FOUR BITS: Moving on, Carter, Rainey, California

By Adam Silverstein
December 15, 2009

1 » A common thought among Florida Gators players returning for their first practice since UF’s devastating loss in the 2009 SEC Championship game was expressed quite well by senior quarterback Tim Tebow on Tuesday. “I don’t think you’re over a loss,” he said. “It’s probably going to hurt a while. I guess we’re over the point where we’re feeling sorry for ourselves.” Tebow also spoke to the media about the elation that his crying brought to non-Gators fans. “I don’t think I’ve really been irritated by it too much, except for when people give my family a hard time or when they’re saying stuff to my mom,” he said. “I’m used to hearing everything from fans, and so you know what, if they enjoy seeing me cry, I have bigger things to worry about.”

2 » Running backs coach Kenny Carter shot down rumors that he has plans to join former defensive coordinator Charlie Strong’s staff at the Louisville Cardinals. “I’m not looking for anything and have not been approached with anything,” Carter said. He then pulled a line from cornerbacks coach Vance Bedford’s book, saying: “I’m a Gator.” He continued, “The good thing about it is if you’re doing your job, there are going to be rumors. If you didn’t have the rumors then you’d be worried.”

3 » Carter also denied any talk that redshirt sophomore running back Chris Rainey would be declaring for the 2010 NFL Draft, calling it a “non-issue.” Bruce Black, the father of junior strong safety Ahmad Black, speculated that his son, Rainey and the Pouncey twins would all declare after the 2010 Sugar Bowl. “When [Rainey] exhausts his eligibility, then he can think about it,” he said. “I know when he and I had that conversation, we weren’t thinking about anything else but playing and next year.”

4 » Head coach Urban Meyer missed his team’s first practice in more than a week as he is across the country doing recruiting work in the state of California. Likely visiting five-star defensive end Ronald Powell (Moreno Valley, CA) and four-star wide receiver Kenny Stills (Carlsbad, CA), Meyer hopes to return to Gainesville, FL, with their commitments or at least increased interest in the Gators.

14 Comments

  1. Mr2Bits says:

    To be honest, the Tebow crying doesn’t bother me. That dude had so much on his shoulders, I was glad to see the pressure taken off. I am definitely not a fan of the #1 spot pre-season and riding that wave the entire year. My choice is to hang in the top 5 and pounce in the #1/2 spot in the final week.

    As far as the bowl game goes, I am hoping my gut and its bad feeling isn’t right because I think we are in for a let down 1/1. I think most of our seniors our worried about their combine/paychecks and could give two shits about Cinci. I also think Cinci has a chip on their shoulders to prove Golden Chips wrong and will be pissed off. Like I said, my gut has us losing this game(disclaimer : there is actually no gut as I weigh 185lbs) which I never like to admit as a die hard

  2. Crying didn’t bother me either.

  3. Aligator says:

    honestly, i think the only ones that will leave for sure are Haden, Hernadez, Dunlap and one of the Pouncy’s. The pounceys will not get drafted in the same round and with the same team, highly unlikley, unless they work out a deal way in advance. Dunlap, while a monster, made no one’s all american team. we should be in good shape all the way around with these losses.

    i hope that meyer makes some good coaching decisions. it seems as if he wants the same scheme on defense, so hopefully, he will just be bringing a LB coach in and naming one of the current defensive coaches to the DC position. I do not know for the life of me how things are going to change on offense if addozio stays as OC.

  4. If one Pouncey leaves, both will.

  5. GatorFa says:

    Agreed, if one Pouncy leaves, both will. Tebow crying after the loss should be expected. Tebow set a bar that might never be reached in regards to the amount emotion and dedication placed into workouts and film study. A loss should hurt. I am proud Tebow played for Florida.

  6. Aligator says:

    hopefully they will get back 2 and 4th round info, and their mom said that they would stay unless they are both 1 or 2. but who knows, maybe a team will work something out with them together? they work well together.

    if they do both leave, i doubt many more aside from the above mentioned will leave. we will be in good hands next year if we get a decent OC, 10-2 at worst with and SEC east title and a chance to play for the SEC Championship again.

  7. Not necessarily sure the motivation there, but I’d be perfectly fine if they get first- and second-round grades and leave for the NFL. I hope our players get every opportunity to succeed at the next level, whenever that is – I will never blame someone for making a decision in the best interest of their career (such as Percy leaving last year). All I hope is that they make the right decision and don’t come out to be a late pick.

  8. Aligator says:

    the motivation was based on what the pouncey’s mother said, yes it would be great if they left and did well. it would also be great if they stayed. coming out a late pick is never a good thing and their mom said if that is where they are projected, they won’t go. the likely hood is that they will be projected second and fourth round, realistically when the draft hits … that is probably where they will land …

  9. I wasn’t asking where you got the idea, I was talking about why you would prefer it if they were not considered top picks. Just because you want them to stay? My point was:I do not have that same motivation. If players are good enough to go and be guaranteed solid money, I have no problem letting them go. That’s all.

  10. Drew 4 Orange and Blue says:

    Tebow cried because he cared…..God help us if we don’t have a new OC next year!!!!

  11. Drew 4 Orange and Blue says:

    If the Pounceys leave next year I think the OL will be fine….we will need some young guys to step up for depth but the way Meyer has been recruiting big uglies it shouldn’t be a problem

  12. Aligator says:

    i got you. i just know, that so many times, people leave early based on their draft reports and either do not get drafted well or drafted at all. the reports show them best case scenario, but you also have to figure in how many other guys get reports that show favorable and they do not do that well. there is also the combine, which also makes or breaks some people. you know, how many combine superstars get a great first contract and stink i.e. vernon golston. brandon siler and ryan smith would have benefited greatly from another year, even though their reports had them going much higher in the draft. yes smith had his degree, but another year would have helped him fare better and go higher in the draft. same thing with derrick harvey, travis taylor, chad johnson and so many others who leave a year early and it takes a while for them to either do well or to impact a team. I know they are getting paid, but who wants to stand around on the sidleines, on the practice squad or not at all for that matter.

    i would prefer the pouncy brothers to be top picks, but they may only go early second round for one and somtime fourth for the other. ahmad black, now he just may believe what they tell him listen to his dad, not get drafted and sit around trying to make the practice squad.

    tebow, who matured and developed as a four year senior, will get snatched up by someone who knows how to use him, in the first round, will he be a qb who starts and plays every year as an all pro? highly unlikely. most draft experts though think he is third or fourth round. I know, he doesn’t care where he goes. he will give it 100%, save for his future and do a lot of good, just like danny. does that mean he is a bust, no. that means the nfl is stuck in it’s ways.

    another example is Lawrence marsh from 96′. he wond the jim thorpe award, was all american all over the place, got a mediocre draft and could not stay with a team.

    all i am really saying, i would stay, get a policy and play my butt off and mature and improve my status. no harm, no foul.

  13. Chad Jackson. 🙂

    I would stay too, unless I was a sure-fire first-round pick.

  14. Aligator says:

    touche!!

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