College Sports

'Ring'ing endorsement

By Joseph Goodman
The Miami Herald

07-23-2008

TAMPA, Fla. — All those individual awards. They don't mean a thing.

That's what Florida Coach Urban Meyer realized when he recently returned from the taping of ESPN's ESPY Awards in Los Angeles, where Gators quarterback Tim Tebow won yet another individual award — "Best Male College Athlete of the Year."

Halfway through ESPN's orchestration, and just after a tribute to Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre, Meyer had this epiphany: Your career doesn't mean a thing if you don't have a ring.

"I just can't stand individual awards," Meyer said. "The way I measure — and the way people should measure — these great athletes is, 'How many championships have they won?"'

Take notice, Tebow.

You won a Heisman last season, but now it's time to deliver the goods.

Tebow and Meyer, of course, already have national championship rings. In 2006, Tebow was a reserve and Meyer won the national title with players recruited to Gainesville by former Florida coach Ron Zook.

Meyer, on the eve of his fourth season at Florida, is ready for another ring. He's ready to cement his Gators among college football's greatest teams. That's the message he gave reporters on Thursday in Tampa during the Florida Sports Writers Association football media days.

The point was driven home on the cover of Florida's recently released 2008 media guide. No players are pictured. No Tebow. No Percy Harvin. Just 10 rings (from conference and national titles) and two national championship trophies.

"So often the dotcoms and the media and ESPN, they really take care of the individual awards but the award I hope for next year is a great team award and that's ultimately how you're measured as a coach and a player," Meyer said.

The "great team award" will be presented to the winner of the BCS national championship in Miami on Jan. 8. If Meyer wants to be the guy hoisting the crystal ball at the middle of Dolphin Stadium, the Gators must address a few defensive deficiencies during fall camp. Practice begins Aug. 4.

No. 1 on the list is finding a reliable strong safety to replace redshirt junior Dorian Munroe, who recently tore the anterior-cruciate ligament in his left knee and is likely out for the season. Munroe (Miami Coral Reef) injured himself last week during voluntary 7-on-7 drills.

Ahmad Black, a redshirt freshman who moved from cornerback to safety before spring practice, will enter two-a-days as the starter.

Meyer said on Thursday that former walk-on Cade Holliday and incoming freshman Janoris Jenkins, another cornerback, could supply depth at the position. Florida has lost five safeties since the beginning of the offseason and another returner, Bryan Thomas, will be limited during fall camp after recently having a cyst removed from his knee.

"We might move one or two more people," Meyer said.

No matter whom UF sticks at safety alongside Major Wright, Florida's secondary will likely be an improvement from last season. The unit allowed 258.5 passing yards, an SEC high, in part because it featured three first-year starters. Cornerbacks Wondy Pierre-Louis and Joe Haden, as well as Wright, return this season.

The majority of Florida's starters return this season — nine on defense and nine on offense. Tebow and Harvin, who Meyer said is "back to full speed" after his offseason heel surgery, are the guys listed on all the preseason award watch lists. Meyer doesn't care. He has seen enough individual accolades already.