During the team’s media day back on Oct. 16, Florida Gators head basketball coach Billy Donovan spoke about the future of redshirt sophomore forward Adam Allen. Allen, who has already had two surgeries on a chronic left knee, told Donovan his kneecap was still giving him pain and discomfort even after he had surgery on it (now) seven months ago. Initial thoughts were that Allen would have to sit out the season while recovering, which affected Donovan emotionally. “I feel terrible for him because he has been trying to get himself back,” Donovan said last month.

“There’s a good chance I won’t be able to play basketball again,” Allen said at the time. “The cards are stacked against me.” Word from the Gainesville Sun is that Allen is now scheduled for a third surgery on his left knee and will go under the knife next week.

Allen realizes his career is likely over at this point, which is quite unfortunate especially considering he never had a chance to show what he can do on the court. “I don’t know if I will ever be able to play again at this level,” Allen said.

OGGOA wishes Allen a speedy recovery and all the best in his future endeavors.

- Florida Gators junior cornerback Joe Haden was named Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the Week following a terrific performance against the South Carolina Gamecocks on Nov. 14. Haden collected 11 tackles (10 solo), sacked quarterback Stephen Garcia, caused two forced fumbles, took down an interception and contributed to a pass break up in the game.

- Redshirt juniors transfer running back Emmanuel Moody and defensive tackle Terron Sanders are doubtful for this Saturday’s game against the Florida International Golden Panthers. Moody has suffered from chronic ankle problems throughout his career and injured it again on Saturday. Sanders’ rib injury is less worrisome, and while he will sit out the game, it could be a precaution.

- There has yet to be any additional news on senior cornerback Moses Jenkins, who suffered a serious concussion back on Sept. 26 against the Kentucky Wildcats. The University of Florida seemingly refuses to release more information on Jenkins’ injury, though OGGOA has covered it extensively over the last two months, most recently with this story. As far as we know, he is still waiting for the ruling on his medical redshirt.

- One would expect many of Florida’s back-ups, including quarterback John Brantley, to earn some playing time on Saturday. OGGOA is purely speculating here, but there is also a chance head coach Urban Meyer benches sophomore kicker Caleb Sturgis for redshirt senior Jonathan Phillips, even if it is only a one-week thing to give Sturgis something to think about.

There are more news and notes waiting for you…after the jump…
Continue Reading » Gators news and notes for Monday, Nov. 16

After declining comment every single day since the incident was made public, Tennessee Volunteers head coach Lane Kiffin has decided to permanently dismiss freshmen wide receiver Nu’Keese Richardson and cornerback Mike Edwards from the team. Richardson, Edwards and CB Janzen Jackson were arrested last Thursday morning on three counts of armed robbery after using a air-powered pellet gun to rob a customer outside a Pilot convenience store in Knoxville, TN.

Below is the University of Tennessee‘s official statement:

University of Tennessee head coach Lane Kiffin announced Monday that freshman wide receiver Nu’Keese Richardson and defensive back Mike Edwards have been permanently dismissed from the football team.

“After extensive and thorough research of the situation over the last four days and considering various disciplinary options, I’ve decided it’s in the best interest of our program to remove Nu’Keese and Mike,” Kiffin said. “As I’ve said many times before, we hold our student-athletes to an extremely high standard on and off the field. Our student-athletes must be responsible members of society, and this type of conduct will not be tolerated.

“We want a positive culture for our student-athletes that allows them to succeed in the classroom, on the field, and in life after college. My hope is that these two young men will learn from their terrible decision. Clearly, their actions have no place in our program.”

Janzen Jackson will continue to not be allowed to participate in team activities while Kiffin awaits additional information.

OGGOA will continue reporting on this story as more information becomes available.

Each week following a Florida Gators game, ONLY GATORS Get Out Alive will grade the team position-by-position based on each unit’s performance. This week, we look at how the Gators fared against the South Carolina Gamecocks Saturday afternoon on the road in Columbia, SC.

QUARTERBACK: B
Grading Tim Tebow week-in and week-out has proven to be a difficult task. He was good for 199 yards passing and two touchdowns, including a deep bomb to wide receiver Riley Cooper and a record-breaking run. Tebow had Cooper open in the end zone on two other occasions; once he slightly overthrew the ball, but the second one have been caught by the receiver. On the ground, he averaged only 1.6 yards on 16 carries, the second consecutive game he has totaled less than two yards per carry on average. That is worrisome. I originally had Tebow graded a little lower but gave him a little boost for what could should have been. He still needs to get the ball out sooner, especially with the offensive line struggling in protection (two more sacks).

RUNNING BACKS: B-
Why does Emmanuel Moody continue to get single-digit carries each week? This game he received three which were turned into 35 yards and a touchdown on an 11.7 average. Jeff Demps and Chris Rainey were less impressive, averaging 3.6 and 4.6 yards respectively while gaining a combined 85 yards. Running backs need to get into a rhythm. Short dive plays (which are easily being schemed against) and limited attempts impede that from happening. Moody is adoubtful this week with an ankle injury.

Read the rest of Florida’s grades from the South Carolina game after the jump…
Continue Reading » Grading the Florida at South Carolina game

1 » Florida Gators basketball received an official visit from five-star point guard recruit Brandon Knight (Fort Lauderdale, FL) on Sunday. He and four-star forward commitment Patric Young (Jacksonville, FL) watched the Gators defeat the Stetson Hatters 74-46. A source close to Knight told the Orlando Sentinel that “Florida made a good impression” on him during the visit. “This is my first time seeing the campus,” Knight told the Gainesville Sun. “I’m really impressed with the facilities and what they can do to help me improve as a player.” Gators fans tried to make an impression on him, too, chanting “Bran-don Knight” often during timeouts. Also in attendance was Orlando Magic point guard Jason Williams, who often travels to visit head coach Billy Donovan and watch the Gators play.

2 » One of the top wide receiver recruits in the nation, Chris Dunkley (Pahokee, FL) is taking his sweet time in making a decision. There is nothing wrong with that, especially when you are getting offers from all over the country including almost all of the top programs. Nevertheless, Dunkley reaffirmed to Gator Country that the Gators remain in the lead, even after he visited the Alabama Crimson Tide two weeks ago. Dunkley has plenty of time, but there is no doubt that Florida coaches are growing anxious to lock-up a four-star WR who could very well earn his fifth before all is said and done this season.

In other recruiting news: Men’s golfer Payne Denman (Riverwatch, TN) signed a National Letter of Intent to play for the Gators beginning in 2010. “We think Payne will be a terrific asset to our program,” head coach Buddy Alexander said. “He has a great looking swing and has had an enormous amount of success. He fits the mold of what we are looking for to a tee.” Nice pun, coach. Denman is ranked 12th in the 2010 recruiting class and has won back-to-back high school state titles.

1 » In news that can only be classified as expected, Florida Gators junior cornerback Joe Haden told the Orlando Sentinel this weekend that he will file paperwork with the NFL Draft Advisory Board in order to receive an evaluation of where he, theoretically, would be picked if he was to enter the 2010 NFL Draft. A likely first-round selection who could quite possibly be the best CB available, Haden has received lofty praise from head coach Urban Meyer and NFL experts over the past year.

2 » Sophomore safety Will Hill watches the Cartoon Network, not ESPN. Meyer avoids the Internet. The entire Gators team is keeping the word “Alabama” off their lips. All of this to make sure the group stays even-keel, not letting the highs get them too high or the lows take them too low. “If I don’t listen to it, it can’t bother me,” Hill said. With the Florida International Golden Panthers next on the docket, Florida’s players know that you cannot overlook any opponent. “FIU is a pretty good team, despite what people think of them,” junior safety Ahmad Black said. “Michigan lost to Appalachian State before, so we learned you can’t take anyone lightly.” Even so, a big win is expected by fans who have been clamoring for signs of life from the offense. “They want us to beat every team by 102 and give up no yards and score every time we touch the ball,” Black said.

3 » Want a unit to thank for the Gators’ 10-0 record and perfect 8-0 Southeastern Conference slate? Look to the defense, which has not allowed a touchdown in the fourth quarter in more than a month Florida’s offense is also outscoring opponents 71-20 in the last 15 minutes of each game. It is rare that defensive coordinator Charlie Strong’s unit is not dominant all game long. On Saturday, Strong had to make some halftime adjustments and stress how much an improvement was needed in the second half. “He tried to let us hear it,” Haden said. “He said we weren’t playing like a gator defense, and I knew for a fact that we weren’t – just don’t stuff we don’t normally do and people messing up on their assignments.” The Gators shut out the Gamecocks the rest of the game, turning a 17-14 halftime lead into to a 24-14 victory.

4 » Freshman left tackle Xavier Nixon was given the chance to start on Saturday by Meyer and offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Steve Addazio, but he was sworn to secrecy. While Nixon played well, he did make a few mistakes – nothing that cannot be corrected with practice and game experience. He even received advice from Haden, who started as a true freshman for the Gators in 2007. “It was a crazy experience,” Nixon said of starting against the South Carolina Gamecocks. “I was thinking about starting when I first got here and realized it’s a lot harder than I thought it was going to be.”

Florida Gators soccer, cross country and women’s basketball were all in action this weekend coming off a Friday that saw softball, soccer and volleyball compete just one hour apart from another.

Just two days after defeating the Illinois State Redbirds in the first round of the 2009 NCAA Championship at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium in Columbus, OH, the Florida soccer team (16-6-2, 8-1-2 SEC) fell in a heartbreaking 1-0 overtime loss to the Oregon State Beavers (14-7-1, 4-5 Pac 10). Having reached the round of 16 in 2006, 2007 and 2008, the Gators’ loss was the earliest exit for the team in four years. UF had multiple opportunities to score throughout the first 90 minutes, but a ball would not see the net until a turnover in the defensive third resulted in a through ball from Oregon State’s Rachael Axon to Melinda Ingalls for the goal. The Beavers’ first overtime win of the season ended the Gators season and hopes of a title.

The No. 3 women’s cross country team, on the other hand, found success this weekend, winning the NCAA South Region Championship on Saturday morning. Earning an automatic bid to the National Championship on Nov. 23, redshirt sophomore Rebecca Lowe led the way by winning the individual title while the Gators placed five runners in the top 17 and earned six All-South Region honors. Florida won their third regional title in program history, their first in over a decade (1998).

Men’s basketball was not the only Florida team to take their shot at the Stetson Hatters on the hardwood. The women faced them first on Saturday in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center, earning an 85-63 win to open the season. Leading the way for the Gators were freshman forward Jennifer George and redshirt sophomore transfer guard Jordan Jones, who combined for 38 points in their first career games in the Orange and Blue. Florida shot 50 percent from the field, grabbed 14 steals and was 7-of-18 from beyond the arc. Jones also led the team in assists (5) and George helped out on the boards (5) while seniors F Sharielle Smith (9) and G Steffi Sorensen (6) led the way in rebounds. The Gators will face the No. 15/12 Florida State Seminoles on Tuesday at 8 p.m. in Gainesville, FL.

Florida Gators men’s basketball (1-0) began the 2009-10 season with a 74-46 win over the Stetson Hatters (0-1) on Sunday afternoon in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. Four Gators scored in double digits as junior forward Alex Tyus posted a double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds.

Freshman guard Kenny Boynton, redshirt junior transfer center Vernon Macklin and junior forward Chandler Parsons were the other Florida players who shined offensively, scoring 12, 13 and 12 points, respectively. Macklin recorded a team-high three blocks while sophomore point guard Erving Walker led the team with three assists.

The Gators were in danger of blowing a school record for consecutive games with a three pointer until Parsons nailed one with just 33 seconds left in the game. Before that, Florida had missed 12 straight and shot only 7.7% from behind the arc on the day.

Above all else, Florida played superb defense against the Hatters, holding them to 46 points on a combined 16/56 (28.6%) from the field and 2/17 (11.8%) from three. “I was really pleased with our defense, because I didn’t think we had much of an offensive flow at all,” head coach Billy Donovan said. “I thought our guys kept a pretty good focus in trying to defend all 40 minutes.”

Gators basketball returns to action Wednesday when the Georgia Southern Eagles visit Gainesville, FL, at 7 p.m. The game is being carried by Fox Sports Florida, so be sure to check your local listings for availability.