Kevin O’Sullivan was lost Saturday afternoon, mentally exhausted from a shocking and brutal walk-off defeat.
After surviving another see-saw affair Sunday, Florida’s coach — fresh with a renewed sense of clarity and relief — was so emotionally charged he sprinted around McKethan Stadium unleashing a Gator chomping fury.
But the 1,440 minutes in between were like a colonoscopy: cruel to a man’s brain.
Before the top-ranked Gators advanced to their second straight College World Series, O’Sullivan said he was a nerve-wracked mess, soul-searching and over-analyzing every decision in a pressure-filled season.
“I learned more about coaching in the last 24 hours than I have in the last four years,” he said. “It was a hard, long night [Saturday] night.
Before the postseason even started, O’Sullivan admitted 2011 had already been a grind with the burden of expectations and overnight pressure. Saturday’s shell-shocking defeat triggered a culmination of stress over a trying season.
“Everything was lined up for this team to lose,” he said. “It took a lot of restraint, a lot of thinking. I had to think through the words. I had to do the best job I could.”
A loss away from elimination, O’Sullivan sought guidance from other coaches who had dealt with lofty expectations. He heeded advice from a two-time NCAA champion and a three-time Super Bowl winner.
“I leaned on some guys who’ve had a lot of success,” he said. “Billy Donovan. Charlie Weiss.”
UF’s basketball coach served as the steward counsel, suggesting that O’Sullivan meet with the team late Saturday night — something Florida’s coach said his team never does after a loss.
“I had my head in my rear-end, and I needed to pick myself up because the players were going to look to me,” he said. “Billy thought it would be a good idea to get the team together last night just to see my face for 10 minutes.”
O’Sullivan decided that the heartbreaking loss merited such a team gathering. Sunday’s heroes, Mike Zunino and Preston Tucker, said the meeting relieved tension, allowing all the players to wipe away frustrations and regrets.
“Doesn’t work all the time,” O’Sullivan said. “You’re rolling the dice because you’re doing something that you normally don’t do all year, but I took his advice and I met with the team for 10 minutes. … Short and sweet.”
Although it was hardly easy Sunday, the Gators displayed enough resiliency to punch their ticket back to Omaha, Neb., and O’Sullivan — mentally eased, yet vividly animated — was ready to celebrate. The normally reserved and subdued coach reveled in the moment by igniting the crowd with fist-pumps, Gator chomps and a Gatorade bath.
“A lot of pressure on us to win, so it was just a big relief,” he said. “A big relief. …It becomes obvious that it’s very difficult to get to Omaha. It’s not easy. No team goes quietly in this tournament. It gives you a different perspective. You take a step back and take a breather and enjoy the moment a little more.”
