Previewing the Florida Gators vs. FAU with Max Garcia

Former Florida Gators offensive lineman and current Denver Bronco Max Garcia joins Andrew Spivey and Nick de la Torre to break down the Florida Gators game against FAU and discuss how Florida will navigate this week’s game against the Owls with injuries on both lines of scrimmage.

TRANSCRIPT:

Andrew:                 Hello, Gator Country. This is your man, the one, the only, the goat, the greatest, whatever you want to call me, the lines may be dropping for your man, Andrew Spivey. Joined by the sidekick today, the little minion, Nicholas de la Torre. What’s up, Nicholas?

Nick:                         I’m not anybody’s sidekick. I am the main attraction. I am the turkey on Thanksgiving. I’m not the side dish.

Andrew:                 Let me ask you this. Have you ever had a goat? Have you ever been called the goat? Have you ever had you a goat little photo posted about you on the Twitter universe?

Nick:                         Things that are understood don’t need to be explained.

Andrew:                 Yes, they do.

Nick:                         I walk softly and carry a big stick.

Andrew:                 That’s fine, because guess what? People walk beside me and carry my stick for me. They have the stick guarding me. That’s how great the goat is. I have bodyguards.

Nick:                         I don’t need bodyguards.

Andrew:                 That’s right, because nobody wants to fool with you.

Nick:                         Exactly.

Andrew:                 Because nobody likes you. You’re the Cuban assassin, so maybe they are scared of you.

Nick:                         Now you’re just being mean. Your words hurt.

Andrew:                 Your words hurt.

Nick:                         Your words hurt.

Andrew:                 I’m sorry, Nicholas. Take my love for you, Nicholas. Love you, buddy. Talking about that. Nick, I have a rant to start the show with.

Nick:                         Oh God.

Andrew:                 There is a certain coach down in the boot at LSU, Les Miles. People are calling for his job. Okay? Calling for his job, but the man has won championships.

Nick:                         This ain’t a Mark Richt case. This guy wins 10 games a year and championships.

Andrew:                 The man up in Athens wins nothing, and then national media continues to wipe his hiney for him. It’s ridiculous. I feel bad for Les. The man two weeks ago was the #2 team in the country, and now he’s on ice, while Mark Richt continues to suck at life, and he’s still okay? I hope you can explain this, because I can’t, Nicholas.

Nick:                         I’ve kind of stood up, in a sense, for Mark Richt, kind of saying college football is sort of a business, and you’ve got to be able to sell a program. You’re selling tickets. You’re selling merchandise. It’s a business. In a sense, knowing you’re going to be good keeps business steady. To me, it’s like do you get rid of him? Les Miles isn’t just keeping business good. Every year LSU is a serious contender to win SEC and national championships. He averages 10 wins a season. That is a great season. What are you talking about?

Andrew:                 Here’s my thing. I understand the whole if you just win 10 games a year, and you never go to championships, you should be gone.

Nick:                         He goes.

Andrew:                 But he goes. That’s the thing. He goes. He’s won one. No, he’s won two, right?

Nick:                         Just one.

Andrew:                 Okay, but he’s been in two. The other one he got blasted. He didn’t show up against Alabama, but whatever. He’s still winning championships. If Georgia fires Mark Richt is people lined up to get Mark Richt? I don’t think so.

Nick:                         No.

Andrew:                 If Les Miles gets fired, are teams lined up to get Les Miles?

Nick:                         Yeah.

Andrew:                 Yeah.

Nick:                         If I’m an AD I don’t care who, there’s very few coaches if I’m an AD and Les Miles is fired, I would probably fire my coach to get Les Miles.

Andrew:                 Let me ask you this, Nick. Honest question. Jim McElwain is safe at Florida. Nick Saban is safe at Alabama. Is there another coach that you wouldn’t replace Les Miles with in the SEC? Maybe Hugh Freeze.

Nick:                         No. I would replace Hugh Freeze with Les Miles.

Andrew:                 I think he’s safe. I think he’s a guy that’s safe. Would Auburn jump at the chance to hire Les Miles? Probably.

Nick:                         The Gus bus.

Andrew:                 The Gus bus is falling off. The tickets are running low at the Gus bus. They’re getting foreclosures at the Gus bus right now.

Nick:                         I’ve got this. If LSU is silly enough to get rid of Les Miles, the SB Nation site and the Valley Shook kind of did their, I don’t know if it was this is a list of guys we’re hearing or this is a list of guys we’d want. There were six of them. Of course you’ve got your Nick Saban and your Jimbo Fisher, all the names that pop up every time there’s a coaching search. Guess who the last name on that list was, Andrew?

Andrew:                 Will Muschamp?

Nick:                         William Larry Muschamp. Could you imagine? Could you imagine LSU coming into Ben Hill Griffin Stadium next year with Will Muschamp leading the Tigers?

Andrew:                 No. No.

Nick:                         What a time to be alive.

Andrew:                 What a time to be alive for sure. I mean, this is my question. Nick Saban’s not going from Alabama to LSU. You can forget that. Would you feel comfortable with Jimbo Fisher as your coach over Les Miles? Hell, no. No. No. Outside of the few drug busts that happens everywhere, Les Miles runs a clean program. Right?

Nick:                         Yeah. They keep the grass clean, because they know you can’t put pesticides in that if he’s going to be eating it on Saturday.

Andrew:                 I don’t know. It was a rant that I just had to bring up, because let me say this in the first place. I’m not an LSU fan. I cannot stand LSU. I think it’s a gross town. I don’t like LSU at all. I despise the University of LSU for the most part, except for baseball. Their fans are retarded for the most part. I don’t like that. My thing is how do you as a fan base want the guy that is making your program relevant every year. I don’t understand that. Mark Richt’s never relevant. Is Georgia relevant this year? No. People don’t talk about Georgia. My thing is this. Maybe Les should make some changing with the offense.

Nick:                         I think the big thing is that. It’s that LSU fans are kind of getting to the point where Florida fans were, and it’s like why are we the only ones still sticking with this …

Andrew:                 Ground and pound.

Nick:                         Ground and pound. Everyone else is throwing the ball. Why aren’t we doing that? That’s a philosophy thing. Les Miles has been very successful with a big power running game and good defense. That works. That wins games. To react to this season and say, maybe we should get rid…that’s crazy. This is a really kneejerk reaction. I think it would be a catastrophic mistake.

Andrew:                 Saban changed his offense up some.

Nick:                         And they hate it.

Andrew:                 They do hate it. My thing is that it can be done. I don’t think that’s an issue there. To say you want to get rid of him is stupid when you got morons like Mark Richt and Butch Jones out coaching football games. By God, Will Muschamp was a football coach.

Nick:                         By God. Yeah. To me it’s kind of crazy talk.

Andrew:                 Let me ask you this real quick.

Nick:                         First off, the person who wrote the story in the Advocate, we had Ross Delenger on, he writes for the Advocate. The person who wrote that story for the Advocate is like their Pat Dooley. It’s their Baton Rouge columnist that’s been around forever, kind of has been around for so long that he’s kind of ingrained with everybody in there. I think that’s also where this kind of gets some weight from.

Andrew:                 Right. I understand that. Again, it’s one of those deals where I understand it. I understand that they expect him to win championships. I completely understand that. Winning championships is what it’s all about. Completely understand it. Who are you replacing him with? You can’t just fire the guy without finding somebody to replace him. Mark Richt can be replaced with anybody. That’s the thing. That’s my argument. Mark Richt, Butch Jones, don’t do anything. They don’t win championships. Will Muschamp can do Mark Richt’s job because he doesn’t win championships. Les Miles wins championships, dominates the state in recruiting, dominates Texas in recruiting on the guys he wants to go get.

Nick:                         Yeah. That’s one thing. I don’t know. For me, honestly, if I’m being honest, I don’t know how long things have kind of been that way where if LSU wants a guy from Louisiana good luck pulling him out of any other school outside of LSU. I don’t know if that was Les Miles or if that was before him, but that’s the case. In Les Miles you’ve got a guy who is winning football games, has established a program of dominance, is doing great in recruiting, is still great with recruits, and every year you’re in the talk about winning championships. LSU is one of the two premier teams, programs, in the SEC West, and if we’re being honest the SEC West has really carried the SEC these past couple years. I think it’s just a kneejerk reaction. They’ve lost two games in a row. It’s just we’re angry. Does Les Miles have to win this week or is his job on the line? Les Miles has done enough at LSU. He shouldn’t have to deal with silly questions like that.

Andrew:                 I think the thing is he can’t beat Alabama. He can’t beat Alabama.

Nick:                         Alabama doesn’t lose a lot of football games.

Andrew:                 Right. I’m saying that is the part that pisses LSU fans off. They can’t beat Alabama. It’s going to be what gets Butch fired. Butch can’t beat Florida. It doesn’t matter. He can’t beat Florida. Mark Richt, he can’t win championships. The difference is LSU fans are smart enough to say, you don’t beat them, you’re gone. Georgia and Tennessee fans aren’t smart enough to do that.

Nick:                         Yeah. In my mind I can’t wrap my mind around it of how to justify it. How do you get rid of a coach that is doing that well? A lot of times when things start going bad, and it’s what fans maybe don’t realize a lot, but until recruiting takes a nose dive then the program’s okay. Even if you’re losing games, even when Florida was losing games they were still getting some recruits. It wasn’t until …

Andrew:                 They’re still filling the stadium as well.

Nick:                         The stadium was starting to not fill, but it wasn’t until the year that Muschamp was eventually fired in 2014, and then you look when he’s fired there’s six recruits. There’s eight recruits. That’s when you know it’s not going well. When the players, the high school players, recruiting is the life blood of every college football program across the country, and once your program has taken a hit in recruiting that’s when it’s time to move on from a coach. Not time to move on from a coach who averages 10 wins a season, well he only won eight this year, so we should probably get rid of him. You’re just being spoiled. You’re being a spoiled fan base. You need to get a grip.

Andrew:                 They are still filling their stadium, like you say. I do have a little bit of an argument for you. Georgia still recruits well, but they don’t win championships. They don’t win championships. For the life of me I really wish somebody could tell me how it’s okay not to win championships. You’ve been there 15 years, and all you’ve gotten, in Jim McElwain’s words, is a damn participation ribbon. That sucks. I don’t know how you would defend that.

Nick:                         I’m starting to wonder, stop me if I’m wrong, if you even wanted to talk about LSU, or if you only brought this up so you could take some shots at Mark Richt.

Andrew:                 It was a lot of it. I don’t lie. I’m trying to express the delusionism, and I just made up a word, of how stupid Georgia fans are for believing that moron Mark Richt. He’s a moron. The guy is a walking moron, and I don’t understand it. I don’t understand it. Anyway, Nick, let’s go on. Florida has a football game this weekend. Some not so good news yesterday, David Sharpe potentially out. I’ll say this. I think it’s good to rest him this week, get him healthy for next week. Going to be a wild and kind of short week. Not short week, but a wild week next week. Maybe doesn’t get a ton of treatments. Good week this week to sit him out, get him treatment, and get him healthy.

Nick:                         To me the reaction kind of was, when Mac said it yesterday, the reaction was like again? What’s happening? To me, we’re in the same situation that we were in before Vanderbilt. It’s obviously Jim McElwain says, I’m not going to put a guy in if he’s not cleared. David Sharpe doesn’t start the game, comes in after half time. He was cleared to play. I believe that David Sharpe is cleared to play this week, but it’s sort of an injury where maybe it’s not going to get better by playing it. It’ll get a little bit better by resting it, and you have an opportunity. You should have an opportunity to be able to make it through a game, get some other guys reps, and not need David Sharpe. That allows you to get a win while also resting a player who needs it. You’re a football coach, were a football coach. Especially offensive linemen, nobody is healthy at this time of the year.

Andrew:                Yeah.

Nick:                         Depending on how camp goes, maybe you’re 100% healthy Week 1, but after Week 1 there is nobody on the football team, outside of bench warmers, that is 100% healthy on the field. If you can get a week, maybe it’s kind of why you get games like this, why you get Charleston Southern going into Tuscaloosa. Why you get FAU coming in. It’s to get a rest for guys who you’re going to need coming up into rivalry weekend next weekend. I think David Sharpe is fine. I think if this was Florida State, if this was the SEC championship game, if this was the bowl game, he would play. To me, it’s we really hope that we can handle FAU without David Sharpe, and we can let the big man rest that foot. He is a big man. That is a foot that is carrying about 330-350 pounds. If we can get him some rest, that will do everyone some good.

Andrew:                 I agree with that. I think it’s the same thing with McCalister. I think if it’s FSU he plays. I guess my biggest question is, someone asked me this in chat yesterday. I really didn’t even know the answer. It’s kind of bad. It’s Week 11, Week 10 for Florida, and they said, who does Florida play for their second team offensive line? I struggled. I’m going to pose that question to you. Who do you think is the second team offensive line if you rotate all of your first string guys out?

Nick:                         Did you say skruggle with a K?

Andrew:                 I said struggled. I’m not Jameis Winston.

Nick:                         Sounded like you said skruggle, like you were skruggling with English. Florida does not have a backup offensive line.

Andrew:                 Right.

Nick:                         That’s your answer. There is not a backup. If you throw out a two deep there is not a traditional two deep. I can you guys that will play.

Andrew:                 Who would be your backup tackles? In my opinion …

Nick:                         My backup tackle is my starting left guard, Martez Ivey.

Andrew:                 Right. Then your other one is whoever’s not playing outside of Halter or Fred Johnson.

Nick:                         That’s it.

Andrew:                 Can Florida realistically rest all their guys? I don’t think so. Maybe I think they probably try to find a way to get Tyler Jordan some snaps at center. I think they probably find a way to try to get Riles some snaps at guard, but who else do you bring in? Does an Andrew Mike get some time? Maybe. Does a Travaris Dorsey? In my opinion no, because he hasn’t played all year. Maybe. I don’t know.

Nick:                         With Dorsey it’s kind of he’s been dealing with the injuries off and on, so he already redshirted. It’s not like they haven’t played him, and if they play him this week he’s burning a redshirt. He can’t redshirt. Maybe. He’s a guy who if you wanted to get people out, it’s really slim pickings, so it’s Dorsey, yes. Tyler Jordan getting more reps at center, yes. Maybe putting Martez Ivey, and then you get into a situation like this. All the coaches have said we’re trying to take stuff off of the plate of these young guys. Now you’ve put more on the plate, or you’ve given Martez Ivey a different plate. You’ve moved him from tackle to guard. Now do you want to slide him back to tackle after saying, we’re playing you at guard, you’re starting at guard? You’re learning new footwork. You’re learning new schemes. Everything is a little bit different at this new position. Do we slide you back and say, forget all that stuff you’ve been doing the last month? We need you to go back and play left tackle, and then when FSU comes in next week we’re going to slide you back to guard.

Andrew:                 I don’t think it’s that big of a deal now.

Nick:                         I think it is. I think we don’t take into account enough how different each offensive line position is, even left guard, right guard, left tackle, right tackle.

Andrew:                 It’s a different thing when you, I’ve made this comparison a lot. It’s like a left fielder and a right fielder, for instance. Everybody says they’re the same position, but you and I both know they’re not, by any means. They’re not, because you have to judge the ball off of a left hander’s bat goes a different way in both positions. It’s kind of how it is with guard. It’s like once you’ve played the position, Martez knows tackle. That is his comfort zone for tackle. In my opinion he never loses that. When he gets to guard he had to learn that.

Nick:                         Kind of like riding a bike, you go back.

Andrew:                 Right. I don’t think it’s that big of a deal. I think if he had played all year, and then you say go into guard, then I think you’re saying, oh no.

Nick:                         Right. My line of thinking is this. It’s that we’ve really been working to get you to get comfortable at left guard. We don’t want you to slide back into your comfort zone and get back into those habits. We want you to really focus on left guard, because 15 opportunities, what everyone laughed at Jim McElwain for, 15 opportunities is still a real thing. This is just game 11. There’s four more potential games to be played where we need you back at left guard.

Andrew:                 I can see your point. I’ll be honest. If it was up to me I’d say you play your starting five and make them work the whole game. No offense, but this is kind of where this team is that they need, this is kind of their young guys. They need the work. Is it really bad? I don’t know. You know what I’m saying? I think it’s kind of …

Nick:                         How about this, Andrew? How about I pull a little rabbit out of my hat and surprise you, and we can ask a former Florida offensive lineman, current Denver Bronco, Max Garcia how hard it is switching. This is a guy who played every position. He played left tackle at Maryland, played center at Florida, played guard, played right tackle. He has played everywhere. We can ask him how difficult it is.

Andrew:                 Let’s go to Max Garcia. We’ll talk to Max about it. I think Max is going to agree with me. We’re going to see. Let’s go to Max Garcia. Gator fans, we’re joined by Denver Bronco, Max Garcia. Max, even though you have to block for Peyton Manning, we’re still friends. That’s why you’re getting on this show. It’s not because of Peyton Manning.

Max:                         I appreciate it. Thanks for still having me on the show.

Andrew:                 How are you enjoying the NFL? Is it everything you thought it would be and more? How are you enjoying it?

Max:                         It’s a dream come true. It’s everything that I would have thought it was. I’m just enjoying it, just taking everything in stride. Obviously we lost these two games, these two past games, but we’ve been having a great season. I’m just looking to get back in that win column.

Andrew:                 You really just miss Nick and I. That’s the biggest thing.

Max:                         Absolutely.

Andrew:                 Max, Nick and I were having this discussion. I want your opinion, because you’re the offensive man. You’re the offensive line Swiss Army Knife that Nick calls you. Martez Ivey’s played left tackle his entire life since he was little kid, all the way up until high school. He’s been playing guard all this year. If Florida does decide to go to their second team this week, and he goes back to left tackle to play some, how difficult is that for him? My argument to Nick was I thought he would be okay with it, because playing left tackle’s like riding a bike for him. It’s something he’s used to. Nick’s argument is that he thinks it’ll be too tough for him to rotate back and forth. From the man, yourself, who’s done it, how tough is it?

Max:                         I think it’s difficult, but at the same time it’s doable. I think the Missouri game in 2012, 2013, I went from guard to tackle, tackle back to guard, and then back to tackle. It was extremely difficult. I’m not going to say that it’s the best situation, but it is doable. Obviously you’ve got to have guys that are around you to help you out and make you feel more relaxed and comfortable, because if you don’t feel good being out there then you’re just going to get exposed.

Nick:                         You were a redshirt junior at that time. We’re talking about a true freshman in Martez Ivey right now. To me, the issue is not going back to left tackle. I understand that. You’ve been doing that your whole life. You probably feel more comfortable going back to left tackle. My issue was then trying to refocus the next week going back to that position that you’ve been trying to get your feet wet with and really get a feel of and a grasp for. That, to me, especially for a young player, is where the difficulty comes in. It’s that forget what we’ve been teaching you, go back to what you’re comfortable with, but just know that next week we’re throwing you back into the deep end.

Max:                         Yeah. It’s hard, and it’s definitely more of a attitude type thing. It’s more of are you willing to embrace it, or do you feel like the coaches are not looking out for your best interests? That’s something that you just have to try to embrace it and be like, I need to be able to play multiple positions. My team is counting on me to perform at a high level at both of these positions. Just being a freshman at that is going to be extremely hard for him. He’s just got to work that much harder at practice, taking those tackle reps, and then moving back to those guard reps. Keeping in mind that I could be playing either one. Might as well taking inside and outside reps the whole practice. It’s hard to do, and it takes more energy and more focus, but I think that if he just embraces it I think he’ll be fine.

Andrew:                 Let me ask you this, Max. This is something that I kind of know the answer about, but I want to get your opinion on it. How much does this help Martez’s future in the game of football, and how much does it help him become a better tackle by having to play inside his first year?

Max:                         I think you just kind of understand, playing guard you kind of see the perspective of the tackle, and then vice versa, playing tackle you see the perspective of a guard. You kind of keep that in mind. My guard’s doing this when I’m taking a step like this. He’s keeping his eyes here on this inside shoulder. Things like that. You kind of just learn more of the offense, and it is different. You just see things differently being on the edge and being inside, even if it’s just one position over. It makes a huge deal. I think it’s going to help him out and increase that draft spot. I know that’s one thing that really helped me out, moving over to center my senior year and being able to be more versatile. Even when I came out here to Denver I took some tackle reps during summer camp and things like that. It adds value to you, and he’ll appreciate it in the long run.

Nick:                         What was your first experience? You started at left tackle at Maryland. What was your first experience like moving inside?

Max:                         It wasn’t pretty. It was actually pretty ugly. I even played left guard when I went to Florida that year that I had to sit out. I was playing left tackle, and then the first time I played guard was in the spring. I just didn’t know what to do with my eyes. I felt like there was so much going on. My head was on a swivel. You could just tell I wasn’t comfortable playing there. Technique was going out the window. I was just trying to play ball as best I could. It just takes reps. Just takes time to feel comfortable and know where to focus your eyes and really just work with your tackle and your center. When you’re at tackle you’re just working with your guard, if you’re working with anyone at all. Sometimes, not really, with your tight end. It just different from that aspect, but yes, it was definitely a learning lesson for me and something that I just had to grow the hard way. Just getting beat and learning from those mistakes that I made. Just keep moving and just try to get better, and eventually it did.

Andrew:                 Let me ask you a question about Coach Summers. Coach Summers is a guy that a lot of guys say is more of a technician coach. For me, that’s tough for me to understand. Every offensive line coach I’ve been around is technique driven. Is there something different that maybe is a better word to explain Coach Summers? I guess, what’s been your overall impression of him? Maybe how did he help you in the NFL?

Max:                         For me I used to call him a technician as well. Just thinking about it, if you’re looking for another word, I would say methodical. There’s always a method and a reasoning behind why you’re taking this step, why you’re putting your eyes here, why you’re putting your hands here. He explains those things. I think that’s one of the key steps that coaches miss sometimes is not explaining the reasoning behind why you’re doing this. He just tells you to do this and do that, and you’re like, okay, I can follow instructions. What’s the reason behind it? I think that’s really where Coach Summers separates himself.

Like you said, it’s helped me out tremendously being in the league. He taught me how to be coachable really. He doesn’t really yell at you and get in your face when you make a mistake. It’s more like, “Let me talk to you. Why did you take this step when you saw this? Give me a reason why you did.” Then maybe or maybe not you’ll be right. If you’re just doing things out there just because then you’ll never be right. If you have a reason behind it he’ll work it out with you and explain things thoroughly. I really think that’s what it is. I would say methodical.

Nick:                         Okay. Max, you’re really a connoisseur of all things Gator, especially last year. Right now probably a little busy playing on Sundays, but have you had time to follow how Florida’s done this season? Are you still able to watch games or see scores, stuff like that?

Max:                         Yeah. At the beginning of the season I wasn’t able to look at or watch many games, because they were at the same time, I mean we’re traveling at the same time. These past couple games I’ve been able to watch, and it’s been cool to see them work and get the job done and get those wins. Just keeping in touch with Trip. He’s really one of the main guys that I talk to. Texting after every game and tell him that I’m proud of what the O line is doing, and I’m proud of the way that he’s leading them. I’ve just been very excited how they’ve been getting the job done and just getting those wins.

Andrew:                 Real quick. Hold on, Nick. I have to ask Max real quick. Max, soccer is SEC champions. I know you miss getting out to some soccer games.

Max:                         Yeah, I do actually. I saw that. Super proud of them. They’ve been having a slow year. They were the outright SEC champions, and then they won the championship too at the tournament. They’re always doing well. They’re always kicking butt. I just hope they win it all this year.

Andrew:                 Got to get threepeat in softball. That’s the goal.

Max:                         Oh yeah.

Nick:                         Is there any bragging rights for you this year? Florida, other than one fake field goal, has allowed you to kind of walk around with your Gator shirt on in the locker room there and kind of puff your chest out a little bit.

Max:                         Yeah, definitely. I’ve been, shoot. I’ve been going around with my head held high. Talking to Lerentee and [inaudible] we’re the three Gators on the team. We’re always representing, always talking smack to other teams. That’s just how it is. They just give me more ammo.

Andrew:                 Max, I have a million dollar question for you right here, big dog. How much mess do you give your quarterback for never beating the Gators?

Max:                         Actually…

Andrew:                 Have you ever brought it up?

Max:                         I’ve never brought it up, just ‘cause…

Nick:                         Spivey wouldn’t bring it up if he ever met Peyton Manning. He wouldn’t bring it up.

Max:                         I think that’s a conversation for a couple more weeks down the road.

Andrew:                 When you do win the championship, when Florida does win the championship, I want you to make sure Peyton knows the Gators are champions. Just send that along from me, Max. For me.

Max:                         I got you.

Nick:                         This guy.

Andrew:                 Nick, get the man’s prediction, and let’s get Max out. He’s got a busy day.

Nick:                         He’s a busy man. Max, are you going to shock the world and pick FAU?

Max:                         Pick FAU? Why would I ever do that?

Nick:                         Whenever we have somebody on we ask them for their prediction. I was just seeing. Maybe you felt like shocking people. I don’t know. I’m assuming the pick would be for Florida this week.

Andrew:                 Why don’t you ask the man, Max, I’m going to give you a real prediction question. Do you think Florida can end the streak next week against Florida State? Can they end that two game winning streak?

Max:                         Absolutely. We’re playing back in the Swamp. I don’t even know, what time’s the game? Is it a night game?

Andrew:                 Night game.

Nick:                         7:30.

Max:                         Yeah. It’s a wrap, man. Gators are going to win it out. Getting to go out there and get us back in the win column. I’ve never been big on predictions, but only Gators get out alive.

Andrew:                 There you go. Max, I appreciate it. Nick appreciates it. We really think a lot of you, Max. We really hope you good luck during the season, even though you do play with Peyton. Maybe go to the Super Bowl, but don’t beat my Falcons.

Nick:                         Stay warms as it gets cold up there, Max.

Andrew:                 You got it. Max, we will talk to you soon. Good luck the rest of the year.

Max:                         Thanks.

Andrew:                 Nick, that was the man. I had to ask him the Peyton question.

Nick:                         Peyton Manning is a legend.

Andrew:                 I know he’s a legend.

Nick:                         You don’t say anything to Peyton.

Andrew:                 This man blocks for him. Maybe he could just like, I’m going to be honest. If I was Max Garcia I would block for him, but it wouldn’t be because I wanted to block for him. It’s all good. Max is a good friend of ours. Nick, I know you and I had a lot of chance to spend time with him. I spent a lot of time with him at the Senior Bowl. There was a couple of great guys, him, John Halapio, just a lot of good guys. Kind of this job allows us to meet guys, and everybody sees them as football players, and they are, but they’re great people outside of that.

Nick:                         Yeah. They really are. Max is one of the most genuine guys that we’ve come across. We don’t really talk about religion a lot, but he kind of found religion and really changed his life for the better at Florida. Great guy to talk to and catch up with. Really cool to see him doing well and playing now professionally.

Andrew:                 Yeah. That’s exactly right. It’s good to see. Let’s continue on a little bit here. It’s prediction time, my buddy. I won, no we tied last week. We got to get this tie out. This tie business just doesn’t work. Maybe we’ll do, if it’s a tie, whoever has the closest score prediction.

Nick:                         I never give scores though.

Andrew:                 We’re going to start giving some scores. Let’s go. You got first pick. Go ahead.

Nick:                         I’m going with, it’s kind of out there. I’m going with Brandon Powell. I’m saying that because I think Florida will get a little of a lead and be able to do some more things offensively. Brandon Powell was kind of featured a little bit in the beginning of the year. I still remember Chris Rainey, sort of a Brandon Powell shifty fast running back, torching FAU the last time they played. I think Rainey had two or three touchdowns, 170 rushing yards. I’m going with Brandon Powell.

Andrew:                 This is going to be easy for me. Touchdown, Taylor made. It’s not the golf club. It’s 21. Big game last weekend, three 100 yard season this year. Four in general. I think he goes for a buck, 100, in the first half, with two touchdowns, and 21 gets Andrew a point.

Nick:                         Okay. My second one is going to be big Jon Jon Bullard.

Andrew:                 Why do you continue to take my guy? Jon Jon Bullard has been my guy, and you continue to take my guy. You’re making me get Mark Richt angry.

Nick:                         I apologize, all of the podcast listeners, for that rude outburst that cut me off. I’m picking Jon Bullard as my second player. FAU, Jaquez Johson, big 6’1”, 240 pound running quarterback. I think Bullard, who will play this week, I think he makes an impact. Just a guy that you can’t help but be happy for, the kind of season he’s having. I think he will continue to have that season and thrive this week against FAU.

Andrew:                 Fine. You want to play that game. I’m taking your automatic point that you went with last week. You said it, too. He’s always an automatic point. I’m going #3, Antonio Morrison. I know that’s one point on the board for Andrew already, because that was your words last week. It was. Your words was he’s always a point every week. Anyway, Morrison has a couple of big licks in the game. Plays a half probably, maybe three quarters. #3 makes pick number two for me.

Nick:                         My third pick is going to be Treon Harris.

Andrew:                 You’re taking my pick again.

Nick:                         What?

Andrew:                 You’re taking my pick again.

Nick:                         My third pick is going to be Treon Harris. It is a week after refusing to pick any offensive players. I picked two. This is an FAU team that isn’t very good, and I think it’s time for Treon to have a game where he can feel good about himself and about the way he played. Anytime you win you’re going to feel good, even if you didn’t play great. You’re going to feel good, because the team won. For me, Treon Harris will have a game that he can feel good about, because of his performance.

Andrew:                 The punt is up. 81, Callaway, catches. He’s going to go. He could go to the touchdown. Antonio Callaway, punt return touchdown. 81 gets my pick for pick number three.

Nick:                         Was that your Mick Hubert impression?

Andrew:                 No. That was my Andrew Spivey impression.

Nick:                         Impersonating yourself.

Andrew:                 We do have a problem with catfishing this week. Might as well be myself this week. We’re not going to go there. We’re not addressing that situation. You can tune elsewhere for all that nonsense, bull shit. Yes. Nick, let’s go real quick. Rapid fire. We’re getting out of here. Ohio State/Michigan State, quick thoughts.

Nick:                         What do you know? Ohio State’s playing a real football team. How about that?

Andrew:                 I heard Michigan State may not show.

Nick:                         How about that? I’m going to go with Ohio State at home. I like Michigan State a lot as a football team. I just think Urban Meyer, Michigan State is kind of a rival for them. Urban Meyer does not lose to rivals, and definitely doesn’t do it at home. I’m going to go with the Buckeyes.

Andrew:                 Buckeyes have won 30 straight regular season conference games, and they make it 31 on Saturday. Buckeyes roll over Michigan State, who I think is overrated this year. Moving to the SEC. The Bayou Bengals of Les Miles go to hotty toddy with the beautiful women of Ole Miss, who you got?

Nick:                         Hotty toddy, gosh almighty, who the hell are we? LSU is the pick this week. LSU takes down Ole Miss.

Andrew:                 Gosh almighty won’t be the words Les Miles says. Go Tigers. LSU wins this week. Baylor/Oklahoma State, Nicholas. Does Baylor knock the Big 12 completely out of championship bound?

Nick:                         I think they could. It’s interesting. After getting shut out last year the big hot word, keyword, this year is backloading. The Big 12 kind of threw all of their big games like this at the back of the schedule, because they haven’t been able to fill out their conference enough to have a championship game. This is a huge game for them. I think Oklahoma State remains undefeated.

Andrew:                 Baylor wins on the road.

Nick:                         Who’s playing quarterback for Baylor? I’m going with the Okies.

Andrew:                 I’m going with Baylor. Oklahoma State almost lost to Iowa State. For the biggest, the granddaddy of them all, Georgia Southern, the fighting Georgia Southern Eagles, who I found out are the Eagles, travels up to Athens to face the fighting Mark Richt boys. Nicholas, say it, because I’m going off in just a second.

Nick:                         I’m picking Georgia, and now I’m ducking for cover.

Andrew:                 You’re picking Georgia. Georgia Southern, you hurt the Gators’ feelings. I need fire power. Saturday is going to be boring for me on Twitter. I need fire power. Please run all over them, and don’t even throw a pass. Just run. They don’t stop the run. Just run. I’m sending you the game plan. Run, run, run.

Nick:                         You don’t need to tell Georgia Southern to run. They’re going to do that on their own.

Andrew:                 They threw six passes against Florida. Don’t throw six. Don’t throw. Just run, and they’ll be okay. For our game, Nicholas, the Gators/FAU. Who you got?

Nick:                         I am picking Florida, but if you’re putting money on this game it is a 31 point spread. If I had to pick against the spread, which I did for the Alligator Picks column, I picked FAU. Getting 31, that’s a lot of points. Florida will win this game. I don’t know if they’ll win by 31, but I expect Florida to handle business, and for some guys, some second team guys, guys who haven’t been playing as much, to get some run this game.

Andrew:                 You got to give us a score.

Nick:                         I think Florida will win this game 30-7.

Andrew:                 30-7?

Nick:                         Yes.

Andrew:                 30-7. You’re off your rocker. You’re crazy. You’re an imbecile. You’re retarded. You’re falling into Mark Richt territory. 48-3, the Gators roll. I’m talking about roll this weekend. 48-3 in the Swamp. Gators win and win big as they get ready to take on the school out west.

Nick:                         That’s going to be a big game. We got a bunch of stuff planned for next week.

Andrew:                 The first thing is going to be ape shit wild for the Florida State game.

Nick:                         First, one game at a time.

Andrew:                 One game at a time is the motto. Win the day. I just won this damn podcast. I know it. You don’t even have to tell me. I won this podcast. Twitter people, if you agree, throw me a chomp, chomp on Twitter. That’s the magic word this week, chomp, chomp on Twitter. Hit me up with that. The first person. I said it, the first person that gets it I will give a shout out to.

Nick:                         There you go. You have it. Andrew Spivey putting it out there. Big thanks to Max Garcia for joining us. As always, @NickdelaTorreGC on Twitter, @AndrewSpiveyGC on Twitter, @GatorCountry on Twitter. www.GatorCountry.com. Hit me up on Instagram. I take pictures of food, and I put it there for the internet to see.

Andrew:                 Nick, real quick, a shameless plug. If you guys are looking for a Gator home, I promise you you won’t find a better football guy than Nick. I believe myself, not be arrogant, not be cocky, but I believe that I do bring the recruiting news as well. Sorry, had to say it. Join us.

Nick:                         Entire recruiting news.

Andrew:                 We try. We try. Cassidy’s bringing the basketball news. Jenna, Austin, those guys are bringing as well. We’ll have a Black Friday special, and if you want a cool deal hit me up on Twitter, and I think I can make you a nice little deal to get you on Gator Country for a little cheaper.

Nick:                         Cheaper is always, mo’ cheaper is mo’ better.

Andrew:                 They can send that extra money to you and my pockets.

Nick:                         I wouldn’t mind that.

Andrew:                 Definitely. Nick, say your few magic words. Let me get us out of here. We’ll see you guys in the Swamp on Saturday.

Nick:                         FAU, the Owls. That’s all I got. As always, I will see you all at noon in Gainesville. Show up on time. We’ll go have a drink after the game. Find me. As always, stay classy, Gator Country.

Andrew:                 That’s right. Butch and Mark, you know the drill. Still morons. Still not good. As always, go Braves. Chomp, chomp.

Nick de la Torre
A South Florida native, Nick developed a passion for all things sports at a very young age. His love for baseball was solidified when he saw Al Leiter’s no-hitter for the Marlins live in May of 1996. He was able to play baseball in college but quickly realized there isn’t much of a market for short, slow outfielders that hit around the Mendoza line. Wanting to continue with sports in some capacity he studied journalism at the University of Central Florida. Nick got his first start in the business as an intern for a website covering all things related to the NFL draft before spending two seasons covering the Florida football team at Bleacher Report. That job led him to GatorCountry. When he isn’t covering Gator sports, Nick enjoys hitting way too many shots on the golf course, attempting to keep up with his favorite t.v. shows and watching the Heat, Dolphins and Marlins. Follow him on twitter @NickdelatorreGC