|
RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) -- The quarterback position looked
wonderful again at Florida, thanks to a cool-handed freshman and a
group of high-flying receivers that had everyone, even Steve
Spurrier, shaking their heads in wonder.
|  | | Florida receiver Reche Caldwell went high to catch one of freshman Rex Grossman's five TD passes on Saturday. |
Rex Grossman threw five touchdown passes as the Gators (No. 9 ESPN/USA Today, No. 10 AP) scored on their first five drives in a 38-7 victory over No. 19
Auburn on Saturday.
Freshman Jabar Gaffney caught three touchdowns, including a
leaping grab in the back of the end zone that left Spurrier in
shock, as the Gators (6-1, 4-1 Southeastern Conference) looked
every bit as good as they did when they were winning titles.
So good, in fact, that Grossman is still wondering when the hard
part starts.
"I think our scout team stops us at least once every five
times," he said.
The Tigers (5-2, 3-2) lost their second straight, a humbling
performance in a game they were hoping would prove they were back
at the top of the SEC.
Grossman put on a show that conjured images of Danny Wuerffel -- the 1996 Heisman Trophy winner who no
Florida quarterback has come close to matching since he left.
Until now?
"I can't remember the last time we had our quarterbacks doing
those things," Spurrier said. "Rex is a playmaker. He'll surprise
you when the ballgame starts."
It was a display of both precision and patience for the redshirt
freshman. Making just his second career start, Grossman looked like
he had drawn up the playbook -- and in some cases, maybe he had.
No play told it better than the 10-yard touchdown pass to
Gaffney that gave the Gators a 28-7 lead early in the second
quarter.
|
 |
|
|
Saturday, Oct. 14
Rex Grossman seems to have emerged as the quarterback Steve Spurrier has been
looking for.
Grossman hooked up with fellow freshman Jabar Gaffney for three touchdown passes and showed us a bright future for the Gators' offense. Grossman-to-Gaffney is a passing combo that you will hear called many times in the next few years.
Florida's defensive questions still have not been fully answered, but the offense seems to be clicking right now and the talented freshmen are leading the way.
|
|
|
Waiting calmly in the pocket, Grossman appeared to have forced
an uncatchable ball high into double coverage as Gaffney streaked
across the back of the end zone.
But Gaffney leaped high over the Auburn defenders to make the
grab falling out of bounds, leaving Spurrier to simply shake his
head in disbelief.
Turns out, it wasn't the play Spurrier had called. Grossman and
Gaffney improvised the play after the initial route was covered. It
resulted in a perfect throw, the sign of a quarterback who knows
his receivers' games as well as his own.
"I thought the play was, one-two-three throw, but Rex took five
steps and Jabar just kept going," Spurrier said. "He came off the
field and I said, `Why did you take five steps?' He told me. It
made sense to me. We've never had one do it like that."
There were other nice passes: An on-target slant for an 8-yard
connection with Reche Caldwell for one of his two touchdowns; and a
perfectly timed 50-yard scoring strike to Gaffney, who was matched,
inexplicably, in single coverage on the outside.
"Coach told me to run and Rex threw the ball," Gaffney said.
"That's a pretty good combination."
Gaffney's final touchdown was his 10th of the season, setting
both the SEC and Florida records for freshmen.
With four games left, the son of former Gators receiver Derrick
Gaffney stands just eight touchdowns away from Reidel Anthony's
overall record for receiving touchdowns in a season. And remember,
Gaffney was only a bit player through the first four games of the
season.
"Florida has a good team, an explosive team," Auburn coach
Tommy Tuberville said. "We found that out awfully early today."
Happy with his passing production in the first half, Spurrier
called only two passes in the third quarter, then let Grossman pick
his spots as the Gators scored a fourth-quarter field goal. Jeff
Chandler's 31-yard kick made him Florida's all-time leading scorer,
passing kicker Bart Edminston (1992-96).
Auburn's star, tailback Rudi Johnson, finished with 133 yards on
22 carries, his sixth game over the century mark.
The Tigers squandered their best chance at getting in this game
early, when punter Damon Duval shortarmed an incomplete pass to
Deandre Green on a fake attempt that could have gone for big yards.
"It's hard to play up to their standards," Tuberville said.
"If you don't, you get left behind."
Indeed, the Gators are showing signs they may separate from the
rest of the SEC. This, combined with last week's 41-9 victory over
LSU, marked the first time they've strung together impressive
victories in nearly two seasons. They have a bye coming, before
their annual grudge match against Georgia, with the SEC East up for
grabs.
Grossman finished 14-for-23 for 232 yards.
Another of his touchdowns came on a well-designed screen pass to
Gaffney, who caught the ball behind the line, then used nice blocks
from downfield receivers for an 18-yard score.
Officials initially ruled the receivers were interfering by
blocking too early. But Spurrier convinced them there should be no
penalty, because the pass was thrown behind the line of scrimmage.
The refs agreed, and it was Tuberville impersonating Spurrier,
ripping his AU hat off and throwing it to the ground in disgust.
Florida has a six-game winning streak against Auburn for the
first time.
|
|
ALSO SEE
College Football Scoreboard
Auburn Clubhouse
Florida Clubhouse
|
