Former Florida Gators head coach Urban Meyer and Denver Broncos rookie quarterback Tim Tebow were both interviewed Tuesday, by Rich Eisen of NFL.com and sports talk radio host Dan Patrick, respectively. Below are choice quotes from each interview. Links to the complete audio can be found at the end of the post.

Meyer on if he will ever coach in the NFL: “I think we’ll cross that bridge somewhere down the road. I’ve always loved the NFL and growing up that was always a dream.”

Meyer on his current plans: “I’m going to go out to ESPN to work on the BCS National Championship. Those are great folks out there. I’m going to try that for a little while and then see where I’m headed.”

Meyer on if the opportunity to coach Tebow in Denver is appealing: “Somewhere maybe way down the road. Not now. Absolutely not. Not now.”

Meyer on Tebow’s potential for success in the NFL: “He’s going to be a winner if given the right opportunity.”

Meyer on New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick: “He is the most in-depth person I have ever been around. He comes down [to Gainesville, FL], he meets with every one of our prospects, he works them out himself and he’ll go spend up to an hour on each player with me and our coaches finding out what we think of them. That’s why they rarely make mistakes.”

Meyer on if his conversations with Belichick appear on the field: “Oh yeah, no question. He told me from way back how he was going to utilize Brandon Spikes and how he was going to utilize Aaron Hernandez.”

Meyer on having a one-on-one conversation with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell: “I reached out to him at first. Ever since then we’ve been fairly good friends. There’s a lot of great things going on right now in professional and college football. But there are also some things headed in a very destructive direction.”

Meyer on what should be done to fix the problems: “It’s the same thing since the beginning of civilization. If you set a law, you have to have a punishment for it.”

Meyer on if college football should have playoffs: “The system is pretty good for an imperfect system. […] When I was at Utah, I was a big fan of the playoff system. But when you get to a place like Florida, if you had to play one more game after we played Oklahoma, I’m not sure we could have lined up. […] I don’t know if they could ever do a playoff.”

Meyer on if he will ever coach again: “I’m not sure. I’m not ready to answer that yet. I’m anxious to move on with the next chapter.”

Tebow on the weirdest thing he’s been asked to sign: “I have signed a baby – more than once. The forehead’s been asked a few times. It kind of reminds me of Will Ferrell, but it’s pretty funny”

Tebow on Meyer leaving the Gators: “I just congratulated him because I knew it was the right decision for him and his family. I really believe that.”

Tebow on if Meyer will ever coach again: “Give me three years and then ask me again.”

Tebow on if he could see Meyer coaching in the NFL: “No I could not. He likes investing in young men.”

Meyer’s NFL.com interview (at 27:30) | Tebow’s Dan Patrick Show interview

Tags: BCS, BCS National Championship, Bill Belichick, Denver Broncos, ESPN, New England Patriots, NFL, Roger Goodell, Tim Tebow, 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 the morning session. OGGOA has compiled some of the key details learned throughout the day.

DEHYDRATION CONCERNS

The University of Florida announced Friday afternoon that senior linebacker Brandon Hicks left morning practice and was rushed to a hospital to be treated for dehydration. A team spokesperson said Hicks is “doing fine” and is expected to fully recover.

SPEEDSTER RETURNS

Redshirt junior running back Chris Rainey is fast, but an accelerated heart rate had kept him out of practice for a few days. After undergoing a non-invasive procedure and resting, Rainey returned to practice Friday but was held out of contract drills. He will get contact either Saturday during the Gators’ first scrimmage of the fall or when practice resumes on Monday.

CAST OFF

Seemingly always injured, redshirt sophomore offensive tackle Matt Patchan suffered a hairline fracture in his wrist a few practices ago and was scheduled to miss action for 10-14 days. Head coach Urban Meyer told reporters Friday that Patchan’s cast is coming off and he will begin working out again on Saturday.

Check out the rest of Friday’s morning practice notes…after the break!
Continue Reading » 8/13: Florida Gators 2010 fall practice updates

Tags: Brandon Hicks, Chris Rainey, Matt Patchan, Michael Taylor, NFL, Nick Saban, Robert Clark, Roger Goodell, Ryan Stamper, University of Florida, Urban Meyer

Florida Gators head coach Urban Meyer and seniors center Mike Pouncey, safety Ahmad Black and defensive end Justin Trattou represented the University of Florida on Wednesday by appearing at a number of press conferences at the 2010 Southeastern Conference Media Days from Hoover, AL.

HAMMOND’s SCHOLARSHIP REVOKED

Though most of the pre-event hoopla surrounded allegations that former Gators center Maurkice Pouncey accepted $100,000 from a runner for an unnamed agent, the biggest piece of news Meyer divulged was that (former?) Florida wide receiver Frankie Hammond, Jr. has had his football scholarship pulled after being arrested for driving under the influence and underage possession of alcohol in June.

“Frankie Hammond, Jr. is off of scholarship at Florida. If he tries to come back and play, which I understand he will, he will have to pay his own way and earn a spot like every other person who would like to be a member of Florida football – on his own,” Meyer said. “There will be playing time taken away from him, and he will be on probation like other players who have made mistakes. If he does something again, it will be probable dismissal. As of now, he is not on the football team. He is working out and training away from the team, and he’s off of scholarship. And we’ll see how he shows up and if he goes. If he goes, then we’ll make the adjustment as we move on.”

Last Friday, Hammond was sentenced to a year of probation and 50 hours of community service as part of a plea deal with the prosecution of his case. He was suspended from team activities by the coaching staff and university just one day after being arrested.

REACTIONS TO POUNCEY ALLEGATIONS

Before the Gators had the chance to be asked about the rumors surrounding Pouncey, the player denied that he was paid by an agent through a two sentence statement that was released early Wednesday. “I did not accept $100,000, it is an absolutely ridiculous claim,” he said. “I have completely cooperated with the investigation and answered any and all questions put to me.”

Nevertheless, Meyer and Florida’s players were asked about the alleged incident.

“Anytime [there is] an accusation about a recruiting rule or a phone call or I simply hear it, I go right to our compliance and they go through the right channels. And then I’ll go to the source,” Meyer said. “When the [Maurkice] Pouncey anonymous note or whatever came through, it went right to our compliance, I went to Maurkice and he said it didn’t happen. I certainly didn’t investigate – we have people that do that. I have not been this concerned. I don’t like our pictures going across the ticker and everything else. If something happened, then he should be punished severely. If it didn’t happen, then that’s nonsense. I heard his denial today, and we stand by Maurkice Pouncey.”

“First, I’ll start by saying I talked to my brother and it’s not true,” his brother Mike told the press. “He pretty much cleared that up in the statement today. I feel bad about it because it ruined somebody’s name that don’t really know who me and my brother are.
Those that know who we are know we’re not those kind of people. We pride ourselves on having a great clean name. It’s just hard right now. [...] We’ve been totally cooperative with any questions that they have to ask us. We’re just ready for it to be done with. [...] My mom and my dad, they took it real personal because, you know, we come from a great family. We pride ourselves on being great people, having a family-type organization as far as our family goes. You know, they took it pretty tough.”

AND THE REST…

With the two juiciest tidbits out of the way, the rest of the media availabilities focused on the latest news surrounding agents tampering with student-athletes and, you know, the upcoming football season. Some choice quotes have been provided…after the break:
Continue Reading » 2010 SEC Media Days: Hammond’s scholarship pulled, Pouncey reactions and other Gators notes

Tags: Ahmad Black, Alabama Crimson Tide, Andre Debose, Chris Rainey, Chuck Heater, Derek Dooley, Frankie Hammond, John Brantley, Justin Trattou, Maurkice Pouncey, Mike Pouncey, NCAA, NFL, Nick Saban, Percy Harvin, Roger Goodell, SEC, SEC Media Days, Steve Addazio, Tennessee Volunteers, Tim Tebow, University of Florida, Urban Meyer

1 » Former Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow was drafted No. 25 overall in the 2010 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos. Before that became official, league commissioner Roger Goodell had to announce it to the crowd at Radio City Music Hall. After that took place, some lucky kid snatched up the below card. Nice keepsake. Good luck getting your hands on it. Be armed with $1 million.

2 » Dressed in an sea foam green shirt and white Broncos hat, Tebow’s first rookie card looks more like something out of a family photo album than a card kids will have a desire to collect. But considering his No. 15 Denver jersey is already the top seller among rookies, it is no surprise that Prestige Football wants to capitalize on his brand ASAP.

3 » Though OGGOA has already shown you both pieces of cover art featuring Tebow on EA Sports‘ NCAA Football 11 video game, now you can take a look at his likeness in the company’s Madden NFL 11 game, set to be released just a few weeks later.

4 » Former Florida dazzler and ESPN sideline reporter Erin Andrews continues her quest to reach the finals of the ABC reality television show Dancing With the Stars. Like she did earlier in the season, Andrews’ celebrated on the show Monday with a nice big Gator Chomp to show her UF pride and thank her fans. Enjoy.

Photo Credits: Panini America, IGN

Tags: Dancing with the Stars, dazzlers, Denver Broncos, Draft, EA Sports, Erin Andrews, Gator Chomp, Madden NFL 11, NCAA Football 11, NFL, Radio City Music Hall, Roger Goodell, Tim Tebow

Round 1 – No. 7
Joe Haden, CB
Cleveland Browns

Height: 5’11″ – Weight: 193 lbs.
Age: 20 – Class: Junior

Months of speculation came to an end Thursday night when the Cleveland Browns selected former Florida Gators cornerback Joe Haden with the No. 7 overall pick in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft. In attendance at Radio City Music Hall in New York, NY, Haden’s eyes swelled up when he received the phone call from Cleveland before he took the stage with gusto to take a picture with league commissioner Roger Goodell.

The Browns had been drooling over Haden since at least March 1, with general manager Tom Heckert making his intentions known rather publicly. “I think Haden is a heck of a football player,” Heckert said. “He’s probably one of the top corners, if not the top corner in the draft. He’s played at a big-time program, and they won a ton of games. He’s going to go early.”

Considering Haden has only been playing cornerback for three years (he set Maryland state high school records as a quarterback), his emergence as a shut-down corner in the talent-rich Southeastern Conference became the stuff of legends around the 2010 NFL Scouting Combine, which he completed with less than stellar reviews after posting slow 40-yard dash times.

Haden corrected his speed at Florida’s Pro Day, impressing those in attendance including almost the entire Cleveland front office. Team president Mike Holmgren and head coach Eric Mangini met with Haden shortly after his Pro Day for a private workout and invited him to visit the team facility on April 6.

If the team’s comments are any indication, Haden has a legitimate shot to start as a rookie in 2010 opposite CB Eric Wright with veteran Sheldon Brown moving to safety; should he not be ready right away, he could play in nickel and dime packages until he is able to step in to a starting role.

The fourth defensive player from the University of Florida to be drafted in the top 10, Haden is also the highest-selected Gators cornerback of all-time.

WHAT HADEN SAID
Press Conference Transcript
Press Conference Audio
“I am just trying to soak it all up. It’s crazy. Just a dream come true. I feel like this is like a blessing. I definitely had a good idea about that when I talked to [team president Mike] Holmgren. He definitely was telling me that they were really, really interested in taking me at No. 7. And once he told me that, it just made me have a sigh of relief. Then once I left my visit in Cleveland, I really didn’t have contact with anyone from Cleveland, so I didn’t know if they just stopped liking me or what happened so I just came in here didn’t know what was going on.”

WHAT THEY SAID
Press Conference Transcript
General manager Tom Hickert: “Joe was a guy we spent a lot of time with and evaluating. He’s a bigger corner that can really play the run, good cover ability. He’s a smart kid and he’s tough. He’s a guy we liked all along.”

Head coach Eric Mangini: “He did a great job the day he visited. You could feel the intensity, feel the passion, how much he cared about playing football and continue to improve. It was real. I don’t think there was anybody that met him that didn’t feel that way.”

Head coach Urban Meyer: “I’m happy for Joe and his family. He is one of the most unselfish players I’ve ever coached. He came to Florida as an offensive skill player who never played cornerback. He approached the coaching staff about changing positions because he wanted to get on the field. Despite not playing cornerback in high school he developed into one of the best ever to play his position at the University of Florida and is now a first-round draft pick in the NFL.”

THINGS TO READ
- Haden Browns choice at No. 7
- Heckert, Mangini intrigued by Haden
- Cleveland Browns select Florida cornerback Joe Haden in 2010 NFL Draft
- Cleveland Browns don’t get their safety, so they go with the safe pick
- Joe Haden joins Cleveland Browns with strong endorsement from teammate Tim Tebow
- Cleveland Browns find a defensive playmaker, and that decision is hard to argue
- Browns don’t buy buzz, go ahead with Haden pick

VIDEO
Haden on stage at 2010 NFL Draft with Commissioner Roger Goodell

OGGOA will continue updating this story.

Tags: Cleveland Browns, combine, Draft, Eric Mangini, Eric Wright, Joe Haden, Mike Holmgren, NFL, Pro Day, Radio City Music Hall, Roger Goodell, Sheldon Brown, Tom Heckert, University of Florida, Urban Meyer