Hello HOB. Back over at the JCFTC for today’s practice update. We’ll be meeting with DC Brad White, architect of last week’s dismantling of Florida, and other coaches and players from that side of the ball today. Practice is set to end around 5:30 ET. Stay tuned…
DC BRAD WHITE Q&A:
* On practice coming off a big win… Best thing is that those guys knew last week was over as soon as they got off the plane.
* On Lovett at safety… Ran around, made some plays. Gotta rely on him now, so he needs more attention to detail.
* On Zion Childress… Has to swing between both safety spots. Smart, so he’s able to do that.
* On Mike Stoops bouncing some ideas off him… He’s been great because he’s been around and seen a lot of things, not afraid to pitch something new to the staff.
* Youngstown offense can score points, really run the football. Main RB is as good as anyone they’ll see all year. Small, but can absolutely fly. Running style is patient, like LeVeon Bell. Picks his spots, then goes fast.
* On stopping QB run game last week… Experience was big. When you understand what an offense is trying to do, you can counteract it instead of being reactive. You could see that on the LB level.
* On Deone Walker’s play.. A lot of it is just natural ability. Did it against a good OL, too.
* A lot of Youngstown DNA in the building. Game means a lot to them. But you still have to focus about just the game itself as a player, not the other stuff. Playing a ranked FCS team that knows how to win.
ILB COACH MIKE STOOPS Q&A:
* On how the ILB's experience stands out... Their calm demeanor going into Saturday's game really carries over to other guys. Kept their composure, kept playing, forced Florida to make some mistakes. The depth they have there really helped during the course of the game.
* Asked what makes Youngstown such a good place for coaches... The culture, the environment. Football was a way of life when the Stoops boys were growing up. Football was the fabric of the communities in NE Ohio. One of the better areas in the country at that time before the population took a big hit with the decline of the steel industry and manufacturing jobs. It has hurt the community in so many ways, but there's a lot of history there.
* The entire LB unit was dialed in and able to really cover the field well. For the most part, they were able to be in the right spot all night long. That's where experience pays off. Good eye discipline. And poise was tested in the middle part of the game, but the defense never flinched. Guys felt very comfortable in that environment, facing a player of that magnatude.
* The thing they noticed from the first game Florida played against Utah was his ability to improvise and escape with his feet when nothing was there. Put a lot of emphasis on containment and not letting his feet beat you. "If he gets loose, he's a handful."
S COACH FRANK BUFFANO Q&A:
* Not really sure why there are so many coaches across the football landscape from Youngstown. "It's an odd attraction." But every level of football has guys from that city and the area.
* On being the staff member who's been here the longest with Stoops... Unbelievable guy to his players, which is first and foremost. They know that he cares for them and will do anything possible for them, on and off the field.
* Jordan Lovett was prepared for the opportunity Saturday. The staff told them going into the game that they need everybody ready, no matter what happens. He's ready. They've got a good plan to use both him and Zion Childress moving forward in a rotation.
* Very pleased with Zion's progress, his knowledge of the game. Allows him to grasp the defense. They do a lot of moving around in this defense, and he understands the concepts. He played in the other safety role at Texas State, so he's a guy who can handle both positions for the Cats.
* Jordan's athleticism is a big plus, and he's a hard worker. Zion has deep knowledge and same work ethic as Jordan possesses. A little bit of a head start from his transfer background. All Jordan needs is more reps, more experience.
* Guys weren't overwhelmed at Florida. Young guys now don't get fazed by the environment. They like it. Said he thought the environment at Kroger Field for last year's game was better than the environment at The Swamp. Florida was a lot more rattled up here than UK was down there.
S JORDAN LOVETT Q&A:
* Expressed his concern and prayers for his teammate, Jalen Geiger, who was injured Saturday. He's like a big brother to him, a guy he can come to with anything. A leader like Yusuf Corker was for the group last year.
* Big environment at Florida. His big concern was getting the calls and being where he was supposed to be. Lovett said he took a deep breath at The Swamp and looked up at 90,000 fans and almost shed a tear that he was in that kind of big-time environment.
* The veteran leadership on the team is a big deal. "If you mess up, they're gonna be on you."
* You practice how you play, how you train, how you handle yourself in the weight room, Lovett said. That makes guys more prepared to step up in a big setting like SEC games.
* All the North Hardin guys are playing a lot now, contributing to the Cats... "Still blows my mind."
* Favorite moment from Saturday? Winning. Loves going into a place where everyone is against you and coming out with the win. "I feed off the negative injury. I love playing away games."
ILB DEANDRE SQUARE Q&A:
* Potential for Deone Walker is "limitless," Square said. He's just got to trust the process, try not to get too high or too low.
* Getting Jordan Wright back "completes us." Was really excited to get him back for the Florida game. They were hyped to play that game the day they heard he was cleared.
* The defensive performance at Florida was up there for Mississippi State in 2020 and Mizzou in 2018, Square said. He's been around three really dominant efforts.
* Was not surprised by the performance at all. Knew they were thoroughly ready to play.
* Square said he remembers the first time in The Swamp. He was a bit "star struck." He didn't know he was going to get in that day. Nervous. Couldn't feel his legs. Was not built like he is now. Ha. He's come a long way.
* On being the spoiler in away games... Loves being boo'd. Loves when people talk trash. Loves being in enemy territory. He gets a different sense in those games, like he's the bad guy.
DC BRAD WHITE Q&A:
* On practice coming off a big win… Best thing is that those guys knew last week was over as soon as they got off the plane.
* On Lovett at safety… Ran around, made some plays. Gotta rely on him now, so he needs more attention to detail.
* On Zion Childress… Has to swing between both safety spots. Smart, so he’s able to do that.
* On Mike Stoops bouncing some ideas off him… He’s been great because he’s been around and seen a lot of things, not afraid to pitch something new to the staff.
* Youngstown offense can score points, really run the football. Main RB is as good as anyone they’ll see all year. Small, but can absolutely fly. Running style is patient, like LeVeon Bell. Picks his spots, then goes fast.
* On stopping QB run game last week… Experience was big. When you understand what an offense is trying to do, you can counteract it instead of being reactive. You could see that on the LB level.
* On Deone Walker’s play.. A lot of it is just natural ability. Did it against a good OL, too.
* A lot of Youngstown DNA in the building. Game means a lot to them. But you still have to focus about just the game itself as a player, not the other stuff. Playing a ranked FCS team that knows how to win.
ILB COACH MIKE STOOPS Q&A:
* On how the ILB's experience stands out... Their calm demeanor going into Saturday's game really carries over to other guys. Kept their composure, kept playing, forced Florida to make some mistakes. The depth they have there really helped during the course of the game.
* Asked what makes Youngstown such a good place for coaches... The culture, the environment. Football was a way of life when the Stoops boys were growing up. Football was the fabric of the communities in NE Ohio. One of the better areas in the country at that time before the population took a big hit with the decline of the steel industry and manufacturing jobs. It has hurt the community in so many ways, but there's a lot of history there.
* The entire LB unit was dialed in and able to really cover the field well. For the most part, they were able to be in the right spot all night long. That's where experience pays off. Good eye discipline. And poise was tested in the middle part of the game, but the defense never flinched. Guys felt very comfortable in that environment, facing a player of that magnatude.
* The thing they noticed from the first game Florida played against Utah was his ability to improvise and escape with his feet when nothing was there. Put a lot of emphasis on containment and not letting his feet beat you. "If he gets loose, he's a handful."
S COACH FRANK BUFFANO Q&A:
* Not really sure why there are so many coaches across the football landscape from Youngstown. "It's an odd attraction." But every level of football has guys from that city and the area.
* On being the staff member who's been here the longest with Stoops... Unbelievable guy to his players, which is first and foremost. They know that he cares for them and will do anything possible for them, on and off the field.
* Jordan Lovett was prepared for the opportunity Saturday. The staff told them going into the game that they need everybody ready, no matter what happens. He's ready. They've got a good plan to use both him and Zion Childress moving forward in a rotation.
* Very pleased with Zion's progress, his knowledge of the game. Allows him to grasp the defense. They do a lot of moving around in this defense, and he understands the concepts. He played in the other safety role at Texas State, so he's a guy who can handle both positions for the Cats.
* Jordan's athleticism is a big plus, and he's a hard worker. Zion has deep knowledge and same work ethic as Jordan possesses. A little bit of a head start from his transfer background. All Jordan needs is more reps, more experience.
* Guys weren't overwhelmed at Florida. Young guys now don't get fazed by the environment. They like it. Said he thought the environment at Kroger Field for last year's game was better than the environment at The Swamp. Florida was a lot more rattled up here than UK was down there.
S JORDAN LOVETT Q&A:
* Expressed his concern and prayers for his teammate, Jalen Geiger, who was injured Saturday. He's like a big brother to him, a guy he can come to with anything. A leader like Yusuf Corker was for the group last year.
* Big environment at Florida. His big concern was getting the calls and being where he was supposed to be. Lovett said he took a deep breath at The Swamp and looked up at 90,000 fans and almost shed a tear that he was in that kind of big-time environment.
* The veteran leadership on the team is a big deal. "If you mess up, they're gonna be on you."
* You practice how you play, how you train, how you handle yourself in the weight room, Lovett said. That makes guys more prepared to step up in a big setting like SEC games.
* All the North Hardin guys are playing a lot now, contributing to the Cats... "Still blows my mind."
* Favorite moment from Saturday? Winning. Loves going into a place where everyone is against you and coming out with the win. "I feed off the negative injury. I love playing away games."
ILB DEANDRE SQUARE Q&A:
* Potential for Deone Walker is "limitless," Square said. He's just got to trust the process, try not to get too high or too low.
* Getting Jordan Wright back "completes us." Was really excited to get him back for the Florida game. They were hyped to play that game the day they heard he was cleared.
* The defensive performance at Florida was up there for Mississippi State in 2020 and Mizzou in 2018, Square said. He's been around three really dominant efforts.
* Was not surprised by the performance at all. Knew they were thoroughly ready to play.
* Square said he remembers the first time in The Swamp. He was a bit "star struck." He didn't know he was going to get in that day. Nervous. Couldn't feel his legs. Was not built like he is now. Ha. He's come a long way.
* On being the spoiler in away games... Loves being boo'd. Loves when people talk trash. Loves being in enemy territory. He gets a different sense in those games, like he's the bad guy.
