Location: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium – Gainesville, FL [Capacity: 88,548]
Weather Forecast: 89°F, 20% chance of precipitation
Time: 12:21 p.m. (EST)

TV: SEC Network [affiliates]
Sirius/XM: 219/200
Online Video: ESPN3.com
Online Audio: Yahoo!
Live Updates: @OnlyGators

Odds: Florida -15; O/U 50

HISTORY and STREAKS

» Saturday is the first-ever meeting between Florida and South Florida in football.
» The Gators are sporting an 11-game home winning streak and have won 21 consecutive regular season games. The Orange and Blue has a .897 (113-13) winning percentage at Florida Field since 1990, good for best in the nation.
» Under Meyer, Florida is 9-0 against intrastate opponents (5-0 vs. FSU, 1-0 vs. Miami, FIU, FAU and UCF).
» The Gators and Bulls were the only two teams in the country to record four interceptions in the first week of the 2010 season. This is the third time UF has picked off four balls under Meyer, the first time four different players did so.
» Florida is 8-3-2 all-time against Big East opponents.
» UF committed a nation-low 84 turnovers since 2005 and has had 23 games in which they did not give up a single turnover (best in the nation).
» The Gators limited Miami (OH) to 0.2 yards per carry last week, four rushing yards on 22 carries. This is the fewest allowed by a Florida defense since it held Tennessee to -11 rushing yards on Sept. 16, 2006.
» For the 20th time in 22 games, the Gators did not allow a single punt return yard.
» South Florida has won six of its last nine games against teams ranked in the Associated Press and/or USA Today Coaches Top 25 poll(s).
» Florida assistant head coach/defense and defensive line coach Dan McCarney was on staff at USF in 2007; co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach Chuck Heater worked with Holtz at Notre Dame in 1990.

KEEP AN EYE ON…

» Redshirt junior quarterback John Brantley…who is looking to rebound from a rough outing in which he started his first collegiate game. He has thrown 86 consecutive passes without an interception and has a 12-1 TD/INT ratio while playing for the Gators.
» Junior running back Jeff Demps…who had a career-long 72-yard rushing TD last week. Demps leads the nation in rushing yards per touch (7.8) since 2008 and yards per carry (7.9) since 2009; he complied 98 yards on Saturday.
» Florida’s veteran offensive line…which is hoping senior center Mike Pouncey has overcome his snap problems and continue to be a strong leader for the group.
» Redshirt junior wide receiver Chris Rainey…who has moved to the slot after playing running back for two seasons. Rainey hopes to be explosive while playing a modified “Percy Position” and could very well be the team’s best offensive weapon this season. He had a career-high six catches last week.
» Bulls starting QB B.J. Daniels…a dual-threat signal caller who draws comparisons to Michael Vick. Daniels went 15-of-22 for 264 yards and two TDs through the air and rushed five times for 23 yards and one TD on the ground last week against Stony Brook. He finished the 2009 season with 1,983 passing yards, 772 rushing yards and 23 total TDs, completing 53.7 percent of his passes and earning a QB rating of 139.55.
» Redshirt sophomore cornerback Jeremy Brown…who is now the team’s full-time starter opposite junior CB Janoris Jenkins. Brown missed last season with a back injury and is starting his first game Saturday.
» Redshirt freshman WR Andre Debose…who missed the entire 2009 season with a hamstring injury but is expected to make an immediate impact offensively. Debose did not play against Miami (OH) and will see the field for the first time against South Florida.
» Sophomore RB Mike Gillislee…who has achieved a run of more than 40 yards in back-to-back games, rushing for a 41-yard gain against Miami (OH) and a 52-yard gain in the 2010 Sugar Bowl.

INJURIES and INACTIVES
Injuries
Probable – Sophomore left tackle Xavier Nixon, redshirt freshman tight end Jordan Reed (knees), redshirt senior defensive tackles Terron Sanders and Lawrence Marsh
Doubtful – Freshman WR Chris Dunkley (hamstring)
Out – Redshirt sophomore LT Matt Patchan (wrist)

Inactives
None (will update closer to game time)

FLORIDA ON ESPN COLLEGE GAMEDAY

The Gators will be featured, in part, 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. In the first hour, Andrews, Desmond Howard and David Pollack will discuss what level of concern Florida should have for their team after a rough first week. Later in the show, Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit and Lee Corso will talk about the fumbling problems the Gators experienced against Miami (OH) and how easy or difficult it may be to get those fixed in a week’s time.

Read OGGOA’s Florida Gators vs. South Florida Bulls preview after the jump!
Continue Reading » Week 2: No. 6 Florida Gators v. South Florida Bulls

Tags: Andre Debose, B.J. Daniels, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Big East, Chris Dunkley, Chris Rainey, Chuck Heater, Dan McCarney, Desmond Parks, Janoris Jenkins, Jeff Demps, Jeremy Brown, John Brantley, Jordan Reed, Lawrence Marsh, Matt Patchan, Mike Gillislee, Mike Pouncey, Skip Holtz, South Florida Bulls, Terron Sanders, Urban Meyer, Xavier Nixon

Florida Gators head coach Urban Meyer met with the media after practice on Thursday and divulged a few important notes about the team’s second game Saturday against the South Florida Bulls. OGGOA has compiled some of the key details.

NIXON HEALTHY…BUT ACTIVE?

Sophomore left tackle Xavier Nixon (knee) has been cleared to play Saturday; whether or not he will actually step on the field (or how long he will play) is another subject all together. Though Nixon is healthy enough to participate in game action, the Gators may choose to let him heal for another week if offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Steve Addazio believes his unit will be steady enough without him.

On Wednesday, redshirt senior right guard Maurice Hurt, who has been filling in at right tackle while redshirt senior RT Marcus Gilbert has been playing on the left side, was under the impression that he would once again start there this week. “We’re still getting some guys back and we’re still shuffling the rotation, but for now I think I’m going to be at right tackle,” Hurt said. No matter what is decided Saturday, it looks like Nixon will return to his starting role against Tennessee the following week.

INJURY UPDATES

As Meyer predicted earlier in the week, it looks like redshirt freshman tight end Jordan Reed (knee) will be ready to go Saturday. Reed’s snaps may be limited, but his presence should allow for a more typical rotation at the position with him and sophomore wide receiver Omarius Hines as the primary plug-ins.

Meyer noted that freshman WR Chris Dunkley, who is still recovering from hamstring issues stemming from the conclusion of his high school career, is doubtful. With redshirt sophomore Frankie Hammond, Jr. (DUI) returning, redshirt freshman Andre Debose looking to get on the field and other receivers ahead of him knowledge-wise, Dunkley needs to get healthy while simultaneously learning the requirements of the position. Fellow freshman WR Quinton Dunbar is also hoping to see some action shortly.

Additionally, redshirt senior defensive tackles Terron Sanders and Lawrence Marsh will both be active and on the field playing Saturday against the Bulls.

BURTON BACKING UP; MURPHY STANDING IN

Last week we alerted you that the perception that freshman quarterback Tyler Murphy had replaced fellow freshman signal caller Trey Burton as the team’s primary backup behind redshirt junior starter John Brantley was likely a one-week scenario due to the fact that Burton was learning a bevy of other positions. Now that Reed is back in the mix at tight end and H-back, Burton has moved back to the No. 2 QB role (though he will likely see time on the field in other positions, too).

Simultaneously this week, Florida utilized Murphy as a stand-in for South Florida starting QB B.J. Daniels, a dual-threat player with a big arm and quick feet. Murphy apparently did well in this role during practice and was instrumental in helping the Gators prepare for their opponent this week.

For what it’s worth, Meyer continuously compares Burton’s talent and potential impact to that of former Florida stars WR Percy Harvin and TE Aaron Hernandez.

QUOTES

Meyer on Nixon’s starting status: “We don’t know that yet. That’s up to coach Addazio. We did talk about that today, and he hasn’t decided yet. Today’s practice was … key.”

Meyer on Dunkley’s progress: “He’s getting real close. He actually had a good day [Thursday]. I don’t know if he’ll get in this week [because] he’s had that hamstring forever. I wouldn’t say he was about 100 percent until last week. We’d like to get him involved. Same with Quinton Dunbar, who’s doing a nice job. [...] It’s just learning. [Dunkley] missed almost all of training camp. We’re in the season now and it’s hard to learn. We’re game-planning now. But he’s doing a good job. Talented guy.”

Special thanks to the Palm Beach Post and The Gainesville Sun.

Tags: Aaron Hernandez, Andre Debose, B.J. Daniels, Chris Dunkley, Frankie Hammond, John Brantley, Jordan Reed, Lawrence Marsh, Marcus Gilbert, Maurice Hurt, Omarius Hines, Percy Harvin, Quinton Dunbar, South Florida Bulls, Steve Addazio, Terron Sanders, Trey Burton, Tyler Murphy, Urban Meyer, Xavier Nixon

Head coach Urban Meyer meets 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.

PLAYERS SET TO RETURN SATURDAY

Meyer plans to have redshirt sophomore wide receiver Frankie Hammond, Jr., junior free safety Will Hill and redshirt senior left guard Carl Johnson back with the team for next Saturday’s game against South Florida after all three served suspensions during Florida’s opening game against Miami (OH). Though it is known that Hammond’s punishment came as part of his DUI arrest earlier in the summer, Meyer did not disclose the particular reasons for sitting Hill and Johnson.

On the injury front, Meyer believes redshirt freshman tight end Jordan Reed (knee) and sophomore left tackle Xavier Nixon (knee) will be able to play on Saturday. However, he is not as optimistic about redshirt sophomore LT Matt Patchan (wrist), who is still recovering.

ANOTHER SETBACK FOR MOSES

After three years of mostly playing special teams, senior cornerback Moses Jenkins was finally able to see the field as a starter on Saturday. Unfortunately for Jenkins, he hyperextended his left elbow while in action and will be out for at least six weeks. Redshirt sophomore Jeremy Brown, with whom Jenkins was competing with for the job during summer and fall practice, took over for him during the game even though he was nursing a sprained ankle. He is expected to be the starter this week.

Redshirt junior guard James Wilson was also injured during the game, but he will be fine to play on Saturday.

WEEK ONE CHAMPIONS

Meyer announced that eight Gators graded out as Champions after the Miami (OH) game. As indicated by the contest itself, seven were defensive players while only senior tackle Marcus Gilbert earned the honor on offense. The defenders who were awarded include Brown, junior CB Janoris Jenkins, senior safety Ahmad Black, redshirt junior defensive tackle Jaye Howard, senior defensive end Justin Trattou, sophomore linebacker Jon Bostic and redshirt senior LB A.J. Jones.

WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE SNAPPING?

After reviewing game tape, Meyer said he and offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Steve Addazio discovered that senior center Mike Pouncey was not locking his wrist while snapping the ball, causing it to come out at any number of different angles. It was also mentioned that redshirt junior quarterback John Brantley, in his first game as a starter, was not paying as much attention to the snap as he should have been, leading him to mishandle some bad snaps that nevertheless should have been corralled.

QUOTES (After the break…)
Continue Reading » 9/6: Urban Meyer’s Monday press conference

Tags: A.J. Jones, Ahmad Black, Andre Debose, Carl Johnson, Carl Moore, Deonte Thompson, Frankie Hammond, James Wilson, Janoris Jenkins, Jaye Howard, Jeremy Brown, John Brantley, Jon Bostic, Jordan Reed, Justin Trattou, Marcus Gilbert, Matt Patchan, Mike Gillislee, Mike Pouncey, Moses Jenkins, Skip Holtz, Urban Meyer, Will Hill, 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 Miami (OH) RedHawks in the first game of the 2010-11 season, which took place at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL.

QUARTERBACKS: C+
Starting off with perhaps the most difficult position to grade after Saturday, we have redshirt junior quarterback John Brantley, who did some things right but also had a role in a number of miscues throughout the game in regard to the team’s snapping issues. If you look strictly at his numbers, going 17-of-25 for 113 yards and two touchdowns is a pretty solid day, but a few of his incompletions were bad misses and his second touchdown was basically a wounded duck he threw up on a fourth down that was luckily brought down by redshirt junior wide receiver Chris Rainey in the end zone. Though it is tough to tell not being on the field, Brantley did not seem to show much leadership and even mishandled some bad snaps that he certainly could have corralled in. The offensive play calling did not help him either.

RUNNING BACKS: B-
Speaking of not getting a lot of help, the offensive line seemed unable to open up a single hole for the running backs at the start of the game. Aside from his 72-yard TD run, junior Jeff Demps carried the ball seven times 26 yards. The same goes for sophomore Mike Gillislee, who only notched 14 yards on five carries if you take away his 41-yard breakaway. But the truth is, both players did have those nice long runs and the rushers showed flashes as the game went on. We will also include freshman QB Trey Burton’s Wildcat snaps here, one of which went for a TD. Overall, the unit could have played better, but you have to give them some credit for putting the game out of reach.

Read the rest of Florida’s grades from the season opener after the jump…
Continue Reading » Grading the Florida Gators vs. Miami (OH) game

Tags: A.J. Jones, Ahmad Black, Andre Debose, Armand Robinson, Caleb Sturgis, Carl Johnson, Carl Moore, Chas Henry, Chris Rainey, Defensive Lineman of the Week, Deonte Thompson, James Wilson, Janoris Jenkins, Jaye Howard, Jeff Demps, Jelani Jenkins, Jeremy Brown, Joe Haden, John Brantley, Jon Bostic, Jordan Reed, Josh Evans, Lorenzo Edwards, Marcus Gilbert, Matt Elam, Miami RedHawks, Mike Gillislee, Mike Pouncey, Moses Jenkins, NFL, Omarius Hines, Scot Loeffler, SEC, Steve Addazio, Teryl Austin, Trey Burton, Urban Meyer, Will Hill, Zac Dysert, Zach Azzanni

Putting forth a lackluster showing in their first game of the 2010-11 season, the No. 3/4 Florida Gators edged the Miami (OH) RedHawks 34-12 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL. With so much to discuss following the contest, OGGOA presents some of the most important notes and quotes coming out of The Swamp on Saturday.

POUNCEY STRUGGLES AT CENTER

Senior center Mike Pouncey stayed in school rather than declare for the 2010 NFL Draft for the sole purpose of improving his stock while taking over for his brother in a position more highly coveted by scouts. In his first action at his new position, Pouncey had more than a dozen miscues, snapping the ball too low – or too wobbly – or just plain poorly. One mistake early in the game led directly to a turnover, but a number of others killed offensive momentum or put Florida in a hole early in their series.

“I take full credit for messing up the whole offense,” Pouncey admitted after the game. “It was all on me. I’m the leader of the offense and I let the guys down. I’m going to work my ass off and it won’t happen again. The ball just kept slipping out of my hand. I don’t know how the hell, but it just kept slipping out. We’ll have it fixed by next week. We’ve got USF so we’ll be looking forward to it. […] When we did get stuff going, I f—ed up the snap. And then when we did get stuff going again, s–t, we just kept fumbling. It won’t happen again. [...] It was my fault. I’m going to get in here in the morning to fix it. The ball kept slipping out. [...] I’m glad it happened in this kind of game – a game that we could have just went out there and won – but if we do it next week we won’t win the game. We weren’t worrying about [Miami] beating us.”

STARTERS SIT FOR DISCIPLINARY REASONS

Prior to the game, it was known that at least four starters and two others players would be out of action Saturday. However, it came as a surprise to some to see neither junior safety Will Hill nor redshirt junior left guard Carl Johnson on the field to start the game. As first noted by OGGOA on Twitter, both players were held out of action for disciplinary reasons. “We expect certain things in the classroom. We expect their behavior off the field. You expect a lot of things and if you don’t fulfill that you don’t play,” head coach Urban Meyer said. “Those two guys didn’t fulfill expectations.”

Sophomore S Josh Evans started in Hill’s place, and the Gators were forced to re-shuffle an already misaligned offensive line, putting redshirt junior right guard James Wilson in Johnson’s place at LG and starting redshirt freshman Jon Halapio at his RG spot. Sophomore linebacker Dee Finely (groin) was a late scratch as well.

PAGING ANDRE DEBOSE…COME IN ANDRE DEBOSE

Conspicuous by his absence was redshirt freshman wide receiver Andre Debose. After missing his true freshman season recovering from a hamstring injury, Debose had been performing well in practice and was deemed ready to go for the season opener. But even with Florida’s offensive struggles, Debose was nowhere to be found. Meyer mentioned that there was no intent to keep Debose off of the field, but he would certainly speak with WR coach Zach Azzanni about the situation.

NEW INJURIES OCCUR WHILE OTHERS HEAL

Senior cornerback Moses Jenkins, who earned the starting nod Saturday, appeared to injure his left elbow and forearm after landing on it awkwardly, was put in a sling on the sidelines and iced the area while walking to the locker room during the game. Wilson seemed to injure himself during the fourth quarter, but walked off of the field mostly under his own power. Though no updates were available on those two, Meyer said after the game that sophomore left tackle Xavier Nixon, senior defensive tackle Terron Sanders and redshirt freshman TE Jordan Reed (all of whom have knee injuries) should be active next Saturday against South Florida.

MOORE BLANKED WHILE HINES AND BURTON STEP UP

Meyer was not blowing smoke this fall when he said that sophomore WR Omarius Hines would be an important piece of the puzzle this season. With redshirt senior WR Carl Moore held catchless, Hines played his new hybrid tight end role and reeled in three catches for 49 yards and the team’s first offensive touchdown on the season on a 10-yard slant from redshirt junior quarterback John Brantley.

Also contributing the entire game was freshman QB Trey Burton, who played five offensive positions (QB, WR, TE, fullback, H-back) and got some work on special teams. He even notched a touchdown on a two-yard run from the wildcat formation. “I imagine he graded out a winner because he seems to do everything right,” Meyer commented. “Trey Burton is going to be a major impact [player] on this team.”

QUOTES (after the break…)
Continue Reading » Week 1: Gators post-game notes and quotes

Tags: Ahmad Black, Andre Debose, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Carl Johnson, Carl Moore, Dee Finely, Draft, James Wilson, Janoris Jenkins, Jaye Howard, Jeff Demps, John Brantley, Jon Bostic, Jon Halapio, Jordan Reed, Josh Evans, Miami RedHawks, Mike Pouncey, Moses Jenkins, NFL, Omarius Hines, Steve Addazio, Terron Sanders, Teryl Austin, The Swamp, Trey Burton, Urban Meyer, Will Hill, Xavier Nixon, Zach Azzanni

Location: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium – Gainesville, FL [Capacity: 88,548]
Weather Forecast: 91°F, 30% chance of precipitation
Time: 12:00 p.m. (EST)

TV: ESPN/ESPNHD
Sirius/XM: 220/199
Online Video: ESPN3.com
Online Audio: Yahoo!
Live Updates: @OnlyGators

Odds: Florida -38; O/U 54

HISTORY and STREAKS

» Florida is returning 43 letterwiners and 11 starters from the 2009 season – six on offense (junior running back Jeff Demps, redshirt junior wide receiver Deonte Thompson, senior center Mike Pouncey, sophomore left tackle Xavier Nixon, redshirt seniors guard Carl Johnson and right tackle Marcus Gilbert) and five on defense (senior safety Ahmad Black, junior cornerback Janoris Jenkins, redshirt seniors linebacker A.J. Jones and defensive tackle Terron Sanders, redshirt sophomore DT Omar Hunter).
» The Gators have a SEC-best opening day winning streak of 20 games and are 76-27 all-time to start the season (62-6 in Gainesville). Teams coached by Meyer at any point in his career are 18-5 to begin the season; he has 16-straight opening day victories.
» Florida is also sporting a 10-game home winning streak and has won 20 consecutive regular season games. The Orange and Blue has a .897 (113-13) winning percentage at Florida Field since 1990, good for best in the nation.
» Miami (OH) leads the all-time series against UF 1-0, defeating the Gators 16-7 in The Swamp in the 1973 Tangerine Bowl; Florida is 10-3 all-time against the MAC.
» The Gators are the only team in the nation to finish the season in the top three in both the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches’ polls in three of the past four years; Florida is also the only school in the country to be ranked in the top five of the preseason coaches’ poll in each of the last four years.
» The RedHawks’ passing offense and passing defense each ranked 23rd in the nation in 2009, respectively throwing for 273.2 and giving up 190.4 yards per game.
» UF committed a nation-low 81 turnovers since 2005 and has had 23 games in which they did not give up a single turnover (best in the nation).

KEEP AN EYE ON…

» Redshirt junior quarterback John Brantley…who will be starting the first game of his Florida career. In 2009, he went 36-of-48 for 410 yards and seven touchdowns. Brantley tossed 75 percent of his balls for completions and finished the year with a QB rating of 194.9. He has thrown 61 consecutive passes without an interception and has a 10-1 TD/INT ratio for his Gators career.
» Florida’s veteran offensive line…which has combined for 87 career starts and is led by Pouncey (32). That total is the highest among returning offensive linemen since Meyer’s first season as coach in 2005.
» Redshirt junior wide receiver Chris Rainey…who is moving to the slot after playing running back for two seasons. Rainey will be explosive while playing a modified “Percy Position” and could very well be the team’s best offensive weapon this season.
» Linebackers sophomore Jon Bostic and redshirt freshman Jelani Jenkins…who are each trying to win the starting role in the middle but will likely split snaps Saturday. The same goes for cornerbacks redshirt sophomore Jeremy Brown and senior Moses Jenkins, each of whom hope to win the job opposite junior Janoris Jenkins.
» Redshirt freshman WR Andre Debose…who missed the entire 2009 season with a hamstring injury but remains a five-star recruit expected to make an immediate impact.
» Junior kicker Caleb Sturgis…who set a UF record for field goal attempted in a season (30) in 2009 and had the second-highest total of field goals made in school history (22).
» Freshman QB Trey Burton…who has been receiving extra attention at tight end during practices and is one of Meyer’s favorite youngsters. With other TEs injured and developing, Burton may see action early and often.

INJURIES and INACTIVES
Injuries (All out)
Senior defensive tackle Terron Sanders (knee), redshirt freshman TE Jordan Reed (knee) left tackles redshirt sophomore Matt Patchan (wrist), sophomore Xavier Nixon (knee), sophomore LB Dee Finley

Inactives
Redshirt sophomore WR Frankie Hammond, Jr. (indefinite suspension), junior S Will Hill (team decision)

FLORIDA ON ESPN COLLEGE GAMEDAY

The host of the first game to air Saturday on ESPN, Florida will be profiled in part during the network’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. The main feature on the Gators will be a report from Tom Rinaldi focusing on Meyer’s decision to unretire one day after resigning from his job before the 2010 Sugar Bowl. Additionally, ESPN will feature a sound bite from Meyer talking about Florida’s offense, which will then be discussed by analysts Desmond Howard and David Pollack.

Read OGGOA’s Florida Gators vs. Miami RedHawks preview after the jump!
Continue Reading » Week 1: No. 3 Florida Gators vs. Miami RedHawks

Tags: A.J. Jones, Ahmad Black, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Caleb Sturgis, Carl Johnson, Chris Rainey, College GameDay, Debose, Dee Finley, Deonte Thompson, Erin Andrews, ESPN, Florida Field, Frankie Hammond, Janoris Jenkins, Jeff Demps, Jelani Jenkins, Jeremy Brown, John Brantley, Jon Bostic, Jordan Reed, MAC, Marcus Gilbert, Matt Patchan, Miami RedHawks, Michael Haywood, Mike Pouncey, Omar Hunter, Sugar Bowl, Tangerine Bowl, Terron Sanders, The Swamp, Tim Tebow, Trey Burton, Urban Meyer, Will Hill, Xavier Nixon, Zac Dysert

OGGOA had the opportunity to participate in Florida Gators head coach Urban Meyer’s Southeastern Conference teleconference on Wednesday (we will be doing so every week). Below are some notes from Meyer’s media availability (full transcript later):

» Meyer answering OGGOA’s question about redshirt junior wide receiver Chris Rainey’s importance to the offense: “It’s his year. He’s gonna perform. He’s ready for it. He’s up to almost 180 – 178 he told me yesterday. He’s stronger than he’s ever been. He’s now focused on a position that really his body is more trained to be. And he has to give us the home run shot, and he’s got the ability. There’s really not an offense who can function without a home run hitter. And he’s either one or two on our list of guys that can take it to the distance.”

» Asked about whether or not he was concerned about junior running back Jeff Demps returning kickoffs, Meyer said the team is being “very cautious” but “hopefully we don’t return many kicks.” He also noted that Demps getting injured is one of the team’s main concerns; he no longer participates in “non-essential running” drills during practice and the team is “very cautious” with him throughout the week. “He just goes 40 yards every time he touches it at warp speed.”

» Meyer refused to pick either redshirt sophomore Jeremy Brown or senior Moses Jenkins as the team’s No. 2 cornerback, saying the duo is both competing in practice and will split time.

» He went out of his way to give shout-outs to freshmen quarterback Trey Burton and safety Matt Elam, redshirt freshman linebacker Jelani Jenkins and sophomore LB Jon Bostic as four players who will soon become household names among Florida fans.

» Read the rest of what Meyer had to say…after the break!
Continue Reading » 9/1: Florida coach Meyer’s SEC teleconference

Tags: A.J. Jones, Chris Leak, Chris Rainey, Gator Nation, James Bates, Jeff Demps, Jelani Jenkins, Jeremy Brown, John Brantley, Jon Bostic, Jordan Reed, Matt Elam, Matt Flynn, Moses Jenkins, Norm Carlson, Ryan Stamper, SEC, Steve Spurrier, Terron Sanders, Tim Tebow, Trey Burton, Tyler Murphy, Urban Meyer

Game week practice for the Florida Gators‘ 2010 season opener is officially underway and, with their first game coming on Saturday at 12 p.m. against the Miami (OH) RedHawks, coaches and players hit the stage on Monday for their first regular season media availability. OGGOA has compiled some of the key details.

OPENING GAME INJURIES

Senior defensive tackle Terron Sanders (knee), left tackles redshirt sophomore Matt Patchan (wrist) and sophomore Xavier Nixon (knee) will all be out of action for the Gators’ home opener on Saturday. Redshirt freshman tight end Jordan Reed, who is nursing a deep knee bruise, is questionable but not likely to play.

STARTING LINEBACKERS NAMED

Head coach Urban Meyer made it a point to single out redshirt senior linebacker A.J. Jones as the team’s only confirmed starter for Saturday. He did, however, say that two of senior Brandon Hicks, sophomore Jon Bostic and redshirt freshman Jelani Jenkins will fill in the other two spots in the starting unit with those chosen being the players whom play best during the next few days of practice. Whoever is the lone non-starter will still see plenty of time on the field.

WIDE RECEIVER ROTATION REVEALED

Junior wide receiver Denote Thompson and redshirt senior Carl Moore, as expected, are the team’s two primary starters with redshirt junior Chris Rainey taking over the slot receiver role. Meyer announced Monday that redshirt freshman Andre Debose would play the X position and back-up Thompson, while freshman standout Robert Clark – who really impressed during camp – will be the main reserve for Rainey.

FIRST DEPTH CHART RELEASED

OFFENSE
QB: John Brantley – Tyler Murphy / Trey Burton
RB: Jeff Demps / Emmanuel Moody – Mike Gillislee / Mack Brown
FB: T.J. Pridemore – Gerald Christian
WR1: Deonte Thompson – Andre Debose – Quinton Dunbar
WR2: Carl Moore – Justin Williams
WR-S: Chris Rainey – Robert Clark
TE: Omarius Hines – Trey Burton / Jordan Reed
LT: Marcus Gilbert – Kyle Koehne
LG: Carl Johnson – Jonotthan Harrison
C: Mike Pouncey – Sam Robey – Nick Alajajian
RG: James Wilson – Jon Halapio – David Young
RT: Maurice Hurt – Nick Alajajian

DEFENSE
DE: Justin Trattou – Lerentee McCray / Dominique Easley
DT: Omar Hunter – Lawrence Marsh / Brandon Antwine
DT: Jaye Howard – Sharrif Floyd
DE: Duke Lemmens – William Green / Ronald Powell
SLB: A.J. Jones – Neiron Ball
MLB: Jon Bostic / Jelani Jenkins – Michael Taylor
WLB: Brandon Hicks – Lorenzo Edwards
CB1: Janoris Jenkins – Josh Shaw / Jaylen Watkins
CB2: Moses Jenkins / Jeremy Brown – Cody Riggs
FS: Will Hill – Josh Evans
SS: Ahmad Black – Matt Elam

SPECIAL TEAMS
K: Caleb Sturgis – Chas Henry
P: Chas Henry – David Lerner – Caleb Sturgis
LS: John Fairbanks (FG), Christopher Guido (P)
H: Chas Henry
KR: Jeff Demps – Chris Rainey / Mike Gillislee
PR: Chris Rainey – Janoris Jenkins

QUOTES and VIDEOS (after the break…)
Continue Reading » Week 1: Florida Gators Monday media availability

Tags: A.J. Jones, Andre Debose, Brandon Hicks, Carl Johnson, Carl Moore, Chris Rainey, Denote Thompson, Duke Lemmens, Jaye Howard, Jelani Jenkins, John Brantley, Jon Bostic, Jordan Reed, Justin Trattou, Marcus Gilbert, Matt Patchan, Miami RedHawks, Robert Clark, Ronald Powell, Terron Sanders, Urban Meyer, William Green, Xavier Nixon