GAINESVILLE - Less than 24 hours after Florida was upset at home by Mississippi 20-17 coach Ron Zook admitted "frustration" best described his emotions. If the postgame response of Florida fans near the locker room is any indication, they are filled with the same emotion. And more.
Fans yelled venomous phrases after the game, calling for Zook to be fired and screaming comments such as "We're getting better, but we'll never win another game at home" and "It's correctable" - mocking Zook's much-uttered phrase from last season.
With No. 6 LSU on the horizon, the one thing Zook said he can't afford to do this week is worry about fan reaction. "Obviously, (fan criticism) is there, and I'm sure it's heated up good," he said during his weekly teleconference. "I can't waste energy dealing with things that I have no control over.
"Worrying about that or trying to do something about that is not going to help us win this next game. The most important thing in my life right now, besides my family, is winning this next game."
Despite a 3-3 record and consecutive home losses for the first time since 1988 and 1989, Zook said he continues to believe in this team.
"I know we're close," he said. "We've got a long way to go, but we're close. I know it sounds like I'm contradicting myself, but we've got to continue to do the things we need to do.
"We've proven that we can play the game and play it well. Now we've got to put all three phases together and play for 60 minutes."
DOWN AND OUT: For the first time in 226 weeks, dating to 1990, the Gators are unranked in the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today polls. The Gators haven't had three losses this early in the season since 1986, when they started 1-4.
"Playing for the University of Florida, I'm not used to this," tight end Ben Troupe said after the game. "But we still have a lot of games left. If we hang our heads now, I'll be sitting here talking about more losses."
BOUNCING BACK?: Two of the biggest questions this week are will there be a change in the starting quarterback and how will freshman Chris Leak rebound after Saturday's performance?
One has been answered.
Zook said Leak will start Saturday against LSU.
How Leak will rebound from his second-half performance, 0-for-10 with three interceptions, remains to be seen.
"I talked to Chris (Saturday night), talked to him after the game and talked to him (Sunday) morning," Zook said. "He has given me every indication, just in his voice and the way he is, that he's going to be fine. Obviously, this is the first time he's ever been in this situation, and I think it'll be very interesting to see how he does handle it."
