GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) - With Lane Kiffin gone, the focus of the Florida-Tennessee series has shifted from coaches to players, from the sideline to the field. And nothing has dominated this Southeastern Conference rivalry like the ground game.
The team with more yards rushing has won 18 of the past 20 meetings, a staggering statistic that past and present coaches Steve Spurrier, Philip Fulmer, Ron Zook, Urban Meyer, Kiffin and newcomer Derek Dooley probably know as well as their playbooks.
The 10th-ranked Gators (2-0) are certain it will be the key again Saturday in Knoxville, Tenn., especially after watching Tauren Poole the past two weeks.
"Our defense wants to kill the run, period,'' linebacker Brandon Hicks said.
Poole leads the conference in rushing. He ran 17 times for 110 yards and two touchdowns in Tennessee's opener against Tennessee-Martin and was even better last week against then-No. 7 Oregon. He finished with 162 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries.
He gouged the Ducks for 111 yards in the first quarter, ripping off runs of 39, 31 and 23 yards. Oregon pulled away late and won 48-13, but Poole caught the eye of Florida players and coaches who watched the game and broke every play down on video.
"He looks like a veteran right now,'' defensive line coach Dan McCarney said. "He's strong, he's physical, he's running through tackles, he spins, he's got a low center of gravity, he's a good blocker. He's playing like a guy that's been a two-year starter rather than this is his first opportunity to play.''
Poole, a 5-foot-11, 213-pound junior from Toccoa, Ga., waited his turn behind Arian Foster and Montario Hardesty. Both backs were NFL starters this summer before Hardesty injured his left knee in the preseason.
Poole could be next.
"I'm just kind of rolling with it and take each play as it is,'' he said.
Running against Florida should be his toughest test. It's been quite the challenge for Tennessee (1-1) the past five seasons, even with Foster and Hardesty in the backfield.
The Volunteers had 305 yards rushing in those games, well below their average and considerably fewer than the Gators (799 yards). Not surprisingly, Florida won them all.
Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/football/ncaa/wires/09/14/2060.ap.fbc.t25.florida.vs.poole.1st.ld.writethru.0936/#ixzz0zY9AZxZi
The team with more yards rushing has won 18 of the past 20 meetings, a staggering statistic that past and present coaches Steve Spurrier, Philip Fulmer, Ron Zook, Urban Meyer, Kiffin and newcomer Derek Dooley probably know as well as their playbooks.
The 10th-ranked Gators (2-0) are certain it will be the key again Saturday in Knoxville, Tenn., especially after watching Tauren Poole the past two weeks.
"Our defense wants to kill the run, period,'' linebacker Brandon Hicks said.
Poole leads the conference in rushing. He ran 17 times for 110 yards and two touchdowns in Tennessee's opener against Tennessee-Martin and was even better last week against then-No. 7 Oregon. He finished with 162 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries.
He gouged the Ducks for 111 yards in the first quarter, ripping off runs of 39, 31 and 23 yards. Oregon pulled away late and won 48-13, but Poole caught the eye of Florida players and coaches who watched the game and broke every play down on video.
"He looks like a veteran right now,'' defensive line coach Dan McCarney said. "He's strong, he's physical, he's running through tackles, he spins, he's got a low center of gravity, he's a good blocker. He's playing like a guy that's been a two-year starter rather than this is his first opportunity to play.''
Poole, a 5-foot-11, 213-pound junior from Toccoa, Ga., waited his turn behind Arian Foster and Montario Hardesty. Both backs were NFL starters this summer before Hardesty injured his left knee in the preseason.
Poole could be next.
"I'm just kind of rolling with it and take each play as it is,'' he said.
Running against Florida should be his toughest test. It's been quite the challenge for Tennessee (1-1) the past five seasons, even with Foster and Hardesty in the backfield.
The Volunteers had 305 yards rushing in those games, well below their average and considerably fewer than the Gators (799 yards). Not surprisingly, Florida won them all.
Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/football/ncaa/wires/09/14/2060.ap.fbc.t25.florida.vs.poole.1st.ld.writethru.0936/#ixzz0zY9AZxZi