Berlin vs. Grossman

[78]

Berlin was the chosen one, Grossman became the ultimate one.

The highly publicized UF quarterback battle from 2000-2001 appeared to rejuvenate Spurrier, and then it didn't. Hours after SOS gave the departing Berlin the starting nod in an Orange Bowl blowout of Maryland, a game in which Grossman lit up the Terps in the second half, he was gone for the NFL.

Two years later, in Miami, Berlin led a ferocious come-from-behind Canes win while trolling the Gators on the field.

Why was Rex so much better? I know, I just want to hear your take.

 

[AuggieDosta]

Rex had what has never been measured or quantified...the "it" factor.

 

[MissouriGator]

It was the 2000 LSU game, Berlin missed a wide-open receiver for a TD. Spurrier asked Grossman "did you see that?" Rex replied, "yes sir."
Rex went on to take over, and the rest is history.
Rex understood the plays and had great field vision , was a great passer, and just had the "it" factor. He always seemed calm and confident. He did struggle sometimes reading defenses, but he understood Spurrier's offense and made tremendous plays with his arm.
That's what I remember.

 

[GatorInGeorgia]

Better physical tools (arm strength wasn’t even close) and better mental tools (again, not close IMO). Grossman had a level of cockiness & swagger that Berlin didn’t.

As a sidebar, I have always and will forever feel that SOS had made up his mind BEFORE the 2001 season that it would be his last year at UF. I also believe he felt damn near, if not completely certain, that we had the best team in the country that year and we’d win it all, allowing him to go out on top winning the NC. Who could have foreseen how 9/11 would impact things. And then that azzhat Dockett intentionally hurting Graham.

Damn, we had a great team that year! I think we would have beat Miami by double digits had we played then for the title.

 

[78]

From the 2003 Orlando Sentinel.

(Berlin) predicted he would become the most prolific quarterback in Louisiana high school history -- when he was in the eighth grade, which also is the last time he lost a game as a starting quarterback.

He assured his high school coach that his graduating class would go undefeated, then handed the state trophy after his senior season in 1999 to the coach with a smug "I told you so" after a 45-0 run.

Berlin set nearly every state career passing record while playing for Shreveport (La.) Evangel Christian Academy, ranking second in national high school history with 964 completions, 13,902 yards and 145 touchdown passes.

With the USA Today Offensive Player of the Year and Gatorade National Player of the Year awards attached to his resume, Berlin announced at church that he would sign with Florida. That drew the wrath of many in Cajun Country, who labeled him a traitor for not choosing LSU.

 

[Jbossgator8]

Grossman was clearly head and shoulders much better than Berlin and it wasn't even close. Rexy was robbed of that Heisman in 01 no doubt about it. Berlin never even came close.

 

[Concrete Helmet]

Damn, we had a great team that year! I think we would have beat Miami by double digits had we played then for the title.

Been a Gator fan for going on 40 years but there's no way our 2001 team would have beaten them that year.....SOS knew that and felt he never would be able to compete with the cheating going on at UM & FSU which was another huge reason he left UF......Our 08 team would have had a hard time with that UM team.

 

[GatorInGeorgia]

Been a Gator fan for going on 40 years but there's no way our 2001 team would have beaten them that year.....SOS knew that and felt he never would be able to compete with the cheating going on at UM & FSU which was another huge reason he left UF......Our 08 team would have had a hard time with that UM team.

We would have smoked them. Not sure why everybody thinks that UM team is the greatest of all time. I think UM’s 2001 team would have been exposed by us the same way Miami’s 1992 team was exposed by Alabama in the Sugar Bowl.

 

[78]

It's more a matter of subtraction than addition. UF's Hoke-led run defense was bad that year. I'm not sure our running game was all that special either. But Grossman had one helluva season under Spurrier.

 

[Concrete Helmet]

We would have smoked them. Not sure why everybody thinks that UM team is the greatest of all time. I think UM’s 2001 team would have been exposed by us the same way Miami’s 1992 team was exposed by Alabama in the Sugar Bowl.

Our defense was terrible...vanilla Auburn and UT walked all over us....UM had 2nd stringers taken in the draft that were NFL stars...It is what it is our 2008 team has a damned good argument as GOAT and imo it would be between those 2 teams....

 

[AlexDaGator]

We never heard of Grossman (what a terrible name). No way. Berlin was going to bring us back to glory. We even nicknamed the OL the "Berlin Wall". It was destined.

And then reality hit.

And how.

I remember the precise moment I knew Grossman was the man. He was rolling out...and fumbled the damn ball. Panic, right? Fall on it, right? Maybe pick it up on a lucky bounce and run forwards a few feet? Maybe if you're really, really good you might throw it in the dirt or out of bounds or something.

Nope.

Grossman grabbed that fumble and threw a damn touchdown.

He had "it". Great arm, fantastic release, vision...he had it. Dude was cool as a cucumber.

Fcuk Berlin. I was at that game in Miami. We had them. Damn Zook. I wanted to gouge Berlin's eyeballs out with my car keys after that game.

Alex.

 

[78]

We never heard of Grossman (what a terrible name). No way. Berlin was going to bring us back to glory. We even nicknamed the OL the "Berlin Wall". It was destined.

And then reality hit.

And how.

I remember the precise moment I knew Grossman was the man. He was rolling out...and fumbled the damn ball. Panic, right? Fall on it, right? Maybe pick it up on a lucky bounce and run forwards a few feet? Maybe if you're really, really good you might throw it in the dirt or out of bounds or something.

Nope.

Grossman grabbed that fumble and threw a damn touchdown.

He had "it". Great arm, fantastic release, vision...he had it. Dude was cool as a cucumber.

Fcuk Berlin. I was at that game in Miami. We had them. Damn Zook. I wanted to gouge Berlin's eyeballs out with my car keys after that game.

Alex.

Channing Crowder had a tremendous game.

 

[Gator By Marriage]

Fcuk Berlin.

Alex.

Concur

 

[BruceWayne]

I don't think I remember the play that Alex was talking about. But I remember in '01 vs UT in the Swamp we had seats in the north end zone, Gators were driving towards our end, Rex dropped the shotgun snap and he calmly picked it up and threw a TD in the back of the end zone to Gaffney. Dude was a baller.

 

[GatorInGeorgia]

Our defense was terrible...vanilla Auburn and UT walked all over us....UM had 2nd stringers taken in the draft that were NFL stars...It is what it is our 2008 team has a damned good argument as GOAT and imo it would be between those 2 teams....

I get it regarding the talent, they had their share but there have been other equally talented teams that didn’t go all the way. And yes, our defense was overconfident a few games and got burned. People forget that UM wasn’t invincible & needed some good luck against a crummy Boston College team & an overmatched, average VT team that year to eke our victories. The difference is they made the plays & we didn’t so they are the champs & all we can do is speculate. That I acknowledge. However, my opinion is still that we beat them head to head had we met for the title. Guess we’ll never know.

P.S.- if I agree to pay for the banner do you think El Cheapo Foley will let us pull a Bammer & claim 2001 as our 3rd BC?

 

[Swamp Donkey]

It's more a matter of subtraction than addition. UF's Hoke-led run defense was bad that year..

Spurrier's choices of DCs, within the budget that Fooley would allow, was mind numbing.

 

[InstiGATOR1]

Berlin was the chosen one, Grossman became the ultimate one.

The highly publicized UF quarterback battle from 2000-2001 appeared to rejuvenate Spurrier, and then it didn't. Hours after SOS gave the departing Berlin the starting nod in an Orange Bowl blowout of Maryland, a game in which Grossman lit up the Terps in the second half, he was gone for the NFL.

Two years later, in Miami, Berlin led a ferocious come-from-behind Canes win while trolling the Gators on the field.

Why was Rex so much better? I know, I just want to hear your take.

1. Grossman had a year head start on Berlin. A year head start is huge in college sports, particularly football.

2. Grossman played in a more populous state, ie Indiana has 40% more population than Louisiana. It is hardly surprising that the best QB in the bigger state better than the best QB in a smaller state. This is not always true, but it is on average true.

3. Berlin played at a high school jam packed with D1 prospects. Grossman played at a regular high school football program. When a player plays with a bunch of other talented players it is hard to see if the stats are do to the player or the stats are due to the other players. If player is the lone or one of few prospects on a high school team, the production is more likely due to player who is being recruited. (One exception was Darrell Jackson who played with a QB who threw 75 TD passes in high school, but Jackson caught something like 50 of those TDs. Those stats alone convinced me I wanted Jackson more at UF than his QB.)

 

[GatorInGeorgia]

1. Grossman had a year head start on Berlin. A year head start is huge in college sports, particularly football.

Actually, Rex only had, at best, a 6 month head start on Berlin. People forget that Brock was an early enrollee in January 2000. Early enrollment 20 years ago was almost unheard of. As Rex redshirted for the 1999 season, it’s safe to assume he wasn’t getting many, if any, reps in practice in the fall of 1999 so the 6 calendar month headstart was probably significantly less in actual practice time. While Rex may have had a slight advantage from his small head start, the bottom line is they both went through their first spring ball practices at the same time and Brock couldn’t beat Rex out.

 

[InstiGATOR1]

Actually, Rex only had, at best, a 6 month head start on Berlin. People forget that Brock was an early enrollee in January 2000. Early enrollment 20 years ago was almost unheard of. As Rex redshirted for the 1999 season, it’s safe to assume he wasn’t getting many, if any, reps in practice in the fall of 1999. While Rex may have had a slight advantage from his small head start, the bottom line is they both went through their first spring ball practices at the same time and Brock couldn’t beat Rex out.

Actually it seems that people also forget that Grossman was an early enrollee at UF, but UF's sites seems to have it the way I remember:

Rex Grossman - Football - Florida Gators

So it seems that their first springs were a year apart and early enrollment was not quite a rare as you might remember it then.

 

[GatorInGeorgia]

Actually it seems that people also forget that Grossman was an early enrollee at UF, but UF's sites seems to have it the way I remember:

Rex Grossman - Football - Florida Gators

So it seems that their first spring's were a year apart and early enrollment was not quite a rare as you might remember it then.

Sorry but you’re wrong.

Schlabach: Early enrollment can benefit quarterbacks