Oliver Barry CRS, GRI
In other words. Don't mail it in.
On 12/17/2016 1:16 PM, Shane Ford wrote:
--Gators need NFL draft-eligible players to produce in bowl
Florida cornerbacks Teez Tabor, left, and Quincy Wilson (6) bring down Missouri wide receiver Dimetrios Mason during their game Oct. 15 on Steve Spurrier-Florida Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Both Gators are entertaining thoughts about the NFL. (Cyndi Chambers/Correspondent)
Published: Friday, December 16, 2016 at 8:25 a.m.
Last Modified: Friday, December 16, 2016 at 8:25 a.m.
There were a handful of draft-eligible underclassmen who did not appear all in when it came to Florida's bowl game two years ago. They seemed distracted by, and more focused on, the draft than the game. And, perhaps, in a way, it was understandable.
Facts
Up next
What: Outback Bowl
Who: No. 20 Florida (8-4) vs. No. 21 Iowa (8-4)
When: 1 p.m. Jan. 2
Where: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa
TV: ABC
Radio: 103.7-FM, AM-850The Gators were stuck in Birmingham, playing in what many viewed as a meaningless game for an interim head coach (D.J. Durkin) against an American Athletic Conference foe (East Carolina) on a cold, dreary Jan. 3 day at the end of the bowl season.
One top junior, tailback Matt Jones, held himself out for fear of re-injuring a knee and jeopardizing his pro career. Some others seemed disinterested.
All-SEC junior defensive end Dante Fowler was not one of them. A projected first-round pick (as long as he stayed healthy), Fowler came out and played like a true freshman trying to prove himself instead of a pro prospect just trying to get through the game so he could start getting ready for the draft.
Playing with his trademark energy and passion, Fowler had one of the best games of his UF career, recording a career-high three sacks and two quarterback hurries and spending most of the afternoon in the ECU backfield.
Jim McElwain, UF's incoming coach, was there to witness it. Two years later, McElwain is using Fowler's performance as an example for the Gators' five or six underclassmen who have impending draft decisions to make in the coming weeks. He would like them to take the same approach to the Outback Bowl that Fowler did to the Birmingham Bowl in Alabama.
"It will be interesting to see, some of the guys that are kind of getting ready for the NFL, their mindset moving forward," McElwain said. "We're going to need those guys to play as Gators and give everything they have.
"I think about when I first took this job and you saw what Dante Fowler did in that Birmingham Bowl. I don't know how many sacks he had. Five maybe? A couple of fumbles. Here's a guy who knew he was going to be a top-round draft choice and yet chose for his team to go out there and play his tail off. I was so impressed with that.
"We're going to need that kind of play with our guys as well. Time will tell as we move from there. I think that should be it."
McElwain is out to avoid a repeat of what happened in the Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl a year ago. Although he said his draft-eligible underclassmen were invested in the game, there did seem to be some quit among some players in the second half of the humbling 41-7 loss to Michigan.
"Well I think the big piece, it's a personal choice," McElwain said. "We're going to prepare to go win the ballgame and we're going to need those guys to play well, play with energy and to give us an opportunity to go win it. You move forward and really it's an individual choice by each one of those guys."
UF has sent in paperwork to the NFL for the top underclassmen so the players can better gauge where they might go in the draft. Included in that group are cornerbacks Jalen Tabor and Quincy Wilson, offensive tackle David Sharpe, defensive tackle Caleb Brantley, linebacker Alex Anzalone and nickel Duke Dawson.
McElwain said none of those underclassmen have indicated yet what they might do. Deadline to declare for the draft is Jan. 18.
In challenging his underclassmen to match Fowler's approach to the bowl game, McElwain has gotten an assist from a former NFL general manager.
"It's interesting when we had a former GM come speak to our team about how this works," McElwain said. "It's always interesting to me, how hard they work from here on out for the combine, and yet the No. 1 thing that the league looks at is what you put on film.
"That's the No. 1 evaluator, and in his case over 75 percent of what they did with their draft was all based on how a guy played on film. So this is another opportunity for those guys to play well against a really good football team, a physical football team. Another opportunity to be proud of what you put on film."
Will the underclassmen be all in for the Outback Bowl?
Like McElwain said, it's a personal choice, and human nature could play a role. He'll know more in the coming few weeks, and especially on Jan. 2.
Contact Robbie Andreu at 352-374-5022 or robbie.andreu@gvillesun.com. Also check out Andreu's blog at Gatorsports.com.
Sent From Shane's iPhoneGo Gators! & Skål Vikes!ALPCA #8756Europlate #1045
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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)
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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)
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