TAMPA — With Penn State threatening to
spoil Urban Meyer’s going away party late in the fourth quarter,
senior Ahmad Black thought back to the biggest play in his college
career.
The Nittany Lions had driven more than 50
yards deep into Florida territory with just over a minute left. But
Black reversed the Gators’ fortunes, jumping a pass intended for
Penn State tight end Kevin Haplea and returning the interception 80
yards for a touchdown, sealing Florida’s 37-24 Outback Bowl victory
in front of 60,574 fans at Raymond James Stadium on Saturday
afternoon.
Black felt the Gators’ defense getting
pushed around late in the fourth quarter like it had in the
national championship against Oklahoma in 2008, when Florida
appeared to be an untouchable dynasty built for unwavering success
as long as Meyer held the reins.
But that national title, one of two in
Meyer’s six-year career at Florida, turned out to be a peak
preceding a deep valley. Black, who helped clinch the 2008
championship with his fourth quarter interception of Heisman winner
Sam Bradford, understands as well as anyone how far Florida (8-5)
fell.
“It’s been a long season, a rough season,”
he said. “There have been a lot of ups and a lot of downs. I’m just
glad we were able to send coach out on top.”
Indeed, Meyer ended his career
appropriately: with a win. After just 10 seasons as a head coach,
Meyer won his 104th game, including seven bowl wins.
After the game, Meyer and his family
gathered arm-in-arm in front of the UF band to sing the alma mater
while other coaches posed for photos with players. For a lot of
Gators, Saturday was mostly about saying goodbye, even for those
returning next season.
Goodbye to Meyer and his two national
championship rings. Goodbye to the familiar spread offense. Goodbye
to several — if not all — assistant coaches.
But even with most of the attention
directed at Meyer’s farewell, the Gators coach was low key, rarely
commenting on his momentous departure. Instead, he spent most of
the postgame press conference talking about the game as if it was
September.
“I’m at full peace because I saw a bunch of
smiles in that locker room,” he said. “I know this year was not a
good year; however, (those departing) will leave here as one of the
best group of seniors to ever play at Florida.”
While Saturday’s win was an appropriate
finish for one of the most successful UF coaches in any sport, it
also appeared at times to be a microcosm of Florida’s struggles in
2010.
Quarterback John Brantley was intercepted
on Florida’s first offensive play of the game, redshirt freshman
Andre Debose botched his first two kickoff returns before getting
benched, freshman Trey Burton fumbled the ball one yard away from
the Penn State end zone, center Mike Pouncey sailed a snap over
Brantley’s head, Chas Henry was tackled a yard shy of the first
down marker on a fake punt and Jordan Reed fumbled a snap on third
and 7.
Still, the Gators won, perhaps mostly
because the offense was bailed out by Nittany Lions turnovers.
Florida intercepted Penn State quarterback Matt McGloin a
season-high five times, including two by Black, who was named the
game’s MVP.
Florida turned three of those picks into 21
points, and the UF offense’s average scoring drive was just 29.2
yards. Gators defensive end Lerentee McCray also returned a blocked
punt for a score to give Florida a 14-7 lead midway through the
second quarter.
Looking toward next September, Florida has
plenty of question marks, starting first with their signal
caller.
After entering the season riding a wave of
hype as the drop-back passer good enough to change the Gators’
offense, Brantley finished the year with 2,061 yards passing, nine
touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
When he struggled in the first half,
Brantley was reduced to third-and-long cameo appearances, ending
the game with just 41 yards on 13 attempts.
At Will Muschamp’s introductory press
conference on December 14, Brantley said he had not decided if he
would return to Gainesville for the 2011 season. Perhaps in his
place will be Jordan Reed, who finished the game with 60 passing
yards on 13 attempts and 68 rushing yards on 24 carries.
But Meyer said throughout the season he
does not know where Reed’s future will be. And with Muschamp
insisting Florida will run a pro-style offense, Reed seems like an
unlikely candidate under center.
Whoever is throwing passes for Florida next
season, the Gators will look much different than they have for the
past six seasons. One year ago, that suggestion would have drawn
the ire of Florida fans.
But after finishing the season second in a
mediocre Southeastern Conference East division and ranked 10th in
the conference with 356.8 offensive yards per game, change may
bring optimism.
If nothing else, Meyer believes he is
leaving the program with the resources to succeed.
“Will Muschamp is getting a good group of
young men on a positive note,” he said. “We’ve only had one time
when we had to go through an offseason after we lost a bowl game,
and it’s terrible. Will Muschamp is getting a football team that’s
going to have some bright eyes and is going to be ready to
work.”
