Shane-I’m really enjoying reading these stories. Thanks so much for continuing to post them. Hope you have more good news to post/celebrate next weekend. Helen
Sent from my iPhone > On Oct 6, 2019, at 10:44 AM, Shane Ford <[email protected]> wrote: > > Florida’s Perine gets revenge, disproves Auburn’s early evaluation > By Graham Hall - October 6, 2019057 > > Florida running back Lamical Perine scores the game-sealing 88-yard touchdown > run in the fourth quarter Saturday against Auburn at Ben Hill Griffin > Stadium.The Gators beat the Tigers 24-13. [Brad McClenny/The Gainesville Sun] > Prior to UF’s 24-13 victory over Auburn, Florida running back Lamical Perine > had just about seen it all this season — except an open field, that is. > > But that changed when Perine’s 88-yard dash — the longest run by a UF running > back in 31 years — put an exclamation point on Florida’s statement victory in > front of 90,854 fans Saturday night. > > For a player many expected to have a break-out season, Saturday’s performance > was a breath of fresh air. > > Yet for the Theodore, Alabama, native, it meant just a little bit more. > > Ranked the No. 28 running back in the 2016 recruiting class, Perine initially > was interested in joining a local program, and he was soon evaluated by the > likes of Alabama and Auburn. > > The Crimson Tide’s push was too late — by then Perine was locked in with UF — > and the Tigers weren’t too fond of Perine’s speed, to put it lightly. > > “I just felt like they weren’t very interested in me at the time. They > probably thought I was a little too slow. As everybody already knows, that > was one reason,” Perine said. “But I showed them today.” > > Any notion Perine’s skill-set wouldn’t cut it in the SEC has more than be > erased in the years since Auburn’s evaluation, yet he hasn’t forgotten how > his recruitment transpired. > > That chip on Perine’s shoulder was evident in practice in the build-up to > Saturday. > > When Monday arrived, Perine said his mindset was “totally different”. If he > was going to break out this season, an emotionally charged match-up with the > Tigers seemed like the perfect time. > > “I knew I had to make some big-time plays for my team,” he said. “A lot of > people doubted me, but I just continued to keep working and go out there and > just try to help my teammates to this victory.” > > With the end zone in his sights, and no Tigers close enough to trip him up, > the gravity of the moment hit all at once for Perine. > > “It almost brought tears to my eyes. Just a big-time atmosphere and big-time > crowd. I’m glad I was able to make that big-time play,” Perine said. “I > wanted them to know, I wanted them to understand that it meant a lot to me to > get out there and could do it, to even make that big-time play.” > > Perine didn’t suffer alone, as those in UF’s locker room were more than aware > of his feelings throughout the start of the season. When a skill position > player sees their impact drop off, confidence can wane, with its return often > correlated with production. > > As he glided in for six, that gravity of the moment, its potential impact on > Florida’s offense in the latter half of the season, clicked with his > teammates: Perine was back, if not better than ever. > > “He showed them,” safety Shawn Davis said of Perine’s play against Auburn. > > That was a sentiment Freddie Swain, who led all receivers Saturday with 146 > receiving yards on six receptions, shared. > > “It’s great. It’s a good play from a big guy and it kind of sealed the win, > so it was great,” Swain said of Perine, who finished the game with 130 yards > on 14 rushing attempts. “He did (make Auburn regret passing on him).” > > However, considering the Gators consistently preach the importance of the > next game, Perine’s next test is maintaining his production. With Auburn > vanquished, Perine turns to conquering the next Tigers on the horizon, where > an 8 p.m. match-up with LSU in Death Valley awaits. > > For Florida to stay unbeaten, the 24-13 victory seemed to indicate the Gators > need Perine’s production — which might require a mindset similar to > Saturday’s, one built on being written off prematurely. > > “Just control what I can control. I know I’m a big-time player and a lot of > people, they doubt me sometimes, but I come in every day and give my all for > my teammates. It was just an honor to be able to make a big play for this > team, how much I go out and just go hard,” Perine said. “I’m a humble guy, > but everybody knows when it’s time to play big games, I’m a guy they can look > to.” > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Sent from my iPhone > Go Gators! > -- > -- > 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]. > To view this discussion on the web visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/gatornews/8A263A2A-CFDF-42DE-BEB8-EC6BB4AD89C3%40gmail.com. -- -- 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. 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