Gators Notebook: McElwain Irritated by Lackluster Practice, Harris Returns, More Tidbits
Monday, March 30, 2015 | Football, Scott Carter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Throughout his first spring camp as Florida's head coach, Jim McElwain has remained measured and positive when discussing his new team.
McElwain, his coaching staff and the players have a lot to learn about each other and that is mostly what this spring is about.
Past the midway point in camp, McElwain has learned enough to know the Gators didn't come ready to practice Monday. For the first time during his four-month tenure at UF, McElwain let off some steam publicly.
“Our mindset was not to get better today. It was to endure the practice, and it really bothered me, and that's unacceptable,'' he said. “You don't do that and play championship football, so it wasn't good. You can see I'm a little irritated by it and rightfully so, because that hadn't been our MO.”
The Gators scrimmaged on Saturday and returned to the field late Monday afternoon for their ninth practice of spring. They have six remaining – including the Orange & Blue Debut on April 11 – and McElwain is looking for a quick attitude adjustment.
There is no time to waste with so much to accomplish and so little time before camp concludes. He said the attention to detail dropped off significantly Monday.
“I think today was the first day that we probably took steps back,'' he said. “When you invest in yourself, we all make a choice how we're going to approach that rep, how we're going to approach that day, how we're going to approach that practice, that meeting, that class, that tutor session.
“It's all a choice and a decision. And today a lot of guys – and I'm not saying everybody – a lot of them came out with a choice and a decision not to get anything done, not to focus, and to endure rather than drain the tank and get better. That was irritating. It's not acceptable.”
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RETURN OF TREON
Sophomore quarterback Treon Harris, battling redshirt freshman Will Grier this spring for the starter's job, returned to practice Monday. Harris missed practice Wednesday and Friday and was absent during Saturday's scrimmage.
Harris was away from the team while mourning the loss of a close cousin who was shot to death last week in Miami.
“He felt good being back,'' McElwain said. “His family knows that this is where he should be and focus on this. As in any situation of loss, you never get it back. So it's really at that point, you know, focus on the positives, focus on the good things that you had. And I think that's part of it."
Gators assistant coach Randy Shannon, a Miami native who knows the Harris family well, spent time consoling Harris as he dealt with the tragedy.
“We talked a lot,'' Shannon said. “Knowing Treon's family, personally, knowing what he's been through and you talk to them, communicate to them, but you also don't make him do anything but try to make him feel more relief than just the anger.
“We're his family. We're happy that he's back but like any process we're trying to get him through this process away from home.”
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QUOTE OF NOTE I
“We mix and mingle as a whole staff more than any place I've been in a long time. It's wonderful to have a staff that you can go and communicate with on the field, off the field, about recruiting, people, staff, players on the team.” – Shannon
QUOTE OF NOTE II
“We'll learn from the film tomorrow and we'll go up and get it graded and put the proper things in place and then show it to them. That's all you can do at that point.” – McElwain
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EXTRA POINTS
McElwain said the plan is to keep sophomore WR/RB Brandon Powell out of live contact drills for the rest of spring camp to protect his injured foot. Powell had surgery prior to last season and needs a specially fitted shoe. “Kind of a preventative measure more than anything,'' McElwain said … RB Adam Lane remains sidelined with a leg injury … McElwain said Harris was “a little rusty” on Monday after a week off … With Harris out, McElwain said Grier took advantage of extra reps at Saturday's scrimmage. “He had a couple of throws he'd like back. Now, the defense didn't capitalize on them, but for the most part he threw it to our color jersey. I think he took some big steps last week.”
