GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- I just wanted to share a few other nuggets from the Will Muschamp news conference in Gainesville on Tuesday night.
-- Muschamp spoke several times about having more of a pro-style attack on offense, and being multiple on defense. While he said he did not anticipate making any coaching hires until after the bowl game, Muschamp reiterated the importance of who he hires as offensive coordinator because defense is his strength. When he was pressed on what exactly he meant by running more of a pro-style offense, Muschamp said he wanted to look at the Gators' roster and tailor the offense to fit his personnel. He also stressed he wanted an offensive coordinator with college and pro experience.
-- As for defensive coordinator, Muschamp said he had not decided whether he would call the plays himself. He was defensive coordinator at Texas before coming to Florida. Though speculation has swirled that he would have an interest in Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart, Muschamp said nobody had been offered a job. Muschamp also wants to hire a special teams coordinator. The one coach who definitively is returning -- strength and conditioning coach Mickey Marotti.
-- So what will Muschamp do between now and the bowl game? He says he will be an observer only during practices and the Outback Bowl against Penn State on Jan. 1 in Tampa. He is far from being an observer when it comes to recruiting, though. Muschamp said he felt like he had a cell phone growing out of his ear because he had spent so much time on the phone talking to incoming recruits.
-- As for outgoing coach Urban Meyer, Muschamp has already spoken to him and wants him to be involved in the program as much as possible. "I talked about the things I felt were important with the program," Muschamp said. "We have a lot of the same beliefs. ... The more I talked to him the more I liked him. As long as Will Muschamp is the head coach at the University of Florida, Urban Meyer will be a part of this program. He needs to be involved with this program for our players. He's a great sounding board for me and part of this great tradition."
-- When asked whether John Brantley would be his starting quarterback in 2011, Muschamp said, "I haven't even looked at our roster." Brantley struggled this past season in the spread offense, and the Gators ended up playing three different quarterbacks. Brantley reiterated once again he would sit down with his parents when the season ended to discuss his future, but did say he was encouraged when he heard the Gators could run more of a pro-style attack. "It's what I'm fit for more," Brantley said. "I'm not the running type, and it was definitely better to hear more pocket passing."
-- Muschamp on why he decided to leave Texas, where he was tabbed the coach-in-waiting to Mack Brown: "The University of Texas was very good to Will Muschamp and my family. A Florida opportunity doesn’t come up very often. Having lived in Gainesville, having been in the SEC for a long time, knowing the tradition and the potential of this program to continue to compete for championships year in and year out, the recruiting base was phenomenal, support, resources, administration. When [athletic director] Jeremy [Foley] ... offered the job I took it immediately.
-- On telling Brown he was leaving: "Mack was great, Mack was happy for Will Muschamp, and that’s just the way Mack Brown is. He knew I was ready to be a head coach."