:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/22388971/20131102_ajw_bb6_068.0.jpg)
On Mike Davis' injury and the overall health of the team:
We got out of the game pretty good, injury-wise. I think Mike Davis had a bruised shoulder or sumpin' likaat. I think when he caught that pass down the sideline he landed on his shoulder a little bit and jammed it somewhat. I don't think it's anything too serious. So, in a couple of weeks he should be fine. Overall, the health of our team is very good at this time.
On Connor Shaw's four-touchdown performance:
Connor did throw four touchdown passes. I think that might be the most he's ever thrown. Yeah, that's the most he's ever thrown in a game. To tell you the truth, we forgot to give him a game ball. We're sort of expecting him to always play very well.
On whether the defense has improved over the course of the season:
I think we've improved. Yeah, I think our defense has certainly improved, especially the young linebackers. To see Skai Moore get an interception. TJ Holloman, Kaiwan Lewis got one at Mizzou. Sharrod Golightly had an excellent game along with Victory Hampton. Was very active knocking down passes and making plays all over the field. I think our defense has improved quite a bit. We gave up some third-and-tens, third-and-15s, fourth-and-10 sumpin likaat or else we would really would have had a very, very good defensive day. It was a good one any way, but a couple of those third-and-longs they converted we could have done a little bit better.
On the play of Skai Moore:
Skai is a good athlete and a good player. It hasn't taken him long to prove he should play. Yeah, Larenz Bryant was out there a lot. Johnathan Walton. Yeah, we had a great recruiting class last year with those young, linebacker-type players. But yeah, Skai's got a lot of talent, he should be a heckuva player for the next three or four years.
On the play of the special teams:
We had no penalties. We didn't really make any big plays, I guess. Landon had his one back kickoff. He usually boots one out of bounds, but yesterday he did something different. He kicked that line shot right into the guy. Guy made a heck of a play. A lot of times, that might ricochet off, and you might have a chance to recover. He has his one errant kickoff per game, it seems like, but other than that he's fine. He kicks ‘em through the end zone, our coverage was good. Our punt protection was very good. Tyler got ‘em out there. We're sort of at the bottom of the league in punting, but we've had no runbacks, which is very good.
On whether he might consider coaching into his 80s:
Pshaw. No, I don't see myself coaching. It's always 3 to 4. I used to say 4 or 5. I said 3 or 4 one time and Steve, Jr. said, "Pop, you need to say you're planning on going 4 to 5. That sounds a little bit better for recruiting." So that's what I've always said, that I'm planning on going 4 to 5. Some day if it's time to hang it up, I'll probably know. We'll all know and move on. We've really got an excellent group of assistants here. I think everybody knows this is still the youngest team in Division I ball. Is that right? Steve Fink's in here telling me that's right. We've got the youngest team. We try not to stress that too much because sometimes I think that's an excuse word a lot of coaches use if they're getting beat, that they're so young and this, that, and the other. But this team should be very good next year.
On whether recruits are concerned about his age:
Not too much, really. And, really, a lot of guys don't come here because of me, per se. They come here for the opportunity to play, graduate, play for South Carolina. Our assistant coaches are very good recruiters. They develop more of a personal relationship with the recruits than I do. I get to know them all a little bit, but our assistant coaches do a super job.