Just like Spurrier, Bear Bryant got lucky too, the rest of the SEC was "down" while he reigned. :dis: In Spurrier's last season (2001) his Gator squad finished #3 in the final rankings. The SEC was still his private shooting gallery. Had Spurrier stayed the 2002 season would have been no different with the Spurrier and Grossman combo. The main reason Spurrier dominated from 93'-96' was Danny Wuerffel. Come up with every excuse in the book you want, but he was it The key to Spurrier's success was having a great QB, there was a bad stretch from 97'-99' where he didn't have that and the Gators were "average". The Tennessee teams of the 90's were just as dominant as Florida, the only difference is Fulmer is the Mack Brown of the SEC and couldn't beat Spurrier. Peyton couldn't beat Wuerffel either. tigerb8, We would be undefeated and ranked in the Top3 that's where.
Spurrier didn't bring the Florida offense to that level. Mike Shanahan, as the OC at Florida, did it under Charlie Pell. And Florida did actually win an SEC championship before Spurrier got there, but it was tainted by some recruiting issues. (In 1984 Florida was 5-0-1 in the SEC but had to vacate the championship) During that stretch, 91- 97, Florida's biggest rival was Florida State. Spurrier never won a game in Tallahassee. Even in 1996 when Florida won the NC, Florida lost to FS in Tallahassee and then beat FS in the rematch at the Sugar Bowl. And who was the OC for Florida State during much of that stretch? Try Mark Richt. Florida State and Tennessee always raided Georgia for top prospects. Florida State also raided Louisiana as well. Players like Warrick Dunn come to mind. Low and behold, there has simply been a power shift in the recruiting wars, which should affect Florida, Georgia, Florida State and Tennessee for at least the next 5 years. Alabama is part of that as well, but for other reasons including their probation. Georgia is now keeping most of its top prospects within the state. Kids like Fred Gibson who Spurrier went after with a passion, are now wearing red and black instead of blue and orange. The same thing happened this year. Fulmer wanted Richard Cook and Sean Bailey very badly and it just didn't happen. They both ended up at Georgia. Florida/Zook has had to resort to recruiting heavier from JUCOs and this trend will cost Florida a top notch in the SEC East over the next few years.
SoLa, True you don't have to remind me, just as I don't have to remind you that LSU didn't beat Florida that year either. Chip82, True Florida had success in the mid 80's, they won an SECC and won the NC in 1984 in seven different polls but were on probation for cheating under Pell. Shanahan and Mickey Anderews were both at Forida during that time, Andrews is now the DC at FSU. Saying Shanahan had anything to do with Florida's or Spurrier's offense in the 90's is like saying Mickey Andrews brought Florida's defense to a certain level in the 90's. Shanahan had NOTHING to do with Spurrier's offense or success while at Florida Spurrier alone was responsible for the potent Gator offense from 90'-01', and Galen Hall's recruits laid the groundwork for it, not Shanahan. Bobby Stoops was soley responsible for Florida's potent defense in 96' and 97'. Mickey Andrews, Richt, and Amato were responsible for all the success at FSU in the 80's and 90's. As soon as they left, FSU went downhill. Bowden is merely a recruiter and sideline presence, he hasn't coached in decades. True Spurrier never won in Tally, but he won against Bowden when it counted the most, in the 96' National Championship and in 97' at seasons end when FSU was undefeated and ranked #1 in all the polls. We beat them in the Swamp in 97' and ruined their perfect season AGAIN. Spurrier was responsible for preventing Bowden from having a shot at a National Championship 2 years in a row. FSU always got the best recruits in the 80's and 90's by having rogue boosters and Amato and Richt's questionable recruiting tactics. Those things are now going on at Georgia and it will catch up with them just like it caught up with Bama as they cheated all though the 90's to catch up to Florida. Florida and Zook didn't have to resort to recruiting heavier from the JUCO ranks, we signed 4 JUCO players this past recruiting class I believe. They were all lineman, we had a shortage of lineman with experience so we had to go the JUCO route for once. It's not as if our entire #1 or #2 (Depending on which poll you use) recruiting class was all JUCO players. There wasn't any "power shift" in the recruiting wars this year, LSU/Saban and UF/Zook kicked everybody elses a$$, including BluntMan Richt and UGA.
Quoted by Pattonquod: They need some humbling. I couldn't agree more, These Gator people come over here and talk smack, they have short-term memories. For Instance: One of their people called us a baseball school the other day and I would like to set them straight. WE did Beat them in FOOTBALL, and BASKETBALL last year. I guess it shows how far our program has come: They beat us one game and the mouth opens. I'll tell you one other thing, I think we have Better Basketball TRADITION than most. I'll take Pete Maravich, Chris Jackson, Shack, Stanley Roberts, Bob Pettit, John Williams, and put them against ANY SEC teams players when these players were in college or pro and I'll WIN Throw out overall records, I'm talking Impact players in college and pro. Not too shaby for a Baseball only School Gators! Anyone up to my Challenge?
Sourdough, I don't think I have talked any smack. That is a pretty good lineup you have there, got to see 5 of them play in person many times. I'd take that team anytime as well, just wouldn't have Dale Brown or Billy D as the coach. As for basketball and baseball you won't get any argument out of me, ya'll have been great in both. I hate both sports though. Couldn't care less if Florida won the NC in basketball or the College World Series in baseball every year, football is where its at for me and is the sport that makes UF Athletics what it is. We are all pissing in the wind though, the overall series record in football for LSU/UF shows neither team has dominated the other. LSU/UF Overall Series Record: 27-20-3 The Sears Cup All-Sports Trophy is what really matters in Athletics; http://graphics.fansonly.com/confs/nacda/graphics/0203D1FinalStandings.pdf The University of Florida's intercollegiate athletic program pursues and achieves excellence across the whole spectrum of sports competition. A founding member of the Southeastern Conference, Florida finished first in the 2003 SEC All-Sports Trophy competition for the 12th consecutive season. For an unprecedented seventh time, Florida swept the SEC all-sport trophy titles (men's, women's and overall). A national title by the women's tennis team highlighted the Gators' 11 top-10 team finishes in 2002-03. UF finished seventh in the 2002-03 NACDA Directors' Cup competition. Only Florida and UCLA have ranked among the nation's 10 best athletic programs in each of the last 20 years, according to national all-sports rankings (USA Today, Sears Directors' Cup and NACDA Directors' Cup). In 2002-03, UF placed a record 193 student athletes on the SEC Academic Honor Roll. The 2002-03 season marked the sixth consecutive year UF placed 100 or more student athletes on the SEC Honor Roll.
SovietGator, I wasn't necessarily talkin about you, I just know that some Gator was talkin smack about us being a baseball only school. We do agree about the coaches, although I do like John Brady and respect him, I know what he can do with underdogs. I'm EAGERLY awaiting to see what he can do with our basketball team this year. I'm rooting for him and the team. I think LSU Basketball is going to surprise some folks this year.
Soviet Gator My point about Shanahan was that he raised Florida to the level of being a contender within the SEC. Prior to his arrival, Florida was just another second tier team. "Cheatin' Charlie Pell," was not the mover and shaker behind that improvement. It was Shanahan. As far as recruiting goes... Regardless of the RIVALS rankings and similar studies, Georgia walked away with the best classes two years straight. When Georgia returns 20 starters next season, and with the addition of two top-notch recruiting classes, Georgia WILL be a true contender for a NC in 2004.
The year before Shanahan showed up, Florida was 2-9. When Shanahan showed up, the Gators went to 4 straight bowl games and had the best SEC record during 1984. Spurrier brought the Gators to the level of being a contender for the NC. Shanahan brought the Gators to the level of being a contender for the SEC crown. That was my point all along...
