Entering the program’s third year, No. 4 Florida Gators lacrosse is looking to continue their record pace and become the fastest team in the sport’s history to win the NCAA Championship. The Gators progressed from new kids on the block in 2010 to one of the elite teams in the country in 2011 and hope to continue that progress.

Florida opens their 2012 campaign on the road Saturday at No. 3 North Carolina for the second-straight year and is looking to avenge a tough 10-9 overtime loss.

Following the defeat in their 2011 opener, the Gators went on 14-match winning streak that spanned two months. Florida lost their final regular season game 9-6 to Cornell; however, UF still finished 11-0 at home and captured the 2011 ALC regular season title. The Gators then fell in the conference’s tournament to Northwestern and were ousted in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament by a talented Duke team.

KEY DEPARTURES

Midfielder Janine Hillier: Florida’s fourth-leading scorer from 2011, Hillier decided to transfer to Stony Brook for her final two years of eligibility. Part of the Gators’ inaugural recruiting class, she scored 34 goals and added six assists in 2011 and was an integral part of UF’s success. Hillier chose to transfer for what were deemed “personal reasons.” Those may include Stony Brook being closer to her hometown and her sister, Kim Hillier, serving as an assistant coach on the team.

KEY PLAYERS RETURNING

Junior attacker Kitty Cullen: A dynamic scorer and threat from anywhere on the field, Cullen led Florida and the nation with 77 goals in her sophomore campaign. She was named a consensus first-team All-American and All-ALC player as well as the 2011 ALC Player of the Year while averaging 4.3 points per game with a .501 shooting percentage and .755 shots on goal percentage. Cullen scored a point in every game in 2011 and now has a 24-game streak in that category dating back to April 28, 2010.

Junior attacker Ashley Bruns: Cullen’s cohort for the last two years, Bruns boats more of an all-around game as evidenced by her scoring 46 goals and adding 28 assists for the Gators in 2011. An All-ALC first-team selection, she was also recognized nationally for her accomplishments and will continue to build on her game in 2012.

Junior defender Sam Farrell: Though she did not score a single point for Florida in 2011, Farrell was one of three Gators (Cullen, Bruns) named to the ALC’s “Players to Watch” list during the preseason because her incredible prowess on the defensive end of the field. She started all 20 matches for Florida, and her 27 ground balls in 2011 were fourth-best on the team. Farrell earned a selection to the All-ALC first team as well as nod to one second team All-America.

Junior goalkeeper Mikey Meagher: One of the top 10 goalies in the country (in goals against average), Meagher allowed just 8.66 shots past her per game while helping lead the Gators to arguably the best second-year performance of any team in the sport’s history. She was an All-ALC second-team pick and hopes to continue to perfect her game while starting in the net for the third-straight season.

Florida’s initial recruiting class, ranked No. 1 nationally in 2010, boasts a number of terrific returning players who will undoubtedly have a big impact on the Gators this year. Two other standout performers from a year ago – juniors midfielder Brittany Dashiell and attacker Caroline Chesterman – combined to score 68 goals and register 16 assists last season. Dashiell started all 20 games, led Florida in draw controls (49) and was second in ground balls (30), while Chesterman serves as a co-captain, posted a team-best .554 shooting percentage and started 13 matches.

KEY NEWCOMERS

Junior attacker Gabi Wiegand: A transfer from Richmond, Wiegand started nine games as a sophomore and was third on the team in goals (33) and assists (13) for her former school. Looking to compete at a higher level, she decided to make the move to UF and earned a start in the Gators’ exhibition contest against England in which she posted five goals and two assists in the team’s impressive 17-2 victory.

Florida’s No. 3-ranked recruiting class includes four members of Inside Lacrosse Magazine’s top 25 freshman list. M Shannon Gilroy (6), A Nicole Graziano (12), M Nora Barry (15) and M/D Sally Jentis (18) should all see action on the pitch in 2012 though just how much time certainly remains to be seen.

BIG QUESTIONS FOR 2012

How much will Hillier’s departure hurt the Gators’ chemistry?
There is no denying how good of a player Hillier was during her time wearing orange and blue, and it should not be doubted that Florida will have to go through some trial and error in replacing her as a starter, but one thing the Gators’ have is scorers. Hillier’s 34 goals from a year ago should be replaceable but her defense and nose for the ball – including 18 caused turnovers and 35 defensive clears (both second-most on the team) – will be tougher to supplant. Offense gets all of the glory in lacrosse but scoring opportunities come from turnovers and getting as many possessions as possible, which is one area in which Hillier truly exceeded for UF.

Just how talented is head coach Amanda O’Leary?
In order for Florida to actually win it all in 2012 (more on that below), the freshman class is going to have to play a major role. How well they blend in with the strong junior leadership and flow that the Gators have developed over the last two seasons will be a task O’Leary is responsible for overseeing.

She has proven to be a stellar recruiter and perhaps an even better coach, leading a team of freshmen to a respectable finish in the program’s first year and giving Florida a legitimate shot at a national title in the team’s second season of play. But there is a big difference between being a very good coach and a great coach.

In other words, it is one thing to get your team to the big dance and quite another to ensure they’re the ones still celebrating when the music stops. O’Leary’s early success will give her plenty of time to succeed with this Gators team. She has already built Florida into a program that recruits and plays with the best of them. However, she also has a unique opportunity to not only make a name for herself nationally but perhaps even establish herself as one of the best coaches in school history.

Can Florida actually take the final step and win a national title?
The short answer is: Yes. The Gators played so well in 2011 that there were only a few goals the team failed to reach when the book on the season was closed. Florida posted a 13-game winning streak, won a conference title and made their first NCAA Tournament berth, but the Gators did not go undefeated in the regular season, win the ALC Tournament or advance to the national championship game.

That first endeavor may be a bit of a stretch; however, it is certainly not impossible with all of the arrows pointing up for Florida in 2012. Unlike football, basketball and even baseball to some extent, there is not much turnover in the sport of lacrosse and O’Leary is returning a team that is experienced, immensely talented, well-coached and motivated.

The Gators have played the country’s best competition on the road and at home, know what it’s like to compete at the highest level in tournaments and have two years of collegiate lacrosse under their collective belt.

It will always be tough for Florida to take down some of the championship factories out there (namely Northwestern, Maryland and North Carolina), but the Gators are in the perfect position to do just that in 2012 and could very well bring home the school’s first lacrosse title this year.

Photo Credit: Matt Stamey/The Gainesville Sun

1 » Florida Gators quarterback John Brantley has faced his fair share of obstacles over the course of his college career but trainer Tom Shaw does not believe that will prevent him from succeeding as a professional. According to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Brantley has been training at the ESPN/Disney Wide World of Sports Complex since the season ended and has spent much of that time working with Shaw, the acclaimed trainer/coach of big-time signal callers like Eli and Peyton Manning, Michael Vick and most notably Tom Brady. “You saw what he did at the University of Florida, so a lot of people aren’t giving him an opportunity,” Shaw told the Sentinel. “But with what I’ve seen in the time that I’ve spent with John is that he could be one of the best quarterbacks that I’ve ever had.” Shaw believes Brantley is a better athlete than Brady and has a strong arm but most work on his footwork. “I don’t sell kids. If they’re good they’re good. If they’re bad, I’ll tell you,” he said. “I’m not saying he’s the next Tom Brady or Peyton Manning or whoever. I’m saying this kid has the ability, the talent to be a pro football player and be successful at it because he has all the tools.”

The paper also notes that Brantley is being represented by Joel Segal of Lagardere Unlimited, the agent who has also signed running back Chris Rainey for 2012 and boasts a stable of other Gators including Percy Harvin (Minnesota), Maurkice Pouncey (Pittsburgh), Mike Pouncey (Miami) and Ahmad Black. In other words, it may be wise to expect Brantley to be selected somewhere in the late rounds of the 2012 NFL Draft if Segal has anything to say about it (which he will).

2 » With his show Eastbound & Down set to return to HBO on Feb. 19, Kenny Powers recently decided to write an open letter to Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow called “The Gifted Young Athlete.” The letter, available unedited on Grantland.com, is uncensored and features explicit language. Below is a very short passage appropriate enough for publication here on OGGOA.

Yet here Jesus is, helping me & Tebow out in sports, just because we’re maybe a little bit cooler in his eyes. It’s a raw deal, plain and simple.

Click to expand and read two more BITS in this post.

Spring is here and No. 2/4 Florida Gators softball is set to begin their 2012 season this weekend by playing five games as part of a three-day tournament hosted by South Florida in Tampa, FL from Feb. 10-12.

The Gators enter the 2012 campaign having lost a number of major pieces that formed the core of last year’s team that went all the way to the championship round of the 2011 Women’s College World Series. However, a strong and dynamic freshman class coupled with a crop of extremely talented players and superb coaching by Tim Walton means that Florida may not be far off from yet another successful season.

KEY DEPARTURES

Outfielder Kelsey Bruder: The 2011 SEC Player of the Year, Bruder was the straw the stirred the drink for the Gators. With game-winning hits and monster shots all season long, Bruder paved the way for Florida’s offense with 19 home runs, 71 RBI, a team-high 48 walks and a .387 batting average (.764 slugging percentage).

Pitcher Stephanie Brombacher: The heir apparent to Stacey Nelson, Brombacher hoped to set the mound ablaze in her senior season but struggled with injuries early and inconsistencies at the end of the postseason. She still managed to finish 2011 with a 20-3 record, team-low 1.51 ERA and 133 strikeouts in 153.0 innings pitched.

First baseman Megan Bush: Part of an amazing power tandem with Bruder, Bush set the SEC career home runs record with her 21 dingers in 2011 and posted a team-high (and single-season record) 80 RBI while hitting .333 and slugging .692. Though she may not have received as much nationally acclaim as her counterpart, Bush was just as big of a part of the Gators’ offensive success a year ago.

Seniors catcher Tiffany DeFelice and second baseman Aja Paculba, each of whom were year-long starters at their respective positions, mark two other tough losses for Florida, which will find it difficult to make up for their proficiencies not only in the box but also on the field. Paculba’s 16 homers and 62 RBI are tough to replace, as is DeFelice’s perfect 1.000 fielding percentage and experience behind the plate.

KEY PLAYERS RETURNING

Senior center fielder Michelle Moultrie: A walk-on as a freshman, Moultrie became a vital part of the team as a junior and is now one of its leaders as the sole senior remaining on the squad. Not only did she lead the Gators in batting average (.443), on base percentage (.519) and stolen bases (31) as the leadoff hitter in 2011, Moultrie at times resembled Spiderman in center by grabbing everything that came anywhere near her. She shined in the WCWS and has spent the offseason playing with the 2012 USA Softball Women’s National Team for the second-straight year, making her a candidate to be one of the top players in the sport this season.

Junior catcher Brittany Schutte: Though her bat got off to somewhat of a slow start in 2011, Schutte found her power stroke in the postseason and wound up leading Florida with 22 home runs while playing right field. She also hit .326 with 69 RBI while slugging .726 (second-best on the team) and is expected to bat cleanup in 2012 in order to best utilize her power. Schutte will replace DeFelice and move behind the plate this year even though Walton may choose to use her in the field on occasion.

Sophomore pitcher Hannah Rogers: Expected to provide relief and spot starts for Brombacher last year, Rogers was forced to start the majority of the season’s games for the injured senior and finished the year with a 36-8 record and more-than-respectable 1.92 ERA. The experience she gained as a freshman will undoubtedly pay dividends in 2012, but Rogers will be expected to step up her performance even though she struck out 221 batters in 265.2 innings a year ago.

Another trio of Gators will be counted on heavily in 2012, starting with sophomore shortstop Cheyenne Coyle. A freshman starter last year, Coyle is considered Florida’s vocal leader and did a great job at the plate for a freshman, hitting .318 with 60 RBI with plenty of room for improvement. Utility players junior Kelsey Horton and sophomore Kasey Fagan will also be instrumental in Florida’s success. Though Horton will see some time behind the plate, she and Fagan will rotate around the field until Walton figures out the best spot to play them consistently. He will also be hoping that both improve at the plate as neither hit over .300 last season.

KEY NEWCOMERS

Four of seven new players on the Gators in 2012 – freshmen Alyssa Bache, Jessica Damico, Lauren Haeger and Sami Fagan – are part of the reason why Florida brought in the unanimous No. 1 recruiting class this past offseason.

Bache and Haeger, both right-handed pitchers, will compete for playing time right away with Haeger likely getting the early nod considering her vast experience playing against top competition. In fact, Walton has even compared Haeger to Nelson, which should make fans quite excited about her potential down the road.

The infield speed of Damico and Fagan (Kasey’s sister and the 2011 Gatorade Florida Softball Player of the Year) could fit into a lineup that may play a bit more small ball than in recent memory. Should Walton feel the team needs additional power, he will look to utility players Bailey Castro and Brianna Little for some pop.

BIG QUESTIONS FOR 2012

Can Rogers handle the majority of the pitching duties all year?
Brombacher had plenty of pressure on her shoulders after Nelson graduated and even though she saw some spot starts in her place, she was not forced to carry the load. Rogers has taken a different path to the mound, being counted on as a freshman to handle the heavy lifting while Brombacher nursed an injury and having experienced almost everything there is to see pitching in the SEC and WCWS.

Adding to her obvious talents, Rogers will have comfort in knowing that she has three capable pitchers behind her able to pick up some slack if need be. Freshmen Bache and Haeger will compete for playing time all season long with Haeger likely to win that battle eventually if she has not already. She could very well be the next great thing when it comes to UF pitching with Nelson’s career being her ceiling.

Junior Ensley Gammel, returning from an injury of her own, will also provide a nice spark for Florida. Gammel, as a freshman in 2010, was the second Gators pitcher in school history to start her career with 10 consecutive wins without a loss.

Who will replace the power and offensive of Bruder and Bush?
No one. The fact of the matter is that Florida cannot expect to directly replace 40 home runs and 151 RBI right away no matter how talented the freshman class might turn out to be in the long run. Schutte’s presence will give the Gators big-time power in the middle of their lineup and if she can continue her hot streak from the postseason, there is no telling what she might be able to accomplish.

Coyle has proven that she has some pop as well with 17 homers and 60 RBI one season ago as a freshman. Those numbers should improve as she becomes more disciplined at the plate, which Walton and her teammates have both witnessed this offseason. Moultrie hit four dingers in the WCWS and may finally be adding some power to her clutch hitting, but it is doubtful that Walton would move her from the top of the lineup.

Whether Schutte and Coyle will be enough of a power presence for Florida is something that should become known early in the year. Don’t forget that both players were in the lineup last season, so neither is replacing the numbers of Bruder and Bush but rather trying to fill in the gap by making improvements in their respective game.

Castro, who hit 16 homers in her senior season, could help fill in the blanks if she can hit for the same power against top-level pitchers.

Can Walton get over the hump and bring a championship home to Gainesville?
In his seventh season with Florida softball (2006), Walton has reached the promised land (WCWS Championship Series) twice in the last three years but failed to come away with a title for the Gators. He has led Florida to four-straight WCWS events, won more than 300 games and helped his squad set a number of school and conference records both collectively and individually.

A three-time SEC Coach of the Year, Walton’s expectations will be high once again in 2012 though he may have his roughest road to the title in recent memory due in part to the vast amount of youth and inexperience on his roster.

Should the Gators once again prove to be the cream of the crop in the SEC, Walton can expect more coaching honors coming his way. However, individual awards and conference championships have been abundant for Florida lately.

The fact of the matter is that the Gators’ efforts in 2012 will be all for naught if Florida does not win their first-ever (and the SEC’s first-ever) WCWS title. Doing that this year is certainly possible but perhaps not as realistic as it was a year ago with a senior-laden team. UF may have to wait until 2013 for that chance.

1 » Former Florida Gators forward/center David Lee posted the second triple-double of his career Tuesday night, scoring 25 points (on 9-of-19 shooting) with 11 rebounds and 10 assists for the Golden State Warriors in a heartbreaking loss to Oklahoma City. Lee’s triple-double and Monta Ellis’s career-high 48 points were simply not enough to propel the Warriors to victory. In 21 games this year with Golden State, Lee is already playing better than he did a year ago, averaging 18.7 points (+2.2) and 10.0 rebounds while shooting 50.8 percent from the field.

2 » No. 1 Florida women’s tennis (4-0) swept the South Florida Bulls (3-2) 7-0 on Tuesday, winning their 98th consecutive home match at Linder Stadium at Ring Tennis Complex in Gainesville, FL. Junior Allie Will (No. 3), senior Joanna Mather (No. 4) and sophomores Sofie Oyen (No. 34) and Alexandra Cercone (No. 41) each won their singles matches in straight sets while junior Lauren Embree (No. 25) took three sets to win her singles tilt. The No. 10-ranked team of Oyne/Will and No. 15 duo of Embree/Mather each won their doubles matches handily. The Gators will travel to California over the weekend for back-to-back contests on Friday and Sunday against Pepperdine and Stanford. Florida topped Stanford 4-3 for the 2011 NCAA Championship on May 24.

Check our two more BITS (including a video)…after the break!

3 » Two of the Gators’ four current 2013 verbal commitments have been placed on the initial Rivals100 released on Wednesday. Linebacker Daniel McMillian (Jacksonville, FL) and defensive tackle Caleb Brantley (Crescent City, FL) were each given four-star designations by the site and have been ranked at No. 53 overall and No. 82 overall, respectively. McMillian is listed as the No. 10 player both at his position and in the state of Florida, while Brantley is considered the No. 7 defensive tackle and the No. 15 player in the state. You can check out the entire list, for free, by clicking here.

4 » Currently training for the trials for the 2012 London Olympics, former Florida swimmers Ryan Lochte and Conor Dwyer have been working out extensively with Gators assistant director of strength and conditioning “Mad Dog” Matt DeLancey. Below is a video from GatorVision.com showing some of the workouts he is having them do in the rough-and-tumble streets of Gainesville.

1 » Early Friday morning, Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow sat down with Hannah Storm for another interview, this one mostly about the 2011 season. Though the below video is only a clip of the interview, it will be aired in full on ESPN‘s SportsCenter on Friday. If/when the network makes it available online, OGGOA will update this thread with a video of the complete interview.

Click to expand and read three more BITS in this post.

1 » Former Florida Gators striker Abby Wambach is at it again for the U.S. Women’s National Team, leading the United States to a 4-0 win over Canada in the 2012 CONCACAF championship game. Though both teams had already qualified for the 2012 London Olympics, the Americans wanted to end the event on a high note and did just that thanks to a pair of goals each by Wambach and forward Alex Morgan. Wambach also had the assist on one of Morgan’s goals, and Morgan returned the favor with a pair of assists on her scores. The 2012 World Cup star has moved into second all-time on the international scoring list with 131 goals but is still shy of tying Mia Hamm at 158.

2 » Now you can look just like the Florida basketball players will against Tennessee by owning the brand new Nike Hyper Elite Platinum jersey and shorts set from the OGGOA Store. The products, available in limited quantities, were just added to the store on Tuesday but are now for sale. Just click here to go to the store and scroll down to see the items on the front page. Get them delivered by Feb. 6 and root on the Gators while also supporting this site at the same time!

3 » In addition to being a featured guest on NBC’s Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on Wednesday, Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow will also visit ESPN2’s First Take on Friday for an interview with Skip Bayless. He will probably wind up making other appearances as well, but Tebow is set to conclude his week of spots in Indianapolis, IN by showing up for the inaugural NFL Honors post-season award show, which airs Saturday at 9 p.m. on NBC.

4 » Despite having concerns about his academics, four-star Florida linebacker commit Jeremi Powell does indeed plan on signing with the Gators on Wednesday and not with Marshall, the school he visited over the weekend. ESPN has posted a new feature on Powell, which focuses not on his abilities as a football player but rather the fact that he “has survived homelessness and the resulting anger that almost consumed him.”

1 » Appearing Monday on WKOV 690 AM in Jacksonville, FL, new Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shahid Khan responded to a caller who was wondering if he would consider trading for Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow should he be made available. “You know something? I think I can tell you this. I had a long chat with Wayne [Weaver] that year. Obviously the Rams drafted Sam Bradford, and I was talking to Wayne then on what they ought to do,” Khan said. “I should have an offline conversation with you, OK? I’m going to absolutely talk your ear off. Some of the stuff might not be politically correct, but I share your sentiment. I think, when is the next time Jacksonville is going to have an athlete like Tim Tebow? Coming from being raised in Illinois, I couldn’t see Red Grange playing for anybody other than the Bears or Dick Butkus playing for anybody other than the Bears. I don’t want to get into 20/20 hindsight, and God help us, the draft record has not been the best with the Jaguars.”

Khan was then asked by the host if he would have drafted Tebow had he been owner of the Jaguars at the time. “100 percent I would have. Absolutely,” he said. “The first Jaguars game I came to was in ’10, we played Denver here. There were a lot more Tebow jerseys in the Jaguars stands than the teal jerseys for any player, let’s face it. You hate to get into 20/20 hindsight and finger pointing, but certainly [I would have] if I had anything to do with it. We probably won’t have a chance like that again.”

2 » Even though his team is not participating in Super Bowl XLVI, Tebow will be in Indianapolis, IN for festivities over the course of the week. He will also be a guest on NBC‘s Late Night with Jimmy Fallon Wednesday along with actor/comedian Tracy Morgan and musical group All American Rejects. Tebow’s name has been a hot topic on Fallon’s show recently as the host as done a parody character of him and David Bowie and also used him in a number of jokes over the last few weeks.

Click to expand and read four more BITS in this post.

1 » Five-star defensive end Dante Fowler, Jr. (St. Petersburg, FL), who the Florida Gators have continued to pursue even though he has been committed to the Florida State Seminoles since Dec. 5, 2010, hosted five Florida coaches at his house Thursday night. In attendance were head coach Will Muschamp, defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, linebackers coach D.J. Durkin , cornerbacks coach Travaris Robinson and tight ends coach Derek Lewis. According to The Gainesville Sun, the Gators coaches gave him plenty to think about. “I don’t know where I’m going,” he told the paper after saying last week he was still 100 percent committed to Florida State. “Not yet. I need this week to think about it. It’s gonna be pretty hard. I’m making a decision that’s gonna stick with me for the rest of my life.” Even though Fowler has remained committed to FSU for over a year, he has visited UF unofficially on a number of occasions.

On Thursday he also took the picture above wearing the Gators’ No. 6 jersey. With a family mostly full of Seminoles fans, Fowler previously felt pressure (especially from his father) to go to Tallahassee, FL for college. Now he knows it is all up to him. “My family really doesn’t care which one I go to now,” he said. “I’m making this decision on my own. My parents and coaches already talked with me, so now it’s my time to make the last call. It’s up to me. I finally get to call some shots.” Fowler will announce his decision on National Signing Day at 10 a.m.

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1 » One of two schools vying for the services of five-star defensive end Darius Hamilton (Ramsey, NJ), the Florida Gators were thought to be behind the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in contention for his commitment. The New Jersey boy was expected to stay in-state and play for Rutgers but his thoughts may be in the process of changing when it was reported Thursday morning that the Scarlet Knights’ head coach, Greg Schiano, is on his way to take the same job with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Hamilton has said that Florida and Rutgers were his final two and planned to make an announcement sometime before National Signing Day on Feb. 1. He was supposed to meet with Schiano on Wednesday, but it is unknown if that visit took place.

Should the Gators miss out on Hamilton and/or five-star athlete Josh Harvey-Clemons (Valdosta, GA), Florida could offer a scholarship to three-star DE Junior Gnonkonde (Lakeland, GA). According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, UF has been calling about the former Georgia Tech commitment but will only have room for him in their class if they miss out on one or both of Hamilton and Harvey-Clemons.

2 » Originally scheduled to participate in the 2012 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow has been forced to withdraw from the event due to the multiple injuries he suffered against the New England Patriots in the second round of the NFL Playoffs. Though Tebow does not need surgery and is expected to make a full recovery, he will not be able to participate in the event from Feb. 9-12. An avid golfer, Tebow was undoubtedly looking forward to the event, and the tournament’s directors were certainly hoping he would be able to play as well.

Extra BIT » No. 5 Florida lacrosse will begin its 2012 campaign with an exhibition match Thursday against England at 6:30 p.m. The Gators are looking to build on consecutive impressive years and hope to win their first national championship in the program’s third season of existence.

1 » While the Florida Gators wait to figure out which scholarship quarterback to bring in as part of their 2012 recruiting class, the team has offered a preferred walk-on role to three-star Jacob Guy (Dade City, FL). According to the Tampa Bay Times, Guy has scholarship offers from Massachusetts, Ohio and Western Michigan and is also being considered by Memphis and Miami (OH). He is unlikely to make a decision before National Signing Day on Feb. 1, probably in order to see how the situations shake out at all of his potential destinations.

2 » Former Florida golfer Gary Koch will be inducted into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame as part of the 2012 class on March 19-20 in Tampa, FL. He is one of 14 athletes to be included in the ceremony and will be inducted alongside names like Charlie Ward, Alonzo Mourning and George Smith. A four-time All-SEC first team member, three-time All-American, two-time SEC Champion (1973-74) and NCAA Champion with the Gators, Koch won six PGA Tour events but never finished better than tied for fourth at a Major Championship (The Open Championship, 1988). He also spent time on the other tours and has worked for both ESPN and NBC Sports as a sportscaster.

Click to expand and read four more BITS in this post.