1 » Three-star point guard commitment Scottie Wilbekin (Gainesville, FL), who is leaving The Rock School a year early as a junior to join the Florida Gators‘ 2010 recruiting class, remains a mystery to many fans who are curious as to what he can bring to the program right away. Reggie Rankin, who covers basketball recruiting for ESPN caught a glimpse of Wilbekin at the second session of the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL) and came away impressed. “[Wilbekin] has added about 25 pounds and his confidence and swagger on the court is tremendous,” Rankin wrote. “He may not be a star for the Gators, but he will provide them with a lead guard that possess a high basketball IQ, can run the team, get others involved and makes open shots. He also is an excellent defender that is alert in the passing lanes. He will provide Billy Donovan with a steady hand at the point position. […] It is great to see a kid have these options not only because he is a good kid and player, but most importantly a good student.”

Wilbekin’s school also went ahead and published a video with his coaches profiling his game and some of his accomplishments. (h/t Orlando Sentinel)

2 » Speaking of Florida basketball and its recruiting, former four-star 2008 commitment center Eloy Vargas has transferred for the second time in as many eligible seasons. This time, Vargas is leaving Miami Dade College for none other than head coach John Calipari and the Kentucky Wildcats. Vargas averaged 25 points and 15 rebounds last season and hopes to make a quick transition back to the Southeastern Conference.

Tags: Billy Donovan, Eloy Vargas, John Calipari, Kentucky Wildcats, Miami Dade College, Nike, Scottie Wilbekin, SEC

1 » On Feb. 1, OGGOA reported that former Florida Gators safety Reggie Nelson could be cut by the Jacksonville Jaguars if he does not show significant improvement by the time training camp concludes. Nelson owned up to ESPN about his issues in 2009 and has figured out why they occurred. “I had mistakes last year, I did,” he said. “I’ve watched film since I’ve been here in February and I can own up and say, ‘Yes, I did blow some coverages. Yes, I did miss tackles.’ That’s something I’ve looked at. I have to correct them. You’ve got to look at it: I played safety, corner, nickel, so many different positions. Most players would be like, ‘Oh, no, I’m not doing that, y’all drafted me for this.’ That’s not me, I want to win. I took that challenge, I played corner, I played nickel. I am a competitive guy. [...] They made their decision and I’ve got to live with it.” Nelson also said he will not do the same thing in 2010 – if it is up to him. “The way things happened last year, I don’t think I’d do it,” he said. “I will not do it. I tried that last year. It didn’t work. I don’t think it was fair to me. I would not go back. You live and you lean. It’s their decision, regardless. The only thing I can do is show up and play football.”

2 » The New England Patriots want former Florida defensive end Jermaine Cunningham to replace recently released outside linebacker Adalius Thomas – this much is known. How he will progress in the transition remains to be seen, but head coach Bill Belichick is just as confident as Cunningham is in himself. “It’s all football. I’m a football player,” Cunningham said. “I’m going to study the playbooks and just do whatever it takes to get better, and keep on getting better. […] I’m a hard worker and fundamental technician. […] Left or right, just get to the ball.” For what its worth, Cunningham has also taken to giving a name to the influx of former Gators with the Patriots – “Gator Nation North,” he calls it.

Four more BITS on softball, lacrosse, baseball and Kentucky basketball posting the lowest average GPA in the SEC…after the break!
Continue Reading » SIX BITS: Nelson, Cunningham, softball, lax, UK

Tags: Adalius Thomas, ALC, ALC Tournament, baseball, Bill Belichick, Cara Canington, Ensley Gammel, Jacksonville Jaguars, Janine Hillier, Jermaine Cunningham, John Calipari, Kentucky Wildcats, lacrosse, Lakeside Field, Mississippi State Bulldogs, MSU Softball Field, New England Patriots, Nolan Fontana, Northwestern Wildcats, Reggie Nelson, SEC, softball, Stephanie Brombacher

1 » Former Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow is a rare football player. Not necessarily just because of his talent but more so due to his star power. OGGOA touched on this a while back, but Sarah Talalay of the Sun-Sentinel took a more in-depth look on Monday. One of the reasons he is so likable to sponsors: “You have a good feeling he’s a guy who’s going to stay out of trouble and be looking to make a positive impact on people and the world,” Millsport account director Darin David said.

2 » Florida has an opportunity to do something special beginning on Thursday with the chance for as many as 13 former Gators to be selected in the 2010 NFL Draft. Though, in all likelihood, the number of UF players drafted will be 10, it would be the most in the school’s history and certainly more than the in-state rival Miami Hurricanes and Florida State Seminoles have had in recent memory. Then again, the Gators have a long way to go to catch up with the Hurricanes when it comes to overall NFL talent.

3 » Though Florida basketball and head coach Billy Donovan are bringing in plenty of frontcourt players, four-star commit Patric Young (Jacksonville, FL) says he has no plans on being a one-and-done player no matter how well he performs his freshman season. “I don’t care how good I do at Florida, I will be there either three or four years and get my degree,” he told The Florida Times-Union. “I’ve always wanted to play in the NBA, but I have a backup plan and that’s to have an education. That ranks second, right behind my faith, in terms of importance. I eventually want to do something else in basketball, whether it’s to be an announcer, work for a team or have a business involved in the sport.” [Thanks to OGGOA reader UF_84 for the heads-up.]

4 » Freshman catcher Austin Maddox has been named the Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week. Leading the No. 7/9 Gators baseball team with a .538 batting average and three home runs while slugging 1.462 over a three-game series against the Kentucky Wildcats, Maddox also totaled five RBI and five runs. He is the fourth Florida freshman this year to win the honor.

Tags: Austin Maddox, baseball, Draft, Florida State Seminoles, Freshman of the Week, Kentucky Wildcats, Miami Hurricanes, NFL, Patric Young, SEC, Tim Tebow

1 » No. 7/9 Florida Gators baseball split the remaining two games of its away series against the Kentucky Wildcats, winning 6-3 Saturday night before falling 6-5 on Sunday. The Gators (25-10, 10-5 SEC) clinched their first series win in Lexington, KY, against the Wildcats (22-14, 5-10 SEC) at Cliff Hagan Stadium since 2004. Saturday, sophomore first baseman Preston Tucker (1-4) led the way with three RBI, while freshman designated hitter Austin Maddox (3-5) collected two runs. Freshman Hudson Randall got the start, but sophomore reliever Greg Larson (2-1) earned the win on 3.2 no-hit innings. Tucker went 2-5 Sunday, but Florida and sophomore Anthony DeSclafani (2-2) fell to Kentucky in the series finale.

2 » No. 3/4 softball also took a series win against UK over the weekend, winning two out of three games from Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium in Gainesville, FL. Junior first baseman Megan Bush went 3-6 during the doubleheader on Saturday with a grand slam, while sophomore outfielder Michelle Moultrie contributed a 5-6 performance with two runs and a double. Junior Stephanie Brombacher and freshman Ensley Gammel (10-1) pitched, earning a win and loss, respectively. Gammel would also earn her fourth save in the first game. The Gators (34-5, 14-3 SEC) clinched the series Sunday against the Wildcats (27-18, 11-11 SEC) with senior OF Francesca Enea (2-3) grabbing two RBI and her 58th career home run. She is now within two of the all-time SEC record of 60. Brombacher (23-4) tossed a complete game for her second win of the weekend.

Four more BITS on track & field, tennis, golf and lacrosse…after the break!
Continue Reading » SIX BITS: Baseball, softball, track, tennis, golf, lax

Tags: ALC, Anthony DeSclafani, Ashley Bruns, Austin Maddox, baseball, Calvin Smith, Chris Rainey, Cliff Hagan Stadium, Dizney Stadium, Ensley Gammel, field, Francesca Enea, Greg Larson, Hudson Randall, Jeff Demps, Kentucky Wildcats, lacrosse, Mariam Kevkhishvili, Megan Bush, Michelle Moultrie, Percy Beard Track, Pressly Stadium, Preston Tucker, SEC, SEC Championship, SEC Tournament, softball, South Carolina Gamecocks, Stephanie Brombacher, tennis, Tom Jones Memorial Classic, track, Vanderbilt Commodores

1 » A 90-minute rain delay did little to derail No. 7/9 Florida Gators baseball (24-9, 9-4 SEC) from taking a 10-8 win over the Kentucky Wildcats (21-13, 4-9 SEC) Friday night on the road at Cliff Hagan Stadium in Lexington, KY. Marking the 100th victory of head coach Kevin O’Sullivan’s career, the win was powered by a home run each from freshman catcher Austin Maddox (3-5) and senior outfielder Matt den Dekker (2-3). Sophomore Alex Panteliodis got the start but received a no-decision after giving up five earned runs in 5.1 innings. Senior reliever Jeff Barfield (2-0) tossed 1.1 innings for the win as junior closer Kevin Chapman earned his seventh save of the season with four strikeouts in 2.0 innings.

2 » From GatorZone: “Sophomore Florida multi-event athlete Gray Horn turned in the second-best decathlon score in school history Thursday, charting 7,566 total points to place third at the Mt. Sac Relays Multi-Events hosted by Azusa Pacific University at Cougar Stadium.”

3 » No. 4/6 men’s and No. 10/11 women’s golf are each currently competing in their respective 2010 Southeastern Conference Championships. After the first round of action, the men’s team is in a tie for second place while the women are struggling and are currently in ninth. The Gators’ men are just two strokes behind the leading Arkansas Razorbacks and have a chance to take the lead Saturday.

4 » By all accounts, former Florida defensive coordinator Charlie Strong is already doing an amazing job in his first head coaching gig with the Louisville Cardinals. Granted, it is only spring practice so far. Regardless, Sports Illustrated’s Andy Staples put out a nice piece about Strong on Monday, stating what OGGOA has long believed, that “schools nationwide are about to regret passing on Charlie Strong.”

Extra Bit » OGGOA has heard that Gators basketball’s Friday visit with Rutgers transfer guard Mike Rosario went really well. Some we have spoken with seem to believe he will be committing or already has committed. However, we are not able to confirm that at this point – just wanted to make our readers aware of what we are hearing.

Tags: Alex Panteliodis, Arkansas Razorbacks, Austin Maddox, baseball, Charlie Strong, Cliff Hagan Stadium, golf, Gray Horn, Jeff Barfield, Kentucky Wildcats, Kevin Chapman, Kevin O'Sullivan, Louisville Cardinals, Matt den Dekker, Mike Rosario, SEC, SEC Championship

1 » Facing the No. 19/16 Florida State Seminoles in a doubleheader Wednesday, No. 3/4 Florida Gators softball swept their rivals with consecutive 8-4 and 9-2 victories on the road at JoeAnne Graf Field in Tallahassee, FL. Florida (32-4, 12-2 SEC)’s winners were starters junior Stephanie Brombacher (21-4) and freshman Ensley Gammel (10-0), who tallied a combined 13.3 innings and eight strikeouts against FSU (36-10, 8-4 SEC). Freshman shortstop Brittany Walker went 4-7 on the day with two RBI, as junior second baseman Aja Paculba extended her hitting streak to 16 games – tying the longest in school history.

2 » “It was great to have all of that work,” Gators freshman cornerback Josh Shaw said of his playing time in the 2010 Orange & Blue Debut last weekend. “Some of it was good, some bad, but I feel like I’m getting better each time out.” Shaw, according to The Gainesville Sun is adjusting to his competitors’ speed and athleticism but is confident he will be able to follow in the footsteps of some of the team’s best cornerbacks.

3 » Florida men’s basketball may have lost out on two recruits Wednesday, but the women’s basketball and softball teams each brought in a new name. JuCo transfer guard Deana Allen (Houma, LA) has decided to join the Gators after averaging 19.2 points and 6.4 rebounds per game at Pensacola Junior College. She is the fifth new recruit for the women’s team. Joining softball is utility player Chelsea Howell (Plantation, FL), the fourth player of her new team’s 2010-11 class.

4 » Interesting blog post today from Joseph Goodman of the Miami Herald on new Kentucky Wildcats five-star guard commitment Brandon Knight, who had been leaning away from the Gators for quite some time. Some of the potential reasons he chose Kentucky aside from coaching and the school? “Exposure, creating the Brandon Knight brand, getting ready for the NBA, making money” and not playing with Kenny Boynton, Goodman writes.

Tags: Aja Paculba, Brandon Knight, Brittany Walker, Chelsea Howell, Deana Allen, Ensley Gammel, Florida State Seminoles, JoeAnne Graf Field, Josh Shaw, Kenny Boynton, Kentucky Wildcats, Orange & Blue Debut, Pensacola Junior College, softball, Stephanie Brombacher, women's basketball

1 » It’s official: Five-star 2010 guard recruit Brandon Knight (Fort Lauderdale, FL) has committed to the Kentucky Wildcats, and four-star 2010 point guard recruit Ray McCallum, Jr. (Detroit, MI) has committed to play for his dad w/ the Detroit Mercy.

2 » On a conference call with reporters Wednesday, NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock expressed concerns about former Florida Gators defensive end Carlos Dunlap‘s position in the 2010 NFL Draft. “In my opinion, he’s got a substantially below average motor,” Mayock said. “He only plays a certain percentage of plays hard. When you’re doing that, you’re going to get dinged pretty badly by the NFL. Carlos Dunlap is a beautiful body with a tremendous physical skill set, but he doesn’t play every play hard. I think he’s going to fall midway to late in the second round, and maybe to the third. He’s definitely got ability, but how much money to you want to pay a guy who doesn’t play hard every play?”

Mayock also said that he expects quarterback Tim Tebow to be a starter in the league within in three years. He has always been one of the talking heads who has supported Tebow the most throughout the process.

3 » Former Gators tight end Aaron Hernandez is meeting with the Detroit Lions today according to a report by the National Football Post. Some are concerned with Hernandez’s personality off the field, something that may have him fall from the second to the third round next week.

4 » In addition to being in the running for three-star point guards Brandon Young (Washington, D.C.) and Chris Denson (Columbus, GA) as well as three-star power forward Will Yeguete (Melbourne, FL), Florida has secured an in-home visit with three-star PF Marcus Thornton (Atlanta, GA), according to The Gainesville Sun.

Tags: Aaron Hernandez, Brandon Knight, Brandon Young, Carlos Dunlap, Chris Denson, Detroit Lions, Detroit Mercy, Draft, Kentucky Wildcats, Marcus Thornton, NFL, Ray McCallum, Tim Tebow, Will Yeguete

1 » As OGGOA first reported via Twitter yesterday, the Florida Gators have taken home yet another national title: the National Guard FLW College Fishing National Championship. That’s right – the University of Florida team of Matthew Wercinski and Jake Gipson won the first annual event on Fort Loudon Lake after catching a three-day total of 10 bass weighing 29 pounds, 10 ounces. The duo won $25,000 cash, $50,000 for UF (either for the club team or as a scholarship, we are assuming) and a Ranger 177TR with a 90-HP outboard motor wrapped in orange and blue!

2 » REMINDER: Five-star shooting guard Brandon Knight (Fort Lauderdale, FL) will officially make his college commitment Wednesday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. (EST). Knight is universally expected to pick the Kentucky Wildcats over Florida and a number of other programs vying for his services.

3 » With the 2010 NBA Playoffs on the horizon, a few Gators will be making appearances and attempting to win the league’s title. However, the one with the best shot is likely Orlando Magic point guard Jason Williams. The Gainesville Sun caught up with head coach Stan Van Gundy, who had glowing things to say about the former Florida player. “He really pushes the ball in transition and he brings a real consistent energy,” Van Gundy said. “There’s rarely a time where, in fact I don’t even remember one, where he goes into a game and you just say, ‘Wow, Jason doesn’t have much energy tonight.’ He really brings that every single night. That’s probably the No. 1 thing he’s done for us, plus he’s the best passer we have.”

4 » Though many Florida basketball fans have been quite annoyed with the number of transfers the team has had over the last few seasons, it should be notated that both Kentucky and Alabama have had more (12) and Ole Miss has had almost as many (10). This is neither an indictment nor an excuse, but it is nice to put things in perspective sometimes, especially since Ray Shipman announced his decision on March 24.

Tags: Brandon Knight, fishing, FLW College Fishing National Championship, Jake Gipson, Jason Williams, Kentucky Wildcats, Matthew Wercinski, NBA, Orlando Magic, Playoffs, Ray Shipman, Stan Van Gundy, University of Florida