Tampa, Florida					Monday, September 06, 2010

Football Gators-04? Some Thoughts
Saturday, April 3, 2004
TAMPA—Visited with Florida Football Coach Ron Zook and a key associate as spring work continues in brilliant weather and here are some of the conclusions, based on that which was said and/or learned elsewhere: + Miami is not on the schedule this fall or in the near future. + The Gators are back to an 11-game regular season schedule, with openers against Middle Tennessee State and Eastern Michigan before going to Tennessee Sept. 20 then returning to Gainesville for consecutive games against Kentucky , Arkansas and LSU. + Yes, they have heard it too, and agree, another, a third in a row, 8-5 record is not acceptable. + Home games are sold out, as is Georgia at Jacksonville, Tennessee at Knoxville and Florida State at Tallahassee. + The cranes and concrete mixers, barricades and yellow stripes are down, the stadium is up, complete, nifty and with a capacity crowd of 88,548 will be louder than ever. + Florida Field improvements at Ben Hill Griffin are now ready but will be in time is a Jumbotron above the north end zone to match the one in the south. + A safe zone is the Gator kicking game. Sound of foot is sophomore punter Eric Wilbur of Winter Park, with a 44.5 average, and Sporting News All-American, returning long with senior placement man Matt Leach back after a 41x41 junior year PAT record, and 17 of last 20 field goals inside the 40. Kickoff man (third year) Matt Piotrowicz, hit 78 KOs, 26 touchbacks and 57 that went 60 or more yards. All are solid citizens. + Have two all-star candidates at linebacker including All-America freshman Channing Crowder (6-2, 240), son of NFL stickout Randy Crowder sophomore Earl Everett (6-2, 230) from Sumter County. Best linebacking prospects overall than in a long time at Florida. + Center Mike Degory of Palm Bach is 6-5, 314 and repeatedly has been voted the most physical player in games with knockdown blocks, surely an All-America candidate. He is an All-Academic, and anchor to what may be a top-notch offensive line of very big size, including Mo Mitchell, a giant 6-7, 367, veteran moved from defense. + Running backs, more generally heralded at Miami and Florida State, but Florida likes its size, depth and running ability with Ciatric Fason (6-0, 220) of Neptune Beach, Deshawn Wynn (5-11, 224) of Cincinnati and a hotshot freshman coming in from Tuscaloosa named Markus Manson (6-1, 195) who stayed with Florida despite Alabama pressure. U-A is based in Tuscaloosa. + Wideouts Dallas Baker (6-3, 194) of New Smyrna Beach, big target of and favorite of QB Leak because of size, Andre Caldwell (-1, 191), also called Bubba and brother of Rece, both of Tampa, and O.J. Small (6-1, 232) of Jacksonville. + Downside includes need for tight ends, with NFL candidate Ben Troupe gone. + Another downside is the secondary, which will be virtually all new. Perhaps Florida will benefit some from SEC QBS almost all departed now. Biggest departee is Keiwan Ratliff, an interceptions star and sure high NFL draftee. + Coaching is still a question mark after the 9-5 seasons and repeated late meltdowns, including	the Outback Bowl loss to Iowa 37-17, and the Florida State rally to beat the Gators in Gainesville 38-34. Coach Zook has since arrival been the subject of concerns over his staff. Now, he starts this third season with Charley Strong as the defensive coordinator and Larry Fedora offensive coordinator and wide receiver specialty coach. Former offensive coordinator, Ed Zaunbrecher, will coach the quarterbacks, but will not be the offensive coordinator. Word is now Fedora will call the plays from the pressbox. + Betting in some quarters is that Georgia will be the overall pick in the SEC, and the East, of course, with Florida No. 2. But, nothing seems certain this go-around. If the Gators get by Tennessee and return home for three more SEC opponents, well, a 4-0 start would be a help. + Most Gators and followers are not yet ready to give Zook an unqualified embrace. A ranking alumni of influence and position said “9-5 is unacceptable. Only a trip to Atlanta,’’ to the SEC title game, “will get Zook off the hook.’’ +A spring surprise may be free safety Jarvis Herring, junior out of Live Oak, Zook suggested. He is 5-11 and 191 and is a player in a position where help is badly needed. + Among the top athletes, word is, are linebacker Crowder, the man that was everywhere last year, wideout Caldwell out of Tampa Jefferson, a versatile young player, and his sidekick, LB Harris, the senior. He is playing baseball this spring and is a team favorite. + On QB Leak, “he will never be a rah-rah guy but don’t be fooled. He leads and he deceives for he is into it on every play. Can he fire the ball if he has to, yes, he can.’’ + The season ahead, “our purpose is to be as good as we can be. That’s our goal. Maybe sometimes we concentrate too much on winning and losing. Well, not us this time. We are trying to be as good as our hard work and talent allows us to be, and we can coach us to be. The rest will take care of itself,’’ said Zook. + And word at Gainesville, is that the Florida president, Dr. James Machen, who comes from Utah does not micro-manage. He puts the people in positions and asks them to produce. + On a recent getting-to-know-you to Tampa Bay, the president affirmed that in a short speech, then privately to individuals. He said he does indeed seek that Florida be the best at all it does, that he has always been a fan of sports and its values. Machen was presented to the University Club of Tampa crowd by Carlos Alfonso, a young, activist hands-on U-F trustee who headed the presidential committee that picked and approved Machen. Alfonso is himself passionate about all things at Florida being the best. Young Alfonso, is like Machen, an outdoorsman. His well-known family has long owned and operated a major architectural firm by that name here. Alfonso introduced President Machen as “the right choice and the right time.’’ Dr. Mechen then told all there that he loves sports, knows their value, and wants Florida to succeed in them. No one asked, but another 9-5 season likely will not be acceptable to him either. “Nor me, ’’ said Zook. Good news. ##
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