Closer Look

With team on shoulders, Grossman uses his feet to survive

Rex Grossman tries to use the ground, rather than the air, to score. Craig Jones/Getty Images

By Stewart Mandel, CNNSI.com

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- For a Heisman runner-up, Rex Grossman sure gets his share of rude treatment.

Two weeks ago against No. 1 Miami, the Florida star found himself on the wrong end of a night-long butt kicking, one in which the Gator QB took more than his share of crushing, helmet-popping hits from the 'Canes’ defenders.

But in the two weeks since the Miami debacle, Grossman has been unwavering in his insistence that the mighty Gators are, contrary to popular belief, still mighty, and a few blows to his backside weren’t going to change that.

“That loss didn’t really shake us a whole lot,” he said. “We knew we lost to a good team and that we had our chances to win.”

Midway through the second quarter of their rain-drenched game against No. 4 Tennessee on Saturday, Grossman and the 10th-ranked Gators still had plenty of chances to win. In fact, the game was scoreless.

Nevertheless, Florida fans had to be feeling a bit of déjà vu. Having been held to four completions in his first 13 attempts, having been sacked once and thrown to the ground on at least three other occasions, Grossman, much like in that Miami game, was looking more like a shell of the player who threw for 3,896 yards in 2001.

But with the fate of the game -- and, most likely, the Gators’ season -- resting squarely on his shoulders, Grossman touched off what would become a remarkable surge for his team, and he’d do it using a less-than-likely body part: his feet.

With the Gators facing 2nd and 12 on their own 26, Grossman dropped back to pass, and Tennessee once again sent the house. Safety Steven Marsh came streaking down the middle untouched, heading right for Grossman, and it appeared as if Florida would be facing 3rd and long deep in its own territory.

But Grossman managed to dodge Marsh, then another Volunteer defender, then another, and wound up dashing 18 yards for a first down at the 44.

Florida finally had a little momentum, and Grossman would add to it just two plays later, eluding the rush again to connect with Taylor Jacobs for a 52-yard bomb down to the Gators’ 2, setting up an Earnest Graham touchdown that would put Florida up 7-0 with 3:20 left in the half.

“You grow up playing backyard football, you sometimes have to make plays out of nowhere,” said Grossman. “I like moving around here and there, playing backyard football a little bit.”

At this point, the rain was torrential, the field was soaked and a bizarre sequence of events would ensue in which Tennessee fumbled on four consecutive plays, losing two of them.

But Grossman hardly seemed fazed by the conditions. On the third play following a Casey Clausen botched snap, he connected on a beautiful 28-yard strike to Carlos Perez to extend Florida’s lead to 14-0.

He didn’t convert on Tennessee’s ensuing fumbled kickoff, throwing an interception at the goal line, but he would recover quickly after getting the ball back on a punt. On consecutive plays, despite being chased, wrapped up and nearly dropped, Grossman got the ball off, first to Earnest Graham for 12 yards, then to Perez for 23. He capped the drive with a textbook fade to Jacobs in the end zone, and the underdog Gators suddenly led 21-0 en route to a 24-0 halftime lead.

Following the 4-of-13 start, Grossman completed seven of his next nine passes and went from 36 yards after the first quarter to 175 at halftime.

And following a quiet but effective third quarter (2-of-4, 60 yards), Grossman took command in the final period, leading the Gators on an 11-play, 80-yard touchdown drive to put the game away and finishing 20-of-34 for 324 yards and three touchdowns.

“Rex showed a lot of toughness,” said offensive lineman Shannon Snell. “I wouldn’t want any other quarterback. He’s our leader.”

Grossman’s 13th career 300-yard game came at an opportune time, resuscitating a Florida team that many feared might be sinking in the wake of Steve Spurrier’s departure and vaulting it to the early lead in the race for the SEC East title.

But afterward, the talk was less about Grossman’s arm and more about his impressive scrambling ability.

“We’re used to seeing it from him,” said guard David Jorgensen. “When the protection breaks down, he scrambles and make plays. When guys are in his face, he’s strong and he’s courageous.”

After two subpar performances against Miami and Ohio, both Grossman and first-year head coach Ron Zook continually asserted that the QB just needed some more time to adjust to a new system. Saturday, it appeared the offense finally jelled, not just for Grossman but also for receivers like Jacobs, who caught nine balls for 141 yards, and running backs Ran Carthon and Graham, who finished with 93 yards on 24 carries.

In fact, 418 yards of offense against a quality opponent in arduous conditions was probably enough to please a certain former Gator.

“I’m sure he’s smiling in Washington or wherever he is,” Grossman said of Spurrier. “I’m sure he’s proud.”

Stewart Mandel covers college football for CNNSI.com.

 

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