SEC spring meetings notebook: Brantley's spread

SANDESTIN — Like a lot of others around the SEC, CBS color commentator Gary Danielson, a former drop-back quarterback, said he's looking forward to seeing what John Brantley does in the Florida offense this season.

"He was blessed with some ability to throw the football a lot of us don't have. Those skills," Danielson said. "It will require change for Florida, though.

"I questioned whether the spread would work in the SEC. I know that the Tim Tebow spread works. I'm still not sure any other spread will work in this conference. They can not let John Brantley get hit 15 to 20 times a game. He's too valuable. It will be a different spread. We'll see how it unfolds, but it will be a different looking spread than it was before."

We saw that in the spring. Brantley lined up under center some times and directed an offense that seemed to stress throwing the ball down the field more than in the past. Certain elements of the spread remain, especially when true freshman Trey Burton and tight end/quarterback Jordan Reed are in at quarterback.

"To me, there are too many yards available throwing the ball," Danielson said. "If you have a skilled thrower, you can't risk him taking those hits. Even Tebow, as strong as he was, it was tough for him to take the punishment in this conference.

"This conference is more and more simulating the NFL, where they have sophisticated defenses to put hits on people. Even (Alabama tailback) Mark Ingram can't carry a full load at running back. He needs Trent Richardson. I doubt there is a quarterback in the league that could take hits for 13 games like Tebow did."

Playing ball and drinking beer

Speaking of Florida quarterbacks, Steve Spurrier took the opportunity to poke a little fun at Doug Johnson, who took over for Danny Wuerffel at Florida in 1997. Johnson got off to a shaky start at UF failing the 12-minute run before the start of two-a-days.

"Doug was out playing (pro) baseball and drinking beer all summer," Spurrier said. "He didn't get himself ready to play. Doug's a bright young man, got a good job down there (in Gainesville) and doing very well. But that was his summer prior to starting for the Gators."

Spurrier pointed out Shane Matthews as an example of a quarterback who really got himself ready to play in the summer. Matthews became Spurrier's first UF quarterback, rising from the bottom of the depth chart to become the starter in 1990.

"Now that's a good story. Talk to Shane Matthews about what he did that summer to prepare himself," Spurrier said.

More early signing talk

Although it was not on the agenda at the meetings, the possibility of having an early signing period in football was discussed quite extensively among the football coaches.

The consensus is there are a lot of potential logistical problems that would have to be worked out before it has a chance to become a reality.

"With the early signing period, it looks like a good idea up front, but I think the thing we've had the most discussion back and forth with is the details that may go along with it that make sense," Auburn coach Gene Chizik said. "How does it change the rest of the calendar? What are some of the issues that go with that.

"There are some things that need to be realigned a little bit, and we're not exactly clear where that needs to go. I'm sure that's part of the problem."

The SEC coaches have been talking about an early signing period for the last several years, but at this point it seems stalled.

The taunting rule

SEC coordinator of officials Rogers Redding spent some time this week with the football coaches going over the new taunting rule that goes into effect in 2011.

Under the new rule, a touchdown can be called back if a player taunts an opponent before he reaches the end zone. It would be a spot foul, resulting in a 15-yard penalty from where the taunt was made.

"I think it's the correct thing," LSU coach Les Miles said. "If a guy is wildly taunting an opponent before he goes into the end zone, it's a 15-yard penalty and no touchdown. It's a great rule."