I was riding in to work last week, and a caller to a local sports show had a Br. in law in Fl., connected to Gators program. Said Urban Meyer ripped the team in his first meeting. He said they didn't hit weights hard enough, didn't work hard enough, lacked discipline on and off the field. Said the new system will be very different. Said if you don't like the new system, you can go look for a system you think you will fit in. He expects the team to work hard, act and play with discipline, and win games. Guy said player reactions were mixed. Some resented Meyer for saying they were lazy and undiciplined, other players said "yeah, he's right. That's what we need, we want to win, old way wasn't getting it". Sportscasters mentioned Alex Smith, Utah QB. Wasn't highly recruited when he went to Utah. Through weight training, gained strength and speed. He credits Meyer with his development into an NFL prospect. He said if the Gators don't know how many steps their are in the Swamp, they will get with the program or find out how many their are. He says Meyer will definitely improve any team. Just thought you would be interested in our new competition. Sounds like he will be an improvement over Zook, for them.
Too early to tell how, what is left of the Gator team, will actually respond to Meyer. Chris Leak knows that the linebackers in the SEC are not exactly going to cut him some slack running the Meyer offense... :dis: :dis:
This could have been a prime reason that Channing Crowder left...a direct slap to the face of the fans of Zook... I think it needed to be done in order to let the players who rallied around Zooker know that they better get with the program, or like any good rats, get off the ship.... Crowder leaving was a huge blow to their defense...He was a manchild each year he was there...
Meyer is too smart to do something like that without a good reason. I'm sure he felt it needed to be said to them to 'shock' them into reality..and get the ball moving on his program, rather than let any Zookish feelings linger.
Saban did the same thing when he hit town...We talked to Robert Royal on the way to a karate class in the offseason, and he said that a lot of guys grumbled at first, but they all knew it was true...He said, "He's just bringing back the discipline, you know man?" with this look on his face like he knew it was the best thing...
The approach makes a lot of sense. I believe their pattern of losses last year (inability to hold onto their leads in the last quarter of the games lost) seems to suggest their lack of strong conditioning in their program. ________ Hot Box Vaporizer
