My Gator World

As the 40,000 some-odd students plan to head back to classes in Gainesville this fall, one young man entering his 4^th year of college probably has more butterflies in his stomach than the collective legion of aspiring sorority girls lined up on Norman Field come bid day.  For most students, by the 4^th year of college, they’ve established at least somewhat of a routine, whether it be waking up at noon on the basement couch of a can & bottle-littered fraternity house or perhaps swinging by a local coffee house to get a fresh cup of joe before heading over to your morning lab.  Whatever the case, by year 4, it’s not likely to expect a large scale shift in normalcy.  For John Brantley, however, life is about to change, not in a winter to spring type shift, more of a universe-shaping big bang lifestyle realignment.

As a redshirt junior (read: 3^rd year of eligibility, 4th actual year for more casual fans), Brantley inherits arguably the most high profile quarterback job college football has ever seen.  Sure there was Tee Martin taking over for Peyton Manning in 1998, who won a National Championship for the Volunteers by the way, but few quarterbacks have ever been so beloved by the local community or such the infatuation of mainstream media as the recently NFL-bound Tim Tebow.  Can you name another 25^th overall draft pick to set a draft record for jersey sales or pace the entire NFL in jersey sales the month after draft day?  Not since Johnny Moxon took over for an injured Lance Harbor for the West Canaan Coyotes has one player been thrust into a more direct spotlight from a backup role. Read the rest of this entry »

With the Gators making an almost predetermined appearance in the SEC title game in 3 of the last 4 seasons, the SEC is anticipating a conference wide shakeup going into the 2010 season, particularly in the East where no team stands on confidently solid ground.  Here’s a look at how the conference could play out over the course of the season, with the top spot undisputedly going to defending national champs…

Alabama (2009 conference record: 8-0) – Returning not only a BCS Championship Trophy but a Heisman Trophy to further clutter the well-decorated shelves down in Tuscaloosa (actually the Heisman is the first of its variety for the Crimson Tide), Mark Ingram and company look to once again wreak havoc on opposing front lines trying to tackle the freight train style offense Alabama greases the tracks for up the middle.  As long as quarterback Greg McElroy can manage to hand off the ball and throw the occasional long ball in the general direction Julio Jones (don’t worry, he’ll catch it), he should once again enjoy the easiest starting gig in quarterback history.

Arkansas (2009: 3-5) – It’s almost laughable that the Razorbacks are among the top billed team from historically the nation’s premiere conference, but so goes a down year for the SEC.  The Razorback’s do feature Ryan Mallett, the top rated quarterback in the conference, who could prove to follow in the footsteps of former Bulldog Matt Stafford on his way to a lofty draft status. Read the rest of this entry »

In what looks to be somewhat of a rebuilding year for the Gators, and a down year for the SEC East in general, Florida will need major contributions from a bevy of first year starters and newcomers to the team if they are going to pose a legitimate threat to climb the conference ranks once again this year.  On the heels of a Sugar Bowl victory (soured only by a loss to Alabama that would’ve sent the Gators to the BCS Championship), having become the first team in Division I history to notch consecutive 13-win seasons, Florida now faces a time of uncertainty that it has successfully eluded the program over the course of the Urban Meyer era.  Shockingly announcing his retirement after the Sugar Bowl win, Urban Meyer sent Gator Nation into panic though thankfully the panic was short lived.  Within 48 hours, Meyer softened his position on his proposed absence, instead opting for the more soft spoken “leave of absence,” taking time off  to focus more on his family and health issues.  Fortunately, Coach Meyer’s health issues, later disclosed to be a non-life threatening heart muscle defect, have apparently subsided as he will once again find himself holding the clipboard and headset on the sidelines in Gainesville come September.  Meyer resumed full coaching duties in March, just 2 months after his big announcement, with plenty of time to conduct spring practice and welcome first-time Gators to The Swamp. Read the rest of this entry »

With one of Florida’s most accomplished classes of departing players now moving on to NFL and other post-collegiate careers, 2010 marks a vital year in rebuilding the talent pool for Gator teams going forward.  Overall, the 2010 class looks to be as promising as almost any in recent memory, boasting four 5-star recruits, amid a well-rounded class of high level talent.  Here’s a look at the top rated entering freshman who will soon call The Swamp their home.

Dominique Easley, Defensive Tackle/End, Curtis HS (Staten Island, NY):  Easley’s biggest strengths are on the pass rush, where the 250+ lbs. big man boasts seemingly impossible quickness and shows a knack for timing snap counts.  Though he could use a little more size if the Gators want to move him inside to the defensive tackle position, which he played some in high school, albeit against far smaller competition than SEC offensive lineman, Easley should be able to pack on a  few pounds with some off-season strength and conditioning.

Matt Elam, Safety, William T. Dwyer HS (West Palm Beach, FL): Elam plays towards contact, a trait that should serve him well as the Gators once again look to blend speed and toughness.  A two way player in high school, Elam spelled some time at running back, though his 4.45 speed should be put to better use punishing opposing RBs who break through the line of scrimmage.  Originally destined to be a Gator, Elam changed his stance after an intense flirtation with the Seminoles, though eventually Elam wised up and will start the season on the winning side of the Sunshine State. Read the rest of this entry »

Training camp in the August heat… head coaches can build a reputation off of it, some veterans go through long contract holdouts just to avoid it, but for NFL rookies, training camp serves as a first impression to the inner workings of an NFL franchise.  The transition from college to the pros goes a lot further than throwing out the old “option” standby and learning a whole new level of X’s and O’s.  Training camp is full of adjustments, from adjusting to the speed of the game to life at the bottom of the proverbial pecking order.  Enter former Florida great (still heart wrenching to say “former”) Tim Tebow, a regular Captain Planet in college, using his physical gifts and superhuman powers to do good on and off the field.  A Heisman winner by his sophomore season and finalist the remaining two years, Tebow has been the undisputed top dog on the Florida campus at the very least since Horford, Noah and Brewer made their way to the NBA.  So how then would a player who has been running the show for the better part of 3 years adjust to the hazing from his veteran NFL teammates?  It didn’t take long to find out. Read the rest of this entry »