Florida Gators thread

[brophy]

y'all gonna start Evangel's Tebow full time now, or what?!

put Chris Leak to bed, already

[azuquita8]

Originally Posted by brophy

y'all gonna start Evangel's Tebow full time now, or what?!

put Chris Leak to bed, already

It took Tebow's better performance in the pre-season scrimmage to light a fire under Leak's ass. Right now I like the idea of Meyer rotating them behind the line just like Spurrier did in the late 90's when we had both Doug Johnson and Noah Brindise - each of them used their skillset to the offense's advantage.

I still think Zook babied Leak too much, and that wasn't a good idea.

[azuquita8]

Cornelius grades out a champ in Meyer's eyes

By ROBBIE ANDREU
Sun sports writer


This started out as a captainship by committee, with Florida's many seniors sharing the honor and responsibility.

It has evolved into a committee of one.
Florida has one true team captain, Urban Meyer said.

Jemalle Cornelius, the soft-spoken wide receiver and all-around good guy from Fort Meade.

"He does everything for me," Meyer said. "He makes play after play, especially when you need a play to be made. If I had to draft a team in college, I'd probably take him either one or two with (UF safety) Reggie Nelson.

"We rotate captains every week, but Jemalle Cornelius is the one constant. He does the talking. He's my guy. The other guys out there (for the opening coin toss) are hood ornaments. They go out there and wave to the crowd so their mom and dad can take pictures of them. Jemalle Cornelius is the captain of this team. I trust him."

Meyer has said all along it's OK for coaches to have favorite players. Meyer does and Cornelius is right at the top of the list.

Meyer said earlier this week that Cornelius will always grade out a champion even if wide receivers coach Billy Gonzales tells him he actually didn't.

"That's my boy," Meyer said. "It's like saying Nate Meyer didn't grade a champion.

"I hope Nate turns out to be like him because Jemalle is a special guy. He's a player."

Nate Meyer is Meyer's son. Jemalle Cornelius has become like a son to Meyer.

Meyer hasn't christened Cornelius the face of Florida football yet (like he did with Vernell Brown before last season), but that announcement appears imminent.

"He's the best. He's Vernell Brown," Meyer said. "That's my two guys. They do everything you ask on and off the field. You have no idea what I ask that guy to do. I don't have time to tell you. He does everything I ask. He represents this university the way it should be represented."

Doing everything entails a lot in this case. Not only is Cornelius a clutch receiver on offense, he's also on the punt block team, the punt team, the kickoff team and a backup on the kickoff return team. Meyer credits Cornelius with Nelson's blocked punt against LSU. His push up the middle freed Nelson to make the play.

Meyer has called Cornelius one of the best football players in the nation.

Along with all his many playing roles, Cornelius is a team leader and the captain of this team, meaning he represents the Gators at midfield for every pre-game coin toss.

"It's an honor to be dubbed the captain," Cornelius said. "It's good knowing the head coach thinks highly of you. I don't know (why he likes me so much). I just try to come out and work hard and do everything he asks and try to be a leader, try to be a good example for the younger players.

"Any time a coach thinks that highly of you, it makes you very proud. I'm glad he's got me in such high regard. To whom much is given, much is expected."

Meyer not only relies on Cornelius to make plays, he has enlisted him to reach out to players (especially the younger ones) who have questions or might be having problems and are reluctant to go to the coaches.

"I just try to spend a lot of time with a lot of players that need help in areas of their life," said Cornelius, who is considering becoming a youth pastor after he graduates. "Anybody that needs something, I pretty much go in and mediate between them and the coaches and make sure all the young guys are taken care of.

"Sometimes, Coach Meyer will pinpoint guys. Sometimes, guys just come to me and tell me they're struggling with certain things or need a prayer about something."

Cornelius said he was approached by Meyer last season about assuming the role of a team leader.

"Coach Meyer kind of challenged me," said Cornelius, the son of a pastor. "I was kind of a quiet guy and kind of stayed to myself. I'm here to help people on and off the field. He challenged me to step up in that area and I've been trying to do that a lot more.

"My father has been a pastor. Seeing him touch lives and touch people and help them become better. ...that's what it's all about."

On and off the field, Cornelius has become a leader this season, his teammates say.

"He's a playmaker," senior defensive tackle Ray McDonald said. "Watch on Saturday, he always makes a big catch in clutch situations. He's a leader off the field as well.

"He's just an all-around guy. He goes to class, he's a Christian guy. He makes sure his teammates are doing the right thing. When it matters, he comes out on Saturday and makes plays."

Cornelius has gained the respect of all those around him.

"He's an inspiration because he does everything the right way," junior middle linebacker Brandon Siler said.

Contact Robbie Andreu at 374-5022 or andreur@gvillesun.com.

[azuquita8]

Dynamic offensive duo likely to practice

By ROBBIE ANDREU
Sun sports writer


October 11. 2006 6:01AM

There's a chance two of Florida's top offensive players will return this week for the Auburn game.

True freshman wide receiver Percy Harvin practiced Tuesday and starting tailback DeShawn Wynn expected to get a green light to practice today.

Harvin is recovering from a high ankle sprained he sustained in the Tennessee game, while Wynn missed last Saturday's victory over LSU with a sprained knee.

"Harvin was good today," UF coach Urban Meyer said. "Wynn jogged around and did some things and they're telling us tomorrow we get him."

Meyer said Harvin is at about 80 to 85 percent.

"He's told me 85 to 90," Meyer said. "We have to have him. This game, we have to."

Marcus on Thomas time

Recently reinstated defensive tackle Marcus Thomas has been coming to practice early and leaving early every day. Thomas' indefinite suspension for failing a drug test was lifted last Thursday, but he has obligations he has to meet to remain eligible.

"He's got some stuff he's got to do for himself," Meyer said. "He has some obligations in the evening."

Flags are flying

As the Gators well know, being undefeated doesn't necessarily mean you're perfect.

One of UF's flaws is it is the most penalized team in the SEC. The Gators are amassing 67.7 yards in penalties a game.

"That's a major negative," Meyer said. "We're going to attempt to get that corrected. An effort penalty is something that you live with. A hold on a kickoff that I just watched, and it was a hold, that's something (unacceptable). Last year we had a lot of penalties, too, which prior to that we've been pretty good. We have to keep working on it."

Defending Leak-Tebow

Florida's two-headed quarterback is working on the field on Saturdays and it's also wreaking some havoc on the practice field and in meeting rooms of opposing defenses during the week.

"It gives defensive coordinators fits," Auburn defensive end Quentin Groves said. "It's nothing I've ever seen before."

Full-contact QB

With only two scholarship quarterbacks, Meyer has expressed some concern with Tim Tebow's physical running style. But Tebow just can't help himself. He's one of those full-contact kind of guys.

He even tried to get into UF's circle of life full contact drill before the spring game in The Swamp. In that drill, two players go head-to-head at full speed trying to knock each other to the ground.

"Tim's a junkie on that kind of stuff," tight end Tate Casey said. "If he had his way he'd be in the circle every day. It's funny when you see him in practice and when you watch film. There are even plays in spring practice and two-a-days where he'll hand the ball off and the defensive end will rush up the field and Tebow will try to get a little shoulder in.

"It's just small instances where he just wants to throw it into somebody so bad and make contact. You can see where the coaches are coming from in keeping him on reserve because we need him that much."

Casey said Tebow would gladly play linebacker if the coaches asked him to.

"If you put him in a situation on the field where you said, 'Follow the ball and go make a tackle,' he'd love it," Casey said.

Special team success?

Although Florida's special teams were a big factor in last week's win over LSU, there have been areas where the Gators have struggled. Using a 12-11-10, etc., scoring system based on UF's rankings in the SEC in six special teams categories (net punting, field goal percentage, extra points, kickoff coverage, kickoff returns and punt returns), the Gators are in the bottom half of the conference when you add them together.


Contact Robbie Andreu at 374-5022 or andreur@gvillesun.com.

[azuquita8]

Florida stingy in 2nd half

By ROBBIE ANDREU
Sun sports writer

Not so long ago, crunch time had a way of becoming cringe time for the Florida Gators.

The fourth quarter.
Many times, the Gators didn't get out alive. Other times they did, but barely.

That was two, three, four years ago, when Ron Zook was the head coach and an ominous cloud of anxiety seemed to gather around Florida too many times in the final minutes.

The Gators never seemed comfortable in the fourth quarter, where some leads were lost (to Miami and Tennessee, in particular, in 2004) and some games became closer than they should have (Arkansas in back-to-back years comes to mind).

In Urban Meyer's first season, the Gators weren't very good either in the fourth quarter, losing a lead at LSU and failing to close the deal at South Carolina in a game that cost UF the division title.

It's been a different story this season.
The Gators own the fourth quarter - and the second half.

"This is a different team than a year ago," Meyer said. "I've even heard the players saying, 'Get this thing to the fourth quarter.' They said it at Knoxville and they said it here (against Alabama and LSU)."

The fourth quarter is when the game has been on the line in all four of UF's SEC victories this season. And the Gators have come through each time. The fourth quarter - and the second half - has belonged to Florida.

UF has outscored its opponents 41-9 in the fourth quarter and 86-16 in the second half through six games.

"I think that says something about the 22 seniors," Meyer said. "I think it says something about investment. I have great respect for our strength coaches. We have the best in the country at what we do and our guys buy into it. We train them mentally and physically."

Unlike recent years, the Gators have appeared stronger (mentally and physically) in the fourth quarter than in the first.

"I credit a lot of that to our strength staff. We have one of the best in the country," junior middle linebacker Brandon Siler said. "We're in shape. Our defense really gets after it. The farther the game goes along, we know the more important it gets. We get after it. That's pretty much it.

"Everyone knows this is a different team than we've been in the past. Attitude, toughness, togetherness. Those are the three things that make us a completely different team."

The results reflect it.
In 2004, the Gators took the lead over Tennessee in Knoxville midway through the fourth quarter, but could not hold it and lost on a field goal with six seconds to play.

Three weeks ago in Knoxville, the Gators took the lead midway through the fourth quarter and the defense made it hold up for a 21-20 victory.

In 2004, the Gators held a four-point lead over LSU in the game's final minutes, but failed to convert a third-and-short play and then LSU drove for the winning touchdown, which came with 27 seconds to play.

Last Saturday, the Gators had a 13-point lead over LSU in the fourth quarter and made it hold up with two critical interceptions in the game's final 4:30.

Offensively and defensively, the Gators have been coming up with game-winning plays in the fourth quarter.

"Everyone has a role," Meyer said.
The victory over Alabama two weeks ago is an example of how the Gators are getting it done in the fourth quarter.

Clinging to a 14-13 lead midway through the quarter, Chris Leak threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Dallas Baker to give the Gators some breathing room. Two minutes later, free safety Reggie Nelson intercepted a pass and returned it 70 yards to put the game away.

"Yeah, that's something we really focused on in the offseason," Leak said when asked if this is the best second-half team he's been on. "During the weight training and all that, making sure we're a better-conditioned team and that we're stronger as the game goes on. You have to play four strong quarters to be successful in the SEC."

When the offense has given UF the lead, the defense has preserved it.

"When the offense puts it in our hands, it makes us feel a little better because that's the way we want it," Siler said. "We want the game on us. It's something we take pride in."

Contact Robbie Andreu at 374-5022 or andreur@gvillesun.com.

[GreenRiverGrizz]

Originally Posted by azuquita8

Gators could be victims of BCS

By Edgar Thompson
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

GAINESVILLE — Dolphins running back Ronnie Brown could soon find himself doing the unthinkable - pulling for the Florida Gators.

If unbeaten Florida beats host Auburn - Brown's alma mater - this weekend, the Gators would take another step toward the kind of Bowl Championship Series confusion that cost Brown's unbeaten 2004 Tigers a spot in the national championship game.

With Sunday's release of the first BCS poll, Florida could be among a handful of teams, including USC, Michigan and West Virginia, confronted with the prospect of being unbeaten but left out of the title game.

Brown doesn't want to see another SEC team experience that feeling.

"It's tough," Brown said. "You go out and put everything you've got into it, and just being in that conference and knowing how tough it is.

"Florida, if they go undefeated, should have an opportunity."

Florida improved its position considerably last weekend with a 23-10 home win against LSU.

The Gators (6-0, 4-0 SEC) moved up two spots, to No. 3, in the coaches poll and Harris Interactive poll, which has replaced The Associated Press poll in the BCS. The coaches and Harris polls - and six computer rating systems - each count one-third of the BCS formula.

One member of the 63-man coaches poll voted Florida No. 1, ahead of Ohio State.

Now in the thick of the national title chase, Florida could leave voters with a tough decision if it wins at Auburn - the nation's No. 2 team until a loss Saturday at home to Arkansas - and again Oct. 28 in Jacksonville against Georgia.

"If Florida escapes LSU, Auburn and Georgia with three wins, they deserve to be every bit as high or higher than Ohio State," said former Miami Hurricanes coach Fran Curci, one of 114 panelists on the Harris Poll. "If things continue at this pace and Florida wins all its games and Ohio State wins all its games, they'll play for the national championship."

Not everyone agrees.

"There's no way a person can give a true answer at this point," said longtime computer ratings guru Jeff Sagarin, whose system helps compute the BCS rankings.

One thing is clear: If things do remain the same, the path to a national title game appearance could be cluttered with conjecture and controversy for more teams than Florida.

The winners of the Nov. 18 Michigan-Ohio State game and the Nov. 2 West Virginia-Louisville matchup will be in the discussion.

And USC, with home games next month against Oregon, Cal and Notre Dame, also would have compelling cases for a spot in the Jan. 8 BCS Championship.

"I don't think anyone has an edge here; it's splitting hairs," said Max Urick, former Kansas State athletic director (1993-2001) and a member of the Harris Poll. "I think it's misplaced concern. It's only the middle of the season."

Iliana Limon, one of two female members on the Harris Poll panel, said she voted Florida No. 2 and USC No. 3 this week, but only after considerable hand wringing over all the variables involved.

"You have to take it all into account; after a while your head starts to spin," said Limon, who covers the University of New Mexico for the Albuquerque Tribune. "I struggled so much with this week's poll, it's hard to imagine if things continue on this trajectory what it's going to be like."

Even if several unbeatens keep winning, some will have an advantage.

Sagarin said he keeps an especially close eye on the performance of a team's non-conference opponents - a major factor in computer rankings.

When Texas - a 24-7 loser to Ohio State on Sept. 10 - wins, the top-ranked Buckeyes benefit. Michigan and USC should root for archrival Notre Dame, a 47-21 loser to the Wolverines and the Trojans' Nov. 25 opponent.

Florida, meanwhile, needs struggling Florida State to turn things around so a Nov. 25 visit to Tallahassee carries more weight for the Gators.

Until everything shakes out, Florida's schedule - rated the nation's second toughest by the NCAA - and the quality of the SEC - which has a nation-leading six ranked teams - are strong selling points.

The other unbeatens have their arguments, too.

History has shown, though, that the rest of the season will provide answers. When Auburn, USC and Oklahoma entered the bowl season unbeaten in 2004, it marked the first time since 1973 that three schools from the six current BCS conferences reached that point with no losses.

"Every time we get into these discussions, invariably something happens," said the Philadelphia Daily News' Mike Kern, a Harris Poll panel member and former AP voter. "But the possibility (of three or more unbeatens) is out there at the beginning of every college football season.

"It's just a matter who's going to get screwed."

Don't worry Azzie... ND will take care of USC for you! Gators win out and they'll get a title shot. PERIOD.

[azuquita8]

Originally Posted by GreenRiverGrizz

Don't worry Azzie... ND will take care of USC for you! Gators win out and they'll get a title shot. PERIOD.

I would just love to see Florida go undefeated this season; if we can beat "Allbarn" tonight and Georgia on the 28th it's possible. Another thing working in our favor is strength of schedule, aside from Western Carolina we don't have any real "cupcakes" this year since Southern Miss and UCF were both bowl-eligible last season. But, help from any other team will be welcome, too!

Looks like we'll have Wynn and Harvin back tonight:

Wynn, Harvin get green light

By ROBBIE ANDREU
Sun sports writer

It appears the Gators will be at full offensive strength for Saturday night's game at No. 11 Auburn.

Starting tailback DeShawn Wynn and true freshman wide receiver Percy Harvin both practiced Thursday and are scheduled to play against the Tigers, UF coach Urban Meyer said.

Meyer said he anticipates Harvin to be at full speed in time for the game. Harvin has played only a few plays since sustaining a high ankle sprain in the first half of the Tennessee game. Harvin was evolving into a focal point of the offense before he was injured.

"I think he will be Saturday. As a matter of fact he'll be 100 percent," Meyer said. "First time in three weeks. We haven't really had a tailback and we haven't had Percy Harvin, which is kind of significant. I think we're going to have DeShawn Wynn."

Wynn sprained his knee in the Alabama game two weeks ago and missed the victory over LSU. He has not practiced most of this week, but he went Thursday.

"He did a lot today," Meyer said. "He actually brought his pads out there and he did a little contact work. That's good news."

Gators good to go
Meyer said the Gators have had a strong week of practice.

"A very good week," Meyer said. "The bye week is coming at a good time next week because we're going to spill it this week. I look at some of these schedules and some of these teams (in the SEC) are probably real fresh. Other teams that play four quarters of football every week, that's a little more difficult. We're in that phase right now."


Prospect pledges to UF
The Gators have received an oral commitment from Panama City Bay quarterback/athlete Bert Reed. The 6-foot, 175-pound Reed made his pledge to the UF coaches Wednesday.

So far this season, Reed has rushed for 682 yards and six touchdowns and passed for 706 yards and six TDs. He projects as a wide receiver or cornerback at Florida.

Reed also had been weighing a scholarship offer from Alabama. Florida State and several other schools have been showing interest in recent weeks. Reed said he likely won't visit any other schools.

Contact Robbie Andreu at 374-5022 or andreur@gvillesun.com.

[azuquita8]

As far as Azzie's concerned, The Gators own worst enemy are the Gators themselves - and they proved it last night in losing to Auburn 27-17.

Costly errors eventually cost Florida their halftime lead and the game. Chris "Zook on the brain" Leak made his fair share as well as our punting unit and offensive line by ruining an opportunity after a fumble recovery to start an offensive drive by committing a holding penalty in their own end zone which gave the Tigers a safety. Add to that weak pass defense, PENALTIES and Leak's piss-poor decisions on the field, and that all contributed.

Florida showed some promise in the first half aside from the penalties and poor defensive play; they made up for that in their speed on offense, Chris Hetland nailing his first FG attempt of the season and two TD's scored by Dallas Baker on a Leak pass and a Tim Tebow rush.

Still, Leak had a relapse of Zookism. Mr. "I'm not a running QB" should have kept the ball himself and run on a couple of plays, and made poor ball judgment plays - one of which cost us any chance of a comeback late in the 4th. I will say that one turnover caused when he was pressured was a bullshit call from the refs; Leak clearly showed forward motion and an intent to pass on a play in the 3rd quarter.

Eric Wilbur's blocked punt in the 2nd half was costly and cost us the lead as well.

If the Gators did do something right, they prevented Auburn from scoring an offensive TD in this game - the Tigers' points came on FG's, a safety, special teams and on defense. Still, Auburn took control of the clock to their advantage.

The Gator D on pass defense, as I've said earlier, didn't do their job very well and kept Auburn's time of possession up there - too many of their completions came from wide-open, uncovered receivers. In spite of that, Derrick Harvey and Marcus Thomas pressured Brandon Cox well and were able to get five sacks in the first half.

The Gators head into a bye week and have time to learn from the Zookish mistakes they made last night. With the exception of Harvey, Thomas, Dallas Baker, Percy Harvin, Hetland and Tim Tebow I'd make the rest of them, INCLUDING Leak, run gassers to the point that they puke in the trash cans if I were Urban Meyer.

Let's get ready for Georgia and the WLOCP on the 28th -

Come on Gators, GET UP AND GO!!!!!

[ChaosFghtr]

Ouch this loss really hurt! I don't even want to talk about it...

[azuquita8]

Southern discomfort
Leak will surely be blamed for Gators loss at Auburn
Posted: Sunday October 15, 2006 1:31AM; Updated: Sunday October 15, 2006 2:17AM

AUBURN, Ala. -- Weeks from now, months from now, probably even years from now, the Florida Gators faithful will still be talking about those two fourth-quarter plays.

No, not Chris Leak's beautiful 32-yard floater down the sideline to Dallas Baker. Not his textbook option pitch to Andre Caldwell for a 27-yard gain.

If No. 2 Florida doesn't make it to Glendale, Ariz., in January, the only thing its followers will remember from Saturday night's 27-17 loss to Auburn will be the senior quarterback's fumble (or was it an incompletion?) and interception that cost the Gators the game and, most likely, their shot at a national championship. It's sad, and yet, for a guy whose career has had more ups and downs than an elevator, it's also cruelly fitting.

In a game as thrilling as any played this season in a raucous, primetime atmosphere befitting ESPN's multi-channel coverage, the 11th-ranked Tigers brushed off last week's Arkansas debacle to knock off the SEC's lone remaining undefeated team, thus completing the conference's now-annual ritual of national-championship cannibalism. They did it despite falling behind at one point 17-8, despite watching four first-half red zone trips end in a trio of field goals and a fumble, despite getting "Tebowed" one play and finishing last on more than one occasion in the Percy Harvin Track Meet, despite enduring a one-man clinic from Florida DT Marcus Thomas.

And they did it despite the fact that with 9:19 remaining, the Gators stood six yards away from at least a 23-17 lead, a seemingly insurmountable margin considering the Tigers would wind up going the entire game without scoring an offensive touchdown. Florida had marched 84 yards to reach that point, with Leak completing the aforementioned 32-yard pass and Caldwell running for gains of 27 and 9. On second-and-four from the Auburn 7, college football's most decorated relief-pitcher, Tim Tebow, had come in for his customary short-yardage running attempt and gained just 1 yard, leaving Leak with a third-and-three from the Tigers' 6.

What happened next will be forever etched into the memory of every orange-and-blue clad crazy in Gainesville and beyond. Leak faked the handoff, dropped back, cocked, stopped and cocked again, then began extending his arm to throw, but it was met almost simultaneously by Auburn linebacker Tray Blackmon. The ball fell backward, deemed a fumble by the referees, recovered 10 yards downfield by Tigers defensive end Quentin Groves. Florida would challenge the call, and replays indicated it may well have been an incomplete pass, but there would be no reversal. As Gators coach Urban Meyer said afterward, right or wrong, "it shouldn't have happened."

Nor should Leak, given a chance at redemption six minutes later following a missed Auburn field goal, have badly underthrown a wide-open Caldwell down the middle, instead hitting Tigers safety Eric Brock right in the numbers. This time Auburn kicker John Vaughn would connect on a 39-yarder with 32 seconds remaining to go up 21-17. And just to make sure his night would end that much more miserably, Leak's last-ditch miracle attempt would end in three incompletions and a fumbled lateral that Patrick Lee would return for an add-on touchdown at the final gun.

Fireworks shot off and the crowd went bananas. A jubilant Tommy Tuberville exclaimed in his postgame news conference, "Where's my toilet paper? I'm going to Toomer's Corner."

It was quite a different scene in the cramped interview room next to the Gators' locker room, where a forlorn Meyer offered one short-worded answer after another to a firing squad of questioners. One, asking about Leak's fumble, put it as bluntly as possible: "What do you say to a senior who ... should know better than that?"

"This is a team game," replied Meyer. "It doesn't fall on one player." Pressed further about the issue, Meyer said matter-of-factly: "We lost a tough game to a great team in a tough environment ... This is a tough-ass conference. You want to blame people, you're talking to the wrong guy."

Minutes later, Caldwell sat patiently and answered many of the same questions. "We don't blame Chris," he said. "We love him as a quarterback. I know he's going to make up for it."

Finally, after a lengthy wait, the quarterback himself entered the room, accompanied by a Florida staffer who made it clear the senior only had time to answer "five or six questions." Answer them he did, in the same, detached tone he's answered literally thousands of questions during the past four years.

What went wrong on the interception? "I tried to get the ball to Andre. I want to give Auburn credit because they called a great defense on that play." Did he maybe throw from his back feet? "I don't know, I'll have to watch the tape." And the fumble? "I probably didn't do as much as I could on that play."

Was this loss especially frustrating for you as the quarterback because of those turnovers? "As a quarterback, you know you have to have a short memory out there." But Chris, surely this was a hard loss to swallow? "It's always disappointing when you don't play as well as you want to."

And with that, he was off, walking through a gate to receive hugs from his friends and family, sign a couple autographs and get on the bus home, his expression never once changing. Close another chapter in the enigmatic career of Chris Leak -- this one the most head-scratching yet.

"[The Gators] run so many formations and plays that they are bound and determined to have some turnovers," said Tuberville. "They have been capitalizing on other people's [turnovers] while not turning it over the last few weeks. The ball bounced our way tonight."

Give credit to an Auburn defense that, after playing on its heels most of the first half, came out amped-up and aggressive in the second. Groves, a non-factor in the first half, sacked Leak on consecutive third-down plays, and Florida, after running for 140 yards on 13 attempts in the first half -- including a 16-yard Tebow touchdown on which he went untouched -- managed just 31 yards on 15 rushing plays after halftime.

"They were getting to the corner on us so quick [in the first half] -- they were 10 yards down the field before we got off the ball," said Tuberville. "We basically told them you have to attack the line of scrimmage. [Defensive coordinator] Will [Muschamp] made it a lot simpler in the second half."

The Tigers also shored up their offensive line after allowing five sacks in the first half, thanks in large part to a monster performance by Thomas (10 tackles, two tackles for loss), who continually ran right past all-conference Auburn guard Tim Duckworth. They never did score that elusive offensive touchdown -- but they did keep the ball away from Florida for 36:43 thanks to a combined 30 rushes for 161 yards by tailbacks Kenny Irons and Brad Lester.

"We did enough to get the job done," said Irons. "We just kept pounding at them, especially in the second half."

The result of all that pounding -- and all those collisions, big plays and speed bursts befitting such an epic showdown -- is an even more muddled and exciting SEC race than at the beginning of the day. Florida remains in control of its own destiny in the East, though now tied with Tennessee in the loss column; Auburn is still looking up at Razorbacks in the West, though they have a more favorable remaining schedule.

Despite suffering crushing losses in the past two weeks, both the Gators and Tigers remain very much alive on the road to Atlanta. The problem, however, is that it's only mid-October and they, along with the rest of their conference brethren, are already on the outside looking in when it comes to the national title picture. No one who's watched the numerous SEC showdowns so far involving Florida, Auburn, Tennessee and LSU can deny that all are among the most talented teams in the country, yet the chance of any of them reaching Glendale looks increasingly slim.

For that, they have only themselves to blame -- though Leak will assuredly end up taking the brunt of it.

[azuquita8]

Meyer: "This team will bounce back"

By ROBBIE ANDREU
Sun sports writer

Following one of the most self-destructive performances in the Urban Meyer era, the Florida Gators find themselves in a position they haven't been in almost a year.

In the rebound mode.

"This team will bounce back," Meyer said after UF's 27-17 loss at Auburn. "We are still a good team and you can't try to blame anybody for the loss. We faced a tough team and a tough crowd and we have to move on. We have a bye week and then we have to get back on schedule and ready to face another tough team (Georgia) in two weeks.

"We are a first-place team in the SEC. This is a good team in a very tough conference. We just have to get back on schedule and focus on making it to the SEC Championship Game."

Despite the rough night in Auburn, the Gators still control their own destiny. If Florida wins its remaining SEC games against Georgia, South Carolina and Vanderbilt, the Gators will be playing in the conference title game for the first time since 2000. The Gators figure to be favored in all three of those games.

Florida, however, probably did lose any hope it had of staying in the national title race with Saturday night's defeat.

"That is real bitter," junior wide receiver Andre Caldwell said. "But we are going to move forward and stay focused on the SEC championship.

"We are going to look forward to Georgia, move forward and hopefully we will get to see (Auburn) again in the SEC Championship Game."

The Gators had a chance to take a commanding lead in the division Saturday night, but let it slip away.

Through the first six games of the season, UF followed its plan to win almost perfectly. The Gators played great defense, were sound on special teams and took care of the football.

In their first loss, the Gators failed in all three areas.

UF gave Auburn the lead early in the second half when punter Eric Wilbur dropped a snap and then tried to get off a punt with his left foot with several defenders on top of him. He lost the ball and AU's Tre Smith picked it up and returned it 15 yards for a touchdown to give the Tigers an 18-17 lead.

In the fourth quarter, turnovers on back-to-back plays by quarterback Chris Leak ended any chance of a comeback victory.

On third-and-3 from the Auburn 6-yard line, Leak fumbled the ball while attempting a pass. The turnover prevented UF from attempting a go-ahead field goal.

On UF's next offensive play later in the quarter, Leak threw a poor pass down the middle that was intercepted.

Game over.
On his first turnover, Leak said his arm was going forward and he thought it was an incomplete pass. The officials, however, disagreed after reviewing the play. The SEC office said Sunday it would review the play today.

"I felt like my arm was coming forward, but that's how those calls go sometimes," he said. "The main thing is we didn't take advantage of the opportunities we had. You have to give Auburn credit, they played a great game."

The Gators actually had very few opportunities because they rarely had the ball in the second half. For the game, UF had only 45 offensive plays, and the Gators were killed in time of possession, having the ball for only 23:17 compared to 36:43 for Auburn.

The defense played a role in that. Even though the Gators did not give up an Auburn touchdown, UF's passive zone defense allowed the Tigers to hog the ball for long stretches at a time.

UF's defense never really forced in the issue. After sacking Auburn quarterback Brandon Cox fives times in the first half, the Gators did not sack him in the second half.

Auburn also had success on the ground, gutting the Gators for 133 yards rushing.

Throw in three turnovers and the botched punt, and the Gators strayed way off course in their plan to win.

"We just made a lot of crucial errors," Meyer said. "We were able to drive the ball a number of times and get big chunks of yards. There were a couple of drives where we didn't have second downs because of long plays. But then we would have breakdowns.

"Special teams also hurt us because we didn't play very well. We needed to stay on schedule with our game plan and we didn't do that."

Meyer did not blame his quarterback for the loss.

"This is a team game," Meyer said. "It doesn't fall on one player."

The Gators will now try to rest and regroup for a potential championship run in the division.

Last season when UF had more than one week to prepare for a game, the Gators responded with positive performances. They beat Georgia and FSU in the regular season and then handled Iowa in the Outback Bowl.

The Gators find themselves in the rebound mode again as they head into their open date.

"We just have to go out there and stay focused," senior cornerback Reggie Lewis said. "We have to prepare for Georgia. We can't worry about this any more. It's over.

"It hurts right now because it's our first loss of the season. If we make it to Atlanta, we want a rematch with Auburn."

Contact Robbie Andreu at 374-5022 or andreur@gvillesun.com.

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Gators ready to move on
Meyer is confident Florida won't dwell on its loss to Auburn.
By ANTONYA ENGLISH, Times Staff Writer
Published October 16, 2006

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GAINESVILLE - In the annals of Florida-Auburn, it'll go down as one of those things people talk about any time the 2006 game is referred to: the Chris Leak fumble that may have been an incomplete pass in Saturday night's game.

But as far as coach Urban Meyer is concerned, the play and the 27-17 loss are history and the Gators 6-1, 4-1 SEC need to move on.

"This team will bounce back," Meyer said. "We are still a good team, and you can't try to blame anybody for the loss. We faced a tough team and a tough crowd, and we have to move on. We have a bye week, and then we have to get back on schedule and ready to face another tough team (Georgia) in two weeks."

Florida dropped from No. 2 to No. 9 in the AP poll. Auburn moved from No. 11 to No. 8. UF was shut out in the second half and amassed just 85 yards of offense.

Although a national championship is a long shot, the SEC title is not. The Gators still control their destiny in the East race, which has always, realistically, been the primary objective.

"Our only goal at the beginning of the season was to get to Atlanta," offensive coordinator Dan Mullen said. "... We're still where we want to be, which is to get to that SEC championship game. That was the only concern of our whole team. Whatever else happens besides that, you'd be thrilled with."

THE PLAY: Players said they were certain the called fumble on Leak would be overturned. As the Gators stood 6 yards from Auburn's end zone on third and 3 and trailing by one - with less than nine minutes left - Leak dropped back to pass and the ball came out as he seemed to be moving his arm forward. Auburn recovered the ball, and Florida never recovered.

"We were a little shocked," receiver Andre Caldwell said. "We thought it was going to be reversed. ... We had a good feeling in our head it was going to be overturned and that we were going to get the ball back and kick a field goal."

REMATCH? Florida's postgame theme seemed to be find a way to make it to Atlanta for the title game - and hope Auburn does the same.

"We have to go out and stay focused," cornerback Reggie Lewis said. "We can't worry about this anymore. It's over. ... It hurts right now because it's our first loss of the season. But if we make it to Atlanta, we want a rematch with Auburn. We feel like we were the better team, but like I said, they made the plays they needed to make."

Antonya English can be reached at (813) 226-3389 or english@sptimes.com

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TROUBLE ON THE ROAD

Gators Look to Regain Focus After First Loss

By ROBBIE ANDREU
The Gainesville Sun


Following one of the most selfdestructive performances in the Urban Meyer era, the Florida Gators find themselves in a position they haven't been in almost a year.

In the rebound mode.

"This team will bounce back," Meyer said after UF's 27-17 loss at Auburn. "We are still a good team and you can't try to blame anybody for the loss. We faced a tough team and a tough crowd and we have to move on. We have a bye week and then we have to get back on schedule and ready to face another tough team (Georgia) in two weeks.

"We are a first-place team in the SEC. This is a good team in a very tough conference. We just have to get back on schedule and focus on making it to the SEC Championship Game."

Despite the rough night in Auburn, the Gators still control their own destiny. If Florida wins its remaining SEC games against Georgia, South Carolina and Vanderbilt, the Gators will be playing in the conference title game for the first time since 2000. The Gators figure to be favored in all three of those games.

Florida, however, probably did lose any hope it had of staying in the national title race with Saturday night's defeat.

"That is real bitter," junior wide receiver Andre Caldwell said. "But we are going to move forward and stay focused on the SEC championship.

"We are going to look forward to Georgia, move forward and hopefully we will get to see (Auburn) again in the SEC Championship Game."

The Gators had a chance to take a commanding lead in the division Saturday night, but let it slip away.

Through the first six games of the season, UF followed its plan to win almost perfectly. The Gators played great defense, were sound on special teams and took care of the football.

In their first loss, the Gators failed in all three areas.

UF gave Auburn the lead early in the second half when punter Eric Wilbur dropped a snap and then tried to get off a punt with his left foot with several defenders on top of him. He lost the ball and AU's Tre Smith picked it up and returned it 15 yards for a touchdown to give the Tigers an 18-17 lead.

In the fourth quarter, turnovers on back-to-back plays by quarterback Chris Leak ended any chance of a comeback victory.

On third-and-3 from the Auburn 6-yard line, Leak fumbled the ball while attempting a pass. The turnover prevented UF from attempting a go-ahead field goal.

On UF's next offensive play later in the quarter, Leak threw a poor pass down the middle that was intercepted.

Game over.

On his first turnover, Leak said his arm was goin