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 sunshine state has long been a hotbed for college football. With an abundance of high school talent leaving for college every year, Florida schools have their pick of the litter of some of the nation’s best athletes. For as long as anyone can remember, at least one of the big three (Florida, Florida State and Miami) has been a factor in the national championship picture. In the past ten years, all three of these schools have won national titles: Florida State in 1999, Miami in 2001 and Florida in 2006. During that same time period, however, these three schools have traversed dramatically different paths to arrive at their current circumstance. Furthermore, in a state where most believed that no other schools could compete in either recruiting or ranking, the Universities of Central and South Florida have both become presences in their own right.
Flash back to 1998, if you will. Florida State was about to embark on the greatest season in the school’s history. In 1999, Bobby Bowden coached his Seminoles to an undefeated season and an ultimate victory over the Michael Vick-led Virginia Tech Hokies. Steve Spurrier was still coaching at Florida, but after winning a national championship only several years prior, the Ol’ Ball Coach seemed to have lost his edge on the Swamp’s sidelines. The Washington Redskins would soon come calling. Miami, under Butch Davis, was just starting to recover from athletic sanctions suffered by the Dennis Erickson regime. Larry Coker would take over in 2001, leading Miami to a perfect 12-0. Coker took them back to the championship game in 2003, only to lose to in overtime to Ohio State. At Central Florida, Mike Kruczek took over as head coach for a program that had only joined Division 1-A a few years earlier. Similarly, South Florida’s fledgling football program had only begun in 1997 under the tutelage of a young Jim Leavitt.
In 2008, it is safe to say the script has been flipped for all five programs. Florida State is far from the powerhouse it was in the 1990s. A team that once dominated the Atlantic Coast Conference, winning its first nine, consecutive conference titles, has not won an ACC crown since 2005. The school continues to have off-the-field problems with its student athletes. Their traditional dominance over Florida has also waned, having dropped four straight meetings. All this has some Seminole faithful questioning whether Bobby Bowden should finally hand over the reins to his successor. The Gators, on the other hand, are in fine shape. After going 23-14 and winless in a bowl in three years under Ron Zook, the Florida faithful became impatient. Zook, ever the master recruiter, left the cupboard loaded with talent and when Florida signed Urban Meyer from Utah in 2004, Meyer led that talent to the mountaintop. Florida is still right where it wants to be, consistently competing alongside the top programs in the nation. For the second time in three years, Florida is poised to contend for a national title. Miami joined the ACC in 2004, but has yet to win a conference title in that time. Miami is currently rebuilding under young head coach Randy Shannon. Last year, for the first time in ten years, Miami failed to reached a bowl game Although they have faced some difficulties recently, they appear to be headed in the right direction with Shannon, but rest assured ‘Canes fans won’t settle for too many more sub-.500 seasons. Just making a bowl is not good enough for the University of Miami. Since joining Conference USA in 2005, Central Florida has already won two titles. In 2007, South Florida was the highest ranked Florida school, climbing as high as #2 in the nation. These two schools are starting to develop a healthy in-state rivalry. While obviously not holding the same firepower or hype as when two of the big three meet, there is still plenty of talent on the field. Both UCF and USF have proven they can play with any school in the nation. Miami may find that out this season as they host Central Florida on October 11.
For four of the five schools, the future is bright. Florida continues to scour the nation for top talent. Nobody would be surprised is Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow leads the Gators to another title. Miami will have its hands full in the ACC, but should ultimately return to competitiveness under Shannon. That will be no easy task as long as Clemson and Virginia Tech continue to field national championship contenders. UCF and USF will continue their ascent to prominence. However, Florida State may face more difficult times before any return to glory. Bobby Bowden can obviously write his own ticket coaching in the stadium that bears his name. Offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher has been tagged as his successor, but Bowden has set no definite timetable for his retirement. Extended mediocrity for this program might warrant an exit sooner rather than later. Nobody expects him to coach all that much longer, however repeated losses to Florida combined with Joe Paterno continuing to chalk up wins on the sidelines rivaling Bowden’s all-time wins might just extend his time on the sidelines. One thing for sure, once considered one of the most intriguing match-ups of the calendar year, the Florida State-Miami rivalry has been relegated to just another regular season game.
The state of Florida remains a football factory. While the Florida Gators are clearly in the best shape of the five schools, Urban Meyer knows he can not rest on his laurels. Miami is back on their regular schedule renewing the rivalry and the Gators haven’t beaten them in over twenty years. It should be some time, however, before either Miami, or Florida State, contend for a national title. USF, on the other hand, playing in the Big East, could conceivably affect the national championship picture as ridiculous as that sounds. After all, before losing to Pittsburgh, West Virginia was poised to play for a national championship. Their only loss last season prior to that game was to South Florida. UCF should also not be an afterthought. Last year’s squad won at North Carolina State and nearly beat Texas as George O’Leary continues to yield competitive teams. A big non-conference win, for example against Miami this year, will put UCF on the map.
The past decade proves just how fickle a game college football is. It is difficult to imagine a world where Miami and Florida State do not play a major role in the national championship picture, yet that is how things stand. UCF, while competitive might never figure into that equation. College football’s bias towards major conference teams bears that out. Despite a great season last year, USF would have to run the table to even be considered for a national championship bid. Then again, nobody thought the Tampa Bay Rays would ever compete in the American League East either. Florida remains the state’s only legitimate powerhouse, although stay tuned. Who knows what the next ten years might hold.
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.
I mean, tell me this isn’t a screenplay in the making. A young man who began coaching high school football in small town, Ohio (do all college coaches come from Ohio?) climbs his way to the big time to be scorned by one big time college football program, only to have the last laugh.
Bob Marley once sang “We forward in this generation triumphantly. Wont you help to sing these songs of freedom? ‘Cause all I ever have: Redemption songs.”
This song should echo loudly in the Illini locker room tonight.
Yes, in 2007, the year of the upset, Ron Zook, master motivator and head coach of the University of Illinois, led his team to an unprecedented upset over the Ohio State Buckeyes, IN COLUMBUS, all but ending any scarlet and gray hopes at a repeat visit to the national championship game. First Meyer, then Zook? Do you think the Bucks have had enough of Coach Zook’s recruits?
A reminder to all those who don’t know. Ron Zook was run out of Gainesville after three ‘unsuccessful’ seasons at the University of Florida. Think they’re happy to have him in Champaign?
Late in the game, up by seven and deep in their own territory, Coach Zook, after receiving confirmation from his sophomore quarterback, Juice Williams, that he would get the first down, believed in his player and elected to go for it on fourth and inches. After a decision that’s destined to live on in Illini folklore, the Illini got that yardage and never looked back. Congratulations to the Zooker all the way from Gainesville.
We’ll never know if Zook could have led the Gators to last year’s national championship, just as we’ll never know if Tony Dungy would have led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to their Super Bowl victory after John Gruden took over. One thing, however, is for sure. The University of Illinois is officially a force to be reckoned with in the Big Ten Conference. And apparently they’re led by a pretty good coach.
In our latest episode of He Said/She Said, Bluegrass and I have decided to put our allegiances aside and play a little role reversal. Kinky! Coming October 20, my beloved Florida Gators face off against traditional SEC East cellar dweller, the Kentucky Wildcats. For this week’s (challenging) assignment, Bluegrass and I have chosen to make a point that the OPPOSING team will come out with a victory. This should be fun, don’t ya’ think?
Not so long ago in a galaxy called the Southeastern Conference, a team clad in orange and blue consistently dominated the inferior teams in its own division. Every so often, a team would sneak up and surprise the team known as the Florida Gators, but over the past two decades, their division record speaks for itself. Florida has won sixteen straight over Vanderbilt. They have won 15 of their last 17 over Georgia. They’ve won 12 of their last 18 against Tennessee. The Gators are 14-1 in their last 15 games against South Carolina. But no SEC East team has bore the brunt of more brutal and humiliating losses than the Kentucky Wildcats. The Florida Gators are currently winners of twenty consecutive games over Big Blue, whose last win over Florida came in 1986, before Emmitt Smith even enrolled in school. Since that period, Florida has beaten Kentucky by scores of 47-15, 73-7, 42-7, 65-0, 55-28, 51-35, 38-10, 59-31, 44-10 and 49-28.
That may all change this year. The Kentucky Wildcats are currently 4-0 and ranked for the first time in 22 years. The school has had four impressive victories so far this season, including two over ranked Arkansas and Louisville. Kentucky’s high-octane offense, led by senior quarterback Andre’ Woodson, has scored no less than 40 points in a game this season.
Beginning in October, Kentucky will get into the heart of its SEC schedule. But don’t fool yourself for one second if you don’t think they have one game earmarked over than any other: the October 20, home match-up against Florida. Prior to that game, the Wildcats will face a difficult stretch, which includes traveling to Columbia to face South Carolina, as well as hosting the #2 LSU Tigers. By the time they host the Gators, however, they’ll be battle-tested, and although a loss to LSU won’t matter as much, victories over both USC and Florida could give Kentucky a strange-hold on the SEC East, resulting in their first possible SEC Championship Game berth. Prior to this year, Kentucky fans were not even aware there was a conference championship game. Rest assured they have their sights set on that goal this year.
While the defending national champions are still undefeated and have looked impressive under the leadership of freshman quarterback Tim Tebow, they are still far from perfect. The Gators are second in the nation in penalties and third in the nation in penalty yards. After giving up two late touchdowns to Ole Miss, their inexperienced secondary is still loaded with question marks. Florida allows over 250 yards/game through the air which ranks 80th in the nation. Their tackling is also suspect.
Despite Tim Tebow’s Heisman-like start, Woodson’s numbers are actually quite similar. Both have already thrown for over 1,000 yards. Both have completed around 65% of their passes. Both have thrown over ten touchdowns with few, if any, interceptions. And most importantly, both have, to date, led their teams to undefeated conference play. Sure, Tebow’s rushing statistics are considerably more impressive, but Woodson has yet to make any mistakes to cost his team. On the contrary, he has the Bluegrass State thinking about something other than basketball.
While Kentucky’s defense is also suspect, their offense boasts a balanced attack. Rafael Little has rushed for over 100 yards in three of his first four games and is averaging over seven yards per carry. Through the air, six different receivers have caught balls for touchdowns. Keenan Burton, Steve Johnson, and Dicky Lyons have each caught touchdown passes of over fifty yards. Of the aforementioned five players, only Lyons is a junior. The rest (Woodson, Little, Burton, Johnson) are all seniors.
If there were ever a year for the Wildcats to knock off the hated Florida Gators, this is the year. This Kentucky team is the best in recent memory. The game is in Lexington. The Wildcats have the edge in experience and home field. The Gators have shown they’re susceptible to road losses under Urban Meyer, i.e., South Carolina in 2005, Auburn in 2006. More than anything, the Wildcats are due! A well-coached and motivated Kentucky team could very likely sneak up and do what nobody in a Wildcat football uniform has done in twenty years… tear down the goalposts in Lexington after defeating the Florida Gators.
Saturday, in front of a crowd of nearly 70,000 delighted fans, the University of Florida celebrated its national championship and honored its football team and coaching staff. For those of you Gator fans nationwide, and pete_nice, who were unable to attend, I thought I’d share some photos from the gala.
As the orange and blue clad throng filed into the stadium by the hundreds, they were treated to a replay of the title game in which the Ohio State Buckeyes were dismantled, putting an end to their undefeated season.
Since midnight last Monday, Gainesville has been much like New York City in “Ghostbusters II” after the metropolis is doused with the feelgood goo that makes everyone want to love and hug each other. It’s like the town has taken one big hit of ecstasy… or so I’ve been told.
The grass on the field inside the stadium was pristine and untouched, much like Chris Leak’s jersey after the championship game. After hours of anticipation paralleled by most home games, local sports personalities eventually introduced the team as they ran onto the field at noon wearing white jerseys and black warm-up pants.
Urban Meyer then took the stage and honored his coaches and seniors.
Highlights of the season were displayed on the big screens with fans going particularly crazy over the Jarvis Moss blocked field goal attempt against South Carolina and Earl Everett, the “helmet-less assassin” chasing down Troy Smith. When Reggie Nelson was asked about that defining play, he responded by saying “When I saw Earl running around without his helmet, I knew it was on.”
Fans chanted ‘One More Year!” every time underclassmen Brandon Siler or Reggie Nelson took the microphone. The championship emblem was then unveiled as fans roared.
Then came the grand finale. Chris Leak has long lived in the shadow of Gator favorite Danny Wuerffel. In a nice touch, Wuerffel took the stage and symbolically passed the baton to Leak, the only other Florida quarterback to lead his team to a national title. Wuerffel also invited Timmy Tebow to join that elusive club.
So folks, enjoy the pictures and for Gator fans everywhere, congratulations on your championships!
“They will have to play a great game on defense tonight to have a chance to beat the Buckeyes”
- Barry Alvarez in his pre-game commentary
Rather than rehash last night’s Championship Game with a thorough account of the drubbing, I thought I’d go easy on our friends in the mid-west, rather than make them relive the nightmare. However, here are a few random thoughts on the ballgame, (I'd post a few photos from the post-game pandemonium in Gainesville if I could figure out how to work this thing).
