1 » Due to his migraines and a coaching change mid-season, Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Percy Harvin did not end up performing up to where he did when he made the Pro Bowl as a rookie one year earlier. When If the 2011 season begins, Harvin will be more involved in the offense, according to head coach Leslie Frazier. “I still think there are more things that can be done with Percy [Harvin],” he told the Minnesota Star Tribune. “We did some things toward the end of the year where we definitely tried to isolate him, and that’s one of the reasons I pulled him off kickoff at times. I wanted to feature him more than we were. I wanted him to be a featured part of our offense. There’s different things we can do with him, and hopefully, Sidney [Rice is] in the fold and he’s healthy and there’s some things that we can do with him. Because of Adrian [Peterson], there are opportunities that we can do on the perimeter that a lot of teams can’t. But you still have to account for him on every single play. So, we have to be able to exploit in that sense and I think what we’re trying to do is build to be able to do that. Adrian creates a lot of good situations for our perimeter people.”

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Tags: Atlanta Braves, Billy Bullock, Draft, Fred Taylor, Minnesota Twins, Minnesota Vikings, MLB, NFL, Percy Harvin, Pro Bowl, Vernon Macklin

1 » Florida Gators four-star running back Mike Blakely (Bradenton, FL), an early enrollee already on campus at the University of Florida, is scheduled to have shoulder surgery this week that will keep him out of spring practice but hopefully allow him to be available in the summer. It is not known how Blakely injured his shoulder except that it occurred before he enrolled in January.

2 » Three-star offensive lineman commitment Chase Hounshell (Kirkland, OH), originally scheduled to join some of his future teammates as an early enrollee this month, instead decided to return to high school and take his time making his final decision. Hounshell announced Sunday that he received an in-home visit from Gators head coach Will Muschamp and offensive line coach/running game coordinator Frank Verducci, men he described as “first class” and “just great people.” He will be visiting Florida this upcoming weekend in what appears to be a reaffirmation trip.

3 » The Gators coaching staff, barring a packed suitcase and plane ticket to Gainesville, FL, is now complete. New defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, the defensive line coach of the Seattle Seahawks until they lost to the Chicago Bears in the divisional round of the NFL Playoffs on Sunday, has now fulfilled his commitment to his team and should be ready to hit the ground running any day now. A Scout.com report from Friday noted that Quinn’s assistant DL coach at Florida, Pro Bowl defensive tackle Bryant Young, was already hard at work recruiting. He was in the home of five-star DT Tim Jernigan (Lake City, FL), convincing him to take a trip and give UF some serious consideration.

4 » Though former Gators safety Will Hill decided to leave school early and declare for the 2011 NFL Draft, his classmate and teammate in the secondary, junior cornerback Janoris Jenkins, chose to stick around for his senior season. Hill was shocked by this occurrence, especially considering Jenkins was expected to be a first-round selection, and told the Orlando Sentinel his thoughts on the subject. “He was talking about leaving,” Hill said. “I haven’t heard or spoke to him for two months. Last time I spoke to him, he said he was leaving. That he’s coming back is kind of a surprise.”

5 » After meeting with four-star quarterback recruit Jacoby Brissett (West Palm Beach, FL) at his high school on Friday, new Florida offensive coordinator and QB coach Charlie Weis invited him to take an unofficial visit to campus over the weekend. Brissett obliged, watched most of the game with Weis and met up with some of his former Dwyer High School teammates including freshman S Matt Elam. Brissett, also a high school basketball player who could be in a unique position to play both sports at UF, reportedly came away from the visit impressed though he still has plenty of thinking to do. Muschamp extended a scholarship offer to Brissett after Weis left on Friday, something he had not been given under former head coach Urban Meyer.

6 » The Gators’ two basketball programs have had a pretty rough go of it this week. In addition to the men falling 72-69 at home to South Carolina, the women lost a pair of gut-wrenching games on Thursday and Sunday. Routed 83-40 at home by the No. 5 Tennessee Volunteers on Jan. 13, Florida blew a 16-point lead with 14:17 remaining in the game to fall 70-64 to the Georgia Bulldogs on the road in Athens, GA on Jan. 16. After getting out to a good start this season, the women have lost three of their last four games including a 73-56 throttling by Auburn on Jan. 6.

Tags: Bryant Young, Charlie Weis, Chase Hounshell, Chicago Bears, Dan Quinn, Draft, Dwyer, Frank Verducci, Georgia Bulldogs, Jacoby Brissett, Janoris Jenkins, Matt Elam, Mike Blakely, NFL, Playoffs, Pro Bowl, Seattle Seahawks, Tennessee Volunteers, Tim Jernigan, University of Florida, Urban Meyer, Will Hill, Will Muschamp, women's basketball

Florida Gators head coach Will Muschamp had one final position to fill on his initial coaching staff after hiring Seattle Seahawks defensive line coach Dan Quinn as his defensive coordinator on Jan. 3. He made that decision Friday by bringing in 14-year NFL veteran and former San Francisco 49ers four-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Bryant Young as Quinn’s assistant defensive line coach.

“Bryant is a great addition to our coaching staff,” Muschamp said. “We want to be a program built on toughness – both physically and mentally, and there are not too many people tougher than Bryant. He was a leader, blue-collar player and a winner. He will demand his players to have the same attributes.”

The No. 7 overall pick in the first round of the 1994 NFL Draft out of Notre Dame, Young compiled 620 tackles and 89.5 sacks while playing professionally from 1994-2007. Named to the Pro Bowl in 1996, 1999, 2001 and 2002, he was a member of the 49ers’ Super Bowl XXIX championship team, was honored as a part of the NFL’s 1990s All-Decade Team, and won the 1994 NFC Defensive Rookie of the Year and 1999 Comeback Player of the Year awards.

He is also a former teammate of Florida football’s director of player and community relations Terry Jackson, a running back with San Francisco from 1999-2005.

Quinn was Young’s defensive line coach at the 49ers from 2003-04. He is still coaching the Seahawks as they participate in the second round of the NFL Playoffs and will join the Gators when his team’s season ends.

Since retiring, Young worked as a graduate assistant at his alma mater in January 2009 under then-head coach now Florida offensive coordinator Charlie Weis and was hired by San Jose State to coach the team’s defensive line in 2010. When

The University of Florida confirmed Young’s hiring on Saturday.

*McCarney was also assistant head coach; Heater held the role of co-defensive coordinator. Muschamp has not named an assistant (or associate) head coach as of press time.

Photo Credit: Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images

Tags: All-Decade Team, Bryant Young, Charlie Weis, Comeback Player of the Year, Dan Quinn, Draft, NFC, NFL, Playoffs, Pro Bowl, Rookie of the Year, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Super Bowl XXIX, Terry Jackson, University of Florida, Will Muschamp

For as much as the Florida Gators accomplished on the field in 2010 (check out our post tomorrow), the Gator Nation was making plenty of news off of it as well. From former players signing huge contracts to current team members being a part of some of the biggest news stories in sports this year, Florida was spread all over the sports landscape in 2010. Below are OGGOA‘s Top 10 Off the Field Stories of the Year.

10 » FIVE BECOME A PART OF THE GATOR NATION IN THE SKY
It would be difficult to recount everything that Gator Nation has gone through in 2010 without remembering those close to the University of Florida who left us for a better place in the past year. Young and old, these Gators departed too soon and suddenly in all but one case. Lamar Abel (21), a walk-on defensive lineman, suffered cardiac arrest while volunteering at a roadside cleanup event with his fraternity in Gainesville, FL. Former safety John Curtis (24) committed suicide in Bellvue, WA. Hall of fame safety Jarvis Williams (45) passed away after an acute asthma attack. Former Gators basketball player and friend to the program Augie Greiner (76) died in his home. And long-time donor and Bull Gator George Steinbrenner (80), most famously known as the owner of the New York Yankees, passed away in a Tampa, FL, hospital. OGGOA once again sends our deepest condolences to the families and friends of these men.

9 » ERIN ANDREWS GETS JUSTICE, STARS ON TV, RE-SIGNS WITH ESPN

Former Florida dazzler and ESPN reporter Erin Andrews had a much better go of it in 2010. Though her stalker plead guilty to his charges in court in December 2009, she spent a good portion of 2010 making sure he was brought to justice (27-month prison term) while also spreading word across the country that violence against women from sexual predators cannot and should not be tolerated. Simultaneously, Andrews participated in ABC’s Dancing with the Stars and even dropped a few Gator Chomps along the way. She ended up finishing third in the competition but parlayed her talent on the sidelines into an enhanced gig with the Worldwide Leader in Sports. Andrews signed a new two-year deal with ESPN, which included a role hosting the first hour of College GameDay live on ESPNU, appearances on ABC’s Good Morning America and more of a presence on the family of networks. She also spoke with OGGOA on two occasions, first in a wide-ranging interview that received significant publicity and later to share her thoughts on the resignation of head coach Urban Meyer.

Continue Reading » Top 10 for 2010: Off the Field Stories of the Year

Tags: Aaron Hernandez, Al Horford, All-Star, Army All-American Bowl, Atlanta Hawks, Augie Greiner, BCS, Brandon James, Brandon Spikes, Buffalo Bills, Carlos Dunlap, Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chris Rainey, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, College GameDay, Dallas Cowboys, Dancing with the Stars, David Lee, David Nelson, dazzlers, Denver Broncos, Draft, Emmitt Smith, Eric Rutledge, Erin Andrews, ESPN, FINA, Frankie Hammond, Gary Brown, Gator Chomp, Gator Nation, Gatorade Football Player of the Year, George Steinbrenner, Golden State Warriors, Good Morning America, Gregg Troy, Indianapolis Colts, Jarvis Williams, Jeremy Foley, Jermaine Cunningham, Joakim Noah, Joe Haden, John Curtis, Lamar Abel, Major Wright, Matt Elam, Maurkice Pouncey, Miami Heat, Michael Phelps, Mike Miller, Minnesota Vikings, National High School Player of the Year, NBA, New England Patriots, New York Knicks, New York Yankees, NFC, NFL, Olympics, Pan Pacific Championships, PARADE, Percy Harvin, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, Pro Bowl, Pro Football Hall of Fame, Ray McDonald, Riley Cooper, Ronald Powell, Rookie of the Year, Ryan Lochte, San Francisco 49ers, SEC, SEC Championship, Sharrif Floyd, Solomon Patton, Steve Addazio, Sugar Bowl, swimming, Texas Longhorns, Tim Tebow, Udonis Haslem, Under Armour All-American Game, University of Florida, USA Swimming Foundation Golden Goggle Awards, USA Swimming National Championships, Will Muschamp, Wondy Pierre-Louis, World Championships, world record

Pittsburgh Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey became the second Florida Gators rookie in as many seasons to be named to the NFL Pro Bowl.

He was selected as the back-up for the AFC to Nick Mangold of the New York Jets, who was tabbed for the third-straight season.

Pouncey follows in the footsteps of Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Percy Harvin, who earned a Pro Bowl nomination last season as a rookie out of Florida. Harvin started for the NFC as a kick return specialist.

Barring injury, Pouncey will have started every game this season for Pittsburgh at center. He is a candidate for Offensive Rookie of the Year, an award that will likely go to St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford and was also won by Harvin last season.

Pouncey is the 20th former Gators player to be picked for the Pro Bowl and only the fifth to receive the honor in his rookie season (Cris Collinsworth, Jevon Kearse, Emmitt Smith, Harvin).

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Tags: Cris Collinsworth, Emmitt Smith, Jevon Kearse, Maurkice Pouncey, Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets, NFL, Nick Mangold, Percy Harvin, Pittsburgh Steelers, Pro Bowl, Rookie of the Year, Sam Bradford, St. Louis Rams

1 » In a piece published Thursday by FOX Sports, reporter Thayer Evans dives further into Florida Gators head coach Urban Meyer’s attempts to regain his health and control of his football team. Among other notes, Evans reports that Meyer now uses his “lunch hour” each day to run and life weights. “It’s the first time he’s regularly exercised in years, but he’s so committed that he rescheduled his weekly media sessions during this season to 11:15 a.m. instead of noon like previous seasons,” the article states. There is plenty more (some of which you likely already know) on Meyer’s delegation techniques and other changes he is making to take care of himself.

2 » CBS Sports’ Gary Parrish had an opportunity to sit in on a two-day coaching clinic run by Florida assistant basketball coach Larry Shyatt, which featured a number of high-profile coaches and assistants “talking about a variety of subjects, exchanging ideas, discussing, debating,” etc. “This clinic is different,” Purdue head coach Matt Painter said. “It’s just an exchange of ideas – coaches passing knowledge back and forth and trying to help each other, and I think that’s what’s great. This is what you get in it for, to coach and have fun and get better and help other guys get better.”

Three more BITS on Pouncey, Loeffler and Demps…after the break.
Continue Reading » FOUR BITS: Meyer, Shyatt, Pouncey, Loeffler

Tags: Dan Mullen, Denver Broncos, Doak Walker Award, Jamal Williams, Jeff Demps, John Brantley, John Brantley III, Justin Hartwig, Larry Shyatt, Matt Painter, Maurkice Pouncey, Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers, Pro Bowl, Scot Loeffler, Tim Tebow, Urban Meyer

Former Florida Gators running back and the NFL‘s all-time leading rusher Emmitt Smith leads the 2010 class that will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, OH, on Aug. 7. Smith, who spent the majority of his 15-year professional career with the Dallas Cowboys, will be enshrined along with wide receiver Jerry Rice, defensive tackle John Randle, guard Russ Grimm, linebacker Rickey Jackson, RB Floyd Little and defensive back/coach Dick LeBeau. A rarity, Smith was elected in his first year of eligibility.

He holds NFL career records for rushing yards (18,355), rushing touchdowns (164) and 100+ yard rushing games (78), is an eight-time Pro Bowl selection, four-time rushing champion (1991, 1992, 1993, 1995), four-time All-Pro first-team choice, three-time Super Bowl champion (XXVII, XXVIII, XXX), offensive rookie of the year, 1993 NFL most valuable player, Super Bowl XXVII MVP and member of the Ring of Honor for both the Gators and Cowboys.

“This is almost perfect,” Smith said upon learning of the honor back in Feb. “I don’t think even Steven Spielberg could have written a script this nice. [Rice and I] were rewarded on this day.”

In his first full game at Florida, Smith broke the Gators’ all-time single game rushing record (224 yards); he would go on to smash that record with a 316-yard game in 1989. He also set school records for rushing yards in a season (1,599 yards), longest rushing play (96 yards), career rushing yards (3,928) and career rushing touchdowns (36). In all, Smith was responsible for 58 Gators records in only three seasons on the field, many of which still stand today. Upon leaving for the NFL, he received a place in the school’s exclusive Ring of Honor and the College Football Hall of Fame.

Smith retired from football in Feb. 2005 after signing a one-day contract with the Cowboys. He will be the second Florida player to be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame; former defensive end Jack Youngblood was inducted in 2001.

OGGOA will update this story after the ceremony with additional material. Portions of the above article were originally published here in Feb. 2010.

Tags: College Football Hall of Fame, Emmitt Smith, Jack Youngblood, Jerry Rice, NFL, Pro Bowl, Pro Football Hall of Fame, Ring of Honor, Super Bowl

1 » Held out of action with the Oakland Raiders over the weekend, former Florida Gators wide receiver Louis Murphy continues to struggle to recover from a concussion he suffered during camp on Friday when he got kneed in the helmet by Pro Bowl cornerback Nnamdi Asomugah. He complained of a bad headache Sunday and showcased some other symptoms, leading the training staff to decide that it was best to hold him out of workouts. Murphy remains out of action and is now having trouble with sunlight, according to the San Francisco Chronicle‘s Vittorio Tafur. Head coach Tom Cable told the Associated Press that Murphy will be sitting until he passes a series of tests…something that looks to be at least a few days away.

2 » After tweaking his ankle earlier in the day, former Gators WR Percy Harvin returned to Minnesota Vikings practice on Saturday without a noticeable limp. Unfortunately, Harvin missed practice Sunday and will be absent Monday as well after learning of a death in his family. OGGOA‘s thoughts go out to Harvin during this difficult time.

3 » Florida juniors cornerback Janoris Jenkins and safety Will Hill were named to the 2010 Jim Thorpe Award preseason watch list on Monday – two of only 35 of the nation’s best defensive backs to be selected. Conspicuous by his absence once again is senior safety Ahmad Black. There is a long way to go and plenty of players will be added and removed to this list as the season progresses.

Three more BITS on Reggie Nelson, Brad Beal and Joe Haden…after the break!
Continue Reading » SIX BITS: Murphy, Harvin, Jenkins, Hill, Nelson

Tags: Ahmad Black, Billy Donovan, Brad Beal, Cleveland Browns, FIBA, Jack Del Rio, Jacksonville Jaguars, Janoris Jenkins, Jim Thorpe Award, Joe Haden, Louis Murphy, Minnesota Vikings, NFL, Nnamdi Asomugah, Oakland Raiders, Percy Harvin, Pro Bowl, Reggie Nelson, Rob Lanier, Tom Cable, Will Hill