ORLANDO, Fla. — The Ron Zook era has begun at Florida, and now that Steve Spurrier is gone, so is much of the enmity that has defined one of the nation's most-heated college football rivalries over the last decade.

        “Steve had a way of stimulating that thing, irritating it, riling you up,” Florida State coach Bobby Bowden said Sunday. “Most coaches work differently than that. It's going to be different.”

        Last year, Spurrier triggered “The Battle of Twisted Knee” for his inflammatory and repeated accusations that Florida State tackle Darnell Dockett intentionally twisted running back Earnest Graham's knee after making a tackle. In 1996, it was public accusations of late hits against Gators quarterback Danny Wuerffel.

        Love him or hate him, Spurrier gave people something to get passionate about, and his obstinate political incorrectness stood out in an era when college football coaches act more like CEOs.

        Zook — a former defensive back during Miami (Ohio's) glory days in the early 1970s — is taking the more conservative approach in his first year. Big talk, big predictions and picking on Florida State aren't on his agenda.

        “Obviously, I've met coach Bowden,” Zook said. “I assume we'll have a cordial relationship.”

        Pushed for a pithy one-liner about his new rival — Florida fans loved it when Spurrier called FSU “Free Shoes University” — Zook demurred.

        “I'll try to skip over that,” he said. “This is one of those rivalries where there doesn't have to be a lot said to get people fired up. There are certain games on the schedule where you don't have to say a whole lot.”

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