Adams: Donovan hopes Gators learned lesson

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Florida basketball coach Billy Donovan is already ahead of last season's pace. He can stand, sit and walk without a twinge of back pain.

That wasn't the case at last year's SEC basketball media days. In fact, Donovan's back discomfort was so severe he had to lie down on the flight from Gainesville to Birmingham.

The back is doing just fine now - thanks to medical treatment, a change in exercise regimen, and the realization that he's not Billy the Kid anymore.

Billy the Kid could sprint on treadmills at high incline. Billy Donovan is better off jogging on level ground.

Never mind that he doesn't look much different from Billy the Kid. There's no denying the facts. Just check the Florida press guide. In the family picture, Donovan's son is taller than the coach.

The coach is 42 years old and about to begin his 13th season as the leader of Florida basketball. He's also the dean of SEC basketball coaches.

And while he might regret the physical concessions to aging, he can fully appreciate the value of maturity.

After winning back-to-back national championships in 2006 and 2007 with players savvy beyond their years, the Gators didn't make the NCAA tournament last season with a young, inexperienced team that couldn't grasp its deficiencies until it was relegated to the NIT and kicked out of its $12 million practice facility by its own coach. Donovan didn't even allow them to wear Florida gear as they prepared for a tournament none of them had foreseen.

On the day that the NCAA tournament field was announced, the Gators were practicing. Their coach didn't miss the opportunity to drive home a point that he couldn't get across as the Gators lost eight of 11 games after an 18-3 start.

Donovan's practice-court address: "Everyone of you would have thought you would be at my house watching the selection show. How off-base were you guys?"

He didn't have to repeat the speech when the Gators began practicing for the 2008-09 season last week.

"It's drastically different," Donovan said. "I've noticed a totally different focus on the things we need to do to get better."

That's progress for a bunch that apparently was oblivious to its own shortcomings last season.

"We had confidence when there was no reason to be confident," Donovan said. "I would liked to have walked around feeling that good about myself."

Months later, Donovan isn't overly critical of last season's team. A 24-12 record "probably was as good as we could have done, given our lack of experience," he said.

Depth was a big factor, too. With only nine scholarship players, Donovan couldn't risk the grueling practices that might have hardened his young team to the realities of SEC basketball.

Depth is no longer an issue. Florida has 13 scholarship players, including 6-foot-6 sophomore Nick Calathes, the league's premier point guard, and three other returning starters. But there are only one senior and two juniors. And promising freshman class aside, these Gators don't look capable of unseating defending SEC champion Tennessee.

They certainly can get better, though. Donovan will measure that improvement by more than shooting percentage. His buzzwords are "development" and "growth."

"We've got a lot of younger players that we've got to develop," he said. "We've got to grow up."

Who better to show them the way than the dean of SEC basketball coaches, a.k.a. Billy the Kid.

Sports editor John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knoxnews.com.