BATON ROUGE, La. — With so much NFL experience on the coaching staff, the Florida Gators have taken a professional approach to almost everything since Will Muschamp took over.
Working out. Lifting. Training camp. Breaking down film. Practice. Winning.
And now … losing.
After soaring through a 4-0 start, the Gators were slammed back to earth (and reality) with the 38-10 pummeling by then No. 3 Alabama. Not only did Florida lose the game last Saturday night, it lost starting quarterback John Brantley late in the first half with a high ankle sprain that is expected to sideline him for several weeks, the toughest part of the SEC schedule.
So, now what?
Do the No. 17 Gators (4-1) respond like a bunch of immature college kids? Or like grown, sensible football players who refuse to let one bad loss define them?
Offensive coordinator Charlie Weis said the Gators will be taking the pro approach in response to the loss — and to today's daunting challenge against No. 1 LSU on the road.
“Our coaching staff, at least the veteran coaches on our staff, have all been through experiences like this before,” Weis said. “We have a pretty good idea how to handle it. It's not like panic sets in, not like pandemonium sets in.
“It's very matter of fact. Evaluate what we do and what they do. It's not a finger-pointing situation. Here's what we could have done different (in the loss). Let's be objective about the things we could have done better and here's what we're going to do to fix it and move on.
“I don't think there is any panic or loss of confidence. When you have a bunch of gutsy players who have been through the highs and the lows, it becomes more matter of fact. It's no roller-coaster effect that you allow (the players) to get on.”
Despite last Saturday's downer (and it was a huge one), and the fact they now will be facing the nation's No. 1 team without their starting quarterback, the Gator coaches and players say they're fine, their confidence is good, their expectations for the season still remain high.
They're not simply going to roll over for LSU (5-0).
“We know it's a formidable opponent, ranked first in the country, have a great defense, playing them on the road, it's loud and you're playing without your starting quarterback,” Weis said. “What that does is give you the us-against-the-world mentality.
“It's not where you just sit there and say, ‘I guess we should just not go. We should stay home this week.' ”
The Gators made the trip. And they're ready to move forward without Brantley — and with true freshman quarterback Jeff Driskel.
“He's a young quarterback, but we have full faith in him,” sophomore offensive guard Jon Halapio said. “We're all supporting him. We're supporting anyone who plays in that quarterback position Saturday. ”
Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn said overcoming the loss of Brantley is a team thing, not just a Jeff Driskel thing, or an offensive thing.
“As a whole team, anytime a guy steps down, it's not necessarily one player (who has to respond),” Quinn said. “We had that message early in the season when we had one of our defensive players (end Sharrif Floyd) down for two games.
“It was the same message: the whole club has to step up. Going through that experience sends a message. When another guy is down, it doesn't fall on one player to get it done. Let's all step up and make the contributions necessary for us to win the game.”
Than means the offensive line has to protect Driskel. The running backs and receivers have to make plays. Weis has to call a good game. The defense has to stop the run and make third-down stops and give the ball back to the offense.
It's a team thing.
“It's Florida,” Halapio said. “We'll get it right this week.”
The Gators had a lot of problems in the loss to Alabama. They couldn't protect the quarterback, they couldn't generate a running game, they couldn't stop the run, they couldn't get off the field on defense.
The result was a humbling defeat. Not a good thing with the No. 1 team coming up on the schedule next.
Are the Gators mature enough, professional enough, to put it behind them and bounce back?
“I expect us to respond very well,” Muschamp said. “We have a bunch of prideful guys in here. Obviously, we didn't play as well as we would have liked the other night, but I do believe that we'll respond well.”
