Q. In the LSU game, how much of that was correctible, self-inflicted wounds, in your opinion?
JAYDON HILL: I would say 90 percent of the explosive plays was somebody not doing their job. More than half of that was self inflicted, we caused it. Not taking away from them having good players, but it just comes down to us not executing.
Q. Does it give you a more positive mindset when you see it's stuff we can easily fix and move on to the next week rather than something you feel you're really overmatched?
JAYDON HILL: It's much easier said than done. It's been kind of the same recurring problems, but like I said before, it's easier said than done. We've got to take pride in it, take pride in the performance at the end of the day.
Q. Communication is never easy on the road. How much harder is it when you have freshman safeties and guys doing it for the first time versus guys like yourself?
JAYDON HILL: Like I was told when I came in, once you're on the field, we don't really look at it as classification like that because you're out here. Freshmen playing early, you're lucky to play early, but you've just got to play on point as if you're a vet. All those factors do play a part in it like communication at a young age, 17, 18 years old, and you're flying around.
I just try to do my best to keep them going, level headed, and stuff like that.
Q. When you go back -- when you look back to your freshman year, how hard is it to adjust to the speed of a game, high level game, like LSU with high level athletes when you're a freshman or sophomore? What's that like?
JAYDON HILL: It's really fast. You go from playing guys in high school, you could lose a step, maybe not play the best of technique and you can still make the play. At this level, one step off, and they could go for six.
Q. What has allowed Ricky Pearsall to take his game to the next level? I don't know if you realized he could become the first 1,000-yard receiver at Florida since 2002, which given all the great players, it's pretty amazing.
JAYDON HILL: Personally, I feel like Ricky will get to 1,000. Yeah, he'll definitely get that no doubt. Ricky is a great player. Just the way he approaches the game, like his preparation, just his work ethic. That's what makes him a great player.
Q. Has he elevated his game this year?
JAYDON HILL: Yeah.
Q. In what way?
JAYDON HILL: I would just say being confident and more consistent with himself. More consistent with his game and more confident in himself.
Q. On a personal level, I know it's not about you, but you are keeping track of what you're up to and everything. How much pride do you take in the performance you put out this year?
JAYDON HILL: With me personally, I try to make every play that comes my way, I'm sure every guy says that, but I try to fly around as much as I can and make every play that comes my way. That's what I kind of take pride in and being consistent. That's what I try to do every game.
Q. Have you done that?
JAYDON HILL: I would say for the most part, yes, sir.
Q. A week ago you guys had to go against Nabers and Thomas, and now you're going against Luther Burden and Theo Wease. Would you talk about the challenge of those receivers compared to the ones you had last week maybe?
JAYDON HILL: Last week, those guys are first round, second round type of guys. They're good players. This week we have another group of receivers that can go too. Like I said earlier, it comes down, one-on-one matchups and taking pride in your performance. At the end of the day, it comes down to you or him.
As a leader, I guess I say like a struggling secondary, like these are the type of talks we have to have as a unit. Enough becomes enough. We've got to make plays.
Q. How much is getting in a bowl game motivation for you guys as players? You guys talk about getting this win?
JAYDON HILL: At the end of the day, if you're a real competitor and you like winning, winning like -- the bowl games come with winning. Me, I love winning. I'm sure like most of the guys in there, we all won a bowl game, so we've got to win. At the end of the day, we've just got to win.
Q. Competing and pride, as a group, as a unit, have the last couple weeks been embarrassing for the defense?
JAYDON HILL: Yeah, obviously.
Q. Your injuries, you had some struggles going back to high school. Just how gratifying is it with the season you're having? How gratifying is this whole stretch for you?
JAYDON HILL: Regardless of the fact, it's a blessing. All the things I've been through and still able to keep going. Yeah, it's a blessing. When you look at it from like that standpoint for sure.
Q. Do you keep -- I don't think you have like hardware put in your body, but you always hear some guys that keep a screw or whatever to remind them?
JAYDON HILL: I didn't get no screws or nothing like that. No, no, no, I got scars. That's it. That's all I need.
Q. (No microphone)? You came in and played on the inside. Are you showing another side to the NFL?
JAYDON HILL: I would just say that shows a bit of versatility. At the next level, me personally, I feel like I can play anywhere in the secondary, and I was able to show them like just that versatility. I guess it had some benefits to it for sure.
Q. Ricky mentioned he got the Senior Bowl invite. Have you gotten any contact from those games?
JAYDON HILL: No, not yet.
Q. Have you spoken with Ty'Ron Hopper, by chance?
JAYDON HILL: Ty'Ron? That's my best friend.
Q. Trash talking?
JAYDON HILL: All the time, that's all we do.
Q. Is he in the lineup?
JAYDON HILL: I believe so. I think his ankle is messed up. He ain't give me no definite answer yet. I know he was in a boot the other day. He might go. He might not. I'm going to see. I'm going to definitely find out.
Q. Tre'Vez going?
JAYDON HILL: Tre'Vez, yeah, he's playing this week. I talked to Tre'Vez the other day. I talked to Hopper actually yesterday.
Q. Those guys have an edge?
JAYDON HILL: I know them boys got a chip on their shoulder. They try to make every play. Especially with Tre'Vez being here last year, I know he's going to be trying to fly around. But I like us.
Q. What do you think of cold weather games? How many have you played in?
JAYDON HILL: I played in like two maybe, two. I'd say my freshman year at Missouri and Vanderbilt last year.
Q. That's right. Is it kind of a shock to the system?
JAYDON HILL: I mean, at the end of the day, you know, if you want to play the next level, you're bound to play in the cold. At the end of the day, it's football. We've got to come ready to play regardless of the fact.
Q. Some guys when they have a friend on the other roster, it can kind of give them a little bit of an edge or make them play a little bit harder. Do you feel that at all when you know someone on the other team, that you want to show out?
JAYDON HILL: I do kind of feel that, but at the end of the day, I do this for me. But for sure, that's always in the back of the mind like yeah, let me -- yeah, for sure.
Q. You've been here four years. Will you do like Senior Day stuff next week?
JAYDON HILL: Yes, sir.
Q. Have you put any thought into, at the end of your eligibility, coming back or what you'll do next year?
JAYDON HILL: I haven't really thought too hard on that yet, but I'll be doing Senior Day. I don't know yet as far as my plans.
Q. Do you have emotions about this possibly being your last couple of games? What it's meant to be a Gator all these years and all that stuff?
JAYDON HILL: I definitely love being a Gator. I take pride in being a Gator. I definitely miss this place when my time is up. I just hope that we'll become bowl eligible for sure.
Q. How much have you seen Sharif improve throughout the season, just his awareness and work ethic, habits in practice? How much have you seen him improve throughout the year?
JAYDON HILL: Sharif does a good job of coming to practice every day and looking for ways to get better. He's going to be a really good player in the future.
It sucks like he didn't get too much time this year, but he's definitely going to be one of those guys. I just appreciate him showing up every day and going to work. He's definitely up and coming.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports