Q&A: Keith Kelsey, Terell Floyd post-U of L practice
University of Louisville football players Keith Kelsey, a sophomore linebacker, and Terell Floyd, a senior cornerback, spoke with reporters after practice on Wednesday about the Cardinals' preparation for the Dec. 30 Belk Bowl against Georgia. Here's what they had to say.
KEITH KELSEY
On challenge of facing UGA
It's going to be one of the toughest (challenges of the season) for sure because they have a good running back and a good running game, and Georgia is just a physical team. We've just got to put on our pads and come at them every play.
On the rushing attack
The running back doesn't like to go backward; he likes to go forward. He's just a freshman, but he runs like a junior or senior. We've just got to put a hat on him and tackle him.
On who Chubb reminds him of
He has a similar running style to Brandon Radcliff, Dominique Brown. A lot of those guys run hard as well. It's something we're used to.
On the top things defense is focusing on
Play our game and do what coach Grantham asks us to do: stop the run and make them throw the ball.
On if having Grantham, former UGA coordinator, provides an advantage
I wouldn't say advantage, but we might have a little something. I don't know. We just have to see how the game plays, and either way, we just have to go out there and play hard.
On Louisville's players from Georgia
We have a couple people – Shaq Wiggins, Josh Harvey-Clemons – but those guys can't play, so they're just going to be cheering us on. We wish they could come out and play with us.
Other impressions of Georgia, specifically passing attack
They've got some good receivers, too. They've got a couple young guys. They've got Malcolm Mitchell out there, too. He's getting back. They have some receivers as well.
On trying to get a QB who throws few INTs to throw INTs
We just have to get him out of his comfort zone, have to pressure him, hit him every play and do things to throw him off. Coach Grantham has a lot of schemes for that.
What's the team's motivation?
It's some of the seniors' last game here at Louisville, so they want to go out with a win. It's Coach (Bobby) Petrino's first bowl game with us, so we just want to bring him out a victory as well.
On Petrino's mind-set this month
It's always the same Coach Petrino. He's always intense. He always comes to practice and is ready to work every day. So nothing has changed. He's kept the same coaching style.
On Grantham's mind-set
Coach Grantham is always fiery. That's just him. He loves the game of football, and we just go behind him. He just takes the lead.
More on if stopping the run is the key to victory
That's the main thing. Georgia loves to run the ball, and they've done run the ball a lot this year. Todd Gurley's hurt, and they still have been running the ball. We've just got to stop the run.
More on Chubb replacing Gurley so well
He's a good running back. He's going to be great in the future. We've just got to come up and hit him this game.
On any concerns about not tackling full-speed in practice this month and any changes in prep for a back like Chubb
Not really. At the end of the day, football is football, and we know we have to get accomplished. We come to practice every day working. We've been going against the (first-stringers), so we could see some of that similar running style.
On going against the offensive starters in practice
It's great. They have some great plays on the offensive side, too, in DeVante Parker and those guys. We do a lot of competing out there.
On Kyle Bolin
Kyle, he surprised a lot of people last game. I don't really know the quarterback situation. We'll have to see when game time gets here.
On how Bolin's looked
He's been looking good from what I've seen. He's been making pretty good throws and pretty good reads, so we'll have to see how that goes.
TERELL FLOYD
Practice is going pretty well. We've had a little extra time for the bowl game to look at some film. We're getting familiar with what they do. We know we've got to stop the run because they're a run-first team. The focus right now is on the run game and trying to stop them from running and make them throw a little bit more.
On if UGA reminds them of anyone
I guess I could say Boston College because they're more of a run-first team. They're a physical run team. So Boston College is probably the team they remind me of that we played against this year.
On UGA's quarterback perhaps being underrated vs. the attention of the running backs
He has had his success, but we always want to make the team left-handed and make them do what they don't want to do. And they don't want to throw the ball much. They want to run it. So our focus is on stopping the running, so they can throw the ball more.
On UGA's running game
They've got some pretty good running backs, some big O-linemen up front. They've got a couple running backs. Even though (Todd) Gurley got hurt, they still have got a couple guys who came in. They've got really good running backs. That's the reason they're so good at running the ball.
On his role as a DB against a good running team
Stay focused and don't fall asleep because teams that run the ball a lot have play-action passes that go behind the run. So you don't want to fall asleep and think they're running the ball and you get beat and get the receiver behind you. It's pretty much staying aware.
On practicing against the other starters on offense
You get to compete more when you're going against the No. 1s because the pace is more faster than when the scout team (is out) and they're coaching and teaching and it's a little bit slower pace. So I feel like you get to go out there and play fast against pretty good guys.
On who's been winning No. 1 vs. No. 1 practices
It goes both ways because we're a pretty good team, man. We've got talent on both sides of the ball. It's both ways. It's competitive both ways.
On who defends Parker
We all get a chance to guard him. Me, C.J. and Drew, we're all used to playing against No. 9, so it's always fun to go against him again.
On the secondary's areas for improvement
We've got to make tackles, no missed tackles. Gang-tackle, make tackles, no missed tackles. That's it.
On possibly getting 10th win
It's always good to get a 10th win because it gets you momentum for the next season and we all want momentum for the next season. Our seniors want to go out with a win. There's a lot on this game. You just want to get that 10th win and to go out on top.
On Nick Chubb
He's a good back. Like I said, they have a lot of good backs, but he's one man, and one man can't beat you. They've got other guys on that team we've got to worry about. We can't just worry about him and forget about other guys.
On Kyle Bolin
He's good. His confidence back there (is good). He steps up in the pocket, he wasn't scared of blitzes. He's taking hits and throwing the ball down the field. He kind of impressed me with him being so comfortable in the pocket.