Utah 28, UCF 14 – Gus Malzahn press conference

UCF ends its regular season with one of its most frustrating losses ever Gus Malzahns tenure and lost to a struggling Utah team 28-14 at his fifth quarterback. Here’s everything Malzahn said afterward.

Opening speech:

“Okay, obviously I’m disappointed with our loss, but more importantly, I’m disappointed with our seniors. We really wanted to get these guys out in a positive way.”

“The bottom line is that we didn’t play well enough to win. I mean, I think our defense played really well. We had the two pick-sixes that really made the difference in the game.”

“And they got the momentum late in the second half and it was hard for us to catch up. Hats off to RJ Harvey, I’m really happy he scored the two touchdowns and set the record. He was such a great player. “For us and one of the better players to ever play here.

“But overall we were disappointed in the loss and really disappointed for our seniors.”

Coach, I know you’re only thinking about this game, but what’s the most frustrating thing about this season? They had such high hopes of being competitive and finishing the game 4-8.

“Yes, yes, it is very disappointing. We had some close defeats that were tough. I mean, we’ve been playing musical quarterbacks all year, that never helps. We had some injuries, but in the end we didn’t make it. “We had some chances to win some games and things went uphill.

“But like I said, I think they’re a really, really good defense. Our defense played really well. I’m just disappointed that we had two pick-sixes on offense. This is really disappointing.”

Coach, what’s next for you after this season?

“Well, we’ll evaluate everything and recover. I mean, it feels bad right now. It’s the culmination of a not very good season. I think everyone knows that. We’re going to meet guys that are coming back and we’re going to do it.” Recruit, enter the portal and be ready for the next one.

Coaches, of course there is some uncertainty regarding the end of each season. As Early Signing Day begins on December 4, what are your goals for the immediate aftermath?

“Well, I mean, that’s what you do. You have to flip the switch. I mean, now that the season is over, it’s all about next year. It’s about everything and about preparing everything for it, recruiting in the portal and everything goes with it.”

You mentioned playing multiple quarterbacks throughout the year. You played multiple quarterbacks tonight. What was the reasoning?

“Yeah, it just felt like we needed a spark. It just felt like we needed a spark. EJ went in there and did some good things. I mean, obviously he’s a talented young man and the last drive was really good. “He hadn’t played much, but we just felt like we needed a spark at that point in the game.”

What is your message to the fan base? You’ve heard people chant that they’re pretty sick of your performance this season. What hope do you give the fans for-

“Well, I mean, they should be disappointed. There is no doubt about that. They should be disappointed that we didn’t win tonight and sent our seniors out. We have to do better, and I’m the first to know.”

Coach, at the end of last season you talked about the problems you had with it. Thinking about what you said at the end of last season, how do you look back on this season?

“Well, like I said, I think you take it season by season. Last year was a different season than this year. And we just couldn’t do it. We haven’t done it this year and won four games, and that’s unacceptable.

A few times after games you mentioned that the guys gave you a spark at the quarterback position. What do you think the long-term future of your squad looks like at this position?

“Yeah, I mean we have some talented young men who need experience. I mean, we’re going to evaluate everything, and now the season is over. And we’ll go from there.”

Do you think you have your starter in the squad?

“I mean, I think we have guys that are talented and are going to be really good quarterbacks. That’s the best I can say right now.”

Coach, the defense kept the game close almost the entire time. How frustrating is it not to capitalize on this loss?

“Yes, very much, our defense played well enough to win. They did a really good job. I think they had the one drive, and I think one of the drives was extended by a penalty. I think we defended the quarterback but our defense. “I think coach Addison Williams breathed some life into our defense. We really emphasized that and they played really hard for it.

Coach, how did you approach Utah’s more or less fast-paced defense, particularly on fourth downs?

“Yes, they are targeting us. There is no doubt about that. They played man. We couldn’t convert. We were hoping we would get one or two of those 50-50 balls, but we really didn’t. And then of course they came into the barrier and flashed Bring a few extra people. And then on fourth down, I mean, on fourth down and seven, I mean, they went to zero a lot of times, and you just have to find a way to make it work.

Coach, what would you say if you could talk to your past self about this season, knowing what you know now?

“Say it again?”

Given your expectations, if you could talk to your past self about this season, what would you tell your past self about this season?

“What would I say to my past self about this season, knowing what I know? I’ll need time to think about it. I don’t know it. Next question.”

Coach Kobe Hudson has been so prominent this year along with so many others, but every quarterback on the roster seems to really love Randy Pittman Jr. He was an outstanding player this year. Do you think he will play a bigger role in this offense next season?

“Yes, there is no doubt about it. I mean, Randy will be one of our leaders. I mean, he’s going to be one of our team leaders and there’s no doubt he’s an impact guy.”

They restructured a few weeks ago with Tim Harris taking over the plays and Addison Williams coming back as defensive coordinator. Have you seen enough of these two guys to feel comfortable about them taking on these roles next season?

“We’ll evaluate everything, but I’ll say this: I think everyone knows we didn’t play well offensively tonight, okay? I think everyone knows this, but both of these guys are great coaches. They’re really good at what they do.”

Coach, you talked a little about RJ’s performance. What does it mean to see him set that record, a touchdown record, and be able to add to it later in the game?

“Yeah, I mean, that was one of our goals too and I’m really happy for him that he achieved it. Like I said, the most important thing is that it’s not just him, but the other guys. Man, we were really hoping we could have a smile in the locker room and send them out the right way.

“But RJ, he’s a great player. He has a great future. He was a great representative of our university, our football team. He’s a great player and a great person.”

Coach, in this three-game losing streak, you managed to outscore your opponent in yards. What’s stopping you from turning those yards into wins?

“Yes, I think they are mistakes. I mean, obviously the two interceptions are what really stands out. But yeah, there were mistakes and special teams. “We hadn’t played well on special teams during that stretch.” And that’s really disappointing.

How frustrating is it that these mistakes continue to happen so late in the season?

“Very, very.”

What do you think of what you saw from Dylan Rizk tonight?

“Dylan, we have to be fair to him. He’s still learning. He had a rough night, there’s no doubt about it. But he’s a guy who has a bright future, I think. And there will be better days for him.”

He took a pretty good hit there with the target lock. How did he feel afterwards? He didn’t seem like the same quarterback.

“Yes, we checked him, and they checked him along the way. And he was ready to play.”

They made changes at the end of last year. You kind of mentioned the process that you went through. What do you think you need to evaluate? What will be different about the way you handle it?

“Yeah, I think especially now that the season is over, just take some time to evaluate everything overall and figure out how we can correct everything.”

Gus, are you worried about your job security?

“For me it’s about making this team better.”