08-10-2007, 09:59 AM
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Both of them
Join Date: Sep 2006
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Former Florida Gators face tough challenges with the Bills
The Buffalo News: Bills & NFL: Former Florida Gators face tough challenges with the Bills
Quote:
They read the headlines and opinions that followed. They heard the predictions and just shook their heads.
“We thrived on it, you know,” said Jemalle Cornelius, former University of Florida wide receiver. “We kept a whole bunch of quotes and put them up in our team hotel and every time we ate, that’s what we saw: How big and strong and fast Ohio State was. They were going to out-physical us. All the point spreads, I think one of them had us lose by about 21 points.”
But the Florida Gators embraced the underdog role and stole the title from the mighty Buckeyes, winning the 2007 BCS National Championship Game, 41-14.
Seven months later, Cornelius and former Florida cornerback Reggie Lewis are dark horses once again as they try to fight their way onto the Buffalo Bills roster. “It’s a long shot, but at the same
time there are a lot of people who wish they were in our shoes right now,” Lewis said.
Cornelius was a team captain for the Gators and as a senior had 523 receiving yards and a 15.4-yard percatch average. Lewis made four interceptions as a senior, one off Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith in the title game.
Both learned quickly that playing for the national championship team doesn’t guarantee anyone a job offer: Neither was drafted. Instead, the two will look to infiltrate veteran-heavy positions on the Bills squad as free agents.
It might be slightly easier to make the Bills at receiver than cornerback.
At receiver, five veterans are back from last year. Many teams keep six on their 53-man roster and put one or two on the practice squad. Cornelius needs to make an impression in preseason games to win a spot.
At cornerback, the Bills have five veterans, the number teams typically keep. Lewis, who switched from receiver to cornerback after his sophomore college season, is one of four young corners in camp hoping to pull an upset and either win the fifth spot or make the practice squad.
Receivers coach Tyke Tolbert knows both Cornelius and Lewis well because he was on the Gators coaching staff when the two were recruited.
“Reggie always had that swagger, but Jemalle has always been a quiet, silent assassin-type,” Tolbert said.
Tolbert said Cornelius is a diligent worker.
“Technically, probably his strengths are his speed and he has good hands,” Tolbert said. “Weaknesses are he’s got to get better in and out of his cuts and recovering on the run. But other than that, he’s like any typical rookie at this time.”
“It’d be great to make the team rookie year and get out there and get some game experience,” Cornelius said. “I mean, we were seniors [last year], and now I’m carrying all these pads and helmets.”
Bills receiver Peerless Price, a member of the 1998 national champion Tennessee team, said it’s tough to go from No. 1 to NFL rookie.
“Even guys like Troy Smith go out there win the Heisman trophy, and Charlie Woodson, who I looked up to, you don’t know that they’re going to get the chance,” Price said. “I feel for these guys, coming off national championship years and they’re put into a situation where they end up on a team with guys already filled in their positions.”
Price admits the memory of the Fiesta Bowl, for which he was named MVP for catching the decisive touchdown, remains the sweetest of his football career, and it will until he has a Super Bowl ring to wear.
“[That catch] is probably No. 1 on my list,” Price said.
Cornelius and Lewis hope they can add to their playing memories.
“Every night we talk to each other,” Lewis said. “We just say, ‘Ain’t nothing different than it was in college, so just go out like it’s college and do what you know you can do.’ ”
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Former Florida Gators face tough challenges with the Bills
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