1 » Now that his brother has set a course for greener pastures in the NFL, Florida Gators junior guard/center Mike Pouncey will play without him next to him for the first time in years. Rather than feel a sense of longing, Pouncey sees this as an opportunity to take on a leadership role. “I’ve got to lead this team,” he told The Gainesville Sun. “I’ve got the most starts on the team – just gotta go out there and prove everybody day-by-day that we’re going to be a good team this year. […] It’s going to be weird [not having Maurkice there], but I’ve been with these guys on the offensive line for three or four years. I feel ike they’re all my brothers, so they’ll be there for me.”

2 » Though acquiring a tougher schedule was somewhat of a mandate by the Southeastern Conference, the Gators’ willingness to do so may very well be what separates their 2009-10 campaign from that of the last two seasons. “I don’t know if there’s any exact science, but certainly we’re really, really loaded up on our schedule competitively,” head coach Billy Donovan told The Sun. “What kind of dividends that pays for us remains to be seen.” While the opponents may have been tougher, Donovan believes his team is better than it has been since the Oh-Fours departed. ‘Probably a couple of years ago, we weren’t even in position to beat a Michigan State or a Florida State or go on the road and win some of the games that we’ve won,” he said. “This team has certainly played a much, much more difficult schedule and probably as difficult a schedule as we’ve played in quite some time.”

Two more BITS on recruit Brandon Knight and the Horfords…after the break!
Continue Reading » FOUR BITS: Pouncey, schedule, Knight, Horford

Tags: Al Horford, Atlanta Hawks, Billy Donovan, Brandon Knight, Jon Horford, Mike Pouncey, NFL, Oh-Fours, SEC

1 » 2011 linebacker recruit Lateek Townsend recently told his hometown newspaper, The State, that he is strongly considering leaving home and playing for the Florida Gators after his senior season of high school. “I’m thinking Florida highly,” he said. “That’s a winning program, so things must be done right. I’m going down there soon for an unofficial visit. I’ve not seen the campus yet. I put them up there with Clemson [his leader] and South Carolina.”

2 » Mark Wheeler of Rivals is reporting that Gators redshirt senior safety Dorian Munroe was denied a sixth year of eligibility and a medical redshirt by the NCAA last week. Munroe, who has suffered with injuries throughout his college career, was hoping to get a redshirt exception after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament for the second time. Munroe has appeared in 28 games in his Florida career, collecting 43 total tackles while playing a role on defense and special teams. He had a career-high six tackles in the SEC Championship against the Arkansas Razorbacks in 2006. He will appeal the ruling.

3 » University of Florida alumnus Tom Thurston is competing in the Iditarod this year, and The Gainesville Sun put together a nice profile piece on the former student. Thurston hopes for a top-30 finish in the annual event.

4 » Gators senior outfielder Francesca Enea was the recipient of SEC Player of the Week honors Monday. Smacking four home runs (three grand slams) this week, Enea is now second all-time in the SEC record book with 51 homers. Also honored this week is Florida freshman lacrosse player Ashley Bruns, who brought home the American Lacrosse Conference’s Rookie of the Week for scoring five goals in one half of competition. It is the second-straight week a Gators lacrosse player has won the honor. Last but not least, the 2009 SEC Champion UF women’s cross country team was named the USTFCAAA All-Academic Team of the year with a combined 3.56 GPA.

Bubble Watch » The unranked Saint Mary’s Gaels (26-5, 11-3 WCC) defeated the No. 14 Gonzaga Bulldogs (26-6, 12-2 WCC) 81-62 Monday to earn the WCC Championship and a spot in the NCAA Tournament. Two teams are now guaranteed to represent the WCC instead of one (Gonzaga), taking away an at-large bid.

Tags: All-Academic Team, American Lacrosse Conference, Ashley Bruns, cross country, Dorian Munroe, Francesca Enea, Iditarod, lacrosse, Lateek Townsend, NCAA, Player of the Week, Rookie of the Week, SEC, SEC Champions, softball, Tom Thurston, University of Florida, USTFCAAA

Former Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow was interviewed Monday morning on Lamm at Large on WJXL-AM in Jacksonville, FL. During his segment, Tebow discussed the health of head coach Urban Meyer, his level of desire to play for his hometown Jacksonville Jaguars and a few other topics.

On Meyer’s health: “He needs to keep resting and being with his family. He’s enjoying it. He’s had a little time to get away. And we’re still talking pretty much every day. He’s doing great and feeling better. He’s going to get back and have a great season and Florida is going to dominate. Their going to do great. I’m just happy that he’s feeling better and that he’s there for his family and that he’s been able to just relax and let his stress levels die down a little bit. He’ll absolutely be back and he’ll be involved. He’s going to be hands on working with the guys. He’ll be there for a lot of the stuff in the spring and in the summer. Florida should have a great year.”

On if he wants to play for the Jaguars: “I would. It’s here at home and I would enjoy that. I have been a Jaguar fan my whole life. I have enjoyed being here in my hometown and watching the Jaguars play and getting an opportunity to play for them would be a blessing for me and a privilege for me to be able to stay in my hometown and play here.”

Listen to Tebow’s interview here or read the remainder of the transcript courtesy of the folks over at SportsRadioInterviews.com.

h/t Ben Volin, Palm Beach Post
Photo Credit: John Raoux/Associated Press

Tags: Jacksonville Jaguars, Tim Tebow, Urban Meyer

Having already competed in the 2010 Senior Bowl and 2010 NFL Scouting Combine, there are only two things left on former Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow’s plate before the 2010 NFL Draft: individual team interviews and Florida’s Pro Day on March 17.

Two NFL teams, the Buffalo Bills and Seattle Seahawks, have already arranged individual workouts with Tebow after he works out for most of the NFL early next week, according to ESPN

Interestingly enough, the Bills and Seahawks combine to have five of the first 41 picks in the draft. Seattle has the No. 6 and No. 14 overall picks in the first round and the No. 38 selection (No. 6 in the second round), while Buffalo possesses the No. 9 and No. 41 overall picks.

Photo Credit: Jimmy DeFlippo/Sports Illustrated

Tags: Buffalo Bills, combine, Draft, NFL, Pro Day, Seattle Seahawks, Tim Tebow

Three-star kicker Marvin Kloss (Naples, FL), denied admission to the University of Florida a month ago when trying to earn a spot as a walk-on for the Florida Gators, ended up accepting a preferred walk-on offer from the South Florida Bulls on Feb. 18. Little did Florida know that it avoided another problem football player – Kloss was arrested Friday on a felony charge of grand theft, according to the Naples Daily News.

Naples police say Kloss, 18, and a friend stole almost $8,200 worth of property during a house party. Considering the Bulls have a surplus of kickers on the roster, it is expected that head coach Skip Holtz will likely remove Kloss from consideration for a spot on the team.

Photo Credit: David Albers/Naples Daily News

Tags: Marvin Kloss, South Florida Bulls, University of Florida

1 » Though he has told the media and his players that he plans to return to the Florida Gators on March 17 for the beginning of spring practice, head coach Urban Meyer will not be speaking at a Gator Gathering in Jacksonville, FL, on April 21. Instead, interim head coach and offensive coordinator Steve Addazio will fill in. Over the last few years, Meyer made an exuberant number of Gator Gathering stops throughout the state of Florida during the offseason. Curtailing those appearances is a step in the right direction in limiting his travel and responsibilities. UPDATE: Addazio will also take Meyer’s place at the same event on April 30 in Atlanta, GA.

2 » In his latest Big Board, ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper, Jr. dropped former Gators cornerback Joe Haden seven spots from No. 5 to No. 12 overall. Kiper still lists Maurkice Pouncey, who he calls an “athletic, versatile interior lineman [who is] rising quickly,” at No. 18 – the top center/guard on his board.

Extra Bit » Reports have the Washington Redskins showing a strong level of interest in former Florida quarterback Rex Grossman. OGGOA will update.

Tags: Joe Haden, Maurkice Pouncey, NFL, Rex Grossman, Steve Addazio, Urban Meyer, Washington Redskins

1 » Florida Gators sophomore offensive tackle Matt Patchan has had a tough time getting on the field since his arrival in Gainesville, FL. Suffering a gunshot in his shoulder before donning the Orange and Blue, Patchan also dealt with a bout of mono, right shoulder surgery and a torn left pectoral muscle early in his career. Then, he injured his knee after falling off of a scooter and pulled a hamstring. It looked like he would finally be healthy for the 2009 season, and he was until tearing his ACL after the fourth game of the season. Jeremy Fowler of the Orlando Sentinel reports that Patchan is doing well and should be able to return to action this year even though he will not be participating in spring practice beginning March 17. “He just needs to get better,” his father Matt Patchan, Sr. told Fowler. “After that, everything will take care of itself and he can act naturally on the field. But we’re very pleased with how the knee has responded.”

2 » In order to reduce the gray area in the “indisputable video evidence” clause in the NCAA rulebook, the Southeastern Conference has decided to add high definition televisions to its instant replay booths beginning with the 2010 college football season. The Big Ten and Big 12 have joined the SEC in adding HDTVs, while the ACC is still considering it. “I think it’s a good move,” said national coordinator of football officials David Perry. “Sometimes a guy at home with high definition was getting a better view of the replay than the guy in the stadium at the booth.”

Tags: ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, instant replay, Matt Patchan, NCAA, SEC