Location: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium – Gainesville, FL [Capacity: 88,548]
Weather Forecast: 76°F, clear skies
Time: 7:00 p.m. (EST)

TV: ESPNU
Sirius/XM: 219/199
Online Video: N/A
Online Audio: Yahoo!
Live Updates: @OnlyGators

Odds: Florida -9; O/U 46

HISTORY and STREAKS

» Florida leads the all-time series 33-18-2 against Mississippi State, holding a 19-7-1 advantage in Gainesville. The Gators have won back-to-back games in the series, defeating the Bulldogs 35-9 in 2005 and 29-19 in Starkville, MS, last season.
» UF is 63-20-2 all-time in homecoming games and have won 21-straight on this occasion including 14 consecutive contests against conference opponents.
» Florida continues to lead the nation with 13 interceptions. Five have been returned for more than 30 yards – three for touchdowns.
» The Gators had gone 14-for-14 in the red zone over the previous two games with 13 touchdowns and a field goal. Against Alabama and LSU, UF went 4-8 in the same area. As a team they are now 21-for-27 in the red zone in 2010 with 19 touchdowns.
» Florida under Meyer is 40-0 when holding an opponent under 16 points, 29-2 when shutting an opponent out in the fourth quarter, 37-3 when holding an opponent to 35 percent or less on third down, 37-2 when giving up two or less big plays (15-yard run/25-yard pass) and 31-3 when the Gators defense scores or creates three turnovers.
» The Bulldogs are out-scoring opponents 58-17 in the first quarter while the Gators are being outscored 14-16 in the same period.
» Mississippi State has won three straight games for only the second time since 2000 and are looking for their first four-game winning streak since starting 8-0 in 1999. Florida is hoping to avoid its first three-game losing streak since 1999.
» MSU has only allowed seven touchdowns in 19 opponent trips to the red zone.
» The Bulldogs out-rank the Gators in four primary statistical averages going into the contest. Mississippi State is 72nd in passing yards (205), 24th in rushing yards (211.8), 45th in points scored (31.7) and 22nd in points against (17.5) compared to Florida being 87th in passing yards (183), 75th in rushing yards (140.7), 48th in points scored (31.0) and 37th in points against (20.2). Both lost to their common opponent, LSU, though MSU fell 29-7 on the road while UF lost 33-29 at home.
» Mississippi State’s Mullen was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Florida from 2005-08. Also on the staff at the same time was Bulldogs offensive line coach/running game coordinator John Hevsey. Mullen had coached under Meyer since 2001 (Bowling Green, Utah) before taking his first head coaching job and was also a graduate assistant at Syracuse where he worked with Gators offensive coordinator and OL coach Steve Addazio. The trio worked together from 1999-2000 at Notre Dame.
» Florida running backs coach and recruiting coordinator Stan Drayton coached at Mississippi State in 2004; Bulldogs’ head strength coach Matt Balis was on the Gators’ staff from 2005-06 and left with Mullen.
» No. 22 is the lowest Florida has been ranked in Meyer’s tenure. The Gators have been listed in every poll since he took over the team in 2005.

KEEP AN EYE ON…

FLORIDA
» Redshirt junior quarterback John Brantley…who had thrown 156 consecutive passes without an interception dating back to 2009, now has a 6-4 TD/INT ratio this season after throwing another pick last week. He has completed 105-of-169 passes (62.1 percent) for 1,056 yards and has a passer rating of 121.6.
» Redshirt freshman wide receiver Andre Debose…who has led UF in all-purpose yards each of the last two weeks posting 75 against Alabama and 163 against LSU including an 88-yard kickoff return touchdown.
» Freshman QB Trey Burton…who set a school record and SEC freshman record by scoring six touchdowns in a single game against Kentucky. He has nine scores on the season, has played five positions and may see more time behind center with the team wanting to run the ball better out of the option.
» Junior running back Jeff Demps…who has led the Gators in rushing in every game this season with totals of 98, 139, 73, 57 and 47 yards. He is averaging 6.5 yards per carry this year and is the nation’s active RB leader in yards per touch since 2008 (7.3).
» Redshirt junior WR Deonte Thompson…who is averaging almost 60 yards per game this season. As Brantley’s primary pass catcher, 18 of Thompson’s 23 receptions this year have been for first downs.
» Redshirt senior WR Carl Moore…who continues to be clutch for the Gators each week. Eleven of Moore’s last 12 catches have been for first downs including two against Tennessee, four against Kentucky, two against Alabama and three against LSU.
» Florida’s secondary…which has intercepted eight balls this season but has been held without a pick for back-to-back contests. Senior safety Ahmad Black (three), redshirt sophomore CB Jeremy Brown (three) and junior cornerback Janoris Jenkins (two) and are leading the way for the unit. Brown returned one for a touchdown last week, and Black is tops on the team with 50 tackles on the year while also being the conference’s active leader in interceptions (11) and interception return yards (233).
» Redshirt freshman linebacker Jelani Jenkins…who is coming on strong for the Gators with 35 tackles on the season. He intercepted his first pass last week against LSU, returning it 47 yards and setting up a touchdown for the offense, and had a career-high and team-leading eight tackles against Kentucky earlier in the year.
» Senior punter Chas Henry…who is the end-all be-all of Florida’s kicking game now that he has taken over for junior Caleb Sturgis (back) as the team’s field goal kicker. Henry missed two field goals on one drive (the first was negated by a penalty) last week after scoring all of his team’s points on two field goals against Alabama.

MISSISSIPPI STATE
» Junior RB Vick Ballard…who has already scored 12 touchdowns this year and has reached the end zone in every game while leading the SEC with a total of 72 points and 11 rushing scores. Ballard also has 58 carries for 418 yards (7.2 average) and three receptions for 50 yards.
» Junior QB Chris Relf…who leads his team in passing and rushing attempts. Relf completes 59.3 percent of his passes and has thrown for 675 yards and five touchdowns along with three interceptions. He has also rushed 65 times for 295 yards and a score.
» Sophomore WR Chad Bumphis…who has a team-high 32 receptions for 431 yards and four touchdowns on the season as MSU’s primary pass catcher.
» Senior LBs Chris White and K.J. Wright…who have been huge defensive playmakers for the Bulldogs. White leads the team with 7.5 tackles for loss and 46 total tackles, while Wright has 42 total tackles and seven pass break-ups (tops in the SEC).

INJURIES and INACTIVES
Injuries
Active – Redshirt junior QB John Brantley (ribs, thumb, shoulder), redshirt junior WR Deonte Thompson (concussion), redshirt freshman right guard Jon Halapio (finger)
Questionable – Junior RB Jeff Demps (foot), sophomore RB Mike Gillislee (foot), freshman safety Matt Elam (concussion)

Inactives
Redshirt sophomore LT Matt Patchan (broken wrist), senior CB Moses Jenkins (hyperextended elbow), redshirt senior DT Brandon Antwine (shoulder), junior kicker Caleb Sturgis (back), sophomore linebacker Dee Finley (fractured collarbone), freshmen WRs Quinton Dunbar and Chris Dunkley (hamstrings)

FLORIDA ON ESPN COLLEGE GAMEDAY

The Gators are not set to be heavily featured in during ESPN’s College GameDay broadcast beginning at 9 a.m. on ESPNU (hosted by Erin Andrews) and continuing from 10 a.m. until noon on ESPN. From what we hear ESPN is not planning to specifically talk about Florida other than during a “State of Florida” segment and when the analysts pick games at the end of the program.

Read OGGOA’s Florida Gators vs. Miss. State Bulldogs preview after the jump!
Continue Reading » Week 7: No. 22 Florida Gators vs. MSU Bulldogs

Tags: Ahmad Black, Andre Debose, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Brandon Antwine, Caleb Sturgis, Carl Moore, Chad Bumphis, Chas Henry, Chris Dunkley, Chris Relf, Chris White, Dan Mullen, Dee Finley, Deonte Thompson, Janoris Jenkins, Jeff Demps, Jelani Jenkins, Jeremy Brown, John Brantley, John Hevsey, Jon Halapio, K.J. Wright, Matt Balis, Matt Elam, Matt Patchan, Mike Gillislee, Mississippi State Bulldogs, Moses Jenkins, Omarius Hines, Quinton Dunbar, SEC, Stan Drayton, Steve Addazio, Trey Burton, Urban Meyer, Vick Ballard

Florida Gators defensive coordinator and cornerbacks coach Teryl Austin and co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach Chuck Heater spoke to the media Wednesday taking a look back on the tough loss to the LSU Tigers and ahead to the match-up against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at home on Saturday night.

WHAT’s UP WITH WILL HILL?

A five-star recruit coming out of high school, special teams dynamo and one of the reasons now-senior safety Ahmad Black was partially forced out of his starting job last year, junior S Will Hill missed the first two games of the 2010 season due to team discipline and has not been the same since. Heater says the Hill is struggling most with his tackling but that the staff remains confident he will turn things around.

“He’s had some missed tackles. That’s a situation you’re always coaching against on the back end because a missed tackle on the back end can become a problem in a hurry,” Heater said. “He’s not the only guy [doing that], but he’s a guy we’re trying to improve and he’s trying to improve and get where he wants to get to.”

ELAM’s CONCUSSION KEEPS HIM OUT

Speaking of the secondary, freshman S Matt Elam (who has been playing nickel cornerback this year) was concussed during the LSU game. He has yet to practice this week and could be held out of the Mississippi State game if he does not improve later in the week. “He’s getting close, missed a few days this week but he’s getting closer,” Heater told the media Wednesday. “He observed practice today. We’ll reevaluate tomorrow. They have a whole systematic approach to these things so I just defer to the trainers. I think he’s making progress. He’s certainly better than he was two days ago and he’s able to do more things today than he did yesterday, so he’s making progress.”

The Palm Beach Post’s Jason Lieser spoke with Elam’s high school coach, Jack Daniels, who said he has never had a concussion before.

QUOTES (After the break…)
Continue Reading » 10/13: Austin, Heater talk defensive improvement

Tags: Ahmad Black, Chuck Heater, Jelani Jenkins, LSU Tigers, Matt Elam, Mississippi State Bulldogs, Teryl Austin, Will Hill

Florida Gators offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Steve Addazio, assistant head coach and defensive line coach Dan McCarney, redshirt freshman wide receiver Andre Debose, redshirt senior running back Emmanuel Moody, redshirt freshman linebacker Jelani Jenkins and freshman quarterback Trey Burton spoke to the media Tuesday as the team took a final look back on its close loss to the LSU Tigers and ahead to its match-up against the Mississippi State Bulldogs on Saturday.

BOOING DOESN’T BOTHER ADDAZIO

Addazio was booed during Florida’s final scoring drive on Saturday, something he has claims does not bother him. In fact, he has taken the incident in stride and understands what is expected of him and the offense.

“I really don’t pay much attention to any of that stuff,” he said on Tuesday. “You are locked into the game. What I really hear in that game is just the energy from the game. I’ve got so much going on; I’ve got headsets on. […] Hey, this is not a sport for the thin-skinned now. It’s a tough business and I think we’ve talked about this before here. You came here for a reason – [there are] high expectations, that’s why you’re here, that’s what it’s all about. You better embrace that. If you don’t embrace that, then you are at the wrong place.”

DEBOSE A READY FOR PRIME TIME PLAYER

Showing his playmaking ability with an 88-yard kickoff return and some other nice passing routes on Saturday, Debose has proven to coaches that he deserves more touches and should be a bigger part of the Gators offense. “He’s emerging as a guy that can make a play. You can see that. It’s really nice to see that. He’s a guy that can make plays,” noted Addazio. “[He’s improving because of] experience and getting on the field and doing it and gaining all that confidence and that trust. That’s what’s happening with him right now.”

The player agrees with his coach’s assessment. “[It was] just picking up the plays. Just feeling comfortable and making the coaches feel real comfortable with me and the ball and everything,” Debose said. “It was just the little things as far as reading coverages on the run and stuff that takes time and takes more game experience.”

POWELL MOVED TO LINEBACKER

One interesting tidbit coming out of the media availability Tuesday was McCarney confirming that five-star freshman defensive end Ronald Powell has been moved to the strong outside linebacker position for the remainder of the season. Powell, who also played tight end in high school, is more than athletic enough to play the position and coaches feel he is a better fit at linebacker right now. Expect him to head back to defensive end after the year is over.

POSSIBILITY OF A FAKE WAS BROUGHT UP

Asked whether or not the concept of a fake field goal was discussed with the field goal blocking unit prior to LSU running that exact play, Jenkins told the that it was part of the team’s conversation during the timeout. This confirms what a handful of other players said after the game.

QUOTES (After the break…)
Continue Reading » 10/12: Addazio not bothered, Debose poised

Tags: Andre Debose, Dan McCarney, Dan Mullen, Emmanuel Moody, Jeff Demps, Jelani Jenkins, LSU Tigers, Mississippi State Bulldogs, Ronald Powell, Steve Addazio, The Swamp, Trey Burton

Continuing a season of ups-and-downs, the No. 22/22 Florida Gators (4-2, 2-2 SEC) lost their second-straight game on Saturday, this time to the No. 9/9 LSU Tigers (6-0, 4-0 SEC) at home at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL. With so much to discuss, OGGOA presents some important notes and quotes.

BRANTLEY MORE HURT THAN LET ON?

Though the coaching staff downplayed his injuries all week, redshirt junior starting quarterback John Brantley was dealing with a number of issues going into the game, reports ESPN’s Joe Shad. According to a “source close to the quarterback,” Brantley has “hairline fractures in four ribs and wore a reinforced protective vest in the game.” Apparently Brantley also has a small fracture in his thumb and was unable to throw on Thursday and Friday because of shoulder issues that resulted from him “overcompensating for the rib injury early in the week.”

Playing injured, Brantley still managed to complete two-thirds of his passes for 154 yards but did give up an interception on a tipped ball at the line of scrimmage. His offensive line did not provide him much help throughout the night, allowing him to be sacked three times and roughed up on a number of other plays.

Brantley continues to refute this report, stating that his ribs are neither cracked nor fractured and that his thumb is just sprained.

DEFENSE SHREDDED BY RUN, PASS

Going into the game LSU’s offense was labeled as questionable with a strong running game but a two-quarterback system that did not have a truly great passer. The Tigers were successful on both the ground and through the air on Saturday, rushing for 161 yards including 88 from starting running back Stevan Ridley and 50 from starting QB Jordan Jefferson; Jefferson and QB Jarrett Lee also matched Brantley’s completion percentage while tossing for a combined 224 yards and two touchdowns. Part of LSU’s success was due to the superior play of wide receiver Terrance Tolliver, who roasted Florida’s secondary to the tune of six receptions for 111 yards and two touchdowns including the game-winner. The Tigers had long scoring drives of 40, 77, 39, 38 and 62 yards on the evening.

SPECIAL TEAMS NOT-SO SPECIAL

In a game where Gators redshirt freshman WR Andre Debose returned a kickoff 88 yards for a touchdown, one would think the special teams would be a standout unit. Unfortunately senior punter/kicker Chas Henry missed two makeable field goals on one drive (the first was negated due to a LSU holding penalty), Debose botched the handling of the game’s initial kickoff and junior cornerback Janoris Jenkins drew an unacceptable unsportsmanlike conduct penalty by spiking by the ball after running a punt back out near midfield (the punt was already coming back due to a block in the back call, Jenkins’ penalty made it worse).

That is not to mention the field goal unit either being unprepared for or failing to contain Tigers kicker Jordan Jasper on his fake field goal in the waning moments of the game.

MOORE BREAKS OUT, FINALLY

Though he has been clutch all season with his third- and fourth-down conversions, Florida redshirt senior WR Carl Moore hand a standout performance Saturday. He caught four balls for 95 yards including a huge 51-yard third down conversion on the team’s final scoring drive that was the Gators’ longest completion of the season and a career-high catch for Moore.

INJURIES (AND A TURNOVER)

With junior RB Jeff Demps surprisingly being held out of the game with a sprained foot, Florida relied on redshirt senior Emmanuel Moody and sophomore Mike Gillislee to carry the load. Moody responded by giving up a fumble after a 17-yard gain as the Gators were trying to put some point on the board at the end of the first half. Gillislee ended up hurting himself and only carried the ball six times for 20 yards with a touchdown. In fact, freshman QB Trey Burton (who had 30 yards alone on one scoring drive) ended up leading the team with nine rushes for 35 yards and a score.

In another adjustment, offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Steve Addazio shifted his starting line around sitting sophomore right tackle Xavier Nixon who has been dealing with a knee injury (and did not have a great week of practice). Redshirt freshman right guard Jon Halapio started instead with redshirt senior Maurice Hurt shifting over to fill Nixon’s tackle position. That would not last for long, however, as Halapio broke a finger in the second quarter and replaced on the line by Nixon with Hurt moving back to guard.

Redshirt junior WR Deonte Thompson was also hurt early in the fourth quarter and did not return to the game. Freshman safety Matt Elam was also knocked around late into the contest. Both players are suspected to have suffered concussions.

QUOTES (After the break…)
Continue Reading » Week 6: Gators post-game news and notes

Tags: Andre Debose, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Carl Moore, Chas Henry, Deonte Thompson, Emmanuel Moody, Janoris Jenkins, Jarrett Lee, Jeff Demps, Jelani Jenkins, John Brantley, Jon Halapio, Jordan Jasper, Jordan Jefferson, Les Miles, LSU Tigers, Matt Elam, Maurice Hurt, Mike Gillislee, SEC, Stevan Ridley, Steve Addazio, Terrance Tolliver, The Swamp, Trey Burton, Urban Meyer, Xavier Nixon

The Swamp was rocking Saturday night, orange jerseys were worn for the first time since 1989 and redemption was on their minds, but the No. 12/14 Florida Gators (4-2, 2-2 SEC) failed to stop the No. 9/12 LSU Tigers (6-0, 4-0 SEC) on their final possession. Through a fake field goal and 62-yard game-winning drive, LSU defeated Florida 33-29 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL.

Tigers quarterback Jarrett Lee threw a three-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Terrence Toliver with six seconds left in the game for the win. The opportunity presented itself after LSU successfully converted a fake field goal attempt on 4th and 3 from Florida’s 36 yard line with 35 seconds remaining. They advanced to the Gators’ three after Tolliver caught a short pass and turned it into a 28-yard gain.

Both teams started slow in the first quarter with LSU striking first on a 45-yard field goal from kicker Josh Jasper. Florida redshirt junior defensive tackle Jaye Howard pushed LSU back a bit on its opening drive with a big tackle for loss on first down before the score. On the ensuing possession, Gators freshman WR Andre Debose mishandled a kickoff, putting the offense in a hole. Redshirt junior QB John Brantley was nearly sacked in the end zone but two LSU penalties gave Florida some breathing room.

Punting the ball after stalling on their own 42, the Gators would get it back quickly as redshirt freshman linebacker Jelani Jenkins intercepted Tigers QB Jordan Jefferson, returning it 47 yards to the LSU 17. Five plays later, redshirt freshman tight end Jordan Reed rushed for a one-yard touchdown, giving UF a 7-3 lead to start the second quarter.

Louisiana State would answer right away, utilizing big rushes by running backs Stevan Ridley and Michael Ford to complete a 13-play, 77-yard drive that resulted in a one-yard touchdown run by Jefferson.

Florida’s offensive line struggled to protect Brantley on the next series (as well as most of the game), forcing them to punt once again. Luckily for the Gators, Patrick Peterson muffed the punt while receiving pressure from Florida cornerback Cody Riggs; it was recovered by safety Ahmad Black and gave UF its second turn in the red zone as the result of a turnover. The Gators capitalized with a rushing touchdown from freshman QB Trey Burton to go back up 14-10.

After a defensive stand, Florida junior CB Janoris Jenkins returned a punt nearly to midfield that was called back to the Gators’ five after concurrent block in the back and unsportsmanlike conduct penalties (Jenkins spiked the ball upon getting up). Stuck near the goal line, Brantley was nearly sacked in the end zone again as the offensive line continued to be overwhelmed by the Tigers.

LSU would end the first half strong, scoring on a short field via a 38-yard pass to Tolliver and capitalizing on a fumble by Florida redshirt senior RB Emmanuel Moody by kicking a 39-yard field goal to go into the locker rooms with a 20-14 lead.

The Gators started the second half with gusto, putting together a 15-play, 70-yard drive in which Burton accounted for 30 yards. However, two missed field goals by senior punter/kicker Chas Henry (the first was negated by a holding penalty) left Florida without a single point. On UF’s next possession, Brantley had a pass deflected at the line that was intercepted inside the 40. The Tigers capitalized with Jefferson rushing for his second touchdown of the game just eight plays later.

Down 12 things looked bleak for Florida, but Debose answered quickly for the Gators with an electric 88-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Four possessions later, Brantley hit redshirt senior WR Carl Moore for a huge 51-yard gain to get Florida inside LSU’s 30. Sophomore WR Omarius Hines ran a reverse into the end zone, but a block in the back by sophomore WR Frankie Hammond, Jr. negated the score. However, the Gators kept the pressure on and scored two plays later on a rushing touchdown by sophomore RB Mike Gillislee to complete the 10-play, 80-yard drive. Hammond would catch a two-point conversion attempt from Brantley to give Florida a 29-26 lead with 3:21 remaining on the clock.

Up three points all the Gators hoped for on the next drive was a defensive stop, but the Tigers resisted by getting over a big defensive play on 3rd and 1 from Florida’s 34 with the fake field goal and subsequent touchdown pass to Tolliver.

LSU accounted for 385 yards of total offense in the game with 111 coming from Tolliver, 88 from Ridley, 150 combined from Jefferson and 124 on 9-of-11 passing from Lee. Moore led the way for Florida’s offense with 95 yards on four receptions. Burton gained 35 yards on the ground and Brantley completed 16-of-24 passes for 154 yards as UF totaled 243 yards. The Tigers also outgained the Gators in first downs (20-9), rushing (161-89), passing (224-154), time of possession (34:08-25:52) and sacks (3-1).

Florida hopes to rebound from back-to-back losses for the first time since 2007 next week as they face Mississippi State on Saturday during homecoming in Gainesville, FL. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m., and the game will air live on ESPNU.

Photo Credit: John Raoux/Associated Press

Tags: Ahmad Black, Andre Debose, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Carl Moore, Chas Henry, Cody Riggs, Emmanuel Moody, Florida Gators, Frankie Hammond, Janoris Jenkins, Jarrett Lee, Jaye Howard, Jelani Jenkins, John Brantley, Jordan Jefferson, Jordan Reed, LSU Tigers, Michael Ford, Mike Gillislee, Omarius Hines, Patrick Peterson, Stevan Ridley, Terrence Toliver, Trey Burton

A number of Florida Gators players spoke to the media on Wednesday as the team takes a look back on its 48-14 home victory over the Kentucky Wildcats and ahead to its match-up against the No. 1/1 Alabama Crimson Tide on the road on Saturday.

Linebackers and special teams coach D.J. Durkin, redshirt senior running back Emmanuel Moody, sophomore right tackle Xavier Nixon and redshirt freshman LB Jelani Jenkins all had plenty to say…which you can read after the break!
Continue Reading » 9/29: Gators players, coaches speak to media

Tags: D.J. Durkin, Duke Lemmens, Emmanuel Moody, Heisman Trophy, Jeff Demps, Jelani Jenkins, John Brantley, Mark Ingram, Trey Burton, Xavier Nixon

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

Head coach Urban Meyer and a small group of players meet with the media each Monday after the Florida Gators participate in a game the previous Saturday. OGGOA has compiled some of the most important notes and quotes from the event this week.

AILING DEMPS SHOULD PLAY SATURDAY

Junior running back Jeff Demps aggravated a foot injury on Saturday against the Kentucky Wildcats, something that forced him to get X-rays after the game (they were negative). Doctors have diagnosed Demps with a sprained foot and have placed him in a temporary boot so it can heal for a few days before he returns to practice. “[We are] hearing positive things about [Demps returning] later in the week,” Meyer said Monday. “We’ll update you as we go. It’s not broken. It’s not a stress fracture. [The X-ray] came back negative. Now [we] just gotta get him healthy. […] I think we are going to have Demps, so I’d rather not even think that way.”

WEEK FOUR CHAMPIONS

Meyer announced that 24 Florida players graded out as Champions after the Kentucky game, more than double any other game so far this season. Freshman quarterback Trey Burton, redshirt junior QB John Brantley and redshirt junior defensive tackle Jaye Howard were singled out as Players of the Week.

Offensively, senior center Mike Pouncey; wide receivers redshirt junior Denote Thompson, redshirt senior Carl Moore and redshirt sophomore Frankie Hammond, Jr.; running backs Demps, redshirt senior Emmanuel Moody and sophomore Mike Gillislee; redshirt senior left guard Carl Johnson; redshirt senior left tackle Marcus Gilbert; redshirt senior right guard Maurice Hurt; sophomore right tackle Xavier Nixon; and redshirt freshman G Jon Halapio were honored. Nine players on defense – senior defensive ends Justin Trattou and Duke Lemmens; safeties senior Ahmad Black and junior Will Hill; cornerbacks junior Janoris Jenkins and redshirt sophomore Jeremy Brown; linebackers redshirt senior A.J. Jones and redshirt freshman Jelani Jenkins; and redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Omar Hunter – shined Saturday.

It appears that there were even more Champions this week, but Meyer said there were too many to name. “There’s too many names on there to get into each one of them,” he said.

Burton was also named the Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week on Monday for his school-record six touchdown performance. He is the fifth Florida player this year to win a weekly SEC honor and the second to win Freshman of the Week.

QUOTES (After the break…)
Continue Reading » 9/27: Urban Meyer’s Monday press conference

Tags: A.J. Jones, Ahmad Black, Carl Johnson, Carl Moore, Chaz Green, Dan McCarney, Deonte Thompson, Duke Lemmens, Emmanuel Moody, Frankie Hammond, Freshman of the Week, Greg McElroy, Ian Silberman, Janoris Jenkins, Jaye Howard, Jeff Demps, Jelani Jenkins, Jeremy Brown, John Brantley, Jon Halapio, Justin Trattou, Kentucky Wildcats, Marcus Gilbert, Mark Ingram, Matt Elam, Maurice Hurt, Mike Gillislee, Mike Pouncey, Omar Hunter, Omarius Hines, SEC, Solomon Patton, Trey Burton, Will Hill, Xavier Nixon, Zach Azzanni