Will Muschamp continues tour of Gator gatherings with stop in Orlando
Will Muschamp delivered his speech in the 'Dino Digs' at the Orlando Science Center. Behind him is an interactive T-Rex that moves and had to be turned off for the event.
Making his way through the state with stops at several Gator Clubs, Florida coach Will Muschamp was in Orlando on Tuesday night to fire up the fan base and get Gators fans acquainted with their new coach.
Muschamp’s well-rehearsed detailing of the Gators’ new coaches, position battles and plan for the future went over about as well as you could expect in a room full of fans and boosters. At times he was funny, and that Southern drawl certainly didn’t hurt the new coach.
Here are a few notes from the gathering and Muschamp’s conversation with the media before the event:
- Muschamp said Florida does not have a problem with marijuana after three players – Kendric Johnson, Chris Martin and Janoris Jenkins – faced charges since he took over in January. Jenkins is no longer with the team after his second arrest.
“I think it’s all isolated situations,” Muschamp said. “I’ve said that before. I think we’ve got a good situation going. We’ve got some good kids on our football team. Some guys made poor choices and decisions, and that shouldn’t reflect on the whole team.”
- Muschamp said he wouldn’t move players to cornerback after Jenkins’ departure. Cody Riggs and Jaylen Watkins will be in the competition for the position with senior Moses Jenkins. Robert Clark, who Muschamp said earlier in the spring could play corner, will stay at receiver.
- Count Muschamp among the coaches unhappy with The Saban Rule. The unofficial name was given to a rule change by the NCAA in 2008 that prohibited head coaches from going to visit recruits during the spring evaluation period of April 15 to May 31.
“I wish we could evaluate,” said Muschamp. “They hold us accountable for players as far as their behavior on campus, and I think part of that evaluation is going into a school and hearing a counselor or a head coach or an assistant coach or a principal talk about a young man and his character and what kind of person he is.
“Hard for me to be the guy held responsible and I can’t go on the road and evaluate. Unfortunately, there’s some coaches that don’t want to go out on the road. So they petitioned not to go out on the road, and they won. The rules are the rules.”Instead, Muschamp is in constant contact with his assistants with phone calls and on Skype.
- Fans I spoke to at the gathering told me they loved Muschamp’s one liners, and judging by the laughter that was pretty universal. Here’s a sampling of some of the good ones:
On two-sport recruit Jacoby Brissett, who will play AAU basketball until coming to Florida this summer: “Billy’s beating my door down. I gotta keep him off of me.”
On a good spring from RB Chris Rainey: “He’s running outdoor track right now. He still hasn’t beat Demps.”
On how his assistants would handle SEC atmospheres like LSU and Auburn: “Charlie Weis has coached in four Super Bowls. I think he’ll be OK.”
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