Rather than write you a long, worthless introduction, just go ahead and make the jump for a ton of recruiting news on the following recruits: Matt Elam, Jeff Luc, Chaz Green, Christian Green, Chris Dunkley, Kardon Boone, James Louis, Cody Riggs, Lamarcus Joyner, Sharrif Floyd and Ronald Powell.
Continue Reading » Status updates for UF’s top recruiting prospects
Two weeks ago, OGGOA wrote about the injury suffered by Florida Gators junior cornerback Moses Jenkins and how he was not getting nearly as much coverage as senior quarterback Tim Tebow, even though the extent of Jenkins’ injury was worse. In some ways the imbalance of coverage is understandable, considering Tebow’s immense celebrity. Take into account the severity of Jenkins’ injury, however, and he should be the one Gators fans are worrying most about.
According to a source close to Jenkins, the special teams star encountered complications following the whiplash and concussion he suffered against the Kentucky Wildcats. Because of the extreme trauma caused by the hit, Jenkins experienced a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak that was causing his brain to literally tilt inside the cranium. [CSF acts as a "cushion" and allows the brain to "float."] This left him with headaches, blurry vision and pain on one side of his face.
Jenkins underwent surgery [for clarification purposes, we'll call it a "procedure"] at Shands Hospital at the University of Florida on Monday to replace the CSF that was being lost and not reproducing fast enough. He stayed overnight for observation and was visited by head coach Urban Meyer on Tuesday. The source said he is recovering nicely and getting extensive treatment to help the CSF begin circulating properly.
Florida’s coaching staff is expected to seek a medical redshirt from the NCAA for Jenkins later in the week, hopefully allowing him to keep two years of eligibility going into what would have been his true senior season. OGGOA wishes Jenkins a speedy recovery and will update its readers with any additional information as it is provided.
Please read the UPDATED story on Moses Jenkins HERE.
1 » The Georgia Bulldogs are attempting to use timeouts called by Florida Gators head coach Urban Meyer in the waning moments of the 2008 World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party as fuel the way Florida did Georgia’s celebration in its end zone at the beginning of the 2007 game. Calling timeouts with 44 and 30 seconds remaining on the clock, Meyer allowed the Gators and the entire crowd (almost every Bulldogs fan had left by that time) to bask in the glory of annihilating Georgia 49-10 after the team tried to embarrass Florida the year before.
2 » If winning games ugly has taken the Gators to 7-0 on the season, what could the team accomplish if it actually played well? And how long can Florida stay perfect with these imperfect performances? Robbie Andreu of the Gainesville Sun asks those exact questions. Senior quarterback Tim Tebow has the answers. “Obviously, we want to get better, we want to continue to improve, which I think we’re doing,” he said. “As long as we keep winning games, that’s the most important thing. We’re 7-0 and still have everything in front of us. We always have an inclination to want to be perfect and we try to do that as an offense and have outstanding games. More important than that, we’re focusing on winning. If we’re doing that, we’re happy.”
3 » It is not just the media and fans, even some of the elder statesmen in the SEC are praising Tebow. From former players to accomplished head coaches, the praise for UF’s leader focuses on his “versatility, leadership and winning mentality.” Perhaps legendary Auburn Tigers coach Pat Dye said it best: “I think that Tim Tebow is as good as any football player, I’m talking about everything, as I’ve ever seen.” Former Georgia coach Vince Dooley echoed those sentiments. “Competitive, leader, football player, athlete, student, character, spiritual – I’ve seen some that are better in certain phases, but there’s never been one as complete as he is.”
4 » University of Florida head women’s basketball coach Amanda Butler ruptured her left Achilles tendon Saturday morning while playing quarterback her flag football team in The Swamp Bowl on campus. Butler will be at full strength for practices and games while she rehabs from surgery.
On Monday, Florida Gators senior quarterback Tim Tebow was named a semifinalist for the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award honoring the nation’s best college quarterback. The oldest and most prestigious quarterback award, candidates are evaluated on quarterback skills, athletic ability, academics, team spirit, character, leadership and sportsmanship.
The O’Brien Award often goes along with the Heisman Trophy as it did the last two years with Tebow winning it on 2007 and Oklahoma Sooners QB Sam Bradford taking it home in 2008. Tebow is one of 15 semifinalists; finalists for the award will be announced Nov. 23.
Along with Tebow, University of Florida head coach Urban Meyer was honored Monday, being named to the watch list for the Bryant College Football Coach of the Year Award. The only college coaching award voted on after all bowl games are played, finalists for it will be announced in late December before the awards dinner takes place in Houston, TX, on Jan. 14, 2010. Meyer has absurdly never won the award, having been beaten out by the Boise State Broncos’ Chris Peterson in 2006 and the Utah Utes‘ Kyle Whittingham in 2008.
1 » Volleyball (16-3, 10-2 SEC) continues to roll through the SEC as the No. 10/11 Florida Gators swept the Ole Miss Rebels (8-14, 2-10 SEC) in straight sets (25-18, 25-13, 25-16) on Sunday in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. Sophomore right-side/setter Kelly Murphy continues her stellar play and recorded a match-high 14 kills. Florida goes on the road to Tuscaloosa, AL, to square off against the Alabama Crimson Tide on Oct. 30 at 8 p.m.
2 » The No. 12 Florida soccer team (13-4-2, 7-1-2 SEC) defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks (8-6-4, 2-6-2 SEC) Sunday afternoon on the road at Razorback Field by a 1-0 margin. The victory puts Florida in first place in the conference heading into its final match of the regular season Friday, Oct. 30 against No. 10 South Carolina Gamecocks.
3 » The Gators women’s swimming and diving team won the 2009 SMU Classic in Dallas, TX, on Saturday, finishing in first-place with 353 points ahead of the Louisville Cardinals, Wisconsin Badgers, Southern Methodist Perunas, Florida State Seminoles and Rice Owls. The rest of the team that did not compete in that event were also victorious on the weekend, taking down both Arkansas and the Kansas Jayhawks in double-dual on the road in Fayetteville, AK.
Continue Reading » FOUR BITS: Soccer rolls; Volleyball wins; Swimming dominates; Tennis in finals
Friday night, senior libero Elyse Cusack registered 11 digs and became the first player in school history and just the third in Southeastern Conference history to achieve 1,900 digs for her career. Combine that achievement with an outstanding performance from sophomore outside hitter Kristy Jaeckel – who had a team-high 10 kills – and you can understand how the No. 10/11 Florida Gators volleyball team 15-3, 9-2 SEC) swept the Arkansas Razorbacks (10-12, 4-7 SEC) 3-0 (25-12, 25-18, 25-16) in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center.
Jaeckel’s had 12 digs of her own along with 10 kills on .500 efficiency to record her sixth double-double of the season. Florida is next in action on Oct. 25 when the Ole Miss Rebels come to Gainesville, FL, for a match set to begin at 1:30 p.m.
In other news… The University of Florida men’s swimming and diving team defeated the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 161-123 at the Georgia Tech Aquatic Center. The Gators improved to 2-0 this season in dual meets after being led to victory by strong freestyle performances. Florida is 2-0 against the Atlantic Coast Conference this season and will open SEC competition against the Georgia Bulldogs at home on Oct. 30 at 1 p.m. from the O’Connell Center Natatorium.
1 » In the unit’s worst performance of the season, the Florida Gators defense gave up 357 yards and 20 points to the Arkansas Razorbacks last Saturday. Distraught after the game and with a line ravaged with injuries, the defense is still keeping its head up and looking forward. “Our defense was crushed after that game,” head coach Urban Meyer said. “There’s only a couple of ways to analyze it: Are you winning games and are you statistically doing a good job? I think they’re doing great. I think there’s a defensive coordinator [Charlie Strong] that has very, very high expectations, a defensive staff, and more importantly, some players who felt like we could have played much better, and that’s kind of cool. I like that.” Gator Nation does too, Coach.
2 » While Florida senior quarterback Tim Tebow is the leader of his team, tough as nails when it counts and a media darling, he is not deserving of Heisman Trophy consideration right now, writes Israel Gutierrez of the Miami Herald. “This isn’t a knock on Tebow,” Gutierrez contends. “This is more a criticism of the system that defines a Heisman candidate. Tebow can be the best player in college football. Not many would argue he isn’t. But it doesn’t mean he is having the best season.”
3 » The No. 12 University of Florida soccer team (12-4-2, 6-1-2 SEC) took it to the No. 17 LSU Tigers (10-4-3, 6-2-1 SEC) on Thursday, shutting them out with a 4-0 victory at home in James G. Pressly Stadium. The Gators scored a pair of goals in each half and, with the win, have moved to second place in the SEC standings. With only two games left on the league schedule (at Arkansas Razorbacks on Oct. 26 and vs. No. 10 and SEC leader South Carolina Gamecocks on Oct. 30), Florida is within striking distance of first place being only two points back.
4 » With his team missing March Madness in back-to-back seasons, a lack of luster surrounding the program and attention being paid to newly crowned head coach John Calipari and his Kentucky Wildcats, Gators basketball head coach Billy Donovan is no longer the media darling he once was at the SEC Media Day.
From time to time, OGGOA will come across tidbits and small news items we want to share with our readers. In those instances, we will be present a special post: Gator Bites. Enjoy.
- Florida Gators head coach Urban Meyer said Thursday that senior middle linebacker Brandon Spikes is “50-50″ (questionable) for Saturday vs. Mississippi State Bulldogs. Meyer also said junior defensive lineman Justin Trattou is officially out.
- Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen is campaigning for a record attendance at Scott Field on Saturday. He also told reporters that he spoke with Florida senior quarterback Tim Tebow by text message Thursday afternoon.
- According to Rivals, quarterbacks coach Scot Loeffler “spent almost an entire day last week” scouting four-star dual-threat QB recruit Devin Gardner – a Michigan Wolverines commitment.
- Five-star offensive lineman recruit Seantrel Henderson, the No. 1 prospect in the nation, has delayed his visit to the University of Florida until December because of scheduling difficulties. Florida is one of six top programs vying for his services. (Rivals)
- Freshman wide receiver T.J. Lawrence is expected to miss a few weeks after having his meniscus scoped Thursday. “[Lawrence] is getting close,” Meyer said. “He had a couple good weeks.”
- The Gators coaching staff are big fans of four-star safety recruit Tony Jefferson, who wishes to visit Gainesville, FL, for the Florida State Seminoles game in November. However, Florida is reluctant and most likely will not have Jefferson visit because they want to satiate five-star S commit Matt Elam. (Rivals)
Taurean Green (@TaureanJGreen):
"Yes yes....my #GatorBoys in the Elite 8. All u jive time turkeys that thought Marquette was gonna win can sit down and go to sleep!"
The Silver Lining is an exclusive column written by Adam Silverstein of OnlyGators.com for Yahoo! Sports and Rivals.com affiliate InsideTheGators.com. OGGOA readers can receive a special discount on a subscription to InsideTheGators, which can be accessed by clicking the image above!
