Gators Need No Reminders Of Last Year
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 | Football, Scott Carter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida coach Urban Meyer enjoyed part of his Monday morning about as much as having a tooth pulled without any Novocaine.
As the seventh-ranked Gators prepare to play at No. 1-ranked Alabama on Saturday, Meyer watched video from the Gators' 32-13 loss to Alabama in last year's Southeastern Conference Championship game.
“We just didn't execute well,'' Meyer said. “It was painful to watch that thing.''
Florida entered the game fresh off a 2008 national title and 22 consecutive wins. The Gators walked out of the Georgia Dome last December disappointed and in disbelief. They have every intention of avoiding the same fate when they travel to Tuscaloosa to face the Crimson Tide before a national TV audience on Saturday.
“With a loss like that, you really don't need many people reminding you of it to keep you going,'' said quarterback John Brantley, who served as Tim Tebow's backup in the last meeting with Alabama. “That's always in the back of your mind. It was a heartbreaker. I don't think that was us that day.''
In its final tune-up for the Crimson Tide, Florida played its most complete game of the season on Saturday, rolling past Kentucky 48-14 behind a school-record six touchdowns by Brantley's backup, multi-purpose quarterback Trey Burton.
The Gators know they'll need Burton and more to knock off Alabama, which has won 18 consecutive games and is coming off a come-from-behind win at Arkansas that included 227 yards rushing: 157 from reigning Heisman winner Mark Ingram and 85 from Trent Richardson. The Ingram-Richardson duo was a key factor in knocking off the Gators in the 2009 SEC championship, anchoring a Crimson Tide rushing attack that grinded out 251 yards rushing and 490 yards of total offense.
In the immediate aftermath of the Gators' win over Kentucky, defensive tackle Jaye Howard – the Gators' defensive player of the game – made it no secret how much he has been looking forward to a rematch with Alabama.
“Just knowing that you are going to Tuscaloosa next week, the adrenaline is really pumping in me,” Howard said. “I'm like ready to line up and play right now.''
The Florida-Alabama rivalry has produced the past two national champions and some of the most memorable SEC title games since the game's inception in 1992. The Gators won the 2008 SEC title game over Alabama, 31-20, with the Crimson Tide returning the favor last season in the most-watched SEC championship game in 17 years.
Brantley, who didn't play in last year's SEC championship game, is prepared for the most intense atmosphere of his career at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday night. Brantley passed his first big road test of the season by leading the Gators to a 31-17 win at Tennessee on Sept. 18. He says for the Gators to be prepared in Tuscaloosa, they must take care of business first in Gainesville this week.
“Right when that fourth quarter hit zero and the game was over [against Kentucky], my eyes were starting to flip to the next week,'' Brantley said. “We know it's a big game. We know the intensity has to be turned up in practice.''
While Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy is an experienced leader and hasn't lost a game since the eighth grade, Ingram and Richardson are what really make the Crimson Tide's offense roll. Gators senior linebacker Brandon Hicks' most vivid moment from last season's loss was watching McElroy hit Ingram on a swing pass and then Ingram racing 69 yards to Florida's 3-yard line.
Ingram scored on the next play, giving Alabama a 19-10 lead after the Gators had closed to within two.
“That hurt me the most,'' Hicks said. “That's a memory I won't forget. He's a great player. He takes every play like it's his last. Not too many running backs have the ability, physical strength and speed that he has. I feel as a defense, it's our job to shut that down. He can't win the game by himself.''
Alabama has the SEC's second-leading rushing attack (244.8 yards per game) through four games, while the Gators are the league's second-best defense in stopping the run (94 yards per game).
Gators senior center Mike Pouncey pointed Monday to off-the-field distractions playing a role in last season's loss. Meyer downplayed Pouncey's assessment, but did say there was a “rock-star like'' atmosphere surrounding the Gators late last season thanks mostly to Tebow's iconic status and the Gators still in the hunt for back-to-back national titles when they took the field that day in Atlanta.
Regardless of what caused the loss, everyone in orange and blue agrees it wasn't the Gators' best moment.
“I think any Florida fan has this game circled,'' Pouncey said. “Any loss hurts, but when you lose for a championship game, it's more devastating. You want to go out and prove something.''
Meyer said for that to happen, the Gators must have their best week of practice.
“This is a game obviously with a lot of national attention,'' Meyer said. “A game that a lot of people are asking, 'Is there payback?' A good majority of our team wasn't even with us last year. If we get a little better this week, we'll have a shot.''
