University of Florida Football
Media Conference
Monday, September 16, 2024
Gainesville, Florida
Austin Barber
Press Conference
Q. How do you guys build back your defense?
AUSTIN BARBER: I think it starts with the week coming up now. Like it's back to looking at Mississippi State and going forward from there. Can't look in the past. We got the guys in the building that come in every day and want to win, want to turn it around. It starts today.
Q. Billy said that there hasn't been any -- the buy-in s remain and said that could change in the future.
AUSTIN BARBER: Yeah, I have trust in all the guys in the building that we have, and the leaders on this team. We'll stay together and be together through everything, thick and thin.
Coming into today in the lift groups and seeing guys work after what happened and keep going, that gives me confidence that we're all going to be together.
Q. You have three starters back on the offensive line. I know one kind of changed positions. The continuity and the communication, where is it and how can it improve?
AUSTIN BARBER: I think we're doing a good job in communication. We got to get out there and perform. Like Coach said, we got to take the things we're being coached and apply them. I think it starts today, getting better and doing those things.
Q. When you diagnose Texas A&M, how much was communication or sheer physicality?
AUSTIN BARBER: Yeah, I think it's just getting, like Coach said, just fundamentals and stuff like that, being more sharp on that. Just attention to detail on those things.
I have confidence in all the guys that have been playing on the offensive line and the young guys that go in there and perform.
I think it's just going into practice today and nipping the things in the bud we have to fix. I think we'll do a good job of that. I trust the guys in this that room.
Q. How surprised are you that you guys are 1-2 at this point?
AUSTIN BARBER: To me it's a surprise. You know, I have full confidence in this team that we can be really good. I think it's just going out and doing the things like Coach said. Attention to detail, stuff like that. I still have of the confidence. There is a lot of the ball left. We got a lot of games going forward. We have a chance to turn it around.
Q. Graham back. Billy (indiscernible) after Saturday's game. A lot of noise out there. I'm sure you guys aren't immune to it. What would you say to people about the job Billy is doing? He talked about behind the walls. We don't get to see a lot of it. What he's doing to usher this team forward and keep you guys going?
AUSTIN BARBER: Focus on Mississippi State. I think that's the main thing. Focus on what's ahead and the next opponent we have.
Q. In terms of how he's doing as a coach, how you would back your coach at this point?
AUSTIN BARBER: I have 100% confidence in Coach Napier and this whole entire staff. You know, I've said it before that I still have the confidence in him, and I think it's going forward we look at Mississippi State.
Q. You guys struggled to win away from The Swamp the last two years. Have you been able to identify anything in terms of traveling and structure, routine?
AUSTIN BARBER: I think it's just going out there and performing. I mean, take the things that happened in the past three weeks and apply them that we can be better at and go and do it on the road.
Q. The timing good to go on the road now given what's happened the last few weeks in The Swamp and the results here?
AUSTIN BARBER: Yeah. I have full confidence in this team that we're going to go in there and perform. That's my opinion. We got guys in the building that want to win. Like I said, it doesn't matter where we play. Just got to go there and perform.
Q. Maybe a little bit of a galvanizing effect, guys getting closer together in terms of that aspect?
AUSTIN BARBER: I think we been doing that since the beginning of training in the winter, galvanizing together. We got to go apply it.
Q. What did you think of the quarterback rotation on Saturday and how you guys can make that continue to work moving forward?
AUSTIN BARBER: Yeah, I think it was -- I have confidence in both quarterbacks to go out there and perform. You know, I trust both those guys out there. I don't have an issue at all with them doing that.
I think it's something that's going to be beneficial for us.
Both of them have a skillset to go out there and play so I think it's something that's pretty good.
Q. Is that hard for you guys to adjust as an offensive line when either guy is in the game?
AUSTIN BARBER: I don't think so. It's more the fundamentals and technique that we have to focus in order to be able to continue to be better at that.
