GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) -Even during a slow week, the Florida Gators have plenty going on.
Coach Urban Meyer is recruiting across the country and searching for a new defensive coordinator. Many seniors are getting ready for graduation. Several juniors are exploring the possibility of entering the NFL draft. And there are rumors about players and coaches essentially giving up weeks ago.
Through it all, the fifth-ranked Gators are trying to regroup from their toughest loss in 15 months.
They returned to practice last week, starting to prepare to play No. 4 Cincinnati in the Sugar Bowl, but faced all sorts of uncertainty following a 32-13 loss to the Crimson Tide that snapped Florida’s 22-game winning streak and ended the program’s shot at winning a third national title in four years.
e point where we’re feeling sorry for ourselves and we’re getting back to working, working hard and just getting better.”
Florida spent all season dealing with distractions. Between preseason talk about perfection, flulike symptoms that ravaged the team, Tebow’s concussion, opposing fans hijacking cell phone numbers, facing former assistant Dan Mullen, linebacker Brandon Spikes’ eye-gouging incident, Meyer’s hefty fine, defensive end Carlos Dunlap’s arrest, a couple of controversial calls, some close games and a seemingly season-long offensive slump, the Gators have gone through plenty in 2009.
So why should the team’s break be any different?
“I think every year is a little bit like this,” Tebow said. “But obviously there’s some turmoil going on and obviously some things that have to get straightened out and get refocused, and I think that’ll come by Christmas time or so.”
The Gators (12-1) should hope so. They returned to practice last week, starting to prepare to play No. 4 Cincinnati in the Sugar Bowl, but faced all sorts of uncertainty following a 32-13 loss to the Crimson Tide that snapped Florida’s 22-game winning streak and ended the program’s shot at winning a third national title in four years.
rly a dozen juniors submitted paperwork to the NFL’s advisory committee to find out where they might get selected if they choose to leave school early.
“There have been a couple of distractions the past week or two just because of all the coaching situations and all the NFL talk,” receiver David Nelson said. “It’s time to get refocused on the game. … There have been a couple of distractions, but for the most part, we’re ready to play.
“We’re hungry. We’re hungry to get back out there. I have a sour taste in my mouth and the only way to fix that is to win the next game. So we have to be ready to go and we’re excited about it.”
The Gators, who openly talked about wanting to repeat as national champions, were shellshocked in the SEC title game. Tebow spent the final few minutes of the 32-13 loss in tears. Meyer spent several hours in a local hospital after complaining of chest pains, released following treatment for dehydration.
“Although we’re both very passionate, you can’t always let it feel like everything is on your chest,” Tebow said. “And I think he’s doing a better job of doing that. But when you have guys kind of not doing the right thing, and you get beat in a game like that, it can weigh on you a little bit. I think he felt a little bit of that. But I think he’s doing a little bit better now, though.”
Meyer’s hospital stay was just the beginning.
Rumors swirled that several players were at the same party that preceded Dunlap’s drunk-driving arrest, that others put their own interests ahead of the team’s goals heading into the SEC title game, and that Gonzales and Strong spent more time lining up future jobs than working on the game plan.
Carter said none of those were true, and insisted that the program wasn’t in disarray.
“Not unlike any family, there’s always something that goes on,” Carter said. “We had an undefeated season, then we lost one game. If that’s disarray, then we’ll stay disarrayed.”
Carter made it clear he’s not leaving Gainesville for another job this season. He also said running back Chris Rainey is staying put, too.
Rainey is one of several underclassmen exploring their NFL draft status. Dunlap, tight end Aaron Hernandez, cornerback Joe Haden, safety Ahmad Black and offensive linemen Mike and Maurkice Pouncey are among the others.
“For the most part, there are a couple of guys I know for sure (are leaving),” Nelson said. “I don’t have an actual number, but there’s a good amount (looking into it).”
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