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Meyer Knows Not To Tinker

The Associated Press

Florida head coach Urban Meyer encourages his players during the first half against South Carolina.

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By MICK ELLIOTT | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 25, 2008

GAINESVILLE - Proven coaching rule: Never stick out your foot to trip up momentum when it's on your side.

The most difficult coaching job for Florida's Urban Meyer right now might be staying out of the way. The No. 2-ranked Gators go to Tallahassee for Saturday's 3:30 p.m. game against Florida State riding a seven-game winning streak during which they have outscored opponents 369-82.

They have been almost unstoppable on offense, ruthless on defense and threatening with special teams. But coaches coach. That means Meyer and his assistants are already scratching their heads to find one more tweak or idea that could make things even better.

Until, whack, one of those I could have had a V8 moments stuck, and logic took over.

"I'm horrified because I think every great team, every great player I've ever been around has a routine." Meyer said. "You can screw it up as coaches. Let's change this. Why? Our staff will say that and I'll come in and jump them.

"If it's broke then you fix it. But it's also Week 12, we have some injury issues. So let's cut back here. OK, but then we're changing the routine. What concerns me is the fact you have to keep this thing going. How do you keep it going? You don't bust up the routine. That's what keeps me awake. I think as coaches we are going to get the right scheme together. Just don't screw up this routine for these players."

UNPROVEN TRAVELERS: Florida has not had to prove itself as a good road team this year.

The Gators' only road games have been against Tennessee, Arkansas and Vanderbilt.

None of the three own winning records and only Tennessee is known for crowd noise.

That, no doubt, will change with the trip to FSU. The Gators only have to remember two years ago when their national championship team got out of Doak Campbell Stadium with a 21-14 win.

"You can throw as many loud speakers onto the practice field as you want," Meyer said. "It's nothing compared to Tallahassee. Two years ago, it took the field over. On the list of concerns, it's the personnel we're playing against and the environment. We're going to try to prepare them, but you have to bring your toughness and you have to bring your defense on the road."

CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? A lot of Florida's offensive success - 46.5 points per game - can be traced to quarterback Tim Tebow's ability to recognize defenses and make adjustments on the fly.

FSU's unfriendly crowd noise is likely to add another level to the challenge.

"Tim puts us in a lot of good plays," Meyer said. "A lot of times defenses will have a play taken away and Tim has the ability to get us to another one because of his knowledge. It's much more difficult to do on the road because of noise issues.

"The efficiency of the quarterback position and the offensive line are the reasons we're having the success we are."

UF SHORTS

•Quarterback Tim Tebow is one of three finalists for the Maxwell Award, presented to the country's top player. Tebow won the Maxwell Award last season and could join Notre Dame's John Lattner (1952, '53) as the only players to win the award twice.

•Running back Chris Rainey is the SEC Freshman of the Week after rushing for 142 yards and one TD on seven carries against The Citadel.

•The Gators volleyball team (23-3, 17-2) needs a win at South Carolina on Wednesday in its final SEC match to clinch at least a share of the 2008 league title. Florida, which has won 17 consecutive SEC titles, is currently in a tie with Kentucky atop the league standings.

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