Rather than write you a long, worthless introduction, just go ahead and make the jump for a ton of recruiting news on the following recruits: Matt Elam, Jeff Luc, Chaz Green, Christian Green, Chris Dunkley, Kardon Boone, James Louis, Cody Riggs, Lamarcus Joyner, Sharrif Floyd and Ronald Powell.
Continue Reading » Status updates for UF’s top recruiting prospects
In this week’s Scripps Howard Heisman Trophy poll, Florida Gators senior quarterback Tim Tebow fell out of the top spot he has held since the beginning of the season. Earning only two of 10 first-place votes (he had six last week), Tebow fell to fifth behind Alabama Crimson Tide running back Mark Ingram (4), Notre Dame Fighting Irish QB Jimmy Clausen (1), Houston Cougars QB Case Keenum (1) and Texas Longhorns QB Colt McCoy (1). Voting tabulations are made on a 5-4-3-2-1 basis, with each voter ranking their own top five. This is the closest the Heisman race has been in the Scripps straw poll all season.
1 » Volleyball (16-3, 10-2 SEC) continues to roll through the SEC as the No. 10/11 Florida Gators swept the Ole Miss Rebels (8-14, 2-10 SEC) in straight sets (25-18, 25-13, 25-16) on Sunday in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. Sophomore right-side/setter Kelly Murphy continues her stellar play and recorded a match-high 14 kills. Florida goes on the road to Tuscaloosa, AL, to square off against the Alabama Crimson Tide on Oct. 30 at 8 p.m.
2 » The No. 12 Florida soccer team (13-4-2, 7-1-2 SEC) defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks (8-6-4, 2-6-2 SEC) Sunday afternoon on the road at Razorback Field by a 1-0 margin. The victory puts Florida in first place in the conference heading into its final match of the regular season Friday, Oct. 30 against No. 10 South Carolina Gamecocks.
3 » The Gators women’s swimming and diving team won the 2009 SMU Classic in Dallas, TX, on Saturday, finishing in first-place with 353 points ahead of the Louisville Cardinals, Wisconsin Badgers, Southern Methodist Perunas, Florida State Seminoles and Rice Owls. The rest of the team that did not compete in that event were also victorious on the weekend, taking down both Arkansas and the Kansas Jayhawks in double-dual on the road in Fayetteville, AK.
Continue Reading » FOUR BITS: Soccer rolls; Volleyball wins; Swimming dominates; Tennis in finals
1 » Florida Gators sophomore cornerback Janoris Jenkins knows he played terrible Saturday against the Arkansas Razorbacks. Yes, he let wide receiver Greg Childs amass 135 yards on him including a 75-yard touchdown. But that was also the worst game he’s had his entire Florida career, and he is confident that he will be able to rebound. “[Janoris] told me that was one of the worst games he ever had in his life,” running mate Joe Haden said. “I told him, ‘Don’t worry about it.’” Jenkins had 39 tackles and three interceptions his freshman season and has already followed that up with 37 tackles and two more receptions so far in 2009. “[Janoris] knows it’s a whole new week, and you can expect a real good game out of him,” Haden said.
2 » Fifth-year senior safety Dorian Munroe, after sitting out the entire 2008 season with a torn ACL, was expected to return to the Gators two weeks ago when the team visited Baton Rouge, LA, to take on the LSU Tigers. Unfortunately, Munroe injured his meniscus during the preseason and has been forced to miss additional time. Joseph Goodman of the Miami Herald inquired about Munroe’s status and was told by Haden that he was “walking around” at practice on Tuesday. Goodman believes Munroe may be able to resume playing against the Georgia Bulldogs in two weeks.
It should be no surprise to Florida Gators fans that if a player is committed or being sought after by the Orange and Blue, Tennessee Volunteers head coach Lane Kiffin is one step behind trying to swipe them away. The same goes for four star running back commitment Mack Brown (Lithonia, GA), who committed to the Gators back on July 24.
Brown, who contends that his “commitment [to Florida] is strong,” said the Vols, Alabama Crimson Tide and North Carolina Tar Heels are still pursuing him. In fact, Kiffin even made a theatrical entrance to one of his games in an attempt to impress. “I saw a red helicopter over my head and I was like, ‘who’s in that up there?’” Brown told Rivals. It was Kiffin, of course, angling for Brown to take a visit to Knoxville, TN. The only visit Brown has planned is one to Gainesville, FL, for the Gators game against the Florida State Seminoles. “I talk to Florida every two days at least,” he said. “They like my running style and they want me to come in at 215 (pounds) to be an every down runner.”
Continue Reading » Brown being pursued, Riggs stays silent
In this week’s Scripps Howard Heisman Trophy poll, Florida Gators senior quarterback Tim Tebow earned six of the 10 first-place votes. Alabama Crimson Tide running back Mark Ingram followed him with three votes while Notre Dame Fighting Irish QB Jimmy Clausen received one vote. Houston Cougars QB Case Keenum and Texas Longhorns QB Colt McCoy did not receive a single first-place vote. Voting tabulations are made on a 5-4-3-2-1 basis, with each voter ranking their own top five. This is the closest the Heisman race has been in the Scripps straw poll all season.
Tebow won another poll this week, OGGOA‘s, which began on Sunday and asked who your MVP was for Saturday’s game against the Arkansas Razorbacks. 183 of you registered votes and the results are in. Tebow narrowly defeated kicker Caleb Sturgis who (after missing his first attempt) nailed three consecutive field goals including a 51-yarder and game-winning 37-yarder. I was actually surprised by this result as I figured Sturgis would have earned the gratitude of Gator Nation for his game-winning kick. This was Tebow’s first OGGOA weekly MVP award.
Be sure to vote in the new poll up now!
1 » While concerns about the passing offense seem to be on the tip of everyone’s tongue, Bruce Feldman of ESPN contends that the Florida Gators number one priority for the remainder of the season should be protecting senior quarterback Tim Tebow – and not just because of his concussion three weeks ago. Florida will be facing big-time pass rushers in the South Carolina Gamecocks and Alabama Crimson Tide soon.
2 » Some of those that cover the Gators (or are simply fans of the team) were outraged Sunday to learn that Florida had dropped from No. 1 to No. 2 in the AP Top 25 Poll after WINNING their game against the Arkansas Razorbacks (losing 30 first-place votes in the process). Steve Eubanks of FOX Sports says the AP voters were justified in changing their votes. Fact of the matter is this: it does not matter who is No. 1 or No. 2 because both teams will meet in the SEC Championship in Atlanta, GA, on Dec. 5 at the Georgia Dome to determine who goes to the BCS National Championship.
1 » The work of Southeastern Conference referees has been shaky at best this season, especially that of the crew who was responsible for horrible calls both in last week’s Florida Gators vs. Arkansas Razorbacks game and the previous week’s LSU Tigers vs. Georgia Bulldogs game. Stewart Mandel of Sports Illustrated contends that these calls are nothing for Arkansas fans or college football fans to be crying about. “Obviously, they were bad calls,” Mandel said. “You know what else they were? The type of bad calls that take place in almost every single football game. Egregious as they were, those calls did not cost Arkansas the game. They happened with nine minutes left. The Razorbacks still had their chance to kick a go-ahead field goal and/or stop the Gators’ own game-winning drive.” He’s right.
2 » The newly installed “Banzai” offensive package, taken in part from the Oklahoma Sooners‘ hurry-up offense, worked well for the Gators at the beginning of the season. As defenses have gotten tougher and more confusing, senior quarterback Tim Tebow has been taking audibles from offensive coordinator Steve Addazio on the sideline, slowing down the offense. Both Addazio and head coach Urban Meyer don’t want the offense to “stand there so long watching” and lose momentum in the process. Beginning again Saturday against the Mississippi State Bulldogs, expect Florida to employ a more rapid-fire approach, capitalizing on their talent, athleticism and conditioning.
| Commitment | Pos. | Rivals | ESPN | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Chiozza | PG |  | | 90 / 39 |
| Commitment | Pos. | Rivals | ESPN | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kevarrius Hayes | PF | | | - / 58 |
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