College football

Iowa's Ferentz says kickoff is overdue

By FRANK PASTOR, ANTONYA ENGLISH, VINCENT THOMAS
Published January 1, 2006

TAMPA - Forty-three hours before the opening kickoff, Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz declared his team prepared for Monday's Outback Bowl.

"I think we're ready to play," Ferentz said after Saturday's practice at Jefferson High. "You hit that stage where it's time to go. We've been practicing. I'm sure (Florida) feels the same way. We're all looking at each other funny now. It's just time to go."

Iowa hasn't played since Nov. 19, when it defeated Minnesota 52-28 in Iowa City, a span of more than six weeks. Ferentz said keeping his team focused has been his biggest challenge.

"On one hand, it's easier starting probably two days ago, because you're within game-week preparation," Ferentz said. "But on the other hand, too, you've been here, you're near the end of a trip, we've been in a hotel and we've been preparing for weeks, so it's kind of, "Let's go play a game.' "

PAYING HOMAGE: Florida closed out its final practice with a nearly two-hour ceremony honoring its seniors.

Dubbed Senior Tackle, the Gators stood huddled on the far side of the practice field at the University of Tampa while coach Urban Meyer and his players honored the seniors.

"It was real good," Meyer said. "It was their last practice as a Gator, so it was good. It was real emotional. You can easily measure investment in something like that. It was special. There are some special guys on this team, as you can imagine."

As part of the ceremony, Meyer makes remarks about each senior, then a younger player talks about the senior player and the impact he had on the team.

"There are some guys that you'd lay across the railroad tracks for and there's a bunch of them in that senior class," Meyer said.

(NO) PARTY TIME: Others partied by the millions in Times Square and by the thousands in Ybor City, but the Florida players were planning to ring in the New Year quietly at their hotel.

Curfew was 11, although Meyer said he might allow an extra hour to see the New Year in.

"I'm going to let them stay up until midnight, do what they've got to do, wave or wear a hat if they want to wear a hat or something," he said.

Meyer insists on doing all the bed checks personally.

"I just think that's important to do that," Meyer said. "I've done that all the time."

And Meyer's big New Year's Eve plans? "I'll probably go to sleep, set the alarm and then wake up and go do bed check. I'm not a very exciting person."

GEE, THANKS: Ferentz joked that he extended bed check Saturday one minute to 12:01 a.m. to allow his players to ring in the New Year.

"This is like the most overrated holiday in the world, and I haven't seen too many of them," Ferentz said. "I just hope nobody bangs any pots or pans for the guys that are sleeping."

Officially, players need to be in their beds by 12:01 a.m. But ...

"I think the guys that are smart will be in long before then," Ferentz said.

STAFF INTACT: Meyer said he's generally pleased with his coaching staff and likely won't institute any major changes, although he will do a wholesale evaluation.

"I haven't had time, but I'm going to certainly evaluate everything, but I do feel pretty good about this coaching staff," Meyer said. "I feel very good about the work ethic and I feel good about the character. There are some fundamental issues - we have to get a lot better. All you have to do is watch the tape, we're not a clean team. But we're first year. Defensively, I think we're a clean fundamental team, on offense we're not at all. We'll evaluate that. ... We're going to certainly tweak how we do things."

JUMPING THE GUN: Ferentz said he believed it was premature for ESPN.com to report Friday that the Browns plan to fire general manager Phil Savage.

"Phil is one of my better friends, and Phil is one of the best people I've ever known," said Ferentz, who was the Baltimore Ravens offensive line coach and later offensive coordinator when Savage was director of college scouting. "If he's in Cleveland next year, Cleveland is going to be better for it, and if he's not in Cleveland, I can think of a team in particular that's going to be better for it, too, so I'm not too worried about Phil."

OH, THERE'S A GAME TOO?: Busch Gardens, Beach Day, Team Night at Gameworks.

"The Outback Bowl is a great time for the players," Iowa junior offensive lineman Mike Elgin said.

A few were seen outside Blue Martini at International Plaza on Wednesday night. Elgin said that the activities and entertainment can be a distraction.

"You have to learn to separate the entertainment from the work that needs to be done," he said.

[Last modified January 1, 2006, 00:29:14]