College football

Humphrey giddy over rise in polls

By ANTONYA ENGLISH
Published December 13, 2005

GAINESVILLE - Lee Humphrey can't help it.

The junior guard is about as humble as you'll find in a college athlete, but hey, he's human. So when basketball's Top 25 scrolls across the bottom of the screen on ESPN, Humphrey admits he gets a kick out of seeing the Gators.

"It is fun to see Florida go across the bottom line as a Top 10 team," said Humphrey, who is one of five starters to average double figures (11.4 points).

UF began the season unranked and overlooked on the national scene. On Monday, the 9-0 Gators rose to No.7 in the Associated Press poll. Humphrey said if you had told him at the start of the year that Florida would be in this position, he probably wouldn't have believed it.

"At the beginning of the season I definitely didn't expect us to move up in the polls that quickly," Humphrey said. "I think it's good that we're ranked high. I think it's good for the program to kind of get that notoriety. At the same time we've got to realize as quick as we got there, we can fall that quick. So we've got to stay focused and keep improving."

That is why coach Billy Donovan is thrilled to have a nine-day break between games because it will allow the Gators to do nothing but practice. Donovan said after Saturday's 30-point win over Bethune-Cookman that his team "desperately" needed practice. On Monday, he reiterated that, saying it's tough to work on fundamentals when you're constantly preparing for games. The Gators will go back to fundamentals, including their turnover issue (21 in their last game), this week. Donovan said he isn't overly concerned about his team.

"There are some teams when you start off, the ceiling on their head is not very high and they are almost playing to peak levels," Donovan said. "I don't think we're playing at peak levels. I see so many areas that we can improve on: pressure defense, halfcourt defense, offensive execution, taking care of the basketball. ... I'm very happy with them, but that happiness is somewhat guarded. I still think our team can get better."

The players welcome the time off, too. The Gators host Jacksonville on Sunday.

"I feel like we need a break," sophomore center Al Horford said. "We have finals coming up and by having this time off we can concentrate on our class work and on getting better as a team."

NO BOWL DECISION ON PORTIS: UF officials said no decision has been made on whether backup quarterback Josh Portis will be with the team at the Outback Bowl Jan. 2 in Tampa. Portis' mother, Patricia, confirmed Friday that Portis will transfer.

DAVIS HONORED: After averaging 16 points and nine rebounds in two games, forward Brittany Davis was named SEC player of the week. The women's team is 7-1, its best eight-game start under coach Carolyn Peck .

PARKER RESCHEDULED: Major Parker was scheduled to be sentenced Monday for conspiracy to distribute half a kilogram of cocaine. It was postponed until after the trial of co-defendant Edgar Johnson , whom Parker is testifying against. Parker, one of Donovan's first recruits, was an assistant before his December 2004 arrest.

--Antonya English covers Florida athletics. She can be reached at 813 226-3389 or english@sptimes.com

[Last modified December 13, 2005, 01:31:15]