Will Muschamp doesn’t know what going back to Florida will feel like.
It’s the school he coached from 2011-2014 before getting fired in the wake of an overtime home loss to South Carolina. Oddly enough, Muschamp will now lead the Gamecocks in Gainesville for a crucial SEC East meeting this weekend.
Muschamp, who went 28-21 with a 17-15 SEC record as the Gators’ coach, discussed his return to The Swamp during a Tuesday news conference. He mostly downplayed the chief narrative heading into the game.
Emotion? Muschamp: I won't know till GameDay. We'll cross that bridge when we get to Gainesville.
— David Cloninger (@DCPandC) November 8, 2016
Muschamp says this matchup with Florida isn't any different than coaching against coaches and players you've coached against before.
— Mike Gillespie (@MikeAGillespie) November 8, 2016
Muschamp on all the storylines surrounding this game, "it's about the players and them focusing in on their job."
— Joe Cook (@JoeCookSports) November 8, 2016
Muschamp says he learned a lot at Florida. Says he now has "better anticipation" for things in his 5th season as a head coach. @abc_columbia
— Mike Gillespie (@MikeAGillespie) November 8, 2016
Muschamp recruited many of the current Florida players, so he’ll know more about them than what he sees on film. The first-year South Carolina coach isn’t reading too much into that, either.
Muschamp running through the entire Gators roster. He recruited many of the players excelling on the UF defense.
— Scott Hood (@ScottHood63) November 8, 2016
Muschamp on Florida players he recruited, "there are strengths and weaknesses with their game but it comes down to players making plays"
— Joe Cook (@JoeCookSports) November 8, 2016
Of course, the flip side of that is many current Gamecocks were on the team that was Muschamp’s undoing at Florida. One of them, junior linebacker Bryson Allen-Williams, teased his coach about South Carolina’s last trip to Gainesville.
Muschamp said Bryson Allen-Williams brought up the 2014 Florida game this morning. Laughed and told reporter he didn't make BAW run for it.
— SportsTalk Media Network (@sportstalksc) November 8, 2016
South Carolina (5-4, 3-4) and No. 22 Florida (6-2, 4-2) will meet at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday.
Marcus covers SEC football for Saturday Down South.
