A Day for Stepping Up
Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2008 8:01 pm
This was what Urban Meyer calls winners and losers Saturday, a scrimmage where guys with something to prove have a chance to step up and do something that catches his eye. Considering the halfway point in spring practice is rapidly approaching, for some guys, this is the time to do something and earn the trust of the Florida coaching staff. By the time the scrimmage ended Saturday morning, at least three players with a rather small list of accomplishments as Gators had put themselves in a much better position to play some football in the fall.
For Chris Rainey, Carlos Dunlap and Jamar Hornsby, Saturday was sort of a coming out party. They did their part by making plays. Meyer did his part by noticing what they had done.
“I told our team I already have in my mind --- I’m not going to share that with you yet --- who is going to play next year,” said Meyer. “I’m pretty well done. We’ve got half the spring to go but there are a couple of guys that made plays that haven’t made plays around here and they’re going to play next year.”
One of those players is Chris Rainey, who got a medical red-shirt as a freshman in the fall when he had to have surgery on his shoulder. The happy-go-lucky Chris Rainey of last fall has been replaced by the seriously focused Chris Rainey of the spring. He used the offseason to rehab his shoulder, add enough muscle that he’s starting to approach 180 pounds and enough strength and technique that Meyer isn’t worried about fumbles anymore.
Saturday morning, Rainey showed everything he needed to show in two plays. On the first, he took a screen pass in the right flat from Cam Newton, juked two players out of their shoes and then, just as quickly as he had made those darting moves to make people miss, he found that extra gear he has and it was a race down the sidelines. At least four defenders had the angle on him but when they got to the sideline, Rainey was already past them, speeding to the end zone. It could have been an eight-yard loss. Instead it was a 61-yard touchdown.
On the next series he was on the field, Rainey ran a pass route down the sideline and Newton spotted him and launched a pass that the 1,500 or so people attending the scrimmage knew was an overthrow. Newton clearly had led Rainey too much but Rainey found yet another gear --- this one even more impressive than the one he had shown on the previous touchdown --- and he simply ran down the ball. He caught it over his shoulder and again outran everybody to the end zone. It was a 62-yard touchdown play, the kind that there isn’t a defensive back in the SEC capable of defending.
There is speed and then there is that burst that Rainey showed Saturday. As fast as he looked on the first touchdown, he looked like he was shot out of a gun on the second one when he showed that burst to the ball.
“He is one of the ones [that will play],” said Meyer. “You’re going to see Chris Rainey on the field next year.”
Over on the defensive side, Carlos Dunlap continued to show signs that he’s more than just this physical freak of nature. Dunlap spent time on the field as a freshman last fall but productivity didn’t match the minutes played.
“I don’t want somebody out here that grades out at 85 percent but he makes no tackles, no tackles for loss, no forced fumbles, no tipped passes, no sacks,” said defensive line coach Dan McCarney after Saturday’s practice. McCarney wasn’t talking about Dunlap but the entire defensive line.
There was a distinctive dropoff in big plays from 2006 to 2007, understandable because all but one member of that 2006 D-line was playing for pay in the NFL last year. Now that 2007 is behind them and it’s spring of 2008, McCarney is telling his troops that there are no more excuses.
“It’s a matter of doing your job and making plays,” he said.
Dunlap awoke Saturday. He had sacks on consecutive plays and he forced a fumble. He used his size (6-7, 280) to overpower offensive linemen and when the power moves didn’t work, he outquicked them. Once he got past the linemen, he showed the speed that you don’t associate with defensive ends.
His two sacks swung the momentum of the scrimmage to the defense.
“Carlos made a couple of sacks back to back and that changed the whole outlook,” said Meyer.
“Look at him --- he’s 6-7, 280 and God gave him an unbelievable body but he doesn’t understand relentlessness,” said McCarney, who coached an unknown named George Selvie to a dominating All-American season at defensive end last year at USF. Selvie made All-America because McCarney got through to him and turned him into a non-stop, relentless pass rusher that wouldn’t be denied.
McCarney knows Dunlap could be that dominator, too, but the lights have to go on when it comes to understanding that he has to bring it every single play.
“His playing hard and my playing hard are a ways apart but once he figures that out I think the potential is unbelievable,” said McCarney. “I love coaching him. He’s not been one problem on or off the field but he has to learn at the tempo we need so we can win in the SEC every week.”
Hornsby is in his third year in the program. He missed half his senior season at Sandlewood in Jacksonville when he tore up his knee, took a red-shirt to rehab it properly during Florida’s championship season of 2006, and spent most of last year getting running down on kickoff coverage. He had to sit four games because of a discipline issue but in a year in which the Gators needed playmakers in the secondary, he was on the sideline except for special teams.
Hornsby gave an inkling of what he could do Friday, a practice that Meyer called “our best practice since two years ago” in terms of intensity and enthusiasm. The momentum of that good practice carried over into Saturday and it was Hornsby that added the exclamation point to a second straight big day on the final two plays.
On the first play, Newton broke containment when Dunlap got into the backfield. Rolling to his left, Newton spotted Tate Casey in the middle of the field. Because he couldn’t get his feet set, Newton’s pass was a high lob that Casey went high in the air to grab. Casey was in a vulnerable position and had no way to protect himself from the hit from Hornsby that jarred the ball loose. Casey’s hands touched the ball, Hornsby arrived with pads under the chin and Casey went down in a heap. It was five minutes before a very woozy Casey walked off the field.
On the next play, Newton rolled to his right and tried to find Rainey on a seam route. Newton didn’t throw a lollipop this time. Instead he delivered a 90 mph fast ball but Hornsby had the proper angle, broke in front of Rainey and snagged an interception that ended practice.
Plays like the ones that Hornsby made are the reason that Meyer is starting to feel that old confidence again. He had confidence in his defense two years ago. He knew his defense would make plays when games were on the line and that carried the Gators to a national championship. Last year? That was a different story.
“The difference between winning those games and failing to win … two years ago the defense stood up and made a play and we got a victory,” Meyer said. “Many times. I can think of four or five times off the top of my head when they went out and made a stop and it was over … from Tennessee to Georgia two years ago. I’m pleased with a lot of performances right now on defense.”
Last year when Meyer looked to his defenders when games were at that point where one play would make a difference, he didn’t see that look of confidence that he needed to see. The look he saw was anything but encouraging. He had youngsters who were thrown into the heat of battle without a lot of preparation or experience and he saw dazed and confused.
Now, those same young guys are starting to play with a measure of confidence and it shows because they’re starting to make some plays.
“Confused looks lead to bad players, bad teams, bad defense, bad offense,” said Meyer. “I’m starting to see that disappear on defense. Defense we had a lot of confused looks [last year] and they’re starting to disappear a little bit.”
* * *
Percy Harvin and Meyer had a 1:30 conference call with three doctors Saturday afternoon to determine what’s the best route to get Harvin healthy. At issue is a chronic problem with Harvin’s heel and in all probability, a decision about what’s best --- surgery or rest --- to heal it.
“We’re going to meet at 1:30 today,” said Meyer. “We have a conference call with about three different doctors. It is his heel. I’ll announce on Monday exactly what’s going to happen.”
* * *
Southern Cal transfer Emmanuel Moody continues to show brief flashes of what he can do. The sophomore tailback isn’t getting many carries in practice and Meyer says that part of that reason is picking up the offense.
“He’s a little bit behind,” said Meyer. “I didn’t think he would be that far behind because he was here all fall. It seems like everything is new. It shouldn’t be that way but he’s a talented guy, a very talented player.”
Even though he isn’t getting a lot of reps at tailback, Meyer likes the way Moody goes about his daily business at practice.
“He’s got a long way to go but his attitude is tremendous,” said Meyer.
* * *
Redshirt freshman quarterback Johnny Brantley continues to stand on the sidelines during full contact days. Brantley has an injured non-throwing shoulder and Meyer said the Gators are simply making sure there are no complications.
“We’re being very cautious,” said Meyer. “He’s throwing seven-on-seven on our non-pad days. If he reinjures it [shoulder], it sets him back.”
For Chris Rainey, Carlos Dunlap and Jamar Hornsby, Saturday was sort of a coming out party. They did their part by making plays. Meyer did his part by noticing what they had done.
“I told our team I already have in my mind --- I’m not going to share that with you yet --- who is going to play next year,” said Meyer. “I’m pretty well done. We’ve got half the spring to go but there are a couple of guys that made plays that haven’t made plays around here and they’re going to play next year.”
One of those players is Chris Rainey, who got a medical red-shirt as a freshman in the fall when he had to have surgery on his shoulder. The happy-go-lucky Chris Rainey of last fall has been replaced by the seriously focused Chris Rainey of the spring. He used the offseason to rehab his shoulder, add enough muscle that he’s starting to approach 180 pounds and enough strength and technique that Meyer isn’t worried about fumbles anymore.
Saturday morning, Rainey showed everything he needed to show in two plays. On the first, he took a screen pass in the right flat from Cam Newton, juked two players out of their shoes and then, just as quickly as he had made those darting moves to make people miss, he found that extra gear he has and it was a race down the sidelines. At least four defenders had the angle on him but when they got to the sideline, Rainey was already past them, speeding to the end zone. It could have been an eight-yard loss. Instead it was a 61-yard touchdown.
On the next series he was on the field, Rainey ran a pass route down the sideline and Newton spotted him and launched a pass that the 1,500 or so people attending the scrimmage knew was an overthrow. Newton clearly had led Rainey too much but Rainey found yet another gear --- this one even more impressive than the one he had shown on the previous touchdown --- and he simply ran down the ball. He caught it over his shoulder and again outran everybody to the end zone. It was a 62-yard touchdown play, the kind that there isn’t a defensive back in the SEC capable of defending.
There is speed and then there is that burst that Rainey showed Saturday. As fast as he looked on the first touchdown, he looked like he was shot out of a gun on the second one when he showed that burst to the ball.
“He is one of the ones [that will play],” said Meyer. “You’re going to see Chris Rainey on the field next year.”
Over on the defensive side, Carlos Dunlap continued to show signs that he’s more than just this physical freak of nature. Dunlap spent time on the field as a freshman last fall but productivity didn’t match the minutes played.
“I don’t want somebody out here that grades out at 85 percent but he makes no tackles, no tackles for loss, no forced fumbles, no tipped passes, no sacks,” said defensive line coach Dan McCarney after Saturday’s practice. McCarney wasn’t talking about Dunlap but the entire defensive line.
There was a distinctive dropoff in big plays from 2006 to 2007, understandable because all but one member of that 2006 D-line was playing for pay in the NFL last year. Now that 2007 is behind them and it’s spring of 2008, McCarney is telling his troops that there are no more excuses.
“It’s a matter of doing your job and making plays,” he said.
Dunlap awoke Saturday. He had sacks on consecutive plays and he forced a fumble. He used his size (6-7, 280) to overpower offensive linemen and when the power moves didn’t work, he outquicked them. Once he got past the linemen, he showed the speed that you don’t associate with defensive ends.
His two sacks swung the momentum of the scrimmage to the defense.
“Carlos made a couple of sacks back to back and that changed the whole outlook,” said Meyer.
“Look at him --- he’s 6-7, 280 and God gave him an unbelievable body but he doesn’t understand relentlessness,” said McCarney, who coached an unknown named George Selvie to a dominating All-American season at defensive end last year at USF. Selvie made All-America because McCarney got through to him and turned him into a non-stop, relentless pass rusher that wouldn’t be denied.
McCarney knows Dunlap could be that dominator, too, but the lights have to go on when it comes to understanding that he has to bring it every single play.
“His playing hard and my playing hard are a ways apart but once he figures that out I think the potential is unbelievable,” said McCarney. “I love coaching him. He’s not been one problem on or off the field but he has to learn at the tempo we need so we can win in the SEC every week.”
Hornsby is in his third year in the program. He missed half his senior season at Sandlewood in Jacksonville when he tore up his knee, took a red-shirt to rehab it properly during Florida’s championship season of 2006, and spent most of last year getting running down on kickoff coverage. He had to sit four games because of a discipline issue but in a year in which the Gators needed playmakers in the secondary, he was on the sideline except for special teams.
Hornsby gave an inkling of what he could do Friday, a practice that Meyer called “our best practice since two years ago” in terms of intensity and enthusiasm. The momentum of that good practice carried over into Saturday and it was Hornsby that added the exclamation point to a second straight big day on the final two plays.
On the first play, Newton broke containment when Dunlap got into the backfield. Rolling to his left, Newton spotted Tate Casey in the middle of the field. Because he couldn’t get his feet set, Newton’s pass was a high lob that Casey went high in the air to grab. Casey was in a vulnerable position and had no way to protect himself from the hit from Hornsby that jarred the ball loose. Casey’s hands touched the ball, Hornsby arrived with pads under the chin and Casey went down in a heap. It was five minutes before a very woozy Casey walked off the field.
On the next play, Newton rolled to his right and tried to find Rainey on a seam route. Newton didn’t throw a lollipop this time. Instead he delivered a 90 mph fast ball but Hornsby had the proper angle, broke in front of Rainey and snagged an interception that ended practice.
Plays like the ones that Hornsby made are the reason that Meyer is starting to feel that old confidence again. He had confidence in his defense two years ago. He knew his defense would make plays when games were on the line and that carried the Gators to a national championship. Last year? That was a different story.
“The difference between winning those games and failing to win … two years ago the defense stood up and made a play and we got a victory,” Meyer said. “Many times. I can think of four or five times off the top of my head when they went out and made a stop and it was over … from Tennessee to Georgia two years ago. I’m pleased with a lot of performances right now on defense.”
Last year when Meyer looked to his defenders when games were at that point where one play would make a difference, he didn’t see that look of confidence that he needed to see. The look he saw was anything but encouraging. He had youngsters who were thrown into the heat of battle without a lot of preparation or experience and he saw dazed and confused.
Now, those same young guys are starting to play with a measure of confidence and it shows because they’re starting to make some plays.
“Confused looks lead to bad players, bad teams, bad defense, bad offense,” said Meyer. “I’m starting to see that disappear on defense. Defense we had a lot of confused looks [last year] and they’re starting to disappear a little bit.”
* * *
Percy Harvin and Meyer had a 1:30 conference call with three doctors Saturday afternoon to determine what’s the best route to get Harvin healthy. At issue is a chronic problem with Harvin’s heel and in all probability, a decision about what’s best --- surgery or rest --- to heal it.
“We’re going to meet at 1:30 today,” said Meyer. “We have a conference call with about three different doctors. It is his heel. I’ll announce on Monday exactly what’s going to happen.”
* * *
Southern Cal transfer Emmanuel Moody continues to show brief flashes of what he can do. The sophomore tailback isn’t getting many carries in practice and Meyer says that part of that reason is picking up the offense.
“He’s a little bit behind,” said Meyer. “I didn’t think he would be that far behind because he was here all fall. It seems like everything is new. It shouldn’t be that way but he’s a talented guy, a very talented player.”
Even though he isn’t getting a lot of reps at tailback, Meyer likes the way Moody goes about his daily business at practice.
“He’s got a long way to go but his attitude is tremendous,” said Meyer.
* * *
Redshirt freshman quarterback Johnny Brantley continues to stand on the sidelines during full contact days. Brantley has an injured non-throwing shoulder and Meyer said the Gators are simply making sure there are no complications.
“We’re being very cautious,” said Meyer. “He’s throwing seven-on-seven on our non-pad days. If he reinjures it [shoulder], it sets him back.”