September 22nd, 2009 — Florida Gators Football, Gator News, Results, Tennessee Volunteers

SEC play opened up with a game between Tennessee and Florida, and the Florida Gators mopped the floor with the Tennessee Volunteers in front of a school record of 90,894 fans that gathered at the Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Saturday so that they could watch the No.1 team, the Florida Gators defeat the Volunteers from Tennessee. Now the Florida Gators are 3 and 0 with 1 and 0 for the SEC, and the Tennessee Volunteers are at 1 and 2 with 0 and 1 for the SEC. The Gators won the game with 23 to 13. With this win, UF has now set a new record for the school with a collective thirteen game winning streak.
Under their head coach, Urban Meyer, the Gators are now sitting at 5 and 0 against Tennessee. Florida managed to accumulate 208 in the air under the lead of the senior quarterback, who is Tim Tebow. He completed 14 out of 19 passes, and he also went for 79 yards and a single touchdown. This is the 46th total career touchdown, tying him in second place in the history of the SEC with Kevin Faulk from LSU.
Chris Rainey, a redshirt sophomore, put together a total of 64 yards with 9 carries.
Aaron Hernandez led the Gators with a total of 4 receptions and 26 yards.
Caleb Sturgis, a sophomore kicker, was 2 for 2 with field goals during the first half, which gave the Gators an advantage of 3 and 0 to kick off the showdown. He capped off a 10 yard, 8 play drive after achieving the first field goal for his entire career, which was a boot of 37 yards that fell at the 11:33 mark during the first quarter, allowing Florida to be the first on the board.
Sturgis would go on to tack on an additional three more points from field goals for UF during the third quarter, adding in the 20th victory in the series for the Florida Gators.
In the second half, Tennessee received the ball but the Gators managed an interception, and it led to another field goal by Sturgis, this time it was a 35 yard field goal. At this point, the Orange and Blue was ahead with 16 to 3. Joe Haden's pick marked the fifteenth straight game that the Gators were able to come up with an interception, which actually happens to be a leading statistic in the NCAA.
Florida managed to tack on an additional score at the very end of the third, taking a seven yard touchdown by Jeff Demps. The third quarter closed out with UF ahead by 23 to 6.
After forcing the Gators to punt during the end of the fourth, Tennessee ended up facing a fourth and six situation. Crompton threw the ball downfield but was picked off by Ahmad Black. The game closed out at 23 and 13, giving Florida possession of the series lead all time, with 20 to 19.
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July 31st, 2009 — Florida Gators Football, Gator News
Steve Spurrier recently confirmed upon appearing at the SEC media days that he was in fact the person that snubbed the Florida Gators player Tim Tebow during the coach's voting for the preseason All-SEC player team.
Ole Mississippi football coach, Houston Nutt, says that he voted for Tebow as All-SEC. He also talked about what made quarterback Jevan Snead so great, and the pressure on for Old Miss to really step up and compete for a championship in the conference.

But it was because of a complete oversight, according to the South Carolina coach, who addressed the matter immediately during a new conference. Spurrier went on to explain that the director of football operations filled the ballot out and then brought it into him. He said that he just glanced at it, signing off on it, and did not realize the mistake that had been made until later.
The ballot that was submitted to the SEC on the behalf of South Carolina had listed Mississippi's Snead as the first team quarterback, rather than Tebow. Spurrier is taking full responsibility, and is putting emphasis on his belief that Tebow was one of the best quarterbacks in all of Florida history. He claims to be embarrassed about it, feeling badly that it happened, and he has apologized to Tebow.
The SEC associate-commissioner, Charles Bloom, has confirmed to ESPN.com that Spurrier made a call within the last 24 hours asking how his ballot could be changed in order to list Tebow as the quarterback for the first time. Spurrier told Charles Bloom that his initial ballot was a mistake when it listed Snead as the quarterback for the first team.
Each of the other coaches has confirmed on record that Tebow was voted for. Coaches could not vote for their own players, meaning that a unanimous vote would constitute 11 out of the 12 votes. The only unanimous selection for the preseason team were offensive tackle Ciron Black from LSU, safety Eric Berry from Tennessee and receiver Julio Jones from Alabama.
Photo Credits: Nikonmadness
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July 30th, 2009 — Defense, Florida Gators Football, Gator News, Offense, Players
What you should be watching out for on the offense: The I-formation. The new offensive coordinator, Steve Addazio, has been experimenting over the off season in order to add a few more wrinkles to this equation. This isn't going to end up being 1977 Nebraska, and the spread really isn't going to go anywhere, but part of the plan here is going to be to develop the passing ability for Tim Tebow while allowing the running backs to become more involved. The biggest beneficiary that is involved in the offense this year is the tight end, Aaron Hernandez. The third leading receiver for the team last year is going to get the ball much more often, and now that Murphy and Harvin are both gone, he is going to be the go-to receiver.
What you should be watching out for on the defense: Watch for the backups. 11 starters are returning from a team defense that managed to finish in ninth place for the entire nation, holding down the Oklahoma defense and taking fourth in scoring defense, and this means that there isn't much room available for wild and sweeping changes to this line up, but some of the back ups are better than the starters, and this is a problem without really being a problem.
The team is going to improve if: If the team doesn't buy into all of the outside hype and pressures, and if the penalties slow down, then the team is going to be far better. Every week there is going to be another greatest of all time type of story, and the players are going to want to hit that point. The attention from the media, everyone trying to win the games by three touch downs, is not necessary because all that the team has to do is play up to their capabilities rather than the hype, and everything is going to be fine.
The schedule: Playing on October 10th against LSU and then October 31st against Georgia, and this is it. There is plenty of talk already about a potential upset in South Carolina, but if Florida is going to play as well as its supposed to, then this is not going to be a bad trip at all. Unless there is some kind of a major upset at Kentucky, at Mississippi State or against Florida State, there is nothing else that needs to be worried about.
Who is the best offensive player? The Senior Quarterback, Tim Tebow. You may be sick of him, and it is likely only going to get worse, but he really is that good. He has completed 66% out of all of his passes for 67 touch downs and 6,390 yards, 11 interceptions, 43 scores and 2,037 yards rushing. He throws a much better and much more accurate ball than most of the scouts are giving him credit for. His bruising style of running isn't really pretty but it is still quite brutally effective.
Who is the best defensive player? The senior linebacker, Brandon Spikes, is the best defensive player on the team right now. He has made 239 tackles in his career, breaking up 11 passes, claiming 25 tackles for loss and 3 interceptions. His athleticism and size are prototype for the sport and he is likely to become more of a spokesman for the team than even Tebow will.
Key Player: The key player to achieving a successful season is going to be the sophomore wide receiver Deonte Thompson. Florida isn't going to have another Harvin, but it will have several different receivers capable of flying. Thompson has caught 18 passes, 3 touch downs and 269 yards and he has a catch average of 14.9 yards.
The season is going to be successful if: If Florida manages to go 14-0 while winning the national championship. If anything less than the absolute perfect season is obtained, then the team is going to be disappointed. Anything less than obtaining a national championship is going to be a complete failure. The expectations may be ridiculously high, but they certainly deserve to be.
The Key Game will be: The October 31 game against Georgia. Watch out for this. Georgia is really, exceptionally good, better than they were last year, and they absolutely have the potential to pull off this win in this truly heated rivalry.
Here are some interesting stats from 2008:
- Florida threw 5 interceptions, opponents threw 26.
- The third down percentage of conversions for Florida was 52% or 83 out of 161, and for Opponents was 33% or 63 out of 192.
- The first quarter scoring for Florida was 167 and only 20 for Opponents.
Photo Credits: OPEN Sports
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July 30th, 2009 — Defense, Florida Gators Football, Gator News, Players
The defense nearly had to start from scratch just two years ago when nine brand new starters were thrown right into the fire. After experiencing a great year, 11 starters are back, creating one heck of a brick wall of a defense. All the top reserves are coming back and there is enough talent here now to keep the NFL well stocked for a while. The current star of the defense is the Senior Linebacker, Brandon Spikes, with 93 tackles. The player who still needs to step up in order to become a star is the Senior Linebacker, Ryan Stamper. The unsung star that is currently on the rise is Will Hill. The best prospect for going pro is Brandon Spikes, and he is also one of the top three candidates for all star, followed by Jermaine Cunningham and Joe Haden.

On the Defensive Line:
It was a surprise when Jermaine Cunningham returned for a senior year, but he's back and he should be on the All-American short list with six sacks, 52 tackles and 10 tackles for loss. He had improved greatly over the spring season and has improved his quickness and toughness. He should be coming up with a huge season when you consider that there are other players up front that need to be worried about as well.
Carlos Dunlap tends to be more like a big tackle rather than a true end, but he is definitely a force to be reckoned with. He may not have been a starter in every game, he was a situational pass rusher big time, and he led the team with 9.5 sacks, 39 tackles and 13.5 tackles for loss. He was the national championship's Defensive MVP, and he known for making big things happen on special teams as well as on defense.
Junior Terron Sanders does not appear special on the inside, but he is a brick wall of a man on the outside as well as being a strong tackle. He made 21 tackles along with 4 tackles for loss. He started in 12 games last year, stepping up and performing fantastically in some of the biggest games that were played including LSU and Georgia. He is going to serve as a key element in the puzzle this year.
Lawrence Marsh started 13 games last year, and is an excellent interior pass rusher considering his size. With 28 tackles, 3 sacks and 5.5 tackles for loss, he should be coming back better than ever.
Omar Hunter was a top recruit for the team going into last year, but he saw minimal time starting so that he could preserve his redshirt status.
Justin Trattou is one of the most versatile DLs on the team, and he finished with 27 tackles, 4 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks, and started for most of the year. He is not yet a superior pass rusher, but he is a good player all around.
Jaye Howard is going to work well as a big end for the 3-4, and while he didn't see a ton of action, he did manage 8 tackles, 1.5 sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss.
Duke Lemmens was a large factor during the off season and saw plenty of time playing with the first teamers, having made 7 tackles and 2 sacks. He always seems to be going 100 mph and he's the type to make things happen.
- Watch Out For: Hunter, Sanders, Marsh. Hunter is the type of talent that is going to resolve the entire defensive front and he has grand potential.
- Strength: The Defensive Line's strength is their Size.
- Weakness: The Defensive Line's weakness is their Tackles for Loss.
Outlook: Marsh and Cunningham definitely belong in the NFL. Marsh and Sanders are tough and talented veterans. Howard and Hunter may be even better for the team's interior. No one is running on this group which is clearly deep and very talented.
Score: 8.5
Linebackers:
Potentially the best defensive player in the nation right now is the USC safety Taylor Mays, but Brandon Spikes may just be No. 1A. He choose to come back for a senior season when he had the alternative rather than being a top 15 pick in the Draft for the NFL, with 93 tackles, 2 sacks, 4 interceptions and 8 tackles for loss. He has the smarts, burst, quickness and size to put him in the right position.
A.J. Jones, a junior, does a little bit of everything well, and while he is a bit small, he is plenty versatile and tough, and he can be used in a number of different ways. He may only have made 2.5 tackles for loss, but that's amidst 35 tackles last season.
Ryan Stamper can play well in the middle behind Brandon Spikes, and if something ever happens to the superstar he will almost certainly go there. He has proven that he can definitely take on bigger roles and hold his on accordingly with a 45 tackle record and a sack.
Dustin Doe has bulked up some, so that he will be able to do more, but he is going to have to battle hard in order to get his same job back. Two years ago he had 85 team tackles but last year he only had 30.
Lorenzo Edwards was originally considered to be a safety, but now he's redshirted and a proper spot has been found for him. He is settling in on the strong side, just behind A.J. Jones. He is tremendously quick and has an unlimited range.
Brandon Hicks has been seeing starter time on the weak side, and he can also step in and make bigger plays when its needed. He made 2 sacks and 34 tackles and he has been an outstanding teamer.
- Watch Out For: A major battle to transpire for the job on the weak side. Stamper may get the start, but he may also be needed as a middle backup.
- Strength: The biggest strength for the linebackers is their depth.
- Weakness: The biggest weakness for the linebackers is the rotation.
Score: 10
Defensive Backs:
Joe Haden is not only a lock down defender, but he is also one of the best out of all of the tackling corners currently playing in college football. He has led his team with 87 tackles, 61 solo stops, 12 broken-up passes and 3 interceptions. He has matured greatly and now is a much tighter pass defender.
Janoris Jenkins started 12 games last year, had 39 tackles, 1 sack, 11 broken-up passes and 3 interceptions. He is excellent at beating receivers up and is great against quicker receivers.
Ahmad Black has enough speed for him to play corner and he's tough enough that he can be a strong safety, and he started in this way every game. He may not be big or built like a typical safety, but he managed to finished fourth in the team with 7 interceptions and 59 tackles.
Major Wright finished third on his team in terms of tackles with 4 interceptions, 6 broken-up passes and 66 stops. He's in the best shape of his entire career right now.
Will Hill is going to have to find a spot somewhere, with 1 interception and 48 tackles. He definitely took things further this last spring, as he's packing a real wallop now.
Wondy Pierre-Louis began last year's first three games before he became a reserve. He had 1 interception and 19 tackles, and now he is taking the place behind Janoris Jenkins as a corner.
Dorian Munroe was going to start as a strong safety but he was injured. Now he's back, he's either going to play safety or end up on special teams. He did play fantastically during the off season, looking how he was supposed to be before he sustained an injury.
Markihe Anderson is recovering from knee injuries that had kept him down over the past seasons. He is becoming greater at getting to the football while it is in the air, and he could potentially become a nickel or a dime back, especially behind Joe Haden as a strong player on special teams.
- Watch Out For: Above all else, watch out for hill. He is the biggest of all recent big time recruits and he definitely plays like it during the offseason.
- Strength: The biggest strength for the defensive backs is their depth.
- Weakness: The biggest weakness for the defensive backs is healthy backups, because of Munroe and Anderson's injuries.
Score: 10
Special Teams:
Brandon James is one of the best all around return players in the nation, averaging with 23.1 yards average per kickoff return, and two years ago he averaged 28 yards two years ago. He also averaged 14.1 yards for each punt return and two touchdowns, after having averaged 18.1 yards two years ago.
Jonathan Phillips nailed 12 field goal attempts and only missed one kick, which was 42 yards against Alabama. While he hasn't shown off great range, he is still ultra reliable.
Caleb Sturgis has the bigger leg, and also handled kick offs. Though he did not get any attempts, he still could get some deep ball chances.
Chas Henry averaged 43.4 yards with each kick with 21 of them put inside the 20. After struggling two years ago with an average of 39.3 yards with each kick, he as added more pop for better results.
- Watch Out For: Sturgis is going to get a few attempts. Phillips may also have a good show to boot 45-yarders.
- Strength: The biggest strength for the special teams is their productive veterans.
- Weakness: The biggest weakness for the special teams is their kick off coverage.
Score: 9
Photo Credits: cracklow's faux toes
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