BeltwayVol
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GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) -- Coach Urban Meyer called Florida's running attack "pathetic," saying it had to improve or the 10th-ranked Gators might not win another game this season.
Although Meyer was exaggerating, it was clearly his biggest concern following Saturday's 32-14 win against Wyoming.
He also expects the running game to improve, especially with the return of DeShawn Wynn. The 5-foot-11, 230-pound junior watched the season opener from the sideline, suspended for violating an unspecified team rule.
"That hole was built a long time ago," Meyer said Sunday. "That was a February-to-March hole. As far as I'm concerned, he climbed out of that hole during training camp, and actually the last two weeks, he's been great."
The Gators could have used Wynn against Wyoming. They ran 36 times for 91 yards, averaging a measly 2.5 yards an attempt against a defense that ranked 81st in the nation last year in rushing (179.2 yards per game).
Florida's stats would have been better without four sacks and two botched snaps. Chris Leak lost 28 yards on the sacks, and the offense lost another 43 yards on the errant snaps by center Mike Degory.
Still, Meyer said the offensive line needed to block better and the backs needed to do more with the space provided.
Leak, Chad Jackson and the defense made up for the running woes. Leak was 26-of-34 passing for 320 yards with three touchdown passes to Jackson, who had 10 catches for 138 yards. The defense was just as good, holding the Cowboys scoreless until midway through the third quarter.
But Meyer wasn't satisfied, mostly because of the ground game.
"We had no balance," he said. "There was no inside running game. We scored on passing and that tells me we don't have balance right now. If we're going to win games, we have to be balanced with a running and a passing game. I would rather pass for 250 and run for 250 than have no balance."
Junior Skyler Thornton started in place of Wynn and carried eight times for 36 yards. Redshirt freshman Markus Manson gained 22 yards on four attempts. And freshman Kestahn Moore ran three times for 17 yards before leaving the game with a possible concussion and a scratched eye when he had his helmet ripped off during a tackle.
Moore was a surprise starter at receiver, getting the nod over several more experienced players like Jackson, Tate Casey and Gavin Dickey.
Meyer said Moore's name "will be very well known around here in the next few years."
"He's a great practice player," Meyer said. "The term 'he's a gamer' is just not acceptable here at Florida. 'I'm a gamer.' OK, well, good. You can watch from the sideline. You've got to be a great practice player so the team can develop trust in you. He's always in the right place at the right time. He's tough and he has a lot of ability."
Ciatrick Fason gained 1,267 yards on 222 attempts and scored 10 touchdowns for Florida last season. But Fason left school a year early to enter the NFL draft and was a fourth-round pick by the Minnesota Vikings. Without him, Meyer challenged the remaining backs to step up and play to their potential.
He also said he would like either Wynn, Thornton, Moore or Manson to win the job outright and get most of the carries.
"There's talent there, and we expect that area to improve," Meyer said. Notes
Meyer said he will have a "little package" for using backup QB Josh Portis each week. Portis ran five times for 45 yards in the fourth quarter against Wyoming. "I think the whole stadium saw how dynamic a player he is," Meyer said. ... Meyer said the two missed extra point attempts were caused by bad holds by senior backup punter Nick Fleming. Meyer said he will make a change at that spot before Saturday's game against Louisiana Tech. ... CB Vernell Brown will continue to return punts.
Copyright 2005 Associated Press.
Although Meyer was exaggerating, it was clearly his biggest concern following Saturday's 32-14 win against Wyoming.
He also expects the running game to improve, especially with the return of DeShawn Wynn. The 5-foot-11, 230-pound junior watched the season opener from the sideline, suspended for violating an unspecified team rule.
"That hole was built a long time ago," Meyer said Sunday. "That was a February-to-March hole. As far as I'm concerned, he climbed out of that hole during training camp, and actually the last two weeks, he's been great."
The Gators could have used Wynn against Wyoming. They ran 36 times for 91 yards, averaging a measly 2.5 yards an attempt against a defense that ranked 81st in the nation last year in rushing (179.2 yards per game).
Florida's stats would have been better without four sacks and two botched snaps. Chris Leak lost 28 yards on the sacks, and the offense lost another 43 yards on the errant snaps by center Mike Degory.
Still, Meyer said the offensive line needed to block better and the backs needed to do more with the space provided.
Leak, Chad Jackson and the defense made up for the running woes. Leak was 26-of-34 passing for 320 yards with three touchdown passes to Jackson, who had 10 catches for 138 yards. The defense was just as good, holding the Cowboys scoreless until midway through the third quarter.
But Meyer wasn't satisfied, mostly because of the ground game.
"We had no balance," he said. "There was no inside running game. We scored on passing and that tells me we don't have balance right now. If we're going to win games, we have to be balanced with a running and a passing game. I would rather pass for 250 and run for 250 than have no balance."
Junior Skyler Thornton started in place of Wynn and carried eight times for 36 yards. Redshirt freshman Markus Manson gained 22 yards on four attempts. And freshman Kestahn Moore ran three times for 17 yards before leaving the game with a possible concussion and a scratched eye when he had his helmet ripped off during a tackle.
Moore was a surprise starter at receiver, getting the nod over several more experienced players like Jackson, Tate Casey and Gavin Dickey.
Meyer said Moore's name "will be very well known around here in the next few years."
"He's a great practice player," Meyer said. "The term 'he's a gamer' is just not acceptable here at Florida. 'I'm a gamer.' OK, well, good. You can watch from the sideline. You've got to be a great practice player so the team can develop trust in you. He's always in the right place at the right time. He's tough and he has a lot of ability."
Ciatrick Fason gained 1,267 yards on 222 attempts and scored 10 touchdowns for Florida last season. But Fason left school a year early to enter the NFL draft and was a fourth-round pick by the Minnesota Vikings. Without him, Meyer challenged the remaining backs to step up and play to their potential.
He also said he would like either Wynn, Thornton, Moore or Manson to win the job outright and get most of the carries.
"There's talent there, and we expect that area to improve," Meyer said. Notes
Meyer said he will have a "little package" for using backup QB Josh Portis each week. Portis ran five times for 45 yards in the fourth quarter against Wyoming. "I think the whole stadium saw how dynamic a player he is," Meyer said. ... Meyer said the two missed extra point attempts were caused by bad holds by senior backup punter Nick Fleming. Meyer said he will make a change at that spot before Saturday's game against Louisiana Tech. ... CB Vernell Brown will continue to return punts.Copyright 2005 Associated Press.
