1 » Florida Gators head basketball coach Billy Donovan continues to insist he is not too worried about sophomore center Patric Young’s ankle, noting Monday that team doctors have determined he is not in jeopardy of aggravating or worsening the injury though he will “deal with periodically some discomfort and he’s going to have to work his way through that.” “He’s fine right now,” Donovan said. “I don’t expect him to miss practice. He’s not complaining of anything. It could flare up. Patric’s never really I think ever had a sprained ankle. He’s never really dealt with this before so it’s all new to him.” Young himself said that doctors have told him the tendinitis has to do with the lining of his joints and that he does not have any tears or sprains. “It was just from overuse or something like that. It’s just a nagging thing, like a lot of pain whenever I try to just move or walk, lateral movements really affect it,” he said. “I still can’t really jump too well off my right foot and not too well off of two feet. When it comes time for the game, I’m normally ready and it doesn’t really bother me. After a certain level, I have to pass the threshold of pain and then I don’t feel it anymore.” It is unknown whether or not Donovan intends to start Young for the first time in three games on Thursday at Ole Miss.

2 » Gators redshirt freshman defensive tackle Leon Orr, who received a written arrest on Jan. 10 and was given a notice to appear in court for misdemeanor possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, has agreed to deferred prosecution with the State Attorney’s Office, according to Florida Today. As a result of the agreement, Orr will pay $50 in court costs and either an additional $150 fine or perform 12.5 hours of community service. Orr was the fifth player to be charged with possession of marijuana since head coach Will Muschamp took over in Jan. 2011. “At the end of the day a mistake was made, and I’ve learned from it,” he tweeted on Jan. 19. Orr played in all 13 games in 2011, registering 10 tackles, a sack and a pass defense.

3 » There is not much to talk about in regards to Atlanta Hawks forward/center Al Horford now that he is out at least until the end of April with a torn labrum. However, ESPN’s Marc Stein dropped an interesting note about Horford in his Friday column, explaining that he is “a likely down-the-road top contender to succeed” Los Angeles Lakers’ point guard Derek Fisher as president of the players’ union two years from now when the latter’s contract expires. Known for his personable yet serious character, Horford is already heavily involved with the league serving as one of the NBA’s biggest international ambassadors. A shift into a role like this would seem natural to many who know him, and Horford himself even tweeted “Maybe…” when a fan asked if he was up for the gig on Jan. 22.

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1 » For the second-straight year, Florida Gators head basketball coachBilly Donovan is participating in the Infiniti Coaches’ Charity Challenge, a charitable contest where coaches are vying to win money for an organization they choose to represent. Donovan, who is in the contest for the Sebastian Ferrero Foundation, could win $100,000 for the organization just as he did one year ago when Florida fans cast the most online votes for him and the foundation. The eight-week-long contest began Jan. 18 with a winner being announced March 9. There were only 14 participants in 2011 but that number has increased to 48 this year. For more information and to vote for Donovan and the foundation (which supports Shands Hospital at UF), go here and click on South Region. Former Gators assistant coach Anthony Grant (Alabama, The Sweet Home Fund) and head coach Lon Kruger (Oklahoma, Coaches vs. Cancer) are also participating though Grant is also in the South Region with Donovan.

2 » Former Florida wide receiver and 11-year NFL veteran Wes Chandler has agreed to be the WR coach at California, the school divulged Wednesday evening. Though it will be just his second stint on the college level (Central Florida, 1994-95), Chandler has coached receivers in NFL Europe (1995-1999), the NFL (2000-2008) and the UFL (2009). He was a first-team All-American and first-team All-SEC player with the Gators who made it to four Pro Bowls and two All-Pro teams in his NFL career. Chandler was also inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a Gator Great in 1989 after catching 92 passes for 1,963 yards and 22 touchdowns in his four years at Florida. He was the team’s leading receiver for three-straight years from 1975-77.

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Senior running back Jeff Demps almost decided not to return to the Florida Gators football team for his fourth and final season of eligibility. Also a track and field star at Florida, he had an opportunity to turn pro and was weighing a decision to sign a lucrative offer from Nike or come back and play football for one more year.

Demps had made his decision days earlier, but head coach Will Muschamp officially announced on July 26 that one of the team’s most explosive players would come back to play and report with the rest of the squad at the beginning of August.

“When I came to Florida I wanted to compete at a very high level in both sports and I’ve done that,” Demps said in a school release at the time. “Football has been my first love but I also love running track. All of my coaches have been supportive and I’ve always been able to concentrate on whatever sport I’m competing in during that season. I concentrated on track this past spring and summer and I’m now ready to concentrate on football. I’m looking forward to getting back together with my football teammates and having a great senior season.”

After suffering through injuries in 2010 that saw him gain career-lows in yards, rushing average and touchdowns, he hoped to regain his primary role in 2011 under a new regime. Instead, a healthy Demps took somewhat of a backseat to redshirt senior RB Chris Rainey and got just six more carries than he did in his injury-plagued season, running for 569 yards while finding the end zone six times.

On Thursday, the University of Florida announced that Demps has decided to forego the 2012 NFL Draft and rejoin the Gators track and field program as he attempts to earn a spot with the United States in the 2012 London Olympics.

“Once I got done with the Gator Bowl, I kind of already had my mind made up, it was just when was I going to tell everyone,” Demps said Thursday in the release. “I enjoy track and it’s something I love to do. When I’m out here, I’m enjoying myself and having fun with the guys. I wanted to come back and run. It’s somewhat of an individual sport, but it’s also a team sport. You win championships as a team.”

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Pease, who ESPN reported Thursday afternoon is also being pursued by the Alabama Crimson Tide and head coach Nick Saban, was expected by Florida officials to accept the job Friday but instead informed them that he had planned to meet with Saban on Tuesday following the BCS title game.

Sources told OGGOA Thursday evening that all indications pointed to Pease being named the Gators’ next offensive coordinator on Friday. He and his wife flew into Orlando, FL Friday afternoon and were driven up to Gainesville to accept the job offer, but his decision to first speak with Saban next week derailed that plan.

The Gainesville Sun notes that “Muschamp may have the advantage because he moved on Pease first, shortly after Charlie Weis left to take the Kansas job on Dec. 9. Saban lost his offensive coordinator, Jim McElwain, five days later to Colorado State.”

A member of Boise State’s staff since 2006, Pease has served as the team’s wide receivers coach (2006-10), assistant head coach (2007-10) and offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach (2011). Prior to his stint with Boise State, he was the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at Baylor (2003-05), Kentucky (2001-02), Northern Arizona (1999-2000) and Montana (1996-98).

Pease was hired to be offensive coordinator at Indiana for the 2011 season but wound up heading back to the Broncos two weeks later when head coach Chris Petersen offered him a promotion after a vacancy was created when Bryan Harsin left for Texas.

Pease and Muschamp crossed paths in 2001 and 2002 when the former was with Kentucky and the latter with LSU. Muschamp’s team was victorious in both games but just barely, beating UK 29-25 in 2001 and 33-30 in 2002. The second victory is known as the “Bluegrass Miracle” in which LSU, the road team, tossed a 74-yard game-winning touchdown with no time remaining on the clock.

A former starting quarterback at Montana (1985-86), Pease spent four years toiling around the NFL but only officially made the Houston Oilers’ roster (1987-88). He also played for two teams in the World League of American Football (1991-92) as well as for the Arena Football League’s Cincinnati Rockers (1993).

It is plausible that Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley makes Pease a take-it-or-leave-it offer on Friday, not wanting the Gators’ interest in the coach to be used as leverage for a deal with the Crimson Tide.

1 » With Jacksonville Dolphins head coach Kerwin Bell a hot name amongst fans to fill the offensive coordinator role with the Florida Gators, The Florida Times-Union reports that he is mulling an offer from the team but not to serve in that capacity. According to the paper, “multiple sources familiar with Florida’s interest” in Bell says the former Gators quarterback is being offered the quarterback coach role with the team. OGGOA was told weeks ago by a person close to Bell that he would only leave Jacksonville if Florida offered a role more substantial than position coach (such as passing game coordinator or co-offensive coordinator at a minimum) because the move would otherwise come with a great reduction in responsibilities and no increase in pay. If he was hired for one of the other positions, Bell would still have fewer responsibilities but could offset that with a return to Gainesville, FL and a higher salary.

2 » The ITA on Tuesday released its preseason national rankings and the defending national champion Gators can be found all over the organization’s lists. Florida as a team comes in at No. 1 to start the season while Stanford, the squad UF defeated for the title, will begin 2012 in the No. 2 spot. The Gators also have five singles competitors in the top 41 nationally: junior Allie Will (No. 3), senior Joanna Mather (No. 4), junior Lauren Embree (No. 25), sophomore Sofie OyenAlex Cercone (No. 41). Stanford’s Mallory Burdette, who Embree defeated in the final match of the national title event, is listed as the preseason No. 1 player in the country. Burdette, along with Nicole Gibbs, also holds recognition as the No. 1 doubles team. Two Florida pairings, however, are ranked in the top 15: Oyen/Will (No. 10) and Embree/Mather (No. 15). The men’s team is ranked No. 8 preseason with three singles competitors and three doubles pairs also listed.

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MUSCHAMP’s TWO POST-GAME STATEMENTS

Accepting the trophy on stage after the team sang the school alma mater and fight song, Muschamp delivered the following statement to his players, their families and the fans remaining in the crowd after the game:

“I can’t talk real well right now. I’m proud of these players, fighting through a tough situation, a tough transition, but they hung with us all the time. I appreciate the Gator Nation. We’re building a program, not a team, and it takes time, and I appreciate your patience. I’m going to tell you what. We’re going to have a better football team next year because of these young men you got right here. And you’ve got an outstanding staff. Go Gators.”

He began his post-game press conference in a similar fashion:

“[This was about] sending the seniors out the right way. We got a lot of good kids in that locker room. We got some guys that have had a very frustrating year. The realization of this whole thing, if you really want to see big picture, is in the last two years at the University of Florida we’re 15-11. That’s unacceptable. That’s what we are. We’re one game’s difference from last year. We’re 7-6; we were 8-5 last year. Sometimes I think you got to put your realistic glasses on of where you are and what you are as a program right at this point. And it’s not where we’re going to be very long, I can assure you of that. We’re moving in the right direction.

“I’m very pleased with the attitude and the effort and the drive of our young men. They kept fighting in the game and kept playing; they did it the entire season. I don’t think you could turn the tape on and watch a team that wasn’t giving effort, wasn’t trying to play with the right kind of toughness. It wasn’t always what we wanted at times. It was frustrating at times, and I appreciate the backing of our administration in what we’re trying to do. I’ve said it before and I mean this sincerely: We’re not building a team, we’re building a program. That takes a foundation to start, it really does. You stay the course with what you’re trying to do and what you believe in and the hardcore values of what you want. It isn’t always what you want. You get criticized and those sort of things, and that’s part of the deal. That’s part of being the head coach at the University of Florida, and I fully accept that.

“[I’m] excited for our football team. We need to get better and that starts with me. For our entire organization, 7-6 is not acceptable at the University of Florida. We’re looking forward to getting started on January 9. When we start school, we’re going to have a good team meeting that day and get these guys ready to go. That’s when our season starts for next year. It’s good momentum. There are a lot of guys out there knowing their opportunity to come a place like Florida, get an outstanding education, play for a great staff and be a part of a winning tradition..”

HIRING PROCESS WILL NOW BEGIN

Muschamp has maintained for weeks that he would not hire either an offensive coordinator or a strength and conditioning coach until after the bowl game, and he has now lived up to that promise. However, with the game in the rear view mirror, fans will undoubtedly be pining for him to make those decisions soon. As of press time, Muschamp admitted he is closer to one hire than the other. “I’m very close on the strength [coach], I just got to finalize some things and get with Jeremy [Foley],” he said. “And then after that, with the offensive coordinator, I’ve got no timetable. Just kind of working through that to make the best decision for Florida.”

It is expected that Muschamp will hire Jeff Dillman, the head of physical conditioning at the IMG Performance Institute to replace Mickey Marotti, who departed UF to become an assistant athletic director in charge of strength and conditioning at Ohio State. OGGOA reported on Dec. 21 that he was a top candidate, and a report surfaced on Dec. 27 that he has already been chosen for the position.

As for offensive coordinator, a number of candidates remain possible for that job. One of them – current running backs coach Brian White, held the interim job for the Gator Bowl and did quite well with his game plan and play calling. “Brian’s an outstanding football coach,” Muschamp said. “He’s certainly under consideration. At the end of the day, we’re going to hire the best football coach for the University of Florida as we move forward.”

ANSWERING QUESTIONS ABOUT THE GAME

» Muschamp took some time to discuss a number of occurrences in the game that fans were undoubtedly curious about watching at home or in the stands in Jacksonville.

» On why the special teams played so well Monday: “D.J. Durkin does the best job in the country on special teams. Week-in and week-out, [he creates] momentum changers and puts our guys in situations to be successful.”

» On if there was hesitation on his part to kick the field goal inside the one: “Yes, there was. The big thing I talked to Brian on the headset. I said, ‘If we’re inside the one, we’re going for it. If we’re not, we need to make it a two touchdown game.’ Yes, we talked about it on the headsets.”

» Muschamp said White wanted to take a knee at the end of the first half, but he overruled him and decided to throw the ball up and take a shot. Due to some different handling of the clock by the officials – which Muschamp said was his fault for not talking to his team about before the game – there was a delay of game as there had been earlier. At that point, the decision was made to take the knee and run out the clock.

BRANTLEY, SENIORS ABLE TO GO OUT THE RIGHT WAY

As Muschamp noted, with redshirt senior John Brantley as the primary starter, Florida has gone 15-11 over the last two seasons. That is certainly not what the legacy dreamed about growing up hoping to one day be the quarterback of the Gators. Nevertheless, Muschamp is extremely proud of his signal caller for being a very unique type of person both on and off the field.

“A lot of guys in our society nowadays, when things don’t go their way, the easiest thing to do is point a finger rather than look in the mirror. A lot of times it’s very difficult in our society nowadays to take the high road in a lot of situations. And I’ll tell you, John’s done that,” he said. “It’s not always fair being the quarterback. [...] You got all eyes on you. You get way too much credit when things go right, and you get way too much blame when things go wrong. From that standpoint, John handles it. He doesn’t complain. He doesn’t point fingers. He handles it, takes the criticism and moves to the next day.

“From that standpoint, and having been around other situations where it wasn’t that way, it’s refreshing to have a young guy in our society who is willing to do that. I certainly think he’ll have an opportunity to play on Sunday. I think someone will give him that opportunity. It’s not always John’s fault or the quarterback’s fault. We have to play better in other areas and put our guys in position to be successful.”

Brantley said the team’s performance meant a lot to him and the seniors on a personal level. “We had our ups and downs. The last couple of years hasn’t been the best, but I just stuck with my teammates and coaches and we made the best out of it,” he said. “Just to get a good win against a good team like Ohio State, that almost makes the season kind of worth it just to go out with a hot note and for these young guys to go into the offseason.”

When all is said and done, Brantley is not worried about how he will be remembered by Florida fans but rather the way in which they think about the entire senior class that sacrificed so much for the Gators. “[I care that] my teammates and these seniors, that we went out on a positive note. These young guys who have years to come here at Florida, that they keep building of this win. They’ve got a bright future ahead of them,” he said. “Those guys, they’ve been loyal to us and loyal to the program. I’m definitely going to miss playing on Saturdays, that’s for sure.”

DEBOSE’s KICK RETURN A SHOT IN THE ARM

Miscues and frustrations dominated the first part of the Gator Bowl, but a relatively straightforward kickoff return for a touchdown by redshirt sophomore wide receiver Andre Debose gave Florida a spring in their step that helped propel them throughout the remainder of the contest.

“It meant a lot to me. I just try to do anything that I can do to help the team. I just had an opportunity today to help the team a lot. It feels great. There’s no feeling like it,” Debose said of the return. “It just takes a lot of practice and believing in your blockers and believing in your coach. Our coach really pushes it into us how important special teams is. I take pride in being a specialist and going hard for the team.”

NOTES AND QUOTES

» Muschamp on avoiding a losing season (to ESPN): “It’ll never be about me. It’s about our program and our football players, and I’m very proud of them. I certainly didn’t want them to be saddled with [a losing season].”

» The Gators were quite injured heading into Monday’s game and the team – especially the offensive line – was in dire need of a MASH unit at the end of the contest. In addition to a pair of starters being out, two more offensive linemen were dinged up in the contest. Junior Xavier Nixon and redshirt freshman Chaz Green (ankle) each left with injuries, though Muschamp said they will both be fine. Additionally, freshman linebacker Chris Johnson (ribs) and sophomore safety Jaylen Watkins (undisclosed) should be good to go as well.

» Muschamp on if sophomore defensive lineman Sharrif Floyd will move back inside permanently: “He’s going to play both. He’ll continue to play both and we’ll continue to try the best combination of guys. This year the best combination was him at end. I can’t answer that for next year yet.”

» Muschamp on the performance of junior LB Jon Bostic: “Jon’s played very well all year. He’s played really wellall year. He’s been very consistent. We put an awful ot on the mike linebacker as far as making calls and getting us in-ad-out of calls. [...] Jon had a great command of what we were trying to do, but it wasn’t just today, he’s done it all year. He’s been very consistent all year, he and Jelani [Jenkins] both.”

» Muschamp on if the team having fun after the game made up for the close calls this season: “Close counts in horseshoes and hand grenades and that’s really about it. You don’t come close in football. The team gets tired of me telling them we’re close. They’re tired of hearing that. [The win was] a sign of our team fighting through it. I told them in the locker room, I said, ‘I don’t want anyone to forget this season. I don’t want for anybody to forget the frustration, the tough times, the guys who weren’t committed to our program and didn’t want to do it the right way, didn’t want to do it our way. And as we move forward understand the type of commitment it’s going to take to be successful and to do the type of things you have to do to be successful.’ It’s hard to win. Those are easy words to talk about, but they’re hard to do.”

» Muschamp on if he saw improvement in the team on Monday: “We didn’t get the results we always wanted, but I’m kind of a process-oriented guy and how things are going. I’m looking at attitude and character and guys buying in and athleticism and playmaking ability, and I also take into consideration some of the things you got to as a coach – youth. No one wants to talk about those things. Anybody can state the problems. It’s my job to solve the problems. Ned in the third grade reader can tell you what the issue is. Find out how you solve the problem. The point being, I think we’ve made tremendous strides in some areas. [...] Patience is not a good word around here but sometimes you’ve got to exercise that especially putting the state of the last two years back-to-back [in focus].”

11 » LEGAL ISSUES/EMBARRASSMENTS HANG OVER PROGRAM
Like 2009 and 2010, Florida could not escape its share of unfortunate arrests and embarrassing incidents in 2011. It started simply enough early in February when a pair of Gators swimmers – Lily Ramirez and Daniela Victoria – were arrested and indefinitely suspended from the team after being accused of shoplifting from Nordstrom at the Orlando Mall. Next up was Florida senior outfielder Bryson Smith, who was picked up on March 13 for driving under the influence. Oakland Raiders wide receiver Louis Murphy was arrested in Gainesville, FL three weeks later and charged with a trio of misdemeanors for failing to obey a police officer, possession of a drug (Viagra) without a valid prescription and resisting arrest without violence. The month of April was a tough one for the basketball team. Forwards Erik Murphy and Cody Larson were arrested in St. Augustine, FL and charged with third-degree felony burglary charges after allegedly breaking into a car, and team manager Josh Adel was also arrested for principal to burglary for allegedly serving as a lookout. Charges against the players were eventually reduced and each settled their respective case, while Adel had all charges against him dropped. Additionally, former Florida F Dan Wener was charged with a DUI even though he blew below the legal limit (0.08) on the Breathalyzer twice. The State Attorney’s Office eventually dropped his charges due to insufficient evidence to sustain a conviction.

Unfortunately the year of brushes with the law was just getting started for the Gators. It surfaced on April 24 via a news report that both linebacker Chris Martin and defensive end Kendric Johnson were cited with misdemeanors for possessing approximately two grams of marijuana each in their respective vehicles on separate occasions. Former Florida WR Reche Caldwell was arrested one month later for possession of marijuana and driving with a suspended license. Gators runner Andries Dumisane Hlaselo had the darkest arrest of the year, being picked up in June after being accused of rape and sexual assault. He was immediately dismissed from the team. The Florida football team had the remainder of the year’s arrests. Sophomore safety Matt Elam was cited for underage drinking for the second time in as many years in July, and an August report noted that freshman defensive back De’Ante Saunders was cited for misdemeanor possession of marijuana in May. Redshirt sophomore linebacker Dee Finely was arrested on Sept. 13 on a first-degree misdemeanor for driving a scooter with a suspended license as well as a third-degree felony for resisting arrest without violence, and freshman cornerback Marcus Roberson was served with a written arrest for underage drinking just one day later. Sophomore defensive tackle Dominique Easley had the last brush with the law of 2011 as he was accused of attacking a former Alabama player early in October but was cleared of the charges one month later. All-in-all, for every positive thing accomplished by the Gators in 2011, there always seemed to be something negative about the program just around the corner.

10 » SIX BECOME A PART OF THE GATOR NATION IN THE SKY; THREE SUFFER SERIOUS MEDICAL ISSUES DURING THE YEAR
It would be difficult to recount everything that Gator Nation has gone through in 2011 without remembering those close to the University of Florida who left us for a better place or suffered through serious medical issues in the past year. Young and old, these Gators departed too soon or had plenty to deal with as the year went on. Jimmy Carnes (76), a former Gators track and field coach, passed away in March after losing a four-year battle with prostate cancer. Former linebacker/safety and three-time Super Bowl winner Godfrey Myles (42) suffered a massive heart attack in June and, while in the hospital on life support, had a stroke that took his life. Former punter and 12-year NFL veteran Don Chandler (76) also lost a long battle with cancer in August. Mike Heimerdinger (58), who was diagnosed with cancer early in the year, passed away in October. He was a former graduate assistant and wide receivers coach at Florida and won consecutive SEC titles with the team from 1984-85. Ending the year on a sad note, beloved Gainesville, FL businessman and former Gators long snapper Harold Monk III (42) died suddenly in December. OGGOA once again sends our deepest condolences to the families and friends of these men.

Florida freshman linebacker Neiron Ball was the first of three members of the Gators family to suffer serious health issues during the year. He was rushed to the hospital in February after a blood vessel in his brain ruptured as part of a congenital vascular condition. The doctors were able to stop the bleeding and Ball was released from the hospital four days later, but he was forced to miss the entire season for recovery purposes. In the middle of the year, Miami Heat guard/forward Mike Miller was lucky enough to have his wife give birth to a daughter named Jaylen. Unfortunately for the family, she was forced to spend two weeks in a pediatric intensive care unit after doctors found that she had five holes in her heart upon being born. The Millers eventually brought Jaylen home with them in a bit of a coincidence considering they actually donated $1 million to a pediatric intensive care unit at children’s hospital in his home town in 2007. Later that month, former Florida quarterback Danny Wuerffel was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome, which he is currently still recovering from and will continue to do so over the next few months.

9 » 10 FOOTBALL PLAYERS TRANSFER IN EIGHT MONTHS
There is bound to be attrition with any major coaching change, and that is exactly what happened to head coach Will Muschamp and the Gators football team this season. A total of 10 players decided at some point this year to try their hand at playing elsewhere. The first two defections were wide receivers redshirt freshman Chris Dunkley and freshman Javares McRoy, who both left the team in April. Dunkley was suspended from team activities during the spring for academic reasons and wanted to leave the program, while McRoy realized he made a wrong decision committing to Florida and instead wanted to play with his brother at Texas Tech. One month later, freshman running back Mike Blakely also decided to leave the program. He enrolled early and had shoulder surgery in the spring but realized he should not have committed because he wanted to play in a spread offense. Redshirt freshman transfer Chris Martin was the next to go. After being arrested on Jan. 29 for misdemeanor possession of marijuana (and having a number of other off-the-field issues), he decided to transfer out of Gainesville in June before ever officially suiting up for the Gators. Just one week later, redshirt freshman tight end Michael McFarland also chose to try his luck elsewhere. Muschamp said the decision was mutual, and McFarland also never stepped on the field for Florida.

The Gators began the season without further defections, but redshirt sophomore linebacker Dee Finley decided to pursue another opportunity on Oct. 12 after appearing in 14 games over two seasons. Another duo transferred just two weeks later as former high school teammates and sophomores TE Gerald Christian and WR Robert Clark decided to head elsewhere over concerns about playing time and future opportunities. Florida announced three days after its final regular season game that redshirt freshmen safety Joshua Shaw and DE Lynden Trail would also be leaving the team. Shaw said he wanted to be closer to his family, while Trail said he loved the Gators but realized he would not be playing anytime soon. Additionally, redshirt junior offensive lineman David Young, who played in 12 games, told the team he would choose to graduate and not return for 2012. The lacrosse team was also hit with a transfer shocker as midfielder Janine Hillier, their fourth-leading scorer from a year ago, left the program in order to head to Stony Brook where her sister is an assistant coach.

8 » FLORIDA ATHLETIC PROGRAM WINS 200TH SEC TITLE
It may have occurred with an on-field victory as the men’s golf team won the 2011 SEC Championship on April 17, but the milestone is a huge off-the-field accomplishment for the Gators athletic program, which this year won its 200th league title. The SEC started awarding league titles in 1933, and Florida currently leads the conference in total league championships won. “The 200th SEC title is a testament to the dedication and drive shown by Gator student-athletes and coaches over these many seasons. Every title is celebrated because winning a championship in any of the league’s sports is a truly an accomplishment because of the strength of the SEC,” UF Athletic Director Jeremy Foley said. The Gators have double-digit SEC titles in seven sports (both swimming and diving programs, women’s tennis, volleyball, men’s golf, baseball and soccer) and have won five or more in every sport except three.

7 » HEISMAN STATUES UNVEILED; GATOR GREATS IN HALLS OF FAME

At halftime of the Gators’ 2011 Orange & Blue Debut, UF officially unveiled a trio of statues to commemorate the school’s three Heisman Trophy winning quarterbacks – Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996) and Tim Tebow (2007). The statues, each of which is 15 percent larger than life-sized and features the players in different stances, cost approximately $550,000 to construct – all funded by private donations. Spurrier sent in a pre-recorded message for the occasion because South Carolina’s spring game was the same day, but Wuerffel and Tebow stood at midfield as the statues were unveiled and expressed their appreciation to the fans, administrators and donors that paid for the project. Former Florida WR Carlos Alvarez also received a special honor this year when the National Football Foundation announced that he would be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Alvarez was one of 16 inductees honored in a Dec. 2011 dinner, but he will not be officially inducted until July 2012. He will be the third former Gators player to be inducted since 2006 and the ninth in school history. Seven letterwinners were inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame in April with LB Mike Peterson, punter Judd Davis and basketball’s Bob Emrick leading the way. Peterson spoke with OGGOA in an exclusive interview about his career and how honored he was to be included honored by his alma mater.

6 » GATORS SELECTED IN NFL, NBA, MLB DRAFTS

It is a far cry from last year’s amazing accomplishment of having nine players selected in the 2010 NFL Draft, but the Gators did quite well this year when you look at how many players were picked in the drafts for all three major professional leagues. Four former Florida players – center Mike Pouncey (Round 1, Pick 15 to the Miami Dolphins), tackle Marcus Gilbert (Round 2, Pick 63 to the Pittsburgh Steelers), safety Ahmad Black (Round 5, Pick 151 to the Tamp Bay Buccaneers) and guard Maurice Hurt (Round 7, Pick 217 to the Washington Redskins) were all picked in the 2011 NFL Draft but were unable to sign with their respective teams until the NFL lockout was lifted in July. At that time, eight additional former Gators were signed as undrafted free agents though only punter Chas Henry (Philadelphia Eagles) and DE Justin Trattou (New York Giants) made it out of training camp, onto practice squads and eventually onto the active rosters of their respective teams. Pouncey and Henry have started every game this year, while Gilbert and Hurt have each started the majority of games this season.

The Florida basketball program had two players picked in the second round of the 2011 NBA Draft with forwards Chandler Parsons (Pick 38) and Vernon Macklin (Pick 52) headed to the Houston Rockets and Detroit Pistons, respectively. Like the football players, neither was able to report or sign with their team right away due to the NBA lockout but each has since agreed to a deal and made the roster. Parsons spent part of the fall playing overseas for Cholet Basket in France, while Macklin stayed in the United States and worked out. Gators F Alex Tyus, who also graduated last season, signed in June with Maccabi Ashdod of the Israel Loto League. Joining all the football and basketball players was a school record 11 Florida baseball players picked in the 2011 MLB Draft. Though three wound up returning to the team, junior LHP Nick Maronde (Round 4, Pick 104), junior LHP Anthony DeSclafani (Round 6, Pick 199), junior LHP Alex Panteliodis (Round 9, Pick 282), junior RHP Tommy Toledo (Round 11, Pick 341), senior infielder Josh Adams (Round 13, Pick 403), junior catcher Ben McMahan (Round 23, Pick 701), senior RHP Matt Campbell (Round 24, Pick 751) and senior outfielder Bryson Smith (Round 34, Pick 1,045) chose to sign with the teams that drafted them. The Gators roster is so loaded, however, that Florida baseball was given a preseason No. 1 ranking heading into the 2012 season.

5 » FRED TAYLOR, JASON WILLIAMS, CHANNING CROWDER RETIRE

With so many former Gators finding success in the professional ranks, each of their respective careers inevitably has to come to an end, and that is exactly what happened for three former Florida players this year. Point guard Jason Williams announced his retirement on April 18 after playing in the NBA for 12 years. Williams, the No. 7 overall pick in the first round of the 1998 NBA Draft, spent his entire career with five teams and finished with totals of 8,266 points, 4,611 assists, 1,810 rebounds and 933 steals. He averaged 10.5 points, 5.9 assists and 2.3 rebounds for his career while shooting 39.8 percent from the field, 32.7 percent from three-point range and 81.3 percent from the free throw line. Williams had previously retired for one season but returned to the court last year before finally calling it quits. He also won a NBA title during the 2005-06 season with the Miami Heat. After being cut by the Miami Dolphins in August, LB Channing Crowder announced live on the air that he would be retiring from the NFL. At just 27-years-old, Crowder amassed 469 tackles, 2.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and one interception in 82 career games after being selected with the No. 70 overall pick in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He made his mark in Miami as a locker room and on-field leader but chose to hang up his cleats mostly because his son was about to be born and he did not want to be far away playing in another state. There are some who believe Crowder will attempt a return to the field in 2012.

Not taking anything away from Williams or Crowder, the retirement of running back Fred Taylor after a 13-year NFL career was undoubtedly the most important one of the year. Taylor, who signed a one-day contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars (the team that picked him with the No. 9 overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft), is the team’s all-time leader in rushing attempts, yards and touchdowns. His final stat sheet includes 11,695 rushing yards, 66 rushing touchdowns, 2,384 receiving yards and eight receiving scores. Taylor is also one of just 30 NFL players who have run for more than 10,000 yards in a career and one of three to average at least 4.5 yards per carry over eight seasons (Jim Brown, Barry Sanders). A member of the Florida-Georgia Hall of Fame and University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame, Taylor will be inducted into Jacksonville’s hall in the near future and will likely get consideration for the Pro Football Hall of Fame when the time comes.

4 » CHARLIE WEIS HIRED, LEAVES 11 MONTHS LATER
Just 364 days ago (from the day this is published), ESPN’s Chris Mortensen had Gator Nation in a stir when he reported that then-Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Charlie Weis had been contacted by Muschamp and offered the same job with Florida. The Gators still had their bowl game to play the next day and were concentrating on sending Meyer out in style with a victory, but hours after Florida’s game ended on Jan. 1, a second report surfaced that Weis would officially be hired that Monday. Before the Gators had the chance to make the official announcement, Weis told the Kansas City Star that the chance to coach at UF and spent so much additional time with his son was “almost a dream” for a number of reasons. That dream became a reality one day later when Muschamp announced his decision to hire Weis, calling him a “perfect fit for what I was looking for in an offensive coordinator.” Weis brought both college and professional experience with him on his resume and many believed he was the perfect person to almost be the head coach of the offense while Muschamp concentrated on running the team and especially the defense. The hire immediately paid dividends as Weis convinced then-redshirt junior QB John Brantley to return for his senior season, explaining that his pro-style offense and opportunity to be his personal QB coach would help him improve.

Fast forward 10 months to just days before Florida’s final game of the 2011 regular season against Florida State when Weis told the media that he planned to serve as the Gators offensive coordinator “for a long time.” It was undoubtedly a surprise to everyone when, just over two weeks later, Weis was plucked from Florida to be Kansas’ next head coach in a whirlwind 24-hour period that went from inquisition to contract offer to acceptance. Muschamp said that he understood and supported Weis’s decision, and Weis himself said that it was “one of those unique situations” that he could not turn down but neither opinion changes how much of a shock it was to Gator Nation to see Weis leave less than a year after being hired.

3 » JANORIS JENKINS RETURNS, DISMISSED THREE MONTHS LATER

Arguably the Gators best player in 2010, junior cornerback Janoris Jenkins was expected to declare for the 2011 NFL Draft shortly after the team’s bowl game. Instead Jenkins, who played the season with a torn labrum in his right shoulder and had surgery to correct the injury prior to the 2011 Outback Bowl, announced that he would return for his senior season. “After careful consideration, I’ve made the decision to return to school for my senior year. I spent some time with my family and Coach Muschamp and came to the conclusion it was in my best interest to return to school,” he said in a school release. “Coach Muschamp was very supportive throughout the whole process, regardless of my decision, but he wanted to make sure I had all of the facts. I’m looking forward to working towards my degree, completing my rehab and getting back on the field with my teammates.” Florida fans were ecstatic about the announcement and overjoyed that the team’s shutdown defender would give the Gators a level of consistency with so much change going on around him.

As it turns out though, Jenkins never suited up for Florida again. Two weeks after his announcement, he was cited for misdemeanor possession of marijuana when police caught him rolling a joint in a nightclub bathroom. It was his second legal incident in less than two years (Jenkins was arrested in May 2009 on misdemeanor charges of affray and resisting arrest without violence). He was punished internally but allowed to remain on the team. However, Muschamp’s hand was forced as Jenkins was arrested again on April 23 (less than 90 days later) when police caught him smoking a marijuana “cigar” in his car in a parking lot at 12:35 a.m. Three days following his third arrest in less than two years, Jenkins was dismissed from the team by Muschamp, who claimed that it was a mutual decision between the two parties. Jenkins made it clear the next day that it was the coach’s decision. “I was dismissed as soon as I walked in the room. He washed his hands of me,” he said. He wound up transferring to North Alabama and having a nice senior season as a cornerback and kick returner. In fact, if he can convince teams that his legal issues are behind him, Jenkins may even be picked in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft, which would have otherwise been a sure thing if he never got in trouble and remained at UF for his senior season.

2 » FLORIDA SWEEPS SEC ALL-SPORTS AWARDS; MEN WIN CAPITAL ONE CUP

There were up and downs for Florida throughout the entire year, but the Gators received a pair of major honors in May and June that gave fans plenty to cheer about in 2011. Any doubt that UF had the dominant athletic program in the SEC during the 2010-11 school year was put to rest on May 22 when the university was named the unanimous SEC All-Sports champion for the third-straight season. Florida swept all three titles – overall, men’s and women’s – by staggering numbers and literally dominated the competition, continuing to be the only school to sweep all three titles in a single season. The Gators in 2011 accomplished that for the 11th time in school history, fourth time in the last five years and third-in-a-row (2006-07, 2008-09, 2009-10). Florida learned one month later that the men’s athletic program was the winner of the first-ever Capital One Cup, awarded annually to each of the top men’s and women’s Division I college athletic programs. The Gators (93 points) won by an 11-point margin over Virginia (82) and finished 23 points above the next SEC team, Auburn (70). Though Florida did not place in the top 10 in any fall sports, the Gators found much greater success in the winter and spring with the performances of indoor track & field (first), baseball (second), outdoor track & field (third), swimming & diving (fifth), tennis (ninth) and basketball (10th) earning the school the honor. The women’s team wound up finishing No. 4 in their respective category but was first among SEC schools. Recognized regionally and nationally for its excellence, the Gators had plenty to be proud of this year.

1 » URBAN MEYER LEAVES WITH A WIN, TAKES ON-AIR GIG WITH ESPN, SEVERS TIES WITH FLORIDA, AGREES TO COACH OHIO STATE

Just one year ago, the resignation of Meyer and hiring of Muschamp captured the No. 1 spot on the Top 10 for 2010, so it should not come as much of a surprise that Meyer’s moves in 2011 landed him back here 12 months later. Announcing that he would leave Florida for the second time on Dec. 8, 2010, Meyer exited on a positive note as UF defeated Penn State 37-24 in the 2011 Outback Bowl on Jan. 1 (check out Saturday’s post). However, just 30 days removed from his last game with the Orange and Blue, Meyer agreed to begin a new form of employment by signing to work as an on-air college football analyst with ESPN for the 2011 season and beyond.

He explained that the job would not cut into his decision to spend more time with his family because it would only keep him away from home for sport periods of time each week. As part of Meyer’s separation from the Gators, Foley said that he would retain an office inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium and would continue to work with Florida in some capacity. As it turns out, ESPN and Florida quickly realized that situation would create a conflict of interest (including a perceived bias as well as potential NCAA recruiting violations), and Meyer was forced to sever ties with the school on Feb. 2. Despite Foley’s efforts to ensure that Meyer remained a part of the program even though his tenure as a coach had ended, Meyer’s decision to take another job essentially forced his hand. While Meyer excelled in his role with ESPN, rumors persisted all year that he would eventually take over the Ohio State Buckeyes job vacated when head coach Jim Tressel was forced to resign while under immense pressure from numerous NCAA violations. He scoffed at most of these comments and reports but was forced to address the situation in late November after numerous reports had him heading to Columbus, OH sooner than later. He again denied rumors on Nov. 23, saying that he had neither been offered the job or nor reached any deal with Ohio State just before Thanksgiving.

However, Meyer wound up accepting that very job just five days later, and was officially announced as the Buckeyes’ next head coach after signing a six-year, $24 million contract. Though Foley wished Meyer the best of luck at his new job, most Gators fans were enraged that he agreed to coach another team just 10 months after coaching his last game for Florida amidst concerns about his health and time with his family. OGGOA took an in-depth look at Meyer’s move to Ohio State in a 3,400-word post that included sections about his health and family issues as well as a number of other issues like the Gators fan base, media scrutiny, state he left the program in and the timing of the move. Though he may have only been employed by Florida for one month in 2011, Meyer’s actions were once again the most notable and memorable ones that occurred this year.

Photo Credits (in order): Associated Press, Unknown, ESPN, Cleveland Plain-Dealer

Former Florida Gators striker Abby Wambach, who captained and led the U.S. Women’s National Team to exhilarating victories and a second-place finish in the 2011 Women’s World Cup over the summer in Germany, has been named the 2011 Female Athlete of the Year by the Associated Press.

Wambach dominated the balloting, receiving 65 of 214 first-place votes, and became the first individual soccer player in the country’s history to win the award.

She scored four goals for the United States in the World Cup, leading the Americans to the final match where they eventually lost to Japan on penalty kicks. Wambach received the Silver Ball and Bronze Boot awards by FIFA for her efforts during the event.

In addition to her soccer awards, she was also named Sportswoman of the Year by the Women’s Sports Foundation in October and was announced in September as one of eight former letter winners who will be inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as part of the 2012 class. She was also a late entry and eventual winner of the ESPY award for Best Play in July.

Wambach’s heroic efforts over the summer included a game-tying goal two minutes into injury time during extra time against Brazil in the quarterfinals, what became a game-winning goal against France in the semifinals, and a near game-winning goal 14 minutes into extra time against Japan in the finals.

Photo Credit: Martin Meissner/Associated Press

Florida Gators head coach Billy Donovan will be holding that title for a few more years as the school announced Friday that the two sides have agreed to a three-year contract extension that will keep him wearing the orange and blue through the 2015-16 season.

“Billy Donovan has built one of the elite programs in the country at the University of Florida, he and his family have given 16 incredible years to this institution and community,” athletic director Jeremy Foley said in an official school release. “His accomplishments speak for themselves, but he’s also achieved success with integrity, character and loyalty. We’re thrilled that he will continue to lead our program for years to come.”

Donovan himself said on Oct. 13 that the two sides were close to signing the extension but still had to work on some details.

“In this day and age in coaching, it’s very rare that you stay at a job starting my 16th year and you still have the same athletic director in place,” he said. “It has been our relationship that has made this job and this opportunity for me here so special is my relationship with him. I would think that it would happen soon. Probably need to ask him that question. I’m ready to go.”

UF notes that “the financial conditions of the extension are the same as those Donovan agreed to after he guided the Gators to a second-straight national championship in the spring of 2007.”

At that time, Donovan signed a six-year, $19.5 million contract (before incentives) with annual pay that increased from $3.1 million in the first year to $3.5 million in 2012-13.

That puts his three-year extension at approximately $10-10.5 million.

If Donovan chooses to terminate the contract, it will cost him $500,000; however if he is fired by the school without cause, Florida will owed him $2.5 million per year remaining on the deal. Should either action take place within a one-month window (March 1-April 1), no monies would be owed.

The Gainesville Sun’s Kevin Brockway reports that Donovan will earn a loyalty bonus of $500,000 heading into next season and $340,000 prior to each of the final three years of his deal. He will also receive a $60,000 expense account.

The Gators provided him with a number of incentives on his last contract including $37,500 for making the NCAA Tournament, another $37,500 for earning a Sweet 16 berth, an additional $25,000 for getting to the Final Four and another $150,000 for winning the national championship. Donovan can also receive $25,000 for being named the SEC Coach of the Year (by the AP), $25,000 for winning the SEC Tournament title, $50,000 for earning the SEC regular season crown, $50,000 for finishing in the top-10 of the final AP poll, and $50,000 for being named National Coach of the Year.

He can earn an additional month’s salary for graduating 60 percent of his players and 10 percent of his annual salary if he hits an 80 percent graduation rate.

Donovan has led Florida to four SEC Championships (2000-01, 2007, 2011) and back-to-back national titles (2006-07). He won his 400th career game on Nov. 28 and has been victorious in 71 percent of the contests his Gators teams have participated in over 16 seasons. Donovan earned his first SEC Coach of the Year award in 2011.

Photo Credit: H. Darr Beiser/USA Today

The Ohio State Buckeyes held a press conference Monday evening to announce that Urban Meyer would take over as head coach following the team’s bowl game this year.

Meyer, who signed a six-year, $24 million contract on Monday, will also receive “supplemental compensation bonuses based on achieving certain milestones including academic accomplishments for the football program, and retention payments of $450,000, $750,000 and $1.2 million if [he] is still employed as head coach on January 31, 2014, January 31, 2016 and January 31 2018, respectively.”

“I am deeply honored and humbled to lead the Ohio State University football program,” he said. “It’s a great opportunity to come back to my home state where I was born and where I grew up, where I went to school and met my wife.”

While answering questions during the announcement, Meyer explained that he did not plan on returning to coaching so soon and made an exception for Ohio State that he likely would not have made if any other program came calling for his services.

“If not for the coaching position at Ohio State, I would not have coached this year,” he said. “A year ago, in my mind, I was convinced I was done coaching.”

He also spoke about his health, one of the main reasons he cited for stepping away from the Florida Gators following the 2010 season.

“Health-wise I feel great,” Meyer said. “I had a health scare a couple of years ago that made me sit back, reflect. I didn’t feel right. But I feel fantastic now.”

Meyer did not mention Florida by name until he was more than nine minutes into the press conference. When he did, he lauded his former school, calling coaching at the University of Florida an unparalleled experience.

“My six years at Florida, Florida was my dream job,” he said. “Everybody says: ‘Is Ohio State your dream job?’ That’s a term that’s thrown around really loosely. To say I as this big and wanted to coach at Florida. No, I’m not from Florida. The way Coach [Steve] Spurrier and the way I really became a huge fan, I wanted to coach there.

“I will always be a Gator, will always be a part of that situation. Jeremy Foley, had a great conversation with him today and yesterday. Bernie Machen, the president down there, is one of my great friends. However, this is my home state, and it’s great to be back home.”

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