ORLANDO - So much for growing up.
UF's young secondary was torched by taller and more experienced Michigan receivers all afternoon in Tuesday's 41-35 loss in Orlando.
Wolverines quarterback Chad Henne, the game's MVP, finished with a career-high 373 yards through the air and three scores. Seven different Michigan receivers caught balls and senior Adrian Arrington finished with 153 yards.
After the game, UF coach Urban Meyer said he was "very disappointed" with the pass coverage.
"It's all in the head," senior safety Tony Joiner said. "It's no talent issue. Last four games of the season we played great football. It's in there, we just have to be consistent."
If UF's defense had been consistent this season, the Gators would've been a one-loss team at a chance at a national championship.
Instead they're a four-loss team hoping to mature going into next season.
"The correlation between lack of pressure, lack of pass rush and loose coverage killed us today," Meyer said. "We expect more out of our corner play than that. That?s one of the areas where we have to improve greatly"
One of the most depressing moments for the secondary, which is comprised of almost all freshmen and sophomores sans Joiner, came on the turning point of the game when Henne connected with Arrington for a 37-yard one-handed catch with a little more than five minutes left. Two plays later, Arrington was wide open for the 18-yard eventual winning touchdown.
"Markihe was in perfect position,it was just a perfect catch," freshman corner Joe Haden said. "He couldn't have played it any better. He just threw up one hand and caught it. The quarterback did a real good job of finding whatever we messed up. Whatever we messed up, he found it."
Bottom line: the defense disappointed a stellar offensive effort yet again.
"We didn't play great defense this year, you could tell," Joiner said. "[Quarterback Tim] Tebow and the boys put up 30-plus points up a game. When your offense does that, you have to be able to win games."
At least these younglings got some much-needed experience this year. While their work ethic has never been questioned, the results have been inconsistent.
Haden, fellow corner Wondy Pierre-Louis and freshman safety Major Wright have provided electric plays, but they'll need to do it in a more consistent basis next season if UF hopes to get back to the BCS.
"We?re not going to take a long period off," Haden said. "We?re going to get back in there and start working hard. It?s just more being confident in yourself, trying to make plays, not being afraid of what?s going to happen, just reacting."
