The goal is to relive the old days, the days of championships and Heismans, the days of touchdowns and cheers.
For the schools of Florida, however, first there much be new.
New, as in a coach.
New, as in a quarterback.
New, as in hope.
That’s the thing about college football; it is ever-changing. Quick as a heartbeat, yesterday’s stars are gone. Quick as a heartbeat, there is new drama with which to live.
Start at Florida State. Jameis doesn’t live here anymore.
The Seminoles, a national champion and a playoff team the past two years, has a whole new set of characters besides Heisman-winning (and No. 1 draft pick) Jameis Winston. Nick O’Leary and Rashad Greene are gone. The offensive line is gone.
Head coach Jimbo Fisher remains one of the top handful of college coaches in the country, however, and he recruits well. But how far this year’s Seminoles can go depends largely on transfer quarterback Everett Golson, who started 25 games at Notre Dame. Golson beat out Sean McGuire, partly because his legs give him a chance to make more plays behind a new offensive line.
Dalvin Cook, fresh off of his trial, is back with the offense, but the receivers are young and new. FSU hopes the pass rush is new; it’s been lacking over the past couple of seasons.
FSU opens against Texas State, which shouldn’t offer much resistance.
Then there is Florida, which is under new management. Jim McElwain. McElwain is supposed to restore the offense to the Gators, but he’ll have to do it with new faces, too. Quarterback Treon Harris gets the start, but he isn’t far ahead of Will Grier. Running back Kevin Taylor leads the running game.
It is defense that should give the Gators a chance, however, with cornerback Vernon Hargreaves, linebacker Antonio Morrison and lineman Jonathan Bullard.
Florida should also have an easy time of it against New Mexico State in its opener.
Then there is Miami, which will open a new argument of why head coach Al Golden should stay. Miami has the most experienced quarterback in the state in Brad Kaaya and a defense that has reclaimed such of its old swagger. The Hurricanes don’t have great expectations, however, and the pressure could build on Golden if he gets off to a slow start.
That start won’t be Saturday. The Hurricanes play Bethune-Cookman.
The South Florida Bulls, still young under coach Willie Taggart, are also looking at new weapons. Quarterback Quinton Flowers has only one career start. The Bulls also have a new offense and a new defense and Taggart tries to keep the critics at bay.
Again, the Bulls, 4-8 last year, face an easy opener in Florida A&M. Running back Marlon Mack should be enough for the Bulls to get past the Rattlers.
It sounds like a 4-0 day for the main schools of the state and, oh, about 125 points.
If not, the criticism will sound awfully old.
