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UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

August 5, 2015

Jim McElwain

Gainesville, Florida

COACH McELWAIN: How's everybody doing? Good, good. Well, always an exciting day when you have we just left our first meeting. The optimism in the air is awesome. The excitement in the air is awesome. Guys are ready to get after it. They've put in a ton of work.

As we talked about, they put in a ton of work for 15 opportunities. That's what it is. 15 opportunities to play the game. Put in over 300 days of work just for 15 opportunities. You know, I think it really hits home, because they've put in some really good work, and yet we've got a long, long ways to go as we integrate all the new guys into what we're doing.

I'm really proud of our older guys as far as indoctrinating the young guys into what our expectations are to be a Gator and really to be part of the Gator brand. That is something we're excited to see.

We're going to start obviously practice tomorrow. The way we do it, we'll do a split squad practice. We'll have the older guys go, followed up by the younger guys. Where it will just be them, kind of all the new guys. There will be one person in there because of classes. We still have two days of classes here, so we're navigating some finals and that kind of stuff. So Ahmad will actually go with the younger group only because he has a final right during the practice of the older ones.

But what we try to do there and what we try to accomplish is to get those young guys an opportunity, without the older guys there holding their hands, and teach them the pace of practice, the two, three, and four spot drills that will be going on during the periods, and really our expectation of the pace of practice, to get in, get your work done, and get out.

So we're looking forward to seeing those guys as we move forward.

On the health front, Jake McGee is full go. He's ready to go. I've got to tell you, the guy who has really gosh, I can't tell you what a great job he's done to put himself in position to have an opportunity to play this season is Antonio Morrison. He's well ahead of where we anticipated. He will be out of any contact drills, but he will be able to do some non contact stuff moving forward. And he has had a huge impact as guys have seen how hard he has worked, what he has invested and what he was willing to do to define who he is and what he's all about. I just can't say enough good things about that.

Again, too early to say if he'll play. I just know this, the fact he'll be out there is short of a miracle based on that knee. So, again, a credit to how hard he has worked to be part of this family, and I just can't tell you how good that makes us all feel.

Thomas Holley will be held out, and that's still a wait and see situation before he's cleared. We're going to try to get an opportunity to see if we can make a run with it, so we'll see from there. And most recently as of Monday, I guess it was, Luke Del Rio had an appendix taken out, which I would imagine doesn't feel real good, so he's going to be missing in action here for a couple days before he's able to get out. But other than that, we're excited about where we're at.

I think the guys have done a good job and time will tell to see where we're at from a conditioning standpoint. We're not big in needing to condition, but if we have to, based on where we're at, I know that they put a lot of work in over the summer. So it will be interesting to see how they handle the pace of practice.

So with that, you're going to see one thing. Life moves in a lot of different ways as we're all doing things and getting caught up in the opening of college football, but Coach Nord, our special teams coordinator and obviously long-time friend, just lost his mother on Saturday, put her to rest on Monday. Our thoughts and prayers are with him. And Coach Collins biological father passed away of a heart attack on Monday. He's back in North Carolina taking care of those things. So actually Randy will address you guys from the defensive side of the ball today. Our thoughts and prayers are obviously with those guys.

Sometimes when things hit you in certain ways, you kind of realize, you know what? The focus of third and six, there are a lot of other things in life too, and we're helping those guys through it.

With that, go ahead and take questions.

Q. You were a little confusing on who your high school coach was. Was it Winters or Ekegren?
COACH McELWAIN: No, Coach Ekegren was actually the high school coach, and then Coach Leonard took over for him, Gene Leonard. Bob Luoma was a basketball coach.

Q. Either one of those two gentlemen, your father and Coach Zorns, can you talk about anything that they instilled in you that you've carried throughout your career?
COACH McELWAIN: I was really fortunate even growing up in what we call little grizzly ball and YMCA basketball and pee wee baseball that had coaches that really invested in us. Along the way you learn those lessons. Coach Leonard really brought us back as a high school to become relevant again.

I had an opportunity while I was there to actually play basketball for a guy by the name of Bob Luoma who was one of the winningest all time coaches in the history of high school basketball in the state of Montana, and probably took as much from him as practice plans, how to treat the players, how to demand from the players, and how to get the best out of the players.

Really fortunate when I went to Eastern Washington University to be under a guy like Dick Zorns who I was fortunate enough to spend 14 years of my life with as a player and a coach. He truly instilled in me the values, the fundamentals, and what it is to be successful in a lot of different ways, not only in football, but in life. I think every day I was able to learn from him.

Q. Your father did a little bit of coaching. What did you get from him?
COACH McELWAIN: Use your left hand, okay. So we took the basket and actually moved it to the right side of the single car garage, which forces you to do everything left handed, right? They had trouble covering me on the crossover.

Q. You've talked a lot this off season about continuity on the offense being an important factor as far as staff goes. Do you feel the same way when it comes to the quarterback position in terms of having one guy?
COACH McELWAIN: Yeah, I mean, we've done a lot of different ways. It's really trying to figure out how it works. My biggest thing is I'm really excited to see when we get into team type drills, to see how the people around those two guys at the quarterback spot, how they respond, and how their play elevates because of whoever's in the huddle. Really what that is is producing first downs, moving the football, making sure that you understand the possession of the ball is number one.

I'm excited to see how they've done. I've had great reports from the guys on the team about how things have been going and player run practices, so it will be fun to watch when we get out there.

Q. Is it a situation where maybe you'd like to name a starter going into the year and give him a couple weeks to run with it?
COACH McELWAIN: You know, I do know this, somebody's going to take a snap the first play. I don't know who it is yet. As soon as we know, we'll let you know.

Q. Could you talk about your broader vision for the program? It seems like when you took over you weren't just concerned about the team but the staffing, the infrastructure, facilities, all of that. Why did you jump right in with that?
COACH McELWAIN: Well, it's interesting because there are so many things that go into a successful football program, to a successful university, to a successful business. It doesn't matter what it is. It's all the little details. Not just about the player, not just about the play that was called, but all the things that go on a year round cycle. In our case we work off a year and a half calendar which, when you think about it, evolves around recruiting, okay. All those pieces have to be on the same page.

Once you have people that are, say, independent contractors that aren't focused on the vision and sometimes might have ulterior motives, okay, self serving motives that aren't relative to the development of our players and helping them be successful, you're going to have issues within the organization. So one of the things we've tried to do is do a great job, which people have done and the people that have been here when we took over have embraced, is the idea of everybody being on the same page with the same mission, the same view, understanding the only reason nip of us exist is because of these players. That's it.

So everything we do should be generated towards helping our players be successful, and it doesn't matter what aspect of it is, it has to be everything, everybody that touches the desk of the head football coach has to be zeroed in on helping these young men be successful. It's been really good. We've had some great change already, and yet we've got a long ways to go, but we're getting there. And those are not overnight fixes. Those are things that happen over time, and I'm excited this administration and our president has afforded us the opportunity to take this program in that direction.

Q. One follow up question. As a coach, a lot of offensive coaches might just concentrate on the offensive side of the ball. Muschamp used to concentrate on the defensive side of the ball. Will you be more of a broader, bigger picture?
COACH McELWAIN: Yeah, I've kind of been involved in a lot of different kind of ways along the way, and I'm not sure that there is a right one or a wrong one. I just feel like it's very important that the head coach is involved in all aspects, special teams, offense and defense, that the players know that I'm there for them at all times.

Obviously, what I bring to the defense is not necessarily maybe the X's and O's part, but maybe more so what the offense is trying to do against them. In other words, trying to help them break down their protections, maybe what their points mean, those type of things that maybe help a blitz land. Also make sure offensively that we're doing some things in practice that helps them against certain things that they're going to see, whether it's tempo offenses, whether it's five wides, whether it's full house, T back field, whatever it is. That we do those things to help us all as we work against each other be successful. Obviously, being heavily involved in the special teams allows you to be involved with every player on the team, because they're all involved in that. So that's what we try to do.

I obviously find myself migrating to the quarterback room. That's human nature. I'll go in there and screw them up every now and then.

Q. Before Will left, one of the statements he made was don't let anybody tell you we don't have players around here. Given the disparity between the offense and defense last year in terms of production, do you sense that there is a great disparity in talent? And do you anticipate that?
COACH McELWAIN: You know, I don't that isn't for me to say. It's for us to come in and evaluate and get better. That's what we're here to do. There are really good players here. Obviously from a numbers standpoint, just sheer numbers at positions, just to be able to function like we were able to kind of sparingly in the spring. We've been able to answer a lot of those by getting some of the numbers in some of those position groups up so we can practice the way we try to practice.

So there are good players here. I mean, you know, and yet we had six, seven, eight guys drafted, whatever it was. I mean, there were some good players that left, obviously.

But that's the way it should be. We're at The University of Florida. We should be attracting that type of talent. Ultimately, I hope every year we have 10, 12, 14 guys drafted. If a guy chooses to come out early, well, you know what? That's a good thing if he's drafted in the right spot. So I think those are all things that are real positives about being at The University of Florida.

Q. Morrison clarification: You said you're not sure if he'll play. You mean in the opener or all season?
COACH McELWAIN: Or anywhere. I don't know. Guys, let's not downplay what this injury was, okay. Let's not downplay. He's had two surgeries on the same knee off the same injury, right? What I'm saying is he's going to be out there. He's going to be going through everything except not full contact, and when the time comes, I'm not going to put a time limit on that.

What you will find out, I will never put a player out there. Life's way too short. I'll never put a player out there unless they're able to truly defend themselves and to be productive. So when that time comes, our doctors will get it cleared and we'll go from there, but I'm not putting a time limit on it.

Q. Fair enough. Will Grier, how critical was it for him to put on some significant weight? What do you see there?
COACH McELWAIN: Yeah, I think when you see him roll off the bus here tomorrow, I think you're going to see a lot of guys that have significantly changed the way their body looks, and I think that's a credit, obviously, to what our guys are doing in the weight room, but more so maybe what their personal commitment was to the work to put in in the weight room. It will be interesting to see.

Obviously you haven't been able to see them run or do any of that stuff, but to see how they're carrying their new weight, that will be interesting.

Q. Will specifically, though?
COACH McELWAIN: Yeah, it's his natural maturation. He should be getting a little bigger.

Q. Can you talk about the value of Vern Hargreaves in the secondary, and the type of impact he can have on the game?
COACH McELWAIN: Yeah, I'm not sure you can put a true value on a guy who, I'll argue is the best defensive player and obviously best defensive back in the country. He's a guy that can lock you down. He's a guy that enjoys competing. I think one of the values that he truly brings is his love of playing the game of football, competing, even in practice, because what that does is then elevate those people around you too.

The true great players, the really great, great players, they enjoy the competition no matter whether it's Tiddlywinks or one on one drills, or third down, or red area or whatever it is during practice. They aren't taking a day off. They aren't taking a practice off. They aren't taking a rep off. He's a guy that truly does that, and I'm sure glad he's here.

Q. What is a realistic expectation for this team?
COACH McELWAIN: I think the realistic expectation is what we do every day to get better. I think you got this from the spring. I'll tell you each and every day what we did that day and if the Gators got better that day or not. Because, whatever the game against New Mexico State's going to happen, it's on the way. All right. But that game doesn't mean anything right now unless you put the preparation in now to get ready to play that season.

Like we talk about, you've got 15 opportunities is all, and you've got over 300 days of preparation. So cherish each one of those days of preparation to get you ready for those 15 opportunities.

Q. You mentioned guys getting bigger and stronger. They do different things in the weight room than they were doing a year ago maybe?
COACH McELWAIN: You know, I don't know. I've been obviously with Coach Kent back at Louisville. Obviously at Colorado State, I know what they do. It's a lot of position specific and functional movement skill development. I can't speak to what it was.

Q. How much freshmen linemen do you feel you'll have to rely on this season to be in the two deep rotation? And who were some guys early on that your staff has identified as contributors?
COACH McELWAIN: Well, we haven't been able to I don't know. We haven't seen them practice. I know their names. That's a good thing, and I'm sure glad they're here. But just obvious when you look at it, I think what we need to do is develop eight solid guys, originally, a little bit like an NFL mentality where some guys have to be able to swing in some positions. Obviously, by saying that, sheer number, you're looking at at least three of the new guys, maybe four, being part of that eight, you know. It's really about how they adapt and how they learn.

I'm not going to put a guy out there that's not ready to go, because one of the things that can happen, if you put someone out there too early, they can become a little shellshocked, and it takes a while to recover from that. Okay? I think you see it in this sport a lot where sometimes guys are rushed in to doing it. We'll put them out there when they're ready. We need to develop some guys that have some swing capability, as we continue to develop those younger guys to come as the season goes. We hope to be able to be up in that 10, 11, 12 kind of guys in that depth.

Q. Wanted to ask you about the running back situation. Kelvin Taylor had kind of an up and down season last year after a good freshman campaign. Do you think he's ready to take the next step this season from what you've seen in spring?
COACH McELWAIN: Yeah, I really liked what he did in the spring. Obviously there are going to be opportunities there. The way we play running backs, I'm not a believer in one guy carrying it 40 times. As much as I respect Bum Phillips, it's not something I believe in that one thing, right.

I think you have to develop the position. You're going to need three guys at least to go through the year with. So what you hope to do is to find that guy that has the hot hand in the fourth quarter, okay. He's still fresh based on what you've done, and now let that guy kind of finish the game. That's kind of how we like to do it. Obviously, that has a lot to do with the development of those young guys.

Q. On your staff you've obviously got a ton of experience. You've got an ex ACC head coach, a couple of SEC coordinators in there, I believe. Talk about what you were looking for in a staff in these guys, and how close did you come to what was your batting average on going after the guys you wanted and finally getting them?
COACH McELWAIN: I think we had a lot of guys that wanted to come. I think we hit pretty good. But part of doing it had a lot to do with obviously experience in the SEC, recruiting, built in recruiting relationships within the footprint of where we need to recruit to be successful, and I think we answered a lot of those. I'm just happy to be working with them.

I tell you what? The hardest thing I had, I had great staff at Colorado State, and the hardest thing was not being able to bring all of them. I'll be honest. Yet each move along the way there are certain fits for certain areas, and yet those guys, shoot, they did a great job and they're great coaches.

Part of the reason we did what we did there was obviously familiarity within the conference, recruiting, built in recruiting relationships in the areas that we needed to be successful, and I think we've answered that here.

Q. When you came on board you talked about the importance of communication and of the players developing a rapport with new members of the staff. Do you feel like through the spring and summer you got that, guys going up and watching film and working to develop a rapport with the new members on the staff?
COACH McELWAIN: It's fun to have them go up to our floor. The way it's built is not really conducive. There are like these separations. What you'd like is kind of to have those meeting rooms in that area around to where your offices are and that kind of stuff. So you're able to have a little instant interaction as you're walking around the building, right, because it actually takes a little effort to go up into what was deemed maybe the principal's office area.

But to see those guys come walking in the hallway, sticking their head in the coaches meeting rooms, sticking their head in our office, I mean, that's what it's all about. For them to know the reason we exist is to help them be successful, that is the key. So our whole drive as a staff, our whole drive as an organization is to understand no matter what we do the number one thing and the reason we do it is to help these guys be successful, and that's all part of building a relationship.

Q. When you talk about 15 opportunities, are you talking about practices or possible number of games?
COACH McELWAIN: Games.

Q. That includes, I guess, championship games?
COACH McELWAIN: Well, that's an opportunity, isn't it? I tell you what, you're pretty good at math (Laughing).

Q. Well, I'm just sitting here wondering.
COACH McELWAIN: Where did you get your degree? (Laughing).

Q. I'll get back to you on that. Well, no
COACH McELWAIN: I was going to credit your math department.

Q. Including the possible national semifinal and National Championship when we talk about expectations, would you expect fans out there to have reasonable or unreasonable expectations for this program?
COACH McELWAIN: Well, I would say this: There isn't a game, there isn't an event, there isn't a thing that we would do that we go in expecting a participation ribbon. I mean, I struggle with that. You go in expecting to win. It doesn't matter the opponent. I mean, once you go in with a defeatist attitude, there is a pretty good chance you're going to get your tail kicked.

So that's just not how I was brought up. We've got 15 opportunities. Let's take advantage of them now to make the 15 a reality.

Q. The transfers that came in through the summer on the offensive line, how did that come about, and how critical is that getting closer to the eight that you wanted?
COACH McELWAIN: Well, I think just putting the number ballot roster by position is something that we really needed. It will be great to see how they have adapted, how they're moving in. There, again, what are the expectations? We'll find out as we get through two a days and through practice. That's really what the discovery phase of this is. Yet all indications are we hit on them and that's a good thing.

Q. One of the freshmen that some of the upperclassmen have been high on this summer is Antonio Callaway. What do you see as his greatest strengths and how do you envision his role on the team this year?
COACH McELWAIN: Well, we've talked in length about the need on both sides to have explosive play makers, right? We felt when we recruited him he was one of those anyway, one of the things we felt was the need for explosive play makers and he's the guy that fit that bill when we were recruiting him.

It will be interesting to see what those skills are when we get out there. He is a guy that obviously some of the vets have talked about, and that's a credit to what he's done in the short time he's been here.

Q. As you continue to get to know them, what impresses you most about Treon Harris and what impresses you most about will Grier?
COACH McELWAIN: I just like the way both of them have kind of embraced the competition. Obviously I think what we do fits both of them in a lot of ways, their skill sets. Treon obviously missed some practices in the spring that we're well aware of due to family issues that are really unfortunate, so those four practices were pretty big. But when he got back, the way he moved the team in two minute drills, the way the team moved down the field, I liked his energy, his confidence.

Will, I think, did an outstanding job of developing how to get the ball to the play makers, and yet we still need to learn how to throw it to our colored jersey. We had a couple practices where the ball ended up in the wrong colored jersey. To play the position, the number one most important thing is ball security and taking care of the football. So we've got to really that is the thing I'm going to be looking for as we go through camp.

Q. Coach, Hargreaves, as far as what he means to the defense, is he too much of a risk to put back at kick return, punt return, things of that nature?
COACH McELWAIN: No, I think that's just a highlight and one of his skills. That's one of the things we worked a little bit in the spring with in both areas. Look, your ability to be an explosive play maker in whatever way it is to help the team be successful, is I tell them, you're a starter on special teams first before you're ever a starter on offense and defense.

When you talk to those guys who were great NFL vets, they all play special teams, every one of them. And to make a team, you've got to be able to show your versatility in a lot of those areas, so this is just another way for him to increase his brand and to help him.

Q. You've been successful with quarterbacks. You had a good one at Colorado State and some at Alabama. Some coaches say mechanics are important. I know one coach in the SEC who says it's not how well you throw the ball, it's courage. Could you talk about the attributes you said leadership of a quarterback, the one or two three things that you look for, and address that with the two current candidates for the starting position?
COACH McELWAIN: It's hard to say right now because there is so much unknown in both of them. But as I go to it, being a winner is huge, okay. That's huge.

To be a proven winner. To be a proven winner, what it's done is that means the people around you have played better and elevated their play based on you being on the field. Some of the times some of the greatest quarterbacks out there maybe didn't have the greatest arm. They maybe didn't have the greatest feet, but for whatever reason the team moved successfully down the field. They didn't turn it over, and they won games.

Those guys up front, those receivers make those great catches. They elevate their play a little bit because of that guy. So we're looking to kind of see where that is, as now they've had a full summer back into what we were doing in the spring to see where we advance it this fall.

Courage and not being able to fail, sometimes in life there are a lot of talented guys out there but they're not willing to maybe put themselves out there. You think about some of the great players of our time in any sport, well, you know what? They've gone through some failure, but they've faced the adversity, learned from it, and gotten better.

So putting yourself out there is a huge deal especially at that position, because you're going to take all the criticism and you're going to get all the praise. Well you better be able to handle it, so that's all part of it. I that's think that's a big pierce of the courage, toughness, being able to stand in and take a shot, not blink. Those are all things that I think being successful at that position are all about, not just being able to throw a 95 mile an hour fastball.

Q. So the it factor is the leadership part. And then experience, will that play a role in this? Because you've got one quarterback who has experience and one who is brand new?
COACH McELWAIN: And I don't know how much experience you can even call that. I think the experience now is the experience in the system they're going to be playing in, and the only way we gain that is in critical situations we put them in during practices. It's about the critical factors that help you win a game, whether it be coming out, whether it be different areas in the red area, whether it be fourth down, whether it be third down, whether it be two minute, whether it be four minute offense, whatever that is, whatever the critical situation is, and we'll chart that and come up with an answer.

Q. You only have 12 opportunities assured, but you're saying you have 15, so is that a prediction that you're going to play for the National Championship?
COACH McELWAIN: I tell you, you guys are something else. We have an opportunity at 15 chances, right? So does New Mexico State. Well, the thought process is we've got 15 opportunities, so let's go take care of business.

Q. Is that what you're telling your team, 15?
COACH McELWAIN: I tell you what

Q. Are you telling your team we can get to the National Championship?
COACH McELWAIN: That's good stuff. Go ahead, next.

Q. I'm kind of piggybacking on his question earlier about the quarterbacks. Since we're getting to know you for the first time as a head coach, how short of a leash do you have on your quarterbacks if the situation comes to that?
COACH McELWAIN: That's a great question. I'm kind of one of those that kind of probably operates a little bit by gut instinct. I don't think we've ever been really short with the leash. We may have said put in prescribed playing time, you know what I'm getting at, going into the game like somebody's going to take the second and four series, somebody's taking the first and third series, whatever. And we've held to that.

So I don't know. If they're throwing it to the other team a bunch, the leash probably isn't very long. It's probably the best way to say it. This is unbelievable.

Q. Obviously your offensive line numbers are a lot closer to where you want them to be. You can't give us a starting lineup now, but where do you envision Mason Halter? Is he more of a right tackle versus a left tackle? Do you think Trip Thurman is going to lineup at center or guard?
COACH McELWAIN: First, let's talk about Trip. I think he's got to be able to, in theory, function at all five spots based on whatever happens. We're going to start him inside at guard, but he's going to take reps throughout practice both at center and possibly as an emergency tackle. He's got to be able to do that.

Halter we're going to work at tackle, specifically not to overload him and then see what he may be able to handle. Obviously, tackle had been his position, so we're going to take a look at that first. Then I think the important thing for us is when we kind of come down to who those guys are, it's got to be the flexibility piece if somebody goes down.

Q. Do you envision playing Martez outside to start?
COACH McELWAIN: Yeah, we're going to start him at tackle. That's what we recruited him as and we'll work him there. If we find out he's better inside, then we'll make that move at that time.

Q. Lastly, with a lot of guys juggling spots and the versatility that you're playing, is Cam Dillard right now the number one center, or is it open competition or what?
COACH McELWAIN: He's obviously the one that took most of the reps in the spring, therefore he's going to lineup there number one. We'll see.

Here's the key. The key there is put your five best out there, just whoever those five best are. That gives you the best opportunity to win the game and that's what we'll do.

Q. You've been around a lot of quarterback competitions. How much do you worry about players favoriting one quarterback or the other, possibly team divide setting in, and do you preach about that not happening with your team?
COACH McELWAIN: It usually sorts itself out. I mean, they know the best player is going to play. Just like their position, whether it's quarterback, whether it's center, whether it's left corner whatever, the best guy's going to play. They'll get ample opportunities to go prove that, and that's by putting them in those critical situations that we talk about during practice to see how they move forward. We're excited for the competition.

Q. When you first arrived, how did you go about building relationships with your players and getting their trust? What are some of the things you did early on just to get to know the players that were here?
COACH McELWAIN: Well, I mean, any time in a relationship it's an ongoing process, and it's developed overtime. The sad part is because of NCAA rules sometimes we aren't allowed to be with them as much as we would like. The one thing we can do is have them come up and say hello. Sit down and have a conversation. That's one of the things we've done and we've really stayed with is just having a conversation. It doesn't have to be for any reason other than to just find out more about each other. I think that goes for our whole team. Even the guys that were here, some of the things they found out about their teammates that they never maybe knew before through some of the neighboring things that we've done, I mean, it's great to see how they interact.

Because you're bringing a lot of different people from different areas, different zip codes, different area codes, different backgrounds, to find out that we really all have a common goal and common thread no matter where we're from, that's pretty cool. And to see some of that interaction has been awful fun.

All right, guys. Thank you so much.

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