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Vols-Gators game better as finale

Kirk Herbstreit, analyst for ESPN's College GameDay, shared his thoughts on today's Florida-Tennessee game with the Times' Sharon Ginn.

By Times staff writer
© St. Petersburg Times,
published December 1, 2001

This game may hinge at least partly on how much pressure Florida can put on Tennessee quarterback Casey Clausen. He has played so much better the last four games. The big reason for that is the Volunteers are finally healthy on offense. Teams are trying to take away (running back) Travis Stephens, and that's opened up their passing game. Receivers Kelley Washington and Donte' Stallworth are as talented as anybody.

How Florida pass-rusher Alex Brown plays, then, will be one of the biggest factors in this game. He has played so much better overall this year. This is his last go-round at the Swamp, so he'll be revved up. But if Clausen has time, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Vols make some big plays.

On the other side of the ball, I think there's way too much being made of the Earnest Graham injury. Not that he's not a great back -- he's physical and he's tough. The easy answer to the question of what happened to Florida against Auburn is Rex Grossman threw four interceptions, Graham wasn't there, and Auburn made Florida be patient offensively.

But I don't think it would have mattered if Graham wasn't in the lineup. It seemed to be more of an attitude Florida was missing. It's safe to say Florida will be in the right frame of mind for this game. (Tailback) Robert Gillespie will be able to show what he can do, along with Willie Green. If Tennessee's defense says, "Aha, Graham's out, let them run," I think fans will be surprised how Gillespie and Green do.

Forcing Steve Spurrier to be patient is not necessarily the right system anymore to beat Florida. Rex Grossman's accuracy of the underneath throw is uncanny. Teams have to mix up their coverage. I think Tennessee's defense will sit back initially, and that's when the running game and (short) passing game will come into play. As soon as the Vols start to make some changes, which they will do, it's a matter of whether Rex has time to throw, which I think he will.

Any time of the year Florida-Tennessee is a big game. But I love it at the end of the year -- it's winner take all, this is it. Florida State's not coming up for Florida; this is the end of the road. I think it's added to the anticipation and the hype, and of course the Bowl Championship Series implications. Grossman absolutely deserves a shot at the Heisman Trophy. There are a lot of people who vote that will not under any circumstances give it to a sophomore. I'm a Heisman voter, and I believe it should be based on what a player does on the field. The award has really changed over the course of the last 10 or 15 years. It's more of a team award. Indiana's Antwaan Randle El is probably one of the best players in the country, and he's probably not going to get a sniff. Rex Grossman has an outstanding shot. His numbers are as good if not better than Danny Wuerffel's were when he won it in 1996.

If he has a big game against Tennessee, my vote is for Rex Grossman first, and Oregon's Joey Harrington second.

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