ONLY GATORS Get Out Alive » Joshua Shaw

FOUR Tebow BITS: Top 10, marketing, support TWO BITS: early enrollees, Shaw’s destination

Adam Silverstein — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 06:14:27 +0000

1 » The Late Show with David Letterman, one of if not the most popular late-night talk show in the United States, has aired a famous Top 10 list every evening since its inception. On Tuesday night, that list was based on little-known facts about Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow. Thanks to Twitter follower Erica S. for the heads-up.

2 » Six Florida Gators 2012 commitments have already enrolled early and begun their college careers this spring. As of press time, three-star defensive back Willie Bailey (Hallandale, FL), four-star guard Jessamen Dunker (Boynton Beach, FL), five-star tackle D.J. Humphries (Charlotte, NC), four-star JUCO defensive tackle Damien Jacobs (Scooba, MS), four-star linebacker Antonio Morrison (Bolingbrook, IL) and four-star wide receiver Latroy Pittman have joined the team and will participate in spring practice. However, three-star defensive end Quinteze Williams (Tyrone, GA) – who was expected to enroll early with his teammates – has not yet had his transcript approved by the NCAA Clearninghouse, according to ESPN.com. Williams and the school hope to have the situation “resolved by the end of the week” but worst-case scenario he can just enroll with the rest of the signees in the summer.

3 » Speaking of Tebow, a new article in Advertising Age takes a look at his marketing potential following a eventful and successful season. Rich Thomaselli believes Tebow “could become a $10 million a year endorser if he keeps delivering like he did over the weekend,” sourcing sports-marketing experts like Bob Dorfman of Baker Street Advertising. “He’s become an icon; he’s bigger than football,” Dorfman said. “He has the kind of marketing potential that could put him in the Tom Brady or Peyton Manning category.” Another executive, Darin David of The Marketing Arm, believes Tebow has already hit that category. “I’m not so sure he didn’t get to the $10 million level already after Sunday,” he said. “To do that in the playoffs, to do that against a team like the [Pittsburgh] Steelers, the game that was the highest-rated [wild card] playoff game in 20-something years? As a marketer, you want somebody like that. He doesn’t have the same kind of negative backlash as other players. He is just so newsworthy right now that you would want to capitalize on that.”

4 » On a conference call with New England media Tuesday, Tebow spoke about a number of topics heading into his second playoff game on Saturday.

On what he did to celebrate Sunday’s victory: “Honestly just when we left the stadium, I just went home and hung out with my close family, a few friends, my brothers and sisters and brothers-in-law, just hung out at the house and played with my nieces and nephews and had a good time.”

On if Sunday’s win matched his big wins at Florida: “I definitely was very blessed to have some great memories at Florida and very blessed to have some great teammates and special relationships and special wins.”

On how he and his teammates deal with the attention he gets: “For the most part it’s not like it’s something that you ask for. It’s something that, when they know that you care about them and that’s what matters, and you care about going out there and trying to get better every day and trying to be a great teammate, I don’t think they see the rest. Hopefully they see you as a friend and a teammate, and the rest is something that we laugh at and sometimes they make fun of you for.”

On going head-to-head with linebacker Brandon Spikes: “Yeah, that’ll be a lot of fun. I’ve gone against him enough times in practice. All of those spring practices we had, we had some fun going against each other. You’d like him on your team, but it’ll still be fun going against him. He’s a great player, and I wish him nothing but the best, and I look forward to giving him a hug. [...] I remember a few times in some spring practices when he might have hit me a little light when I had one of those red jerseys on. He wasn’t supposed to hit me but he kind of gave me a little nudge.”

5 » Former Gators defensive back Joshua Shaw, who decided to transfer from the program after the regular season and was expected to attend UCLA next year, will instead transfer to USC, according to ESPNLosAngeles.com. Shaw, who wanted to return to the west coast and play closer to home, will be able to do so at a “prestigious school right around the corner,” his high school coach Jeff Williams told the website. ESPNLosAngeles also reports that Shaw will apply for a hardship waiver due to health problems in his family which could allow him to play in 2012 rather than wait until 2013.

6 » Tebow has been receiving plenty of support from around the sports landscape, but Phoenix Suns head coach Alvin Gentry went out of his way to praise the Denver quarterback after his team’s game Sunday evening. Gentry spent his entire post-game press conference talking about Tebow, which you can watch below:

The Suns team also had some fun with Tebow on Sunday. According to ValleyoftheSuns.com, Hakim Warrick Tebowed during the pregame huddle and a number of players were watching the Broncos game in the locker room before their contest began. In fact, Phoenix players “may wear Tebow jerseys to shootaround on Tuesday in Los Angeles in part to have some fun with trainer Aaron Nelson” (a big Pittsburgh fan). Thanks to reader Steven for the heads-up.

TWO BITS: Senior Bowl, transfer destinations

Adam Silverstein — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 22:30:53 +0000

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

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

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

Top 11 for 2011: Off the Field Stories of the Year

Adam Silverstein — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 15:41:51 +0000

For as much as the Florida Gators accomplished on the field in 2011 (check out Saturday’s post), the Gator Nation was making plenty of news off of it as well. From former players ending their accomplished careers to coaches and current players being part of some of the biggest news stories this year, Florida was spread all over the sports landscape in 2011. Below are OGGOA‘s Top 11 Off the Field Stories of the Year.

11 » LEGAL ISSUES/EMBARRASSMENTS HANG OVER PROGRAM
Like 2009 and 2010, Florida could not escape its share of unfortunate arrests and embarrassing incidents in 2011. It started simply enough early in February when a pair of Gators swimmers – Lily Ramirez and Daniela Victoria – were arrested and indefinitely suspended from the team after being accused of shoplifting from Nordstrom at the Orlando Mall. Next up was Florida senior outfielder Bryson Smith, who was picked up on March 13 for driving under the influence. Oakland Raiders wide receiver Louis Murphy was arrested in Gainesville, FL three weeks later and charged with a trio of misdemeanors for failing to obey a police officer, possession of a drug (Viagra) without a valid prescription and resisting arrest without violence. The month of April was a tough one for the basketball team. Forwards Erik Murphy and Cody Larson were arrested in St. Augustine, FL and charged with third-degree felony burglary charges after allegedly breaking into a car, and team manager Josh Adel was also arrested for principal to burglary for allegedly serving as a lookout. Charges against the players were eventually reduced and each settled their respective case, while Adel had all charges against him dropped. Additionally, former Florida F Dan Wener was charged with a DUI even though he blew below the legal limit (0.08) on the Breathalyzer twice. The State Attorney’s Office eventually dropped his charges due to insufficient evidence to sustain a conviction.

Unfortunately the year of brushes with the law was just getting started for the Gators. It surfaced on April 24 via a news report that both linebacker Chris Martin and defensive end Kendric Johnson were cited with misdemeanors for possessing approximately two grams of marijuana each in their respective vehicles on separate occasions. Former Florida WR Reche Caldwell was arrested one month later for possession of marijuana and driving with a suspended license. Gators runner Andries Dumisane Hlaselo had the darkest arrest of the year, being picked up in June after being accused of rape and sexual assault. He was immediately dismissed from the team. The Florida football team had the remainder of the year’s arrests. Sophomore safety Matt Elam was cited for underage drinking for the second time in as many years in July, and an August report noted that freshman defensive back De’Ante Saunders was cited for misdemeanor possession of marijuana in May. Redshirt sophomore linebacker Dee Finely was arrested on Sept. 13 on a first-degree misdemeanor for driving a scooter with a suspended license as well as a third-degree felony for resisting arrest without violence, and freshman cornerback Marcus Roberson was served with a written arrest for underage drinking just one day later. Sophomore defensive tackle Dominique Easley had the last brush with the law of 2011 as he was accused of attacking a former Alabama player early in October but was cleared of the charges one month later. All-in-all, for every positive thing accomplished by the Gators in 2011, there always seemed to be something negative about the program just around the corner.

10 » SIX BECOME A PART OF THE GATOR NATION IN THE SKY; THREE SUFFER SERIOUS MEDICAL ISSUES DURING THE YEAR
It would be difficult to recount everything that Gator Nation has gone through in 2011 without remembering those close to the University of Florida who left us for a better place or suffered through serious medical issues in the past year. Young and old, these Gators departed too soon or had plenty to deal with as the year went on. Jimmy Carnes (76), a former Gators track and field coach, passed away in March after losing a four-year battle with prostate cancer. Former linebacker/safety and three-time Super Bowl winner Godfrey Myles (42) suffered a massive heart attack in June and, while in the hospital on life support, had a stroke that took his life. Former punter and 12-year NFL veteran Don Chandler (76) also lost a long battle with cancer in August. Mike Heimerdinger (58), who was diagnosed with cancer early in the year, passed away in October. He was a former graduate assistant and wide receivers coach at Florida and won consecutive SEC titles with the team from 1984-85. Ending the year on a sad note, beloved Gainesville, FL businessman and former Gators long snapper Harold Monk III (42) died suddenly in December. OGGOA once again sends our deepest condolences to the families and friends of these men.

Florida freshman linebacker Neiron Ball was the first of three members of the Gators family to suffer serious health issues during the year. He was rushed to the hospital in February after a blood vessel in his brain ruptured as part of a congenital vascular condition. The doctors were able to stop the bleeding and Ball was released from the hospital four days later, but he was forced to miss the entire season for recovery purposes. In the middle of the year, Miami Heat guard/forward Mike Miller was lucky enough to have his wife give birth to a daughter named Jaylen. Unfortunately for the family, she was forced to spend two weeks in a pediatric intensive care unit after doctors found that she had five holes in her heart upon being born. The Millers eventually brought Jaylen home with them in a bit of a coincidence considering they actually donated $1 million to a pediatric intensive care unit at children’s hospital in his home town in 2007. Later that month, former Florida quarterback Danny Wuerffel was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome, which he is currently still recovering from and will continue to do so over the next few months.

9 » 10 FOOTBALL PLAYERS TRANSFER IN EIGHT MONTHS
There is bound to be attrition with any major coaching change, and that is exactly what happened to head coach Will Muschamp and the Gators football team this season. A total of 10 players decided at some point this year to try their hand at playing elsewhere. The first two defections were wide receivers redshirt freshman Chris Dunkley and freshman Javares McRoy, who both left the team in April. Dunkley was suspended from team activities during the spring for academic reasons and wanted to leave the program, while McRoy realized he made a wrong decision committing to Florida and instead wanted to play with his brother at Texas Tech. One month later, freshman running back Mike Blakely also decided to leave the program. He enrolled early and had shoulder surgery in the spring but realized he should not have committed because he wanted to play in a spread offense. Redshirt freshman transfer Chris Martin was the next to go. After being arrested on Jan. 29 for misdemeanor possession of marijuana (and having a number of other off-the-field issues), he decided to transfer out of Gainesville in June before ever officially suiting up for the Gators. Just one week later, redshirt freshman tight end Michael McFarland also chose to try his luck elsewhere. Muschamp said the decision was mutual, and McFarland also never stepped on the field for Florida.

The Gators began the season without further defections, but redshirt sophomore linebacker Dee Finley decided to pursue another opportunity on Oct. 12 after appearing in 14 games over two seasons. Another duo transferred just two weeks later as former high school teammates and sophomores TE Gerald Christian and WR Robert Clark decided to head elsewhere over concerns about playing time and future opportunities. Florida announced three days after its final regular season game that redshirt freshmen safety Joshua Shaw and DE Lynden Trail would also be leaving the team. Shaw said he wanted to be closer to his family, while Trail said he loved the Gators but realized he would not be playing anytime soon. Additionally, redshirt junior offensive lineman David Young, who played in 12 games, told the team he would choose to graduate and not return for 2012. The lacrosse team was also hit with a transfer shocker as midfielder Janine Hillier, their fourth-leading scorer from a year ago, left the program in order to head to Stony Brook where her sister is an assistant coach.

8 » FLORIDA ATHLETIC PROGRAM WINS 200TH SEC TITLE
It may have occurred with an on-field victory as the men’s golf team won the 2011 SEC Championship on April 17, but the milestone is a huge off-the-field accomplishment for the Gators athletic program, which this year won its 200th league title. The SEC started awarding league titles in 1933, and Florida currently leads the conference in total league championships won. “The 200th SEC title is a testament to the dedication and drive shown by Gator student-athletes and coaches over these many seasons. Every title is celebrated because winning a championship in any of the league’s sports is a truly an accomplishment because of the strength of the SEC,” UF Athletic Director Jeremy Foley said. The Gators have double-digit SEC titles in seven sports (both swimming and diving programs, women’s tennis, volleyball, men’s golf, baseball and soccer) and have won five or more in every sport except three.

7 » HEISMAN STATUES UNVEILED; GATOR GREATS IN HALLS OF FAME

At halftime of the Gators’ 2011 Orange & Blue Debut, UF officially unveiled a trio of statues to commemorate the school’s three Heisman Trophy winning quarterbacks – Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996) and Tim Tebow (2007). The statues, each of which is 15 percent larger than life-sized and features the players in different stances, cost approximately $550,000 to construct – all funded by private donations. Spurrier sent in a pre-recorded message for the occasion because South Carolina’s spring game was the same day, but Wuerffel and Tebow stood at midfield as the statues were unveiled and expressed their appreciation to the fans, administrators and donors that paid for the project. Former Florida WR Carlos Alvarez also received a special honor this year when the National Football Foundation announced that he would be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Alvarez was one of 16 inductees honored in a Dec. 2011 dinner, but he will not be officially inducted until July 2012. He will be the third former Gators player to be inducted since 2006 and the ninth in school history. Seven letterwinners were inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame in April with LB Mike Peterson, punter Judd Davis and basketball’s Bob Emrick leading the way. Peterson spoke with OGGOA in an exclusive interview about his career and how honored he was to be included honored by his alma mater.

6 » GATORS SELECTED IN NFL, NBA, MLB DRAFTS

It is a far cry from last year’s amazing accomplishment of having nine players selected in the 2010 NFL Draft, but the Gators did quite well this year when you look at how many players were picked in the drafts for all three major professional leagues. Four former Florida players – center Mike Pouncey (Round 1, Pick 15 to the Miami Dolphins), tackle Marcus Gilbert (Round 2, Pick 63 to the Pittsburgh Steelers), safety Ahmad Black (Round 5, Pick 151 to the Tamp Bay Buccaneers) and guard Maurice Hurt (Round 7, Pick 217 to the Washington Redskins) were all picked in the 2011 NFL Draft but were unable to sign with their respective teams until the NFL lockout was lifted in July. At that time, eight additional former Gators were signed as undrafted free agents though only punter Chas Henry (Philadelphia Eagles) and DE Justin Trattou (New York Giants) made it out of training camp, onto practice squads and eventually onto the active rosters of their respective teams. Pouncey and Henry have started every game this year, while Gilbert and Hurt have each started the majority of games this season.

The Florida basketball program had two players picked in the second round of the 2011 NBA Draft with forwards Chandler Parsons (Pick 38) and Vernon Macklin (Pick 52) headed to the Houston Rockets and Detroit Pistons, respectively. Like the football players, neither was able to report or sign with their team right away due to the NBA lockout but each has since agreed to a deal and made the roster. Parsons spent part of the fall playing overseas for Cholet Basket in France, while Macklin stayed in the United States and worked out. Gators F Alex Tyus, who also graduated last season, signed in June with Maccabi Ashdod of the Israel Loto League. Joining all the football and basketball players was a school record 11 Florida baseball players picked in the 2011 MLB Draft. Though three wound up returning to the team, junior LHP Nick Maronde (Round 4, Pick 104), junior LHP Anthony DeSclafani (Round 6, Pick 199), junior LHP Alex Panteliodis (Round 9, Pick 282), junior RHP Tommy Toledo (Round 11, Pick 341), senior infielder Josh Adams (Round 13, Pick 403), junior catcher Ben McMahan (Round 23, Pick 701), senior RHP Matt Campbell (Round 24, Pick 751) and senior outfielder Bryson Smith (Round 34, Pick 1,045) chose to sign with the teams that drafted them. The Gators roster is so loaded, however, that Florida baseball was given a preseason No. 1 ranking heading into the 2012 season.

5 » FRED TAYLOR, JASON WILLIAMS, CHANNING CROWDER RETIRE

With so many former Gators finding success in the professional ranks, each of their respective careers inevitably has to come to an end, and that is exactly what happened for three former Florida players this year. Point guard Jason Williams announced his retirement on April 18 after playing in the NBA for 12 years. Williams, the No. 7 overall pick in the first round of the 1998 NBA Draft, spent his entire career with five teams and finished with totals of 8,266 points, 4,611 assists, 1,810 rebounds and 933 steals. He averaged 10.5 points, 5.9 assists and 2.3 rebounds for his career while shooting 39.8 percent from the field, 32.7 percent from three-point range and 81.3 percent from the free throw line. Williams had previously retired for one season but returned to the court last year before finally calling it quits. He also won a NBA title during the 2005-06 season with the Miami Heat. After being cut by the Miami Dolphins in August, LB Channing Crowder announced live on the air that he would be retiring from the NFL. At just 27-years-old, Crowder amassed 469 tackles, 2.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and one interception in 82 career games after being selected with the No. 70 overall pick in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He made his mark in Miami as a locker room and on-field leader but chose to hang up his cleats mostly because his son was about to be born and he did not want to be far away playing in another state. There are some who believe Crowder will attempt a return to the field in 2012.

Not taking anything away from Williams or Crowder, the retirement of running back Fred Taylor after a 13-year NFL career was undoubtedly the most important one of the year. Taylor, who signed a one-day contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars (the team that picked him with the No. 9 overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft), is the team’s all-time leader in rushing attempts, yards and touchdowns. His final stat sheet includes 11,695 rushing yards, 66 rushing touchdowns, 2,384 receiving yards and eight receiving scores. Taylor is also one of just 30 NFL players who have run for more than 10,000 yards in a career and one of three to average at least 4.5 yards per carry over eight seasons (Jim Brown, Barry Sanders). A member of the Florida-Georgia Hall of Fame and University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame, Taylor will be inducted into Jacksonville’s hall in the near future and will likely get consideration for the Pro Football Hall of Fame when the time comes.

4 » CHARLIE WEIS HIRED, LEAVES 11 MONTHS LATER
Just 364 days ago (from the day this is published), ESPN’s Chris Mortensen had Gator Nation in a stir when he reported that then-Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Charlie Weis had been contacted by Muschamp and offered the same job with Florida. The Gators still had their bowl game to play the next day and were concentrating on sending Meyer out in style with a victory, but hours after Florida’s game ended on Jan. 1, a second report surfaced that Weis would officially be hired that Monday. Before the Gators had the chance to make the official announcement, Weis told the Kansas City Star that the chance to coach at UF and spent so much additional time with his son was “almost a dream” for a number of reasons. That dream became a reality one day later when Muschamp announced his decision to hire Weis, calling him a “perfect fit for what I was looking for in an offensive coordinator.” Weis brought both college and professional experience with him on his resume and many believed he was the perfect person to almost be the head coach of the offense while Muschamp concentrated on running the team and especially the defense. The hire immediately paid dividends as Weis convinced then-redshirt junior QB John Brantley to return for his senior season, explaining that his pro-style offense and opportunity to be his personal QB coach would help him improve.

Fast forward 10 months to just days before Florida’s final game of the 2011 regular season against Florida State when Weis told the media that he planned to serve as the Gators offensive coordinator “for a long time.” It was undoubtedly a surprise to everyone when, just over two weeks later, Weis was plucked from Florida to be Kansas’ next head coach in a whirlwind 24-hour period that went from inquisition to contract offer to acceptance. Muschamp said that he understood and supported Weis’s decision, and Weis himself said that it was “one of those unique situations” that he could not turn down but neither opinion changes how much of a shock it was to Gator Nation to see Weis leave less than a year after being hired.

3 » JANORIS JENKINS RETURNS, DISMISSED THREE MONTHS LATER

Arguably the Gators best player in 2010, junior cornerback Janoris Jenkins was expected to declare for the 2011 NFL Draft shortly after the team’s bowl game. Instead Jenkins, who played the season with a torn labrum in his right shoulder and had surgery to correct the injury prior to the 2011 Outback Bowl, announced that he would return for his senior season. “After careful consideration, I’ve made the decision to return to school for my senior year. I spent some time with my family and Coach Muschamp and came to the conclusion it was in my best interest to return to school,” he said in a school release. “Coach Muschamp was very supportive throughout the whole process, regardless of my decision, but he wanted to make sure I had all of the facts. I’m looking forward to working towards my degree, completing my rehab and getting back on the field with my teammates.” Florida fans were ecstatic about the announcement and overjoyed that the team’s shutdown defender would give the Gators a level of consistency with so much change going on around him.

As it turns out though, Jenkins never suited up for Florida again. Two weeks after his announcement, he was cited for misdemeanor possession of marijuana when police caught him rolling a joint in a nightclub bathroom. It was his second legal incident in less than two years (Jenkins was arrested in May 2009 on misdemeanor charges of affray and resisting arrest without violence). He was punished internally but allowed to remain on the team. However, Muschamp’s hand was forced as Jenkins was arrested again on April 23 (less than 90 days later) when police caught him smoking a marijuana “cigar” in his car in a parking lot at 12:35 a.m. Three days following his third arrest in less than two years, Jenkins was dismissed from the team by Muschamp, who claimed that it was a mutual decision between the two parties. Jenkins made it clear the next day that it was the coach’s decision. “I was dismissed as soon as I walked in the room. He washed his hands of me,” he said. He wound up transferring to North Alabama and having a nice senior season as a cornerback and kick returner. In fact, if he can convince teams that his legal issues are behind him, Jenkins may even be picked in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft, which would have otherwise been a sure thing if he never got in trouble and remained at UF for his senior season.

2 » FLORIDA SWEEPS SEC ALL-SPORTS AWARDS; MEN WIN CAPITAL ONE CUP

There were up and downs for Florida throughout the entire year, but the Gators received a pair of major honors in May and June that gave fans plenty to cheer about in 2011. Any doubt that UF had the dominant athletic program in the SEC during the 2010-11 school year was put to rest on May 22 when the university was named the unanimous SEC All-Sports champion for the third-straight season. Florida swept all three titles – overall, men’s and women’s – by staggering numbers and literally dominated the competition, continuing to be the only school to sweep all three titles in a single season. The Gators in 2011 accomplished that for the 11th time in school history, fourth time in the last five years and third-in-a-row (2006-07, 2008-09, 2009-10). Florida learned one month later that the men’s athletic program was the winner of the first-ever Capital One Cup, awarded annually to each of the top men’s and women’s Division I college athletic programs. The Gators (93 points) won by an 11-point margin over Virginia (82) and finished 23 points above the next SEC team, Auburn (70). Though Florida did not place in the top 10 in any fall sports, the Gators found much greater success in the winter and spring with the performances of indoor track & field (first), baseball (second), outdoor track & field (third), swimming & diving (fifth), tennis (ninth) and basketball (10th) earning the school the honor. The women’s team wound up finishing No. 4 in their respective category but was first among SEC schools. Recognized regionally and nationally for its excellence, the Gators had plenty to be proud of this year.

1 » URBAN MEYER LEAVES WITH A WIN, TAKES ON-AIR GIG WITH ESPN, SEVERS TIES WITH FLORIDA, AGREES TO COACH OHIO STATE

Just one year ago, the resignation of Meyer and hiring of Muschamp captured the No. 1 spot on the Top 10 for 2010, so it should not come as much of a surprise that Meyer’s moves in 2011 landed him back here 12 months later. Announcing that he would leave Florida for the second time on Dec. 8, 2010, Meyer exited on a positive note as UF defeated Penn State 37-24 in the 2011 Outback Bowl on Jan. 1 (check out Saturday’s post). However, just 30 days removed from his last game with the Orange and Blue, Meyer agreed to begin a new form of employment by signing to work as an on-air college football analyst with ESPN for the 2011 season and beyond.

He explained that the job would not cut into his decision to spend more time with his family because it would only keep him away from home for sport periods of time each week. As part of Meyer’s separation from the Gators, Foley said that he would retain an office inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium and would continue to work with Florida in some capacity. As it turns out, ESPN and Florida quickly realized that situation would create a conflict of interest (including a perceived bias as well as potential NCAA recruiting violations), and Meyer was forced to sever ties with the school on Feb. 2. Despite Foley’s efforts to ensure that Meyer remained a part of the program even though his tenure as a coach had ended, Meyer’s decision to take another job essentially forced his hand. While Meyer excelled in his role with ESPN, rumors persisted all year that he would eventually take over the Ohio State Buckeyes job vacated when head coach Jim Tressel was forced to resign while under immense pressure from numerous NCAA violations. He scoffed at most of these comments and reports but was forced to address the situation in late November after numerous reports had him heading to Columbus, OH sooner than later. He again denied rumors on Nov. 23, saying that he had neither been offered the job or nor reached any deal with Ohio State just before Thanksgiving.

However, Meyer wound up accepting that very job just five days later, and was officially announced as the Buckeyes’ next head coach after signing a six-year, $24 million contract. Though Foley wished Meyer the best of luck at his new job, most Gators fans were enraged that he agreed to coach another team just 10 months after coaching his last game for Florida amidst concerns about his health and time with his family. OGGOA took an in-depth look at Meyer’s move to Ohio State in a 3,400-word post that included sections about his health and family issues as well as a number of other issues like the Gators fan base, media scrutiny, state he left the program in and the timing of the move. Though he may have only been employed by Florida for one month in 2011, Meyer’s actions were once again the most notable and memorable ones that occurred this year.

Photo Credits (in order): Associated Press, Unknown, ESPN, Cleveland Plain-Dealer

OGGOA Week In Review: Nov. 27 – Dec. 4

Adam Silverstein — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 05:43:00 +0000

Considering so much has gone on over the past week in regards to the Florida Gators, the OGGOA Week In Review returns for its second edition. (Yes, it covers an eight-day period, but let’s just all agree to ignore that.) Be sure to check out all of the posts that have been written this week just in case you happened to miss a thing or two.

OGGOA COLUMNS
» An in-depth look at former Florida head coach Urban Meyer going to the Ohio State Buckeyes was published in the latest edition of The Silver Lining. The 3,500-word piece looks at Meyer’s decision from every possible angle (some tidbits you will not find elsewhere are included) and provides you with all the information you need in order to draw your own conclusion.

» OGGOA had the unique opportunity to review “The Play That Changed College Football,” the latest edition of the ESPN documentary series SEC Storied.

» Following Florida basketball’s loss to the No. 3/4 Syracuse Orange, former Gators forward Adam Allen posted the latest edition of Allen’s Alley, explaining in what areas Florida has room for improvement.

EXTRA
While Al Michaels and Bob Costas are discussing the Denver Broncos improving to 6-1 this season with quarterback Tim Tebow starting, former Gators wide receiver now NBC color commentator Cris Collinsworth does the Gator Chomp. (Thanks to OGGOA follower Chaz.)

FOOTBALL
» Meyer agreed to coach the Buckeyes beginning in 2012. His signing was officially announced prior to OSU introducing him at an on-campus press conference. In between, UF athletic director Jeremy Foley wished Meyer the best of luck with his new employer.

» Two Gators – redshirt freshmen safety Joshua Shaw and defensive end Lynden Trail – decided to transfer on Tuesday. Shaw and Trail each chose to transfer for different reasons, and OGGOA also spoke with Trail for an exclusive interview about his decision and promise to remain a Florida fan.

» Former Gators quarterback Tim Tebow was announced as the cover athlete for the premiere edition of NFL Magazine, set to go on sale Dec. 13 for $4.99.

» OGGOA confirmed that strength and conditioning coach Mickey Marotti would join Meyer and has already left the program for the Buckeyes.

» Florida announced that it accepted an invitation to the 2012 Gator Bowl.

» While on the media teleconference to officially accept the bowl bid, Gators head coach Will Muschamp confirmed Marotti’s departure, said sophomore defensive tackle Dominique Easley will undergo surgery on his ACL Wednesday and discussed a number of other topics relating to the bowl game.

» Florida four-star running back recruit Mike Davis (Stone Mountain, GA) decommitted from the Gators after a significant miscommunication with the coaching staff and completely eliminated UF from his list.

BASKETBALL
» One of the greatest television commercials to feature a college coach was published on OGGOA for your enjoyment. Florida head coach Billy Donovan does a press conference praising the variety of offerings from Florida Gulf Seafood.

» Donovan earned his 400th career win as UF routed the Stetson Hatters 96-70 Monday evening. Freshman guard Bradley Beal led the way with career-highs of 22 points and 10 rebounds. He also discussed what winning his 400th college basketball game meant on a number of levels.

» It was determined that junior forward Erik Murphy did not tear his meniscus but rather had a deep bone bruise and may be able to return for the Arizona game on Wednesday.

» Despite it being a close game throughout, the Gators fell to the Orange 72-68 on the road in Syracuse, NY. Junior G Kenny Boynton started slow but finished with 22 points on 9-of-16 shooting.

» Following Florida’s loss to Syracuse, Donovan pointed to turnovers, poor rebounding and players missing in action as the reasons why UF struggled. Redshirt junior G Mike Rosario was benched during the contest because Donovan was not pleased with where his head was at heading into and during the game.

DE Lynden Trail: “It was time for me to go.”

Adam Silverstein — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 20:02:37 +0000

Redshirt freshman defensive end Lynden Trail has been on quite a journey during his time with the Florida Gators.

From doing whatever he could to keep the highly touted 2010 recruiting class together to marrying his wife to putting smiles on fans’ faces with his planking pictures over the summer, Trail has accomplished a lot during his time in the orange and blue.

In fact, he’s done everything except actually step on the field and play football for the Gators.

On Monday, Trail decided to transfer from Florida, a school that he remains passionate about and plans to continue following no matter where he winds up. He will remain to be a fan of the Gators but realized that his time was up in Gainesville, FL.

“I just spoke with my mother for a minute about it and told [the coaches] today. The coaching staff handled it very professionally, and I did it on my end as well,” he explained to OGGOA Monday. “They told me they loved me. I told them I loved them, too. I just told them I thought this decision is what was best for me, and they respected everything.

“When I spoke with my mother, the thing she wanted to know was why was I not at least on the sideline with the team. These were questions I couldn’t answer. They were left up to the coaching staff. I respect every decision that they made and have been positive about a lot of things throughout this journey here with Gator Nation. I just kept hoping and praying and things just did not work out the way I wanted them to.”

Head coach Will Muschamp and defensive coordinator Dan Quinn each said this year that Trail was not playing well enough in practice to play let alone dress for the team.

Trail himself confirmed that the coaches told him this but maintained that he was playing to the best of his ability and trying his hardest to improve with each practice.

After redshirting his first year and not playing a down in his second season with the team, he knew it was time to take the next step in his life.

“My mother has always taught me to plan for the future,” Trail said. “I’m just trying to make the best move for me and my wife right now because my family is depending on me to come out with a degree or come out with a NFL contract. To stay in one spot and not make progress, I had to do what I had to do.”

Trail does not know where he is headed for the next chapter of his life but is not going to picky. He chose to stay in-state when committing to Florida but will be happy to go to whatever school provides him with the best opportunity going forward.

“Coming out of high school I always felt like I had to stay in Florida. As of right now, my mindset is that I just have to go somewhere that’s going to let me play, give me an opportunity to show them what I can do and get some film,” he said.

He could not speak to the specific reasons why nine other players in addition to him have transferred this season but said a lot of it probably has to do with mental makeup.

“I feel like, coming in, there are a lot of four and five star recruits, therefore everybody is highly recruited. In high school, they have this persona of being the big man on campus,” he explained. “Due to the fact that everybody probably wasn’t getting the attention that they wanted or needed, it probably played a big issue in a lot of things. The level of competition is great, but at the same time, many feel that they should be starting or at least playing, and that can play with an athlete’s mind.”

Though Trail was not sure the exact reasons why fellow redshirt freshman safety Joshua Shaw also decided to transfer Monday, he guessed that it had to do with his distance from home and the fact that he was not too pleased with his spot in the rotation at safety.

He may no longer be wearing orange and blue in 2012, but he was adamant that the colors will continue to course through his veins no matter where he winds up.

“I still love Gator Nation. I still love all my teammates that are here, and I will keep in contact with a lot of them. I will still keep in contact with a lot of Gator fans, who I now consider Gator friends,” Trail said passionately.

“I do want them to know that I’m not leaving because I don’t like the school. I’m leaving because my time is up and I’m just looking for a better opportunity. Overall it was time for me to go somewhere else where I can get an opportunity to step on the field.

“I still love Gator Nation.”

S Shaw, DE Trail to transfer from Florida Gators

Adam Silverstein — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 17:21:59 +0000

Two more Florida Gators football players – redshirt freshmen safety Joshua Shaw and defensive end Lynden Trail have decided to leave the program, The Gainesville Sun’s Pat Dooley confirmed Tuesday.

Both four-star recruits from Florida’s heralded 2010 recruiting class, Shaw and Trail are the 10th and 11 players to depart since head coach Will Muschamp took over.

“We wish Lynden and Josh the best of luck in the future and we certainly appreciate their contributions to the football program,” Muschamp said in a school release.

Shaw registered 22 tackles (one for loss) and a pass breakup in 10 games this year, while Trail never saw the field and did not even dress for the vast majority of contests.

“I have enjoyed my time at Florida but I feel like I need to be closer to my family right now,” Shaw said in the same school release. “This is not a football decision, this is a family decision. I need to be with my family.”

Each player came into the program with a previous relationship. Shaw (Palmdale, CA) was close to and from the same state as sophomore defensive end Ronald Powell (Moreno Valley, CA), and Trail attended the same high school as redshirt freshman wide receiver Quinton Dunbar (Booker T. Washington).

“I have decided that I would like to pursue opportunities elsewhere,” Trail said. “I want to thank the fans and Gator Nation for their support. I’ll always be a Gator at heart.”

Trail also wrote about his decision on his Twitter account Tuesday.

GATORNATION I LOVE YALL AND LOVED ALL YALL SUPPORT I LOVED THE COACHES MY TEAMMATES AND THE STUDENTS HERE ONCE A GATOR ALWAYS A GATOR <3

[and]

I have nothing negative to say about UF I LOVE THE PROGRAM THE STUDENTS THE FRIENDS I MADE AND OVERALL THE FANS #GATORNATION

The duo join DE Chris Martin, WR Chris Dunkley, WR Javares McRoy, running back Mike Blakely, tight end Michael McFarland, linebacker Dee Finely, TE Gerald Christian and WR Robert Clark as players who transferred this season. Cornerback Janoris Jenkins was dismissed from the team following two marijuana arrests in less than 90 days.

Additionally, redshirt junior offensive lineman Daivd Young announced that he plans to graduate and will not participate in his final year of eligibility. Young saw action in all 12 games so far this season.

11/19: Florida vs. Furman post-game notes

Adam Silverstein — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 01:32:14 +0000

The Florida Gators (6-5) became bowl eligible with one game left to play after fighting back from a 15-point deficit to defeat the Furman Paladins 54-32 on Saturday. OGGOA takes a look at some of the notable occurrences before, during and after Saturday’s game along with notes and quotes from head coach Will Muschamp and the players.

CAUGHT OFF GUARD

Fans were not the only ones surprised when Furman’s offense gashed Florida in the early part of the game, scoring a touchdown on their first drive and taking a 22-7 lead seemingly without breaking a sweat. Muschamp explained after the game what happened to UF and why the team was not prepared defensively.

“They had been a pro-style team all season. They jump to the double slot option and had not shown a snap all season,” he said. “Obviously the first series we were completely scrambling on defense trying to adjust to it. It’s happened maybe one other time in my coaching career, but it happened today. The next two series we had an eye-control issues on the bubble pass [that] busted coverage for a big play, and then on the fourth one we have an eye-control issue – not watching what you’re supposed to watch. That’s their three scores in the first half.”

Though Muschamp was obviously disappointed in that occurrence, he was happy with the way the Gators responded to being put in a hole so early in the game.

“As ugly as the victory may be for us, the most pleasing part of the win was the fact that nobody panicked on the sideline. We just kept playing, hanging in there, made the adjustments defensively,” he said. “You start to realize that if it could have gone wrong, it already has, so eventually it has to start turning our way. That’s part of the game; that’s why you play the game for 60 minutes.”

Muschamp referred to the strategy as a “good plan on their part” and credited the Paladins and their head coach with being creative and doing what it took to win.

LONG RUN THE BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

The 77-yard rushing touchdown that Florida was stung by at the end of the third quarter was the one play in the game that truly bothered Muschamp. “Defensively, more than anything, [I’m] very disappointed with the long run there in the second half. You can’t allow that to happen in a game like that,” he said.

After the game, Muschamp criticized the defensive alignment on the play, which was most likely referring to a decision made by defensive coordinator Dan Quinn.

“We got bounced out of our gap, and we didn’t leverage the ball correctly. We shouldn’t be in a man pressure in that situation. You zone the ball when you’re up 12 in the fourth quarter. We need to do a better job of letting our kids execute in that situation.”

He also addressed the fact that the Gators have been run on quite frequently after being so stout in that area early in the season. “We’ve been exposed on tape in some areas quite frankly,” he noted.

BRANTLEY, DEBOSE BREAK OUT WITH CAREER GAMES

Redshirt senior quarterback John Brantley made all of the throws he was supposed to on Saturday, connecting with his pass catchers on 16-of-28 attempts for career-highs of 329 yards and four touchdowns. He did what offensive coordinator Charlie Weis has asked him to do all season – play within himself – and helped rally his team back from a tough early deficit.

“You got to give Furman a lot of credit. They came into here and played us hard and played us well. We just kept fighting. We knew things would go our way if we stayed calm and collected, and it did,” Brantley said. “This team has grown up a lot through these ups and downs, that’s the only think you really can do, learn from it and mature, and that’s what we have done.”

One of those players coming into his own is redshirt sophomore wide receiver Andre Debose, who caught three balls from Brantley for a career-high 151 yards and two touchdowns (of 80 and 64 yards, respectively).

“The two routes I ran today were go routes. The [defensive back] was a little bit too close, and I took full advantage of it and just beat him with speed. Johnny B had some great throws,” Debose said. “I was very surprised the way they played me the second time. Usually teams put a safety on top and try to prevent the deep ball from us. They really didn’t play it that way, and we took full advantage of it.”

Brantley also hit redshirt freshman WR Quinton Dunbar for a 29-yard touchdown to give Florida the lead at the end of the first half.

INJURY AND ABSENCE UPDATES

Redshirt sophomore tight end Jordan Reed, who caught four balls for 56 yards and a touchdown in the first half, left the game before halftime with an ankle injury and did not return. Muschamp said the early indication is that he will be able to play against Florida State on Saturday. Junior tackle Xavier Nixon also left the contest with an undisclosed injury, and his status is to be determined.

Redshirt junior Sam linebacker Lerentee McCray (shoulder) was held out, as was redshirt freshman tackle Chaz Green (ankle) and redshirt senior guard Dan Wenger (ankle). Redshirt freshman safety Joshua Shaw was not at the game after requesting to go home and visit his family due to his grandfather being ill.

NOTES AND QUOTES

» Muschamp on Debose: “When we’re able to gain single coverage outside, Andre’s the guy that can do some things vertically down the field. He really made two very nice plays on the ball in my opinion. He’s done that all season for us when given the opportunity. The thing I always challenge him on is mental intensity; it’s got to be an everyday thing. It’s not just a one day thing. That’s where Andre’s biggest challenge is right now. It’s an everyday thing to go out and play hard, concentrate and focus on being a really good player. He’s extremely talented, but if you don’t bring the other part it won’t always happen for you. “

» Muschamp said that being bowl eligible is important but what is even more important are the 15-18 extra practices the team will have. Because 70 percent of the roster is composed of underclassmen, getting the extra reps, snaps and opportunities will give the team a chance to pull together and become even more cohesive with the playbook.

» Muschamp on freshman safety De’Ante Saunders and his second interception in as many games: “Pop’s got really good instincts on the ball. He’s got a very good feel for the game. He’s improved his tackling although he still has some work to do on that. He needs to get stronger – that’s part of the issue being a true freshman. He’s a guy that came in here mid-year, he’s highly intelligent and very smart. He picks things up very well. He can play corner, nickel, dime, safety – he can play every position we have. He’s got very good football instincts and that’s what makes him a very good player.“

» Muschamp on if Urban Meyer going to Ohio State would surprise him: “Yeah, it would. I think it would be great for college football. I think Urban is an outstanding football coach. He does it the right way. He did a phenomenal job at Bowling Green, Utah and obviously here at Florida. He’s just a first-class guy. With his deteriorating health there and his family – as important as that is to him – I wouldn’t think he would, but again that’s just my opinion.”

» Brantley on Debose: “He’s one of the fastest people on the team. As long as they give you the right coverage and you throw a decent ball to just give him a chance, he’s coming up with it more times than not.”

» Brantley on the team struggling to start: “All of us are recruited very highly. We want to play at our best each time. Sometimes that doesn’t happen. You get a little frustrated, but you just got to keep learning from it and moving on.”

» Debose on his consistency: “I would say my consistency is a lot better. There are still things I have to work on myself, but I would say overall my consistency is much better.”

» Debose on Muschamp motivating him: “Coach Champ, he just stays on me all the time. This week he’s been saying mental intensity and jamming that in my head.”

» Debose on what he has to improve: “My routes – it takes a lot for me to work on my routes. Coming in and out of my cuts and working off the jam, I have a lot of trouble when somebody comes up and tries to jam me.”

» Junior linebacker Jon Bostic on redshirt sophomore LB Jelani Jenkins’s pick-six: “He needed that. He made a great play on the ball. The quarterback threw it high; he picked it off and took it back”

» Bostic on teams running all over the defense: “That’s our main priority – stopping the run. They came out and gave us a couple new wrinkles. We made the adjustments and gave up one play [after that] and that’s about it.”

The Countdown: Florida Gators roster (9-1)

Adam Silverstein — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 18:26:07 +0000

With just one day to go until the Florida Gators‘ 2011-12 football season gets underway, the final part of OGGOA‘s new series, The Countdown, takes a look at those players expected to contribute on the field wearing jersey numbers ranging from 9-1.

9 – Joshua Shaw (Palmdale, CA)
Redshirt freshman safety
6’3” 197 lbs.

Quick Bio/2010 Season: An early enrollee as a freshman, Shaw only saw the field against South Florida partially due to Florida’s crowded secondary. He was a four-star recruit coming out of high school and considered the No. 3 cornerback in the nation by Rivals. Choosing the Gators over teams like LSU and Ohio State, Shaw is now a social and behavioral sciences major looking to make an impact.

2011 Outlook: Shaw entered fall practice as a back-up safety vying for a starting job. However, the emergence of true freshmanDe’Ante Saunders and inconsistencies from the entire unit may reduce his time on the field in 2011. Shaw has as good an opportunity as any to break free from the pack by proving he can be effective and consistent in practice and could wind up with plenty of playing time as the season progresses.

84 9 – Quinton Dunbar (Miami, FL)
Redshirt freshman wide receiver
6’1” 184 lbs.

Dunbar previously wore No. 84. Read his section by clicking here.

8 – Trey Burton (Venice, FL)
Sophomore running back
6’3” 229 lbs.

Quick Bio/2010 Season: A three-star quarterback recruit, Burton was never expected to spend a large amount of time at that position but wound up doing so as a freshman. A social and behavioral sciences major who plans to switch to business, he was a member of the 2010 SEC All-Freshman Team as a do-everything player last year. Burton spent time behind center as well as at wide receiver, tight end, fullback and as a member of special teams on kickoff coverage. He ran for a team-high 11 touchdowns and broke Tim Tebow’s school record with six touchdowns in a single game (Kentucky). Those six scores were also good for the second-most points scored in a game in SEC history. Burton also came up big against Georgia, totaling 145 all-purpose yards in an important victory.

2011 Outlook: The Gators’ most versatile offensive player, Burton is listed as running back but will also play other roles including full back, tight end and wide receiver. He will be asked to block more than he was a year ago will be used plenty by offensive coordinator Charlie Weis. “What Trey gives me…I’m a formation/personnel guy as far as attacks go. Trey gives me a lot of versatility within one personnel group,” Weis said. “Sometimes people don’t understand the magnitude of what that means. He lets you do a lot of things.”

8 – Jeremy Brown (Orlando, FL)
Redshirt junior cornerback
5’10” 187 lbs.

Quick Bio: A four-star recruit, Brown was sidelined by back problems for two full seasons and earned a redshirt as a freshman. The social and behavioral sciences major made it a point to rehab his back as much as possible during and after the 2009 season and sought to earn a starting role on the team when Joe Haden declared early for the NFL.

2010 Season: Entering camp with an opportunity to win the job across from Janoris Jenkins, Brown eventually wound up doing so and started 10 contests. He missed the final two regular season games with a hamstring injury but played in the Outback Bowl to end the season. He finished the year with 15 tackles and three interceptions.

2011 Outlook: Looking to begin the 2011 season as the oldest starter in the secondary, Brown has been hampered with a knee problem and may miss at least the first game of the season. He will have to fend off a number of young players to win the job outright but will likely be able to do so as coaches noted during the spring that he was impressing during camp.

7 – Ronald Powell (Moreno Valley, CA)
Sophomore buck linebacker
6’4” 248 lbs.

Quick Bio/2010 Season: Considered the No. 1 overall prospect coming out of high school by Rivals, Powell was a five-star recruit who played defensive end and tight end in high school. The social and behavioral sciences major fit in as the strong side linebacker in 2010 and was one of just six true freshmen to appear in very game. He finished the season with 25 tackles and one sack, proving that he had a bright future as a dominant force in the SEC.

2011 Outlook: New head coach Will Muschamp and defensive coordinator Dan Quinn will be counting on Powell big-time in 2011. Named the team’s starting buck linebacker, he will play with his hand in the dirt in 4-3 formations and up as a linebacker in 3-4 sets. Powell’s combination of quickness, agility and athleticism makes him the perfect fit for a position made famous by players under Muschamp like Jason Taylor and Sergio Kindle. Though only in his second year, he is expected to be a major contributor to a unit that hopes to be one of Florida’s strengths this season.

7 – Robert Clark (Palm Beach Gardens, FL)
Sophomore wide receiver
5’9” 173 lbs.

Quick Bio/2010 Season: A three-star pass catcher who was teammates with Matt Elam and Gerald Christian at Dwyer High School, Clark was an early enrollee and the first freshman to impress former head coach Urban Meyer one spring ago. He saw limited time on the field in 2010 but caught seven passes for 69 yards and a touchdown.

2011 Outlook: Not much has been said about Clark this offseason. He was not listed as one of the receivers on the Gators’ first two-deep fall depth chart, but Christian believes he will still see time this season. “They don’t have him with the first team and stuff, but every time Robert gets reps he makes the most of it,” he said last month. “He’s not a starter, but I think he’ll get time as an inside guy. One thing about Robert – he doesn’t whine or anything, he just goes hard and gives whatever he has all the time. That’s why I think he makes a big impression on coaches.”

6 – Jaye Howard (Apopka, FL)
Redshirt senior defensive tackle
6’3” 303 lbs.

Quick Bio: A four-star defensive end in high school who has switched to play on the inside, Howard is a social and behavioral sciences major who took a redshirt as a freshman in 2007. He played in nine games in 2008 but earned his first four starts in 2009, registering 29 tackles and 1.5 sacks as he continued to find his niche with the team.

2010 Season: Stepping into a real starting role for the first time in his career, Howard started eight contests (he missed two due to injury) during his redshirt junior campaign. He was the team’s player of the game twice (Miami-OH, Kentucky) and again nabbed 29 tackles on the season but this time grabbed 2.5 sacks including two in the season opener. Howard’s injury cut into his effectiveness during the year.

2011 Outlook: The true veteran of the defense, Howard has taken a leadership role in the offseason and feels the added responsibility to play at the top of his game. Scouts believe he has the size and strength to succeed at the next level but will be watching his 2011 campaign closely for major signs of improvement. He is Florida’s starting nose tackle heading into the season and is excited about the team’s direction on defense. “I’ve become more accustomed to playing a 3-4 now. It fits my body type and it’s working well with our team, so it’s going to look good this season,” he said.

6 – Deonte Thompson (Belle Glade, FL)
Redshirt senior wide receiver
6’0” 200 lbs.

Quick Bio: A U.S. Army All-American who was considered one of the best wide receivers coming out of high school, Thompson is a humanities and letters major who redshirted as a freshman but began making strides in 2008. Used sparingly as a redshirt freshman, Thompson posted 269 yards and three touchdowns as the Gators went on to win their second national title in two years. He returned in 2009 as a 12-game starter but was plagued by drops, catching just 24 balls for 343 yards and four touchdowns in Florida’s one-loss season.

2010 Season: Looking to rid himself of the stereotype of having butterfingers, Thompson had a rough start dropping a great pass in the season opener. The Gators’ offense – especially the passing game – struggled all year but he did wind up with career highs in receptions (38) and yards (570) but only found the end zone once. He started 12 of 13 games and became a reliable third-down target and first-down maker for classmate John Brantley. In just the first two games of the season he caught nine passes for 107 yards – all for first downs.

2011 Outlook: With Brantley having apparently been rejuvenated by Weis’s pro-style offense, Thompson hopes to make the most of his final year at Florida. He is listed on the team’s first depth chart as the starting Z receiver and has also formed a strong bond with Dunbar, who many expect to have a breakout season. He has also found a role as a standout on special teams, something Muschamp praised recently. “I want to say this about Deonte: He is a senior and a guy that we really challenged in the offseason about special teams and understanding, if you want to play after college and if you’re not the lead role at your position in the National Football League, you’ve got to play special teams,” he said. “The guy has done a phenomenal job on special teams. He’s on our punt team; he’s on our kickoff coverage team. I’m very proud of his effort.”

5 – Marcus Roberson (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
Freshman cornerback
6’0” 184 lbs.

Quick Bio: One of the last players to join the Gators’ 2011 recruiting class, Roberson was ranked as a four-star prospect and one of the best players at his position in the country.

2011 Outlook: Following in the footsteps of Haden and Jenkins, Roberson could very well be the third player in team history to start from day one at cornerback. Whether or not he starts on Saturday will be determined by how well he practiced this week, but he has received universal praise from his teammates and coaches throughout fall practice. “When a guy does have speed and length, sometimes it enables you to play a little different style and match up on some bigger receivers at times,” Quinn said of Roberson. “He has that, and I’m really looking forward to seeing him develop. He’s come into camp and he’s really had a good training camp. He’s made an impression on me.”

4 – Andre Debose (Sanford, FL)
Redshirt sophomore wide receiver
5’11” 191 lbs.

Quick Bio: Hailed as the “next Percy Harvin” (a moniker he detested) before even committing to Florida, Debose was a five-star recruit and one of the best players in the country during his time in high school. After injuring himself in track during his senior year of high school, he had surgery and redshirted the 2009 season, putting on hold the hopes of fans that he would electrify the Gators.

2010 Season: Finally healthy, Debose struggled in picking up Meyer’s offense and did not receive too much time on the field at his natural position of wide receiver. He played in certain packages and picked up 96 yards on 10 receptions but made his greatest impact in 2010 as a kick returner. Debose fielded 21 balls and brought them back for a total of 587 yards with two touchdowns including a dynamic 99-yard return at home against LSU.

2011 Outlook: Debose committed himself to the team in the offseason and has been praised by Muschamp recently as “flashing” with some dynamic touchdown catches in practices and scrimmages. “It’s something that happened over the summer. I really just took football to another level. I have really made football a priority of mine,” Debose said. “I’ve studied a lot more. I’ve really dove into the playbook, so I feel like I have a nice grasp of it. We’ll know the truth once we get on the field and practice what you’ve been studying the whole time.” He is listed as the second-team X receiver and primary kick returner and could finally be in position for a breakout season. “He just continues to show the consistency in his performance, and I’m very pleased,” Muschamp said of him.

4 73 – Sharrif Floyd (Philadelphia, PA)
Sophomore defensive tackle
6’3” 295 lbs.

Quick Bio/2010 Season: A five-star recruit and a unanimous top-five player in the nation as a high school senior, Floyd had 23 tackles including 6.5 for loss as a freshman, impressing his teammates, coaches and opponents. He was named to the 2010 SEC All-Freshman Team by league coaches and started Florida’s final game of the season against Penn State. He played in all 13 games in 2010 and had a career-high seven tackles against Vanderbilt.

2011 Outlook: Floyd has experienced some changes this offseason. He shed No. 73 for No. 4 (hence why he was not included in The Countdown Nos. 79-70) but just recently switched back to his old number. More importantly, he moved from defensive tackle to defensive end (for at least this season) but will continue to rotate inside from time to time. As a full-time starter in just his second year, Floyd is expected to be a major contributor to the Gators’ defense and is excited about his new role. “You can’t get double-teamed at that position; I’m loving it. I’m getting a feel for it, learning everything I can get, learning the situations and everything like that. It’s a good opportunity for me, and I’m going to take advantage of it,” he said.

3 – Jelani Jenkins (Olney, MD)
Redshirt sophomore linebacker
6’0” 230 lbs.

Quick Bio: An Under-Armour All-American, Jenkins was a five-star recruit and the No. 1 player at his position as a high schooler when he committed in 2009. He dressed for all 14 games as a true freshman but only participated in two and took a redshirt while he made the honor roll as a social and behavioral sciences major.

2010 Season: Jenkins stepped into a starting role as a redshirt freshman, playing in all 13 and starting 11 contests. He notched a career-high 11 tackles against South Carolina and finished with 76 on the season, good enough for second on the defense and most by a freshman. Jenkins also recovered a fumble, grabbed an interception and sacked the quarterback twice during his first full season on the field, proving that he will be an important part of Florida’s defense for the next few years.

2011 Outlook: The starting will linebacker, Jenkins talent is of little doubt but the coaching staff has asked him to be more of a leader both on- and off-the-field this year. “We have a lot of checks, we have a lot of signals as a defense that force you to be vocal,” he said. “You’re always talking out there, always communicating, so it hasn’t been that difficult. [...] People count on you on the field to make a lot of calls, even off the field they’re always listening to you. The more you know the defense, the more you’re talking always helping each other out.” He has been succeeding in this regard and, along with junior Jon Bostic, is a key member of the Gators’ linebacking corps.

2 – Dominique Easley (Staten Island, NY)
Sophomore defensive tackle
6’2” 282 lbs.

Quick Bio/2010 Season: Another five-star from Florida’s amazing 2011 recruiting class, Easley struggled during his freshman season. Dealing with bouts of homesickness while also (reportedly) displaying some immaturity, the No. 2 defensive tackle prospect did not see the field much but showed flashes when he did get the opportunity to get in the game.

2011 Outlook: With a renewed attitude and mindset, Easley has been one of the most talked about players this offseason. Coaches and teammates have raved up and down about his lightning quick first step, noting that he has a penchant for getting through the offensive line almost immediately after the ball is snapped. He is set to start at defensive tackle in the opener and attributes his redemption to a decision he made in the offseason. “[Muschamp] just told me that I have a fresh start. My plan was to do a fresh start, too, start from the beginning and start the right way,” he explained. “Maturity – I matured a lot and [started] making better choices. […] I had to get used to it. I had to break myself in.”

1 – Chris Rainey (Lakeland, FL)
Redshirt senior running back
5’9” 174 lbs.

Quick Bio: A four-star recruit coming out of high school, Rainey committed to the Gators alongside a number of his teammates (including the Pouncey brothers) and is the only one his age from Lakeland remaining on the squad. A humanities and letters major, Rainey took a medical redshirt as a freshman due to his shoulder injury but bounced back in a big way in 2008, rushing for a career-high 652 yards (7.5 yards per carry) and four touchdowns. He started catching some balls in 2009 as well, totaling 736 yards and six touchdowns in a solid redshirt sophomore campaign.

2010 Season: After catching six balls for 34 yards and a touchdown in the season opener and playing sparingly in the second game, Rainey was suspended five contests after being arrested but returned and finished the season as the team’s primary playmaker in the final six games. He was moved to receiver to start the season but wound up taking a lot of snaps at running back toward the end of the year due to injuries. Rainey only scored five touchdowns but totaled 582 yards of offense and brought back nine punts for 67 yards in just eight games. He also posted 148 yards as a kickoff returner against Georgia.

2011 Outlook: Moved back to running back, Rainey will be part of an explosive backfield duo with senior Jeff Demps. The pair is listed as co-starters and, according to Weis, could really do some special things for the team in 2011. Rainey recently discussed maturing in the offseason and keeping his focus on football. “I see everything like a man [now]. I do everything [more] professional,” he explained about his changed mindset. “[I] think first. I would do something before I [thought] about it [before].” He is also excited about playing in a pro-style offense again. “I feel super-good, great,” Rainey said. “You can see the whole field, so you know how the scheme works, where to cut and stuff like that.”

THE COUNTDOWN: 99-90 | 89-80 | 79-70 | 69-60 | 59-50 | 49-40 |
39-30 | 29-20 | 19-10 | 9-1

The Countdown: Florida Gators roster (19-10)

Adam Silverstein — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 17:21:44 +0000

With just 10 days to go until the Florida Gators‘ 2011-12 football season gets underway, the ninth part of OGGOA‘s new series, The Countdown, takes a look at those players expected to contribute on the field wearing jersey numbers ranging from 19-10.

19 – Caleb Sturgis (St. Augustine, FL)
Redshirt junior kicker
5’11” 183 lbs.

Quick Bio: An Under Armour High School All-American entering his fourth year at Florida, Sturgis majors in sport management and hopes to continue leading the Gators special teams unit as the starting kicker. A kickoff specialist during his freshman year, he became the primary place kicker in 2009 and hit 73.3 percent of his field goals (long: 56) and 44-of-47 extra points to score 110 points for Florida.

2010 Season: Sturgis did not get an opportunity to flourish like he wanted in his second season as the Gators’ starter. Suffering through back pain early in the season, he was forced to undergo surgery after just four games and was eventually awarded a medical redshirt by the NCAA. Sturgis hit just 2-of-4 field goal attempts and 19-of-21 extra points before being sidelined for the remainder of the year.

2011 Outlook: With an extra year of eligibility in his back pocket, Sturgis feels like his back is 100 percent healthy and enters the season as the team’s only scholarship kicker. Head coach Will Muschamp confirmed that he was doing well in camp two weeks ago. “He is strong; he had no issues in the summer as far as his workouts,” he said. “We changed his routine a little bit [he’s not doing squats anymore] as far as the things he did, but he’s been kicking the ball extremely well thus far in camp.”

17 – Jacoby Brissett (West Palm Beach, FL)
Freshman quarterback
6’3” 239 lbs.

Quick Bio: A four-star recruit coming out of high school who was considered one of the best players at his position nationally, Brissett participated in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl and enrolled at Florida over the summer after deciding to play high school basketball in the spring. A graduate of Dwyer High School, he is good friends with sophomore safety Matt Elam and was also teammates with redshirt freshman tight end Gerald Christian and sophomore wide receiver Robert Clark in high school.

2011 Outlook: A bit behind the eight ball considering fellow freshman QB Jeff Driskel enrolled early and got a handle on the offense months before him, Brissett is currently competing with redshirt freshman Tyler Murphy to be the No. 3 quarterback. Praised for his mobility and quick grasp of the playbook, he will probably be competing with Driskel throughout his entire career with the Gators but is unlikely to pass him for the back-up quarterback job this season.

16 – Jeff Driskel (Oviedo, FL)
Freshman quarterback
6’4” 235 lbs.

Quick Bio: An early enrollee who joined Florida in January, Driskel is a former five-star recruit who was the Gatorade Florida Player of the Year and considered by most to be the No. 1 quarterback in the country in 2011.He threw for 1,819 yards and 15 touchdowns while rushing for 1,333 yards and 20 touchdowns during his senior season and earned an Under Armour All-American nod for his efforts.

2011 Outlook: With redshirt senior QB John Brantley firmly implanted as the team’s starting signal caller, Driskel’s goal this offseason was to earn the back-up quarterback job. Though he started fall camp behind Murphy, he recently supplanted him as Brantley’s back-up and is beginning to pull away from the pack. “His growth process from spring, obviously he has worked extremely hard through the summer dedicating himself to the playbook and learning what to do and how to do it and why we’re doing it that way,” Muschamp said. “He’s had a very good camp at this point.”

15 – Loucheiz Purifoy (Pensacola, FL)
Freshman cornerback
6’1” 183 lbs.

Quick Bio: It’s a pretty gutsy move to don the No. 15 in the orange and blue, especially as a freshman, but the former four-star recruit hopes he can be just as impressive as his predecessor in that jersey. Purifoy was one of the best players at his position coming out of high school and chose to play for Florida over Alabama, Auburn and Miami (among others).

2011 Outlook: Though he is not likely to contend for a starting role this season, Purifoy has been impressing Muschamp during practice and is making a case to get some legitimate playing time during his first season. “I’ve been very pleased with Marcus Roberson and Louchiez Purifoy and what they can do. They’re very good athletes; they’re learning our system,” he said. “They did a good job studying this summer.”

14 – Jaylen Watkins (Cape Coral, FL)
Sophomore safety
6’0” 187 lbs.

Quick Bio/2010 Season: A U.S. Army All-American and four-star recruit, Watkins is a social and behavioral sciences major who played in 10 games last year and had a career-high three tackles in the last contest of the season. Watkins worked primarily on special teams in 2010 but also saw some time in the secondary.

2011 Outlook: With Elam and junior Josh Evans pretty much set as the Gators’ starters at safety, Watkins will begin the 2011 season in a reserve role alongside redshirt freshman Joshua Shaw. He is enjoying Muschamp’s defense and hopes to continue following his instructions on how he can succeed in it. “[He tells me] just to be a football player. Everything is not going to be what it is on paper – just be an athlete out there,” Watkins said.

13 – Dee Finely (Auburn, AL)
Redshirt sophomore linebacker
6’2” 203 lbs.

Quick Bio: Originally a commitment in the 2008 recruiting class, Finley chose to attend prep school for a year in order to get his grades up so he could enroll. The Under Armour All-American and four-star recruit, who signed as a safety, joined the team in 2009 and notched seven tackles (five solo) in 10 games.

2010 Season: Moved from safety to linebacker, Finley saw the field the vast majority of the time on special teams. He was a primary fixture on the kickoff coverage and kickoff return units and accumulated seven tackles (five solo) over the course of four games. Finely missed the final seven contests of the season after fracturing his collarbone against LSU and was awarded a medical redshirt by the NCAA.

2011 Outlook: Called “solid” as a linebacker but “outstanding” as a special teamer by Muschamp, Finley will play a reserve role at the latter position in 2011 but should get plenty of playtime at a very shallow position. He missed a few days of training camp due to an undisclosed injury but has returned to action and is even drawing praise from his teammates. “He’s done very well,” junior LB Jon Bostic said. “He’s picked up a lot of things in these two-a-days.”

12 – John Brantley (Ocala, FL)
Redshirt senior quarterback
6’3” 219 lbs.

Quick Bio: A five-star quarterback, U.S. Army All-American and the Gatorade National Player of the Year in 2006, Brantley was one of the most highly recruited players currently on Florida’s roster. The humanities and letters major redshirted as a true freshman but played quite well as a reserve during his second and third seasons. Combined, Brantley completed 54-of-76 pass attempts for 645 yards with 10 touchdowns and just one interception as Tim Tebow’s back-up.

2010 Season: Stepping into a starting role for the first time in his career, Brantley hoped the offense would be tailored to better suit his talents. Instead, the pro-style quarterback was asked to run a spread offense and struggled mightily. He completed only 60.8 percent of his passes (200-of-329) for 2,061 yards with nine TDs and 10 INTs over the course of the season. While Brantley remained the “starter” throughout the year, he ended up becoming part of a three-quarterback rotation halfway through the season and played mostly on third down, when the team was behind or in obvious passing situations.

2011 Outlook: After seriously considering transferring in the offseason, Brantley decided to stick with the Gators and (according to those who actually get to see him daily) has had a resurgence under new offensive coordinator Charlie Weis. Coaches and players have unanimously lauded his ability, consistency, improvement, leadership, arm strength and overall understanding of Weis’s offense. Muschamp has noted on numerous occasions that Brantley is not only his starter but significantly ahead (in terms of development) of the other passers. He has added that the offseason goal is to improve the protection in front of him and playmakers around him, insinuating that he is as solid a player as the offense has on its roster.

11 – Jordan Reed (New London, CT)
Redshirt sophomore tight end
6’3” 239 lbs.

Quick Bio/2010 Season: A four-star quarterback coming out of high school, Reed dressed for five games in 2009 but did not see any action. The social and behavioral sciences major officially transitioned over to tight end in 2010 but wound up only starting four games at that position as he instead played more of a hybrid role and saw plenty of time at quarterback. Reed caught six passes for 79 yards and a touchdown last year but also rushed 77 times for 328 yards and five scores and completed 26-of-46 passes for 252 yards with three TDs an interception.

2011 Outlook: With Brantley (again) taking over at quarterback and two incoming freshman filling in the depth at that position, Reed has officially moved to tight end full-time and will start at that position for Florida in 2011. He recently missed a few days of practice with a sore hamstring but has been impressive on the field. With freshman A.C. Leonard missing 6-8 weeks after undergoing surgery on a torn meniscus in early August, Reed will be counted on even more to be a receiving threat from the tight end position. “I’m excited about being the tight end,” Reed told The Gainesville Sun. “It’s been a lot easier on me than last year, knowing that I’ve just got to worry about one position.”

10 – Tyler Murphy (Wethersfield, CT)
Redshirt freshman quarterback
6’2” 209 lbs.

Quick Bio/2010 Season: A two-star recruit , Murphy spent last year as a member of the scout team that helped the Gators prepare for their opponents. One of four quarterbacks on scholarship in 2010, the social and behavioral sciences major was the only one who did not end up seeing some game action.

2011 Outlook: Murphy is once again one of four quarterbacks on scholarship this year; however, the other two he is competing with for the back-up job have changed. With Reed now at tight end and sophomore Trey Burton listed as a running back, Murphy is the second most experienced passer on the Florida roster. Unfortunately for him, Driskel was recently promoted to be Brantley’s back-up ahead of him and he is now competing with Brissett for the No. 3 job. “Tyler Murphy has done a really nice job of managing the offense,” Muschamp said on Aug. 10. “We did a move the field today where the coaches got off the field and let the players play. Tyler took us on a nice drive down the field.”

THE COUNTDOWN: 99-90 | 89-80 | 79-70 | 69-60 | 59-50 | 49-40 |
39-30 | 29-20 | 19-10 | 9-1

The Countdown: Florida Gators roster (29-20)

Adam Silverstein — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 15:18:39 +0000

With under 20 days to go until the Florida Gators‘ 2011-12 football season gets underway, the eighth part of OGGOA‘s new series, The Countdown, takes a look at those players expected to contribute on the field wearing jersey numbers ranging from 29-20.

28 – Jeff Demps (Winter Garden, FL)
Senior running back
5’7” 191 lbs.

Quick Bio: Arguably the fastest student-athlete in the country, Demps left South Lake High School as a four-star recruit and is a social & behavioral sciences major in his final year at the University of Florida. He played in all 28 games (drawing 17 starts) during his first two years with the Gators, scoring seven touchdowns on the ground each season and rushing for a total of 1,350 yards.

2010 Season: Demps was never the same after spraining his left foot while carrying the ball a career-high 26 times against Tennessee in the third week of the season. Through that game he had accumulated 310 rushing yards but only amassed 241 the remainder of the season, missing three games completely and carrying the ball fewer than 10 times in six of the seven contests he participated in. Demps still finished the season with a team-high 927 all-purpose yards.

2011 Outlook: Seriously considering not returning to the team in order to pursue a full-time career as a sprinter, Demps ultimately decided to rejoin the squad for his final season. He will be the starting running back again but should have his burden eased a bit by redshirt junior Chris Rainey returning to the backfield. “Both Jeff and Chris have been very impressive,” head coach Will Muschamp said. “We do a nice job on the perimeter blocking with our wideouts. We create some one-on-ones with people who aren’t used to tackling as much as far as corners and secondary people. When those guys get the ball on the edge, they’re fun to watch.” Though he hoped to accomplish the feat in 2010, Demps could eclipse 1,000 yards rushing for the first time in his career; the feat has not been accomplished by a Florida running back since 2004 (Ciatrick Fason).

26 – De’Ante Saunders (DeLand, FL)
Freshman cornerback
5’8” 192 lbs.

Quick Bio: An early enrollee, Saunders was a highly-recruited three-star prospect coming out of high school who participated in the Under Armour All-American Game.

2011 Outlook: A player who Muschamp said is “going to be a really good player for Florida” after the Orange & Blue Debut in April, Saunders is not likely to earn a starting role this year but could see significant playing time both on defense and special teams. After being cited for misdemeanor marijuana possession in May, he has quit smoking (according to his attorney Huntley Johnson) and was disciplined internally. Muschamp recently praised his work filling in at cornerback and hopes to see continued improvement this fall.

25 – Gideon Ajagbe (Coconut Grove, FL)
Redshirt freshman linebacker
6’3” 227 lbs.

Quick Bio/2010 Season: Earning a medical redshirt after tearing his rotator cuff in preseason camp last year, Ajagbe is a three-star recruit who is majoring in social & behavioral sciences and is hoping to see his first field time this year.

2011 Outlook: With very little depth at linebacker, Ajagbe is competing with a number of other youngsters for one of the starting outside roles. His athleticism has impressed coaches this offseason after a complete recovery from surgery slightly less than one year ago.

24 – Josh Evans (Irvington, NJ)
Junior safety
6’1” 199 lbs.

Quick Bio: One of only five true juniors on the roster, Evans has appeared in 21 games over two seasons and notched 20 tackles as well as one interception. He was a four-star recruit coming out of high school who chose Florida over Oklahoma (among others).

2010 Season: Appearing in all 13 of the Gators’ games one year ago, Evans also earned three starts including the Outback Bowl against Penn State. He collected a career-high four tackles in that contest and grabbed his first career interception against Vanderbilt just a few weeks earlier.

2011 Outlook: With both of Florida’s starting safeties no longer with the team, Evans moves into a permanent starting role in his third season alongside sophomore Matt Elam. Muschamp recently said he needs to get his assignments down and work a little more on communication, but noted before fall practice that he has “certainly been another guy that’s shown he can [make plays and be athletic].”

23 – Mike Gillislee (DeLand, FL)
Junior running back
5’11” 198 lbs.

Quick Bio: A four-star running back coming out of high school who was listed as the No. 7 player at his position by Rivals, Gillislee has participated in 25 of 27 games over his first two seasons and enters his true junior season still looking to the lion’s share of time in the backfield.

2010 Season: After carrying the ball 31 times for 267 yards and a touchdown during his freshman season, Gillislee toted the rock 58 times for 328 yards and seven scores last year. He scored two touchdowns each against Tennessee and Vanderbilt, notched a career-best and team-high 50-yard kickoff return and took snaps as a gunner on the kickoff and punt coverage units.

2011 Outlook: Stuck behind Demps and Rainey in the backfield, Gillislee will once again have to earn his playing time on offense. He hurt his foot in the spring but is practicing at full speed in the fall. Nevertheless, he is a step behind Demps and Rainey and will have to pick things up to put a dent into their game-by-game carries.

22 – Matt Elam (Palm Beach Gardens, FL)
Sophomore safety
5’10” 206 lbs.

Quick Bio/2010 Season: A five-star prospect coming out of Dwyer High School now majoring in social & behavioral sciences, Elam played as a reserve safety and key special teams member in all 13 games as a freshman. He was on the starting unit for kickoff coverage and kickoff returns and registered 22 tackles (16 solo, 1.5 for a loss) while earning a sack, fumble recovery and pass deflection on the year.

2011 Outlook: Like Evans, Elam is penned in as a starting safety this year and will likely take over the “strong” spot previously occupied by Ahmad Black. He has been the most impressive and consistent member of the secondary in the offseason, drawing rave reviews from his coaches and teammates on both sides of the ball not only for his play but also his improved leadership. “I love being an underdog. It pushes me harder. The whole team knows we’re underdogs, and it makes us practice harder and stick together,” he said during Florida media day. “Being an underdog is very important to us. People don’t know what goes on around here. The coaches are great. We’re more as a team. We’re closer. And we’re the underdogs, so we’re working harder.”

21 – Jabari Gorman (Miami, FL)
Freshman safety
5’9” 183 lbs.

Quick Bio: A four-star recruit and the No. 10 safety in the nation coming out of high school, Gorman is a sports medicine major who was highly recruited but always wanted to play for the Gators.

2011 Outlook: Not a candidate to get significant playing time this year, Gorman could still see his fair share on special teams or if he impresses over the next two weeks. Redshirt sophomore linebacker Jelani Jenkins said he has “been coming through” for the secondary recently when asked to single out young players who have made an impact in his mind.

20 – Valdez Showers (Madison Heights, MI)
Freshman defensive back
5’11” 198 lbs.

Quick Bio: A four-star prospect coming out of high school who is focused on both football and academics, Showers was the Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Michigan and was also honored as The Detroit News’ Player of the Year.

2011 Outlook: Originally slated as a cornerback, Showers was moved to safety by Muschamp due to his size (5’11”) and is hoping to sneak his way into some playing time as Elam, Evans, sophomore Jaylen Watkins, redshirt freshman Joshua Shaw and sophomore Cody Riggs jockey for position.

THE COUNTDOWN: 99-90 | 89-80 | 79-70 | 69-60 | 59-50 | 49-40 |
39-30 | 29-20 | 19-10 | 9-1