University of Florida Football Media Conference

Monday, September 12, 2022

Gainesville, Florida, USA

Richard Gouriage

Press Conference


Q. How would you evaluate offensive line play week 1 to week 2?

RICHARD GOURAIGE: Every day we're just trying to get better, 1 percent every day. I know last week it didn't go as planned. Tomorrow we have a new opportunity to keep getting better.

Q. What did you think of Richie's performance coming in at guard?

RICHARD GOURAIGE: Richie is a great asset for the team. Having him rotate in the offensive line has definitely helped us. He's just a great asset for the team.

Q. When you say last week didn't go as planned, what specifically didn't click that maybe clicked week 1, do you think?

RICHARD GOURAIGE: We just had minor mistakes and stuff like that. Watching the film, we knew that there's some mistakes we could have definitely tweaked up and minor issues we can address. This week is a new week to get better and work on the little things.

Q. What helps you keep perspective? You guys are on top of the world after Utah, now it's this. It's a pretty big emotional roller coaster for two weeks. How do you keep perspective and stay the course?

RICHARD GOURAIGE: Just staying positive. Just believing in one another that every day our end goal is just to win every game. I know last week it was pretty rough for everybody. It's part of life is you've got to learn. You've got to lose in order to win. I know it sucks that we didn't win last week. We have a new week for this week to keep getting better.

Q. You're a veteran guy. How do you impart that to Anthony? Obviously he's played sports his whole life. He gets it. But he's still very young in the position. How do you kind of bolster him there?

RICHARD GOURAIGE: To be honest with you, it's all part of life. I understand that Anthony has a lot of pressure, and it sucks that a lot of people put a lot of pressure on him. But I just know, like a veteran guy, like for instance, Wani Taylor, he always told me after he lost his games, he always told me like next day is another day to get keep getting better and better.

That always sticks with me, and I try to lend that to Anthony Richardson as well and keep getting better.

Q. Coach talks about earning the right to win. What does that mean to you?

RICHARD GOURAIGE: Earning the right to win, we have to follow the formula in order to win. As long as everybody is doing their job to their full capacity, there shouldn't be no doubt that we wouldn't come as victor.

Q. How do you personally flush a loss like that? If you're not positive, as you were saying, things can snowball the way it kind of did last year too.

RICHARD GOURAIGE: Like I said, it's all part of life. You have to lose in order to win. I'm just grateful to have an opportunity that the guys are willing to look at the film and see that the minor mistakes they saw and brush it off.

Hopefully next week we can come out with a big victory.

Q. Justin talked about how the entire culture of the team has changed. Can you talk about that?

RICHARD GOURAIGE: The culture has definitely changed. A lot of guys on this team definitely bought into the system. They believe in Coach, the system that he has for us, and everything that he's doing. We definitely believe in his formula and everything.

Q. What's the difference between now and last year?

RICHARD GOURAIGE: Last year worked for them. We just had -- I don't know how to explain it. Last year we bought in, and this year is a new system we have to buy in. Everybody just -- everybody, our overall goal is just to win.

Q. What did Kentucky do early on to kind of take you guys out of what you wanted to do?

RICHARD GOURAIGE: Kentucky didn't really do it. Kentucky played a great game; kudos to them. Like I said, we saw in the film that we had minor mistakes. We just have to get back on the field and go back to practice and just keep getting better.

Q. It seems like you guys had better success running inside versus outside. What happened to the blocking scheme, why you were so successful rushing on the edge and maybe why you weren't as successful rushing up the gut?

RICHARD GOURAIGE: It was just all part of whatever the defense gave us and what Coach Napier believed that was going to work. We just wanted to execute as best as we can.

Q. How do you feel about Austin standing in for Michael, just being in that starting role?

RICHARD GOURAIGE: Austin stepped up big time. I knew he was the guy and stuff for that. I just had no doubt that he wasn't ready at all to play this game. I'm just glad that he contributed a great way.

Q. And another young player, Trevor Etienne, when did you realize he was going to be a special player and make an impact for you guys as a freshman?

RICHARD GOURAIGE: I remember in camp he was my roommate. I'm looking on film and I'm like, this man's good right here. I'm seeing it face to face, going crazy in the game. It's great to see that young players buying into the system and then taking coaching. He's been doing great.

Q. He's a character. What was he like as a roommate?

RICHARD GOURAIGE: That man's loud. That man can snore. I remember one time 5:00 in the morning he set his alarm because he's a hard sleeper. Set his alarm. I've got to wake up at 7:00, so I wanted two more hours of sleep.

Man, the phone going off. I'm like, man, what are you doing? He's still sleeping, like leave me alone. All right, man, come on. Turn your alarm off.

Other than that, he's a great kid. He's willing to learn. I'm glad to have him as a teammate.

Q. I guess someone said coming from Louisiana this feels like New York City to him.

RICHARD GOURAIGE: He talks crazy, loud; he's just a little character.

Q. Anthony had his coming out party last year against USF. Now a year later facing USF again, where have you seen him grow, the most growth in him?

RICHARD GOURAIGE: I seen it since January since the staff came in, buying into the system, believing Coach Napier, he'll put him in a great position.

I knew from the beginning that he was going to have good strides this year, and I seen it in the summer how he holds guys accountable, hold himself accountable.

Q. What do you remember about that game last year? Do you remember Anthony? Is that what you remember? That USF game.

RICHARD GOURAIGE: I just remember that we just came out with a victory last year.

Q. Won three?

RICHARD GOURAIGE: Represent for the city, man. Great playing for the hometown.

Q. How many guys at USF do you know?

RICHARD GOURAIGE: I know one, probably Donovan. He played left tackle. Other than that, then nobody else.

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124669-1-1041 2022-09-12 16:33:00 GMT

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