Colleges

A lot to prove

The Gators have breezed to two victories and risen to a No. 7 ranking. But at No. 13 Tennessee tonight, Florida hopes to erase memories of last season's 1-3 road record.

By ANTONYA ENGLISH
Published September 16, 2006

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Tony Joiner knows exactly how he wants his teammates to act when they enter Neyland Stadium tonight and face more than 100,000 hostile fans.

Walk in and perform as if they own the joint.

That's the way teams that know how to win on the road react when they are in somebody else's house.

Like the Gators of old, circa 1990s.

"That really is where we want to get," said Joiner, a junior starting cornerback. "We really want to get into somebody else's (place) and take their cheese. Make a sandwich in the kitchen. Ham and cheese with a little turkey, mustard and mayonnaise."

In their search to prove they can once again roam with the big dogs in college football, the Florida Gators have tried just about everything during the past several months.

They have brought in former coaches, including Lou Holtz, and players such as former linebacker James Bates to talk about toughness and what it takes to win - especially on the road.

They have studied film from the 1990s, hoping to emulate some of the teams that were among the most feared in the SEC. Two games into the season, the Gators are 2-0 and ranked No. 7. Yet when Florida takes on No. 13 Tennessee on national television, the Gators know they have as much to answer about themselves and as much to prove to detractors as they did when the season began.

"There's a lot at stake," senior receiver Jemalle Cornelius said. "Everybody will be watching this game. People want to see just how good we are, how good Tennessee is. This is our chance to show people how good this team really is, how good it can be."

Florida wants to show it has solidified its grasp of an offense that was introduced last season, but not quite fully understood until now. The Gators have the No. 1 pass offense and second-best scoring offense in the SEC, but have not faced a league opponent. Senior quarterback Chris Leak is averaging 300 yards, but is still trying to shake the notion that he can't win in second-year coach Urban Meyer's spread-option offense. He's bringing with him an arsenal that includes 12 players who have caught passes this season.

The Vols defense has been their weakness: They are second to last in total defense in the conference (372), ninth in rushing defense (172.5) and eighth in scoring and passing defense. Nevertheless, Leak expects a tough outing.

"They are big, strong, fast guys and Tennessee's always been known to have a great defense," he said. "... They are going to play great defense."

To ensure Leak and the passing game have success, the Gators need to prove the running game that stalled most of last season and has yet to really flourish is a legitimate threat. Senior running back DeShawn Wynn is playing with a neck injury, and backups Kestahn Moore and Markus Manson have to show more than they have so far. Why? Because in 14 of the past 16 meetings, the team in this series that has rushed for more yards has won.

"We plan to put a lot more emphasis on the running game," offensive coordinator Dan Mullen said.

And a lot more emphasis on the road. The Gators were 1-3 away from Florida Field last season, their lone win at cellar-dweller Kentucky. Meyer vowed this year would be different. It has to be if the Gators want a title. Tonight is their first road test. When Bates spoke to the team, he talked to them about sticking together no matter what and expecting to win, not hoping.

"I don't think we ever thought, 'Wow this is LSU or this is Auburn (we're playing),' " Bates said about the 1996 national championship team. "It was just another Saturday. We expected to win."

After much consideration, Meyer believes it comes down to the team that has the toughest players on the field.

"Tough football teams find a way to win on the road, and we were not a tough football team a year ago," he said. "We were talented, front-running, a bunch of good guys who played hard, and if we got up on you last year, watch out. Tough teams win on the road. You have to play great defense on the road, not good defense, great defense."

So far, Florida's defense has been solid. It'll match up against the SEC's second-best passing offense, the league's top passer in Vols quarterback Erik Ainge and the SEC's best receiver, Robert Meachem (22.8 yards per catch).

"There is no way to overhype this game," senior defensive tackle Marcus Thomas said. "It's just that big."

[Last modified September 16, 2006, 02:13:25]