Florida’s confounding spread offense that features quarterback Tim Tebow demands as detailed a game plan as possible.
Oklahoma, which faces the Gators in the FedEx BCS National Championship game in Miami on Thursday night, has been looking everywhere to find a key.
That includes calls to Alabama’s coaching staff. Offensive coordinator Jim McElwain and defensive coordinator Kirby Smart last week acknowledged contact from Bob Stoops’ staff at Oklahoma. They also downplayed its significance.
“You know, um, yeah, you know, you always, in this business, you try to find out some things that maybe aren’t on film,” said McElwain, who looked just as uncomfortable as he sounded when asked about it last week in New Orleans. “You always talk between yourselves a little bit.”
Alabama played Florida tough before falling 31-20 to the Gators in the SEC Championship Game.
Tebow, a Heisman finalist this season after winning it as a sophomore last year, guides the Gators with phenomenal balance. Florida averaged 230 yards per game on the ground and 213 yards per game passing. Tebow himself rushed for more than 500 yards and 12 touchdowns, and threw 28 touchdown passes with only two interceptions.
Combine that with a supporting cast that includes Percy Harvin, who missed the Alabama game with an ankle injury, and freshmen running backs Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps and a deep receiving corps led by senior Louis Murphy, and it’s easy to see why Oklahoma coaches would make some phone calls.
Smart said it happens all the time.
“To be honest, coaches call around and talk,” Smart said. “I know some guys on their staff.”
Smart, however, said there was a limit on what was exchanged simply because of conference loyalty.
“We intentionally don’t talk about it because that’s an SEC deal,” Smart said. “We’re obviously SEC people.”
Undeniably, that’s true. But is it in Alabama’s interest to have a regional and conference rival like Florida win its second national championship in three years? Urban Meyer is as fierce and devoted a recruiter as Nick Saban. A Gator victory is another verse in his sales pitch, which is already very persuasive.
Oklahoma may not need much help. Coach Bob Stoops’ Sooners lost by 10 points to Texas on Oct. 11. They’ve won seven straight since. The Sooners have scored 60 or more points in each of their last five games, including victories over Texas Tech, Oklahoma State and a 62-21 win over Missouri in the Big 12 title game.
Which is how McElwain left them laughing when asked if Oklahoma had contacted Alabama about Florida.
“Obviously, they’re not going to use our red zone package,” McElwain quipped, eager to move on to another topic.
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