Mike McCall gets points for consistency with his follow-up on Janoris Jenkins, but that’s not the part that interests me. Rather, it’s the choice he believes the program faced with the Jenkins decision:
… So, what is gained? If only for a moment, the Gators’ reputation as The New Thug U may go away. There’s a new sheriff in town, and he’s ready to get everyone in line. But do you really care? Would you rather people poke fun at your team for arrests while they win titles, or would you rather be praised as a more wholesome, 8-4 program?
Personally, I’d choose door number three (arrests and the mediocre record), but that ship appears to have sailed from Gainesville, at least for the moment. Seriously, I get his point. It’s certainly an attitude that’s shared by other Gators. And, to be fair, by many fans of other programs.
I find it to be a little weird, though, to be weighing how much bang for the buck you get with kids who break the law. Or whether there’s valid linkage between the Fulmer Cup standings and BCS appearances. Your mileage may vary, of course.
That perspective doesn’t surprise me coming from the fan base that thinks college football started in 1990. There probably is a linkage between Fulmer Cup points and BCS championships since then.
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He’s a cornerback, it’s not the end of the world as we know it. Not to mention 3 arrests so what makes him think #4 is not going to happen even if he gets suspended. Mushchamp tough stance, though, will only fly as long as the Gators are winning. Sadly, Georgia has taken door #3 in the past as well.
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I think losing Jenkins is a bigger deal than you say. Shutdown corners don’t grow on trees, even in the SEC.
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Not saying it’s not a big loss but it’s not like losing a Tim Tebow or even an A.J. Green. The Gators will have to provide more safety help but most schools don’t have a shutdown corner anyway.
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Put it this way, this evens the score on AJ going pro early down in Jacksonville. That’s no small statement. Jenkins could’ve shut down any WR currently on our roster without getting winded. It takes an AJ type of talent to challenge Jenkins.
The rest of their corners aren’t at that elite level, much like our current WRs.
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You forget that Ole Miss just rolled onto the schedule.
wokka wokka.
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No, shutdown corners do not grow on trees. The guy is very talented and was a starter when he showed up on campus. That said, the fact that Jenkins was arrested within weeks of Muschamp taking over and then was arrested again on the same violation shows that the fellow did not take the Muschamp “Florida Way” speech very seriously. And he is not very smart. (I guess he and AJ Green share that trait!)
Muschamp gets a bit of a pass his first year. Not having Jenkins around might make the difference in wins and losses. Hell, it probably will. But booting him off the team will probably make a bigger difference overall in the program.
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Is it fair to say that Jenkins was the best player on UF’s roster before yesterday? Not most valuable, but best. I’m having a hard time coming up with anyone close except for maybe those young DTs.
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That is hard to say. Based on the field performance, he most certainly was the best of anyone initially thought to be coming back for 2011. That said, Rainey, Demps and Burton are not far behind. And as you mention, those big DTs are pretty good too.
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+100. We are the living proof for this.
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Was that an REM reference? I think the music references inside the football posts has me looking to hard.
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+1. You got it
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Jenkins was the best corner in the SEC, it’s a bigger loss than you think. I know the Gators will say “we’ve got plenty of talented guys behind him,” but they also said that after 2009’s crop of NFL talent left Gainesville.
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“I’m a joker
I’m a smoker
I’m a mid-night toker
Coach Muschamp got me on ‘da run
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh”………………just trying to stay in step Senator.
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Senator, looks like Johnson better get his retainer for the off season…..he may be a bit busy.
People forget it was Jenkins that shut down AJ.
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“Jenkins shut down AJ” ??
I disagree. AJ was double or triple teamed for much of the game, and was triple teamed when he caught a 15 yd td. Jenkins is/was a good player, but he didn’t “shut down” AJ one-on-one.
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Without Jenkins, the Gators won’t be able to shutdown…wait a second…oh come one….ok, I’m stumped. Who is our wide receiver?
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I think its one of the 6 or 7 players wearing the #1 jersey this season, but then I could be mistaken.
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I reluctantly agree that he needed to be gone. Not that it is a horrible crime, but that he showed such bad judgement.
Yes, not having him could easily turn one or two wins into losses. Hope it is in the West or FSU and not the East.
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Ah the master plan is working. First we get numbnuts Foley to hire a UGA grad, then we get him to kick all their best players to the curb. Sheer brilliance.
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Took a UGA man to finally do the right thing at UF!!! Kudos to CM on living up to his committment
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Let’s not forget that he allowed his best asset to get hired by UGA.
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Zook is at Georgia?
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If Zook were the coach at UGA, he could not do much worse against Florida than Richt!
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Again: The Dawgs were 1 & 10 Against UF the 11 years before Richt with no SEC title in 20 long & sad years.
Richt Is only 2 & 8 against UF but has 2 SEC Titles. I hope the next HC does as well.
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“Richt Is only 2 & 8 against UF but has 2 SEC Titles. I hope the next HC does as well.”
I could live with that.
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