Florida Gators College Football Pregame Quote, 12/22/2020

Kaiir Elam, Defensive Back

Todd Grantham’s been under a lot of heat for the group’s performance. What would you say to fans? Why are they wrong to point the finger at Todd?

I have nothing but love and respect for Coach Grantham. You know, part of the reason I feel like fans are probably mad at him, because it’s on the defense and us not executing, which he’s not on the field playing, so how can you get mad at him? I feel like it’s on us to execute his play calling and just on us to step up.

Can you just talk about the importance of what it means to you to be playing in a match up with Oklahoma on a day like you’re going to be playing next Wednesday and what it means for you as being a part of the program there at Florida?

I feel like this game is a big game for us. We’re coming off a two game losing streak. I don’t like to lose. I know my coaches and everybody on the staff does not like to lose. So I think this is a big game for us. And I feel like we should have we have the ability to go out and win, but we just need to execute and continue to get better. I feel like our defense played a little bit better against Alabama, but it wasn’t enough to get the job done. So, hopefully, we have a better showing.

And offensively, I feel like they played a great game. Losing Kyle Pitts is going to be a tough pill to swallow, but I think we can get the job done.

Dan Mullen, though, what how much is he a players’ coach? What’s the perception of Dan, like, inside the building? Just how much do you enjoy playing for that guy?

So during recruiting, I was one of his top guys in my class. Coach Mullen stayed the same from recruiting to now. He’s always been a good guy, a great coach for us to play for.

And people really want to play for Coach Mullen. You know what I’m saying? He’s a winner. He loves to win, and he expects that out of us and to compete and go hard each and every day and execute. And I love playing for him.

So people can think what they want. I know our main goal is to win, so that’s all I respect him for and I know he respects us all the same.

We talked a lot about the receivers you guys lost last year and then, obviously, it didn’t matter this year. Who are some of the guys that are going to be stepping up with when Kyle [Trask], Kadarius [Toney], and Tre [Grimes] leave, some of the guys you’ve noticed, younger guys that you’ve practiced against them?

I think they’re all pretty talented. Ja’Markis Weston, Trent Whittemore. Those are the guys who came into my class who I really like. I think they’re going to be special. We have a lot more young receivers that are really good as well. Hopefully they can step up and make the plays and hopefully surpass what the senior receivers and the receivers leaving right now have done.

I know y’all have had a little bit of a break the past few days, but have you been able to watch much of Oklahoma. And, if so, what have you seen from them and Spencer Rattler?

Yeah, I started watching film on them the day it was announced we were going to play them. I feel like he’s a very dynamic quarterback and really he’s really mobile, and he looks to throw first.

So I think they will be a really talented group, a tradition for winning. And I think it should be a very good match up.

I know some of the responsibility’s already been placed on you just as a starter, but when you see a lot of these older guys leaving after this next year and knowing that you’re going to be the guy next year, especially in the secondary, does that change your mindset at all going into the bowl game knowing that this is really kind of the first step in your role to becoming a leader?

No, not really. Even from the start of this year, my coaches wanted me to be more of a leader. But I’m the type of guy who just leads by example first. And if anyone wants to follow, then I allow them to follow.

But I’m just trying to really focus on doing my job and executing and making plays that comes towards me and not forcing anything. And hopefully that will rub off on the rest of the team. And I’m going to try to step up and be a leader, but it’s on the defense as a whole to really execute. So not just the secondary, but just everyone.

Congrats on First Team All SEC, by the way. Did you hear that yet?

Yes, I’ve seen it.

What’s that mean to you? And also can you believe Kyle Trask was Second Team?

I think it was a nice accomplishment for me. I’m still working on more. It was a nice accomplishment. It was sad to see Kyle Trask make Second Team, which I don’t know how. Because he’s I feel like he’s a Heisman winning quarterback. He’s super talented, and I wouldn’t want to play with any other quarterback in the country.

Have you guys talked about just sending the seniors off right? It’s obviously a big game. You wanted to be in the playoff, but this is still a big game. Have you talked about just going out and sending the seniors off with a win?

I feel like every game we go into we’re trying to accomplish a goal of winning. I feel like we couldn’t get it done against LSU senior night, and we didn’t get it done against Alabama. So, like I said, this is going to be a big game for us really to win and especially send the seniors off on a good note.