September 4, 2007
Adam Gorney
An embarrassing and stunning loss like Appalachian State handed to then-No. 5 Michigan last weekend will not happen when Troy visits Florida Saturday night at Florida Field. At least, coach Urban Meyer plans to make sure the Gators do not overlook any opponent.
"We just finished at 10 o'clock (Monday), we have our offense-defense meetings and
I sat in on the defense meetings and there is no chance to say, 'OK, this team is not as good,'" Meyer said at Monday's media luncheon. "We're just trying to get lined up and play as hard as we can.
"They're such good kids and we're going to be on them so hard I don't see that being a problem. Whenever a college football fan or player or coach sees what happened to Appy State and Michigan it just shocks you. I know that coaching staff at Appalachian State. I know they're a good football team."
Troy (0-1) enters Saturday's game coming off a 46-26 loss at Arkansas. The Trojans utilize a spread attack that might give Florida's inexperienced cornerbacks problems. Senior quarterback Omar Haugabook, from Belle Glade, completed just 15 of 43 passes for 204 yards with one touchdown and an interception against the Razorbacks. Senior wide receiver Gary Banks finished with five receptions for a game-high 66 yards.
Some things play in Florida's favor. The inexperienced defense has already gone through the routine. Game week practice. Staying in the team hotel. Doing the Gator Walk. Running out on the field. Playing in front of 90,000-plus. All the small things that add up to game day have already been performed. The coaching staff also wants to make sure the Gators don't look forward to the SEC opener against Tennessee, which visits The Swamp Set. 15.
Sophomore cornerback Markihe Anderson, who missed the Western Kentucky game with a sprained knee, is expected to play. Meyer said he should know for sure by Wednesday if Anderson will play. Against Western Kentucky, freshman cornerback Joe Haden, the first freshman to start at corner in school history, played well. Sophomore Wondy Pierre-Louis was not as sharp. Getting Anderson back will be beneficial to Florida's defense.
"They know the routine," Meyer said. "We've stayed at the hotel for the first time. We got on the bus with the police escort. Did the Gator Walk. Put on a shirt and tie. Now that's a routine. We had three freshmen forget ties. Coaches are taking them off and putting them on. We'll be OK now."
Florida played 42 freshmen or sophomores in the opener. Fourteen true freshmen and 10 redshirt freshman saw action. Meyer said it is sometimes a difficult decision to play freshmen early, especially if there is a veteran behind them. Freshman defensive tackle Torrey Davis is expected to see added time as is safety Major Wright. Other freshmen also played well in the opening week.
"I know a lot of staffs have pulled that trigger real quick," Meyer said. "We don't do that here especially if he's an invested young person. When I first got here I pulled a lot of triggers because I didn't feel the investment level was here but there's other guys who went through two off-seasons, three off-seasons. Ultimately, our job is to win games…We have a saying we'd rather you play later than too early…We'd rather get settled in.
"Once you lose your confidence as an athlete, that's hard to get back. I've seen it take years, especially a quarterback. You stick a corner out there before he's ready to play and he makes some serious errors, it's hard to hide. You can hide a defensive lineman's errors once in a while. You can't hide that skill player's (errors)."
Cooper talks speed at wide receiver
Sophomore Riley Cooper finished with four catches for a game-high 122 yards and two touchdowns in Florida's win over Western Kentucky. One of the reasons Cooper had such big numbers was because Florida saw a mismatch with the cornerback defending Cooper and exploited it.
That should happen more times than not. The Gators have so many weapons in the passing game that defenses probably won't be able to keep up. If Andre Caldwell or Percy Harvin is keyed on, expect Cooper or Jarred Fayson or Louis Murphy to have a big game. If defenses take away the deep routes, Florida will go underneath. If they play tight, expect Florida to throw downfield
"Coach Meyer is big on he wants the fastest team in the country," Cooper said. "So that's what he's recruiting. We feel like we have one of the top one, two, three fastest teams in the country…Louis ran a 4.25 (40-yard dash). Percy ran a 4.28. Bubba is running sub 4.3. Everybody can run."
avoiding the upset
avoiding the upset
Yeah, we better not overlook Troy. They might be a small school, but they've got a solid football team.
avoiding the upset
^^Exactly, a1.
"They know the routine," Meyer said. "We've stayed at the hotel for the first time. We got on the bus with the police escort. Did the Gator Walk. Put on a shirt and tie. Now that's a routine. We had three freshmen forget ties. Coaches are taking them off and putting them on. We'll be OK now."
I was at the Gator Walk on Sat. Some of the players were smiling and laughing, and some had their "game face" on. Tebow had a serious expression, and smiled a little when he shook some fans hands. Some of those guys are so big.....woah! [img]{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_smile.gif[/img]
"They know the routine," Meyer said. "We've stayed at the hotel for the first time. We got on the bus with the police escort. Did the Gator Walk. Put on a shirt and tie. Now that's a routine. We had three freshmen forget ties. Coaches are taking them off and putting them on. We'll be OK now."
I was at the Gator Walk on Sat. Some of the players were smiling and laughing, and some had their "game face" on. Tebow had a serious expression, and smiled a little when he shook some fans hands. Some of those guys are so big.....woah! [img]{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_smile.gif[/img]
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] I love living in Florida.