Which prevails will largely determine the Gators' fate in 2003.
By ANTONYA ENGLISH
Published August 28, 2003
Senior wide receiver Carlos Perez (23) believes the Gators have enough talent to improve on last season’s 8-5 record.
[Times photo (2002): Brendan Fitterer]
GAINESVILLE - The first thing you notice when looking at the 2003 Florida football team is what it doesn't have: Florida returns 36 letter winners but will be without its former Heisman Trophy runner-up quarterback, top receiver and rusher from last season, and most of its defensive line.
Despite a roster filled with new players and a four-way battle for quarterback involving three players with no college experience, the Gators are choosing to focus on strengths rather than weaknesses.
"Yes, we lost a lot of good people, everybody knows that," senior offensive tackle Shannon Snell said. "But we have a lot of talent returning.
"We've got good receivers, our quarterbacks are talented and our offensive line is going to be much improved just because we've had a year in the system. So we know we're going to be better than people give us credit for."
Being better than people expect might not be as difficult as it sounds. The Gators will begin the season unranked in the AP preseason poll for the first time since 1990. Last season's 38-30 loss to Michigan in the Outback Bowl left bitter feelings among many players, particularly the current seniors. They now have a working example of the kind of season they don't want to repeat.
"For me, especially as a senior, I don't think (an 8-5 record) is acceptable," wide receiver Carlos Perez said. "We lost a lot but we've also gained a lot. A lot of players redshirted, we have (four) quarterbacks that are real good and we bring back a lot of receivers. So we know this can be a good team."
Three days into fall practices, coach Ron Zook concurred with the players' assessment.
"We are a very athletic football team. We are a very young football team, inexperienced is the word I guess," he said. "There is no doubt in my mind this football team is better than we were a year ago - I think rightfully so. Any time you are in your second year, things are smoother, the players know the coaches, the coaches know the players. There is also no doubt in my mind that this football team is going to (go up). There is no way that you can buy experience; you have to play."
And that's part of Florida's concern: Many of those who "have to play" never have before.
Florida's roster includes 46 players that haven't played a down of college football. Of the four scholarship players vying for the starting quarterback, only redshirt sophomore Ingle Martin has seen any game action. His main competition, Chris Leak, was getting ready for his senior year of high school last year at this time.
Among the other question marks is Florida's inexperienced defensive line. The Gators lost five seniors and two juniors from their front seven - players who accounted for more than 80 percent of the snaps on the line.
Freshman punter Eric Wilbur has had a solid preseason, giving the Gators hope of improving a special teams unit that was its weakest link last season. And the addition of former South Carolina assistant Charlie Strong is expected to bolster the defense.
Still, with such a young team and a schedule ranked among the top 10 in the nation, some wonder if Zook should stop talking so much about how good his team could be and lower the expectations.
"I should be probably but I have been fortunate enough to work for a lot of coaches, I have talked to some of those guys in the summer, and the advice I have gotten from the guys who have been very, very successful is that the expectations are where you want them," he said. "You talk about being this or that, but you know what, that is not me. I think that our football team and our staff understand that we have a great challenge. I am excited about the attitude of this football team."
