Great!!! :-(. (Sigh....). More good news!
Not only do we have a HC that would love to hang 50 on us just because, now we have a ex-recruited, jilted RB (who just happens to lead the SEC in rushing yards) with a personal axe to grind. Sent From Shane's iPhone Go Gators! & Skol Vikes! ALPCA #8756 Europlate #1045 > On Nov 13, 2013, at 2:33 PM, Woody Bass <[email protected]> wrote: > > http://m.espn.go.com/general/blogs/blogpost?blogname=sec&id=74429&src=desktop > > Mike Davis takes aim at Florida > > GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- For a Florida offense lacking big plays and healthy > bodies, Mike Davis' success is a painful symbol of what might have been. > > > > Jim Dedmon/Icon SMI > > Mike Davis, a one-time Florida commit, is motivated for Saturday's showdown > with the Gators. > > When Davis and Matt Jones committed to be Gators only days apart in February > 2011, many foresaw a "thunder and lightning" running back tandem. Jones, a > 6-foot-2, 226-pound battering ram provided the thunder, while the speedy > Davis would be the lightning. > > Just a few weeks after he was hired as Florida's coach, Will Muschamp had > scored a major recruiting victory and two very necessary puzzle pieces for > his planned conversion to a pro-style offense. > > Davis, rated by ESPN as the No. 6 running back prospect in the nation for the > Class of 2012, had been one of the Gators' first commits in the class when he > gave his pledge on Feb. 19, 2011. > > Two years later, he's the SEC's leading rusher with 1,058 yards in nine > games, a consistent and explosive force with 10 touchdowns (6.7 points per > game). > > The problem for Florida is he's doing it in a South Carolina uniform. > > Jones, meanwhile, is out for the season with torn cartilage in his left knee > -- another injured Gator in a season of mind-boggling pain, suffering and > losses. > > Imagining Davis in orange and blue is probably not something Muschamp has > time to do these days. After all, a recruiting divorce that played out on > Twitter and recruiting blogs two years ago is ancient history in the world of > actual college football. But that behind-the-scenes drama could have an > effect this Saturday night when Florida visits No. 10 South Carolina. > > Davis was committed to Florida for almost a year. But the relationship > soured, and he decommitted on Dec. 4, 2011. > > "Sometimes stuff happens when you commit a year ahead," Gamecocks coach Steve > Spurrier said on Wednesday. > > In the world of blue-chip recruiting, there are always two sides to every > story. From Florida's perspective, Davis simply changed his mind and saw a > better opportunity elsewhere. > > MIKE DAVIS VS. FLORIDA > > Think they could use Mike Davis in Gainesville? Check out this 2013 > production compared to Florida's top three leading rushers (Mack Brown, Matt > Jones, Kelvin Taylor). > > Davis UF Top 3 > Rush YPG 117.6 118.4 > Yds per rush 6.4 4.1 > Rush TD 10 8 > 10-yd rush 26 20 > "He's a really good player, a guy we thought a lot of coming out of > Stephenson [High School] there in Atlanta," Muschamp said this week. "He is > having an outstanding year, certainly has been a huge difference in their run > game. & > > "Everybody makes their decision on what they want to do [in recruiting], and > Mike felt like South Carolina was a better opportunity for him. I wish him > well." > > Davis' camp sees things a bit differently. Older brother James Davis, who > starred at Clemson (2004-07) and played in the NFL, said the Florida coaches > "kind of blew it" when they made a promise not to recruit other running backs > and then did an about-face. > > "I sat in [on the conversation] when they came in [for a visit]," James Davis > said. "They said they were done at running back after they had [Mike] and > Matt Jones. So I was there. > > "It changed his mind because he felt that he was loyal, and those guys > weren't. It kind of opened the recruiting process back up for him." > > The player Florida went after was five-star running back Keith Marshall, who > ended up signing with Georgia. The attention given to Marshall by the UF > coaching staff stoked Davis' competitive fire. > > "I think it was kind of a slap in the face, and Mike felt the same," James > said. "He was committed to those guys, and he doesn't think they were > committed to him. For the most part, he got over it. But I think it's still > in his mind every time he faces off against Florida." > > That much is clear. What happened in the past is over and done with for both > parties. But for Mike Davis, the desire to beat the Gators on the field > remains. > > He got his first chance as a true freshman last season, visiting Ben Hill > Griffin Stadium as he had several times when he was a commit. That day, the > Gators unleashed a fearsome defense and crushed the Gamecocks 44-11. Davis > was South Carolina's leading rusher with 24 yards. > > A year later, Davis isn't the only Gamecock itching for revenge. But he might > be the most motivated, as his tweets last Sunday can attest. > > Never been so eager to play #hungry > > - Mike Davis (@Mike28davis) November 10, 2013 > > > "He came home [last] weekend during the bye week, and we got to talk about > it," said James Davis, who plans to be in Columbia, S.C. on Saturday night. > "I think he's definitely excited about this one the most because of the > recruiting process, and I think he has a chip on his shoulder coming out this > week. I think this will be the biggest chip of any game. > > "I think it's almost kind of like a rivalry game to Mike. He's taking this > one personal." > > > Woody (via iPhone) > -- > -- > 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 > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "GatorNews" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. -- -- 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 --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "GatorTalk" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
