GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Prior to Florida State's 37-7 humbling of Florida, the worst in the history of the series in games played between the two in Gainesville, Gators athletic director Jereny Foley made it clear one final time that Will Muschamp isn't going anywhere.

The hot seat, however, figures to sizzle next fall for the coach who will be in his fourth season.

"I think we've recruited well,'' Muschamp said of 2014. "I think there's a bunch of guys. It's funny. We had a highlight video for our players last night, and a lot of the highlights were from our game last year at Florida State. A lot of the guys — there were some really good seniors. A couple Matt Elams and Jordan Reeds, who made some big plays in that game but came out early. There were a bunch of other guys in that game that didn't play for us today. They were all on the sidelines in street clothes. We have good football players and we have a good staff. We just got to get back healthy and continue to move forward.

SUPPORT: Nebraska AD backs Bo Pelini

RIVALRY WEEK: The best games

"I'm not using excuses. It's real. A lot of the same jersey numbers were playing for Florida State. They have a good football team. I'm not taking anything away from them. They do a good job offensively, defensively and on special teams.''

Muschamp conceded the time to change the offensive style has arrived.

"We need to take a look at ourselves schematically with what we're doing. There have been some things that have happened that are very difficult to overcome, but schematically, there's no question we need to take a look at ourselves,'' he said.

Florida came into Saturday ranked last in the SEC in scoring offense (19.9 points an outing).

"We just have to roll your sleeves up and go to work. That's the bottom line. That's all you can do,'' Muschamp said. "Be a great leader, great motivator for your team and organization. That's all we're going to do. We're going to be fine. We're going to have a good football team next year, I can assure you of that. Sitting in that locker room with those guys, we're going to be fine. And that's what's encouraging for me.''

Prior to kick off, making it clear there has to be changes but standing by his man, Foley made it clear before today's game against Florida State that Will Muschamp will be back in 2014 despite a 4-7 season going to the rival game against the Seminoles.

"Obviously it's been a difficult year. We haven't made an excuse all year, and we're not going to make them now. We know what this program is all about.,'' Foley told a gathering of 50 or so media before the game. "I have total confidence in Coach Muschamp and have made that clear. We've got to fix some things. When you have seasons like this, that's what you do – you evaluate, you analyze and you fix things. You don't panic. You don't put orange and blue glasses on. It's not acceptable, it's not who we are and it's not what we're about. Confident we can fix it. I don't say that, I've heard that it's my ego speaking. No, it's my belief.

"Like I told my staff the other day, my name's not on the front door down there. I don't own this franchise. It's my job to make sure it's going in the right direction and I believe with Will it's going in that direction. If I didn't, then obviously we've made tough decisions before. I don't waver on that, despite the difficulty of the year. We've got to get some things fixed. Obviously, at the end of the day, we've got to win some football games.''

Muschamp has already had conversations with Foley about the future.

"Obviously his office is next to mine and we've talked a lot about this year. We see each other a lot. Get through today and we'll begin going into it tomorrow and Monday,'' he said.

Foley said he's had a different take on Muschamp than the Ron Zook firing in the middle of the 2004 season.

"I don't think it's apples-to-apples. I'm not being disrespectful to anybody. Zooker and I are friends, but it's just not apples-to-apples,'' Foley said. "It's my job to evaluate and see where the program is headed. At that point in time, I didn't think it was headed where we wanted it to be. This time, I think it's headed where we want it to be. The proof is going to be in the pudding, but I don't think it's apples-to-apples.

"I'm like anybody else, I want to be successful for the University of Florida. The only thing that we want to do is to take care of the Gators. I've been doing that for 38 years, I've been doing it for 22 as athletic director. I'm not patient or impatient or wiser or older, I want to be successful. I'm very confident we're going to be successful moving in the direction we're moving in. That's where it's at..''

Foley, like Gators fans, realizes the offense is a major concern that has to be corrected. UF ranked last in the SEC in scoring offense at 19.9 points an outing going into Saturday.

"I don't think it's any secret, and Will will tell you, we've got to fix that side of the ball. I'm not being disrespectful to anybody, but you look at some of the games we've lost, we haven't scored many points,'' Foley said. "This year or last year or what have you, that has to get fixed. And that's going to be Will's responsibility as the head football coach. I'll help him, support him, advise him, whatever have you. I will tell you if you ask him today, it's his biggest concern. We've got to fix that side of the ball.''

Foley called it a crushing season — for everyone.

"Yeah, it crushes all Gator fans. I'm a Gator fan and I've been doing this a long time. But you know something, and this will come across very Pollyannish but it's true, we've also done some things or I've had the ability to do some things as athletic director that not many in my shoes ever have.,'' Foley said. "You ask me why? I think Will is a really good self evaluator. He can look in the mirror and isn't afraid to take responsibility for what's happened. We as an organization, Steve Mac will tell you, talk about self evaluation all the time. We look at ourselves and how we get better. Not just sit here and say, 'Yeah we've got a bunch of injuries, we'll be fine.' That better not be our attitude. It better be our attitude to reevaluate every single facet of what we're doing and get this thing fixed. To answer your question, yeah it stinks. It stinks for every Gator fan. This season has been no fun because we care.''


Show Thumbnails
Show Captions