1 » Updating a previous report on the injury sustained by defensive tackle Brandon Antwine (shoulder), it looks as if he could be sidelined for the season, according to Ben Volin of the Palm Beach Post. Antwine is deciding whether or not to undergo surgery on his shoulder, which would be the second time in his career an injury would sideline him for the season (torn ACL, 2008). The Florida Gators have struggled to keep the interior of their defensive line healthy this season, relying on back-ups and third-stringers to fill in for most of the games. However, starters Lawrence Marsh (ankle) and Jaye Howard (knee) are both expected to return Saturday against the Georgia Bulldogs.

2 » Fans and media have been frustrated with the production from wide receiver Deonte Thompson this season, but it is actually Thompson who is frustrated with the lack of opportunities he has had to produce for the Gators. Several times on Saturday, Thompson was wide open and visibly seen trying to get quarterback Tim Tebow’s attention. When Tebow did not look his way, Thompson “was seen making hand gestures […] as if to say, ‘forget it.’” Head coach Urban Meyer plans to speak with him about his frustrations. “I’ll have a little chat with Deonte about that,” Meyer said. “Because we don’t need that. We need to go as hard as we can, and that’s what we do right now. I don’t mind guys that play very hard, and I think they share their frustration that competitors have. He plays very hard, he blocks well, he runs good routes. That’s fine. But if you ask (about it) again next week, there’s a chance Deonte won’t be playing.”

Two more interesting BITS after the jump…
Continue Reading » FOUR BITS: Antwine done. Marsh, Howard back. Deonte frustrated. Three Hadens? UGA game.

Tags: Boston College Eagles, Brandon Antwine, Deonte Thompson, Georgia Bulldogs, Jaye Howard, Joe Haden, Jordan Haden, Josh Haden, Lawrence Marsh, Mark Richt, Tim Tebow, 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 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

1 » In his weekly Monday afternoon press conference, Florida Gators head coach Urban Meyer named his Champions Club for the Arkansas Razorbacks game. On offense, linemen Mike and Maurkice Pouncey, Carl Johnson, Marcus Gilbert were honored, as was quarterback Tim Tebow, running back Jeff Demps and wide receiver Deonte Thompson. Defense received less accolades, with linemen Omar Hunter and Terron Sanders and safety Major Wright getting praise. WR Riley Cooper was named offensive player of the game while CB Joe Haden brought home the defensive player of the game honors.

Continue Reading » SIX BITS: Champions Club; Meyer & Mullen; Penalty mistake; SEC awards; Basketball news

Tags: Arkansas Razorbacks, Billy Donovan, Carl Johnson, Dan Mullen, Deonte Thompson, Erik Murphy, Jeff Demps, Joe Haden, Kelly Murphy, Kenny Boynton, Kentucky Wildcats, Major Wright, Malcom Sheppard, Marcus Gilbert, Maurkice Pouncey, Mike Pouncey, Mississippi State Bulldogs, Omar Hunter, Riley Cooper, SEC, soccer, Tahnai Annis, Terron Sanders, Tim Tebow, University of Florida, Urban Meyer, volleyball

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

Missing a 37-yard field goal early in the first quarter, Florida Gators kicker Caleb Sturgis rebounded with makes from 30 and 51 and a game-winning 27-yard attempt to help the No. 1 team in the country overcome four turnovers to defeat the Arkansas Razorbacks 23-20 on homecoming night in The Swamp.

In front of a crowd of 90,508 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Florida improved to 6-0 (4-0) on the season and kept a school record and nation-leading 16-game winning streak alive. Tied 20-20 with 4:19 remaining in the game, the Razorbacks missed a 38-yard field goal, returning the ball to the Gators on their own 21 yard line. Senior quarterback Tim Tebow led Florida on a 14-play, 69-yard drive down the field to set up Sturgis for his 27-yard kick with nine seconds remaining on the clock.

“I got kind of down on myself early,” Sturgis said about missing his first field goal attempt in the game. “I wanted to make [the last field goal] for my teammates. They work so hard, and I don’t do much [by comparison]. I was ready to hit that ball from 57 [yards] when it was third down.”

It seemed to be Murphy’s Law for the Gators throughout the game, as just about everything that could go wrong did. Florida had four fumbles (three inside the red zone), dropped three passes and allowed Arkansas to hit on a 75-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Ryan Mallett to wide receiver Greg Childs in the fourth quarter. Mallett threw for 224 yards while kick returner Dennis Johnson, who started at running back in place of injured Michael Smith, ran for 107 yards in his stead.

Tebow finished 17-of-26 for 255 yards and a touchdown with 69 more yards on the ground; he also accounted for 52 yards in the team’s final drive. During the game, Tebow became the all-time SEC record holder in touchdown responsibility with 123 (75 passing, 48 rushing), passing former Gators quarterback Danny Wuerffel.

Tight end Aaron Hernandez led all receivers with career-highs in receptions (seven) and yards (92), while wide receiver Deonte Thompson added one 77-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter. Wide receiver Riley Cooper was clutch throughout the game, grabbing six balls for 58 yards and numerous first downs.

While it took the Gators the entire game to recover from their errors and squeak out a win, Tebow was hopeful that the hard fought victory would serve a purpose for his team throughout the remainder of the season. “A win like that brings you so much closer together,” Tebow said. “That will lead up to a great week of practice this week.”

Florida returns to the road next week, heading to Starkville, MS, to take on the Mississippi State Bulldogs on Oct. 24 at 7:30 p.m. The game will air on ESPN/ESPN2.

Tags: Aaron Hernandez, Arkansas Razorbacks, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Caleb Sturgis, Danny Wuerffel, Dennis Johnson, Deonte Thompson, Greg Childs, Michael Smith, Mississippi State Bulldogs, Riley Cooper, Ryan Mallett, The Swamp, Tim Tebow

Florida Gators head coach Urban Meyer and senior quarterback Tim Tebow (along with other players and coaches) speak with the media every Monday afternoon. Here are some notes from their press conferences. More information and quotes will come later.

Continue Reading » Monday press conference – Gators vs. Razorbacks

Tags: A.J. Jones, Arnaksas Razorbacks, Brandon Spikes, Carl Moore, David Nelson, Deonte Thompson, Frankie Hammond, Janoris Jenkins, Joe Haden, LSU Tigers, Major Wright, Maurkice Pouncey, Mike Pouncey, Ole Miss Rebels, Omarius Hines, Riley Cooper, Ryan Stamper, San Francisco 49ers, Steve Young, T.J. Lawrence, Tim Tebow, Urban Meyer

Each week following the conclusion of a Florida Gators game, ONLY GATORS Get Out Alive will grade the team position-by-position on how it performed in that match-up. This week, we look at how the Gators fared against the LSU Tigers in Death Valley.

QUARTERBACK: A
Tim Tebow was asked to tone it down and be a game manager, something that is not necessarily in his nature. Nevertheless, knowing the significance of the injury he came back from and the wishes of the coaching and medical staff, he did exactly that. An inexplicable interception late was Tebow’s only flaw on the night, and the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback made good throws when they were called.

RUNNING BACKS: A
No huge game-breaking runs from the Gators attack Saturday, but that is not something you can expect against the Tigers. Running back Jeff Demps was a madman, gaining 86 tough yards on 16 carries while Emmanuel Moody took some of the power rushing load off Tebow with six carries for 42 yards of his own. Moody showed up when he was needed the most, and that is what counts.

Continue Reading » Grading the No. 1 Florida Gators game at LSU

Tags: A.J. Jones, Aaron Hernandez, Brandon James, Brandon Spikes, Caleb Sturgis, Carlos Dunlap, Charlie Strong, Deonte Thompson, Emmanuel Moody, grading, Jeff Demps, Joe Haden, Jordan Jefferson, LSU Tigers, Riley Cooper, Ryan Stamper, Tim Tebow, Urban Meyer

Location: Tiger Stadium – Baton Rouge, LA [Capacity: 92,400]
Time: 8:00 p.m. (EST)
Weather Forecast: 72-65°F – 40% chance of precipitation

TV: CBS-HD
Sirius XM: XM 215 (Gators), XM 214 (Tigers)

Odds: Florida -9, O/U 45.5
Head-to-Head Stats: Gainesville Sun

KEEP AN EYE ON…
- Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow…who is currently second all-time to former Georgia Bulldogs running back Herschel Walker in Southeastern Conference rushing touchdowns with 48. He needs one more to tie Walker’s record.
- Wide receiver Deonte Thompson…who makes his return to the Gators after injuring his hamstring against the Troy Trojans in the second week of the season. With Thompson out and both WR Riley Cooper and tight end Aaron Hernandez ill a few weeks ago, Florida’s receiving core is finally healthy and looking to break out.
- LSU Tigers running back Charles Scott…who had season highs of 19 carries and 95 yards last week against Georgia. The Tigers want to get him more involved.
- The winner of the Florida/LSU game…who has gone on to win the National Championship each of the last three seasons.

STREAKS:
- The Gators are in the middle of their longest winning streak in school history with 14 consecutive victories. They also hold the longest active winning streak in the NCAA.
- Florida holds a 29-23-3 series lead over LSU in 55 all-time meetings.
- The Tigers have won 32 consecutive Saturday night games in Tiger Stadium, a streak that has been going on since 2002.
- LSU is listed as an underdog for only the fourth time in the last nine seasons when playing at home. The Tigers are winless in their last three meetings as home underdogs.
- Since joining the Gators, head coach Urban Meyer has a 6-1 record against opponents ranked in the top five and a 10-2 streak against top 10 teams.
- When ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll, Florida is 18-4 all-time. LSU is 2-8-1 all-time against teams ranked No. 1 in the AP Poll.

Read OGGOA’s complete Florida at LSU GameDay preview after the jump…

Continue Reading » Week 6: No. 1 Florida Gators at No. 4 LSU Tigers

Tags: Aaron Hernandez, Brandon Spikes, Carl Moore, Charles Scott, Deonte Thompson, Dorian Munroe, Florida Gators, Georgia Bulldogs, John Brantley, Kentucky Wildcats, Lawrence Marsh, Les Miles, LSU Tigers, Matt Patchan, Moses Jenkins, Riley Cooper, Tiger Stadium, Tim Tebow, Urban Meyer