Media day: Gators won’t forget OU’s comments
January 5th, 2009 ║ Posted By: MrSEC.com ║ Permalink
Content provided by Swamp Things – Gators Blog.
Florida players might not have blown up Oklahoma’s comments publicly during Monday’s media day, but privately it’s certainly an issue.
An exchange between one prominent Gators player and offensive coordinator Dan Mullen said it all as Florida walked toward a Dolphin Stadium stairwell on the way to a team picture. The Gator lightly topped Mullen on the arm and said "Run it up, they’ve been talking a lot of (expletive)." Mullen was talking to somebody else and might not have heard the comments, but it seems everybody else heard what Oklahoma CB Dominique Franks said — that Tim Tebow would be the fourth-best quarterback in the Big 12 conference.
The formal diplomatic channels — Oklahoma’s Bob Stoops and Florida’s Urban Meyer — brushed off the talk from Franks. Stoops even got predictable and blamed the media for coercing Franks (even though the OU cornerback talked at length about the situation at two different times Sunday). Tebow gave his patented schtick, smiling while hinting casually that he’s fired up about it.
"That might have been a compliment, we’ll see," Tebow said. "I don’t really need to talk about that. We’ll talk about our team. … You can say whatever you want. We still have to go play. That’s what I like to do."
Tebow said he thrives off the smack talk from opposing teams. Think about 100 points, the combined scoring output against
Georgia and LSU, two teams that either insulted Tebow or his teammates.
You might remember how LSU defensive lineman Ricky Jean-Francois told
the Sentinel the Tigers defense will try to take Tebow out of the game, literally. Gators win 51-21 behind Tebow’s three touchdowns and 210 passing yards.
Georgia stomped on the logo in 2007, so Tebow paid back by leading a
49-10 win and five touchdowns of his own. It’s worth noting that he
failed in 2007 when LSU fans called his cell phone with death threats
and the Tigers still won 28-24. Tebow was an ugly 12-of-26 passing that
game.
"It’s fun. It makes it more competitive," said Tebow about the comments.
OU’s defensive, on the offensive recently after being peppered with questions about how the lack of defense in the Big 12, seems fired up by perceived comments from Tebow about wanting to torch the Big 12, something he says he didn’t say. Oklahoma is being critically bashed for giving up close to 25 points per game and more than 250 yards passing.
"I didn’t say it like that," Tebow said. "I’ve always dreamed about playing against teams like Texas and Oklahoma. I just love college football. Not just Big 12 teams, but Penn State, USC and programs like that.. When I was talking about it, I was talking about in a way like that, not like we’re superior to them. That’s not what I meant." …
Says Stoops about Franks’ comments: "I know how you guys just media in general can lead guys down
a path that young guys are not used to handling. Dom and our whole team, we have
a great respect for Tim Tebow. It comes down to an experience leading him down
a path when he is not ready."
