The temptation will be to judge him for wins and championships, but Graves was much more than that. He was a kind soul, a class act and a genuine father figure who helped distinguish Florida football as much for what his players did off the field as on. Academic achievement was as synonymous with the Silver Sixties Graves years as the success UF achieved on the gridiron, which was considerable. When he wasn't helping mold top talent the likes of which included Spurrier, Smith and Youngblood, Graves was, with Dr. Robert Cade, helping laying the groundwork for the advent of a salty, light green colored dehydration killer that would become known the world over as Gatorade.
He was a special guy was Graves, but you'd hardly know it by the unassuming way he carried himself around Florida Field upon retirement. He treated everyone the same, with a warm smile, a hearty handshake and lively conversation. The body couldn't last forever, but the legacy he left behind surely will.
RIP, Coach.