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UF: Extra points

© St. Petersburg Times,
published October 11, 2001

OFFBEAT: Offensive linemen will tell you that chemistry and cohesiveness are essential to their success.

In an effort to strengthen that bond, Florida's offensive linemen meet weekly for dinner, taking time out to find out about each other's lives away from the football field.

"We have a good bond off the field," junior Mike Pearson said. "We meet every Thursday night at Napalatano's (Italian restaurant). A whole lot of linemen come, not all of us, but a lot of us. And a lot of the running backs are there. We just try to hang out and watch some ESPN."

Tight end Aaron Walker is often among the group. Asked about the eating habits of the big men, Walker responded, "When you're 300 pounds, you have to eat a lot."

PLAYER PROFILE/MAJOR PARKER: Major Parker made his mark at UF in basketball as a defensive stopper, helping the Gators reach the national championship game in 2000.

After exhausting his basketball eligibility, Parker, 23, decided to try his hand at football. Because he's still a student and had never played football, he was eligible to join the team.

When he walked out on the field during fall preseason practices, he had one high school practice to put on his resume for Steve Spurrier. As a junior at Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons, he went out for one football practice but decided after two hours to go home. He thought it might cause him to miss too many basketball workouts.

Parker, a 6-foot-4, 236-pound defensive end, has played in every game but Kentucky and while he hasn't made a tackle, he is credited in the stats for one "big play." His coaches say he's a talented athlete with great potential, but it's tough playing your first season with the No. 1 team in the nation.

"It's alright. We're winning. We're the No. 1 team in the nation and that's all that's important," Parker said. "Everything is new to me, I'm just still trying to keep learning."

STAT ATTACK: Florida continues to put up impressive numbers in a variety of categories, improving in every phase over last year's team. The Gators have scored on 38 of 68 drives (55.9 percent), including 33 touchdowns (48.5 percent). They have scored 23 of 27 times in the red zone, including 20 touchdowns. Opponents have made it to the red zone just seven times but have scored touchdowns every time.

Here's a comparison of the 2000 and 2001 Gators through five games:

(2000, 2001)

TOTAL OFFENSE: 429.8, 595.6

SCORING: 43.2, 48.8

PASSING OFFENSE: 340.8,454.0

RUSHING OFFENSE: 89.0, 141.6

PLAYS PER GAME: 72.0,72.8

3RD DOWN CONVERSION: 40.3,46.7

YARDS PER PLAY: 6.0,8.2

1ST DOWNS PER GAME: 24.2,28.8

SCOUTING REPORT: Auburn's biggest problem Saturday might be youth, particularly on offense. Freshmen and sophomores have accounted for 804 of 839 rushing yards and 572 of 883 receiving yards. A total of 16 freshmen have seen playing time, including six true freshmen and 10 redshirt freshmen.

Auburn is ranked No. 4 nationally against the pass (141.80), but one of its starting cornerbacks is Carlos Rogers, a freshman who has started the past three games.

Last season, Florida quarterback Rex Grossman had a field day against Auburn, throwing for 470 yards and nine touchdowns in two games (the two met in the regular season and the SEC Championship game). But Florida coach Steve Spurrier said he thinks Auburn might be the best team in the SEC West this season.

QUOTABLE: "I occasionally watch the Thursday night show. I like to laugh at some of the call-ins." -- Florida quarterback Rex Grossman admitting he sometimes tunes in to Spurrier's Thursday night television call-in show.

-- Compiled by Antonya English

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