What Todd Golden said after Florida's national title celebration

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Todd Golden and the Florida men’s basketball team celebrated their national title one more time on Saturday. The Gators were recognized at halftime of the spring game, receiving the key to the city of Gainesville and their championship banner.

Here’s everything Golden said after the celebration.

Todd Golden Q&A

On what was it like to take part in this atmosphere today:

TODD GOLDEN: “Incredible. First of all, I just want to thank Billy and his staff for allowing us to take part in the spring game. Obviously a tight schedule and an opportunity for us to be a part of a great crowd without having to schedule a couple of different things. So appreciate him and his willingness to let us come be part of this. But yeah, it’s amazing. I thought our guys deserved something like this, to be celebrated one last time before our guys before guys start going their separate ways. It’s bittersweet in that regard, but awesome to be able to celebrated together.”

On if this the final hurrah for this team: 

TODD GOLDEN: “Well, I’ve been told we’re going to the White House, so I’m pretty excited about that. We’ll have to get everybody back together to be able to go do that. But I think for the next couple of weeks, probably yeah.”

On when will you raise the banner:

TODD GOLDEN: “Great question. I’m not sure, to be honest. I would imagine probably opening night next year, something like that. I’ll leave it to Denver Parler and Duke Werner to come up with that decision.”

On what’s this week been like for you having to jump into the transfer portal: 

TODD GOLDEN: “We kind of made a commitment to our program, to our staff, that we were going to enjoy this one way or the other. And obviously being fortunate enough to win on Monday night, we understand how lucky we are, we understand how amazing of an accomplishment this is, and we didn’t want to take it for granted. With that being said, obviously we got a lot of good work in these last couple of days. But Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday I’d say were probably not the most productive days for us. We haven’t seen our families very much, we haven’t gotten as much rest as we probably needed to. We had some really productive player meetings these last couple of days, and I feel really good about where we’re at. We’ll begin moving forward. … We’re just really getting right back after it.”

On one of the more unexpected people you heard from: 

TODD GOLDEN: “In terms of kind of like more unexpected, Coach K (Mike Krzyzewski) has reached out a couple of times. I spoke to him I think right before and right after the SEC tournament, and then I got back with him again this week. Just the respect and love that he showed our program meant a ton. Obviously one of my idols in the coaching profession. I grew up a Duke fan with my uncles going to Duke, so I watched him and his teams growing up, so to e able to form a good relationship with him is something that has been pretty special to me.”

On if he has talked with Alex Condon at all about trying to come back:

TODD GOLDEN: “We’ve been talking non-stop really, whether it’s during the season or this past week. I think Alex, his father and our staff are on the same page with what this next month or two are going to look like. He’s put himself in a position to be evaluated and considered for the draft and be a first-round pick. It’s our job obviously to win games, to go as far as we can, but also to put our guys in position to have great professional careers. So just like Walt and Will did last year, he’s gonna test. He’s gonna go work out for some teams. I anticipate he’ll get a combine invite. The great thing is we have such a great thing going on here at Florida and he enjoys going here so much. That’s gotta be a really, really sweet deal and a really good promise, for a lack of a better term, for him to take advantage. So, he’s in a win-win situation. And I feel like if he ends up in a position where it’s too good for him to turn down going to the draft, that’s a big win for our program. It’s proof of concept. I think we’ll be able to continue getting young men like Alex. Obviously, we hope selfishly he comes back, but we’ll see how these next couple weeks play out before we get too far down the line on that.”

On whether Walter Clayton Jr. should be a lottery pick and what he would tell scouts:

TODD GOLDEN: “If I have to convince anybody that (Clayton Jr.) deserves to be a top half of the first round pick, they are in some trouble as an organization. You know the great thing about Walter, you know, we all thought he was a little undervalued for most of the year, but we won 12 straight games to finish the season. He played great in the SEC Tournament, Most Outstanding Player at the NCAA Tournament. Honestly, why do you need to work out for teams at this point? I’m serious. They have seen him play 9 straight times on national television, winning all the games, leading his team, and there’s plenty of teams in the NBA that will be smart enough to figure that out.”

On if there is a moment where it really sunk in that Florida won the national championship:

TODD GOLDEN: “I think we’re still waiting for that moment of it sinking in completely. I think the last month and a half have been a whirlwind. It has felt like we’ve never really been able to take a breath during the process and you know then the final horn sounds against Houston and it’s just over all of the sudden. And then there’s elation, jubilation, there’s exhaustion, there’s a million different feelings going on. The best way I can describe it is there are moments where it sinks in for a second and it’s pretty unbelievable, but big picture wise, I don’t think it’s really sunk in yet. The fact that we went 36-4 and won the SEC Tournament and won the national championship. It’s been a good couple months for Gator basketball.”

On how he motivates himself after the national title run:

TODD GOLDEN: “Honestly, the motivation comes from the same place that it came from before. Working as hard as I can for my staff and my players, to keep positioning them for these incredible opportunities. We did a really good job of that this year. We’re going to lose 2 coaches to head jobs, and we have some other guys on staff who are more than capable and deserve opportunities. I think our players are much better positioned from the NBA and we are beginning to see that, too. A new year brings new opportunities. I think for us, you will never find me resting on my laurels or being content because the second you do that in this league, it’s going to be an ugly, ugly look. I don’t want to be that way. Our staff and our team will continue to work as hard as we can to give ourselves the best chance to be successful. Obviously, we have elevated our program back to a national championship level. Now it’s about trying to sustain it. It’s about doing everything we can to not allow it to slip at all. Obviously, it’s going to be a big challenge, but that’s why we do this. We love to compete. We love to get after it. We love to build winning teams. We have another challenge ahead of us in that way.”

On his postgame celebration on the San Antonio River Walk: 

TODD GOLDEN: “Yeah it was a unique experience, but it was awesome. And just getting to be on two boats, getting to be on our staff on one and our players, just kind of watching them and seeing how happy they were and how much joy they were sharing, and then you go and have a presentation. It was just an awesome experience for all of us. But you know again I’m just looking out there and seeing, you know, Walt, Will, Alijah and their teammates, and seeing how much fun they’re having, and then for me it was emotional, because it was the last time we were going to be able to compete with those guys and compete with this team. And you know it was awesome, it was a great experience, and one that myself and our program will never forget.”

On if recruiting in the portal with a championship and UF’s transfer production makes it easier: 

TODD GOLDEN: “You know, in theory it should, but all these young guys are different, and different things are important to them. I would say for us, you know, for myself and our staff, we’re as confident as ever and what we believe in and what we do, and we’re not going to make any changes to that, you know, for anybody. So whether we’re ultra aggressive in the portal, or whether we’re talking to how many guys, you know, we’re just going to really target guys we feel like fit our program and if they want to join, great, if not we’ll find somebody else.”

On becoming the second-youngest coach to win the national championship: 

TODD GOLDEN: “I do think well at least in college – I can’t comment on NFL, I don’t know anything about it – but for college, the way our business and our profession has changed over the last 3-5 years has been dramatic. And, you know, I think it takes a little bit of a different skill set now to be successful than even 5 years ago, so just the natural progression of younger guys getting opportunities, I think you’ll see some young guys that are pretty successful, just because you know college basketball for example used to just be about recruiting and coaching. Now with NIL and everything that goes into roster management and the transfer portal, it’s just a lot more complicated than that. And I do, like, Jonathan Safir and my staff, I can point to a number of guys who are really good in that world and that space, and I think that’s something that’s a strength of ours.”

On what winning a national championship in the program changes in the program: 

TODD GOLDEN: “For our program, I would say the expectation, that’s probably the main thing. We talked about it a lot over these first three years, obviously now we did it, and so now the guys that come in next are going to have even bigger shoes to fill. And as opposed to trying to build up to that level, now it’s about just trying to maintain and sustain it and try to get it even higher. So again there’s going to be a higher expectation for these young guys that we’re bringing in, and personally it’s going to be hard to eat in town for a while. There’s a lot of people who want pictures and autographs and things like that, but it’s a good problem to have, and a lot better than the alternative, you know, I can promise you that.” 

On if it’s harder to sustain than build a program: 

TODD GOLDEN: “The sustaining is difficult because of the expectation. We’ve proven we can do it. It’s very difficult to do. But now that whether it’s people in our program or staff, fans that have tasted that success that Florida has not really seen at this level since the late 2000s, at place that expects it and really enjoys and gets behind the people that bring it. Yeah, the pressure. There’s going to be a lot more pressure. As I said when I got the job, the pressure of being at Florida’s a privilege. It’s better to do it here than a lot of other places.”

On contract talks with Scott Stricklin: 

TODD GOLDEN: “My family and I love being here. Obviously it was a big change for us coming from the West Coast, not knowing a lot of people here. But in three short years, we’ve been able to meet a lot of great people and get comfortable. Florida’s a place that we can win national championships, as we just proved. Yeah, we love being here. Scott and I have been talking a lot. I feel like we’re very close to putting something together that will keep the Goldens in Gainesville for quite a while. I think in the next week or two, we’ll get to the finish line on that.”

On being honored in The Swamp, the environment: 

TODD GOLDEN: “Yeah. It’s an incredible rush. Yes, the actual regular-season football games are insane. You know, you get down, they honor us once a year. We go out there. How many does Ben Hill seat?”

Reporter: 89,000

TODD GOLDEN: “It’s just absurd. Today was awesome. I think I credit our administration. Trying to put together things in a short period of time is really difficult to do. Our guys, especially our older guys, are going to be moving on to go train for the draft. You don’t know if they’re going to be around. To be able to put something like this together on kind of short notice and do a great job honoring out players in front of our fans, which to me is the most important thing, people that have been supporting us really all year got to see these guys together again one last time. It was special. I really appreciate them doing that for our program.”

On calling plays in the Orange and Blue game in 2022: 

TODD GOLDEN: “Yeah. That was my first game here.”

On the importance of Gary Condron’s million-dollar donation: 

TODD GOLDEN: “Gary’s been incredibly impactful on our success. I’m pretty sure, for football, baseball .. he’s done a lot for all these different programs. Gary (Condron) deserves a ton of credit for the success, because players are incredibly important. And he, guys like Hugh Hathcock, Anita Zucker, the list goes on and on. Kevin Coleman, John Frost, there’s a ton of people. Scott & Steph Bryan. I don’t want to leave anybody out. It’s at this point in college athletics it’s the lifeblood, and Gary gave us a great gift – and the reality of it is we need a lot more. We need a lot more to retain our players. We have a good problem right now. We have a lot of great players in our program that we need support and retain, and we need to get a couple guys. But we’re incredibly grateful for their support and what they do for us. I appreciate you asking that question, too.”

On wearing the net from the national championship: 

TODD GOLDEN: “I haven’t worn it or anything, but I wanted to bust it out for today. This will be, along with some other important mementos over the last month, in my office, at home. It’s funny, because I had a little San Francisco area in my office. I loved my time there. This is a little more important and a little more impactful, i in terms of on the trophy shelf now.”

On if there was a certain game when you knew this team had that “it” factor:

TODD GOLDEN: “A couple times, I thought our Tennessee game at home, when we had just lost Kentucky, we come back at home and just played incredibly well, won by 30 points, was really the first time all year where we did it against a team that had notoriety and respect. They were No. 1 in the country. I think that gave us a lot of confidence. The next one, going on the road to Auburn without Alijan and winning that game without Micah, who also is not back yet, and winning that game, we controlled it. We started to defend with 10 minutes to go in the first half, and the rest of the way we controlled it and played great. And and then obviously our SEC tournament run, winning three games in three days against three elite teams – kind of was the appetizer. I felt like we needed to be ready for the NCAA tournament. And then we caught some breaks in the NCAA Tournament. We had to come back four times, beat the odds, to say the least. But you got to catch the breaks to win a six-game, single-elimination tournament.”

On the potential of the frontcourt if Alex Condon and Thomas Haugh return: 

TODD GOLDEN: “If we’re fortunate enough to get Alex back, I think we’ll have one of the strongest front lines in America. We’re deep there. We’re athletic now. We’re very accomplished. Guys have played a lot of minutes on a really good team. And we definitely plan on playing Tommy little bit on the premier next year, for sure. I just think if we’re able to retain these guys, we’ll have a lot of strength up there in the front line, we want to keep these guys on the court. And Tommy’s ability to play multiple positions is one of his biggest strengths, and at this point his career he’s a guy just don’t want to take off the floor. He finds a way to help you win so much so we can steal, 12 minutes a night from him at three, and then he’s playing the 4 and now we’re getting these other guys more minutes. I think that’ll benefit us.”

On the Florida football program reaching the level of men’s basketball:

TODD GOLDEN: “I think we’re on track to do that, not because we won, but I think football is very close to breaking through. Everybody saw the way they played down the stretch last year. I think we were a DJ injury away from beating Georgia, and I think every game you started we won or something like that. We were pretty dang good when that guy was on the field, like we were really good when that guy was on the field, They’ve done it from the ground up. They recruited a lot of young guys that are starting to get to the age where they really impact winning in the best football league in America. Like I said, down the stretch. You saw a lot of really good momentum for this program and from the guys in it.  I know they retained the guys they wanted to. Their younger guys are bigger, better and older this year, and I’m really excited for them. It’s a lot of work, and this league is really hard to break into the top four in the league, but I’m confident in Billy and his group that this year is gonna be the year that the great they’re gonna do it. “

On going from a hunter to hunted mindset during the offseason:

TODD GOLDEN: “I think we got a good taste of that towards end of this year, to be honest. Earlier in the year, I agree, we were definitely the hunters, and we trying to make a name for ourselves, earn some respect for the team. But after how we played in league play and after the SEC tournament, we were no longer the hunters. We were selected by everybody to win the national championship. So it became the hunted really fast. I think that was an issue for us the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament. I thought we were a little tight against UConn in a new role that we had really hadn’t had to be in before. But after that, though, getting to the Sweet 16 weekend, I thought we were able to shake that and play with little freedom and confidence. And games were tight because we’re playing really good teams, and we had to find a way to win. But, yeah, that’s part of it. And some of the guys that are returning, I Condo, Tommy, Micah, Rueben, Zell-y, all the guys have played,  they’re gonna have to understand  that’s the deal from the start of the year on. We’re not gonna sneak up on anybody. Teams are gonna be geared up and excited to play us, and they’re gonna give us their best shot. We got to be even better in terms of our consistency and our effort if we want to find a way to sustain this thing and keep it going.”