Everything Florida coach Billy Napier said ahead of Texas game

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier spoke with the media for the final time Wednesday night before the Texas game. He discusses the matchup against the No. 5 Longhorns, quarterback DJ Lagway and more.

Below is everything Napier said.

Billy Napier Q&A

Opening statement:

BILLY NAPIER: “I think the point of emphasis and the message with the players this week has been taking the attention to detail to a different level. Obviously, this team has dealt with a ton of adversity throughout. I’ve got a lot of respect for how they’ve managed that. They’ve learned how to compete and the effort in which we play with is there. I do think they believe in what they’re doing, they believe in each other and I think we have to take that attention to detail to a different level here and maybe we find four or five more plays a game that make the difference, right? I think that’s where we’re at as a football team. Every person has to view their obligation to the team as very important. They need to be thinking big relative to how they can impact, and I think this week reflects that. Tuesday, obviously, we’re coming off a very tough, physical game. Knocked the rust off. But today, I thought we were back to ourselves and moving around pretty good. You guys will get the injury report tonight.”

On what Texas brings to the SEC:

BILLY NAPIER: “Well, Texas, first of all, you’re talking about one of the — it is probably considered one of the flagship institutions if not the flagship public school. I do think that there’s a brand, there’s an East Coast and West Coast effect in terms of their alumni and then certainly that state in particular in our country, I think there’s something to that. The population of the state, I just think you bring a lot more viewers to the table and certainly there’s some history there with the program as well.  A lot of great coaches, a lot of great players and championship teams so, for as long as I can remember, Texas has been a factor and one of those brands that has been a contender.”

On a Florida-Texas matchup in the new-look SEC:

BILLY NAPIER: “I think it’s awesome. It’s why you play in this league and it’s why you choose to coach in this league as a competitor. I think each week there’s some history, there’s a challenge with each one of these matchups and it’s special in that regard. I think, for me, growing up the son of a high school coach, it’s surreal to some degree. Very thankful for the opportunity.”

On Steve Sarkisian:

BILLY NAPIER: “I think Sark is an outstanding coach. Had a chance to work with him for a year. Very creative and has great experience. I think not only as a coordinator but also as a head coach, multiple stops and in the NFL. I learned quite a bit working with him I think from a system standpoint. Sark got there in the summer before that season and I just thought he was a great staff guy, got along well, been through a journey and I think one of the things I respect about Sark is he’s taken his experience and journey and turned it around. I think he’s been a good example for a lot of other people.”

On injuries impacting practices:

BILLY NAPIER: “I think again I go back to the importance of walk ons relative to just the ability to simulate the other team’s offense, defense and kicking game. You got more players that are taking more reps. There’s a lot of guys who typically are rotation players in that format but they went every play today and you got some guys who are chipping in like Ja’Markis Weston playing at linebacker today for us on the scout team. So some of these guys who maybe don’t typically do those jobs, they have to chip in and contribute in that fashion.”

On how Aidan Warner looks:

BILLY NAPIER: “I think he’s gotten a little better each day. I thought the day was his best day. I think he’s gotten a little more comfortable. He’s obviously taking a few more reps than he normally does. It’s been great for DJ to be able to be able to practice as well. I think that’s been beneficial. I think just across the board, I think it’s becoming real to him, much like last week. Depending on what direction we head here, he could be out there in the mix practice.

On DJ practicing:

BILLY NAPIER: “He did. He did.”

On DJ trying to play:

BILLY NAPIER: “I think he’s trying. He’s a competitor. You think about him, he’s going back to his home state. He wants to try to find a pathway to make this work. Obviously, it’s touch and go. Look, the guy’s giving it his best shot. We’ll see where we’re at in the league. There’s no secret to it anymore. You guys will have a good idea where we’re at when we approach kickoff.”

On making games ugly:

BILLY NAPIER: “I think every matchup is a little bit different. I think when I say (ugly), we want to force them to really earn everything that they get, be disruptive, try to create negative plays, create takeaways, be aggressive in the kicking game and control field position. And I think that comment specifically was about how we felt like that game needed to go if we’re going to win it. And I think we did that early on. We were able to force some takeaways. We were able to minimize the explosives. We were able to rush the ball. I think, ultimately, that’s what I was referencing.”

On how limited the reps are that DJ takes?

BILLY NAPIER: “Oh, yeah, it’s a very controlled environment. I think we’re in Phase 3 relative to how we practice, also the reps in which he can take he’s partaking in.”

On strides with Aidan Warner:

BILLY NAPIER: “You got to realize where he’s at from an experience level. It’s a new defense, it’s a new game plan. I just think every player on the team, it’s like studying for an exam. You go to go one week at a time and show up, different variables on defense, new offensive plays and then you just detail that up. It’s a process to get ready to play a game. The good thing for him is he has been doing that for a couple of weeks now. How hard was he grinding when he was the 3? I don’t know. But you’re watching him a lot. He’s had three weeks where he was the 2 and a good open date. We actually had an open-date practice where DJ was under the weather and missed the entire day and he was Aidan was able to take the reps that day, and I think that was beneficial.”

On Warner being very intelligent:

BILLY NAPIER: “I think both his parents were attorney’s and both Gators. He went to Yale. I don’t think he’s lacking there.” 

On Warner having an incredible story:

BILLY NAPIER: “Yeah, I would tell you that the guy’s done a good job in terms of the evaluation. I think he’s surprised us. He’s got some arm talent. I think there are some traits there to develop and he’s done a good job.”

On his intelligence showing up in football:

BILLY NAPIER: “Yeah, he can process the ball. There are no limits there. It’s not like you’re concerned that he won’t be able to take the (offense). The quarterback does a lot of take the classroom, to the walkthrough, to the individual, to the scouts, to the good on good, and then, OK, go apply my rules in the game study. I mean, this guy hadn’t played a football game in two or three years, and he played a game the other day. He was telling me how sore he was when he woke up. Yeah, he’s intelligent.”

On Clay Millen:

BILLY NAPIER: “I think he’s knocking the rust off a little bit. I think he’s very minimal participation outside of group drills, routes on air, that type of stuff. But I think we challenge every player in every room to know what to do. So I think he does know what to do. He’s just getting used to the speed of the game and just it takes reps to be good at this game. So I think that’s probably the most challenging part for him is he hasn’t taken a lot reps in a long time.”

On Graham Mertz helping Warner:

BILLY NAPIER: “I saw both, both guys. I’ve seen Graham interacting with him. I saw DJ really working with him today, which I thought was healthy – I think kind of returning the favor a little bit. So again, I think that’s one of the most important things about building culture is when you have veteran players that go about it the right way, and they’re good examples to the young players. And then the young players, they don’t know any different, and they begin to do what they observed. They felt how that benefited them, and they want to do that for the next guy. And I think we got some of that going on.”

On specific traits he saw from Ja’Kobi Jackson as a recruit:

BILLY NAPIER: “I felt like I was back in Louisiana a little bit, in terms of we always had to project. We were guessing a lot. There was not a lot of validation from other people, like, Hey, this guy is a no brainer. He’s got so all these schools have offered him. So, yeah, it was a little bit of we were trusting our eyes a little bit. He’s very productive in Pensacola coming out. He had a Group of Five offers, turned them down, bet on himself, went to JUCO route. High school tape, you should pull it up. I mean, he’s a loose hipped, he’s very productive, great vision, instincts, bigger … 220 pounds. And then obviously he had production at the junior college. I thought we really pulled the trigger off the high school tape, though. I think at that point in time we went through our running back board and we said, okay, let’s calibrate our eye ,compare. Nick McDonald had found him and brought him to the table. We were looking for a back and he’s proved us right. Now, when he first got here, there were some buyer’s remorse from some. I thought he was out of shape. He struggled early. But I think he once he got into shape, I remember last year about this time he started to take some reps when guys got banged up and he started popping runs and good-on-good periods, and we said, okay, he’s got a chance. So he had a great training camp, was very productive in training camp, one of the bright spots, and he’s got got good future in front of him.”

On Jackson being a redshirt junior with another year of eligibility:

BILLY NAPIER: “I think that’s correct.”

On Jeremy Crawshaw’s hand in Florida’s recent success:

BILLY NAPIER: “He was a weapon in that game Saturday, and certainly at times he’s been huge in just the ability to flip the field. I think about the first couple of possessions there, we’re able to pin them back to the 10-yard line, I think in their second possession. So, field position is critical, and he’s done a great job. He leads that specialist group. I think he’s done a good job with Trey and Rocco. I told you guys this before, but he has an opinion that is kind of resonates with the team as well. So, he’s a real athlete, a real competitor, has a history of being a competitor, and I think that carries over.”

On how critical his contributions could be with uncertainty about the offense:

BILLY NAPIER: “It’s a little bit like pro ball in some regard, in terms of field position and how the game could go. But yeah, he’s a weapon every week.”

On the Texas defense:

BILLY NAPIER: “I think they’ve got two veteran inside players that are long, we’re talking 6-5, 6-5-and– half, 34 and-a-half, 34. So they play long. I think they got some twitch. They can rush as well. They do a good job converting. And I do think the inside backers are big and dense. They’re heavy. They’re 235- plus. I think they’re secondary is very sticky, instinctive. I think they do a good job. They play with vision on the quarterback. They play quite a bit of zoneI think normal downs, but I think just in general, they got some edge guys that can cause problems. It’s good group, good personnel they’ve got, and I think they do a good job mixing it up.”

On Eugene Wilson III’s surgery:

BILLY NAPIER: “Yeah, so, Tre, it’s a wild ride. It’s a genetic hip issue that got to a point to where we had to clean it up. So, we exhausted all resources. You know, he’s been in and out of the lineup. Can take a few days off, feel like a million bucks then can go work really hard and have to sit back. I think we made the best decision in his long-term career in terms of the little things that the injury was causing from a compensation standpoint. Look, it was a great surgery. They got to the root of the problem, and we sent him to Chicago probably 10 days ago to see the best hip doctor in the country. Got done everything we could do to try to help him. And then obviously just had the surgery. So, it’ll be about a four-month recovery, and obviously he’s only played in four games, so he’ll have that redshirt opportunity.”

On WRs who have to step up in his spot:

BILLY NAPIER: “I think Aidan (Mizell), when given opportunities, I thought he played really well. Mississippi State, he played well. Thought he did some really good things last week. Little bit different type of player, but definitely very capable. Good to have Burke back. That was big. He’s had a good week. So yeah, overall, Chim, Badge, Tank, you know, you think about Central Florida, he played that position that day, did a nice job. So, yeah, we’ll be okay.”

On whether Anthony Hill is someone you have to gameplan for:

BILLY NAPIER: “I think he’s really good. Denton Ryon, this guy’s tape was lights out in high school. Had a really high grade on him. Yeah, I think he’s a good blitzer. Plays well in space. Can really accelerate. He’s got play strength, stopping power. I don’t know him, but looks to be a leader, and certainly he’s got position flex. Played on the edge some last year. So yeah, he’s a really good player.”

On the key to UF’s pass rush coming along:

BILLY NAPIER: “Well, it’s been a point of emphasis. I think we reformatted some of our practice time to work on it. And then, I think we just created a lot of competitive scenarios, and I think we’re covering them better, too. Again, does no good to rush if you can’t cover and vice-versa. So when those two are married up, I think that’s when you get the best chance to affect the quarterback, and we’ve been doing it. A lot of these interceptions are being caused by the rush. I think we’ve got to continue to work together there.”