1 » With most of the players and head coach Urban Meyer making time for the media Thursday, it was offensive coordinator Steve Addazio’s turn to represent the Florida Gators early Friday. He provided a little insight into what is in store this season. “Will you see QB runs? Unequivocally yes from a Wildcat offense,” Addazio said. “Will you see five wides on the field? You know you will. Will you see tight ends and fullback sets? Yes. You’re going to see a lot. We’re not going away from that. It’s just judiciously choosing what styles and plays you’re going to use within those sets.” Addazio also noted that wide receivers redshirt junior Chris Rainey and redshirt freshman Andre Debose can add a lot to the offense. “Rainey brings that whole other dimension in here, as does Debose,” Addazio said. “We have those hybrid guys and we have an interesting dynamic in there to cause some stress.”

2 » Tight ends coach Brian White also leaked some brain droppings about his position players. “What’s evident in the first two days is Jordan Reed and Gerald Christian really improved themselves this summer,” White said. “They did a great job of becoming a better football player. All the work they did with [strength and conditioning coach Mickey Marotti] and his staff has paid tremendous dividends. They’re very confident. They’re much improved. [...] Jordan has had tremendous recall from spring ball. It’s very evident he worked his ass off this summer. He’s a tremendously improved football player and he’s going to be really fun to watch this year. He’s going to do some special things.”

Four more BITS on Nelson, Moss, Wilbur and swimmer Beisel…after the jump!
Continue Reading » SIX BITS: Addazio, White, Nelson, Moss, Beisel

Tags: Andre Debose, Brian White, Buffalo Bills, CFL, Chan Gailey, Chris Rainey, David Nelson, Denver Broncos, Elizabeth Beisel, Elvis Dumervil, Eric Wilbur, Gerald Christian, Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Jarvis Moss, Jordan Reed, Mickey Marotti, NFL, Steve Addazio, swimming, Urban Meyer, USA Swimming National Championships

1 » Tuesday, OGGOA noted that former Florida Gators wide receiver Chad Jackson has been quite impressive during Buffalo Bills training camp. In the team’s evening session, Jackson continued his upward climb, drawing this statement from head coach Chan Gailey in his post-practice press conference. “The guy comes out to play every day,” Gailey said. “It looks like he’s made up his mind that he wants to be a very good football player. I think that bouncing around [from team to team] is not what he intended for his career and I think he’s decided to go out and make himself the position. He’s been impressive.” There are murmurs throughout camp that Jackson has a legitimate shot to begin the season as the team’s starting No. 2 receiver opposite Lee Evans.

2 » Speaking of former Gators pass catchers getting a chance to impress, Philadelphia Eagles rookie Riley Cooper is set to get more snaps with the first team now that both starters – DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin – are out with injuries. Philadelphia beat writers are already of the belief that Cooper will begin the season as Maclin’s back-up, and now he has the opportunity to prove he can be an adequate replacement.

3 » Word out of Indianapolis Colts training camp is also positive for undrafted free agent rookie Brandon James. Being utilized extensively on special teams, James is also getting the opportunity to catch passes and run reverse plays. He appears to be a shoe-in to get past first cuts and many of those covering the team believes he has the chance to be a Leon Washington- or Darren Sproles-like piece for the Colts in 2010.

Three more BITS on Moss, Pouncey and Taylor…after the break!
Continue Reading » SIX BITS: Jackson, Cooper, James, Moss, Pouncey

Tags: Brandon James, Buffalo Bills, Chad Jackson, Chan Gailey, Darren Sproles, Denver Broncos, DeSean Jackson, Fred Taylor, Indianapolis Colts, Jarvis Moss, Jeremy Maclin, Lee Evans, Marcus Thomas, Maurkice Pouncey, New England Patriots, NFL, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers

1 » On Tuesday, OGGOA tweeted a picture of former Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow handing a football off to a kid that got some of our female followers pretty riled up. It appears that picture was taken from a Broncos Bunch kids club event that Tebow participated in over the weekend. The Denver Broncos rookie threw passes to and took pictures with a bunch of children – not all of whom were Broncos fans. “Gator nation really is everywhere,” Tebow told CBS4 in Denver, CO. “It’s great to be out here and to play with these kids, to meet the parents and just be here in the stadium. It really is humbling to have people supporting me and to have fans. It really does mean a lot. […] It’s just an opportunity to come out here, throw balls, take some pictures, hang out with people, get a chance to make a kid smile or a family smile and – it’s more important than winning games, when you really look at it.”

Three more BITS on the futures of Udonis Haslem, David Nelson and Demar Dorsey.
Continue Reading » FOUR BITS: Tebow, Haslem, Nelson, Dorsey

Tags: Andre Caldwell, BCS, Buffalo Bills, Chan Gailey, Charlie Strong, David Lee, David Nelson, Demar Dorsey, Denver Broncos, Draft, Florida State Seminoles, Louis Murphy, Louisville Cardinals, Miami Heat, Michigan Wolverines, NBA, New York Knicks, NFL, Percy Harvin, SEC, Tim Tebow, Udonis Haslem

March 17 is a big day in Florida Gators athletics for three reasons: the basketball team is preparing for first-round action in the 2010 NCAA Tournament against the Brigham Young Cougars, the football team begins spring practice for the 2010 season and more than 15 former Gators football players who have declared for the 2010 NFL Draft will work out and perform in front of representatives of each NFL team during Pro Scout Day at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

Linebacker Brandon Spikes, cornerback Joe Haden, defensive end Carlos Dunlap, center Maurkice Pouncey and tight end Aaron Hernandez are scheduled to be on hand for evaluation purposes, but quarterback Tim Tebow will be under more scrutiny than any of his former teammates. (Of course, Haden’s 40-yard dash times will be under close watch.)

As two of his National Championship titles and his Heisman Trophy sign hang on the stadium’s walls, Tebow will be on Florida Field proving to NFL coaches, scouts and personnel that his tweaked mechanics, throwing motion and release are improved enough where he can be considered for selection with a first- or second-round pick. Millions of dollars are on the line for Tebow, who was initially given a third-round grade.

Tebow’s stock has steadily improved over the last few weeks after an impressive showing at the 2010 NFL Scouting Combine coupled with a dedication to “fixing” his release. He is now projected to go in the second round, though there are inklings that a few teams may be interested in trading up into the bottom of the first to pick perhaps the most accomplished quarterback in college football history.

Will it be the Buffalo Bills? New head coach Chan Gailey, a former Florida quarterback, loves developing young signal-callers. Could the Jacksonville Jaguars realize Tebow’s value, trading up to select the hometown star who can be the new face of a franchise that is in dire need of a face-lift? Perhaps an established powerhouse like the New England Patriots, Indianapolis Colts or Minnesota Vikings pulls the trigger for Tebow as a future starter?

Humans are emotional by nature, and emotions can be swayed by, literally, a flick of the wrist. Forget a score of 22 on the Wonderlic or his other “flaws,” Tebow has an opportunity to quiet his doubters and enliven his believers with his workout Wednesday – perhaps the most important of his career.

He has said on multiple occasions that he will do anything he is asked to do in order to prove to NFL teams that he can play quarterback, so expect coaches to throw some routes at him other than what is scripted by Tebow and his receivers.

Whether he impresses or fails to do so, Tebow’s next step will be private workouts with any interested teams. A few are already scheduled, but one can be sure that his appointment book will get quite full if teams become enamored with what Tebow has been able to do mechanics-wise in such a short period of time.

The Swamp will be open for Pro Day beginning at 8:30 a.m., though the on-field portion of the event will not start until 10 a.m. Fans will be allowed to enter via Gate 2.

As first reported by OGGOA, restrooms and concession stands will be open. Video cameras, food/drink containers, bottles, cans and a variety of other items are prohibited.

Photo Credits: Jimmy DeFlippo/Sports Illustrated, David Bergman/Sports Illustrated

Tags: Aaron Hernandez, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Brandon Spikes, Buffalo Bills, Carlos Dunlap, Chan Gailey, combine, Draft, Florida Field, Heisman Trophy, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Joe Haden, Maurkice Pouncey, Minnesota Vikings, National Championship, New England Patriots, NFL, Pro Day, The Swamp, Tim Tebow, Wonderlic

1 » Buffalo Bills head coach and former Florida Gators quarterback Chan Gailey, who incidentally hired defensive coordinator George Edwards away from his alma mater, spoke about QB Tim Tebow while at the 2010 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, IN. “Habits are not changed over a short amount of time; habits are changed over long periods of time and many reps,” Gailedy told the Palm Beach Post. “If you’re going to change somebody, it will take time to do that. If he thinks it’s a weakness, and he thinks he needs to work on it, and he thinks he needs to change, that should help him be a stronger player down the line. If he didn’t think it was a wekness and he’s doing it for somebody else, then it’ll make him a weaker player.” Interesting perspective.

VIDEO » Tebow interviewed by Steve Mariucci and Mike Mayock of NFL Network Thurs.

Find out about Knight, UF lacrosse and trouble for Moreno after the jump!
Continue Reading » FOUR BITS: Tebow, Knight, lacrosse, Moreno

Tags: Amanda O’Leary, Brandon Knight, Buffalo Bills, Chan Gailey, combine, Denver Broncos, George Edwards, Georgia Bulldogs, Jeremy Foley, Knowshon Moreno, lacrosse, NFL, Tim Tebow, University of Georgia

ESPN‘s Adam Schefter is reporting that recently hired Florida Gators defensive coordinator George Edwards, last season an inside linebackers coach with the Miami Dolphins, has been hired away from Gainesville, FL, by the NFL‘s Buffalo Bills to serve as defensive coordinator.

Edwards, who was officially hired by the University of Florida on Jan. 8, is an 18-year coaching veteran who started his career with the Gators as an assistant under Steve Spurrier in 1991. Three stops later, he moved to the NFL to coach the defensive line for the Dallas Cowboys (1998-2001) but was snatched up by the Washington Redskins and then-head coach Spurrier as a linebackers coach and eventual defensive coordinator. Upon Spurrier’s dismissal, Edwards worked for the Cleveland Browns and then most recently the Dolphins from 2005-09.

The Bills hired Chan Gailey as head coach on Jan. 16. Gailey was head coach of the Cowboys in 1998-99 and had Edwards on his staff as defensive line coach. Joe Schad reports that Edwards was offered the position on National Signing Day.

“We are very excited that George Edwards has joined our staff as defensive coordinator,” Gailey said in a statement. “He brings a wealth of experience, not only as a motivator and communicator, but he has been involved with some great schemes and we are excited about him being the head of our defense.”

“I feel like this is a great opportunity for me to come in and have a chance to work with coach Gailey again and the staff that he has been able to put together,” Edwards added. “I am excited to have the opportunity to come to Buffalo and look forward to getting started as quickly as possible. This is a team that has played good defense in the past and I am excited to continue on with that tradition.”

Florida head coach Urban Meyer raved about Edwards upon his hiring. “George is a tremendous teacher of the game of football,” he said. “He is a great addition to our staff and will be a great coach and mentor to our players.” He also said Edwards “came strongly recommended by many, many people and kind of blew us away.”

Edwards seemed equally as pleased to coach the Gators. “I’m thrilled to be joining the UF coaching staff. I enjoy teaching and molding young men. I am looking forward to working with a great group of people at Florida and a great group of players.”

He was expected to institute a pro-style 3-4 defense but left after less than a month on the job and just a day after the Gators signed the nation’s top recruiting class.

OGGOA, on pure conjecture, expects co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach Chuck Heater to be promoted to defensive coordinator.

Tags: Buffalo Bills, Chan Gailey, Chuck Heater, Dallas Cowboys, George Edwards, Miami Dolphins, National Signing Day, NFL, Steve Spurrier, University of Florida, Urban Meyer

1 » Former Florida Gators quarterback Chan Gailey has been hired as the new head coach of the NFL‘s Buffalo Bills. A three-year letterman for Florida, he graduated in 1974 and stayed on the staff from 1974-75 as a graduate assistant before taking his first coaching job with the Troy Trojans.

2 » Once known as the state’s Mr. Basketball in 1998 and a star with the Florida basketball team for three seasons, former point guard Teddy Dupay has had a fall from grace over the last decade. After leading the Gators to the finals of the 2000 NCAA Tournament, Dupay was dismissed from the team when evidence surfaced that he was betting on Florida games. In June 2008, Dupay was charged with raping a woman at a ski resort in Utah. Now? He is trying to legalize marijuana. “You know me,” Dupay told Fanhouse senior NFL writer Chris Harry. “Controversy is my middle name.” Harry does a great job profiling Dupay and diving into his new passion in this article, which includes a revealing quote about another former Gators PG, Jason Williams. “All I knew about pot was that Jason Williams smoked a lot of it,” Dupay admitted.

Tags: Buffalo Bills, Chan Gailey, Jason Williams, NBA, NCAA Tournament, NFL, Teddy Dupay