Everything Florida coach Billy Napier said ahead of Georgia game

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier spoke with the media for the final time Wednesday night before the rivalry game against Georgia. He previews the matchup against No. 2 UGA, his team’s prep this week and more.

Below is everything Napier said and video from his press conference.

Billy Napier Q&A

Opening statement:

BILLY NAPIER: “The way that we approach things from this point forward, really been focusing on consistency across the board. I think just with life in general, if you can be consistent in your approach — and that requires discipline and that’s the second challenge — and what we do with our time, we can separate ourselves if we can do those things. I think in life, as people, as leaders, all parts of life consistency and discipline are important and it’s important that we make the most of our time here as we continue to prepare all the way up until the game. I think unity is extremely important and I think this group has impressed me in terms of how they’ve stuck together. I’ve seen that this week. It’s impressive to watch. We have to continue to work as a team and to improve. It’s important that we focus the next couple days.”

On the benefit of bye weeks:

BILLY NAPIER: “The bye week was really beneficial relative to we kind of have a process, you know, what areas of our team we need to improve from an analytics perspective, what situations do we need to emphasize, where do we have deficiencies and then obviously, we have a bunch of young players that we need to grow and develop down the stretch here. We’re going to need some of these guys to contribute to our team so I think we were able to get a lot of guys some work last week and then we built practice spaces around situations that we needed to work and then obviously we made it very competitive and we get a couple guys back from a health perspective. I think that’s important too.”

On getting the bye when Florida did:

BILLY NAPIER: “I think we’ve been fortunate. I think our bye weeks fit into pretty good spots given the schedule that we have and we’ve made the most of them. You spend a little bit of time on future opponents, especially early in the week. We take a good look at each team that we have and maybe some of the concepts that we’re going to get that are different. We introduce those to the players in a different setting and we can anticipate some of that with the staff. I think that part’s good. I think we’re going to need to have every person contribute and certainly your depth will be challenged. These are going to be 15-round fights. Really good coaches, really good personnel, some at home and some on the road, right? They’re all challenging.”

On Florida’s depth:

BILLY NAPIER: “It’s been tested. There’s been a lot of weeks where it’s been next man up, whether it’s been the long snapper or a receiver, running back, quarterback, corner, safety. There’s been a number of scenarios where here we go, that guy we’ve been working with for a short amount of time has stepped up. Those things are really important and I think we’ve been equipped to handle it to some degree and I think it’s good for team morale in general, the more players that we have that can contribute, that are anticipating playing in the game, the better.”

On players getting closer away from the facility:

BILLY NAPIER: “Unity is very underrated. I think in particular in the game of football there’s a human element. Who on your team are the catalysts for unity? When you have a lot of those, you have a better chance. Much like a family, much like a business, much like a church, military unit, whatever it might be in life, the more unity you have, the togetherness component, all those things are very important. The key in football is that it’s taking place at the player level. There are guys that they just don’t want to let down. There’s a sense of, hey I watch Jake Slaughter every day in terms of how he goes about business and how he goes about life, the way he treats people, the way he practices and prepares and man, I don’t want to let that guy down. I’m a young player, I’m observing that and I have respect for that. We have a number of those people in different position groups that that is a catalyst for good things. I think we need more of that.”

On motivation ahead of a rivalry game like Florida-Georgia:

BILLY NAPIER: “I think we — our guys are well aware of this game. You come to play in these games. It’s why you come here. As coaches and players. We’re excited about it.”

On the impact of O-line continuity:

BILLY NAPIER: “First of all, we got a smart, tough group. And I think that that is a position group where time on task together is really important. I think it happens very fast. So communication, almost as if you could finish each other’s sentences to some degree, and your ability to communicate and process at a rapid pace. So, I think the more reps that we get, the better we get. So I think ultimately we’ve settled in a little bit there. Continuity is so important in the secondary and the offense line; those are the positions where it’s critical.”

On the O-line’s play vs. Kentucky:

BILLY NAPIER: “I think we played well. I think ultimately, we need to continue to play well.”

On the Georgia front:

BILLY NAPIER: “Ultimately, that’s the challenge. I think they got good players at all three level – the best in the country coming out. Much like we discussed before here, the height and the length is a big piece of the puzzle – just the ability to play long to match the height and the length. And then obviously the athleticism on the second level, all the pressure variables, and then they do a good job, they’re sticky in coverage, and then the variables in the back end. So it’s a combination of all three levels and obviously the height, length, the athleticism, the speed to go along with the variables in the coaching. So this is always one of the bigger tests. These guys do a good job with defense.”

On Austin Barber toughing it out through injury:

BILLY NAPIER: “I think he’s a veteran player. He’s played a lot of football. Much like a lot of these veterans, they come in off of a game on Sunday, they’re banged up a little bit, and we manage them and we get them through. Sometimes rookie players need the reps. But I think ultimately, he’s a gritty player. He’s one of those guys you don’t want to let down. I think people will observe him, and he’s shown over time he’s a tough competitor and he does what he needs to do to get ready to play.”

On how helmet communication has helped DJ Lagway:

BILLY NAPIER: “Yeah, it’s tremendous. Again, when we think about it it’s almost a godsend to some degree, relative to the situation we’re in. Obviously the ability just to get started, again it’s as if, okay, I’ve gotta learn this new language that I moved to the country, and I’ve gotta learn the entire language. But also, in the previous years, you had to learn the sign language, too. So now it’s not, still some of that, but I think it’s just verbal now. That immediately, that speeds it up. Now he still has been a part of those signal processes, but it’s changed the game completely.”

On Lagway having to deal with exotic pressures:

BILLY NAPIER: “We just got to prepare. I mean, ultimately, we have a step-by-step process that we go through. It’s by the minute, by the hour, by the rep. He’s in the middle of that process. So the key is you hit the reset button, you erase the boards and start over – new notebook, new notes. I think ultimately you got to speak the language, and you got to be able to communicate and he gets a little bit better every day.”

How much does Jake Slaughter help with that kind of stuff, especially identifying pressures?

BILLY NAPIER: “Yeah, the working relationship between the center and the quarterback is key. Obviously, our quarterback is extremely involved with all the mike IDs, both run and pass, and those two got to be on the same page – in almost every run, almost every protection. So I think it’s a big piece of the puzzle. Certainly, Jake is a professional in every regard, and I think he also has character and is able to connect with a young player, kind of understands the dynamic. He’s been very mature and handled it very well.”

What seen from Cormani these two weeks?

BILLY NAPIER: “I think just some confidence. I think skill players always are a little insecure, and then when they get game experience, they have some production, and it’s like, okay, this is now I know what it’s like out there, and now I can prepare and then test anticipation of that. So I think he’s still learning the defense., I think, obviously there’s a lot of concepts, but overall I think he’s got a smile on his face. I see him connecting with teammates. He’s obviously more self-disciplined. He’s doing a good job, we don’t have any issues with him. He’s growing up. He’s still very much a work in progress, and he’s definitely getting better.”

On where the Florida-Georgia rivalry ranks among ones he’s seen: 

BILLY NAPIER: “It’s top of the list, it’s very unique. The history behind the game, obviously, neutral site makes it very unique, you know, split stadium. I grew up watching this game, you know, sitting on the edge of my seat in that living room, my dad watching this game. So, yeah, so, humbling to be a part of. And definitely, all those games have a certain place in the history of college football, and this one’s definitely at the top.”

On if coaches get nervous coming over the bridge:

BILLY NAPIER: “Yeah, no, it’s a real thing. Yeah, it’s incredible. I mean, I think for me, just having grown up, son of a high school coach following college football, to be a part of this game is a big deal, you know. And certainly, like I’ve talked about a lot here, you understand what you represent, you know, and the place and obviously the people, and the more you meet, the more motivating it is, right? So we want to go represent well this weekend.”

On how the strength and conditioning program has shown up on the field, line of scrimmage, finishing games:

BILLY NAPIER: “Yeah, I think it’s been good. I think we’ve stayed relatively healthy. You know, the majority of our injuries are ones that you would anticipate, you know, I think we’re under the quota, most of the injuries that we have, the national averages and all that. So we’re doing well. I do think that our players have a certain level of confidence, you know, as a result of the work. You know, strength and conditioning is where you build a culture, you build a mindset, you build self confidence, and I think physically, these guys feel good, you know, I think there’s a level of – and look we, now it’s time to finish, right? We’ll look up here in a couple of weeks, we’ll see where we’re at.”

On his earliest memory in Florida-Georgia, do you remember one:

BILLY NAPIER: “I feel like I watched them all. No, I don’t.”

On if any stand out as a kid: 

BILLY NAPIER: “Yeah, no I don’t have a very specific memory. I just remember, you know, me, my brothers are 16 months younger than me. I can remember getting in the pickup truck, okay, on Saturday morning, we would go trade film with the other high school coach, right, this is back when you, you know, you had the VHS tapes with athletic tape, wrapping them up, you know, you go meet halfway on the interstate, Exit 52, trade tapes, and then it’ll be ‘Alright, what time’s the game start’, you know, so we’d be trying to get back in time for the game. So, yeah, I think that’s the memory, for sure, can remember that.”

On if he remembers the Steve Spurrier era in the Florida-Georgia rivalry:

BILLY NAPIER: “Yeah, no, I think specifically, you know, just Spurrier’s experience as a player, you know, the things that he went through as a player, and how that translated to his disdain. And then, you know, I think obviously his record versus Georgia, and how I had a respect for that. Obviously, Coach had experience here, I mean, had great success here, the NFL stint, and then really, what, you know, stamped coach, in my opinion, is what he did at South Carolina, you know. I mean, I think for me, that’s when my level of respect really went to the next level, you know, because I think I was in Clemson there for a couple years when that was taking place, and just to observe his approach there, having success there, it translated. That’s what I respect the most.”

On if he pulled for Florida watching games or if he was a Georgia fan growing up:

BILLY NAPIER: “You know, I wasn’t any team in particular. My mom was a diehard Alabama fan, and then that half of her side of the family was Auburn. You know, all my dad’s people are Tennessee people. We lived in Georgia, my Dad was – we never really had a specific team that we pulled for. We like players, we like coaches, you know, Coach Spurrier was always – my dad, actually, when he got the head coaching job at the school that he coached at for 20 plus years, he changed the uniforms, obviously a little bit different color, but we had the same stripe on the sleeve, and the pant and the jersey was all exactly like Florida, so he changed the whole uniform to be like the Gators uniform.”

On if he’s doing anything to keep players focused for this game: 

BILLY NAPIER: “We don’t have that problem. Focus is not a problem.”

On balance between cultivating disdain for a rival and having respect for them:

BILLY NAPIER: “Yeah, I think every team you play, I think throughout the week, there’s a certain, I don’t want to use the word fear, but you know, you got to have a certain level of respect you fear, so you can play fearless. You have to have a certain level of humility so you can play with confidence. And then you got to have a certain level of humility, so you can show up to the park and be – I don’t want to say arrogant, but ready to go – so, throughout the week, you kind of check your bases and then obviously you want to get to the place where you’re ready to compete.”