not to say we have bad players because that's absolutely not true. Sometimes I'll watch some teams that are struggling and say, boy, there must have been some lousy recruiting going on. We have very good players. It's certainly not the players' fault. It's repetition and teaching them. That's why they call you 'coach.' I'm angry at myself and angry at my staff. Anger's not the right word. We've got to finish the job. We have a job to do, and that's the good thing about getting another opportunity on Saturday."
LSU never seems to have any holes despite losing players to the NFL. Are they a model program in terms of recruiting every year?
"Yeah, they have. Since I've been here, on the defensive line it seems like they keep plugging guys in there that are NFL players. They are the one team right now in the SEC that seems a little different every year. I think they had four first-rounders last year, and the year before I'm sure they had a handful. They've recruited very well."
You said starting Major Wright would be a game-time decision. Can you expand on what went on in your thought process and how he played?
"He graded a champion. Our defense coaches are very excited about him. He's a very good tackler, a very aggressive tackler. He caused a fumble that put us back in the game. He had some violent hits on the sideline. He's a good player, but he has to practice. He's like a lot of young players. That was his first start. Is he the starting free safety at Florida? No, he's got to have a great week of practice and continue to improve, but he could be an excellent player."
What have told the younger players on the team about playing in Baton Rouge, and what is going to be the key to winning this game?
"We're going to work on noise. That's a place, now. We've been there before. We will start practicing immediately with the noise issues. We're still putting the Auburn game to bed (in meetings video watching), so I haven't spoken much about actually going to play there. I hear our players talking about it, though. There's a lot of excitement about getting to do that."
Can you talk about their offense?
"The thing that impresses our guys is the offensive line play is very good. The running back (Jacob), Hester, is a tough nut. Every week we worry about them just pounding on you, and the more they pound on you, you're isolated. This is a faster group of receivers than we saw this week. There's obviously a lot of challenges for us."
When you said you lacked confidence to hand the ball off, how much of a reflection is that on the tailbacks and how much did Mon Williams' injury throw off your plan for running this year?
"The one thing about when you hand the ball off, a lot of times they can plus you. I always get worried about that. I'm very concerned about running the ball on unblocked defenders. Our base run game is read one of them or some type of single-wing play. Mon Williams is going to be a good player, but I think Kestahn Moore (is UF's best back). I didn't feel we were blocking them during the course of the game. It wasn't like let's not give Kestahn the ball. To run the football you need to have five guys up front to handle their business, and I don't think that was one of our better games."
You've had a hard time stringing two good halves together. How much is that a byproduct of having a young team?
"I don't know that answer. When I evaluate that first half, I go back to two critical errors that should have not occurred, and they were both on special teams. That's where I have to make sure when we come in here and talk and teach, you can't be worried about, boy, if we win out. If we win out? What are you talking about? If we just line up the right way and do your job as hard as you can. That's our biggest fight here. That's a fight at Florida. It's a fight at a lot of the big-time places because it's all over the place. You can't let that happen. I can't let that happen."
When do these young guys stop being young guys and become something else?
"You guys used to call me a young coach, and I don't hear that anymore. What is that, fortysomething? When you start looking like I do and feeling like I do, you're not a young coach anymore. It's the same thing with a player. I don't know that. There's some young players that don't act very young. Tebow's only starting his fifth game, and Percy Harvin's a young player, but they don't act very young. Everybody's different."
When they start lining up right, is that going to be an indication?
"I think so. I think you're seeing indications. The scoreboard, man, that's going to kill you, but I see signs of a team growing up. Wondy Pierre graded a champion against Auburn. That's growing up. Now we've got to wait and see what he sees this week. The same with Joe Haden. Major Wright just graded a champion. It's started happening, but obviously it's not happening at the pace that everybody wants it, that we want it."
The defense hasn't created as many turnovers as last year. What can it do to cause as many turnovers, and can you update Phil Trautwein's situation?
"Phil Trautwein I don't believe will play this year. Turnovers are the result of contact and pressuring the quarterback and guys breaking on the ball. Reggie Nelson created turnovers by his presence last year. Derrick Harvey and Jarvis Moss created turnovers by their presence, with Joe Cohen and Steven Harris and a (Brandon) Siler. There's a lot of things leading to turnovers. Effort and running to the football is one of them. We're getting much better at that. Obviously the ability of a Major Wright, when he hits people, it's a knock-back. He'll create more. That's what you need. Reggie Nelson provided that last year. We're starting to see it with Major, and the same with (Brandon) Spikes. They have that ability to knock you back. That's how you create turnovers."