#5 Florida Gators Preview
Brock Murphy |Aug 26,2008
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 #5 Florida Gators Preview
FLORIDA GATORS
HEAD COACH-Urban Meyer
2007 Record-9-4 (5-3 SEC)
2007 REVIEW
The offseason featured an intense focus on the expected performance of quarterback Tim Tebow, who was moving from situational star in 2006 to "the guy" with the burden of carrying entire game plans as the team's starter. Thirteen games later, he had accounted for 55 touchdowns (32 passing; 23 rushing) and became the first sophomore player to ever win the Heisman Trophy. A defense that was decimated by graduation featured just a few starters from the 2006 defense and the result was that Florida lost four games despite the offense scoring over 42 points per game (42.46; 3rd, nationally) under Tebow's leadership. The Gators warmed up with wins over Western Kentucky and Troy before claiming conference wins over Tennessee and Ole Miss. They entered the Auburn game with mountains of momentum and looked ready to annihilate a Tiger team that could not find any solutions on offense. Amazingly, Auburn pulled out the win on a last-second field goal (17-20). The next week, the Gators nearly pulled off a road-win at LSU but had no answer for the Tigers' ground game (247 yards; three scores). Two weeks later, Florida dropped the World's Largest Cocktail Party to Georgia by a dozen points (42-30) after narrowing the score to 35-30 midway through the final quarter on a Tebow scramble. The Gators put together a four-game winning steak from there (including a 45-12 drubbing of Florida State at the end of the regular season). A veteran Michigan team playing its curtain call performance for their departing head coach, Lloyd Carr, was more than Florida could handle in the 2008 Capital One Bowl as the Wolverines managed two field goals and a touchdown by Percy Harvin in the final quarter to edge Florida 41-35. Florida fans do not welcome four-loss seasons but it was not a bad result for a season which could only be labeled a "project" for the rebuilt defense.
TEAM MVP
Quarterback, Tim Tebow (6-3, 235; Jr.). What else can you call the reigning Heisman Trophy winner? Truly, as Tebow goes, so goes Florida's offense this season.
OFFENSE
Quarterback
Tebow returns to lead the Gator attack after a season in which he threw for more than 3,200 yards (3,286), 32 touchdowns and only six interceptions while leading his team in rushing (895 yards; 23 touchdowns). Exactly no SEC running back - not Bo Jackson, not Herschel Walker, not George Rogers, not Shaun Alexander - has ever run for more than 22 touchdowns in a season. Lest the passing yards and touchdown/interception ratio do not speak for themselves, the fact is that only Oklahoma's Sam Bradford had a more "efficient" season than Tebow according to NCAA statistics.
Sophomore Cameron Newton (6-5, 246) wrestled with John Brantley (6-3, 205; RFr.) this spring to become the primary back-up and will renew their competition this fall. The staff is looking for ways to reduce Tebow's exposure to injury in 2008 and one solution the staff may turn to will be for mini-packages to be installed to take advantage of Newton or Brantley's skills in a way similar to how Tebow was used as a true freshman.
Running Back
While it is cause for praise for Tebow, the fact that the quarterback was this unit's leading rusher last season says little for Florida's running back corps. However, the fact that Tebow had 210 rushes highlights the Russian Roulette game Florida played last season with their most valuable commodity (while he gutted it out, Tebow did suffer shoulder and hand injuries last season).
Percy Harvin (5-11, 195; Jr.) is the player most often cited as Florida's top running back and he is electrifying when healthy (764 yards; six touchdowns in '07). The problem is that he seems to be seldom healthy. Even as fall practices have begun, Harvin's heel injury seems to be flaring up and he missed large chunks of activity while spending quality time with UF's team of athletic trainers.
Emmanuel Moody (6-0, 210; So.) transferred to Florida from a crowded USC backfield but struggled in the spring to grasp Meyer's offense. It is too early to tell this fall whether summer work settled him into the system but his athleticism appears most likely to result in a reduction in Tebow's carries for 2008.
Chris Rainey (5-9, 185; RFr) is a dark-horse. A true speedster, he topped 100-yards in the spring game and has generally avoided Meyer's doghouse in his short career.
Kestahn Moore (5-10, 212; Sr.) started last season but had a problem with ball-security. The bulkiest of the tailback candidates, Moore was listed as the starter when spring camp broke and is certainly going to get some touches in 2008.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
Testament to Harvin's versatility is the fact that he posted the most receptions in 2007 (59-858; four touchdowns). His 14.5 yard per catch average reveals his big-play potential and, so long as he is healthy, Harvin will figure prominently in 2008 game-plans.
Interestingly, the staff may use teammate Rainey in a dual-threat way, a la Harvin, in 2008. While Rainey may not line up at wideout as often as Harvin, there will be plenty of plays where Rainey's presence in the huddle becomes confounding for defensive coaches trying to identify the personnel grouping that will line up on the ensuing play (consider: do you count Rainey and Harvin as receivers or running backs) - matters which are fundamental in determining such matters as whether a nickel or dime package should be on the field. Making the wrong decision on those huddle counts will likely result in a linebacker (or cover-challenged safety) matching-up in coverage if Harvin, Rainey, or both, line up as a receiver.
Harvin, Rainey and their colleagues give Florida reason for optimism despite the fact their all-time leading receiver, Andre Caldwell, has graduated. For his career, Caldwell had 185 catches, 2,349 yards and 16 scores.
Louis Murphy (6-3, 205) may be one of the more underrated talents in the SEC. A former track-star, it is rumored he ran a sub-4.3 40 this spring. Regardless, he was the team's third-leading receiver in 2007 with 590 yards and six scores off of only 39 catches. A senior, he brings football smarts, speed and a tall frame to Florida's pattern-tree and is a good bet to improve on last year's numbers.
JUCO-transfer Carl Moore (6-4, 223) arrived in time to participate in spring practice. However, much like Moore at tailback, Moore's spring performance was underwhelming and could be a function of absorbing Meyer's playbook. Moore clearly brings great size to the field but has some work to do to register an impact this season.
Offensive Line
Graduation claimed a couple of starters off of the Gators' 2007 line and injuries claimed valuable spring snaps from a couple of returning starters. Jim Tartt (6-3, 312; Sr.) has battled ankle and shoulder ailments throughout his time in Gainesville and the shoulder kept him out of spring action. He is expected to return this fall to claim his 30th career start; likely, at left guard.
Tackle Phil Trautwein (6-6, 310; Sr.) was expected to vie for All-American accolades in 2007 but a preseason stress fracture in his right foot forced him to miss the season. He is supposed to be healthy this fall and would be a much-welcomed addition to the line's left flank. Trautwein earned praise from coaches and teammates for his commitment last season to learning the system, improving his conditioning and leading younger players. He should be an improved version of the 2006 model that earned second-team All-SEC honors.
As a true freshman, Maurkice Pouncey (6-5, 312; So.) played in every game for the Gators last year and even claimed eleven starts. Most of his action was at right guard but he did receive some snaps at center, which is important because the team will rely on him to anchor this year's line in the middle.
Maurkice's twin brother, Michael, will make sure a "Pouncey" remains at right guard as he is projected to start at his brother's old position. Mike was moved from offensive guard to defensive tackle and was praised for his production but a staggering lack of line-depth this spring forced the return to offense which means the two brothers will be side-by-side this fall.
Jason Watkins (6-6, 310; Sr.) was switched from right to left tackle to fill in for Trautwein last season and, with Trautwein's return, Watkins will move back to the right side. He is expected to start but must earn the spot while being pushed by youngster, Marcus Gilbert (6-6, 308; So.). Gilbert played in every game last season and earned one start (against Florida Atlantic) at right guard. He may be too talented to keep off of the field in 2008.
DEFENSE
Defensive Line
This unit is relatively inexperienced and under the new leadership of former Iowa State head coach and defensive-line guru, Dan McCarney. Under McCarney's leadership, the lowly Cyclones won few games but earned opposing offenses' respect for the miserly manner in which they gave up rushing yards. He is a no-nonsense coach who folded the tents on spring with the surprising declaration that there were no starters heading into summer.
The Gators finished in the middle of the pack in sacks last year and their leading sack-man, Derrick Harvey (8.5) is off to the NFL this season. Two talented athletes are projected to man the perimeter of the Gators' line this season - Jermaine Cunningham (6-3, 250; Jr.) and Carlos Dunlap (6-6, 290; So.). Cunningham produced 11 tackles for a loss and five and a half sacks last year while Dunlap, a massive freak of a man, collected one sack in limited action.
At tackle, the Gators hope for the healthy return of senior Javier Estopinan (6-2, 290), who suffered a knee injury that was severe enough as to require reconstructive surgery. Estopinan brings senior wisdom to a young line. His nine career starts form nearly half of the total earned by the projected group of starters. If he is unable to make a substantial contribution to the line, the group that takes the field will be woefully young and green.
True freshman Matt Patchan (6-6, 270) enrolled early and made a substantial impact in the spring. He was shot in the shoulder as a bystander in an apparent drive-by shooting this off-season and appears healthy and ready to go for 2008.
Both Estopian and Patchan have participated in early fall drills. However, thus far, neither has been able to take the level of their action to the final level by participating in 11-on-11 drills.
JUCO-transfer Troy Epps (6-1, 292; Jr.) enrolled early and was often on the receiving end of McCarney's wrath. Of course, McCarney wouldn't have yelled if he didn't care and the tone has become more appreciative as two-a-days have begun. Epps appears more and more likely to garner his first start when the Gators take the field for their opener against a Colt Brennan-less (and June Jones-less) Hawaii.
Sophomores Justin Trattou (6-3, 265) and Duke Lemmons (6-4, 260) could become part of the eight to ten player rotation that McCarney fields this season. Lemmons played in eleven games last year at both end and tackle and, interestingly, has lined up bracketed by Trattou and Dunlap as the three-man line in nickel packages in early fall practices.
Linebackers
Brandon Spikes (6-3, 245; Jr.) will man the middle after collecting 131 tackles in 2007 (2nd in the SEC). The pre-season All-American candidate is the undisputed leader of the defense and will be a headache for most offensive coordinators this fall (unless the young line fails to keep linemen out of his ear).
Meyer found Spikes' 2007 performance inspiring but saw room for improvement in Spikes' supervision of the system on each play. Spikes' worked on the mental approach to the game and has already produced unexpected plays in pass coverage during two-a-days.
Manning the weak side, Dustin Doe (6-0, 211; Jr.) finishes second on the team in tackles with 85 while sophomore A.J. Jones (6-1, 225) picked up 36 tackles in nine starts on the strong side.
Sophomore Lorenzo Edwards (6-2, 232) is a former safety who used the tip-drill to perfection to return a tipped Tebow pass 50-yards for a score in the spring game. His coverage background is an obvious asset and will help him see the field plenty in 2008.
Secondary
The Gators finished a surprising 98th, nationally, in pass-defense (258.54 ypg). The pedestrian sack numbers suggest little push was made up front to ease the burden on the backfield but the final numbers sure did not help the unit build pride. Worse, the numbers help explain why offenses converted on more than four out of every ten third-downs against the Gators in 2007.
The cornerbacks are thin on experience. Joe Haden (5-11, 185) had a fantastic freshman campaign finishing fifth in the SEC with a dozen broken-up passes in a dozen starts. He will man one spot this year and will likely line up opposite of Wondy Pierre-Lewis (6-1, 185; Jr.). Pierre-Lewis started every game last season and collected 30 tackles and two picks.
Tony Joiner graduated after tallying 64 tackles, four broken-up passes and two interceptions. His strong safety spot was expected to be filled by Dorian Munroe but Munroe tore his ACL in July - the same week senior safety John Curtis tore his own ACL. Their loss means that Florida may have no choice but to turn to another true freshman, the highly-regarded Will Hill (6-1, 203), for immediate relief. Ahmad Black (5-9, 190; So.) saw spot action at safety last season and will be Hill's main competition for the starting spot against Hawaii.
Major Wright (6-0, 200; So.) is the projected starter at free safety though Meyer was clear this off-season that he must improve his ability to keep the middle of the Gator defense strong. Wright was yet another true freshman who made an immediate impact for Florida last season. He played in every game and started seven from which he finished third in tackles (67) and forced an impressive four fumbles. Jamar Hornsby was expected to provide depth behind Wright but was dismissed from the team following a felony charge this summer.
Special Teams
Only Utah State's Kevin Robinson averaged more yards per punt return last year than the 18.14 produced by Florida's Brandon James. James is back and will also be the Gators' feature kickoff returner. Punters post interesting stats on teams with potent offenses. On paper, Chas Henry (6-4, 215; So.). Of his 37 punts last year, 14 finished inside the opponent's 20-yard-line while more than half (19) ended up as a fair catch. Only five of his punts were returned on the season (producing a mere 22 return-yards). Incoming freshman Caleb Sturgis hit a 55-yarder in high school and beat that mark by two yards in the spring game. He will likely handle kicking duties for 2008.
2008 Outlook
Florida's offense should once again roll under the leadership of last year's Heisman Trophy winner. The question will be whether the defense can stiffen up to let the Gators claim double-digit wins this season. Nonconference games against Miami (at home) and Florida State (in Tallahassee) are substantial, if only for the in-state intensity they produce. A road game to Kentucky and a home stand against LSU are obvious obstacles. However, the game of the year this season could take place in Jacksonville, Florida, as the Gators take on Georgia on November 1st. The thin defensive line creates an obvious area of concern as does the woeful lack of depth at safety. Still, the offense is powerful enough to score a lot of points and it is possible that Florida could find itself in the BCS Championship game for the second time in three years.
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