SportsLine wire reports
March 30, 1999

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- When the UF football team signed five wide receivers following the 1996 National Championship season, it appeared the legacy left by departing juniors Ike Hilliard and Reidel Anthony was in good hands.

At this point last year, UF coaches were getting worried. None of the young wideouts had shown the promise to be the "go-to guy," and sometimes receivers coach Dwayne Dixon had to wonder.

That changed last season. Travis Taylor emerged as the Gators' rising star and Darrell Jackson became a regular contributor. And this spring, another of the Class of 1997 is proving he belongs in the pattern as well.

Redshirt sophomore Brian Haugabrook has made defensive backs look downright silly a few times this spring, and Dixon knows why. Haugabrook knows where he needs to be for the first time in his UF career.

"It's like someone driving around town with directions, but he still doesn't know how to get where he's going because he's never been there before," Dixon said. "That's where he was last year."

AND IN UF'S OFFENSE, BEING IN THE RIGHT PLACE at the right time will get a receiver on the field faster than a 4.2-second 40-yard dash.

So far this spring, Haugabrook has run those crisp routes, even in individual drills.

"Everything's got to be done perfect for us to win the big games," he said. "If we can do it right in practice, it'll show up in the games."

One Class of '97 member who figured that out early was Taylor, who had a few standout games last season but saved his real coming-out party for the Orange Bowl. In that nationally televised game, he caught seven passes for 159 yards and two touchdowns and took home Most Valuable Player honors.

But what has impressed Dixon the most about Taylor is that he has not rested on that achievement.

"He's not settling for not trying to get better," Dixon said. "He's not just satisfied with where he is. Every day, he's going out there with an attitude that says, 'I'm competing every play I'm out there.'"

TAYLOR, WHO LOOKS TO GO INTO FALL PRACTICE as the Gators' No. 1 receiver, is just happy that the rest of his class is catching up. He said he knew all along that Haugabrook and Steve Shipp had the ability to be standout receivers at the college level.

"Those guys have so much talent," Taylor said. "They're at a stage now where they've adjusted to the college football scheme. They are going to shine."