The Day Before the Game
When Urban Meyer and Houston Nutt woke up this morning (assuming they were actually able to fall asleep last night), I'm sure they had a lot on their minds. This is the biggest game for each of these coaches at Florida and Arkansas, respectively.
But these guys are pros. They've been relaxed and confident all day, setting the tone for their players as the Championship Game approaches.
This afternoon, we went to the Coaches Luncheon at a nearby hotel to dine with UF and Arkansas fans. We heard both Meyer and Nutt talk with SEC broadcaster Dave Neal. Before the interview, highlights of every SEC Championship Game were shown on big screens at the front of the room.
The video montages were loaded with UF moments, like Danny Wuerffel carving up the Arkansas defense in the 1995 game - a 34-3 Florida win - and some epic Florida-Alabama battles in the early 90s.
After we all enjoyed a seriously delicious meal, Neal went on stage and introduced the coaches. Meyer entertained the audience with his light-hearted sense of humor, but he also got serious when talking about the SEC. He believes this conference is superior to all others around the country.
He also knows, and welcomes, the expectations that are always present at UF.
"Gators fans and Gators players," he said, "if you come to Florida, you're gonna play in this game."
And here he is, in only his second year, taking the Gators through the SEC with just one loss.
Then Houston Nutt came out and discussed an array of topics, including the importance of special teams in tomorrow's game. He said that Arkansas' win at Auburn was a defining moment of the season, and predictably, he was asked about Darren McFadden.
"He's a good, good person," Nutt said. "I love his attitude."
It was great to see the two coaches who have brought the two best teams to Atlanta up on stage together, showing nothing but respect, and entertaining the fans that care so much about their programs.
Later in the day, we attended each team's practices. The first 15 minutes were open to the media. In that time, we noticed the relaxed moods of both Florida and Arkansas.
When Florida took the field at 4:30, defensive end Jarvis Moss was going out for passes. His consecutive drops revealed why he doesn't play receiver. The guys were joking around and seemed oblivious to the magnitude of tomorrow's game, although that's definitely not the case.
A little over an hour later, the Razorbacks began practice. Nutt, who typically wears a stern look on his face, was cracking a smile and joking around with his players. Both teams seemed happy to be where they are. Give credit to the coaches for keeping everybody loose.
When the ball is kicked off tomorrow, all of this will change. The smiles and jokes will be replaced with anger and intensity. The coaches who sat with each other today will stare at each other from across the sideline tomorrow, mentally picking each other apart as the players go at it.
This was the calm before the storm, and what a storm we have waiting for us tomorrow at 6:00.
