2025 Florida Football Postgame Notes

USF 18, No. 13 Florida 16

Steve Spurrier-Florida Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium – Gainesville, Fla.

OFFENSIVE NOTES

• Florida dropped to 7-2 in games started by QB DJ Lagway, who completed 23-of-33 passes for 222
  yards and one touchdown for a 130.1 rating.
  o Lagway is 38-of-51 (74.5%) for 342 yards, four touchdowns and one interception in 2025.
• Lagway has posted a QB rating above 130.0 in eight-straight games
• Lagway threw a touchdown for the seventh-straight contest.
• Although RB Jadan Baugh failed to eclipse 100 yards for the second-straight game, he rushed for
  93 yards on 18 carries (5.2 YPC) in Week 2 for 197 rush yards on the season.
  o He was seven yards shy of becoming the fifth Gator with consecutive 100-yard rushing
  games to open the season.
• Baugh produced three explosive rushes on five carries in Florida’s first drive alone.
• In the last nine games since last season, Baugh boasts nine total touchdowns, 129 carries, 717 yards
  (5.6 YPC, 79.7 YPG) with more than 400 yards after contact.
• WR Eugene Wilson III has recorded a catch in 16-straight games he has played dating back to his
  collegiate debut at Utah in 2023.
• Wilson led Florida in receptions for the second-straight week, catching seven passes for 60 yards
  (also team high) and one touchdown.
• Vernell Brown III logged five receptions for 56 yards in his second-career game after having three
  catches for 79 yards in Week 1.
• RB Ja’keem Jackson logged the longest reception of his career (26 yards) in the third quarter.
• TE Hayden Hansen made his 24th-consecutive start, which is the second-longest active streak on
  the team and leads all Florida offensive players.
• The Gators have rushed for 100 yards in 12-straight contests and 34 of 40 games in the Napier era.
• Florida has registered a passing touchdown in 31 of 40 games during the Napier era.
• The Gators have won the time of possession battle in 18 of their last 27 games dating back to the
  start of 2023.
  DEFENSIVE NOTES
• Florida is allowing 11.7 points per game across the last six contests and 9.3 PPG in the last four
  contests alone.
• The Gators have held opponents to 18 points or less in six-straight games.
• Florida has held opponents scoreless on their first drive in 10-straight games and has not allowed
  any first-quarter points in six-straight contests.
  o The Gators defense opened the 2025 season with five shutout quarters.
• Florida has held its opponent without a first-half touchdown in four-straight games.
• EDGE Tyreak Sapp posted 1.0 sack and 2.0 tackles for loss.
• LB Myles Graham tied for the team lead in tackles for the second-straight week, tying his career
  high of eight while adding two QB hurries.
• LB Jaden Robinson tied Graham with eight tackles and added one pass breakup.
• DB Bryce Thornton and DB Devin Moore had a career-high two pass breakups apiece.
• DB Cormani McClain recorded 1.0 tackle for loss.

SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES

• WR Vernell Brown III flipped the field in the fourth quarter with a 40-yard punt return that saw an
  additional 15 yards tacked on for a USF personal foul.
• P Tommy Doman punted four times for an average of 46.8 yards, highlighted by a long of 63 yards
  and two inside the 20-yard line.
• K Trey Smack finished 3-for-3 on field goal attempts to improve to 40-for-50 in his career (80.0%).
  o Smack connected from 28, 36 and 41 yards in the first half.
• Smack went 1-for-1 on extra point attempts to remain perfect in his career (81 of 81).
  o Smack moved into sole possession of fourth in consecutive PATs made at Florida.
• With three made field goals, Smack now has converted 40 FGs in his career, moving him ahead of
  Eddy Pinero (38) for the seventh-most in program history.
  MILESTONE WATCH
• With one sack in today’s game, EDGE Tyreak Sapp reached 10 in his career.
  EXPLOSIVE PLAYS (8)
• RB Jadan Baugh: 14-yard rush, first quarter
• RB Jadan Baugh: 15-yard rush, first quarter
• RB Jadan Baugh: 10-yard rush, first quarter
• Vernell Brown III (from QB DJ Lagway): 15-yard reception, second quarter
• TE Hayden Hansen (from Lagway): 28-yard reception, second quarter
• WR Vernell Brown III (from Lagway): 24-yard reception, second quarter
• RB Ja’kobi Jackson (from Lagway): 26-yard reception, third quarter
• Eugene Wilson III (from Lagway): 32-yard reception, third quarter
  SERIES UPDATES
• Week 2 marked the fourth overall meeting vs. USF and the second under Napier.
• With today’s loss, Florida falls to 3-1 (1.000) in the series vs. USF.
  o The Gators are 2-1 against the Bulls in The Swamp.
• Florida has outscored USF, 127-80 (+47 pts / 11.8 PPG), and out-gained the Bulls, 1,773 to 1,420 (+353
  yds / 88.3 YPG) across the all-time series.
  THE SCORING STREAK
• Florida has scored in 463 consecutive games — which is an NCAA record and 55 games longer
  than any other college football team in history.
  o The Gators broke Michigan’s record of 365 games (1984-2014) vs. LSU on Oct. 7, 2017.
  o The last time Florida was shut out was on Oct. 29, 1988, vs. Auburn (L, 16-0).

GAME DETAILS

• Florida Game Captains: #58 OL Austin Barber, #27 DB Dijon Johnson, #28 DB Devin Moore
  o Johnson and Moore served as captains for the first time in their careers.
• Coin Toss: Florida won the toss and deferred; USF received and UF defended the south endzone.
  o Florida has won the coin toss in both games this season.
• Attendance: 89,909 (14th-consecutive sellout)

University of Florida Football
Media Conference
Saturday, September 6, 2025
Gainesville, Florida, USA
Billy Napier
Press Conference

South Florida – 18, Florida – 16
BILLY NAPIER: Not good enough, and it’s my
responsibility. I think when you evaluate the game, the red
zone missed opportunities caught up with us, and we let
them hang around. Certainly the penalties contributed to
the game. I think we had over 100 yards in penalties. It
extended their drives, and it slowed down our drives. You
add in the bad snap for the safety, and then you lose the
explosive play battle and you lose the turnover margin, you
don’t deserve the right to win.
We had seven possessions in the second half and punted
six times and ultimately let them hang around. They kick a
field goal there. They take it down the field and kick a field
goal to win us.
I want to keep it short and sweet. I think that we can do
much better, we can coach better, we can play better.
Obviously I don’t like these any more than our fans do or
you do. We have to do much better. I think that we have a
group that will respond, and tomorrow we’ll present that
opportunity.
I think that sums up the game. I know you’ve got
questions. So what are they?
Q. Billy, the undisciplined actions by your team, how
surprising was that given that you’ve preached about
this team being different, this team having a level of
accountability? And then for them with the penalties
on the offensive line, some of the PI — obviously the
spitting — how unacceptable is that for you, and what
do you say to people you’ve talked to for months about
this team is different?
BILLY NAPIER: Yeah, I think the procedure penalties —
obviously we can live with the technical penalties. There’s
always going to be a handful of those. The ones that keep
you up at night are the ones that are player
decision-making, so there’s got to be some ownership
there on both ends.

They’re under my leadership. It’s ultimately my
responsibility. So we need to eliminate the false starts.
We need to eliminate the personal fouls. We did have a
substitution penalty as well. So those are the ones as
coaches that we have to take responsibility for.
Q. Is that coaching, or do you put it on them in terms
of their accountability?
BILLY NAPIER: No. I think that the players make
mistakes, it’s part of the game, but I do think that ultimately
it’s my responsibility. So I think it is coaching.
Q. A season starting in the hole again, heading to LSU
now. What’s the challenge for you guys ahead now?
It’s like you’re kind of already behind the eight ball
before the season barely began.
BILLY NAPIER: I don’t think there’s any question about it.
Look, this will be a challenge. It will be a challenge for
every individual in the organization, player and staff. But I
do think the game can teach you a lot, and I think we’ll
have our opportunity to respond. I think that this group has
been through some of these battles before. I’m hopeful
that can help us.
Look, I’m more concerned with the football. Ultimately, I
think there’s a lot of positive. In terms of the other stuff, the
football’s got to get better. We’ve got to take ownership of
the football.
Q. What’s the message to fans? 14 straight sell-outs?
You had a lot of their support?
BILLY NAPIER: It was incredible.
Q. But you come out —
BILLY NAPIER: Yeah, they were a factor. We have no —
there’s no excuse here. I’m not up here to make excuses.
Q. They were able to hold for the game-winning field
goal. Was there a thought about trying to burn some
timeouts sooner, or how did you view the clock
management in the last two minutes?

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BILLY NAPIER: We had two. At that point, there’s going
to be a field goal kicked. They had one, so they had an
extra down. So regardless of when the timeouts get called,
it’s going to end up about the same.
Q. All the noise at the beginning of last season, it’s
probably going to start again. Does that concern you
at all?
BILLY NAPIER: We created it. We deserve it. If you play
football like that, you’re going to be criticized. It comes with
the territory, right? Only thing you can do is go get it fixed,
and that’s what we’ll start working on tomorrow.
Q. What did you say to your player about the spitting
penalty?
BILLY NAPIER: Well, I haven’t had that conversation with
him yet. We’ll take a good look at it, but it’s unacceptable.
I think we’ve got a lot of players in that room as well that
have the same belief that it’s unacceptable.
When a guy does something like that, he’s compromising
the team. He’s putting himself before the team. Everything
the game is about, you’re compromising. So there will be
lessons to be learned there. Yeah, it’s that simple.
Q. How would you assess the step back that the
defense appeared to take this week compared to last
week? Missing more time, struggling to keep Brown
contained, and obviously the big passing touchdown
you had on that. What did you see on that in
particular?
BILLY NAPIER: I think that the ball’s in the air. I think
we’ve got two players breaking on the ball. I think there’s
opportunity there. I think ultimately there, there’s a quick
substitution. We’ve got to get our call in. I think that was
the biggest issue is we didn’t necessarily have a call. They
snapped it as quick as possible.
In general, there’s an opportunity to make a play on the
ball. We misjudged the ball a little bit. Ultimately, I think
that’s the thing that you’re going to evaluate.
Q. Do you think you’re the right man for this program?
14-7 in The Swamp, the losses keep mounting, and
some of the mistakes that keep happening with this
program. Do you think you’re the right guy?
BILLY NAPIER: Yeah, I think I’m more concerned with
doing my job to help lead these young men. That’s a big
picture question, and I think right now it’s more about
today. It’s more about what we do tomorrow, and I think

that’s what we’ve got to get consumed with.
I think I’m consumed with doing the best job I can do for
the players, leading the staff, and getting the football fixed
because ultimately that’s going to decide how far we go
around here.
Q. Coach, when you talk about the football, there will
be some people that question some of the calls based
upon a heavy box or looking out man to certain sides
and then running to that side. How much leeway does
DJ have responsibility with getting you all into the
right play, and does he have that flexibility within the
scheme to maybe get you guys out of that? Is that a
by-product of just him continuing to grow as a
quarterback in ninth or tenth start?
BILLY NAPIER: I can take a better look at it and let you
know on Monday. I like to watch the tape. But I do think
there’s a lot we can do better. There’s going to be
ownership from staff and players here, but in general, I’ll be
able to give you a better answer on Monday.
Q. Obviously a lot of football left. Last year you
praised the team for not fracturing amid the difficult
circumstances. With the amount of veterans you have,
just your confidence level that this is maybe going to
galvanize the group and they’re going to get the
response you’re looking for?
BILLY NAPIER: Yeah, we won’t have that issue. We won’t
have that problem. This group, they won’t splinter. There’s
too much good in that room. That’s not the issue.
Q. What were your thoughts on the play calling
tonight? Offensively.
BILLY NAPIER: I think there’s a ton of missed
opportunities in the game early. I think that we shot
ourselves in the foot quite a bit. I think we played from
behind the sticks. Penalties were a major issue.
Then I think we probably were — we didn’t get it done in the
second half. We had seven possessions and six punts.
To me, when I think about it, I think about the second half.
I think there’s some opportunities there to make some
plays, but I also think we contribute to that as coaches.
I’d like to watch the tape before I comment on that, but in
general, I think there’s a combination of both. That’s how I
would say it.
Q. How costly was it to have those two touchdowns
called back on the same series there?

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BILLY NAPIER: Yeah, I think the holding penalty was
definitely a penalty. We grabbed the guy. I think the OPI, I
think it will be up for debate. We’ll see what that looks like
when we turn it in. I think the guy’s running a route.
There’s some — yeah.
Again, those are huge plays in the game because they
allow the opponent to hang around. So we’re in the red
area a couple different times. We have two touchdowns
called back. We have false start penalties in the red area.
We’re forced to kick field goals. We got nine points to
show for it at the half. We moved the ball. I think we had
close to 220-something yards at halftime. So we had
moved it up-and-down the field. We just didn’t score
touchdowns.
Look, we can sit here and talk about all of these technical
things, but it’s not good enough. We’ve got work to do.
You guys know it. I know it. Anybody that watched it
knows it. We got to take ownership of it, and we got to go
back to work. That’s it.
Q. I was going to ask two quick ones. You may have
kind of addressed it more or less, but the one drive
where they get the ball back, what kind of went into
that? DJ’s throwing on first down. Is that just one
where you guys got to line up and just get first downs
at this point?
BILLY NAPIER: Sure, that’s exactly what you needed to
do at that point. I think we got ourselves into a good play.
We had a chance on third down to put the game away
basically, right? So we had a matchup in the slot and we
had a chance to make a play, and the game’s essentially
over at that point.
But there’s a lot of individual plays. It’s the summation of
them all. We contributed too much to their success.
The last thing I want to say is I don’t want to discredit South
Florida. I think they did a lot of good things out there. I
have respect for how they play. Give them some credit for
hanging around and finding a way to win the game. But I
do think that we had our opportunities to win the game
tonight, and we’ve got to go get it done.
We’ve got to clean up these things that are under our
control.
Q. Positive ending here, please? Tre Wilson, Vernell
Brown, the big punt return. Tre looked like he kind of
emerged a bit tonight. We haven’t seen that for a
while.
BILLY NAPIER: Two really good slot players, both made a

bunch of plays tonight. We tried like crazy to get them
involved, we did. Obviously the punt return was huge. We
were able to capitalize on that. So those will be bright
spots, but it’s hard to have any when you don’t get the
results you want. So back to work here.
FastScripts by ASAP Sports

159560-1-1182 2025-09-07 01:09:00 GMT Page 3 of 3

University of Florida Football
Media Conference
Saturday, September 6, 2025
Gainesville, Florida, USA
DJ Lagway
Press Conference

South Florida – 18, Florida – 16
Q. DJ, can you just go into the vibe in the locker room
after the game? Who spoke up to reiterate the
message that this can’t be something that breaks you
guys with so much of the season left?
DJ LAGWAY: Yeah, sure. The vibe in the locker room is
we were definitely heartbroken, sad, mad. We could have
played a lot better. We left a lot of points on the board.
We did a lot of things that we should have cleaned up,
yeah.
Q. How out of character were the mistakes, the
penalties, the spitting penalty as well? How much is
that not reflective of how good, in your opinion, this
team can be?
DJ LAGWAY: Yeah, it’s so out of character for us. Coach
Napier, he’s built the foundation from day one here. He
knows and we know what’s the expectations here, and we
didn’t live up to that today.
Q. This season last year started off — or last year’s
season started off in a real hole too. Can you draw on
any of that? It doesn’t get any easier, obviously.
DJ LAGWAY: Oh, no, it’s football. Good days, bad days,
but there’s always another day. We’re going to continue to
improve, continue to work on the things we need to work
on as a group and just focus on ourselves.
Q. Where do you feel like you’re at right now in terms
of your play? You barely played any football in the last
nine months.
DJ LAGWAY: Correct. I feel like I still didn’t play very well.
We didn’t get the W, so I didn’t play well. I put the
offensive responsibilities on myself. Got to make the plays
when I need to make the plays and when my guys are
counting on me. So I put all that on me.
At the end of the day, I know what I’m capable of, my guys

know what I’m capable of, and we’re just going to continue
to work hard. At the end of the day, that’s all I can really
say about it.
Q. You’re missing throws high. Is that something kind
of mechanical or something you can put a finger on?
It seemed like you had a few open receivers that you
kind of overthrew.
DJ LAGWAY: It’s football, I’m going to miss some throws.
It’s all about how you bounce back. Next week I’m going to
continue to work on our connection, continue to work on
our timing and stuff like that.
Q. You were described as having an edge throughout
this week. Just how surprising is it given your
approach from last game, wanting to come into this
and have a better performance than to be facing this
disappointment?
DJ LAGWAY: Yeah, I’m definitely surprised for sure, but
it’s football. Good or bad, at the end of the day, I’m here to
have fun and play football, and at the end of the day, we
didn’t play our best. Like I said, there’s always another
week, and we always can grow and improve on it.
Q. Can you guys lean on what happened last year, the
1-2 start, avoiding fracturing and splintering, or is this
new circumstances, new team?
DJ LAGWAY: Definitely. We definitely have history of
being in this situation, but these are new guys, group of
new guys, and we’re going to rally together and figure it all
out together. It’s a new group of guys.
I’m excited, man. We’re going to get out there and work
hard this week and continue to take steps in the right
direction.
Q. What do you think of Tre kind of getting involved
more than he has? He’s kind of been on the shelf.
Then Vernell, just his explosiveness and the kind of
plays he can flip games with?
DJ LAGWAY: Sure, it’s great having those guys around

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and making plays for you. It’s always great when you can
have a receiver and you can throw a five-yard hitch and
they take it 90 yards. It’s great having those guys. I’m just
thankful. I’m going to continue to build our relationship,
continue to build our chemistry, and it’s going to be fun.
Q. How do you assess your health right now? It just
looks like from the untrained eye that your shoulder
doesn’t look right on some of those throws down the
field. I know you’ve missed nine months of work, but
how do you feel about where you’re at?
DJ LAGWAY: I feel great. I feel great where my body’s at
right now. I’m still working on some things mechanically.
Like I said, I’m just excited for the grind. I’d rather — good
teams don’t peak in September, they peak in December.
I’m ready to continue to work hard and continue to take
strides for greatness.
Q. But you feel like you can make those deep throws
like you did last year?
DJ LAGWAY: Yeah, for sure, yes, sir. Like I said,
coaches, they watch film too. They know what my
strengths are. So they’re preparing for it, and they’re going
to take that away. I’ve got to learn how to get the ball down
and make other plays. Yeah, that’s all I can say about that
one.
Q. Teams are basically like playing two deep and just
like not letting you throw behind them?
DJ LAGWAY: Yeah, teams they come out with different
things, but that’s kind of the gist right now. We’re going to
figure it out, and we’ll continue to work with Coach O’Hara,
work with Coach Napier and watch film and find ways to
dissect it, so yeah.
Q. On the last one, that drive that gave them the ball
back, you guys were only able to take 27 seconds off
the clock. That’s got to be frustrating. Isn’t that a time
of the game where it’s like you’ve got the game in your
hands really, it’s up to you guys to kind of close it out?
DJ LAGWAY: Yeah, for sure, it’s definitely frustrating. I
feel like I put that on me. I feel I threw a pass when I
shouldn’t have. Yeah, I’ve got to be a better situational
expert on that in four-minute mode, and I’ve got to keep the
ball rolling, keep the clock moving, and stuff like that.
Q. There’s going to be a lot of outside noise after a
game like this. Fans kind of upset. How do you as a
leader kind of keep your locker room locked in and
kind of avoid that noise?

DJ LAGWAY: Yeah, for sure, we really don’t focus on the
noise good or bad. We come in every day and work hard
and put our best foot forward every single day.
Q. You guys have talked about the penalties, but some
of the inexcusable ones, the spitting penalty and
everything, how do you as a leader kind of address
that going forward?
DJ LAGWAY: For sure. Brendan, he’s a heck of a player.
He made a mistake there. That doesn’t identify his
character at all. He’s such a nice guy, nice kid, nice person
to have in the locker room. He was in there crying and
stuff like that, feeling bad, talking to the coaches, talking to
the players, and apologizing for it.
We don’t ever hold that against anybody. He’s going to
come prepared this week and stuff like that, so yeah.
FastScripts by ASAP Sports

159566-1-1182 2025-09-07 01:24:00 GMT Page 2 of 2

University of Florida Football
Media Conference
Saturday, September 6, 2025
Gainesville, Florida, USA
Devin Moore
Press Conference

South Florida – 18, Florida – 16
Q. Devin, last season started out rough too. It’s not
going to get any easier starting next week, but what’s
kind of the rallying cry for this team right now?
DEVIN MOORE: You know we’re brothers. We put in
blood, sweat, tears, a lot of time, and we can’t help but
stick together.
I done see guys in that locker room cry. I done cried with
guys in that locker room. There’s no choice but to stick
together. We’re family.
Q. The undisciplined penalties and stuff. Last week
flawless, no penalties. This week 11 and some real
costly ones. How do you explain that? Did you get
swept up in the moment? What do you think that was?
DEVIN MOORE: Yeah, we just got to put the team first.
Sometimes your emotions can get high, but you can’t
jeopardize the team. Then also take accountability for your
actions and just clean it up when we see it on film and just
address it. That’s the most important part.
It shouldn’t be the coaches that have to address it. It
should come from your brothers holding you accountable
because that’s the strongest form.
Q. How frustrating was it, the near pick there you
probably should have had at the end? Do you feel like
that’s one you normally catch?
DEVIN MOORE: Yeah, for sure. I had my hands on it,
and then I felt like the receiver got a little hand in there, but
I got to come down with that if I want to be the player I
want to be.
Q. It gets overshadowed by the loss, but the defensive
performance the last two weeks has been obviously
pretty good. Is that kind of the championship level
defense you guys expected to play when the season
started?

DEVIN MOORE: Not at all. There was a lot of point of
attack plays out there as a defense that we could have
made, including myself. We definitely have more to clean
up on the film. We could be better as a whole defense. I
believe anybody on that defense will tell you that — players,
coaches. We got to get back tomorrow and clean all that
up.
Q. Brown obviously broke and gained a few times.
Just curious on your thoughts about him and what
made him kind of difficult throughout the game?
DEVIN MOORE: Yeah, their whole offensive structure, the
tempo, that was something you had to take into account,
and he’s a good player. He made some plays tonight that
were crucial for their win.
We’ve just got to go back tomorrow and see how we can
contain him more. That’s with the whole defense, not just
on our edges and our D-line. It’s DBs, corners included.
We’ve got to come together as a defense and better
contain running quarterbacks.
Q. Next week starts your SEC Conference play. You
talked about preparation through this whole
off-season. What does it mean to start SEC play next
week, especially on the road against LSU, a team that
you guys have a lot of history with?
DEVIN MOORE: Yeah, it means everything, just like this
week meant everything. I like to say, we’re all on a one
day contract. We treat every game the same. Every day
of preparation is so important because those plays out
there, our point of attack plays that slide the game one way
or the other, when the opportunity comes, we’ve got to
have the preparation behind the scenes to make those
plays.
So it’s very important. Every game is important, the most
important of the week.
Q. The spitting penalty, how do you as a senior leader
kind of handle something like that when it happens,
especially on a game-winning drive like that?

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DEVIN MOORE: For sure. Address it, hold my teammate
accountable. There’s no place for that as an individual and
certainly representing the University of Florida. There’s no
place for that here. This is a prestigious program, and that
will be addressed for sure.
Q. As a veteran on this team, how much responsibility
do you feel to impart that message to the young guys
who may be motivated or feeling like this is going to
be a setback that could splinter? I know you said it’s
not a problem, but as the veteran leadership, how
motivated do you feel to lead that charge?
DEVIN MOORE: Extremely motivated. Like I said earlier,
these guys I’ve bled with, cried with. There have been a lot
of long nights. So I’m very motivated, me and other people
on the team. You can’t be — everyone can hold everyone
accountable. Even the young guys who haven’t
experienced as much, they should be holding me
accountable and other leaders.
I’m ready to get back to work, clean this film up, and just
improve.
Q. How much can you lean on what happened last
year? You guys go into the bye week and take more
accountability and turn things around? How much can
you lean on how things went last year in this current
struggle?
DEVIN MOORE: Yeah, having that experience definitely
helps just — it’s just like a wakeup call to everybody. Every
rep in practice matters. Every rep in the film room matters.
We got to take it to the level of extreme. Everything
matters. Nothing goes unnoticed.
Q. How do you guys show your belief and backing for
Billy? Like last year, he’s going to start just taking
tremendous heat right out of the gate again.
DEVIN MOORE: Yeah, Coach Napier, he’s a great coach
and even a better person. He’s changed a lot of people’s
lives on the team, and we believe in him 100 percent, 110
percent. He’s going to put us in the right position to make
plays, and it’s up to us as players to make those plays.
From a fan’s view or just from an audience view, it might
discredit Billy when really it’s just a player who has to make
that play and he’s in the perfect call.
Q. Earlier in the game there was an illegal substitution
penalty on the defense that allowed them to keep the
drive alive and get a field goal. You could have had
them off the field there. How do you guys clean that

up and how tough is that with the substitutions when
you guys are filling in and out like that?
DEVIN MOORE: Yeah, that was a big penalty. We’ve got
to watch it on film and figure out what we can do better, not
only as players, but talking to the coaches, communicating
with them, and just take a step in that area.
Q. Devin, obviously the orange and blue, the Gators,
the Gator fans, they see, they come out, they sell out,
and they’ve seen you guys lose against USF. Can you
talk about what does it mean for you to play for the
orange and blue, and what message do you have for
the fans?
DEVIN MOORE: It means everything to me. This program
has changed my life, made me a better football player, but
even more important, a better man. I know my teammates
can say the same for that. I feel like as a team we owe it
all to this program.
FastScripts by ASAP Sports

159565-1-1182 2025-09-07 01:18:00 GMT Page 2 of 2

2025 Florida Football Postgame Quotes
Alex Golesh, USF Head Coach
USF 18, No. 13 Florida 16
Sept. 6, 2025

Opening statement…
“Thank you for everybody that hung around. It was a cool, cool moment for us there at the end.
Really proud of our guys, I just told them in the locker room. Remain humble through this whole thing,
enjoy it tonight, come back in the morning with a really humble approach. We got to reset and
continue to believe in our process, continue to believe in each other and continue to play for each
other. We talked last night about just continuing to put our identity on display. I talked about identity
a lot going into last week. Talked about identity a lot this summer. A really mentally and physically
tough football team that’s process driven, that’s really focused, that plays for each other. Told these
guys in the locker room that in modern-day college football, when everybody talks about it, when
everybody writes about it… but in modern-day college football, it’s really, really hard to do what
these guys are doing right now, which is not listening to anybody outside of our building, trusting their
inner-circle, believing their inner-circle and just continue to be proud of building something. They’re
continuing to tell their story and very similar to last week, there’s probably not just a bunch of
popping stats, we lost the time of possession again, but ultimately, we found a way to win. That 5:00-
whatever mark, I thought we’re going to have one drive, we have to play it like we had one drive.
Our defense created another drive, thought we used the timeouts the right way. And then the
challenge was to make sure we secured the ball. Tried to go punch it in at the end. We were going
to put it in one guy’s hands at the end, and that’s Byrum [Brown]. He did a phenomenal job. So, really
cool moment for our kids. Really incredible moment for our fanbase. Really incredible moment for
everybody that’s believed in us for the last couple years. This is not the end of the road. We got to
reset. We got a huge game next week, and ultimately, they’re all huge as we continue. We’ve got
everything in front of us that we want, but we got to continue to reset, go back to our process
tomorrow, have the best Sunday we’ve ever had, and have the best Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,
Thursday, Friday, and get a chance to go play another really good football team. But, I’m super,
super humbled sitting here in front of you. Really proud of our guys. Really proud of them just
continuing to play the next play.”
On if he had a message for K Nico Gramatica prior to his game-winning kick…
“I didn’t say anything to him, I really didn’t. He is really, really hard to talk to. He’s the same way in
practice. You can’t talk to him. I sit there, blow the whistle, try to distract him at practice. He talks to
himself in Spanish, I don’t know what he says. I took Spanish II as a senior. Honestly, cheated most of
the way through, got an A. So, I have no idea what he says but whatever he says is working. So,
hopefully he just keeps rolling. But I didn’t say anything. He missed the long one. We’re right at his
max line there. I did say to him afterwards, we’re going to need you again. And, got all the
confidence in the world that he’s going to go make it. So, super proud of him. Somehow, Jeremy
Lees got the ball and gave it to him there in the locker room. He’s a special young man.”

On his thoughts when the ball went through the uprights…
“Yeah, just, I don’t know, man. Feel like the older I get, just continue to reinforce what I really believe
in, which is process driven. Leadership, process driven, team. Proud. Proud of our players. Proud of our
coaches. Proud of our support staff. I’m grateful for moments like this. Grateful for the opportunities
I’ve gotten. I really wanted to see my family. I asked a lot of people, where were they. I told my wife
and kid I’m grateful to them. They’re the ones that don’t have a dad most of the year and they’re
the ones that really, moments like this are for.
On Alvon Isaac’s 27-yard run in the fourth quarter…
“You know, the pass rush was starting to go there and get a little chip screen. It’s been good for us. It
was good for us last week. Probably have to change it up a little bit here going into next week. When
the rush is good, the screen game has been good. He’s a really good football player, plays on every
special team for us. He went to high school right here in Gainesville, so a really cool moment for him.
He stayed the course; he had a tough freshman year. We asked him to change his number two
weeks ago because him and Ira Singleton are both on kickoff and punt. Selfless young man who
keeps pouring himself into his process and he made a huge play.”
On the defense holding the Gators to two punts on the last two possessions…
“That group, they really bought into each other. There was a handful of transfers that came in and we
were so guarded on what transfers we bring in. But those guys kind of came in and I give Mac Harris
a lot of credit, give [Jhalyn] Shuler a lot of credit, Tavin Ward, [De’Shawn] Rucker, Josh Celiscar,
Jacob Merrifield, Devin Lee, these older guys who have played a lot of football taking guys like
James Chenault and Fred Gaskin that have selflessly poured into those guys. We’ve had to teach
them and we’ve had to force them to do it. To look at guys like Mac Harris who has been through the
crappiest of crappy years. It’s so fascinating, for two years, every time something bad that’s
happened, both sides, but specifically when defense would come off the field it was somebody’s
fault. In losing programs, that’s what it is, nobody takes ownership, everybody points a finger. It’s
been a straight gloves-off fist fight to get that change. I give credit to Tyler Hudanick, James Row,
DeMarcus Van Dyke, Kevin Patrick and Chad Creamer, those guys for forcing our defensive players
to just stay the course and buy into our next-play mentality.”
On the bend and don’t break defense…
“We just can win that time possession battle, I tried in that first half. They created two possessions there
at the end and we needed both of them.”
On the pass to Singleton when they were at third and five…
“I could lie to you and tell you that was the best schemed-up play we had, but that was us trying to
get them with 12 guys on the field. They didn’t give us the 12 guys on the field penalty. If that had
happened, Byrum’s job was to snap it and throw it vertical. There was really no play design there, I
wish I could take some credit. But for the second week in a row, Keshaun Singleton went up and got
the ball and did something with the ball.”
On Nico’s first field goal attempt, Golesh’s timeout attempt…
“I thought the time was going to run out, and then I tried to argue that I called the timeout. I didn’t
get it off in time, losing five yards there would have been absolutely critical for us. I didn’t want to lose
the five, but by the time I looked up, saw it was winding down, I was trying to take it because that
was at his max line.”

2025 Florida Football Postgame Quotes

USF Student-Athletes
USF 18, No. 13 Florida 16
Sept. 6, 2025

11 Keshaun Singleton, Junior Wide Receiver

On his touchdown catch and the excitement of his touchdown…
“So, we basically caught them off guard, snapped the ball, and I then made a play. Once that
happened, everything changed. The mood, the tone, and everything. Everybody was like oh yeah,
we got it now.”
On watching the game-winning field goal…
“I was happy, because Florida is really good and they’re a ranked team, so we were all happy. And
also, with my teammate Wyatt [Sullivan], we were standing there willing [Nico Gramatica] to make it,
and he made it. And everybody ran on the field, so it was amazing.”
On the mentality of the USF team…
“We always think of it as next play, so whatever happened in the first quarter and second quarter, it
doesn’t matter. And when we do our job, we’re in that moment.”
On when he spotted the ball in the air on his touchdown…
“Once I passed the dude, and I realized that ball was short, so I just went up and attacked it and
scored.”
On the feeling in the huddle on the last drive…
“The whole time in the huddle, we were telling everybody to stay calm and we got this in the bag.
Because I got confidence in everybody, so once we got going, it was over with.”
On his mentality when his ball is in the air…
“That I coming down with that, every time. Like, no matter if there is two people on me, three people
on me, I’m always getting it.”

17 Byrum Brown, Senior Quarterback

On the decision behind their touchdown pass and snapping the ball with a penalty…
“Yeah, that’s the reason we snapped the ball, but you know, Keshaun [Singleton] gonna go make a
play and when you give him an opportunity to make a play, give any of our guys the opportunity to
make a play, that’s what happens so you know… luck, anything you want to call it. I call it our guys
being dudes.”
On if there was a change in the trajectory of the game being a field goal away in score…
“Yeah, I guess you can say that, but you know it was just us playing one play at a time, doing what
we do. Just trusting play by play and that was it.”
On what was going through his mind when Nico trotted out for the game winner…
“We won.”
On his feelings of where they are as a team now and how it has progressed…
“You know, this team is truly a brotherhood. Offense didn’t start off too well early um and defense
held us in the game, special teams held us in the game, and you know by just playing one play at a
time. When one brothers down another is there to pick him up and that’s really what this whole game
was about. Just us being a cohesive unit and playing together.”
On whether the plan the last few plays was to kick the field goal or score…
“The plan was to score. We always try to score.”
On the importance of getting the initial first down drive at the end of the game…
“Again the first down is what we preach because that allows us to get our tempo going, get our
offense going. By doing that, that allows us to get in the rhythm, get in the flow then execute later
down on the road.”
On the importance of having no fear and knowing they were going to win…
“I mean we’re confident in each and every one on that team. Everybody has trust. Everybody has
the level of belief that we expect to win any time we step in between those white lines. So, by doing
that, you know, all the hard work from January to now I mean it speaks for itself. Confidence in each
other.”
On how pleased he is of all his guys in the passing game…
“One hundred percent. Like I said, we got tremendous play makers all around the field, it’s a matter
of me getting the ball to them and letting them make plays with the ball in their hands and that’s
what a lot of tonight was and you know, you saw little sparks here and there but we got to be we got
to be better for sure.”
On how beating Florida and Boise State impacts their confidence going into the Miami game…
“You know, our confidence level is always high. We’re focused about us it’s always been about us.
Never about who we’re playing or who they have on their team. We’re just gonna do what we doing
on a day-to-day basis, execute, and that’s really it. So, we got, like I said we expect to expect to win
any time we’re in between those white lines no matter the opponent.”

24 Mac Harris, Graduate Outside Linebacker

On his thoughts and feelings about the team’s performance…
“I’m proud of us. Really proud. Like I said, [and] I don’t always tell y’all this. Y’all are [going to] get so
aggravated with me, but I try to be even-keel. I know it’s early in the season right now. We’ve got so
much to accomplish. We did not play as well as we wanted to, and we knew we could. Granted, we
did go home with the win, so I’m really happy about that. But like I said, we’ve got a long way to go
as a team. That’s really where my focus is, where my brain is.”
On the three-and-out USF forced to get Florida off the field…
“That’s probably my [proudest] moment of the game. Just, throughout the history of our defense
these past three years. Being a solid defense and then last year getting in some of those moments
where we’ve got to get a stop right now and us not being capable of getting that done. Tonight, we
proved to ourselves that we can do that, and we went out there and looked at each other in that
huddle before we walked out on the field. We reminded each other of that feeling that we felt
whenever we weren’t able to accomplish that. So, looking in everybody’s eyes, like we all had that
belief, not even belief, excuse me. We all had that expectation of everybody to go out there and do
their 1/11, and that’s what we were able to do.”
On the game-winning field goal…
“The first thing I’m thinking was, ‘how much time is going to be left on the clock?’ I didn’t know if they
were [going to] give them like a second or two on the clock. So, I was thinking, ‘ok, I’m [going to] go
on kickoff.” Coach Creamer [is] calling me and [Jhalyn Shuler], trying to get us on kickoff. So, I hadn’t
really processed what exactly happened when it happened. Then, as I’m getting ready to buckle my
helmet up, I look at the board and it says 0:00. I’m like ‘oh man. Good job Nico!’ I got really excited
then and obviously started celebrating, hugging people, stuff like that.”

7 Nico Gramatica, Sophomore Kicker

On his inner thoughts before the game-winning field goal…
“I’m praying, (in Spanish) and saying certain things. But I was just praying the verse Exodus 15:2, and
the ending of the verse says ‘Exalt Him,’ and just with whatever I do, good or bad, I just want to give
him the glory and give him the praise.”
On his confidence going into the last field goal…
“I felt good. I felt good in the net, warming up. And then I trust that our offense was going to get us in
range, and they got us to a great spot right there on the two (yard line) in the middle. And then with
it, our defense also had a great stop at the end too, and then our offense went out on the field. But I
felt good going out on the field, felt good. And I just try to do the same thing I do in practice.”
On if he thought he originally had the 58-yard field goal…
“Yes, we went out late on the play clock, and I did my steps. I felt like I hit a good ball, and I thought
it was going in. It was flying straight down the middle, and then just a little short.
“When coming off the field on the 58-yarder, some of the defensive players are like, ‘We’re going to
give you another shot. We’re going to give you another shot,’ and then I just went to my net and
started focusing on my next kick. And right now, I just got to focus on the next kick I have and not
focus, not think on this. You learn from things you did wrong and things you didn’t do good, and the
things you did not, or any things you did good, but just to learn from it and keep growing every day.”
On if the high last snap messed up his timing…
“Honestly, I talked to Garret after — a great snapper — and I thought it was a good snap. Laces were
forward. The hold was excellent. And we worked that every day. So it’s just keep working every day.”
On if this is the happiest he’s been on a football field…
“Yes, I know we had some great wins last year. But now, it’s just on to the next. It’s enjoy with the guys
tonight, but then tomorrow, wake up, reset, and it’s on to the next.”
On what the win for USF says about their program…
“I think Coach Golesh just preaches process. Come in and work every single day. And that’s one
thing that I really worked on this summer is my process. And keep every day, like it’s a game day. So
when we go out and practice, or go out in a game, it feels like a practice. So that’s one thing I
worked on with all the specialist group, and the whole team has done that as well.”
On if he’s someone who thrives off stadium energy or if his process is the same snap after snap…
“It’s always the same process. Steps are always the same. What I’m telling myself is always the same,
and I try to make it the exact same as practice day and a game day.”
On how many of his family members were in attendance…
“So my dad, he’s in Atlanta for the (Buccaneers) game. And then my brother, I just called him, he
was at home, and I called my uncle, he’s at home watching it with my brother. So I just wanted to say
hello to all of them, because they’re — I called all of them, and they’re so happy.”