Q. How is the offensive play calling going to work this year? Are you going to take a more active role or is it going to be a group effort?
Steve Spurrier: We haven't discussed that finally yet. We've got some coaches that have called some plays there, and I've called a few I guess in my career. But I will still have the title of head coach, and I guess offensive coordinator. I'll be in charge of it.
But we'll have a way of getting them in there. Eric Wolford, our line coach, you called a bunch of them during the scrimmage one day. He's got some runs. So he's going to chip in with, Let's run this, let's run that. Our receiver coach will chip in some here and there.
Q. Could you assess your first four years there, where do you think your program is going into the fifth year? Is it where you thought it would be?
Steve Spurrier: Well, we thought we'd do a little bit better, but it hasn't worked out. We're starting a new four year stint with a lot of new coaches and hopefully a lot better attitude on our team. We only have seven seniors on the team this year, so obviously four, five years ago we thought our recruiting was pretty good, maybe just hadn't worked out, what have you.
But we hope to do better. Our facility improvement has been tremendous in the last four years. We're getting national recruit type players that maybe we used to not get. Stephon Gilmore was Player of the Year in the state of Alabama in the state of South Carolina. He could have gone to Alabama, he could have gone to a lot of places. He chose to stay in state there at South Carolina. We believe we're heading in the right direction now.
Q. Talk about the improvement that you saw over the spring in the running game?
Steve Spurrier: It was a little bit better. Certainly it had nowhere to go but up. We finished bottom of the league in rushing this past year. We were bottom of the league in sacks, bottom of the league in turnovers. Somebody said, How did you win seven games? I said, Our defense played very well, and some games our offense played very well. We had two or three very good offensive games at Ole Miss, at Kentucky, and maybe the Arkansas game was a good one for us.
We need to run the ball much better. We all know that. We did a little bit better this spring running. So we'll see if we can do it during the season.
Q. To talk about your own quarterback situation rather than this situation, even coming out of the spring, you said that Stephen Garcia had more to do for you to feel a hundred percent comfortable. Are you at that point yet? You mentioned Stephon Gilmore. Could you see him in that role, at least as a wildcat situation?
Steve Spurrier: Stephon Gilmore was the Player of the Year in the state of South Carolina. Played quarterback. His team went undefeated, won a state championship. He is a wonderful athlete, player. He feels like his long range college and NFL is as a defensive corner. But certainly he can come in there and run that shotgun spread offense stuff that a lot of the schools are doing now.
We worked him a little bit this spring. We'll continue trying to get the ball in his hands some. He is really something with the ball in his hands. We got to utilize him also on offense a little bit here and there.
Q. How concerned are you about the depth in the secondary? Do you think you have enough bodies to get through an entire season?
Steve Spurrier: Yeah, we're a little light in the secondary. That's probably one reason Stephon Gilmore is over there as a starter. High school kid. He was with the starting group during spring ball. We had a few come out early, a few guys thought they were going to be drafted a lot earlier than they were. But we're trying to sign some defensive back, corner type players, especially this year.
Q. Can you talk about the tight end position, Weslye Saunders.
Steve Spurrier: Weslye, we hope, is getting ready to play very well at tight end. He'll be our starter. Also Cliff Matthews will play some there. We're going to double train Cliff, start at defensive end, to play some tight end. A lot of people think Cliff Matthews' ultimate position in the NFL may be tight end. He's a tough kid, can run all day. He's about 260. That's probably about as heavy as he can get. Cliff Matthews and Weslye gives us two pretty good tight ends right there.
Q. The way teams are spreading the field these days, has that at all influenced the way you're calling plays, the way your own offensive philosophy is? You've always been a guy that ran two or three wides, but you usually just run center.
Steve Spurrier: Yeah, we've changed quite a bit. We're probably at least 50% in the shotgun now. We still think there's a place for running straight at people and play action passes. The draw play has been our best running play still is probably. So we try to do both. We try to get in the shotgun and run some spread offense, as well as underneath.
Q. How tough is the SEC West going to be this year?
Steve Spurrier: I see both sides pretty close really, when you think of LSU, Alabama, Auburn, Mississippi now. Mississippi proved that they're ready to contend over there in the West. So, yeah, a lot of good teams. A lot of good teams.
Yeah, I mean, we'll have to play it all out. But they could be overall stronger than the East. Who knows. We'll play it out. I think both of 'em are pretty close.
And Arkansas will be much better this year, too. Bobby Petrino is a heck of a coach. They'll be much improved.
WR Moe Brown
On playing for Coach Spurrier:
It's a different experience everyday. He's not one thing. I will tell you he is one of the most competitive guys you'll eve meet. He has a way to bring out the best in me. He knows how to push our buttons in a way that test our strengths and challenges us to better our weaknesses. Definitely because of Coach I've become a mentally strong person.
On being considered a "veteran" on the team:
Funny you ask that because it really feels like I just got here and it is my first day of freshman year. It's gone by so fast. As a senior, I've stepped into that leadership position and I take that role with great seriousness.
On his leadership style:
I'm one of the most vocal guys on the team. I go hard and lead through example. Like, when we do running drills, I make sure we finish to the line, there is no pulling up. We have to pay attention to details.
On teamwork:
The difference in this year's team compared to years past is the leaders we have. There's seven seniors and we all play a certain role. We hold each other accountable.
On what it will take to get past the threshold of six/seven wins seasons:
In the SEC, there's always tight games. Every game you play in this conference, you have a chance to win. Finishing the game is how we will get there past seven wins.
On the toughest stadium to play in the SEC:
I think we're a really good road team in general. I would have to say Florida. Florida gets very loud. At times, when the crowd gets going, I find it hard to hear my guy only five people down.
On the change of having four new offensive line coaches:
It's been a very smooth transition. They're all great coaches and very team-oriented. It's a different atmosphere, definitely, but it brings something new in, a certain excitement.
On whether Spurrier ever throws the football at practice:
Yeah, Coach gets on the field and throws every now and again. If the quarterbacks aren't throwing the ball the way he wants, he'll step in and show them how it's done. You have to be on your game, very careful when coach throws to you. It's a more intense moment at practice. You don't want to drop a pass from Coach. He's still got some zip to it, definitely.
LB Eric Norwood
On playing for Spurrier:
He's great to play for. He's very demanding and a real competitor. I like him a lot.
On his decision not to enter the NFL Draft:
A lot of stuff weighed into my decision. It's definitely kind of frustrating. I wasn't looking at it from a financial view. It was more about living my dream. But everything happens for a reason, and it is just one of those things I have to just wait for.
On the expectations and perception of the program:
Expectations haven't dimmed down and neither has the talent. The talent is up there with every other team in the SEC. We are really looking forward to winning, and winning big.
On being tagged a leader as a senior:
I embrace the title of leader. But I share it with the seven other seniors. We have a lot of young guys on the team, so there's an opportunity there to step in and leave an impression that will impact football years from now. Our job is to lead the team, but we're all different leaders.
On Moe Brown's leadership:
Moe is the vocal guy. He makes the speeches in the locker room, gets the hype up and the team excited before the game. He brings it all.
SEC Football
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