Sometimes your value is learned when you are not around and that may be the case in Orlando and Gainesville for the Knights and Gators.
UCF was missing four defensive starters for their game at Houston. Players were involved in an incident early Thursday where one was arrested for illegal gun charges. Police bodycam video shows officers handling a situation that just looks bad for the players.
As the school deals with the situation, the football team played on without them and UCF's defense may have played its best game. In the 44-21 win at Houston, the defense did not allow an offensive score until late in the third quarter.
There is nothing good about the look here. And the fact that players who did not make the trip include juniors and seniors is a sign of supposed team leaders just not getting it.
UCF has not announced the penalties for these players as they head into a bye week. Is it possible that none return? Yes. There are consequences for actions and it's a privilege to play for a school's football team.
And if a player feels like they are so valuable they can do anything, they need to realize that the team plays on without you. UCF's defense did just that and anyone watching their performance Saturday might say they did just fine without those who chose to show a lack of leadership with their off-the-field actions...
The Gators are not likely to face Georgia without Head Coach Dan Mullen. But if Lane Kiffin can get fined $25,000 for a tweet criticizing refs, what is the penalty for Mullen and his actions at the end of the first half in Florida's blowout win over Missouri.
Florida quarterback Kyle Trask suffered, what appears to be, a flagrant hit on the last play of the half. That led to hit tempers and pushing and shoving and a punch or two. But Mullen took his heat to another level. He needed to be held back by support staff and even troopers, who usually do nothing more than look tough for post-game handshakes. But Mullen wasn't done. He even came back out of the locker room tunnel to fire up the crowd like Hulk Hogan before a big match.
Then Mullen actually tried to sell the story that was trying to defuse a situation and get players off the field. He even admitted he didn't even see the hit on Trask but was told about it on the sideline.
Look, I get Mullen wanting to defend his players and even light a fire that no one messes with his quarterback but stick with that story. Anything else just doesn't work.
What will the SEC do? Will they actually suspend Mullen for the Georgia game? I doubt it. My guess Mullen will face a stiff fine that certainly has to be more than Kiffin's amount for a tweet.
But can you imagine if the league does sit Mullen?...
Notes: The Pac-12 returns with a 9a pacific time start this week. Sweeet!...Michigan is not firing Jim Harbaugh...North Carolina is now a 4-2 team like everyone else, not a top-7 team...Oklahoma State was the 6th best team in the country...LSU fans can blame Bo Pelini all they want for their awful defense. Anyone blame any of the players and head coach? LSU has Alabama next and games with Arkansas, Texas A&M, Ole Miss and Florida remaining. Can they lose 7 games this season?...Miss State fans, still like the Mike Leach hiring?...Indiana is now a top-15 team?...Is Cincinnati worthy of playoff talk? Yes, why not? The Bearcats have as good of a resume as others you want in the debate. If Clemson/Notre Dame, Alabama and Ohio State win out who is the fourth team? Luke Fickell's team deserves to be part of the conversation if they win out. Cincinnati plays at UCF in three weeks...Liberty is 6-0 and ranked. Hugh Freeze, their coach, will likely get another shot at a P5 job next year. Because in the end, it's about winning...
Final note: A sneeze travels 100-miles an hour
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