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Gators Get Dose Of Reality

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By MARTIN FENNELLY | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 2, 2008

ORLANDO - It was easy to smile as retiring Michigan coach Lloyd Carr sat atop those shoulder pads Tuesday.

The 62-year-old Carr, who began the season buried under Appalachian State, rode off on a mountain of Wolverines after winning the Capital One Bowl. Actually, first they accidentally carried off Rich Rodriguez.

Carr was asked what he told his players.

"I told them that I loved them."

We think he told Florida's defense that, too.

Ah, the springboard game.

It was a belly flop.

Yes, a funny thing happened on the way to the Florida Gators beginning their 2008 national title run on the first day of the year.

Reality.

What seemed a Christmas gift for Timmy The Talking Heisman and Percy No Mercy Harvin turned doomsday for the Nation in a 41-35 loss as unsettling as it was exciting..

"We have some glaring errors we need to correct real fast," Gators coach Urban Meyer said.

Heck, they had 13 games.

524 Reasons

The reasons Florida wasn't ready to even remotely defend its SEC and national titles are the reasons they lost Tuesday are the reasons they shouldn't be the next preseason No. 1.

There were 524 reasons in the Cap One, one for each Michigan yard.

Florida couldn't stop Michigan, by land or air.

Is it possible for a secondary to get second-hand Heisman Jinx?

Yes, it's a young defense, but what happened to a learning curve?

This was an embarrassment.

Throw in overconfidence and Florida coaches being outcoached (they had no answer for late Michigan blitzes) and you had what you had.

And now our season-ending poll: Michigan couldn't beat Appalachian State, which couldn't beat Wofford, which couldn't beat Elon, which couldn't beat South Florida. So, despite their Sun Bowl disgrace, we pronounce Jim Leavitt's team state champions. Go Bulls!

Where were we?

And where was Florida's D?

Tuesday, Michigan's Chad Henne was the best quarterback on the field. Talented guy, but no Gators pass rush or pass defenders did wonders.

We won't call it a Heisman Jinx, but Tebow, despite three TD passes and a TD run, couldn't beat Michigan pressure on Florida's final two possessions. A pair of four-and-outs, no manger scene.

Tebow beat himself up. In three of the Gators' four losses, he failed to lead a late-winning drive. He thinks he can get better. Uh, we think he will.

As for those other guys ...

Granted, last year was a tough act to top.

"Last year our defense held Ohio State to 82 yards," Meyer said.

Asked what was needed, Meyer said, "Maturity."

Guys growing up, guys stepping up.

Tebow and Harvin (he had 242 yards of offense Tuesday) will be back.

You can't waste them.

Next season. That's the window.

This defense better grow up. Fast.

Gators fans will moan about those touchdowns wiped out by penalties. But if Michigan running back Mike Hart, who doesn't fumble, hadn't fumbled twice near the goal line, it could have been Michigan 42-14 at one point. Think about that.

Meyer did - and glared.

The future is near.

The Future Is Now

It's a prevailing theme in college football. You needed to look no farther than the Citrus Bowl press box before Tuesday's game, as incoming Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez gabbed with media before taking up a sideline post way down the Michigan sideline, so as not to interfere with Carr.

Rodriguez didn't even ask to coach the second half.

All Lloyd Carr did was win three out of every four games he coached and bring Ann Arbor its only national football title in its past 59 years.

Ah, the Win Now times in which we live.

Urban Meyer is about to live them - again.

He flourished the first time, hopping the title train his second year in G'ville.

Tuesday was under the bus.

The future is now.

And some Gators aren't quite ready for it.

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