With the Florida Gators 2010 spring practice now in full swing, there is plenty of newsworthy information around the program. Rather than publishing it all in long form, OGGOA thought it would be best to lay it out piece-by-piece. We continue this series with a look at a team scrimmage from Mon., March 29.

Absences/Injuries:
» Redshirt senior wide receiver Carl Moore no-showed practice Monday. Either the staff is keeping the reason for his absence secret, or they really did not know at the time (see quotes section below). The Gainesville Sun reports that Moore was “seen leaving the field after practice [on Saturday] visibly upset.”

» Redshirt sophomore cornerback Adrian Bushell returned to practice Monday but did not wear pads. Head coach Urban Meyer suspended him from team activities for two weeks for grades and other off-the-field issues. He will also not be given pads at Wednesday’s practice but should return to full activity on Friday.

» Redshirt senior running back Emmanuel Moody remained out of practice with an injured ankle. There is not an official date for a return.

Check out many more practice, notes and interesting quotes…after the break!
Continue Reading » Gators spring practice news and notes – 03/29

Tags: Adrian Bushell, Andre Debose, Carl Moore, Chas Henry, Chris Rainey, Emmanuel Moody, Frankie Hammond, Jaylen Watkins, Jemalle Cornelius, John Brantley, Jordan Reed, Major Wright, Mike Gillislee, NFL, Orange & Blue Debut, Robert Clark, Scot Loeffler, Solomon Patton, Stan Drayton, Teryl Austin, Trey Burton, Urban Meyer, Wildcat, Will Hill, Zach Azzanni

With the Florida Gators beginning spring practice for the 2010 season last Wednesday, there was plenty of newsworthy information around the program. Rather than publishing it all in long form, OGGOA thought it would be best to lay it out piece-by-piece. We continue this series with a weekend practice wrap-up.

» Be sure to read over 1,000 words on the return of head coach Urban Meyer and the start of spring practice in OGGOA‘s first post on the subject.

More notes from the first weekend of spring practice:
» As we mentioned Friday, redshirt sophomore cornerback Adrian Bushell – who was expected to supplant Joe Haden next to junior Janoris Jenkins – is still being held out of spring practice as punishment. Senior [we are looking into why his redshirt has not registered] Moses Jenkins is filling in next to J. Jenkins in the interim.

» Backing up J. Jenkins and already turning heads is impressive four-star frosh CB Jaylen Watkins. Redshirt sophomore Jeremy Brown is second behind M. Jenkins.

» Redshirt junior quarterback John Brantley is continuing to turn heads with his impressive arm and ability to hit receivers in stride. His pass catchers, notably redshirt freshman Stephen Alli, redshirt sophomore Frankie Hammond, Jr. and frosh Solomon Patton are all really impressing.

» Frosh QB Trey Burton, dazzling coaches with his legs and toughness, has plenty of work to do as a passer. He was also lit-up by coaches for trotting into the end zone on a naked bootleg, something he made up for with good effort the rest of practice.

» Injury: sophomore safety Josh Evans injured his left knee during a one-on-one drill and had to be helped off the field.

» Sophomore linebacker Jon Bostic is getting every opportunity to start alongside senior Brandon Hicks and redshirt senior A.J. Jones. Also competing with him is redshirt sophomore Brendan Beal. Though redshirt freshman Jelani Jenkins and sophomore converted S Dee Finley will also be competing for playing time.

» OGGOA previously reported that S Dorian Munroe was denied a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA but is in the process of appealing that ruling. Munroe believes his career is now over after numerous knee injuries and will try his hand at coaching when the hammer comes down. Meyer offered Munroe a chance to work with the coaching staff this season, one he will certainly accept.

» JuCo defensive tackle Edwin Herbert has been released from his scholarship due to his lack of ability, according to the Palm Beach Post.

Thanks to The Gainesville Sun and Miami Herald for some of the details in this post.

Tags: A.J. Jones, Adrian Bushell, Brandon Hicks, Brendan Beal, Dee Finley, Dorian Munroe, Edwin Herbert, Frankie Hammond, Janoris Jenkins, Jaylen Watkins, Jelani Jenkins, Jeremy Brown, Joe Haden, John Brantley, Jon Bostic, Josh Evans, Moses Jenkins, NCAA, Solomon Patton, Stephen Alli, Trey Burton, Urban Meyer

With the Florida Gators beginning spring practice for the 2010 season on Wednesday, there is plenty of newsworthy information around the program. Rather than publishing it all in long form, OGGOA thought it would be best to lay it out piece-by-piece.

Blink your eyes and check out over 1,000 words and two videos on Florida Gators football after the jump!
Continue Reading » Notes and quotes from the start of spring practice

Tags: A.J. Jones, Adrian Bushell, Ahmad Black, Andre Debose, Brandon Hicks, Brendan Beal, Carl Moore, Chris Dunkley, Chuck Heater, D.J. Durkin, Dee Finley, Deonte Thompson, Desmond Parks, Dominique Easley, Frankie Hammond, Gerald Christian, Janoris Jenkins, Jeff Demps, Jelani Jenkins, Jeremy Brown, John Brantley, Jon Bostic, Jordan Reed, Joshua Shaw, Marcus Gilbert, Matt Elam, Mike Pouncey, Moses Jenkins, Omarius Hines, Robert Clark, Ronald Powell, Sharrif Floyd, Solomon Patton, Stan Drayton, Steve Addazio, Teryl Austin, Trey Burton, Urban Meyer, Zach Azzanni

Below are the uniform numbers for early enrollees from the Florida Gators‘ No. 1-ranked 2010 recruiting class (as well as those for some walk-ons):

» S Matt Elam – 22
» CB Joshua Shaw – 29
» CB Jaylen Watkins – 14
» OL Ian Silberman – 77
» WR Solomon Patton – 83
» TE Gerald Christian – 32
» DT Leon Orr – 68
» S Jordan Haden – 39
» QB Trey Burton – 13
» WR/KR Robert Clark – 81
» NT Neiron Ball – 48

Walk-ons
» Brandon Sanders – 37
*Carver High School – Ocala, FL
» Gery Marseile – 53
*Booker T. Washington High School – Miami, FL
» Thaddeus Blue – 20
*Miami Carol City High School – Miami, FL
» Phillip Bellino – 86
*Santa Fe Community College, Pope John Paul II High School, Boca Raton, FL

Tags: Brandon Sanders, Gerald Christian, Gery Marseile, Ian Silberman, Jaylen Watkins, Jordan Haden, Joshua Shaw, Leon Orr, Matt Elam, Neiron Ball, Phillip Bellino, Robert Clark, Solomon Patton, Thaddeus Blue, Trey Burton

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

1 » If you were watching the basketball game Tuesday night between the Florida Gators and No. 2 Kentucky Wildcats, you may have seen this clip of head coach Urban Meyer and his wife Shelley smirking while checking their respective phones:

2 » The Tennessean points out that former Tennessee Volunteers head coach Lane Kiffin “decided it was included in his job description […] to annoy Urban Meyer.” Unfortunately, as the article puts it, “a good feud was just ruined.” Similarly, the Orlando Sentinel recounts Kiffin’s top 10 most memorable moments as coach of the Volunteers.

3 » The brand new 2010 ESPNU 150 and 2010 Rivals100 both list Gators five-star defensive end commitment Ronald Powell (Moreno Valley, CA) as their respective No. 1 prospect in the country. Other top Florida recruits ranking high on both lists include five-star defensive tackle Dominique Easley (3/7) five-star safety Matt Elam (9/25), five-star defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd (25/4), four-star cornerback Joshua Shaw (28/28), four-star tight end Gerald Christian (35/81), four-star wide receiver Chris Dunkley (37/77), four-star offensive tackle Ian Silberman (41/71), four-star CB Jaylen Watkins (50/47) and four-star DT Leon Orr (81/95). Others who made the ESPNU list but not Rivals’ include: S Jonathan Dowling (10/NR), S Demar Dorsey (12/NR), RB Mack Brown (34/NR), CB Cody Riggs (79/NR), WR Solomon Patton (106/NR). ESPNU ranks four Gators in its top 10.

4 » “If Florida is to be an NCAA tournament team again — if it’s to snap a two-year hiatus after consecutive NCAA titles — the Gators must start a roll Saturday against LSU,” writes ESPN senior college basketball writer Andy Katz. Read his entire blog entry on the Gators and their hopes to earn a spot in March Madness this season.

Tags: Chris Dunkley, Cody Riggs, Demar Dorsey, Dominique Easley, Gerald Christian, Ian Silberman, Jaylen Watkins, Jonathan Dowling, Joshua Shaw, Kentucky Wildcats, Lane Kiffin, Leon Orr, Mack Brown, Matt Elam, Ronald Powell, Sharrif Floyd, Shelley Meyer, Solomon Patton, Tennessee Volunteers, Urban Meyer

The Florida Gators may have lost their prize commitment of the 2010 cycle in five-star safety Matt Elam (West Palm Beach, FL), but the Orange and Blue gained declarations from two of the top players in the country on Saturday during the 2010 Under Armour All-American Game. Four-star wide receiver Chris Dunkley (Pahokee, FL) and four-star defensive tackle Dominique Easley (Staten Island, NY) both put on Gators hats to the delight of Gator Nation.

Though Dunkley had long been considered a Florida lean and possible silent commitment, he had been toying with the idea of committing to the Alabama Crimson Tide and was slightly taken aback by the announcements from Gators head coach Urban Meyer this week. Instead, he said that he was a mama’s boy, wanted to stay in-state and loved the program. “I was real, real, real happy and revealed to make my decision to play for the University of Florida,” Dunkley said after the game. “There was a moment [I wavered],” Dunkley said. “I know [Meyer]‘s working to take care of himself. I’ve got to do what’s right for me.”

“I’ve built a relationship with almost everybody on the team,” Dunkley told ESPN. So it’s like me going, basically, back to a home away from home. All the teammates are like my brothers, so everything feels comfortable there. I have been waiting to get this off of my chest for a long time. I fit in perfect. [Freshman WR Andre] Debose and I both do. I have gotten to know him well and we talk all the time. I talk to John Brantley all the time, too. Like I said, it’s like I’ve been on the team for a while. I am going in to compete. All the coaches at Florida know that. All of the players know that.”