Football notes: Pouncey brothers' big week and other tidbits
Tuesday, January 25, 2011 | Football, Track and Field, Scott Carter
The Pouncey brothers are in for a memorable next couple of weeks.
Mike, who closed his Gators career earlier this month with a victory in the Outback Bowl, is in Mobile, Ala., this week for the Senior Bowl.
Pouncey will be joined by UF teammates Marcus Gilbert, Ahmad Black and Chas Henry in the annual college all-star game where college players showcase their talents for NFL teams.
To read more on the Florida players in the Senior Bowl, click here.
Henry is also scheduled to attend the Ray Guy Award banquet later this week for being named the nation's top punter.
--Maurkice Pouncey has a bigger game coming up. It's called the Super Bowl.
Pouncey suffered an injured left ankle that caused him to miss most of the Steelers' win over the Jets in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday, but Pouncey plans to play in Super Bowl XLV on Feb. 6.
Pouncey isn't the only former Gator on Pittsburgh's roster. Offensive lineman Max Starks, a veteran on injured reserve, is the other.
--Speaking of Gators in the Super Bowl, this marks the ninth consecutive season a former UF player is on a Super Bowl team. Overall, 13 Gators have combined to win 19 Super Bowl rings.
--The SEC has 20 players on the Super Bowl rosters, 12 on the Packers and eight on the Steelers. The SEC has more players in the Super Bowl than any other conference for the second consecutive season.
The Big Ten is second with 18 players.
--Former Gators defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, who spent last season on Urban Meyer's staff, appears headed back to the NFL as defensive backs coach of the Baltimore Ravens.
Click here to read more on Austin.
--According to the Miami Herald, former Gators receiver Ike Hilliard has been hired to work as receivers coach with the Miami Dolphins.
Hilliard most recently served as receivers coach for the Florida Tuskers of the United Football League.
--Former Gators offensive coordinator Steve Addazio, still finalizing his staff as Temple's new head coach, would be Connecticut's new head coach if it were up to prominent Huskies booster Robert G. Burton.
Burton made national news Tuesday by asking for a $3 million donation back from Connecticut for not hiring Addazio to replace former Huskies coach Randy Edsall.
Click here to read more from ESPN.com.
--Not sure when he'll send out his first tweet, but new Gators football coach Will Muschamp's official Twitter account is @CoachWMuschamp. Speaking of Muschamp's online presence, you can also find him at CoachWillMuschamp.com here on GatorZone.com.
--The Gators started their offseason conditioning drills this week under the watchful eye of Mickey Marotti, who was retained by Muschamp and considered one of the keys to the six-year run of Urban Meyer.
--Muschamp dealt publicly with his first player getting in trouble off the field on Monday after reports surfaced that Gators CB Janoris Jenkins was cited over the weekend for possession of an illegal substance.
"We are aware of the incident with Janoris Jenkins and will handle it internally at this time,'' Muschamp said.
--Track coach Mike Holloway says Gators running back Jeff Demps, an NCAA champion sprinter last season, will open his spring season on Feb. 4-5 at the Virginia Tech Elite Meet. Demps is nearly fully recovered from the sprained foot ligament he suffered Sept. 18 at Tennessee.
--Quote of Note: “I feel like I was around – if he's not the best recruiter in the country, he's got to be one of the top one or two – and that's Mack Brown. I gathered a lot of information in two years of being with Mack that were invaluable to me and I'll carry those with me the rest of my days in college coaching.'' – Sounds like it could be Muschamp, but it's actually Auburn's Gene Chizik to the Sporting News.
