JACKSONVILLE — Will Muschamp’s eyes seemed to well up with tears at the podium as he spoke of a man who passed away in May — a man he wished would have been in the stands Saturday at EverBank field, to share the vindicating 38-20 victory over the Georgia Bulldogs.
He says that that man, his father Larry, was what was on his mind as the seconds ticked down in his first ever victory over the Bulldogs as a head coach.
Muschamp didn’t say much about his father, he said he didn’t want to get started because “I’ll get emotional,” but it was clear everything about the victory over the rivals meant more than the normal ones.
This was Georgia. This was different.
Florida won Will’s way Saturday, the style that prompted him to boast after the 2012 win over Florida State “You better learn how to fit the power and the counter when you play Florida.”
418 rushing yards — the fifth most in school history and the second most the Georgia Bulldogs have ever given up to an opponent in the history of their program. 60 carries, the fourth-most in school history, against only six passes.
They imposed their will on offense and stifled Georgia on defense, allowing the Bulldogs only 38 rushing yards in the final three quarters after being gashed in the opening stanza by running back Nick Chubb. Georgia had 167 yards of total offense, 103 of them came on the ground, 101 of them were from Chubb after one quarter of play.
It looked like business as usual in the early going, like Florida would lay down and be ran over again, especially after only running 11 plays at a measly 3.8 yard per play clip.
Then with 8:25 left in the second quarter everything changed. The most unlikely of heroes gave Florida an adrenaline shot when receiver Mike McNeely scampered 21 yards untouched to score and tie the game at seven. McNeely bags groceries at the Westgate Publix every Sunday to keep the job he’s held since 2008.
Muschamp uses the former walk-on as an example to scholarship players with silver spoons in their mouths not to take what they have for granted.
Muschamp knows the feeling. He was a walk-on during his playing days at Georgia. He wore jersey No. 30 — the same one McNeely did up until this season.
The Gators never came down from the high McNeely gave them and carried the energy through the rest of the afternoon.
They leaned on the Bulldogs, and even recovered a fumble, the second time anyone’s done that all season to a Georgia team that is on pace to break a school record for turnover margin.
Andre Debose returned a punt for 38 yards against a team that allowed only 1.86 yards per return coming into the game. Matt Jones ran for a career high 192 yards, and not to be outdone in the building in which his father Fred’s name hangs in the Jacksonville Jaguars ring of honor, Kelvin Taylor chipped in 197.
The red-clad east stands emptied before the clocks hit triple zeroes and there were hugs all around on the stadium’s opposite side doled out by Muschamp. Players, fellow coaches, through my binoculars it looked like he even gave an embrace to Communications Director Steve McClain, happiness for a program that hasn’t had much in a few weeks.
He entered the pressroom saying that it was time for him to lift the monkey off his back, giving the assembled media one less thing to write about. He stopped a reporter who looked like he was about to ask a question during his opening statement to “hold on a second Robbie, I’ve been waiting a long time for this.”
The talk of firing him won’t go away, the calls for a more aerial based attack won’t either. Muschamp even acknowledged that saying “we actually did have a plan to throw some passes. I know I'll still disappoint a bunch of Florida fans with that.” But for one afternoon, he didn’t disappoint, for one afternoon the outside noise didn’t matter.
Muschamp wouldn’t say what he thought his dad would tell him if he was still with us, he didn’t have to, because I’d imagine Larry would have been pretty damn proud of Will today.
Follow Richard Johnson on Twitter @RagjUF
Will Muschamp speaks to reporters following Florida's 38-20 win against Georgia on Saturday at EverBank Field in Jacksonville.
