Some time before the regular season ends, Florida will unveil a special new uniform designed by Nike, that is nearly 40 percent lighter than a normal football uniform.

The Gators will join several other schools, including FSU, Virginia Tech,  TCU, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Texas, LSU, Missouri, and Miami, who will all wear the uniforms for one game. The uniforms have special cooling and padding, and will include new lighter weight gloves and shoes.

"We have an agreement with Nike to wear an alternate uniform for one of our remaining home football games, but we have no additional details at this time,'' Florida associate athletics director for communications Steve McClain said.

The Gators reportedly will wear the uniforms in their final regular season game against Florida State. An official announcement and unveiling of the uniform to the public is expected later.

His Florida ties are strong, and Steve Spurrier isn't hiding that fact.

The former Gator quarterback and head coach said Wednesday he's still a fan of the Gators and still roots for them - with the exception of the one week every year in which the Gators and Spurrier's current team, South Carolina, play against each other.

"Yeah, I pull for the Gators, sure,'' Spurrier said. "Almost all their games are on TV. And we’re usually a night team, we’ve played eight night games of our 10. So we get to see a half or so. Of course we watch all of the SEC teams, especially  the ones we’re going to play in the future. So usually, about a half of a game if we’re playing at night, I’ll get to the see the Gators. They are usually every week at 3:30. So we’ve seen about the first half or so forth.''

Florida coach Urban Meyer said Spurrier's legacy at Florida still looms large over the program - which is exactly the way it should be.

"It’s always going to be there,'' Meyer said. "Just walk out in that stadium and look up on the side of the wall and there’s a bunch of great stuff that coach has done. I think it’s still there and it should be.''

When junior DE Justin Trattou realized that his return from a severe bicep injury he suffered in the Oct. 17 Arkansas game was dependent upon his own pain tolerance, he knew the initial diagnosis of missing four to six weeks wouldn’t hold up.

In Trattou’s mind, you only get a few chances to play during your career, and you can’t waste them. Even if it means playing in pain.
“Once I learned I didn’t need to get surgery and it was a matter of whether I’d be able to tolerate the pain or not, I knew I’d be able to play soon,’’ he said.

Trattou has missed just one game since he “tore the bicep completely off’’ his left shoulder. And aside from the Advil he occasionally needs, he plans on living with the pain until the season ends.

“It’s going to hurt for a little while,’’ he said. “When you’re in the game, with all the adrenaline, it doesn’t really affect me as much. I’m really progressing, really pushing it hard and pushing through the pain. I think pushing through the pain actually brought the range of motion and strength back faster.’’

Florida junior punter Chas Henry was named the SEC Special Teams Player of the Week on Monday.

Henry had four punts for 211 yards and a season-best 52.8 average in Florida’s 27-3 win against Vanderbilt. He had three punts for over 50 yards, including two of 58 yards, giving him six punts of 50+ yards on the season.

Henry is second in the SEC in percentage of punts inside the 20-yard line (36 percent / 9 of 25).

Gator safety Dorian Munroe's injury filled career has taken another sad turn.

The fifth-year senior from Miami reinjured the right knee he hurt earlier this year, and most likely is out for the remainder of the season, effectively ending his career.

Munroe injured the right knee during preseason drills and underwent surgery the last week of August. He returned to the lineup and played special teams in the win over Georgia, but did not dress against Vanderbilt.

"Tough news, Dorian reinjured his knee, his ACL,'' UF coach Urban Meyer said on Monday. "I don't know for sure (if he'll return). Dorian Munroe falls in the same category as Ryan Stamper, Justin Trattou and some other players on our team. He's all-Gator. Just a great kid.''

Meyer said he is scheduled to meet with Munroe later this afternoon to discuss his status and medical situation.

Munroe, who also missed the entire 2008 season with an ACL, has played in 26 games and has 42 tackles.

Florida remained atop the AP and USA Today Coaches polls on Sunday, followed by Texas and Alabama.

The Gators, 27-3 winners over Vanderbilt, received 48 first-place votes in the USA Today poll, while Texas received four first place votes. The Longhorns defeated UCF on Saturday.Alabama, which clinched the SEC West with a 24-15 win over LSU, earned seven first-place votes, two more than last week. TCU, Cincinnati, Boise State, Georgia Tech, Pittsburgh, Ohio State and LSU round out the Top 10. 

The top six in both polls remain undefeated.

In the AP poll, the Top 10 are Florida, Texas, Alabama, TCU, Cincinnati and Boise State, Georgia Tech, Ohio State, Pittsburgh and USC. TCU's jump to No. 4 dropped Cincinnati and Boise State back one spot each.

Florida received 39 first-place votes in the AP poll, Texas received 10 and Alabama 11.