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Friday, November 29, 2024

Florida beats Penn State to send Urban Meyer out a winner

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

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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.”

 

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