GatorZone MorningLinks: Addazio's future, Joe Pa's birthday, Outback Bowl plus other tidbits
Wednesday, December 22, 2010 | Football, Men's Tennis, Scott Carter
The football team broke camp for the holidays after Monday afternoon's practice.
The Gators will return to practice on Dec. 26 in Tampa in preparation for the Jan. 1 Outback Bowl against Penn State in head coach Urban Meyer's final game.
Meyer is leaving coaching at age 46 and has a career record of 103-23 (.817) entering the Outback Bowl matchup against Penn State coach Joe Paterno, who turned 84 on Tuesday.
If Paterno, major college football's all-time wins leader with a career record of 401-134-3, had left coaching when he was 46 after the 1972 season, Paterno would have finished with a career record of 63-13 (.829).
Here is a look at some current links covering UF football:
--Gators offensive coordinator Steve Addazio's name has been linked to the opening at Temple in the wake of former Owls coach Al Golden leaving to take over Miami. A report surfaced Tuesday that said Addazio is heading to Texas to become Mack Brown's offensive line coach.
As of this writing, nothing is official from Florida or Texas on Addazio's future. He was at Monday's practice performing his normal duties, as was defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, who has also been linked to Texas as new Florida coach Will Muschamp's replacement.
Click here to read a Philadelphia Enquirer story on Temple's search to replace Golden, and click here for an Austin American-Statesman blog on Addazio's name being linked to Texas.
--As for the Outback Bowl, click here to read a game preview from CBSSports.com.
--Muschamp's former players expect the new Gators coach to make an immediate impact. Click here for a story from the Orlando Sentinel's Rachel George.
--The Sentinel's Andrew Carter takes a look at how the relationship between Muschamp and Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher is likely to change with the good friends leading the Sunshine State's top football programs.
--Penn State arrived in the Tampa Bay area on Saturday. The Nittany Lions are practicing in Clearwater at the Phillies' spring training site. How did Joe Pa spend his 84th birthday on Tuesday? Click here to read an AP story via TBO.com.
--For another look at Paterno, click here to read a column about his future from the Allentown (Pa.) Morning Call.
