Hold a cup to your ear and listen. What do you hear? Silence. Not a peep.That is what's resonating from the University of Florida, at least Sunday. Florida quarterback Tim Tebow says he doesn't think there's going to be any trash talking from the top-ranked Gators this week as they prepare for Saturday's SEC opener against rival Tennessee. It's no secret that first-year Volunteers coach Lane Kiffin's recruiting accusations in February have UF players extremely eager for this game, to say the least.
The Gators, however, are not talking -- yet. They are instead pointing to their play on the field, where they have outscored their first two opponents this season by a combined score of 118-9. Loose words, harsh responses and a reprimand aside, let's also not forget the UF-UT showdown at The Swamp could be critical in the SEC East.
UF head coach Urban Meyer is pleased his players are taking a business -- and not a bulletin board -- approach.
"Of course I talk to them about it week-to-week but anytime you start getting in your conference, we've had some issues in the past," Meyer said Sunday during his teleconference with the media. "We're not all about that. You can't control these guys altogether. You try to get a bunch of guys in the locker room to say, 'Let's have a great week of practice.' "
UF, which has practiced well this season, has won four consecutive in the series with UT, dating to 2005, Meyer's first season in Gainesville, Fla. The Gators also enter on a 12-game winning streak, tied for the best in school history, following Saturday's 56-6 home defeat of Troy.
UF appears to be pumping on all cylinders.
The offense totaled 663 yards (372 passing, 291 rushing), second-most under Meyer and fifth-highest in UF history against Troy. Over its past seven games, the Gators have rushed for 2,108 yards (301.1 per game) and 24 touchdowns -- only Georgia Tech's triple-option has produced more yards over that same span. UF also has scored a touchdown in 42 of its last 45 quarters.
The Gators' defense has also gotten into the act. It did not allow a touchdown for the second consecutive game, and has allowed just nine points overall on three field goals. UF also played strictly a 3-3-5 defense for nearly the entire time their starters were on the field. The Gators said the alignment gives them the best chance to pressure the quarterback with their best pass rushers on the field.
"It was pretty much dominating," Meyer said of his defense.
"I didn't expect that because I had too much respect for the team we were playing. I've seen what they've done in the past over the last couple years. Very pleased with their effort and pleased with their professionalism and how they got ready to play that game."
Despite UF's early domination this season, Meyer's relationship with Kiffin expects to be a main story line this week. No wonder.
At Kiffin's introductory news conference in December, he promised to snap the Vols' losing streak against UF. Nice. The day after national signing day, Kiffin falsely accused Meyer of a recruiting violation. Not so nice. SEC commissioner Mike Slive reprimanded Kiffin, who then issued an apology.
Naturally, the Gators haven't forgotten, even though Meyer insisted Sunday that the game's stakes will overshadow Kiffin's comments. Kickoff is 3:30 PM ET at The Swamp.
"To me, that's water under the bridge, a long time ago," Meyer said. "We're going to try to move the ball against a very good Tennessee defense and our guys understand that. That has nothing to do with this."
Even so, Meyer also admitted that Kiffin's recruiting allegations surprised him due to his relationship with Monte Kiffin, Lane's father and the Vols' defensive coordinator. Meyer explained he has a good relationship with Monte Kiffin, the long-time architect of the Tampa Bay Bucs' stingy Cover 2 defense, and the two have spent plenty of time together in past offseasons talking defense.
"Ever since I was at Notre Dame I would go down there (to Tampa Bay) and spend time with coach Kiffin and he was very hospitable and obviously one of the great coaches in NFL history," Meyer said.
"Then he came up here a year and a half ago, it was after we had that tough year on defense and he was good enough to spend an entire day with us in the meeting rooms and talking football with us. We have a good idea of his fundamentals and his defense and he's a good person and a great coach."
That being said, Meyer indicated that's what made Lane Kiffin's false recruiting allegations that much more surprising.
"Actually, yes it did," Meyer said. "That's one of the only comments I'll make on it. Just because I was fairly close with his father and I just know the way he is. Like I said, that's all over with. Coach Monte Kiffin and myself have a very good relationship."
UT stands at 1-1 after its 19-15 loss against UCLA Saturday. Lane Kiffin also has a decision to make about senior quarterback Jonathan Crompton, who has already thrown five interceptions. Tebow, meanwhile, accounted for five touchdowns against Troy, throwing for four and running for one.
"He's starting to play like Tim," Meyer said.
And if you were looking for Tebow or the Gators to talk about Kiffin or what happened earlier in the year, Tebow indicated it wasn't going to happen. Hold a cup to your ear and listen.
Will the silence last until Saturday?
Comments (Page 1 of 2)
The SEC is scared to play any school other than their conference and "cupcakes." Why? Because they struggle or lose. Utah beats Alabama in a bowl game; Oklahoma State beats Georgia last week; LSU wins by a touchdown over the WORST team in the Pac-10; UCLA beats Tennessee...Look at the first two weeks of the Pac-10 schedule...All over the country against many BCS conference opponents. How come Florida does not schedule a home and home with USC or Ohio State or Texas, etc...They are afraid they will lose. Plain and simple. Their non-conference schedule alone should disqaulify them from a BCS game. Finally, spare me the "They make the schedule five years in advance argument"...Like Charleston Southern was going to be a powerhouse. The SEC is like every other conference...1 or 2 elite teams and the rest just average...Their non-conference schedule is far below average. Enough!
And the purpose of scheduling opponents and playing the games is what? It's getting to the National Championship game. And if Florida's approach works... why would they change it? Until there is a true playoff, schools will continue to do what it takes to get to the top of the BCS poll - and nothing more.
How about the Bama game last weekend against Va Tech? Pretty good start for the year!
The SEC ROCKS!
What planet are you from? Look at the national championships..........SEC all the way dude.
Go GATORS
quit your crying..you sound like a spoiled little brat..
Waahhh,,,time to change your diaper little man. GATORS rule!!
Hate us all ya want it just shows you want to be where we are! The Cupcakes approach UF so they can make major bucks to improve thier squads.
Excuse me cupcake but the Gators have stomped oHIo, OKlahoma, amd anyone else that thinks that they have what it takes at the end of the season to prove what a REAL Champion is. The Gators are the REAL deal. Grow up and face reality. We have beaten all these so called giants of football. LETS GO GATORS another championship is on the way.
Swamp Thang-
Ya but they lost to michigen in 2007. Lost to ole Miss last year. There not unbeatable. There good especially at Home.
how many pac 10 teams are there in the top 20?? in my opinion it is a down year for the s.e.c. and they still have what 4 or 5 teams in the top 20...and does anyone actually think u.f. goes to the charlseton campus and ask to play them...of course not...the cupcake teams come calling to rake in the dollars and get their faces out there....
I am tired of hearing about how the SEC can beat on the PAC 10. USC has played the SEC several times ARK. Aub. UCLA has played Tenn and guess wjat they beat them all of those games. When USC wanted to play LSU what happend they turned tail and ran. USC was even offering up their part of the national championship. Florida has ONE playmaker contain him make him make mistakes and capitalize on them.Just like they did Ohio State. I watched that game and that was the loudest stadium anyone has ever played in. It was a tough house to play in and they prevailed. Living here in Las Vegas I get I think more information than most of you do watching our bookmakers set the line and submit what they see as the top 25 and if they are wrong they lose money and jobs so they are never far off. This year they have florida the top team but the past few years has been USC
hey dikracity the sec rules im a tenn fan and they havent been very good lately but if they were they would handle pac 10 big 10 big east teams etc oh and look at the # of different national champions that come from sec not just usc or even ohio state but fla lsu tenn ala ga all of those since 1980 and auburn should be on that list as well but i guess we play cupcakes for all the marbles huh
mnemn... that is because the USC and OSU are too busy putting under classmen in the NFL to get national championships.
TENN just got its ass handed to it by the number 6 or 7 team in the pac 10... what are you talking about?
Is this 'strength of schedule' debate STILL going on?
So, some don't like the car because the road is too smooth?
Last week the Gators faced a conference winner; Troy. Troy obviously has some excellent talent on their team which was showcased ONCE on national TV this season. That is good for Troy's program not to mention the money they received.
The week before last Ohio State faced a perceived 'duck' in Navy which has a team of Juniors and Seniors who have signed their 2-5's for committment to the military. OSU was lucky their defense did not fold in the last 2 minutes of that game.
The SEC, ACC, and Big 12 play an extra game called a conference playoff. In the case of UF a few years ago, they had to face LSU twice; regulat season and in Atlanta.
The idea of a 'conference' is to minimalize travel distances and time since we are talking about STUDENTS, not NFL players beating their wives, killing their pets, and sniffing out commercial deals between Sunday's, Thursdays, and Monday nights. Some conferences, it is true, have greater distances and the independents have the most by choice.
It was, and is, the BCS that brings up the SOS as a minor factor in its rankings. Only fans and a few 'fire starting' sports writers focus on that one aspect at the expense of the NC games which have placed - regardless of opinions - the best two teams in the nation against each other.
Still, we are talking about STUDENT ATHLETES most of which their only NFL experience is going to be as ticket holders.
Schedule strength? Go watch the NFL and leave the NCAA, as imperfect as it is, alone.
-Gator82-
Florida has never played LSU in the SEC championship Game...But I agree with tour coment.
Dear Jim Henry;
Since the Kiffin remark last December, and the SEC's sanction response, most Gators follow Urban's example by keeping it on the field.
There are extremely classy teams who respond the same way; USC, Penn State, Texas, Utah, BYU, and so forth.
While I cannot defend Kiffin's remarks this must be filed in the 'consider the source and context' file; Kiffin didn't work out in Oakland where trash talk was invented in the NFL and, like Oakland, Kiffin will find the talk doesn't equate to points in the SEC either.
To 'boost' Tenn.'s supporters perception of a Vol team in shambles is one thing. To do so at the expense of other SEC coaches (Urban wasn't his only target) is a serious political faux pas on the part of Kiffin.
Hopefully, Kiffin will mature as a person and a coach.
The Gators will provide his first opportunity in that process on Saturday.
-Gator82-
Conferences DO NOT play conferences. TEAMS play TEAMS.
There ARE states which have two or more schools in different conferences. California, Texas and Florida, because of their demographics and excellent HS programs are extremely deep with instate talent. With successful programs like USC it IS a recruiting 'plus' for the student and family to keep the players close to home.
There are, of course, other factors.
Sports writers and commentators (especially ESPN) often sound as if they have a lot of time to fill by proclaiming one conference being stronger than another based upon their 'opinion.'
Saturday evening, on ESPN, Lou Holz proclaimed - not once, but twice - the Florida Gators being the best college football team he has ever seen.
THAT is just a little bit over the top considering the number of years Lou coached and the teams which played during those years. The Gators are, without doubt, 'top drawer' in every sense of the word today. For Lou to take away from other teams over the past 40 years goes to his commentary's creditability.
I firmly believe the Gators have earned the reasonable accolades on the field but they also respect the greatness which preceeded them in the form of Alabama, LSU, USC, Nebraska, Miami(FL), Florida State, Ohio State, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, etc., as well as those who are less recognized today such as Boise State, Utah, BYU, etc.
-Gator82-
Dk4xploracity, like many fans, ask why schools do not schedule tougher non-conference games. The answers can be found on any conference or official NCAA wewbsite.
NCAA FB teams play a 10-game regular season. When the Big 10 and PAC 10 actually had 10 teams that left one game for out of conference not including a post season bowl game. That nonconference game was usally against an instate rival or independent like Notre Dame.
Since then, the conferences, and the NCAA, has grown. So has broadcast revenue. The NCAA and its conferences all agree on the 10-game season and that has nothing to do with fan's wishes and wants; it has to do with student athletes as well as overlapping programs with basketball.
The enactment, and, later, vigorous enforcement, of Title IX also had an impact on NCAA sports, expenditures, and revenue.
The NCAA's philosophy, mirrored by all major conferences, is to spread the exposure and wealth to smaller schools with an increasing emphasis (much improvement is needed) on academics and national PR for applicants to those schools.
The logic extended by Dkxploracity is 'what is great entertainment for the fans is also great for the schools, conferences, and the NCAA.'
Most fans don't log thousands of miles travel time in addition to game prep practices AND maintaining their academic loads.
Ironically, the same fans who want MORE ranked, out of conference matchup's are the first to observe the drop out rates of student athletes.
The NCAA and all participating conferences are in agreement; the 10-game regular season is carved in stone. Get anything more off your Christmas wish list because that, and a threesome with your wife's best friend, just isn't going to happen.
-Gator83-
I find it funny how myopic sec fans are. Imagine if alabama had beaten Utah last year and this year your team was undefeated and was ranked lower than the team you beat (humiliated) last year. I guess the point is just because you say your conference is oh so better then everyone else doesn't make it so. There are a lot of great teams in this country and yes you have a few.
I dont think Florida will get to play a top 20 team till the sec championship game. Maybe LSU if they dont get beat. Georgia is way down this year. Not a sign of a top conference. Oh ya Ole Miss is way over ranked, they may end up winning the West.