When the 2018 season is analyzed, the disappearance of a 17-point second-half lead at Florida could very well go down as the most frustrating performance of the season.
The challenge for the coaches and the players will be to keep that loss from seeping over into this week's non-conference game with Chattanooga. The SEC record is already set at 4-4 so it's all non-conference for the rest of the season. Head coach Will Muschamp doesn't think what happened in Gainesville will linger.
"I don’t think so. I think our guys are very mature to understand that it’s about our preparation this week," he said.
"I really always challenge our guys. To me, each week, as a player, as a coach, you make a decision about your effort, about your energy, about your toughness, your discipline, each week, to bring it on Tuesday. I thought we had a very good practice, a good tempo of practice today. We cleaned some details up of what we’re doing today. That’s always, with Tuesday, with the new installation of some things, we’re going to see on offense, defense and special teams, cleaning up again on Wednesday, and then obviously have a good, clean Thursday practice and a good walkthrough on Friday. Our guys understand it’s not really about the opponent. Regardless of who we play, it’s about us and our preparation and how we go about our business. That’s really our mindset each week. We can’t control who we play, where we play or what time. At the end of the day, we can control what we do, and that’s our preparation.”
There is also the obvious danger of looking ahead to next week's clash against arch-rival Clemson, but Muschamp doesn't think his team will fall into that trap either.
