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Miami's Dorsett dismisses threats

 
Published Oct. 10, 2012

CORAL GABLES — Miami WR Phillip Dorsett's rough night wasn't done once Saturday's loss to Notre Dame ended.

The sophomore was met with threats directed at him through Twitter when he picked up his phone after Miami's 41-3 loss in Chicago. Dorsett dropped two potential touchdown passes on the Hurricanes' first drive.

"You know how people get," Dorsett said Tuesday. "You know how sports fans are. Obviously, everybody has my Twitter account, so people are out there just talking. It doesn't get to me."

Dorsett leads the Hurricanes with 29 catches for 470 yards.

"Everything is not going to be perfect," he said. "You're going to have bad games. That happens to everybody. … There are highs and lows in sports."

Sun-Sentinel

UF: Tackling head-on

GAINESVILLE — If you seek tangible evidence of ways the Gator defense has improved since last season, look no further than its tackling, coach Will Muschamp said. The team that struggled to wrap opponents well enough last season now thrives in that area.

"I think we've missed seven tackles in the last three games, so we are tackling very well right now," Muschamp said. "That's something we work on every day."

DB Jaylen Watkins said the transformation is as much mental as physical.

"Last year we had 10 missed tackles in the (LSU) game in the secondary and this year we had two as a team, so we did a very good job of tackling," he said. "It's our mental approach. Last year I don't think we took tackling as serious. We didn't really realize how much a missed tackle can hurt the game.

"This year when we're doing our tackling drills, we actually lock in and take it serious."

FINDING CREATIVITY: Senior RB Mike Gillislee leads the SEC in rushing (109.6 yards a game), and now that foes know the Gators plan to run often, offensive coordinator Brent Pease said it's critical to continue to mix balance and creativity.

"We've used bigger guys, in various ways that we can create gaps, we can create leverage, we can create, size to our effectiveness," he said. "And use our speed to our effectiveness."

Antonya English, Times staff writer

UCF: Growing fans?

ORLANDO — UCF coach George O'Leary addressed a fan base he suggests has room to grow after relatively disappointing attendance figures in the last two home games.

The Knights drew 35,835 against SEC opponent Missouri on Sept. 29 at Bright House Networks Stadium. The game started at noon and the heat — 86 degrees at kickoff, with high humidity — might have driven fans away. But the following Thursday, in a primetime C-USA game against East Carolina, UCF announced a crowd of 32,181.

O'Leary praised students and other groups of fans who steadily support the Knights. However, he suggested younger fans, including recent UCF graduates, could do more to support the team.

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"I think the fans who do come are great fans, and I have nothing but great praise for them," the ninth-year Knights coach said. "Then we have others that, they just need to probably grow up. Get more mature about their school and what's going on."

Orlando Sentinel