As if the season wasn't strange enough at Florida, it got even weirder when coach Steve Spurrier admitted he was wrong with his constant criticism of his players.

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Spurrier has never been afraid to speak his mind, which gives more impact to the apology to his players.

"Maybe this team didn't respond that way to the negative talk,'' Spurrier said. "We usually always come to the ballpark thinking we're just as good as the other guy. So if somehow or another we thought maybe we weren't as good as the other guy, then that was my fault. If at some point we didn't do that, then maybe … ah, anyway, our coaching staff didn't get that feeling across to our players as well as we normally do.''

Maybe the apology is a motivational ploy for the Gators as they prepare to play Michigan State in the Citrus Bowl on New Year's Day, a game that could extend Florida's SEC-record streak of consecutive seasons with 10 wins to seven years. Or maybe Spurrier really did realize that his constant badgering -- after victories and defeats -- wasn't the way to handle a young team.

The Gators simply played too tight in the final two games of the season, when losses to Florida State and Alabama eliminated chances at the national and SEC titles. If players really are a reflection of their coaches, it was obvious the way the Gators played.

Spurrier called his players dumb, stupid and undisciplined this season, and the Gators played that way in the last two games. The self-fulfilling prophecy played out when it mattered most.

"There was probably a little too much criticism on my part,'' Spurrier said. "Maybe it was something I didn't handle probably as well, maybe, as I could have. But on the other side, I handled it about like I always do. Sometimes we all say things and go back and say maybe I shouldn't have said that. But in emotional times, we do things, and hopefully people understand a day or two later.''

The Personnel File

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Darrell Jackson, Jr., WR. Florida's offense sputtered down the stretch, failing to score more than 23 points in any of the last four games, but Jackson was as close to a consistent threat as the Gators had. He caught 67 passes -- nearly twice as many as the second-best receiver, Travis Taylor -- for 1,156 yards and nine touchdowns.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Alex Brown, So., DE. In his first year at end, Brown showed he can be a dominating speed rusher, coming up huge in victories over Tennessee (five sacks, one interception, one forced fumble) and Georgia (two sacks, one interception, one forced fumble). He needs to develop a variety of moves and tended to disappear in other games, but there's no arguing with his overall stats: a school-record 13 sacks, five forced fumbles and two interceptions.

COACHING UPDATE: Earlier this season, Steve Spurrier reached 100 victories faster than any coach ever has at a school (in his 10th season). Now 102-21-1 (.827) in his decade at Florida and 122-34-2 (.778) in his 13-year career, he joins Florida State coach Bobby Bowden as the only coaches to lead his team to nine victories in every season of the 1990s.

LINE SHAKEUP: Senior center Corey Yarbrough, one of Florida's most consistent linemen this season, is academically ineligible for the Citrus Bowl. Although the loss certainly hurts the Gators, it is softened somewhat by the return of injured guard Ryan Kalich. A four-year starter at guard, Kalich injured a knee midway through the season and wasn't completely healthy until after the SEC Championship game.

He will replace Yarbrough at center, and will help with continuity.

"Ryan has been around here for five years,'' Spurrier said. "He knows what he's doing out there. It's unfortunate that Corey didn't make it, but we'll be fine.''

MAKING AMENDS: The passing game at Florida has struggled for much of the second half of the season, and the wide receivers haven't made the uncertainty at quarterback any better with their sporadic play.

But both Travis Taylor and Darrell Jackson say this game will be different. The Gators have had some of their best practices of the season during their minicamp, and the passing game could become a factor again.

If Jackson, who had more than 1,000 yards receiving this season, and Taylor, a preseason All-American who missed four games with an ankle injury, come back strong, the Gators can make some noise again. Both have struggled down the stretch this season.

"I really don't know what the problem was, I guess we just weren't clicking,'' Jackson said. "Earlier in the year we were doing a lot of things, and late in the season we stopped doing those things. Maybe that was it. But we've got to forget about it now.''

Noteworthy

SHOOTING FOR THE STARS: The Gators are already on their way to a major haul in recruiting, and it could be the best class for Spurrier in his 10 seasons.

Florida has nine commitments, some of which are from the top players in the nation. Quarterback Brock Berlin (6-2, 205) of Shreveport (La.) Evangel High School, who many believe is the top recruit at any position in the nation, committed to the Gators and will enroll in January.

The Gators also have a commitment from defensive end Kenard Ellis (6-4, 240), one of the nation's top junior-college players (and a member of the SportsLine/PrepStar JC All-America team). Ellis signed with Florida two years ago but didn't qualify academically. He had 13 sacks this season, and will enroll in January.

"Hopefully we can put a recruiting class together this year to go with the group last year and get back to the top real soon,'' Spurrier said. "Hopefully we can have a team here that one day wins them all. That's our goal in the immediate future, to win them all.''

A Look Ahead

Here's a glance at who the Gators will have to replace in the starting lineup next season.

OFFENSE: The Gators will replace four players on offense, and all four could be replaced by freshman of impact next season. Quarterback Doug Johnson is gone, and Berlin will get every opportunity to compete for the job, beginning with spring practice. Linemen Cheston Blackshear, Ryan Kalich and Cooper Carlisle -- all fifth-year seniors -- are also gone, and the Gators will need to find suitable replacements.

DEFENSE: There will be two losses (linebackers Keith Kelsey and Eugene McCaslin), and nine returnees next season. The defense, full of young talent, will be a key next year. Freshmen linebackers Byron Hardmon and Mike Nattiel will have the early edge to replace the seniors, but former Parade All-American Matt Farrior, who is redshirting this season, also enters the mix.

SPECIAL TEAMS: No starters lost here. Everyone returns, including All-American kicker Jeff Chandler, punter Alan Rhine, and return specialist Bo Carroll.