What they said: Gators send seniors out in style with blowout win

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Gators avenged last year’s 23-point loss at South Carolina with Saturday’s 38-6 blowout victory in the final home game of the season.

Florida is now bowl eligible and improved to 6-4 overall (3-4 SEC), while the Gamecocks suffered their second loss in three games to fall to 6-4 on the year (3-4 SEC).

Here’s what both teams had to say after the Gators’ 38-6 win over USC.

Billy Napier on the defensive shutout:

“I think we’ve done a good job of sticking with and getting consumed with the process of preparing to play. I do think the staff has done a terrific job of making tweaks. We’ve improved in certain statistic areas that were not up to part, not the standard. But I keep saying this: The people are improving, and the football is improving.”

Shane Beamer’s opening statement:

“Obviously know we weren’t good enough tonight in any phase. When you can’t run the ball, you can’t stop the run, you lose the turnover battle that is going to happen. Completely unacceptable. Disappointing to say the least.”

Beamer on the first-quarter deficit:

“I don’t know what it was, but we couldn’t stop them and we couldn’t stay on the field in the first quarter. It seems like forever ago, but I think they scored on the first three possessions if I’m not mistaken. They scored the first three times they touched the ball and we couldn’t stay on the field. They went up and down the field on us in the first quarter.”

Beamer on Florida forcing turnovers:

“They do a great job getting the ball out. They did a great job attacking our guys and we’ve got to do a better job of protecting it. “To start the third quarter and go turnover, turnover, turnover in four plays, I’ve never seen that. That’s just completely unacceptable. Florida leads the SEC in turnover margin and we’re last and you see why. … You couldn’t start the second half worse.”

Napier on UF’s play the last two games:

“I think we’re getting better. I think we’re always a work in progress. This is something that can go away. It can disappear and you can forget why it’s happening. That’s the key that we learn these lessons, that we continue to apply the same approach. Sometimes your ego can get the best of you, right, and you can lose sight of okay, hey, why is it actually working? We have to keep our humility, we have to keep our edge, but I do think we’re making progress.”

Ventrell Miller on his Senior Day:

“My last time walking out into that Swamp, just taking it all in. Seeing the fans cheer for me, it was a great feeling. Great to take the tunnel the last time in The Swamp. … Going into this game, we know we started slow at Texas A&M, so starting fast, that was the goal of this game. Those guys definitely came out and did that, and I appreciate those boys for sending me out the right way.”

Napier on the Gators’ senior class:

“It’s hard on young people, right, to go through change. These guys, they’ve had a rough run. You think about what they’ve been through, ups and downs. There’s been a lot of good things, but there’s also been some tough things. Anytime you have change, they embrace the work. Can’t compliment that enough. This group of players and these seniors in particular, they embrace the work. They love to compete. It’s a small group, truth be known, if you really look at it big-picture wise. But they’re some key components (to the team).”

Anthony Richardson on his leadership:

“I think I’ve definitely improved as a leader. Coach Nape pushing me all the time, Coach [Ryan] O’Hara are pushing me all the time to be a leader. Even the players, they push me to become a better leader. That’s something I take into account and try to grow with that every day and every minute I can. I’m improving, but there’s always room for improvement so I’m going to try to get better at that.”

O’Cyrus Torrence on Trevor Etienne’s TD:

“It was a regular little play. Etienne, I honestly didn’t expect him to take it all the way because on outside zone, I’m expecting it to hit outside. But when I felt him cut it inside and I saw him miss the backer, I’m like, ‘He’s going to the house.’ Ain’t no way somebody is going to catch him. It was just a good rub-round play and everybody did their job. We had a hat-for-a-hat and he had to make one person miss and he did it.”

Jonthan Odom on his first career score:

“All glory to God. It’s a really surreal moment. My dad was on the sidelines for a little bit before the game because they were honoring his team. It was really just a blessing. I told Ventrell [Miller] and [Amari] Burney — those are my locker mates. Burney sits to the left and Ventrell right in front of me. I came off of the field and said, ‘This is for you all.’ And we talked about all week you know sending these seniors out the right way. It feels a little bit better after how it went down in South Carolina last year when we were there, so it was a little bit sweeter than just a normal win. Especially because we got to send these guys out the right way and compete.”