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Post by Deleted on Sept 19, 2013 9:52:17 GMT -5
UF's 2014 Schedule:
Sat, Aug 30 Idaho Gainesville, FL TBA . Sat, Sep 6 Eastern Michigan Gainesville, FL TBA . Sat, Sep 13 Kentucky * Gainesville, FL TBA . Sat, Sep 20 Alabama * Tuscaloosa, AL TBA . Sat, Oct 4 Tennessee * Knoxville, TN TBA . Sat, Oct 11 LSU * Gainesville, FL TBA . Sat, Oct 18 Missouri * Gainesville, FL TBA . Sat, Nov 1 Georgia * Jacksonville, FL TBA . Sat, Nov 8 Vanderbilt * Nashville, TN TBA . Sat, Nov 15 South Carolina * Gainesville, FL TBA . Sat, Nov 22 Eastern Kentucky Gainesville, FL TBA . Sat, Nov 29 Florida State Tallahassee, FL TBA
It's probably a smart play to put UT and LSU back to back rather than bama and LSU back to back. It shows how far the vols have fallen. After Saturday, it'll be 9 straight wins over the vols.
This also looks like a formula that could be used starting in 2016 if the SEC goes to 9 games and adds bama to UF as a permanent cross division partner. Just drop one of the opening one way tickets and add another SEC team.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 19, 2013 10:01:51 GMT -5
Opinion article on Gator Country - I agree with this 100%:
Written byMark Miller, September 19, 2013, 0 Comments,
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It’s Tennessee week. There was a time when I would drive the seven hours to Gainesville to be in the stadium for what was always the best game in the nation in the month of September. For the games I did not attend, I would throw a Florida-Tennessee viewing party that would end with a dozen or so people sleeping whereever they could find a spot in my house. Florida-Tennessee was bigger than life. It had names like Wuerffel, Manning, Reidel and Peerless. You had Steve Spurrier and Phil Fulmer on the sidelines. In terms of national importance it was even bigger than Florida-Georgia. Georgia had a lot to do with that. They only beat Spurrier once in 12 years.
Now, the Georgia game is suddenly the biggest game of the Gator season and Tennessee has become almost an afterthought. Maybe that changes this year but not because the Gators and the Vols come in either top 10 or top 20 like they were every year during Spurrier’s 12-year run. So what changed to make it so important again? It’s because Tennessee has lost eight straight games to the Gators and has a new coach who wants to make his mark. It’s because for the Gators it well may be the defining moment of the season.
I have been doing a little reading and listening in the 11 days since the Gators lost to Miami and here is what I have discovered: (1) The Gators are toast and will probably lose four or five games this season; (2) The offense is beyond repair; and (3) Will Muschamp is on the hot seat. At least you might figure that’s the prevailing wisdom if you listen or read some of the most vocal fans. It’s even worse if you listen to the Georgia fans up here behind enemy lines. Bulldog fans are already discussing how their offense is going to run rampant on Alabama’s suddenly suspect defense. Of course, as is always the case with the delusional, UGA fans are ignoring some key issues. They seem to be blissfully ignorant of their own defensive deficiencies. They are forgetting that Aaron Murray played the best game of his entire career in the SEC Championship Game last year and still lost to Alabama. But, most importantly, UGA fans are forgetting that their beloved Doggies haven’t actually won the SEC East yet.
The Gators haven’t even played a single SEC game yet it seems that nearly everyone has already written them off as a real contender for a spot in the SEC Championship Game. Personally, I believe that is foolish and yes, I have indeed seen the Gator offense and yes, I will be the first to admit that Florida lost to an inferior Miami team. If the Gators were not the superior team in Miami I would not be writing that they have a chance to win the SEC East. But they do have a chance and to write them off is neither logical nor a very bright conclusion.
The Florida Gators are a very talented football team, just one that has failed to play up to their talent level through the first two games of the season. The one absolute truth about talent is the more you have the more potential you have and the more that’s expected. If Florida was not talented enough to beat Miami then the rest of the SEC East could breathe easily and never worry that the Gators will mount a challenge. Georgia and South Carolina are not the least bit concerned about Kentucky nor do they worry that Vandy might win the East because the Commodores simply do not have the depth of talent to make it to Atlanta. Vandy might upset one of the top three in the division but win the East? That’s not going to happen.
Florida, on the other hand, does have the talent and therefore the potential to win the division. Deep in the recesses of their minds Georgia and South Carolina fans know this as do even the most negative among Gator fans.
So the only real question is can the Gators put it all together and play to the level of their talent? We should start finding this out Saturday against Tennessee. Muschamp and his staff benefit from having a bye week to pick up the pieces from the loss to Miami. The bye week gave them a chance to work through the issues of that game and allowed an opportunity to make some much-needed tweaks to the offense, perhaps even finding some ways to get some of these young playmakers ready to contribute
The Gators have one of the best – if not THE best – defenses in the country and that means they should be in every game they play. In most games, the offense simply needs to avoid giving the game away, unlike Miami. Then there are games like LSU, UGA and FSU, where the offense will have to be more than just mistake free because those three teams have offenses that even a great defense will struggle to keep off the scoreboard. Rest assured that at some point Muschamp will need his offense to win the game for him. It is not unthinkable that Brent Pease’s squad will be up to the task. The offense did step up when it was required to defeat FSU last season.
Which brings me back to Saturday’s game in the Swamp against Tennessee. This game should provide evidence one way or the other about Florida’s chances of winning the East. A week after having absolutely no answers for the Oregon offense, Tennessee will be on the road again, this time to Gainesville, a place that hasn’t been too kind to the Vols over the years (2-9 since 1991). This is a team that should be ripe for a whipping. Meanwhile the Gators are coming off the bye week. If Florida’s offense cannot find itself Saturday in The Swamp, it will not bode well for the remainder of the season and a trip to the SEC Championship Game will be very unlikely. I do not believe that Muschamp and Pease have the luxury of just playing to win the game. Not this game.
First let me state emphatically that I in no way feel that the coaches need to prove anything to the fans or the talking heads or keyboard cowboys like me. This is not about style points or making anyone feel better about the team or the offense. This is about preparing for the future. The coaches have to know that they will need the offense to rise up at some critical point in the season and it is simply not realistic to think that will happen without building some experience and confidence in a game like this one. In my opinion, if Muschamp sticks with his tendency for conservative offense – doing only what he must to get the win – he will do so at his own peril in future games. You cannot just turn an offense on when you need it. Saturdayshould be an opportunity to let Jeff Driskel and company spread their wings a little to see if they can indeed fly. It is time to push the fledglings out of the nest and let them build the strength in those wings for the long flights that will be needed later. Yes, it will mean risking a mistake-caused loss like the Miami game, but I think it has reached the “no risk, no reward” point with this team.
While nobody is going to mistake the Gator offense for the Oregon offense that lit up Tennessee last week it doesn’t need to be. The offensive line will be as healthy as it is probably going to be in any game this season and the return of Jon Halapio should make the running game effective. All of the running backs should be 100%. The question is, as it has been, whether Driskel and the passing game can take the next step. In my opinion, that means getting the young receivers involved. Quinton Dunbar, Trey Burton and Solomon Patton can be dependable but none of them have proven to be big play receivers so far. If this offense is going to grow into the explosive plays that win tough football games then Ahmad Fullwood and Demarcus Robinson will have to participate, and perhaps Kent Taylor, also.
I tend to be one of the “trust the coaches” crowd. However, this is Muschamp’s first stint as a head coach and he is learning this as he goes. As such, it may be difficult for him to determine when it is the right time to step out of his comfort zone. Championships are not given. You must take them from others that want them just as badly as you. This means imposing your will over your opponent’s will. That can be done with defense but there will be times when it must be done on offense as well. Saturday is one of the few opportunities left to condition that offense for the task before it becomes required. If the Gators cannot take advantage of Tennessee in this game, those tough games down the road will be very difficult to win.
Therefore, this game against the Vols, a game that the Gators should win handily, becomes perhaps the most critical game of the Florida season. Saturday it is time for the Gators to flex their muscles and show that they belong in the SEC title conversation. Otherwise, the discussion and attention will justifiably go to Alabama, UGA, LSU and South Carolina. It is not important from a championship standpoint for a team to be in the discussion but it is important from a recruiting perspective. Recruits want to be relevant and being relevant as a team certainly helps. Saturday is a great opportunity for the Florida Gators to showcase where they are where they are going. Hopefully, they will take advantage of it.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 19, 2013 10:48:59 GMT -5
How the 13 recruiting class is shaking out (for now): PLAYED (9) WR Demarcus Robinson WR Ahmad Fullwood WR Chris Thompson LB Alex Anzalone LB Jarrad Davis CB Vernon Hargreaves S Keanu Neal RB Kelvin Taylor LB Daniel McMillian STILL IN QUESTION (3) DT Jay-nard Bostwick DT Caleb Brantley DT Antonio Riles [It seems like a good bet that these three will red-shirt, but it's not certain yet] RED-SHIRTING (13) QB Max Staver RB Adam Lane OL Cameron Dillard OL Roderick Johnson (knee injury) OL Octavius Jackson OL Trevon Young WR Alvin Bailey WR Marqui Hawkins DE Joey Ivie DE Jordan Sherit (knee injury) LB Matt Rolin (knee injury) CB Nick Washington (has played; out for year with shoulder injury) S Marcell Harris (knee injury) P Johnny Townsend blogs.palmbeachpost.com/gatorbytes/2013/09/18/florida-has-made-decisions-on-most-freshman-red-shirts/#sthash.28Cf4IpQ.dpuf
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Post by Deleted on Sept 19, 2013 13:54:24 GMT -5
September 19th, 2013 12:00pm
Zach’s Mail Stack 9/19
by Zach Abolverdi
Who’s ready for some SEC football?!
Sure there’s been games going on since Week 1, but Florida final starts its conference schedule this Saturday versus the Vols.
As anticipated, a who’s who list of recruits will be on hand for the rivalry game. With no other marquee matchups in Gainesville until the regular season finale against Florida State, this weekend is a big one for the Gators.
Check out my preview story on GatorSports.com later tonight.
On to the questions!
Will Florida land another running back in this class? — Connor, Tamayo
Looking at the limited scholarship numbers for 2014, Florida might have trouble signing a second tailback. However, it appears the UF coaches are trying to make it happen.
Two running backs are planning to attend the Tennessee game — five-star Joe Mixon (Oakley, Calif./Freedom) and Alabama commit Bo Scarbrough (Bradenton IMG Academy). Mixon is scheduled to be in town on an official visit, but there are reports his trip may be pushed back to the weekend of the Florida State game.
Despite already being pledged to a school, the Gators have a better shot with Scarbrough than they do Mixon, who most feel will stay on the West Coast for college.
Florida tight end commit C’yontai Lewis is Scarbrough’s cousin and close friend. The two were teammates at Tuscaloosa (Ala.) Northridge before transferring to separate schools this past summer. They visited UF together in June and will both return Saturday.
Scarbrough’s move to Bradenton has also taken him away from the pressure of attending the hometown school and made it easier to visit Gainesville, and vice versa. UF running backs coach Brian White was at his game Friday.
Florida’s top priority is keeping Dalvin Cook in the fold. But if Scarbrough makes multiple trips this fall and the Gators can make room for him, there’s definitely a chance he flips.
With De’Shawn Hand switching his visit dates, is that good or bad for the Gators? — Mark
Due to his SAT exam Oct. 5, the nation’s No. 1 defensive end out of Woodbridge (Va.) Senior was forced to reschedule the last two official visits he had planned. He will now take his trip to Alabama on Oct. 26 against Tennessee instead of its Nov. 9 showdown with LSU, and he will visit Florida on Nov. 9 for its homecoming game with Vanderbilt rather than Oct. 5 against Arkansas.
This is good news and bad news for UF. The good news is Hand was willing to miss Alabama’s biggest home game just to see Florida, and now the Gators get his final visit. The bad news? That trip comes just five days before Nov. 14 decision, and he won’t have a lot of time to process what he experiences in Gainesville. Hand basically has to fall in love with the place. With Michigan being his presumed leader for so long, can a last-minute visit to Florida change his mind? That’s the million-dollar question.
Cory Thomas has good size at 6’6, 270. What’s are chance to pull him out of Alabama? — Tom
His Top 5 in order is Mississippi State, Tennessee, Florida, Clemson and Florida State, so pulling him out of Alabama won’t be an issue. The Gators are third on his leaderboard, and Hand is the top priority at the strongside defensive end position.
However, Thomas will attend UF’s game against the Vols and then return for an official visit on Nov. 30 (FSU). So the Gators have a chance to make up ground this weekend, and they will also know Hand’s destination before Thomas takes his official.
His recruitment will be one to watch moving forward, but some factors need to change if Florida is to become a serious contender.
What do you think the odds of Florida landing Adoree’ Jackson are? Many recruiting sites show USC in the lead but recruits seem to be put off by them at the moment. — Jake, Christopher, Tamayo
Florida’s odds are outstanding, and I think the Gators currently lead for the two-sport athlete from Gardena (Calif.) Junipero Serra. As I reported after Friday Night Lights, UF track coach Mike Holloway is a major player in Jackson’s recruitment and has already given the five-star prospect personal workouts. Holloway is the only track coach Jackson speaks with — or at least he was for a while — and he appears to be closest with the football coaches at Florida.
The success of both sports at UF coupled with Southern Cal’s disastrous start to the season only bodes well for the Gators. The Trojans are believed to be the biggest threat, but Jackson could be cooling on them with Lane Kiffin on the hot seat. Jackson is also originally from Illinois, so the prospect of staying in Cali probably isn’t a big factor for him.
Do you think Jeff Driskel’s lack of development into a star QB has any impact on recruits? If so any specifically in this year’s class? — Ky Gator
The only recruits it might impact are quarterbacks. Some might feel like Florida is unable to develop their skills. However, I can tell you those concerns aren’t there for QB commit Will Grier. He and his father/high school head coach, Chad, have all the confidence in offensive coordinator Brent Pease.
Prospects at other positions just don’t really care about the juniors and seniors on Florida’s current team. Those won’t be the guys they play with for the next four years, and that’s who they’re worried about. Grier and his potential — not Driskel and his struggles — played a huge factor in landing receiver Ermon Lane.
Does Florida only recruit players from the large high schools or will they take a look at players from small schools? Wondering how the UF coaches determine if a player at a small high school (or lower class) can compete at UF. — Mason
They recruit both, and Grier is a perfect example. His high school, Davidson (N.C.) Day, faces terrible competition. Florida freshman running back Kelvin Taylor played against Class 1A, 1B and 2A teams at Glades Day.
That’s why UF has these kids come to camp so they can see what their talent level is and how they respond to coaching. If the staff determines a quarterback or skill player has what they’re looking for, that matters more than their competition level in high school.
That’s all for this week! Be sure to put your questions for the next mailbag in the comment section below!
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Post by Deleted on Sept 19, 2013 22:33:43 GMT -5
By SCOTT CARTER GatorZone.com Senior Writer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Gators senior defensive tackle Dominique Easley is not impressed.
He is not impressed at Florida leading the SEC and ranking third in the country in total defense, limiting opponents to 208.5 yards per game – or nearly five football fields fewer than Oregon’s offense (687 yards) rolled up against Tennessee.
He is not impressed that Florida leads the country in third-down defense, holding opponents to a measly 8.3 percent (2-for-24) on third-down conversions.
And Easley is definitely not impressed by Florida’s defensive effort at Miami, holding the Hurricanes to 201 fewer yards (413-212) than the Gators gained.
“I don’t like losing,’’ Easley said. “There is not much you can really do but just move on.”
As the Gators tried to put some distance between themselves and their 21-16 loss at Miami, Easley turned up the volume in defensive meetings preparing for Saturday’s SEC opener at home against Tennessee.
He is stressing perfection – or as close as you can get to the impossible – to his fellow defenders.
“He talked to us about that,’’ sophomore defensive end Jonathan Bullard said. “He is talking about correcting the little stuff to make us a great defense.”
Two games into the season, the Gators have a great defense statistically speaking. But they only have one win and two forced turnovers.
Those numbers don’t fly with a unit that finished in the top 10 nationally in each of the past two seasons. The Gators have the look of a defense that could lead the country in 2013 if everyone stays healthy and plays up to their potential.
Don’t tell Easley that, though. He is after something that can’t be defined as easily as rankings.
“Our goal is to not let an offense score, period,’’ Easley said. “In my life, I strive for perfection. If there is no perfection, there is no greatness. We’re supposed to be great.”
Even the vaunted 1985 Bears gave up a few touchdowns, so there is no such thing as defensive perfection, but Easley got his point across.
Florida’s defense can win games when it plays well and cleans up some of those little things like miscommunication here, a missed tackle there.
“They have a lot of Sunday bodies in their program, a lot of players that will play on Sunday,” first-year Tennessee coach Butch Jones said. “It will be a good test for us. We have to establish the line of scrimmage and this week it will be a tremendous challenge with their defensive front.”
On Florida’s side, much of the talk this week has been about Tennessee’s massive offensive line, which Gators coach Will Muschamp called the best his team will face this season.
There will be a lot of scratching and clawing in the trenches Saturday as the Vols visit in search of their first win over the Gators since 2004. The Gators’ eight-game win streak in the rivalry has been a popular storyline, but don’t expect Florida’s defensive players to get too excited about the past.
No, they don’t care about the win streak, they don’t care about how Oregon moved up and down the field against the Vols in a 59-14 win last week, and they don’t care about Florida’s trouble in the red-zone in the loss to the Hurricanes.
They care about playing the way they are capable. That should take care of the rest in their view.
“We always try to make sure that everybody is doing what they’re supposed to do,’’ Gators defensive tackle Damien Jacobs said. “We know with the talent we have on defense, if everybody does their job, we are going to make big plays and it’s going to be real special.
“The standard has to be high for everyone. That’s how we run it around it because that’s how it’s been ran.”
First-year defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin pushes the group in practice and demands productivity on Saturday afternoons. As part of this week’s preparation, the Gators had to take into account the uncertainty surrounding the Vols’ quarterback situation.
Jones said that junior Justin Worley, who started the first three games, could start, and so could redshirt freshman Nathan Peterman or true freshmen Riley Ferguson and Joshua Dobbs.
The Gators talked about the possibilities, but in the end, it all goes back to one of their favorite expressions: do your job.
“We’re very demanding on defense,’’ Durkin said. “Our guys see it the same way and we’ve pointed it out a lot. A lot of that stuff statistically falls where it may, but it’s not by any means what we talk about or our concern. It’s really about what we know we’re capable of doing.
“We’re not meeting the standard we set for ourselves all the time. Obviously, there are times when we are.”
Durkin wants to see better execution on defending third down despite the lofty success rate through two games, and Muschamp singled out the defense’s slow start at Miami – the Hurricanes grabbed a 14-6 lead in the first quarter – as the primary reason Florida lost.
“It was a missed opportunity,’’ Jacobs said.
Linebacker Michael Taylor agreed. The defense’s early letdown proved too costly to overcome. Taylor also understands where Easley is coming from with Tennessee coming to town and the Gators hungry for a win.
“If they don’t score, they can’t win,’’ Taylor said. “We’ve got to come out with that execution and that fire we had in the second half [at Miami]. We can’t start slow. We have to start fast and finish even faster. That’s what we took from that.”
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Post by Deleted on Sept 19, 2013 22:45:28 GMT -5
CBS college football analyst Gary Danielson believes No. 19 Florida is "the most underrated team in the country right now."
Don't be fooled by a mistake-filled 21-16 loss at Miami or an offense that has scored just 40 points in two games, warns Danielson, who has called SEC games since 2006.
"They are an elite team that turned the ball over," Danielson said in a notes package released by the network. "That can happen to any team in any football game. Florida dominated the game and should have won."
Danielson will be in Gainesville to call Saturday's visit from rebuilding Tennessee. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. on CBS.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 20, 2013 8:26:29 GMT -5
KNOXVILLE — Danny O'Brien and Jason Carr really have no choice in the matter.
Tennessee's freshman defensive tackles are going to have to be ready to play.
With Mo Couch indefinitely ineligible following last week's Yahoo! report that alleged he received improper extra benefits and Trevarris Saulsberry sidelined for up to six weeks with a knee injury suffered in Saturday's loss at second-ranked Oregon, the Volunteers will be forced to play the redshirted freshman O'Brien and the true freshman Carr behind starters Daniel McCullers and Daniel Hood.
Both played a handful in the second half against the Ducks, and they'll likely get plenty of work when Tennessee visits 19th-ranked Florida on Saturday.
"Those guys understand that it's a huge opportunity for them, and even though we're low on the inside, these guys have been playing real hard today," senior defensive end Corey Miller said following the Vols' Tuesday afternoon practice.
"They came out and practiced hard. Danny had a great day of practice, and Jason had a great day of practice, so I'm confident these guys will be able to come in there and hold it down.
"They know they've got to go. They have to. There's no ifs, ands or buts about it. They've got to go. We're going to need them."
Against Oregon's high offensive tempo, the Vols rotated continually along their defensive line, sometimes running in four new bodies in the middle of drives, to keep that unit fresh. Once Saulsberry went down late in the second quarter, O'Brien and Carr often were the tandem at the tackles.
The Gators have neither the same tempo nor skill on offense, but Gainesville's mid-September sun is sure to wear down the game's biggest bodies.
Once fifth and sixth in the pecking order at tackle, O'Brien and Carr are now third and fourth in line.
"They've worked extremely hard," coach Butch Jones said. "We have no choice. Jason Carr has to be able to give us valuable repetitions. Everyone has to elevate their game. Then you throw in the offensive line of Florida -- a very, very talented and very, very physical group. This is going to be a line-of-scrimmage game.
"Jason's being mentored by our older players, and it's a great opportunity for him along with everyone else."
Both young tackles were four-star recruits out of high school.
The 6-foot-2, 287-pound O'Brien was the nation's No. 161 overall player in the 2012 class out of Powers Catholic High School in Flint, Mich. He shunned the chance to stay close to home offered by Michigan and Michigan State for Tennessee. Alabama and Florida were also on his offer list.
Carr, a 6-5, 285-pounder from White Station in Memphis, was one of the bigger coups by Jones and his staff in the 2013 class, as the Vols fended off a January push from Alabama to hold onto him.
Jones has been hard on Carr throughout his brief career. He dubbed him "the softest player out of Memphis" during one practice last month.
"I've been really impressed with Jason Carr's approach to learning and then how he's done," Hood said Monday. "Very talented guy, young, just a lot of things to work on. It seems like every week [O'Brien] keeps improving on one thing at a time, so I think he's going to be able to play some valuable minutes for us and help us out a bunch."
While Tennessee must hope O'Brien, Carr and fourth-year junior Greg Clark can provide depth at tackle, the Vols also need starters McCullers and Hood to be more productive.
"All of us really have to share the burden to pick our play and pick up our intensity in practice," said Hood, a senior.
The freshmen, though, will be thrust into the fire of an SEC opener against a Florida offense that's averaged 192 yards rushing in its first two games.
"I feel like if they can come in and help big Daniel McCullers and help Dan Hood for even if it's a couple of snaps," Miller said, "we need anything we can get out of them, because we can't have those guys out there on the field for the entire game."
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Post by Deleted on Sept 20, 2013 8:44:47 GMT -5
By SCOTT CARTER GatorZone.com Senior Writer
The Opening Kickoff
No. 19/18 Florida vs. Tennessee Saturday, 3:30 p.m. Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Over the years there have been many classic games in the Florida-Tennessee rivalry.
Many of them took place in the 1990s when the winner of the Florida-Tennessee game not only moved into the driver's seat for the SEC East title but also became a front-runner to win the national title.
The schools meet for the 43rd time on Saturday when the Gators host the Vols at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
While the rivalry has been dominated by Florida in recent years, Saturday's matchup at The Swamp will have an old-school feel.
The reason is a guy named Danny Wuerffel.
One of the rivalry's great games -- at least for Florida fans -- happened 17 years ago to the day from Saturday. Wuerffel and Florida's defense were the stars.
In the first meeting between the schools when both were ranked in the top five, the No. 4-ranked Gators traveled to Knoxville to face the No. 2 Vols on Sept. 21, 1996. In front of more than 107,000 fans at Neyland Stadium Wuerffel threw four touchdown passes and the Florida defense forced six turnovers in a 35-29 win.
The Gators raced to a 35-0 lead in the second quarter and then held on as Peyton Manning engineered a Tennessee comeback that fell short. Florida coach Steve Spurrier offered one of his gems afterward.
"We didn't want you to accuse us of running up the score,'' Spurrier told reporters.
The victory was the first in school history for the Gators over a team ranked No. 1 or 2 and launched Florida toward the program's first national title.
Now, back to Wuerffel, who thanks to that huge early lead 17 years ago, he threw only 22 times for 155 yards in Florida's memorable road win on his way to winning the Heisman Trophy.
Wuerffel will be back on the field at The Swamp on Saturday. He won't be playing quarterback. Instead, he is taking a turn as Mr. Two Bits.
That is worth a cheer as one of Florida's all-time greats makes his return. Wuerffel is also being honored for his recent induction into the College Football Hall of Fame.
Let's take a look at Saturday's matchup with The Opening Kickoff:
Five Storylines to Watch •This is the SEC opener for both schools and each is coming off a game they would rather forget. The Gators lost at Miami two weeks ago and are itching to get back on the field. The Vols traveled to No. 2 Oregon last week and got drilled 59-14. •The Gators have owned this rivalry of late. Florida has won eight consecutive over the Vols, including the last six meetings by an average of 19 points. They will try to make it nine in a row on Saturday with Wuerffel watching. For the record, Wuerffel was 4-0 against the Vols in his career. •While the Gators have tripped of late away from The Swamp -- all three of Florida's losses since the start of last season have come in NFL stadiums -- they have won eight in a row in front of the home fans. •Tennessee's defense was shredded for 687 yards in the loss at Oregon. Meanwhile, Florida's offense leads the nation in time of possession, holding on the ball an average of 39:04. How that translates on the field Saturday will be interesting to watch. •Florida's defense has been dominant in the first two games of the season. The Gators lead the SEC in total defense (208.5 yards per game) and lead the country in third-down defense (limiting opponents to 2-for-24 on third-down conversions). The Gators' biggest challenge Saturday will be going against the Vols' offensive line, which returns four starters and weighs a collective 1,561 pounds.
Cast of Characters •Gators quarterback Jeff Driskel threw for a career-high 291 yards in the loss at Miami. However, that was overshadowed by Driskel's two interceptions in the red zone and his fumble that led to the Hurricanes' final score. The Gators are looking for better decisions from Driskel when they drive deep into Tennessee territory. •First-year Tennessee coach Butch Jones makes his first trip to Florida Field. Jones climbed the coaching ranks under Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly as an assistant and replaces Derek Dooley. Jones is the fourth Tennessee coach since the Vols last beat Florida in 2004. •Florida's quarterback situation is much more stable than Tennessee's. Jones held off this week on naming a starter and said that junior Justin Worley, who started the first three games, could start, and so could redshirt freshman Nathan Peterman or true freshmen Riley Ferguson and Joshua Dobbs. Stay tuned. •Senior right guard Jon Halapio returns for the Gators after missing the first two games due to a torn pectoral muscle. Halapio provides the offensive line with a veteran leader and perhaps the unit's strongest run blocker. •Freshman defensive back Vernon Hargreaves III isn't shy about introductions. Hargreaves has an interception in each of his first two college games, the first UF true freshman to do that in records dating back to 1996. Hargreaves' quick start prompted head coach Will Muschamp and defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin to say this week that Hargreaves is essentially a starter.
The Quote File •"They are definitely going to come out with a different edge because we're a rivalry. They know us. We know them. They are not going halfway across the country to play us. They're coming right down the street. They know what they are getting themselves into." -- Gators linebacker Michael Taylor on facing the Vols •"I think he is much closer to what we need him to be." -- Gators offensive coordinator Brent Pease on running back Matt Jones, who made his 2013 debut at Miami after missing time with a viral infection •"You just can’t give up big plays. We can’t afford that to happen. You’ve got to tackle better. Marcus knows that. Jaylen [has] played well at safety for us. He will still play some corner. But he’s a guy that covers well.'' -- Muschamp on decision to move Jaylen Watkins ahead of Marcus Maye at safety •"Just like any position in our program, it's open. Whatever quarterback has the best week of practice will be the starter for Tennessee when we play Florida. If that means a freshman quarterback, that means a freshman quarterback. We'll add more quarterback run in our package. We just need to find ways to generate big explosive plays." -- Jones on the Vols' quarterback battle
10 Quick Hitters •The Vols are 1-23 against Top 25 teams since 2008 and have lost 17 in a row to ranked opponents. •Gators senior Trey Burton is fourth in the SEC in receptions per game (5.5). Burton had a career-high six receptions at Miami and the Vols remember him for his 80-yard touchdown run that shifted momentum in Florida's 37-20 win at Tennessee last year. •Loucheiz Purifoy's blocked punt against Miami was the Gators' 13th blocked kick under Muschamp and special teams played a big role in Tennessee's last visit to The Swamp in 2011, a 33-23 Florida victory. •Tennessee has forced nine turnovers in three games while the Gators have forced only two in their two games. The Gators are minus-4 in turnover margin, a key area of concern for Muschamp. •Tennessee has lost eight consecutive SEC games on the road, last winning an away conference game in November 2010 at Vanderbilt. •A pair of Tennessee assistants has close ties to the Gators. Vols receivers coach Zach Azzanni was on Urban Meyer's final staff at Florida in 2010, and former Gators running back Robert Gillespie is in his first season as Tennessee's running backs coach. •Florida could use another big day from its starting receivers. Quinton Dunbar caught seven passes for 98 yards against Miami and Solomon Patton hauled in a career-high 118 yards receiving, including a 46-yarder from Driskel. •Muschamp said Gators starting right tackle Tyler Moore is battling an ankle sprain. If Moore is unavailable, look for the versatile Kyle Koehn to move over to tackle. Koehn has filled in at right guard in Halapio's absence. •The Gators are still looking for more production from their tight ends. The foursome of Clay Burton, Tevin Westbrook, Colin Thompson and Kent Taylor has only one catch in the first two games. •Driskel has completed 70.9 percent of his passes (39-for-55) through two games, second in the SEC behind Georgia's Aaron Murray (37-for-52, 71.2 percent).
The Bottom Line
The Gators' win streak over Tennessee is one they want to keep alive for a myriad of reasons, most notably to start the SEC season off on a good note and flush the Miami loss from their system.
Florida is a heavy favorite and CBS analyst Gary Danielson, who is calling the game with play-by-play man Verne Lundquist, considers the Gators the most underrated elite team in the country.
Florida fans hope Danielson is right.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 20, 2013 9:02:23 GMT -5
RobbieAndreu: Durkin said true freshmen Alex Anzalone and Jarrad Davis are making their early mark on special teams.
RobbieAndreu: Durkin on preparing for two UT QBs: we have our game play and alert our players what the differences are between the two.
RobbieAndreu: Durkin Maye is going to be a very good player, and is one.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 20, 2013 9:47:43 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Sept 20, 2013 15:21:00 GMT -5
Tim Tebow signs with Russian team for two games at $1 million. Take the money and run Tim. (chuckle)
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Post by Deleted on Sept 20, 2013 15:26:59 GMT -5
By Zach Abolverdi Correspondent
Published: Friday, September 20, 2013 at 1:33 p.m.
Last Modified: Friday, September 20, 2013 at 1:33 p.m.
Despite Florida’s offensive struggles through the first two games of the 2013 season, coordinator Brent Pease believes his unit is headed in the right direction.
Starting quarterback Jeff Driskel threw for a career-high 291 yards at Miami. However, he also accounted for three of UF’s five turnovers that resulted in the 21-16 loss.
Pease said Driskel is not “by any means where he needs to be,” but he’s still seen improvement from him early on in his junior season. Pease pointed to his experience with his former quarterback at Boise State.
“I look back to Kellen Moore when he was in the offensive system that we had,” Pease said Thursday night on the Gator Hotline radio show. “He was a good player his freshman year, but there were a lot of great players around him. He got better his sophomore year. He had an outstanding junior year, and he was very good his senior year. So the years he blossomed were really year three and year four.
“Now, am I saying Jeff is Kellen Moore? No. They’re two different type of players. But I think the kid has progressed, and I think there’s still a long ways to go. He takes the right approach to wanting to get better and really execute what we need to do. ... I know people are so critical of the situation because of the spot he plays. But there’s things all around us that we have to get better in as an offense.”
Pease talked about the three main statistics he uses to evaluate the offense.
“Turnovers, that’s our No. 1 goal,” he said. “Second thing is third-down conversions. The third one is red-zone efficiency.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 20, 2013 16:32:11 GMT -5
The real reason for the bad blood between UF and UT in the 90s: evilgandcoache.blogspot.comQuote: This week's slate of games are straight up booty (North Texas at Georgia?), so Florida's opponent from Knox County gets my full attention. (LSU destroys Auburn by the way.) Tennessee fans have always been an insufferable bunch, and they do a remarkable job of playing the victim. Evil Steve Superior victimized Vol fans for over a decade…those poor, poor Tennessee fans. Phil Fulmer got bored and ruined the program. Lane Kiffin left Tennessee high and dry, but not before running off Tajh Boyd. Derek Dooley lost to Kentucky, and just about everyone else. Tennessee plays Alabama EVERY year. Since 1990, UF and Tennessee have played every year, and we all know that 1990 game wasn’t Florida’s finest hour. I was finishing up my undergrad at UF that semester… so yeah, I’m old. Anyway, UF played the Vols close for 30 minutes, then Tennessee opened up a can of whoop ass in the second half, destroying UF 45-3. Now it wasn’t enough for Tennessee fans to be satisfied with a 42-point beatdown, or play Rocky Top repeatedly for 6 hours, or throw cups at visiting fans. That’s expected, life as a traveling rival fan in the SEC if you will. Tennessee’s student section saw fit to mock the horrific Gainesville student murders that took place just before the fall semester started, chanting “Our students don’t get killed”. I had several friends and fellow students who made the trip, they shared what happened. News of UT’s student section’s antics made The Independent Florida Alligator. The general consensus on campus was a resounding “that's messed up...we'll be sure to remember this when you come to town next September”. Fast forward a year to the rematch in Gainesville, and let’s just say our fans weren’t on their best behavior, present company included. All the stories about UT fans getting blasted with piss bombs, cars getting keyed, punks getting pimp slapped…it all happened. Now I don’t condone pimp slapping per se, but to quote John Rambo, “They drew first blood.” Don't start none, won't be none. For the rest of the 1990s, the college football world revolved around Florida vs. Tennessee...Spurrier vs. Fulmer, Manning vs. Wuerffel, Alex Brown vs. Tee Martin, and so on. And it was glorious. This weekend Tennessee might bring 3,000 fans to Gainesville, and ESPN College Gameday is setting up shop in Fargo, North Dakota. Thanks Derek Dooley. I have no sympathy for Tennessee’s current dilemma. I won’t even bring up how they led the charge to strip Florida of its first SEC title in 1984. That’s water under the bridge. UF beat Tennessee by double digits in 1984...in Knoxville. I understand. Hell it’s almost no fun hating Tennessee these days. They don’t appear capable of getting out of their own way. Who schedules road games at Oregon and Florida in consecutive weeks? It’s like they’re trying to suck on purpose. Besides, UF has its own issues. Our starting QB has gigantic ears, but he couldn’t hear a blitz coming if opposing defenders made a pre-snap announcement. We’ll beat Tennessee this Saturday in spite of him. Tennessee fans are quick to point to their storied history and tradition…which is code for “we were great before electricity and integration”. During the most successful run in Tennessee’s modern history, they played second fiddle to new money “Johnny Come Lately” Florida, a school with no history or tradition, not to mention a questionable color scheme. In fact you have to go back to the 1950s to find a decade when UT had a winning record against UF. It’s all good though Tennessee fans. Your football program will be back at some point, and beating you might actually mean something again. Until then.... Gators - 28 Vols - 10
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Post by Deleted on Sept 20, 2013 16:38:17 GMT -5
MOSCOW, September 18. (Itar-Tass) – Dmitry Popkov, president of the Black Storm, Russian football club, confirmed that talks on signing Tim Tebow to play two games for his team, have not been easy. Popkov emphasized that Tim Tebow is a legendary player, Michael Jordan of American Football. “He’s a real sports star, surrounded by a crowd of agents, that’s why negotiations were difficult. Tebow himself after finding out that people play American football in Russia was surprised and wanted to see it for himself, to play with Russian players. And then again, an extra million dollars won’t harm him. As far as popularizing American football in Russia, he doesn’t really care about it. It’s interest.” Former Denver Broncos and New York jets quarterback Tim Tebow is considered to be one of the best and most popular athletes in the United States. In 2013 the player signed a deal with New England Patriots; however, after exhibiting poor performance in a series of preseason games, Tebow was cut from the team; currently he is a free agent. Black Storm president said that Tebow is slated to play two games for his team – September 28, at the semi-final game of the Russian championship against Moscow Patriots and at the final game if the team beats the Patriots. “Do we plan long-term work with this player?” Popkov asked. “Can’t say anything at this point of time. The contract has been signed for just two games. The offered sum is pretty impressive. What’s the ratio of the payout to Tebow to the team’s annual budget? I can’t really say,” the president said, adding that all Black Storm players are currently “pleasantly shocked.” “Even our adversaries are thrilled about Tebow visiting Russia. Everyone expects these two games to be very festive.” Tebow is also expected to host a workshop with Russian kids training in Americna Football. www.itar-tass.com/en/c32/881037.html
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Post by Deleted on Sept 21, 2013 10:01:48 GMT -5
Florida Kicks Bama Butt - No Rammer Jammer Here:
By Jim Harvin Correspondent
Published: Friday, September 20, 2013 at 11:00 p.m.
Last Modified: Saturday, September 21, 2013 at 1:14 a.m.
The Alabama soccer team encountered bus problems en route to Gainesville for Friday's 2013 Southeastern Conference opener against No. 8 Florida, delaying the start of the match by an hour.
The Crimson Tide's night didn't get any better after arrival.
Led by a pair of first-half goals from freshman forward Savannah Jordan, the Gators (7-1-1, 1-0) remained unbeaten in their last six outings by defeating Alabama, 3-0, before a Pressly Stadium crowd of 1,719 that included more than 30 former UF greats on Alumni Night.
“It's always great to have the alumni back, and to win in front of them is a source of pride for us because obviously they've created such a legacy for our program,” coach Becky Burleigh said.
Alabama slipped to 2-6, 0-1 with the loss.
Jordan broke a scoreless tie in the 27th minute when she put a low shot in the back of the net from five yards out, with teammates Lindsey Cooper and Havana Solaun each credited with an assist.
With less than three minutes left in the half, Jordan struck again. This time, she took a pass with her back to the goal, turned and fired in a shot from 12 yards out to put UF up 2-0, with Meggie Dougherty Howard and Brooke Smith both logging assists.
“It was a great way to open up the SEC,” said Jordan, who upped her team-leading mark to 10 goals, a UF freshman record for nine matches. “I know the team is really happy.”
Fellow freshman Liz Slattery closed out the scoring with her first career goal on a well-placed header from close range in the 86th minute with assists from Tessa Andujar and Maggie Rodgers.
Florida hits the road for a pair of SEC games against Ole Miss and Missouri next weekend, playing the Rebels on Friday at 8 p.m. before taking on the Tigers next Sunday at 2 p.m. in a televised (ESPNU) match.
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