Thank for clearing that up. I noticed.
From: gatortalk@googlegroups.com [mailto:gatortalk@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Tracy Gill
Sent: Wednesday, May 14, 2014 9:25 PM
To: gatortalk@googlegroups.com
Subject: RE: [gatortalk] RE: [gatornews] Mike Bianchi in the Sentinel
I’m so tired – can’t even spell my name right. J That’s what 5 and 10 year old boys do to your brain.
Tracy
From: gatortalk@googlegroups.com [mailto:gatortalk@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Tracy Gill
Sent: Wednesday, May 14, 2014 9:14 PM
To: gatortalk@googlegroups.com
Subject: [gatortalk] RE: [gatornews] Mike Bianchi in the Sentinel
As requested by Oliver…
My family and I were at the Gator Gathering event Bianchi covered in Orlando. Coach Muschamp was optimistic but realistic, and he seemed full of energy. I was impressed that he seemed to speak off the cuff about the entire roster with emphasis on the players from the local area. It looked like he was just working from perhaps a one page outline of the team roster and talked about most players on the 2-3 deep depth chart. He said they’d be 100% committed to up-tempo offense and that they were working through how to adapt that when it came time to kill clock at the end of a game. He said the defense needs to be ready to defend more plays too with the fast tempo. He spoke a bit about strength and conditioning and how they’ve tweaked a few things to try to prevent injuries but tried not to overreact because there were some previous conditions that drove some of the problems, esp. with torn labrums. He cheerfully dodged an audience question about the team’s take on crab legs in their training diet by smiling and saying, “Next question….Seriously, next question.”
He was asked about orange jerseys and said he liked them remembering his experience attending UF games in the 80s. But he understood that some people didn’t like being reminded of the 80s and probation. There were four players from the 80s sitting together and spoke up about how they didn’t appreciate hearing that about their time. Daryl Perry and Tony Jones were two of the four names. Daryl is recovering from serious illness but is getting around much better. Bianchi had a nice article about Emmitt Smith helping Daryl Perry a few years ago if you’re interested. Coach Muschamp seemed to smooth that over, told them they were invited to be around anytime they wanted, and then spent some time talking to that group of players when he finished speaking.
He was very engaging during the autograph session and talked with me, my wife, and my two boys. In that respect, he was the anti-Meyer compared to my experience with him when UMIII came to Orlando in 2009 - he didn’t speak and barely made eye contact with my son and me. In short, Coach Boom is a likable, hard-working guy who I hope can get things turned back in the right direction this year. He makes you want to pull for him to succeed.
Go Gators!
Tray
From: gatornews@googlegroups.com [mailto:gatornews@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of John Bowers
Sent: Wednesday, May 14, 2014 10:00 AM
To: Gator News
Subject: [gatornews] Mike Bianchi in the Sentinel
Gators coach Will Muschamp: 'Fans are upset and I don't blame 'em!
Muschamp embraces criticism of UF football program that went 4-8 last season, vows to improve
SPORTS COMMENTARY
9:51 p.m. EDT, May 13, 2014
You know it, I know it, but most of all Will Muschamp himself knows it.
He knows if he doesn't win a certain number of games this season, there won't be a next season for him as the football coach of the Florida Gators.
And the thing I like about Muschamp is that he is bluntly honest about it. He not only knows he has to win this season; he understands it
"Everybody is kicking us in the ass, and it's fair," Muschamp told me before taking the stage at the Central Florida Gator Club Tuesday night at the Plaza Live in downtown Orlando. "We have a loyal fan base and they're upset, and I don't blame 'em. I'm upset, too. To me it's fair — very fair — that we're being questioned on what we're doing and how we're doing it. We all realize that 4-8 is unacceptable."
The question is what win total this season is acceptable if Muschamp expects to keep his job? After interviewing a number of fans at the Gator gathering Tuesday night, the magic number seems to be 8. "I'll even take 7 if you give me some offense," said Rob Yacabucci, an engineer at Lockheed Martin.
Ah, yes, the offense — which, quite frankly, has been offensive since Muschamp took over three years ago. Then again, when you're 4-8, it's not just the offense that gets questioned; it's every facet of the program. During his address Tuesday night, Muschamp was grilled on everything from the color of Florida's jerseys to not using the tight end enough to the Gators committing too many penalties
It's even reached a point where fans and media, because of the incredible epidemic of injuries last season, have been wondering whether Muschamp's strength and conditioning staff is doing a poor job. As if coaches are responsible for the broken bones suffered by players such as quarterback Jeff Driskel last season. "I guess we need to have them drink more milk," Muschamp jokes.
"At the end of the day, the only way to change the perception is to win," Muschamp said. "That's all we can do. It's like I told our team: 'We're 4-8. We need to shut up and have a good memory. '"
As the iconic Woody Hayes once said, "Nothing cleanses your soul like getting the hell kicked out of you."
Muschamp certainly can relate. He had a come-to-Jesus moment after the season and knew he had to make some drastic chances. Not just because the Gators were losing games but because they were losing fans.
Muschamp scrapped his boring ball-control pro style offense and hired Duke offensive coordinator Kurt Roper, who has installed what Gator fans hope will be a more exciting, wide-open brand of spread offense. Whatever Roper does is bound to be better than what UF fans have seen in Muschamp's first three seasons when Gators have never ranked better than 103rd out of 123 Football Bowl Subdivision teams in total offense.
Ironically, Muschamp used to tell recruits they would be better prepared for the NFL if they played in a pro style offense in college, but now he is touting the spread. During the last two NFL drafts, Muschamp notes, a combined 12 offensive players have been taken among the top 10 picks — and 10 of those 12 played in a spread offense in college.
"Wow," Muschamp tweeted after this year's NFL Draft, "spread offense guys making more money than those pro style guys."
Besides implementing a more exciting brand of offense, Muschamp is also trying to put a friendlier face on the Gator program. In the past, he has closed down UF's practice sessions like a gulag, not allowing fans or media in to catch glimpse of his team. This season, at the suggestion of a close friend, he decided to bring UF's program out from behind the iron curtain. Muschamp opened multiple practices during the spring and plans to open even more during fall drills.
Muschamp explained: "My friend said to me, 'You know, you're really a pretty good guy, but a lot of people think you're a bad guy. Why don't you open some things up and let the fans get to know you.' I never thought about it that way and I think it's been very positive. I kinda like it."
Oddly, many hoops fans seem to be rallying around Muschamp, who received a standing ovation when he was introduced Tuesday night.
The question is were they standing to show their fanatical support for to pay their final respects?
mbianchi@tribune.com. Follow him on Twitter @BianchiWrites. Listen to his radio show every weekday from 6 to 9 a.m. on 740 AM.
Copyright © 2014, Orlando Sentinel
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GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY!
1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions
2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions
2008 National Football Champions |
Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996),
Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us
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GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY!
1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions
2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions
2008 National Football Champions |
Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996),
Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us
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