Each week following a Florida Gators game, ONLY GATORS Get Out Alive grades the team position-by-position based on each unit’s performance. This week, we look at how the Gators fared against the Kentucky Wildcats in the fourth game of the 2010-11 season, which took place at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL.

QUARTERBACKS: A+
Standing on his own, redshirt junior John Brantley had an “A-” performance on Saturday, completing over 68 percent of his passes (24-of-35) for a career-high 248 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Though his 131.81 passer rating was his third-best of the season (due to the turnover), Brantley posted the best performance of his career and was instrumental in the Gators converting 7-of-11 third downs. Of course Brantley’s positive output was overshadowed by freshman Trey Burton, who accounted for six touchdowns on the day. Playing as single wing QB, running back, wide receiver and tight end, Burton rushed for 40 yards and five touchdowns, caught five balls for 37 yards and a touchdown and completed a pass on his only attempt for 42 yards. When you combine Brantley’s significant improvement with Burton’s stellar evening, there is truly no other grade to give his unit.

RUNNING BACKS: B+
After a monster 267-yard performance against South Florida, Florida’s running game came back down to earth against Tennessee. It returned to prominence once again against Kentucky, with all three of the team’s rushers posting good statistics. Junior Jeff Demps (who left the game in the second half with an injured foot) rushed eight times for 57 yards (7.1 average), redshirt senior Emmanuel Moody gained 46 yards on 10 carries (4.6 average) and sophomore Mike Gillislee ran the ball six times for 32 yards (5.3 average). Burton, a QB, scored all of the Gators’ rushing touchdowns, but these backs were instrumental in all six of UF’s scoring drives.

Read the rest of Florida’s grades from the Kentucky game after the jump…
Continue Reading » Grading the Florida Gators vs. Kentucky game

Tags: A.J. Jones, Ahmad Black, Andre Debose, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Brian White, Caleb Sturgis, Carl Moore, Chas Henry, Chris Matthews, Cody Riggs, Denote Thompson, Derrick Locke, Duke Lemmens, Earl Okine, Emmanuel Moody, Janoris Jenkins, Jaye Howard, Jeff Demps, Jelani Jenkins, Jeremy Brown, John Brantley, Jon Bostic, Justin Trattou, Kentucky Wildcats, Marcus Gilbert, Matt Elam, Mike Gillislee, Mike Hartline, Omarius Hines, Scot Loeffler, Sharrif Floyd, Steve Addazio, The Swamp, Trey Burton, Urban Meyer, Will Hill, Xavier Nixon, Zach Azzanni

Game week practice for the Florida Gators‘ 2010 season opener is officially underway and, with their first game coming on Saturday at 12 p.m. against the Miami (OH) RedHawks, coaches and players hit the stage on Monday for their first regular season media availability. OGGOA has compiled some of the key details.

OPENING GAME INJURIES

Senior defensive tackle Terron Sanders (knee), left tackles redshirt sophomore Matt Patchan (wrist) and sophomore Xavier Nixon (knee) will all be out of action for the Gators’ home opener on Saturday. Redshirt freshman tight end Jordan Reed, who is nursing a deep knee bruise, is questionable but not likely to play.

STARTING LINEBACKERS NAMED

Head coach Urban Meyer made it a point to single out redshirt senior linebacker A.J. Jones as the team’s only confirmed starter for Saturday. He did, however, say that two of senior Brandon Hicks, sophomore Jon Bostic and redshirt freshman Jelani Jenkins will fill in the other two spots in the starting unit with those chosen being the players whom play best during the next few days of practice. Whoever is the lone non-starter will still see plenty of time on the field.

WIDE RECEIVER ROTATION REVEALED

Junior wide receiver Denote Thompson and redshirt senior Carl Moore, as expected, are the team’s two primary starters with redshirt junior Chris Rainey taking over the slot receiver role. Meyer announced Monday that redshirt freshman Andre Debose would play the X position and back-up Thompson, while freshman standout Robert Clark – who really impressed during camp – will be the main reserve for Rainey.

FIRST DEPTH CHART RELEASED

OFFENSE
QB: John Brantley – Tyler Murphy / Trey Burton
RB: Jeff Demps / Emmanuel Moody – Mike Gillislee / Mack Brown
FB: T.J. Pridemore – Gerald Christian
WR1: Deonte Thompson – Andre Debose – Quinton Dunbar
WR2: Carl Moore – Justin Williams
WR-S: Chris Rainey – Robert Clark
TE: Omarius Hines – Trey Burton / Jordan Reed
LT: Marcus Gilbert – Kyle Koehne
LG: Carl Johnson – Jonotthan Harrison
C: Mike Pouncey – Sam Robey – Nick Alajajian
RG: James Wilson – Jon Halapio – David Young
RT: Maurice Hurt – Nick Alajajian

DEFENSE
DE: Justin Trattou – Lerentee McCray / Dominique Easley
DT: Omar Hunter – Lawrence Marsh / Brandon Antwine
DT: Jaye Howard – Sharrif Floyd
DE: Duke Lemmens – William Green / Ronald Powell
SLB: A.J. Jones – Neiron Ball
MLB: Jon Bostic / Jelani Jenkins – Michael Taylor
WLB: Brandon Hicks – Lorenzo Edwards
CB1: Janoris Jenkins – Josh Shaw / Jaylen Watkins
CB2: Moses Jenkins / Jeremy Brown – Cody Riggs
FS: Will Hill – Josh Evans
SS: Ahmad Black – Matt Elam

SPECIAL TEAMS
K: Caleb Sturgis – Chas Henry
P: Chas Henry – David Lerner – Caleb Sturgis
LS: John Fairbanks (FG), Christopher Guido (P)
H: Chas Henry
KR: Jeff Demps – Chris Rainey / Mike Gillislee
PR: Chris Rainey – Janoris Jenkins

QUOTES and VIDEOS (after the break…)
Continue Reading » Week 1: Florida Gators Monday media availability

Tags: A.J. Jones, Andre Debose, Brandon Hicks, Carl Johnson, Carl Moore, Chris Rainey, Denote Thompson, Duke Lemmens, Jaye Howard, Jelani Jenkins, John Brantley, Jon Bostic, Jordan Reed, Justin Trattou, Marcus Gilbert, Matt Patchan, Miami RedHawks, Robert Clark, Ronald Powell, Terron Sanders, Urban Meyer, William Green, Xavier Nixon