Comic relief: Gator-on-Gator block

ByJEFF BARLIS
November 28, 2013, 6:31 PM

— -- GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Before video of the play made the rounds in social media, Florida players and coaches had a good laugh over Saturday's now-infamous Gator-on-Gator block.

In the wake of Florida's devastating loss to FCS member Georgia Southern, the block offered some much-needed comic relief.

"I thought it was comical," senior offensive guard Jon Halapio said on Tuesday. "We were all in the locker room joking around about it.

"I've never seen anything like it."

It was the first play of the second half, and senior wide receiver Solomon Patton took a jet sweep off right tackle. Senior center Jonotthan Harrison pulled and got locked up with junior wide receiver Quinton Dunbar. The two Gators remained engaged throughout the play, seemingly unaware of each other's orange-and-blue uniforms.

"Perfect technique and everything," Halapio said. "[Harrison] should have [pancaked him]. He got in his way."

Florida offensive coordinator Brent Pease saw the play while reviewing game film on Sunday.

"Sometimes you have to laugh," he said, still chuckling and shaking his head in disbelief. "I mean, I'm just like, that is ... c'mon."

Pease said he had to rewind the film several times.

"The only thing I'd say is, 'Hey, I know what Jon was doing, he's trying to get around,' " Pease said. "I guess I'd tell Quinton to keep his eyes open a little bit."

The play is certainly embarrassing since it comes in the midst of the Gators' painful six-game losing streak. But one thing lost in all of the jokes is that Patton got the first down and helped set up a Florida touchdown.

"You know, sometimes guys get mixed up," senior offensive lineman Kyle Koehne said. "Sometimes you don't really see, you lock onto somebody and you don't really notice who you're blocking. Just two guys trying to play hard and do their job and they happened to get messed up. Hopefully that won't happen again anymore."