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UM, UF passers: two for the show

Dorsey, Grossman are players whose skills and auras are a perfect match for Saturday's big game.

By ANTONYA ENGLISH, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published September 4, 2002

GAINESVILLE -- The last time Florida quarterback Rex Grossman and Miami quarterback Ken Dorsey talked, they were stranded in a malfunctioning elevator for 30 minutes during the weekend of the Heisman Trophy ceremony in December.

"We talked about how our seasons went," Grossman said Tuesday. "He's an extremely nice guy. I was talking about how I wished I was in his position at the time -- going to the Rose Bowl (to play for a national championship)."

When the weekend ended, Grossman went home with Heisman runner-up honors, Dorsey finished third.

Still labeled as Heisman candidates, Dorsey and Grossman will renew old acquaintances Saturday when No. 6 Florida hosts No. 1 Miami at 5 p.m. at Florida Field.

"It's just another thing to talk about in a huge game," Grossman said of the matchup. "We don't go head-to-head and we can't play each other. ... There is really nothing that I can do (relating to Dorsey). I just need to prepare and the media needs to talk about it. But I'm irrelevant in the whole thing."

Actually, Grossman and Dorsey are central to the whole thing, a game that will renew a rivalry between the schools that was halted after 1987. Florida is 16-4 with Grossman as the starter; Miami is 27-1 with Dorsey.

"Both of them are excellent quarterbacks, great throwers, don't make a lot of mistakes, and they get into the end zone a high percentage of the time," said Florida State defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews, whose team faced both last season. "And that's how you judge a quarterback."

Florida coach Ron Zook agrees: Judge by success.

"They've both won an awful lot of football games," Zook said. "They've both done it in big games and they are both awfully good football players."

They've done it with a different style and approach. Dorsey, a 21-year-old senior, is the quiet, seemingly reluctant star who has proved that looks can be deceiving. He's not going to scramble his way through a game. And at 6 feet 5, 200 pounds, he uses his tall, thin frame to shred defenses and throw the long ball.

"To look at Dorsey, he's not imposing," Miami cornerback Antrel Rolle said. "He's not big. He has height, but he's narrow. His body does not reflect his athletic ability."

Dorsey has been the Hurricanes' starter since the final three games of the 1999 season. In 28 starts, he has passed for 300 yards three times, has thrown for 200 yards 19 times. He is 444-of-744 for 6,217 yards with 61 touchdowns.

Grossman, a 22-year-old junior, is the big man on campus who loves being just that. He is reveling in his first season as the undisputed No. 1 quarterback. In 23 games (19 starts), he has thrown for 6,099 yards and 57 touchdowns.

"I think Rex is probably one of the best passers I've ever seen," UF offensive lineman Shannon Snell said. " ... It's real fun to play with a quarterback that's going to fire the ball in there and you know he's going to get you that extra yard or that extra first down for you. Or a touchdown."

Grossman, 6-1 and 220 pounds, isn't afraid to take chances, his teammates say.

"I think Rex is a little more willing to take a gamble now and then," Florida safety Todd Johnson said. "Ken Dorsey knows that his receivers are going to go get the ball when he throws it up, but he's not going to make decisions that will put him in jeopardy of throwing too many picks. He just has so much experience and feels so comfortable back there that sometimes it just looks like he's out there playing catch with no defense."

Grossman honed his craft last season for Steve Spurrier, the master gambler. Take a chance and change things up? Why not?

Take last week's UAB game, where Grossman said he changed plays at the line about 16 times in the three quarters he played.

"I have the ability to audible any time I see fit and I saw fit a lot (against UAB)," he said.

But for all their perceived differences, there are similarities.

"They're both pocket quarterbacks," Andrews said. "They can run if they have to, but they're very patient and do more to hurt you with their arm than they do with their feet. And their heads. Their arms and their heads."

Critics and opponents contend Dorsey's success can be traced to his offensive line last season, all five of whom were NFL draft picks.

Art Kehoe, UM's offensive line coach, said it's Dorsey who makes the line what it is.

"I know this, Ken Dorsey is very much responsible (for the success)," Kehoe said. "I've never seen anybody who prepares for every team just like it was his last game. He's in there every morning, between classes. He studies film. He knows exactly what to see. He puts us in the right play. He gets rid of the ball. I think we have a good offensive line, but he makes you a great offensive line."

Both quarterbacks insist they aren't concerning themselves with the Heisman race, and they don't feel the need to prove anything on a personal level Saturday. A win is the ultimate goal.

But with a national television audience, is a strong performance mandatory to remain in the hunt?

"If you just look for a guy who throws for a million yards, it probably does," Miami coach Larry Coker said. "If you're looking for a guy for what he gives his team to help them win a national championship ... who knows what type of year we're going to have? But if we have a good year this year, we're not going to do it without a great performance."

-- Staff writers Bob Harig and Brian Landman contributed to this report.

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