As fans of the 32 NFL teams look on nationwide, those supporting Florida’s players may not be as excited about the event this time around considering there will be a significant drop-off from the nation-leading nine players that were selected in 2010 (including a school-record three in the first round and six in the first two rounds).

Few things are certain when it comes to the NFL Draft – trades can occur at any moment and each team views its most pressing needs and what each player brings to the table differently than analysts and commentators do. Rather than try to predict the unknown variables and tell you what could happen, we will stick with what likely will happen.

» Center/guard Mike Pouncey will be the only first-round pick, selected before his brother was and headed to one of five teams.

Unless a team decides that they desperately need a center and plans to trade into the top half of the first round in order to jump a handful of other teams, Pouncey will likely be headed to either the Miami Dolphins (15) or New York Giants (19) at their respective draft slots or to one of three teams that would have to trade down/up for him: Dallas Cowboys (9), Chicago Bears (29) or Pittsburgh Steelers (31). The top-rated interior lineman in the draft, Pouncey continues to garner high praise and has plenty of teams around the league looking in his direction.

» Florida will not have another player selected until at least the third round.

There was talk for a while that tackle Marcus Gilbert may be moving into the category of a late second-round selection but that has died down recently. However, he is the only player on the team who has actually climbed up draft boards since the season ended. His size is undeniable and scouts were impressed with his agility and strength. Gilbert projects as either a right tackle or guard in the NFL with many scouts believing he might perform better in the latter position. He will likely be selected sometime in the third round and may very well be one of only two Gators picked in the first two days of the draft.

Click to expand and read the remainder of this post.

Flying into Fort Lauderdale, FL for a Gator Gathering with the Broward Gator Club on Tuesday evening, Florida Gators head coach Will Muschamp appeared anything but tired after a long day’s work. He gave a confident and passionate speech to nearly a thousand orange-and-blue-clad fans in attendance before energetically answering questions until it was time to depart. Below is a recap of some of the more newsworthy and interesting topics that Muschamp covered during the event:

» Muschamp made his feelings on redshirt senior quarterback John Brantley very clear once again: He believes in him. “I didn’t really watch tapes from last year with John. It’s hard to evaluate because you don’t know what somebody’s being asked. You don’t know what decisions are being made with the ball. I looked at our spring, and I thought John managed our football team well. I saw improve practice-to-practice through 15 [practices] as far as how he managed our offense.”

» Throughout the course of the event, the mentioning of certain names drew applause from the crowd. Those receiving such praise included offensive coordinator Charlie Weis, wide receivers coach Aubrey Hill, sophomore athlete Trey Burton, redshirt senior running back Chris Rainey and sophomore safety Matt Elam.

» Speaking about his coaching staff, Muschamp relayed a few tidbits about each. Most notable were the comments he made about running backs coach Brian White (he was not “retained” but rather “re-hired”), defensive line coach Bryant Young (who is in charge of all discipline for the team and scares the players to death) and linebackers/special teams coach D.J. Durkin (who once stole a recruit from Muschamp out of Atlanta, GA).

» Freshman tight end A.C. Leonard received special praise: “You’re talking about seeing a guy grow and mature. He came in here, was homesick, wanted to go home. We had a bunch of heart-to-hearts in my office. […] He’s falling in and is going to be a really good player for the Gators.”

» Other offensive players getting shoutouts included Burton (“Trey just gets it. He understands football. It comes easy to him.”) and Rainey, who Muschamp said he always jokes with that he’s not as fast as senior RB Jeff Demps.

» With the dismissal of senior cornerback Janoris Jenkins making waves Tuesday, Muschamp praised redshirt junior Jeremy Brown as “very consistent” during spring, also noting that sophomore Cody Riggs “had a great spring playing both corner and nickel.”

» Senior kicker Caleb Sturgis hit a 52-yard field goal on his first attempt inside the stadium this spring. “He’s back healthy, which is good. Makes me sleep better at night.”

» Muschamp also spoke highly of freshman punter Kyle Christy, saying he’s “a real talented guy” with “a real good leg.” He also poked fun at him a bit, saying that he was nervous when spring practice started and had a bit of trouble hanging onto the ball. “I’m going to be here most games. You need to get used to that feeling,” Muschamp said he told him. “I’m going to be further away [during games], but I’m going to stand by you in every practice when you punt.”

» Gators graduating in the spring: Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Riley Cooper, defensive tackle Terron Sanders, defensive end Justin Trattou, linebacker Brandon Antwine and WR Justin Williams.

» Asked about his excitement level about being the coach of Floirda, he said, “There aren’t many professions that you can say you get out of bed every single day, your feet hit the floor, and you’re excited about going to work. I am. I love my job. I’m glad I’m at the University of Florida.”

» Asked about how he stays so energetic all the time, he said, “I do drink a lot of coffee in the morning. I’m a victim of that. My wife won’t let me drink Red Bulls anymore, or whatever those things are called, I got a little angry.”

» Muschamp gave a candid response when the topic of a playoff for college football was brought up: “I’m young, but I’m old-fashioned. I like what we’ve got or a plus-one. I don’t want to go to a playoff, and I don’t think that’s good for college athletics. We all talk about how important academics are and then we’re going to go play a 20-game season? I like the bowl system the way it’s set-up. It’s a great reward for the players. Some of these young men never get to go stay in a nice hotel for a week and eat good meals, and they deserve it. Look at the money they earn for the university, in my opinion. The coaches’ wives that sacrifice an awful lot, they deserve it too as much time as we spend away from them. I wouldn’t mind a plus-one game, but I would say that I like what we have. And I’m not for a playoff; I don’t think that’s good for college athletics, in my opinion.”

» He also confirmed that starters will indeed play on special teams under his watch. “I believe in it 100 percent. A guy named Bill Parcells told his football team and tells his scouts, ‘If a guy is not a quarterback or an offensive lineman and he’s not on special teams, he is a selfish football player.’ We tell all of our players, ‘You’re going to enhance your opportunities as a player [by] playing special teams.’ We’re going to put our best players on special teams. I think it’s critical.”

» Muschamp talked about his general stance on accepting transfers from junior college players. “It’s [an option] for a position of need. Most guys, when they go to junior college, there are some obvious reasons why they go. You’ve got to do a great job making sure it’s the type of young man you want within your program. That’s the first thing you’ve got to ask yourself. And then, ‘Can they come in and contribute?’ Generally, if a junior college guy comes in and if he doesn’t play, he’s unhappy because he’s already spent two years of his career at a junior college. He needs to come in with a position of opportunity to play.”

» Fall practice, if it is open at all to fans, will only be for small windows or for a short period of time. Muschamp has yet to decide.

» Discussing team discipline, he first talked about keeping players off of the police blotter before discussing how the team can become cohesive while it is still in transition.

“It’s something that we work hard on from a character standpoint with our football team. It goes back to recruiting and getting the right type guys in the program. Guys got to make good decisions and choices. That goes back to leadership on your football team. By NCAA rules, there’s only so many times a year I can be around the players. We have to have the ownership of the team take over to run our football team. That’s what we need to have happen, and I think a lot of that is happening.”

“I told those guys that there is no option. If you want to be here and be a part of what we’re trying to do on our football team, fine. If you don’t, there’s the door. We’ve built well together so far. There’s a lot of team building things going on in our football team, in our organization. I do think things get blown out of proportion a little bit. I don’t think things are nearly as bad as they seem to be from a perception standpoint. That’s just my personal opinion.”

» Overall, he believes team discipline is improving. “Those are some isolated situations. We work on that a lot, and I think we’re making some positive strides.”

» One of the last questions Muschamp was asked is what fans can do to help him and the team succeed. “Just be positive about our football team. Be positive about the Gators. Let’s worry about the Gators. We get so caught up in what somebody else does or what somebody else says or how somebody else practices or, ‘They signed this guy.’ You know what? Who cares! Let’s worry about the ones we sign. I got to worry about them 365 days [a year]. I got to worry about them other ones one day out of the year. More than anything: Be a positive member of our team. If you’ve got an issue or a problem, don’t boo. Boo me if you want to; wait until after the game is over and let me know. Our guys need positive reinforcement in what we do and how we do it. I understand, ‘We pay our ticket; we deserve [the right] to be critical.’ Be critical of me. Be critical of our staff. We deserve that; our players don’t. Be a positive team member, that’s what I ask.”

SENIOR BOWL PARTICIPANTS

A source close to the players told OGGOA on Saturday that senior safety Ahmad Black, senior center/guard Mike Pouncey and redshirt senior offensive lineman Marcus Gilbert will all participate in the 2011 Under Armour Senior Bowl.

UPDATE: When rosters were officially announced on Sunday, punter/kicker Chas Henry has also accepted an invitation to play on Jan. 29.

Denver Broncos rookie quarterback Tim Tebow – the No. 25 overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft – and Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Riley Cooper both participated in the game last year.

JUNIORS DECLARING FOR THE DRAFT

Though nothing has been officially confirmed, most close to the program believe junior cornerback Janoris Jenkins will indeed declare for the 2011 NFL Draft. Jenkins, considered to be one of the top three defensive backs (cornerbacks and safeties) available, is projected as a first round pick even though he is coming off surgery to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder (an injury he played with most of the season).

Also expected to declare is junior S Will Hill, who was projected to be a high pick before the season but has failed to live up to the expectations of both analysts and fans. ESPN grades Hill out as a 68 in its “draftable defensive backs” projections, eight points below Black (76) and 24 under Jenkins (92). In addition to his on-the-field problems, Hill is believed to have a poor attitude off the field and has been disciplined numerous times this past season. People he has spoken with personally have been told he will not be returning to Florida for his senior year.

WALKING OFF THE FIELD BEFORE CELEBRATING

Though a number of the Gators’ injured players – including those who were hurt during the game – remained on the field to celebrate after Florida’s 37-24 win over the Penn State Nittany Lions, a few healthy players ran directly into the locker room instead. Hill, redshirt senior wide receivers Carl Moore and Justin Williams and redshirt freshman WR Andre Debose all hurried off the field. Though Hill is likely to declare for the draft and both Moore and Williams are leaving/graduating, Debose’s departure was curious.

Checking in on Debose, OGGOA has learned that he has been quite disappointed with his time at UF thus far, a feeling that is not surprising considering he missed his first season due to injury and was only used sparingly in 2010 as a kick returner even though he showed explosive ability and the Gators struggled offensively. A source close to the team told us that Debose does not practice nearly as hard as the other young receivers and truly does not have a full grasp of the playbook, something head coach Urban Meyer noted early in the season. Not to make a mountain out of a mole hill – Debose simply could have been exhausted or sick or feeling down after being benched due to muffing two kickoffs – his exit from the field so suddenly is worth noting.

With a new coaching staff coming in and the ability to get a fresh start with an offensive coordinator and position coach, Debose may be getting exactly what he needs.

TWO OTHER CURRENT COACHES ARE GONE

In addition to offensive coordinator Steve Addazio and defensive coordinator Teryl Austin moving on, the Palm Beach Post has confirmed that co-defensive coordinator/safeties coach Chuck Heater (surprisingly) and wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni (not surprisingly) will not be retained. “I will not be back next year,” Heater told the paper. With reports that Florida has hired former player Aubrey Hill as their new WR coach, Azzanni’s departure is not as much of a shock as Heater’s.

QUARTERBACKING YOUR 2011 GATORS IS…

Perhaps the most important position on the field – quarterback – is the Gators biggest question from a personnel perspective going into next season. Though redshirt freshman QB Jordan Reed said he was perfectly fine with moving to tight end to start the season, he has showed some ability behind center and may hope to get that opportunity in a spread offense elsewhere. Redshirt junior QB John Brantley, who has publicly acknowledged he is considering transferring, will have a pro-style offense in place at Florida should he choose to stay. Their decisions could be independent or related depending what Muschamp has to say and what Brantley’s family helps him decide.

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Location: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium – Gainesville, FL [Capacity: 88,548]
Weather Forecast: 76°F, clear skies
Time: 12:30 p.m. (EST)

TV: PPV [Information]
TV Replays: Sun Sports – Sun., Nov. 21 at 8:30 a.m.; Tues., Nov. 23 at 11:00 p.m.
Online Video: ESPN3.com (Outside of Florida only.)
Sirius/XM: 215/200
Online Audio: Yahoo!
Live Updates: @OnlyGators

Odds: Florida -23.5

HISTORY and STREAKS

» Florida and Appalachian State have never squared off before, but the Gators are 24-2 all-time against Southern Conference opponents.
» Since 2005, UF and ASU have combined for five national championships. The Gators have won two FBS titles (2006, 2008), while the Mountaineers have captured three-straight FCS championships (2005-07).
» Florida has faced three FCS schools since 2006, beating them a combined 194-22. However Appalachian State is easily the best of the bunch, having won six-straight conference titles (2005-10) under Moore’s leadership.
» UF is tied for the national lead with 17 interceptions on the season. Seven have been returned for more than 30 yards – three for touchdowns.
» Florida is back out of the BCS, Associated Press and USA Today top 25 after returning to the rankings two weeks ago. This season is the first time the Gators have been unranked in all three under Meyer. Florida had been listed in every poll since he took over in 2005 until they lost to Mississippi State three weeks ago.
» The Gators’ offense has seen 15 different players overall score a touchdown this year – including defense and special teams.
» Florida is the only school in the nation that has four players with at least three interceptions. Overall, eight Gators have at least one interception.
» UF under Meyer is 41-1 when holding an opponent under 16 points, 29-3 when shutting an opponent out in the fourth quarter, 38-3 when holding an opponent to 35 percent or less on third down, 38-2 when giving up two or less big plays (15-yard run/25-yard pass) and 33-3 when the Gators defense scores or creates three turnovers.
» Florida redshirt senior guard Carl Johnson and sophomore right tackle Xavier Nixon are both from North Carolina, while Appalachian State boasts five players from the state of Florida. ASU defensive coordinator Dale Jones was a former UF assistant (1991).

SENIOR DAY

The Gators’ 2010 senior class is one of the winningest classes in SEC history with a 41-10 record in their time in the Orange and Blue. However, that is not the only accomplishment the class has made in the last four years. The senior class also has:

Two National Championships – Three BCS bowl game wins (2010 Sugar Bowl) – Two SEC Championships (three appearances) – Three SEC Eastern Division titles – 29-5 record at The Swamp – 15-1 record vs. rivals (Tennessee, Georgia, FSU and Miami)

* Brandon Antwine – #47 – DT – Garland, Tex.
* Ahmad Black – #35 – SS – Lakeland, Fla.
* Lorenzo Edwards – #26 – LB – Orlando, Fla.
* John Fairbanks – #59 – LS – Celebration, Fla.
* Marcus Gilbert – #76 – LT – Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
* Chas Henry – #17 – P/K – Dallas, Ga.
* Brandon Hicks – #40 – LB – Jacksonville, Fla.
* Maurice Hurt – #74 – T/G – Milledgeville, Ga.
* Carl Johnson – #57 – G – Durham, N.C.
* A.J. Jones – #16 – LB – Tampa, Fla.
* Duke Lemmens – #44 – DE/LB – Westlake Village, Calif.
* Lawrence Marsh – #90 – DT – Augusta, Ga.
* Emmanuel Moody – #21 – RB – Coppell, Tex.
* Carl Moore – #9 – WR – Rancho Cordova, Calif.
* Mike Pouncey – #55 – C – Lakeland, Fla.
* Terron Sanders – #92 – DT – Bradenton, Fla.
* Justin Trattou – #94 – DE – Ramsey, N.J.
* Justin Williams – #7 – WR – Folkston, Ga.
————————————————————————
* Gary Beemer – #61 – DT – Valrico, Fla.
* Miguel Carodine – #41 – S – Gainesville, Fla.
* Eugene Minchin – #33 – LB – Gainesville, Fla.
* Shawn Schmieder – #70 – DT – Jacksonville, Fla.
* Solomon Schoonover – #29 – WR – Aventura, Fla.

KEEP AN EYE ON…

FLORIDA
» Redshirt junior quarterback John Brantley…who had thrown 156 consecutive passes without an interception dating back to 2009, now has a 8-7 TD/INT ratio this season after throwing an interception last week. He has completed 172-of-282 passes (61.0 percent) for 1,746 yards and has a passer rating of 117.4.
» Freshman QB Trey Burton and redshirt freshman tight end Jordan Reed…both of whom will spell Brantley at quarterback in Florida’s new three-QB system. Burton set a school record and SEC freshman record by scoring six touchdowns in a single game against Kentucky. He has 10 scores on the season, has played five positions and is second on the team in rushing (56 carries for 279 yards). Reed got his first meaningful snaps behind center two weeks, going 11-of-19 for 120 yards with a touchdown and a pick. He also ran 16 times for 84 yards with another score.
» Junior running back Jeff Demps…who is averaging 6.3 yards per carry and still leads the Gators in rushing (488 yards) after missing two full games and being limited in five others. He was Florida’s leading rusher in its first five games of the season.
» Redshirt junior wide receiver Chris Rainey..who returned to action for the first time in over a month against Georgia and has 28 carries for 140 yards (along with 16 receptions for 150 yards) and three touchdowns this year.
» Redshirt freshman WR/kick returner Andre Debose…who set a school single-season record with his second kickoff return touchdown last week. With an 88-yard return against LSU and a 99-yard return against South Carolina, he is the only freshman nationally with two in 2010 and one of only two players nationally with two in 2010. He is one of the reasons why the Gators rank No. 5 nationally and No. 1 in the SEC in kickoff returns with a 26.1 average.
» Sophomore WR Frankie Hammond, Jr.…who is quickly becoming one of Florida’s most important pass catchers. He was the team’s leading receiver against Mississippi State and caught three passes for 46 yards against Georgia and another three passes for 49 yards and a touchdown against Vanderbilt the following week.
» Senior punter Chas Henry…who is the end-all be-all of Florida’s kicking game now that he has taken over for junior Caleb Sturgis (back) as the team’s field goal kicker. Henry had missed five-straight field goal attempts (one negated by penalty) before nailing back-to-back kicks in the fourth quarter and overtime three weeks ago.
» Florida’s secondary…which has intercepted 13 balls this season. Starters senior safety Ahmad Black (three), junior CB Janrois Jenkins (three), redshirt sophomore CB Jeremy Brown (three), and junior S Will Hill (three) have accounted for all but one of the unit’s picks.
» Black…who has led Florida in tackles seven times this season: vs. South Carolina (career-high 16), LSU (13), Georgia (12), Miami (10), Mississippi State (10), USF (8) and Vanderbilt (4). He is tops on the team overall with 93 tackles, including nine for loss.

APPALACHIAN STATE
» QB DeAndre Presley…who has passed for 2,066 yards and 17 touchdowns with only four interceptions this season while simultaneously leading his team on the ground with 727 rushing yards.
» WR Brian Quick…who has a team-high 36 catches for 685 yards and seven TDs.
» Linebacker D.J. Smith, defensive tackle Jabari Fletcher and CB Mark LeGree…who lead the team with 108 tackles, seven sacks and five interceptions, respectively.

INJURIES

Active/Probable: Junior RB Jeff Demps (foot), sophomore RB Mike Gillislee (hamstring), redshirt sophomore DT Jaye Howard (ankle), sophomore LB Jon Bostic (bruised sternum)
Inactives: Redshirt senior LB A.J. Jones, redshirt sophomore LT Matt Patchan (broken wrist), junior K Caleb Sturgis (back), sophomore LB Dee Finley (fractured collarbone), freshmen RB Mack Brown, WRs Quinton Dunbar and Chris Dunkley (hamstrings)

Catch the Gators’ 11th game of the season live on television on pay-per-view, via the radio or through OGGOA‘s live updates on Twitter.
 

REPLACING BRANDON JAMES…

During his media availability Monday, head coach Urban Meyer announced that junior running back Jeff Demps would be handling kickoff returns, while redshirt junior wide receiver Chris Rainey would get the vast majority of work as the team’s punt returner for the upcoming season. Meyer added that junior cornerback Janoris Jenkins will see time bringing back punts on occasion. OGGOA continues to believe that – considering Demps, Rainey and Jenkins are all very important starters at other positions – fans may see another player (freshman WR Robert Clark?) take over some of these duties as the season progresses (especially if any are nursing injuries).

THE ‘STACHE IS TRASH

Redshirt junior starting quarterback John Brantley had a mustache. Now he doesn’t.

Moving on.

MOVEMENT AT LEFT TACKLE

Whether it is due to a knee injury sustained by sophomore Xavier Nixon, the talent and progression of redshirt sophomore Matt Patchan or both, it appears that the latter has the inside track on the Gators’ starting left tackle job. Patchan, who is returning from a wrist injury and not yet participating fully in practice, could very well supplant Nixon, who started the final five games of the 2009 season.

Starting middle linebacker – being contested by sophomore Jon Bostic and Jelani Jenkins – and starting cornerback – a battle between redshirt sophomore Jeremy Brown and senior Moses Jenkins – both remain open position battles.

PROVING HIS WORTH

When punishing sophomore WR Frankie Hammond, Jr., Meyer chose to take him off of scholarship rather than immediately suspend him from games or kick him off the team, giving the player a chance to earn his way back in his coaches’ and teammates’ good graces. Hammond has been doing just that over the last few weeks, proving that he has his head on straight, will not duplicate his mistake and is an integral part of the team. Though Meyer will not reinstate Hammond’s scholarship before the season, a successful year off the field could get him back on track before spring or summer

IF YOU GON’ DO IT – DO IT JUST LIKE THIS

After the scrimmage on Saturday – the team’s final one of the fall – Meyer graded out a number of players as Champions of the team. Offense: QB Brantley, senior center Mike Pouncey, redshirt senior T Marcus Gilbert, redshirt sophomore fullback T.J. Pridemore – Defense: senior safety Ahmad Black, defensive ends senior Duke Lemmens and junior defensive end William Green, linebackers sophomore Jon Bostic and senior Lorzenzo Edwards.

INJURY UPDATES

Meyer said that redshirt senior defensive tackle Brandon Antwine has been out of action the last few days after suffering a concussion; he may return on Tuesday if cleared by doctors. Redshirt senior WR Justin Williams hurt his shoulder during practice and has been using a sling. Junior WR Deonte Thompson’s hamstring acted up on him, causing him to sit out Saturday’s scrimmage, but he will be fine; likewise, freshman WR Chris Dunkley’s hamstring injury is believed to be behind him.

QUOTES

Meyer on Saturday’s final scrimmage and where the team is at right now: “We weren’t very good. … It really was not a very good scrimmage. Defense played well – about what you’d think for where we’re at right now. I’m hitting the panic button a little bit right now. We’ve got to get better faster than what we are at right now. It’s not that we’re not good, it’s just consistency of the offensive and defensive line[s]. We have to get them all in there. Once Patchan comes back and Xavier Nixon gets back, we’ll look a little better on the offensive line. When DT and Carl [Moore] and Omarius Hines [are] all together, we’ll look a little better, but right now, it’s not Florida football yet.”

Meyer comparing Brantley and Tim Tebow: “Somebody asked me today about the difference between John Brantley and Tim Tebow. Outward appearances, there’s a big difference. Inward … his competitiveness and leadership are fantastic right now, much better than I thought. I was really worried about that. When you have a guy like that [Tebow] in front of you, [Brantley] didn’t show much. Today we did the two-minute drill and he did fantastic. He ran the whole show and acted like a veteran quarterback – like he is. I’m really encouraged by John. Everybody knows he can throw the ball. The other part is fantastic right now as far as management of the team and leadership.”

Meyer on how the freshmen are performing: “Just OK. Actually, [I'm] a little disappointed in some of them. I thought they’d go take a spot. A few guys are doing decent – [safety] Matt Elam, [DT] Dominique Easley and [WR] Quinton Dunbar – who has been very good for us and might play this year. [DE] Ronald Powell had a great practice today, but didn’t have a great camp. He’s coming on strong now. Some of those big-game guys, I thought we’d have some of them cracking the lineup right now … but not yet.”

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

QUARTERBACKS: A+
While his 17-of-25 completion numbers do leave something to be desired, it is tough to dock any points from senior Tim Tebow for his performance on Saturday. Piling up 102 yards on the ground including a career-long 55-yard touchdown run as well as 215 yards and two more touchdowns through the air, Tebow was his old self. Then again, he was playing against FIU. More impressive on Saturday was redshirt sophomore back-up John Brantley, who went 9-for-13 for 146 yards and three touchdowns. Tebow and Brantley combined to spread the ball around to nine receivers, seven of whom had more than one catch on the day.

RUNNING BACKS: B
Redshirt junior transfer Emmanuel Moody sat out the game, though his classmate Christopher Scott got to see action late in the game. Sophomore Jeff Demps and redshirt sophmore Chris Rainey started. Even so, there were only 22 carries dished out between the three, with Demps getting nine for 46 yards (5.1 average), Rainey taking four for 30 yards and a touchdown (7.5 average) and Scott running nine for 26 yards (2.9 average). Rainey, however, added 61 yards and a touchdown in the receiving game. Nothing too impressive or surprising overall against a porous FIU defense.

Read the rest of Florida’s grades from the FIU game after the jump…

WIDE RECEIVERS: A-
Probably the best day for the Florida pass catchers this season, nine Gators caught balls from Tebow and Brantley, eight of whom are listed as receivers. Redshirt sophomore Deonte Thompson led the way with both five receptions and 66 yards, while redshirt freshman Omarius Hines proved he can hold his own with four catches for 50 yards and a touchdown. Others contributors included seniors Riley Cooper (48 yards, TD) and David Nelson (45 yards), redshirt freshman Frankie Hammond, Jr. (38 yards, TD) and redshirt junior Justin Williams (16 yards, TD).

TIGHT ENDS: F
“F” is for failure, and junior tight end Aaron Hernandez failed in head coach Urban Meyer‘s eyes. Hernandez did something get a cage in Meyer’s doghouse, and I believe he did not even step foot on the field until the second quarter. There is no other grade to give someone who barely played and had no impact on the game whatsoever.

OFFENSIVE LINE: A-
Neither Tebow nor Brantley was a victim of a sack, freshman left tackle Xavier Nixon looked solid and the line as a whole played quite well. Redshirt junior left guard Carl Johnson (ankle) and junior center Maurkice Pouncey (leg) were both dinged up in the game but are expected to be ready for the Florida State Seminoles.

DEFENSIVE LINE: A-
Redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Jaye Howard led the way for the Florida defense with seven tackles while the entire line held FIU’s rushing game to 53 total yards on 30 attempts. Howard shared a sack with redshirt junior DT Lawrence Marsh as the line paved the way for three total sacks on Golden Panthers’ QB Paul McCall who finished 9-of-21 on the day.

LINEBACKERS: A
Another dominating performance for the linebackers began with a 41-yard interception return for a touchdown by senior Brandon Spikes on the first series of the game. Spikes added five tackles, while fellow seniors Dustin Doe (five tackles, sack) and Ryan Stamper (three tackles, sack) both had good games as well. Redshirt junior A.J. Jones went down with an MCL injury, but junior Brandon Hicks filled in admirably and will for the foreseeable future.

SECONDARY: A-
You may not have seen the secondary much on Saturday, but they were there doing their job by limiting McCall to an under-50 percent completion percentage. To be fair and balanced, though, FIU receivers did beat coverage a few times. On these instances, McCall was either pressured to throw the ball away or simply overthrew the route. Good performance by this unit, but nothing too spectacular one way or another.

SPECIAL TEAMS: D
Junior punter Chas Henry did not step on the field Saturday. Normally, his presence alone would have been enough to save this unit from OGGOA grading hell – not this time. Sophomore kicker Caleb Sturgis missed a 53-yard field goal (his only attempt) and redshirt senior Jonathan Phillips had an extra point blocked (also his only attempt). That marks four consecutive missed field goals for Sturgis, three of which were from beyond 50 yards. While you cannot expect a kicker to nail every 50+ yarder, Sturgis had Gators fans expecting as much from his prior performances. He now has fans expecting the worst and must have a Chris Hetland-like renewal to get back in Meyer’s good graces. Senior kick returner Brandon James continued to be lackluster in his duties, earning a total of 25 yards on four punts and 53 yards on two kickoffs… vs. FIU.

COACHING: A
The team was prepared, the ball was spread around, the reserves got plenty of time on the field and injured players were rested. There is not much more you can ask for from the coaches. One has to assume plenty of time was spent game planning for FSU this week, meaning the staff used their time wisely.

OVERALL: B+
The Gators won the game, covered the spread and scored 62 points while only allowing three. Nevertheless, the performance was not perfect and left much to be desired on a few fronts. When evaluating a team of Florida’s caliber against a lesser opponent, you have to grade on a scale. The Gators did exactly what they needed to do – win and move on to the Seminoles.