Lucas Oil Stadium

The event, which is held for six days from Feb. 22-28, consists of more than 300 players being put through a series of drills, tests and interviews while more than 600 NFL personnel in attendance (including coaching staffs, executives, player personnel and medical staffs) look on and evaluate each of them. It amounts to the final job interview these athletes will participate in before the 2012 NFL Draft commences on April 26.

The three former Gators student-athletes invited to the combine include:

Running back Jeff Demps – Group: 6; Camp: RB06
Defensive tackle Jaye Howard – Group: 7; Camp: DL22
Running back Chris Rainey – Group: 6; Camp: RB24

Former Florida cornerback Janoris Jenkins (Group: TBD; Camp: DB27) was also invited and is expected to participate in the event.

Demps, on the other hand, is unlikely to take part in the combine as he has decided to run track for the Gators and attempt to qualify for the 2012 London Olympics.

The two notable names left off the invite list are those of quarterback John Brantley and wide receiver Deonte Thompson. Other draft-eligible Florida players include center/guard Dan Wenger and defensive end William Green.

Read about each player’s day-to-day schedule in Indianapolis after the jump!

Schedule:
Travel, Registration, Pre-exam & X-rays, Orientation, Interviews
Wednesday – Groups 1-3; Thursday – Groups 4-6
Friday – Groups 7-9; Saturday – Groups 10, 11

Measurements, Medical Exams, Media, Psych Tests, Interviews
Thursday – Groups 1-3; Friday – Groups 4-6
Saturday – Groups 7-9; Sunday – Groups 10, 11

NFLPA Meeting, Psych Tests, Interviews
Friday – Groups 1-3; Saturday – Groups 4-6
Sunday – Groups 7-9; Monday – Groups 10,11

Workout (timing, stations, skill drills), Departure
Saturday – Groups 1-3; Sunday – Groups 4-6
Monday – Groups 7-9; Tuesday – Groups 10, 11

OGGOA will offer full coverage of the combine throughout the event.

Running back Chris Rainey, playing for the South team, checked in at 5’8 3/8″ and 178 lbs. with 9 1/2 in. hands, a 30 3/4 in. arm length and a 72 1/4 in. wingspan.

Rainey is seeing time as a rusher, wide receiver and kick returner and told the Idaho Statesman that the game will not be close. “I’m glad to be part of this. I just know it’s going to be a blowout this Saturday,” he said.

According to CBS Sports, he was also the only player singled out and praised by head coach Mike Shanahan on Tuesday. Shanahan that he was “just impressed with the way he’s handling himself the first couple of days. [...] He’s picked things up very quickly. You’re never really sure how people adapt to a system. And I’m not his agent, but I do want a little piece of the action.”

Rainey has signed with Joel Segal of Lagardere Unlimited, the agency that also represents all of his former Lakeland teammates including Maurkice Pouncey (Pittsburgh), Mike Pouncey (Miami) and Ahmad Black (Tampa Bay) as well as a bevy of other Gators in the NFL.

Click to expand and read the remainder of this post.

Asked about players coming into the league from the Florida Gators this year, Kiper expects running back Chris Rainey to be the highest pick but says he is unlikely to be selected before the fourth round.

“Florida right now is looking at guys that are figuring on day three of the draft,” he said. “Rainey is an interesting guy because he has speed and has got some versatility. He certainly could fit what a team is looking for in the fourth round area.”

The rest of available Gators – notably defensive tackle Jaye Howard and quarterback John Brantley – Kiper believes will be picked in rounds 5-7 depending how they perform at Pro Day and the 2012 NFL Combine.

“Howard right now I have as the 12th highest-rated defensive tackle and that was before the juniors came in,” he said. “That would push him down between say 17 and 23, which pushes him into the late-round category.”

Kiper has Brantley as the No. 15 quarterback overall and says that his inability to show any major strides this season is the reason he will not be picked higher if at all.

“He never developed into the quarterback he was hyped to be,” he explained. “We all heard about John Brantley coming through. He was going to be coming over off of [Tim] Tebow. He was going to be the pure passer. He was going to be the guy that was going to get that passing game going. You never saw any indications of him being an early round pick. He just didn’t perform to that level.

“Obviously he did not have great talent around him to the level that Florida has had in past years. We know that. The guys up front and certainly the guys at the skill positions even though they did have [Jeff] Demps and Rainey and some other kids that have ability. You never saw any indication that Brantley was going to take that next step and put himself in the mix with the first-second-third-round quarterbacks.”

Other UF players available for selection in the draft include defensive end William Green, wide receiver Deonte Thompson and center/guard Dan Wenger.

Click to expand and read the remainder of this post.

» In a poll conducted by ESPN and calculated monthly, Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow topped the December list as the United States’ favorite athlete. Tebow is “just the sixth different athlete to finish No. 1 in the monthly rankings since 2007” and, in the 18 years of the poll, only 11 different athletes have ever held that distinction.

» In addition to the Top 10 list OGGOA posted Wednesday from CBS’s the Late Show with David Letterman, Tebow was also brought up on TBS’s Conan. Host Conan O’Brien, claiming he was absent the budget to air actual game footage, had his staff put together a recreation of his game-winning play from Sunday…with peanuts replacing the players.

» While on the topic of Tebow videos, here is the latest Taiwanese animation creation, which depicts Tebow getting crucified by the media, angels helping him score, God taunting Satan, and the entire Pittsburgh team being sent to hell.

» Houston Rockets forward Chandler Parsons has started his NBA career by turning some heads and did just that on Tuesday with a game-high 20 points on 9-of-16 shooting with seven boards in an 82-70 victory over Charlotte. Parsons, who has started three-straight games for Houston and has seen 17 or more minutes in seven of 10 games this season, filled up the stat sheet Wednesday with eight points, six boards, four assists and three steals. Below are highlights from his performance on Tuesday.

» Joining Parsons as an early surprise this NBA season is new Denver Nuggets F Corey Brewer, who was traded to the team this offseason. Brewer played double-digit minutes for the sixth time in 11 games this season on Wednesday and was on absolute fire, scoring 19 points on 7-of-8 shooting in just 16 minutes. Brewer went 3-for-3 from downtown, had a great block and also threw down an exciting dunk on an alley-oop, as you can see below. “This is the first time since my college career that I get to play in a style that I came from in college, so there’s no more slow-down basketball,” Brewer told the Denver Post. “Right now, my role is to spark the team, so whenever I do get a chance to get in, I try to spark the team.”

» Another interesting note about the Nuggets has the team’s mascot (Rocky) recently taking half-court shots during a break in the action at a game. He was unsuccessful at his attempts…until he went Tebowing in the middle of the court and hit his very next attempt.

» Playing in the NFL Playoffs has a lot of advantages – like getting to meet celebrities. Below is a picture of former Florida Gators defensive end Justin Trattou (now a member of the New York Giants) posing with WWE superstar Triple H.

» A number of coaching moves involving former Gators have taken place this week. Florida tight end Mike Mularkey, a professional football coach since 1994, got the second head coaching gig of his career Wednesday with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Also Wednesday, former Gators wide receivers coach Billy Gonzales, who left the program to become passing game coordinator at LSU, was hired by Illinois to be the team’s next offensive coordinator. Finally former Florida QB Brian Schottenheimer, offensive coordinator with the New York Jets since 2006, resigned from his post and is seeking new employment. It was recently reported that Alabama interviewed Schottenheimer for their open position.

» New Kansas Jayhawks head coach Charlie Weis plucked another staffer from the Gators, this time hiring graduate assistant Jeff Blasko as his team’s tight ends coach. Weis has already added Adam Sitter as director of high school relations, Scott Vestal as the assistant director of football operations and Scott Holsopple as director of strength and conditioning.

» Capitalizing on Tebow’s great play recently (and rightfully so), endorsement partner Jockey has a brand new splash page at the front of their website featuring the simple saying: “Playoffs. It’s Tebow Time.” The company is also running a $1 million “super” challenge with that much money on the line should Denver wind up winning the Super Bowl. If the Broncos are victorious, Jockey will award a winner $15,000 and every other entrant a $25 gift card.

» Florida assistant basketball coach John Pelphrey’s name was the first one to come up when Western Kentucky fired their head coach recently, but Pelphrey has recently “respectfully declined” comment on the open position through UF’s sports information department. Though Pelphrey will undoubtedly be interested in returning to a head coaching role with a college program, the comfort factor in Gainesville, FL could lead him to hold on and potentially wait for a more prominent position. Either way, Pelphrey is not going to make a decision until March at the earliest.

» As if fans did not already know Tebow was the most popular athlete in America, the fact that his name is starting to show up in tabloid stories should undoubtedly be proof. Singer-songwriter Katy Perry, who recently divorced actor-comedian Russell Brand, has been connected to Tebow through OK! Magazine, which has Perry’s parents trying to set up the duo. “[Katy's] mentioned on more than one occasion how much she likes Tim,” a “source” told the publication. “Katy’s mom firmly believes the best cure for heartache is to quickly fall in love again. In her mind, Tebow is the perfect guy for her daughter. He’s handsome, charming, intelligent and above all, a good Christian.” Apparently the Perrys have even reached out to Tebow to speak at their church in Huntington, CA (which Katy also attends when in town).

» Florida basketball’s double-overtime loss to Rutgers on the road on Dec. 29 may be looking a bit better now that RU has defeated No. 8 Connecticut (67-60) and Pittsburgh (62-39) in consecutive contests. That being said, Pittsburgh is on a major downswing this season and Rutgers also lost a pair of games to South Florida (65-67) and West Virginia (64-85) in between.

» Tebowing has even reached the NHL as Los Angeles Kings defenseman Jack Johnson did the pose after scoring a goal during his team’s 5-2 victory over Washington on Monday. The opposing team was none-too-pleased with the move.

» In an interview with the Associated Press, Tebow admitted that a number of Republican candidates have asked for his support in their candidacy for the party’s nomination. Though he refused to say which candidates asked him, he did let it be known that he declined all of the offers. “I think you have to have so much trust in who you support, just from product endorsements to endorsing a candidate because if that person or company does something [bad], it reflects on you,” he said. Playing off of that, the International Business Times mocked up what some of those endorsement requests from the candidates might look like.

» Miami Dolphins center Mike Pouncey, with his team out of the playoffs, has spend the last few days breaking some news on Twitter. First was a rather fun item, Pouncey publishing a picture of either him or his brother (Pittsburgh Steelers C Maurkice Pouncey) riding an ATV on Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger’s property. Then on Thursday, Mike announced that Maurkice was indeed under the knife having surgery on his ankle, something that Steleers head coach Mike Tomlin said was a possibility.

» Here’s a picture of Harlem Globetrotters center Tiny Sturgess (7’8″) “Tebowing,” which makes him likely the tallest person in the world to perform the act.

» ESPN will be re-airing both Tebow documentaries the network has the rights to on Friday and Saturday. On Friday, from 11 p.m. through 1 a.m., ESPNU will air Everything in Between and Faces of Sports: Tim Tebow back to back. The former documentary will also air at 7 a.m. (ESPN2) and 8 a.m. (ESPNU) on Saturday with the latteralso being replayed at 9 a.m. (ESPNU) Saturday.

» Gators senior outfielder Michelle Moultrie, a former walk-on with the team, was one of 12 athletes across the country named to the 2012 USA Softball Women’s National Team on Wednesday. This will be Moultrie’s second-straight year earning a roster spot on the team as she was on the squad that won gold medals in 2011 at the Pan American Games and the World Cup of Softball.

» Tebow is not the only player doing good things with the Broncos. According to the Denver Post, defensive tackle Marcus Thomas began doing community service with the National Child ID program in 2007 and it has become something that he has continued through his tenure in Denver, providing “ID kits to every kindergartener in the state of Colorado since 2007.” The Post reports that “Thomas was the first NFL player to become involved in this program and his initiative and work was recognized Tuesday night before 7,000 coaches attending the American Football Coaches Association convention in Florida. “I’m hoping it goes bigger than that. I’m going back to Florida and try to see what I can do to keep it rolling this offseason,” Thomas said.

» Gators redshirt senior defensive tackle Jaye Howard has decided to be represented by Drew Rosenhaus as he prepares for the 2012 NFL Draft. Howard is the second Florida player to sign with an agent since the season ended as redshirt senior running back Chris Rainey picked Joel Segal last week.

» Picture of U.S. soccer star and former Gators striker Abby Wambach acting a fool in a team photo as tweeted by long-time teammate Heather Mitts.

» In one non-Florida item, we tweeted that a funny moment occurred during the Alabama-LSU basketball game Wednesday evening as Alabama fans taunted the LSU basketball team the first time they dribbled the ball across half-court. (LSU’s football team barely crossed midfield against Alabama in the BCS title game on Monday.) Check out the video below for a good chuckle.

1 » A pair of Florida Gators – redshirt seniors running back Chris Rainey and defensive tackle Jaye Howard – have officially accepted invitations to participate in the 2012 Senior Bowl, the organization announced on Wednesday. The duo will play on the South roster and are the only Florida players currently invited/committed to the event. “It feels good. I know a lot of great players have come to this game and I’m glad I’m invited and hope to do the best that I can to compete with the other greats,” Rainey said in the event’s official release. “The first thing I’m going to tell the scouts and coaches is that I want to be on special teams. They are going to have to set up some scheme for me to block a punt or do whatever they want me to do on special teams, because I love special teams and that’s the number one thing that wins games.”

Howard said he is playing in the game because he wants to “prove that I’m one of the elite defenders in this class this year and it’s a business trip for me.” He continued, “I’m quick, I can run all over the field and chase plays down. I want to prove that I can play several positions on the defensive line, not just d-tackle. I can play the end, nose guard—everything on the d-line, so I can bring that to a system.” The Senior Bowl will be played on Jan. 28 and air live on NFL Network beginning at 4 p.m. Practices will also be televised during the week leading up to the game on the same network.

2 » Four former Gators who decided to transfer this season have already chosen their new destinations, according to various reports. Defensive back Joshua Shaw has chosen to head closer to home (Palmdale, CA) and picked UCLA where he will sit out a season per NCAA transfer rules, while linebacker Dee Finley announced that he will play for Tuskegee, a HBCU, beginning next year. Two Florida players are expected to be heading to Louisville to play for former UF defensive coordinator Charlie Strong. Tight end Gerald Christian told the Palm Beach Post on Wednesday that he will be going to Louisville, while multiple reports over the last two weeks have wide receiver Robert Clark planning to join him. Like Shaw, each will have to sit out one year due to NCAA transfer regulations and will be eligible to play beginning in 2013.

Offense was not the Florida Gators’ strong suit this season, but Florida (7-6) got just enough of it Monday to compliment a sterling effort from their special teams and defense en route to a 24-17 toppling of the Ohio State Buckeyes (6-7) in the 2012 Gator Bowl at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, FL.

The Gators and Buckeyes were tied at a touchdown apiece minutes into the second quarter until a kickoff return and punt block were each brought back for touchdowns to give UF a 21-10 lead and help the team pull out a much-needed victory to end a tough first season under first-year head coach Will Muschamp.

Florida started out at their own 40-yard-line after the opening kickoff fell out of bounds at the one. The Gators got two quick first downs before redshirt senior quarterback John Brantley was hit from behind and, after a review that overturned an incomplete pass, the loose ball was ruled a fumble and given to the Buckeyes. OSU moved down the field but consecutive sacks by UF sophomore defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd forced a punt.

The Gators took over on their own 20, and Brantley began leading his team down the field once again. On first-and-10 from the Buckeyes’ 22-yard-line, junior left tackle Xavier Nixon (knee) and Brantley (right forearm) both went down with injuries when the latter was sacked. Brantley would return to the game and two plays later threw a 17-yard strike on third down to redshirt senior wide receiver Deonte Thomspon for the first touchdown of the game.

Thompson’s reception was questioned by Ohio State head coach Luke Fickell as it appeared the ball came loose when he hit the ground, but Florida got on the field to kick the extra point before he could call a timeout to force a review.

A review wound up being called on the ensuing possession when OSU running back Dan Herron fumbled the ball on first down. UF recovered and won the challenge but coughed it back up to the Buckeyes just two plays later when Brantley mishandled a snap.

Ohio State took advantage of the miscue by tying the game. QB Braxton Miller, who did not attempt a pass in the first quarter, completed three throws for 41 yards as part of an eight-play, 72-yard drive that ended in a touchdown with 11:25 left in the first half.

Florida responded even quicker as redshirt sophomore wide receiver Andre Debose returned the ensuing kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown, going down the field untouched and putting his team ahead 14-7 while setting a school record for longest play in a bowl game and a Gator Bowl record for longest play. He was named the contest’s Most Valuable Player after the game.

Click to expand and read the rest of the Gator Bowl game story.

Location: EverBank Field – Jacksonville, FL [Capacity: 84,000]
Weather Forecast: 57°F, sunny, winds WNW at 13 mph
Time: 1:00 p.m. (ET)

TV: ESPN2/ESPN2HD
SiriusXM: 91
Online Video: ESPN3.com
Live Updates: @OnlyGators

Odds: Florida -2; O/U 44

HOMEWORK

Need to catch up on the Gators before the bowl game? No problem. OGGOA has been here since the end of the regular season compiling a ton of information so you can do your homework on the team before its next exam.

Muschamp on Gator Bowl, coaches | Coordinators discuss players, game

HISTORY / STREAKS

» Florida leads the all-time series against Ohio State 1-0, with the No. 2 Gators defeating the No. 1 Buckeyes 41-14 in the 2007 BCS National Championship.
» Both teams are entering the game with a 6-6 record (each are 3-5 in their conference as well) and looking to finish the season above .500. UF losing would make them sub-.500 for the first time since 1979, while OSU would not have reached that low of a level since 1897 if they drop the game.
» Both teams are starting head coaches in their first year (and in Fickell’s case his last year) at the helm.
» This is Florida’s 21st consecutive appearance in a bowl game, good for first in the SEC and second nationally. The Gators have played in 18 January bowl games in the last 20 years dating back to 1993. The Buckeyes are second in most January bowl games since 1993 with 16 appearances.
» UF is 19-19 all-time in bowl games and 6-2 in the Gator Bowl but has not participated in this event since 1992. Florida is 7-6 in bowl games against current Big 10 teams.
» Ohio State has not played in the Gator Bowl since 1978 and has not played a bowl game in the state of Florida since 2002. The Buckeyes are 19-22 all-time in bowl games and 15-19 in those played in January.
» The Gators are 4-0 this season when rushing for more than 150 yards and 6-2 when gaining more than 100 yards on the ground. Florida, however, is 1-5 when being outrushed and 0-5 when tied or trailing at the half.
» UF had 18 players make their first career start in 2011 and the 15 true freshman that have seen the field is tied for seventh-most nationally.
» The Gators have half as many upperclassmen (14 seniors, 11 juniors) as they do underclassmen (27 sophomores, 24 freshmen) seeing action this season.
» Florida offense has struggled as of late, and the Gators have had major problems putting the ball in the end zone. Florida has scored points in just 33 of 48 quarters this season and touchdowns in only 25 of those quarters.
» UF’s 13.42 yards per pass completion is No. 1 in the SEC and 16th nationally.
» The Gators are only converting 49 percent (17-of-35) of their red zone opportunities into touchdowns but have scored at least a field goal when the offense has a possession inside the 20-yard-line 86 percent of the time.
» Florida is No. 9 nationally and fifth in the SEC in total defense (299.6 yards per game). The Gators are also No. 25 nationally and fifth in the SEC in scoring defense (20.6 points per game).
» The Gators’ defense is second in the nation in preventing third-down conversions, allowing just 27.7 percent of those attempted to be successful. However, UF is 66th nationally in preventing fourth-down conversions, allowing a 52.0 percent success rate.
» The Buckeyes have allowed the third fewest 100-yard rushers among all teams nationally since 2007, giving up just 11 such performances.
» Florida was one of the least disciplined teams in the country during the regular season, ranking 114th (out of 120 teams) nationally in penalties, committing 93 in 12 games for 699 total yards lost. Ohio State ranks 45th in that category, committing 66 in 12 games for 547 total yards lost.
» The Gators have a +1 turnover margin in six victories but a -12 margin in six losses.
» Florida’s defense has forced the most turnovers in the SEC (315) since 2000. UF also has the most interceptions in the nation (76) since 2008.

LAST TIME OUT

On the way to the team’s second national title, Florida defeated Ohio State 41-14 in the 2007 BCS National Championship the last time these two teams squared off. The No. 2 Gators, led by quarterback Chris Leak (25/36 for 212 yards, touchdown), routed the No. 1 Buckeyes by outscoring them 41-7 after OSU wide receiver Ted Ginn, Jr. returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown. Florida led 34-14 at halftime and stifled Ohio State’s offense, holding the team to just 82 yards over the course of four quarters. UF linebacker Earl Everett’s helmet-less sack on OSU QB Troy Smith is one of the most memorable moments from the game and the 2006 season.

FLORIDA’S PRE-GAME THOUGHTS

Muschamp on the team’s improvement: “We’ve made some progress, and I think a lot of that has to do with not having to get ready for a game in a game-week situation, being able to go back to a lot of fundamentals, a lot like training camp or spring practice to be able to work on a lot of those things.”

Muschamp on his team this year: “Coaching at the University of Florida is a dream of mine to be in this opportunity that I’ve been presented. I’m excited about work every day. I’m frustrated at the results maybe at times, but from the standpoint of how our players have worked, how they’ve committed themselves and these guys up here I think have done a good job. Is it the results we want? No. Are we where we want to be? No. But have I seen improvements and improvements within our program sometimes inside the building that maybe people don’t see? We’ve made tremendous strides as a team. It was a tough situation what we inherited, quite honestly. We’ve made tremendous strides.”

Muschamp on if the perception of being sub-.500 is worse than the reality: “It would be disappointing, obviously. It’s not something that we want to have happen. These players and myself and us as a staff don’t want to be saddled with that. Certainly is that a motivating factor? It certainly should be.

Redshirt senior quarterback John Brantley on playing his last game: “I grew up as a Gator. Now that I’ll be exiting this program after this game, I’ll always be a Gator. Through thick and thin. I’ll always be wearing the orange and blue and watching them on Saturdays for years to come.”

Brantley on if he would have done things differently: “I’m just fortunate enough to wake up every day and put on the Gator uniform. To be able to have this opportunity to play major college football at such a great university and one that I’ve loved my entire life was a dream come true, and I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

INJURIES / ABSENCES
Click to expand and view the injury report and who to keep an eye on.

PLAYER UPDATES AND EVLAUATIONS

Despite both missing the first day of Gator Bowl practice, senior running back Jeff Demps (personal issue) and redshirt senior wide receiver Deonte Thompson (illness) were on the field on Wednesday. Additionally, White said that redshirt senior quarterback John Brantley is completely healthy and has even been routinely taking snaps under center during practice.

White also noted that, with 2012 being the offense’s second year in the pro-style system, he expects to see some major improvements and is already seeing players doing much better in these practices.

“There’s always a learning curve your first year in any program. Once you flatten that learning curve, you see an exponential jump, and certainly that’s what we’re hoping for,” he said. “I’ve seen a lot of progress with our young players – Chaz Green being one of those players, Andre Debose being another one of those players, Hunter Joyer invaluable time and reps for a player like Hunter, Mike Gillislee. There are a lot of players that have improved dramatically and hopefully they can put the performance on the field and really use it as a springboard to 2012.”

Quinn spoke about five players in particular, praising three and providing some evaluations on two others. He said that redshirt junior defensive tackle Omar Hunter has been playing great in bowl practices, being strong and square and really jumping out with his technique. Quinn also noted that there are two players who have continued to get better as the year has gone on and should make a big impact next Monday.

“[De’Ante] Pop Saunders has been one that’s really come on and done some good things,” he said. “At linebacker, [Michael] Taylor has improved from where I saw him in the spring to training camp to now playing some meaningful and valuable reps for us. Those guys at those two spots would be two that have shown up and [I can tell] are coming on and doing a good job.”

He also spoke about sophomore Sharrif Floyd’s participation going forward and how redshirt senior DT Jaye Howard will fare in the NFL.

Click to expand and read the remainder of this post.

INJURIES AND ABSENCES

Four Florida starters were notable absent or hobbled during the team’s first practice since Christmas break on Monday. Muschamp explained that senior running back Jeff Demps had a “personal matter” to attend to and will be with the team Tuesday morning. Additionally, redshirt senior wide receiver Deonte Thompson was missing from the field due to being stuck in the hotel with an illness.

Two Gators – redshirt senior offensive lineman Dan Wenger (ankle) and redshirt junior Sam linebacker Lerentee McCray – are injured heading into the game. Wenger is “still struggling,” according to Muschamp, who said that he took some practice reps in Gainesville, FL and is expected to play in the game. McCray, on the other hand, is doubtful for the contest with a bad shoulder. “We’ve exhausted about every measure we can as far as the shoulder is concerned, trying to work to get total range of motion and strength back,” he said.

NO JOBS OFFERED, NO HIRINGS COMPLETED

Despite a report that Muschamp has zeroed in on his next director of strength and conditioning, the coach said Tuesday that nothing could be further from the truth at this time. “I haven’t hired anybody. I’ve talked to a lot of people at the strength position and the offensive coordinator position, and when I make the hire everybody will know,” he said. “No one has been hired. No one has been offered a job yet. So that’s it.”

The primary reason Muschamp indicated for not having made a hire is that he is not done with the interview process. Though he has spoken with a number of candidates for both positions, he plans to continue doing so throughout the week and insisted that Florida will not make an announcement until after the bowl game.

“I still have people I want to talk to. I’ve talked to probably six, seven, eight people so far and some people over Christmas and some people this week I plan to talk to and then after the bowl game,” he said. “I’ve never put a timetable on it because it’s [what is] the right fit for Florida. It’s going to be the best decision for Florida. It’s an important hire – obviously both of them are – and I’ve talked to multiple people [for] both situations.”

Click to expand and read the remainder of this post.

COMING BACK AND KEEPING THE ENGINE RUNNING

There may be some turnover on the offensive staff this offseason, but Quinn made it clear Wednesday that he will be wearing the orange and blue in 2012 (and he expects all of his assistants will be as well).

“I certainly feel that way,” Quinn said when asked if the entire staff will be back, saying there was “no doubt” in his mind and that he was “ready to rock” as soon as the bowl game is over. “I plan on being here. I really do enjoy it,” he continued. “For me, part of the reason leaving the NFL was to get an opportunity at a place like this. I’m having a blast with these guys and doing everything that we do.”

He is also sure that the team will benefit greatly from the continuity because “any time you get some experience at something, where you get some turns and you build some trust with some of the players and they back at you, I think that can only be a positive thing moving forward.”

That is why Quinn expects his defense to be even better in 2012. “So many returning players coming back along with the staff, I think that’s a big thing,” he said with a smile.

NOTES AND QUOTES
Click to expand and read the remainder of this post.