Growing up in Alabama you’re either an Alabama fan or an Auburn fan. Lamical Perine was different. He watched the Florida Gators but that doesn’t mean he didn’t want or believe he would earn a scholarship from either school.
Nick Saban and Alabama came calling and really tried to flip Perine’s commitment to Florida late but he told them no. He never had the chance to tell Auburn no, they didn’t offer him a scholarship and told him he was too slow to be an SEC running back.
He probably changed Gus Malzahn’s mind on Saturday night.
“They weren’t very interested in me at the time,” Perine said with a grin on his face after the Gators’ 24-13 win Saturday night. They probably thought I was a little too slow. As everybody already knows, that was one reason. But I showed them today.”
Perine’s season hasn’t gone the way many, himself included, have expected. He came into Saturday’s game with 197 rushing yards on 55 carries and three touchdowns. He hasn’t had much room to run behind an offensive line that is struggling to create lanes or get a consistent push but he’s continued to do things the right way as a senior leader for the Gators. Perine’s leadership has been invaluable and he’s also been one of the Gators’ go-to pass catchers with 18 receptions for 93 yards and a touchdown on the season.
“When you look at his leadership and what he’s done, I mean, maybe hasn’t been like putting up big numbers but he’s doing what he’s supposed to do, taking care of business,” Mullen said of Perine. Then he comes out and has a 130-yard rushing night.”
Perine’s 130 rushing yards are a new career-high. His 88-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter is the fifth-longest in school history. It’s the longest run since Emmitt Smith’s 96-yard rushing touchdown against Mississippi State in 1988.
Perine deserved this day. He was spurned by Auburn, a school three hours away. This season hasn’t been what he’s expected by this could be the game that gets things going for Florida’s rushing game.
“We were able to try and stick with the run game. You wouldn’t say we were run efficient, just kept pounding away at them. We were able to stick with it, stick with it and all of a sudden he gets that one crease and does an unbelievable job, breaks a tackle, makes a guy miss and outruns everyone to the end zone. That’s what you want. That’s the type of things he can do.”
“I know I’m a big-time player and a lot of people, they doubt me sometimes, but I come in every day and give my all for my teammates. It was just an honor to be able to make a big play for this team, how much I go out and just go hard,” Perine said. “I’m a humble guy, but everybody knows when it’s time to play big games, I’m a guy they can look to.”
There’s another big game next week.
Great young man, great Gator!!!!!!
Great article Nick!
Great results for all of us Gators!!