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.

1 » Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah has had a star-studded last few days. In addition to being introduced along with the rest of his team by comedian Will Ferrell before Wednesday night’s game (“He’s a Scorpio and a horrible dancer,” Ferrell said of Noah), he was also name-dropped during the latest episode of the sitcom Whitney on NBC. Following a Chicago-Philadelphia game last week, Noah met up with champion eater Takeru Kobayashi, a greeting that was captured by his YouTube channel.

2 » Speaking of Noah, the Bulls’ star center told the Chicago Tribune last month that his rough start to the 2011-12 season was in part due to the pressure he felt after signing a five-year, $60 million contract extension in 2010. “Sometimes you feel like because you’re given so much money you’re expected to do things. That’s not the right mentality to have as a player,” he explained. “I have to play my game. I have to have fun out there. If I don’t, I’m not the same player.” Without an offseason to work on some of the kinks in his game, Noah started exceptionally slow, shooting poorly and turning the ball over more often than he should be. Now back into the swing of things, he has posted double-digit points in eight of his last 10 games (including five-straight double-doubles from Jan 23-30). “I’ve always been a player who reacts well to criticism and doubters,” Noah said. “I feel my teammates were always behind me. But I knew as well as anyone how poorly I was playing. And not only wasn’t I playing well, but I was putting a lot of pressure on myself. I wasn’t playing loose out there. I was playing tight. In the beginning of the year, I was overthinking a lot. I was going through a lot of things personally. I feel a lot more comfortable now. I have to stop overthinking and just play.”

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.

Ending a stretch of three games in six days, the No. 7/8 Florida Gators (19-5, 7-2 SEC) fell in their third opportunity to defeat a top-three ranked opponent on the road this season, getting routed 78-58 at Rupp Arena in Lexington, KY on Tuesday evening by the No. 1/1 Kentucky Wildcats (24-1, 10-0 SEC).

Kentucky extended their home winning streak to 49 games with the blowout of Florida, and the Gators fell to 0-8 all-time against the Wildcats in games when their opponent is ranked as the No. 1 team in the country.

UK outperformed UF on both ends of the court. Kentucky shot 52.7 percent from the field and 60.0 percent from downtown while holding Florida to 34.9 percent on field goals and 22.2 percent on tries from beyond the arc.

Wildcats forwards Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and guard Doron Lamb were dominant throughout the game, scoring 16, 13 and 18 points, respectively. Davis was 8-of-18 from the field with six rebounds, four blocks and two steals, while Kidd-Gilchrist added 13 rebounds and three assists. Lamb dominated the Gators on the perimeter by hitting 4-of-5 of his attempts from beyond the arc.

Click to expand and read the rest of the Florida-Kentucky game story.

Location: Rupp Arena – Lexington, KY [Capacity: 23,500]
Time: 7:00 p.m. (ET)

TV: ESPN/ESPNHD
SiriusXM: 91
Online Video: ESPN3.com
Live Updates: @OnlyGators

Odds: Florida +9; O/U 142.5

HISTORY and STREAKS

» Kentucky leads the all-time series against Florida 90-33, and the Gators are just 13-20 against the Wildcats since Donovan took over the team.
» Florida is 0-7 against Kentucky all-time when the Wildcats are ranked No. 1 in the country; however, all seven of those games were played before Donovan was coach with UK’s most recent victory in such a matchup coming in 1996. Since then the Gators are 2-0 against top-ranked opponents (both wins under Donovan), defeating Duke in 2000 and Ohio State in 2007 (for the national title).
» Kentucky is 65-2 all-time at home as the No. 1 ranked team in the AP poll.
» Calipari is one of three coaches (Frank McGuire) to lead three different schools to No. 1 rankings; he has accomplished that feat in five total seasons.
» UF’s seven-game winning streak is their longest since 2009-10 (eight games) and lengthiest in-conference streak since 2006-07 (13 games). UK, on the other hand, has a 16-game winning streak including a number of blowout victories.
» All five of Florida’s normal starters are averaging double figures in scoring.
» The Gators have made 10+ three-pointers in 16 of 23 games this year, a season-high mark under Donovan.
» Florida has made a three in 674 consecutive games dating back to Jan. 1992.
» UF has posted a positive assist-to-turnover margin in 16-of-19 victories but has put forth a negative ratio in that category in all four of their losses.
» The Gators are 284-37 since 1988-89 when holding opponents under 70 points.
» Florida is one victory away from winning 20+ games for the 14th consecutive season, which is currently the longest active streak in the SEC and fifth-longest nationally.
» Kentucky holds a 48-game home winning streak at Rupp Arena, the longest such home winning streak in the nation.
» The Wildcats lead the SEC in rebounding margin (+7.8 per game).
» Kentucky has more wins (2,075) than any other NCAA team – ever.
» The Wildcats also have five players averaging double figures.
» Kentucky is 68-1 under Calipari when holding an opponent to 67 points or fewer.
» The Wildcats’ defense has been outstanding recently as UK has held their last four opponents to an average of 47.5 points per game.
» Florida is ranked No. 9 in scoring offense (80.1 points), No. 8 in scoring margin (14.1 points), No. 1 in three-pointers (10.5 per game), No. 12 in field goal percentage from three (40.2 percent), No. 16 in assists (16.3 per game) and No. 5 in assist/turnover ratio (1.48) nationally as of Feb. 5. The Gators are also 189th (out of 338 teams) in free throw shooting (68.4 percent).
» Kentucky is ranked No. 19 in scoring offense (78.2 points), No. 9 in scoring defense (57.5 points), No. 2 in scoring margin (20.5 points), No. 14 in field goal percentage (48.6 percent), No. 1 in field goal percentage defense (35.8 percent), No. 9 in rebound margin (+7.8) and No. 1 in blocked shots (9.4 per game) nationally as of Feb. 5. The Wildcats are No. 10 in fouling, committing 15.2 per game and No. 225 (out of 338 teams) in three-pointers (5.5 per game).

LAST TIME OUT
Click to expand and read the remainder of the Florida-Kentucky gameday preview.

DIFFICULTIES IN TAKING ON A NO. 1 TEAM KENTUCKY

After Tuesday’s game is over, Florida will have faced all three teams currently ranked in the top three of both the USA Today/ESPN and Associated Press Top 25 Polls in road games. The Gators are hoping to come away with their first victory in such an environment and will attempt to do that by looking at the Wildcats not as the No. 1 team in the land but rather just another SEC opponent.

“We never really look at it as where a team is ranked or not ranked getting prepared for them. You always look at the team because rankings and things like that are going to change throughout the course of the year,” Donovan said. “Whether they’re ranked No. 1 or No. 5, clearly they’re one of the best teams in the country. There’s no doubt about that. It’s just more getting ready for how we got to defend, what we have to do on offense and what we got to do to prepare for them.”

His mentality has obviously been passed on to Florida’s players. “We don’t really view it as playing a No. 1 team. It’s just Kentucky,” freshman guard Bradley Beal said. “It’s a league game, so we’re just coming in with the mentality that we’re going to play our game and focus in on what we need to do.” Junior G Kenny Boynton added, “It’s just a ranking at the end of the day. We’re just going to go in there to compete and win.”

DON’T GIVE DAVIS ANY EXTRA OPPORTUNITIES

Instead the Gators will focus on players like forward Anthony Davis, who broke Shaquille O’Neal’s freshman blocks record and still has more than a handful of regular season games left to play. Donovan wants to make sure Florida does not make costly mistakes in the interior to give Kentucky additional possessions and momentum at home.

“He’s great at it, and it does it a lot of different ways,” he said of Davis’s blocking prowess. “You got to be smart when you’re attacking the basket. When he has got a free run and he’s got no body on him, it’s a lot easier blocking shots when you got a free run or a free jump to go up there.

“It can’t be a situation where we’re not going to go to the basket or not post up because he’s there. You just got to make good, wise choices because when he does block shots, it certainly ignites them on the fast break and they’re a terrific transition fast breaking team.”

LET CALIPARI SLEEP ON THE SHOOTERS

In the SEC teleconference on Monday, Wildcats head coach John Calipari said the two Gators who worry him the most are not the two that have seen the most court time for Florida but rather a pair of players who are brand new starters this season.

“With [Erik] Murphy now they can spread the floor out. A year ago, you could predict that four or five would be close to the rim and you had a chance to guard them in the post,” Calipari said about the junior forward’s effectiveness. “Right now with Murphy being able to shoot that three the way he does, it makes it even more difficult to zone in on their big guys.”

There is one other player he is keeping his eye on – Beal – but not because of his ability to get the ball in the hoop. “He’s a skilled player who can beat you on the bounce, can make shots, terrific free throw shooter, good passer. I’ll tell you what he’s been doing. He’s been rebounding – especially offensively,” he said. “He goes and gets balls. Let’s just say you stop him and you’re feeling good, all of sudden he goes and grabs an offensive rebound and sticks it in and kind of breaks your rhythm.”

More than anything else, Calipari believes it is up to Kentucky to play within themselves to extend the team’s home winning streak to 49 games. He thinks the Wildcats are playing well but can undoubtedly get better as long as they stay humble.

“We’re really young and so there’s an easy transition from swagger to arrogance and that’s where you get beat,” he said. “We’re a good team. We’re not a great team, but we’re a good team. What we’d like to be by the end of the year is as good as our team was last year as a team.”

NOTES AND QUOTES

» Donovan on the schedule the rest of the way: “Our last eight games are extremely difficult because five of our last eight are on the road against really good teams. You’re going to play all 16 regardless. I think sometimes where they fall, how they fall does have an impact.”

» Donovan on sophomore center Patric Young’s recent struggles: “He is as good of a team player as I’ve coached. He’s about all the right things. The biggest thing for him is mentally pushing through. [...] With him being out as long as he has, you’re starting to see a carryover conditioning wise. He’s got to push himself through. There’s been moments in the last two games where he’s had those great minute or two bursts of athleticism, speed and quickness, and then he’s had some times where he’s kind of disappeared a little bit.”

» Donovan on his budding friendly rivalry with Calipari: “I’ve got great respect for John. John and I have a very good relationship. I’ve known John for a long, long time. Well before I ever got to Florida and well before I ever was at Kentucky as an assistant coach, Kentucky basketball-wise in this league has been kind of a measuring stick and they’ve set the bar for a long, long time going all the way back to Adolph Rupp. Kentucky in our league certainly brings a lot of national exposure. What you’ve seen in our league over the last 20 years is different coaches come in and elevate their program.

“At a school like Kentucky that has had the number of SEC Championships, conference tournament championships, national championships, there have been commitments made. [...] You’re seeing more of a commitment by a lot of schools to raise the bar, so to speak. Because Kentucky’s tradition as so rich and for so long, I don’t know if in a lot of ways people really understood how to do that, so to speak. I give Jeremy [Foley] a lot of credit in this. He had a vision for this program and for Florida and what could happen here. It’s not only recruiting and coaching, you got to have presidents, administrators and everybody on board to try and build something.”

» Beal on going to Kentucky: “Just playing in that environment is what I’m looking forward to most.”

» Beal on if he’s thought about turning pro after the season: “I’m not really sure about that. I really haven’t thought about it at all. I’ve just been focusing on the season one game at a time and focusing on the team right now.”

Lucas Oil Stadium

The event, which is held for six days from Feb. 22-28, consists of more than 300 players being put through a series of drills, tests and interviews while more than 600 NFL personnel in attendance (including coaching staffs, executives, player personnel and medical staffs) look on and evaluate each of them. It amounts to the final job interview these athletes will participate in before the 2012 NFL Draft commences on April 26.

The three former Gators student-athletes invited to the combine include:

Running back Jeff Demps – Group: 6; Camp: RB06
Defensive tackle Jaye Howard – Group: 7; Camp: DL22
Running back Chris Rainey – Group: 6; Camp: RB24

Former Florida cornerback Janoris Jenkins (Group: TBD; Camp: DB27) was also invited and is expected to participate in the event.

Demps, on the other hand, is unlikely to take part in the combine as he has decided to run track for the Gators and attempt to qualify for the 2012 London Olympics.

The two notable names left off the invite list are those of quarterback John Brantley and wide receiver Deonte Thompson. Other draft-eligible Florida players include center/guard Dan Wenger and defensive end William Green.

Read about each player’s day-to-day schedule in Indianapolis after the jump!

Schedule:
Travel, Registration, Pre-exam & X-rays, Orientation, Interviews
Wednesday – Groups 1-3; Thursday – Groups 4-6
Friday – Groups 7-9; Saturday – Groups 10, 11

Measurements, Medical Exams, Media, Psych Tests, Interviews
Thursday – Groups 1-3; Friday – Groups 4-6
Saturday – Groups 7-9; Sunday – Groups 10, 11

NFLPA Meeting, Psych Tests, Interviews
Friday – Groups 1-3; Saturday – Groups 4-6
Sunday – Groups 7-9; Monday – Groups 10,11

Workout (timing, stations, skill drills), Departure
Saturday – Groups 1-3; Sunday – Groups 4-6
Monday – Groups 7-9; Tuesday – Groups 10, 11

OGGOA will offer full coverage of the combine throughout the event.

1 » According to The Gainesville Sun’s Pat Dooley, Florida Gators defensive coordinator Dan Quinn interviewed for but turned down the same position with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Quinn, who has been at Florida for just one season, was a NFL assistant with four different teams from 2001-10.

2 » The 2011-12 season may now be in the books but that does not mean Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow‘s name is out of the news. Tebow, who sat down for a 30-minute interview with ESPN’s Hannah Storm last week, will be featured on ESPN2 in “SportsCenter Special: Face to Face with Tim Tebow” on Tuesday, Feb. 7 at 10:30 p.m. Tebow’s recent ESPN rounds included an interview with Scott Van Pelt and Ryen Russillo, which you can view below.

Four more BITS on Crowder, Demps, the Oh Fours and Wambach after the break!

3 » In a similar fashion to what happened in New Orleans two season ago, one former Florida player may unseat another Gators star currently on the roster of a NFL team. According to ESPN, it is unlikely that the Atlanta Falcons will choose to bring back veteran linebacker Mike Peterson for his 14th season. Instead the team appears to have its sights set on former Miami Dolphins LB Channing Crowder, who “retired” in 2011 to spend time with his pregnant wife and new baby after Miami decided to cut ties with him. The key connecting the dots? Former Dolphins defensive coordinator Mike Nolan took the same job with the Falcons in the offseason.

4 » Now concentrating on track and field, Florida junior sprinter Jeff Demps got good news on Friday when he learned that his 6.59-second 60-meter run at the Virginia Tech Elite Meet was good enough to automatically qualify him for the 2012 NCAA Indoor Championships. Demps, who has won the individual national title each of the last two years, earned the 6.59 time in his first meet of the 2012 season. “We’re obviously very pleased with Jeff,” head coach Mike Holloway said. “He’ll be the first to tell you that he didn’t execute the race well in the final, but he’s been working a lot in practice and he’ll only continue to improve as we get deeper into the season.”

5 » The Oh Fours received some news on Monday. First the good news, in which former Gators point guard Taureen Green announced on Twitter that he will play for the professional basketball team Tofaş of the Turkish Basketball League in 2012. Since leaving Florida, Green has spent short stints with three NBA teams but left the league in 2008 and has spent the last four years overseas playing in Spain and Greece.

On a much more somber note, Denver Nuggets guard/forward Corey Brewer left the team Monday morning after learning that his father has passed away at the age of 68 in Portland, TN. Brewer and his father, Ellis “Pee Wee” Brewer, were extremely close and shared hundreds of memories both on and off the court, which you can read about in this April 2007 story by Pat Forde of ESPN.com. Our deepest condolences go to the family.

6 » Learning that the WPS would not be active for the 2012 season, former Gators striker and current U.S. Women’s National Team member Abby Wambach is trying to stay positive and focusing on competing in the 2012 London Olympics. “You have to take all of the good things with the bad and make the best of them,” she told ESPNW. “It has been a hard week for women’s soccer. But, as a community, we’ve got to lose the egos. We have to get past the issues that have come between us.” Women’s soccer in the United States got a boost following the 2012 Women’s World Cup, but Wambach believes that a women’s league will need help from the MLS to create a long-lasting professional organization. “I think it’s probably going to be necessary for a league to survive,” she said said. “If we can get into a relationship with an MLS community, you’ve got many things built in. You’ve got infrastructure: people already in place in some jobs who might be able to help, stadiums, fields. There could be many costly things that are at least dramatically cut back, so you’re in a position where you can actually succeed. And then see if maybe in a few years, you could even be making money.

A second-year Florida Gators assistant whose position groups shined in the 2012 Gator Bowl in January, linebackers/special teams coach D.J. Durkin was named Rivals.com’s Recruiter of the Year on Monday.

Assigned to the state of North Carolina, Durkin landed four of the area’s top 13 players including five-stars offensive tackle D.J. Humphries and defensive end Jonathan Bullard. He was also the lead recruiter for seven of Florida’s 23 total commitments.

“I am very, very fortunate to be recruiting at a place like Florida because I think the place almost sells itself,” Durkin told Rivals. “It is a great academic institution and there is obviously great football tradition here. We play in a great football stadium in the best conference in the world. I think the place really sells itself.

“When you have a head coach like Coach [Will] Muschamp, who does a great job with the players and has a great knowledge of the game and really recruits as hard as anyone, it makes my job kind of easy.”

Durkin is the second Gators coach in three years to earn Recruiter of the Year honors. Former Florida offensive coordinator (now Temple head coach) Steve Addazio won the award from ESPN in 2010.

Rivals also named Gators tight ends coach Derek Lewis one of the top 25 recruiters in the nation for the 2012 cycle. Lewis reeled in arguably the country’s top two tight ends in four-stars Kent Taylor and Colin Thompson.