This is the biggest reason why I think things are going to be different. I dont think we win 10 games, beat UGAly or win a championship this year... There was just no energy. They looked sluggish. They looked unprepared. I think that is going to be a lot different now.
Woody On Fri, Jul 20, 2018 at 8:18 AM, Shane Ford <[email protected]> wrote: > Dooley: Gators brought swagger to SEC Media Days > By > Pat Dooley <http://www.gatorsports.com/author/pat-dooley/> > (Gainesville Sun) - > July 20, 2018 > 3 > <http://www.gatorsports.com/2018/07/dooley-gators-brought-swagger-to-sec-media-days/#comments> > 50 > > <https://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gatorsports.com%2F2018%2F07%2Fdooley-gators-brought-swagger-to-sec-media-days%2F> > > <https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Dooley%3A+Gators+brought+swagger+to+SEC+Media+Days&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gatorsports.com%2F2018%2F07%2Fdooley-gators-brought-swagger-to-sec-media-days%2F&via=GatorSports.com> > > <https://plus.google.com/share?url=http://www.gatorsports.com/2018/07/dooley-gators-brought-swagger-to-sec-media-days/> > > <https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http://www.gatorsports.com/2018/07/dooley-gators-brought-swagger-to-sec-media-days/&media=http://www.gatorsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/AP_18198799065536.jpg&description=Dooley%3A+Gators+brought+swagger+to+SEC+Media+Days> > > <http://3boxml133uq12y8y9x34hnqo.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/AP_18198799065536.jpg>Florida > defensive lineman Cece Jefferson is interviewed during the NCAA college > football Southeastern Conference media days at the College Football Hall of > Fame in Atlanta, Tuesday. (AP Photo/John Amis) > > ATLANTA — The last three SEC teams wrapped up Thursday at Media Days with > all of the electricity of a soggy bag of burritos. > > The coaches spoke in monotones all week, sometimes struggled to hear > questions in the new venue and were almost unanimous in their decisions to > wear brown shoes. > > Was beige not available? > > The players endured questions about their go-to dance moves and favorite > candy. There was high praise all around for anyone and everyone so much it > felt like a family reunion. > > Where’s a Larry Fedora when you need him? > > The breath of fresh air in humid Atlanta was your Florida Gators. Of the > 14 teams who put on their Sunday best, the UF players and their head coach > definitely had the most swagger and smiles during their time here. > > In fact, I’ve never seen a Florida team enjoy it more. Cece Jefferson even > referred to his appearance here as “a blast.” > > The Gators talked about championships. Pretty heady stuff for a team > coming off 4-7. > > Jefferson, who hasn’t even been cleared to play yet, basically guaranteed > a win over Georgia, the national runners-up. > > Dan Mullen had the best quote of the four days when he said, “I’m the > opposite of Trump. “I’m the opposite of Trump in that I’m here to fill ‘the > Swamp,’ not drain it.” > > And, of course, he was swagged out in his special sneakers and wore a > perpetual smile while the other coaches seemed like they would have rather > been watching recruiting film. Heck, Derek Mason was almost angry talking > about how everyone is going to look past his team and nobody pays attention > to Vanderbilt. > > Mullen, on the other hand, looked like a confident coach and talked like a > confident coach. > > “We’re going to come back and have an exciting football team, create the > energy, create the excitement that I know The Swamp to be as one of the > most intimidating stadiums in all of America.” Mullen said Tuesday. “And > I’m excited to get this program back on top.” > > There is no doubt that there is a new energy in this program and to really > understand it you had to see the contrast in the face Florida presented vs. > the other 13 programs. It wasn’t like the other teams were lacking spunk > and certainly brought players who gave thoughtful and intelligent answers, > it’s just that Florida had a different bounce. > > None of this means that Florida is going to win a bunch of games, be > ranked at any point this season or be a dark horse candidate for the > College Football Playoff. > > You can even make the argument that these Gators may have been whistling > past the graveyard, that a program that has been plagued by inconsistency > this decade and an offense that has put blisters on the eyes of the Gator > Nation cannot be fixed with some WD-40 and Flex Seal. > > All we know for sure was that Florida was the star of SEC Media Days 2018. > Whether the Gators will star during the 2018 season is anybody’s guess. > > One reason for the positivity — these guys are a lot more comfortable with > a head coach who isn’t circling the wagons, who is welcoming everyone > wearing orange and blue under the big tent. It feels like the program has > stopped leaking enthusiasm. > > Which gets me to the second reason this has been a summer of love at UF. > > “It is definitely contagious,” said junior linebacker David Reese. “It > starts with our strength staff. Coach (Nick) Savage has been doing a great > job of keeping the energy for our program and making sure we work as hard > as we can, day in and day out. That has been the biggest difference since I > have been here.” > > Yep. That Savage guy is making a difference. For one, the players don’t > want to deal with what they did last year and they are embracing the energy > required to make sure it doesn’t. For another, they all have mirrors. > > They’re seeing different bodies. That gets them jacked up. > > Let’s get this much straight — every coach and all of the players who came > through the car wash in Atlanta were optimistic. > > One just had a little more pep in its step. > > Whether that translates to the playing field is still the big question. > But after SEC Media Days a year ago where there were questions about a > naked guy on a shark and the slight of LSU by scheduling the Tigers for > homecoming, this year was certainly a welcome change. > > *Contact Pat Dooley at 352-374-5053 <352-374-5053> or at > [email protected] <[email protected]>. And follow at > Twitter.com/Pat_Dooley <http://Twitter.com/Pat_Dooley>.* > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Sent From Shane's iPhone > Go Gators! & Skål Vikes! > > -- > -- > 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) > --- > 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/d/optout. > -- -- 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) --- 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/d/optout.
