Florida - Troy Preview

While Troy should provide a bit of a tougher challenge to the Gators than Charleston Southern did. It won't be by much. The Trojans completely imploded last week against Bowling Green in Dave Clawson's first game as head coach of the Falcons. The starters should get a little bit more playing time this week as they prepare for the upcoming SEC slate.

5 Keys To The Game

1. Show up. - The same as last week. All the Gators have to do is make the Gator Walk into the stadium Saturday morning get their pads on and walk onto the field. That should be enough to take down the Trojans.

2. Get more receivers involved. - Last week it was the Riley Cooper show. Even though Justin Williams and Cade Holliday both caught touchdown passes, the best receiver on the night was clearly Riley Cooper. The Gators need to get their other receivers involved this week if they want to establish confidence in their passing game heading into conference play.

3. Establish pressure on the QB. - Pop quiz hot shot. How many sacks did the Gators rack up against Charleston Southern last week? Answer- 0. There's no way this defense should go sack-less in a game especially against Charleston Southern.


4. Keep Wondy Pierre-Louis in for the whole game. - I hate to say it but Wondy was god awful last week. The Buccaneer receivers consistently beat him in man coverage. I like this guy so I would hate to see him end up like Kyle Jackson. Let him play the whole game to build his confidence up. We may need him as the season progresses.




5. Give Moody the God Damn Ball! - I can't emphasize this enough.







5 Players that need to step up.

1. Deonte Thompson - All of Gator Nation will be watching to see how Deonte bounces back from what may have been one of the worst performances by a receiver in recent Florida history.


2. Wondy Pierre-Louis - I've already enumerated the reasons why Wondy needs to have a good game. It would be nice to have extreme confidence in this guy. Having Janoris Jenkins back will take some of the pressure off of him.

3. Jonathan Phillips - Yet another opportunity for Phillips to kick all kinds of PATs. He actually missed one last week. Hopefully that's his only one of the season. He may even be able to sneak a few field goals in as well.

4. Carlos Dunlap - Carlos better walk away from this game with at least one sack. No excuses. He is vital to the UF pass rush.

5. Jermaine Cunningham - See above.

Here's some highlights from the last time Troy ventured into the Swamp.



Here's what they're saying about the game.

I have to admit there's some good stuff there. Good job Troy fans.

My Prediction:
Florida- 52
Troy- 6

Florida - Charleston Southern Preview

Yes. This is a preview of a football game that features a 73 point underdog. The CSU Buccaneers come into Gainesville as the largest underdog since..... well ever.

It's gonna be hard for the Gators to get incredibly jacked up for a game that Urban Meyer has already called ridiculous. The fact that they haven't hit someone in a different color in nearly 8 months should help a little. But you get the feeling this will be the Orange and Blue Debut Part Deux.

The fact that this game doesn't matter to anyone outside of Gator Nation doesn't matter to me. I've been dying for some college football, and especially some Gator football. Saturday can't get here soon enough.

Here are my thoughts on this monumental clash between two titans for the collegiate gridiron.


5 Keys to the Game

1. Show Up - No real strategy needed. the Gators just need to make sure they get off the buses, make the Gator Walk, get dressed and be on the field by the 7 o'clock kickoff. If they do that, they win.

2. Avoid Injuries - The last thing the Gators need is to have a major contributor get injured during this horrible excuse for a game. I might boycott the season if someone major were to go down in a heap against the Bucs. In fact, I hope Meyer treats this game like the string of 4th NFL preseason games coming up this weekend. Let the starters play for a series or two at the most. Then, hopefully up 14-0, put the reserves in and don't look back.

3. Protect the Ball - I know. I know. There's no way the Gators lose to Charleston Southern even if they turn the ball over 37 times. Still, you don't want to develop bad habits. A couple of fumbles in this game could lose to a lack of discipline in some games that might actually matter later in the season. Of course, this wasn't the case after the Ole Miss loss last season, but you never know...

4. Give Brantley Plenty of Reps - I want to see John Brantley in the game for at LEAST 3 full quarters. Give him a chance to run the offense for an extended period of time. Let him throw for 6 or 7 touchdowns to build his confidence up. This could help when Meyer decides to throw Brantley in the fire in Baton Rouge later in the year.

5. Give Moody the Damn Ball! - I told you I was gonna keep screaming this until the coaching staff actually listened. Besides, Moody does his best work against FCS teams. Just look at last year's Citadel game. He looked like an All-American!





5 Players That Need To Step Up

1. Emmanuel Moody - I already mentioned Manny's superstar like status when facing FCS opponents. The introduction of the I-Formation should only help his ability to dominate lesser opponents. Time for Manny to go for 250+ with 4 tds.

2. John Brantley - Brantley should be the star of the game Saturday. He will see the bulk of the action at QB, if all goes well. If all goes too well, he may even be spelled by Jordan Reed late in the game. Still, Brantley should have the best game of his career. Something that he can build on throughout the season.

3. Mike Gillislee - I'm real anxious to see what this guy can do. I've heard so much about him leading up to the season. I'm ready to see what he's all about. Granted, whatever he does against Charleston Southern can't be taken too seriously. But at least it will give us more to go on than just practice.


4. Jonathan Phillips - Phillips' leg should see plenty of action this Saturday. He might even be able to mix in some field goals with the 20 or so PATs he'll be attempting. This will be a good chance for Johnny to get a head start on the comp for the Lou Groza award.

5. Jon Bostic - Bostic is another freshman that I can't wait to see in action on Florida Field. He should get plenty of playing time once the starters take to the bench early in the game. From what I hear, Bostic may even be mixed in some with the starting unit. Either way, this will be his first chance to shine.




No Florida v. Charleston Southern highlights exist for obvious reasons. Instead, here' a nice highlight reel re-capping Florida's 2008 season.



Here's what they're saying about this historic contest.

My Prediction

Florida - 76

Charleston Southern - 9

Gator Running Backs: A Study in Genetic Freakiness

It has become a tradition in Gainesville every year to wonder aloud who will be the feature running back. In the past this question came about out of general concern. No real running back ever stood up to take over the helm. Not since C-4 graced the Swamp with his glorious presence had the Gators had a running back that they could turn to in dire situations. This year, the problem is a little different.

Last season, the Gators had an explosion of awesome out of the backfield. Chris Rainey, Jeff Demps and Percy Harvin provided defensive coordinators with fits. Coming into the 2009 season the Gators face an enviable problem. They have too many talented running backs. Who's gonna be the premiere back? Who will lose a lot of carries and disappear from the mix? Here's my completely accurate take on the situation.

Jeff Demps

Needless to say, Jeffrey Demps is the fastest of the Gator backs. This fact seems to get all of Gator Nation riled up and more excited than a redneck at Daytona. Every time I have the audacity to tell someone that Demps is just not a complete back yet, I get met with a lot of yelling and profane language. I think Demps will be the starter, and deservedly so. However, I think there are a few other backs on our roster that are just better all around. Of course, I won't care too much about all around play when Demps is breaking one loose against the Vols for a 75 yard touchdown run.




Chris Rainey

Rainey is one of those backs that I feel is a better all-around player than Demps. He has the speed, the elusiveness and he is a bit bigger than Demps. He does have a tendency to dance around too much, but I have the feeling Running Backs Coach Kenny Carter will get that straightened out this season. If Rainey can cut back on the amount of times he's dropped for a loss, his playing time could skyrocket.




Here's a little peak at what the two are capable of.




Emmanuel Moody
Moody is my personal favorite of the bunch. I still have not seen Moody go down on first contact. Unfortunately for Moody, and the Gators, he can't stay healthy. He was oft-injured last season, but when he played, he played great. Manny has already established himself in Gator lore. The supposed reasoning behind Urb calling those last minute timeouts against UGA was to get Manny more totes. He can add to his mystique by going off for 275 yards and 7 td's against against LSU in Tiger Stadium. The LSU fans will then rush the field, pushing their own players out of the way, to get to Moody and carry him off the field on their shoulders.

Eye candy.




Brandon James
Everyone knows about B. James as a kick returner, but he is a capable threat coming out of the backfield as well. Out of all the true Gator running backs, James is the most polished receiver. He an take a quick slant from Tebow and turn it into a huge gain. I don't know if James will see too much time in the backfield. But his carries will definitely increase with the departure of Harvin.




Highlights of James, including the greatest run back I have ever seen with my beautiful blue eyes.



Andre Debose
Debose is the one man on the roster capable of replacing Percy Harvin. That might not be this year though. He'll probably line up more at receiver this season. But look for him to take a lot of snaps in the "Percy" position.





Do I dare? Yes, I do...



Christopher Scott and Vincent Brown

These are two guys that will get some carries in blowouts this season. Scott has been impressing coaches all Spring, but I just don't see him overtaking the players listed above him. Brown got some playing time last season, and I see him getting about the same this year.

Don't forget about these guys coming out of the backfield either!

Florida - S.O.W. Preview

It's time for the annual Florida - Florida St. game. Thanks to both schools victories over Miami earlier in the season, this will be a true battler for the esteemed Seminole War Canoe trophy.

Finally, FSU is playing with a full roster and no suspensions. Unfortunately for them, this Gators team is possibly playing the best football in the history of the Florida program. Florida St. D's may actually be talented enough to keep up with the Gators on Saturday. Then again, we said the same thing about South Carolina.....



5 Keys to a Gator Victory


1. Score Early.

Florida has been absolutely dominant in the first half of their recent ball games. Playing in a hostile environment like Doak Campbell, it will be all that more important to get out in front early and shut the FSU faithful up. I don't know how effective scoring early will be at quieting the crowd though. I've seen FSU fans do their stupid little spelling thing after their team just picked up a first down in the fourth quarter of a 45-12 losing effort!



2. Instill Fear With Tebow.

Last year, the Seminoles seemed to give up once Tebow started running wild. I'd like to see if a feeling of deja vu came over the FSU D if Tebow started to repeat last season's performance. With all the NFL talk lately, this may be Tebow's last shot at FSU. You know he'll be fired up for this one!








3. Run Percy Harvin

Before there was Geno Hayes calling out Tebow only to get steamrolled. There was Myron Rolle calling out Percy Harvin only to get run right by. Two years ago, Rolle sated that Harvin didn't scare anybody on their D. He also said something to the effect that once he caught Harvin he would lay the wood on him. Harvin responded with something like Rolle couldn't catch him anyway so he wasn't too worried about it. Of course Harvin was correct. I wonder if FSU players are sick of eating crow?




4. DB's Make A Play

You bet your ass that's a picture of Avery Atkins making a play against the 'Noles. That happened to be the best game of Atkins' life. Someone from the Gators' secondary is gonna have to play that type of game on Saturday. Our cornerbacks are tiny compared to FSU's receivers, although that wasn't much of a problem against Georgia. Ahmad Black could be the key in our secondary. It would be a long day for the Noles offense if our secondary provided support for Mr. Spikes and company.






5. Invite UF's chapter of Phi Beta Sigma to Tally

Imagine if you will. You're a Florida St. receiver. You're running your route, hoping Ponder looks your way. Out of your ear hole you hear a blood curdling sound, "SIGMA!!! YOU KNOW!!!!". You immediately turn your head to see this:





You immediately give up on the play and charge into the stands to "take care of ya buness."


5 Players that need to step up


1. Louis Murphy - Murphy had a huge game last season. Plus he's a senior this year. Dallas Baker and Bubba Caldwell both had big games against the Seminoles in their final season. Time for Murphy to continue that tradition.

2. Percy Harvin - I expect Harvin to come close to the 100 yards rushing and 100 yards receiving feat again. He'll probably be the go to guy out of the backfield, and I look for Tebow to throw to him more often than not.

3. Joe Haden - Haden will probably draw the assignment of Greg Carr this weekend. Carr has Haden dominated size wise. However, Haden is a rockstar, and if he plays like the ALL-SEC corner that he should be, Carr should be shut down.

4. Will Hill - With every game that asses, Will Hill sees more and more playing time. This can only be a good thing as Hill is a bona fide superstar. I wouldn't be surprised if he got a pick this weekend.

5. Emmanuel Moody - Of course I had to put Moody on this list. He finally got over 100 yards last week. Albeit against 1-aa Citadel.


Here's some highlights from last seasons beatdown to wet your whistle.




Here's what some Florida and Florida St. fans are saying about the game over at Topix. It's amazing how some Nole fans are trying to play the character card. Really??? Florida St. Fan??? Character???? Wow, they get one bright light (Rolle) and all of a sudden they're the Ivy League of the South.


My prediction

Florida - 48

Florida St. - 15 (All Gano field goals.)

Florida-SC Preview

I'm a little amped to do the preview this week. I usually have a lot of respect for Gamecock fans. I was actually very close to going to South Carolina myself. (BTW Dave Odom is the man!) However, all that respect and tolerance for 'Cocks' fans went out the window this week. I have heard nothing but ridiculous trash talking from all of my dumbass SC friends. It's not even quality trash talking either, but more on that later.

You would have thought South Carolina had a chance to win this game listening to these guys. As usual, here's my keys to the game along with a few names that need to have an impact on the game.


5 keys to a Gator victory:


1. Score Early.

In UF's last five games, they have outscored the opponent 80-0! Florida needs to come out and put this one away early. No need to let a solid and emotional Gamecock team hang around longer than need be. If Tebow can get a couple of quick tds, the mentality of "Oh no! Here we go again!" can set into the Gamecock player's minds. If that happens, game over.




2. Establish a ground game.

This section could also be entitled, Give Moody the damn ball! I will continue to call for more Manny in the Gators' running attack for as long as it takes. The guys is easily the best all around back that we have and he needs to get the rock more than he does. Granted we've put up some pretty impressive numbers on the ground without Moody, but he brings an extra dimension to the rushing attack that has been missing this year. He has the attitude that Timmy had running the ball last season. The same attitude that Tebow and other Gator backs (outside of Harvin) seem to be missing this season.



3. Block a punt.

It's quite simple actually, block a punt, we win. That's the way it's been for Urban Meyer's Gators. Every time a Florida team has blocked a punt under Meyer, they have gone on to win the ball game. This has been especially true lately. The Gators are replacing Virginia Tech as the punt block specialists in the nation. Also, we all know how much trouble the Gamecocks have had against our special teams the previous two seasons. I'm sure SC's special teams coach Ray Rychleski is having nightmares at this very moment.



4. Find Eric Norwood before every snap.

Even I have been guilty of overlooking Norwood this season. With All-SEC caliber players like Captain Munnerlyn and Jasper Brinkley on the D, it's easy to overlook Norwood. If the Gators want to continue their recent trend of dominating opponents on the ground, they will have to find a way around Eric Norwood. Unless it's Manny Moody running the ball, then he'll just run his punkass over!







5. Remember the Citadel is NEXT week.

Florida cannot take South Carolina lightly this week. I'm not expecting them to. But then again, I didn't expect them to take Ole Miss lightly either. Urban Meyer just needs to remind the guys that the Bulldogs come to Gainesville next week, not this Saturday. I'm sure seeing the 'ol Ball Coach on the opposite sideline will help Florida with that.






5 Gator players that need to step up:

(Note: I am absolutely on fire when it comes to this part. I guess I'm a Magic Johnson type motivator, cus' lately every payer I mention goes out and takes care of business.)


1. Carl Johnson - CJ is coming off of an injury this week. All the reports state that he is 100 percent and ready to go. He better be, because this is the best group of blitzing linebackers the Gators have faced all season long.

2.Emmanuel Moody - The offense is great, but something is missing. I gotta have more Moody!

3. Tim Tebow - Timmy pretty much won the Heisman against the Gamecocks last year. If he gets off early, the Visored one could be in for a very long night.

4. Brandon Hicks - The Gators second team D may be the only weakness on this team. When they get into the game, Hicks needs to step up and be the leader of the unit. If Hicks can get on his game, the Gators D could be on par with 2006's unit.

5. Jonathan Phillips - This is a conditional pick. If this game resembles the last time South Carolina visited the Swamp, Phillips will need to continue his surprisingly stellar season. If it's a lot like last year's romp, Phillips will add on to his PAT totals.



Here's some SC fans flexing their intellectual muscle.



My Prediction:

Florida- 44

South Carolina- 21

Florida-Vandy Preview

For some strange reason, I have never really done a preview for a Gators game. Last week, I mentioned a few players that needed to step up in the WLOCP, and as usual I was absolutely correct.

So I figure, why not do a preview from here on out? Here's this week's look to the historic Gators v. Vandy match-up.

Enjoy!

5 keys to a Gator Victory:

1. Show up.

I know the Dores are playing better than usual this season, but it's still freakin' Vanderbilt. Somehow, Vandy always seems to manage a way to give the Gators all kinds of problems. With the exception of last year's blow-out, this series has had a string of way too close games. With no real threat at the QB position, I think it will be pretty hard for Vandy to muster that kind of game once again. Then again, some strange things have happened in Nashville this season.

2. Avoid D.J. Moore

This guy is easily the best player on Vanderbilt's squad. He only has 3 picks this season, but that's mostly due to the fact that no QB in their right mind would throw the ball his way. He is the true definition of playmaker that should take away one side of the field on Saturday. Moore is also dangerous in the kick return game, so that's something else the Gators should be wary of.

3. Cuss like a sailor.

Bobby Johnson really hates curse words. Maybe if Louis Murphy dropped an F-bomb while running a go route along the sideline, he could seriously infuriate CBJ. Unless, of course, he thought Murphy was simply sending a shout-out to Vandy's TE. This could possibly lead to a Vandy coach/UF player throwdown, the likes of which we've never seen.

Well, almost never......

4. Give Moody the damn ball!

Supposedly, Manny is ready to go all out this week after coming off of an injury. Georgia fans know how healthy Moody is right now. He ran the ball 7 times for 73 yards against the Dawgs last week in his first game back from an ankle injury. I have been the biggest proponent all season long of Moody carrying the rock. Demps and Rainey should get good yardage due to their speed, but we need to start using Manny as a change of pace back more frequently.

5. Don't look ahead.

The OBC brings his Fighting Cocks to the Swamp next week. Looking ahead to that match up is probably the biggest challenge the Gators will face this week. Fortunately for us, we have Timothy the Great taking snaps, and I don't see him allowing this team to look ahead. We just need to gt to Nashville and take care of some business. Also, with a berth in the SEC title game on the line, I doubt Meyer and the rest of the coaching staff will really have any difficulty getting this team pumped up.

5 Gator players that need to step up:

1. Brandon James - The Gators D has played so good recently, that James hasn't been able to return that many kicks. BJ needs to make the most of his opportunities this week both in the kicking and running game.

2. Emmanuel Moody - I've already stressed the importance of Manny this week.

3. Markihe Anderson - The Gators are a CB short this week. Granted Jacques Rickerson didn't see the field all that much. Nonetheless, his departure means the rest of the secondary needs to put in a little extra work.

4. Louis Murphy - Aside from enticing a riot with his profanities, Murphy needs to play an important role in the passing game. His play becomes all the more important if the Dores play D.J. Moore on Percy Harvin all game long.

5. The Pouncey Boys - Vandy is very solid up front defensively. The Florida O-line, anchored by the Pounceys, will have to continue their run of great games to keep Tebow out of pressure.

Here's some Vandy fans perspective on the game.

My Prediction:

Florida 35

Vandy 13

Everything is back to normal

After last year's aberration, the Gators have resumed control of the WLOCP. I don't know if the celebration last year meant anything for last night. All I know is the Florida Gator football team hosted a nice little shindig for 3 1/2 hours on Saturday.

Tim Tebow threw his name back into the Heisman race after after an impressive 5 touchdown performance against the Dawgs. Those td's included 2 passing and 3 rushing. Percy Harvin was Percy Harvin once again as he caught a touchdown pass and ran for another one.

Despite the 49 points the seemingly unstoppable Gator offense put on the board, it was the Florida D that paved the way for victory. The Gators' defense held Mr. Moreno to only 65 rushing yards last night. This is the same man who had his coming out party against the Gators to the tune of 188 yards the previous season. The D also picked off the supposedly better passer in the game, Matthew Stafford, 3 times. Joe Haden, Ahmad Black and Dustin Doe all recorded an interception.

Earlier in the week, I listed a few Gators that were poised to step up this week. I'm glad to report that all of them, for the most part, had a big game against UGA. Terron Sanders recorded a sack and returned a fumble to the Georgia 9; Emmanuel Moody came in late to rush for 71 yards; Louis Murphy caught a long touchdown pass that helped break the game wide open; and Joe Haden provided perhaps the play of the game by picking off Stafford and running it all the way back to the 9.

Here are the stats for the super bad ass Florida Gators:


Passing
Tim Tebow 10-13 154 yards 2 tds
John Brantley 3-4 34 yards 1 tds


Rushing
Emmanuel Moody 7 71 yards
Tim Tebow 12 39 yards 3 tds
Percy Harvin 4 37 yards 1 td
Jeff Demps 7 19 yards
Chris Rainey 6 11 yards
John Brantley 1 6 yards
Brandon James 1 2 yards


Receiving
Percy Harvin 3 recs 52 yards 1 td
Deonte Thompson 3 recs 34 yards 1 td
Riley Cooper 2 recs 22 yards
Jeff Demps 2 recs 8 yards
Louis Murphy 1 rec 44 yards 1 td
Aaron Hernandez 1 rec 18 yards
Tate Casey 1 rec 10 yards


Tackles
Joe Haden 10
Brandon Spikes 7
Will Hill 5
Major Wright 5

Interceptions
Joe Haden 1 88 yards
Ahmad Black 1 64 yards
Dustin Doe 1 0 yards


Sacks
Carlos Dunlap 1
Brandon Spikes .5
Jermaine Cunningham .5


Player of the Game

Joe Haden - CB, Rockstar, Ears O' Plenty

Haden heeded my advice and stepped up in a major way against the Dawgs. Haden pick and subsequent return was the absolute biggest play of the game. Haden showed his athletic ability on the run back that allowed him to get all the way down to the 1 yard line, setting up a Tebow td run. Joey was also the only Gator to record double digit tackles in the game. I'm really liking Haden and Janoris Jenkins patrolling the corners for this D.

Time to step up!

Here's a group of Gators (not named Tebow or Harvin) that need to step their game up this weekend against the Dawgs. If we can just get a couple of these guys to produce on Saturday we should reclaim the WLOCP.




Joe Haden - CB

Up until this point, true freshman Janoris Jenkins has outplayed Haden at the corner position. Rockstar did come through last week with a couple of near interceptions, but he is not playing up to his ability. I still think Haden has the ability to be an All-SEC type player. Perhaps a breakout game against UGA will get him on track.

Brandon James -RS

Brandon James was easily the Gators' MVP during the earlier part of this season. After the Ole Miss game, however James hasn't had an outstanding game. Winning the position battle against Georgia will go a long way for the Gators on Saturday. If James can return to his early season form, the Gators could possibly dominate.

Louis Murphy - WR

I don't really think it's Murphy's fault that he's not having that great of a season. Personally, I think Tebow locks on to Harvin way too much. If Timmy can stop undressing Percy for one second and through a god damn fly route to Murphy, I would be satisfied.

Terron Sanders - DT

Knowshon Moreno is gonna get his on Saturday. There's really nothing the Gators can do to stop him. The key to the game defensively for Florida will be getting pressure on Matthew Stafford. I really like the way Sanders has come on as of late. I look for him to continue that trend and provide some pressure up the middle. It doesn't hurt that ends Carlos Dunlap and Jermaine Cunningham will be getting double teams all game long.

Emmanuel Moody -RB

Even with the emergence of Jeff Demps and Chris Rainey, I still believe Moody is the best all around back we have. The Dawgs have a very speedy linebacker corps. Demps and Rainey might not get the chance to reach the second level too often. This game could be a trademark moment for Moody. I have never seen Moody go down after first contact. Those extra yards will be huge this weekend.

Rocky Toppled.

Man isn't that a clever ass title?

The Gators dominated the Vols today. The best part about the Gators' 30-6 victory was the fact that the UT band didn't have enough reasons to ravage our ear canals with Rocky Top.

Here's a look at the stats.


Florida









Florida Passing
Tim Tebow 8/15 96 yards 2 tds


Florida Rushing
Emmanuel Moody 9 55 yds
Chris Rainey 9 37 yds
Percy Harvin 6 31 yds
Tim Tebow 12 26 yds

Florida Receiving
Percy Harvin 2 recs 49 yds 1 td
Louis Murphy 2 recs 18 yds
Aaron Hernandez 2 recs 15 yds 1 td
Kestahn Moore 1 rec 9 yds
Riley Cooper 1 rec 5 yds


Florida Interceptions
Jannoris Jenkins 1 int


Florida Kick Returns
Brandon James 1 52 yds
Tate Casey 1 4 yds


Florida Punt Returns
Brandon James 2 92 yds 1 td


Florida Kicking
Jonathan Phillips 3/3 40 long


Florida Punting
Chas Henry 1 57 yds



Tennessee









Tennessee Passing
Garbage


Tennessee Rushing
Pathetic


Tennessee Receiving
Non-Existent


Tennessee Defense and Special Teams
Shit.



Player of the Game

Brandon James - Kick Returner, Punt Returner, Bad Ass

James' punt return for a touchdown may have been one of the best returns I've seen in a while. If James' punt return for a touchdown against the Vols his freshmen season wasn't called back, this would have been the third straight year the diminutive James would have torched UT.











Notes:

I think Urban Meyer may have read my previous blog on Emmanuel Moody. The Gators FINALLY gave Moody the ball. I must say Manny didn't disappoint. He showed the skill set that made him PAC-10 freshman of the year 2 years ago. I hope this is a sign of things to come.

Tebow was solid once again. Although he hasn't had the staggering numbers this season, he is playing very good football. Timmy has yet to throw an interception this season, and his decision making only seems to be getting better.

Our defense was phenomenal this game. The biggest question mark on this team is starting to prove themselves. Penalties were still an issue, although some could have easily went the other way. I can live with the penalties, as long as they aren't too costly.

All in all, it was a good win for the Gators. Our fourth straight vs. the Vols. I'm just glad we don't have to hear Tebow sing Rocky Top.

Where's Moody

Where the hell is this guy:

I was all kinds of pumped up when Sir Emmanuel Moody announced he was transferring to the greatest institution known to man.

"Finally," I thought, "We have a dangerous back that will take some of the load off of Tebow and Harvin." Whenever I attended a Gator game last year, I made sure to spot Moody on the sideline. I would elbow my annoyed girlfriend and say, "That guy right there is the answer."

Not since C-4 donned a Gator jersey had I been so excited about a Gator running back. Deshawn Wynn was ok, but I always felt that his power running style didn't fit in with our offense. And don't get me started on Kestahn Moore.

Heading in to week 1 and our momentous showdown against the Hawaii Warriors I was jacked to see this Gator offense in action. I wasn't disappointed. Jeff Demps, Chris Rainey and Brandon James had tremendous games at the running back position. Our rushing attack was stellar, and we didn't even need Tebow to help out. All of this excitement was somewhat diluted by the fact that I didn't get to see Mr. Moody do his thang.

2 carries?!?! Are you serious?!?!?! 2 carries?!?!?! I couldn't believe that Urban Meyer found a way to get the ball in the hands of every running back on his squad EXCEPT for Moody. I heard all kinds of reports after the game that Moody was a little dinged up and Meyer was a little hesitant to use him. However, I also heard that Moody was still struggling to pick up the offense. I have to say I believe the latter a little more than the former.

Week 2 came, and went. This time Moody didn't tote the pill even once! Granted our offense struggled all night against a very good and speedy Miami Hurricane defense. But we're talking about a guy who won PAC-10 Freshman of the year two years ago. Instead of giving him a chance, Meyer and Dan Mullen decided to give the ball to Kestahn Moore. Why we still hand the ball off to Moore is way beyond me.

This week the Gators will travel to Knoxville to take on Tennessee. While I don't expect a blowout on par with last season's whoop-ass, I do expect the Gators to win comfortably. That is, unless we hand the ball off to Kestahn over 5 times.

Moody transferred to Florida to escape the extremely crowded backfield at USC. With the likes of Chris Rainey, Jeff Demps, Brandon James, Mon Williams and even Kestahn Moore, our backfield is a little crowded too. However, I know Moody is a more talented back than all of these guys. He may not have the speed of Demps, the elusiveness of Rainey or the shittiness of Moore, but he IS a better all-around back.

I hope to see, at the very least, more than 2 carries for Moody this week. I guess we'll see what happens.

Maxwell watch list

The Maxwell Award watch list was just announced. There are a total of 76 players included on the list.



As you know, the Maxwell award is giving out to the top offensive player in the nation. Last year, Tim Tebow aka Mr. Wonderful took home the award.



Timmy is back on the watch list this season along with fellow Gators Percy Harvin and Emmanuel Moody.



Here is the entire list.



You better read every single line. It took a lot of effort to copy and paste this damn thing.



Travis Beckum Wisconsin TE
Arrelious Benn Illinois WR
Todd Boeckman Ohio St. QB
Sam Bradford Oklahoma QB
Kenny Britt Rutgers WR
Demetrius Byrd LSU WR
Hunter Cantwell Louisville QB
Rudy Carpenter Arizona St. QB
Greg Carr Florida St. WR
Jimmy Claussen Notre Dame QB
Chase Coffman Missouri TE
Michael Crabtree Texas Tech WR
Jonathan Crompton Tennessee QB
Chase Daniel Missouri QB
James Davis Clemson RB
Nate Davis Ball St. QB
Noel Devine West Virginia RB
Jarrett Dillard Rice WR
Damion Fletcher Southern Miss RB
Arian Foster Tennessee RB
Brandon Gibson Washington St. WR
Mike Goodson Texas A&M RB
Jermaine Gresham Oklahoma TE
Matt Grothe South Florida QB
Max Hall BYU QB
Cullen Harper Clemson QB
Graham Harrell Texas Tech QB
Percy Harvin Florida WR
Keegan Herring Arizona St. RB
Darrius Heyward-Bey Maryland WR
P.J. Hill Wisconsin RB
Chase Holbrook New Mexico St. QB
Juaquin Iglesias Oklahoma WR
Javarris James Miami RB
Eugene Jarvis Kent St. RB
Ian Johnson Boise St. RB
Stafon Johnson USC RB
Aaron Kelly Clemson WR
Derek Kinder Pittsburgh WR
Jorvorskie Lane Texas A&M RB
Dan LeFevour Central Michigan QB
Jake Locker Washington QB
Marlon Lucky Nebraska RB
Jeremy Maclin Missouri WR
Colt McCoy Texas QB
LeSean McCoy Pittsburgh RB
Kenny McKinley South Carolina WR
Joe McKnight USC RB
Emmanuel Moody Florida RB
Knowshon Moreno Georgia RB
DeMarco Murray Oklahoma RB
Curtis Painter Purdue QB
Todd Reesing Kansas QB
Javon Ringer Michigan St. RB
Zac Robinson Oklahoma St. QB
Brian Robiskie Ohio St. WR
Mark Sanchez USC QB
Antone Smith Florida St. RB
C.J. Spiller Clemson RB
Matthew Stafford Georgia QB
Sammie Stroughter Oregon St. WR
Tyrell Sutton Northwestern RB
Ben Tate Auburn RB
Tim Tebow Florida QB
Mike Thomas Arizona WR
Willie Tuitama Arizona QB
Patrick Turner USC WR
Tiquan Underwood Rutgers WR
Drew Weatherford Florida St. QB
Chris Wells Ohio St. RB
Pat White West Virginia QB
Jaison Williams Oregon WR
Keiland Williams LSU RB
Derrick Williams Penn St. WR
John Parker Wilson Alabama QB

Will a real tailback please stand up!

For some time now, the Florida Gators have had one of the better offenses in the nation. Steve Spurrier was an offensive guru that revolutionized the way college football is played. Even during the dark ages under Ron Zook, the Gators still sported a rather potent offense. Now, under the direction of Urban Meyer, Florida is once again at the top of college football offenses.

Despite the offensive brilliance in Gainesville, there has always been a question mark at the running back position. With the notable exceptions of Fred Taylor and Earnest Graham, the Gators have not had a consistent ground game. There was the one year of serviceable Robert Gillespie, as well as the one year of Ciatrick Fason (who had potential to be the greatest of Florida's backs.) But a list that includes Ran Carthon, Elijah Williams, Deshawn Wynn, Terry Jackson and Kestahn Moore as starters, there is plenty of room for improvement.

This year the Gators have 5 potential starters at tailback after Spring. While this could be seen as a good thing, it's kind of disturbing that not one of these five players have clearly risen above the rest.

I'm going to break down the five in the order I believe they should play on the depth chart.







1.The Speedster.- Chris Rainey needs to be starting for UF this fall. The best place for him to start will be tailback. If you watched any of UF's Spring game then you know how special this guy can be. The move he put on Ahmad Black to stroll into the end-zone was unbelievable. Chris Rainey and Percy Harvin as the two options with Tebow would vault UF to the top running offense in the history of college football.










2. The New Star.- You would not believe how excited I was to learn that Emmanuel Moody had decided to transfer from USC to Florida. Conversely, I was just as disappointed to learn that Moody was struggling with UF's offense even after a year to sit and learn under it. Moody did flash some signs of life at the Spring game. Despite his fumble in the end zone, Moody was the most pleasant surprise of the afternoon. To watch his speed and elusiveness to get out of the backfield and then his power to run over tacklers in the open field mad me as giddy as a school girl.












3.The Embattled One.- I always thought Mon Williams would eventually become a starter and a star for the Gators. Unfortunately injuries have slowed him down. Williams would have been a perfect lightning to Deshawn Wynn or Kestahn Moore's thunder. Now that he's fully healthy he has a speedier Chris Rainey and a back with almost an identical but better running style in Emmanuel Moody. Although he won't start, Williams should see plenty more playing time this Fall.






4. The Incumbent.- No Gator player has ever frustrated me as much as Kestahn Moore. This include Kyle Jackson because I knew he was garbage so there was nothing to be frustrated about. Moore, however shows signs of a good running back at times, only to follow it with moments of utter horribleness. Moore's game against LSU last season may have been the worst game I've ever seen a Gator tailback play. Although Moore is serviceable, the Gators need to find another answer.







5. The Specialist.- Brandon James might just have more talent as a pure runner than anyone else on the team. The diminutive back provided spells last season for Moore and outperformed the starter. However, I think the Gators need to keep James as a return specialist and only use him in the offense for special situations. Perhaps Urban can develop a package with James as the premiere back and utilize his open field skills on set screens.