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
DawginLex
July 21st, 2011
9:46 am
Tebow was on the team in 2006 and 2008.
That makes him a part of both teams.
His role in 2006 was much more limited than 2008 but nevertheless, he was there. His presence in the locker room and the excitement he generated on the field even in 2006 was a difference maker. Remember LSU in 2006 at home? The jump pass? He was the ultimate safety blanket for Leak.
I stand by my statement
FLDawg
July 21st, 2011
9:47 am
Don’t forget about Trent Richardson folks. It’s not like he won’t be able to run anymore or that the Bama O-line will wither. I see Bama by 7+ in the Swamp.
DC
July 21st, 2011
9:52 am
I’m surprised no one is talking about Sheridan’s comments on Finebaum yesterday….
Basically stating that his “inside man” thinks they found AU’s bagman and they want him to step forward…Sheridan makes a bunch of comments in the segment and kinda backtracks on bunch of stuff but IF the persons involved step forward it will be bad for AU…
But, if none of this can be proven then NCAA will drop the case in 3-6 months..
Said 15 other schools are being investigated…
DawginLex
July 21st, 2011
9:53 am
Danny Sheridan claiming that NCAA is close to disclosing the “bag man” who was the 3rd party that actually got the money to Cecil Newton.
Sheridan claims the source is credible, someone he has known for 25 years.
Also said if “bag man” doesn’t come forward, case will be closed in 3 to 6 months.
no link, radio interview
Lindsey
July 21st, 2011
9:55 am
The name under that photo should be Judas Muschamp, GO DAWGS!!!
DC
July 21st, 2011
9:55 am
yep said it already lex lol
DawginLex
July 21st, 2011
9:55 am
DC I think we were typing at the same time……….
GTT
July 21st, 2011
9:56 am
Follow Bradley’s lead: It’s Head Ball Coach not Ol’ Ball Coach or Ole Ball Coach (who can be found at Pedro’s South of the Border).
Tampa Gator
July 21st, 2011
10:05 am
DawginLex…..
If Tebow was the starting QB on that 2006 team instead of Leak….the Gators would have lost 3 or 4 games. Tebow was not ready in 2006….he was a role player. You can take 5 or 10 plays by other members of that tream……and make the same statement about that play and that player. Leak was the leader of the 2006 team….and the reason….along with a great defense…that the Gators won the SEC title and beat OSU in the title game. And Tebow had great defensive support on his team as well. You don’t win championship because of one player…..even the 1980 team had more that Herschel. You win WITH them….and with great coaching….and that is what Meyer supplied at Florida….except for last year….which I am still not very happy with him about. Meyer placing Steve Addazio in charge of the offense was one of the worst decisions Meyer ever made…..and very few Gator fans understand his thinking on that one.
Tide Rising
July 21st, 2011
10:17 am
So Muschamp is saying that the strength and conditioning coach is the most important assistant in the program? One thing is for sure. He’s sending the message that his teams will be physical. If there is one thing he learned in watching Bama dominate his Texas on the line of scrimmage and Florida do the same to OU he learned that to win in the SEC you better be physical.
Columbus Dawg
July 21st, 2011
10:21 am
I believe what was said was that if no proof was found in the allegations against Auburn that it would be closed in three to six months.
NewnanDawg
July 21st, 2011
10:30 am
I hope Mushchamp fails miserably, like Zook, at Florida.
That said, 6 months ago, I was hoping he’d be the next head coach at UGA…..
If Richt loses to Mushchamp this year, that will be 4 UF head coaches he has a losing record against.
Columbus Dawg
July 21st, 2011
10:35 am
Sheridan said that the NCAA thinks they know who the third party is and that the money came from a “wealthy Auburn supporter”. Bagman stepping forward is not the only way to find proof.
DC
July 21st, 2011
10:36 am
no….if it can’t be proven….I’m sure there are a bunch of leads..but its what you can prove…this isn’t Judge judy…
DC
July 21st, 2011
10:40 am
NCAA thinks…and they think they know the booster as well..but they need the “bagman” to step forward or else they don’t have a case..b/c obviously…if this is true..money has been filtered through channels and it is now hard to trace and wont be able to trace im sure until after 7 yrs
KA
July 21st, 2011
10:44 am
I was Muschamp’s frat brother and we drank together often downtown. Let me tell you, this guy hates the Gators. Ever since Chris Doering and Steve Spurrier came into Sanford Stadium and hung 50plus on him he has vowed revenge ever since. Muschamp was the laughing stock of our school for years after that pathetic game. My gut tells me he is UGA mole and will try and blow-up the Gator program from within. He will do this by hiring hack coordinators like Charlie Weiss…who himself tried to blow up the Notre Dame program from within and did a great job. All Gator fans beware…. your program is going back to pre-1991 levels. mainly because your head coach hates you and your gaudy orange and blue.
Cardinal Sin
July 21st, 2011
10:48 am
I love to hear all of the trash talkin dawg fans who have nothing to back up their smack! FL has owned GA for over 20 yrs now with more SEC Championships and NC’s so until your LACK LUSTER Program can actually WIN the Big Games, I would SHUT THE F UP!
SC or FL wins the East in 2012!
Enough Said!
KA
July 21st, 2011
10:52 am
2012??? Why don’t you go ahead and predict when the world will end while your at it?????
Fried Gator Recipe
July 21st, 2011
10:58 am
Texas was 2-6 last year in the Big 12 and 5-7 overall.
The great Muschamp defense was 49th in points allowed (23.7 points per game).
Texas was glad to see the honorable Coach in Waiting fail to fulfill his Longhorn contract.
Muschamp is an over-rated coach who possesses a big motor mouth, just like Charlie Weis.
headley lamar
July 21st, 2011
11:00 am
FL has owned GA for over 20 yrs now
Yeah but we owned you for the 80 years before that.
UGA has as much money, facilities, and talent as anyone. Its just a matter of time before that series turns around again.
81Dawg
July 21st, 2011
11:00 am
Do you guys think ole “Chiz” is starting sweat a little?
http://www.teamspeedkills.com/2011/7/20/2285291/cam-newton-danny-sheridan-finebaum
Just Me
July 21st, 2011
11:07 am
NewnanDawg
July 21st, 2011
10:30 am
I hope Mushchamp fails miserably, like Zook, at Florida.
That said, 6 months ago, I was hoping he’d be the next head coach at UGA…..
This statement is why UGA fans are the most hated. You took what I wanted so now I hope what you got sucks. keep it classy UGA fans. A year ago UGA fans wanted SMART or MUSCHAMP to be UGA’s DC, but now those guys suck. Grantham is the greatest and who the Dawgs really wanted anyway.
David Granger
July 21st, 2011
11:11 am
Florida lost a lot of very key players last year, and it might be hard for Coach Muschamp to have a good first year. I hope the Florida faithful don’t get down on him, because I think he’s going to be a fine head coach.
The very first real move he made was to kick Janoris Jenkins off the team after his “third strike”. Jenkins was a senior cornerback (all SEC pick) who had been a three-year starter and who…by all accounts…passed on a first-round draft projection to return to school.
Muschamp did not give us that old “wait and let the legal system run its course” BS. He didn’t suspend Jenkins for a couple of “thump a chump” games. And he didn’t give us those old “he needs the structure and discipline of football” excuses that we’ve all heard before. It was just “this is your third strike, so you’re gone.”
I sure wish we had that kind of strict, no-nonsense discipline at Georgia over the last few years. That would have solved a lot of our problems, both on and off the field.
Gatorbait
July 21st, 2011
11:27 am
Charlie Weis versus Mike Bozo calling plays- not much of a comparision. Bradley and UGA fans talking trash after losing to UCF in a bowl game- now that is funny. When will Richt finally be fired???
grizzly
July 21st, 2011
11:29 am
Spurrier was both smart and lucky. By 1990 all pretense of “student athlete” had ended in SEC admissions offices. From then to now, Florida’s gold mine of talent has supplied national champions, in Gainesville and other places.
He's the next Bob Davie
July 21st, 2011
11:37 am
except douchier.
What a tempermental little beyatch he was at the conference yesterday.
O….N…. when a guy couldn’t get his microphone to work.
Enjoy him jortsamulleters
how2fish
July 21st, 2011
11:39 am
Without starting WWIII I have a question for Gator Nation…I keep hearing about CWM’s defensive skill. Last year both UGA and Texas lost 7 games . UGA with a new DC and new scheme and without the ideal personnel to run that scheme gave up 28 or more points TWICE. Texas on the other hand with a time tested scheme and recruits the DC recruited gave up 28 or more points SIX times and their other lost was by 24 points. Compound that with a new OC and new scheme and that is really not cause for concern? I’m talking this year I have nothing to go on about how CWM will be long term just talking this year. I think he will be pretty good but again that is just my hunch.
Alabama | MrSEC.com
July 21st, 2011
11:48 am
[...] their season opener. (Seriously, Nike, we enjoyed the Trump Soho last year.)7. Is Will Muschamp the next Urban Meyer or the next Ron Zook?8. South Carolina has Steve Spurrier talking about championships again.9. Brent Calloway opened [...]
BG
July 21st, 2011
11:50 am
Muschamp is a fruitcake.
oldbird
July 21st, 2011
11:52 am
Before Spurrier arrived, does anyone remember how many SEC titles Florida had won? Exactly as many as Vanderbilt – ZERO.
JP
July 21st, 2011
11:52 am
As a Gator fan, I think we’ll go 7-5 or maybe, if lucky 8-4. Our schedule is really difficult this year – we get LSU and Alabama, as well as FSU at the end of the year. Those are probably 3 losses there. Throw in S.C. and UGA, and we could easily lose 5 games….. And that’s not counting the rest of our schedule…..
DIT
July 21st, 2011
11:59 am
I’m a Dawg through and through, but to believe that UF will be less with CWM is crazy. There is way too much talent on that team and in the state of Florida. Why be bitter and hope that he does bad? Being a former Dawg I hope he does well except for one game out of the year.
WDE
July 21st, 2011
12:00 pm
@Gatorbait well lets see Ol’ Charlie didn’t do such a great job with all the talent he pulled in a ND did he now…and I know I know well he was a great NFL OC..newsflash he wouldn’t be dealing with grown men of NFL caliber talent at UF…you really think that ego that is every bit big as his waistline will allow him to be a great college coach? Or allow him to get through the tough times with friction when his Boss is 20 years his junior and has never been in the NFL or a HC before…I tell you what I see in UF’s future fireworks and not the good kind.
Big O
July 21st, 2011
12:13 pm
Interesting dialogue here. As a Vol who recognizes the reality that TN’s only chance is to be a spoiler, I’d like to throw my sideline opinion in. The whole SEC East is a crap shoot this year. Too many unknowns from top to bottom.
GA has a promising QB, but O-line and running back support is questionable, have been horrific underperformers wuith their talent in recent years, maybe 3 – 4 losses possibly …
FL has talent, but Brantley has to step up or they are looking at possibly 4 losses, maybe even 5.
South Carolina is SC, they can be giant killers one week and lose to the 50th ranked team the next, no way they repeat, they don’t have a winning mentality, again 4 – 5 losses.
Tn, who knows they could win 7 or lose 7, that pathetic lightweight schedule will keep them afloat, but still maybe 4 – 6 losses.
Ky, Vandy, same ole same ole.
Bottom line, I still think Florida emerges at the top. Most depth. Won’t matter after the Saturday of the SEC Championship though, the West, which used to be a doormat, has 4 or 5 teams that could emerge in a NC run. Bad year for the East, good year for the West…again.
TigerinGA
July 21st, 2011
12:24 pm
He will do much better than UGA in his first season! Richt is too soft and not developing talent and will pay the price with his job this year.
joe taxpayer
July 21st, 2011
12:27 pm
If Zook owned the dogs than he will have no trouble.
Tampa Gator
July 21st, 2011
12:30 pm
Big O….congrats on an intelligent post.
The SEC East is a crapshoot between South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida….all with talent but with issues to be determined on game day. All three teams have the means to beat the other…..but much depends on the QB play for SC and Florida. Georgia is set at that position. Georgia’s problems are elsewhere….lack of depth and proven talent at critical postions on both sides of the ball. Kentucky will improve this year, as will Tennesssee and Vandy. But the East is substandard to the West with LSU, Bama, Arkansas, and even MSU being tough teams. Auburn…will drop some this year, of course, with Farley and Newton gone. But they will be a tought team….unless the NCAA comes down real hard on them. Mississppi…..what a Nutty professor they have…..just a matter of time before a move is made at the HC postion there.
The SEC East champion could be 5-3 in the division again this year…..and that says it all.
But I still think Florida will stun Bama in THE SWAMP this year. Just a feeling…and not based on facts.
Woody Bass
July 21st, 2011
12:33 pm
Are we really going to compare a man who got a job after he has proven success everywhere he’s been… to a man who was lucky to get that job and hadnt proven anything of any significance anywhere other than he was a really good recruiter?
hell… UGAly recruited well too… and they still managed to stink it up.
Must-Chomp has a lot to prove.. no doubt.. hell even Weis has a lot to prove (to me). But there is no doubt in my mind that Must-Chomp will be FAR more successful than Zook was. Must-Chomp just has the unforunate luck to come in on year one with a schedule that every member of the Gator Nation will have to stock up on valium for.
Urban Meyer
July 21st, 2011
1:06 pm
Can’t believe they hired a Georgia guy to coach my team! He won’t last long…will be sitting by me and Timmy at the pool soon!
WDE
July 21st, 2011
1:39 pm
@Woody Bass agreed with you on the schedule that is a brutal one.
ga gator
July 21st, 2011
1:47 pm
Woody Bass most of my friends believe they will go 9-3 and be the spoiler for either SC or UGA. If Weis does even reasonably well with Brantley they will be better. The Defense that played at least 5 true freshman last year will be the strength of the team and it will all depend on Brantley. There is hope though as the #1 QB signed last year went through spring and is already drawing comparisons to Tebow which will add even more pressure on Brantley.
GrantParkGator
July 21st, 2011
3:20 pm
Ron Zook had a winning record vs CMR. That should tell you EVERYTHING about CMR as a HC. Starts from the TOP. Willie got the blame for years and now it’s Bobo’s turn to take the blame for CMR. At some point the losses have to fall upon his shoulders. John Cooper was 111-43 as HC tOSu but couldn’t keep his job because of his record vs 2-10-1. Sounds like CMR.
Gatorbait
July 21st, 2011
3:20 pm
WDE Notre Dame was a top offense under Weis. He can’t coach defense and isn’t a head coach. At UF his job is simply to put points on the board. Scary thought for UGA.
Terry
July 21st, 2011
4:07 pm
I think you gator fans need to take a look at Kansas City Chiefs season last year who they played and how good Charlie Weis offense really was against those teams.
Delbert D.
July 21st, 2011
6:15 pm
“The Gators Will Muschamp.” That sounds odd. What will they do after they muschamp?
Gatorbait
July 21st, 2011
7:08 pm
Terry the Weis was amazing with the Chiefs last year. Not sure what you are talking about.
Northside Dawg
July 23rd, 2011
1:14 am
Zook was 2-1 against the Dawgs, not 2-0.
UGAJD
July 24th, 2011
9:05 pm
Only thing we know is he won’t be Urban Meyer (thank God). Beyond that– we know little. And that’s both cause for hope and reason to be terrified. Good column Mark. And to my overzealous UGA compatriots– let’s taper the celebrations, shall we? I seem to remember Meyer’s worst team beating us in Jacksonville last year with three quarterbacks and Jeff Demps on one leg.
JoeV
July 26th, 2011
4:41 pm
test
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