Just hours after completing his first Gator Gathering in Lakeland, FL, Florida Gators head coach Will Muschamp traveled to Bristol, CT and was put through ESPN‘s self-named car wash – appearing on nearly a dozen of the network’s media platforms over the course of one business day. OGGOA followed Muschamp’s media appearances throughout the day and has put together the following recap:

He started the morning on the set of SportsCenter, where anchor Josh Elliot interviewed him about becoming a head coach and taking over the Florida program.

Then Muschamp headed over to First Take on ESPN2 where host Jay Crawford covered a wide variety of topics with him.

Read, view and listen to the rest of his day in Bristol…after the break!

He discussed playing paintball with the team, noting that he had a bunch of bruises on his chest after the players “unloaded the magazine on me a couple of times.” Asked about co-owning a seasonal home with Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher, Muschamp quipped, “Jeremy Foley didn’t ask me in the interview, so I didn’t tell him.” Finally, he said something that got some Texas fans across the country a bit annoyed. Asked about coming home to Gainesville, FL versus coaching in Austin, TX, Muschamp said, “Texas is a good place, but Florida’s Florida.”

Next stop for him was ESPN Radio, where he sat down with Brian Kelly (filling in for Colin Cowherd) and discussed moving back to Florida, what makes a good coach, Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert and former Texas QB Colt McCoy. [Listen]

Muschamp noted that his wife and family have the moving trucks in Austin as he was speaking and that it took him three and a half months to find a permanent home in Gainesville. Asked what makes a great football coach, he insinuated that his job is just a small piece of the puzzle. “Players. Period. End of sentence,” he said.

He then headed to another studio to tape ESPN’s College Football Podcast with host Ivan Maisel and provided more details on the story of being hired by Foley. [Listen]

Muschamp said Foley called him two days prior to offering him the job to gauge his interest. After the conversation, Muschamp spoke with Texas head coach Mack Brown to ask his opinion. Foley then called Brown to talk about Muschamp and convey his seriousness. Brown related this to Muschamp, informing him that Foley does not mess around. Just a short time after, Muschamp agreed to become Florida’s head coach.

He also talked about where the Gators are offensively compared to where he wanted to be at the end of spring. “We are where we are. We had too many injuries up front offensively. We had too many moving parts on the offensive line – and that was hard,” he said. “[That being said,] I’m excited about where we are and what we’re able to do.” Muschamp is also confident about being able to convert on short yardage downs. “We’ve got a fantastic play caller and a guy that’s going to put the ball in the hands of somebody whose going to convert those situations,” he said.

There was one more ESPN Radio appearance on the docket for Muschamp before he went back to television as he stopped by the studio to visit with Scott Van Pelt. [Listen]

He was asked about the transition to being a head coach, the best piece of advice former Gators head coach Urban Meyer gave him and how hard it was deciding to leave Texas for Florida. Regarding Meyer’s best advice, he remembered him saying, “‘Be yourself. Understand that there’s going to be some landmines out there and there’s going to be some things that aren’t quite as big issue-wise as maybe some people make them out to be.’ He’s been awesome. He’s been a great sounding board for me. Him and Shelley [Meyer] are going to stay in Gainseville, which I think is great.”

Muschamp then miraculously did two things at once – appeared on College Football Live on ESPN2 and did a live chat on ESPN.com (the former was taped).

Sitting next to former Florida QB Jesse Palmer, he answered questions about his mentors, redshirt senior QB John Brantley and hiring a staff filled with NFL experience.

The chat, which can be read in its entirety here, concentrated on things fans have already heard…though there were a few standout questions/answers:

Q: What is the strength of this team for the upcoming season?
A: Probably the playmakers on offense. Some emerging WRs that we feel good about.

Q: What will be your involvement with the offense? Will you have any input on play calling?
A: I’ve hired Charlie [Weis] to call the plays. My involvement will be philosophical and Charlie and I are on the same page.

Q: Always wondered how we lost to you at Auburn in ’06 and ’07. What was the secret to shutting down Urban’s offense?
A: Limiting big plays. Taking the run game away. Tackling and playing well in space against any spread offense is very important.

Q: Coach, I was wondering about your expectations for Andre Debose this season. Receiver and returning kicks?
A: Andre had a very good offseason. Had a very severe sprained ankle in the spring. We expect him to be a good player in the fall.

Muschamp’s day concluded with visits to SportsCenter on ESPNNEWS and SportsNation on ESPN2. On SportsNation, Michelle Beadle asked him to evaluate the top five defensive prospects for the 2011 NFL Draft and do the “hook ‘em horns” hand signal one last time. He refused the last request, instead opting for a Gator Chomp.

Overall, Muschamp’s day with ESPN was mostly filled with coach-speak (as expected) and little in terms of revealing information or news. However, he appeared comfortable no matter who interviewed him, came across excited yet serious and answered nearly every question posed that would not get him in “trouble.”

“I’M HERE TO HELP IN ANY WAY”

Though Meyer will not be the head coach of the Gators next year, he is hopeful that he will be able to remain with the program – or the athletic department – in come capacity. How he will do that is currently not known and may be up to his eventual replacement.

“I want to be a part of college football. I don’t know [how]. I’m still working on that. I want to help,’’ Meyer said. “I’ve been asked and requested to remain at Florida for as long as they’ll have me. They’ve been very gracious, and I’m here to help in any way. I’ve got an idea, but we’ll have to wait until the new coach gets here. I still want to help the University of Florida. [...] It’s all up to [the new coach]. There will be no ego. For people who know me, it’s all about Florida, helping out. If that’s minimal, it’s minimal.”

Foley was sure to make it clear that Meyer would help in any way – if wanted – but would not impede the Gators from hiring someone who does not want his assistance. “It’s all as good as can be and I think that helps us going forward. I’ll bring that up [to coaching candidates]. He will not do anything around the program where he’s not welcome. He’s smarter than that,” Foley said.

Meyer added that he plans to keep his family in Gainesville, FL, and hopes to stay in the area for “a long time” even though he definitively added, “I’m not coaching next year.”

IT WAS A “YEAR-TO-YEAR” DECISION

With Meyer coming back so suddenly after resigning last season, the general understanding by the public was that he would be back at Florida for good as long as his health held up. However it seemed to be a dirty little secret throughout the entire program that Meyer could very well end his career (at least temporarily) after the 2010 season and that an understanding of that arrangement had been reached previously.

“I wanted to stretch as much as I could because I have an obligation to this program and our coaching staff,” Meyer said. “I couldn’t think for a minute about my secretary, about the video people. That’s all I could think about last year at this time. It’s still hard this year, but at least I think there’s some preparation now that went into it.”

Meyer claims to be “at ease” with his decision “because my boss is at ease and he’s got a plan and I’m doing the best I can to assist with the plan.” He said he would be happy and willing to assist Foley in a search for a head coach, but noted that he would provide his help at request of his boss.

DECISION WAS EASIER THIS TIME AROUND

With the full support of his family and a realization that he could now be the father he always wanted to be in the back of his head, Meyer noted that deciding to step down after this season was easier – but still not easy – on this occasion.

“[Shelley] was great. She was not great last year. That was a really tough deal last year,” he said. “That had a lot to do with this year. I just hope you guys never have to go through what I had to. And if you do, it comes out the other end positive. For me, it came out real positive. I’ve never been closer with my family, stronger in my faith. That was an eye-opener. The relationship I’ve got with my wife and my children, if it’s 1-10, it’s 11.”

QUOTES

Meyer on the recruits: “They’ve been good. Everybody’s waiting. I’ll let them know when I know something.”

Foley on hiring a new head coach: “This is the third time I’ve been through this process, and I understand the intense interest it generates. It’s good. It says a lot about Florida. We’ll be getting into developing candidates. We know the expectations here. We have the same expectations. We know the type of job it is, we know the challenge. We look forward to moving ahead very quickly.”

Gruden joking about Meyer’s future: “I’d like to thank Jim McVay and the Outback Bowl for giving me a ticket back to this stadium. Let me be the first to start the rumor of Urban Meyer to the Denver Broncos. I can say that now because I’m a broadcaster.’’

Gruden serious on Meyer’s future: “I think eventually maybe when his kids grow up, maybe he gets the itch again. But right now, I think he needs to catch his breath. The guy might be really tired, you know. He really might be tired. He won two national titles. The SEC is not for everybody now. It’s tough to win.”

Except it is not all Meyer’s fault. He may be responsible, but the blame needs to be placed where it belongs – on the players.

It’s not like Meyer encourages his players to break the law or does not take the correct steps to help solve the growing problem. If you want to find Meyer guilty of anything, it may be caring too much. Is it wrong that a man responsible for over a hundred young men each year chooses to wait and see how a situation proceeds or is resolved legally before making a final decision on a particular person’s life?

Read the rest of this entry…after the break.

You may see Meyer as a head football coach; that’s not his perspective. He views his job as that of a mentor and educator for young men, someone whose responsibility it is to help turn teenagers into respectable adults. This is what he promises parents when recruiting their children; it is a goal his wife, Shelley Meyer, shares. It is why players are invited into his home, treated like family. It is why so many parents rave about how their children are going to play for Meyer, not just the University of Florida.

And as such a figure, Meyer is not reactionary. He doesn’t kick players off the team or revoke their scholarships because of media pressure or because some columnist sitting in South Florida says it needs to be done to send a message to the rest of the team.

Instead, he attempts to rehabilitate young men, guys like Marty Johnson, so they don’t wind up like Avery Atkins. Meyer understands that you don’t get through to kids by giving up on them, you do so by providing second – and in rare cases third – chances when such opportunities are warranted. And when that chance is given and the trust is broken yet again by another mistake? See ya.

Don’t get it twisted – Meyer is NOT being exonerated here. Thirty arrests is a concerning number. It is downright disgusting for most sports fans and saddening for those close to the program. Something needs to be done – and fast – but Meyer can only do so much.

Remember: It would be just as wrong to over-punish as it would be to under-punish.

Right now, too many are concentrating on the headline rather than the details. No matter what the charges are (found in a link below), these players either broke the law or were on the edge of breaking the law. Rather than take a universal perspective about the situation relying on the number “30,” one should dive deeper into what these players were arrested for, what happened to their cases and how they were punished. Because that is much more difficult than throwing out a nice round number and criticizing it.

Of the 30 arrests under Meyer, two were for misdemeanor underage possession of alcohol (internal punishment of Matt Elam and Solomon Patton) and six others were for misdemeanor violations in which charges were dropped by the state without prosecution.

These include John Curtis violating probation by not finishing his community service in time (internal punishment), Jermaine Cunningham throwing paper cups at Jimmy John’s employee (internal punishment), Riley Cooper not moving out of the way of a police vehicle (no punishment), Carl Johnson accidentally getting on the same bus as someone with a restraining order against him (no punishment), Louis Murphy possessing marijuana (suspended three games), and Janoris Jenkins attempting to stop his necklace from being stolen and non-violent resisting of arrest (internal punishment). Additionally, two felony theft charges – to Tony Joiner for retrieving his girlfriend’s car from an impound when trying to pay but no one being there (stripped captaincy) and Dorian Munroe removing a police boot from his car (internal punishment) – were also dropped.

That leaves 20 serious offenses that Meyer had to deal with, 15 more of which were handled by Gainesville, FL, lawyer Huntley Johnson. That’s not saying the 10 mentioned above should be thrown out the window, but they can certainly be put in perspective. Let’s take a look at the other 15 with details complied by the Orlando Sentinel.

Nine of the remaining 15 cases in the link above resulted in the player no longer being on the Gators football team. The other six were (arguably) punished accordingly and provided an opportunity to overcome their mistakes without being given up on.

The first question is this: Why is it that so many programs across the country are free from this astoundingly high number of legal issues over the same time period? Is it something these other programs are doing, or something Florida is not doing?

Ideally, the goal for any head football coach is for their players to not get in trouble, to be perfect citizens, to be the most upstanding people on campus. But in the realm of reality, that simply does not occur. In theory, coaches cannot control what their players do off the field any more than they can another student on campus.

What they can do, however, is educate, inform, punish accordingly and attempt to rehabilitate. Is Meyer responsible for his players’ indiscretions? Yes. There is no question about that. But is he to blame for their actions? Is he punishing them and providing opportunities to turn their life around or correct their mistakes?

Those are the other important questions that need to be asked.

1 » On the heels of FOX Sports’ piece about Florida Gators head coach Urban Meyer on Tuesday comes another from the New York Times’ Pete Thamel, who notes that Meyer has a new perspective on his coaching career these days. In fact, it even led him to discard his Blackberry for a time being in place of an “older model with no Internet connection. He programmed seven numbers in it – for his four immediate family members, his two sisters and his father. No one else knew the number.” His wife, Shelley Meyer, is happy with his progress and health now. “As scary and hard as it was on the family and the team, so much good has come out of it,” she said. “The way he is now, he could go 10 more years.” Even strength and conditioning coach Mickey Marotti noticed something wrong with Meyer’s weight – by looking at his butt. “When he’d walk, his pants would sag halfway down,” Marotti said. “He looked like one of our players. He completely lost his entire rear end.”

2 » A university spokesperson announced Thursday that senior Florida basketball guard Hudson Fricke has decided to transfer to Milligan College. A walk-on who only played 22 minutes in three years, Fricke’s only points came on four free throws during the 2007-08 season. OGGOA wishes him the best of luck with his new team.

3 » Recapping what coaches learned during Oakland Raiders training camp this offseason, Jerry McDonald of the Contra Costa Times notes that former Gators wide receiver Louis Murphy “is far and away the Raiders’ best and most dangerous receiver” even though he “still drops too many passes for a real level of comfort. Murphy, who caught 34 balls for 521 yards and four touchdowns as a rookie, was the team’s best WR and second-leading pass catcher in 2009-10.

4 » Tough night for former Florida kick returner Brandon James on Thursday. While returning a punt for the Indianapolis Colts, James muffed the catch, allowing the Green Bay to recover the ball in the endzone for a touchdown. Additionally, rookie cornerback Ray Fisher returned a kickoff 58 yards for a TD. With Devin Moore likely to be the team’s primary returner, there is a chance James loses his opportunity with the Colts.

5 » No. 9 Gators soccer (2-0) looks to stay undefeated Friday night as they take on the Florida Atlantic Owls (0-1) at 6 p.m. at James G. Pressly Stadium in Gainesville, FL.

6 » Conspicuous by their absences Thursday night were New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez and linebacker Jermaine Cunningham, neither of whom participated in the team’s third preseason game. Hernandez missed practice this week with an undisclosed injury, and Cunningham has yet to participate in a single NFL down this season. Both, however, are expected to see major playing time this year. Florida rookie LB Brandon Spikes, who did play, recorded seven tackles (five solo) and a quarterback hit.

Photo Credit: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

The last year has been one of ups-and-downs for former Florida Gators dazzler and ESPN reporter Erin Andrews. From having to deal with an unfathomable episode regarding her privacy to performing on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars and just recently signing a new two-year deal to remain a featured member of the ESPN broadcast team, Andrews has appeared strong, resilient and unrelenting. On the brink of the greatest undertaking of her career – hosting the first hour of College GameDay live on ESPNU and joining the cast of Good Morning America – she took time out of her schedule to speak exclusively with OGGOA about her career as a Gators dazzler, recent trials and tribulations, perspective on her own fame and love for the University of Florida.

ADAM SILVERSTEIN: Growing up in Tampa, was the University of Florida always at the top of your list for college? How did you wind up there?
ERIN ANDREWS: “Growing up in Tampa, there are three schools: Florida State, Miami and Florida. Obviously because Florida was closest to Tampa, Tampa is really like Gator haven. I made the comment one day to my dad, which he’ll never let me live down…because I was such a sports fan growing up, I said to him, ‘Dad, I really want to go to a college that has a good football team.’ And he was like, ‘Oh, that’s a great thing to live by Erin. I’m glad that’s what you’re choosing your education by.’ At the time it sounded really stupid, but actually it was kind of funny that it worked out that way because by going to Florida, I knew they had a great journalism program, but also because Florida has such a good football team, we were exposed to TBS, we were exposed to ESPN, we were exposed to all the national sports media coming to the campus to see the team, to see [head coach Steve] Spurrier. That was really good for me to kind of be around that at the time. Actually, that wasn’t a stupid comment.

AS: How much of an influence did your father’s [six-time Emmy Award-winner Steve Andrews] profession have on your major and eventual career?
EA: “My dad played a huge part in it. I grew up with my father being on TV. It just wasn’t a big deal to me. We’d turn on the TV at 6:00 and there was my dad. I grew up at the TV station; I played around on the TV set. So that just wasn’t a big deal – being in front of the camera – because I was so used to [watching] my dad. He was a giant sports fan, so that’s where I got my passion for sports and watching it and becoming familiar with the broadcasters and announcers that I liked – and the athletes. That’s where it all just kind of snowballed. I decided that I wanted to be a broadcaster. I loved the stories with coaches and athletes. I told my dad when I was young, ‘I want to do this for a living.’ He also laughed at me and said, ‘You know, everybody wants to do this for a living.’ I went to Florida, we checked out the journalism school. I really liked it. I just enrolled and it began – the whole process. The first couple years at Florida you don’t really get a taste of your major until probably your junior and senior year – that’s when I was very serious about it.

AS: You obviously spent a good amount of time at Weimer Hall but some of your most exciting times were likely at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. While at Florida, you were famously a member of the Dazzlers for four years. Was that something you had planned on doing from the beginning?
EA: “I grew up dancing my whole life with my little sister [Kendra Andrews]. That was just something I knew that Florida had – a dance team. I loved mine growing up and the experience that I had. I actually auditioned my senior year of high school and didn’t make the team and then went back out my sophomore year and I was on the team my sophomore, junior and senior season[s].”

Read the rest of our exclusive interview with Erin Andrews…after the break!

AS: So it was almost like a little bit of a Michael Jordan story…
EA: “[Laughing] Well, I don’t know if I ended up being Michael Jordan of the dance world. The competition my senior year going into my freshman year of college – there wasn’t many spots available. My shot wasn’t that great to make it – it was a whole different level of dance. There was really only like two spaces open. I still tried and made it to the final cuts. I’ll never forgive them for not picking me…[Laughing]…no, I’m just kidding! It worked out just great because I trained all year with the dance team behind the scenes and then I was on it the next three years.”

AS: Being at the O’Connell Center for all those games, I’m sure there had to be some interesting or memorable moments. Anything in particular come to mind?
EA: “Being there right away when Billy Donovan took the team over and bringing in guys like Jason Williams – the whole class of Mike Miller and UD[onis Haslem] and Teddy Dupay and Brett Nelson. I think it was my senior season or my senior year when those guys really started to gel. And that was the year they went to the National Championship. I think it was a triple-overtime game against Tennessee on a Tuesday night at the O’Connell Center…ESPN was there. We’re dancing, and I have goosebumps now actually thinking about it. That was like one of those games where we were like, ‘Wow, we actually may be really good heading into the postseason.’ Billy did a great job with the guys. That was very memorable.

“Because I was a senior, I got to go to all the games for the tournament that year. I don’t think I’ll ever, ever forget the Butler buzzer beater. That was just the most unbelievable thing. We were sitting there the whole time. My girlfriends are really into it – the other dancers on the team – are really into the basketball team. They knew how into it I was. I was really depressed that second half because it just didn’t look like Florida had it. It looked like we were going home early. I was just so bummed out. And when [Miller] nailed that shot, it was just like, “Oh – my – god!” It was just unbelievable. Something I’ll never forget.”

AS: You began your career doing a lot of regional work. What was it like when you got the call from ESPN?
EA: “It was a dream come true because I had just been told by TBS that they weren’t going to renew my contract. I had done a two-year deal with TBS, and I had come to the end of it. They let me go and were ready to move in a different direction. And I was just deviated because up until that point [I had] been moving at a really fast pace. I graduated school, I worked for the Tampa Bay Lightning for just a couple of months and then TBS came knocking and offered me national exposure. I went and I did that for two years…I was crushed, and I didn’t know what I was going to do. I couldn’t have been luckier. Like five, four days maybe after TBS had let me go, I got the opportunity from ESPN to work the NHL playoff coverage. Of course it was a dream come true to work with ESPN, but it was also a dream come true because the team I started covering right out of college – the Tampa Bay Lighting – were in the playoffs and were really good. And then they ended up actually winning the Stanley Cup the year I’m covering it for ESPN, so I had all these guys I started with at the Tampa Bay Lightning…when I was with them, they were the worst team in the league, they were terrible, they didn’t know how to play as a team. And now they’re winning a Stanley Cup, and I’m on the ice interviewing them and then later got to go back and have a sip or two out of the Cup. It was a dream come true. My parents were sitting center ice. After that, ESPN offered me a three-year deal, I accepted, and everything just started rolling. It was crazy.”

AS: Have you had a moment since then when you look back in awe? Such as, “Wow, I’m interviewing this person!”
EA: “It’s really hard for me to ever feel that way, because I really enjoy laughing at myself. I think the whole thing where people are like, ‘Oh my god, have you thought about doing this – have you thought about how far you’ve come?’ I just kind of think about what a dork I am. I really do. I don’t take myself too seriously at all. I think if anything that’s something that’s helped me succeed and had so much success so quickly. I really don’t think I’m that big of a deal.

“When people stop me…I was on an airplane last night and a woman was like, ‘Can I get an autograph for my husband?’ And I was like, ‘How did you even know who I was?’ And she’s like, ‘Are you kidding?!’ I just don’t really think of myself like that. People have approached me about starting a clothing line or licensing some products, and I just kind of laugh about it. Because I’m just kind of like, ‘Why, I’m not an athlete?!’ So it’s just kind of funny to me. I don’t really think like that.”

AS: In 2009, a foul ball from Alex Cora nailed you in the chin. Aside from that, what is the closest call you have experienced on the sideline or field?
EA: “Yeah, he smoked me. … Last year, during bowl season, I think it was the Fiesta Bowl with Boise State and TCU…I’m very good down there [on the sidelines]. The only thing that kind of gets me in trouble is I’m constantly looking through my notes… My dad and I are best friends, and he’ll text me during a game and just say, ‘Hey, great report, slow down a little bit.’ He’ll just kind of give me little suggestions out there, which I love because if I’m not working a game, I’m on the phone with my dad watching the game. That’s how we kind of roll. The only time that kind of gets me in trouble is if I’m looking down at my phone texting my dad, or if I’m looking at my notes.

“But yeah, the Boise State-TCU game…I was really far down the sidelines, I was a couple of rows back behind some people and all of a sudden a wide receiver caught the ball coming out of bounds and was running at full speed. I was right there. I started turning around and running so he wouldn’t hit me, but he caught up to me. He hit me pretty hard – he didn’t mean to – but I remember I was gripping the ground with my toes and I’m like, ‘Please don’t go down, please don’t go down!’ Because this will be all over the Internet and all over YouTube, and it will be such a disaster! But I was able to save myself. Somebody like me, I get really aggressive and really into the game. There have been times the official has had to ask me to step off the field because I end up being like right where the coaches are on the field. I get so into it because I want to see what they’re saying and what they’re doing. So, for me, because I’m so like excited and so into it, I can see where I have run into problems before. [Laughing]

AS: Some viewers seem to dismiss sideline reporters as just being filler for the main game broadcast. Tell them why they’re wrong.
EA: “They’re so wrong! I’ve learned you’re not going to change people’s opinion if it’s already made up. You’re not going to change it. The reason why I think they’re wrong is…because of the level I’m at now, I’m not going with the stories that are already pre-produced. I do a ton of preparation of reading up on a guy and players and a team, knowing where they are on the team, what they’ve gone through to get there or what they’re working on. Half that, really even now in my career the last couple of years, I don’t even use probably three-fourths of that anymore.

“My whole thing is just – what is going on where the guys up in the booth can’t see? Their eyes are on the play. Their eyes are on what’s on the TV screen. I’m over and listening in to what the offensive line coach is telling [their players]. I’m right there when the quarterback is coming off and the coach grabs him and says, ‘Who the heck were you throwing to right there?!’ I’m right there behind the wide receivers when they’re complaining that they’re not getting enough balls thrown their way. So [those are] the things that I think are really, really helpful and why sideline reporters are so different. I think if a sideline reporter is going out there and doing the pre-produced stories – the stuff that’s already in the newspaper, the stuff that really isn’t relevant to the game – then that’s when I think sideline reporters don’t belong in the game. But I think what I’ve been able to provide – and a couple of others at ESPN – I think that’s why it’s very crucial to have us.

“Also, in a situation like a Colt McCoy injury during the National Championship… The one story I always point to that I was involved in – and if they hadn’t had a sideline reporter there, they would have been in trouble – it was actually the year that [Tim] Tebow won the Heisman [Trophy]. He wasn’t leading that race, [Oregon QB] Dennis Dixon was leading it. I had the game that Dennis Dixon was taken out of the race, because I had the game where he tore his leg up. We knew heading into the game that Dennis wasn’t OK, that there was still something wrong. My whole game ended up being – after a couple of plays when he went down – I just planted myself behind him the whole time. The guys upstairs – they had to worry about the game because Oregon was ranked very high that time and we were talking about [a] National Championship possibility for them. While the guys had to worry about the game, I sat behind Dennis Dixon. I watched how the trainer reacted to him. I watched his father come down; I grabbed his father. I saw the trainer for Oregon start crying. And right away, I’m like, ‘Come to me. Come to me right now. Come to me. … Oregon is not telling us anything. But if this is any indication – the Oregon Ducks trainer has tears coming out of his eyes right now – I don’t think this looks good guys.’ And then it was like, holy cow, he’s done for the Heisman Trophy and Oregon, their season could be finished. And look what happened – they ended up losing to Arizona that game [and] Tebow wins the Heisman. I think I was so important as a sideline reporter for that game because I was able to provide little details throughout that game that the camera couldn’t see.”

AS: Obviously ESPN sees the value in sideline reporters and what you have done for them. You just re-signed with the World Wide Leader and got a bunch of added responsibilities going forward. How long is your new deal, and how does it feel knowing the network has made such a commitment to you?
EA: “It’s a two-year deal. It was very important for me to stay in sports. I have such a passion – as you can tell – I get so fired up when I start speaking about it. I think that people that don’t have a chance to get close to me, and they just see me, they may not understand how excited and how passionate I am about what I do for a living. It was very important for me to still be able to have a foot in sports – have a leg in sports – be able to be a part of anything with ESPN. The fact that they were able to come back and say to me, ‘OK, we’re going to expand your role.’ It was very important for me to try to grow in sideline reporting. I think I have done what I can in sideline reporting, and I think now it’s time for me to try other avenues as well. When they came back and said they had this opportunity for me with hosting College GameDay on ESPNU and being a part of that show, if you’re a college football fan and ESPN fan, you know that’s one of the biggest and best shows ESPN has to offer. Saying no to that opportunity was something I never thought I was going to do. And then also this opportunity I have with Good Morning America is huge for me as well. I’m very excited about it.”

AS: Obviously the last year has had its ups and downs for you, but we’re going to focus on the positives. You noted that you received a lot of support from coaches but have also singled out [Gators head coach] Urban Meyer and the Tebow family. How did they reach out to you and are you still keeping in touch with them?
EA: “Well…Coach Meyer and Shelley Meyer were huge during that. They just went above and beyond. Shelley is obviously a woman and she wanted to make sure I was doing OK. They’re very sweet and very protective of me – being a part of Gator Nation and everything. I don’t know if you saw the Dancing with the Stars package they did on my incident, but there was a moment I started getting very upset and I started thinking that its very difficult for me to understand how coaches would be able look at me the same after everything that happened. I remember telling Coach Meyer that; I remember just starting to cry to him.

“I think one of my best qualities is that I am able to go into a coach’s office and just be one of the guys. They feel very open talking to me about a lot of stuff, and I’ve been very lucky because that’s how Urban treats me, that’s how Shelley treats me. I was very, very concerned that, after this happened, that coaches may [not] be able to look at me the same – or talk to me the same. And I actually was talking about it on Dancing with the Stars – and they did this package. I got very emotional that I had a word with just one coach – and that was Urban who came out and said, ‘Nobody cares. Just get back to work, do your thing, talk about football and you’ll be fine. They’ll go back to you like, ‘That’s our girl on the sidelines.’’ That just meant so much to me. I remember during Dancing with the Stars, Shelley would text me and just be like, ‘Way to go! Go Gators! Let’s have another Gator win this thing!’ The night that package aired, she was talking about how emotional the package was. I said to Shelley, ‘You know that was Urban I was talking about…’ and she said, ‘I thought it was.’ Just having somebody as successful as a coach in college football, and the fact that he’s the head coach of the university I went to, it just meant a lot that somebody like that would put himself out there and be like, ‘Get back to work and everything else will be OK.’”

AS: And the Tebows reached out as well?
EA: “Yes, they did. They were just sweet and called and [reached out]. Obviously, I’m very linked to the school.”

AS: Your Gator Chomps on Dancing with the Stars were lauded by Gator Nation…were those planned or spur of the moment?
EA: “I took some flack for that. Several coaches and stuff would kid with me and say, ‘If you want us to vote for you, you’re going to have to stop doing that.’ And they would end [their message] with a smiley face. I honestly had no idea I had done it because I’m getting ready to potentially be voted off this show a few times and [I’m thinking], ‘Oh man, this stinks.’ And then my inner dazzler, my inner cheerleader, my go-to thing is to do the Gator Chomp and the spirit fingers and not even know that I’m doing it. Like I said, a few coaches said, ‘Alright girl, you know we’re trying to get all the votes out for you on Twitter and you come back and you do this?!’ [Laughing] Seriously, I didn’t even know I had done it. My partner [Maksim Chmerkovskiy] said to me, ‘You just did the Gator Chomp,’ and I was like, ‘I did?!’ And then I think I did it one more time because I was close to be eliminated. I had no idea it was happening.”

AS: Are you turning him into a Gator fan?
EA: “No, I don’t know if he’s a Gator fan. There weren’t really too many guys at Dancing with the Stars that cared too much about sports. I don’t know if Max is a Gator fan…but who cares! [Laughing]”

AS: It’s admirable that you always try to show your pride for Florida without coming across as biased. That must be difficult considering your profession. That being said, here’s your chance…what do you want to say to Gator Nation?
EA: “I think the biggest thing for me is just thank you for all your support. It’s been a rough year for me, and I think that the one thing I can always bank on and the one thing always count on is Gator Nation. Whenever I run into somebody [and they say], ‘Go Gators! We’re so proud of you, we’re just so happy for you.’ They just always kind of call on me or kind of look to me as their girl. And that’s really, really cool. I have a lot of schools that treat me wonderful; I mean schools I’m not even affiliated [with] like Texas and Virginia Tech and Wisconsin. You’d be surprised. A lot of schools…[don’t] really claim me as theirs…but they just, ‘Oh, Erin Andrews, we’re so glad she’s back.’ And it’s very, very sweet.

“But it’s different when your school is proud of you, because it’s the school that you’re proud of and the university that you’ve spent time – and your family has spent time – at. When they’re so supportive and they give the love back, that means a lot. My whole career and my whole life [I] have wanted nothing but to make my family proud. And I obviously look at Gator Nation as a family, and you want to make them proud. So I’ve been very, very thankful of the love and support they’ve given back.”

AS: Thanks again Erin. I know you’re very busy and I really appreciate the opportunity to speak with you this afternoon.
EA: “Not a problem. Thank you for having me – I appreciate it. Looking forward to being back in Gainesville. I’m sure College GameDay will be there and it’ll be fun.”

» OGGOA Interviews: DE Alex Brown | QB Tim Tebow | WR Percy Harvin | TE Cornelius Ingram | DE Jermaine Cunningham | S Major Wright | LB Earl Everett

Photo Credits (in order): Associated Press, University of Florida, Christian Petersen/Getty Images, Associated Press, Unknown

Check out OGGOA’s full coverage of the 2010 Orange & Blue Debut…

Scrimmage happenings:
» OGGOA’s Live Coverage and Play-by-Play
» Orange & Blue Debut Box Score

» Redshirt junior quarterback John Brantley went 15/19 for 201 yards and two touchdowns. With the defense unable to blitz, Brantley had some extra time in the pocket and used it to pick apart the first-team secondary, which was without starting safeties senior Ahmad Black and junior Will Hill and junior cornerback Janoris Jenkins. He ran plays from both the shotgun and I-formations.

» Freshman Trey Burton and redshirt freshman tight end Jordan Reed also saw plenty of time behind center. Burton was exciting and dynamic, going 12/18 for 120 yards, a touchdown and one interception. Burton’s turnover came on his first play of the day and was nabbed by freshman cornerback Joshua Shaw. He also rushed 10 times for 128 yards and two touchdowns including an Orange & Blue Debut-record 76-yard run.

» Reed, taking over for Brantley, went 3/5 for 80 yards and a touchdown; he also ran the ball three times for 19 yards. He worked in the Wildcat a bit in the first half but worked mostly from the shotgun in the second half; Reed appears to be the team’s third quarterback and looked good overall, especially for someone who has been spending most of his time working to become the starting TE.

» Redshirt senior wide receiver Carl Moore was the offensive star of the day, nabbing eight balls for 130 yards and a touchdown. Moore used the game as a form of redemption after leaving practice for unforeseen issues two weeks ago and slowly making his way back into the fold. He will likely start across from redshirt junior WR Deonte Thompson if his performance Saturday was any indication of what he can do when given the ball. Moore, who sat out last season with a back injury, appeared to hurt it again late in the scrimmage after taking a helmet hit in his backside. It is unknown whether the injury is serious or not.

» Thompson used the first play of the game to make his mark, catching a beautiful 47-yard pass from Brantley. He sat out the rest of the way.

» Redshirt freshman WR Andre Debose, returning from hamstring surgery that kept him out all of 2009, saw some action early on Saturday. We expected him to sit out as a precaution, but the coaching staff was obviously not worried about aggravating the injury and let him see some action. Debose caught two passes for 30 yards and looked good when cutting and changing direction.

» With running backs junior Jeff Demps (outdoor track & field), redshirt senior Emmanuel Moody (ankle, quad injuries) sitting out the game, sophomore Mike Gillislee got plenty of time on the field. Behind a mostly second-string offensive line, he rushed 10 times for 50 yards with a long of 24.

» Though the defense is tough to judge during scrimmage because its hands are tied in the pressure it can apply, redshirt junior defensive tackle Jaye Howard fought his way inside for two sacks on Brantley.

» Junior kicker Caleb Sturgis went 5/5 on extra points and hit 3/4 field goals.
Makes: 42, 52, 37 | Miss: 52

Other notes:
» Head coach Urban Meyer and his wife Shelley Meyer were named honorary alumni by the University of Florida at halftime. Also at halftime, two 2010 National Championship teams were honored: women’s swimming & diving and men’s indoor track & field.

» Attendance: 51,500 – though it did not look like more than 30,000 were there.

» In the house: Tim Tebow (before the game), Maurkice Pouncey, Riley Cooper, Carlos Dunlap, Brandon Spikes, Major Wright, Ryan Stamper, Louis Murphy, Scott Brantley, some 2010 commitments including Ronald Powell, Sharrif Floyd and Cody Riggs and a bunch of 2011 recruits.

» Montreal Alouettes QB Chris Leak was in attendance and spent almost the entire time next to Meyer on the field. He spoke with Brantley a few times and appeared to be coaching him up, working with him on his drops and throwing motion. Leak, though still a backup in the CFL, could have a future as a QB coach, maybe even with Florida if/when Scot Loeffler takes a head coaching job.

In a comedic moment, redshirt junior WR Chris Rainey squirted a bottle of water down Meyer’s back and then ran away. Meyer squirmed and then laughed it off.

Interesting quotes:

» Meyer on Brantley: “Boy, he was good. He was good. John’s next step is just the whole leadership thing. Instead of, ‘Aw, shucks,’ to ‘Let’s get it done.’ I’ve seen tremendous growth from January 2 until now.”

» Meyer on Debose’s injury: “Eighteen or 19 years old and your dreams are shattered, that’s tough. Here’s the next coming, the No. 1 receiver in America, then boom. He doesn’t live up to expectations and everybody’s asking what about him? What about him? [...] That kid’s going to be a good player.”

» Meyer on Burton: “He’s still not a great thrower. But they said that about Tebow when he came out of high school, too, and he did OK.”

» Meyer on a Tebow-less Gators: “I don’t want to say I’m over it, ‘cause I’ll never get over it. But to not have Tim in there, I’m kind of used to it now. Not saying I like it, but I’m used to it.”

» Meyer on the most improved unit: “I’d say linebackers. Coach [D.J.] Durkin is doing a tremendous job. [The linebackers] are very talented. [Redshirt freshman] Jelani Jenkins, [sophomore Jon] Bostic, [redshirt sophomore Brendan] Beal […] [that's a] very talented group. [Senior] A.J. Jones, who didn’t practice much because he had a bad knee, is going to be a fine player for us, and [senior Brandon] Hicks. Those guys all did fantastic. Are they good enough? We don’t know, yet. But their attitudes are right, they’re mentally [good] and they’re in great shape. The correlation between them finishing spring like that and them showing up ready to play, that’s why I’m kind of excited right now.”

» Meyer on the team’s mentality: “You’ve got a team that’s got a chip on their shoulder in the locker room. It’s kind of cool to have that again.”

» Meyer’s overall evaluation: “I grade the spring game an ‘A’ and I haven’t had many. We stink as a team, but that’s not the intent. The intent is to have a good attitude and a good work ethic and go as hard as you can and try and identify players and playmakers. I’d give [the spring] an ‘A.’ I think today was an ‘A.’ Certainly, there were bad snaps, there was this and this, but once again this was a no winner-loser day today. We identified some players today.”

» Meyer on the crowd: “I thought post-Tebow we’d have 11,000 out there. And I told Johnny Brantley, ‘No one’s here to see you, big boy.’ Then all of a sudden a big crowd shows up. I’m very grateful.”

» Meyer on Leak: “It was great to have Chris Leak come back […] he was working. He was out there talking [and] was just around giving the insight to the team. I just love Chris Leak.”

» Brantley on the experience: “It felt a lot different, going out there, knowing that I’m the guy now. But I’m surrounded by great players who are making it a lot easier for me. […] I feel like it’s my huddle now. I definitely do. That’s what I’ve been working on — leadership, being more vocal in the huddle. […] I just want to keep [UF's success] going. People talk about our receivers or defense not being as good as last year. I think that’s what we want to improve on. We’re not going to miss anything, we’re not going to take a step back at all.”

» Brantley on being the starter: “I feel like it’s my huddle now. I definitely do. That’s what I’ve been working on — leadership, being more vocal in the huddle.”

» Brantley on Moore: “Carl Moore did a great job. He’s coming off a back injury [and] had to sit out last season. Coming back for a fifth year., he’s working really hard and I’m happy it’s paying off for him.”

» Brantley on Leak: “He was just giving little pointers to me. [He was telling me] little things you just need to do. He’s just trying to help me out. He’s always been a mentor to me. I’ve always watched him play, through his college years while I was growing up, and I’m just happy he’s helping me out now.”

» Debose on returning from injury: “It feels good to be back. It was real stressful being away from the game. It was amazing, just being a part of something. At times, I felt like I wasn’t even part of the team – always on the shelf or in the pit…not participating. [...] The low point probably was me having surgery, but as the season went on, it gradually got worse and worse and worse. It was the first time in my life I was in the background. Just not being part of the team and being kind of pushed away and being on the shelf, it kind of crushed me. […] Now I finally feel like part of the team.”

» Debose on advice his grandmother gave him: “Right when I was about to have surgery, she said that you didn’t like to be compared to Percy. You sat out a year, that kind of died down. I can kind of make my own. It’s Andre Debose.”

» Burton on doing a lot of running: “I’ll do whatever I have to do to play. I’ll long snap it if I have to.”

» Freshman safety Matt Elam on the experience: “Just looking around and seeing all of the people, my heart was pumping, I was ready to go. It was the best feeling I’ve ever had.”

» Offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Steve Addazio on utilizing a power QB: “It’s an aspect we don’t want to lose. We’re really fired up about what you’re seeing.”

» Addazio on Brantley: “We know he can throw the ball. Can he lead, can he win, can he motivate, can he grab the team? Johnny did those things this spring. It was really cool.”

» Addazio on all the QBs: “I thought they all played well. They’re competitive guys, they’re athletic guys. You can see they’re wired the right way. Coach [Meyer] and I were standing back there and it was really pretty cool. They all did a great job.”

» Addazio on the team’s performance: “We’ve got a group of guys who love ball. They want to do things the right way. They’re hungry. They’re coachable. They’ve bought in totally to accountability and holding each other accountable. That’s what we needed to get done this spring and that’s what we got done. That’s why we graded it an ‘A.’ ”

» Addazio on the crowd: “Heck, there were more people there than some teams that play in this state have at a home game. So that’s a pretty good judge of how a guy’s going to do in the bright lights.”

» Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin on his squad: “I like what I see. I like the tenacity. I like the effort. This is going to be a great collective [defensive] unit.”

Thanks to the University of Florida, ESPN and The Gainesville Sun for the above quotes.

1 » Over the weekend, Jeremy Fowler of the Orlando Sentinel and OGGOA went back-and-forth about the potential transfers of Florida Gators basketball bench players guard Ray Shipman and center Kenny Kadji. Fowler caught up with their former AAU coach, Matt Ramker, who informed him that the duo is expected to remain with Florida. “They are happy at UF and are looking forward to next season,” Ramker said.

2 » Speaking with The Salt Lake Tribune, Shelley Meyer said her husband and Gators head coach Urban Meyer is “150 percent better.” Now that he is back at work, Meyer’s wife is keeping tabs on him in the same respect he stays on top of recruits. Sending him multiple texts ensuring that he is eating, exercising and resting, Shelley claims it is “part of my plan. I’m keeping an eye on him and I’m looking for signs. What happened to Urban was a huge wake-up call that he couldn’t go on like he was.”

3 » In a question-and-answer session with The Gainesville Sun, former Florida cornerback Joe Haden said he felt the pressure of running an improved 40-yard dash at Pro Day last week. Asked how important 40 times actually were, Haden agreed that they were overrated. “They don’t really measure how you run on the field during a game,” he said. “You may be running with someone who runs a 4.2, and you might not be able to run a 4.2, but if you can run with him and cover him, you’re OK. But it’s part of the process and I respect that.” Haden also admitted that he did not do much to help Meyer’s heart issues, playing an April Fool’s joke on him last season when he and former Gators safety Major Wright told their coach they planned to transfer.

4 » One of the biggest disappointments of the 2009 Florida football season was the lack of development of now-redshirt junior wide receiver Deonte Thompson. Though he failed to make much of an impact throughout the season, Thompson is confident he can turn it on in 2010 with new quarterback John Brantley. “I feel I had a good Sugar Bowl,” Thompson told the Sun. “I know now I’ve got to come out hard every day because I pretty much should be the No. 1 guy.”

Photo Credit: Willie J. Allen, Jr./St. Petersburg Times

Meyer, who told reporters that he actually returned in an official capacity a few weeks ago after taking some personal time to get healthy and rested, spoke confidently about his health. “I’m not going to get into all that, but I feel fine. I feel good,” he said after the three-hour practice. He also declined denied to speak about a number of tests he underwent in February.

Read the rest of OGGOA’s story on Meyer’s return to the Gators after the break!

Chest pains and a frightening health scare forced Meyer into the hospital on more than one occasion toward the end of the 2009 season. He resigned from his position on Dec. 26 before the 2010 Sugar Bowl, only to change his mind a day later and instead decide to take a leave of absence from the program. Florida went on to convincingly defeat the Cincinnati Bearcats in the game with Meyer on the sidelines.

He was supposed to take a break after that game but felt it necessary to stay in control for a few more weeks in order to hire four new assistant coaches and ensure the team’s No. 1-ranked recruiting class stayed together. While he did not travel for recruiting as he normally would, Meyer was still heavily involved up until National Signing Day.

Meyer’s leave of absence was once again interrupted when one of his new hires, defensive coordinator George Edwards, left the Gators for the same position with the Buffalo Bills. He and interim head coach Steve Addazio worked together to choose Arizona Cardinals defensive backs coach Teryl Austin as Edwards’ replacement. Since then, he has been on a break – going on vacation with his wife to Hawaii, taking in his daughter’s games, eating right, exercising and relaxing.

It also made news that Meyer’s trip to Hawaii was rudely interrupted by a tsunami warning, which forced the couple to evacuate their hotel and move to higher ground early in the morning.

Now back in Gainesville, FL, Meyer can concentrate on the team again – as long as he keeps his health in the back of his mind. An Associated Press report states Meyer was “considerably less involved” in practice, and others who watched him on the field noticed that he observed more than he participated.

“I didn’t know what to expect,” Meyer said afterward, explaining that he tends to be more hands-off in the spring. “Usually I’m more involved in kicking game and a little more involved in the offense. I will get back involved. I think spring time I’m usually like this. I like to let the guys coach and let everybody do their job and see what we’ve got. We’ve got four new coaches, and I want to see them go.”

Best of all (for Gators fans) was Meyer’s response to the one question on everyone’s mind. Asked by a reporter if he was back for good, Meyer simply replied: “Yeah.”

Photo Credit: Phil Sandlin/Associated Press

“I feel real good. I’ve been working out a lot,” Meyer said. “I’m over 200 pounds, so I guess that’s how they gauge it a little bit because I was not good there for a while. Doing a lot better.” He also indicated that he will undergo a series of tests on his heart in February to check for stress levels and any other outstanding issues.

Meyer, speaking for the first time publicly since the 2010 Sugar Bowl, mentioned that he plans to coach the Gators during spring practice in March, a sign that he may actually be recovering quickly from his ailments (or that he is simply too stubborn to stay off the field). Practice begins March 17 and stretches into April. “I keep hearing about this ‘time out,’” Meyer said. “People I’m closest to are going to demand I take some time off, but I tried that already. I tried a day and a half, and it didn’t work.”

He confirmed that doctors advised him against traveling for recruiting over the last few weeks even though his medical tests have been “coming back pretty positive.” Meyer said he will speak with his wife Shelley and meet with athletic director Jeremy Foley and his football staff to determine a course of action after National Signing Day on Feb. 3. “We’re trying to get to February 3, and then we’re going to sit down, have a very in-depth meeting about it,” Meyer said.

Part of those meetings will include determining the roles of his coaching staff, particularly interim coach and offensive coordinator Steve Addazio. Even so, Meyer realizes that he will need to take a break in one way or another after those sit-downs. “I’ve been instructed I have to [take time off],” Meyer said. “I’m just not sure what I’m going to do. I just don’t know how long. I have to change some things. That’s obvious.”

PART II: Meyer on hiring Edwards, bringing back Drayton

2 » The Tennessean points out that former Tennessee Volunteers head coach Lane Kiffin “decided it was included in his job description […] to annoy Urban Meyer.” Unfortunately, as the article puts it, “a good feud was just ruined.” Similarly, the Orlando Sentinel recounts Kiffin’s top 10 most memorable moments as coach of the Volunteers.

3 » The brand new 2010 ESPNU 150 and 2010 Rivals100 both list Gators five-star defensive end commitment Ronald Powell (Moreno Valley, CA) as their respective No. 1 prospect in the country. Other top Florida recruits ranking high on both lists include five-star defensive tackle Dominique Easley (3/7) five-star safety Matt Elam (9/25), five-star defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd (25/4), four-star cornerback Joshua Shaw (28/28), four-star tight end Gerald Christian (35/81), four-star wide receiver Chris Dunkley (37/77), four-star offensive tackle Ian Silberman (41/71), four-star CB Jaylen Watkins (50/47) and four-star DT Leon Orr (81/95). Others who made the ESPNU list but not Rivals’ include: S Jonathan Dowling (10/NR), S Demar Dorsey (12/NR), RB Mack Brown (34/NR), CB Cody Riggs (79/NR), WR Solomon Patton (106/NR). ESPNU ranks four Gators in its top 10.

4 » “If Florida is to be an NCAA tournament team again — if it’s to snap a two-year hiatus after consecutive NCAA titles — the Gators must start a roll Saturday against LSU,” writes ESPN senior college basketball writer Andy Katz. Read his entire blog entry on the Gators and their hopes to earn a spot in March Madness this season.