Q&A meyer - sunday
Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 7:46 pm
Here is the question-and-answer from coach Urban Meyer's Sunday teleconference. Florida lost to Georgia, 42-30, Saturday in Jacksonville.
Can you comment on the injury to Javier Estopinan and talk about the defensive line play? Estopinan and Terron Sanders suffered injuries on Saturday. Both are defensive linemen.
"We don't have the final on him. The severity of it I'll know later today. We have a problem inside right now. We're banged up. Derrick Harvey has a hip pointer. I imagine he'll be ready to go. We're struggling in there to begin with. We're feeling the pains of a late season right now."
Any chance you give the young cornerbacks a chance this week?
"Not (Ahmad) Black. Possibly (Moses) Jenkins."
Can you comment on the suspended players? Note: The Orlando Sentinel reported Saturday that running back Chevon Walker and safety Jamar Hornsby were omitted from the Florida dress roster.
"No and no."
Will you look at playing freshman defensive tackle John Brown this week?
"We'll know more about that later this week. There's a chance that can happen."
If sophomore quarterback Tim Tebow goes down or cannot play, who would be next in line?
"Probably Cam Newton and Bryan Waggener. Cam's been hurt as well. He's had that sprained ankle. He didn't practice two weeks ago and he practiced limited this week. Waggener has been getting some reps."
What happened on Tebow's fumbled snap late in the game?
"We have those and we felt we could get this (play) in. It was a speed option to Percy Harvin. If we block it on the edge it's in the end zone. We have to get it in much faster and Tim has to manage it. If we get the snap it goes. There was a problem from the sideline getting the signal to the quarterback."
What was your reaction when Georgia's team celebrated in the end zone after it scored its first touchdown?
"The first thing is it's illegal. We'll get a penalty on the next one. First, I thought it was a big fight and you lose guys for the next game. You have to match the intensity. You're being called out and you have to go as hard as you can. We had some silly penalties as well…We have to keep them out of the end zone so they can't do that. It's none of my business."
Will Tebow be limited the rest of the season with that right shoulder injury?
"I called him late last night and it was still numbed up (because they gave him medicine). We'll know more today. That makes Tim Tebow different than most other quarterbacks. I could imagine it will still be sore. He didn't take a direct shot on it. He doesn't tell you. He fights through it because he's such a tough guy. We only had four quarterback runs and they were all goal-line runs. That's a big part of our offense.
"Percy Harvin is as competitive (a player) as we have and as talented as we have. It might be 20 times a game (he touches the ball). He's a strong player. We tried to get him up inside a few times. He's as dynamic a player in the game. He might even carry the ball some more."
Is there a chance Harvin plays running back?
"It's not necessarily what I want to do. He's as dynamic a player as there is. You saw what I saw against a fast defense. I'd like to hand the ball off to a tailback. We have to get that corrected. I'm not sure what the answer is."
Is Kestahn Moore still the starter?
"I have no idea. We'll see what goes on at practice. Ball security is No. 1 at that position. Obviously, we didn't do that."
Will there be a problem with this team focusing on getting better?
"I don't believe so. You hold on to every possible hope you have to get better. Every team has two (losses) and some have three. There are still a lot of possibilities out there for us."
What is the situation with Riley Cooper? The sophomore wide receiver had surgery on his finger early last week and did not dress for the Georgia game.
"I'm hoping he'd be ready to go (this week). I'm hoping we get something out of Coop. We need him."
Why did Florida give up six sacks? Was it a case of Tebow not running as much?
"That and we made some errors up front. All six were different. Guys were getting beat. Good pressure. Just hitting the pocket. Tim, you have to get him on the move a little bit more."
Is the problem on defense a lack of talent?
"I don't want to go there. It's a beat up defense. It's a defense, Markihe Anderson isn't playing. Joe Haden is playing fine. Wondy Pierre (Louis) has to get a lot better. There have been times we've played excellent defense. Other times, combination health issues, combination youth, combination not playing really well."
Can you comment on the injury to Javier Estopinan and talk about the defensive line play? Estopinan and Terron Sanders suffered injuries on Saturday. Both are defensive linemen.
"We don't have the final on him. The severity of it I'll know later today. We have a problem inside right now. We're banged up. Derrick Harvey has a hip pointer. I imagine he'll be ready to go. We're struggling in there to begin with. We're feeling the pains of a late season right now."
Any chance you give the young cornerbacks a chance this week?
"Not (Ahmad) Black. Possibly (Moses) Jenkins."
Can you comment on the suspended players? Note: The Orlando Sentinel reported Saturday that running back Chevon Walker and safety Jamar Hornsby were omitted from the Florida dress roster.
"No and no."
Will you look at playing freshman defensive tackle John Brown this week?
"We'll know more about that later this week. There's a chance that can happen."
If sophomore quarterback Tim Tebow goes down or cannot play, who would be next in line?
"Probably Cam Newton and Bryan Waggener. Cam's been hurt as well. He's had that sprained ankle. He didn't practice two weeks ago and he practiced limited this week. Waggener has been getting some reps."
What happened on Tebow's fumbled snap late in the game?
"We have those and we felt we could get this (play) in. It was a speed option to Percy Harvin. If we block it on the edge it's in the end zone. We have to get it in much faster and Tim has to manage it. If we get the snap it goes. There was a problem from the sideline getting the signal to the quarterback."
What was your reaction when Georgia's team celebrated in the end zone after it scored its first touchdown?
"The first thing is it's illegal. We'll get a penalty on the next one. First, I thought it was a big fight and you lose guys for the next game. You have to match the intensity. You're being called out and you have to go as hard as you can. We had some silly penalties as well…We have to keep them out of the end zone so they can't do that. It's none of my business."
Will Tebow be limited the rest of the season with that right shoulder injury?
"I called him late last night and it was still numbed up (because they gave him medicine). We'll know more today. That makes Tim Tebow different than most other quarterbacks. I could imagine it will still be sore. He didn't take a direct shot on it. He doesn't tell you. He fights through it because he's such a tough guy. We only had four quarterback runs and they were all goal-line runs. That's a big part of our offense.
"Percy Harvin is as competitive (a player) as we have and as talented as we have. It might be 20 times a game (he touches the ball). He's a strong player. We tried to get him up inside a few times. He's as dynamic a player in the game. He might even carry the ball some more."
Is there a chance Harvin plays running back?
"It's not necessarily what I want to do. He's as dynamic a player as there is. You saw what I saw against a fast defense. I'd like to hand the ball off to a tailback. We have to get that corrected. I'm not sure what the answer is."
Is Kestahn Moore still the starter?
"I have no idea. We'll see what goes on at practice. Ball security is No. 1 at that position. Obviously, we didn't do that."
Will there be a problem with this team focusing on getting better?
"I don't believe so. You hold on to every possible hope you have to get better. Every team has two (losses) and some have three. There are still a lot of possibilities out there for us."
What is the situation with Riley Cooper? The sophomore wide receiver had surgery on his finger early last week and did not dress for the Georgia game.
"I'm hoping he'd be ready to go (this week). I'm hoping we get something out of Coop. We need him."
Why did Florida give up six sacks? Was it a case of Tebow not running as much?
"That and we made some errors up front. All six were different. Guys were getting beat. Good pressure. Just hitting the pocket. Tim, you have to get him on the move a little bit more."
Is the problem on defense a lack of talent?
"I don't want to go there. It's a beat up defense. It's a defense, Markihe Anderson isn't playing. Joe Haden is playing fine. Wondy Pierre (Louis) has to get a lot better. There have been times we've played excellent defense. Other times, combination health issues, combination youth, combination not playing really well."