The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, April 13, 2005, Page 13, Image 13
Urban renewal sweeps through Florida
By RALPH D. RUSSO
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Urban
Meyer surveys his squad of Gators
as they sprint past, snapping at
those who lag behind.
It’s the final practice of the
spring for Florida and its new
coach. Traditionally, the Gators
have had a light workout the day
before the Orange and Blue
scrimmage in “The Swamp.
Not this time.
“Another day of work, men,”
Meyer calls out. “Another day.
Another day. Another day.”
Nearly three hours later, the
Gators are done.
Welcome to Urban Renewal at
the University of Florida, where
optimism abounds, the coach is
adored and the buzz words are
honesty and accountability.
Meyer has risen through the
ranks of college coaching with
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head-spinning speed. After two
seasons at Bowling Green and two
more at Utah, the 40-year-old
with the innovative offense and
contagious intensity is already
being called the next great college
coach.
“It’s very humbling and, if you
know me, it’s extremely
uncomfortable,” he said.
Leading Utah to a 12-0 season
and a berth in the Bowl
Championship Series made
Meyer the most wanted coach in
the country last year.
Florida was first to come calling
in search of a replacement for Ron
Zook. In three seasons under
Zook, Gainesville had become a
grumpy place. The Gators, once
mighty under Steve Spurrier, were
often mediocre for his successor.
“What we went through the
last three years was not good,”
athletic director Jeremy Foley
said. “A lot of negativity. A lot of
divisiveness. It wasn’t fun for
anybody.”
Foley fiddled with the idea of
bringing back Spurrier, but the
coach decided he wasn’t interested
in trying to rekindle past glory.
Foley then went after Meyer.
Meyer had all but made up his
mind to take the Florida job when
Notre Dame made its pitch for
the former Irish assistant.
He had his pick from two of
college football’s most prestigious
programs.
“I’m Irish Catholic so I love
Notre Dame,” Meyer said. “I love
that place. I always will. That was
more than a tug.”
But the Florida job was just too
good.
“The best academics. The best
facilities. The best stadium. The
best location,” Meyer said.
Just hiring Meyer helped
improve the mood in Gainesville.
And with every move he’s made,
the players, many of whom
groused when Zook was let go,
and fans have become more
devout followers.
“We heard him talk and the
confidence that he had and the
enthusiasm that he had, we just
looked at each other like, ‘OK this
is going to work,’” linebacker
Brandon Siler said.
Meyer has done small things
such as bringing the bleachers
back to the practice field, so fans
could sit and watch the spring
workouts. Zook had removed the
metal stands.
He’s done big things such as
creating a leadership committee to
make players accountable to each
other. The committee of 14
players, chosen by the team, will
make decisions ranging from
what’s served for dinner to the
type of punishment doled out to
rule-breakers.
“The key word in this whole
thing is ownership,” Meyer said.
“If they think it’s a dictatorship,
there’s much more resistance.”
Meyer has been brutally honest
when speaking to the media about
his players. Early this spring, he
said the team wasn’t tough. He
said defensive tackle Ray
McDonald, a two-year starter,
didn’t always play hard. He called
quarterback Chris Leak a poor
leader, because while Leak was a
model student-athlete he didn’t
do enough to make sure his
teammates were the same.
Meyer doesn’t call it criticism.
“I say it’s honest evaluation,”
he said.
And the players don’t seem to
mind.
some coacnes mignt noia
back because they’re scared they
might hurt your feelings,” safety
Jarvis Herring said. “He’ll tell you
what’s on his mind. I love that.”
Meyer has reached out to
former Gators greats, many of
whom grew disenchanted with the
program during Zook’s tenure.
Neal Anderson, Alex Brown,
Danny Wuerffel, Chris Doering
and Jack Youngblood were among
the dozen or so former Florida
players at the Orange and Blue
game Saturday — along with a
record 58,500 fans.
“There’s a tradition here that’s
as good as any in the country,
especially in the last 15 years,”
Meyer laid. “Those guys need to
come back.”
Meyer even called Spurrier,
“just out of respect.”
Meyer’s even trying to get the
students more involved, visiting
the fraternity and sorority houses
and encouraging everyone on
campus to learn the fight song.
■ GAMECOCKS
I Continued from page 12
Gamecocks and Spurrier.
Leading rusher Demetris
Summers was kicked off the team
in March for violating an
unspecified team rule, although
several reports say the reason was
drug-related.
Also last month, defensive line
star Moe Thompson went
missing for nearly a week after
being charged with breaking into
dorm rooms and stealing
electronic equipment with
redshirt freshman Kevin
Mainord. Both players were
charged with first-degree
burglary and have been
suspended from the team and
school.
Redshirt freshman David Smith
i n
was arrested on several charges,
including criminal domestic
violence, assault and first-degree
burglary, in connection with a
break-in last month at his former
girlfriend’s home. Smith has been
suspended from the team
indefinitely.
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Rising sophomore safety Ko Simpson sits on the sideline during a
practice. He and junior Cory Boyd returned to practice Monday.
■ SPRING
Continued from page 12
Heffner, the elusive, young
quarterback, exhibited his skills
but also indecisiveness in a lot of
snaps. His tentativeness was shown
in a few near-interceptions and
struggles under pressure. Heffner
hit sophomore wide receiver
Syvelle Newton and redshirt
freshman Sidney Rice on
completions for more than 20
yards. His performance improved
when he stepped in following
Mitchell’s interception.
“Antonio Heffner has made
tremendous improvement,”
Spurrier said. “Antonio’s got a
good, quick release, he’s a
tremendous athlete, gets away from
guys. He just needs to know where
to throw it and when to throw it.”
The entire running attack
looked improved — Boyd looked
most impressive, as well as senior
Daccus Turman and redshirt
freshman Albert Ashcraft. In
nine-on-seven and seven-on-seven
drills, the running core blasted
outside the defense, inserting
occasional runs up the middle.
“The really good offensive
teams that I was lucky to coach
always had backs who could catch
the ball,” Spurrier said.
Of all the receivers, Rice and
Newton looked most impressive.
Junior Noah Whiteside also
looked solid, coming back to
quarterbacks during immense
defensive pressure.
SPRING GAMt
With the nearly healthy Boyd
and Simpson’s presence in
practice, USC prepares for its
nationally televised Spring Game
on Saturday afternoon.
Spurrier’s former school and
alma mater, the University of
Florida, played host to its annual
Spring Game last Saturday in front
of 59,000 Gator fans.
“Hopefully we can have a good
crowd,” Spurrier said Monday.
“All the Carolina faithful probably
want to see exactly what we’ve
been doing. Hopefully we can put
on a decent showing.
“We’re going to try our best to
get our players competing and act
like we know what we’re doing.
(We’re going to) act like we can
stay onsides, play within the rules,
and we’re going to try to put on a
decent show for our fans.”
Boyd said he plans on a full
return Saturday after competing
full-throttle Monday without
much resistance.
“That’s all I do is go 100
percent,” Boyd said. “I’m coming
out full-speed and we’re all going
to come out full-speed.”
The team will hold another
scrimmage today at 5:15 p.m.
before playing host to the
nationally televised Garnet and
Black game Saturday.
The game begins at 1 p.m. and
is free.
Comments on this story? E-mail
gamecocksports@gwm.sc.edu
■ BROOM
Continued from page 12
Probability that I will start a
calendar counting down the days
until kickoff as soon as I get back
to my apartment after the game:
10,000 percent
Number of people still reading
this column: 4
Anyway, take this paper to the
game with you and check my stats.
I am going to go ahead and go on
record as saying that these things
will be totally accurate, especially
the one about me hitting my shin.
I’m 100 percent lifetime on that
one, and I’ve got the scars to prove
it.
Now run along — it’s almost
game time. Finally.
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