For the second time in less than a decade, the Florida Gators approached their annual grudge match against the Georgia Bulldogs with turmoil surrounding their coaching situation.
Billy Napier was fired two weeks ago, and Billy Gonzales will be the interim coach beginning on Nov. 1 at EverBank Stadium when UF (3-4) meets No. 5 Georgia (6-1) at 3:30 p.m. (ABC).
Napier replaced Jim McIlwaine, who was fired after Georgia beat Florida 42-7 in 2017.
The two UF legends who were inducted into the Florida-Georgia Hall of Fame on the eve of the game at the Hyatt Regency Riverfront are obviously not thrilled with that kind of instability, especially since they played for the two most successful coaches in school history.
Brandon James of St. Augustine, who shattered almost every Florida punt and kickoff return record when he played for two-time national championship coach Urban Meyer from 2006-09, doesn’t think Gator Nation is spoiled enough to demand another Meyer or Steve Spurrier.
James, the current offensive coordinator for the St. Augustine Yellow Jackets, does think the style of coaching doesn’t matter as much as the substance.
“It’s accountability, always being on the edge, trying to find an edge, and going it with accountability,” he said before the ceremony. “It’s something we had and why we won so much. It’s accountability from coach to kid and kid to coach. It’s the only way you’re going to win tough games and beat tough teams.”
Todd Johnson said Gator fans want only to be competitive
Johnson, a safety who was a mainstay on Spurrier’s defenses from 1999-2002, said Spurrier and Meyer were “special and unique” and agreed with James that fans and boosters weren’t expecting that kind of generational talent on the sidelines as much as long-term competence.
“I think our fans know what we just want to be competitive and in the hunt for championships,” he said. “Just keep a steady pace.”
Johnson also said some coaches in the mix, such as Lane Kiffin of Ole Miss, have Spurrier’s relentless brand of confidence that could filter down to a program that hasn’t won more than eight games in a season since Dan Mullen went 10-3 in 2018 and 11-2 in 2019.
“I think it was a confidence and swagger that kids could relate to and wanted to have,” Johnson said of Spurrier. “Go out there, let it all hang and let the chips fall where they may. That’s what Coach Spurrier did.”
James said there is no shortcut to winning, regardless of how much a coach mines the transfer portal or spreads around NIL money.
“A coach has to grind and push them,” he said. “I know that’s difficult with the NIL stuff, but there’s no other way to win.”
Brandon James holds Florida SEC return records
James holds Florida records for career kickoff return yards (2,718), career punt return yards (1,371), most total kick returns (229) and most total return yardage (4,089).
He is one of only two Gators ever to return both a punt and a kickoff for a touchdown, finishing his career with five total return scores. At the time his Florida career ended, James was third among active NCAA players in return touchdowns.
James was the SEC Special Teams Player of the Year in 2008 and All-SEC and All-American. He played on Florida teams that won two SEC titles and the 2008 BCS National Championship.
UF was 3-1 in four games against Georgia during James’ career. He had 11 kickoff returns for 224 yards (20.1) and seven punt returns for 72 yards (10.3) against the Bulldogs.
James, who was on the St. Augustine state championship team in 2005, is the offensive coordinator for the Yellow Jackets. His brother Brenton is the quarterback. James’ father Brian, played for the Yellow Jackets in the 1980s and went on to play college football at Samford.
Brian James presented his son with the Hall of Fame jacket.
Sony Michel led 2017 victory over Gators
Michel, an Orlando native, was on Georgia teams that went 0-3 vs. the Gators from 2014-2016. But as a senior, he led the Bulldogs to a 42-7 victory, scoring touchdowns on runs of 45 and 74 yards.
Michel gained 137 yards on only six carries, for an average of 22.8 yards per attempt. Georgia has won seven of eight meetings since that game.
He remembered getting a text from a fan before that game.
“NFL scouts don’t think you can break long runs against good opponents,” Michel recounted about the text.
Michel had 3,638 yards and 33 touchdowns during his Georgia career, third all-time on the school rushing list. He went to earn Super Bowl rings with New England and the Los Angeles Rams.
Todd Johnson, Freddie Gilbert were defensive standouts
Johnson’s UF teams went 4-0 vs. Georgia from 1999-2002. He had 13 tackles and eight assists in those games. The Sarasota native was a two-time All-SEC player.
“It was like having a bowl game in the middle of the season,” Johnson said about the Florida-Georgia game. “When you ran on the field you could feel the vibe and the tension … and a little bit of hate. We knew we had to bring our ‘A’ game against Georgia. We always had respect for each other.”
Gilbert, from Griffin, Ga., played for Georgia from 1980-1983 when the ‘Dogs were 4-0 vs. Florida. In the 1981 game, he had eight tackles, three for losses and had four sacks in the 1983 game.
Gilbert had 26 career sacks at Georgia, still sixth all-time, and set the school record with five in one game against Temple in 1983.
He was a two-time All-SEC player, a 1983 All-American and was on three SEC championship teams and the 1980 national championship team.
Gilbert’s speech after former teammate Darryl Jones presented him his jacket was short but appreciative.
“When you get to your 60s, you think everyone forgot about you,” he said.
Gilbert then brought the Georgia side of the banquet room to applause when he ended with a few loud barks into the microphone.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Former Gators Brandon James, Todd Johnson want stability with the Florida coaching situation
Reporting by Garry Smits, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union / Florida Times-Union
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