** Billy Napier thanks Florida's fans for creating a special environment. It was the largest season opening crowd in UF history. Calls the fans a "significant factor in the game and created issues for the opponent." He's hoping they can continue that against Kentucky. Mentioned they have just a handful of tickets left.
** Says UF was very fortunate to beat Utah. He was pleased with intangibles. Showed mental toughness and togetherness through adversity. Responded in critical moments on both sides of the ball.
** UF-Utah came down to RZ effectiveness. UF scored 4 touchdowns and Utah had to settle for two field goals.
** The film was sloppy and UF has a lot of work to do to play at Napier's standard for them. The big challenge yesterday was to control the things they can control. Communication, alignment, eye discipline, and the simple execution of your assignment. Napier said the effort, physicality, toughness, chemistry, morale, etc., were good. Saw some leadership emerge but lots of areas where improvement is needed.
** "Best of both worlds" here with both momentum and the self-awareness that they have to get better. Hopeful to see improvement from Week 1 to Week 2. Lot of good, lot of bad, some ugly.
** Napier said he talks to the team about operating in truth. Sometimes you hear the things you want to hear and don't hear what you need to hear. He's going to remain objective with the team. They won't be consumed with results. Independent of the result, what does the film look like? How do we refine a game is something they've refined the last couple of years. They played winning football but there are some glaring areas where they need to get better.
** It's a big question how these players and this staff will handle everybody patting them on the back for the next week. One thing about Florida is, in a state with 21 million people and a huge alumni network and passion, when it's good it's good and when it's bad it's bad. Learning how to navigate that and ignore the subjective opinions is part of the process.
** Utah was a physical team and Napier has respect for their line of scrimmage play, EDGE play, the backs are big. UF needs to communicate, align, and use their eyes better. Team defense is the goal. One player being misaligned causes stress in the defense. It's got to be right at every level. If one player is out of your gap against a good team you can get exposed and UF saw a little bit of that.
** Was asked why someone was lining up a yard off the ball and told the reporter to figure it out, they won't get that technical in a press conference.
** Napier said the offensive line played at the right level. That's the brand they've played in the past. They have two offensive line coaches and put a premium on LOS play. That's a developmental position. OL O'Cyrus Torrence was one of the better players in the game. His comfort in the system/routine rubs off.
** Napier wants to see more precision and detail in how UF plays across the board. The good thing he observed was the chemistry and how the team stuck together. They played hard in the game. Anybody who watches the film would say the Gators played hard. That's what he's proud of. As for the football, they've got work to do.
** It's important for people to see/taste progress at different points in the journey so the win against Utah is an important marker for them. The players experience the things they're learning are working.
** Richardson was a bit jittery and he's his own worst critic but he rose to the occasion. Napier says he saw a guy who has prepared and is the product of his work. Throw in the physical ability and there's a lot of good QB plays on the film. He knows he got away with some things he has to clean up. Players around the QB have to play well for the quarterback to play well.
** Has a lot of respect for Mark Stoops and what he's done with the consistency in their improvement as a program. He respects Stoops teams because they're sound and know who they are on every unit. He sees a good set of fundamentals in all three phases and they do a good job of evaluating players. They have some height, length, and speed. Some unique players who maybe weren't as highly regarded as recruits at some other places but it's a good developmental program. Kentucky is going to make you beat them. The intangibles, effort, fundamentals, all the things coaches respect they do those things.
** The Swamp is a unique gameday visit for a recruit and for a kid who sits there and enjoys it, that's hard to ignore or forget. Pair that with a classic college town 2 hours from Orlando/Tampa and their alumni network - that's the recruiting pitch.
