The Gators’ Will Muschamp: The next Urban or another Zook?
"The next game I win as head coach will be my first." (AP photo)
Hoover, Ala. — Let’s stipulate that Florida is pretty good at hiring football coaches. Two of the past three tapped by the Gators went on to win a national championship. The third was Ron Zook.
The Zooker had never been a head coach. At Florida, he didn’t last three full seasons. (Still beat Georgia twice, though.) We mention this because Florida again has a head coach who has never been a head coach. He’s Will Muschamp, and he’s no Ron Zook. He’s probably not a Steve Spurrier or an Urban Meyer, either.
If you get past the obvious disadvantage of having played under Ray Goff, Muschamp has a solid background. He’s the son of a coach. He played in the SEC. He has worked at Auburn and at LSU. He apprenticed under Nick Saban, who’s the best in the business. He was the coach-in-waiting at Texas, which takes the sport seriously. That said …
He hasn’t coached a game. As Spurrier himself has said: “If you want to know whether a guy can win, look at his record.”
Muschamp’s record: 0-0.
Everyone knew Spurrier would win big at Florida. How? He’d won an ACC title at Duke. Most folks figured Meyer’s spread option would, given time, function in the SEC. Why? He’d gone undefeated at Utah.
Spurrier won his first SEC championship in Year 2 at Florida and would have done it in Year 1 had the Gators been eligible. Meyer won the BCS title in Years 2 and 4. Muschamp’s first Florida team won’t be favored to win its division and might not be picked to run second.
To reiterate: Zook won 20 of his first 33 games … and got fired in 2004 the week Florida played Georgia.
Greeting the assembled SEC media Wednesday, Muschamp appeared antsy — his opening statement lasted more than five minutes, a filibuster by industry standards — but composed. (Zook, by way of comparison, gave the impression of a man in the throes of hyperventilation.) The new Gator sounded the right notes. He made you think, “This guy’s got a chance.”
Then you remembered: He’s 0-0.
Muschamp has assembled an intriguing staff: Charlie Weis, the offensive coordinator, used to be the head coach at Notre Dame; Dan Quinn, the defensive coordinator, had been in the NFL since 2001; Mickey Marotti, the strength and conditioning coach, is a Meyer holdover. (And, according to Muschamp, the strength coach “is the most important guy on the staff.”)
Weis’ offense, Muschamp said, should suit quarterback John Brantley, the underwhelming incumbent, “a little bit better from the skill-standpoint” than did Meyer’s option. On the status of running back Jeff Demps, who’s running track in Italy: “I deal with people eyeball to eyeball, and I ain’t never been to Italy.”
He has, however, been around football his whole life. “When I was playing in the backyard with my brothers,” Muschamp said, “I wanted to beat them as bad as anything.”
Speaking of ties, familial and otherwise, how does a Georgia native and a UGA grad feel about coaching Florida? “I’m a Florida guy,” Muschamp said.
How does a career assistant make the transition to winning head coach? “You don’t try to be something you’re not,” Muschamp said. He won’t call plays for Weis, and he won’t to draw up defenses for Quinn. (Though Muschamp was a pretty fair defensive coordinator himself.) He’ll oversee.
To date, Muschamp’s closest counselor has been his predecessor. “My e-mail is full of suggestions from Gator Nation, but I listen to Urban a little bit more … We’ve talked about [the competition] in the SEC, and he said, ‘You’re kind of like, “Wow, it’s [this way] every week.” ‘ ”
Well, yes. That’s why the SEC has yielded five consecutive BCS titlists. That’s why Florida’s aim isn’t just to contend in the Eastern Division but to win in Atlanta and play for the big crystal football. Meaning: The Muschamp honeymoon ends with Loss No. 1.
In his first meeting with his new players, Muschamp said he told them: “Change is inevitable, but growth is optional.” That’s a pithy phrase, and nobody ever used the word “pithy” in the same sentence as “Ron Zook.” But the Zooker isn’t the gold standard in Gatorland — he’s the lead balloon.
Will Muschamp will be better than Ron Zook. But being better than Ron Zook will make him only the third-best Head Ball Coach the Gators have had since 1990.
By Mark Bradley
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249 comments Add your comment
Beast from the East
July 20th, 2011
6:56 pm
“Their defense was miserable.”
1970Dawg,
That is a lie. How can anyone with a brain call the #6 overall defnse “miserable”? He was not the HC.
Worm
July 20th, 2011
6:57 pm
Ask old Will about the time his roommate started masturbating in a restaraunt, was punched out by an off duty cop and ran home down the railroad tracks before the cops came?
Just Me
July 20th, 2011
6:58 pm
1970
Richt was 8-4 in his first year in his 1st ever head coaching job.
Beast from the East
July 20th, 2011
6:59 pm
Worm,
WTF? LOL! If that’s true, then they should sell that story to National Lampoon!!!
1953Dawg
July 20th, 2011
6:59 pm
Tampa, yes alot like Troope Taylor. All mouth and no substance. Nationally respected by all coaches? What the hell are you drinking bluejean shorts. I gave you facts about his clown’s efforts while he was D.C. at LSU&Auburn. Richt put up over 40 on him when he came to athens with Saban his last year at LSU. ANd BooBoo put up over 35 his last two years while he was D.C. at Auburn. So think what you want, facts are facts, and if this big cheerleader has anything to do with Florida’s defense, BooBoo will once look very intelligent. Guy will still never beat Saban or Myles as long as they are at Bama&LSU. That will be a bigger mismatch than when BooBoo is calling plays against your boy.
OoltewahDawg
July 20th, 2011
7:01 pm
Buzz Star “Zook–one of the worst coaches in fla history, but his record against Georgia: 2-0! Ga’s only loss in 2002: to zook! Congrats to the dogs.” I can’t believe you bring up our one loss, which, I believe was by a mere 7 points, if that much, when UGA shellacked your Gnats by a score of 51-7 just a few weeks later. Typical Tech fan. You have to rely on other teams to do what your team can’t.
intellibird
July 20th, 2011
7:01 pm
Even “Urban Myers” was on a downtrend (thanks to the departure of Tebow). Florida was already falling back in the pack. Thats why the quitter left, probably. Its hard to build a team around people like Rainey and the like.
There is no reason to believe that he will be anything more than just better than average, which isn’t saying much with Vandy, KY, and various small colleges on the schedule. Look for an 8-3 record every year, sometimes more and sometimes less.
Urban wasn’t a genious after all, he just split while the gettin’ was good.
Beast from the East
July 20th, 2011
7:03 pm
1953Dawg,
You obviously are one of the Dawgs that deem Muschamp a traitor.
Like the old saying, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned….LOL!!!!
Worm
July 20th, 2011
7:04 pm
Beast from the East-true story–Doubt old Will remembers?
Beast from the East
July 20th, 2011
7:05 pm
Worm,
Who could ever forget that?
Just Me
July 20th, 2011
7:06 pm
Worm
I think anybody would try to forget that happening. LOL
Just Me
July 20th, 2011
7:07 pm
1953
What did you say or call Vince when he left UGA for Auburn? I bet you said all kind of nice about Vince for being a quitter and getting while the getting was good right?
kerryb
July 20th, 2011
7:11 pm
Without a doubt the next Ron Zook.
1953Dawg
July 20th, 2011
7:12 pm
Beast, wrong again clown. He was a terrible player at UGA. ANd like i said before which obviously Florida fans have no comprehension of facts about this guys ta.ent as a D.C. while he was in the SEC. I was sorry to see him leave Auburn and the SEC, he was the only D.C. BooBoo could out coach. So i’m glad to see him in Florida, and i’m glad Meyer is gone. This guy was a loser as a D.C, and i think he will be the same as a head coach. I’m glad i’m not having to watch this guy coach my team, but i’m very happy to see him coach against my team again. Dream on least of the east.
Abnerish
July 20th, 2011
7:15 pm
I’m hoping more for Galen Hall, personally.
Worm
July 20th, 2011
7:15 pm
Let me clarify, they both ran home to will’s house.
kerryb
July 20th, 2011
7:15 pm
Could be the next Charley Pell.
Just Me
July 20th, 2011
7:16 pm
It wasn’t too long ago that all the same Dawg fans calling Muschamp “ZOOK” were screaming for Smart or Muschamp to come home to replace Willie M.
Beast from the East
July 20th, 2011
7:18 pm
Just Me,
You can’t reason with an unreasonable person. They also love to say he has no HC’ing experience and because of that he is a bad hire. They seem to forget that UGA did the same thing about 11 years ago when they hired their “savior”.
Just Me
July 20th, 2011
7:19 pm
I remember all you dawgs fans now calling Will “Zook” were the same ones crying for Muschamp or Smart to come home to replace Willie M.
1953Dawg
July 20th, 2011
7:19 pm
Beast, wrong again clown. I was sorry to see him leave the SEC and Auburn, because he was the only D.C. in the SEC that BooBoo could actually outcoach. That says all you need to know about how good this guy was as a D.C. This guy will be totally outclassed when he goes up against Saban, Myles, and he is getting outrecruited by Jimbo at Fl.State. Thats who you should be worried about, because saban, myles, spurrier, and fisher will own this clown. Richt, thats another story. Hell he doens’t own anyone anymore. So glad you have this overrated asst as your head coach.
jay
July 20th, 2011
7:25 pm
I don’t know. Which one was a traitor to his alma mater Zook or Urban?
Just Me
July 20th, 2011
7:33 pm
1953
you seem a little hostile.
It is looking like you have an overrated ACC assistant as your head coach. Richt is getting a lil hot on that seat.
LakeDawg
July 20th, 2011
7:36 pm
I have 2 thoughts on this article 1) Urban’s spread didn’t work. Well it worked somewhat, because he had all-world talent and the perfect QB for it, but UF’s offense would have been much more successful in the I formation. UF won because of defense and despite its offense. Urban knew this. That’s why he got out. 2) Muschamp will be another Dabo Swinney. My overriding memory of Muschamp is him getting beat twice in Tuscaloosa, because he bit on the play action fake when he was playing DEEP and had deep safety responsibility. Cost UGA the game. I don’t think he’s that bright. He will do OK, because he will have talent and a pretty good coaching staff, but I’m happy he’s at UF.
Just Me
July 20th, 2011
7:36 pm
Jay that would be Richt as the traitor to his alma mater. A Miami guy goes to FSU?
All you dawgs were begging Smart or Muschamp to come home a year ago and replace Willie. Now Muschamp is the next Zook?
Tampa Gator
July 20th, 2011
7:39 pm
Back from quick Thai…….
1953 Dawg sure likes the word, “Clown.” Dude….call Mr. Saban….will support my comments on Muschamps coaching skills. Muschamp is very, very smart….thanks in part to the excellent education he received at Georgia. Now…..it is time to part some of that education on your team…starting this year.
Just Me
July 20th, 2011
7:41 pm
Enter your comments here
LakeDawg
July 20th, 2011
7:42 pm
I know Muschamp didn’t learn much from his time under Ray Goof. Except, maybe, how to be a dumb, classless goober. LOL
Tampa Gator
July 20th, 2011
7:44 pm
Lake Dawg…..
Your post is completely hilarious to me…..take those blinders off, dude. Leak was not a perfect QB for the spread….and they won a NC with him at QB. He picked OSU apart in that system. Brantley was just horrible last year. And Meyer didn’t leave Florida for your reason (he had another Tebow like player coming in…..Driskell)……it had nothing to do with football…..it was a personal family matter.
Tampa Gator
July 20th, 2011
7:45 pm
……and despite the offense….
dude…..under Tebow……Florida average over 40 points a game. Despite the offense……post intelligently……or go watch TV.
LakeDawg
July 20th, 2011
7:48 pm
“it had nothing to do with football…..it was a personal family matter.”
Riiiiiight. LMAO
SatchelBuzz
July 20th, 2011
7:50 pm
Mark,…really?,..what a thinly veiled effort to play to the ugaggers. You know,..and they know the domination will continue. Much closer to Urban,….not Zook. Shame on you for suggesting otherwise.
And because it needs to be said,……THWG!!
Common Sense
July 20th, 2011
7:51 pm
I know one thing that is an absolute fact. His October will not be an easy one. No team in College Football faces a month that tough.
Jax Dawg
July 20th, 2011
7:52 pm
Initially Spurrier was a million miles ahead of the SEC offensively at Florida. That was his collegiate coaching peak. It took 6 years for Fulmer to catch and pass him. Spurrier only won 1 SEC Championship in his final 5 years at Florida. He is winning at South carolina because the SEC East is way, way down. He deserves credit as one of the best in the SEC history.
Urban Meyer was a great recruiter. Who would not have won huge with Tim Tebow? Meyer lost 9 games in his 2 years with Tebow. Tebow is to Meyer what Hershell Walker was to Vince Dooley. We will never know how good he is without Tebow—except that he averages losing 4.5 games per year.
Can Florida climb back to the top of the SEC West with Muschamp? Maybe — it depends on Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee. Can Florida climb back to win the SEC? Doubtful — as long as Saban, Miles and Petrino are still coaching.
LakeDawg
July 20th, 2011
7:54 pm
Tampa Gator’
Tebow, et al posted big numbers against the poor teams. Urban made a point of leaving Tebow and company in blow out games to run up big numbers. They struggled against good defenses. Of course they were still good, but after Tebow they were going to really struggle in that offense. And a lot of the success of the Tebow years was that defense giving the Offense the ball back time after time. I would say its you that needs to take the blinders off and learn some football or maybe watch T.V. ; D
RomeDawg
July 20th, 2011
7:54 pm
A Florida guy?!?!?!? Let’s see, went to high school in Rome, GEORGIA…played football at the University of GEORGIA but he’s a FLORIDA guy?
Sounds like a traitor. In my opinion he’s a FLORDIA guy now, jerk!
Great assistants aren’t always good head coaches. (Weis and Chow are 2 examples of that)
SatchelBuzz
July 20th, 2011
7:55 pm
RE: Chester Brown,….OL recruit from Bradwell Institute. Ugag just beat out Georgia State and South Alabama to get this guy,……Dream Team,…..I think not.
THWG!!!
ga gator
July 20th, 2011
7:55 pm
Good point common sense. We know a great deal about Mark Richt as a coach and a man; he is great at one and not so good the last two years. Was it an aberation or what he has become? This year will tell. Muschamp we know nothing about him really as either because he has never been a HC and as a man he has not been under a microscope so we do not know.
Tampa Gator
July 20th, 2011
7:58 pm
Jax Dawg…..
Florida and Muschamp winning the SEC East and the SEC has nothing to do with Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Those 3 programs are currently not in the same class with the Florida program….even with a down year. Florida has everything to do with winning championships…..and Muschamp is off to a great start with recruiting and coaching up the top talent in the country……and that has everything to do with winning the SEC….and national championships….something Dawg fans have known nothing about since 1980……which is 32 year gone by, my friend. This is today….not yesterday’s dreams.
LakeDawg
July 20th, 2011
8:00 pm
You heard it hear first. UGA is going to spank some Gator tail in Jax this year!
jay
July 20th, 2011
8:01 pm
First, I’ve never heard Richt downgrade his relationship with Miami.
It is Muschump who disses his alma mater. If he was “a florida guy”
he should have stayed down there and walked on. He owes his coaching
career to UGA and he claims to have been a closet UF guy. I thought
he was a fantastic player and will probably be a fantastic coach,
but he’ll always be a traitor to me.
Tampa Gator
July 20th, 2011
8:06 pm
Lake Dawg…..
Yeah…..the offense really struggled in those national title games against Ohio State and Oklahoma. I guess Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina, LSU, etc. really had horrible defenses…..just like all the other teams in the SEC. Florida…..scored a lot of points on most of the teams they played under Meyer and Tebow. And they did have a great defense…….and lost the Bama game because the offense did stumble somehat against an outstanding Bama defense a couple of years ago….but not having Dunlap and a healthy Spikes and Cunningham really hurt the team as well in that game.
Tampa Gator
July 20th, 2011
8:08 pm
Lake Dawg…..
Didn’t you post the same thing last year….about this time? And you still lost in a down Florida year. This Florida team will be a lot better than last year’s team. So hold on to your dreams…..dreams are real in the summer.
Ringleader
July 20th, 2011
8:11 pm
RomeDawg He was born and raised in Gainesville, FL until his dad took the headmaster job in Rome. He was recruited as a walk on by FL just like GA.
Just Me
July 20th, 2011
8:12 pm
RomeDawg
Sounds like a traitor. In my opinion he’s a FLORDIA guy now, jerk!
Sounds like Richt is a traitor too then right? Miami guy and goes to FSU to coach, JERK!
Tampa Gator
July 20th, 2011
8:13 pm
Rome Dawg…..
Muschamp spent his early years going to middle school in Gainesville, Florida, and going to Gator games in the SWAMP. He loved the Gators as a kid….and while he lived in Rome. He always wanted to play for the Gators…..but was not good enough. He lived in Georgia and walked on there instead of Florida because he could not afford the out of state tuition at Florida….he could have walked on at Florida….but could not afford to do so. If he had been good enough to earn a scholly in HS….he would have been a Gator and not a Dawg.
LakeDawg
July 20th, 2011
8:16 pm
Tampa Gator
Yeah, against Oklahoma they scored 24 whole points against a Big 12 defense with numerous opportunities given them by a smothering D. What was their longest drive against OSU? I don’t remember all of the details about the game. I just remember the D turning the ball over in OSU territory about every five plays. Look, I never said they weren’t good offensively. Just that without Tebow they would be much more effective in the I formation. That offense is a gimmick offense. Unless you have a Tebow or a Cam Newton its not going to be that effective against good SEC defenses. Its a good offense to try to level the playing field if you have less talent than the big boys. UF should never have been in that offense. Urban even said he was going to adjust after Tebow left, but he didn’t, because that’s the only offense he knows. He saw the hand writing on the wall and left.
LakeDawg
July 20th, 2011
8:19 pm
If Muschamp says he’s a Gator, then he’s a Gator. I have no reason to believe he’s making it up. And I’m glad he’s a Gator, because I would hate to think a Dawg would ever coach at UF.
ga gator
July 20th, 2011
8:22 pm
Tampa Gator you need some minor correction: Muschamp was not born in Gainesville but spent years 5-15 there. He was a very good football player until he broke his leg during the early part of his senior year and was not recruited by anyone. He wanted to walk on at Florida but when he came down to visit, Spurrier was a no-show (on the golf course), Muschamp then tried UGA where he was offered and the rest is history. He does not come from a poor family and could have afforded tuition at UF which is cheap by the way.
Poopdawg
July 20th, 2011
8:23 pm
So Tampagator , you think Muschamp will be pulling for UF over UGA? Just how sure are you? Muschamp will do fine .