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Even Spurrier can't deny Rex

QB sets a UF record with 464 yards, playing so well in a rout of LSU even his perfectionist coach is impressed.

By ANTONYA ENGLISH

© St. Petersburg Times,
published October 7, 2001

[Times photo: Jim Damaske] Rex Grossman scrambles out of the pocket in the third quarter at LSU.

BATON ROUGE, La. -- One week ago, Florida coach Steve Spurrier told reporters that if he ever starts giving too many compliments to one player, somebody should reserve him a room at the mental hospital at Bellevue.

If Rex Grossman keeps playing the way he has the first five games of the Gators' season, Bellevue better get the room ready, because Spurrier won't be able to stop the complimentary talk.

In a short stretch that already has been better for Grossman than most predicted, things improved even more for the Florida quarterback.

Already a record-setting performer after four games, the sophomore quarterback did the unthinkable Saturday: he outplayed former Heisman Trophy winner Danny Wuerffel.

Grossman threw for 464 yards, setting a Florida single-game record and leading the second-ranked Gators to a 44-15 win over No. 18 LSU in front of a record-setting 92,010 at Tiger Stadium. Wuerrfel threw for 462 against Arkansas in 1996.

Grossman has thrown for over 300 yards every game this season.

"I think that was the best that Rex has played," Spurrier said. "He was really sharp throwing it all over the place, picking out his receivers; that was his best so far. Maybe he'll have a better one down the road. ... It was amazing. Some of the ones he dropped in there were almost right on the fingertips (of the receivers)."

Grossman wasn't perfect, but he was as good as he has ever been. The redshirt sophomore from Bloomington, Ind., completed 22 of 32 passes, including a 63-yard touchdown to Jabar Gaffney with 4:33 left in the first quarter to give the Gators a 21-3 lead. His only real mistake came on an interception as the Gators were driving for a touchdown with 4:33 left in the first half.

"Rex was playing the best I've ever seen," said Gaffney, who caught five passes for 164 yards and two touchdowns. "Right now, it seems like he can do no wrong out there."

Florida (5-0, 3-0 SEC), which entered with the No. 1 passing offense and the No. 2 scoring offense in the nation, put up 504 yards in the air and 128 on the ground.

"That's as good an offensive team as I've seen in college football," LSU coach Nick Saban said. "You'd like to think we could play better, but you have to give them credit for what they were able to accomplish."

Grossman and the Gators set the tone for the day on their first three possessions, all touchdown passes.

A six-play opening drive ended with a 13-yard pass from Grossman to Taylor Jacobs with 11:59 left. On the next possession, Grossman connected with Reche Caldwell, who went untouched for a 33-yard touchdown.

"Rex does a great job of reading the defenses," said Caldwell, who had six catches for 120 yards. "He just throws it right to you and gets you catchable passes. He's doing great. You can't ask for more right now."

On the Gators' third possession, Grossman connected with Gaffney with 4:33 left in the first quarter, giving the Gators a 21-3 lead and all the cushion they needed.

"I think we won the game with the first three drives, offense and defense," said Grossman, who injured his ankle in the first quarter but remained in the game until early in the fourth quarter. "That kind of let the air out of 91,000 LSU fans."

LSU (2-2, 0-2) pulled within 7-3 on a 44-yard field goal by John Corbello with 7:29 left in the first quarter and scored the first of its two touchdowns on LaBrandon Toefield's 2-yard run with 12:58 left in the second quarter. The Tigers' other score came on a 1-yard run by Domanick Davis with 42 seconds left in the game. Both extra-point attempts were blocked.

Tigers starting quarterback Rohan Davey left the game late in the first half with a hyperextended knee. Davey was 7-of-17 for 154 yards. His replacement, Matt Mauck, was 11-of-22 for 132 yards.

Florida tight end Aaron Walker had five catches for 88 yards and one touchdown. Backup quarterback Brock Berlin, making an appearance in his home state, threw an 8-yard touchdown to Kelvin Kight with 2:32 left in the game.

While the offense was putting up big numbers, the Florida defense wasn't as sharp as in last week's shutout over Mississippi State, but it still had a strong outing. Ranked No. 5 nationally in total defense, the Gators allowed LSU to gain 423 yards but also had three interceptions (by Lito Sheppard, Todd Johnson and Travis Carroll) and five sacks for a loss of 45 yards.

"The defense didn't play the best game of the year, but they still played very well," Spurrier said. "It was a good defensive effort when you give up only 15 points."

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