Coaches’ Choice Awards
President’s Academic Award: Caleb Sturgis
Gene Elleson Community Service Award: Jesse Schmitt
Iron Gator Strength and Conditioning Award: William Green
Chris Patrick Courage Award: John Brantley
Most Valuable Offensive Scout Team Award: Tim Clark Defensive: Mike McNeely Special Teams: Hygens Succes and Solomon Schoonover

Players’ Choice Awards
Rex Farrior Most Team Spirited Offense: Jeff Demps Defense: Dominique Easley
Greg See Tenacity Award Offense: Matt Patchan Defense: Dominique Easley
MVP Offense: Chris Rainey Defense: Jon Bostic, Matt Elam ST: Caleb Sturgis
James W. Kynes Award (Best Mental/Physical Toughness): John Brantley
* Presented to the “player who best exemplifies the mental and physical toughness and ‘iron-man’ determination.’ The award is traditionally won by offensive linemen.
Ray Graves Award (Team MVP): Chris Rainey
* As voted on by the entire team.
Fergie Ferguson Leadership Award: Lerentte McCray, John Brantley
* Presented to the “player who displays outstanding leadership, character and courage.”
Captains: John Brantley, Chris Rainey, Jeff Demps, William Green, Jaye Howard

3 » Florida volleyball’s inspiring run in the 2011 NCAA Tournament came to an end Saturday evening as the No. 3 Illinois Illini defeated the Gators 3-1 in four sets (25-22, 23-25, 25-14, 25-20) in Elite Eight action at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center in Gainesville, FL. UF has been ranked higher heading into the tournament in recent memory, but Florida reached the regional final this year for the first time since 2005. Seniors setter/right-side Kelly Murphy and outside hitter Kristy Jaeckel once again led the way for their squad. Murphy’s triple-double (13 kills, 21 assists, 17 digs) was the 30th of her career. Murphy posted 19 kills and 11 digs for a double-double. Each will end their careers in the top 10 of a number of categories in the Gators’ record book. Transfer Colleen Ward, who joined the Illini, posted 23 kills and 11 digs in the contest for a double-double of her own. Florida finished the season 27-6 and was on a 10-match winning streak before falling to Illinois.

4 » As one Gators rookie waits to sign his deal, center Vernon Macklin has already agreed to terms with the Detroit Pistons, which selected him in the second round of the 2011 NBA Draft. Macklin, who stayed in shape during the lockout by maintaining his college conditioning and working out with NBA players like Oklahoma City forward Kevin Durant, Los Angeles Lakers F Metta World Peace, Atlanta center Al Horford and Chicago C Joakim Noah, recently told The Detroit News that he was star struck when he saw Detroit C Ben Wallace practicing. “It’s kind of a weird feeling,” he said. “Him going to Virginia Union, a lot of my family members idolized him and learned from him.”

Attempting to overcome his poor play in the first half, Brantley remained composed with 1:49 left until halftime and delivered a 21-yard strike to redshirt freshman wide receiver Quinton Dunbar. He was sandwiched on the play, and a helmet-to-helmet hit knocked him out for the remainder of the game.

Brissett took over for Brantley but failed to do anything with the Gators offense until Florida redshirt senior defensive tackle Jaye Howard recovered a fumble caused by redshirt freshman linebacker Michael Taylor with 4:32 remaining in the game.

Following a pass interference call on 1st and 10 from Florida State’s 21-yard-line, Brissett hit Dunbar in the back of the end zone for a touchdown. The late score allowed the Gators to avoid their first shutout since 1988.

Joining Brantley on the trainer’s table were redshirt senior RB Chris Rainey, sophomore DT Dominique Easley, sophomore LB Darrin Kitchens and redshirt sophomore guard Jon Halapio, all of whom were injured in action and did not return to the field.

Kitchens was injured on the opening kickoff of the second half and was carted to the locker rooms after laying motionless on the field for a number of minutes. He gave a thumbs up to the crowd on his way to the back.

Brantley finished his final game in The Swamp 9/15 for 104 yards and three interceptions. Rainey carried the ball 15 times for 42 yards, and senior RB Jeff Demps touched it just four times for -8 yards.

Dunbar finished with three receptions for 40 yards and a touchdown, and freshman tight end A.C. Leonoard led all Gators with 65 yards on the evening.

Florida’s stout defense held Florida State QB E.J. Manuel to six completions on 13 attempts for 65 yards and Freeman to 44 yards on 15 carries.

The Seminoles committed nine penalties for 85 yards and held the ball three minutes longer than the Gators did on Saturday.

Florida finished the regular season with a .500 record for the first time since 1979 (0-10-1). The Gators await a bowl invite but are expected to face Ohio State in the Gator Bowl on Jan. 2, 2012 in Jacksonville, FL.

» Probable/Questionable: Redshirt senior running back Chris Rainey (ankle), redshirt senior guard/center Dan Wenger (ankle), redshirt sophomore tight end Jordan Reed (ankle), redshirt junior Sam linebacker Lerentee McCray (shoulder), senior defensive end William Green (undisclosed)
» Inactive: Redshirt junior cornerback Jeremy Brown (knee), freshman CB Marcus Roberson (neck)

LAST TIME OUT

Florida State ended its six-year losing streak to Florida by drubbing the Gators 31-7 at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, FL. UF held an early 7-3 lead on FSU but was outscored 28-0 the rest of the way, allowing the No. 22 Seminoles to cap their regular season on a high note. Florida State wound up earning a spot in the ACC Championship game with the victory because Maryland defeated North Carolina the same day. Florida’s sole touchdown came on a 20-yard pass from John Brantley to Robert Clark early in the first quarter. Christian Ponder torched the Gators for 221 yards and three touchdowns through the air, though UF did hold FSU to just 2.7 yards per carry on the ground.

PLAYERS TO KEEP AN EYE ON

FLORIDA
» Redshirt senior quarterback John Brantley (#12)…who has completed 58.9 percent of his passes (123-of-209) this season for 1,808 yards and 10 touchdowns but also threw three interceptions including one returned for a score. Brantley had missed 10 quarters of action after injuring his ankle against Alabama but returned with limited health and mobility against Georgia. He had a career-best game last week, throwing for 329 yards and four touchdowns against Furman. Brantley has thrown 114 passes without tossing an interception, the seventh-longest streak in school history (he also has the second-longest streak in UF history at 157 attempts without a pick).
» Redshirt senior running back Chris Rainey (#1)…who has 1,093 yards of total offense this season with five touchdowns (including a punt block return). Rainey is averaging 5.3 yards per carry and 14.4 yards per reception and leads Florida in rushing this season. He became the first player in school history to have a rushing, receiving and return touchdown in the same game, achieved the school and SEC record for career punt blocks (five), and is the active leader in that category nationally. He also rushed for 100 yards or more in three-straight games, the first UF player to do so since Fred Taylor last accomplished that feat 14 years ago.
» Senior RB Jeff Demps (#2)…who is second on the Gators in carries (87) and rushing yards (547) this season but leads Florida in touchdowns scored (six). Injuries and poor run blocking have limited Demps’s effectiveness in 2011, but he continues to do whatever he can to help the team each week.
» Redshirt sophomore wide receiver Andre Debose (#4)…who jumped to first on the Gators’ receiving list with a career-high 151 yards and two touchdowns last week against Furman. Debose had mirror image 65-yard touchdowns against Alabama and LSU earlier in the season. Fans have been waiting for Debose to emerge for some time, but his 423 receiving yards now lead the team. Additionally, his 28.2 yards per catch is the highest average in the SEC and second nationally.
» Redshirt sophomore tight end Jordan Reed (#11)…who has vaulted up UF’s production chats with at least three receptions in four-straight weeks. Reed has also gone for 56 or more yards in three of the last four weeks and scored touchdowns against Georgia and Furman.
» Sophomore safety Matt Elam (#22)…who is the most valuable member of Florida’s secondary. He is second on the team in tackles (64) and at one point created turnovers in three-straight games (fumble-INT-INT). His 12 tackles against LSU a month ago marked a career high, and his 8.5 tackles for loss this season are a team-high.
» Defensive tackles sophomore Dominique Easley (#2) and redshirt senior Jaye Howard (#6)…who have solidified the interior of the Gators’ strongest unit. Howard is the team’s most experienced player on defense (28 starts), while Easley may be its most dynamic off the snap, with a first-step raved about by teammates and coaches alike. Howard and Easley have combined for 13.5 tackles for loss and four sacks.
» Linebackers junior Jon Bostic (#52) and redshirt sophomore will linebacker Jelani Jenkins (#3)…who are 1-3 on the team in tackles. Bostic (81) and Jenkins (60) have each excelled in different areas for Florida. The former has six tackles for a loss and three sacks while the latter has one sack, six pass breakups and a pick-six on the year.
» Redshirt junior kicker Caleb Sturigs (#19)…who has returned for Florida after missing eight games one year ago with an injured back. He is 21-for-25 in field goal attempts on the season (long: 55) and is perfect with 27 extra points, leading the Gators with 90 points scored this season. Sturgis is second in the nation with 21 field goals made but tied for 14th in kicking points.

FLORIDA STATE
» QB E.J. Manuel (#3)…who has passed for 2,352 passing yards with 16 touchdowns and eight interceptions this season. He has not thrown a pick since Oct. 29 and is completing 66.3 percent of his passes. Manuel can also make an impact on the ground and has rushed for 20 or more yards five times this season.
» RB Devonta Freeman (#8)…who is FSU’s leading rusher with 487 yards and six touchdowns on the year. He rushed for 100+ yards in consecutive games this year and at one point scored five touchdowns in four contests.
» WR Rashad Greene (#80)…who has more receptions (33) and yards (497) than any Florida player despite missing four games this season. He is complimented by WR Rodney Smith (#84), who has 511 receiving yards and four touchdowns of his own.
» LB Nigel Bradham (#13)…who leads the Seminoles defensively with 75 tackles (nine for loss), two sacks, an interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
» CB Greg Reid (#5)…who is also Florida State’s dynamic returner and can change a game on a dime.

Senior running back Jeff Demps (and his NFL aspirations): “Anyone who runs that fast – you can’t coach speed. When you can run that fast, that immediately puts you in the discussion in everyone’s draft room. There is not a draft room that he won’t be discussed in. He’ll probably get taken higher than his stats would be because of those physical attributes, because there are teams where speed comes into play. When you have that type of speed, that speed is rare.”

Redshirt senior quarterback John Brantley (and his improvement): “He’s probably been – I wouldn’t say the most pleasant surprise – but probably the thing I’m probably pleased about the most. From my initial conversations with him in January to now, it’s a totally different persona than the one I sat down with. He was always a wonderful young man, a good kid. Watching him evolve from where he was to where he is now both on and off the field, I couldn’t be more satisfied for him. I would really like nothing more than him to finish this out by going and beating Florida State. I think that would just be a great thing for him.”

NOTES AND QUOTES

» On running the ball against Florida State: “You better run the ball because if you think that you’re just going to line up against that front four – which is really a front eight because they have good talent in the second group, too – if they can turn the game into a one-dimensional game, then you have a problem. [...] They’re fast. [...] They have very god speed. They are very well-coached. They’re very vanilla. They’re not trying to trick you. They’re saying, ‘We can just bring out four guys and bring out another four guys and we’ll be able to get after you and get pressure on your quarterback.’ For the most part, they do that. They’re pretty solid on defense right now.”

» On his mindset before a game: “I’ve never gone into a game ever expecting to lose a game ever. Even games that everyone said we were underdogs. I’ve never in my life gone into a game and said, ‘Welp, let’s mark this one up as a loss.’ So yes, I’m confident for our guys.”

» On what he will think after evaluating the film this season from a coaching and execution perspective: “I’m sure I’ll be miserable. The odds of that are 100 percent.”

» On why the offense should improve in year two: “Now you’re pushing execution. You’re expanding on things that you could do that you couldn’t do because mentally the guys aren’t capable of doing it the first rattle out of the box. Usually – not always because it hasn’t been the case everywhere I’ve been – but usually you make your biggest jump between your first year and your second year because now your guys are a year into the system.”

For redshirt senior guard/center Dan Wenger, who transferred to Florida this summer, Saturday will be the third Senior Day he has participated in during his college career. That does not make it any less special.

“It’s pretty emotional for me and my family. This is truly going to be it – last time running out of a collegiate tunnel. It’s a pretty emotional week for me,” he said.

Wenger is thankful for the opportunity the Gators gave him this year – to play one more year of college football instead of being forced to retire.

“It’s been amazing to tell you the truth. It’s been a lot of fun,” he said. “Regardless of the ups and downs we’ve had, obviously I wish it would have turned out better, but I couldn’t’ be more thankful and blessed for the opportunity I had to play here and play a sixth year of college football. I’m just really, really thankful for Coach [Will] Muschamp, Coach [Frank] Verducci and Coach [Charlie] Weis – as well as the rest of the coaching staff – to have this opportunity and this chance. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t love playing for Coach Muschamp. It’s been a lot of fun.”

In a similar situation is senior G James Wilson, who has missed more time with knee injuries than he would care to remember. Saturday also marks the likely end of a career.

“It’s definitely going to be emotional. I had a great time and love my teammates. I wouldn’t trade it for the world, the experience,” he said.

NOTES AND QUOTES

» Demps on Brantley-Thompson not being a better playmaking combo: “They do have some pretty good chemistry, it’s just Deonte is not always the first option. He’s got to look to the other receivers.”

» Demps on how the offense would have functioned if Brantley was healthy all year: “It would have been a different season. As you can see, Brantley was coming around. He was real comfortable in the pocket. He was being Brantley-like, the old days like in high school.”

» Demps on his ankle “It’s pretty good. It’s still not 100 percent, but I can play on it and run on it pretty well.”

» Thompson on if the offense in 2011 was better than 2010: “I don’t know. I really don’t.”

» Wenger said that his ankle is fine, and he will return to practice on Tuesday.

» Wenger on if he will stick around as a graduate assistant: “It hasn’t come up but after the season anything is possible. I would obviously have to work some things out and find out where the next chapter of my life is going to take me.”

Florida’s two speedsters – running backs redshirt senior Chris Rainey and senior Jeff Demps – have at most three games remaining in the orange and blue. Once they are off the team, the Gators’ offense is going to have to be reshaped, but Weis said Tuesday that he is not overly concerned with their replacements picking everything up.

“What they all know is they all know the system. They all know the verbiage. They all know the terminology. They all know how to get lined up. They all know how to motion. Now that allows you to do just about anything. Most playbooks, especially with guys who have been doing this for a while, are quite expansive. And then you try to find out who you have and direct it in certain directions,” he said.

One player who may play a big role in his junior season is newly positioned RB Trey Burton, someone who has been in at halfback, fullback, quarterback and wide receiver.

“We’re going to get to this offseason and settle him in at one position, give him a chance,” Weis said. “For example, when Rainey and Demps are gone, rather than play him at fullback, play him at halfback and give him the chance to be the guy at halfback. We’ll have to wait and see how that goes. There isn’t one guy who wants to be a jack of all trades and master of none. They want to find a home and be the guy where they have an opportunity to help the team however we see best.”

PLAYER EVALUATIONS

Redshirt sophomore tight end Jordan Reed: “Jordan’s arrow has been pointed up for over a month now. [...] On and off the field, every day Jordan with us has been pointing up. It makes it easier now because now you can coach him harder. I always coach people hard to start off with, but you can squeeze them more because when they have some success they’re willing to take even harder criticism and that makes them better. The harder you get on them without them going in the tank, the better off they play. Jordan has got a very high ceiling that hasn’t even come close to being reached yet.”

Redshirt freshman guard Ian Silberman: “I only worry about the guys that are really out there repping right now. He’s not getting a lot of reps right now. If he were playing well enough, he would be in there. I’m not trying to be sarcastic, that’s very matter-of-fact. Frank [Verducci] does a diligent study on those linemen. If he thought he deserved to be in the first seven-or-eight guys, he’d be in the first seven-or-eight guys.”

Wide receivers: “I’m not happy with the production at a lot of positions, receiver being one of them. It’s tough to be happy with the production. Am I happy with the effort? Am I happy with their blocking? Yeah, but am I happy with the production that we’re getting? No. Join the club.”

NOTES AND QUOTES

» On his frustrations with the offense: “I’m frustrated on a number of things. It starts off by not scoring enough points. That’s really the bottom line. In a game like South Carolina, you get in the red zone three times and you only come up with one touchdown. That’s just not good enough. They get down there and they score two touchdowns and that’s the difference in the ball game. Sometimes in the Southeastern Conference you’re going to win games in the teens. Not every game is going to be in the 20s, 30s and 40s. That’s the frustrating thing, getting down on the two-yard-line and ending up having to settle for three, getting down on the five-yard-line and ending up having to settle for three. Those types of things are frustrating, yes.”

» On using a cane during the South Carolina game: “What has happened is my knees are great but my left hip is killing me. I can either take a lot of drugs and walk fine – it’s one thing if you take it at 9 at night like a painkiller – but then it affects you during the day. You really can’t do [your job on drugs]. People will probably wonder if I took them anyway.”

» Weis said the pistol set was installed because of redshirt senior quarterback John Brantley’s limited mobility due to his ankle but added that it will not disappear from the playbook when he is fully healthy. “I like it,” he said before noting that “there’s things that you lose not being underneath center.” Elements of the pistol have given the Gators an added dimension. “It’s something you don’t throw away,” he continued. “You’re not going to run your whole offense from it but there are elements you can go ahead and utilize.”

Florida held USC playmaking wide receiver Alshon Jeffrey to 17 yards on two receptions but was soft against the run, allowing running back Brandon Wilds to exploit them all game to the tune of 120 yards on 29 carries.

Gators redshirt senior QB John Brantley was sacked and fumbled the ball on the second play of the game, but UF’s defense held the Gamecocks.

Two possessions later after an interception by freshman safety De’Ante Saunders, three-straight runs including a 19-yard scamper by redshirt senior RB Chris Rainey took Florida down to South Carolina’s two-yard-line.

The Gators lost five yards before redshirt junior kicker Caleb Sturgis connected on a 21-yard field goal for the first points of the game.

USC answered immediately with a drive of their own but missed a 40-yard field goal. They scored on their next possession, running the ball nine times on an 11-play drive ending with Shaw’s first touchdown of the afternoon.

The Gamecocks tacked on another touchdown just a few minutes later after recovering a fumble from Florida senior RB Jeff Demps on UF’s 46-yard-line. South Carolina ran the ball 10 consecutive times until Shaw dove into the end zone for his second score, giving USC an 11-point lead at the break.

The Gators once again stalled inside the five-yard-line on their first possession of the second half. After Florida drove the ball 59 yards, a false start by junior tackle Xavier Nixon on 3rd and 2 pushed UF back and resulted in Sturgis eventually hitting a 24-yard field goal to make it a one-possession game.

Taking over again with 12:14 left in the contest, the Gators handed the rock to Rainey, who ran 47 yards down the field before being caught from behind at the Gamecocks’ two-yard-line. Freshman QB Jacoby Brissett entered to run the offense from under center and pushed forward for the touchdown before being forced into an interception on the two-point conversion attempt.

South Carolina responded quickly as Shaw connected on a 46-yard pass to WR Ace Sanders, but Florida’s defense held and forced a 28-yard field goal.

The Gators failed to move the ball much on their next possession, punting to the Gamecocks, which ran the clock down before handing the ball back to UF deep in their own territory with just 42 seconds remaining.

Brantley finished 13/21 for 119 yards, and Rainey led Florida with 17 carries for 132 yards. Redshirt sophomore tight end Jordan Reed was the Gators’ leading pass catcher with five receptions for 62 yards.

Florida will return home to face Furman on Saturday at 1 p.m. in a game that will air live on pay-per-view. A victory will make the Gators bowl eligible heading into their regular season-ending rivalry game with Florida State on Nov. 26.

Photo Credit: Streeter Lecka