When the Gators study the Crimson Tide on film, all they see are nameless, faceless numbers.
The 5-foot-11, 224-pound Heisman candidate at running back plowing over, around and through defenses isn’t Trent Richardson. He’s No. 3. The 6-foot-4, 260-pound monster who leads the Crimson Tide with 25 tackles is No. 30 rather than Dont’a Hightower.
And the team with a No. 3 national ranking that will invade The Swamp on Saturday isn’t Alabama. It’s just another team.
Since Florida’s 48-10 win at Kentucky on Saturday, the phrase “nameless, faceless” has been uttered by UF players seven times.
The simple expression has become a motto that sophomore center Jonotthan Harrison said coach Will Muschamp has used in every meeting.
It is a constant reminder that the Gators need to treat each week the same. To be more focused, more excited or simply better against teams like Alabama would mean Florida wasn’t at its best versus its other opponents.
“That’s just how we approach every team,” Harrison said. “It keeps us focused on the assignments and the football concepts in general.”
Indeed, the Gators have stressed the need to stay “focused on Florida,” something Harrison and Muschamp said was critical.
“We don’t worry about nobody else; we worry about Florida,” sophomore Ronald Powell said.
Powell added that the Gators need to “do exactly what we do every week,” matching the sentiment of teammates Jaye Howard, Matt Elam and Dominique Easley, who all said Florida needs to “prepare the same.”
Indeed, eight different players provided 12 variations of, “It’s just like any other game,” or “Just like every other week.”
Only Trey Burton, John Brantley and Matt Elam have strayed slightly from the norm, acknowledging the significance of the Alabama matchup as a Southeastern Conference game.
“This is why they go to Alabama, this is why we come to Florida — to play big games like this,” Burton said. “It’s an SEC team, so you get a little more excited for SEC games than nonconference games.”
Although the days of Urban Meyer pumping up the Gators prior to pivotal showdowns are gone, Brantley acknowledged that certain games still bring a higher level of intensity, even as preparation remains constant.
“Different games bring different intensity,” Brantley said Monday. “But we try to be as intense from game one to game 10. You always want to bring that.”
When pressed on where Saturday’s matchup with Alabama ranks on the intensity scale, Brantley said, “It’s pretty high, probably.”
Twelve times a Florida player has said that the team’s approach is to prepare, play or work hard this week — nothing different from what UF did prior to matchups with FAU, UAB, Tennessee or Kentucky.
“It’s nothing new to us, we’re just going to prepare and play to the best of our ability,” sophomore defensive end Sharrif Floyd said.
Although Florida and Alabama’s showdowns have held major national championship implications as recently as 2008 and 2009, the Gators have refused to build the hype.
For anyone who is displeased by such a boring approach, Harrison offers a simple response.
“Sorry.”
Contact Greg Luca at gluca@alligator.org.
Florida center Jonotthan Harrison, like many players this week, said the Gators are approaching the game against Alabama just like any other. “Nameless, faceless” opponents, he said.
