The Denver Broncos faithful have been waiting, hoping and – yes – praying for quarterback Tim Tebow to take the reins of their team this season.

With the Broncos sporting a 1-3 record and losing 23-10 to the San Diego Chargers at halftime on Sunday, they finally got their wish.

Tebow entered Sunday’s contest for a two-yard rush earlier in the game but took over for veteran QB Kyle Orton in the third quarter. At that point, Denver’s sole touchdown was a result of an interception return that occurred in the first quarter.

He came in after Orton had completed just 6-of-13 passes for 34 yards with an interception and started slow but eventually changed the complexion of the game.

Tebow was 1-for-5 on his first three drives; two of them went three-and-out and all three ended with a punt. Denver got the ball back at midfield with 8:34 remaining in the game, and that is when Tebow began leading the comeback.

After running back Willis McGahee hit a hole for 28 yards, Tebow avoided a pass rush on the next play and scrambled for 11 yards. He then took a designed draw up the middle 12 yards for a touchdown, and McGahee followed to score the two-point conversion.

The Broncos recovered a fumble on the ensuing possession, providing Tebow with another short field. He ran for eight yards on the first play and threw a screen pass on the third that RB Knowshon Moreno took 28 yards for a touchdown. Denver went for another two-point conversion to tie the game, but wide receiver Brondon Lloyd dropped a fade from Tebow that hit him in the hands.

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Tags: Denver Broncos, Kyle Orton, NFL, San Diego Chargers, Tim Tebow

Signing a one-year deal with the Kansas City Chiefs as a free agent this offseason, former Florida Gators linebacker Brandon Siler hoped to prove that he was capable of being a productive starter in the league so he could earn a long-term contract.

Unfortunately Siler will not have that opportunity this year and will miss the entire 2011 season after tearing his Achilles tendon during practice on Tuesday and undergoing surgery the same day, a source close to the player told OGGOA. Kansas City is expected to place him on injured reserve soon.

The Chiefs were planning to start Siler this season and believed in his long-term potential. He totaled four tackles (three solo) in two preseason starts this year.

A seventh-round draft pick of the San Diego Chargers who amassed 123 tackles, three sacks, a safety and two interceptions in four seasons with the team, Siler registered 44 tackles (34 solo) in 12 games in 2010.

Though he played in 58 games over four years, Siler did not earn his first start for the Chargers until 2009. He held that role for 12 of 28 games over his final two years with the franchise before San Diego allowed him to walk as a free agent in the offseason.

Siler is one of the league’s biggest Gator Chompers and tied for first place in the 2010 OGGOA NFL Chomp-O-Meter standings with four on the season.

Photo Credit: Associated Press

Tags: Brandon Siler, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers

Two members of the Florida Gators defense that helped bring home the 2006 National Championship, linebacker Brandon Siler and defensive end Derrick Harvey found homes with new NFL teams on Monday.

Siler – a seventh-round draft of the San Diego Chargers who amassed 123 tackles, three sacks, a safety and two interceptions in four seasons with the team – was allowed to walk as a free agent and agreed to a one-year contract with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Though he played in 58 games over four years, Siler did not get his first chance to start for San Diego until 2009. He had started 12 of 28 games over the last two seasons for the Chargers, but the team decided to let him seek greener pastures in the offseason.

On the other side of the fence, Harvey was the No. 8 overall pick of the 2008 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars and struggled in three years with the club. After amassing 3.5 sacks in nine starts over 16 games as a rookie, Harvey started every game in 2009 but only managed to total 57 tackles and two sacks. He has registered 88 tackles in three seasons along with eight sacks and one interception.

Harvey was cut by Jacksonville last week and decided to join a rebuilding Denver Broncos team. Quarterback Tim Tebow was already on the club as a holdover from last season, and linebacker A.J. Jones was picked up as an undrafted free agent one week ago. The team recently traded wide receiver Jabar Gaffney but decided to bring back defensive tackle Marcus Thomas, signing him to a contract on Sunday.

Photo Credit: Scott Boehm

Tags: A.J. Jones, Brandon Siler, Denver Broncos, Derrick Harvey, Draft, Jabar Gaffney, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, Marcus Thomas, National Championship, NFL, San Diego Chargers, Tim Tebow

Former Florida Gators wide receiver Reche Caldwell was arrested early Thursday morning near Tampa, FL and charged with two misdemeanors including possession of marijuana (less than 20 grams) and driving with a suspended or revoked license.

A seven-year NFL veteran, Caldwell played most of his career with the San Diego Chargers (2002-05) before spending one season each with the New England Patriots (2006) and Washington Redskins (2007).

He was released after five hours on a $750 bond, according to the St. Petersburg Times.

Photo Credit: Unknown

Tags: arrest, New England Patriots, NFL, Reche Caldwell, San Diego Chargers, Washington Redskins

The 2011 NFL Draft came and went last weekend with four former Florida Gators selected during the three-day event.

Center Mike Pouncey was chosen by the Miami Dolphins in the first round, tackle Marcus Gilbert was picked in the second round and is headed to join Pouncey’s brother with the Pittsburgh Steelers, safety Ahmad Black had to wait until the fifth round to be selected by his childhood favorite Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Washington Redskins gave guard Maurice Hurt a chance in the seventh round.

The United Football League held its third draft on Monday with two former Florida players earning unique opportunities.

Cornerback Reynaldo Hill, a four-year NFL veteran (Tennessee Titans, 2005-08), was selected with the No. 2 overall pick in the first round by the Omaha Nighthawks. Hill was a seventh round pick by Tennessee in 2005 but has been out of the league for years.

Defensive tackle Ian Scott, a seven-year veteran and fourth round pick by the Chicago Bears in the 2003 NFL Draft, was chosen No. 30 overall in the sixth round by the Virginia Destroyers and head coach Marty Schottenheimer. After playing for Chicago (2003-06), Scott had a short stint with the Philadelphia Eagles (2007) before finishing his career with the San Diego Chargers (2008-09).

The duo join former Gators guard Tavares Washington in the UFL; Washington has played the last two seasons for the Las Vegas Locomotives.

Tags: Ahmad Black, Chicago Bears, Draft, Ian Scott, Las Vegas Locomotives, Marcus Gilbert, Marty Schottenheimer, Maurice Hurt, Miami Dolphins, Mike Pouncey, NFL, Omaha Nighthawks, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, Reynaldo Hill, San Diego Chargers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tavares Washington, Tennessee Titans, UFL, Washington Redskins

1 » Florida Gators linebacker Dee Finley announced via Twitter on Friday that he has been granted a medical redshirt by the NCAA. He is now a redshirt freshman instead of a sophomore and will have three years of eligibility remaining. Finley broke his collarbone early in the season and missed most of it while healing and recovering. UPDATE: The Gators have announced that Finley has yet to officially receive his redshirt exception from the NCAA – it is pending approval.

2 » After Placing tight end Antonio Gates on injured reserve, the San Diego Chargers decided to sign former Florida fullback Billy Latsko on Thursday and plan to play him on Sunday against Denver. Latsko, who spent two years with San Diego, has a good understanding of the offense already and will be able to contribute right away as two of the team’s starters – running back Mike Tolbert and FB Jacob Hester – are injured.

Tags: Antonio Gates, Billy Latsko, Dee Finley, Jacob Hester, Mike Tolbert, NCAA, NFL, San Diego Chargers

From time to time, OGGOA will come across a plethora of news and notes that we wish to share with our readers. In those instances, we present a special post: Gator Bites. Enjoy.

» Former Florida Gators forward/center David Lee of the Golden State Warriors was the subject of a piece by Harvey Araton of The New York Times on Monday. Lee, who has spent his whole career with the New York Knicks after they drafted him coming out of college, has a special bond with the team and has been the face of the franchise over the last few years. Read about how he went out of his way to represent the team (even after being traded to Golden State) at a funeral for longtime NBA and Madison Square Garden security official Scott Jaffer and how he will always be remembered in New York for being such an upstanding person.

» Interviewed by the NFL Network about his throwing mechanics, San Diego Chargers quarterback Phillip Rivers went through the motions with some of the studio analysts on Monday. Because of the subject matter, Rivers was asked about Denver Broncos rookie QB Tim Tebow’s motion, and the veteran offered advice and insight into what Tebow may and may not need to do going forward.

» Florida should be excited about 2011 five-star shooting guard commitment Brad Beal (St. Louis, MO) – he could be the best player the team has signed since guard Nick Calathes. Then again, with one of the top players in the country considering his future in a different sport, there is a slight cause for concern. With his father and two brothers all having played collegiate football, Beal tells USA Today that he is “still trying to decide” which sport to play. “My brothers, especially my younger brothers, want me to play football so we can be on the same team,” Beal said. “But my mom always tells me, ‘You don’t have the body for football, so you have to stick to basketball.’” Don’t get it twisted – his future is on the court – not the field. Having a former Gators star like Lee (who also graduated from Chaminade High School) in his ear certainly helps. “We don’t have that much in common because we play different positions,” Beal said. “He came back to visit the school, and I talk to him during lunch period. He gave me input on the game.”

» While Beal is deciding what sport to play, four-star cornerback Nick Waisome (Groveland, FL) is just trying to figure out what school to end. According to the Orlando Sentinel’s Chris Hays, Waisome now considers his final five to Florida, Florida State, LSU, Georgia and South Carolina; he plans to decide in August.

» Updating a previous item, four-star wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin (Belle Glade, FL) still considers the Gators to be the leader for his services, even after having Miami Hurricanes commitment four-star quarterback Teddy Bridgewater (Miami, FL) in his ear during the Nike 7-on-7 Championship last Saturday. “Florida is still in the lead,” Benjamin told SoFLAfootball.com. “I like Florida and what they showed me, how they would use me. I like Miami too and Florida State, so all the Florida teams, they’re really up there. But I like Florida.”

Three more BITES on Meyer, Smith and Werner…after the break!
Continue Reading » Gator Bites for Tuesday, July 20th

Tags: Brad Beal, Chris Bosh, Dan Werner, David Lee, Denver Broncos, Dwyane Wade, Emmitt Smith, Golden State Warriors, Kelvin Benjamin, Lane Kiffin, LeBron James, Luther Campbell, Madison Square Garden, Miami Heat, Miami Hurricanes, Mike Miller, NBA, New York Knicks, NFL, Nick Calathes, Nike, San Diego Chargers, Teddy Bridgewater, Tim Tebow, Udonis Haslem, Urban Meyer, USC Trojans, Walter Payton

The San Diego Chargers released former Florida Gators defensive tackle Ian Scott on Monday. Scott, who started seven games in 12 appearances for the Chargers last season, was expected to remain the team’s starter going into 2010.

San Diego selected Cam Thomas of North Carolina in the fifth round of the 2010 NFL Draft and appear to believe he will be able to take Scott’s place on the defensive line right away.

Scott, 28, will likely be picked up by another team soon. He was originally drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 2003 draft and has also played for Philadelphia and Carolina.

Photo Credit: Getty Images

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Tags: Cam Thomas, Chicago Bears, Draft, Ian Scott, NFL, San Diego Chargers