The (late) hits keep coming for Florida

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (U-WIRE) - Peter Boulware and Reinard Wilson may be gone, but Florida coach Steve Spurrier has started the early talk about Florida's State's late hits.

But that has not slowed down Seminoles strongside linebacker Lamont Green from making verbal promises of delivering physical punishment.

"Their quarterback is going to get hit regardless," Green said. "They might as well tell quarterback Noah Brindise that he is going to be bruised up very bad after the game, because he's going to get hit before he throws the ball, while he throws the ball and if we're within a step while he's releasing, he's going to get hit again."

However, the 6-foot-3, 223-pound Brindise does not appear too worried. When told of Green's comments, he smiled and said he does not plan on wearing any extra padding as Danny Wuerffel did last year.

"That's fine, I hope he hits me after I throw because then we'll get a penalty," Brindise said. "I'm not worried about it.

"I know I'm going to get hit a lot. They've knocked a lot of quarterbacks out and they're going to have to really put a good licking on me to get me out."

Florida safety Tony George said the defense will stand up for its quarterback, meaning any late hits by Florida State players might be cause for retaliation.

"If it happens again, I guess it is just going to come down to trading blows, so to speak," George said. "If they hit our quarterback like that, maybe we should go and hit their quarterback like that."

The Seminoles have posted 64 sacks this season and knocked out the opposing team's quarterback in seven games, including No. 8 North Carolina's Oscar Davenport.

Spurrier, who has suggested to the media that they watch tape of Florida State's defense this season, said he cannot understand what the Seminoles have to be proud of.

"If that's something they want to brag about, I guess that's their business," he said at his weekly media luncheon on Tuesday. "I think it's sort of sad that you brag about hurting someone on the other team. If that's something that's important to them, let them talk about it.

"They're going to play like they always play. All we can hope is that the referee controls the game. If he doesn't, I don't know what's going to happen out there. I can't ask our players to be spearing dummies, or tackling dummies or hit-late dummies.

"We're not going to get speared on the ground and hit in the back late after we throw the ball and things like that. I don't know how our players are going to react to that. It hasn't happened this year. Hopefully, it won't happen this game."

11-21-97