Moore played for the Gators and head coach Doug Dickey from 1972-73 after transferring from a junior college. He played running back for two years and earned first-team All-Southeastern Conference as well as honorable mention All-American awards in 1972 after running 145 times for 845 yards with nine touchdowns and catching 25 passes for 351 yards and four more scores. A Gator Great who was inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame in 1978, Moore earned his degree from Florida two years after entering the NFL.

After the 1973 season, Moore was selected by Miami with the No. 78 overall pick in the third round of the 1974 NFL Draft. He joined a Dolphins team coming off of back-to-back Super Bowl wins including the perfect season of 1972. Miami moved Moore to wide receiver, and he rewarded them with a Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro season in 1977, when he hauled in a league-high 12 touchdowns. Moore retired from football after spending his entire 13-year career with Miami. He broke nearly ever Dolphins receiving record at the time of his retirement, concluding his career with 510 catches for 7,547 yards and 74 touchdowns and earning him a spot in the team’s Honor Roll.

Since retiring from football, Moore has been involved in a variety of activities. He serves as a vice president with Miami, runs the Nat Moore Foundation and at one point was a broadcaster with Sun Sports for Gators football. He now does preseason broadcast work with the Dolphins in addition to his other duties.

OGOGA had the opportunity to speak to Moore for a half hour about his time at Florida, experience in the NFL, idea for a celebration of the Gators and opinions about some players he has come across throughout his career as a broadcaster.

ADAM SILVERSTEIN: What was it that led you to the University of Florida considering you were born in Tallahassee and went to high school in Miami?
NAT MOORE: “As a kid growing up in Miami, I felt like I really wanted to get away to focus on my studies and have less distractions. You go to Gainesville and basically you’re there for two things. One – to get a good and solid education, and two – a chance to develop your craft in whatever athletic endeavor it is. For me, it gave me a chance where all my friends would be new friends unless they were up there from Miami or Tallahassee. It was close enough that I wasn’t too far away from home if I got homesick. It was a university that my basketball coach in junior college had played baseball with Doug Dickey, so that was the entry into attending the University of Florida. It was always the right place for me, and they were an up-and-coming program in the SEC.”

Read the rest of our interview with Nat Moore…after the break!

AS: Looking at how much attention the SEC gets now compared to when you played, does any part of you wish you were playing in the league right now?
NM: “Doing the Gator broadcasts for the last 14 years, this is the first year I’m not actually doing the Breakfast with the Gators until the end of the year. I’ve lived that. The one thing about college is that we all think that our time was the best time. I would never trade that experience of playing football and going to school up there at the University of Florida back in the ‘70s. I’m a 60-year-old individual, and I thought that when I was there it was the best thing since sliced bread. As things grow and change for the next group, it’s a whole different set of circumstances and terms. I feel that the University of Florida was the right place at the right time for me.”

AS: Is there one game or one play that you had while with the Gators that you still remember or look back on when you think about your college career now?
NM: “When I think about playing in college, the biggest game for me and really helped me bust upon the scene as a prolific open-game running back and a guy that could score from anywhere on the field was the Auburn game where I reversed my field several times and was able to put points on the board and score. That was when the SEC actually started to realize that there was some folks up at Florida that were pretty dang gone good.”

AS: How special was it for you to be drafted by the Miami Dolphins and be able to return home after you were done with college?
NM: “A couple things. One – every player’s dream that plays in the NFL if their town has a pro franchise is to one day play at home, play in front of their family and friends and people you’ve known your whole life and all of your supporters. That was great. For me it was scary because there were no guaranteed contracts back in those days. I was going to a team that had been to three-straight Super Bowls and had just won two with one being a perfect [season]. People were saying that was the best team there was. I had to go in and displace somebody to make the ball club. I’m being asked to be moved from running back to wide receiver. So as a rookie coming in, knowing that you have to make this ball club, that’s a very scary proposition even though you are going home. I had mixed emotions about it to be honest.”

AS: I know you caught passes at Florida, but can you talk a little bit about making the transition from college running back to pro receiver. How difficult was that to do and how long did it take you to really feel comfortable at wideout?
NM: “The one thing I’ve always learned is that the more you study the better you get. You go to class, you study when the test comes you got a pretty good opportunity to be successful. My first priority when I came to the Dolphins was to hit the books and learn the plays. If you didn’t know what to do, it’s kind of hard to showcase your abilities. I spent more time – unlike a lot of the other rookies – studying. I didn’t really get caught up in practicing back in Miami. I have seen all of Miami. While other rookies were driving into the city, I was studying. I was learning the game plan, learning the playbook. That in itself helped me a great deal.

“And then when the veterans came in, to have a guy like a Paul Warfield – who is still for my money is the best receiver to ever play a game. Here’s the only guy that I know of that’s in the Hall of Fame that averaged 20 yards per catch. A guy that played on a team here in Miami that threw the ball very sparingly, but when they did throw it everybody in the ballpark knew he was going to get it and he still had the ability to get open and come up with the big play. I had a guy like that as my tutor, who really taught me how to run routes, taught me how to be a pro. It ended up being my luck fortunately to come to the Miami Dolphins at the right time and have someone like Paul, Marlin Briscoe, Howard Twilley, Bob Griese that were willing to work with me to help me learn to be a quality receiver.”

AS: You had the opportunity to play in two Super Bowls. For those who are just excited when their team gets there, can you describe what it is like as a player to finally reach that point in your career?
NM: “You play the game to win championships – at least that’s what we did. It’s like a final climax that you’ve gotten that opportunity. There’s 32 teams every year that start out with the same goal – to get to the Super Bowl and win it. Along the way, a lot of teams lose their way. For 9-10 years, that’s what I experienced – so close but yet so far. And then when I finally in 1982 make it to the Super Bowl, we’re playing a team like the Washington Redskins. I’m looking at our team and I’m looking at our game plan and I just know that there’s no way that this team is supposed to beat us and I’m finally going to get that championship ring. You go through a week of listening to the media. You go through a week of dealing with all of the hype that goes with the game. The biggest issue is that you look up on Friday and, if you got caught up in the hype, you’re not ready to play because you’ve been so busy doing everything else that you didn’t focus on the game. We focused on the game. We thought we had a great game plan. For whatever reason it may be, it just didn’t happen.

“I’ll tell you, you have the butterflies starting to come like a rookie playing his first game because you know that this game is what you’ve dreamed about. The problem is, when the game is over and you’re not victorious, it’s the most deflating, depressing thing you could ever go through. To be honest – at the end of that game when we lost to the Redskins, a team that I thought if we played them nine times we’d beat them nine times but that day we didn’t get it done and the ball didn’t bounce our way and they made plays but we didn’t – I was ready to give up football. That’s how crushing that loss was. If it had not been for the fans when they gave us a parade downtown. They had heard I was thinking about retiring and giving up football that time and they start changing, ‘one more year,’ encouraging me to come back and give it another shot. If not for that, I probably would have retired. That’s how brutal that loss was to me. It’s sort of like I’ve lost before but never a game of that magnitude where the prize is right there. It was hurting. It really was.

“I think it’s the first year that’s the most demoralizing because after you lose the first time, you don’t accept it but you learn how to deal with it. The tough part is if you’ve never been there before, how do you know how to deal with it? When we lost my second Super Bowl to the 49ers, that one was much easier for me. Whether we were the better team or they were the better team, I now realize that I don’t care how good you are, things just don’t always fall your way. You don’t win because you’re the better team. Sometimes it’s not in the cards. That’s what I’ve walked away from the game realizing. It wasn’t meant for me to win a championship. It was meant for me to have that opportunity and for that to make me stronger in other facets of my life.”

AS: Since retiring from the NFL, I know you’ve had plenty of opportunities to cover the Gators as a member of the media. Is there any player in particular you remember watching and saying from the first time you saw them – that guy is going to be something special?
NM: “Percy Harvin. Percy Harvin was a guy that, as you watched him and you saw his athletic ability and his ability to make plays throughout his career there with the Gators, he was phenomenal. There have been several. I look at a Chris Rainey today, I saw him in high school as a can’t-miss product. Everybody was questioning his size but most people forget about his heart. It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the heart of the dog in the fight. Doing college football, you see so many of those stories. You go back and you look at Danny Wuerffel. If you look at Danny, he doesn’t even look like a football player, but the guy made plays. It’s that intangible. Tim Tebow, the guy made plays. Chris Leak – you can just go right down the line. They were guys that, no matter what anybody said, they just continued to impress you, continued to work and continued to prove everybody wrong when they wanted to have all those negative connotations about those guys.

“I thought that first national championship in Tim’s freshman year, the way that both he and Chris Leak handled themselves, handled the media and handled all the people that tried to separate that team, I thought was phenomenal. A lot of it is also about the character of those young men and how they accept things that people are saying about them and don’t let it phase them.”

AS: You mentioned Chris Rainey. As a guy of similar stature to him – of course Rainey a bit lighter than you were when you played in the league – do you think he can make it in the NFL?
NM: “Is there a guy named Darren Sproles? The irony of sports is that we as media are sitting here trying to dissect and interpret what should and should not be. In the process, we sort of pigeon hole people at a position where they don’t get opportunities. Football is a game of athleticism and strength and etcetera. All of a sudden, if you look at this level that I’m at now, everybody wants bigger, faster, stronger. Guess what? When you do give a little guy a chance, it’s amazing what they do. I’m just so fed up with everybody trying to say this guy can’t play because of his size, or this guy can’t play because he throws a certain way. You know what? They did it their whole lives and they’ve been successful. All they ask for is an opportunity.

“As soon as we the media stop falling into that trap of ‘he ain’t big enough’ or ‘they’re looking for tall receivers, they’re looking for big runners.’ Chris Johnson – how big is he? They add more weight as they get a little older, that’s natural. You look at a guy like Chris Rainey, he catches the ball well, he’s a breakaway runner, he can return kicks. I even looked at Brandon James. Because of his size, he wasn’t given an opportunity, but he’s over in Canada and he’s playing pretty damn good. Ironically we have a tendency to just assume. When I played I was 185 lbs, they said I couldn’t play running back at that size. OK. That doesn’t mean I couldn’t play wide receiver or defensive back.”

AS: Is that why you think it has taken so long for Tim Tebow to get an opportunity?
NM: “I can’t really speak on what Denver’s thoughts are and their rationale for what they do and why they do it. That’s why they get paid the big bucks. Me personally, I just think that football is about opportunity. I’m one of those guys that believes Tim is a young man that understands everything that’s going on around him. He takes it in, depends on his faith and he will be prepared when his opportunity comes. When his opportunity comes, he will be a guy that they find it very difficult to get him off the field because of his production.

“I would look at a guy like Tim Tebow and, basically his mechanics are not what everybody says they should be, but most of the people that are saying that are people who didn’t play the damn game anyway. It’s about what you do. Bernie Kosar threw it side arm and looped it over. Bob Griese didn’t have a strong arm. Chad Pennington is a guy that, if you look at his arm, you wonder how he played at this level, but he holds the record for completion percentage. I don’t buy into all these things that they say a person has to have or a person has to be or a person has to do. You see guys that do things their own way and they win. My thought – when it comes to a guy like Tim – is that with all the mechanical errors they say he has, the guy still completed 66-67 percent of his passes. All I say is – you give people a chance.”

AS: How did you go from a player to a member of the Dolphins front office? You have also been very involved with charity over the years including with the Nat Moore Foundation. Can you talk about what the goal of that organization is and if there is anything going on soon?
NM: “I’m here because people gave me an opportunity. Had it not been for the organization and the people who wanted to help me get an opportunity, I would not be here. When I look at the platform that God has blessed me with, it’s an opportunity to give back, reward and give kids that aspire to be better and succeed their opportunity. There’s a lot of young kids out here that could be the person that comes up with the cure for cancer. If we don’t provide opportunities for them to reach their goals and their dreams, it won’t happen. Our goal is real simple: We want to do everything we can to empower young people to reach their goals and dreams. Our mission is: Helping Kids Help Themselves – kids from 5-17 and scholarships go further than that, too. I’m just a strong believer that there are some bright young folks out there that will not get that opportunity, especially with all the cutbacks and things that are happening within government.”

“We do one big fundraiser every year which is called the Canon Florida Golf Classic. It is an event at Doral where we bring in some of my closest celebrity friends and we put on a golf outing and a dinner to raise money for the rest of the year. We try to do one event a year that way we don’t beat up on all the companies all year wrong. We play 250-300 golfers and raise quite a bit of money”

AS: Let’s talk a little bit about the Gator Day celebration being put on for the Oct. 23 game against Denver. What is the goal of this from the organization’s perspective? Did you have a hand in this considering your close ties to Florida?
NM: “Let me start out by saying this because I think it’s really critical that everybody understands why and how we’re doing what we’re doing. Here with the Miami Dolphins, we have three commitments to our fans. The first one is to put a team on the field that’s worthy of our fan support with the goal of competing for championships year in and year out. We’re not successful at that yet but we’re working at it. The second one is to enhance the experience of our fans here at Sun Life Stadium and aggressively market the team to a broad region and a diverse fan base. It can’t be just about the University of Miami. It can’t just be about South Florida. It’s about everybody in South Florida. Whatever we can do to encourage them to come to our games – they might not be our fans starting out but they’ll never be our fans if we can’t get them in our stadium.

“When you look at, from a college standpoint, the University of Florida has more alumnus and more fans in South Florida than anybody else – anybody. That’s a group that we need to be able to reach. That’s a group that every other professional team in this market already does a Gator Day. We’re a team that through the years has stayed away from it, but I’ve been asking for this for three years. This year with our need to continue to sell tickets to try to get people in the seats so we don’t have to do blackouts, I finally got them to agree to it. I am the culprit of it. I don’t apologize for that. It’s not a slap on the University of Miami. I’m probably one of the biggest UM fans you’ll ever meet because I grew up here. But I’m also a Gator, and that’s my No. 1 love.

“In doing so, every year you’re going to have teams coming in here with an opportunity to raise money for scholarships. There’s a great opportunity to capitalize on Gators that are playing in the NFL that we’ve rooted for years that can come here. Fans can root for the Dolphins; they can root for the players. That’s not the issue. The issue is how do I get you here that you have such a good time that you do become a Dolphin fan. Doing what we’re doing, we’re going to raise substantial dollars hopefully for the University of Florida’s Opportunity Scholarship Program. We’re also hopefully going to find some new fans, some new people that would be coming to the stadium more o on a regular basis because they enjoyed themselves.

“This year, when we chose Denver, it was amazing how the stars just lined up. When I first presented this, Jabar Gaffney also was with Denver. Not just Tim Tebow and Marcus Thomas. It’s a tremendous opportunity for the Gator Nation to come back and celebrate one of our biggest victories ever, which was right here at Sun Life Stadium – the 2008 national championship team that few thought could beat Oklahoma. We won the championship here. That’s what this is all about. An opportunity to salute those guys.

“The true irony is that most of the superstars that play on that team are playing in the league. They won’t be here, but the other guys who are the unsung heroes, who gave it their everything will also be saluted. Urban Meyer is the only coach that is expected to be here because all the other guys are coaching. How many opportunities do you get where you can have all of those guys while they’re still young, while people still remember, to have them come back to they won it all? I think it’s a natural fit. We’re doing it and looking forward to that opportunity. Me as a Gator, I’m so proud of what they accomplished that I can’t wait for that day. I’ll be involved in so many different ways. Like I said, it’s something that I feel very strongly about and I’m very honored to be a part of it.”

Florida’s 2006 recruiting class, which featured five-stars quarterback Tim Tebow, wide receiver Percy Harvin and linebacker Brandon Spikes, came away as the clear leader even after being ranked as the second-best class that year.

“What makes this group stand out above the rest was the number of prospects who panned out: 16 members of the class were starters at one time,” writes Rivals. “Beyond Tebow and Harvin, there were guys such as LBs Brandon Spikes, Dustin Doe and A.J. Jones, DE Jermaine Cunningham, T/G Marcus Gilbert, DTs Lawrence Marsh and Terron Sanders and WR Riley Cooper. The group helped Florida win two national championships, and Tebow won the 2007 Heisman as a sophomore and was a finalist as a junior and senior.”

Two of those players (Tebow and Harvin) wound up being first-round picks in the NFL Draft; three more (Spikes, Cunningham and Gilbert) were selected in the second-round and one other (Cooper) was a fifth-round pick. Other prominent names in the 2006 class include kick returner Brandon James and offensive lineman Carl Johnson.

The Gators’ 2007 recruiting class, ranked No. 1 the year it was signed, closes out the list at No. 10. One of the reasons it is lower on the list is the fact that three of its most prominent members – five-stars quarterback Cameron Newton and defensive tackle Torrey Davis as well as four-star DT John Brown – had off-the-field issues that did not allow them to conclude their careers in Gainesville, FL.

However, Florida’s 2007 signings also included a trio of first-round picks (cornerback Joe Haden and centers Maurkice and Mike Pouncey), safeties Ahmad Black and Major Wright, DE Carlos Dunlap, tight end Aaron Hernandez and punter Chas Henry. Players remaining on the Gators include redshirt seniors QB John Brantley, DT Jaye Howard, running back Chris Rainey and WR Deonte Thompson.

Check out Rivals at 10: Ten best recruiting classes for the rest of the rankings.

1 » Former Florida Gators kick returer/wide receiver Brandon James, signed as an undrafted free agent by the Indianapolis Colts in 2010 but cut during the season, was picked up by the Edmonton Eskimos of the CFL on Friday. Edmonton had traded their kick-return specialist and wanted to sign a dynamic player to fill his shoes. “With his speed and elusiveness, we believe Brandon has a chance to be an explosive talent,” Eskimos general manager Eric Tillman said in a news release picked up by the Edmonton Journal. “He was dominant in an elite conference as his record-breaking career reflects and on our bigger field, where returning punts, kickoffs and missed field goals are all a major part of winning in the Canadian Football League. We’re hoping Brandon will generate an abundance of excitement and big plays.”

2 » Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah, who won a pair of national titles with Florida, was more concerned about the Gators game on Saturday than he was about his upcoming matchup with the Boston Celtics. According to ESPN Chicago, Noah was “huddled around a television while the rest of his teammates got dressed in the locker room” and was pacing back and forth watching the team in overtime. “You got the sense that if Noah could pull the fuzzy orange hat which sat atop his head all the way over his face, he might have done it,” the site’s Nick Friedell reported.

Noah also spoke to him on Friday about how close his team came to not winning back-to-back championships. “People have this feeling that we dominated for two years,” Noah said. “I’ll always remember playing in the Sweet 16 [in 2006] and Corey Brewer hitting a shot he’s never hit before with 10 seconds left to get us up one against Georgetown. If he doesn’t hit that shot, we probably don’t make it and win back-to-back titles. It just shows how funny this game is. You’ve got to stay on edge and stay focused and understand that you can’t take anything for granted.”

Usually we have to convince our interview subjects to sit down and talk with us for a half hour. When it came to former Florida Gators now Buffalo Bills wide receiver David Nelson, he had nothing but time while in the middle of a 22-hour drive from Buffalo, NY, to Dallas, TX, and in desperate need of some entertainment.

Catching up with him 14 hours into his trip somewhere in Memphis, TN, OGGOA spoke with Nelson about everything from his family growing up to what he thinks about new Gators head coach Will Muschamp and the future of quarterback John Brantley. He was honest and candid, as expected, and gave us a good look into the journey from high school star to solid college contributor to NFL undrafted free agent.

Nelson hauled in 46 receptions for 630 yards and seven touchdowns during his Florida career. As a rookie with Buffalo in 2010, he matched half that total with 31 catches for 353 yards and three touchdowns (in consecutive games).

ADAM SILVERSTEIN: You’re one of eight children…where do you fall age-wise and what was it like growing up with so many siblings?
DAVID NELSON: “I’m actually the oldest of eight. Growing up there was only three of us – me and two of my younger brothers. My mom and dad were together and it was just us three. We were always real close, always competed and always playing sports and video games and trying to beat each other. We would fight and argue like brothers do, but looking back I cherish those times with my brothers more than anything. I always had a friend and brother to play with, always a partner to go out and do stuff with. It wasn’t until my mom and dad got divorced and both of them got remarried and had extra kids. My mom had three extra kids and my dad had two extra kids. My youngest sister right now is like three years old.”

AS: Christmas and Thanksgiving must be interesting then…
DN: “It is. It is. It’s a lot of fun though. It keeps it interesting and it keeps it fun.”

AS: What was it about Florida that made you decide to attend there over Notre Dame or staying in-state with Texas?
DN: “Growing up I never really knew much about Florida. I had seen them on TV every once in a while, when they were playing a bowl game or playing Florida State or something like that. I was never really a big fan growing up. I was from Big 12 country, so I grew up a huge Texas Longhorns fan, I watched all the Big 12 teams. When the recruiting process started, I didn’t hear anything from Florida. [Ron] Zook was there, didn’t hear anything from him or from his staff. Florida wasn’t even a consideration for me, never crossed my mind.

“When the whole issue with Tyrone Willingham getting fired [from Notre Dame]… I talked to Urban Meyer a little bit while he was at Utah, liked him a lot, but didn’t really feel comfortable going to Utah. When he accepted the job to go to Florida, he called me up and said, ‘Hey, I know you didn’t like it at Utah. What do you think about Florida?’ I was like, ‘I’ll research it, see what it looks like.’ The more I researched it, the more I learned about it, the more I liked it. I got a good feeling about it. [It happened] kind of late in the process, because it wasn’t until after the All-American game I started talking to him and took a visit up there. Got in town with my family, my family loved the community.

“I felt right with the coaching staff. I felt comfortable with the offense they were putting in. I knew that there was going to be something special that was going to happen there, and I wanted to be a part of it. I wanted to be one of the first recruiting classes to come in with them, because I knew Coach Meyer was going to be successful.”

AS: What were the first three years with the Gators like with you not getting much time on the field? Did you feel discouraged at all?
DN: “It was tough. It was real tough. An 18-19-20-year old kid coming in from high school, being heavily recruited, you automatically assume you are going to come in and you feel like you should be up for the Biletnikoff Award your first year on campus. When you’re a young kid, you buy into all the hype. You’re just really excited of what is going to happen. You come in and redshirt, the next year you sit on the bench, the year after that you sit on the bench again and you do get discouraged. You have all these people telling you how good you are, all these people from different angles saying you should be doing this…and you start to believe all the hype and all the cousins and the uncles calling you and you start to agree with them. You start to get these negative thoughts.

“The thought had crossed my mind of transferring; we actually pursued it a little bit. My dad and I sat down and looked at some options. Coach Meyer told me to just think about it and get back to him. The more I thought about it, the more we researched, I realized I came here for a reason – I came here to be a part of something special. At that moment we were on the cusp of being a great program. We had just won the National Championship in Arizona, and we were on the cusp of being great. At that moment, I knew I came here, I started something. I’m going to see it all the way through. I’m going to stick to my word and I’m going to ride this out, see where it goes and where it takes me.”

Read the rest of our exclusive interview with David Nelson…after the break!

AS: In 2008 almost half of your receptions were for scores. That includes the game- sealing touchdown in the National Championship game. How did you turn it around?
DN: “A lot of people attribute my success towards the end of the year to Tim [Tebow]’s The Promise speech, the speech he gave at the end of the Ole Miss game. That had a lot to do with it also, but there’s something deeper that nobody really knows about.

“The week before that we played Miami, and I was a situational guy, I came in every once in a while. Towards the end of the game, I remember we threw a bubble screen to Brandon James. I was just going through the motions and said, ‘I’m a good blocker. I’m just going to go up there and get the block and everything’s going to be OK.’ I went to make the block; the guy ran right past me and blew up Brandon James. Blew him up. It’s a pretty non-important play of the game, and not many people realize it, but it was very important to me.

“The following week my [position] coach, Coach [Billy] Gonzales at the time, was real big on blocking and really big on the blocking aspect of a receiver’s game. He told me, ‘Listen, if you can’t block, you can’t do that. You can’t protect your teammates, you’re not going to play for me.’ The following week I didn’t play one snap against Ole Miss. It killed me. I really took that as a learning tool, and I think that moment – when I was standing on the sideline against Ole Miss – I wasn’t able to play. I knew why I wasn’t playing. The coaches didn’t trust me. The players didn’t trust me. And the fact that we lost the game, seeing how crushed the guys were in the locker room, and knowing I had no impact on the game whatsoever.

“It changed my life. It changed the way I approach the game. It changed the way I respect the game. It changed the way I prepare myself for games. You can see that, as soon as that happened, I changed my whole outlook on the game. And it changed my career.”

AS: Talk to us about making the touchdown catch in the championship to put Florida up two scores and ice the BCS title.
DN: “We had been practicing that play all bowl camp. Coach Meyer is big on trust. He trusts you to put you in situations; he puts you on the field in certain situations [where you can be successful]. If that game would have been 6-7 weeks before, I would have never been in that position. Fortunately, I was able to gain their trust and gain their confidence during the prior weeks of the SEC Championship game, the Florida State game, the last half of the season. With the way I played and my production on the field, they were able to gain confidence in me.

“It just so happens that was the call at that moment. It could have easily been in the first quarter or second quarter, it just so happens it was at that moment in the game. It was a play Coach Meyer was confident in and a play that we executed very well in practice. My heart was beating 95 miles per hour the whole play. The whole 20-second experience is blanked out of my mind for some reason. I blacked out or something happened that I can’t really remember that exact moment. I do remember running out to the field and Coach Meyer looking at me and saying, ‘Go win the game.’ For him to say that to me at that moment, I knew I couldn’t let him down and I couldn’t let the team down.”

AS: Had Buffalo – or another team for that matter – given you an indication prior to the draft that they might select you? What made you to decide to go there as a free agent?
DN: “I had talked to a lot of coaches actually. My individual statistics in college were not great by any means for a prototypical NFL receiver. They want you to have at least 100 career catches – if not 100 at least a solid senior year. I had like 25 catches my senior year. My production in statistics wasn’t great, so there were some question marks. What really helped me out was the Pro Day I had; they could see some of the intangibles. That really got a lot of attention. I was hearing from a lot of coaches, and I wasn’t expecting it, but I was hearing anywhere from fifth-to-sixth round. When it came down to it, they didn’t feel like they needed to draft me; I’d still be available after the draft. I wasn’t surprised, but Buffalo and Seattle had been calling. A couple teams had been calling.”

AS: A lot of players drafted late or signed as undrafted free agents claim the latter is actually the best case scenario. You get to choose your team and situation, for example. Do you agree with that sentiment?
DN: “I think so. Definitely in my situation. A lot of times teams will use a sixth- or seventh-round pick based on potential. They could have 11 receivers on roster, but if there’s a player they’re interested in, they’ll draft him to take him off the board so they can have him. I was able to research depth charts, offensive schemes, offensive coordinator styles, styles of offense, how many times they throw the ball. I was able to research all that and make a top 10 list of teams that I felt like I fit the best. So when I wasn’t drafted, I was able to take my pick out of those teams, whichever was the best situation for me. Obviously the money isn’t as good; it’s better when you’re drafted. But in the long run, I was able to make the roster because of the research I did.”

AS: Seems like you made a great decision as, in your first NFL season, you have had almost as many receptions as your final two years of college combined. We know you loved your time at Florida, but did you feel a bit under utilized compared to what you are accomplishing at a professional level?
DN: “I wouldn’t say I was underutilized. We won two National Championships. We won two SEC Championships. We were very successful with what we did, and the coaching staff obviously knew what they were doing. I was there to catch the ball and did whatever I could to help the team. I was a great blocker; they used that to their advantage and put me on the point of attack a lot and as a perimeter blocker. I was fine with that. As long as we were winning, I was fine with that.

“It developed me mentally. It developed me as a team player. I stopped focusing on the statistics. It helped me realize the appreciation I had for the entire game. I learned how to catch passes, run routes for other receivers to get open, block for receivers. It gave me a complete appreciation for the whole game as opposed to just myself catching the ball. I was very appreciative of that because I think it’s helped me in the NFL now. Because I had such a long journey to get to where I am, now where I’m at, I’m mentally strong and mentally prepared because of what I went through at Florida.”

AS: What has it been like not only getting the opportunity to play in the NFL but to actually contribute on a game-to-game basis? You had three-straight games with touchdowns including another one the same stadium as your National Championship score. That has to feel really good.
DN: “I hear people talking. People will say stuff like, ‘He’s only on the roster because he’s on a weak team.’ If you look at our receiving corps, we are not weak by any means. We had a great offensive year. The second argument I have for that is, ‘Yeah, you can make the team. You can make the roster. But you still have to compete against other teams. You still have to go against the best defensive backs.’ I was still able to do that and be successful. You still have to go out and produce. You have to get open and catch the ball, and I was able to do that this year. I had a great time. We had a solid year, and it’s only going to get better.”

AS: Was it exciting yet strange playing against so many of your former teammates your rookie season? [Editor’s note: Nelson played the New England Patriots (three teammates), Cleveland Browns (Joe Haden), Cincinnati Bengals (Andre Caldwell), Pittsburgh Steelers (Maurkice Pouncey), Minnesota Vikings (Percy Harvin), Chicago Bears (Major Wright), Jacksonville Jagaurs (two teammates), etc. this year.]
DN: “It was a special deal. I loved it. It’s not like that everywhere. Not every college has that. Pretty much every team I played has one of my old teammates on it. Week in and week out, I look at the opposing team’s roster and I see, ‘Florida.’ Every week I was playing against an old teammate. It’s a special deal. You’re excited to go see these guys you’ve spent so much time with and you’ve gone through so much with. To come there, share your experiences, talk to each other about it before the game. I was out stretching talking with Major Wright, seeing how life was going. We talked about the Gators a little bit, obviously, and reconnected a little bit. It’s amazing to see them be successful and do what they’re doing on a much higher stage. It’s fun to compete against each other, have fun with each other, trash talk on the field a little bit and do some things you weren’t able to in college. It’s a special thing. I look forward to it every week, and it’s something I really enjoy.”

AS: Now here’s the obligatory Tim Tebow question.
DN: “[Laughing]”

AS: You obviously caught passes from Tim for a few years at UF, and I’m guessing have seen a little of what he’s done so far this year. What do you think about his future in the pros and how his game translates?
DN: “I wasn’t able to watch him play this year just because they happened to play the same time I did. I did see some highlights and stuff. I will be shocked if he’s not an All-Pro quarterback at some point leading his team to Super Bowls. I would be shocked. Just because the competitor he is, the leadership qualities he has. I will be shocked. Just because I know he’s a winner. He’ll do anything it takes to win. If somebody says he can’t do something, he will prove them wrong. If he continues to work on his game, continues to study, continues to be the student of the game he that he’s always been – because he loves the game so much and respects the game. He puts so much into it, and I know he’ll get just as much out. I think he’s going to be very successful, and I think you’ve seen some glimpses of that this season.”

AS: What did you think when you first heard about Urban Meyer stepping down for the second time and how do you feel about it now?
DN: “I really wasn’t surprised. I was [in Gainesville, FL] for the Mississippi State game and got to talk with him for a little bit. Got a chance to reconnect with him, spend some time with him and pick his brain a little bit and see how he was doing. I wasn’t surprised. When the decision came out, it wasn’t big news to me. I knew it was only a matter of time because I know how much he puts into it.

“I know every second of every day he’s so consumed with the team, the players, their lives, how they’re living and how they’re handling their business. It’s just consumed him the past 10-12 years he’s been a head coach. His health has been affected by it. He has a great family that loves him and supports him, and I think he just missed that whole aspect of it. When he took some time off this past offseason and got away with his family and got away with his wife, I think he realized how much he’s been missing that. He was able to take a step back and say, ‘This is what I could be doing. I could be spending this much time with my family, being a part of their lives and just enjoying life.’ I think he took that vacation and got something out of that.

“All that effort he gives, he couldn’t really do it anymore. For health reasons, obviously, and whatever else is going on with him. I wasn’t really surprised, but I am happy for him. I wish he could be there to impact lives like he impacted mine. So he could develop young men and develop players to be the best players they can be. College football will miss that. At the same time, I’m very happy for him and I’m happy that he’s happy with his decision and he’s at peace with that.”

AS: Do you think some of the negative things that have happened to the program – arrests and off-the-field issues – do you think those impact him more on a personal basis than most people realize?
DN: “Yeah, I think so. The arrests and stuff we’ve had, the run-ins with the law some of the players have had, have eaten away at him. People don’t see it because we handle a lot of stuff internally, but he gets eaten alive. He puts so much trust and so much effort into these kids. He’ll bring in a player and try to change their lives, try to mold them to be young men of character. He teaches them core values and really tries to develop them as men. He puts a lot of effort into that and spends a lot of time with these guys. A lot of time and effort. And when they do something like [that], he kind of feels let down. It just wears at him. The past few years it has been even more so because of the time he’s been spending with them. He’s gotten to know these kids and knows they’re good character people, knows they’re good kids. And then they make poor decisions that just eat at him and wear at him, and I think it finally got to him.”

AS: Being from Texas, do you have any unique insight on new head coach Will Muschamp or an opinion of how you think he’ll do with the Gators?
DN: “I have a lot of friends who go to school at Texas and a lot of friends back home who still follow Texas, and everyone I talk to has nothing but great things to say about him. He was obviously the head coach-in-waiting there for a reason. Mack Brown is a great coach, a great master of college football. For him to hand-pick [Muschamp] as his successor speaks volumes. I trust Mack Brown. I trust Jeremy Foley. Coach Meyer obviously agrees with the decision. I put my faith in those three guys. I have to think their wisdom is pretty credible based on their history. I trust them. I’m exciting to get down there and meet him. I’m excited about what he can do for these guys. He’s going to be a breath of fresh air and a new, different attitude. He seems young and intense. That’s what this program needs right now.”

AS: You said you caught as many Florida games as you could. Were you surprised about how the offense played and specifically how things transitioned with John Brantley as quarterback?
DN: “I was because I was able to get to know Brantley and watch him in practice. I got to watch him grow as a player and mature. It’s not all his fault. I’m still a big Brantley fan. I still have 100 percent confidence in him. I know what he can do and have seen him do it. He just has to translate that over from practice to the games. You go and watch him in practice and he looks like an NFL quarterback. He’s hitting guys in stride. I think he needed this year to get the speed of the game down and get the game experience in him. He’s got a great mentor coming in with Charlie Weis who has tutored some of the best. He’ll be able to pick his brain a little bit. Charlie will show him some things he needs to do a little bit better, and I think he’s going to benefit from that. I have the utmost confidence in what John Brantley can do, and I’m really excited for him this year.”

AS: Have a New Year’s resolution?
DN: “No, I don’t. [Laughing] I don’t really do that stuff; I never have. I see people do that a lot and they never hold up to it. I have some goals for myself this offseason and the next few months. There’s some stuff I want to do individually. But I don’t have any specific resolutions.”

AS: Thanks for taking the time to talk to us and good luck the rest of the way to Dallas.
DN: “That was the fastest 30 minutes of this whole drive. Made it a lot easier.”

Photo Credits: Reuters, David Duprey/Associated Press

» OGGOA Interviews: QB Danny Wuerffel | ESPN’s Erin Andrews | ESPN’s Erin Andrews II | DE Alex Brown | QB Tim Tebow | WR Percy Harvin | F/C Al Horford | QB Shane Matthews | TE Cornelius Ingram | DE Jermaine Cunningham | S Major Wright | LB Earl Everett | F/C Chris Richard

10 » FIVE BECOME A PART OF THE GATOR NATION IN THE SKY
It would be difficult to recount everything that Gator Nation has gone through in 2010 without remembering those close to the University of Florida who left us for a better place in the past year. Young and old, these Gators departed too soon and suddenly in all but one case. Lamar Abel (21), a walk-on defensive lineman, suffered cardiac arrest while volunteering at a roadside cleanup event with his fraternity in Gainesville, FL. Former safety John Curtis (24) committed suicide in Bellvue, WA. Hall of fame safety Jarvis Williams (45) passed away after an acute asthma attack. Former Gators basketball player and friend to the program Augie Greiner (76) died in his home. And long-time donor and Bull Gator George Steinbrenner (80), most famously known as the owner of the New York Yankees, passed away in a Tampa, FL, hospital. OGGOA once again sends our deepest condolences to the families and friends of these men.

9 » ERIN ANDREWS GETS JUSTICE, STARS ON TV, RE-SIGNS WITH ESPN

Former Florida dazzler and ESPN reporter Erin Andrews had a much better go of it in 2010. Though her stalker plead guilty to his charges in court in December 2009, she spent a good portion of 2010 making sure he was brought to justice (27-month prison term) while also spreading word across the country that violence against women from sexual predators cannot and should not be tolerated. Simultaneously, Andrews participated in ABC’s Dancing with the Stars and even dropped a few Gator Chomps along the way. She ended up finishing third in the competition but parlayed her talent on the sidelines into an enhanced gig with the Worldwide Leader in Sports. Andrews signed a new two-year deal with ESPN, which included a role hosting the first hour of College GameDay live on ESPNU, appearances on ABC’s Good Morning America and more of a presence on the family of networks. She also spoke with OGGOA on two occasions, first in a wide-ranging interview that received significant publicity and later to share her thoughts on the resignation of head coach Urban Meyer.


8 » LEGAL ISSUES/EMBARRASSMENTS HANG OVER FOOTBALL PROGRAM
Like 2009, Florida football could not escape its share of unfortunate arrests and embarrassing incidents in 2010. It started just as the year began with former cornerback Wondy Pierre-Louis and defensive lineman Gary Brown being arrested in January and February, respectively. Things calmed down until the summer when San Francisco 49ers defensive end Ray McDonald and former fullback Eric Rutledge were charged in June. Making more of an impact to the team was redshirt sophomore wide receiver Frankie Hammond, Jr.’s June arrest for driving under the influence, something that hung over the program’s head through the start of the season. Piling onto Hammond’s mistake were allegations in July that former Gators center Maurkice Pouncey, who just began workouts with the Pittsburgh Steelers, had received $100,000 from the runner for an agent while still a student at UF. Pouncey denied the report wholeheartedly and no proof has been found connecting him in any way. It was later revealed that freshmen safety Matt Elam and wide receiver Solomon Patton were also arrested over the summer for underage possession of alcohol, minor offenses for which they did not receive much punishment. Florida thought it was out of the rough waters once again until redshirt junior WR Chris Rainey was arrested in September on counts of aggravated stalking and suspended for the first half of the season. As if all of these legal issues were not enough, New England Patriots draft choices tight end Aaron Hernandez (marijuana use in college) and linebacker Brandon Spikes (streaming sex exploits on the Internet) also made the news for unsavory reasons. All-in-all, for every positive thing accomplished by the Gators in 2010, there always seemed to be something negative about the program just around the corner.

7 » AL HORFORD NAMED TO NBA ALL-STAR TEAM, BIG DEALS FOR GATORS
Drafted No. 3 overall in the 2007 NBA Draft, expectations were high for Atlanta Hawks forward/center Al Horford. In only his third year in the league, Horford was selected to the NBA All-Star team after averaging 13.6 points and 9.8 rebounds during the first half of the 2009-10 season. Then-New York Knicks F/C David Lee, who was not honored initially, ended up participating in his first All-Star game as well after being selected as a replacement. When the season ended, Horford, Lee and Chicago Bulls C Joakim Noah were all in the position to receive new contracts. And boy did they. Horford and Noah each agreed to similar five-year, $60 million extensions with their respective clubs, while Lee agreed to six-year, $80 million sign-and-trade deal with the Golden State Warriors. Guard Mike Miller and power forward Udonis Haslem both signed with the Miami Heat; Miller for five-years, $29.8 million and Haslem for five-years, $20 million.

6 » PERCY HARVIN NAMED ROOKIE OF THE YEAR, COLLAPSES AT PRACTICE

Though his rookie season included injuries and the continued peskiness of his chronic migraine headaches, former Florida wide receiver Percy Harvin performed at a high level for the Minnesota Vikings, who selected him No. 25 overall in the 2009 NFL Draft. Harvin played so well, in fact, that he was named as the starting kick return specialist for the NFC in the 2009 NFL Pro Bowl and won the 2009 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year…in 2010. Things were not so cheery for Harvin in August, however, as he was rushed to the hospital after he started vomiting and then collapsed while observing practice from the sidelines. It turns out Harvin had a number of factors complicating his collapse including an adverse reaction to medication, dehydration and low blood pressure. He was able to recover after undergoing some tests and – as of press time – has already out-performed his 2009 numbers with 63 receptions for 799 yards and five touchdowns in 13 games (three missed due to migraines/injury).

5 » GATORS HAUL IN TOP RECRUITING CLASS, THREE SIGNEES ON ONE DAY
With Meyer stepping down for the first time just before the 2010 Sugar Bowl, the Gators’ coaching staff and recruits rallied to keep the incoming signing class together. Offensive coordinator Steve Addazio, filling in as interim head coach as Meyer took a sabbatical, was instrumental in retaining many of Florida’s recruits, but Elam was bothered my Meyer’s resignation and flipped to Florida State. Everything would change back in Florida’s favor on January 9 when Elam, along with five-star defensive end Ronald Powell and five-star defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd, all committed to the Gators during the 2010 U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Florida would go on to corral arguably the No. 1 recruiting class in the country including 11 early enrollees – the highest number in school history. The class included four 2010 Parade High School All-Americans, both MVPs from the 2010 Under Armour All-American Game, the 2009 National High School Player of the Year and the 2009 Gatorade Football Player of the Year and Mr. Football for the state of Florida.

4 » RYAN LOCHTE EMERGES AS NATION’S WORLD’S BEST SWIMMER
Coming off two gold medals in the 2008 Olympic Games, former Gators swimmer Ryan Lochte has climbed the mountain as not only the best in the United States but the best in the world in 2010. Lochte’s journey between Olympics has been marred with some injuries and obstacles, but he began breaking through in August when he captured the 400-meter individual medley title at the 2010 ConcoPhillips USA Swimming National Championships with the fastest time in the world this year. He would go on to compete in the 2010 Pan Pacific Championships where he would win six gold medals (200m freestyle, 200m IM, 400m IM, 200m backstroke, 400m free relay, 800m FR) in the biggest international meet of the year. Named Male Athlete of the Year for the second-straight year during the 2010 USA Swimming Foundation’s Golden Goggle Awards in November, Lochte hoped to end the year on a roll. Competing at the 2010 FINA Short Course World Championships in Dubai, United Arab Emirates in December, Lochte set two world records (200m and 400m IM), won six gold medals and earned a silver medal, too. He is expected to compete in eight events with hope of matching 2008’s big victor Michael Phelps at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, England where he will be led by current Florida head coach Gregg Troy, who was tabbed to lead the 2012 U.S. Olympic Men’s Swimming Team.

3 » EMMITT SMITH INDUCTED INTO PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME, SNUBS UF

Gator Nation stuck its collective chest out with pride when Dallas Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in February. It felt the same way in August when Smith was officially inducted. That is until Smith gave his enshrinement speech, one which completely skipped over his time at Florida. Et tu, Emmitt? Gators fans everywhere were instantly enraged, especially considering almost every player inducted always thanks his college and at the very least his fans. Rumors started that Smith’s omission was purposeful, though others believed it was accidental. The next day, Smith apologized to Gator Nation via his Twitter account and then later on television during an interview with Al Michaels.

2 » NINE FLORIDA STARS SELECTED IN 2010 NFL DRAFT, THREE IN FIRST ROUND
In addition to winning plenty of football games and two BCS National Championships, Meyer has excelled at sending his players to the NFL during his tenure as Florida head coach. That trend continued as nine Gators – the most of any program this year – were selected in the 2010 NFL Draft including three in the first round. UF set a school record with six players taken in the first two rounds and tied its record with three first-round picks. Florida’s draftees included CB Joe Haden (Cleveland Browns, No. 7 overall), Pouncey (Pittsburgh, No. 18 overall), quarterback Tim Tebow (Denver Broncos, No. 25 overall), DE/LB Jermaine Cunningham (New England, 2nd round No. 53), DE Carlos Dunlap (Cincinnati Bengals, 2nd round No. 54), Spikes (New England, 2nd round No. 62), S Major Wright (Chicago Bears, 3rd round No. 75), Hernandez (New England, 4th round No. 113) and WR Riley Cooper (Philadelphia Eagles, 5th round No. 159). After the draft, kick returner Brandon James (Indianapolis Colts) and WR David Nelson (Buffalo Bills) were picked up and eventually signed as undrafted free agents.

1 » URBAN MEYER RESIGNS, WILL MUSCHAMP HIRED

There is no questioning what Meyer has accomplished as head coach of the Gators. After six seasons in which he won two National Championships, three BCS games and two SEC Championships while posting three 13-1 seasons in four years, Meyer resigned from his position for the second time on December 8 in order to spend more time with his family. Though there were rumblings that Meyer would be leaving the program all season long, his retirement still came as a shock to Gator Nation, especially after promising numerous times throughout the year that he would be back in 2011 with hopes of turning the program around. Promising to act fast in replacing Meyer, athletic director Jeremy Foley delivered by bringing Texas Longhorns defensive coordinator Will Muschamp into the fold just 72 hours later. With many fans expecting an experienced head coach to take over, Muschamp’s hiring was certainly a surprising one. How the program’s future will unfold is something to look forward to in 2011…

Photo Credits (in order of appearance): Patrick Fraser/Vanity Fair, Unknown, Unknown, Erica Brough/Gainesville Sun

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
WR DAVID NELSON, Buffalo Bills: Six receptions for 58 yards (targets: 7, long: 17)
DE CARLOS DUNLAP, Cincinnati Bengals: Three solo tackles, two sacks
CB JOE HADEN, Cleveland Browns: Three tackles (two solo), pass defended, interception (12-yard return)

LB MIKE PETERSON, Atlanta Falcons: Fumble recovery
S MAJOR WRIGHT, Chicago Bears: Six tackles (four solo)
WR ANDRE CALDWELL, Cincinnati Bengals: Fumble on punt return
S REGGIE NELSON, Cincinnati Bengals: Four tackles (three solo)
WR JABAR GAFFNEY, Denver Broncos: Three rec. for 59 yards (targets: 6, long: 28)
KR BRANDON JAMES, Indianapolis Colts: Two receptions for four yards (targets: 3), nine kickoff returns for 150 yards (long: 24)
DT JEREMY MINCEY, Jacksonville Jaguars: Solo tackle
WR PERCY HARVIN, Minnesota Vikings: Five receptions for 32 yards, three rushes for 14 yards, four kickoff returns for 78 yards (long: 26)
LB JERMAINE CUNNINGHAM, New England Patriots: Three tackles (two solo)
TE AARON HERNANDEZ, New England Patriots: Reception for 18 yards
LB BRANDON SPIKES, New England Patriots: Three solo tackles, pass defended
DT GERARD WARREN, New England Patriots: Two tackles (one solo)
DE ALEX BROWN, New Orleans Saints: Two solo tackles (one for loss)
WR LOUIS MURPHY, Oakland Raiders: Four rec. for 73 yards (targets: 6, long: 29)
WR RILEY COOPER, Philadelphia Eagles: Reception for 29 yards (targets: 2)
C MAURKICE POUNCEY, Pittsburgh Steelers: Tackle
LB BRANDON SILER, San Diego Chargers:Two tackles (one solo)

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN — NO STATISTICS / DID NOT PLAY
G Cooper Carlisle (Oakland Raiders) – QB Tim Tebow & DT Marcus Thomas (Broncos), DE Derrick Harvey (Jaguars), Channing Crowder (Miami Dolphins), CB Lito Sheppard (Vikings), RB Fred Taylor (Patriots), DE Ray McDonald (San Francisco 49ers), FB Earnest Graham (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), QB Rex Grossman (Washington Redskins)

INACTIVES
LB Andra Davis (Bills), DE Jarvis Moss (Raiders), LT Max Starks (Steelers)

NOTES
- This is Haden’s third-straight OGGOA Player of the Week honor; he has nabbed an interception in three consecutive games.
- Taylor was activated for the first time since Week 3.
- Wright played his second NFL game and saw success.
- Moss was inactive after joining Oakland late in the week.

OGGOA RELATED: Week 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
CB JOE HADEN, Cleveland Browns: Three solo tackles, three passes defended, interception (27-yard return)
DT JEREMY MINCEY, Jax Jaguars: Three solo tackles, two sacks, two Gator Chomps

LB MIKE PETERSON, Atlanta Falcons: Three solo tackles (one for loss), pass def.
WR DAVID NELSON, Buffalo Bills: Target
S MAJOR WRIGHT, Chicago Bears: Two tackles (one solo)
WR ANDRE CALDWELL, Cincinnati Bengals: Reception for nine yards, three kickoff returns for 79 yards (long: 32)
DE CARLOS DUNLAP, Cincinnati Bengals: Solo tackle
S REGGIE NELSON, Cincinnati Bengals: Five tackles (three solo), three passes def.
WR JABAR GAFFNEY, Denver Broncos: Three rec. for 33 yards (targets: 7, long: 18)
QB TIM TEBOW, Denver Broncos: Handoff
DT MARCUS THOMAS, Denver Broncos: Two solo tackles
KR BRANDON JAMES, Indianapolis Colts: Five kickoff returns for 79 yards (long: 26), two punt returns for one yard
DE DERRICK HARVEY, Jacksonville Jaguars: Sack
LB CHANNING CROWDER, Miami Dolphins: Six tackles (five solo)
WR PERCY HARVIN, Minnesota Vikings: Two receptions for 12 yards (targets: 5, long: 9), two rushes for 18 yards (long: 16), four kickoff returns for 69 yards (long: 25)
LB JERMAINE CUNNINGHAM, New England Patriots: Three tackles (two solo)
TE AARON HERNANDEZ, New England Patriots: Reception for eight yards, touchdown
LB BRANDON SPIKES, New England Patriots: Two solo tackles
DT GERARD WARREN, New England Patriots: Three tackles (one solo)
DE ALEX BROWN, New Orleans Saints: Four tackles (three solo, TFL), Gator Chomp
WR LOUIS MURPHY, Oakland Raiders: Three receptions for 25 yards (targets: 6, long: 12), fumble
LB BRANDON SILER, San Diego Chargers: Three tackles (two solo), Gator Chomp
DE RAY MCDONALD, San Francisco 49ers: Tackle
FB EARNEST GRAHAM, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Three carries for 7 yards (long: 3)

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN — NO STATISTICS / DID NOT PLAY
C Maurkice Pouncey (Pittsburgh Steelers), G Cooper Carlisle (Oakland Raiders) – CB Lito Sheppard (Vikings), WR Riley Cooper (Philadelphia Eagles), QB Rex Grossman (Washington Redskins)

INACTIVES
LB Andra Davis (Bills), RB Fred Taylor (Patriots), LT Max Starks (Steelers)

NOTES
- Wright’s action was the first he has seen this season due to injury.
- DE Jarvis Moss was cut by the Broncos this week and was not picked up off waivers.
- After a great special teams sack by Siler, he performed the Gator Chomp – as did teammate and former Colorado CB Donald Strickland.

OGGOA RELATED: Week 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
CB JOE HADEN, Cleveland Browns: Seven solo tackles, two passes def., interception, two kickoff returns for 51 yards (long: 32)
WR PERCY HARVIN, Minnesota Vikings: Team-high four receptions for 64 yards (targets: 6, long: 53), touchdown; six kick returns for 151 yards (long: 33)
QB TIM TEBOW, Denver Broncos: 1-for-1 for three yards, touchdown; two rushes for two yards, touchdown

LB MIKE PETERSON, Atlanta Falcons: Four tackles (two solo)
WR ANDRE CALDWELL, Cincinnati Bengals: One rush for -2 yards
S REGGIE NELSON, Cincinnati Bengals: Four tackles
DE CARLOS DUNLAP, Cincinnati Bengals: Two solo tackles for loss, sack
WR JABAR GAFFNEY, Denver Broncos: Three receptions for 57 yards (targets: 10, long: 40), touchdown
DE JARVIS MOSS, Denver Broncos: Two solo tackles
DT MARCUS THOMAS, Denver Broncos: Two solo tackles, pass defended
KR BRANDON JAMES, Indianapolis Colts: Four receptions for 36 yards (targets: 8, long: 17), two punt returns for five yards
DE DERRICK HARVEY, Jacksonville Jaguars: Solo tackle
DT JEREMY MINCEY, Jacksonville Jaguars: Five solo tackles, QB hit
LB CHANNING CROWDER, Miami Dolphins: Two tackles
CB LITO SHEPPARD, Minnesota Vikings: Two solo tackles
TE AARON HERNANDEZ, New England Patriots: Two targets, pass defended
LB BRANDON SPIKES, New England Patriots: Two tackles (one solo)
DT GERARD WARREN, New England Patriots: Three tackles (one solo), half sack
WR RILEY COOPER, Philadelphia Eagles: Target
DE RAY MCDONALD, San Francisco 49ers: Two solo tackles (one for loss)

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN — NO STATISTICS / DID NOT PLAY
C Maurkice Pouncey (Pittsburgh Steelers) – WR David Nelson (Buffalo Bills), DE Jermaine Cunningham (Patriots), FB Earnest Graham (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), QB Rex Grossman (Washington Redskins)

BYE WEEK
DE Alex Brown (New Orleans Saints), G Cooper Carlisle, WR Louis Murphy (Oakland Raiders), LB Brandon Siler (San Diego Chargers)

INACTIVES
LB Andra Davis (Bills), S Major Wright (Chicago Bears), RB Fred Taylor (Patriots), LT Max Starks (Steelers)

NOTES
- Tebow recorded his first career NFL passing touchdown…on his first career NFL pass.
- Dunlap recorded his first career NFL sack.

OGGOA RELATED: Week 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9

1 » ESPN‘s Chris Mortensen reported Thursday that former Florida Gators tight end Cornelius Ingram has returned to the Philadelphia Eagles – the team that drafted him in 2009 and cut him earlier this year – as a member of the practice squad. Ingram was expected to make an impact for the Eagles this season but was limited once again with a knee injury that forced him to miss a lot of training camp. He hopes to earn his way back on the team through the practice squad but could theoretically be signed off of it by another organization at any time.

2 » OGGOA had some choice words about Boston Celtics forward Kevin Garnett on our Twitter account last week. It seems Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah somewhat agrees with our sentiments as he called out Garnett on the radio on Wednesday. “Kevin Garnett will not – will not – get a Christmas gift from me,” Noah said jokingly. “I don’t like him. He’s a very mean guy. Where’s the love? None at all. Ugly, too. I had his poster in my room. I used to wear his jersey. And the truth is, my rookie year, I was in admiration of the guy and he kind of shut me down. And he was very mean to me my rookie year. And he’s only mean to the young guys and the [European players] for some reason. I don’t know why, but that’s who he doesn’t like. He’s not nice. I talk a lot of trash out there, but c’mon, be a little sensitive. Be sweet.” Though Noah says a lot of things tongue-in-cheek and likes to joke around, he does consider Garnett a “dirty player” who “is who he is.”

3 » According to the Indianapolis Star, former Gators wide receiver/kick returner Brandon James has been promoted from the Indianapolis Colts’ practice squad to their active roster effective immediately. James will (at least temporarily) fill WR Austin Collie’s roster spot while he recovers from a concussion sustained last weekend. Though he may not see the field as a receiver unless one of the Colts’ current starters gets injured, James may be able to see the field as soon as Sunday as the team’s kick returner. Keep your eyes peeled on Indianapolis’ game this weekend and look for a 5’7”, 170 lb. speed demon – especially on special teams.

4 » Minnesota Vikings WR Percy Harvin missed practice yesterday after coming down with another migraine headache. Harvin, who dealt with severe bouts in the offseason but was able to get things under control after meeting with doctors and learning that he suffered from sleep apnea, is still expected to play this weekend. He is still recovering from an injured ankle but that did not stop him from posting a career-high 126 receiving yards last week while limping around.

» Even though sophomore left tackle Xavier Nixon may be ready to play Saturday, redshirt senior right guard Maurice Hurt told reporters Wednesday that he believes he will continue starting at right tackle while normal starting RT redshirt senior Marcus Gilbert fills in on the left side. “We’re still getting some guys back and we’re still shuffling the rotation, but for now I think I’m going to be at right tackle,” Hurt said.

» Meyer noted that while it may not have appeared the Gators were trying to throw the ball deep and spread the field in the first three quarters, many of the called pass players were messed up before they could develop due to some of the miscues in the backfield. Additionally, he felt that the team was put in a hole yardage-wise due to some of the bad snaps that was tough to get out from on particular drives.

QUOTES FROM MEYER

Opening statement: “We’re 1-0 but a little disappointed from last week. The guys have come out with some urgency and worked real hard, so we’ll have to play a lot better or we won’t beat South Florida, an excellent team – one of the best quarterbacks we’ll face all year and very athletic on defense, so we better get our game right.”

On if the spread offense allows “little guys” to excel: “We don’t just look for smaller… We look for the best football players and adapt the system to them. So if a guy’s a little undersized – like a Brandon James or Chris Rainey or Jeff Demps – we certainly will not not take them because they don’t fit our system. We’ll make the system fit.”

On the new NCAA rule not allowing schools to offer scholarships to recruits until the summer of their senior year: “I think that’s all in good intent. The problem with rules is, when you make rules, you have to enforce them. But I think the purpose of the rule is very well thought out, and we’re obviously going to follow that rule.”

On redshirt sophomore Sam Robey’s health: “There is a chance he’ll get in [Saturday]. He’s 100 percent healthy now. He’s had injuries all training camp with a knee and then bursitis in his elbow. He practiced a full-go [Tuesday] and is on-call this weekend.”

On Nixon’s health: “We’re very positive from what he did [Tuesday] in practice. Today is a big day for him, but he looked really good [Tuesday] as did [redshirt senior defensive tackle Terron] Sanders and [redshirt senior left guard] Carl Johnson. So we’re expected to have those guys for Saturday.”

On redshirt sophomore Matt Patchan’s health: “He’s still in that pretty long cast. He’s still going to be a few weeks, but we wish we had him because he’s such an intense player.”

On South Florida quarterback B.J. Daniels: “He’s a playmaker… He’s a mobile guy and every time there’s a guy that can move around back there, he can be trouble. […] He’s the man on offense that you have to contain. Once he gets out of that pocket, it can be trouble.”