Following UF's win against Alabama on Wednesday night, coach Billy Donovan defended his team's effort this season.
He said it was unfair to compare this group to Gators teams of the past and that it is unrealistic to expect them to play to the kind of standard set by two national titles.
Don't blame the players for stealing a glance at those crystal balls every once in a while, though. It can be hard to forget when history is just a phone call away.
"I always talk to Jo (Noah) and Al (Horford) and all of those guys. They call to check on us," guard Walter Hodge said. "When we lose, they call and ask what happened."
Donovan said he hopes the team doesn't feel weighed down by expectations.
For Hodge, the group's lone senior, it's hard to ignore the past.
"You don't have to do the stuff the guys before you did, but you have to live to a standard," Hodge said. "You're at the University of Florida. You come here to win."
Hodge said he still hopes to do something special with this group before his time in Gainesville is over.
An NCAA Tournament appearance and a run at a Southeastern Conference title are still within reach, but with the season winding down, UF can hardly afford a misstep when they play Vanderbilt on Saturday at 3 p.m. in the O'Connell Center.
"NCAA Tournament, first place in the SEC, all that stuff - yeah, I loved talking about that when I had Noah and Horford and Brewer, who understood everything that went into it," Donovan said. "These guys need to understand team chemistry first. We're trying to build it back up, but I don't know if you just bring another seven or eight guys into your program and that just happens. It has dropped off. That's the reality."
Last season, Donovan grew disillusioned with the lack of effort he saw in practice. He grew tired of a team that appeared to feel entitled.
As a result, he kicked the players out of their multi-million dollar practice facility during their season-ending run in the NIT.
This season, however, effort has never been the problem.
Donovan has praised his team's work ethic, saying his young squad has "given me everything they have."
Talent, not desire, may be this group's downfall.
"I don't know how you can have five freshmen coming off the bench and expect them to come in here and be terrific. There's not one McDonald's All-American or one pro that's on our team in that class right now," Donovan said. "How we finish up, the result might be the same, but it's not going to be because of last year's reasons."
OGILVY READY TO GO: During UF's first meeting with Vanderbilt this year, the Commodores were hurt by the absence of center A.J. Ogilvy, who was pulled out of the game halfway through the first half with a foot injury.
The sophomore has healed and will be on the court against the Gators on Saturday.
"He was not the normal player that he is health-wise and it was certainly very evident to see that," Donovan said. "He's one of the better frontcourt players in our league, and we're going to have to try and handle him with more than one person."
