Demps Happy for Stability

The Florida football players are as uncertain of when Urban Meyer’s return will be as the rest of us. Sophomore running back Jeff Demps doesn’t know exactly when it will be, but believes the stability of the program is great with Meyer’s plan to take a leave of absence and get better from an undisclosed illness. Demps understands that Meyer needs a break to get better and it’s the best plan.

Urban Meyer told the world on Saturday that he was hanging up his career in coaching. On Sunday, less than 24 hours later, he announced that he had a change of heart. The whirlwind of emotion with his players, staff, and the Gator Nation has been something to chronicle. For that entire list, Meyer’s return breathed a sigh of relief and may give these Gators an emotional lift heading into the Sugar Bowl contest with Cincinnati.

“It’s definitely a help,” Jeff Demps said of Meyer’s announcement to return. “Now we know that the program isn’t going to be totally flipped around. We have the same people guiding us. Now, we can just get back to football. We don’t have to worry about any of that even though they were doing a good job of keeping us away from that.”

Demps, like so many others is uncertain as to when Meyer will return.

“It depends on if his health is better, he might come back (sooner),” Demps said. “I doubt he will be back before a year or so. He might take a little break, but I think he will be back.”

Demps understands why Meyer is in the position he is. Maybe more driven than any man out there at the same position, Meyer is a man that doesn’t rest and wants to make sure everything is in order under his watch.

“He has a lot on his plate,” Demps said. “He is calling every player every chance he gets. He texts us and with recruiting…all the plays and position groups. It’s crazy. A normal person wouldn’t be able to do it. It would make you stress. We understand that his health problem is real and he really has to take care of it.”

One thing Demps knows that with Meyer’s personality and priorities, it is going to be very difficult for him to not be a part of things that he normally would have control over.

“It’s going to be tough on him,” Demps said. “He came out yesterday and watched us practice and he got his edge back…just like that…in one day. I know he isn’t going to be able to sit on the couch and watch the Gators play a football game. He is probably going to have to go out and do some family activities on Saturday and keep his mind off of football.”

As for this game, Demps believes the Gators will be focused. The recent turmoil has had a happy ending and practices should be as intense as ever.

“We have a lot of expectations and we don’t want to go out like that,” Demps said of losing two straight to end the season. “We are definitely going to go out and play this game as hard as we can and send this season out on a good note and send Coach Meyer out on a good note.”

The Gators aren’t taking the Bearcats of Cincinnati lightly.

“We know Cincinnati is a great team,” Demps said. “They are undefeated and we have to go out and play them like they are an Alabama or a Texas. We are going to go out there and play it like it’s a championship game.”