What's in a nickname? At Florida, it's speed

By MARK LONG

Published January 6, 2009 at 6:18 p.m.
Updated January 6, 2009 at 8:04 p.m.

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MIAMI (AP) — Speed is such a valued commodity at Florida that nicknames are bestowed on the fastest Gators — gazelles, jackrabbits or cheetahs.

Running backs Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps are called gazelles. Cornerback Janoris Jenkins goes by jackrabbit, partly because of his speed and partly because he grew up chasing down rabbits in cane fields in nearby Pahokee, Fla. And receiver Percy Harvin gets the fastest moniker of them all: cheetah.

"You can go down our line and we've got five or six dudes who can run under 4.2," Harvin said. "We've got seven or eight dudes that can go 4.3, and it just goes on down the list. ... I think it's ridiculous."

Florida's speed was a big reason it thumped Ohio State in the Bowl Championship Series national title game two years ago. Defensive ends Jarvis Moss and Derrick Harvey were too much for the Buckeyes to handle. So was Harvin and a few of his teammates.

The Gators might be even faster this time around.

Coach Urban Meyer wants to have the "fastest team in America," and anyone who has watched the Gators play this season probably would agree that he's accomplished his goal.

With Harvin, Rainey, Demps, Jenkins, cornerback Joe Haden and receivers Louis Murphy and Deonte Thompson leading the way, Florida has 12 players who have clocked a 40-yard-dash time of 4.4 seconds or less.

Rainey and Demps raced several times in August in hopes of settling a debate about who was faster. Earlier in the year, Meyer held an open race for students to see if anyone was faster than his guys. If any of the contestants beat his speedsters, the coach guaranteed a scholarship.

"It's just all fun and games," Murphy said. "We have some pretty fast players. We can line up with anybody. If you show me a team with a fast guy, I think we can match it."

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SOONERS NEXT GAME:@ Oklahoma now knows for sure who it will play in its next game after the BCS championship.

The Sooners and BYU finalized an agreement Tuesday to open next season on Sept. 5 at the Dallas Cowboys' new stadium in Arlington, Texas.

"We are excited to host such strong traditional college football programs as those at the University of Oklahoma and Brigham Young University in our first-ever college football game at our new stadium," Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said in a statement. "I don't think there is a better place than Texas to celebrate the kickoff of the 2009 college football season, and I don't think you will find a better stadium for watching that football action than our new home in Arlington."

The game will be televised on ESPN or ABC as part of a five-year agreement to bring a college football game to the Cowboys' new stadium.

No. 17 BYU finished this season 10-3 after a loss to Arizona — which is coached by Mike Stoops, the brother of Oklahoma's Bob Stoops — in the Las Vegas Bowl.

"It will be a great challenge. I know they've got a great history and tradition. They're always in contention in their conference," Oklahoma defensive coordinator Brent Venables said. "Thank goodness we at least have some familiarity. They played Arizona in their bowl game."

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FLORIDA HIRE:@ If Tim Tebow returns to Florida for his senior season, his new position coach will have experience getting quarterbacks ready for the NFL.

Florida hired former Detroit Lions quarterbacks coach Scot Loeffler on Tuesday, filling the position left vacant when offensive coordinator Dan Mullen took the head coaching job at Mississippi State.

Loeffler spent six seasons (2002-07) as Michigan's quarterbacks coach, helping develop Brian Griese, Tom Brady, Chad Henne and others.

"He understands the philosophy of our offense and our football program and has great relationships with his players," coach Urban Meyer said. "He obviously has been around some great quarterbacks and is very much a quick study. It won't take him any time to get acclimated here."

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ANOTHER OPTION:@ Oklahoma's defense has faced many potent offenses in the Big 12 this season, but the Sooners have had to defend the option much.

That'll be a new challenge in the BCS championship against Florida.

The Gators use a fair amount of the zone-read option in their spread offense, with hard-running quarterback either keeping the ball or pitching to one of Florida's many super-fast backs.

"They make you play real disciplined defense," Oklahoma defensive end Jeremy Beal said. "We saw it a couple of times this year. That kind of prepared us for it. Florida runs it a little bit differently. They put little tweaks in it."

Even when Florida is not running the option, the Gators rely heavily on misdirection plays that make it tough for defenses to figure out which way the ball is headed.

"It comes down to playing our keys and trying not to do to much," Oklahoma defensive end Auston English said.

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CLOSE TIES:@ Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops, a former defensive coordinator at Florida, remains close friends with former Gators coach Steve Spurrier, athletic director Jeremy Foley and basketball coach Billy Donovan.

Stoops still has a condo in Crescent Beach in the same complex as Spurrier and not far from Donovan's place.

Stoops said this week that the Gators will always hold a place in his heart.

"It is a special place for me, always will be," said Stoops, who left Gainesville in 1998, two years after Florida won its first national title. "In fact, I remember when I did the first press conference (for the title game in December in Hollywood) they were chomping at me and giving me some Gator bait (cheers). I said, 'I still have a little Gator in me, but a whole lot more Sooner.'

"You win a national championship with somebody, that's pretty special. That doesn't go away."

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AP College Football Writer Ralph D. Russo and AP Sports Writer Jeff Latzke contributed to this report

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