I believe it was seventh or eighth grade: I went to a Danny Ford football camp. A buddy of mine was a big Clemson fan, and coach Ford put on a camp, and we did actually enjoy ourselves.
It's interesting in the recruiting process because I have recruits and parents that say, 'You're so positive about the other schools!' And I am, because I had a great experience at LSU. I had a great experience at Auburn. I had a great experience at Florida.
Team and individual goals are great, but not understanding how we achieve those goals and the work it's going to take to achieve those goals, if you don't understand that process, then it doesn't matter.
It doesn't change whether it's Georgia, Clemson or Florida or Tennessee. You have to fight out there on the recruiting trail every day. And recruiting's a lot like shaving: If you don't do it every day, you start looking like a bum.
I have great memories of watching SEC football with my father on Saturdays and playing football in the backyard with my two brothers right here in Gainesville.
We talk to our players all the time, 'Just control what you can control.' It's no different in life.
The biggest thing for me is to be accessible. When a high school coach comes on our campus, they can sit in every position meeting they want to sit in. They can come to every practice. And the comments I've gotten from our high school coaches is how accessible we are to them. That's what you need to do to build those relationships.
When you talk in terms of a rivalry game, it's always important for our guys to understand the history of the rivalry and the history of the game.
One of the great rights as an American citizen is freedom of speech, one of the things that makes this country what it is.
Standing up for what you believe in, to me, is freedom of speech. And that's a right that every American citizen has and what makes this country great.
It's our job to make sure the players are ready to play at a high level. Part of that is making sure that the emotion is in check.
The SEC is a line-of-scrimmage league. You'd better be good up front, or you're going to have some long days.
I've lined the field. I've washed the uniforms. I've washed my own equipment. Those Division I guys don't understand that. I've worked myself up the ladder.
Self-evaluation is hard, and it starts with me, and it falls on my shoulders, and I'm responsible. But at the end of the day, you are what you are.
As long as Will Muschamp is the head coach at the University of Florida, Urban Meyer will be a part of this program. He needs to be involved with this program for our players. He's a great sounding board for me and part of this great tradition.
I want the University of Florida to be successful. I'm always going to be a Gator, unless I'm on the other sideline.
I think you live and learn each year, whether you're a head coach, coordinator, or business manager. You learn different things that work and different things that don't.
I probably made a mistake at Florida trying to change schematically from what they had done before. As a result, we ended up not being very good at anything.