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FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCENovember 18, 2017Jimbo FisherTallahassee, Florida Florida State - 77, Delaware State - 6 JIMBO FISHER: Great job by Delaware State. They came in here and played hard, moved the ball twice real early, and then we got control of the game. Those guys came in, Kenny is a great coach. He does a great job. He's really got that program started in the right direction. I've known him a long time, and he's a heck of a football coach. So hats off to them and their future. Proud of our guys. We played a complete game, dominated the game, but we should have dominated the game, and we went out and played the game and did it, and there's something to that. Playing for four quarters, even the guys with the backups and everybody got in the game, they went in and played hard, executed the offense, did the right things, took the right steps, played with consistency, which you want. Played with good energy, and we made plays down the field on both sides, scored on defense, scored on special teams, scored on offense, and it was great to see all three phases, and Wes and them did a great job. DJ did a great job punt returning. He's very electric when you give him time. He was awesome on the day. Our receivers caught the ball, quarterback was good, backs ran the ball, great job by Ryan Green. Senior, great to see him go out there and score two touchdowns, had some great runs, and of course Amir, Cam, Jacques, all those guys did a great job, and just happy for everybody, and get a good feeling and play well, enjoy the evening, and get ready to go play the Gators next week. Q. When your team scores 77 points, what does that say about your offense or making a statement going down to play the Gators next week? JIMBO FISHER: Well, we played well, but we played in all three phases, scored on defense and special teams, and we got field position. But at least it gives you confidence. You know you can execute, you've got other guys that made plays, and you go out there when the numbers are on the board and you do the things you've got to do, situations and reads. Again, it's still confidence and experience. Q. How much would it have helped James to have an opportunity like this early in his season? JIMBO FISHER: Would have made a big difference. People don't understand that. Those games are very vital, just the cohesiveness, just to be able to go and do it with the lights on, and people don't understand, but it's big, and then also big to get all the young guys energy and let them know they can play in games and all that stuff. But it would have helped him. Q. Do you think it will help him now? JIMBO FISHER: Yeah, I think it will. I think anytime you play well. Actually he's been in some battles and some wars in some great environments, and he's going to be in one next week, that's for sure. Q. The way your bye got moved up and all these close games, being able to get the veterans some rest, how important was that? JIMBO FISHER: Huge, huge. You have no idea when you don't have the off weeks -- that's why I say two things playing these games. Hopefully you can develop your younger players, get them in games, get young guys experience in games, and you help football. People say these games aren't important. People who say Power Five teams should only play Power Five teams are crazy. I'm going to say that right now. Because you've got to give back to this game. If you don't feed the chain down that way with the money and the things to help these programs stay afloat, football is going to go away, because the Division II's help the Division III's and all the way down. If we don't understand that, we're missing the boat about what we do because football is under attack anyway, and all of a sudden you take those scholarships and opportunities away, those kids, what are they going to do in high school? They're going to go play other sports. Then all of a sudden you don't have any players because football ain't the same in high school all the way down. You know, it's great to play these games. It's also great for them because financially they can help and we can develop young players and all the things, and plus there's upsets. People do get upset. People get beat in these games. But I think it was great to do all those things today. Q. What was the discussion of moving to 10-minute quarters? JIMBO FISHER: No, they asked if -- we had such a substantial lead, there's no reason -- you don't ever want to embarrass and humiliate anybody and not trying to, but they know -- just to shorten the game for their guys and they stay healthy and do the things they have to do. There's no sense in that, so we agreed to do that. Q. I know you're happy for the seniors, but also a guy like Motlow who walked on to have a catch like that? JIMBO FISHER: And the first similar (ph) to ever score a touchdown here. To go out there and do that and make a play -- let me tell you something. I said this. There was a time he was having some time, he could play and help us. We had some guys got healthy again. Justin is a really good player. He works his tail off in practice. I mean, he is a constant team player, hustle play, his pride and joy to be at Florida State, and to be able to walk out there and score a touchdown on senior day like that for him, man, you can't -- you don't know how happy that makes me for him and his family. Q. Did you see the reaction of the team? JIMBO FISHER: Oh, yes. Saw it when Culmer made the tackle. People have no idea those guys, how hard they practice, knowing they have no chance to ever play or be a starter but just give you everything, and that's what football teams and sports teams teach you, and we were so excited for him. I mean, he is a great kid. Q. Did you know on the play, hey, this has a chance to be a touchdown? JIMBO FISHER: Yes, mm-hmm. Q. What was that like for you as a coach to see him dive -- JIMBO FISHER: Very happy. Very happy. That was a great catch and something he'll remember forever. He'll be able to say it forever, and like I say, that's some of the greatest rewards you ever have in coaching. I'm not talking about winning championships and any other, but that right there, that's some of the greatest rewards you have in coaching. Q. I know you've been asked about the next two teams and keeping that bowl streak alive, your thoughts on that? JIMBO FISHER: Well, it's very important. It's pride. It's what they play for and the ultimate goal is to go to a bowl, and we've had a great streak, and not just because of that, but that was a goal for this team, and for them to become the best they can become, and for us to win two games to go to Florida and win, you saw -- I don't know what tended up, 14-7 at halftime I know of Auburn and ULM they told me. You've got two really good teams that can play, and for us to become the team that we have a chance to become, it doesn't matter when you get it, just so you get it, and it will be a great goal and watching the perseverance and character of our kids, the way they fight back, and hopefully it's going to be a tough task, I'm going to tell you that right now. We're going to have our hands full, and there are going to be two teams trying not to be that team that allows us to do it. We're going to have to play two great games. Q. Ryan Green, he's a guy who's really waited his turn. What's it mean for you to get -- JIMBO FISHER: Very happy for him. Great to see. He made great runs, great plays. I was very happy. Q. What does it say about him sticking around so long? He scored his first touchdown his freshman season in 2013. JIMBO FISHER: It was awesome. Great character for him to stay in the program and do the things he needed to do. I'm very happy for him. Q. Derwin on the interception, even the final score, you lose it, but at the time probably a pretty significant play -- JIMBO FISHER: It was a really significant play. Here's the thing: No matter what the score is, it should never affect your effort. It should never affect your effort, what the score is, no matter if you're up 50 or down 50 or it's a tie game. Your effort should always be the same. Q. DJ Matthews, 130 something returning yards, talk about -- JIMBO FISHER: He had space and he's dynamic. He will be a really, really -- have a chance to be a really good player if he'll continue to work and do the right things, and I think he can be a heck of a receiver. He's got tremendous ball skills. He's starting to grow up and do the things he has to do. When I say grow up, just mature from being here. He's a true freshman. Q. Is he more comfortable in that role, as well? JIMBO FISHER: Oh, no doubt, no doubt. Q. Trey and Mavin, will they practice this week? JIMBO FISHER: Yeah, they'll be fine. They'll be fine. They'll be ready to go next week. Q. What did you see different from the special teams today? JIMBO FISHER: Yeah, good push. DJ got -- we got blocks, got push on the kicks. Did the things we had to do, and had a great kickoff return. Had a penalty on the daggone thing. But pops and fielded a short kick. Those things are always -- I call them alternative kicks when they do that second level, people do that -- those things are a lot more difficult to handle because you don't see many of them. We practice them all the time. It was great to see all those things executed. Q. McFadden had the scoop and score -- JIMBO FISHER: Picked it up, got it, got the block, finished the play. You know, and all of a sudden when you do those things, man, that ain't hard. All of a sudden you start to make them, and hopefully we'll continue to do it the right of the year. Q. When Nyqwan had the touchdown, then he had the penalty afterwards. What did you say to him? JIMBO FISHER: Go sit down. That's ridiculous. I love him. It's great. But I don't ever believe in humiliation or lack -- that's just something we don't tolerate, and I'm not going to tolerate. It has nothing -- he'll be fine. We'll punish him; he's good. He sat the rest of the game. But it's not necessary because he was playing a great game, doing a great job. Just score the touchdown, hand it to the official, act like you've been there before. Q. Late in the game when Amir has a fumble, looked like you called him over to talk to him again, is that a good teaching moment for the future? JIMBO FISHER: Yeah, because this guy is going to be a heck of a player. This guy has a great future. He's going to be a heck of a player, and he's a really -- he's a very -- he wants to please you so bad. He gets on himself too bad. Really as much as anything, hey, don't -- all right, go to the next play. We've got to back, all right, we fumbled it, we fumbled it before, let's fix -- why did it happen? Why did it happen? Let's fix it and move on. Q. For the second game in a row, you have (indiscernible), Gavin, Patrick, all those guys kind of back in your first string kind of offense, gained some continuity in the first half. What does that do for you guys? JIMBO FISHER: Yeah, it would be huge, and especially if we can get them all in practice. Like I said, they're not all practicing all the time, but they for the most part are, so you do that, and it builds around James and you get that -- because what a young quarterback needs, like I always say, is consistency, where things don't change, where he don't have to -- great quarterbacks can make up for a lot of things, okay. As I say, everybody else's blunders. Those great ones, they become great, people don't even notice it, all the little things they do. Some of the greatest plays Tom Brady ever made is probably when people do things wrong that no one ever sees. But when you're young, you can't afford to do that. It just doesn't happen. So when you've got the right guys around you who can execute where you can just worry about my job and go through this and go through your progressions, it makes it so much easier, and he hasn't had that all year. That's been a very difficult thing for him to fight through because sometimes he's right and they're wrong, and he's going to make his few mistakes, but at the same time, you know, you've got to have that consistency around him. It really makes a difference. Q. Is this the first time he's had a chance to be on the field and kind of breathe? Every game has been -- JIMBO FISHER: Yep. Makes a difference. And those things -- you learn to play yourself into them, you just don't want to start with those. But hey, that was the hand we were dealt. Q. Were there some situational things that you were happy with in terms of execution, red zone, 3rd down, things like that? JIMBO FISHER: Oh, everything. Make a 3rd down, decisions, the special teams, the things we were doing. Like I said, the alternative kicks, being able to field one of those. They hit a second one, and then Derwin cut up and we got the return, it's an automatic return when they do certain things, and we got it and then pop it down the sideline -- a lot of things like that. A lot of things you don't see. Q. Did the defense get irritated. They didn't really do anything the rest of the game. JIMBO FISHER: Well, they just made a mistake. Hey, we give up a post, they got in quarters and we had inside leverage, and you get a little greedy and squat a little bit, and then we had a couple scrambles in our rush lanes. Got to make sure we get that cleaned up. They had a couple nice scrambles that come out of there, and we had some big 4th down stops after that. But we've got to get those things cleaned up. Q. How good can Kaindoh be? JIMBO FISHER: He's got a chance to be a good player. Q. He had four sacks today in the second half -- JIMBO FISHER: Yeah, he's got a chance to be a really good player. He can be a really good player in the future if he works at us, which he does. He's a very intelligent young man, a very conscientious young man and has a chance, I think, to be a really good player. Q. Can he be a game-changing type player? JIMBO FISHER: Well, we'll see. I don't know. If I knew that now, he'd be in there playing all the time. No, but he may -- we'll see. But he'll work at it. He's one of those kids that will maximize his ability. I'll be shocked if he doesn't. Q. Getting the opportunity to play like Marvin Wilson got a lot more, all those guys, does it keep them going a little more? JIMBO FISHER: Well, it keeps them going. It gives them confidence. Any time you can walk out there and play in a game when the lights are on and fans in the stands, it makes a difference in your development, a huge difference. Q. When you have a handful of guys that were here in 2013, they all played today, just when you think back on everything that they've seen and been through, is it pretty special -- JIMBO FISHER: They've been top to the bottom -- the things that go on. They've been high up here and watched all the young guys get in, they've been injured, they've been back. It's just fun to watch -- think about what they've been through, four New Year's Six games, National Championship game, Orange Bowls, Peach Bowls. They've seen it all. Hopefully we honor them the right way and remember them the right way. Q. The season hasn't exactly played out as expected, but how much would it mean to kind of continue the run against Florida next week? JIMBO FISHER: It would be huge. That's what I'm saying, become the team you can become. A team has a one-year life expectancy. This group will never play together again. A team has a one-year life expectancy. That group will never, ever play together again, and you want to make it special and you want to get your memories and you want to remember the people who stood in those foxholes with you and fought and scratched and clawed because they'll be your buddies the res of your life, and when you need something, you'll go do that. For them to continue that and be that, that's what teams sports is about. That's what football is about, because football is the ultimate team sport. It's about not quitting no matter what people think, what they say, what they write, what they do, what they -- because at the end of the day, they read it, too. It's about them. So they don't have to worry about that stuff. I mean, they understand that you have my back when it was tough. That will be a lifetime bond you can't break. Q. Do you think those things that you've been working on in practice are starting to play out on the actual football field? JIMBO FISHER: Oh, yeah, no doubt. No doubt. And it's got to relax and make plays when they can, and hopefully we'll continue next week, and we won't need them next week. Q. Considering some of the letdowns Blackman has had with turnovers and things throughout the season, do you think that you saw an improvement in his consistency and confidence in this game? JIMBO FISHER: I don't think he had a letdown. I think he's made mistakes. He's never let down. His competitiveness as a competitor, he's never let down. I mean, that guy gets up, he's been hit, he's been fumbled, he goes right back in the action. But he'll grow. He'll grow and mature and get better and better. And he took care of the made, ball good decisions today, threw the ball away a couple times, made all the right decisions for the most part I can think of, so we'll look at the film and see. But he's growing. He's getting better. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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