This is one of the more interesting ideas I've heard in a while. Florida head coach Meyer's pretty certain no one will beat any of the three football players he'll have race the campus scrubs, but just in case, he's having a race Saturday to find out for sure.
Louis Murphy, Chris Rainey and Deonte Thompson will be the football players running. If you're wondering where Percy Harvin is, he's recovering from minor surgery.
It'll be a long shot at best, especially after school officials held 40-yard dash time trials and didn't exactly find any real burners. Of the approximately 225 students who tried out, two covered the distance in 4.47 seconds, one ran a 4.48 and another was clocked at 4.49.
The fastest 15 students advanced to the finals Saturday. They will be split into three groups of five. Murphy will race one group, Rainey another and Thompson a third.
Although Meyer promised a full scholarship to any student who beats his players, the coach's reason for organizing the event is obviously all about recruiting. The team's spring game will be televised on ESPN, and this stupid stunt offers Meyer a chance to spread his recruiting pitch about wanting to be "the fastest team in America." Even worse, I'm helping to get the word out by writing this.
But in all honesty, I'm kind of surprised that no one from Florida's track team decided to get involved in this. I'd have to think the track squad has some guys on it that could seriously challenge any of the three guys Meyer is putting up to race. And they could get a double-scholarship, which isn't actually possible, but sounds pretty cool. I think if you had a double scholarship the school would actually have to pay you, you, just like Meyer does with his football players.
Naturally, all the football players are talking plenty of smack about the race.
"I'll blow them out," Rainey said. "I love challenges and I've got confidence in myself."
I've never wished injuries to happen to three humans at the identical time, but I'd love to see the look on Meyer's face if all three players come off the starting line and immediately crumple to the ground.My guess would be Florida probably won't be the fastest team in America anymore.







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