GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida coach Urban Meyer has asked his players to educate him on the Tennessee-Florida rivalry, but he already has a working knowledge of UT football.

"I've always known about Tennessee," he said. "When I was (an assistant coach) at Notre Dame, we played in Knoxville one year (1999).

"I also know how they recruit. I know the quality of player they have."

He apparently doesn't see much difference in that 1999 UT team, which was loaded with future pros, and the bunch he will face Saturday night at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

"They're not a team that wows you with schemes," the first-year Florida coach said. "They wow you with personnel. They're as talented a team as I've ever played."

Sound familiar?

The week before UT's season opener with UAB, opposing coach Watson Brown said these Vols were more talented than UT's 1998 national championship team. You couldn't prove it by the game, which UT won in unimpressive fashion 17-10.

Meyer isn't interested in how UT played against UAB. He's focused on UT vs. Florida, a rivalry that has gone the Vols' way in three of the last four games.

"I'll talk to the players about it to get a feel for it (the rivalry)," he said during Sunday morning's teleconference. "Is it a hateful rivalry or a respectful rivalry?"

Meyer refrained from quizzing his players immediately after Saturday's 41-3 rout of Louisiana Tech. He believes in allowing them to savor victories, no matter how one-sided or insignificant.

Some of his players might savor the Louisiana Tech victory more than others.

Meyer loves the way his defensive line and secondary are playing. He's not so kind in his assessment of other units.

"Defensively, we're a little ahead (of where he expected the team to be after two games)," he said. "Offensively, a little behind. Special teams, we're way behind.

"The defensive line and secondary are on the same page. They're making plays."

Florida's special teams are botching more plays than they're making.

Vernell Brown managed only eight yards on five punt returns. Andre Caldwell returned two kickoffs for 56 yards but fumbled on his second return. And Chris Hetland missed his second extra-point kick in two games.

"The kid hits a 47-yarder (field goal) and a 40-yarder (in the season opener against Wyoming), but he misses an extra point," Meyer said. "Obviously, that's not acceptable. ... My 6-year-old can go kick an extra point."

Six-year-old Nathan Meyer won't be kicking against the Vols. Hetland might not be, either. Eric Nappy kicked the last two extra points for the Gators against Louisiana Tech.

You might have noticed that Meyer doesn't mind criticizing his players to the media. He has been critical of star quarterback Chris Leak's play following each of the first two games, even though Leak has passed for five touchdowns. He also wasn't thrilled with freshman quarterback Josh Portis' play against the Bulldogs.

"I thought he did better in his first game," Meyer said.

Portis, who was originally recruited by Meyer to Utah, is better suited than Leak for the option aspect of Meyer's offense. He rushed for 45 yards on five carries against Wyoming but had a minus-2 yards on five carries against Louisiana Tech.

Florida's running game improved significantly overall, although you have to consider the competition. After gaining only 91 yards against Wyoming, the Gators had 251 yards rushing on Louisiana Tech.

DeShawn Wynn led the way with 101 yards, but redshirt freshman Markus Manson also was a factor, gaining 68 yards on 10 second-half carries.

"The talent, the quality person he is ... I love Markus Manson," Meyer said. "He's going to have a fine career here."

Does that mean the Vols will see more of Manson early on?

"He's closer than he's ever been (to meaningful playing time)," Meyer said. "But we're really an earn-your-right-to-play outfit. You do that in practice Tuesday and Wednesday."

You also can lose your right to play.

Although Meyer didn't mention his tight end by name, he was clearly disgusted by Tate Casey's personal-foul penalty on Florida's first offensive series.

"We've got a second-and-1, and one of your kids hits a kid in the back," Meyer said. "You don't go out and hit a kid square in the back. Maybe that's something we've got to tell these guys."

Since penalties are a pet peeve of Meyer's, one media-type asked if he had heard about wide receiver Dallas Baker's personal-foul penalty that cost Florida the UT game last season.

"About 600 or 700 times," Meyer said.

He's also spoken to Baker about it "to make a point."

"Why would you ever put your team in that situation?" Meyer said. "A kid will say, 'I was playing hard.'

"That's not playing hard. That's silly nonsense."

A 6-year-old should know that.