By ANTONYA ENGLISH and FRANK PASTOR
Published December 30, 2003
TAMPA - Florida practiced without two of its starters Monday, senior guard Shannon Snell and sophomore center Mike Degory.
"Shannon had a 101-degree temperature and he wanted to go, but we decided it was best not to," Florida coach Ron Zook said. "He was at meetings and was going to go, but we need to make sure he plays (Thursday). He just didn't come to practice. It's inevitable because we had some young kids sick, and I didn't want to take a chance. But he'll be all right; it's not a problem."
Degory left Tampa to attend the funeral of his grandfather.
"I think he'll be back tomorrow," Zook said. "I'm not exactly positive of the arrangements, but he'll be in the game."
COLON BATTLING BACK: Florida junior offensive tackle Jonathan Colon said he plans to play against Iowa on Thursday, despite battling pain from a herniated disc.
Colon reinjured his back one week after the Nov. 29 Florida State game and was listed as questionable until this week.
"It's all right; it's a little stiff, but I've just got to take care of it," Colon said. "I took an epidural shot, so it feels better. I can deal with it (pain). As long as I can deal with it, I can play."
Colon said the problem dates to last season when he injured his back and had surgery in February. He's trying to avoid a second operation. "The doctors said if I got the shot, I can get up to three," he said. "If the pain ever comes back, I'll get another one, and if the pain comes back after that one, I'll get another one. After that third one, if the pain comes back, then I'll have surgery again."
FORGET THE STANDBY: The next time an airline offers Florida defensive end Darrell Lee a chance to fly standby, he most likely will say no way. It took Lee, a Kirkwood, Mo., native, nearly two days to make it to Tampa after failed attempts to get a flight out of Cincinnati on Friday.
"I was flying standby, and I guess that wasn't the smartest thing to do the day after Christmas," Lee said. "It just sounded so good, but it was a bad decision on my part. I left St. Louis at 5 a.m. on the 26th. Everything was overbooked. I flew to Cincinnati and ended up being there until like (noon). And then at 1 p.m., I decide there's no point in wasting time, and I decided to take the bus down."
The Greyhound bus ride took 24 hours and was filled with "interesting" people and stops in "all kinds of places" along the way.
Lee passed the time by repeatedly watching DVDs, including Matrix Reloaded and Old School.
MAYBE LATER?: The lines are in the water, but Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz isn't taking the bait.
Not yet, anyway.
With the dismissal of Dick Jauron by Chicago, Dave McGinnis by Arizona and Gregg Williams by Buffalo Monday, Ferentz again found himself answering questions about his future after practice at Jesuit High.
Ferentz, linked to openings with the New York Giants and Atlanta, acknowledged he has been contacted by "more than one" NFL team but reiterated he is committed to Iowa.
"I anticipated being contacted, yes, I've been contacted directly, indirectly, and I expect to be contacted again," Ferentz said. "But, first and foremost, I'm thinking about playing Florida and getting our team ready for that, and I'll stand by what I've said. I really don't anticipate anything happening. I'm really happy where I'm at."
Ferentz acknowledged talking to Jacksonville last year but wouldn't say which teams have contacted him this season. Arizona conducted background checks on potential replacements, including Ferentz, according to ESPN.com.
"It's irrelevant, and it hasn't changed a thing," Ferentz said. "Nothing's changed. I'm not really worried about what happens or doesn't happen as far as all that stuff goes. My thoughts are about our football team."
LOOKS LIKE: Asked if Iowa has played a team similar to Florida this season, Ferentz said the Gators most closely resemble Big Ten champion Michigan.
"I put them up there with Michigan as far as the talent and athleticism they have on their football team," Ferentz said. "I think they're an extremely talented team, they're well-coached, they play hard and, as I've said all along, I think the big key ... when you get settled at quarterback and you've got a good team, it's a pretty dangerous combination."
INJURY UPDATE: Iowa wide receiver Ramon Ochoa returned to the practice field after missing two days with the flu. Defensive back Bob Sanders has not had any problems since suffering from dehydration Friday. Defensive lineman Jonathan Babineaux, who missed the past five games, remains out with a leg injury.
