RE: [gatortalk] Re: [gatornews] New UF coaches are linked

[keith]

and then Drayton goes and says a lot of bad things about us when he was at Tenn. 

 

Obviously, Meyer and Drayton have made up and resolved the issues.   

 

All anyone can say is - trust Urban Meyer. 

 

In a situation like this - Drayton knows that he will be under intense, double secret, scrutiny.  I think that will be Drayton's punishment / redemption for what happened previously. 

 

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [gatortalk] Re: [gatornews] New UF coaches are linked
From: Woody <gatorrr...@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, February 18, 2010 8:46 am
To: Gatortalk <Gatortalk@googlegroups.com>

Someone correct me if i am wrong.. because I still question why we WANT Drayton back.  Didnt we have all kinds of problems with RBs hanging on to the ball. we bring Carter in. and thats mostly corrected... didnt Drayton leave shortly before Urban was gonna let him go anyway?

 

 

 

On Thu, Feb 18, 2010 at 8:33 AM, Shane Ford <go.ufgator...@gmail.com> wrote:

New UF coaches are linked

 

The Gainesville Sun

Buy photo

Teryl Austin, the recently hired defensive coordinator for the Florida football team, speaks at a press conference on Wednesday.

 

By Robbie Andreu
Gainesville SUN Staff writer

Published: Wednesday, February 17, 2010 at 4:52 p.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, February 17, 2010 at 4:52 p.m.

 

 

Florida's four new assistant football coaches come from disparate backgrounds, from different corners of the country, and they all have their own individual beliefs and philosophies.

But they are all connected by common threads. Threads that have brought them together and drawn them to Gainesville.

Urban Meyer and Steve Addazio.

The new coaches — Stan Drayton, D.J. Durkin, Teryl Austin and Zach Azzanni — have past connections with Meyer and/or Addazio.

Maybe that's why the three who spoke at a media gathering Wednesday (Drayton, Austin and Durkin) are predicting a smooth and successful transition for this rebuilt coaching staff.

"Urban does such a great job of putting a staff of people together who pretty much know each other," said Drayton, the new running backs coach. "At some point, we've crossed paths. It is no different with this staff. There is a bloodline somewhere along the way with these guys.

"We have worked together before. We all know each other. We're all cut from the same cloth in the way we approach our kids, the way we approach football and the way we approach our family.

"Because of that continuity and common denominator, we work well together. It's not changed at all. It's not like that anywhere else. This is a special place."

Drayton certainly has a strong connection with Meyer. He was part of Meyer's first Florida coaching staff and worked with the Gator running backs for three years before taking the same position at Tennessee after the 2007 season.

Durkin, the new linebackers coach, and Azzanni, the the wide receivers coach, were graduate assistants for Meyer for two years when he started his head coaching career at Bowling Green in 2001.

Austin, the new defensive coordinator, became close friends with Addazio when the two were on the same Syracuse staff in 1997-98. Austin also coached with UF quarterbacks coach Scot Loeffler at Michigan in 1999.

So, this isn't exactly a bunch of strangers coming together to form a new Florida staff.

"A lot of guys on the staff I've worked with previously and have known at some point through some coaching circles," Durkin said. "After being here about a month now, it's impressive the way the staff works together. I think Coach Meyer and Coach Addazio did a great job of getting the right fit and meshing guys together. Things are working really well.

"It's a very impressive group of guys. I think everyone is in it for the same reason. We're comfortable together and ready to work together and get things done."

It takes time for chemistry to develop on a new coaching staff, but it appears the potential is there for it to happen in a hurry with this staff.

"I know it's going to work," said Austin, who left a seven-year NFL coaching career behind to come to Florida. "There were a lot of good guys when I got here (earlier this week).

"I think when Coach (Meyer) picks a staff, it is important there is chemistry. We spend too much time together to bicker and fight. He picks people who will get along with each other, work with each other.

"The guys on the staff have been great. Everyone I've come in contact with in the building has been tremendous. It's made a fast and really hard transition easier for me."

It was Addazio who placed the call to Austin a little more than a week ago asking him if he would have interest in the defensive coordinator's job at Florida. Things happened fast from there.

Addazio received permission from the Arizona Cardinals to pursue Austin, who had recently signed a two-year contract extension to remain the Cardinals' secondary coach. Austin interviewed for the job (with Addazio and Meyer) last Wednesday and was named the Gators' new defensive coordinator Friday.

Now Austin is back coaching with his good buddy Addazio.

"He's still ugly," joked Austin. "He's still got a loud voice. But he's still one of the best human beings you'll ever meet. He's a big reason we have an opportunity to work with good people. He's a great person. It was a no-brainer (to accept the job)."

Austin and the other two new assistants present Wednesday said the uncertainty with Meyer's health (and his future) was not an issue in their decision to join the UF staff.

"The foundation was here at the University of Florida," Austin said. "Obviously, Urban is a tremendous coach, but I think the big thing was the foundation for the program. I didn't have any hesitation to come at all.

"The health issue is something Coach is going to take care of for himself and his family. I can't control that. I can control coming into a situation like this and recruit good student-athletes."

Drayton said he hesitated when the job offer came from Meyer, but not for very long.

"I was very, very aware (of Meyer's health issue) and interested to see what was going on because I have a 2-year-old and a 5-year-old," Drayton said. "That lasted about two minutes after Urban Meyer called me and I had a conversation with him. I could hear it in his voice (that he would be returning).

"And I had a chance to talk to Steve Addazio, who I really love and trust. I felt comfortable, really confident and excited. I felt extremely comfortable with the whole deal. I'm here and ready to go."

 

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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