“Senior Day” just doesn’t do it justice.
The significance of Florida’s regular-season finale against Florida State can’t be summed up in such a short title, something Urban Meyer knows better than anyone.
During his press conference Monday, Meyer didn’t try to lay out all the reasons why the rivalry clash will be one of the most emotional days Ben Hill Griffin Stadium has ever hosted.
He didn’t have to. He said it all without saying a word.
Three times, Meyer had to pause mid-sentence to compose himself. Questions about his first UF Senior Day in 2005, the 2007 death of would-be senior Michael Guilford and the impact quarterback Tim Tebow has had on the program all brought him to the verge of tears.
Each time, he looked down at the podium and fought to compose himself, going silent for a total of 60 seconds.
“Boy, we’re going to have no more interviews this week, man,” Meyer joked. “Yeah, it’s going to be a tough week.”
It was the most emotion Meyer has shown to the media during his tenure in Gainesville — for good reason.
At the end of this week, the winningest class in Southeastern Conference history will vanish from The Swamp, taking with it some of the best players the school has ever seen.
Players who helped deliver Meyer a national title in just his second year at the helm.
Players who matured and took leadership roles after a disappointing 2007 season, romped to another title in 2008 and developed into the kind of team Meyer dreamed of when he took the job.
Players who stand on the verge of winning a third championship in four years.
The curtain is about to fall, but before it does, those players have one last performance to turn in for the home crowd.
The Last Lap
Many words have been used to describe Tim Tebow, but underappreciated isn’t one of them.
Still, despite all the hype and accolades, linebacker Ryan Stamper said he didn’t stop and really think about the impact his quarterback has made until recently.
“I was talking to (Brandon) Spikes, (Dustin) Doe and the other linebackers the other day, and we were just saying that sometimes we take for granted that we have one of the best players in college football on our team,” Stamper said.
“When you look back, you realize how great of a player he is, all the things he has done for this school and a lot of things no one has done before. You really appreciate having a guy like that on your team.”
Saturday will give fans a chance to express the same feeling, including thanks for the work Tebow has done off the field.
Fans are planning to wear eye-black strips as a tribute to the religious messages Tebow has promoted during his career, messages that have carried over to the team.
Stamper credits Tebow’s arrival for the team’s increased charity work, and Meyer says it has resulted in a changed mentality inside the locker room.
“The impact he has made, it’s almost like selflessness is now a cool thing,” Meyer said. “It’s like kids are realizing to give back, and if you can brighten someone’s day, you do it. The impact he has made on this team and coaching staff is phenomenal. It’s very noticeable, behind closed doors probably more than what you guys see.”
Tebow’s on-field impact is much easier to see, with accolades on display inside the stadium and the adjoining Heavener Football Complex. He’ll take his final lap around the field to high-five fans on Saturday, and while it’ll be a tough goodbye, Tebow isn’t ready to rule out a return to The Swamp one day.
He said Meyer always jokes that he’ll eventually take over as the Gators’ coach, and he admits the opportunity to be involved with football and influence people would be an attractive career.
“That is intriguing for me, and it’s not something I’m going to throw out because I think I would have a lot of fun doing it,” Tebow said.
“That door will never be closed for me.”
More Than a Supporting Cast
In all likelihood, Saturday’s game will be most remembered for being Tebow’s last, but his list of co-stars warrants plenty of attention.
Spikes, who put a pro career on hold to return for another year, will leave the field for good, taking his trademark dreadlocks and knack for big plays with him.
Electrifying return man Brandon James will have his last chance to dazzle the crowd with one of the long, winding returns that have made him UF’s career leader in just about every kick return category.
Defensive end Jermaine Cunningham will chase an opposing quarterback across Florida Field for the final time. Receiver Riley Cooper will have his last shot at hauling in a deep pass from his roommate.
The list goes on, providing ample evidence for the talent of Meyer’s 2006 recruiting class, which also included NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate Percy Harvin.
“That whole class, you just knew we were going to win a lot of football games because there were a lot of great players,” Stamper said. “It just shows during the time they’ve been here with how many wins we have.”
The senior class amassed a record of 46-6, going 27-5 in SEC play, 25-2 at home and 11-1 against rivals Tennessee, Georgia, FSU and Miami.
But there’s more to the senior class than its stars. Every player from the starters to the practice squad has had a hand in the program’s success during the past four years.
The contributions of scout team players are often overlooked, but that won’t be the case on Senior Day. Each player will be recognized, including Guilford, whose tragic death in a motorcycle accident sent shockwaves through the team in 2007.
“We’re going to invite his family down,” Meyer said. “He’s a part of this group. You take Mike out of this process and that really stung this football team.
"He has a terrific family, and we’re just trying to do the best we can to make that family feel at peace with what he did here. He was a phenomenal young man and a phenomenal member of this team.”
Survivors
The 2006 recruiting class may be Meyer’s best, but there’s something to be said for his first class as well.
Stamper, receiver David Nelson, kicker Jonathan Phillips and safety Dorian Munroe are all that remain of the 2005 class, but what they lack in quantity has been made up for by leadership, specifically from Stamper and Nelson.
“Take Ryan Stamper out of that [senior] class, and I can assure you that record and these accomplishments would not occur,” Meyer said.
Stamper has been vital to the defense’s success this season, leading the Gators with 64 tackles, and though Nelson hasn’t had a major impact on the offense, he’s always praised for his work ethic and effect on teammates.
Neither player gets much glory — nor do they seek it out. It’s all part of the gritty mindset that comes from five years of perseverance.
“We pretty much stuck it out,” Stamper said. “A lot of guys from my class either got kicked off or transferred. We’re the only survivors left, so that’s a big accomplishment for us.”
And beyond the end of this season, they have one more task to accomplish: to encourage the next crop of players to stick it out too.
Meyer said he has seven NFL-ready juniors on the team, meaning Senior Day could be the last home game for a host of other players as well.
Cornerback Joe Haden and defensive end Carlos Dunlap are considered first-round prospects, and tight end Aaron Hernandez, safety Major Wright, linemen Carl Johnson and Mike and Maurkice Pouncey will all have to make decisions on their futures after the season.
With such an emotional day in store, a fairytale ending is almost expected, leaving the Seminoles a chance to rain on the parade.
The Gators have taken five straight against FSU, winning the last two by comfortable margins, and the thought of that streak ending on his last appearance in The Swamp is enough to turn Stamper’s tone dark.
“I don’t even want to think about that,” he said. “That would be a bad, bad day around here. That would be bad.”
