He said...she said...you said...I said...who cares. I support UF and our coaches. A. Leon Polhill, Gator "I was gratified to be able to answer promptly, and I did. I said I didn't know." - Mark Twain
________________________________ From: Charlie <ces1...@gmail.com> To: gatortalk@googlegroups.com Sent: Thu, February 18, 2010 10:23:26 AM Subject: RE: [gatortalk] RE: [gatornews] Gatornews from Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post courtesy of JunoGator Personally I think this hire has a lot more to do with recruiting than anything else. I'll have to be convinced that the Gators want the running backs to be featured as it looks like they constantly are looking for someone to play the "Percy" position. The comments about Meyer making demeaning remarks to (about) Drayton are a little disturbing but I guess if Drayton is ok with it ________________________________ From: gatortalk@googlegroups.com [mailto:gatort...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Jerry Belloit Sent: Thursday, February 18, 2010 9:41 AM To: gatortalk@googlegroups.com Subject: [gatortalk] RE: [gatornews] Gatornews from Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post courtesy of JunoGator I saw this after I sent my previous comment. My old memory was correct. This makes it even more remarkable that Urban Meyer called him. It also confirms that Urban Meyer did not even talk with him significantly until he called to offer him his old job back. Jerry From:gatorn...@googlegroups.com [mailto:gatorn...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Juno Gator Sent: Thursday, February 18, 2010 9:27 AM To: gatorn...@googlegroups.com Subject: [gatornews] Gatornews from Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post courtesy of JunoGator Florida coach Urban Meyer settles differences with Stan Drayton, names him new recruiting coordinator ByBen Volin Palm Beach Post Staff Writer Stan Drayton looked at the caller ID, and had a hard time believing who was on the other end of the phone. It was Urban Meyer — the same Florida coach who ran Drayton out of Gainesville after the 2007 season. "I'd be lying to you if I said I wasn't surprised," Drayton, who once again is UF's running backs coach, said Wednesday. "But we're grown men, Urban Meyer and I. All that stuff was blown out of proportion. The respect that we have for each other was never compromised." Their relationship is in such great shape that Meyer has named Drayton his new recruiting coordinator, replacing former receivers coach Billy Gonzales, who left for a job at LSU. Drayton coached running backs during Meyer's first three seasons in Gainesville, but left for rival Tennessee after the '07 season, and not on the best of terms. Upon leaving, Drayton told reporters that his relationship with Meyer was "a little rough, a little rocky." Drayton reportedly didn't like the way running backs were being used in Meyer's spread-option offense, and one of Drayton's former players said Meyer used to belittle his position coach. "I've seen Coach Drayton shed tears before," former running back Anthony Gay told The Sporting News in 2008. "Not in front of (Meyer), but right after practice because of how he acknowledged him, because of how he belittled him." Drayton coached under Phil Fulmer at Tennessee in 2008, then moved to Syracuse in 2009 after Fulmer's staff wasn't retained. "That was a great learning experience for me, two years away from the University of Florida," Drayton said. "I realized that the grass is really, really green around here. Things are in order and there's a structure in place, and I'm just happy to be a part of that again." Two years of distance apparently has resolved Drayton's and Meyer's issues, because Meyer didn't waste any time re-hiring Drayton in January, the same day Kenny Carter left Florida to become the running backs coach under Charlie Strong at Louisville. "We're in great shape, we understand each other, we respect each other, and we're going to move forward," said Drayton, who turns 39 in three weeks. On the recruiting trail, Drayton helped bring the Lakeland contingent to the Gators in 2007 — including the Pouncey twins and Chris Rainey — and was largely responsible for the recruitment of Riley Cooper and Jermaine Cunningham, two players who likely will be taken in the first three rounds of April's NFL Draft. Drayton continued to recruit the state of Florida while at Tennessee and Syracuse, so he has maintained most of his high school contacts. Meyer has given Drayton the responsibility of recruiting two important areas for the Gators — the Orlando/Lakeland area and Miami-Dade County. Drayton said he was concerned about the future of Meyer and the program, but "that lasted about two minutes after Urban called me," he said. Meyer resigned from his job in December because of health reasons, only to switch course and instead take an indefinite leave of absence, though Meyer said he will coach the Gators for spring practice, which starts March 17. "Any time you got to pick up and move a 2-year-old, a 5-year-old and a wife, you're going to find out the ins and outs about that," Drayton said. "But I heard it in his voice, nothing but confidence and excitement about getting this thing going again. Obviously, you can tell I felt extremely comfortable about the whole deal. I'm here, I'm ready to go."-- GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 National Football Champions | Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us -- GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 National Football Champions | Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us -- GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 National Football Champions | Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us
