THE FLORIDA WAY Ronald Powell, Dominique Easley, Sharrif Floyd, Jaye Howard and Omar Hunter pose as teammate Lerenee McCray takes a photo during the Gators’ annual media day.
When Meyer arrived at Florida, the Gators were in turmoil. For three seasons, the Gators had fallen well below expectations under Ron Zook, and attitudes began cropping up in the locker room. As Muschamp takes over, the situation is decidedly different. He inherits a program that has won two national championships in the past five years. Florida’s success is fresh in the minds’ of thousands of recruits across the country. All Muschamp has to do is right the ship ever so slightly. Like Meyer, there are some things he will have to deal with early in his tenure. While Meyer had unparalleled success as Florida’s head coach, his team seemed to be slipping away from him in the final stages of his Florida career. Starting with Carlos Dunlap’s DUI the week before the SEC Championship Game against Alabama in 2009, the Gators began to unravel.
As one of Florida’s best regarded recruiting classes in history arrived in 2010, a rift opened on the team between the freshmen and the upperclassmen.
“Last year we had this thing, young guys versus old guys,” Green said. “Some of them didn’t really mesh well together.” Players bickered and argued, one group pitted against the next. The well-oiled machine that had been Florida football early in Meyer’s career began to break down piece by piece. It became obvious change was necessary. Meyer resigning for the second time following a painful 2010 season only underscored that point. Muschamp knew it when he took over. Right away, he came out and announced that his players would be held to a new standard, what he called the “Florida Way.” Off-the-field discipline would not be recommended, it would be required. Players who didn’t buy in would be gone. And it wasn’t just idle talk from the new Florida head coach. After All-SEC cornerback Janoris Jenkins was caught twice with marijuana, Muschamp sat him down. Jenkins transferred days later. In fact, five players have already transferred since Muschamp took over. Some of Florida’s current players see it as a sign that Muschamp has cleaned things up. “Muschamp says we’re going to do it the ‘Florida Way’ and if you’re not doing it the
Fact: UF student spending supports local and statewide businesses and tourism.
The renewed energy and vigor from the new coaching staff has revitalized the program.
‘Florida Way,’ then it will cause division amongst the team,” sophomore safety Josh Shaw said. “I think we got rid of a couple of guys that weren’t doing it the Florida way, which helped us bond a lot closer this offseason.”
“Everyone’s buying in because the coaches are around a lot,” Green said. “It’s a close-knit group. Everyone just wants to win and to come back for the coaches. They’re eager to win. I think everything’s just going to fall into place. The young guys, they’re buying in. Everyone’s buying in.”
Even with some casualties along the way, Florida appears to be on its way to fixing the cracks in the solid foundation Meyer left at Florida. Lack of chemistry tore the 2010 team apart, and the Gators are doing everything they can to ensure chemistry is the glue that holds the 2011 team together – win or lose.
Florida will be playing an unfamiliar role this season, too. For years under Urban Meyer, the Gators were one of the most feared teams in the SEC. Right now, nobody is scared of the Gators.
“We’re more of a team instead of just a bunch of individuals trying to play,” Green said. “There’s a lot less selfish going on.” Muschamp and his staff have strived to cultivate the family environment that endeared Meyer to the Florida faithful early in his career. The new coach re-organized the locker room when he arrived, putting players who rarely interacted next to each other. He put in two player lounges so players would feel welcomed by the coaches and everyone could come hang out in the same place.
SEPT/2011 | GATORCOUNTRY.COM | GATOR COUNTRY MAGAZINE
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