In one of the most anticipated matchups of bowl season, UCF will meet Florida in the Gasparilla Bowl on Dec. 23. The game, which will be played in Tampa's Raymond James Stadium, has already sold out.
Following a busy week on the road recruiting, head coach Gus Malzahn held a press conference late Saturday afternoon immediately after the team's first bowl practice.
Opening statement:
"We had our first bowl practice earlier. It was good for our guys to get out there and move around. We gave them an extensive break after the last game. It was much needed. We were a banged-up football team. A lot of positive energy out there moving around. Real excited to play an in-state opponent, Florida, in a bowl game in Tampa. We're talking about one of the best offenses really in college football. I think they're in the top 10 in most categories. They run the football. That's really what stands out to me. They not only run, but run it extremely well. Explosive passes. They've got a defensive line that I think the last few years has been in the top five or top 10 in sacks. They're an impressive team when we watched them on film. It's a big challenge for us. I know our guys are extremely excited. I know our fanbase is too. I think it's good for the state. We're real excited to meet in the Gasparilla Bowl playing a very good Florida team."
The matchup had been rumored before it was official, UCF playing Florida. I know you were out recruiting so maybe you weren't with the team when it was announced, but what kind of feedback did you get from your players? I'm sure they're excited and know guys on that team.
"There's no doubt. We have a lot of respect for them. They do know a lot of players. I think it's good for the state too. A lot of excitement. I think you can see that with the sellout already. Not many bowls, even New Year's Six bowl games, get sold out. I think that really speaks for itself."
You mentioned Florida and what they were able to do this season, but they still struggled at times. They fired Dan Mullen. How does that change your preparation with an interim head coach?
"First of all, I want to say Dan Mullen is probably one of the better coaches in college football. I know they went through a tough time and all that, but he's got a lot of really good players. They lost some tough games. Obviously being in the the top 10 in total offense, playing the defenses they played, very talented as far as that goes. We'll just do the best we can preparing, trying to predict who's going to coach and all that stuff. We'll worry about ourselves, but they've got excellent players."
Could this be the healthiest your team has been since Louisville?
"I hope so. We kind of limped home the last few weeks. It was pretty interesting at a couple different positions. We're hopeful we'll have all hands on deck that aren't out for the season. That's exciting. Everybody for the most part practiced today. That was a good feeling to have our team out there."
What do you like most about having extra practices leading up to a bowl?
"In a normal year, you like to develop your young guys. You get a chance to really spend four or five days developing them. The difference with us is our depth, our young guys are playing. It's a little bit different than I'm used to because we don't have the depth right now because of the injuries and the people leaving and all that. We've got a select group. We're focused on us and getting better at the little things. That will be helpful for the future. It gives us a little more time to prepare for our opponent and it's much needed."
Every year with bowl season, it's a thing for some guys to opt out. Maybe prepare for a draft. Are you expecting a full team for the bowl?
"I'm expecting a full team. I've not heard from any of our guys. I'm not saying it won't happen in this day and time in college football, but I do know our guys are excited to play in this bowl game. We're excited to play right down the road. We want to really try to send our seniors out on a high note. Obviously in this game it would be. We're still in the foundation. I've said it like a broken record. We're in the foundation part of building our program. We're excited to play in a bowl game, especially in this state."
Parker Navarro has scored in three straight games. Do you expect him to step up in the bowl game?
"We probably need to give it to him more. He scored in three straight games. He's a guy that has really come out. He got an opportunity when some other guys were banged up and all that. He's a guy that I think you can see more and more. He throws it pretty well too."
What kind of challenge will Florida be for Mikey Keene?
"This is definitely one of the more talented teams we've played. We played Cincinnati and I think they've got a chance to win the whole thing. This is a talent that's close in that atmosphere. The thing about Mikey, I'm real proud of him. He was banged up late in the season. He's going to be healthier. That's good. He's a winner. He led us to five out of six wins down the stretch, and not 100 percent. I know he'll be closer to 100 percent. That will be helpful. He's excited. He's ready to lead our team."
Have you seen a true freshman quarterback from the end of the season to a bowl game improve a lot?
"There's no doubt. You've got understand if you put yourself in his shoes. He knew he was the No. 2 quarterback, but game four it was all him the rest of the way. It was a learning experience for him. You saw him in his preparation just improve. He was able to battle through some adversity, which I think is important. The thing that he's done a few times is helped win games for us. Late in games, when the game is on the line, that's a lot for a true freshman. He did that. His teammates have a lot of confidence in him. I think that's one of the bigger attributes a quarterback can have. His teammates have a lot of trust in him."
There's intense demand for this bowl game, sold out already. What does that say about this fanbase? I know you've got the series with Florida coming up anyway, shouldn't Florida State or Miami want to schedule UCF? These are matchups fans want to see.
"I think it's good for college football. I think it would be good for this state. You can see the excitement. It doesn't surprise me about our fanbase. You've got to remember a few years back in the Peach Bowl, I saw it firsthand. The energy they brought. The numbers they brought. I'm really looking forward to this and them being on my side."
With all the coaching changes at Florida and Miami, how important can this game be for UCF in the recruiting aspect?
"Right now we're on pace to have a big-time recruiting class. You can tell recruits know where we're going. They know what's happening. They know we're building the foundation of this thing. We have a chance to do that. Obviously, you win bowl games and they give momentum in a lot of different areas. It's a very big game. Of course playing in-state against a state team makes it even bigger."
A little bit earlier of a bowl game, not a post-Christmas bowl. Recruiting demands took your time this past week. Is it more difficult from a preparation standpoint?
"There's no doubt. We're busy recruiting. We've been on the road. We finally came off yesterday. You've got time in between when you're on the plane to kind of get familiar. Really today and tomorrow's practice will be more about us. The timing of it, being the 23rd, I think it fits good. Signing Day is Wednesday and we've still got a good eight days before the game. We'll make it work."
What do you make of early signing day?
"I think nowadays coaches are used to it. Whether they like it or not, they're used to it and they're in a routine. For me, it's getting in a routine and knowing what to expect. This is the first bowl game I think before Christmas I've been a part of, so that's something a little bit new. We'll see what happens. College football changes almost on a weekly basis. There's talk about a different signing day. Whatever that is, we'll be fine with it and we'll adjust."
Will Isaiah Bowser play?
"We're hoping he plays. He practiced today. He was a lot healthier. He's got a lot of winner in him too. He desperately was trying to play the last couple weeks to the point he wanted to get out there in pregame just to see if he was better than the Thursday practice. He just wasn't able to go. I think he'll be healthier. It's hard to say right now, is he going to be ready, but he practiced today and was a lot better than he was two weeks ago. That's a big deal for us."
Dillon Gabriel decided to enter the Transfer Portal. What's your reaction to that and how does that impact the quarterback room going forward?
"He chose to do something different. Mikey is ready to go. Parker is a guy. Joey is a guy. We'll be fine. Our guys are excited about playing in the bowl game."
One of the positions that doesn't get a lot of recognition is long snapper. You've got one of the best in the country in Alex Ward. He's up for long snapper of the year tonight. What can you say about him and the kind of player he's been for you?
"He's a special player. I've been fortunate enough to coach some of the best at what they do and he's in that same category. He's so consistent. From a coach's standpoint, he's so consistent, you forget about him sometimes. That's a tough position you don't think of usually unless something wrong happens. He's so consistent. He's a leader. He's a leader for our team. He's not just a leader in the special teams group. I can't say enough good things about him."
You've been on the road recruiting. What has the reaction from recruits been and how excited are you for Wednesday?
"I'm real excited for Wednesday. I've been telling this group they're the foundation for the future for us. The foundation of going to the new conference for us. Our plan is to sign quite a few high school guys. I know right now philosophy wise with different coaches, but I feel real strongly you've got a strong foundation of the young guys that grow in your program. Then you can mix and match with guys when you need to as far as filling holes. That's my philosophy. That's how we're going to build it. I'm thinking about two years from now, three years. This is a real important signing day for us. I expect some good news."
You talked about Mikey Keene closer to 100 percent and Bowser. Are you getting closer to 100 percent for the bowl game? And where do you hope to be?
"I was actually out there without crutches today. Without the scooter deal. I was standing up coaching. It felt great. I think the tree stand is behind me. I expect to be on the field around that 50-yard line so I can be a normal coach."
How does that change the bowl game for you? You've been on the tree stand, so does that bring new energy?
"It'll bring me energy, I'll tell you that. It'll be like a fresh start for me. That was a tough deal now. When you do something 31 years and then you've got to change, that jacks everything up. At least it did for me. Real frustrating. We did the best we could. We'll get back to getting in a routine, I feel like."
What's the timeline for the team, when do you get to Tampa?
"I think we're heading out on Monday of that week. As far as the practice days and all that, the times, we're still working through that."
