BY JOSEPH GOODMAN
jgoodman@MiamiHerald.com
GAINESVILLE -- If Florida's first road test of the season wasn't already a statement game before this week, then it has certainly turned into one -- both literally and figuratively.
UF redshirt junior receiver Chris Rainey caused a major distraction for his teammates Tuesday when he was arrested by Gainesville police for allegedly sending a text message to an ex-girlfriend that read, ``Time to die.''
No. 10 Florida (2-0) plays at Tennessee (1-1) at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., and -- in a move befitting the tenor of the Southeastern Conference -- Volunteers fans have printed scores of game-day T-shirts for the rivalry with you know what printed on the front.
Rainey's arrest dominated national headlines in the days leading up to the game. How will the Gators respond Saturday? Florida coach Urban Meyer said Thursday that some of his players have used the distraction as an unlikely form of motivation. Redshirt sophomore Omarius Hines will start in place of Rainey at slot receiver, according to Meyer.
``We consider this a family,'' Meyer said. ``Sometimes family members make terrible mistakes and you've got to move on. I probably see a little bit of [togetherness], especially with the guys who have been here a long time and never had an issue.''
In an odd twist, many of Florida's players are familiar with preparing for an important game with the cloud of an embarrassing arrest hovering over their team. Saturday's SEC opener is the Gators' second game in a row against an SEC opponent that has been tarnished by the news of a starting player being hauled off to jail just days before the contest.
Similar to this week's circumstances, Florida played Alabama in the 2009 SEC Championship Game five days after starting defensive end Carlos Dunlap was arrested for a DUI.
The Crimson Tide defeated the Gators 32-13.
UF redshirt junior receiver Chris Rainey caused a major distraction for his teammates Tuesday when he was arrested by Gainesville police for allegedly sending a text message to an ex-girlfriend that read, ``Time to die.''
No. 10 Florida (2-0) plays at Tennessee (1-1) at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., and -- in a move befitting the tenor of the Southeastern Conference -- Volunteers fans have printed scores of game-day T-shirts for the rivalry with you know what printed on the front.
Rainey's arrest dominated national headlines in the days leading up to the game. How will the Gators respond Saturday? Florida coach Urban Meyer said Thursday that some of his players have used the distraction as an unlikely form of motivation. Redshirt sophomore Omarius Hines will start in place of Rainey at slot receiver, according to Meyer.
``We consider this a family,'' Meyer said. ``Sometimes family members make terrible mistakes and you've got to move on. I probably see a little bit of [togetherness], especially with the guys who have been here a long time and never had an issue.''
In an odd twist, many of Florida's players are familiar with preparing for an important game with the cloud of an embarrassing arrest hovering over their team. Saturday's SEC opener is the Gators' second game in a row against an SEC opponent that has been tarnished by the news of a starting player being hauled off to jail just days before the contest.
Similar to this week's circumstances, Florida played Alabama in the 2009 SEC Championship Game five days after starting defensive end Carlos Dunlap was arrested for a DUI.
The Crimson Tide defeated the Gators 32-13.
Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/09/17/1830401/gators-motivated-for-sec-opener.html#ixzz0zqf3hbIg
