USF, wow, what a good football team, defensively and offensively. They've done a good job putting together the type of personnel they need to run their offense and defensively they have the type of personnel coach Taggart is comfortable with. It is going to be a great matchup. I love the way they play on tape. I love their quarterback. They give their guys a chance to make plays.
ON DEFENDING FLOWERS
He is a true dual threat, he can throw it downfield and can really run. He gets through his progressions really fast and he is not afraid to pull it down. He will also wait for a route to develop and move the pocket and deliver it down the field. I talked to my team about sacks and the team's we've played this year WKU, SC, VaTech or UCF won't allow sacks, you do contain and try to keep gains to 1-2 yards, our guys have to contain him and we have to let our guys stay in coverage downfield and let our underneath defenders in zone or man, come up and make tackles and let our backend stay in coverage.
ON MARLON MACK
Unique combination of size, quickness and speed, the one thing I like about him is he can get you out on the perimeter and in one second, put his foot in the ground and get it vertical. A lot of people don't know that he is a hard tackle. He is a lot bigger than people think he is so I guess as people approach him to tackle they realize how tough he is to tackle. What I really like is that he can go on the perimeter or put his foot in the ground and go inside with no problem. Just cramming it. Everyone wants to hit the home run, but he can get you four to six yards and then hit a big one.
ON USF'S OFFENSE SLOWING THEM DOWN
If you watch the Cincinnati game, they were in good shape until they didn't take care of the football. It was all connected to how USF got the ball off turnovers and the energy and momentum allowed USF to score. The quarterback is such a threat at all times, you don't have to worry about rushing him or stopping him. When you rush him, he breaks the pocket and you get locked in man coverage and there are not enough people in zone coverage it is hard to get him on the ground. When you break coverage and get after him, he still has enough arm to throw over the top. You have to contain him and when you get chances on offense to score, you've got to score. That puts pressure on them to score, but right now they are a well-oiled machine.
ON PLAYING IN THE HEAT IN TAMPA
Our whole camp has been around that temperature, the only time we've been under 85 was this past week when it was raining so our guys will be ready to go from a heat and conditioning standpoint. We will make sure we stay hydrated all week. We don't have an indoor practice facility so we are always outside. That will be a challenge for us and we are always out in the heat.
ON DEFENDING FLOWERS
He is a true dual threat, he can throw it downfield and can really run. He gets through his progressions really fast and he is not afraid to pull it down. He will also wait for a route to develop and move the pocket and deliver it down the field. I talked to my team about sacks and the team's we've played this year WKU, SC, VaTech or UCF won't allow sacks, you do contain and try to keep gains to 1-2 yards, our guys have to contain him and we have to let our guys stay in coverage downfield and let our underneath defenders in zone or man, come up and make tackles and let our backend stay in coverage.
ON MARLON MACK
Unique combination of size, quickness and speed, the one thing I like about him is he can get you out on the perimeter and in one second, put his foot in the ground and get it vertical. A lot of people don't know that he is a hard tackle. He is a lot bigger than people think he is so I guess as people approach him to tackle they realize how tough he is to tackle. What I really like is that he can go on the perimeter or put his foot in the ground and go inside with no problem. Just cramming it. Everyone wants to hit the home run, but he can get you four to six yards and then hit a big one.
ON USF'S OFFENSE SLOWING THEM DOWN
If you watch the Cincinnati game, they were in good shape until they didn't take care of the football. It was all connected to how USF got the ball off turnovers and the energy and momentum allowed USF to score. The quarterback is such a threat at all times, you don't have to worry about rushing him or stopping him. When you rush him, he breaks the pocket and you get locked in man coverage and there are not enough people in zone coverage it is hard to get him on the ground. When you break coverage and get after him, he still has enough arm to throw over the top. You have to contain him and when you get chances on offense to score, you've got to score. That puts pressure on them to score, but right now they are a well-oiled machine.
ON PLAYING IN THE HEAT IN TAMPA
Our whole camp has been around that temperature, the only time we've been under 85 was this past week when it was raining so our guys will be ready to go from a heat and conditioning standpoint. We will make sure we stay hydrated all week. We don't have an indoor practice facility so we are always outside. That will be a challenge for us and we are always out in the heat.
