This week, OGGOA asked you to vote for your Most Valuable Player in the Florida Gators‘ game last weekend at the Mississippi State Bulldogs. 154 of you registered votes and the results are in:

Good call everyone. Three sacks and five tackles for Dunlap make him the easy choice here. That’s not to take anything away from Rainey, who filled in more than admirably for running back Jeff Demps, and Haden, who continues to impress week-in and week-out. Back to Dunalp, I have said on more than one occasion that I predict him to be a top five pick in the 2010 NFL Draft and potentially even No. 1 overall should he continue to improve throughout the season.

Be sure to vote in the new poll up now about Florida basketball!

Tags: Carlos Dunlap, Chris Rainey, Joe Haden, MVP, poll

Speaking to the press Tuesday, Florida Gators head coach Urban Meyer said five-star freshman offensive tackle Xavier Nixon could start (or at least see significant playing time) Saturday afternoon against the Georgia Bulldogs.

“He’s going to be a really good player,” Meyer said of Nixon. “After watching today’s practice, he went against [defensive end] Carlos Dunlap on a few plays, he had his best practice.”

The promotion of Nixon has a lot to do with the play of left guard James Wilson and current left tackle Carl Johnson, who is better suited to play inside. The coaching staff seems to believe moving Johnson back to his more natural position and ousting Wilson from the starting unit could solve some of Florida’s blocking woes that have sprouted up in recent weeks.

Sophomore Matt Patchan, who was expected to compete with Johnson for the left tackle spot and probably would have won it by now, is out for the season with a torn ACL. While playing Nixon could be a fix, does the coaching staff have that much confidence in the freshman to have the first major game of his career come against Georgia?

Tags: Carl Johnson, Carlos Dunlap, Georgia Bulldogs, James Wilson, Matt Patchan, Xavier Nixon

Each week following a Florida Gators game, ONLY GATORS Get Out Alive will grade the team position-by-position based on each unit’s performance. This week, we look at how the Gators fared against the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

QUARTERBACK: C
Earning a “B” grade last week for his tenacity and leadership on the game-winning drive, Tim Tebow was lucky that his two fumbles did not lead to worse results. This week, I cannot be as lax. Whether it is partially the fault of his receivers not getting open or even the bad play calling, Tebow must rise above any deficiencies and take matters into his own hands. What we saw this week was a Tebow who looked tentative to tuck and run, consistently made bad decisions and threw two interceptions for touchdowns (even if one was on a tipped ball). Since Tebow took over as the starter, there have only been two games in his entire career he did not pass for a touchdown. Both times were this season – against the Tennessee Volunteers and Saturday night. The Gators won and Tebow is the leader, but his refusal to speak to the press following the game should tell you how poorly even he felt he played.

RUNNING BACKS: A
Everyone who touched the ball including Chris Rainey, Emmanuel Moody and Brandon James played great on the ground. (Jeff Demps struggled but also only got five carries before injuring his neck.) Rainey took 12 carries for 92 yards, Moody added 32 yards on five runs and James added 28 yards on two of his own. The only thing you could ask from this unit would be to get Moody the ball more – but that is not the players’ choice. Superb effort all-around.

Continue Reading » Grading the Florida at Mississippi State game

Tags: A.J. Jones, Aaron Hernandez, Arkansas Razorbacks, Billy Gonzales, Brandon James, Brandon Spikes, Caleb Sturgis, Carlos Dunlap, Charlie Strong, Chas Henry, Chris Rainey, Dan Mullen, David Nelson, Deonte Thompson, Dustin Doe, Emmanuel Moody, Frankie Hammond, grading, Janoris Jenkins, Jeff Demps, Jermaine Cunningham, Joe Haden, Major Wright, Mississippi State Bulldogs, NFL, Riley Cooper, Steve Addazio, Tyson Lee, Urban Meyer

Each week following a Florida Gators game, ONLY GATORS Get Out Alive will grade the team position-by-position based on each unit’s performance. This week, we look at how the Gators fared against the Arkansas Razorbacks in The Swamp.

QUARTERBACK: B
It is tough to evaluate Tim Tebow week-in and week-out, because you feel tempted to grade him an A every time. In looking at Saturday’s game, you see Tebow led the Gators on a 14-play, 69-yard drive at the end of the fourth quarter that resulted in a 27-yard, game-winning field goal by Caleb Sturgis. You also see that he went 17-for-26 for 255 yards passing, one touchdown (the longest of his career) and added 69 more yards on the ground. But that would be looking over the two fumbles he had in the first half, the fact that it took him 27 carries to get those 69 yards and the six sacks he suffered – a handful of which he could have avoided by throwing the ball out of bounds when he was outside the pocket.

RUNNING BACKS: C-
For most of the game, the entire Florida rushing attack was averaging 1.2 yards per carry. For a unit that led the nation most of the year in rushing, that is simply unacceptable. Arkansas game-planned for the dive play, and offensive coordinator Steve Addazio kept calling it – so it is hard to put all the fault on the backs. Even so, 3.5 yards per carry on 19 attempts is just not acceptable. Jeff Demps saved the unit from complete failure with his run and touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Continue Reading » Grading the Florida Gators vs. Arkansas game

Tags: A.J. Jones, Aaron Hernandez, Ahmad Black, Arkansas Razorbacks, Brandon James, Brandon Spikes, Caleb Sturgis, Carlos Dunlap, Chas Henry, David Nelson, Dennis Johnson, Deonte Thompson, grading, Greg Childs, Janoris Jenkins, Jaye Howard, Jeff Demps, Jermaine Cunningham, Joe Haden, Justin Trattou, Lawrence Marsh, LSU Tigers, Major Wright, Ole Miss Rebels, Riley Cooper, Ryan Mallett, Steve Addazio, Tim Tebow, Urban Meyer, Will Hill

1 » ESPN’s SEC blogger Chris Low sat down with Florida Gators defensive coordinator Charlie Strong to speak about his career and the 2009 UF defense. “I told Urban Meyer this summer that Charlie’s a better coordinator than he was three years ago,” South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Steve Spurrier said in an interview. “Not only do they have outstanding athletes, but they’re very well-coached, disguise coverages very well and seem to know what the other team is doing all the time.” Great interview by Low; I highly recommended that you give it a once over.

2 » Expanding on Strong is the Gainesville Sun, who adds more from Spurrier and picked the brain of LSU Tigers head coach Les Miles as well. Spurrier continued, “Charlie, like all good coaches, if there is a better way to do something, he looks for it.” Miles agreed. “The way he attacks you,” Miles said, “he’s constantly stirring the pot looking to be better.” Strong’s defense faces their toughest test of the season Saturday against the Arkansas Razorbacks. If some Florida fans had their way when Meyer was hired, Strong wouldn’t even be the one coaching the unit. “I got killed [for retaining Strong] … e-mails, phone calls, letters. What are you doing?” Meyer said. “Florida’s defense wasn’t very good. But I did some research. Obviously, it was a great hire. I’m glad he’s part of our staff. I fight to keep him every year. He’s on top of his game right now.”

3 » Defensive end Carlos Dunlap could very well be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. Yet you never would have thought that if you were following him throughout last season. Back then, he was just a player with great potential – a guy who had all of the talent and ability in the world but did not work hard enough for Meyer or Strong to make them think he could be a solid contributor to the Gators defense. Now? All of that has changed and something clicked in Dunlap that is fueling him to be the dominant force that was always inside him. “He is much, much improved right now from any time last year,” Florida defensive line coach Dan McCarney said. “He’s working harder. His attitude is better. His practice habits are better. I’m really proud of him.”

4 » The Gators coaching staff’s focus on Saturday’s game against the Razorbacks is not one dimensional. In addition to trying to beat the Arkansas on the gridiron, Florida wants to win over the recruits that will be in the stands. That list of recruits just got bigger as Gators coach McCarney contacted junior defensive tackle Brodrick Lee of Tarpon Springs High School and invited him to take an unofficial visit to Gainesville on Saturday. 6’2″ and 285 pounds, Lee draws double teams in high school and is very athletic. He has already drawn interest from the Auburn Tigers, but the Gators being involved is obviously a coup for the youngster.

Tags: Arkansas Razorbacks, Auburn Tigers, Brodrick Lee, Carlos Dunlap, Charlie Strong, Dan McCarney, Draft, Les Miles, LSU Tigers, NFL, South Carolina Gamecocks, Steve Spurrier, Urban Meyer

University of Florida men’s basketball head coach Billy Donovan will be honored with the John R. Wooden “Legends of Coaching Award” in April 2010. This award recognizes successful coaches who exemplify Wooden’s high standards of integrity on the court. Winners are selected based on character, success, student-athlete graduation rate and coaching philosophy. Donovan will be one of only four active coaches who have both guided teams to multiple NCAA National Championship titles (20006, 2007) and received this honor. The others are the Duke Blue Devils’ Mike Krzyzweski (3), North Carolina Tar Heels’ Roy Williams (2) and Connecticut Huskies’ Jim Calhoun (2). Donovan is 310-126 (.711) in 13 seasons as coach of the Gators with 11 consecutive 20-win seasons, nine NCAA tournament appearances and three SEC Championships.

Two Florida Gators defenders have been nominated for the 2009 Rotary Lombardi Award. Given annually to the nation’s top college football lineman, the trophy is awarded for not only on-field ability but also discipline resembling that of Vince Lombardi. Middle linebacker Brandon Spikes and defensive end Carlos Dunlap were nominated this year in a group that is very defense-heavy. Nebraska Cornhuskers defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh is considered the overwhelming favorite to win.

In this week’s Scripps Howard Heisman Trophy poll, senior quarterback Tim Tebow earned eight of the 10 first-place votes. The rest of the top five – Texas Longhorns QB Colt McCoy, Cincinnati Bearcats QB Tony Pike, Notre Dame Fighting Irish QB Jimmy Clausen and Houston Cougars QB Case Keenum – did not receive a single first-place vote. Scripps is simply a straw poll conducted to determine the sentiment among college football writers throughout the country.

Tags: Billy Donovan, Brandon Spikes, Carlos Dunlap, Case Keenum, Cincinnati Bearcats, Colt McCoy, Connecticut Huskies, Duke Blue Devils, Houston Cougars, Jim Calhoun, Jimmy Clausen, John Wooden, Mike Krzyzweski, Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska Cornhuskers, North Carolina Tar Heels, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Rotary Lombardi Award, Roy Williams, Texas Longhorns, Tim Tebow, Tony Pike

1 » Arkansas Razorbacks head coach Bobby Petrino will face a No. 1-ranked team for the first time in his coaching career Saturday afternoon when he takes on the Florida Gators. Losing to Florida 38-7 at home last season, Petrino and the Hogs have plenty of motivation to come back and attempt to take it to the Gators. Running back Michael Smith, who went for 133 yards against UF last season, tweaked his hamstring against the Auburn Tigers last week and is day-to-day.

2 » ESPN’s NFL Draft expert Mel Kiper, Jr. has come out with his new Big Board, which lists his top 25 NFL prospects. Gators on the list include defensive end Carlos Dunlap at No. 7 (down one spot from last week) and middle linebacker Brandon Spikes at No. 19 (up one spot from last week).

3 » In a story that always seems to draw news, Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Percy Harvin missed practice Wednesday. Harvin injured his shoulder last week against the St. Louis Rams but did not miss any game time.

4 » As if only scoring three points last Saturday night was not humiliating enough, the LSU Tigers have decided to be sore losers and ask Southeastern Conference officials to review Florida wide receiver Riley Cooper’s touchdown catch. Cooper grabbed the shirttail of cornerback Chris Hawkins and used it as leverage to get wide open in the end zone and catch a pass from quarterback Tim Tebow. The touchdown gave the Gators a 10-3 lead with 50 seconds left in the first half. “Yeah, we sent that in,” LSU head coach Les Miles said Tuesday. “I’m savoring the opportunity to call in there.”

Extra BIT » Cleveland Indians outfielder Matt LaPorta underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left hip and left big toe on Tuesday. It will take the former Gators first baseman 4-6 months to recover from the injuries, which may slow him down to start the 2010 season.

Tags: Arkansas Razorbacks, Auburn Tigers, Bobby Petrino, Brandon Spikes, Carlos Dunlap, Chris Hawkins, Cleveland Indians, ESPN, Les Miles, LSU Tigers, Matt LaPorta, Mel Kiper, Michael Smith, Minnesota Vikings, MLB, NFL, Percy Harvin, Riley Cooper, St. Louis Rams, Tim Tebow

1 » Middle linebacker Brandon Spikes of No. 1 Florida Gators has been named the SEC Defensive Player of the Week following his 11-tackle (4 solo), 2.5 sack performance against the then-No. 4 LSU Tigers. Spikes’ 2.5 sacks were a career best, and he also forced and recovered a fumble in the game.

2 » UF’s defense has intercepted a pass in 17 consecutive games dating back to the 2008 season, the longest streak in the nation.

3 » Four-star recruit and heavy Florida Gators lean Chaz Green visited the Tennessee Volunteers this weekend and came away impressed. Both of Green’s parents went to school in Knoxville, TN, and his visit to the school has put them solidly in his top four. Nevertheless, Green has UF as his leader and said he will “probably” take an official visit to Gainesville, FL, before he makes his final decision.

4 » After two weeks of what seemed to be a national hysteria over the concussion suffered by star quarterback Tim Tebow, his teammates are glad things have calmed down and are somewhat getting back to normal. Defensive end Carlos Dunlap said he’s “glad [the talk] is done,” while wide receiver David Nelson quipped, “The guy didn’t die. It’s a concussion, it happens.”

Tags: Brandon Spikes, Carlos Dunlap, Chaz Green, David Nelson, LSU Tigers, Tennessee Volunteers, Tim Tebow