SEC Football Previews: ‘We’re still Florida’

HOOVER, Ala. — The roster has changed significantly at Florida, but not the mind-set.

“We’re still Florida. We’re still one of the prominent teams in the nation,” Gators senior safety Ahmad Black said. “There’s no doubt in my mind we can continue our success.

“We’re going to keep going on and on and on.”

The Gators were 13-1 each of the previous two seasons, winning a national championship in 2008 and finishing third in the final polls last year.

Nine players from last season’s team were picked in the NFL Draft, including cornerback Joe Haden, offensive lineman Maurkice Pouncey and quarterback Tim Tebow in the first round.

“We lost a whole bunch of guys to the NFL,” Florida senior defensive end Justin Trattou said. “Now it’s our job to show we’ve still got some guys that can play.”

Black and Trattou are among 11 starters who are back for the Gators, but undoubtedly the team’s biggest returnee is Coach Urban Meyer.

Last December, before the Gators played Cincinnati in the Sugar Bowl, Meyer announced he was resigning because of health concerns.

The next day, Meyer reversed field and said he was staying at Florida - though he would take a leave of absence and spend more time with his family - and the Gators pounded the Bearcats 51-24.

“It was a little bit of chaos,” Black said of Meyer’s abrupt resignation and return announcement. “It took the wind out of our sails when he first said he was stepping down.

“But at the end of the day, he’s a father and a husband, and his health is the most important thing. Nobody was selfish. We understood what he was doing.

“Now we’re all excited to have him back. He’s like a father figure to a lot of guys.

“Things just flow more smoothly with him around.”

Meyer, 46, said he’s “recharged and ready to go” this season and that he’s relieved doctors diagnosed what was causing his chest pains - esophageal spasms - and prescribed medication that is working well.

“The issue was not coaching at Florida,” Meyer said. “The issue was what’s going on and we’re not finding it.

“The stress of knowing there’s a health issue has been relieved.”

Meyer still took some time off in the spring - for the first time in his coaching career, he said - as well as his usual summer vacation. He said he’s learned to delegate more duties to his assistant coaches and wants to maintain “the balance” in his life he enjoyed for many years previously.

“I think it got a little out of whack,” he said. “I think there are enough things in place to make sure that doesn’t happen again.

“If you have a concern about your health going into a season, that’s a problem, and it became a big problem.”

Meyer said he’s confident in junior John Brantley taking over at quarterback for Tebow- the 2008 Heisman Trophy winner who was 35-6 as a starter - but that other roles on offense need to be addressed in fall camp.

“We have a real clear understanding of what John can do, it’s the other guys around him,” Meyer said.

Black said the Gators also will have plenty of playmakers on defense, pointing to highly rated recruiting classes Florida has stockpiled in recent years.

“There’s no doubt in my mind those guys can play,” Black said. “I’m pretty sure it’s going to be great competition out there come fall practice.”

Meyer said he expects “a bunch” of true freshmen to play this season.

“There’s a little bit of newness and freshness in Gainesville now with the loss of some great players,” he said. “But I think we have some great players coming up through the ranks.”

The Gators have just two assistants - offensive coordinator Steve Addazio and safeties coach Chuck Heater - who have been with Meyer all six of his seasons at Florida.

“We adapt, we don’t change,” Meyer said. “The new coaches have come in and done a great job of adapting to the Florida style.”

Meyer hasn’t changed his coaching style, either, Trattou said.

“We knew he had to take care of himself, and now he’s doing as good as ever,” Trattou said. “It’s definitely a huge relief to have him back. And Coach Meyer will always be intense. That’s who he is.”

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