gators practice report 10/25
Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2007 6:35 am
Sophomore Jarred Fayson and junior Louis Murphy live together so there are bound to be some good stories. Both are wide receivers so they get to see each other for most of practice as well. Fayson said there are a bunch of funny Murphy stories to tell.
"One just happened yesterday in practice," Fayson said. "(Sophomore) Percy (Harvin) was running a screen. (Murphy) was trying to tell Percy to come over. He's blocking the wrong man, he's stumbling all over the place and tripping and stuff. That was lately the funniest story…Something like that is bound to happen to Murph because Murph is a goof. Murph and I are always clowning together. Murph is real crazy."
Fayson has not been used a tremendous amount in Florida's offense this season. He is fourth on the team in rushing with 70 yards on 12 attempts and he has two receptions for eight yards and a touchdown. Fayson finished with three carries for 11 yards in Florida's 45-37 win at Kentucky last weekend.
Murphy has been one of the Gators' top targets. He is second on the team, behind Harvin, with 23 receptions for 353 yards and two touchdowns. Murphy had four catches for a team-high 91 yards including a 66-yard touchdown reception in the Kentucky victory. Coach Urban Meyer said Murphy has completely turned his life around since early in his career.
"Everything from A to Z," Meyer said. "Academically, spiritually, the way he lives his life, as a leader. He's made some great catches for us. It's not coincidence. Players figure it out at some point that lifestyle and trust amongst the coaching staff equates to production. I love Louis Murphy. The family is terrific and he's a special guy. He's going to be an executive someday. He's got that type of persona."
Florida takes on Georgia at 3:30 p.m. Saturday in Jacksonville and Meyer said it is one of his favorite college rivalries. For sophomore quarterback Tim Tebow, who returns to his hometown for the game, there is nothing better.
"He just told me, what is it Duval?" Meyer asked. "'I'm going back home, baby, to Duval.' I'm like, 'Duval County or something?' He's really excited. I used to watch it in the 90s. I always used to watch this. I don't know why but when it would come on I'd watch it. He said when he was a kid he'd go to his Pop Warner games and then go to the Florida-Georgia game. It's a special game for him."
CBS is broadcasting the game which means it is another chance for the country to see Tebow, who has emerged as the frontrunner for the Heisman Trophy. No sophomore has ever won the coveted award.
In the Rivals.com Heisman Fan Poll, Tebow is No. 1. Rivals.com college football writer Olin Buchanan has Tebow at the top of his board. Many other publications have him leading as well. Last week, Tebow threw for 256 yards with four touchdowns. He also had a game-high 78 rushing yards and a score on 20 carries.
For the season, Tebow has thrown for 1,711 yards with 17 touchdowns and three interceptions. He leads Florida with 578 rushing yards and 10 scores on 125 carries.
Wednesday injury report
Freshman safety Major Wright (thumb) is very questionable, Meyer said. If Wright cannot play, expect to see senior Kyle Jackson and redshirt sophomore Dorian Munroe filling in. Sophomore wide receiver Riley Cooper (finger) was reportedly running at practice but Meyer said he is not definitely playing this weekend.
Sophomore cornerback Wondy Pierre-Louis is fine. Fifth-year offensive lineman Carlton Medder (heel) used crutches when he left practice. Sophomore defensive tackle Brandon Antwine (back muscle) is expected to be released from the hospital Thursday.
More Meyer quotes
On his relationship with officials: "One thing about football, you can say whatever you want. It's not like Major League Baseball. I'm not as bas as I used to be but they don't flag you for that. The SEC, there was a little bit of a bad rap a few years ago, but I have not had any issue. There has been great communication on our side.
"In football, they'll say, 'That's enough.' Other than 1986 when I was at Ohio State and Bo Schembechler is on the hash mark throwing his head sets. I said, 'What are you doing?' He didn't get a flag though. But that was Bo Schembechler.
The Outback Bowl was a bad deal. That was a major missed call and I saw it and I saw it clearly and the guy said something back to me and that was a bad deal for a little while. Like three quarters."
On freshmen defensive linemen stepping up: "(Justin) Trattou has made some strides. He had a sack Saturday and (defensive line coach) Greg Mattison loves Duke Lemmens. He wishes (Terron) Sanders would come on a little bit more. John Brown is getting a little better, too."
"One just happened yesterday in practice," Fayson said. "(Sophomore) Percy (Harvin) was running a screen. (Murphy) was trying to tell Percy to come over. He's blocking the wrong man, he's stumbling all over the place and tripping and stuff. That was lately the funniest story…Something like that is bound to happen to Murph because Murph is a goof. Murph and I are always clowning together. Murph is real crazy."
Fayson has not been used a tremendous amount in Florida's offense this season. He is fourth on the team in rushing with 70 yards on 12 attempts and he has two receptions for eight yards and a touchdown. Fayson finished with three carries for 11 yards in Florida's 45-37 win at Kentucky last weekend.
Murphy has been one of the Gators' top targets. He is second on the team, behind Harvin, with 23 receptions for 353 yards and two touchdowns. Murphy had four catches for a team-high 91 yards including a 66-yard touchdown reception in the Kentucky victory. Coach Urban Meyer said Murphy has completely turned his life around since early in his career.
"Everything from A to Z," Meyer said. "Academically, spiritually, the way he lives his life, as a leader. He's made some great catches for us. It's not coincidence. Players figure it out at some point that lifestyle and trust amongst the coaching staff equates to production. I love Louis Murphy. The family is terrific and he's a special guy. He's going to be an executive someday. He's got that type of persona."
Florida takes on Georgia at 3:30 p.m. Saturday in Jacksonville and Meyer said it is one of his favorite college rivalries. For sophomore quarterback Tim Tebow, who returns to his hometown for the game, there is nothing better.
"He just told me, what is it Duval?" Meyer asked. "'I'm going back home, baby, to Duval.' I'm like, 'Duval County or something?' He's really excited. I used to watch it in the 90s. I always used to watch this. I don't know why but when it would come on I'd watch it. He said when he was a kid he'd go to his Pop Warner games and then go to the Florida-Georgia game. It's a special game for him."
CBS is broadcasting the game which means it is another chance for the country to see Tebow, who has emerged as the frontrunner for the Heisman Trophy. No sophomore has ever won the coveted award.
In the Rivals.com Heisman Fan Poll, Tebow is No. 1. Rivals.com college football writer Olin Buchanan has Tebow at the top of his board. Many other publications have him leading as well. Last week, Tebow threw for 256 yards with four touchdowns. He also had a game-high 78 rushing yards and a score on 20 carries.
For the season, Tebow has thrown for 1,711 yards with 17 touchdowns and three interceptions. He leads Florida with 578 rushing yards and 10 scores on 125 carries.
Wednesday injury report
Freshman safety Major Wright (thumb) is very questionable, Meyer said. If Wright cannot play, expect to see senior Kyle Jackson and redshirt sophomore Dorian Munroe filling in. Sophomore wide receiver Riley Cooper (finger) was reportedly running at practice but Meyer said he is not definitely playing this weekend.
Sophomore cornerback Wondy Pierre-Louis is fine. Fifth-year offensive lineman Carlton Medder (heel) used crutches when he left practice. Sophomore defensive tackle Brandon Antwine (back muscle) is expected to be released from the hospital Thursday.
More Meyer quotes
On his relationship with officials: "One thing about football, you can say whatever you want. It's not like Major League Baseball. I'm not as bas as I used to be but they don't flag you for that. The SEC, there was a little bit of a bad rap a few years ago, but I have not had any issue. There has been great communication on our side.
"In football, they'll say, 'That's enough.' Other than 1986 when I was at Ohio State and Bo Schembechler is on the hash mark throwing his head sets. I said, 'What are you doing?' He didn't get a flag though. But that was Bo Schembechler.
The Outback Bowl was a bad deal. That was a major missed call and I saw it and I saw it clearly and the guy said something back to me and that was a bad deal for a little while. Like three quarters."
On freshmen defensive linemen stepping up: "(Justin) Trattou has made some strides. He had a sack Saturday and (defensive line coach) Greg Mattison loves Duke Lemmens. He wishes (Terron) Sanders would come on a little bit more. John Brown is getting a little better, too."