Following in the footsteps of freshman safety Jordan Haden, who was granted a full release with no transfer exceptions by head coach Urban Meyer on on Aug. 16, wide receiver Adrian Coxson has also decided to leave the Florida Gators.

Citing home sickness as his chief reason, Coxson’s transfer has been agreed to by the University of Florida; he will be released from his scholarship effective immediately.

Early Thursday, freshman safety Matt Elam wrote the following innocuous message on his Twitter account: “I hate to see young men my age run away from something because it’s hard. Just destroying our class.”

A highly-rated four-star recruit from Maryland (like Haden) Coxson’s name had not been heard much in fall practice. The Gators signed four other WRs in their 2010 recruiting class including Chris Dunkley, Quinton Dunbar, Solomon Patton and Robert Clark and already have two-to-four committed for 2011 (depending on position choice).

UPDATE: Coxson will be transferring to Maryland, according to numerous media outlets.

OGGOA RELATED: Freshman S Jordan Haden looking to transfer

Tags: Adrian Coxson, Chris Dunkley, Jordan Haden, Matt Elam, Quinton Dunbar, Robert Clark, Solomon Patton, University of Florida, Urban Meyer

The 2010 version of the Florida Gators is in the midst of their second week of fall practice and, while the activities were once again closed to both the media and public, some notable things did occur Tuesday. OGGOA has compiled some of the key details.

STARTING OFFENSIVE LINE SET?

Stringing together an announcement from offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Steve Addazio that senior center Mike Pouncey, redshirt senior tackle Marcus Gilbert, and redshirt senior guards Carl Johnson and Maurice Hurt have all earned starting jobs on the OL with one from Pouncey stating that sophomore Xavier Nixon has won the starting left tackle job, the Gators front five may finally be set in stone. Nixon was competing with redshirt sophomore Matt Patchan for the role, even though the former started five games for Florida last season. It is important to note that there are sentiments that Nixon has yet to officially win his gig and redshirt junior G James Wilson may have the opportunity to beat out Hurt.

BROWN LOSES BLACK

Freshman running back Mack Brown became the 11th frosh to lose his black helmet stripe, getting it removed on Wednesday with the help of Pouncey. There are 15 more – notably defensive end Ronald Powell – still awaiting this ritual.

A few of you have asked me via Twitter (@onlygators) what exactly the “black stripe” is and what it means when it is removed. Here is a quick synopsis: As freshmen (or transfers), players have black stripes of tape placed on their helmets (front-to-back) indicating that they are new to the program; these are removed once each individual player proves that they deserve to be a Gator. This can occur by recommendation of a coach or fellow player. Head coach Urban Meyer spoke about it Tuesday: “It’s basically to de-recruit, to get rid of the nonsense, to make them understand that they’re not an outstanding freshman. They’re just another guy on the team trying to make their way. […] They walk up in front of the team, either in a team meeting or on the field and the young man stands up and sometimes gets very emotional because now he’s a Gator. His helmet’s like everybody else. It’s kind of cool.”

BACK TO THE FUTURE

After being monitored the last few practices while recovering from a hamstring injury, freshman wide receiver Chris Dunkley is back running at full speed, according to WR coach Zach Azzanni. However, perhaps contrary to what many expected coming out of National Signing Day, all indications are that freshman WR Quinton Dunbar is the more impressive and making the best case for playing time.

In other WR news… redshirt senior Carl Moore clarified to the media on Wednesday that, when he left practice for a few days in the spring, he was not considering leaving the team but was simply dealing with some personal issues. Since returning, Moore has solidified his spot as a starter and – like redshirt junior Deonte Thompson – is making strides every day during practice.

OTHER NOTES

» Redshirt freshman linebacker Jelani Jenkins is inching closer and closer each day to winning the starting role in the middle.

» Redshirt sophomore DE Earl Okine has been working at tight end the last few practices, according to Addazio. In fact, his position appears to have officially switched if you look at hiss GatorZone.com profile. Okine took limited snaps at TE in high school, catching 15 passes his senior year to go along with his 84 tackles and 11 sacks as a DE.

QUOTES [After the break...]
Continue Reading » 8/18: Florida Gators 2010 fall practice updates

Tags: Carl Johnson, Carl Moore, Chris Dunkley, Deonte Thompson, Earl Okine, James Wilson, Jelani Jenkins, Jeremy Brown, Joe Haden, Mack Brown, Marcus Gilbert, Matt Patchan, Maurice Hurt, Michael Taylor, Mike Pouncey, Moses Jenkins, National Signing Day, Nick Alajajian, Quinton Dunbar, Ronald Powell, Steve Addazio, Terron Sanders, Teryl Austin, Urban Meyer, Xavier Nixon, Zach Azzanni

The 2010 version of the Florida Gators is in the midst of their second week of fall practice and, while the activities were once again closed to both the media and public, some notable things did occur Tuesday. OGGOA has compiled some of the key details.

INJURIES PILING UP

Redshirt junior fullback Steven Wilks will miss about a month after having surgery on his back last week. He is expected to make a full recovery. Sophomore left tackle Xavier Nixon (ankle) is sitting out while his main competition, redshirt sophomore Matt Patchan (wrist), is back working out. Like Nixon, redshirt senior defensive tackle Lawrence Marsh (hamstring) is currently recovering and listed as day-to-day. Redshirt junior wide receiver Chris Rainey (accelerated heartbeat) is at full speed, and though junior running back Jeff Demps has missed a few practices with a concussion, he is back, too.

MORE STRIPES COME OFF

Freshmen offensive tackle Ian Silberman and tight end Gerald Christian both had their black helmet stripes removed on Tuesday. That now makes 10 frosh who are stripe-less with 16 more to go.

POWELL TAKING A WHILE

With freshmen DTs Sharrif Floyd and Dominique Easley and safety Matt Elam impressing early, defensive end Ronald Powell is bringing up the rear in terms of development for arguably the team’s top four 2010 recruits. “Powell’s a little bit behind [Floyd and Easley], but he’s coming on,” head coach Urban Meyer said. “He gained a little weight, because he wants to be bigger. We’re trying to knock a few pounds off him.”

QUOTES

Meyer on sophomore S Will Hill’s improvement: “Night and day. There were a lot of issues. We’ve got 105 guys and he was a guy that drank the poison, or whatever you want to call it. Now he’s going as hard as we’ve ever had a safety go around here, and he’s doing really well. He and [co-defensive coordinator/safeties coach] Chuck Heater have a good little deal going on back there. His position coach is real strong. Everyone knows Heater. He handles things a certain way and expects great effort and great performance on- and off-the-field. We’re starting to see that now with him.”

Meyer on defensive coordinator/cornerbacks coach Teryl Austin’s effect on junior CB Janoris Jenkins: “The same thing you see from our safeties. We have a big saying around here: ‘power of the unity.’ That’s a unit that’s really going well and [Jenkins] is the leader. Night and day. You’re going to see a really good player this season. He’s no nonsense. He’s just 100 percent all the time. It’s a credit to his position coach. Change is good. The transition is good. Janoris is the man there and he knows it.”

Meyer on S Jordan Haden transferring: “Jordan’s a great young man. […] When you have that name on the back of your jersey, that’s darn near Tebow-ish. That’s Pouncey-ish. When you start talking about the name, there’s an expectation level that is sometimes not fair. […] I was worried about that when we first started recruiting him because those are tough shoes to fill right there. But he’ll be fine, and we’ll help him do all we can.”

Meyer on the WRs as a whole: “Deonte [Thompson] is there, Carl Moore’s there. I’m hoping Omarius Hines gets there real soon. Quinton Dunbar is darn close – that kid’s good. Andre Debose is struggling – just dead legs right now, but he’s coming back.”

Meyer clarifying Hines’ role on the team: “He’s not a tight end, he’s a movement guy. [...] We’re kind of created a position in the last few years, the ‘Percy [Harvin] position’ and the ‘Aaron Hernandez position,’ and if you have that, you can be dynamic. I think he’s got that kind of ability. He’s doing well.”

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

Tags: Aaron Hernandez, Andre Debose, Carl Moore, Chris Rainey, Chuck Heater, Deonte Thompson, Dominique Easley, Gerald Christian, Ian Silberman, Janoris Jenkins, Jeff Demps, Jordan Haden, Lawrence Marsh, Matt Patchan, Omarius Hines, Percy Harvin, Quinton Dunbar, Ronald Powell, Sharrif Floyd, Steven Wilks, Teryl Austin, Urban Meyer, Will Hill, Xavier Nixon

The 2010 version of the Florida Gators is going into their second week of fall practice and, while the activities were closed to both the media and public, some notable things did occur during the morning session. OGGOA has compiled some of the key details learned throughout the early portion of the day…more later…

PLAYERS RETURN

Both senior linebacker Brandon Hicks (dehydration) and redshirt junior wide receiver Chris Rainey (accelerated heartbeat) returned to practice in full on Monday.

JENKINS PULLS AHEAD

LB coach D.J. Durkin told reporters that redshirt freshman Jelani Jenkins is currently ahead of sophomore Jon Bostic, but they are not necessarily playing the same position right now and may both start. It is expected that only one of the two will be able to start alongside Hicks and redshirt senior A.J. Jones.

MORE STRIPES REMOVED

Three more freshmen – quarterback Trey Burton and defensive tackles Sharrif Floyd and Dominique Easley – had their black helmet stripes removed by the coaching staff. That is now a total of six frosh who no longer have their stripes on.

Some are reporting that safety Matt Elam and WR Quinton Dunbar lost theirs over the weekend. This is likely considering how the staff raved about them after the scrimmage.

MEYER STILL SPECIAL

Senior punter Chas Henry noted that head coach Urban Meyer, not special teams coach Durkin, remains in charge of the punt return and coverage units. Perhaps Durkin is handling the kickoff and field goal teams at this point.

QUOTES

Defensive line coach Dan McCarney on Floyd and Easley: “They really scrimmaged well. They’re showing each day that they belong on the field this year, and they’re going to help our defense as true freshmen. I’m proud of them. They’re physical guys. We felt they were two of the better players in the country last year. They were two of the guys we targeted from the beginning. We’ve still got a ways to go, but in the scrimmage and all the practices, they don’t look one bit out of place. They look like they belong. The look like they belong on the field this year.”

Running backs coach Stan Drayton on sophomore RB Mike Gillislee: “He had a phenomenal scrimmage. He toughed it out, played through some injuries. He made plays. He had some explosive plays down the sideline in the run game. He protected in the pass game. I’m really excited about where GIlly is at this point. [The light] is definitely coming on for him. He’s feeling it. He knows he’s being counted on to play for us. He’s ready to go. He’s getting himself ready to play a game.”

Drayton on freshman RB Mack Brown: “His potential is phenomenal. But he’s still playing slow because he’s thinking a lot. We threw a whole big playbook at him in a week. He’s sitting there trying to assess all that, then execute the play. He’s playing slow, but the ability is there. When we are able to just give him something he knows, you see the flash of a great talent. That will all come in time.”

Special thanks to The Gainesville Sun here and here for the above quotations.

Tags: A.J. Jones, Brandon Hicks, Chas Henry, Chris Rainey, D.J. Durkin, Dan McCarney, Dominique Easley, Jelani Jenkins, Jon Bostic, Mack Brown, Matt Elam, Mike Gillislee, Quinton Dunbar, Sharrif Floyd, Stan Drayton, Trey Burton, Urban Meyer

The 2010 version of the Florida Gators has been participating fall practice for just about a week and, while the activities were closed to both the media and public, some notable things did occur during Saturday’s scrimmage. OGGOA has compiled some of the key details learned throughout the day.

INJURY UPDATES

Redshirt junior running back Chris Rainey (accelerated heartbeat) may have returned to practice Friday, but he was held out of contact drills once again Saturday. With Sunday off, he will probably resume those exercises on Monday. Senior linebacker Brandon Hicks (dehydration) did not return to practice and is still recovering. He will also likely be back Monday.

Other players held out of Saturday’s scrimmage include left tackles sophomore Xavier Nixon (minor injuries) and redshirt sophomore Matt Patchan (wrist). The duo, who are competing for the starting job, were replaced by redshirt senior right tackle Marcus Gilbert, though redshirt senior left guard Carl Johnson saw some action there also.

POSITION BATTLES

Nothing new on starting middle linebacker (still a competition between sophomore Jon Bostic and redshirt freshman Jelani Jenkins), but defensive coordinator Teryl Austin told reporters Saturday that (as expected) redshirt sophomore Jeremy Brown and senior Moses Jenkins separated themselves from the freshmen in the race for starting cornerback. Freshmen Trey Burton and Tyler Murphy continue to compete for back-up quarterback behind redshirt junior starter John Brantley.

“I THOUGHT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT HYBRID ANIMALS”

Always searching for roster flexibility, the Gators have been experimenting with using redshirt sophomore wide receiver Omarius Hines at tight end. Hines has bulked up a bit (up to 222 lbs.) and has good size for the position but is still primarily a receiver. Similarly, redshirt freshman TE Jordan Reed is still playing Wildcat quarterback – especially on goal line formations. And though Murphy will likely convert to receiver once five-star QB recruit Jeff Driskel (Oviedo, FL) joins the program in 2011, he has not been working out at that position as of yet.

WIDE RECEIVERS STAND OUT

WR coach Zach Azzanni raved about freshman Quinton Dunbar’s performance Saturday, noting that “He jumped over the top of our corner and made a heck of a touchdown catch. He has a lot of natural talent,” according to the Palm Beach Post’s Jason Lieser. Dunbar apparently took advantage of freshman cornerback Josh Shaw on this play, but junior CB Janoris Jenkins admitted that the secondary as a whole did not grab a single interception all day mostly because of Brantley’s accuracy.

There was also a lot of talk about redshirt senior WR Carl Moore being perhaps the most consistent pass catcher of fall practice thus far…and no one should be surprised (in our opinion) that redshirt sophomore Frankie Hammond, Jr. is reportedly working his tail off to make the team and earn the respect of both his peers and coaches.

QUOTES

Brantley on his pass catchers: “Our receivers have come a long way. They’ve been catching the ball really well. [They are] running fast, running great routes. It’s been hot out there and they just keep going. That’s what I like to see. They just keep going.”

QB coach Scot Loeffler on Brantley: “He’s doing a much better job of leadership and taking command of the offense. It’s his time to step up and be the leader and he’s taking that challenge on and doing a much better job with it. I thought Johnny did a fairly good job today of going to the right place with the ball. We’ve just got to make plays when plays present themselves and when the play is not there obviously protect the football. That’s our plan to win around here. We need to protect the football and make sure we do a great job helping our team continue to win.”

Austin on Jenkins’ corner play: “He did some good things out there. Sometimes as a corner you don’t get a lot of looks, but when the play does come your way, are you in position to make the play and you make the play, and he did that [Saturday].”

Brown on finally being healthy: “This is as excited as I’ve ever been here. I’m just taking it all in. I’ve been away from the game so long, you just want to help out. I spent two years not playing at all, not even practicing, so the opportunity just to go out there and contribute just brightens my day.”

Thanks to the News-Press, Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post for the above quotations.

Tags: Brandon Hicks, Carl Johnson, Carl Moore, Chris Rainey, Frankie Hammond, Janoris Jenkins, Jeff Driskel, Jelani Jenkins, Jeremy Brown, John Brantley, Jon Bostic, Jordan Reed, Josh Shaw, Marcus Gilbert, Matt Patchan, Moses Jenkins, Omarius Hines, Quinton Dunbar, Scot Loeffler, Teryl Austin, Trey Burton, Tyler Murphy, Xavier Nixon, Zach Azzanni

Athletes care about their uniform numbers, and now that Florida Gators football is preparing to begin practice for the 2010-11 season in just about a week, it was time for the team’s newest members to choose theirs. The freshman roster, according to the University of Florida, can be found…after the break:
Continue Reading » Gators’ newest footballers pick uniform numbers

Tags: Adrian Coxson, Brandon Sanders, Chaz Green, Chris Dunkley, Cody Riggs, Darrin Kitchens, Dominique Easley, Gerald Christian, Gideon Ajagbe, Ian Silberman, Jaylen Williams, Jonathan Dowling, Jordan Hadan, Josh Shaw, Leon Orr, Lynden Trail, Mack Brown, Matt Elam, Michael McFarland, Michael Taylor, Neiron Ball, Phillip Bellino, Quinton Dunbar, Robert Clark, Ronald Powell, Sharrif Floyd, Solomon Patton, Trey Burton, Tyler Murphy, University of Florida

Florida Gators head coach Urban Meyer spoke with members of the media after receiving all 28 letters of intent for his team’s unanimous No. 1-ranked 2010 recruiting class. The following is a transcript of the press conference, courtesy of the University of Florida’s University Athletic Association.
Continue Reading » Urban Meyer on Florida’s 2010 recruiting class

Tags: Adrian Coxson, Chris Dunkley, Darrin Kitchens, Dominique Easley, Friday Night Lights, Gerald Christian, Jordan Reed, Leon Orr, Lynden Trail, Mack Brown, Matt Elam, Michael McFarland, Michael Taylor, National Signing Day, Office of Student Life, Quinton Dunbar, Ronald Powell, Sharrif Floyd, Solomon Patton, Steve Addazio, Tyler Murphy, Urban Meyer

Adding to the Florida Gators already stellar and unanimously No. 1-ranked 2010 recruiting class is four-star wide receiver Adrian Coxson (Baltimore, MD), who committed to the team Wednesday.

Coxson, at 6’2″ and 194 lbs., was long believed to have the Gators in the lead for his services after decommitting from the Penn State Nittany Lions.

Florida made it a point to acquire a deep group of talented receivers, and Coxson is its fourth in the 2010 class along with four-stars Chris Dunkley (Pahokee, FL), Solomon Patton (Mobile, AL) and Quinton Dunbar (Miami, FL).

OGGOA will update this story after the conclusion of National Signing Day.

Tags: Adrian Coxson, Chris Dunkley, National Signing Day, Quinton Dunbar, Solomon Patton