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GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Chris Rainey remained in his stance after the command was given to start the 40-yard dash, receiving a smattering of boos from the 60,000 fans at Florida Field.
It was about the only thing he did wrong Saturday.
Rainey ran for 75 yards and a touchdown, added a 65-yard scoring reception and was the biggest star of Florida’s annual spring game. The 5-foot-9, 177-pound running back teamed with Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow to help the Blue team beat the Orange squad 28-14.
“I thought he would do that and he did that,” coach Urban Meyer said. “I think Chris Rainey is going to be a very, very fine football (player). ... I was really impressed with the way he ran today, but he’s done that all spring.”
Rainey provided most of the highlights early on, and the first one came before the opening drive.
Rainey was one of three players Meyer selected to race against the school’s fastest students. If any of the contestants beat Meyer’s speedsters, the coach guaranteed a scholarship.
Rainey almost cost the school a full ride. He misunderstand the starting directions and ended up standing on the starting line shaking his head as his opponents sped away.
Officials called a do-over, and Rainey responded with a run of 4.24 seconds — about 5 yards ahead of the field and the fastest 40-yard dash of his career.
“That was really fun,” said Rainey, who admitted his legs were shaking beforehand. “I told Coach they need to do that every year. I do like that.”
Rainey was equally dominant when the game started.
He ran four times for 41 yards on the opening drive, showing the kind of moves teammates, coaches and Florida fans usually expect from Percy Harvin. Two drives later, he lined up wide and found him uncovered down the field.
“That was a bad idea,” Rainey said.
Indeed. Rainey caught Tebow’s long pass in stride, juked safety Ahmad Black and strolled untouched into the end zone for a 14-0 lead. He added a 1-yard scoring leap two drives later and put Blue ahead 21-7.
“He’s very impressive,” Tebow said. “It’s not like it was anything new to us. I think it was to all the fans. But we saw it every day in spring ball. He’s just an electric player.”
Tebow, who spent the last two days vomiting and dealing with a high fever, was 13-of-21 passing for 200 yards and two touchdowns. He also threw two interceptions. The first one came on a pass that slipped through Butch Rowley’s hands. The second one was a high throw tipped by Aaron Hernandez and returned 50 yards for a touchdown by Lorenzo Edwards.
Tebow raced toward the sideline in hopes of tacking Edwards and ended up bowling over hard-hitting safety Major Wright.
“I didn’t mean to hit him like that,” Tebow said. “I was just irritated. I threw a pick. ... I got cheap-shotted enough in the spring. I can get one on him.”
Carlos Dunlap had the best defensive performance of the afternoon, recording four sacks for the Blue squad.
Emmanuel Moody led the Orange team with 111 yards rushing and a touchdown in his Florida debut, but the former USC star also had a costly fumble.
Moody ran four consecutive times for 64 yards to start the second half, but fumbled at the 1-yard line when hit by Bryan Thomas.
“He’s got talent, but there’s no chance you’ll see him play regardless of what dot-com says and all the e-mail I’ll get and everything else,” Meyer said. “He will not play football if there’s a chance it’s falling on the ground.”
Quarterback John Brantley, vying with Cameron Newton for the backup spot behind Tebow, missed the game because of an injured right hand. Harvin (heel), tight end Cornelius Ingram (ankle) and receivers Louis Murphy and Carl Moore (ankle) also were held out.
Rainey, meanwhile, stood out.
He did the same last season, but for all the wrong reasons. The freshman committed a costly penalty in the opener and had two more errors a week later.
He injured his shoulder two games later and never got back on the field, spending the last seven months rehabbing and adding about 20 pounds.
He finally made an impact Saturday.
“It made me feel good,” Rainey said. “Prove to coach Urban Meyer what I can do so I can play in the game. He said if you do well in the spring you will get the ball, so I had to do what I can do.”
© 2008, The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
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Posted by ForVols90 on April 13, 2008 at 9:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"He misunderstand the starting directions" !!??
Posted by orange4ever on April 13, 2008 at 9:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Lets blame that opn Fulmer too!!!!!!
Posted by gatorfan8 on April 13, 2008 at 11:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)
vols fanz comin to a theater near you ......0-4 featuring fat phill & team.. have a nice day..!!!
Posted by Volfan1 on April 13, 2008 at 8:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Tebow said, “I was just irritated. I threw a pick. ... I got cheap-shotted enough in the spring. I can get one on him.”
Poor Timmy got cheap-shotted in spring.
Seriously, it's amazing that Meyer would allow "The Program" to be bounced around like that in spring practices unnecessarily. ..unless there is a little hidden unrest over all the attention given to Mr. Tebow. Before any Gators visiting here get bent out of shape, you must realize those kind of things DO happen at any school, UT included. So, it is a thought worth considering, especially with Tebow himself mentioning it.
Posted by TurboFan on April 13, 2008 at 9:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)
He understood them just fine. Meyer told him to not run, let the other contestants get tired, then blow them away in a do-over.
Must be pretty boring over at GoGatorsXtra. Y'all being so perfect and all, no dissension, nothing to talk about.
Posted by Volfan1 on April 13, 2008 at 11:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)
WD40,
Old Gomer (aka mcbrim) has fallen in love with Tennessee and evidently loves to visit the number 1 winning site of the Vols.
He can't stay away....it's a jealously thing.
All his insults are just a cover for his overwhelming desire to constantly visit here.
Just don't tell the other Gators or he'll lose his spot in the moble home tailgating party & flea market in Waldo.
WD40, join me in welcoming Gomer (mcbrim) back each & every time to the great world of UT!
Posted by sjt18 on April 14, 2008 at 4:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I watched the better part of the scrimmage.
Rainey and Dunlap looked like players. Pretty much everyone else looked sloppy.
Tebow's decision making was questionable at best... fortunately for him, he might as well have been playing against air. If Brantley isn't the man... Newton has a million miles to go before he can be Tebow's relief. He was nothing short of awful.
gatorfan8, I can't make any predictions about UT until we see what their O does under real fire and if the DL is as improved as it appears to be...
However, I can say that UF's D looked just as bad if not worse than last season. If they don't take a major step forward, plan on another 4 loss season.
If that D shows up in K'ville... you'll be the ones worried about getting lit up for 50 points.
Posted by TNfaninMS on April 14, 2008 at 11:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Why is a florida fan in this chat? For two teams to hate each other so badly, you sure love to hang out with us Vols.
Posted by Volfan1 on April 14, 2008 at 11:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Gomer,
It's sad when you don't even have acumen to follow a post in the proper thread. If you'll check the proper article, you'll find enough info needed to answer your insidious question.
There's not enough room here to list the charges that history recorded.
But, hey, keep trying. We'll welcome you here anytime, closet Vol fan. We won't tell the other Gators of your obsession with all things Vols. Everybody join in making Gomer mcbrim feel at home, as he loves to visit & post here at a UT site so often.
Sincerely,
Posted by Volfan1 on April 14, 2008 at 11:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Clue #2....Gomer is a closet Vol fan.
Posted by bricker865 on April 14, 2008 at 11:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Spread offense....better have 2 or 3 good quarterbacks or it's in the tank again as the season progresses.
Posted by bricker865 on April 14, 2008 at 11:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)
lay off Mcbrim...he has nothing better to do with his time, even with the kind weather down there.
Posted by bigbluevol on April 14, 2008 at 2:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I love the idea that they'll only score 65 on us this year. He makes it sound like that's happened before. Even the year they scored the most on us, they only got 62 and I guarantee you that they won't get close to that many this year. Keep talking up Master Splinter though. He's the greatest coach in history, ESPN would have you believe.
Posted by highlanderinc on April 14, 2008 at 3:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
gator's have enough to worry about keeping Rainey clean. He almost cost his HS the State Championship for running his mouth about ole ladies slipping money in his pocket. Before his time is over in Gainesville it might not be so nice to be Chris Rainey!
Posted by Volfan1 on April 14, 2008 at 3:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Gomer mcbrim,
Seems at least you have come out of the closet! Obsessed. Can't get enough of the Big Orange.
Come on back anytime!
BTW, glad you were astute enough to navigate the site to find the answer to your question. And violations are violations. You asked for proof, not for something that happened last week. I gave it to you. It doesn't make it any less real or relevant.
And your schizophrenia is really causing you problems to equate tutors to having a title removed and being inelgible for championships for blatant violations.
Again, everyone welcome Gomer mcbrim to the legions of Volunteer fans and the glory of Tennessee. You see, he'll continue to respond for two reasons.
1. The flea market in Waldo isn't open today.
2. His overwhelming jealous desire & love for Tennessee.
All our best,
Posted by Volfan1 on April 14, 2008 at 3:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
BTW, upon further review, that's "ineligible"....as in what Tennessee has never been, but UF has mangaged more than once. Wanted to clear that up before Gomer got out his third grade grammar book.
Best wishes,
Posted by TommyJack on April 14, 2008 at 4:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
volfan: 3rd grade?: You're much too nice.
Hey Gomer..say hello to all your cuzzins in Palatka.
Posted by richvol on April 14, 2008 at 6:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
UT looks like it may have a powerful defense this year. The Florida game is here this year. If last year's debacle is not enough motivation for us to pound the crap out of them then I don't know what it will take. Look for Tennessee to hand it to them.
Posted by Volfan1 on April 14, 2008 at 7:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)
TJ,
Nice welcome for Gomer!
Posted by rockytopjeff on April 14, 2008 at 11:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
4.24 is scary fast boys
Posted by sjt18 on April 15, 2008 at 2:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
mcbrim, Why would what I said about Tebow be relevant to any future game?
He's a Heisman Trophy winner... he shouldn't be drilling the ball into double coverage and causing INT's.
I'll be here after the game. The question is if you'll be here if things don't go as you apparently believe they will.
BTW, caution rather than a big mouth would be advisable for someone with a defense that looks like yours.
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