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CHICK-FIL-A PEACH BOWL: FLORIDA VS MICHIGAN

December 27, 2018

Van Jefferson

Atlanta, Georgia

Q. Shea was saying earlier that when you guys were leaving Ole Miss, there was talk of you guys being a package deal to Michigan.
VAN JEFFERSON: Yeah, we talked about it. Like I said, we took a visit up there. We were both saying that we're going to Michigan. But I just didn't feel like that was the place for me.

So he was pushing for me to come there. But ultimately, I wanted to be a Gator.

Q. Was it the snow? It was snowing during your official, wasn't it?
VAN JEFFERSON: Yeah, it was snowing. And it was cold. I grew up in Michigan for a little bit, so it wasn't that big of a deal. But I want to be somewhere where it's warm.

Q. People that don't know the (no microphone), it's not exactly friendly. Does it seem funny that you're playing for Coach Mullen and against Shea?
VAN JEFFERSON: Me and Shea talked, it's crazy we're playing in a bowl game against each other when we just left. So it's kind of crazy that I'm playing against him.

But it will be against an opposing team now.

Q. He said you guys stay in pretty good touch.
VAN JEFFERSON: We do. Like when we announced we're playing in the bowl game, he called me and is like, man, isn't it crazy we're playing in a bowl game together? I'm like it is. But I can't be talking to him like that during the week. Now it's time to lock in and get ready to go.

Q. Last night at the --
VAN JEFFERSON: Yeah, he texted me.

Q. He was giving you crap.
VAN JEFFERSON: Yeah, he was. He kind of rubbed in my face that he won the last challenge. I think it was Eminem and MC Hammer. So he picked Eminem and I got MC Hammer. But he kind of rubbed in my face.

Q. (No microphone)?
VAN JEFFERSON: I thought it was Eminem, but it's all right. It's okay.

Q. When you were going through the recruiting process, he's trying to talk you into Michigan, did you bring up Coach Mullen as one of the reasons for you wanting to come to Florida?
VAN JEFFERSON: He asked me. He's like, where are you going to go, man? I said man, I think I'm going to go to Florida. He's like why? I said Coach Mullen, the way he's talked to me, how he's going to change the program around, I want to be part of that.

He was still trying to persuade me, but Coach Mullen is doing a great job in his first year, especially playing in a big-time bowl game a top tier program. It's going to be exciting.

Q. When did the conversations with Shea turn from, hey, it's cool we're playing against each other to giving each other crap?
VAN JEFFERSON: Let me see. I think last night. I think, yeah, last night. Last night, Shea was giving me crap a little bit last night. But, you know, it was all fun and games.

We talked, and like I told him, I said, you're doing good this season, man. Keep it up, but Saturday, you know, it's on.

Q. How much have you paid attention to what he's done this year?
VAN JEFFERSON: I paid attention a close bit. Obviously, we can't talk like that during the season because we're both busy. But when I got the chance, I watched a couple of his games and see how he was doing and things like that.

He'll call me, ask me about my game. We kept in close touch.

Q. Did (no microphone) come to you to ask for any tips?
VAN JEFFERSON: No, he hasn't. He obviously played against Shea so he knows what he can do with his feet and his arm and his decision making and things like that.

I think they got a pretty good game plan for him.

Q. Shea sort of set the table for this transfer process. He was sort of the face of the group. Did you ever thank him for everything he went through to get you guys --
VAN JEFFERSON: Not really. I mean, of course, he was Shea and every school in the country wanted him. He could have probably went anywhere he wanted to go.

But, I mean, when I first announced that I was transferring, I mean, Michigan was one of the schools that hit me up. Michigan school hit him up. From the jump, Shea was going to Michigan. All of a sudden, I think he was going to automatically go there.

Q. But in terms of challenging the process and getting immediate eligibility.
VAN JEFFERSON: Oh, yeah, yeah. He set the tone with that. Especially with Tom Mars and things like that. He did help out with that.

I should thank him for that. I haven't, though. I'll tell him.

Q. When you left Ole Miss and picked Florida, what were the expectations?
VAN JEFFERSON: Just coming in and winning right away. I think every guy on this team wants to win. I think Coach Mullen has brought that mentality to us, just going hard and being the best you can be. I think really Feleipe has led the offense in that way. Especially with Feleipe's mindset and how he approaches the day.

But yeah, we just all want to win. That's pretty much it.

Q. Why were you certain Dan was going to be able to turn it around?
VAN JEFFERSON: I played against him. You see what he did at Mississippi State, how he turned that program around. I knew when he came here, he would do it at Florida, especially at a top program. Not saying Mississippi State is not a top program.

I guess like a -- I don't want to say it. So I think him just doing that, seeing that at Mississippi State. Coming to Florida, he was going to be a success.

Q. Joining a four-win team and you expected to be here in a New Year's Six bowl? That's how much confidence you had?
VAN JEFFERSON: Yeah, hundred percent. I knew he was going to come in and change the program right away. Just the way he approaches the day and how he attacks the day, and just his mentality.

He has a dog mentality. You just got to go get it. I got that mentality too so I had to just buy in.

Q. It seems like something pretty evident to you, easy to see. Do you think high school recruits get that same sense from Dan?
VAN JEFFERSON: Oh, yeah. I mean, they should. If they don't see it, I don't know what they're looking at. If you want to win, you got to come to Florida. I think the recruits -- the recruiting committee here, I really didn't keep up with recruiting like that, but I know we've got some guys that are going to come in and make an impact. I'll probably look into that seeing who we have coming in.

Q. Are you definitely coming back?
VAN JEFFERSON: I don't know. We're going to see after the bowl game and things like that. I don't want to get too much into that. I've got an idea of what I want to do.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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