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By ANTONYA ENGLISH
© St. Petersburg Times, published August 3, 2001
HOOVER, Ala. -- Florida coach Steve Spurrier said his team is vastly overrated in many of the nation's preseason polls, but the writers who cover Southeastern Conference football disagree.
The Gators are the overwhelming favorite to win the Eastern Division championship and the conference title, and they placed the most players on the all-conference preseason team.
Florida received 78 first-place votes, followed by Tennessee (5) and South Carolina (1). Louisiana State was the top team in the Western Division, receiving 40 first-place votes, followed by Mississippi State with 34.
And if the writers are correct, nobody else has a shot at winning the SEC title. Florida received 66 votes; the next closest was Mississippi State with four.
"We have a pretty good team ready to go," Spurrier said. "We're not quite as good as most have predicted this summer, but that's okay. Several writers have us first in the country. For some reason, a lot of people think we have one of the best teams around, potentially. ... If we're going to have a big season, we've got to play better and coach better."
The preseason All-SEC first team includes five Gators: offensive lineman Mike Pearson of Armwood High, receiver Jabar Gaffney, placekicker Jeff Chandler, defensive lineman Alex Brown and defensive back Lito Sheppard.
ANOTHER MANNING ON THE RISE: Brother Peyton Manning is an NFL quarterback and a member of the SEC's All-Decade Team of the '90s, but teammates say sophomore Eli Manning isn't in anyone's shadow at Mississippi.
"He has earned his own respect out there practicing on the field," senior offensive lineman Terrence Metcalf said. "Peyton came around a lot during the spring, so I think they have a close relationship. But he's not in his brother's shadow. We all practiced with him during the season and we know what he can do. I think he's talented enough to be the best quarterback in the league."
MORRISS TO STAY: First-year Kentucky coach Guy Morriss said Thursday he is close to signing a four-year contract extension. Morris said a few minor details remain before it's completed.
DEATH HITS CLOSE TO HOME: Tennessee lineman John Henderson said the death of Minnesota Viking Korey Stringer hit him extremely hard. Henderson, who is 6 feet 7 and weighs 300 pounds, said he passed out at least three times during two-a-day practices last fall.
"It scares me more now because of what happened," Henderson said, "but we have such good trainers. They check everything and try to make sure we have lots of fluids. But the problem is that you always want to show everyone else you can make it (during drills). You keep wanting to say "Man, I can do this, I can make my last one.' Then maybe sometimes you can't."