1 » The Florida Gators announced Wednesday that the team will participate in its first of 15 spring practices on March 16 with the remainder coming between then and the 2011 Orange & Blue Debut on April 9. The 2011 season begins on Sept. 3 as Florida takes on Florida Atlantic at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

2 » Pittsburgh Steelers rookie center Maurkice Pouncey, who has started every game this season but suffered a high ankle sprain in the AFC Championship game, remains questionable for Super Bowl XLV. He was seen Wednesday utilizing crutches with a hard cast on his lower left leg, indicating that the injury is quite serious and may indeed keep him out of the big game. ESPN medical expert Stephania Bell, asked about Pouncey’s injury, said moderate high ankle sprains are usually given an “estimate of four to six weeks” though players have come back both earlier and later than that time frame depending on the severity of the injury. Bell also noted that Pouncey being only 21 will help him recover a bit faster. “I think when you look into the context of two weeks, it’s the Super Bowl, and Pouncey doesn’t have gross instability or a fracture based on what we know,” she said. “So it will come down to whether the Steelers get the pain down enough and the swelling down enough that Pouncey can have normal motion in the joint and put pressure through the foot.”

3 » Still recovering from an injured thumb, Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah sat down with Comcast Sports Net in Chicago, IL for an “up close and personal” seven-minute interview. You can watch it in full below.

4 » Former Gators decathlete Steve Mesler will be inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame on March 27. He will be honored after capturing the gold medal as a bobsledder for team United States at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada in February. “I thought it was amazing,” Mesler said when he learned about his selection. “You don’t think about putting yourself in the Hall of Fame when you’re competing and training. It’s such a surprise to be honored that way. It still humbles me to think that we did something that puts us in that classification.” Mesler joins names already inducted into the hall like Sandy Koufax, (fellow Florida alum) Dara Torres, Red Auerbach (among many others).

Tags: AFC, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, bobsled, Chicago Bulls, Dara Torres, decathalon, Joakim Noah, Maurkice Pouncey, National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, NBA, Olympics, Orange & Blue Debut, Pittsburgh Steelers, Steve Mesler, Super Bowl XLV

1 » Former Florida Gators defensive coordinator Teryl Austin may have a new job…thanks in part to a fellow former Florida defensive coordinator having moved on. With Greg Mattison leaving the Baltimore Ravens to take the same job with the Michigan Wolverines, Baltimore decided to promote secondary coach Chuck Pagano to his old position. That left an opening on the team for Austin, who according to the National Football Post, has already interviewed to be the Ravens’ secondary coach and is “considered the leading candidate to land the job.” Before joining the Gators, Austin was the secondary coach for the Seattle Seahawks from 2003-06 and Arizona Cardinals from 2007-09; he participated in one Super Bowl with each team.

2 » Last April, OGGOA posted this picture of Cleveland Browns rookie cornerback Joe Haden showing off a unique “Gator Boy” chain at the 2010 Orange & Blue Debut. The Fab Empire found this picture of Haden sporting the ice while out on the town last week, so we figured it was worth sharing here once again.

Tags: Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, Chuck Pagano, Cleveland Browns, Greg Mattison, Joe Haden, Michigan Wolverines, NFL, Orange & Blue Debut, Seattle Seahawks, Super Bowl, Teryl Austin

Florida Gators head coach Urban Meyer will indeed be representing the team at the 2010 Southeastern Conference Spring Meetings set to begin on June 1 in Sandestin, FL, a source close to the team told OGGOA Thursday evening.

Meyer, who has been taking a sabbatical from traveling and participating in public appearances for the Gators, will be taking part in the event himself rather than sending offensive coordinator Steve Addazio (who had been filling in for Meyer at other events).

Returning for spring practice after taking time off following the end of the 2010 recruiting cycle and the hiring of numerous new assistant coaches in the offseason, Meyer has yet to participate in a SEC conference call or any other official speaking engagement.

He spoke to the media only twice after practices, a third time at a brief press conference following the 2010 Orange & Blue Debut and had all of his assistants and players provide canned responses when asked about his level of participation with the team.

Photo Credit: Butch Dill/Associated Press

Tags: Orange & Blue Debut, SEC, Spring Meetings, Steve Addazio, Urban Meyer

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 » With the 2010 NFL Draft closing in, former Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow is making his final in-house trip today to the Denver Broncos. Coming the same day as the team has traded wide receiver Brandon Marshall to the Miami Dolphins, Tebow’s visit has raised questions about the possibility of Denver packaging some picks to move back into the first round and draft him. The Broncos now have the No. 11, No. 43 and No. 45 overall picks (as well as an extra second-rounder from Miami in 2011) and could very well take Oklahoma State WR Dez Bryant early and Tebow later in this year’s first-round. Just food for thought. By the way, Marshall’s No. 15 is now vacant…and their uniforms are orange and blue. Just a thought.

2 » Speaking of Florida quarterbacks, the Palm Beach Post caught up with Montreal Alouettes back-up Chris Leak while he was in town for the 2010 Orange & Blue Debut last weekend. Leak spoke on a variety of subjects but, most importantly, touched on why he was there – to work with redshirt junior John Brantley on the player’s request. “I’m going to be a coach after I’m done playing, which is many, many years away from now,” Leak said. “Me and John have been talking for a while now. He wanted me to come out and watch him, and I just came out here to support him and watch him grow as a quarterback. He did an awesome job [Saturday]. His feet looked great, his decision-making is excellent, he really showed a lot today.”

3 » According to The Florida Times-Union, the Jacksonville Jaguars “have shown some interest” in former Gators wide receiver Riley Cooper, who could be a target for them in the second or third round (should he fall). Cooper would fit in nicely with Jacksonville, which needs a compliment for Mike Sims-Walker.

4 » Former Florida cornerback Lito Sheppard, most recently with the New York Jets after spending most of his career with the Philadelphia Eagles, has scheduled a workout with the Detroit Lions for the next two days, according to Pro Football Talk.

Photo Credit: Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images

Tags: Brandon Marshall, Chris Leak, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Dez Bryant, Draft, Jacksonville Jaguars, John Brantley, Lito Sheppard, Miami Dolphins, Mike Sims-Walker, Montreal Alouettes, New York Jets, NFL, Orange & Blue Debut, Philadelphia Eagles, Riley Cooper, Tim Tebow

The Florida Gators’ annual Orange & Blue Debut spring scrimmage is good for a lot of things – identifying playmakers, getting the team ready for summer practice and, of course, recruiting. Head coach Urban Meyer and his coaching staff brought in a big commitment Friday from top-rated defensive end Jeoffrey Pagan (Asheville, NC).

“I committed to Urban Meyer late Friday,” Pagan told GatorBait.net. “When I told him, he stood up, did a little dance and gave me a hug. I was already thinking about committing early then I decided that I definitely wanted to lock in my spot with the Gators and be part of this team. I think I’m firm [with my decision]. I don’t plan on taking any more visits or seeing anywhere else. I’m sure people say it all the time, but this feels like home. Florida makes me feel like I am at home.”

Though Pagan does not plan to take any additional visits, the immense pressure that is sure to come from Alabama, Southern California, Florida State and Louisiana State (among others who have already sent him official scholarship offers) may get him to open his eyes a little bit before the process comes to a close next spring.

Pagan becomes the team’s third 2011 commitment, following tight end A.C. Leonard (Interlachen, FL) and athlete De’Ante “Pop” Saunders (Deland, FL).

Photo Credit: Asheville Citizen-Times

Tags: A.C. Leonard, De'Ante Saunders, Jeoffrey Pagan, Orange & Blue Debut, Urban Meyer

With the Florida Gators 2010 spring practice sessions now complete, there was plenty of newsworthy information coming out from the 2010 Orange & Blue Debut on Sat., April 10. Rather than publishing it all in long form, OGGOA thought it would be best to lay it out piece-by-piece. Football returns in full-force in the summer.

Check out OGGOA’s full coverage of the 2010 Orange & Blue Debut…
Continue Reading » OGGOA’s 2010 Orange & Blue Debut news, notes

Tags: A.J. Jones, Ahmad Black, Andre Debose, Brandon Hicks, Brandon Spikes, Brendan Beal, Caleb Sturgis, Carl Moore, Carlos Dunlap, CFL, Chris Leak, Chris Rainey, Cody Riggs, D.J. Durkin, Deonte Thompson, Emmanuel Moody, Janoris Jenkins, Jaye Howard, Jeff Demps, Jelani Jenkins, John Brantley, Jon Bostic, Jordan Reed, Joshua Shaw, Louis Murphy, Major Wright, Matt Elam, Maurkice Pouncey, Mike Gillislee, Montreal Alouettes, Orange & Blue Debut, Riley Cooper, Ronald Powell, Ryan Stamper, Scot Loeffler, Scott Brantley, Sharrif Floyd, Shelley Meyer, Steve Addazio, Tim Tebow, Trey Burton, Urban Meyer, Will Hill

With the Florida Gators 2010 spring practice now in full swing, there is plenty of newsworthy information around the program. Rather than publishing it all in long form, OGGOA thought it would be best to lay it out piece-by-piece. We continue this series with a look at the team’s practice from Fri., April 9.

Absences/Injuries:
» Redshirt sophomore defensive end Earl Okine came down with a fever and was allowed to miss practice; he also will not play in the 2010 Orange & Blue Debut.

» Redshirt sophomore cornerback Adrian Bushell, once again, was not at practice. Things are not looking good for his future on the team. By my count he has made two practices all spring. No way he plays Saturday.

Practice happenings:
» Redshirt freshman wide receiver Andre Debose had the most highlight-filled day, making plenty of catches, running crisp routes and drawing a gasp from the crowd on one particular play. Debose made an amazing catch in the back of the end zone on a pass from redshirt junior quarterback John Brantley. He leapt in the air over junior safety Will Hill, caught the ball, fell down horizontally while getting hit and held onto the ball. Unfortunately, he was out of bounds. Maybe he will play Saturday…

» Both redshirt senior WR Carl Moore and redshirt junior fullback Steven Wilks came out to the practice field without helmets. Probably just for precautionary reasons.

» With the final scrimmage of spring on Saturday, Friday’s practice was mostly just a walk-through to get the players loose and ready.

Other notes:
» In attendance: Minnesota Vikings head coach Brad Childress, WR Percy Harvin, QB Chris Leak, five-star defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd, five-star defensive end Ronald Powell. Childress has meetings scheduled with a number of Gators players eligible for the 2010 NFL Draft.

» Over 200 high school coaches were in attendance as part of Florida’s annual coaches clinic. Childress will be the featured speaker at the ceremony Friday evening. The coaches were allowed to walk around the field during practice and speak with the Gators’ staff. Representatives from the NCAA were in attendance just to make sure nothing fishy went on (standard operating procedure).

Tags: Adrian Bushell, Andre Debose, Brad Childress, Carl Moore, Chris Leak, Draft, Earl Okine, John Brantley, Minnesota Vikings, NCAA, NFL, Orange & Blue Debut, Percy Harvin, Ronald Powell, Sharrif Floyd, Steven Wilks, Will Hill