1 » After losing its opening match, the No. 4 Florida Gators gymnastics team (2-1, 2-0 SEC) won its second straight contest of the season Friday. Florida traveled to face the No. 12 Kentucky Wildcats (3-2, 1-2 SEC) in Lexington, KY, and took home a 196.05-195.35 victory at Memorial Coliseum. Freshman sensation Ashanée Dickerson won her third-straight all-around competition with a total of 39.25. Overall, the Gators finished the day with at least a share of four of five event titles. Florida continues its streak of facing ranked SEC opponents when it hosts the No. 16 LSU Tigers on Jan. 29 at 7 p.m. for the fourth annual Gators Link to Pink meet in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center to raise awareness about breast cancer.

Learn about three more big Gators victories, injury updates on a football and basketball player and David Lee’s season-high night after the jump…
Continue Reading » FOUR BITS: Gators take home four wins Friday

Tags: Alexandre Lacroix, Antoine Benneteau, Ashanée Dickerson, Auburn Tigers, Central Florida Knights, Claudio Romano, Conor Dwyer, David Lee, Dee Finley, diving, gymnastics, Kenny Kadji, Kentucky Wildcats, Linder Stadium, Marc Rocafort, Memorial Coliseum, NBA, New York Knicks, Omar Pinzon, O’Connell Center, Ring Tennis Complex, swimming, tennis

1 » Four-star offensive guard recruit Eric Mack (St. Matthews, SC) was committed to the South Carolina Gamecocks for quite some time. Recently saying he felt uncomfortable with the school, Mack decommitted from head coach Steve Spurrier and chose today between the Auburn Tigers and Florida Gators. Unfortunately for Florida fans, Mack has decided to attend Auburn in the fall. The Gators have anywhere between two and four scholarships to fill before their 2010 recruiting class is complete.

2 » Here is an interesting and quite comical story coming out of WBIR in Knoxville, TN. Drew McElroy, a local attorney and big Tennessee Volunteers fan, has filed paperwork with the city’s Public Properties and Facilities Naming Committee to rename Knoxville’s waste water treatment plant the “Lane Kiffin Sewage Center.” And why not? “It dawned on me–Lane Kiffin told us that he hoped the fans would understand,” McElroy said. “I thought, ‘Well, naming the wastewater plant for him would let him know, I think very clearly, we do understand.’” More on this from WBIR.

Extra Bit » A nice read from Sports Illustrated‘s Andy Stapes on the position of college football head coach being the most dangerous job in sports. “Nearly every Division I head coach puts in more than 100-hour weeks during the season and heavy recruiting periods,” Staples writes. “If anything, it’s amazing more coaches haven’t suffered heart attacks or more serious ailments as a result of stress and brutal work schedules.”

Tags: Auburn Tigers, Eric Mack, Lane Kiffin, South Carolina Gamecocks, Tennessee Volunteers, Urban Meyer

1 » Hiring George Edwards as the Florida Gators defensive coordinator may or may not determine current assistant defensive coordinator and safeties coach Chuck Heater‘s future with the team. Will Heater share the role with Edwards, take on other responsibilities with the team, have his job remain the same or even leave for another opportunity? Right now, Gator Nation does not know. What is apparent is that Heater openly campaigned for the defensive coordinator position prior to the 2010 Sugar Bowl. “I’m interested in having a leadership role, whatever it might be,” Heater said in December. He reportedly turned down an offer to join Doc Holliday‘s Marshall Thundering Herd staff as defensive coordinator – does that become a more attractive option for the 33-year coaching veteran?

2 » Losing four assistant coaches (and one graduate assistant) after the 2009 SEC Championship, head coach Urban Meyer has replaced all of them post-haste. Even so, his cornerbacks coach position apparently remains vacant and additional coaching turnover in Heater and/or assistant head coach and defense/defensive line coach Dan McCarney (whose name has popped up as a candidate for the recently available head job with the USF Bulls) may very well occur. Perhaps McCarney would even take Heater as his defensive coordinator? There is still a ways to go before this situation is settled.

3 » Florida women’s basketball (9-6, 2-0 SEC) turned in a thrilling 71-68 double-overtime victory against the Auburn Tigers (9-6, 0-2 SEC) Thursday evening in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. Senior guard Steffi Sorensen began the second overtime without a point in the contest but drained three treys to lift her team to victory. The Gators led by 20 points in the first half but gave up the lead in the second half as the Tigers won the rebound (58-46) and turnover (22-15) battles. Sophomore center Azania Stewart led Florida with 21 points and 11 rebounds.

4 » Football has the Swamp Things, basketball has the Rowdy Reptiles, but baseball’s student section remains unnamed – until now. The baseball team is set to throw its first pitch of the 2010 season in just over a month’s time, and the University of Florida is looking to the student body for suggestions on what to name McKethan Stadium’s student section. The winning entry will receive a baseball autographed by head coach Kevin O’Sullivan, Nike Gators gear and the opportunity to throw out a first pitch before a game this season. Submissions are being accepted through Jan. 15 with the voting lasting from Jan. 19-22. An announcement will be made on Jan. 25. Only students are able to apply – visit GatorZone.com for more information.

Tags: Auburn Tigers, Azania Stewart, baseball, Chuck Heater, Dan McCarney, Doc Holliday, George Edwards, Kevin O’Sullivan, Marshall Thundering Herd, McKethan Stadium, O'Connell Center, Rowdy Reptiles, SEC Championshiop, Steffi Sorensen, Sugar Bowl, Swamp Things, University of Florida, Urban Meyer, women's basketball

1 » Friday’s game has plenty of implications for both sides, but the 2010 Sugar Bowl will be especially sweet for a senior class that ranks as the most accomplished in Southeastern Conference history. Florida Gators senior quarterback Tim Tebow leads a group that will wear Orange and Blue for the last time (at least in college). “It’ll be fun. It’ll be exciting to go play for the last time as a Gator and have another opportunity to suit up and get that bad taste out of our mouth,” Tebow said. “Honestly, that would be really nice. [Winning this game] means a lot. Not just for being my last game, but for all of our seniors. I want to go out the right way and finish the season 13-1.”

2 » Though OGGOA has shied away from the story over the past week in lieu of other more pressing matters, one big, local non-game story was an argument between FOX and Bright House Networks, whose contract comes to an end Friday before the Sugar Bowl. The two entities have had trouble negotiating a new deal, leaving thousands of Gators fans in Central Florida to wonder whether or not they would have the opportunity to watch the big game. In fact, the companies were even sued by two Florida lawyers for a stay so locals could watch the Gators play. Though the suit played no part in the decision, FOX and Time Warner Cable (which owns Bright House) have agreed to a three-hour contract extension, allowing the game to air in that section of the state.

Four more BITS including spoiled fans and end of era questions after the jump!
Continue Reading » SIX BITS: Sugar Bowl and New Year edition

Tags: Aaron Hernandez, Auburn Tigers, BCS, Blinn College, Cameron Newton, Carlos Dunlap, Cincinnati Bearcats, Joe Haden, National Championship, SEC, SEC Championship, Sugar Bowl, Tim Tebow

1 » In the latest Sports Illustrated, S.L. Price profiled Florida Gators head coach Urban Meyer. His article is a must-read for any Gators fan. “The Florida coach is alternately a hard-ass and a softy, cocky and calculating, smug and sentimental. But there’s no inconsistency in his football program, which is, as usual, on track for a national title.”

2 » As has been previously reported by OGGOA junior defensive end Justin Trattou will start in place of suspended junior DE Carlos Dunlap on Saturday. Helping Trattou will be redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Jaye Howard, a former DE who gained 60 pounds in the offseason to move inside. “For [Trattou], it’s an easy transition because he’s been there before,” defensive line coach Dan McCarney said. “He’s always taken reps. I rotate 12, 11 guys every game, so when a guy is out because of injury or discipline or whatever it is, it’s not like I’m going to throw a guy out there in the championship game that hasn’t played and played a lot.” Howard is especially effective against the run and will have a chance to make an impact when Alabama Crimson Tide running back Mark Ingram runs right at him. Assisting the Gators coaches in this move is redshirt junior DT Brandon Antwine, who is active for Saturday’s game after sitting out the last six weeks with a bad shoulder.

Check out four more very informative Florida-Alabama BITS after the jump…
Continue Reading » SIX BITS: Meyer profiled by SI, replacing Dunlap, Saban on UF, stopping Ingram, Stoops’ influence?

Tags: Alabama Crimson Tide, Auburn Tigers, BCS, Bob Stoops, Brandon Antwine, Carlos Dunlap, Dan McCarney, Jaye Howard, Justin Trattou, Mark Ingram, National Championship, Nick Saban, Oklahoma Sooners, Roy Upchurch, SEC Championship, University of Florida, Urban Meyer

1 » One reason for senior quarterback Tim Tebow’s struggles? A porous Florida Gators offensive line. Tebow has taken 21 sacks on the season, eight more than he did in 2007 and six more than 2008…and he still has five games left to play. Some of that can be blamed on Tebow holding on to the ball too long, but the majority of the fault falls on the men supposed to be protecting the Heisman Trophy winner. “We don’t take pride in giving up sacks,” redshirt junior left tackle Carl Johnson said. “We try our best to protect him, try our best to make sure he has time in the pocket. Teams are just blitzing a lot – sometimes they bring more than we actually can protect.” Could offensive line coach and new offensive coordinator Steve Addazio be in over his head? It is a common theme going around, even if players and coaches don’t admit it.

2 » While everyone is going seemingly off the deep end about Florida’s offensive struggles, I took a minute and checked out the nine wins so far this season. Here are the margins of victory: 59, 50, 10, 34, 10, 3, 10, 34, 24. Now look at the numbers through the first nine games in 2006: 27, 42, 1, 19, 15, 13, -10, 7, 6. Not counting the preseason non-conference games, the Gators are averaging a 17.4-point margin of victory in 2009 compared to 7.3 in 2006. Now obviously one team is coming off a National Championship season while another was trying to find its footing for much of the year. But in comparing the two teams, which has been done defensively all season, you see a group that has won by double digits in every game they have played except for the squeaker against the Arkansas Razorbacks. Not bad.

3 » No. 9/11 Florida volleyball (20-3, 14-2 SEC) continues to roll in Southeastern Conference play, sweeping the Auburn Tigers (14-12, 6-9 SEC) 3-0 (25-15, 25-18, 25-13) on Sunday in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. Sophomore outside hitters Kristy Jaeckel and Colleen Ward combined for 22 kills and 15 digs as the Gators went on to score their 20th win of the season. It has swept eight straight SEC opponents and next faces the LSU Tigers on Friday, Nov. 13 at 7 p.m. The match will air on Sun Sports.

4 » Gators tennis had a busy weekend, but nobody played better than junior Alexandre Lacroix, who won the singles consolation final at the ITA National Indoor Championships on Sunday. Lacroix, the No. 23 player in the nation, defeated No. 46 Ed Corrie of the Texas Longhorns in straight sets, 6-3, 6-1. Now that the fall season is complete, tennis will next play in mid-January at the SEC Indoors.

Tags: Alexandre Lacroix, Arkansas Razorbacks, Auburn Tigers, Carl Johnson, Colleen Ward, Ed Corrie, ITA National Indoor CHampionships, Kristy Jaeckel, LSU Tigers, O'Connell Center, SEC, SEC Indoors, Steve Addazio, tennis, Texas Longhorns, Tim Tebow, volleyball

Friday was a tale of two outcomes for University of Florida sports teams, with soccer, men’s and women’s tennis and volleyball all in action across the country. The most important game of the day was No. 8 Florida Gators soccer (15-5-2, 8-1-2 SEC) taking on No. 15 South Carolina Gamecocks (17-3-1, 7-3-1 SEC) in the semifinal round of the Southeastern Conference Championship Tournament in Orange Beach, AL.

After winning the regular season and defeating the Tennessee Volunteers in the first round, the Gators fell 1-0 to the Gamecocks. Ironically enough, Florida defeated South Carolina 3-0 one week ago in Gainesville, FL, to clinch the SEC regular season title. The Gamecocks scored their lone deciding goal off of a penalty kick at 10:36 in the first half, the first to be successfully scored against the Gators all season.

Also in action were players from the school’s tennis teams. Freshman Allie Will dropped a 1-6, 6-3, 6-2 decision to Pichittra Thongbach of the Boise State Broncos in the round of 16 at the ITA National Indoor Tennis Championships. Considered the second leg of the collegiate Grand Slam, Will was the lone Florida female to earn a spot in the event and now holds a 20-3 singles record and 13-3 doubles mark on the season. The men’s doubles team of junior Alexandre Lacroix and redshirt senior Antoine Benneteau, who were previously undefeated, lost an ITA quarterfinal match 8-6 to Tennessee’s Boris Koncic and Rhyne Williams. Lacroix, who was also competing in singles consolation action, won 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 over Patricio Alvarado of the Southern Miss Golden Eagles.

Last but certainly not least on the evening was No. 9/11 Gators volleyball (19-3, 13-2 SEC), who earned their seventh consecutive sweep of a league opponent by taking down the Georgia Bulldogs (14-11, 5-9 SEC) 25-16, 25-20, 25-14. Four Florida players hit better than .500 and sophomore hitters Kristy Jaeckel and Kelly Murphy combined for 23 kills on the night in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. Volleyball will be back in action on Sunday against the Auburn Tigers in Gainesville at 1:30 p.m. The match will air live on Sun Sports.

Tags: Alexandre Lacroix, Allie Will, Antoine Benneteau, Auburn Tigers, Boise State Broncos, Boris Koncic, Georgia Bulldogs, ITA National Indoor Tennis Championships, Kelly Murphy, Kristy Jaeckel, O'Connell Center, Patricio Alvarado, Pichittra Thongbach, Rhyne Williams, SEC, SEC Championship, soccer, South Carolina Gamecocks, Southern Miss Golden Eagles, Tennessee Volunteers, tennis, University of Florida, volleyball

- The No. 1 Florida Gators extended their winning streak to 18 games, dating back to 2008. This is good for the longest in school history, the longest in the nation and most consecutive wins for an SEC team since the Auburn Tigers had 20 from 1993-94.

- The Gators are 8-0 for the first time since the 1996 team started 10-0 and finished 12-1 with UF’s first football National Championship.

- Senior quarterback Tim Tebow broke the SEC record for rushing touchdowns (49) previously held by former Georgia Bulldogs‘ RB Herschel Walker (1980-82) with his 23-yard run in the second quarter. Tebow followed it up with a five-yard run in the third quarter to end the game with 51 career rushing touchdowns.

- Also gaining 85 yards on the ground against Georgia, Tebow broke another SEC record – career rushing yards by a quarterback. Previously held by Arkansas Razorbacks QB Matt Jones (2001-04) at 2,535, the record has been surpassed by Tebow who now has 2,588 on his career and looks to improve the number over the course of the next few weeks.

- Since Urban Meyer became the head coach in 2005, the Gators are now 14-1 against tradition rivals (Florida State, Georgia, Miami and Tennessee), including a 4-1 record against the Bulldogs.

- Special teams continue to stop opponents from returning punts as Chas Henry and his unit did not allow any punt return yardage for the eighth straight game. The Gators have recorded zero punt-return yardage this season.

Tags: Arkansas Razorbacks, Auburn Tigers, Chas Henry, Georgia Bulldogs, Herschel Walker, Matt Jones, SEC