How does Florida handle success?

Jim McElwain is interested in seeing how his team reacts with a target on their back.

Everybody’s talking up the Gators after Saturday night’s dominant win over Ole Miss. Some are calling Florida the best team in the SEC this season.

There’s little doubt the Gators are the most improved team through five weeks.

McElwain just wants to see how his team handles all the headlines this week in practice.

“It’ll be interesting to see how they handle the praise,” McElwain said Monday during his weekly press conference.

“There’s nothing wrong with getting your belly rubbed. It feels good. I like it.”

On the heels of Florida’s 38-10 thumping of Ole Miss, the players are indeed getting their bellies rubbed, but with success comes a slightly altered way of handling yourself in preparation for a game. It’s a different type of mentality going from the hunter to the hunted, and it’s a mindset this team hasn’t been faced with. Really, it’s a situation this program hasn’t been faced with for several years now.

McElwain shares the same questions all of us have — what exactly was that Saturday night and what does it mean?

“I’m interested to see if our team is a one-hit wonder,” McElwain said. “I don’t think we are, but we’ll find out this week.”

Other takeaways during his press conference:

• Ole Miss game: “As good of a defensive performance as I’ve ever been around.”
• On offense: “We’re starting to do some things. Still have a long way to go.”
• “We didn’t allow some of their [Ole Miss] dominant players to take over the game.”
• McElwain said he never expected in a million years to be a part of an environment [Saturday night] like that.
• Says he has a lot of respect for Gary Pinkel.
• Says Mizzou is a little under the radar.
• Mizzou doesn’t allow a bunch of sacks.
• “Mizzou is a top 10 defense.” They have size and speed and experience where they need experience.
• The Ole Miss game was the first time that McElwain was proud of the special teams.
• The O-line is starting to understand the value of communication.

Injuries:

• Other than general nicks and bruises, the Gators are relatively healthy.
• Wide receiver Ahmad Fullwood is no contact with an arm injury.
• Tight end C’yontai Lewis somewhere between 25-50 percent healed on his hand. Will evaluate him Wednesday morning.
• Will see how linebacker Jeremi Powell progresses this week. It looks like he’ll practice Monday.

Kevin Duffey

A graduate of the University of Florida and founder of Saturday Down South, Kevin is a college football enthusiast.