Jacksonville Beach, Fla. ? Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley couldn’t have picked a worse time to speak to a booster club.

But there he was anyway Tuesday night, asking members of the Jacksonville Beach Gator Club for patience and understanding with new, struggling coach Ron Zook.

“We understand Gator fans are disappointed, and we’re trying like heck to change it, and I think we all need to stay positive,” Foley said. “Nothing can be gained by negativity.”

Of course, this is an easy time to be negative. The Gators (4-3, 2-2 SEC) are coming off back-to-back losses and looked awful last week in their 36-7 defeat by LSU.

Florida is unranked in The Associated Press poll for the first time since Steve Spurrier’s first week as coach, in 1990.

During his speech, Foley reiterated to fans what he told the AP on Sunday that Zook has his full support.

“There is no timeline for Zook,” he said. “He’s our head football coach.”

College Park, Md. Another game without Bruce Perry? It’s a prospect that no longer seems daunting to Maryland.

Perry, last year’s ACC offensive player of the year, has yet to play this season because of a torn groin. The junior running back is doubtful for Thursday night’s game against Georgia Tech, and his status for the rest of the season remains in doubt.

“The endurance is just not there yet,” coach Ralph Friedgen said. “I watch him in drills, and when he starts out he’s pretty much full speed. But he only took six or seven plays yesterday and was still dragging his leg at the end of practice.”

Perry has not been missed. Chris Downs and Josh Allen, both averaging more than six yards a carry, combined for 183 yards in Maryland’s last game, a 48-17 rout of West Virginia on Oct. 5. The Terrapins are 4-2.

“Bruce is obviously a loss, but it’s the sign of a good offense to have people come in and replace people who have gone down,” receiver Jafar Williams said.

Allen had 116 yards and two touchdowns, and Downs scored on a 72-yard run against West Virginia.

Quotable: “It used to be when you looked at them on film, they looked unbeatable. This year they look very beatable. Their secondary is suspect from what I’ve seen on film. And the running game, too. They start out good, but as the game goes on, if you keep grinding, you get a whole lot better.” Auburn RB Carnell Williams on Florida, the Tigers’ opponent on Saturday.

Extra points: Virginia Tech was called for 15 penalties in last Thursday night’s 28-23 win over Boston College the most ever in Frank Beamer’s 16 seasons as the Hokies’ coach. Ohio State LB Fred Pagac Jr. was suspended for Saturday’s game at Wisconsin after he was arrested and charged with persistent disorderly conduct outside a bar early Sunday morning With a five-game winning streak entering Saturday’s game against Louisville, TCU pushed its all-time record above .500 for the first time in 10 years. The Horned Frogs are 495-492-57 No. 1 Miami, off this week, has a 20-game home unbeaten streak to go with its 28-game winning streak, longest in the nation. The home winning streak is second to Nebraska’s 26-game streak