Notebook: UF-UM winner got trophy

<p>Dan McCarney doesn't know what the War Canoe Trophy is, but he wants it.</p><p>"I love trophies," McCarney said after Wednesday's practice. "I was in the Iowa-Iowa State rivalry and for 15 years in a row all (Iowa) could do was send damn postcards and pictures to us at Iowa State because we never saw it (Cy-Hawk Trophy)."</p><p>Unfortunately for UF's defensive line coach, the War Canoe tradition died after the 1980s when UF and Miami stopped playing on a regular basis. If it were up to McCarney, he would bring back the tradition as soon as he could.</p><p>It's not just the physical presence of a trophy that excites McCarney, it's the spiritual feeling associated with it that really gets him going.</p><p>"It's the meaning behind it," McCarney said. "If you win, then you get the trophy. The Florida State-Florida one that's up here in our offices right now is one that we probably walk by and we know how hard it is to earn that every year. Any trophy that's out there, we'll be glad to try and get it."</p><p>The loss of the War Canoe could be because of the relative loss of the luster in the rivalry between the Gators and 'Canes. To McCarney, bringing the trophy back to the game could not only add a spark to the game, but it could add a little more pride to the players every time they see their physical reward.</p><p>"The trophies we played for — when we had them at Iowa State — I took them with me everywhere," he said. "I took them into my house. I took them to meetings. I took them to practice. I think it's important. I think it's part of the atmosphere and the loyalties of the schools and the rivalries in college football."</p><p>PLAYER STATUS: Urban Meyer said junior receiver Percy Harvin was slowed by his heel Wednesday, but practiced along with junior linebacker Brandon Spikes (foot). "Percy was gimping around a little bit, but he went," Meyer said. "Brandon looked fine to me today. I haven't checked with the trainer yet, but he looked fine."</p><p>Redshirt senior offensive lineman Jim Tartt (shoulder) is expected to be available to play Saturday, Meyer said. Redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Maurice Hurt (shoulder) will not play Saturday. … McCarney said sophomore defensive lineman Torrey Davis is making academic progress and being "accountable," but has yet to progress in practice and there are no plans of playing him soon.</p><p>Gators focused: Ever since senior receiver Louis Murphy's choice words about Miami earlier this week, the Gators have been pretty quiet about the Hurricanes.</p><p>McCarney said the team has found new focus as Saturday approaches. To get that focus, the coaches made sure some of the players didn't get overhyped this week. Especially the young ones.</p><p>"I don't worry about it nearly enough if it's a guy like (Jermaine) Cunningham that's played so many games and been around a while," he said. "(For) young guys, I think that's a real fair question. We've got to make sure that we guard against that because it could happen. </p><p>"I remember Duke Lemmens told me, I said, ‘What's it like that first time when you run out (of the tunnel and onto the field) in The Swamp?' He said, ‘Coach, I ran out there and I came within about 6 inches of running right into the goal post.' … That's an example of what it's like. The atmosphere, how wild it will be. You still have to focus on you and that guy right across from you and win that battle each play."</p><p>The day Steve Spurrier took the head coaching job at Florida on the last day of 1989, he said he would like to see the Florida-Miami rivalry renewed on a yearly basis.</p><p>But did the head ball coach really mean it?</p><p>"I asked Coach Spurrier about that," UF coach Urban Meyer said. "He told me, ‘I would say publicly I wanted to play them, but deep down, I didn't want to play those guys.' "</p><p>A few minutes later, Meyer was asked if he wanted to face the Hurricanes every season.</p><p>"No," he said.</p><p>Easy as 1, 2, 3: If Percy Harvin is cleared to play Saturday, Miami will be the first team that has to face the potential juggernaut that is UF's backfield.</p><p>Freshmen Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps combined for 136 yards and two touchdowns on only eight carries last week. Insert Harvin and Miami could be in for a long night on defense.</p><p>"I'm calling timeout if I'm a coach," Harvin said of what he would do if he saw him, Rainey and Demps in the field at the same time. "I guess just take your best shot and hope that the play was designed to go to the one you double-teamed."</p><p>Meyer on UF's 2004 Peach Bowl Loss to Miami: "It was not bad offense," he said. "It was not bad defense. It was about as bad as you get in (the) kicking game. I want to say they got two touchdowns on like a blocked field goal and punt return, if I remember right. That's 14 points. All I remember is that defense went out at about the 40-yard line every time and playing, instead of playing field position."</p><p>Dan Mullen on Miami: "It's like a conference game," he said. "They have SEC-type speed so we have to be prepared for that."</p>