COLLEGE FOOTBALL SPOTLIGHT : NEXT, HE’LL HAVE LUNCH WITH THE SPECIAL TEAMS

Being the offensive guru that he is, Florida Coach Steve Spurrier has long been more familiar with opposing defenses than his own.

This season, though, he vowed to get to know the other half of his team.

Now, who’s my starting right cornerback again?

“When you meet with the quarterback and receivers all the time, sometimes you lose contact with your defensive players,” Spurrier said. “Somebody gave me the idea, ‘Coach, maybe you ought to ride on the defensive bus some.’ I said, ‘That’s a good idea.’ ”

So, Spurrier has given up his seat next to quarterback Danny Wuerffel’s ear and has been riding the trails with the brutes on defense.

“Maybe it’s helped,” Spurrier said. “Some of our coaches and players say those little things like that have helped make us a closer team.”