Updated: Feb. 1 at 9:45 p.m.

Sixteen members strong, the Florida Gators 2011 recruiting class could look totally different – or exactly the same – at the end of the week. With the vast majority of uncommitted high school football players announcing their decisions on National Signing Day this Wednesday, a handful of others may wait a few days to make their intentions known. Below OGGOA breaks down who Florida is still waiting to hear from, when they might learn of their decision and some of the latest insights on each player.

Linebacker Curtis Grant (Richmond, VA)
Accolades: No. 2 player in the country (No. 1 linebacker) according to Rivals; No. 46 player in the country (No. 3 linebacker) according to ESPNU
Leaders: Florida, Ohio State
Contenders: Virginia, North Carolina
Skinny: Though his hometown school and a regional choice are both in the picture, it is believed by most that this is a two-horse race between UF and OSU. The Gators have sent head coach Will Muschamp (two weeks ago) as well as defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, linebackers coach D.J. Durkin and tight ends coach Brian White (last week) in-home to see him. With Florida’s staff only coming together recently, Grant may feel more comfortable elsewhere. Then again, the press put on by UF may have impressed him and he would likely have the opportunity to play relatively early.
Announcement: NSD at 1:50 p.m.

Linebacker Stephone Anthony (Wadesboro, NC)
Accolades: No. 1 linebacker (No. 32 player in the country) according to ESPNU; No. 3 linebacker (No. 24 palyer in the country) according to Rivals
Leader: Clemson
Contenders: Florida, Virginia Tech, North Carolina, North Carolina State
Skinny: It appears that Anthony is favoring Clemson and Virginia Tech with the Tigers edging. In fact, almost every recruiting analyst predicting where Anthony will eventually declare tabs Clemson.
Update: Anthony eliminated UF on Monday.
Announcement: NSD at 11:30 a.m.

Defensive tackle Tim Jernigan (Lake City, FL)
Accolades: Consensus No. 2 defensive tackle in the country, listed at No. 17 on the ESPNU 150 and No. 29 on the Rivals 100
Leaders: Florida State, LSU
Contenders: Florida, Tennessee
Skinny: As OGGOA has previously reported, the Gators have put a full-court press on Jernigan. Assistant defensive line coach Bryant Young visited him in-home during his first day on the job, and he has also met personally with Muschamp and Quinn. Florida was thought to have a legitimate chance, but Rivals affiliate VolQuest reported that Jernigan loved his visit to UT over the weekend and it may have supplanted UF in his top three. Always in the back of Jernigan’s mind, however, may be that he and his family have been long-time Gators fans and his home is just 45 miles from The Swamp.
Update: The Orlando Sentinel reports that Jernigan is no longer considering UF.
Announcement: NSD at 10 a.m. on ESPN

Learn about eight more 2011 recruits…after the break.
Continue Reading » Recruits to watch through National Signing Day

Tags: Brian White, Bryant Young, Charlie Weis, Curt Maggitt, Curtis Grant, D.J. Durkin, Dan Quinn, Elkino Watson, Gerald Christian, Jacob Fisher, Jacoby Brissett, Jermauria Rasco, Jonathan Jenkins, Junior Pomee, Lynden Trail, Matt Elam, National Signing Day, Quinton Dunbar, Robert Clark, Stephone Anthony, Tevin Westbrook, The Swamp, Tim Jernigan, Urban Meyer, Will Muschamp

1 » After a successful rookie season in which he notched 24 tackles and 9.5 sacks (second-most for a first-year player behind Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh’s 10), former Florida Gators now Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Carlos Dunlap has returned to Gainesville, FL to earn his degree from the University of Florida. Just 20 hours away from graduating with a degree in family, youth and community services along with a minor in business administration, Dunlap decided to take 12 credits in the spring 2011 semester and will likely complete the rest the next season his team misses the playoffs. “I felt like the longer you wait, the harder it is for you to come back,” Dunlap told The Gainesville Sun’s Robbie Andreu. “I just thought the transition would be a lot easier to do it now, to knock some of it out. The present is as good a time as any to get a degree. As hard as it was now to come back, I can imagine how hard it would be to come back a few years down the road.”

Dunlap also spoke to the Sun about his unfortunate arrest for driving under the influence before the 2009 Southeastern Conference Championship game and how the mistake has adjusted his outlook on his personal and professional life. “That incident changed my whole life,” he said. “It made me respect the game a lot more. It showed me how everything can be taken from you by making one mistake, and not knowing whether you’ll be able to play again. I remember what Cris Carter once said. He said, ‘I will never again allow my life to be put in the hands of somebody else where they can make the decision whether I play football again or not.’ That’s the quote I thought of [when I was suspended]. I’m going to use that quote the rest of my career.”

2 » Though many of his former teammates will be participating in the 2011 Under Armour Senior Bowl and 2011 East-West Shrine Game, former Gators guard Carl Johnson will be headed to the Texas vs. The Nation collegiate all-star game set to be played on Feb. 5 in San Antonio, TX. He will eventually end up participating in the 2011 NFL Scouting Combine in February with hopes of improving his stock for the 2011 NFL Draft in April. Johnson spoke with the Palm Beach Post’s Jason Lieser and provided these notable quotes (read what else he had to say).

PBP: How does Florida’s future look after a disappointing 2010 season?
CJ: “I think the team’s going to be six times better this year than last year. Some good guys didn’t get to play. At the skill positions, you need experience. [Quarterback John] Brantley has a year now. He knows the tempo. He knows what it’s like to face a team that’s trying to decapitate you. They’re going to be better. Now all these guys have experience, which helps a lot. I mean, when I first played, I was like a duck in a dirty pond — don’t know what’s underneath those feet.”

PBP: Was the 2010 freshman class better than people thought? How much impact could those players make this season?
CJ: “From what I saw of the freshmen — [wide receiver Quinton] Dunbar, to me, he’s dynamic. He should have played this year, but I’m not a coach. They have some certified ballers, Mack Brown, the running back, he’s going to be a beast. Trust me, they’re going to be good.”

Tags: Carl Johnson, Carlos Dunlap, Cincinnati Bengals, combine, Draft, East-West Shrine Game, John Brantley, Mack Brown, Ndamukong Suh, NFL, Quinton Dunbar, SEC, SEC Championship, Senior Bowl, Texas vs. The Nation, Under Armour, University of Florida

Florida Gators head coach Urban Meyer met with the media after practice on Thursday and divulged a few important notes about the team’s seventh game of the 2010-11 season on Saturday against the Georgia Bulldogs. OGGOA has compiled some of the key details which you can check out below.

RAINEY STAYS ON TRACK, READY TO PLAY

Topic number one on the agenda Thursday for Meyer was determining whether or not redshirt junior wide receiver Chris Rainey would be active and eligible to play Saturday against Georgia. Evaluating him since he returned to the team, Meyer said Rainey went above and beyond what the team asked of him and will be able to play his first game in six weeks. “Chris is gonna play,” Meyer said. “He had a good week. And beyond. He really had a good week.” In addition to his duties as a slot receiver, Rainey will be playing in the backfield for a lot of the game due to some of his teammates still being a little dinged up.

RUNNING BACKS HEALTHY. EVERYONE ELSE?

Florida’s biggest struggle this year has been on the injury front. With all three of the team’s main rushers injured over the last few weeks, Meyer told reporters that, before the Mississippi State game, he was informed that he would have no healthy runners. That will not be the case Saturday as the trainers have declared junior starter Jeff Demps (foot) near 100 percent for the first time in five weeks; redshirt senior Emmanuel Moody (thigh) and sophomore Mike Gillislee (hamstring) will also be good to go.

Unfortunately, the running backs were not the only Gators trying to overcome injuries. A number of other players have been in and out of action over the last two weeks.

» Junior kicker Caleb Sturgis (back) – out, aggravated hairline fracture in vertebrae
» Redshirt freshman WR Andre Debose (ankle) – probable, will play on a limited basis
» Redshirt junior defensive tackle Jaye Howard (ankle) – probable, limited
» Senior cornerback Moses Jenkins (elbow) – active
» Redshirt sophomore left tackle Matt Patchan (wrist) – out

QUOTES

On the importance of this game: “It’s the whole world, man. First of all, it’s Florida-Georgia.”

On practice this week: “We had a really good week. We pounded them real good the last two weeks in practice, eased up a bit [Wednesday and Thursday]. I’m expecting a good performance.”

On Sturgis not playing: “Probably could [play], but for the best interest of the young man, that’s a pretty tough injury.”

On how senior punter Chas Henry has been kicking in practice: “He did good today – hit every one. 40-45 [yarders] are going to be tough, I’d say [we can go for it] inside the 40.”

On sophomore WR Omarius Hines contributing: “He’s improving and he’s actually been here for a few years but he’s still a young player. He’s got a lot of talent. It’s time he steps up and plays.”

On freshman RB Mack Brown not playing since early in the season: – “He’s been having hamstring issues. [Chris] Dunkley and Quinton Dunbar and Josh Shaw – Josh Shaw was a knee. All those kids were kind of planning on playing and they’ve been banged up. The minute they’re ready to come back, they get dinged up again. I think Mack’s getting close, but he’s also had hamstring issues.”

On redshirting M. Brown: “No, I didn’t say that. It’s still too early.”

On being able to bring recruits to Florida-Georgia: “I think both teams should be able to bring recruits, 25 tickets or something like that. Not official visits, but they can just go get tickets, sign up for tickets, go to the game and then go home. No contact or anything – that would be a mess. They deserve to go watch this game because they’re going to get to play in it. Absolutely.”

On if he has “anything up his sleeve” for the game: “We’re not at that point. It’s much easier when we’re leading the SEC in offense and defense to have something up your sleeve. Where we are right now – just trying to get a little better, man.”

Tags: Andre Debose, Caleb Sturgis, Chas Henry, Chris Dunkley, Chris Rainey, Emmanuel Moody, Georgia Bulldogs, Jaye Howard, Jeff Demps, Josh Shaw, Mack Brown, Matt Patchan, Mike Gillislee, Moses Jenkins, Omarius Hines, Quinton Dunbar, Urban Meyer

Location: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium – Gainesville, FL [Capacity: 88,548]
Weather Forecast: 76°F, clear skies
Time: 7:00 p.m. (EST)

TV: ESPNU
Sirius/XM: 219/199
Online Video: N/A
Online Audio: Yahoo!
Live Updates: @OnlyGators

Odds: Florida -9; O/U 46

HISTORY and STREAKS

» Florida leads the all-time series 33-18-2 against Mississippi State, holding a 19-7-1 advantage in Gainesville. The Gators have won back-to-back games in the series, defeating the Bulldogs 35-9 in 2005 and 29-19 in Starkville, MS, last season.
» UF is 63-20-2 all-time in homecoming games and have won 21-straight on this occasion including 14 consecutive contests against conference opponents.
» Florida continues to lead the nation with 13 interceptions. Five have been returned for more than 30 yards – three for touchdowns.
» The Gators had gone 14-for-14 in the red zone over the previous two games with 13 touchdowns and a field goal. Against Alabama and LSU, UF went 4-8 in the same area. As a team they are now 21-for-27 in the red zone in 2010 with 19 touchdowns.
» Florida under Meyer is 40-0 when holding an opponent under 16 points, 29-2 when shutting an opponent out in the fourth quarter, 37-3 when holding an opponent to 35 percent or less on third down, 37-2 when giving up two or less big plays (15-yard run/25-yard pass) and 31-3 when the Gators defense scores or creates three turnovers.
» The Bulldogs are out-scoring opponents 58-17 in the first quarter while the Gators are being outscored 14-16 in the same period.
» Mississippi State has won three straight games for only the second time since 2000 and are looking for their first four-game winning streak since starting 8-0 in 1999. Florida is hoping to avoid its first three-game losing streak since 1999.
» MSU has only allowed seven touchdowns in 19 opponent trips to the red zone.
» The Bulldogs out-rank the Gators in four primary statistical averages going into the contest. Mississippi State is 72nd in passing yards (205), 24th in rushing yards (211.8), 45th in points scored (31.7) and 22nd in points against (17.5) compared to Florida being 87th in passing yards (183), 75th in rushing yards (140.7), 48th in points scored (31.0) and 37th in points against (20.2). Both lost to their common opponent, LSU, though MSU fell 29-7 on the road while UF lost 33-29 at home.
» Mississippi State’s Mullen was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Florida from 2005-08. Also on the staff at the same time was Bulldogs offensive line coach/running game coordinator John Hevsey. Mullen had coached under Meyer since 2001 (Bowling Green, Utah) before taking his first head coaching job and was also a graduate assistant at Syracuse where he worked with Gators offensive coordinator and OL coach Steve Addazio. The trio worked together from 1999-2000 at Notre Dame.
» Florida running backs coach and recruiting coordinator Stan Drayton coached at Mississippi State in 2004; Bulldogs’ head strength coach Matt Balis was on the Gators’ staff from 2005-06 and left with Mullen.
» No. 22 is the lowest Florida has been ranked in Meyer’s tenure. The Gators have been listed in every poll since he took over the team in 2005.

KEEP AN EYE ON…

FLORIDA
» Redshirt junior quarterback John Brantley…who had thrown 156 consecutive passes without an interception dating back to 2009, now has a 6-4 TD/INT ratio this season after throwing another pick last week. He has completed 105-of-169 passes (62.1 percent) for 1,056 yards and has a passer rating of 121.6.
» Redshirt freshman wide receiver Andre Debose…who has led UF in all-purpose yards each of the last two weeks posting 75 against Alabama and 163 against LSU including an 88-yard kickoff return touchdown.
» Freshman QB Trey Burton…who set a school record and SEC freshman record by scoring six touchdowns in a single game against Kentucky. He has nine scores on the season, has played five positions and may see more time behind center with the team wanting to run the ball better out of the option.
» Junior running back Jeff Demps…who has led the Gators in rushing in every game this season with totals of 98, 139, 73, 57 and 47 yards. He is averaging 6.5 yards per carry this year and is the nation’s active RB leader in yards per touch since 2008 (7.3).
» Redshirt junior WR Deonte Thompson…who is averaging almost 60 yards per game this season. As Brantley’s primary pass catcher, 18 of Thompson’s 23 receptions this year have been for first downs.
» Redshirt senior WR Carl Moore…who continues to be clutch for the Gators each week. Eleven of Moore’s last 12 catches have been for first downs including two against Tennessee, four against Kentucky, two against Alabama and three against LSU.
» Florida’s secondary…which has intercepted eight balls this season but has been held without a pick for back-to-back contests. Senior safety Ahmad Black (three), redshirt sophomore CB Jeremy Brown (three) and junior cornerback Janoris Jenkins (two) and are leading the way for the unit. Brown returned one for a touchdown last week, and Black is tops on the team with 50 tackles on the year while also being the conference’s active leader in interceptions (11) and interception return yards (233).
» Redshirt freshman linebacker Jelani Jenkins…who is coming on strong for the Gators with 35 tackles on the season. He intercepted his first pass last week against LSU, returning it 47 yards and setting up a touchdown for the offense, and had a career-high and team-leading eight tackles against Kentucky earlier in the year.
» Senior punter Chas Henry…who is the end-all be-all of Florida’s kicking game now that he has taken over for junior Caleb Sturgis (back) as the team’s field goal kicker. Henry missed two field goals on one drive (the first was negated by a penalty) last week after scoring all of his team’s points on two field goals against Alabama.

MISSISSIPPI STATE
» Junior RB Vick Ballard…who has already scored 12 touchdowns this year and has reached the end zone in every game while leading the SEC with a total of 72 points and 11 rushing scores. Ballard also has 58 carries for 418 yards (7.2 average) and three receptions for 50 yards.
» Junior QB Chris Relf…who leads his team in passing and rushing attempts. Relf completes 59.3 percent of his passes and has thrown for 675 yards and five touchdowns along with three interceptions. He has also rushed 65 times for 295 yards and a score.
» Sophomore WR Chad Bumphis…who has a team-high 32 receptions for 431 yards and four touchdowns on the season as MSU’s primary pass catcher.
» Senior LBs Chris White and K.J. Wright…who have been huge defensive playmakers for the Bulldogs. White leads the team with 7.5 tackles for loss and 46 total tackles, while Wright has 42 total tackles and seven pass break-ups (tops in the SEC).

INJURIES and INACTIVES
Injuries
Active – Redshirt junior QB John Brantley (ribs, thumb, shoulder), redshirt junior WR Deonte Thompson (concussion), redshirt freshman right guard Jon Halapio (finger)
Questionable – Junior RB Jeff Demps (foot), sophomore RB Mike Gillislee (foot), freshman safety Matt Elam (concussion)

Inactives
Redshirt sophomore LT Matt Patchan (broken wrist), senior CB Moses Jenkins (hyperextended elbow), redshirt senior DT Brandon Antwine (shoulder), junior kicker Caleb Sturgis (back), sophomore linebacker Dee Finley (fractured collarbone), freshmen WRs Quinton Dunbar and Chris Dunkley (hamstrings)

FLORIDA ON ESPN COLLEGE GAMEDAY

The Gators are not set to be heavily featured in during ESPN’s College GameDay broadcast beginning at 9 a.m. on ESPNU (hosted by Erin Andrews) and continuing from 10 a.m. until noon on ESPN. From what we hear ESPN is not planning to specifically talk about Florida other than during a “State of Florida” segment and when the analysts pick games at the end of the program.

Read OGGOA’s Florida Gators vs. Miss. State Bulldogs preview after the jump!
Continue Reading » Week 7: No. 22 Florida Gators vs. MSU Bulldogs

Tags: Ahmad Black, Andre Debose, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Brandon Antwine, Caleb Sturgis, Carl Moore, Chad Bumphis, Chas Henry, Chris Dunkley, Chris Relf, Chris White, Dan Mullen, Dee Finley, Deonte Thompson, Janoris Jenkins, Jeff Demps, Jelani Jenkins, Jeremy Brown, John Brantley, John Hevsey, Jon Halapio, K.J. Wright, Matt Balis, Matt Elam, Matt Patchan, Mike Gillislee, Mississippi State Bulldogs, Moses Jenkins, Omarius Hines, Quinton Dunbar, SEC, Stan Drayton, Steve Addazio, Trey Burton, Urban Meyer, Vick Ballard

No. 12/14 Florida Gators head coach Urban Meyer met with the media after practice on Thursday and divulged a few important notes about the team’s sixth game of the 2010-11 season on Saturday against the No. 9/12 LSU Tigers. OGGOA has compiled some of the key details which you can check out below.

BRANTLEY WAS LIMITED BUT IS “FINE NOW”

Early in the week rumors surfaced that redshirt junior quarterback John Brantley was questionable for Saturday’s game against LSU after injuring his ribs against Alabama. Offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Steve Addazio shot down those reports Tuesday, saying Brantley was “doing great” though he was “a little sore…just like every game.” Meyer expanded on Brantley’s limitations Thursday, noting that he was actually unable to throw the ball for a part of the week. “On the injury front, Brantley’s good,” he said. “He was limited mostly, well, throwing. So we would have another guy go in and throw the ball for him a little bit [because] his ribs were so sore, but he’s fine now.” Meyer insisted that Brantley will be ready to go Saturday without limitations.

TIME HAS COME FOR PLAYMAKERS, EXTRA PROTECTION

Asked whether or not it was time for the coaching staff to push guys like redshirt freshman wide receiver Andre Debose and freshman running back Mack Brown onto the field for increased playing time and touches, Meyer smiled and appeared to provide a genuine response. “Uh-huh. It’s that time. It’s been that time for a while,” he said nodding emphatically. “[Debose is] getting better. He’s getting better.”

And while those playmakers may see the field a bit more, Meyer also received word that he would be getting back one of his favorite offensive players, redshirt junior fullback Steven Wilks. Finally recovered from a back injury, Wilks has been cleared to play and will be in action on Saturday. “That’s good news for us that he came back and had a great week of practice,” Meyer boasted. “Great attitude. He’s a good player. He’s like Billy Latsko, he’s just one of those football position guys. Very smooth player. He’s not a home run hitter or anything like that but he’s a guy that gets in your way and blocks you and knows the offense real well.”

OTHER INJURY UPDATES

Though junior RB Jeff Demps “still is limited,” according to Meyer, he is expected to “be at the same tempo he was last week against Alabama” for Saturday’s contest. While the news seems positive for him and sophomore RB Mike Gillislee, the same cannot be said for some other Gators.

Redshirt senior defensive tackle Brandon Antwine will remain out of action, freshman WR Chris Dunkley’s hamstring is “acting up, so he’s not going to be ready either for a couple more weeks,” and freshman WR Quinton Dunbar recently tweaked his hamstring in practice as well. When speaking about the injuries, Meyer noted that Dunbar “was getting better” and called Dunkley “my man.”

Also remaining on the sidelines is junior kicker Caleb Sturgis, who has been replaced by senior punter Chas Henry. “Caleb’s getting better. He won’t kick Saturday,” Meyer said. “I kind of like what our man did, Chas. Caleb’s getting better and he’s feeling better. I’m not sure the timetable because it’s actually is a stress fracture.”

QUOTES (After the break…)
Continue Reading » 10/7: Florida Gators week six practice notes

Tags: Andre Debose, Billy Latsko, Brandon Antwine, Caleb Sturgis, Chas Henry, Chris Dunkley, Jeff Demps, John Brantley, Jordan Reed, LSU Tigers, Mack Brown, Mike Gillislee, Quinton Dunbar, Steve Addazio, Steven Wilks, Trey Burton, Urban Meyer

A number of Florida Gators players spoke to the media on Monday and Tuesday as the team takes a look back on its 31-17 road victory over the Tennessee Volunteers and ahead to its match-up against the Kentucky Wildcats at home on Saturday.

Redshirt junior quarterback John Brantley, senior safety Ahmad Black, redshirt sophomore cornerback Jeremy Brown, redshirt senior defensive tackle Terron Sanders, senior defensive end Duke Lemmens, senior linebacker Brandon Hicks, redshirt freshman LB Jelani Jenkins and freshman QB Trey Burton all had plenty to say…which you can read after the break!
Continue Reading » 9/20-21: Florida footballers speak to the media

Tags: Ahmad Black, Andre Debose, Brandon Hicks, Carl Moore, Dan Mullen, Duke Lemmens, Frankie Hammond, Jaye Howard, Jeff Demps, Jelani Jenkins, Jeremy Brown, John Brantley, Jordan Reed, Kentucky Wildcats, Mike Pouncey, Neyland Stadium, Quinton Dunbar, Scot Loeffler, SEC, Steven Wilks, T.J. Pridemore, Tennessee Volunteers, Terron Sanders, Trey Burton, Urban Meyer

Bouncing back from a lackluster showing during the first game of the 2010-11 season, the No. 6/8 Florida Gators ran down the South Florida Bulls 38-14 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL. With so much to discuss following the contest, OGGOA presents some of the most important notes and quotes coming out of The Swamp.

RAINEY OUT WITH CONCUSSION

Named by head coach Urban Meyer before the season as one of the Gators’ primary offensive weapons, redshirt junior wide receiver Chris Rainey was knocked out of the game Saturday with a concussion. Rainey had only touched the ball three times prior to heading off the field, and his status for next week’s game at Tennessee is unknown, though Meyer seemed optimistic.

SNAPPING OUT OF “DISASTER MISTAKES”

After a week in which Florida struggled with one of the simplest aspects of the game – snapping the ball – senior center Mike Pouncey and redshirt junior quarterback John Brantley were back in sync and playing well together. Pouncey did have some errant snaps during the Gators’ first two series, one of which Brantley mishandled and fumbled, but overall the problems were corrected and UF’s offense was able to proceed free of easy miscues.

YOUNGSTERS SEE THE FIELD

Offensively, Florida made it a point to get redshirt freshman WR Andre Debose and freshman WR Robert Clark in the game – something the coaching staff failed in doing the previous week. On the defensive side of the ball, youth was all over the Gators’ secondary with freshman cornerback Cody Riggs getting extra time in place of redshirt sophomore starting CB Jeremy Brown, who went down with full body cramps in the second half. Fellow freshman CBs Jaylen Watkins and Josh Shaw also saw action, and freshman safety Matt Elam played as much as he did last week.

MEYER NOT HAPPY WITH HILL, ONE WAY OR ANOTHER

After the game, Meyer explained that junior safety Will Hill was benched for a second straight week because he was “not ready to play.” Earlier in the week, it appeared as if Hill was going to see the field in his normal staring role, but it is being made to look as if there was a change of heart as the game approached. As OGGOA reported last Saturday, Hill was out not because of his preparedness but rather as a team punishment; we are of the belief that he sat for the same reason this week.

Also held out were redshirt sophomore linebacker Dee Finely and freshman defensive tackle Dominique Easley, who Meyer also gave the “not ready to play” tag to. Finley, like Hill, was dressed; Easley was not. Like he said last week with his suspended starters, Meyer expects all three to play against Tennessee.

THOMPSON AND MOORE STEP THEIR GAMES UP

One week after redshirt junior WR Deonte Thompson barely contributed and redshirt senior WR Carl Moore did not catch a single ball, both players played a major part of the Gators’ offense. The duo combined to catch 11 passes for 123 yards, though Thompson did drop another touchdown (which was well-defended) and bobbled a few of the passes he ended up bringing in. Each will have to remain consistent throughout the season, and Saturday was a good first step toward that end.

QUOTES (After the break…)
Continue Reading » Week 2: Gators post-game news and notes

Tags: Ahmad Black, Andre Debose, B.J. Daniels, Carl Moore, Chris Dunkley, Chris Rainey, Cody Riggs, Dee Finley, Deonte Thompson, Dominique Easley, Janoris Jenkins, Jaylen Watkins, Jeff Demps, John Brantley, Jordan Reed, Josh Shaw, Matt Elam, Mike Pouncey, Neiron Ball, Quinton Dunbar, Robert Clark, SEC, Sharrif Floyd, Steve Addazio, Tim Tebow, Urban Meyer, Will Hill

Florida Gators head coach Urban Meyer met with the media after practice on Thursday and divulged a few important notes about the team’s second game Saturday against the South Florida Bulls. OGGOA has compiled some of the key details.

NIXON HEALTHY…BUT ACTIVE?

Sophomore left tackle Xavier Nixon (knee) has been cleared to play Saturday; whether or not he will actually step on the field (or how long he will play) is another subject all together. Though Nixon is healthy enough to participate in game action, the Gators may choose to let him heal for another week if offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Steve Addazio believes his unit will be steady enough without him.

On Wednesday, redshirt senior right guard Maurice Hurt, who has been filling in at right tackle while redshirt senior RT Marcus Gilbert has been playing on the left side, was under the impression that he would once again start there this week. “We’re still getting some guys back and we’re still shuffling the rotation, but for now I think I’m going to be at right tackle,” Hurt said. No matter what is decided Saturday, it looks like Nixon will return to his starting role against Tennessee the following week.

INJURY UPDATES

As Meyer predicted earlier in the week, it looks like redshirt freshman tight end Jordan Reed (knee) will be ready to go Saturday. Reed’s snaps may be limited, but his presence should allow for a more typical rotation at the position with him and sophomore wide receiver Omarius Hines as the primary plug-ins.

Meyer noted that freshman WR Chris Dunkley, who is still recovering from hamstring issues stemming from the conclusion of his high school career, is doubtful. With redshirt sophomore Frankie Hammond, Jr. (DUI) returning, redshirt freshman Andre Debose looking to get on the field and other receivers ahead of him knowledge-wise, Dunkley needs to get healthy while simultaneously learning the requirements of the position. Fellow freshman WR Quinton Dunbar is also hoping to see some action shortly.

Additionally, redshirt senior defensive tackles Terron Sanders and Lawrence Marsh will both be active and on the field playing Saturday against the Bulls.

BURTON BACKING UP; MURPHY STANDING IN

Last week we alerted you that the perception that freshman quarterback Tyler Murphy had replaced fellow freshman signal caller Trey Burton as the team’s primary backup behind redshirt junior starter John Brantley was likely a one-week scenario due to the fact that Burton was learning a bevy of other positions. Now that Reed is back in the mix at tight end and H-back, Burton has moved back to the No. 2 QB role (though he will likely see time on the field in other positions, too).

Simultaneously this week, Florida utilized Murphy as a stand-in for South Florida starting QB B.J. Daniels, a dual-threat player with a big arm and quick feet. Murphy apparently did well in this role during practice and was instrumental in helping the Gators prepare for their opponent this week.

For what it’s worth, Meyer continuously compares Burton’s talent and potential impact to that of former Florida stars WR Percy Harvin and TE Aaron Hernandez.

QUOTES

Meyer on Nixon’s starting status: “We don’t know that yet. That’s up to coach Addazio. We did talk about that today, and he hasn’t decided yet. Today’s practice was … key.”

Meyer on Dunkley’s progress: “He’s getting real close. He actually had a good day [Thursday]. I don’t know if he’ll get in this week [because] he’s had that hamstring forever. I wouldn’t say he was about 100 percent until last week. We’d like to get him involved. Same with Quinton Dunbar, who’s doing a nice job. [...] It’s just learning. [Dunkley] missed almost all of training camp. We’re in the season now and it’s hard to learn. We’re game-planning now. But he’s doing a good job. Talented guy.”

Special thanks to the Palm Beach Post and The Gainesville Sun.

Tags: Aaron Hernandez, Andre Debose, B.J. Daniels, Chris Dunkley, Frankie Hammond, John Brantley, Jordan Reed, Lawrence Marsh, Marcus Gilbert, Maurice Hurt, Omarius Hines, Percy Harvin, Quinton Dunbar, South Florida Bulls, Steve Addazio, Terron Sanders, Trey Burton, Tyler Murphy, Urban Meyer, Xavier Nixon