Aug. 26, 2008
RB Vondrell McGee
On the different running styles of the RBs: I think it puts a lot on the defense because we bring such versatility to our running game. There are many things that the defense has to prepare for now.
On the RBs working on their catching: With the spread offense this year, the quarterbacks will be throwing us more balls. I think we are all just about even in our ability to catch the ball.
On what he worked on the most in training camp: I worked on my blocking the most, because I want to be able to pick up blitzes better and be more physical with the linebackers. I worked on just reading coverages better as well.
On the more complicated packages being made: I think that will be better for us because we'll be throwing more things at defenses. They'll have more things to look for and to prepare for.
LB Jared Norton
On who is starting this weekend: Coach Muschamp basically said that he is going to play the best guys. That's his job to decide who will be the best fit right now. The people who are the best fit are the guys who are going to play. Basically, if you do well in practice, you are going to play.
On being ready to hit other players: We've been going through all of these two-a-day practices and I'm starting to get a little tired of seeing burnt orange jerseys. I'm ready to see some other faces on the field.
On keeping pressure on Florida Atlantic's quarterback: We've been working on that, but we've been working more on learning how to play defense as a unit. Basically, when Saturday comes around, we'll be ready to play together and we are just going to enjoy ourselves. Their quarterback is a talented player, but we're talented too.
On Florida Atlantic's strengths: They have a lot of great skill players. They have a great quarterback of course, but they have great receivers as well. They run really good screens, so we'll have to keep our eyes out for that too.
DE Sam Acho
On the importance of a good pass rush: We're just trying to get as much pressure as we can on the quarterback in whatever way possible. We've been trying to mix it up a little bit with different guys in there, whatever we can do to try to affect the quarterback is what we're going to do.
On the young safeties: We're excited about them, actually. They're doing well. The line, we're trying to help them out, get some pressure. But the safeties are helping us out. We're getting coverage sacks in practice and stuff like that. From the line to the linebackers to the safeties, corners, we're loving it. We're doing really well.
On the bond between players of Nigerian descent on the team: We have a strong bond. The whole team right now during two-a-days has been growing close, as well. So it's not just us, it's the entire team, from the D-linemen to the secondary to the quarterbacks, even the O-linemen, we all hang out together. We're always doing stuff together, eating together. So the whole team is bonding really well.
It's one of those things where you kind of share the same background as someone else, but we try to expand that to the whole team, share our culture with some of our other teammates, they share their culture with us. So it's just fun.
LB Sergio Kindle
On the team's youth: I don't even see them as a freshman. I just see them as a teammate. No matter what age they are or what classification they are, they're just a teammate. They're going to be ready just like I was.
On the importance of a good pass rush in taking pressure off the young secondary: I'm hoping (we can provide a good rush), and if not, I'm pretty sure they're going to do their jobs just as well. However it may go, we're just going to do our thing and hope we come out on top.
On playing against a veteran and savvy quarterback: This is just going to be a test, period, with the new defense and the way that they block. And their quarterback being the type of quarterback that he is, he knows how to make check downs real fast and get the ball out of his hands before getting hit. We're just going to have to bring it because he's experienced and he's probably seen it all.
On the talent level of Florida teams: Florida is just full of talent, so you can't underestimate any team in Florida. They're always going to have speed, they're always going to have depth. That's just what it is. No matter what their record is, they're going to be talented.
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