1 » Florida Gators wide receiver Percy Harvin has a well-documented history with migraine headaches, something the Minnesota Vikings knew when they drafted him in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft. Though Harvin’s migraines caused him to miss some practice and game time during his Gators career, they appear to have gotten more frequent over the past year. (At the very least, they are reported on more extensively because he is now under the NFL injury list and fantasy football microscope.) Vikings head coach Brad Childress has grown increasingly concerned about Harvin’s headaches, which have caused him to miss a lot of practice (and even a full game) over the past week. “We’re attempting to look into and see if there are any common denominators,” Childress said Wednesday. “He’s been having them for a good period of time. It’s important for us to get some kind of baseline if we can, doctor-wise, and yet still know that they are fairly unpredictable.” In addition to keeping Harvin out of practice, the migraines also prevent him from studying his team’s weekly game plan, something he must do in order to play effectively each week.

2 » Freshman offensive lineman Xavier Nixon, who has started Florida’s last four games at left tackle, was named to the 2009 Sporting News All-Freshman Team on Wednesday. Nixon is the first Gators true freshman to start at left tackle since 1992.

Tags: All-Freshman, Brad Childress, Draft, Minnesota Vikings, NFL, Percy Harvin, Xavier Nixon

From time to time, OGGOA will come across too many news items we want to share with our readers. In those instances, we present a special post: Gator Bites. Enjoy.

- On NBC’s Football Night in America, Peter King said he spoke to 17 NFL general managers about Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow. Asking them where they projected him being drafted, King said the average came out to No. 33 overall. However, two coaches of winning teams told King that he would not get past their pick in the first round. No surprise there. Almost the entire group of commentators on The OT on FOX agreed that Florida will beat the Alabama Crimson Tide on Saturday. Some claimed the Gators were poised to win the National Championship while others said Tebow deserves the Heisman Trophy.

- Rolling up 545 yards of total offense on the Florida State Seminoles, the Gators unit looks the most comfortable it has the entire season. Consider the fact that it rolled up 584 yards against the Florida International Golden Panthers the week prior.

Be sure to check out the seven additional Gator Bites after the jump…
Continue Reading » Gator Bites for Sunday, November 29th

Tags: Aaron Hernandez, Alabama Crimson Tide, Bobby Bowden, Cody Riggs, Draft, Florida State Seminoles, Gator Nation, Georgia Bulldogs, Heisman Trophy, Joe Haden, Minnesota Vikings, National Championship, NFL, Percy Harvin, Rookie of the Year, Tennessee Volunteers, Tim Tebow, Urban Meyer

The subject of a lot of debate leading up to the 2009 NFL Draft, former Florida Gators wide receiver Percy Harvin never took his eyes off the prize – even when it was revealed he tested positive for marijuana at the combine. While he was certainly a top 10 (if not higher) talent, Harvin’s fall to No. 22 overall may have been the best thing for his life and career. All you have to do is ask Minnesota Vikings future Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre and head coach Brad Childress; they will tell you that Harvin is a problem solver, not a problem starter.

ESPN.com senior writer Elizabeth Merrill went in-depth on Harvin and how he has adjusted to the NFL. OGGOA will highlight some of the article here, but if you want to check it out in its entirety, well, you have to head over to ESPN.

Harvin has emerged as one of the Vikings’ most trustworthy players. Whether the team needs a big-time return (he’s one of the best in the league) or a third-down conversion (Favre has looked his way 15 times, 13 for first downs), he is right there. Those are just two of the reasons he is the midseason favorite for NFL Rookie of the Year honors.

Favre and Harvin developed a close relationship right out of the gate, literally. Harvin was the first player to meet and introduce himself to the legendary quarterback upon his arrival in Minnesota. “Look forward to working with you,” Favre said. “Make me look good now.” It would not take long for Favre to build Harvin up. “I told him from day one, ‘Hey, you’re not a rookie.’ Don’t play like it. Don’t buy into it – because I don’t.”

Quickly coming to the realization that playing with Favre was “a chance of a lifetime,” Harvin still gushes to friends and colleagues every time the two speak. “Every time he texts me, it just shocks me,” Harvin said. “Brett Favre is actually texting my phone. It is humbling to know that a guy who’s done it all, who will go down as one of the best quarterbacks ever…still likes to help.”

This is all a long way from where Harvin was just a few months earlier when he learned about the positive marijuana test he triggered while impressing scouts with his on-field talent at the combine. First, he cried. Then, he looked inside himself and realized he made a bad decision. “I didn’t look at [smoking marijuana] and think of all the stuff or all the people that I might let down at the time,” Harvin said. “Of course, I thought about it afterwards. I was disappointed with myself. I had let myself down, my family down, the University of Florida down. So it was probably one of the worst days of my life. But I learned from it. I got back up, kept moving, ended up here and I’m having a great time.”

“Everything happens for a reason, good or bad. It turned out good for me.” It also happened to turn out quite nicely for the Vikings.

Tags: Brad Childress, Brett Favre, Draft, Minnesota Vikings, NFL, Percy Harvin

There are a lot of factors that determine the success of a college quarterback. The most prominent of all is whether or not he wins games – and Florida Gators senior Tim Tebow wins games. So tossing that fact, his 2007 Heisman Trophy and back-to-back Maxwell Awards aside, I wanted to take an look at what has been going on with Tebow this season. Especially one day after discussing offensive coordinator Steve Addazio.

If you don’t think Tebow is struggling, think again. While his completion percentage is consistent with career numbers, his passer rating is down almost 19 points from 2007 and 2008. He has as many interceptions in 10 games (4) as he did through the entire 2008 season and is on pace to be sacked more times in 2009 than he has been in his first three seasons – combined. After throwing for 2,746 yards in 2008, he is projected to finish with 500 less in 2009. And finally, after passing for 30 or more touchdowns in each of the last two years, he only has 10 right now.

There have been issues this year. Play calling, especially in the red zone, has been a problem as head coach Urban Meyer has admitted. The offense as a whole lacks an explosive playmaker like now-Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Percy Harvin. (Freshman Andre Debose was supposed to fill some of that role.) Perhaps the bigger issue at hand is the tinkering done to Tebow by new quarterbacks coach Scot Loeffler.

Loeffler was hired to improve Tebow’s skills, but has he? After the jump…
Continue Reading » Is Loeffler to blame for Tebow’s struggles?

Tags: Chad Henne, Dan Mullen, Michigan Wolverines, Minnesota Vikings, NFL, Percy Harvin, Riley Cooper, Scot Loeffler, Steve Addazio, Tim Tebow, Tom Brady, Urban Meyer

Looking to rebound from a week full of criticism and questions, the No. 1 Florida Gators (9-0, 6-0 SEC) did little to quiet their critics even though they rolled to a 27-3 victory over the Vanderbilt Commodores (2-8, 0-6 SEC) Saturday night at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Florida extended its winning streak to a nation-high 19 games but continued to struggle on offense even through all of their personnel were healthy and active.

Senior quarterback Tim Tebow scored the 52nd rushing touchdown of his career in the third quarter and threw one that was tipped by senior wide receiver Riley Cooper to redshirt senior David Nelson with 9:22 remaining in the fourth quarter. Tebow ran 16 times for only 27 yards and went 15-for-20 for 208 yards through the air, including a 64-yard catch-and-run by sophomore tight end Aaron Hernandez in the fourth quarter. The Gators also scored on a 25-yard run by sophomore Jeff Demps in the first quarter and two field goals by sophomore kicker Caleb Sturgis of 27 and 45 yards in the first half.

Florida’s defense did not lose a step without senior middle linebacker Brandon Spikes, giving up only 199 yards of total offense to the Commodores. Redshirt senior linebacker Ryan Stamper grabbed an interception in Spikes’ stead. The special teams, however, did allow Vanderbilt’s senior punt returner Alex Washington to gain the first return yards on junior punter Chas Henry all season.

One week after finally showing signs of life by putting up 41 points on the Georgia Bulldogs, the Gators offense once again looked anemic, just as it did four of the five weeks prior. Along with Spikes, Minnesota Vikings WR Percy Harvin and Oakland Raiders WR Louis Murphy watched from the sideline as both are on their team’s respective bye weeks.

Florida goes on the road to Columbia, SC, next week for its final Southeastern Conference regular season game this year against the South Carolina Gamecocks (6-4, 3-4 SEC) at 3:30 p.m. on Nov. 14. Full coverage will be available throughout the week here on OGGOA.

Tags: Aaron Hernandez, Alex Washington, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Brandon Spikes, Caleb Sturgis, Chas Henry, David Nelson, Georgia Bulldogs, Jeff Demps, Louis Murphy, Minnesota Vikings, Oakland Raiders, Percy Harvin, Riley Cooper, Ryan Stamper, Tim Tebow, Vanderbilt Commodores

1 » Battling back from what was a potential career-ending back injury in 2007 and a torn knee ligament in 2008, Florida Gators redshirt junior defensive tackle Brandon Antwine is facing a long recovery once again. Antwine re-injured his shoulder against the Mississippi State Bulldogs two weeks ago and is considering season-ending surgery. “Your heart bleeds for him because he’s all Gator, he’s 100 percent in and he’s a really good player,” coach Urban Meyer said. “He’s fighting like a maniac.”

2 » Drawing the attention of Meyer this week is Vanderbilt Commodores kick returner Warren Norman. Norman, who as a freshman became only the second player in Southeastern Conference history to record three touchdowns on kickoffs in a season, can break the SEC all-time single-season kickoff return yardage record with just 51 more. “I’ve never seen a freshman return three kickoffs for touchdowns and it’s not against one of those smaller schools. It’s against SEC opponents,” Meyer said. Meyer wants to prevent that from happening, though considering the Gators are giving up 19.5 yards per kick return, he should be able to pass it in two or three attempts.

3 » In the opening round of the 2009 SEC Championship Tournament in Orange Beach, AL, the No. 8 Florida soccer team (15-4-2, 8-1-2 SEC) defeated the Tennessee Volunteers (8-9-3, 4-5-2 SEC) 1-0 in two overtimes. The one-seed in the tournament, the Gators will move on to face the the No. 15 South Carolina Gamecocks (16-3-1, 7-3-1 SEC) on Friday, Nov. 6 at 8:30 p.m.

Three more BITS on Kiffin, Georgia and Harvin after the jump…
Continue Reading » SIX BITS: Antwine’s injury, Vandy KR, soccer wins, Kiffin runs mouth (again), Harvin develops

Tags: Brad Childress, Brandon Antwine, Brandon Spikes, Georgia Bulldogs, Lane Kiffin, Mark Richt, Minnesota Vikings, Mississippi State Bulldogs, NFL, Nick Williams, Percy Harvin, SEC, soccer, South Carolina Gamecocks, Tennessee Volunteers, Tim Tebow, Urban Meyer, Vanderbilt Commodores, Warren Norman

1 » Arkansas Razorbacks head coach Bobby Petrino will face a No. 1-ranked team for the first time in his coaching career Saturday afternoon when he takes on the Florida Gators. Losing to Florida 38-7 at home last season, Petrino and the Hogs have plenty of motivation to come back and attempt to take it to the Gators. Running back Michael Smith, who went for 133 yards against UF last season, tweaked his hamstring against the Auburn Tigers last week and is day-to-day.

2 » ESPN’s NFL Draft expert Mel Kiper, Jr. has come out with his new Big Board, which lists his top 25 NFL prospects. Gators on the list include defensive end Carlos Dunlap at No. 7 (down one spot from last week) and middle linebacker Brandon Spikes at No. 19 (up one spot from last week).

3 » In a story that always seems to draw news, Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Percy Harvin missed practice Wednesday. Harvin injured his shoulder last week against the St. Louis Rams but did not miss any game time.

4 » As if only scoring three points last Saturday night was not humiliating enough, the LSU Tigers have decided to be sore losers and ask Southeastern Conference officials to review Florida wide receiver Riley Cooper’s touchdown catch. Cooper grabbed the shirttail of cornerback Chris Hawkins and used it as leverage to get wide open in the end zone and catch a pass from quarterback Tim Tebow. The touchdown gave the Gators a 10-3 lead with 50 seconds left in the first half. “Yeah, we sent that in,” LSU head coach Les Miles said Tuesday. “I’m savoring the opportunity to call in there.”

Extra BIT » Cleveland Indians outfielder Matt LaPorta underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left hip and left big toe on Tuesday. It will take the former Gators first baseman 4-6 months to recover from the injuries, which may slow him down to start the 2010 season.

Tags: Arkansas Razorbacks, Auburn Tigers, Bobby Petrino, Brandon Spikes, Carlos Dunlap, Chris Hawkins, Cleveland Indians, ESPN, Les Miles, LSU Tigers, Matt LaPorta, Mel Kiper, Michael Smith, Minnesota Vikings, MLB, NFL, Percy Harvin, Riley Cooper, St. Louis Rams, Tim Tebow

1 » Some former Florida Gators shined in the NFL today for their respective teams. Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Percy Harvin caught four passes for 66 yards and racked up 27 return yards against the St. Louis Rams. WR Andre “Bubba” Caldwell caught two passes for 33 yards and a game-winning 20-yard touchdown for the Cincinnati Bengals. News was not as good for San Francisco 49ers top reserve defensive end Ray McDonald, who left Sunday’s game against the Houston Texans with a sprained right ankle.

2 » A strong game featuring the No. 1 Gators and then-No. 4 LSU Tigers won the Saturday night ratings battle for CBS. The network averaged 10.1 million viewers in prime time according to preliminary numbers, also easily winning the all-important 18-49 age group. In contrast, ABC (which was airing the Michigan Wolverines vs. No. 12 Iowa Hawkeyes game) had 4.2 million viewers.

3 » Being twins, the Pouncey brothers have literally been inseparable since birth. Playing next to each other throughout their entire lives, they committed to Florida together and have been charged with one of the most important roles on the Gators team – protecting Tebow. With Maurkice most likely going to enter next year’s NFL Draft and Mike probably returning for his senior year, they have already begun to separate from each other. One thing that has not changed is their desire to see the Gators post an undefeated season in 2009.

4 » No. 14 Florida Gators soccer (now 10-4-1, 4-1-1 SEC) had a pair of wins over the weekend, defeating the Alabama Crimson Tide (5-5-1, 1-2-1 SEC) 2-0 Friday evening and beating the Auburn Tigers (5-6-3, 2-4 SEC) 4-0 Sunday afternoon. In Friday’s game, the Gators scored a goal in the opening 10 and final 10 minutes of the match, while it added four goals by four different players on Sunday. Sunday was also Senior Day for the soccer team, and two of the four goals came from UF’s senior class.

Tags: Andre Caldwell, Cincinnati Bengals, Iowa Hawkeyes, LSU Tigers, Maurkice Pouncey, Michigan Wolverines, Mike Pouncey, Minnesota Vikings, NFL, Percy Harvin, Ray McDonald, San Francisco 49ers, soccer, St. Louis Rams