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
Longhorn alert
July 21st, 2011
1:25 am
Lol thanks Just me and I thought I was just blogging with some anger little man that got left out of all of the playground games as a boy…… But I stand corrected Just me is a football genius!!!!! Sign him up boys, give that man a clipboard and a whistle, he is ready for the big times!…… As a side note I hope Muschamp does well… I just said in the games I watched Texas play while he was the DC, they did not play well, the games were entertaining, but if you say he is great than who am I to challenge such a football brain as yours….. You the man just me……. I mean Coach Just Me!!!!!!
LakeDawg Eats Idiots Sandwiches
July 21st, 2011
1:34 am
LakeDawg said” Tebow put big numbers against poor teams” ….haha those 50 plus points Tebow put on UGA still hurts today! LOL
SEC Media Days: Day 1 Recap
July 21st, 2011
1:47 am
[...] Mark Bradley wonders if Will Muschamp is the next Urban Meyer, or another Ron Zook. [...]
WUOG 90.5 FM » Sports » SEC Media Days: Day 1 Recap
July 21st, 2011
1:53 am
[...] Mark Bradley wonders if Will Muschamp is the next Urban Meyer, or another Ron Zook. [...]
coachgator
July 21st, 2011
4:13 am
gators go 10-2…lsu on the road and the ole ball coach on the road
go gators
tony
July 21st, 2011
4:46 am
I want Mr Richt to succeed more than any1 because I am a dawg’s fan, but the man is just too stubborn to be a championship caliber coach. If it weren’t for BV and all the talent he gets I doubt he would be a successful hc. His offense has hurt his team more than anything but he refuse to address the problem. He has been the hc at uga 10 yrs now but his offense has never been rank in the top 10 total offense. His offense is what concerns me going into this season.
Total Offense……….Total Defense…..record
2001-rank 21st…………rank 49th…………8-4
2002-rank 49th…………rank 15th………..13-1
2003-rank 58th…………rank 4th………….11-3
2004-rank 31st…………rank 8th………….10-2
2005-rank 49th…………rank 18th………..10-3
2006-rank 53rd…………rank 20th………..9-4
2007-rank 74th…………rank 14th………..11-2
2008-rank 22nd………..rank 22nd……….10-3
2009-rank 75th…………rank 38th………..8-5
2010-rank 56th…………rank 23rd………..6-7
National Champions
Florida 2006-Total O rank 6th….Total Defense rank 6th
LSU 2007-Total O rank 26th….. Total Defense rank 3rd
Florida 2008 Total O rank 15th.. Total Defense rank 9th
Alabama 2009 Total O rank 42…Total Defense rank 2nd
Auburn 2010 Total O rank 7th…..Total Defense rank 60th
B-Bro
July 21st, 2011
6:08 am
I have no doubt the Gators will be ready to play any and every game with this coaching staff. I had some doubts about Brantley but now that Weiss is there I believe all that will work out and we’ll see the great quarterback skills come out of Brantley as we known him to have at the beginning. Best to the Gators on that run to the SEC & National Title.
bull-gator
July 21st, 2011
6:25 am
Gators only loss in regular season is to the Tide. Brantley is benched in this game as he throws 3 picks and loses a fumble. Driskel takes the helm in the 4th quarter and never looks back. I’ve been watching Brantly for several years now and I don’t think he has the mental skill set to play at this level. Just an observation…
georgiadawg
July 21st, 2011
6:38 am
Tampa Gator,
Foley didn’t hire Meyer. The new president Bernie Meacham had him hired as an agreement for Meacham to come to Fl. Zook was fired before the season even started. The powers that be were scared to death he might win the SEC and put them into the position of having to fire him. When he lost to Miss. State they pulled the trigger when they had the chance. Foley was just a spectator. Don’t doubt me on this.
Buckeye
July 21st, 2011
6:44 am
Neither.
He’s just another georgia redneck pompous jerk. At least that’s how he came across during his SECville media day.
Gen Neyland
July 21st, 2011
6:55 am
As in most cases, time will tell but what he has going in his favor is like those whose footsteps he follows, he’ll only have to leave the state of Florida a few times a season to play away…
Columbus Dawg
July 21st, 2011
7:08 am
Aubie,Aubie,Aubie, seems that the NCAA has stepped up it’s investigation since your D.A. coach popped off down in Destin! Seems that Finebaum was told by a legitimate source that the NCAA thinks it has found the bagman who was the link to Newton with the cash money!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
Gatorbait
July 21st, 2011
7:11 am
Bradley is hoping this guy is successful. Weis calling the plays and Muschamp overseeing the Defense. Sounds pretty good to me. Do you want Mike Bozo calling plays or Charlie Weis? Richt will be fired well before Muschamp.
Columbus Dawg
July 21st, 2011
7:12 am
Yeah, right bull-gator, I would not bet your house on that prediction, Murray will finish properly this time around in Jax, mark it down.
“Mediocre Muschamp” sucked as a player at Georgia, and sucked as D coach at Auburn. Dawgs owned his sorry butt, and will again.
Columbus Dawg
July 21st, 2011
7:14 am
This will be the year that starts the turnaround against the Gators, and this blog will look a lot different before long. Will be no mealy mouth Auburn dips, and Gator boys will be no where to be found. can’t wait.
King Gator
July 21st, 2011
7:34 am
Wake up Columbus Dawg, the Pups are 4th or 5th at best in the SEC most years and don’t expect that to change anytime soon. The Gators are going to be just fine and will continue to own Georgia in Jax. Go Gators!!
Sloan
July 21st, 2011
7:47 am
I just pray that Muschamp doesn’t make it obvious to UGA that we blew it when we should have been hiring him ourselves after last season.
GT
July 21st, 2011
7:47 am
Pro football coaches do not always do well in the college ranks. Charlie Weis is a perfect example. It takes a huge amount of work to be an assistant coach in the SEC. You get raw talent that does not know fundamentals coming out of high school. You have a few practices to teach them this and then bang the season starts. Georgia is a victim of this as much as anybody. Great offensive line talent poorly coached. Muschamp is too young to control Weis’s mouth or his work habits. That guy didn’t get that fat working hard and being discipled. Muschamp would have been better off hiring his brother the high school coach in Atlanta. Someone he can trust who know fundamental football.
» SEC: Slive’s big ideas, Spurrier’s swagger and Gators’ chip John Clay’s Sidelines
July 21st, 2011
7:52 am
[...] Mark Bradley of the AJC doesn’t think Muschamp is the next Zook. [...]
Fleming Island Dawg
July 21st, 2011
7:55 am
King Gator Georgia has 12 SEC Championships so I was wondering exactly what years are you thinking when you say “most” years we are 4th or 5th in the SEC. I think Florida won their 1st one ever in 1993.
charles s lowder
July 21st, 2011
8:00 am
Zook still beat Georgia as will his successor whomever it might be.
Jimmy Crack
July 21st, 2011
8:03 am
RON ZOOK 2: THE URBMEYER STRIKES BACK
This season for Florida will be the new high-salaried coaches versus a player roster so mediocre that it caused Urban Meyer Lansky to flee the sunshine state to pursue his true talent…interviewing people.
Ted Striker
July 21st, 2011
8:08 am
The Delta’s at Faber College may have been on double secret probation however the Zooker was on quadruple public head coach probation at UF from day one.
He wasn’t Spurrier and he wasn’t Knute Rockne however I couldn’t help but be sympathetic to a guy who had a website up and running to fire him before he even checked in to the Holiday Inn for a quick shower.
At least they put Muschamp up at the Marriott.
Columbus Dawg
July 21st, 2011
8:08 am
Hey King of the D.A.’s, UGA is third in SEC in SEC Titles, leads the series with UF, and is tied with Oklahoma for forth in nation in all time bowl wins. Uf is the one who is fifth in SEC in titles, and is no where significant in # of bowl wins. UGA has twice the tradition and history as the Gators. WILL turn series around this year.
WTF
July 21st, 2011
8:11 am
Just had to get your dig in at Goff didn’t you Bradley – a loyal Bulldog who step in when Dooley and the Athletic Board screwed up bringing in Erk to run the program. May not have been a great coach, but did the best he could in a tough situation and is now treatead as a pariah. Muschamp seems to have faired farily well as both a player and assistant coach, even though he was given a chance and played for Goff. Of course, you would have been screaming for Dooley’s firing after his first two or three seasons.
RM
July 21st, 2011
8:17 am
I hope he fails miserably! Traitor!
Paul N Destin
July 21st, 2011
8:25 am
UF will be a very good team this year because they have a lot of talent and Will is taking back the program from some of the thugs on the team. Urban had let it slip enough some and Will has cleaned up those folks. I think most see that Brantley’s hype was more about his father than the players ability. It will take at least 3 years to get a handle on just what Will is as far as a HC. Can he win with Urban’s folks..I think yes. Can he be the Head man and manage the entire process? That is what we don’t know and will not know until at least 3 years. Everyone is not a HC…see Mike Shula and Mike Dubose for details. It is one thing to to be in charge of a section and be a success but being in charge of the entire business is another. You UGA fans should really not be talking Gators with your record of success over the past 20 years. You need to take Coach Bryant’s advice and that is “Tend to your own knitting”. We all should. He also stated…”Tuff times don’t last but tuff people do”.
DawginLex
July 21st, 2011
8:32 am
I am sticking to what I said before.
No Tebow=No titles
Tebow=Florida’s Herschel
Muschamp won’t be Zook but you take Tebow away from Meyer and you have a pretty good coach but no national title.
It is a definite advantage to Georgia and the rest of the SEC that Muschamp is running pro style offense. His defense should be very good this year and it will need to be becuase Brantley ain’t Tom Brady II.
Florida won’t go back to 70’s and 80’s levels under Muschamp because the talent base is too good.
DawginLex
July 21st, 2011
8:35 am
As far as the Zook comparisons go, if we go 1-2 over the next 3 years versus Muschamp but our overall records are
13-1
11-3
10-2
With 1 SEC title and 2 SEC East titles, like 2002-2004, I would think we would take it considering last year.
tom boyd
July 21st, 2011
8:55 am
Let see:
Offense- Charlie Weiss vs Todd Grantham check
Defense- Dan Quinn/Will Muschamp vs Mike Bobo check
I’m ordering my kegs for Florida-Georgia
Tampa Gator
July 21st, 2011
9:01 am
Enter your comments here
Buckeye
July 21st, 2011
9:05 am
uga’s Nike Pro Combat………………..
Since the haughty Chip Towers has blocked me and denied my appeal, I have to comment here on the uni’s for uga’s only game in the Dome this season………….
A pig in a bonnett is still a pig
DawginLex
July 21st, 2011
9:06 am
Buckeye
your ban was probably from one of the moderators.
I sent Chip an e-mail and he unblocked me
rock steady freddy
July 21st, 2011
9:07 am
MUSCHUMP WILL GET ROCKED STEADY, JUST LIKE OL’ FREDDY! AaROOF!
Buckeye
July 21st, 2011
9:14 am
Dawgin,
I did too and he responded no dice.
Chip can take a long walk of a short pier.
So much for freedon of speech and alternative trash talk points of view.
Hope you are staying cool up in Lexington.
Ringleader
July 21st, 2011
9:16 am
Georgia did play in Tuscaloosa……..You may recall thats when Brice Hunter dropped a wide open pass that cost us the game.
Tampa Gator
July 21st, 2011
9:20 am
DawginLex….
You could take one great player away from the last six SEC title teams….and most likely make the same point.
Fact is….the coaches of those six teams….including Meyer…..took great high school players and turned them into great college players. That is what great coaches do. Dooley did the same with Herschel…..and became a one time legend for it. At least Meyer won two NC…..one with Tebow…and one with Leak (Tebow played a very minor role in that first Meyer coached title no matter what you think….he was basically a short yardage fullback then).
RedandBlackDAWG
July 21st, 2011
9:21 am
It is time to let the games begin. I am so tired of all the banter back and forth, when not a single one of us is a coach of even a minor football program, much less a top universirty in the SEC. Lets’t see how it all plays out on the field. Each side has had it’s say about the others coach, but let’s just let the games decide what university is in better shape, coach wise.
DawginLex
July 21st, 2011
9:21 am
what did you do wrong Buckeye?
bobbybrave
July 21st, 2011
9:25 am
gators will win the east…at lsu and maybe the ole ball coach…will be the only two conf loses..the bullpups in jax will be no problem…we own them…go gators
shankit
July 21st, 2011
9:27 am
TAMPA GATOR @”Alabama in the swamp, and very seldom does anyone beat down the Gators
in the swamp. ” I recall when Shane Matthews was quarterback, Bama came down
and “stomped” the Gators, and then beat them again later on.
Tampa Gator
July 21st, 2011
9:29 am
Sloan….
Muschamp has made it clear…..and he said it again yesterday…..the only job he would have left the HC in waiting job at Texas for…..is the Florida job. “When Jeremy Foley calls, you listen.” “He didn’t say, “When the latest AD at Georgia calls, you listen.” But I must say…..your current AD is going to be a good one….he had great training under the best AD in the country.
npgator
July 21st, 2011
9:29 am
We could have Pee Wee Herman coaching and the Dogs will still be our bitches!
Gator Mike
July 21st, 2011
9:31 am
It looks like this will be aa very interesting year. As all Gators, I have complete confidence in Coach WM until proven otherwise. All of our rambling will be settled by the players on the field and how the coaches prepare them. The Gators will not suck on offense as bad as they did last year under inferior coaching.
I am not saying that the Gators will make it to Atlanta, but they will surprise some naysayers.
Additionally, I do not buy into all of the USCe hype for a nuber of reasons. In today’s Charleston, SC paper Latimore is already saying that his goal is to win the Heisman. Where is the team first attitude in this guy. If UGA stuffs him, Garcia will implode and UGA will win this year in Athens.
Let the fun begin.
Tampa Gator
July 21st, 2011
9:33 am
DawginLex….
Tebow had very little to do with the first NC for Florida under Meyer. He was basically a short yardage FB for that team. That team was lead by Chris Leak and the defense (ask the OSU players). So….maybe you should reconsider your position on that idea.
DawginLex
July 21st, 2011
9:36 am
No way Tampa.
You should KNOW that Tebow being there was a safety blanket and a source of inspiration for that team.
Without him, you lose 2 more games.
He is your Herschel.
That is the greatest compliment I can give to anyone.
bobbybrave
July 21st, 2011
9:38 am
the gators beat bama by 10 points in the swamp……new qb for bama will have no chance…..the defense for bama will be great….but fla will stop the run and put the game in a rookie qb
shankit
July 21st, 2011
9:38 am
In fairness to Ron Zook, Meyer won his first national championship
with Zook’s players, and Tebow did not win two championships. Chris
Leak won the first and he was recruited and coached by Zoo,
New Florida coach: The Next Urban Meyer or (gulp) The Next Ron Zook? | Rick Bozich
July 21st, 2011
9:41 am
[...] Read Bradley’s column here – and then you decide. [...]
FLDawg
July 21st, 2011
9:46 am
Gator fans…We all know you didn’t like Ron Zook, but you do realize that Urban Meyer won his first SEC and Nat’l Championship with Zook recruited talent. No Chris Leak and supporting cast, no 2006 championships. Note: Tebow was only a fullback then.