Pease Shares History with the Swamp and Muschamp: Get to Know the Gators' New Offensive Coordinator
Wednesday, January 11, 2012 | Football, Scott Carter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – When Will Muschamp was named Florida's head coach a year ago, he arrived with deep roots in the Southeastern Conference as a former player at Georgia and defensive coordinator at LSU and Auburn.
The Gators' new offensive coordinator isn't as well known in league circles, but Brent Pease is no foreigner to the SEC.
Pease was Kentucky's offensive coordinator in 2001-02 under Guy Morriss and called plays in one of the most memorable games of Muschamp's career – a 33-30 LSU win in 2002 now known as the “Bluegrass Miracle.”
LSU won on a 74-yard Hail Mary pass as time expired after Kentucky players had already begun celebrating an apparent victory moments earlier.
Pease's time at Kentucky played a role in Muschamp's decision.
“Brent's a guy I've known for a long time, that I've respected for a long time. And he's called offenses in this league, and to me, that's important to understand about this league,'' Muschamp said. “I thought he did a lot with a little. There was balance in the run game and pass game, pro-style attack.''
Most Florida fans probably remember Pease best from his work with former Kentucky quarterback Jared Lorenzen, who was a difficult player to defend for the Gators in a 41-34 win over the Wildcats in 2002 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
To help you get to know Pease a little better, here are some tidbits you might not know:
IDAHO'S FINEST
In its Dec. 27, 1999 issue, Sports Illustrated listed the top 50 sports figures from every state between 1900 and 2000.
A Mountain Home native, Pease ranked No. 29 on SI's list as a “record-setting Montana quarterback in 1986.”
SI's top three sports figures in the 20th Century from Idaho were baseball slugger Harmon Killebrew, Packers great Jerry Kramer and Olympic skier Picabo Street.
WLAF VETERAN
Pease was the first of 40 quarterbacks taken in the inaugural World League of American Football draft in 1991. Selected by the Birmingham Fire, Pease played in the first WLAF game on American soil when the Fire hosted the Montreal Machine.
Pease played for Fire coach Chan Gailey, a former Gators quarterback and longtime college and professional coach who is currently head coach of the Buffalo Bills.
TOLST-OILERS
The Houston Oilers have an epic tandem at quarterback. With their starter Warren Moon and their backup Brent Pease, they have the combination of Warren Pease. – Scorecard section of Sports Illustrated on Nov. 23, 1987.
ORANGE CRUSHED
During Pease's time with the Oilers, he led Houston to a 40-10 win over Denver that was the Broncos' worst home loss at old Mile High Stadium in nearly 20 years.
Pease was a replacement player during the NFL strike of 1987 and scored the Oilers' first touchdown that day on a quarterback keeper as Houston's offensive line stood perfectly still.
The Oilers even used the wishbone that day a half a dozen times to keep the Broncos guessing.
“It's difficult to prepare when you don't know what to prepare for,'' Denver coach Dan Reeves said afterward.
CLOSE TIES
Muschamp became a first-time defensive coordinator at Valdosta State in 2000 under head coach Chris Hatcher, who is now Murray State's coach.
Hatcher came to Valdosta State after spending three seasons at Kentucky as the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach. A year later after Hatcher left, Pease was named Kentucky's offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach.
THE LONGEST DRIVE
In the infamous “Bluegrass Miracle,'' Pease devised a 98-yard Kentucky scoring drive against Muschamp's LSU defense in the first quarter.
It was the longest drive of the season against an LSU team that entered the game with the No. 1-ranked defense in the nation and ended the season eighth overall.
