1 » Former Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow will once again be playing football in his hometown of Jacksonville, FL, on Sunday; unfortunately for many residents, he will be doing so as a member of the Denver Broncos – not the Jacksonville Jaguars. Nevertheless, Jags players know that the city is Tebow’s for the day, just ask star running back Maurice Jones-Drew. “It’s his town man. It’s going to be exciting for him,” Jones-Drew said. “Everybody is probably going to try to be at the hotel and see him. Word around here flies around fast where everyone is staying, so my advice to him is get a private room and stay in there the entire night.”

Homecoming or not, ESPN analyst and former QB Trent Dilfer continues to seriously doubt Tebow’s future in the NFL, even though he is rooting for him on a personal level. “I’m one that said he won’t [succeed],” Dilfer said. “I want to be wrong. I want Tim Tebow to be a superstar because there’s one thing you cannot coach and that’s will. […] Saying that, if he is successful as a quarterback in the first three years of his career, it will be one of the most remarkable jobs of coaching by Josh McDaniels and his staff that we have seen since [what] Bill Walsh did with Joe Montana. It will be absolutely mind-boggling from a quarterback standpoint if Josh McDaniels and his staff can make him a successful quarterback in the first three years.”

2 » Five-star Florida QB commit Jeff Driskel (Oviedo, FL), already an accomplished high school player, is drawing further comparisons to Tebow after running for 68- and 61-yard touchdowns while simultaneously setting his school’s single-game rushing record in a game last week. Driskel, who ran for 246 yards in the game, brushes off the Tebow talk, even though it is complimentary. “People are going to make that comparison just because of my size and the fact that I’m committed to Florida,” he told the Orlando Sentinel. “I’m just going to keep doing what I’m doing and keep leading my team.”

Photo Credit: Ed Reinke/Associated Press

Tags: Bill Walsh, Denver Broncos, Florida Gators, Jacksonville Jaguars, Jeff Driskel, Joe Montana, Josh McDaniels, Maurice Jones-Drew, NFL, Tim Tebow, Trent Dilfer

The 2010 version of the Florida Gators has been participating fall practice for just about a week and, while the activities were closed to both the media and public, some notable things did occur during Saturday’s scrimmage. OGGOA has compiled some of the key details learned throughout the day.

INJURY UPDATES

Redshirt junior running back Chris Rainey (accelerated heartbeat) may have returned to practice Friday, but he was held out of contact drills once again Saturday. With Sunday off, he will probably resume those exercises on Monday. Senior linebacker Brandon Hicks (dehydration) did not return to practice and is still recovering. He will also likely be back Monday.

Other players held out of Saturday’s scrimmage include left tackles sophomore Xavier Nixon (minor injuries) and redshirt sophomore Matt Patchan (wrist). The duo, who are competing for the starting job, were replaced by redshirt senior right tackle Marcus Gilbert, though redshirt senior left guard Carl Johnson saw some action there also.

POSITION BATTLES

Nothing new on starting middle linebacker (still a competition between sophomore Jon Bostic and redshirt freshman Jelani Jenkins), but defensive coordinator Teryl Austin told reporters Saturday that (as expected) redshirt sophomore Jeremy Brown and senior Moses Jenkins separated themselves from the freshmen in the race for starting cornerback. Freshmen Trey Burton and Tyler Murphy continue to compete for back-up quarterback behind redshirt junior starter John Brantley.

“I THOUGHT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT HYBRID ANIMALS”

Always searching for roster flexibility, the Gators have been experimenting with using redshirt sophomore wide receiver Omarius Hines at tight end. Hines has bulked up a bit (up to 222 lbs.) and has good size for the position but is still primarily a receiver. Similarly, redshirt freshman TE Jordan Reed is still playing Wildcat quarterback – especially on goal line formations. And though Murphy will likely convert to receiver once five-star QB recruit Jeff Driskel (Oviedo, FL) joins the program in 2011, he has not been working out at that position as of yet.

WIDE RECEIVERS STAND OUT

WR coach Zach Azzanni raved about freshman Quinton Dunbar’s performance Saturday, noting that “He jumped over the top of our corner and made a heck of a touchdown catch. He has a lot of natural talent,” according to the Palm Beach Post’s Jason Lieser. Dunbar apparently took advantage of freshman cornerback Josh Shaw on this play, but junior CB Janoris Jenkins admitted that the secondary as a whole did not grab a single interception all day mostly because of Brantley’s accuracy.

There was also a lot of talk about redshirt senior WR Carl Moore being perhaps the most consistent pass catcher of fall practice thus far…and no one should be surprised (in our opinion) that redshirt sophomore Frankie Hammond, Jr. is reportedly working his tail off to make the team and earn the respect of both his peers and coaches.

QUOTES

Brantley on his pass catchers: “Our receivers have come a long way. They’ve been catching the ball really well. [They are] running fast, running great routes. It’s been hot out there and they just keep going. That’s what I like to see. They just keep going.”

QB coach Scot Loeffler on Brantley: “He’s doing a much better job of leadership and taking command of the offense. It’s his time to step up and be the leader and he’s taking that challenge on and doing a much better job with it. I thought Johnny did a fairly good job today of going to the right place with the ball. We’ve just got to make plays when plays present themselves and when the play is not there obviously protect the football. That’s our plan to win around here. We need to protect the football and make sure we do a great job helping our team continue to win.”

Austin on Jenkins’ corner play: “He did some good things out there. Sometimes as a corner you don’t get a lot of looks, but when the play does come your way, are you in position to make the play and you make the play, and he did that [Saturday].”

Brown on finally being healthy: “This is as excited as I’ve ever been here. I’m just taking it all in. I’ve been away from the game so long, you just want to help out. I spent two years not playing at all, not even practicing, so the opportunity just to go out there and contribute just brightens my day.”

Thanks to the News-Press, Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post for the above quotations.

Tags: Brandon Hicks, Carl Johnson, Carl Moore, Chris Rainey, Frankie Hammond, Janoris Jenkins, Jeff Driskel, Jelani Jenkins, Jeremy Brown, John Brantley, Jon Bostic, Jordan Reed, Josh Shaw, Marcus Gilbert, Matt Patchan, Moses Jenkins, Omarius Hines, Quinton Dunbar, Scot Loeffler, Teryl Austin, Trey Burton, Tyler Murphy, Xavier Nixon, Zach Azzanni

Though the Florida Gators received two commitments before Friday Night Lights even began, the fallout from the event has not been as immediate as many fans might have expected. Perhaps the biggest news coming out of the camp is the solidification of the commitment of four-star defensive end Jeoffrey Pagan (Asheville, NC), who was previously wavering with his decision to wear the Orange and Blue in 2011.

Pagan first committed to the Gators in April but, as soon as May, softened his commitment strength to around 75 percent. Just three weeks ago, he told the Asheville Citizen-Times that he was “about 50 percent on Florida,” saying he would probably not announce officially until his high school season began on Aug. 27.

Some even believed that Florida’s acquisition of five-star defensive end/linebacker Chris Martin via transfer from California would irk Pagan due to the added competition, even though Martin is expected to compete mostly at linebacker.

Instead, according to two recruiting services, Pagan solidified his commitment on Friday after his mom got a chance to visit, tour and approve of the University of Florida.

He is currently one of the highest-rated Gators coming in for 2011, only second behind five-star quarterback Jeff Driskel (Oviedo, FL). Pagan is ranked No. 19 overall by ESPNU and No. 25 by Rivals.

OGGOA RELATED: CB recruit Louchiez Purifoy picks Florida, too
OGGOA RELATED: Four-star lineman Trip Thurman picks Florida

Photo Credit: Asheville Citizen-Times

Tags: Chris Martin, Friday Night Lights, Jeff Driskel, Jeoffrey Pagan, University of Florida

What a week it has been for Florida Gators five-star quarterback commitment Jeff Driskel (Oviedo, FL). Named Most Valuable Player of the Elite 11 QB Camp, Driskel dominated the proceedings from start-to-finish, showing off a strong arm, impressive accuracy, enviable mechanics and college-level decision-making.

Tom Luginbill, ESPN’s recruiting director, said that Driskel resembles Washington QB Jake Locker. ESPN’s Corey Long added, “Driskel is a massive young man at 6-foot-4, 235 pounds, his release is on point and his passes have tremendous heat on them.”

He even drew comparisons to some NFL legends – including Indianapolis Colts QB Peyton Manning – as he shredded the competition over the course of four days.

“You always have to try to be at your best and you have to want to be the best and I came out here to play football,” Driskel told Rivals. “I wasn’t here to go to Disneyland even though that ended up being fun. You have to have that focused attitude and I had it throughout the week.”

If you think Denver Broncos rookie QB Tim Tebow and Gators incoming starter redshirt junior John Brantley were highly praised coming out of high school, Driskel’s hype is already reaching that level. He makes all of the required throws and showed during 7-on-7 drills that he can read the field with the best of them.

Even though Driskel is a pro-style quarterback, he is deceptively athletic and runs a 4.52 40-yard-dash. He won’t carry the ball much, but the threat of his speed in head coach Urban Meyer’s spread offense should keep defenses honest if he is able to prove that he can use it.

Driskel is considered the top-rated QB of the 2011 recruiting class by both ESPNU and Rivals. Nationally, he is ranked No. 13 overall by the former and No. 31 by the latter.

Photo Credit: ESPN

Tags: Denver Broncos, Elite 11, Indianapolis Colts, Jeff Driskel, John Brantley, MVP, Peyton Manning, Tim Tebow, Urban Meyer

1 » Competing with the USA Basketball Men’s U-18 National Team in the 2010 FIBA Americas U18 Championship for Men, Florida Gators four-star power forward commitment Patric Young (Jacksonville, FL) already wow’ed his coaches and is now impressing his opponents, too. Below are his stat lines thus far:

- June 26 vs. Virgin Islands – 5/7 for 11 points, nine rebounds in 10 minutes
- June 27 vs. Mexico – 2/4 for four points, eight rebounds, two blocks in 20 minutes
- June 28 vs. Argentina – 4/5 for 11 points, five rebounds in 16 minutes
- June 29 vs. Canada – 1/2 for two points, one rebound, one block in 10 minutes

Young will join his team in the tournament gold medal game on Wednesday at Bill Greehey Arena in San Antoinio, TX, against Brazil. Also of note is former Gators five-star guard commit Austin Rivers (Winter Park, FL), who set a FIBA record with nine consecutive three-pointers in the USA’s defeat of Canada. Rivers went 3/6 from the field and 9/12 from beyond the arc while posting a tournament-high 35 points.

2 » Almost immediately after committing to Florida, there were rumors that four-star defensive end Jeoffrey Pagan (Asheville, NC) may change his mind. The Gators’ second-best 2011 recruit overall behind quarterback Jeff Driskel (Oviedo, FL), Pagan committed back in April, telling Rivals that head coach Urban Meyer “stood up, did a little dance and gave me a hug” when he accepted the scholarship offer. “I decided that I definitely wanted to lock in my spot with the Gators and be part of this team,” he said in April. “I think I’m firm [with my decision]. I don’t plan on taking any more visits or seeing anywhere else. I’m sure people say it all the time, but this feels like home. Florida makes me feel like I am at home.” Now Pagan calls himself “about 50 percent on Florida, but the commitment is still there. It’s strong,” adding that he will “announce whether I’m going to Florida or look elsewhere before the season starts” on Aug. 27.

3 » Florida Today caught up with Florida redshirt senior offensive lineman Marcus Gilbert and picked his brain about a few topics including what happened at the end of last season. “We had guys thinking they were better than they were and weren’t playing up to their potential,” Gilbert said. “We’ve got this saying, ‘No primos and no rock stars. Go out and do your job.’ Everybody is going to work the same amount, and there aren’t going to be any superstars on the team. I think everybody – especially after watching that SEC game in Atlanta – everybody has fire and desire to handle things in a different way because my feeling is, I didn’t think we were that ready. We had a good game plan in and we had the players to beat Alabama, but we weren’t ready to go out there and get the job done because I guess we had been there before. That’s what it seemed like to me. We weren’t as focused. That week of practice wasn’t as it usually had been. It was different.” As for this year? “It’s our time. It’s our team,” he said. “That’s what [the seniors] go by. So anything that goes on, they say this is your team; you have to make the decision; you have to be the leaders; you have to step up. It’s our responsibility. I think we have the guys still who can do the same thing — get back there — because we have a talented group coming back. I think we can be better.”

4 » Former Gators defensive end Thaddeus Bullard‘s (ring name Titus O’Neil) mission to become World Wrestling Entertainment’s next breakout star ended on Tuesday as he was eliminated from the WWE NXT television program. O’Neil, whose background as a football player and master’s degree recipient from the University of Florida was played up heavily by the producers/announcers, did a Gator Chomp when at the top of the entrance rap and was quite powerful in the ring. However, as some might agree, he was one of the least dynamic personalities on the show and was scripted to both lose matches and make mistakes throughout his short time on WWE television.

Photo Credit: Asheville Citizen-Times

Tags: Austin Rivers, FIBA, FIBA Americas Championship, Gator Chomp, Greenhey Arena, Jeff Driskel, Jeoffrey Pagan, Marcus Gilbert, NXT, Patric Young, Thaddeus Bullard, Titus O’Neil, Urban Meyer, USA, USA Basketball, WWE

Over the last two weeks, plenty has been going on with the Florida Gators as far as recruiting for the 2011 season is concerned. Since June 10, the Gators have received in four commitments, including four-star wide receiver Javares McRoy (Lakeland, FL) [article], three-star fullback Hunter Joyer (Tampa, FL) [article], three-star offensive lineman Tommy Jordan (Ridgefield, CT) [article], four-star linebacker Ryan Shazier (Plantaiton, FL) [article].

Additionally, the team got a commitment without an official offer from three-star LB Rahim Cassell (Lakewood, CA) [article], and 2012 WR Latroy Pittman (Citra, FL) [article] is all but ready to pick Florida before his junior year of high school even begins.

However, the Gators still have plenty of work to do in order to enhance the current eight-person 2011 class, and the team made a lot of headway as recruits participated in football camps and took visits to the University of Florida in recent weeks.

Update yourself on some of the top 2011 recruits and targets…after the break!
Continue Reading » Going camping: Top recruits visit Florida in June

Tags: Aaron Lynch, Andre Debose, Chris Johnson, Friday Night Lights, Hunter Joyer, James Wilder, Javares McRoy, Jeff Driskel, Jerrard Randall, John Theus, Jordan Montgomery, Kelvin Benjamin, Kent Turene, Lamar Dawson, Latroy Pittman, Louchiez Purifoy, Mack Brown, Mike Blakely, Nathan Theus, Nick Waisome, Percy Harvin, Rahim Cassell, Ray Drew, Ryan Shazier, Tim Jernigan, Tommy Jordan, Tony Steward, Trip Thurman, Univeristy of Florida, Urban Meyer, Willie Snead, Zach Azzinari

According to The Lakeland Ledger, the Florida Gators added a fifth member to their 2011 recruiting class on Wednesday when four-star wide receiver Javares McRoy (Lakeland, FL) decided to leave his brother alone in Lubbock, TX, and switch his verbal commitment from the Texas Tech Red Raiders.

McRoy joins fellow four-star recruits quarterback Jeff Driskel (Oviedo, FL), defensive end Jeoffrey Pagan (Asheville, NC), and athletes A.C. Leonard (Jacksonville, FL) and De’Ante Saunders (Deland, FL) as the sole members of the program’s 2011 class.

“I just thought about where I really wanted to go and what best fit me and my running style, and UF fits my style,” McRoy told the paper on Thursday.

Ranked as the No. 11 receiver in the country and No. 148 recruit nationally by Rivals, he is not listed on ESPNU‘s projection of the top 150 prospects and is ranked as their 27th-best wideout available. McRoy will be a four-year starter for the Lakeland Dreadnaughts, a pipeline for the Gators recently, which provided Florida with centers Maurkice and Mike Pouncey, running back Chris Rainey and safety Ahmad Black.

ESPNU calls McRoy a “scatback/slot [receiver best utilized] in the spread offense and certainly the return game where he has some upside.” Additionally, “McRoy possesses just about physical trait you would like in a skilled athlete with the exception of height. He is a diminutive smurf with elite speed and quickness and because of his height coupled with his feet and hips he is also a candidate to end up at corner.”

McRoy told the Ledger that head coach Urban Meyer and running backs coach Stan Drayton plan to utilize him in the “Percy Position” (to be played by Rainey in 2010) and will no longer be recruiting rushers for the 2011 signing class.

He originally committed to Texas Tech in December 2009 to go to school with his brother and fellow pass-catcher Benjamin McRoy, a 2010 recruit.

Photo Credit: Lakeland High School via ESPN

Tags: A.C. Leonard, Ahmad Black, Benjamin McRoy, Chris Rainey, De'Ante Saunders, Javares McRoy, Jeff Driskel, Jeoffrey Pagan, Lakeland Dreadnaughts, Maurkice Pouncey, Mike Pouncey, Percy Harvin, Stan Drayton, Texas Tech Red Raiders, Urban Meyer

While some programs are racking up 2011 commitments early, the Florida Gators are taking a more concerted approach, sporting a foursome of four-star players set to join the team next season. ESPNU and Rivals have both come out with their first round of high school football recruit rankings within the last week, each with a different perspective of where the Gators’ current commitments fall.

Quarterback Jeff Driskel (Oviedo, FL)
No. 14 – ESPNU (No. 1 QB)
No. 31 – Rivals (No. 1 QB)

Defensive end Jeoffrey Pagan (Asheville, NC)
No. 19 – ESPNU (No. 4 DE)
No. 25 – Rivals (No. 3 DE)

Tight end A.C. Leonard (Jacksonville, FL)
No. 66 – ESPNU (No. 7 ATH)
No. 89 – Rivals (No. 6 TE)

Athlete De’Ante Saunders (Deland, FL)
No. 74 – ESPNU (No. 8 ATH)
Outside top 250 – Rivals

Though Pagan is noted on the above list, he has come out publicly and said that he will be taking a number of official visits before his commitment is 100 percent solid to Florida. He is interested in schools closer to home but also has big-name programs like USC, Ohio State, Georgia and Tennessee vying for his services.

Rivals’ Mark Wheeler notes that the Gators are either targeting, being prominently mentioned by or in the mix for 29 more of the company’s top 100 recruits, including four players in the top 10: No. 2 linebacker Tony Steward (St. Augustine, FL), No. 3 ATH James Wilder, Jr. (Tampa, FL), No. 7 offensive tackle Cyrus Kouandjio (Hyattsville, MA) and No. 8 LB Curtis Grant (Richmond, VA).

Photo Credit: ESPN

Tags: A.C. Leonard, Curtis Grant, Cyrus Kouandjio, De'Ante Saunders, James Wilder, Jeff Driskel, Jeoffrey Pagan, Tony Steward