FLORIDA FOOTBALL: FOOD FOR A MAN'S SOUL
Mood(y) Swings
By now, most of Gator Nation is aware of the fact that we’ll have a highly-ranked RB on the roster competing for touches in 2008. Despite rushing for nearly 500 yards and 2 TDs during an injury-plagued year with the Trojans, Emmanuel Moody decided USCw wasn’t offering enough carries.
Now he’s a Gator. He came to Florida with his chief wish being that he become the “feature back” in an offense which has, for the last two years at least, split carries between quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tailbacks.
From the Palm Beach Post:
Why Gator fans should be wary: Southern Cal seems to have no qualms about releasing a guy who was the team’s second-leading rusher. To me, that’s a giant red flag. Also, he’s said he left USC because he wants to become a team’s featured running back. He said he felt forgotten in LA. But Florida doesn’t exactly have the best track record of producing star running backs (at least not recently, and especially not under Urban Meyer).
Thank you, Lindsay Jones. That’s my sentiment exactly. I’m pleased that Moody, who is by all accounts an excellent running back, will be a member of Florida’s increasingly talented RB corps. Talent creates competition, competition creates desire and effort, and that, of course, produces wins. I’m concerned, however, that Moody is a “me, me, me” guy rather than a team-first guy. I am hopeful that Moody will remove these doubts with impressive performances and strong demonstrations of good character in his time at Florida.
Among the reasons cited for why he left the Trojans for the Gators was the fact that this was a “business decision.”
At Florida, football is far more than a business. It’s a religion.
Give him time. I think he will ‘get it.’
Welcome to Florida, Emmanuel. Make us proud.
Update: here’s an ESPN interview with Moody.
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“Southern Cal seems to have no qualms about releasing a guy who was the team’s second-leading rusher. To me, that’s a giant red flag.”
Just about as much as Arkansas releasing Mustain and Williams after their parents went to the AD to complain about the offensive play calling and playing time. Isn’t THAT a pretty big red flag too? Apparently not for USC.
By Keltic Gator on 08.28.07 7:29 pm
[…] Florida is already looking good for ‘08Emmanuel Moody, former USC RB, enrolled at Florida Thursday. He will fit well in Urban Meyer’s spread-option offense with his elusiveness and shiftiness as a runner. Florida doesn’t have much at RB and come next year he will be one of the best RBs in the SEC. But who knows , maybe Kestahn Moore, Brandon James, or Chris Rainey will show me something this season… […]
By Recreations and Sports News | Blog Archive | College Football: What I learned from Opening Night on 09.05.07 4:22 pm
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