Will Muschamp comes back to Georgia — as a Gator
Will Muschamp may have barked as a Bulldog but he's all Gator now as the Florida coach.
A young, pretty girl sitting near the front of the room had a question for the Florida coach.
“Coach, I’m getting married soon and he’s a Georgia fan and …”
“That’s not my fault,” Will Muschamp said, playing to the crowd.
“My wedding is on the same day as the Florida-Georgia game,” she continued. “I was wondering: Can you guarantee Florida will win?”
Muschamp, the native of Rome, a long-time Georgia resident and former Bulldogs safety, smiled.
“I certainly can,” he said (and then he turned in my direction and alerted the crowd that this pronouncement almost certainly would be used in the local newspaper).
This should end any lingering debate about whether Will Muschamp has divided loyalties.
The annual meeting of the Atlanta Gator Club was held Thursday night. Atlantic Station was crawling with reptiles. More than 360 Florida fans crammed into a hotel ballroom, the largest turnout in years, to greet their new leader.
Muschamp was in Georgia, but the Atlanta Gator Club would protect him.
This was the safe room for Muschamp. But outside the walls, he’s same guy who was branded “traitor” or “Benedict Arnold” by some hard-line Bulldogs fans who believe once you’ve worn the “G” on your helmet, any career movement – especially to the mother of SEC rivals – is borderline sacrilegious. (Or over the border.)
“I’m loyal to who signs my checks,” Muschamp said earlier. “All of that other stuff, I don’t get into. In our
You might've thought you were lost walking in Atlantic Station.
profession you’re loyal to the people you work for. I’ll do the best job I can for the Gator nation.”
Go easy, folks. The man’s gotta earn a living, you know.
It may have been a shock in Athens when Muschamp, the official coach-in-waiting at Texas for Mack Brown and a possible unofficial coach-in-waiting for Georgia, was tabbed as Urban Meyer’s replacement at Florida.
But it shouldn’t have been. Yes, he lived in Rome up until age 5, and then he returned before his ninth-grade year. But during that period in between, orange blood ran through blue veins. He walked to Gators games as a kid. He watched Wilber Marshall. Even when he went to high school in Rome, he was a Florida fan.
Fact is, Muschamp might never have stepped foot on the Georgia campus if he hadn’t broken his leg while playing in high school.
“All of the big schools backed off,” he said.
His choices: Enroll at West Point or try to walk-on at Florida or Georgia.
“My dad was a school teacher,” he said. “The [cost of] in-state education was a factor.”
So if he didn’t break his leg or his father was a surgeon, he would’ve attended Florida?
“Hah — I’d rather not play what-if,” he said.
Muschamp waited 15 years for a head coaching job. So far, he wears it well.
The fact he was one of the nation’s best defensive coaches at Texas, LSU and Auburn doesn’t guarantee success. Even he acknowledges that he’s in a honeymoon period with Gators fans. (“Everybody has been great. But we haven’t played a game yet.”).
But if he doesn’t succeed, it won’t be for a lack of confidence. He brought in Charlie Weis to run his offense. Most new head coaches would balk at such a move, believing the former Notre Dame coach and New England and Kansas City offensive coordinator might be scheming behind his back for the top job.
“I have confidence in myself. I want the people I hire to have tremendous confidence in themselves,” he said.
Last month, Muschamp kicked his best player, cornerback Janoris Jenkins, off the team after his third arrest (and second in three months for marijuana). It was a stunning move at a program that had its share of legal issues between SEC and BCS championships under Meyer.
“I didn’t look at it as sending a message early,” Muschamp said. “I look at everything as an isolated situation. Each player will have to [act] right.”
He has learning the hard way of the demands of being a head coach and fielding endless advice from fans (“My email works, I can tell you that.”). But this feels like Utopia.
After the questions, he planned on flying back to Austin, Texas. His family hasn’t moved yet and his 5-year-old is graduating from kindergarten Friday. Then it will be back to Gainesville.
“As coaches, we move around so much,” he said. “Home is where the house is.”
That’s not in Georgia anymore.
By Jeff Schultz
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477 comments Add your comment
JB
May 20th, 2011
12:55 pm
gt4ever…………….I have had the pleasure of listening to some of your elite student athletes being interviewed after a game, and this is not a joke, there is reason a lot of them are working at Air Tran in baggage handling……It’s called dumb as a rock!
sldkfjslk
May 20th, 2011
12:58 pm
Come on Gator fans. It’s not 19 out of 22. It’s 19 out of 23. We won in 1989!
JB
May 20th, 2011
1:00 pm
Harry……….I’m on here everyday. I have not seen ANYONE predict Georgia to win a NC. Some had said we might win the SEC East. You’ve got better material I know.
gt4ever
May 20th, 2011
1:05 pm
Jb.
And what is your point….. I will be the first to confirm that our student football players are just football players…. We just don’t get as many as UGA….
Cherok
May 20th, 2011
1:06 pm
Dawgs – The Gators have the two fastest backs in the country. Addazio had no clue how to use them, but Cholly might. If he does…..look out (but look fast).
uninformed and delusional Ga. Fan
May 20th, 2011
1:08 pm
We will win the NC….there, thats out of the way now.
DawginLex
May 20th, 2011
1:10 pm
Actually it is 22-25 vs florida since 1964 and dooley arrived.
dooley 18-7
goff 1-6
Donnan 1-4
Richt 2-8
JB
May 20th, 2011
1:12 pm
My point gt4ever that there are many successful alum From UGA working as Veterinarians,Teachers,Lawyers,Accountants,Farmers,Etc. I know what you guys are “taught” over there about UGA folks( my business partner is a Techie) and you get carried away with it. There is a world outside of Tech, and a pretty good one. One with Humor, woman, Character , careers etc. Try it.
Cherok
May 20th, 2011
1:13 pm
Oh……..and, yes, Muschamp may not be the coach that Meyer was, but I can guarantee you that Cholly will be better than Addazio. The offense will be much better.
JB
May 20th, 2011
1:15 pm
Cherok…………you can’t “guarantee” anything. Brantley was 4 of 14 passing in the spring game with no rush or pressure. You/they got problems.
LT
May 20th, 2011
1:17 pm
“What goes around comes around,” it sure did to UGA, now it’s the Gators turn; 18 – 3 Gators for 21 yrs., previous record over near same time frame; 16 – 5 UGA; with one tie, pretty even. At that time looked pretty hopeless for the Gators, pretty much the same for UGA right now. If the Gators could reverse the series, and they did in a Big, Big way, UGA can do the same, now’s the time. Going to be interesting over the next few years, beginning in the Fall.
Gators for Richt
May 20th, 2011
1:18 pm
This is a lot of bitterness from a bunch of UGA fans who appear to have forgotten that their lord and savior, Vince Dooley, is an Auburn alumnus. Seems like that “traitor” was a good fit for UGA.
gt4ever
May 20th, 2011
1:18 pm
LOL JB,
I’ll bet your business partner does all the math at your office….. Hey, I treat this as comic relief, get over yourself…. You doggie fans are too much…. Delusional to the tune of a NC every year…
JB
May 20th, 2011
1:19 pm
gt4ever………….we actually have two from Tech,1 from UGA (me) and two from small colleges. It works pretty good.
JB
May 20th, 2011
1:22 pm
Spike………….I don’t think the successful tweed jacket crowd from there hangs out on the AJC blogs. LOL
Spike 80DF
May 20th, 2011
1:23 pm
@gt4ever: surprised any tech fan has the courage to show up on this blog and actually talk trash about the Dawgs….really? the comic relief was hearing all the techies brag about CPJ “outcoaching” CMR last year in the parking lot after the game, haha……does that moral victory count as a win for you guys?
halsgator
May 20th, 2011
1:25 pm
Dream on humpers. Nothing will change Jax. Gators win win win .
Les Miles
May 20th, 2011
1:26 pm
I know how to beat Florida; and Mark Richt ain’t no Les Miles…
JB
May 20th, 2011
1:26 pm
AJC must have a Tech IT guy. My post after spike jumped back in front of his??????
JB
May 20th, 2011
1:28 pm
Les…………..Better hope that horseshoe doesn’t fall out.
UF Beats UGA
May 20th, 2011
1:34 pm
It’s not even an issue anymore. Muschamp / Weis / Quinn are building a machine at UF, with a pro style attack, NFL style D—that will be running over and around uga all day in Jacksonville. This game could get ugly early. UF 41 Ga 17—bet the house. Ga needs to hire kirby smart to get their program turned around.
Les Miles
May 20th, 2011
1:35 pm
@ JB….like it has obviously fallen out of CMR’s behind…look boy, in the big boy world of modern-day SEC football, CMR has turned UGA into a popular homecoming day game opponent option…better answer the phone; UCF needs a homecoming day beeotch!!
JB
May 20th, 2011
1:41 pm
@1:34. Yawn. 4 of 14, no rush. No proven RB, No WR who has ever run a route other than that jail break mess. Thin OL. Best player kicked off team. Zook or Spurrier as a head coach now. Lost 5 last year due to Meyer quitting at mid year. Pressure to win again enormous. Gee, Hate to be ya’ll.
JB
May 20th, 2011
1:42 pm
Better go back to swamp with that boy talk. That Tennessee game at home last year was a coaching masterpiece wasn’t it. Geez. Thank the Lord for Dooley being a rookie. He took you cajun’s to the wood pile all day. LMAO. The HAT.
beebee
May 20th, 2011
1:43 pm
Wright’s got it RIGHT!
Would ANY Georgia coach step up and guarantee a WIN any day? Heck NOOOOOOOOOO!
The man KNOWS where he’s at and what’s expected of him and what to do!
Dawgs, prepare for a Jacksonville burial!
Dawg Trainer
May 20th, 2011
1:44 pm
Looks like Muschamp is training the Dawgs early. (I will admit the pancake block crack on Weis was excellent. I’ve seen Charlie eat!)
Valdosta Dawg
May 20th, 2011
1:46 pm
Hey “Deep in Enemy Territory” I know you, like most Gator fans, think the rivalry started in 1990 and thats understandable since you hardly ever beat UGA and you never won a SEC title until Spurrier got there!!! Let me enlighten you and the rest of your jean short wearing fans, we still have more wins against y’all than you do against us, we still have more SEC titles than you do so until that changes SIT AND SPIN!! Remeber Vince Dolley was 17-7-1 against the Gators!!
JB
May 20th, 2011
1:47 pm
We’ve always got Tech to beat up on. I get joy out of beating the smartest coach in America.
slawdawg
May 20th, 2011
1:50 pm
I’m just glad that the Spread-O has left Gainsville. Now maybe the Dawg’s D can pin their ears back and fly after the QB that will be sitting duck in Coach W’s O. Go Dawgs!
DawgNation
May 20th, 2011
1:56 pm
Jeff is sitting back laughing his rear off at all of these hits he is producing for the AJC. He sure knows how to stir a pot doesn’t he?
Cardinal Sin
May 20th, 2011
1:56 pm
GA, the LACK LUSTER BUST PROGRAM OF THE SEC!
Gators and SC rule the East in 2011!
Enough Said!
JB
May 20th, 2011
1:57 pm
Maybe SC this year…..Gators……….lot to prove.
gdawginkalamazoo
May 20th, 2011
2:02 pm
Gators for Richt, I don’t know where that comes from. I for one am glad that Muschamp finally got that HC job. He deserves it and even if it is at Florida I wish him the best except for that one game every year. The man needs to feed his family and 2.75 per year will definitely do that. Spurrier and Meyer have built a solid program there. If anybody can keep it moving along it’s a Bulldog.
beebee
May 20th, 2011
2:07 pm
dawgInLex: I like your comments. I just want to say I wish fans would give the 2-loss LSU National champion team the respect they deserve. LSU was well ahead in both those games. Not once did the lose by getting RIPPED like every other team in the nation that had a loss or two AND that was in the title hunt.
LSU lost 2 THREE-OVERTIME GAMES to SEC teams! They were as solid a team as there was and proved it against the Buckeyes. I’m not an LSU fan, but I predicted that we’d see our first 2-loss BCS National Champion. And we did!
Chick
May 20th, 2011
2:07 pm
This is like fishing in a barrell. Of course FL will beat UGA. It is a mental thing with UGA against FL. Make that claim is like UGA saying they will beat Georgia Southern.
gt4ever
May 20th, 2011
2:09 pm
Spike80df,
No moral victories here…. Just plain nonsense when it comes to our offensive strategy…. We have no excuses, we are BAD and getting worse…. What’s UGA’s excuse…… Top 10 recruits every year and you still SUCK…
Better Dawgs!
May 20th, 2011
2:13 pm
Best thing that could happen to the Dawgs is Fulmer and Meyer out. These two new coaches are learning on the job. UGA is in a great position because of these changes moving forward.
Big Thank You to UF for our new solid AD and for letting the best coach you WILL ever have go. Keep up the downgrades! Will Muschump will not even compare to Zook.
Nobody is scared of UF anymore!
Dawg Gone
May 20th, 2011
2:14 pm
gt4ever really we sux you can’t beat us when your the ACC “champs” really you can tell the UGA game is the Bugs bowl every year..no wait your record vs UGA is even worse than your bowl record the last decade…
ugaclassof2004
May 20th, 2011
2:17 pm
Is predicting a win over UGA really that big of a deal?? That’s like Richt predicting a win over Tech.
Honestly Richt can’t worry about what is going on at Florida or anywhere else, he’s gotta worry about his own house which has been a mess to say the least the last few seasons. Everyone says Florida and Tennessee are down. Well guess what?? SO ARE WE!!! Florida had a crappy team last year and still beat us. So…..
JB
May 20th, 2011
2:18 pm
I agree. The Florida program is taking on water………5 losses last year and a new staff. They are in a prove it mode.
BiggdawgK
May 20th, 2011
2:24 pm
Thank you muschump.
352
May 20th, 2011
2:26 pm
Valdosta Dawg – since you’re in the mood for history, Florida won the 1950’s (6-4) and the 1960’s (6-3-1) over Georgia. So, to say that Florida “hardly ever” beat Georgia before Spurrier is wrong. Florida holds a 10 game lead (35-25-1) over the past 6 decades. It won’t be long before we even the series.
OldFan
May 20th, 2011
2:30 pm
There are few guarantees in life, and few of those are in sports. But lately, FL beating UGA in football is about as solid a guarantee as there is. The Dawgs–players and coaches alike– just can’t seem to get their minds straight when it comes to FL. It’s only May, but we’re already 0-1 this season.
gt4ever
May 20th, 2011
2:31 pm
Dawg gone….
Huh!!!
Carl
May 20th, 2011
2:36 pm
Muschamp will keep it rolling. Good hire by UF.
Better Dawgs!
May 20th, 2011
2:39 pm
UF: your ship is sinking! This should not be alarming. You will be a non factor nationally for years to come.
No more Tebow or Meyer = non threat
Last year will be the norm for you.
Dawg Gone
May 20th, 2011
2:40 pm
gt4ever Ok I’ll make this easy in the past 10 years how many bowl games have the Bugs won? Now compare that number to the times the Bugs have beaten UGA in the last 10 years…get it yet?
ugakev
May 20th, 2011
2:46 pm
ive got a 350ibs nose guard that will eat gator linemen and brantleys head that says georgia will the next few seasons. yeah gator fans u have won alot lately dont dont be stupid by saying u blow us out everyseason. u squeaked by last year and u say we lost to the worstflorida team in years. then what in the hell georgia team did you beat!!!!!? i think we lost 7 games last year right? the arrogance of a gator fan always shows their stupidity.
ugakev
May 20th, 2011
2:48 pm
ive got a 350ibs nose guard that will eat gator linemen and brantleys head that says georgia will win the next few seasons. yeah gator fans u have won alot lately dont dont be stupid by saying u blow us out everyseason. u squeaked by last year and u say we lost to the worstflorida team in years. then what in the hell georgia team did you beat!!!!!? i think we lost 7 games last year right? the arrogance of a gator fan always shows their stupidity.
Natureboy809
May 20th, 2011
2:48 pm
I haven’t read everyone’s comments- has anyone mentioned what a b*tch this girl is and what a spineless wuss she is marrying for having their wedding on the day of UGA-UF?
http://www.fallweddingssuck.com