1 » In the latest Sports Illustrated, S.L. Price profiled Florida Gators head coach Urban Meyer. His article is a must-read for any Gators fan. “The Florida coach is alternately a hard-ass and a softy, cocky and calculating, smug and sentimental. But there’s no inconsistency in his football program, which is, as usual, on track for a national title.”

2 » As has been previously reported by OGGOA junior defensive end Justin Trattou will start in place of suspended junior DE Carlos Dunlap on Saturday. Helping Trattou will be redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Jaye Howard, a former DE who gained 60 pounds in the offseason to move inside. “For [Trattou], it’s an easy transition because he’s been there before,” defensive line coach Dan McCarney said. “He’s always taken reps. I rotate 12, 11 guys every game, so when a guy is out because of injury or discipline or whatever it is, it’s not like I’m going to throw a guy out there in the championship game that hasn’t played and played a lot.” Howard is especially effective against the run and will have a chance to make an impact when Alabama Crimson Tide running back Mark Ingram runs right at him. Assisting the Gators coaches in this move is redshirt junior DT Brandon Antwine, who is active for Saturday’s game after sitting out the last six weeks with a bad shoulder.

Check out four more very informative Florida-Alabama BITS after the jump…
Continue Reading » SIX BITS: Meyer profiled by SI, replacing Dunlap, Saban on UF, stopping Ingram, Stoops’ influence?

Tags: Alabama Crimson Tide, Auburn Tigers, BCS, Bob Stoops, Brandon Antwine, Carlos Dunlap, Dan McCarney, Jaye Howard, Justin Trattou, Mark Ingram, National Championship, Nick Saban, Oklahoma Sooners, Roy Upchurch, SEC Championship, University of Florida, Urban Meyer

1 » When comparing the No. 1 Florida Gators and No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide, there are plenty of similarities between the two teams. One thing in Florida’s favor is their considerable edge over Alabama in championship game experience. Senior quarterback Tim Tebow and the seniors are 4-0 in National Championship and SEC Championship games. “I think our experience helps us a lot,” Tebow said. “A lot of players on our team have played in the big games, even the experience from last year’s game against Alabama and also against Oklahoma. Plus, our rivalry games are so big, to us they’re just like an SEC Championship game or a National Championship game. It helps us a lot. We’re ready for those pressure-packed moments.”

2 » The Gators and Crimson Tide both have strong-legged kickers, but both teams are seeking touchdowns – not field goals – when they play on Saturday in Atlanta, GA. “If you have to settle for field goals in a game like this, it’s going to be tough to win,” Tebow said. “You have to come up with big plays in the red zone. When you get down there, you have to put it in for six because that makes a difference in winning and losing. In those final drives last year, if we settled for field goals, who knows if we win that game?”

3 » Alabama defensive lineman Terrence Cody is literally the biggest issue Florida’s offense will have to deal with on Saturday. Described as “massive,” Cody has the ability to dominate a game at the line of scrimmage. Even so, the Gators did their best to contain him in 2008 and will take him to task again later this week. “He ain’t Superman,” junior right guard Mike Pouncey said. “He can be blocked. It just takes a lot of effort.”

4 » With junior defensive end Carlos Dunlap likely suspended due to his DUI arrest Tuesday, senior linebackers Brandon Spikes and Ryan Stamper – the Gators’ dynamic duo on defense – prove to be even more important to the unit’s success. “Their linebackers are both really, really good,” Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban said.

Extra Bit » Four Florida volleyball players were named to 2009 All-Southeastern Conference teams on Monday. Sophomores outside hitter Kristy Jaeckel and right-side/setter Kelly Murphy were both selected to the first team while senior libero Elyse Cusack and sophomore outside hitter Colleen Ward earned second-team honors. Cusack was also named the SEC’s Defensive Player of the Week for the second consecutive week and league-leading 13th time in her career. She is the only player in SEC history to receive the honor four times in a single season and has done so in back-to-back years.

Tags: Alabama Crimson Tide, All-SEC, Brandon Spikes, Carlos Dunlap, Colleen Ward, Elyse Cusack, Kelly Murphy, Kristy Jaeckel, Mike Pouncey, National Championship, Nick Saban, Ryan Stamper, SEC, SEC Championship, Terrence Cody, Tim Tebow, volleyball

1 » While the No. 1 Florida Gators will technically be the visiting team on Saturday in the 2009 SEC Championship game at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, GA, they have opened as a five-point betting favorite against the No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide. During their current nation-leading, school-record 22-game winning streak, the Gators have defeated 21 opponents by a double digit margin.

2 » Proponents of a playoff system for the National Championship should be pleased that Saturday’s match-up of No. 1 vs. No. 2 is a de facto play-in for entry into the BCS National Championship game in Pasadena, CA. This is the second consecutive year that the top two seeds will face each other in the SEC Championship. In 2008, Alabama was No. 1 while Florida was No. 2. It would be a tough task to find two teams as similar as the Gators and Crimson Tide, even if one tried.

3 » Alabama head coach Nick Saban expects running back Mark Ingram to be “fine” for Saturday’s game against Florida. Ingram, considered by many to be the front-runner for the Heisman Trophy, left Friday’s game against the Auburn Tigers with a hip pointer and did not return. For the Gators, junior linebacker A.J. Jones (MCL) will miss the game while redshirt junior transfer running back Emmanuel Moody (ankle) and sophomore cornerback Janoris Jenkins (hip) are probable, according to statements from head coach Urban Meyer.

4 » Senior transfer wide receiver Carl Moore has been granted a medical redshirt and will return to the Gators for the 2010 season. A JUCO transfer in 2008, Moore struggled in his first season with Florida and had chronic back issues leading up to and during 2009. Moore’s size and trustworthy hands make him a valueable asset to the Gators’ receiving crops. Still waiting for an official word on his requested medical redshirt is junior cornerback Moses Jenkins, who suffered a serious concussion against the Kentucky Wildcats and has yet to return to action.

5 » The No. 15/15 Florida volleyball team (23-5, 16-4 SEC) received the No. 16 overall seed in the 2009 NCAA Tournament field of 64. The Gators will host the College of Charleston Cougars (18-12) on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. The winner will play the victor of the Florida International Golden Panthers vs. Miami Hurricanes match in second-round action on Friday at 7 p.m.

6 » Gators women’s basketball (3-3) hit a season-high 12 three-pointers on their way to a 71-60 victory over the Golden Panthers (2-4) on Sunday. Sophomore guard Jordan Jones scored a season-high 25-points while shooting .500 (5-of-10) from beyond the arc and 9-of-16 overall. Next up is the Florida A&M Rattlers as part of a doubleheader with men’s basketball beginning Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.

Extra Bit » ESPNU Road Trip: FSU-Florida Gameday

Tags: A.J. Jones, Alabama Crimson Tide, BCS, Carl Moore, College of Charleston Cougars, Emmanuel Moody, Georgia Dome, Heisman Trophy, Janoris Jenkins, Jordan Jones, Mark Ingram, Moses Jenkins, National Championship, NCAA Tournament, Nick Saban, O'Connell Center, SEC Championship, Urban Meyer, volleyball, women's basketball

1 » Both the Florida Gators and Alabama Crimson Tide have two games to play before their inevitable showdown in the Southeastern Conference Championship game in December. While head coaches Urban Meyer and Nick Saban both emphatically claim that they are worried about their upcoming opponents (FIU and Chattanooga this week, respectively) and are not looking ahead, Chris Low of ESPN.com thinks otherwise. “Who genuinely believes that Alabama and Florida are doing any extensive planning for their opponents this week?” he ponders.

2 » Senior quarterback Tim Tebow continues to pile up the award nominations. On Wednesday, he was named one of five finalists for the 2009 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award. Given to the top senior college quarterback in the nation, the Golden Arm Award has never been able to be awarded to Tebow, who has won a Heisman Trophy and two Maxwell Awards while Sam Bradford (Oklahoma) took home the other Heisman in the same time span. Tebow also remains in contention as one of 15 finalists for the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award.

3 » OGGOA has been singing the praises of juniors defensive end Carlos Dunlap and cornerback Joe Haden as well as senior middle linebacker Brandon Spikes in regard to their 2010 NFL Draft status. Jeremy Fowler of the Orlando Sentinel points out that the Gators could lose a plethora juniors in addition to their senior class, should some of them choose to declare. Prominent names on that list (aside from Dunlap and Haden) are tight end Aaron Hernandez, offensive linemen Maurkice and Mike Pouncey, Marcus Gilbert and Carl Johnson, safety Major Wright, defensive lineman Justin Trattou and running backs Chris Rainey and Emmanuel Moody. The majority of the aforementioned players will most likely not declare, in our opinion.

4 » Florida basketball (1-0) returns to the court Wednesday night at 7 p.m. against the Georgia Southern Eagles (1-1) at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. The game will air live on FOX Sports Florida – check your local listings for availability. All game and broadcast information is always available on OGGOA‘s Basketball page.

Tags: Aaron Hernandez, Alabama Crimson Tide, Brandon Spikes, Carl Johnson, Carlos Dunlap, Chris Rainey, Draft, Emmanuel Moody, Golden Arm Award, Heisman Trophy, Joe Haden, Justin Trattou, Lawrence Marsh, Major Wright, Marcus Gilbert, Maurkice Pouncey, Maxwell Award, Mike Pouncey, NFL, Nick Saban, Sam Bradford, SEC Championship, Tim Tebow, Urban Meyer, Walter Camp Player of the Year Award