SB Nation - Janoris Jenkins

Alligator Army All-Decade Team: Cornerbacks

mlmintampa — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 20:15:09 -0000

While this list contains Joe Haden and Keiwan Ratliff, it is not nearly as deep as the safety positions.

Keiwan Ratliff (2000-03): Keeeeeeeeeeeeeewan! 2003 First Team AP, Walter Camp, Football Writers, Sporting News All-American. 2003 AP SEC Defensive Player of The Year. 2002 and 2003 First Team AP All-SEC. 133 total tackles, 17 passes defended, 12 interceptions. 4 catches for 58 yards and a touchdown in 2002. 860 punt return yards.

Reggie Lewis (2003-06): After spending his first two seasons at Florida as a receiver, Lewis moved to corner. 38 total tackles, 17 passes defended, 5 interceptions.

Ryan Smith (2006): Next to Dan Mullen and the Spread, this was the best thing Urban Meyer brought from Utah. He played only one season, thanks to the NCAA rule of earning a year of eligibility for grad school. 2006 Second Team AP All-American. 2006 First Team AP All-SEC. Stats at Florida: 54 total tackles, 16 passes defended, 8 interceptions.

Joe Haden (2007-09): 2009 First Team AP, Football Writers, Sporting News All-American. 2009 Sporting News SEC Defensive MVP. 2009 First Team AP, Coaches All-SEC. 182 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 33 passes defended, 8 interceptions.

Janoris Jenkins (2008-09): 2008 Football Writers, Sporting News Freshman All-American. 63.5 total tackles, 16 passes defended, 5 interceptions.

Alabama & Florida Common Opponents: Conclusion

Year2 — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 19:46:09 -0000

As a part of SEC Championship Game week, we've been taking a look at Alabama's and Florida's common opponents in alphabetical order. Here are the posts for each: Arkansas, FIU, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi State, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

It's been three days and now eight posts, and where do we stand? The tally of better performances came out in Florida's favor 4-3, but the tiebreaker in the Gators' favor is FIU. I said it then and I'll say it again now: FIU is not a real measuring stick for these teams. In that sense, the two of them tied the better performance competition 3-3.

Here's a look at the combined stats of the teams against all common opponents. The FIU results are left out, leaving the six SEC opponents the Tide and Gators shared.

	Alabama	Florida	Difference
Points For	160	153	BAMA +7
Points Allowed	61	76	BAMA -15
Passing Yards	1119	963	BAMA +156
Rushing Yards	1166	1288	UF +122
Total Yards	2285	2251	BAMA +34
Passing All.	1095	837	UF -258
Rushing All.	545	555	BAMA -10
Total Defense	1640	1392	UF -248
Turnover Margin	+5	-1	BAMA +6

Across the six games, Alabama outscored Florida by a touchdown while allowing about two touchdowns fewer. Alabama accrued many more passing yards, but Florida gained a lot more rushing yards than Alabama did. Florida's passing defense was much, much tighter, while rushing defense was roughly even. Alabama was also much better in taking care of the ball.

When you look at these numbers in a per game light though, the differences are much less pronounced. Alabama scored 1.17 more points and allowed 2.5 fewer points per game. Alabama got 26 more passing yards a game, but Florida rushed for 20.33 more yards per game. The largest difference, Florida's edge in passing defense, comes out to a noticeable 43 yards per game average, while Bama's rush defense edge comes out to only 1.67 yards per game. The decided turnover advantage Alabama has is just +1 per game.

So after all that, is the conclusion that these teams are basically even? For the most part, yes. Is there nothing to pull out of this 72 hour study? No.

The total offense numbers are essentially a wash, as are the point totals since they're about a field goal per game apart. Let's set those aside.

The interesting thing is the defense and turnovers. Florida has a big advantage in pass defense, largely thanks to having a secondary with at least four future NFL players in it (Joe Haden, Janoris Jenkins, Major Wright, and Will Hill). Some of that can be attributed to the pass rush too, but that's taken a hit with Carlos Dunlap's suspension. I don't think the loss of Dunlap will take Florida's advantage away entirely because as I said, UF is stacked in the backfield.

The other big one is the turnovers. Over all games, Bama is +15 (25 gained, 10 lost) in the turnover department, while Florida is just +8 (23 gained, 15 lost). Based on the common opponents and the overall season as a whole, it's reasonable to expect the Crimson Tide to have the turnover advantage in this game.

When you've got two teams that are as closely matched as these two, turnovers are critical. If they can bridge the gap between a great team and a merely good one (see: Florida-Ole Miss 2008, Florida-Arkansas 2009, etc), they can be a decisive factor between teams on an even level.

If Florida's pass defense can be as smothering as usual, it will force Alabama to have to run to win. Running to win probably suits Nick Saban fine, but Florida's run defense is on par with Alabama's (which is to say, it's really good). If UF can make Bama a one dimensional team, then it bodes very well. On the other hand, that advantage in pass coverage can be nullified with the Tide's superior play in regards to turnovers.

It should be a classic on Saturday, and this year's common opponents have given us two storylines to watch: Florida's pass defense, and Alabma's turnover prowess.

All My Gators

mlmintampa — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:28:20 -0000

More photos » by Phil Sandlin - AP

Browse more photos »

Saturday will be the 13th episode of "All My Gators," the Florida Gators season long soap opera. After twelve weeks of a chaotic home life in Gainesville and enemies tracking them across the Southeast, there is one more episode in Atlanta. That is if they want to make the big move to Los Angeles. Let's revisit the story lines from each episode;

Episode 1: Tim Tebow and Brandon Spikes return to Gainesville for a chance at another championship. But will Tim and Urban Meyer be successful with new business partner Steve Addazio? Charleston Southern guest stars.

Episode 2: The Troy Trojans come to Gainesville, but all eyes are on a new Gainesville resident; Andre Debose. Tragedy strikes the young man as he enters surgery to repair his hamstring. Dr. Pete Indelicato guest stars as the team doctor with a wallet of gold and the hands of Michael J. Fox.

Episode 3: The dashing and bombastic Lane Kiffin comes to Gainesville, desperate to break Urban's hold on the SEC East. Lane is not successful, but he worries Gainesville's citizens. Monte Kiffin guest stars as Lane's elderly father.

Episode 4: A mysterious illness plagues the team as Jeffrey Demps, Aaron Hernandez and Jermaine Cunningham are stricken. Gainesville citizens are stunned when Tim is infected as well. But worry turns to horror as Tim is nearly killed during the trip to Lexington. Rich Brooks guest stars as the gruff Kentucky leader with a secret past.

Episode 5: Tim makes a miraculous return, leading the Gators into the bayou against crazed rival Les Miles and Louisiana State. Tim is finally successful in a city that had painfully defeated him in 2007. John Brantley guest stars as the young man who wants a chance to shine.

Episode 6: There are problems back home as Tim and Chris Rainey come down with fumblitis. The defense struggles as Janoris Jenkins is abused by Arkansas and Ryan Mallett. But Caleb Sturgis finds the cure and keeps the Gators healthy. Guest starring SEC officials who just want to be noticed.

Episode 7: The Old Money boys from Alabama have jumped Florida in the rankings. Tim is conflicted as he travels to rural Mississippi and faces his former partner, Dan Mullen, while everyone wants to see current partner Steve Addazio taken away. The pressure gets to Tim and while he is successful, it strains him. Dustin Doe guest stars as the linebacker who lets his showboating get in the way.

Episode 8: Florida is back on top in the rankings, but their Cocktail Party with Georgia looms large after Florida embarrassed them the year before in Jacksonville. Georgia shows up in black, yet Florida is not intimidated and dominates on the First Coast. But not before Brandon tries to take revenge on Georgia. Washaun Ealey guest stars as the object of Brandon's hate.

Episode 9: Without Brandon following his crimes in Jacksonville, Florida tries to feel comfortable at home. Vanderbilt guest stars as the one SEC team that scares no one.

Episode 10: The Gators face their ex in Columbia as the city is under siege by a paramilitary organization. The Gators struggle against the soldiers, until they capitalize on a strategic mistake. Guest starring Justin Trattou as the loveable defensive lineman who stands up to South Carolina's Stephen Service.

Episode 11: Rumors swirl about Urban leaving for South Bend and A.J. Jones is injured. Florida International guest stars as the violent youth trying to become a mature adult.

Episode 12: It is the final time in Gainesville for Tim, Brandon and Riley. They cannot let their emotions get to them as an old rival returns for the last time. Bobby Bowden guest stars as the rival ready to retire, and featuring Bob and Pam Tebow as the proud parents.

Episode 13: The Gators are under pressure to be successful in Atlanta, with the goal of going to Los Angeles. But Carlos Dunlap is arrested for driving under the influence and Gainesville's citizens wonder if the Gators can overcome all the distractions. Guest starring Nick Saban as the ruthless opposing head coach with a love of window treatments.

After so many story lines, do the Gators have the focus and strength to continue? Will they remain successful? Will Tim inspire his teammates once again? Will Emmanuel Moody finally live up to his potential? Will Joe Haden be able to stop Julio Jones from destroying the Gators' secondary? These questions will be answered on the next "All My Gators".

Florida Preview

Richard Pittman — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 11:08:38 -0000

More photos » by John Raoux - AP

2 months ago: FILE - In this Sept. 12, 2009 file photo, Florida quarterback John Brantley warms up prior to an NCAA college football game against Troy in Gainesville, Fla. Florida quarterback Tim Tebow isn't cleared to play next week at LSU, the top-ranked Gators would turn the offense over to John Brantley. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Browse more photos »

I'm going to just come out and say it. We don't need to win this game. A win would be a big boon to the team's psyche. It would put us firmly in the media spotlight and make people talk about us as a true national championship contender, but we in no way, shape, or form need to win this game. Win or lose, we control our destiny in the SEC West race. We will win the West if we win out after Florida, and we probably need to win out regardless of what happens this week. We are generally expected to lose, and our press reports suck out loud already, so unless we get blown out we aren't going to suffer in the media. All that combines to tell me that this is probably the least important game on our schedule.

On the other hand, a win sure would be great. A loss represents only a lost opportunity for a win, rather than a genuinely damaging result for the team. It's rare you can say that about a game, but this is one of those. We can come out and play a game against a good opponent with really no pressure on us to actually win. That's what the win against Georgia did for us. It gave us license to go into the Florida game loose, playing like a team with nothing to lose and everything to gain, because this time it is true.

Also, we hate to make predictions here, but let me break from type just for one paragraph. I predict that Tim Tebow is not playing against us. Everything I know about concussions, and everything I saw about the hit Tebow took against Kentucky tells me that it is simply unrealistic for him to even think about returning this week. Next week is probably unlikely as well. I wouldn't expect him back before the October 24 game against Mississippi State. Any sooner than that, and Tebow would risk doing substantial, permanent damage to his brain. Nothing in the world is worth that.

This means one thing when it comes to previewing Florida. We know very little about what we're going to see when Florida has the ball. It would be incorrect to say that Florida has been a one-man offense; they have good players sprinkled throughout their offensive lineup, but everything about the Florida offense for the last 2 1/2 years has revolved around Tim Tebow. Tim Tebow throws. Tim Tebow runs. Tim Tebow executes the option. Everything is either Tim Tebow taking the ball himself, or Tim Tebow deciding what to do with it. The plays in which Tim Tebow is called upon to simply give the ball to someone else without having to make a decision about it first has probably accounted for less than 25% of Florida's plays in meaningful situations since Tebow became their starting quarterback. Since the loss of Percy Harvin to the NFL, it has probably been more. If he is really out, and I would be shocked if he isn't, the entire character of the Florida offense will have to change to accommodate a quarterback with a completely different skill-set.

What of John Brantley? He has completed 73% of his passes this year, with a 7.73 yard average per attempt, 4 touchdowns, 0 interceptions, and 44 yards rushing in 10 attempts. Certainly admirable statistics for a backup quarterback, but most of those stats were accumulated against Charleston Southern and Troy. It is not like he has faced an opponent on the level of an LSU yet. What's more, he will have to do it with a receiver corps that is coming under fire for not making enough plays, even with Tim Tebow throwing to them.

To take nothing away from John Brantley, who is a promising young quarterback in his own right, the Tebow-less Florida offense is an offense that can be stopped if we play up to our ability, especially if we can discover a pass rush. There is not a traditional running back, as pint sized speedsters Jeffrey Demps and Chris Rainey are 1st and 3rd on the team in rushing yards, respectively, with Tebow sandwiched between them. Tebow is their power back, a role that would have to be taken up by Emmanuel Moody, which will make Florida's offense highly dependent on personnel groupings and rob Florida of the unpredictability that they have used to advantage in the past.

Let's be clear. The Florida offense without Tim Tebow is still dangerous. There is still a very good offensive line there, and fast running backs, and Aaron Hernandez, and Riley Cooper, but Tim Tebow is not called arguably the best college football player in a generation because he's so easily replaced. So you can throw Florida's #1 rated scoring offense and #1 rated total offense out the window and officially say that we don't know how good this offense will be.

The defense, however? Tim Tebow had no effect on that defense, at least not directly, and it's the #1 rated scoring defense and #1 rated total defense too. Then again, they've done it against arguably the weakest competition any SEC team has faced so far. Charleston Southern, Troy, a Tennessee team that appeared only interested in beating the point spread, and Kentucky. That is far from a murderer's row to start the season, and I feel OK saying that LSU is a lot better than any of those teams, despite our well-documented problems.

But make no mistake, there are some outstanding players on that defense, starting with middle linebacker Brandon Spikes. Of course, we remember him from his interceptions last year. Their secondary, which was so young two years ago, is now filled with fully developed NFL prospects like Joe Haden, Janoris Jenkins, and Ahmad Black, which has led to the Gators having the #1 pass defense and the #1 pass efficiency defense in the conference.

If there is a weakness there, you can consider that, like LSU, Florida is not getting the sacks on the quarterback. We're giving them up, and Florida's not getting them, so something has to break there. Then again, Florida is getting almost twice as many sacks per game as we are: 1.75 per game vs. 1 per game.

So strangely enough, the #1 team in the country and defending national champion comes to Baton Rouge as a bit of a mystery. We don't officially know if their All-American quarterback is playing, though we can make an educated guess that he isn't. Without him, we're not sure what kind of a team they bring onto the field when they have the ball. On defense, they are certainly very good, but it's hard to say with any confidence that they are great. We will have to see, but whatever happens, the season continues on with full confidence. I could not have said the same thing last week.

Game 2 vs. Troy: You Have To Wait One More Week For Tennessee

mlmintampa — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 12:00:37 -0000

But I want to play Tennessee now!

Troy will be a stiffer test than the Charleston Southern Buccaneers were last week. The Trojans have a very strong front seven and limited Bowling Green to only 50 yards rushing in their first game. However, their secondary failed them, with Bowling Green throwing for 389 yards in a 31-14 win, scoring 31 unanswered points. Like last week, Florida should roll the Trojans, but it will be interesting to see how effective the running game is against a team with a legit front seven. In the passing game, we won't yet see who else will take the burden left by Lou Murphy and Percy Harvin. Riley Cooper appears to be in the prime spot, Aaron Hernandez is on his way to NFL stardom, but David Nelson needs to contribute along with at least one more guy. Include Brandon James, Jeff Demps and Chris Rainey in this as well, but if Urban is holding his cards close to his chest, you might not see many passes to guys out of the backfield.

This is still a glorified scrimmage for UF, with the added bonus that Troy actually has athletes on defense. As for the UF defense, their lack of sacks and three-and-outs was due to either focus or going half speed last week. Expect a better performance or start worrying about their output against the Vols. Perhaps there will be changes now that Jermaine Cunningham and Janoris Jenkins are able to play (read: not suspended).

Make sure you get your rest following the game and this weekend. Starting Monday is Hate Tennessee Week and you'll need your strength.

What We Learned: September 5

Year2 — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 22:02:45 -0000

by Dave Martin - AP

Roy Upchurch: stud. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

View full size photo »

Because it's never too early for snap decisions.

Alabama is probably just fine.

Statistically, Alabama was just about flawless. The Tide rolled up 500 yards of offense on one of the best defenses annually, gave up just 155 yards themselves, and held Virginia Tech to just two conversions on 12 third downs. Here's the rub though: they only won by 10 with all that in their favor.

Even so, that's just how VT rolls. Even when getting dominated statistically, they still find a way to stay in games. McElroy was great once he found his groove, the rushing attack looks superb between Mark Ingram and Roy Upchurch, and they won time of possession by 15 minutes. Don't worry so much about that final score. Bama is for real again.

Ohio State is still in good shape for USC.

I watched the majority of the Ohio State-Navy game and the first half of the USC-San Jose State game. Ohio State looked dominant in the first half, and then sleepwalked through the second half while thinking the game was in hand. After two quarters, OSU was on pace for a 40-14 win and it absolutely looked like that was where it was going. If the first half Ohio State team shows up next week, they're in great shape.

USC meanwhile, wasn't quite as impressive as the score indicated. The offensive line got pushed around by San Jose State's defense on inside runs sometimes, and roughly 75% of Matt Barkley's passing yards were yards after the catch. In fact, every throw I saw him make was on play action or a play action bootleg. Apparently the USC coaches didn't think he was ready to throw straight up against a WAC defense.

USC blew out SJSU because it had superior personnel. The got their playmakers in space and let them out-talent the Spartans. That won't be enough to win in Columbus though.

Georgia should be in wait and see mode.

The answer is a resounding yes, Georgia is missing Matthew Stafford and Knowshon Moreno. But unless you were trying to be needlessly contrarian this off season, you knew that was going to be the case. The offense has some issues, and the Bulldogs better hope that getting Joe Cox healed up from the flu solves most of them.

The defense appears to be back though. Three of Oklahoma State's four scoring drives were of 32 yards or less, including a -5 yard "drive" that ended up a field goal. That goes back to the offense not turning it over and setting the defense up for failure, but there is definite hope on that side of the ball. Oklahoma State was way, way below its standard offensive output from a year ago.

LSU should be as well.

LSU really won this game 31-16, despite what a window dressing TD by Washington would have you believe. This sort of reminds me of when LSU's 2005 squad, which eventually went 11-2 by the way, went on the road and beat an eventual 7-5 Arizona State team by just four. Granted that was in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, but still, the gap between those teams was much wider than the score made it out to be.

I think this game is probably similar. The longest road trip in school history isn't the best way to break in a new quarterback and new coordinator, after all. Jake Locker is a great player, and UW would not have gone winless last season with him healthy. Steve Sarkisian for now appears to be a humungous upgrade from Ty Willingham too. Before we go making big assumptions over one game (remember, Washington only lost to 10-3 BYU by one point with Locker last year), let's give LSU some more time and let's see how good the Huskies end up being.

That said, the 478 yards, 25 first downs, and 36:52 time of possession for Washington is troubling, as is the 11-19 third down conversion rate.

Boise State needs to step up its non-conference scheduling.

Remember when the Broncos were first in line at the BCS busters' buffet? Yeah, that lasted all of about 48 hours. With BYU's win over Oklahoma, and schedule home game against Florida State in a couple weeks, the Cougars not only have a chance to break into the BCS but play for it all if fewer than two Big Six conference teams go undefeated. It's too bad for the Broncos that their games against Oregon State and Virginia Tech are next year and not this year too.

Florida's defense hasn't changed.

Maybe it was because Janoris Jenkins and Jermaine Cunningham didn't play. Maybe it's because they weren't taking things seriously. Either way, Florida's defense hasn't changed a bit from last year. In 2008, they got a lot of stops but relatively few three-and-outs. They focused this off season on getting more three-and-outs, but instead Charleston Southern was generally able to move the ball for a set of downs or two before punting. They also still did not get a shutout, despite playing Charleston Southern, because on that inability to get offenses off the field immediately.

The offense, by the way, will be just fine if Riley Cooper stays healthy. That's a big if, but he and Aaron Hernandez have Tim Tebow's full trust. Also, expect a more run-oriented attack because Jeffrey Demps and Chris Rainey are noticeably better than last year. Yeah it was just CSU, but you could tell if you watched the game. Tebow's new throwing motion was also evident, with him throwing some NFL-like deep balls instead of his rainbows of previous years.

Auburn is probably on the right track.

LA Tech was a trendy upset pick in this game, but Auburn didn't give them a shot. The offense had roughly a 2:1 ratio of runs to passes (much to the relief of Tiger fans, I'm sure), and freshman Onterio McCalebb was a revelation. This game has been overlooked by many for juicier storylines and bigger blowouts, but it was an important win to kick off Gene Chizik's tenure.

While it's never a good idea to get too worked up over beating a mid range WAC team, Auburn fans should be satisfied by this one. There was no placing the game on the arm of Chris Todd again, and 556 yards of offense is an impressive number.

Lane Kiffin made an immediate impact.

I watched most of the first half of Tennessee's game against Western Kentucky, and let me tell you, it was ugly. If it wasn't for WKU being completely inept offensively (how exactly does a quarterback miss a bubble screen target by 10 yards?), the Vols would have been in a big hole in a hurry. Instead of letting negativity set in like what might have happened a year ago, the snapped out of it and rolled up their first 60 point output since putting 70 on UL-M in 2000. In 2008, it took three games for Tennessee to get more than 63 total points.

I cannot emphasize just how bad Western Kentucky was, so let's not get too ahead of ourselves here. Ron Zook once beat San Jose State 65-3 while at Florida. However, Jonathan Crompton had a smile on his face for most of a game for once. It's early, but projections that have UT headed back to a bowl look secure for now.

So did Dan Mullen.

It also took Mississippi State three games last year to surpass the total of its first game in 2008. In fact, the Bulldogs didn't once hit 40 points against anyone (I-AA opponents included) during the Sly Croom era. No one is ready to rank MSU yet or anything, but this does immediately validate the idea that Dan Mullen will be different from the previous administration for reasons beyond personality.

Kentucky has some pop. Probably.

Kentucky made a statement by scoring 42 points in three quarters while pitching a shutout. They don't like being picked in the bottom two of the SEC East every year. Then again, the quarter they didn't scoring in was the first, showing that it took time to get going. Plus, Miami (OH) was a miserable 2-10 last year in the miserable MAC, and they allowed 40+ points to bad teams like Kent State and Toledo. We knew the defense was going to be good. Telling whether or not the offense will be enough to go bowling for a fourth straight year is going to require a few more weeks and some stiffer competition. They don't have the historical talent accumulating ability or recent high recruiting rankings like Tennessee does to say they're in for big things just yet.

I get to laugh at everyone who believed in Illinois again.

Trust me. The 2007 Rose Bowl trip was a fluke at the end of the flukiest season in memory.

The Road To Pasadena: Wright-Hill-Black

mlmintampa — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 11:08:32 -0000

Our look at the men who need to lead the Gators to the BCS National Championship Game begins with the three-headed monster in the Gators defensive backfield; sophomore Will Hill, juniors Ahmad Black and The Major Wright.

In the greatest performance ever by a Gator defense, it was Wright's hit and Black's game-saving interception against Oklahoma that will forever stand out in the minds of Florida fans. Yet, neither is guaranteed of their starting job as 2009 begins. The emergence of Hill in fall camp has put Wright on notice, while Dorian Munroe had been breathing down Black's neck until Munroe's injury. Florida's wealth will ultimately put at least one of these game changers on the bench.

Black went from playing in four games as a freshman to being tied with the national lead in interceptions with seven. That type of growth can induce pain as well, as Urban Meyer's cryptic line about Black's non-football issues can make you wonder where the junior's head is at. Black has the ability to repeat his 2008 campaign, but the second year is harder since he is no longer a surprise. If Black wants to continue being a ball-hawking DB, he has to be able to perform as a star.

If you remember when Will Hill declared he would go to Florida, it seemed as if Florida had their torch carrier following Reggie Nelson. But after being used as a typical freshman; 2 picks, 29 tackles, 19 assists in 13 games, Hill has shown the talent that made him so highly recruited as a high school senior. With The Major out due to a concussion, Hill has filled the void, with teammates calling him the best defender in camp.

Wright's hit against Manny Johnson may have set the tone in the Oklahoma game, but it was his interception shortly before halftime that kept the game 7-7. Had Oklahoma taken a 14-7 lead, who knows what would have happened in the second half? But you can't live on one game, which is why The Major has been pushed to improve. Wright understands this;

"There's always room for me to get better,'' Wright said. "I just try to work on everything that people critique me on. I do more to get better."

Like with Black, Wright can't assume automatic improvement. His awareness that being a head hunter can backfire is good, as it is impossible to expect corners Joe Haden and Janoris Jenkins will be able to lock down everyone. As good as Haden and Jenkins are, they are not All-Americans, while Wright, Hill and Black have that extra level that puts them at the top of the class. If Florida's line struggles to get in the backfield, the secondary will have to lead, and it is this triumvirate that will do it.

Post-Spring Previews: Florida Gators

Gamecock Man — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 18:37:28 -0000

More photos » by Phil Sandlin - AP

4 months ago: Florida quarterback Tim tebow (15) and coach Urban Meyer, left, talk during the teams first practice in Gainesville, Fla., Thursday, Aug. 6, 2009, (AP Photo/Phil Sandlin)

Browse more photos »

After taking on Arkansas in Fayetteville, the Gamecocks return to Columbia to round out the SEC slate against the Florida Gators. The Gators, of course, are near-consensus picks to repeat as SEC and national champions. Therefore, even if we're playing well at this point and even though the game is at home, we can expect to be a sizeable underdog. With good reason, too: the Gators return the vast majority of the significant contributors from last year's dominant group. They do lose a few key players, such as all-purpose threat Percy Harvin, but those losses should be negated by greater overall experience and depth and the infusion of young talent Urban Meyer has brought to Gainesville in his past few recruiting classes. The Gators may not be unbeatable, but they're the closest thing to it that we'll see all year, and better teams than us will probably lose to them by multiple touchdowns. That being the case, this is obviously going to be a tough upset to pull.

Let's take a look at the Gators.

Offense

The Gators run Urban Meyer's famous spread-option offense. Fellow Gamecocks blogger Photon Torpedo Tube put up a good breakdown of this scheme last year before our game, so I would suggest you take a look at it if you want to know more about Meyer's offense and how to defend it.

Quarterbacks

Florida returns Tim Tebow for one final season. Tebow, of course, needs no introduction. I have little doubt he'll go down in history as one of the very best college quarterbacks ever. Obviously, the Gators have a huge advantage in this department, as they do against every team not located in Austin, TX or Norman, OK.

Verdict: Strong advantage Florida

Running Backs

Florida led the SEC in rushing last year despite not using a traditional running game and not playing a true running back on most plays. Typically, this involved running the option with Tebow under center and a group of hybrid receiver / tailback guys like Harvin, Jeffrey Demps, and Chris Rainey running out of the backfield and breaking off long runs with their speed. Expect the Gators to continue to run the ball well, but also expect them to run out of more traditional sets this year, as Meyer has claimed that he plans to run out of the I at times this year in order to get Tebow ready for the NFL, to utilize the skills of more traditional tailback Emmanuel Moody, and to generally mix things up. The Gators will likely shift between these sets and their spread formations, which best utilize the skills Tebow, Demps, Rainey, and highly recruited speedster Andre Debose bring to the table.

I'm tempted to only give the Gators a small advantage here, as I am beginning to firmly believe that we will rise into the upper half of the SEC in rushing yards this year. However, I just can't do that at this point; what we know for sure is that Florida was unstoppable on the ground last year and that we were one of the conference's worst.

Verdict: Strong advantage Florida

Wide Receivers and Tight Ends

The Gators lose some key contributors here due to the departures of Harvin and Louis Murphy. They will rely on star junior tight end Aaron Hernandez to carry the load. Luckily for the rest of the SEC, Hernandez will likely be gone after this year, as he's a prime NFL prospect. The Gators will rely on guys like David Nelson and Riley Cooper to help Hernandez fill the void left by Harvin and Murphy.

I only see a slight advantage for Florida here, mainly due to the fact that these Gators are untested. However, there's plenty of talent around and we can probably expect someone we haven't heard a lot about yet to make a big contribution. Plus, the Gators have a good enough quarterback and all-around offense to negate the lack of experience here. The passing game will be fine for Florida.

Verdict: Slight advantage Florida

Offensive Line

Offensive line is what's getting a lot of attention as a potential concern for the Gators, who lose both tackles and are still trying to settle on a rotation. Finding competent replacements at those positions will be key for the Gators if they want to win another national title. Florida does return a talented guard duo in brothers Maurkice and Mike Pouncey. The Gators may play Carl Johnson at left tackle. The other positions are up for grabs between a group of unprovens.

I give Florida a slight advantage here. The Gators certainly have cause for concern at offensive line and will be tested right away when they take on Tennessee's formidable defense in week three. (I actually think this game will be much closer than most people if--and this is a big if-Tennessee plays safe on offense and doesn't allow Florida's formidable defense to blow the game open with turnovers.) However, as usual, the talent is there. Like last year, this line will probably be playing well by the time Florida plays us, as they will have had time to figure out a good lineup and establish chemistry.

Let's take a look at defenses after the jump.

Defense

As most Carolina fans know, former USC defensive coordinator Charlie Strong heads up Florida's defense. Strong has done a great job leading the Gators, as he did while at Carolina. Strong tends to run out of the 4-3 and nickel back sets. He's known for being agressive.

Defensive Line

The Gators return all their starters at defensive line. That includes end Carlos Dunlap, one of the country's best. The tackle positions go to Lawrence Marsh and Terron Sanders, while Jermaine Cunningham plays opposite Dunlap. As if this group of starters wasn't good enough, the Gators are very deep here, too, and should be able to rotate frequently and weather any major injuries.

I give the Gators a slight advantage here. I like our starting defensive line a lot, but Florida's depth gives them an adantage, especially with this game coming late in the year.

Verdict: Slight advantage Florida

Linebackers

Like Eric Norwood, Florida's Brandon Spikes is a defensive leader that decided to come back for one more year. Spikes will be flanked by Ryan Stamper and Brandon Hill. Dustin Doe and A.J. Jones will also see time outside.

The Gators get another slight advantage here. I'm inclined to believe that Eric Norwood is as good as any linebacker in the league, including Spikes. I also think Rodney Paulk is fully capable of holding his own. However, depth is again an issue for us here, especially in comparison to Florida.

Verdict: Slight advantage Florida

Secondary

The Gators return a talented, deep secondary that will be one of the nation's best. Major Wright and Ahmad Black will start at safety, while Janoris Jenkins and Joe Haden will line up at corner. The Gators have plenty of guys on the depth chart that can fill in if injuries occur or in packages that have more defensive backs. Just think; Matthew Stafford ripped this group a new one only two years ago. That seems long ago now.

I've gone on record many times this off-season saying that I think we'll have problems at secondary. Reports out of August practice are that we might be better than expected, but I still don't think we'll be as good as this group.

Verdict: Strong advantage Florida

Special Teams

Senior Brandon James is likely the nation's best return man; he's certainly the best for punt returns. Florida's talented depth chart gives them plenty of guys on coverage units that would start for most teams. Punter Chas Henry is a good one. Kicker Jonathan Phillips was accurate last year but was very rarely asked to kick longer field goals, so his range is a question mark if the issue ever comes up. Overall, a really good group.

I'll give Florida a slight advantage here, mainly due to James and their greater experience at kicker.

Verdict: Slight advantage Florida

Head Coaches

You know, the days when people were favorably comparing Steve Spurrier to Urban Meyer seem like they were just yesterday but at the same time seem so far away now. You remember: we beat Florida in 2005, completely outplayed them in 2006 but lost due to Jarvis Moss's special teams heroics, and were riding high early in 2007 while Florida struggled out of the gate. Then the bottom fell through on Spurrier's program: five straight losses to end 2007, including a blowout loss to Florida in Columbia, and a mediocre 2008, including a huge blowout to the Gators in Gainesville in a game where Florida really made us look like an FCS team. Now, most say that Spurrier is washed up and that Urban is the best coach in the land. I would disagree that Spurrier is washed up--and I think others may too after couple of years of improved offense with Stephen Garcia under center--but I won't disagree that Urban is a fantastic coach. Whatever you want to believe about his professional ethics, the guy is an offensive genius and an amazing recruiter. Personally, I think he's supplanted Pete Carrol as the country's best coach. I'll go ahead and give Urban the big advantage here; he's at the top of his game, while Spurrier comes into this year with a lot to prove.

Verdict: Strong advantage Florida

Overall

As these predictions suggest, I don't at all like our chances in this game. Florida is simply going to be very, very good this year, and even if we end up being pretty good ourselves, I just think the Gators have more going for them across the board than we do. I do think this game will be closer this year than it was last year, but that's probably partially because last year's game should have been closer than it was; we weren't as bad last year as we played in the final three games. I think that we'll make this one interesting at times, but Florida will pull away for a comfortable victory in the end.

Prediction: 17-point Florida victory

Poll

The Florida game will result in a (elaborate in the comments)...

Blowout Carolina victory...

3 votes

Close Carolina victory...

3 votes

Close Florida victory...

13 votes

Blowout Florida victory...

64 votes

83 votes | Poll has closed

SEC 2009 // Meet the New Gators, Same as the Old Gators

Year2 — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:30:09 -0000

More photos » by Phil Sandlin - AP

Florida safety Dee Finlley pulls in a pass in the rain as the Gator freshman football team opened their season practice. (AP Photo/Phil Sandlin)

Browse more photos »

Had I written a roster post for Florida last year, it would have made this one heck of a lot easier. I could just copy and paste it, delete the sections on Percy Harvin and Louis Murphy, and then be done, right?

Well, yes and no.

Of course Florida has a lot of guys back from last year. That's where the whole "consensus preseason No. 1" stuff comes from. Seven offensive starters return, and the top 22 from the defense come back. Some will say top 21 and point to the transfer of DT Torrey Davis as the missing one, but I'd ask you when you were taking the depth chart snapshot. He registered all of five tackles before the bowl and spent much of the year in the coaches' doghouse.

The quarterbacks are set. We know that. Tim Tebow is starting with John Brantley backing him up. About the only thing worth mentioning here is that Urban Meyer says Brantley has a package of plays and will get spot work in meaningful situations. I doubt he'll do as much as Tebow did in 2006, but he's going to get non-garbage time minutes.

Speaking of 2006, that leads to the receivers.

They are the biggest question mark on the offense, what with Harvin and Murphy gone. The unit is probably going to approximate the one that Meyer had in his first championship year down to the man. David Nelson will be Dallas Baker, the tall guy. Deonte Thompson will be Andre Caldwell, the speedy guy. Carl Moore will be Jemalle Cornelius, the possession guy. Freshman Andre Debose will be Percy Harvin, the slash guy. Aaron Hernandez will be Cornelius Ingram, the receiving tight end. Riley Cooper will be, well, Riley Cooper.

The biggest difference is that Hernandez is a known quantity from the beginning, a playmaker waiting to break out. Ingram was still adjusting to being a tight end, having come in as a quarterback, but Hernandez will be ready from Day 1.

The running backs are in much better shape this time around compared to '06 though. Jeff Demps, when he's not moonlighting in the Percy Position, will probably be the primary back. He's fast and hits holes with authority despite his size. Chris Rainey is exciting with his ability to make people miss, but he dances around too much to be the top guy. Emmanuel Moody will be the biggest beneficiary from the new I-formation sets, but he's not guaranteed to get many carries. It'd be a big boost if he could be the big back playmaker that Florida has lacked since the time of Ciatrick Fason, but he hasn't put it all together yet.

Moody and Rainey also tend to get hurt, which further solidifies Demps in the top spot. Return man extraordinaire Brandon James and freshman Mike Gillislee are in the mix as well, but I don't know how many balls there will be to go around.

The offensive line will be the key to everything. The Gator offense didn't take off last year until it gelled around the fourth quarter of last year's game with Arkansas. Three fifths of it are rock solid with Maurkice Pouncey, Mike Pouncey, and Carl Johnson back from starting in 2008.

After that, some combination of redshirt sophomore James Wilson, sophomore Matt Patchan (who played defense last year, like Mike Pouncey did in '07 before moving back to offense in '08), and redshirt junior Marcus Gilbert will fill the other roles. Redshirt freshman Sam Robey made some noise in the spring, and true freshman Xavier Nixon has impressed in fall practice. All of those guys except Robey were four or five star recruits according to Rivals, so it's likely that no matter which five take the field, it will be a good group. It better be, if UF is to repeat as champs.

The defensive line is in flux a bit, as it has been every year since most of the excellent 2006 line graduated. All the starters are back, but only Jermaine Cunningham looks set in his job. Tackles Terron Sanders and Lawrence Marsh are getting pushed hard by Jaye Howard, and this may be the year that Carlos Dunlap gets the starting role over Justin Trattou. Dunlap led the SEC with 9.5 sacks last year, but uneven effort kept him behind Trattou on the depth chart.

The linebackers are two thirds set. Brandon Spikes and Ryan Stamper are every bit the senior leaders and performers that any team would want. The final spot is currently a revolving door of A.J. Jones, Brandon Hicks, and, when he gets back from suspension, Dustin Doe. All three of those guys have started games, so whoever ends up there for good (if anyone) will be quality. Young bucks Jon Bostic and Brendan Beal are pushing for playing time as well.

The secondary is perhaps the strength of the entire team, something that would seem impossible during 2007's burnfest. The corners are right now Joe Haden and freshman All American Janoris Jenkins, a formidable duo. Wondy Pierre-Louis, Markihe Anderson, and Moses Jenkins are good enough as backups. The one to watch though is redshirt freshman Jeremy Brown, who missed last season to injury. Meyer has lamented that at the time of his injury, Brown was actually ahead of Janoris Jenkins on the depth chart.

The safeties are loaded. The two starters are back, the big hitting Major Wright and the ball hawking Ahmad Black. Wright struggles in coverage though, and Black can't lay the wood. As a result, sophomore all-everything recruit Will Hill has been impossible to keep off the field since the spring. Also in the mix are senior Dorian Munroe, who missed last season due to injury but has played well in the past, and newcomer Dee Finley.

The special teams will look exactly the same. Dangerous return man Brandon James is back (his last year I promise, Tennessee fans), and so are P Chas Henry and K Jonathan Phillips. Phillips missed just one field goal and one extra point (the fateful blocked one against Ole Miss) in all of 2008, but his longest made FG was only from 40 yards. The big-legged Caleb Sturgis might get a chance to kick the longer ones. The tradition of key players contributing on special teams will continue as in past years, most notably with the addition of Demps as the gunner on punt coverage.

The depth across the board is much to Florida's advantage, and the coaches are delighting in the ability to replace underperformers in practice with another quality guy. If you want to nit pick about the receivers, two O-linemen, and the third linebacker go ahead, but just about any coach in the nation would trade his roster for this one.

MONDAY: Florida's Song Remains the Same, Florida's Heisman winners

TUESDAY: The Underdogs Florida Will Face, Don't Miss Tebow's Last Year

LATER TODAY: Coaching Changes

THURSDAY: Predictions

FRIDAY: Conclusions

Gators Preview, Part Two

mlmintampa — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 14:14:11 -0000

The Gators' defense returns nearly all of the guys who made Oklahoma's record breaking offense look bad. The secondary is so deep, the backups would be starters on most of the top-15 teams in the country. Major Wright, the man who nearly killed Oklahoma's Manny Johnson, is the anchor with SS Ahmad Black. Behind those two is Will Hill and Dee Finley, who can also destroy people. At the corners are Joe Haden, who continues to improve, and Janoris Jenkins, who gets the coveted No. 1 jersey worn by Reggie Nelson and Percy Harvin.

The biggest thing to happen to Florida in the offseason was the return of LB Brandon Spikes. What Tebow is to the offense, Spikes is to the defense. He was the leading tackler last season and became a more mature player, sticking to his assignments and becoming a team leader. His tackle of Knowshon Moreno early in the Georgia game was a sign that this defense would not be pushed around. Defensive coordinator Charlie Strong says WLB Ryan Stamper is the unsung hero of the defense, as it is his calls that put Spikes in position to destroy oncoming running backs. On the strong side is A.J. Jones, but is the least active of the three. Rotating in are Dustin Doe and Brandon Hicks, both could end up being starters. However, Doe is in the dog house after getting caught driving with a suspended license. Florida's deep secondary means the Gators will not hesitate to shuffle in Hill or Finley as an extra DB who can work as a monster back. Two recruits, Jon Bostic and Jelani Jenkins, may see time later, but Meyer always says every position is open to be won in practice.

The defensive line is bookended by Carlos Dunlap (the BCS Game defensive MVP) and senior Jermaine Cunningham. Dunlap is in the mold of Florida ends like Jarvis Moss and Jevon Kearse. At 6-foot-6, Dunlap's 290 looks lean (wearing a single digit, 8, rather than a big, round number, helps that too). Dunlap is quick, getting behind the line to make a tackle (13.5 sacks) or block kicks (three blocks). Cunningham has been the less publicized one. Bridging the time between Moss and Dunlap, the senior continues to produce. Slightly undersized at 250, Cunningham was fifth on the team with 52 tackles and 10 sacks. It was Cunningham's sack of John Parker Wilson in the SEC title game that shutdown Bama's comeback attempt. Junior Justin Trattou is the third man in, looking to stay in front of Dunlap on the depth chart.

The interior line lost a hero from the Oklahoma game when Torrey Davis left school under clouds of bad grades and alcohol crimes. Starters Terron Sanders and Lawrence Marsh remain. But many fans want to see what Omar Hunter can do. After being hyped by Meyer as the next big thing, various injuries led the Gators to redshirt him. Depending on who you ask, Hunter was never healthy after his last high school season or he just couldn't handle SEC ball. Now, Hunter needs to prove himself. As for finding a star in an injured player, Meyer has done it before. Under former coach Ron Zook, Jarvis Moss was an injury waiting to happen. Meyer's staff found there was something medically wrong with Moss and he began to dominate offensive lines. Hopefully the same is true for Hunter.

In 2009, anything less than a National Championship will be a disappointment. The same is true in Norman, Austin and Los Angeles as it is in Gainesville. But the Gators will have the bull's eye on their back and it is fair to wonder if they can handle the weight of that and their own expectations.

pollcode.com free polls
Who are the All-Decade cornerbacks? (select 2)
Keiwan Ratliff Reggie Lewis Ryan Smith Joe Haden Janoris Jenkins