ORLANDO, Fla. — Steve Spurrier always called this time of year “the talkin’ season.”
It was one of those classic Spurrier expressions that perfectly captured the annual ritual of SEC Media Days and preseason news conferences. Every coach is undefeated. Every quarterback has taken the next step. Every transfer is exactly what the program needed. Every new strength and conditioning coach has made the players bigger, stronger, faster. Every new offensive coordinator is going to play fast and be explosive. Every new defensive coordinator promises his guys will pin their ears back and be more physical and aggressive. Meanwhile, every fan base convinces itself that this is finally the year.
Translation: There are no losses in July, only optimism.
And if somebody handed out championship rings for the talkin’ season, Florida coach Jon Sumrall would already have one.
Since the day he walked into Gainesville, Sumrall has been exactly what a weary Gator fan base desperately needed after four years of Billy Napier. He’s been candid, charismatic and refreshingly quotable. He has challenged his players publicly, energized donors privately and reconnected with a fan base that had grown emotionally exhausted. His candidness, energy and intensity even won over the room Wednesday at SEC Media Days in Tampa.
#days
It was one of those classic Spurrier expressions that perfectly captured the annual ritual of SEC Media Days and preseason news conferences. Every coach is undefeated. Every quarterback has taken the next step. Every transfer is exactly what the program needed. Every new strength and conditioning coach has made the players bigger, stronger, faster. Every new offensive coordinator is going to play fast and be explosive. Every new defensive coordinator promises his guys will pin their ears back and be more physical and aggressive. Meanwhile, every fan base convinces itself that this is finally the year.
Translation: There are no losses in July, only optimism.
And if somebody handed out championship rings for the talkin’ season, Florida coach Jon Sumrall would already have one.
Since the day he walked into Gainesville, Sumrall has been exactly what a weary Gator fan base desperately needed after four years of Billy Napier. He’s been candid, charismatic and refreshingly quotable. He has challenged his players publicly, energized donors privately and reconnected with a fan base that had grown emotionally exhausted. His candidness, energy and intensity even won over the room Wednesday at SEC Media Days in Tampa.
#days
4 months ago
