In our culture, we elevate sports to the status of war, and we do that most often with football. Athletes are warriors, games are battles and rivalry series are wars.
It’s a logical leap to make. Football is based on gaining territory — something Florida struggles with. One side gains lands while the other attempts to stop them, even battling "in the trenches" to borrow the phrase popularized during World War I.
Florida plays its annual border war against Georgia this week, and UF’s general is as embattled as they come.
His battalion is under siege, not just from opponents like the Bulldogs but from supporters, those that chanted "fire Muschamp," the chant Muschamp said he had to explain to his nine-year-old son. Muschamp said that because of that, he and his team have taken on a "bunker mentality."
"Every week is the same during the season," Muschamp said. "It’s groundhog day as far as hours, time, time spent watching film. I’m hardly ever in my office, I’m in the staff room constantly you know, constantly helping them get ready for a game. Complete bunker mentality during the season."
This is where the season stands now for a Florida team that isn’t expected to bounce back significantly in its last five games. This is Stage 2 in the common three-step progression of a struggling team, the point in the year that comes after the optimism of a new year has been suffocated by the reality of that year’s adversity.
We won’t know if Step 2 in a fledgling team’s progression will result in a reversal of fortunes. Florida is yet to be mathematically eliminated from the Southeastern Conference title game and would need an additional loss from Georgia and three by Missouri as well as wins against its remaining conference schedule to gain a trip to Atlanta.
So, into the bunker they go with helmets on and bayonets fashioned.
There is a new plan of attack devised using the freshman Treon Harris at quarterback and bringing in reinforcements, like Brandon Powell, who Muschamp said will have a "significant role."
Florida’s players, to their credit did what they were supposed to do publicly voicing support for their leader, one some of them see as a pseudo-father figure.
"It’s just unfortunate that being, especially in this conference, that this conference just demands so much out of a coach," offensive lineman Max Garcia said. "But we’re just there to support him any way we can. And you know just to love him like he loves us."
Added linebacker Mike Taylor: "The people that are saying that are not out there coaching with them, not being coached by him, they’re not playing on Saturday. They got the tickets, they have the tickets, they have Twitters, you know, they have all that stuff. And they can voice their opinions. There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s somewhere in the Constitution, in one of those amendments, where you can voice your opinion, you know, it’s not facts."
I don’t question their sincerity. And as leaders they’re both genuinely stepping up to the plate and joining their coach in the bunker mentality.
But what happens if the bunker busts?
Then comes the folding up of the tents if the season still isn’t going well in the waning days of November.
It’s bunker mentality time for the Gators as they trudge onwards to battlefields in Jacksonville, Nashville then back home again.
If it doesn’t work, Florida will be looking for a new man to lead the troops next fall.
Follow Richard Johnson on Twitter @RagjUF
Coach Will Muschamp breaks from a huddle during Florida's 42-13 loss to Missouri on Oct. 18.
