MojoRisen
12/29/2008, 11:55 AM
This is a good indicator of Lewis' confidence. He is not overly impressed with Florida's speed. Also sounds like we are going to be aggressive on Dfense and try and be disruptive.
Let's talk about Florida. How much tape have you seen on the Gators?
Travis Lewis: A lot
It seems like anytime someone mentions Florida, the word "speed" isn't far behind. Are they as fast as advertised?
Lewis: They've got some pretty fast skill players. But I don't think it's anything we haven't seen in the Big 12.
Do you think players like Maclin or Crabtree are at the same level?
Lewis: Oh yeah. They're just as athletic and just as fast. They may not be used in the same way as a Percy Harvin is. Percy is in the back field a lot and they'll hand it to him on counters and run the option. Maclin isn't used like that. But in the end it's the same concept and speed.
You guys have faced multiple offenses with multiple identities. Is Florida in a whole other category?
Lewis: No. We have speed in the Big 12. We have great skill players and we have great quarterbacks. Florida will bring a spread offense and they're fast just like everybody in the Big 12, so we're going to prepare just like we have for everyone else.
Do they remind you of anyone you've played or maybe seen?
Lewis: They have a few weird formations in there that you don't see in the Big 12 but it's basically the same concepts.
You have seen a lot of zone reads throughout the year, but Florida's is a little different because Tebow and Percy like to run up together before making the final decision?
Lewis: Yea, that's their veer-read. Tim wants to ride it until the very last second before making the decision. Teams do that, you're right but not to that extent. I guess you see it sometimes with Texas.
Did you ever think the day would come when you would be facing a quarterback who was 20 pounds bigger than you?
Lewis: Whoa, whoa, whoa wait a minute, I'm 235 pounds.
Isn't he like 245 though?
Lewis: Well bring it, let's go (laughing). But no, I'm looking forward to the challenge. We've played some good quarterbacks in this league so…
One final note though, I think the roster has you at 220 pounds.
Lewis: It shouldn't. I came into this season at 240 pounds. Now I've lost a little bit of weight chasing after all these quarterbacks around the league, but I would like to think that I'm still a pretty big guy.
That being said, Tebow will be a challenge for you guys won't he?
Lewis: Yea. He's a pretty big guy, and an athletic quarterback. What you don't notice is how fast he is. He's pretty quick too, for the size he has. He has the ability to find those holes, and get in between those tackles.
If you put Robert Griffin from Baylor and Jarrod Freeman from Kansas State together, would you get Tim Tebow?
Lewis: (Laughs) Freeman was actually a pretty hard guy to take down. I haven't played against Tebow obviously but Freeman was the hardest quarterback to get down to the ground. But I'm looking forward to the challenge of playing against Tebow.
Keenan Clayton said that if he had to compare Tim Tebow to anyone it would be Jake Locker?
Lewis: That's a pretty good comparison. I mean he may be a little more stout than Jake Locker but running ability and throwing the ball…well I don't know if Locker was 100 percent when we played him, but the 2007 Jake Locker, the one who led the Pac 10 in rushing. That's pretty similar.
How do you guys plan on stopping him?
Lewis: We're going to play down hill, that's what we're going to do. We're going to try to take away that inside game. They're a great perimeter team, they have great speed and skill on the outside, but what you don't see is that they like to run between the tackles with the counter's and power's. So that's something that we're going to have to take away also.
What did you think of the comment that Tebow made about being excited to face a Big 12 defense?
Lewis: I have no comment about that comment. I love the fact that he's excited about playing a Big 12 defense.
Let's talk about Florida. How much tape have you seen on the Gators?
Travis Lewis: A lot
It seems like anytime someone mentions Florida, the word "speed" isn't far behind. Are they as fast as advertised?
Lewis: They've got some pretty fast skill players. But I don't think it's anything we haven't seen in the Big 12.
Do you think players like Maclin or Crabtree are at the same level?
Lewis: Oh yeah. They're just as athletic and just as fast. They may not be used in the same way as a Percy Harvin is. Percy is in the back field a lot and they'll hand it to him on counters and run the option. Maclin isn't used like that. But in the end it's the same concept and speed.
You guys have faced multiple offenses with multiple identities. Is Florida in a whole other category?
Lewis: No. We have speed in the Big 12. We have great skill players and we have great quarterbacks. Florida will bring a spread offense and they're fast just like everybody in the Big 12, so we're going to prepare just like we have for everyone else.
Do they remind you of anyone you've played or maybe seen?
Lewis: They have a few weird formations in there that you don't see in the Big 12 but it's basically the same concepts.
You have seen a lot of zone reads throughout the year, but Florida's is a little different because Tebow and Percy like to run up together before making the final decision?
Lewis: Yea, that's their veer-read. Tim wants to ride it until the very last second before making the decision. Teams do that, you're right but not to that extent. I guess you see it sometimes with Texas.
Did you ever think the day would come when you would be facing a quarterback who was 20 pounds bigger than you?
Lewis: Whoa, whoa, whoa wait a minute, I'm 235 pounds.
Isn't he like 245 though?
Lewis: Well bring it, let's go (laughing). But no, I'm looking forward to the challenge. We've played some good quarterbacks in this league so…
One final note though, I think the roster has you at 220 pounds.
Lewis: It shouldn't. I came into this season at 240 pounds. Now I've lost a little bit of weight chasing after all these quarterbacks around the league, but I would like to think that I'm still a pretty big guy.
That being said, Tebow will be a challenge for you guys won't he?
Lewis: Yea. He's a pretty big guy, and an athletic quarterback. What you don't notice is how fast he is. He's pretty quick too, for the size he has. He has the ability to find those holes, and get in between those tackles.
If you put Robert Griffin from Baylor and Jarrod Freeman from Kansas State together, would you get Tim Tebow?
Lewis: (Laughs) Freeman was actually a pretty hard guy to take down. I haven't played against Tebow obviously but Freeman was the hardest quarterback to get down to the ground. But I'm looking forward to the challenge of playing against Tebow.
Keenan Clayton said that if he had to compare Tim Tebow to anyone it would be Jake Locker?
Lewis: That's a pretty good comparison. I mean he may be a little more stout than Jake Locker but running ability and throwing the ball…well I don't know if Locker was 100 percent when we played him, but the 2007 Jake Locker, the one who led the Pac 10 in rushing. That's pretty similar.
How do you guys plan on stopping him?
Lewis: We're going to play down hill, that's what we're going to do. We're going to try to take away that inside game. They're a great perimeter team, they have great speed and skill on the outside, but what you don't see is that they like to run between the tackles with the counter's and power's. So that's something that we're going to have to take away also.
What did you think of the comment that Tebow made about being excited to face a Big 12 defense?
Lewis: I have no comment about that comment. I love the fact that he's excited about playing a Big 12 defense.