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Weather Or Not Gators Are Ready For Them, Vols Are Next
MICK ELLIOTT
Published: Sep 12, 2004
G AINESVILLE - Not many teams can win 49-10 and be left to wonder whether they did enough not to lose ground.
One game into their season that is 2 weeks old, the Florida Gators came to the Swamp on Saturday afternoon feeling a need to speed into form. Last week's scheduled season opener had to be postponed because of the hurricane du jour, and this week the Gators travel to Tennessee for their annual Southeastern Conference spittin' match that typically sends one team home as an also-ran.
So the Gators finally start to limber up against the Eastern Michigan Eagles, and what happens?
Along comes a lightning storm and tornado warning midway through the second quarter that sent both teams to their locker rooms for 64 minutes. When play was resumed, the third quarter was played in a steady downpour.
Talk about weathering a tough start to a season.
Remember back when Steve Spurrier used to love telling everybody that ``God smiled on the Gators?'' Obviously, Spurrier leaves, and Florida's personnel file gets handed down the chain of command to Mother Nature, who, it turns out, has never heard of Ron Zook - much less ever had him compared to her.
It all worked to turn Florida's long-awaited season debut into a herky-jerky affair that, although showing a lot of promise, answered almost as many serious questions as ``The Man Show.''
Let's just say it's never a good thing when the most talked-about run of the day is made by some chowder head out of the stands splashing across the field with three cops in hot pursuit.
(Memo to campus police: Good closing speed.)
Considering such craziness to start a season, is it any wonder the Gators will take the victory and like it?
``People can get on certain things, and it's `What about this, what about this, and what about this?' I know it affected me,'' Zook said. ``You are getting ready to play, then you can't play. There's an emotional swing there.''<
The Positives
It's all upward for now. No matter how many questions the win answered or didn't, it did end a three-game losing streak that closed last season with an 8-5 record. Junior tailback Ciatrick Fason did run for 105 yards on 16 carries. Sophomore quarterback Chris Leak, after completing just two of five passes for 17 yards in the first quarter, did finish 16 of 25 for 244 yards and three touchdowns.
Even better, Florida showed the promise of mental toughness. Can a coach ask for anything more than a touchdown drive that takes almost 1 hour and 10 minutes? Leading 14-3, the Gators were two plays into a possession and facing second-and-6 at EMU's 46 when play was suspended. After finally returning to the field, Leak threw a strike to wideout Dallas Baker going across the middle for 27 yards, and Florida went on to finish off an eight-play, 40-yard drive.
``We can't control hurricanes. We can't control the weather,'' said center Mike Degory. ``But I thought it was really good we went in for the break and came out and scored a touchdown. It showed we really kept focused in the locker room.''<
Under Cover
What the Gators didn't show was much to send fans into optimistic overdrive. Although giving strong signs of having a much greater vertical passing game, the offense was kept basic as earth tones - presumably by design considering next week's opponent.
``I feel pretty good about the answers from this football team,'' Zook said. ``For the most part, we have a pretty good feel for what we can do.''
Florida has been down this route once before. In 1957, the Gators' season opener against UCLA was canceled because of a team flu epidemic. Nevertheless, with the aid of plenty of liquids, the Gators recovered to begin their season with two wins and went on to a 6-2-1 record.
Somewhere in all this - good or bad - there has to be an omen.
Right?
``I don't believe in omens,'' linebacker Channing Crowder said. ``I believe in winning.''
The Gators will have their time to prove it.
They'll just need to hurry
MICK ELLIOTT
Published: Sep 12, 2004
G AINESVILLE - Not many teams can win 49-10 and be left to wonder whether they did enough not to lose ground.
One game into their season that is 2 weeks old, the Florida Gators came to the Swamp on Saturday afternoon feeling a need to speed into form. Last week's scheduled season opener had to be postponed because of the hurricane du jour, and this week the Gators travel to Tennessee for their annual Southeastern Conference spittin' match that typically sends one team home as an also-ran.
So the Gators finally start to limber up against the Eastern Michigan Eagles, and what happens?
Along comes a lightning storm and tornado warning midway through the second quarter that sent both teams to their locker rooms for 64 minutes. When play was resumed, the third quarter was played in a steady downpour.
Talk about weathering a tough start to a season.
Remember back when Steve Spurrier used to love telling everybody that ``God smiled on the Gators?'' Obviously, Spurrier leaves, and Florida's personnel file gets handed down the chain of command to Mother Nature, who, it turns out, has never heard of Ron Zook - much less ever had him compared to her.
It all worked to turn Florida's long-awaited season debut into a herky-jerky affair that, although showing a lot of promise, answered almost as many serious questions as ``The Man Show.''
Let's just say it's never a good thing when the most talked-about run of the day is made by some chowder head out of the stands splashing across the field with three cops in hot pursuit.
(Memo to campus police: Good closing speed.)
Considering such craziness to start a season, is it any wonder the Gators will take the victory and like it?
``People can get on certain things, and it's `What about this, what about this, and what about this?' I know it affected me,'' Zook said. ``You are getting ready to play, then you can't play. There's an emotional swing there.''<
The Positives
It's all upward for now. No matter how many questions the win answered or didn't, it did end a three-game losing streak that closed last season with an 8-5 record. Junior tailback Ciatrick Fason did run for 105 yards on 16 carries. Sophomore quarterback Chris Leak, after completing just two of five passes for 17 yards in the first quarter, did finish 16 of 25 for 244 yards and three touchdowns.
Even better, Florida showed the promise of mental toughness. Can a coach ask for anything more than a touchdown drive that takes almost 1 hour and 10 minutes? Leading 14-3, the Gators were two plays into a possession and facing second-and-6 at EMU's 46 when play was suspended. After finally returning to the field, Leak threw a strike to wideout Dallas Baker going across the middle for 27 yards, and Florida went on to finish off an eight-play, 40-yard drive.
``We can't control hurricanes. We can't control the weather,'' said center Mike Degory. ``But I thought it was really good we went in for the break and came out and scored a touchdown. It showed we really kept focused in the locker room.''<
Under Cover
What the Gators didn't show was much to send fans into optimistic overdrive. Although giving strong signs of having a much greater vertical passing game, the offense was kept basic as earth tones - presumably by design considering next week's opponent.
``I feel pretty good about the answers from this football team,'' Zook said. ``For the most part, we have a pretty good feel for what we can do.''
Florida has been down this route once before. In 1957, the Gators' season opener against UCLA was canceled because of a team flu epidemic. Nevertheless, with the aid of plenty of liquids, the Gators recovered to begin their season with two wins and went on to a 6-2-1 record.
Somewhere in all this - good or bad - there has to be an omen.
Right?
``I don't believe in omens,'' linebacker Channing Crowder said. ``I believe in winning.''
The Gators will have their time to prove it.
They'll just need to hurry
