FOUR BITS: Brown, Jernigan, boards, Addazio

By Adam Silverstein
February 9, 2010

1 » One of the biggest injury mysteries surrounding the Florida Gators last year was redshirt freshman cornerback Jeremy Brown, who was initially expeced to make a full recovery from a back injury two years ago. The Orlando Sentinel is now reporting that Brown has been cleared for full workouts and should be full-speed for spring practice.

2 » Though the Gators’ 2010 recruiting class is stellar from top-to-bottom, the most impressive area of the class is the incoming defensive line talent that head coach Urban Meyer was able to put together. Florida may have acquired three five-star and two four-star recruits on the defensive front, but local product and 2011 defensive line recruit Tim Jernigan (Lake City, FL) still holds the Gators as the early leader for his services. “When I first heard about all of those guys coming in, I was like, ‘Wow,” he told the Gainesville Sun. “But then I thought, ‘You can’t be selfish.’ It started hitting me that if I go there and you mix my name in there with Dominique [Easley], Sharrif [Floyd] and [Ronald] Powell … fireworks.”

Two more BITS on basketball’s rebounding and Steve Addazio…after the jump!

3 » Florida basketball fans may have found it difficult to suffer through the team’s shooting woes over the past few weeks, but the Gators are still winning and it is partially because of their dedication to hitting the glass. Fourth in the Southeastern Conference, Florida is outrebounding opponents by about three boards per game. “It’s just the will,” junior forward Chandler Parsons told Kevin Brockaway of the Sun. “It’s just the effort. Coach talks about doing the physical things and really you can be undersized and there’s always going to be a mismatch in the game. It’s really about who wants the ball more and position and working hard.”

4 » Though the Gators are in the process of hiring a new defensive coordinator, it is interim head coach and offensive coordinator Steve Addazio leading the charge, not Meyer. Gerry DiNardo, the former Indiana Hoosiers head coach and one of Addazio’s previous employers (2002-04), has all of the confidence in the world that he will succeed. “I think he’s prepared most of his professional life to be a head coach,” DiNardo said. “I think he’ll provide the leadership that the university needs and the team needs. It’s certainly an unusual situation. You have to put your ego away because it’s not your program. It’s Urban’s program. I think you need a strong individual to do that. I think Steve’s that kind of (coach). He’ll handle it fine. He works harder than most coaches do. He’s passionate about the performance of the group and his unit. He lives the job. Everything he does, you can’t tell if he’s at work or at play. It’s one of those deals, it’s not just a job for him. It’s more than him.” Learn more about Addazio’s coaching style and successes in the Panama City News Herald.

12 Comments

  1. Aligator says:

    Adam, do you think that McCarney and Heater are helping here? do you think that Heater will continue to be the C0-DC? Would it be safe to say he is still on point right now?

  2. No matter what, Heater will be at least the co-DC. They’re not going to take that away from him. I am sure Heater and McCarney will have input on the decision, but I find it hard to believe that I am endorsing anyone but myself if I am Heater.

  3. Aligator says:

    I agree, I do not understand why they did not make him the DC now and just hire a great LB coach??

  4. Miamigator says:

    Glad to hear that Addazio is such a great recruiter & “works harder than most!” Maybe that makes up for, at least in part, the fact that he’s a terrible offensive coordinator & in my opinion cost the Gators another National Championship.

  5. How exactly did Addazio cost the Gators the title? Would love to hear your explanation.

  6. Drew 4 Orange and Blue says:

    I know in talking with a lot of Gator fans many of us felt our offense was predictable and didn’t utilize the talent we had to it’s fullest…..maybe the same offense worked with Percy but without him I think we struggled….we beat Bama without Percy the year before but this year we faced a better Bama team and all the pressure was on the Gators to repeat…that all being said I am sure Meyer had a say so in how the offense was run…I am sure he thought with such a great defense it was our best shot at repeating!!!!

  7. npgator says:

    Our defense lost the SEC Championship game and it had nothing to do with Addazio. I would love to get Jerinigan as a Gator next year – this young man is a Gator.

  8. Drew- While the offense was not great in the SEC title game, the defense lost the Gators that game. The entire team was unprepared, and that was not Addazio’s fault. In no way, shape or form can the loss of that game be tagged on him.

  9. Drew 4 Orange and Blue says:

    We all know the defense didn’t show up but don’t you agree the offense under achieved most of the season?

  10. Of course. But if I am not mistaken, the Gators were 12-0 while the offense underachieved.

  11. Aligator says:

    Touche’

  12. O-town Gator says:

    NP, I hope Timmy Jernigan makes it to FNL and never lets his interest wane in becoming a Gator. I like what this kid’s all about, and I’d love to see him in Florida Orange and Blue.

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