1 » Battling back from what was a potential career-ending back injury in 2007 and a torn knee ligament in 2008, Florida Gators redshirt junior defensive tackle Brandon Antwine is facing a long recovery once again. Antwine re-injured his shoulder against the Mississippi State Bulldogs two weeks ago and is considering season-ending surgery. “Your heart bleeds for him because he’s all Gator, he’s 100 percent in and he’s a really good player,” coach Urban Meyer said. “He’s fighting like a maniac.”

2 » Drawing the attention of Meyer this week is Vanderbilt Commodores kick returner Warren Norman. Norman, who as a freshman became only the second player in Southeastern Conference history to record three touchdowns on kickoffs in a season, can break the SEC all-time single-season kickoff return yardage record with just 51 more. “I’ve never seen a freshman return three kickoffs for touchdowns and it’s not against one of those smaller schools. It’s against SEC opponents,” Meyer said. Meyer wants to prevent that from happening, though considering the Gators are giving up 19.5 yards per kick return, he should be able to pass it in two or three attempts.

3 » In the opening round of the 2009 SEC Championship Tournament in Orange Beach, AL, the No. 8 Florida soccer team (15-4-2, 8-1-2 SEC) defeated the Tennessee Volunteers (8-9-3, 4-5-2 SEC) 1-0 in two overtimes. The one-seed in the tournament, the Gators will move on to face the the No. 15 South Carolina Gamecocks (16-3-1, 7-3-1 SEC) on Friday, Nov. 6 at 8:30 p.m.

Three more BITS on Kiffin, Georgia and Harvin after the jump…
Continue Reading » SIX BITS: Antwine’s injury, Vandy KR, soccer wins, Kiffin runs mouth (again), Harvin develops

Tags: Brad Childress, Brandon Antwine, Brandon Spikes, Georgia Bulldogs, Lane Kiffin, Mark Richt, Minnesota Vikings, Mississippi State Bulldogs, NFL, Nick Williams, Percy Harvin, SEC, soccer, South Carolina Gamecocks, Tennessee Volunteers, Tim Tebow, Urban Meyer, Vanderbilt Commodores, Warren Norman

After being suspended half a game by head coach Urban Meyer on Monday for reaching into the helmet of Georgia Bulldogs running back Washaun Ealey on Saturday, Florida Gators senior linebacker Brandon Spikes decided to remove himself from the entire game this week against the Vanderbilt Commodores. According to Meyer, Spikes sat down with him and defensive coordinator Charlie Strong on Tuesday night and expressed that he thought it would be best for the team if he sat the entire game. The threesome came to a group decision on a full-game suspension.

“I really don’t want to be a distraction to the team,” Spikes told reporters in a brief statement. “I want the guys to prepare without any negative things going on, and I feel like if I would play it would be a big thing. I’m just trying to stay out of the way and just motivate the guys and I’m pretty sure that [Ryan] Stamper’s got my back and my teammates support me my decision.”

Spikes and Meyer have both received heavy criticism this week. Spikes for his maneuver and Meyer for supposedly dealing out a “soft” punishment (one which was agreed upon by the Southeastern Conference). Whether or not you believe what Spikes did was “dirty” or that Meyer’s punishment was lenient, you must respect the player for stepping up, taking the pressure off the team and owning up to his mistake for a second time.

“A lot of the negative things out there are really weighing heavy on his heart,” Meyer said. “[Spikes sitting the entire game is] a group decision and we’re doing it out of respect for our team so we can focus on trying to win our ninth game. We think it’s the right thing to do and we support Brandon for it. We look forward to him getting back and finishing the season the right way.”

As for Meyer, he is now subject to a potential fine or suspension after commenting about a missed personal foul call on a cheap shot thrown by linebacker Nick Williams on quarterback Tim Tebow. “I don’t want to step out of line, (but) there should have been a penalty, in my opinion,” Meyer said. “You have to protect quarterbacks, that’s the whole purpose. It’s right in front of the referee. I’m not sure how they’re going to handle that, but we do send it in and that was one of the plays we did send in.”

Meyer and the Gators staff sent in tape of the play for the SEC to review, but his comments came one week after commissioner Mike Slive laid down the hammer on coaches criticizing conference officials. What Meyer said in this regard was more of a “comment” than a “criticism,” as he was directly responding to a posed question and made it a point to say he had “great respect” for officials both before and after making the statement. Nevertheless, ESPN’s SEC blogger Chris Low (who spoke with conference officials) believes some type of punishment is coming for Meyer.

OGGOA will have more on these stories as information is made available.

Tags: Brandon Spikes, Charlie Strong, Georgia Bulldogs, Nick Williams, SEC, Tim Tebow, Urban Meyer, Vanderbilt Commodores, Washaun Ealey

Florida Gators head coach Urban Meyer made himself available to the media on Wednesday and touched on a few specific topics.

- Redshirt sophomore running back Chris Rainey is all set to play Saturday against the Vanderbilt Commodores “unless there is a setback” with his re-injured shoulder.

- Meyer said Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Nick Williams‘ late hit on senior quarterback Tim Tebow “should have been a penalty in my opinion.” He submitted tape of the incident to the Southeastern Conference for review and received an answer, though that particular answer has not been made available.

Tags: Chris Rainey, Georgia Bulldogs, Nick Williams, SEC, Tim Tebow, Urban Meyer, Vanderbilt Commodores

Florida Gators head coach Urban Meyer met with the media Tuesday after practice and shared a few notes on the injury status of two offensive players. Redshirt sophomore running back Chris Rainey, who re-injured his shoulder during Saturday’s game against the Georgia Bulldogs, returned to practice on a limited basis and has been upgraded from questionable (50%) to probable (75%) for this weekend’s game against the Vanderbilt Commodores. The news was a little more confusing for redshirt sophomore wide receiver Deonte Thompson who has only totaled nine receptions for 163 yards and three touchdowns on the season. Meyer said Thompson practiced with a “chip on the rib” and did not provide any details.

In what is further proof of media and college football fans overreacting to something without learning the full story, senior wide receive David Nelson insinuated to the press Tuesday that fellow senior linebacker Brandon Spikes has received more punishment than just a half-game suspension. “Coach Meyer did what he thought was right,” Nelson said, “and he’s also doing some other stuff in house that nobody knows about.” When team business is taken care of “in house,” that can often include things like wind sprints, stadiums, up-downs, extreme weight training before and after practice and a variety of other punishments as well. Meyer has not been as light on Spikes as is being advertised.

Tags: Brandon Spikes, Chris Rainey, David Nelson, Deonte Thompson, Georgia Bulldogs, Urban Meyer, Vanderbilt Commodores

OGGOA broke exclusive news last Wednesday about Florida Gators junior cornerback Moses Jenkins undergoing a procedure that Monday to alleviate symptoms following complications from a concussion he suffered during the Kentucky Wildcats game a few weeks ago. We also reported that the coaching staff would seek a medical redshirt for Jenkins and that he was out indefinitely.

Jenkins underwent a procedure at Shands Hospital at the University of Florida on Monday to replace the cerebrospinal fluid 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.

Last Thursday, Meyer spoke with the press and was forced to comment on OGGOA’s story. He explained that Jenkins did indeed undergo a procedure; however, he added that the team was not gong to seek a redshirt for him because the medical staff believed he would be able to return against the Vanderbilt Commodores.

Based solely on this statement, another Web site attempted to discredit OGGOA’s report by inferring we said Jenkins’ procedure was “serious surgery.” No such thing was actually written or implied. Clarifying the article, OGGOA stood by our initial report about Jenkins but conceded that the “redshirt” statement may have been premature. Au contraire.

Speaking with a source close to Jenkins on Tuesday, OGGOA has once again confirmed that UF is “in the process” of acquiring a redshirt for Jenkins from the NCAA. Whether this is a precautionary measure (in case it is later determined he is unable to return) or if he is indeed out for the season, the fact remains that the process is underway. Jenkins is not expected to play Saturday against Vanderbilt as Meyer stated last week and remains out indefinitely. That being said, the source mentioned that Jenkins’ recovery is coming along nicely, which is fantastic news and obviously the most important thing!

Tags: Kentucky Wildcats, Moses Jenkins, University of Florida, Urban Meyer, Vanderbilt Commodores

1 » Junior defensive end Carlos Dunlap has moved up a spot from No. 8 to No. 7 in ESPN analyst Mel Kiper’s latest Big Board. Kiper says Dunlap’s “physical tools are off the charts” and claims he has “unlimited upside potential.” I still believe Dunlap has the opportunity to be a top five (if not No. 1 overall) pick in the NFL Draft this year. Also on Kiper’s big board are junior cornerback Joe Haden (who entered at the No. 11 spot) and senior linebacker Brandon Spikes (who dropped four spots to No. 24). Kiper says Haden is a “polished cover corner with tackling ability to match,” while Spikes is a “complete MLB, solid in all areas.” Interesting praise for Haden considering he was unranked all season on Kiper’s board up until this point. On a similar note, senior linebacker Ryan Stamper has been named a “riser” by Sports Illustrated because he is “efficient stuffing the run or covering the pass” and has the “discipline and ability to be in the right place at the right time.”

2 » Completing a 35-yard run against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on Saturday night, Vanderbilt Commodores sophomore starting quarterback Larry Smith came up lame. What would be diagnosed by an MRI on Monday as a left hamstring tear will sideline Smith for the remainder of the season. Senior Mackenzi Adams replaced Smith against Georgia Tech, going 12-for-22 for 152 yards, and will finish the season as Vanderbilt’s starter. He is 21-of-37 for 239 yards and no touchdowns on the season.

3 » More cowbell I-form! Florida Gators fans should expect the I-formation to be a regular part of the team’s game plan from this point forward. For two consecutive weeks, Florida has found success out of it – first a touchdown run by redshirt sophomore running back Chris Rainey against the Mississippi State Bulldogs and then another one on an option run by senior quarterback Tim Tebow against the Georgia Bulldogs after two consecutive I-formation runs by sophomore Jeff Demps with Tebow under center. “It’s not the most thrilling, exciting style, but it’s a mindset,” head coach Urban Meyer said. “We need to be able to do that. With our personnel, we should be able to do that. I’m very pleased with what we’ve done (with Tebow under center). You might see more.” It sounds OK with Tebow, too. “I think it gives us a different look,” Tebow said. “It’s something team’s don’t prepare for a lot against us.”

4 » Half because we needed a fourth “BIT” and half because the column is written quite well, we point you over to Pat Dooley of the Gainesville Sun, who believes that Spikes’ real punishment (whether or not you agree with the half-game suspension) is to his image. “Not only will he miss half a game,” Dooley said, “his reputation has been changed around the country. People will see his name and think ‘dirty player.’ That’s his real punishment.”

Tags: Brandon Spikes, Carlos Dunlap, Chris Rainey, Draft, Georgia Bulldogs, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Jeff Demps, Joe Haden, Larry Smith, Mackenzi Adams, Mississippi State Bulldogs, NFL, Ryan Stamper, Tim Tebow, Urban Meyer, Vanderbilt Commodores

While the rest of the media and the thousands of so-called “Gator Haters” out there want to drag this incident out, the story ends here.

Official statement from the Southeastern Conference:

“The Southeastern Conference has reviewed and accepted the disciplinary actions taken by the University of Florida regarding football student-athlete Brandon Spikes. The university suspended Spikes for the first half of its next game (vs. Vanderbilt, Nov. 7) for an unsportsmanlike act during the Gators’ last game (vs. Georgia, Oct. 31).”

Official statement from Florida Gators LB Brandon Spikes:

“I accept responsibility for my actions and I accept the consequences of my actions. I would like to apologize to my team and the coaching staff and Washun Ealey. Football is a very physical and emotional game, but there is no excuse for my actions.”

Tags: Brandon Spikes, eye gouging, Georgia Bulldogs, SEC, Urban Meyer, Vanderbilt Commodores, Washun Ealey

Probably one of the most interesting Florida Gators weekly Monday press conferences took place today with head coach Urban Meyer and senior quarterback Tim Tebow at the helm as usual.

Meyer got right to the altercation involving senior linebacker Brandon Spikes gouging the eyes of Georgia Bulldogs running back Washaun Ealey, After watching the video and speaking to Southeastern Conference commissioner Mike Slive, Meyer decided to suspend Spikes for the first half against the Vanderbilt Commodores on Saturday. “I don’t condone that,” Meyer said. “That’s not who [Spikes] is. That’s not who we are. He got caught up in emotion. He has our full support.”

In support of his teammate, Tebow would later say, “I don’t think that we did anything in that game that they didn’t do. You can see on the film, too. It was an intense game.” Tebow and Meyer both indicated that Spikes had his eye gouged earlier in the game – not that it’s an excuse. Just as OGGOA said.

Updating the status of injured RB Chris Rainey (shoulder), Meyer said his arm remains in a sling making him questionable for Saturday’s game. Do not expect Rainey to play as Florida will probably use the Vanderbilt game to rest injured starters and get reserves extra playing time if the game gets out of hand.

Also of note are statements from both Meyer and Tebow that the Gators offense did not utilize a single no-huddle “banzai” play the entire game. Back to basics, it seems.

Tags: Brandon Spikes, Chris Rainey, eye gouging, Georgia Bulldogs, Mike Slive, SEC, Tim Tebow, Urban Meyer, Vanderbilt Commodores, Washaun Ealey