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SEPTEMBER 2006

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Experience is a Valuable Tool

Gator Watch, Gainesville, FL AS THE 100TH SEASON of University of Florida football looms on the horizon, the traditional predictions begin: How will the Gators do? Is a Southeastern Conference championship in the cards? What are the bowl-game possibilities? As UF coach Urban Meyer prepares his team for the upcoming season, one universal quality will go a long way in answering those questions – experience.

“Experience is a valuable tool,” Meyer said at the 2006 SEC Media Days in Birmingham, Ala.

The Gators have experience in several areas. This year’s team of veterans has eight players on Preseason All-SEC teams, including junior linebacker Brandon Siler. Twenty seniors from last season’s team returned to play another year, including last season’s Outback Bowl MVP, wide receiver Dallas Baker. Defensive tackle Marcus Thomas is on the watch list for the 2006 Outland Trophy, and defensive end Ray McDonald is under consideration for this year’s Ted Hendricks award

. The Gators senior earning the most water-cooler talk, however, is quarterback Chris Leak. Some fans felt his performance didn’t match the hype surrounding his arrival at UF. But Meyer reminded fans that Leak’s performance lapses coincided with team  injuries. The quarterback lost several big-play weapons in his playbook arsenal to injuries last season, including Baker, Bubba Caldwell and Jemalle Cornelius. But once the injuries healed, so did the expected offensive output from Leak and the rest of the team.

“When a freshman comes in, he learns from the upperclassmen,” Meyer said. “If you’re void of an upperclassman that has an ability to teach or maybe you don’t want to learn from that guy, you tend to struggle at that position for several years. Chris Leak learned how to play college football from Chris Leak. He never had that luxury. He was handed the ball game two, game three, (and we) said, ‘Go play.’

“[ Freshman quarterback] Tim Tebow has a great advantage over Chris Leak. He’s learning from Chris Leak how to play the quarterback position.”

While this season’s team is seniorheavy, with a projected 15 starters, the real Gators to watch are the freshmen players. SportsIllustrated.com listed UF as having the second-best recruiting football class in the country, with the Southern California ranked No. 1.

“The perception is that we had an excellent recruiting class. I’ll let you know that in three years,” Meyer said.

Top recruits from this season’s incoming class include wide receiver Percy Harvin, running back Brandon James and cornerbacks Jacques Rickerson, Markihe Anderson and Wondy Pierre-Louis.

“Talent-wise, they’re fast, good size, good athletic-looking people,” Meyer said of the freshman players. “They’re qualified, they’re intelligent – all indications are they’re going to play this year for us.”

Last season, the Gators fell apart on the road, losing three out of four away games. To improve the team’s awaygame record, Meyer sought advice from University of South Carolina coach Lou Holtz and former Gators linebacker James Bates, who both spoke to the team.

“A lot of time, former players talk about playing in the Swamp,” Meyer said. “Bates would make a comment [that] one of his great thrills, one of the great things about playing at Florida during those years, was the ability to go in someone’s home and beat them.”

Now having one year of experience coaching the Gators under his belt, Meyer said his best advantage entering his second season is that he and the players know each other better. Besides winning an SEC championship, his goal this season is to be “the fastest team in America” – an achievable goal for the Gators, with Meyer’s coaching reputation and experienced players such as Leak.

“[Meyer] said this is my team,” Leak said. “To be the leader and the captain, I know the responsibilities to lead the team and to be prepared. It gives me great confidence to know that the guys are ready.” G

The Gators open the season at home Sept. 2 at 6 p.m. against Southern Miss. For ticket information, call (352) 375- 4683 or visit gatorzone.com/tickets.