I kind of enjoyed this article and agree completly that Meyer has put the Gators back in the National Picture. Gators Future Bright
"And realize that once again, it’s great to be a Florida Gator." Here! Here! All for the Gators....stand up and holler!!!
The future does indeed look promising. I know the Gators have been dragged over the coals on this board recently. Don :wink:
Future has been bright at UF for quite awhile, even when Zook was hired he was such a great recruiter that he loaded you guys up with highly ranked HS talent. Once SOS returned and turned the Gators around, has there been a year where you guys didn't start out as ranked in the top 10 and contenders for the SEC East and SEC championships?
Even Zook took UF to three staright Outback Bowls on New Year's Day and then he was fired in the middle of a Peach Bowl year. Heck...Fulmer went to no bowl last year and I saw a Peach Bowl projection for this year ( if not Cotton or Outback). You're right that Zook didn't kill the program but he mired it in a little bit of mud for awhile. Speaking of refs...there is no doubt that if Zook's Gators won vs. FSU in 2003 and Tenn in 2004 like they very well could have with decently reffed games then he most probably would still be Gator HBC. I'll take Meyer. Thank God for bad refs.
Key factor was that Zook loaded you guys up with talent, so that Meyer didn't come into a disaster talentwise, he could hit the ground running and build on what was already an excellent talent base. I wish Willingham had done the same for Weis, he had 1 class that was excellent and the rest weren't even in the top 20. Have you seen what Zook is doing at Illinois in recruiting? That guy can sell ice to eskimos.
I'm with you George, that is the matchup I want, Notre Dame and Florida in the Sugar Bowl. It's a natural with the drama that went on during the coaching changes for those two schools two years ago. And it should be a very enjoyable game.