By Times Staff Writers Times Wires
Published September 9, 2003
GAINESVILLE - The concussion Florida quarterback Ingle Martin suffered Saturday night remains a mystery, even to him.
Martin said the last series he played was foggy, and when the Gators took a 33-10 lead, he told coaches about his condition and they held him out of the fourth quarter. "I had a draw play that was called back for holding," Martin said. "That might have been it. I wasn't going to say anything."
Martin started and was 7-of-10 for 114 yards and a touchdown. While he was out, freshman Chris Leak and redshirt Gavin Dickey played and the Gators fell 38-33.
Coach Ron Zook would not say if Martin would have been in during the Gators' final drive to recapture the lead. He said he would have gone with his gut feeling. The decision to keep Martin out was made by team doctors, Zook said, and was aided by Martin's outlook on his situation.
"I've seen that before," said Martin of players trying to play with a concussion. "You go the wrong way. You call the wrong protection and you put the team in a bad situation."
ROTATING DOOR: Zook said he has been pleased with the way his two-quarterback system worked in the first two games.
Zook said he plans to use the same rotation to begin Saturday's game against Florida A&M, starting with Martin, then bringing in Leak for the third and sixth series.
INJURY UPDATE: The Florida offensive line might receive a boost with the return of Jonathan Colon. The junior, who has been out since training camp with a left knee injury, practiced but remains questionable for Saturday.
Zook said if Colon misses this week, he will return Sept. 20 against Tennessee. Fellow offensive lineman Anthony Guerrero (knee) was fitted for a brace and might rejoin practice this week.
HARRIS CASE: A jury was selected for the felony battery case against redshirt freshman defensive end Steven Harris. The trial starts Friday at the Alachua County Courthouse. Harris was arrested in April for an alleged assault outside a Gainesville nightclub.
- BRIAN SHAFFER, TIMES WIRES
'Noles WR moves to TB
TALLAHASSEE - FSU freshman Joslin Shaw, a former Plant City star who had been working at wide receiver, will get reps at tailback this week to shore up an injury-depleted position.
Lorenzo Booker (knee sprain) is out and Leon Washington (elbow) will miss his second game. Shaw rushed for 1,396 yards in high school.
"It's pretty natural," said Shaw of the move. "There was a lot for me to learn at receiver, but I was coming along pretty good on it. But it's nice to be back at running back for a little while."
MORE MOVES: FSU added depth to fullback, moving sophomore linebacker Chad Canfield into the mix.
B.J. Dean is the only healthy fullback after Saturday's starter James Coleman injured his foot. Sophomore Torrance Washington is sidelined by a preseason injury.
ACC HONORS: Ray Willis was named offensive lineman of the week. The junior tackle had three "key blocks, one of which came on Greg Jones' 44-yard TD run against Maryland.
- ZACHARY SPAIN, BRIAN LANDMAN
Hester questionable
CORAL GABLES - Miami receiver Devin Hester could miss Saturday's game against
East Carolina because of a sprained right ankle.
Hester, the Hurricanes' top kickoff returner, was wearing a soft cast and likely will miss some practice this week. Hester returned the opening kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown against Florida.
BIG EAST HONORS: Junior quarterback Brock Berlin, who helped lead Miami to the second biggest comeback in school history against the Gators, and Hester shared player of the week honors.
