Brantley Prepares For First Road Start
Saturday, September 18, 2010 | Football, Scott Carter
John Brantley knows how loud it gets inside Tennessee's Neyland Stadium with more than 100,000 orange-clad fans inside. Two years ago, he experienced the atmosphere on game day in Knoxville and how Volunteer fans don't exactly roll out the red carpet when the Gators come to town.
The last time Brantley visited Neyland Stadium, he was dressed and ready to play if needed. That never happened. No. 15, Tim Tebow, did just fine, leading the Gators to a 30-6 win on their way to the 2008 national title.
However, we all know Tebow is no longer around. As Tebow took snaps, threw passes and ran around the field that day, Brantley watched from the sideline and imagined what it would be like when it was his turn to try and beat the Volunteers on the road.
Brantley's time has arrived. The redshirt junior from Ocala will make his third career start – and first road start – on Saturday afternoon when the Gators (2-0) face the Volunteers (1-1) in the SEC opener for both schools.
As Brantley prepared for another landmark challenge this week, he said watching Tebow in games like the 2008 win over the Volunteers helped him get ready for moments like this one.
“The biggest thing from the sideline was just watching him and how he led the team,'' Brantley said. “I definitely learned a lot.''
In Florida's first two games, Brantley has been steady at the controls when asked to pass, focused more on not making mistakes than making big plays. He expects that to change some each week as he becomes more and more comfortable in his new role.
In the season-opening win over Miami (Ohio), Brantley threw for only 113 yards and had trouble handling several snaps from center Mike Pouncey in the shotgun. In last week's win over USF, he threw for a career-high 172 yards and a pair of touchdowns and began to develop a better rhythm in the second half.
Florida coach Urban Meyer is ready to see more out of his new starting quarterback now that SEC play is here.
“His first game was not good at all, but the second one he did a nice job,'' Meyer said earlier this week. “He's got to be a 200-plus-yard passer. [The next step] is just doing what he's doing … play a little better this week because we're playing a better team with better personnel.''
Brantley's teammates see a young quarterback still evolving. In the 38-14 win over USF, the Gators scored late in the second quarter to tie the game 7-7 entering halftime. While Brantley was relatively quiet early against the Bulls, running back Jeff Demps said he sensed no concern after the offense's early struggles.
“We weren't really frustrated,'' said Demps, who has been the Gators' offensive star thus far with 237 yards on 19 carries. “We were just thinking, 'When are we going to get it going?' Because we know deep down how good we can be. We just came together as one big unit.''
To maintain that same unity on Saturday, much of the job will fall on Brantley's shoulders.
He hopes to get off to a faster start than in the previous two games, which would help quiet all those fans at Neyland Stadium and give the Gators that early momentum they have been missing.
“I do think the offense is coming together,'' said Brantley, who has thrown for 285 yards and four touchdowns in his first two starts. “The next thing we need to do is have it together from the beginning. We have started out a little slow. We need to have that together on the first drive.''
While Meyer is looking for more production in the passing game from Brantley, he is quick to point out that Brantley is doing an excellent job at taking care of the ball. Brantley has not thrown an interception in his last 117 attempts dating to last season.
Considering where he was in his career last time the Gators visited Knoxville, Brantley is confident he is well-prepared for what faces him on Saturday.
“I'm starting to figure out how the game works,'' he said. “It's completely different. The adrenaline is pumping. It's tough seeing all these different type of defenses. You've got to be really locked in. You can't take a play off at all. It's been a great learning experience. I've had a lot of fun with it so far.''
Brantley also got a call from No. 15 last weekend. Tebow, who was in Jacksonville for Denver's game with the Jaguars on, called to check in on his former backup.
Tebow told reporters in Jacksonville that Brantley has all the tools to get the job done.
Brantley is determined to prove Tebow knows what he's talking about.
“It is huge. Tim and I had such a great relationship when he was here. He's one of the best college football players of all-time,'' Brantley said. “To know that he has confidence in me is a great feeling, because he knows what it's like. He knows how everything works, how the SEC is.
“It gives me confidence to know I'm able to do this.''
Florida Quarterbacks First Time Starts Against Tennessee Since 1990
1990 Shane Matthews
Final 45-3 (Loss), 14 for 24, 119 yards, 1 Int.
1993 Danny Wuerffel
Final 41-34 (Win), 19 for 38, 231 yards, 3 TD
1997 Doug Johnson
Final 33-20 (Win), 14 for 32, 261 yards, 3 TD, 2 Int.
1998 *Jesse Palmer
Final 20-17 (Loss), 16 for 23, 210 yards, 2 TD, 1 Int.
2001 Rex Grossman
Final 34-32 (Loss), 33 for 51, 362 yards, 2 TD, 1 Int.
2003 Ingle Martin
Final 24-10 (Loss), 16 for 32, 205 yards, 1 Int.
2004 Chris Leak
Final 30-28 (Loss), 22 for 31, 286 yards, 3 TD, 1 Int.
2007 Tim Tebow
Final 59-20 (Win), 14 for 19, 299 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
* indicates a quarterback rotation with Doug Johnson
