I got a call yesterday from an old friend who was in a bind. He currently lives out west, but used to work with me here in Gainesville back in the day. He called to tell me that he recently tried to renew his drivers license, but was flagged for failure to pay child support, even though he hasn’t legally been required to pay it for years. His kid’s all grown up. Glitch in the system.
Anyway, as he’s in Irvine, California, home of the Anteaters, and I’m in Gainesville, home of the one-loss Florida Gators, he needed someone to run to a local Department of Motor Vehicles - everybody’s favorite place to visit - and pay a $47.50 fine for him so that he could reinstate his license. Clearly a pain in the rear, but as I had nothing to do this afternoon but pretend the Florida-Ole Miss game never happened, I figured what the heck. A friend in need is a friend DMV’ed.
So I’m at the DMV, waiting the obligatory forty-five minutes to an hour before my number is called, when suddenly a great looking, blonde-haired, blue-eyed college girl walks into the place to renew her license. Keep in mind, this is Gainesville, Florida; such sights are not uncommon. Contrary to popular belief, girls DO in fact grow on trees here. Or at least they arrive by the boatload every semester.
Upon viewing said college girl, the middle-aged gentleman behind the counter, who had taken his good old time coming back from his break, acted as if he had never seen a female before, or if he had, it had been a very long time. His trainee, maybe in his mid-twenties and not totally un-presentable, stood there staring, tongue hanging well out of his mouth. I kept wanting to tell the guy to blink and snap out of it. The senior employee, in all likelihood older than this girl’s father, looked a lot like J.K. Simmons, best known for his role of J Jonah Jameson in the Spiderman movies. Trust me, this girl was out of Tobey Maguire’s league, so there was no way Jonah was getting a piece. The only way, shape or form a girl of this stature would ever even entertain the idea of talking to a guy like this would be… if he worked at the DMV and she needed to renew her license. I mean, it’s not like he’s Houston Nutt who can apparently do anything he wants to in Gainesville these days.
Jonah soon started to pour on the DMV charm sickeningly thick, as if to say to his trainee, “Look, bra, I got this,” all the while wearing his wedding ring. He commented on her smile as he took her drivers license photo and continued to drop other borderline inappropriate comments in a what I thought was supposed to be a professional setting. Guess not. It wasn’t an Isiah Thomas sexual harassment suit, but it wasn’t far from it. I was partially intrigued to hear what bile he could muster up next, much like being unable to turn my head from a train wreck or an 86-yard Shay Hodge pass play that got away. He continued on, keeping her at his counter as long as he could without starting a riot inside the DMV. Ah…. the DMV, a constant source of entertainment, although probably not what Terrell Owens meant when he told us to get our popcorn ready.
When my number was finally called an eternity later, I got up to the counter and you’ll never guess what happened... the woman behind the counter started flirting with ME!! I thought to myself, what is this… the most undersexed group of civil servants ever assembled? Imagine the house parties these guys must have. Are they not getting enough at home? Should I have brought lotions? I half expected them to dim the lights, throw on a strobe and start spinning some Barry White. I didn’t realize condoms were now a requirement for the random DMV visit.
Look, I’m no hater, unless of course we’re talking about the decision to give the ball to your QB seven yards behind the line of scrimmage when you only need one. Come on to whomever you want to as long as I don’t have to be subjected to it for hours. Watching this guy in action was more painful than watching another missed Gator extra point. I understand that the benefits of working at the DMV are few and far between. It’s not like they get free points on their licenses for being faithful employees. I don’t fault the guy for being flirtatious with a young college girl, but not if it’s going to come at the expense of everyone else sitting there waiting to take care of their business. Keep it professional. After all, any impending sexual harassment charge just means one less person at the counter and longer lines at the DMV.
As Week Three of the college football season approaches, athletic directors nationwide have blessed us with a delectable amount of non-conference football match-ups which give the keen observer an indication as to which conference boasts the best overall talent. Non-conference play will reach it climax this Saturday night as Ohio State limps in to USC. One of these two programs has played in five of the last six national championship games. The vest against the best. And although Beanie Wells isn’t (allegedly) 100%, could we really ask for anything more?
Not to be outdone is the less heralded, non-conference match-up this Friday night that pits two, top-tier major conference teams against one another: # 13 Kansas vs #19 South Florida.
When it comes to forming opinions about the conferences and their strengths, here’s what we’ve learned so far….
USC, the best team in the Pac-10, if not the nation, went on the road to Virginia, a bottom tier ACC team, and clobbered them 52-7.
Illinois, an up-and-coming Big Ten team, played Missouri, a top-tier Big-12 team, and lost 52-42 at a neutral site in a game that wasn’t as close as the final score indicates.
Alabama, an underrated SEC team, played Clemson on a neutral site and manhandled what was largely expected to be the best team in the ACC.
MWC front-runner, Utah, went on the road to Ann Arbor and beat a mid-tier Big Ten team in Michigan.
East Carolina, a surprisingly good Conference USA team, upset traditional ACC powerhouse, Virginia Tech, then beat the highest ranked Big East team, West Virginia, the following week.
UCLA, a possible Pac-10 contender, knocked off a middle-tier SEC team, Tennessee, who traveled cross-country in their opener only to lose a heartbreaker in overtime.
Another middle tier SEC team, South Carolina, hosted a poor ACC team in NC State in the season’s opener and shut them out, 34-0.
Kentucky, a mid- to bottom-tier SEC team went on the road and beat a Brian Brohm-less Louisville team, 27-2.
Fresno State, likely the best team in the WAC, flew to New Jersey to beat up on Greg Schiano and the Ray Rice-less Rutgers Scarlet Knights, however, after last night’s home loss to UNC, which gave Butch Davis his first road victory, that Fresno State victory seems a touch less impressive. We’ll know more about Fresno State - the best college football team in the nation whose initials are FSU - this weekend when they host Wisconsin. Is there anyone who doesn’t think Schiano should have taken that Miami job when he had the chance?
We’ve seen Florida, a top-tier SEC team take care of a mid-range ACC team in Miami… at least in the fourth quarter.
And Ole Miss, a bottom-tier SEC team lost on the road to possibly the best team in the ACC in Wake Forest…. barely.
So what have we learned?
We’ve learned that PAC-10 fans still think their conference is on a par, if not better than, the SEC.
We’ve learned that the Florida-Georgia game will once again mean something.
We’ve learned that the “Big House” should no longer be called that until Michigan can win a home opener.
We’ve learned that the best teams in the ACC and the Big East are simply not that good.
We’ve learned that if Ohio State gets run off the field by USC, the Big Ten will continue to be criticized as a conference.
We’ve learned that after consecutive losses in national championship games, going into Saturday’s match-up against USC, we’ve seen a new, concerned Buckeye fan… one that harkens back to the John Cooper days prior to a big Michigan game. (Where’s the confidence, guys??)
We’ve also learned that the outcome of the OSU-USC game will likely mean that one BCS champion will come out of the conference whose team wins that game. The other will likely be the SEC Champion once again. Unless the Big 12 features an undefeated team. Then one major conference will once again be slighted.
Prepare yourself for another wild weekend, college football fans. One in which the college football landscape will simultaneously become more clear, yet more muddied.
Miami. The U. The orange and green. That silly pelican.
These images extract a nauseating reaction from Florida fans. Although currently in rebuilding mode, Miami’s place in history as one of the most successful college football programs is undeniable. Five national championships. Countless impact players that have gone on to successful, if not Hall of Fame careers in the NFL: Jim Kelly, Steve Walsh, Michael Irvin, Warren Sapp, Bernie Kosar, Vinny Testaverde, Ray Lewis, Santana Moss, Reggie Wayne, Clinton Portis and of course, Frank Gore.
Gator fans have a particularly ill relationship with ‘Canes fans… for perennially, we’ve been on the receiving end of the whoopin’.
Years ago, Miami and Florida played each other annually, as UF does now with its other in-state rival, Florida State. The game traditionally took place at the beginning of the season. But when Florida got tired of starting each year with a loss, it adjusted its schedule and removed Miami from the slate entirely. As a result, Florida hasn’t beaten Miami since 1985. Kerwin Bell was still their quarterback.
In 2002-03, the schools decided to once again reunite for a home and away. The Gators were clobbered in that first contest in the Swamp by a score of 41-16. Ken Dorsey passed for four touchdowns and Willis McGahee rushed for over 200 yards. But the following year, the Gators were in perfect position to exorcise their demons and beat Miami, in the Orange Bowl no less.
I remember it like it was yesterday. The Don Calvino and I were watching the game at the Bellagio sportsbook in Las Vegas. With the Gators up by three scores, the game was well in hand. A young Chris Leak looked like he was the second coming, the quarterback who would finally push us over the edge and ensure that a generation of long-suffering Gator fans would no longer have to listen to the relentless taunts of the ‘Canes. Miami in turn had Brock Berlin under center. The same Brock Berlin who had been recruited by Steve Spurrier. The same Brock Berlin who later transferred because he couldn’t fit the scheme. The same Brock Berlin who reportedly scored the lowest of all NFL draftees on the Wonderlic test. And yes, the same Brock Berlin who led the Miami Hurricanes from down 33-10 in the third quarter to defeat the Gators, 38-33. Berlin played the game of his life that night, passing for 340 yards and having the last laugh. It also helped that he had Frank Gore rush for 127 yards on 25 carries. Not even the Bellagio’s finest bourbon could get that taste out of my mouth.
This weekend, the Florida Gators once again face their most hated, in-state rival. No offense to Seminole fans, but in the past four years, that game has somewhat lost its luster. While Gator Nation should never look past the Seminoles, we’ve at least beaten them. I came to Gainesville in 1987. We haven’t beaten Miami that entire time. We’ve beaten Tennessee, Auburn, LSU, Florida State, Ohio State, Alabama, teams that have all won national championships in that time span. We have yet to beat the ‘Canes. It has been a LONG time comin’.
I say this not to jinx the higher-ranked Florida Gators going into this weekend’s match-up, but rather to remind Gator fans how important this non-conference game really is. Although Miami is unranked and Florida is a national title contender, Miami for decades has had our number in both the regular and post-season. I am here to say turnabout is fair play.
A victory against a less talented Miami club will do more than just add another win to Urban Meyer’s already impressive record. It will officially establish the University of Florida as the state’s premier program. It will remind the talented high school kids in South Florida that there’s a new sheriff in town. And his name is Urban Meyer. Until that victory, despite our recent success, we will remain in the shadow of the Hurricanes.
The Gators are three touchdown favorites against Miami on Saturday. I will once again be watching this highly anticipated football contest with the Don Calvino, but this time in the friendly confines of the Swamp. Bourbon will again be the beverage of choice.
We expect Florida to make us proud and continue their quest for a conference, and perhaps national title. Florida has the speed, talent and mystique Miami once had. We are the new state powerhouse. We just have to prove it on the field, once and for all.
On a day when Ohio State was leading its home opener 13-0 early and LSU led last year’s giant-killer Appalachian St by 31 points at halftime, it appeared at least early on that Hawaii would give the Florida Gators a fight. Florida won the coin toss and deferred to give Hawaii the football to start the game. The Rainbow Warriors then proceeded to drive down the field and take what seemed like a lot longer than three minutes off the clock before having to punt. The Gators were unable to score on their first possession.
Florida's first quarter woes continued as they were once again unable to stop the Rainbow Warriors on their next possession. That was until Ahmad Black ended a promising Hawaii drive with an interception in the end zone. Twelve minutes into their season, the Gators had already committed five penalties and looked like they had plenty of kinks to work out on both sides of the ball. Hawaii had controlled the ball for 8:46 of the first quarter, running 17 plays.
A thirty-four yard Tate Casey reception later and the Gators finally looked like the offense of yesteryear. Gator fans then got their first look at track star Jeffrey Demps, who scrambled for a ten yard reception. Shortly thereafter, Tim Tebow reminded the 88,000+ eager fans in the Swamp why he’s last year’s Heisman winner. From the nine yard line, Tebow scrambled right, then left, on a busted option play to score what appeared to be a touchdown. Instant replay revealed he had stepped out-of-bounds on the one yard line. One play later and eighteen minutes into their season, Tebow handed off to Brandon James who scored the first of assuredly many Gator touchdowns this season.
Less than one minute later, Florida delivered a Major Wright cross to Hawaii’s hopes as he stepped in front of Greg Alexander pass and ran it back for pay dirt for a 14-0 lead.
A flustered Hawaii soon seemed incapable of moving the football as the new-and-improved Gator defense settled in comfortably, forcing another punt. With five minutes left in the half, Brandon James reminded fans why he is one of the nation’s most exciting special teams players by returning a Hawaii punt 74 yards for a touchdown. In the very first half of their season, Florida had already scored one offensive, one defensive and one special teams touchdown.
The wheels continued to come off for Hawaii as another turnover, resulting from a play which new head coach Greg McMackin chose not to review, resulted in a touchdown from one of what promises to be Florida’s most exciting playmakers on the very next possession. A thirty-three yard touchdown run from Chris Rainey, with some outstanding blocking by Riley Cooper, allowed him to waltz into then end zone untouched. Hawaii could not get into the locker room quickly enough to grab the concessionary, white towel.
At halftime, the Gators led 28-0 with Heisman hopeful Tim Tebow accounting for none of the Gator scores.
Coming out of the locker room, the Gator offense once again stalled, as they were forced to punt on fourth and fifteen from their own 25. That was until Coach Meyer called Chas Henry’s number for a fake punt, who ran seventeen yards for the first down to keep the floodgates lodged wide open. On the very next play from scrimmage, Jeff Demps ran between the tackles, sixty-two yards to the amazement of even his coaches. And just as fans were starting to complain about Tebow’s lack of numbers, on the ensuing Gator possession, he hit Louis Murphy for a 48 yard touchdown pass for his first of the season. 42-0 Florida.
In mop-up duty, big Cam Newton added another rushing touchdown to increase the Gator lead to forty-nine. A late 80-yard interception, again by Ahman Black, gave the Gators an even 28 points in the second quarter and 28 points in the third. Even Hurricane Fay didn’t bring this much rain in North Florida. The Gators ended up victorious by the final score of 56-10.
After a rusty first quarter, the Florida Gators finally showed they dressed to impress. Even the stoic Urban Meyer was seen smiling in post-game interviews. Florida came out with something to prove and showed they’re deep at every position. The backfield, whether running the option or between the tackles, boasts a variety of superstars that could start for any other program in the nation. Four different Gators scored on the ground and none of them were named Tim Tebow. While the receiving corps remains a question mark, the backfield is talented enough to keep opposing secondaries honest. And Tebow is still the toughest quarterback in the nation to bring down. Although he only finished the game 9-for-14 for 137 yards passing and 9 carries for 37 yards, one got the impression he’s only getting his feet wet. This Florida team won’t need him like they did last season. Special teams also played well and Brandon James proved he’s a constant threat. The Gator defense, a question mark all of last season, forced six turnovers and led many to believe Charlie Strong has turned things around. Hawaii led in time of possession, only because the Gator offense continue to score at a rapid-fire face. Including interception and punt returns, the Gators had five scoring possessions under :38 seconds.
The Gators face University of Miami Hurricanes next weekend in Gainesville at 8 pm in front of what could be a record crowd. The Gators have not beaten their in-state rivals in nearly thirty years.
Football season is upon us and, once again, Urban Meyer and the Florida Gators field a team with national championship aspirations. While they’ll only admit to setting their sights on an SEC crown, a BCS bid would likely go hand in hand with that accomplishment.
Last year, only one year removed from winning the second national championship in school history, the Gators (9-4) had what, by their standards, could be considered a disappointing season. While featuring a quarterback who had arguably the most productive season in college football history, the Gators were still saddled with several weaknesses, including a porous and inexperienced secondary and an inconsistent rushing attack.
The 2008-9 season brings another year of promise to the Gainesville faithful as the Tim Tebow-led Florida Gators have as good a chance as anyone to bring home a conference and potentially national title.
Quarterbacks: Tim Tebow has become the poster boy for college football. After a record-setting season in which he became the first quarterback to both rush and throw for twenty touchdowns, Tebow is in position to become only the second player behind Ohio State’s Archie Griffin to win back-to-back Heisman trophies. Such a task will not be easy. Not only will he continue to have a target on his back, he likely will not have the carries he did last year. Nor will Coach Meyer want to keep him in harm’s way. With seemingly unlimited options in the backfield, Tebow will see decreased carries and likely an increase in pass attempts. Redshirt Freshman John Brantley are Cameron Newton continue to battle for the back-up role with Brantley leading the way ever so slightly. Neither should see serious playing time unless Tebow gets hurt or the Gators hold a considerable lead in any given contest.
Backfield: The Gator backfield may be as talented and as deep as it’s ever been. Florida features speed, speed and more speed. And with Meyer’s lack of tolerance for the fumble, he will look to platoon whoever can hold on to the football until deciding on a feature back. With Percy Harvin still recovering from an ankle injury, USC transfer Emmanuel Moody will likely get the bulk of the carries. However, with Kestahn Moore, Mon Williams, the lightning quick Chris Rainey and even Brandon James, Meyer and Tebow will have a full arsenal of weapons from which to choose. The question is not whether they’ll be able to score, but whether they’ll be able to control enough clock after consistently running past their opponents.
Receiving Corps: Florida was dealt a blow when they lost Cornelius Ingram to injury, but as is the case at most big play positions, Florida simply reloads. Aaron Hernandez and Tate Casey will catch the bulk of the passes from the tight end position and Louis Murphy is ready to step into the role as senior leader of the wide receivers. With an ailing Percy Harvin, Meyer will either have to get imaginative or hope that some of his youth will step up to contribute some big plays.
Offensive Line: The Gators stand 6’3” to 6’6” and weigh 310 lbs across the board. Phil Trautwein, Jason Watkins and Jim Tartt are all seniors and twin brothers Mike and Maurkice Pouncey shore up the rest of the line. Tim Tebow is tough enough to bring down as it is. With that amount of protection, he should have plenty of time to hit his wide open speedsters.
Defense: Much is expected out of sophomore defensive end Carlos Dunlap. He played like a man possessed in this spring’s Orange and Blue game, leading the team with four sacks. With the departure of Derrick Harvey, junior DE Jermaine Cunningham, Jr. will provide Florida with some well-needed experience. Similarly, junior linebackers Dustin Doe and Brandon Spikes will be forces to reckon with. Spikes led the Gators with 131 tackles in 2007. If there is any area in which the Gators need to improve, however, it is their secondary. The 2006-7 national championship defense set the bar high, which last year’s youth as of yet has failed to live up to. Even with another year under their belt, the secondary is still young. Wondy Pierre-Louis is the only junior. Sophomore Joe Haden shores up the other side of the field. Safety Major Wright proved to be a hard hitter last season but the coaching staff will still be looking for marked improvement. While the Gators finished first in the SEC in rushing defense last year, they ranked dead last in passing yards allowed per game. If the defense is at all able to convert turnovers into touchdowns, with their already potent offense, the Gators should be a serious title contender.
Special Teams: The multi-purpose Brandon James once again highlights the Florida special teams. The 5’7” James is a highlight reel waiting to happen and is a threat to put six on the board every time he touches the ball. Kicker Jonathan Phillips is now a senior and sophomore punter Chas Henry was money in the bank last year… that is when the Gators had to punt.
Schedule:
Aug 30 – Hawaii
Sep 6 – Miami
Sep 20 - @ Tennessee
Sep 27 – Ole Miss
Oct 4 – @ Arkansas
Oct 11 – LSU
Oct 25 – Kentucky (HC)
Nov 1 – Georgia (Jacksonville, FL)
Nov 8 - @ Vanderbilt
Nov 15 – South Carolina
Nov 22 – The Citadel
Nov 29 - @ Florida State
One familiar with Florida’s traditional schedule will notice a few glaring changes. In-state rival, the University of Miami, is back on the schedule. UF hasn’t beaten Miami since 1985 and will be looking to exact decades of revenge against a rebuilding Miami team.
Traditionally, Florida would schedule two cupcake teams before their conference opener against Tennessee. This year, they have a bye the week before that contest. They have additionally abandoned their October of doom, deciding to mix in a home game instead of a month of consecutive road games that usually resulted in at least one loss. Their conference road schedule is favorable, traveling only to Knoxville, Fayetteville and Nashville. The Florida/Georgia game is held in Jacksonville at a neutral site. As always, Florida finishes its season against the Seminoles.
Outlook: While no SEC schedule can be considered easy, the Gators’ is not overly intimidating. If they can escape a tough match-up in Knoxville, they shouldn’t be seriously tested until Georgia, assuming they can handle LSU in the Swamp. The Gator offense, which finished third in the nation in scoring last year with 42.5 points per game, should put up similar numbers, meaning their defense just needs to be functional. Even with number one ranked Georgia in their division, with this amount of talent, anything less than an appearance in Atlanta for the SEC Championship game, will considered a disappointment for this Florida team.
The following article will be published in the latest issue ofCampus Talk, a magazine distributed in Tampa, Orlando, Gainesville and Tallahassee. If you're a local, pick one up and increase their circulation. They also have lots of pictures of pretty girls for extra motivation.
While most college students would rather spend the remainder of summer avoiding the prospect of returning to class, they can at least take solace that while fall semester brings textbooks, exams and sleep-inducing lectures, it also brings about the most glorious time of year: college football season.
2008’s national title contenders will feature a number of familiar faces looking to punch their ticket to the BCS Championship game in Miami on January 8, 2009. Lining up for that opportunity will be several traditional powerhouses such as Ohio State, Georgia, Oklahoma, Florida and USC, while other programs such as Missouri, Kansas, Virginia Tech, LSU, Wisconsin, Auburn, Penn State, Oregon, Michigan, Tennessee, Texas, Clemson and BYU will not go down without a fight.
With each new season, college football becomes increasingly more competitive and entertaining. Smaller conference teams have shown they can play on the same field as the bigger schools, while the power conferences such as the PAC-10, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC continue to beat each other up all season long until only one conference champ is left standing. Last year, LSU became the first school to ever win a national title with more than one loss. Regardless of whether the BCS eventually decides to switch to a playoff system or keep their current format, with such stiff competition, a multiple-loss championship team may now be the norm rather than the exception.
As usual, key games highlight this year’s college schedule, with rarely a boring Saturday on the schedule. Many of these contests will have a direct effect on the national championship picture.
The season starts out in the very first week with NC State traveling to South Carolina, USC going to Virginia, Alabama facing Clemson and Tennessee going to UCLA. However, no early game will have quite the hype and anticipation of the September 13 match-up between Ohio State and USC. Go ahead and mark it on your calendar now. Both schools will likely be ranked in the top five and despite this being a non-conference game, the winner will be on the inside track to a BCS Championship. After that game, the Buckeyes will have to face conference rivals Wisconsin and Illinois on the road, as well as their traditional season-ending contest against Michigan. If Ohio State can make it through the Big Ten schedule relatively unscathed, they’ll have an excellent chance to play in their third consecutive championship game. They may just have the talent to do so. USC, for the first time in a long time, seemed somewhat vulnerable last year, losing to both Stanford and Oregon. Long gone are the days of Bush and Leinart. Even John David Booty has left for the NFL. But just because USC doesn’t have those familiar faces doesn’t mean they won’t compete at an extremely high level. Year after year, Coach Pete Carroll reloads his program with all-Americans at nearly every position. With such talent, it should come as no surprise that USC and Ohio State are the favorites to win their respective conferences.
Only one week after that mammoth contest, the bulk of conference play begins, with huge match-ups including LSU at Auburn and Florida at Tennessee. The winner of these games, as is the case every year, will become the front-runners in their respective divisions in the Southeastern Conference. After winning last year’s national championship, LSU will have a difficult time repeating with road games at Auburn, Florida, South Carolina and Arkansas. They also have Georgia on their schedule. Auburn travels to play Alabama at the end of the year, but most of their difficult conference games will be played at home, including games against Tennessee and Georgia. As usual, SEC teams will beat each other up all season long. As that conference remains one of the elite in college football from top to bottom, it is becoming increasingly rare for any team to walk away undefeated, or with even one loss.
Georgia is also another serious title contender. After destroying Hawaii in their bowl game last year, Georgia finished the nation ranked second. Since they return most of their talent, including Heisman candidates Knowshon Moreno and Matthew Stafford, they could finish this season higher than that. The only thing standing in their way of a return to glory is their schedule, easily one of the toughest in the nation. UGA plays at South Carolina, Arizona State, LSU and Auburn as well as hosting both Alabama and Tennessee. This year’s Florida-Georgia game could be one for the ages and should put that rivalry back on the map as one of the nation’s finest.
The Big 12 must be included in any national championship conversation. Oklahoma is loaded with talent, but the two surprise teams in the conference last year were Kansas and Missouri. While Kansas and Mizzou should battle for the Big 12 North title, Texas will do their best to keep Oklahoma honest in the South. The ACC also boasts national title contenders in Virginia Tech, Clemson and even a pesky Wake Forest team. And several Big East teams were major players last year, although Rutgers, Louisville and West Virginia all lost talent to the NFL.
Few other areas in the south have as many quality programs as the sunshine state. Florida, Florida State, UCF and USF all had bright points last season and should carry that success into 2008. The four schools all play in different divisions, and with a clean slate for 2008, all have a chance to be competitive, and possibly figure into the national championship landscape.
Florida Gators: Returning Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow has vowed to improve upon the Gators’ 2007 9-4 record, even though few of last year’s losses can be attributed to his performance. He will have a slew of offensive weapons at his disposal to keep that promise. Chris Rainey, Percy Harvin and USC transfer Emmanuel Moody will shore up the backfield, while Tebow will have targets to throw to in Louis Murphy and Cornelius Ingram. Florida’s inexperienced defense, particularly in the secondary, kept the 2007 Gators on the outside looking in at a conference championship. Even with another year under their belt, and an offense that promises to dazzle fans nationwide, the pre-season favorite in many polls still faces an uphill battle in their quest for an SEC crown. Florida welcomes in-state rival University of Miami back into the mix on Sept 6. Although the Gators should be favored going into this game, UF hasn’t beaten UM since the 1980s. After that, things don’t get any easier as conference play begins. Their road schedule, however, is favorable. The Gators travel to Tennessee, Arkansas and Vanderbilt while having the luxury of hosting Mississippi, LSU, Kentucky and South Carolina. The biggest game, not only in conference, but perhaps of the entire year, may be the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party in Jacksonville. Many have projected Florida and Georgia to be ranked #1 and #2 by late October. And while the Gators have owned the Bulldogs in recent years, one gets the impression that with their victory last year, Georgia is ready to turn the tide.
Florida State Seminoles: The garnet and gold remain a shell of their former selves. The program that struck fear into its opponents and dominated the 1990s has fallen upon hard times. Nobody would ever have expected the Seminoles to tally back-to-back 7-6 seasons. Years ago, such mediocrity would be unheard of, but now, in Tallahassee it’s the norm. The rest of the ACC have caught up with the joneses and Virginia Tech and Clemson should yield championship contenders. Fortunately for Bobby Bowden, both of these games will be hosted in the stadium that bears his name. The ‘Noles ACC road schedule includes game at Miami, North Carolina State, Georgia Tech and Maryland. Their schedule is favorable and lines up nicely for them to rebound from their recent woes. QB Drew Weatherford will no longer have to look over his shoulder at Xavier Lee, which may help his confidence, but Coach Bowden has two sophomore sensations, Christian Ponder and D’Vontrey Richardson, waiting in the wings if the senior can’t get the job done. Weatherford has the tools on offense in RB Antone Smith and an experienced wide receiving corps to keep the ball moving. Whether their defense can return to championship form, however, will determine whether we’ll be hearing a healthy tomahawk chop late in the season.
South Florida: The Bulls will be hard-pressed to equal the success they had last season, which was arguably the greatest in the history of the program. USF was ranked as high as number two nationally. Three consecutive mid-season losses, however, brought USF back to the middle of the pack of the Big East conference standings. They were also humiliated by Oregon in the Sun Bowl, outscored by five touchdowns. The Bulls return junior QB Matt Grothe who led last year’s team in both passing and rushing. Someone else in the backfield will have to relieve him of this offensive burden if the Bulls want to seriously contend for a conference title. The Bulls 2008 out-of-conference schedule features some respectable opponents in North Carolina State and UCF on the road and Kansas at home. The contest against the Jayhawks may serve as a litmus test for the rest of their season. Their conference road schedule is not any easier as they’ll have to travel to Louisville, Cincinnati and West Virginia. With many Big East teams losing key players to the NFL draft, the Bulls might be able to take advantage of their returning experience and finish atop the conference standings.
Central Florida: Like Jim Leavitt in Tampa, UCF head coach George O’Leary continues to build a strong program in a state traditionally dominated by Florida, Florida State and Miami football. Competing for athletes against the big three is no easy task, but O’Leary continues to bring in young talent. For the Knights to repeat as Conference USA champs, they’ll have to do so without the services of stud running back Kevin Smith, who left early for the NFL draft. Also departing was senior quarterback Kyle Israel, which means UCF will essentially be starting anew from the offensive end. Mike Greco or Joe Weatherford will likely compete for snaps as Israel’s replacement. Their defense which ranked near the top of the conference in most statistics may have to hold down the fort until the offense can get their feet wet. UCF has scheduled two difficult out-of conference road games against Big East opponents, Boston College and Miami. The conference road schedule includes games at UTEP, Tulsa, Marshall and Memphis while they host SMU, Memphis, Southern Miss and UAB.
Last year, history was made in college football. And Gainesville, Florida couldn’t be happier for it.
As the highly anticipated 2008 campaign approaches, much ado continues to surround Florida Gator sensation Tim Tebow. In 2007, Tebow became the only sophomore in college football history to win the Heisman Trophy. If his record-setting numbers on the field weren’t enough to secure him the award, his off-the-field character made him the overwhelming favorite. Florida’s golden boy has at least one, and likely two more years running Urban Meyer’s high-powered offense. And if Tebow’s performance to date isn’t enough to make NFL general managers salivate, another season similar to his last could conceivably have teams out of contention throwing games for a chance to select him with their top pick. Sports talk shows in Jacksonville, Tampa and Miami consistently discuss the possibility of drafting Tebow. Easy, fellas, he’s only a junior.
Most agree that Tebow’s bruising style does not bode well for a lengthy or successful professional career. In the NFL, opposing defenses are bigger, quicker and stronger. Safeties lick their chops at the chance to flatten a quarterback heading in their direction. Even though the NFL goes out of its way to protect its quarterbacks, Tebow’s game as it stands right now will at best lead to extended time on injured reserve and at worst, knock him out of the league. While the pros have featured their share of scrambling quarterbacks, Steve Young, Randall Cunningham and Donovan McNabb were never ones to run over defensive linemen.
Coming out of high school, many also questioned whether his game would succeed in the Southeastern Conference. Safe to say it has. His freshman campaign included several possessions where he scrambled to keep Florida drives alive, punishing would be tacklers along the way. Alongside Chris Leak, he played an integral role in their quest for a national championship. As a sophomore, Tebow’s rushing stats were gaudy, penetrating the end zone twenty-two times. Tebow is cut from a different cloth. In only two years, he has become the poster child for college football while nearly single-handedly putting Florida back on the map as title contenders. His future holds an unforeseeable ceiling, as long as he can remain healthy.
Meyer has confessed to over-using Tebow last year. Gator fans nationwide cringed as Urban would call Tebow’s number on short-yardage plays with leads late in the game. Last year, Tebow took a pounding, including a broken forearm against in-state rival Florida State. Tebow has never been one to slide tackle or avoid contact. In fact, he welcomes it. He runs head first into traffic with little regard for his health, or the health of those attempting to bring him down. So far, he’s gotten the better end of the deal.
2008 will be different. No one expects Meyer to use Tebow in that same fashion. Adjustments will assuredly be made. With the addition of USC transfer Emmanuel Moody, as well as speedsters like Chris Rainey and Percy Harvin in the backfield, Tebow’s rushing responsibilities should diminish significantly. While Tebow will still run the football, it’s highly unlikely his rushing numbers will equal those of last year.
His performance over the next two years will either solidify his position as the top draft pick or increase skepticism about his style of play. Florida’s fun and gun offense should yield flashy, aerial numbers to add to Tebow’s resume. National title contention will attract even more attention, if that’s possible. One thing for certain, Tebow is Meyer’s boy. Coach Meyer will do whatever it takes to ensure his success at the next level. Modifying Tebow’s game and winning at Florida are not mutually exclusive. So in that sense, he’s a project. A more pass-happy Tim Tebow, mixed in with the occasional power rush, can still translate into success in the Swamp, and a less battered Timmy.
If Tebow keeps Florida in contention for another national title while remaining at Florida, and is once again invited to the Heisman ceremony, one would be hard-pressed to find a general manager in the league who wouldn’t take a chance on Tebow with their top pick, even if they have no immediate need for a quarterback. While a Heisman trophy does not necessarily translate into success at the next level (insert Eric Crouch, Troy Smith, Danny Wuerffel or Gino Torretta reference here), none of those players won the award as a sophomore.
He’s sturdy, he’s smart, he’s charismatic. He has the potential to become the face of most NFL franchises, and that sells. While Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart dropped to tenth in the 2006 draft, it is as likely that Tebow falls that far as it is to find pictures of him doing beer bongs on the internet. If the Atlanta Falcons are willing to mortgage their future on Matt Ryan, continued success for Tebow might mean he’d be able to name his own price, barring any immediate NFL rookie salary cap.
Tebow’s success as an NFL quarterback is still speculation, although after only one full year at Florida, he has shown arm strength, leadership skills and unlimited potential. And while he might never become the next Dan Marino or Joe Montana, one gets the impression he’ll be just fine calling plays and winning games at the next level.
April in Gainesville, Florida means three things: beautiful weather, co-eds in sundresses and spring football. With a relatively forgettable college basketball campaign distancing itself from view, Gator fans now turn their attention to football with the promise of a return to greatness.
Sunday, the Swamp hosted its annual Orange-and-Blue game as seen nationally on ESPN. Over 60,000 fans, including yours truly, piled into Ben Hill Griffin Stadium to see what Urban Meyer and his highly touted recruits would showcase in the way of talent. Fans did not leave disappointed.
Prior to the game, Coach Meyer pitted his fastest athletes against their fellow students and offered a tryout opportunity to anyone who could outpace them. When sophomore tailback Chris Rainey clocked a 4.24 forty-yard dash, participants soon discovered why they weren’t the ones offered a football scholarship. Rumor has it that one Ohio State fan phoned another and jealously asked “Did you see that kid Rainey?”
Although quarterback Tim Tebow was bed-ridden with a stomach virus and fever the night before, Superman still donned his cape and led his Blue team to victory, 28-14, passing for 200 yards in 13 of 21 attempts. Tebow has never lost a spring game. He only carried the ball four times. While this may have been partially due to his recent illness, Meyer has vowed the 2008 Gators would feature much less of Tebow’s ground attack. With incoming quarterback John Brantley injured, Cam Newton led the orange team in a loss. While Newton looked impressive in spurts, Brantley is expected to challenge him for the back up QB position.
After smoking fellow students in the pre-game festivities, Chris Rainey carried that speed onto the field, rushing for 75 yards and gaining another 65 on a touchdown reception from Tebow. Meyer expects Rainey to play a major role in Florida’s offense next season. With Percy Harvin out until late summer with a heel injury, Rainey, Brandon James, Mon Williams, Kestahn Moore and USC transfer Emmanuel Moody are all competing for carries. And despite Moody’s 111 yards on 14 carries, the one play coaches remember is his fumble in the end zone. Coach Meyer’s post-game criticisms of Moody were direct, stating simply that Moody would not play in the fall if he continued to put the ball on the ground. With that assortment of tailback talent, Meyer should be able to pick and choose his weapons. Moody should get looks as long as he can become more comfortable in Urban’s schemes.
With the departure of Dallas Baker two years ago and Andre Caldwell last year, the Gators will look to Riley Cooper and TE Aaron Hernandez for receptions, however with Meyer’s spread offense, catches can come from just about anywhere.
The defensive line looked strong, led by Carlos Dunlap’s four sacks, an orange-and-blue game record. Lorenzo Edwards also intercepted a Tebow pass and ran it back fifty yards for a touchdown. Both Dunlap and Edwards are freshmen. The Gators still have some questions in their secondary, but anything would be an improvement from last season.
The Bright Side: It’s doubtful that any defense will be able to shut down the multi-talentedGator attack. Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow should be in full form and understands that 9-4 does not live up to his standards, or Gator Nation’s. Florida’s schedule sets up favorably for a successful season with the most difficult contests coming in Knoxville, in Fayetteville, at home to LSU, in Jacksonville against Georgia and in Tallahassee against Florida State. The Florida-Georgia game will once again mean something this year and could very well pit two top five teams against one another in this rivalry for the first time in decades. The Gators will feature a deadly combination of speed and power as Urban Meyer continues to reload with top notch recruits at all positions.
The Concerns: Despite their high-octane offense, the Gator D was porous last year. The defensive line and secondary are talented, but young and relatively inexperienced. The secondary will need to return the defense to its expected form or opponents will continue to pass over the top of them as they did last year. On offense, the Gators still do not feature a pound-the-ball type running back. And although Harvin is expected to return from heel surgery by July or August, only time will tell if he can be the multi-purpose threat he’s been his freshman and sophomore seasons. The Gators also lack experience at the wide receiver position.
Prediction: 10-2, which should be good enough to get them a BCS bid. I fear Mark Richt and Georgia may have finally figured out how to put their Gator woes behind them. It’s been a long time since Gator fans have feared that game, but with Georgia likely ranked pre-season top three, whoever wins that contest will have not only a stranglehold on the Southeastern Conference, but also a shot at a national title. Tennessee is also always an X-factor in the difficult SEC Eastern Division. Although the schedule is favorable, Florida could easily drop another unsuspecting game, such as on the road at Tallahassee, which could potentially be Bobby Bowden’s last game ever.
The good news for Gator fans everywhere is that they may have uncovered the next great Gator Heisman trophy winner.
Please recognize this as a plea from a dedicated fan with a critical eye. You’ve spoiled us, Coach. We here at Gator Nation now expect excellence. While we understand that living up to the expectations of the magical last two seasons is probably a touch unfair, your actions this season indicate you too consider this recent campaign a disappointment.
That being said, it’s time to look to the immediate future. While talented, this young team has some glaring issues the coaching staff must address in the off-season to get the program back on track. I’m sure this is nothing new to you, but if it helps, here’s where I see the problems:
Backcourt (Offense): Coach, bottom line is this. No top tier college basketball program in this day and age can compete with two starting guards measuring under six-feet. The media guide generously lists Jai Lucas at 5’11, 185. I think we both know both those figures are tainted. Not only is he not 5’11, but he plays smaller than that. Lucas was a top recruit coming out of high school. He lit it up in Texas. Like his predecessor, Taurean Green, he comes from the NBA family tree. Yet Jai still seemed timid when it came to scoring this season. The lack of a perimeter made it much more difficult on this young team to present a consistent offensive attack. Joakim Noah and Al Horford were dominant in the post the last two seasons, yet much of their success was predicated on opponents having to respect the outside game of Green and Lee Humphrey. If Lucas, or another guard cannot post a consistent offensive threat on the perimeter, the Gators are too easy to shut down. The combination of Lucas-Hodge failed offensively. While Hodge was steady long range from the corner, this year’s team had no consistent outside jump shooters to keep opposing defenses honest.
