Mike Norvell Weekly Press Conference Highlights

Opening statement:
I just want to start off by saying thank you to all of Tiger Nation that came out to the game on Saturday for Senior Day. It was definitely a special moment, a special day, to see the celebration of our senior class, who positioned themselves as the winningest group of seniors to ever come through this program. To go out and play at the level that they did, just as a football team, we've talked all season long, 'no distractions.' Continuing to progress, to go out and to play at the level, and with the emotion, everything that's involved in that day, to finish undefeated at the Liberty Bowl for the first time in our program history was pretty special. Our guys, it was fun to see them all celebrating together there afterwards, but we got in the locker room, it wasn't too crazy, because we knew that our journey hasn't ended yet. It comes to this week, championship week, where every game that we've had leading up to this point put us in a position to be in this game. We know the opponent, obviously having to go back out on the road against an undefeated Eastern Division champion, one that's played at an exceptionally high level, we know it's going to be a heck of a game. It's going to take our best effort, we have to have a great week of preparation, and I know our guys are excited about the opportunity. We started off the week well, we had a great intro there Sunday night, today's our guys' off day, but we'll be back at it tomorrow, getting ready to put together our plan. We're excited for the opportunity to be in this game, competing against a great team.

Are the players anxious to have rematch with UCF?
Most definitely. I think after the game there in Orlando, early in the season, I said it after the game, we were embarrassed. We didn't feel like we played to the best of our abilities. All credit went to Central Florida because they caused a lot of that. We turned the ball over four times in the game, lost possession on a kick off return, we didn't score in the red zone, things that you can't do against a great team. I knew it going into the game, I said it during the weekly press conference before it, that was a championship caliber team that we were playing. I think that's been proven correct over the past 11 weeks, and with how Central Florida's been progressing through their season. They've played in some close games, they've been dominant in just about every single one of them. And then you saw last week in their rivalry game that they had, finding a way to be successful in a game that went back and forth. We've got our hands full. Our guys, they know there's no need to talk about it. We've got to go out there and prepare, we've got to put ourselves in a position to be able to have success. But when you're playing against another championship caliber team, you can't make those kinds of mistakes that'll cost you. We're looking forward to the opportunity.

Does the game plan change this time?
I think we have a better sense of who we are. That was our fourth game of the season, it was Central Florida's third game of the season, it was early in the season, and we were still trying to find out who we were going to be. I know defensively, we had a lot of first- or second-time starters in that game, we had communication things that were not as clean as they needed to be. But as the season progresses, you see the cohesion of our football team. We've had to make some changes, our team adapted a little bit to the strengths and talents that we've shown and displayed throughout this year. You also see that on Central Florida's team. You look at their offense, they started off extremely fast this year, and they've continued to get better as the year's gone on because I mean, you look at their quarterback, he's got a second full season under his belt now. He's playing at such a high level, the weapons they have at receiver, the run game, in every aspect of their football team, they've improved, and it's a complete team that we're playing. That's something that with our team, as our season has gone on, and with each opportunity we've had, I feel we've also progressed, it's going to be a great matchup. We're going to look at things that we've done well throughout the season, obviously we've got to have a specific plan, in a sense that we have to prepare for what we're going up against, but at the end of the day, our focus still has to be on us. We've got to make sure we don't turn the football over, we've got to communicate at a high level. And being on the road, it's going to be a hostile atmosphere, we've got to make sure that everything with regards to how we're executing is on point. But that's the great thing about college football, there are plenty of coaches, plenty of schools that don't get this opportunity to play a championship game. I think we're one of 14 teams that are even practicing this week, for this opportunity. It's a humbling experience that we get to go through, but it's one that I think our players have earned. We're going to throw everything we have at it, and we're going to hope that we can make enough plays to put ourselves in a position to achieve success.

With so many injuries early in the year, do you feel like this roster has grown, because of the guys that have been forced to be in certain situations?
No question. You see this with most teams that go through the season, we've talked throughout this year, you'll see teams across college football, that midway through the season, they either get complacent where they are, whether they've achieved success thus far or maybe they've had some setbacks. Then you'll see teams that are hungry and passionate about getting better each and every day. That's one thing I think our team has learned from every experience, good, bad, and indifferent. We've been up big in games and had to hold on, we've had some games where we've been down. You look at Houston, the experience there, we went on the road to Central Florida, didn't play our best game, that was one we had to learn some lessons from that, in how we prepare, what our mindset has to be. And I think our team, whether it was some of the inexperienced players, or some of our senior veterans, realized that we're all in this process together. You have to continue to grow. That's one of the things I've been most proud of about this team, we've responded to every situation to put ourselves in a position to play in this game.

Do you think UCF should be playing for a playoff spot this week?
I'll tell you, going into this game at the beginning of the year, I said it, they are a championship caliber team. I've been fortunate to have been able to coach in different conferences, at different places, and I know that in our conference, the elite teams in our conference this year are very talented, they're well coached. They've played at a high level, regardless of who they've been asked to play. We've shown well. This Central Florida team, I think they've maximized every opportunity, whether they've been on the road against a Big 10 opponent, whether they've been at home, regardless of circumstance. You watch the game last week against South Florida, that was one of the most exciting games in college football this season, but they have really good football players. They have a defensive front that I think is arguably as good as you'll find, they're going to be in that conversation. You look at their corners, their secondary, Mike Hughes is one of the most dynamic returners in the game. I think we have one of the most dynamic returners in the game. You want to see a great assembly of players, you watch that game at 11 o'clock on Saturday in Orlando. These are two really good football teams, whether or not they should be in the playoff conversation, that's for the committee to be able to view. I know that we're playing a football team that regardless of what conference they're in, they would achieve a high level of success, and I think the same could be said for our football team. I love the guys that we have, and I think it's going to be a heck of a matchup.

University of Memphis Athletics

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