2008 Florida Gators Preview

Urban Meyer likes his team. He really, really likes it. He has the reigning Heisman Trophy winner on offense and a half-dozen legitimate weapons to go with him. He has a boatload of talented freshmen coming in to shore up the defense.

Two Minute Drill

A Quick Look at the Gators

For the first time in college football history, a team returns a junior with a Heisman Trophy on his résumé. Tim Tebow may not come up with the same crazy numbers he did last season, but a year’s worth of experience should make him a better quarterback. So will the fact that he is surrounded by so many offensive weapons. But if Florida can’t find a running back to take the 3rd-and-1 burdens off the quarterback, the wear and tear on Tebow could cost the Gators a loss as it did a year ago (Georgia). Florida’s offensive line was up-and-down last year before being manhandled in the Capital One Bowl by Michigan to close the season. The Gators have to be more consistent up front to make Urban Meyer’s spread offense as good as it can be. With all that said, Florida will only go as far as its defense will take it. The Gators won a national championship with an extraordinary defense and an average offense two years ago. If the defense improves to be just above average this season, Florida should have a special season.  Three straight superior recruiting classes should give Meyer enough talent — albeit young — to deal with a brutal schedule and high expectations. A second national title in three years is well within reach for the Gators.

But football is a funny thing. There are a lot of coaches around America’s toughest conference who like their teams, too. And in the end, it so often comes down to how these players deal with each other.

“I could have told you last July we had no chance (to repeat as national champions),” Meyer says. “I mean, we were still going to try, but the chemistry wasn’t there. I think these guys understand that now and they are much closer. This team has a chance.”

Florida was a stunning champion in 2006, Meyer’s second year, but regressed with a young team in 2007. What really stung was the way the Gators closed the season with a difficult loss to Michigan in the Capital One Bowl.

In Meyer’s fourth year, the players are there. He feels he has upgraded his coaching staff. All that is left is to play the games.

Quarterbacks

Tim Tebow has already collected plenty of hardware in two seasons at Florida. The next step in his progression will be as a manager late in games. As a starter last season, Tebow won the Heisman Trophy, but one reason Florida lost four times was Tebow’s inability to rally the Gators in the closing minutes of games. “That’s something I have to get better at,” he says. “I think I’ve improved my decision-making and reading defenses.” Tebow is coming off a year when he became the first player to throw and run for 20 touchdowns, and he led the Gators to a solid season in a rebuilding year. The Gators are talented if inexperienced in the back-up spots, with Cameron Newton, who played sparingly as a freshman, and John Brantley, who redshirted last year. Brantley had injuries that kept the battle for the back-up role from coming to fruition in the spring. One thing Meyer would like to do is take some of the burden off Tebow as a rusher. He led Florida a year ago with 895 rushing yards and 23 touchdowns while throwing for 3,286 yards and 32 scores.

Running backs

In three seasons at Florida, Meyer has yet to develop a dominant tailback. He thinks the addition of running backs coach Kenny Carter will make a difference. And he certainly has plenty of possibilities to choose from. The result could be a tailback by committee. Emmanuel Moody, who transferred from USC, was expected to step into the starting job and went over 100 yards in the spring game but fumbled at the goal line. Kestahn Moore ran for 580 yards last year to lead the tailbacks but also has had problems hanging onto the ball. Mon Williams missed last season with a knee injury but is in the mix. Brandon James was better known for his return game but will line up in the backfield. The wild card could be Chris Rainey, who missed most of last season with a shoulder injury. Rainey was the star of the spring game and is the fastest of the running backs. “Chris will start,” Meyer says. “I don’t know if it will be tailback or No. 3 receiver.” Florida shifted Steven Wilks to fullback from linebacker to take over from Eric Rutledge, who left the program. But even with all of the weapons Meyer has in the backfield, the question will be who gets the ball on 3rd-and-1. Tebow will still get plenty of carries, as will receiver Percy Harvin, who rushed for 764 yards and six touchdowns and often lined up in the backfield.

Receivers

If Harvin is able to return to full speed after surgery on his heel in the spring, Florida has another Heisman contender. Harvin was sensational as a freshman and spectacular as a sophomore (858 receiving yards). Florida has numbers for the first time to go two-deep with five wideout sets. Louis Murphy found his niche as a deep threat last year, scoring five touchdowns. Riley Cooper battled injuries but made big plays when healthy and had a huge spring despite also playing baseball for the Gators. Deonte Thompson, a redshirt freshman, had a monster spring. Florida has to replace its all-time leading pass catcher in Andre Caldwell and may do it with Carl Moore, the No. 1 junior college recruit in the country. Moore, a 6'4" receiver, didn’t show a lot in the spring, but Meyer thinks he can add to the Gator wealth at wide receiver. “He hasn’t shown the burst because he’s thinking too much,” Meyer says. “But I’ve seen it.” The Gators have two tight ends who are as good as any in the conference in Cornelius Ingram and Aaron Hernandez. Ingram decided against the NFL Draft to work on his blocking.

Offensive linemen

Center Drew Miller and guard Carlton Medder graduated, but the Gators have plenty of bodies to take their places. The question is whether they can perform to the level of a line that helped UF lead the conference in total offense. Maurkice Pouncey moves from guard to center and his twin brother Mike takes over at guard. Florida returns Jason Watkins at right tackle and gets a boost with the return of Phil Trautwein, who missed the 2007 season with a stress fracture in his foot, at the other. Jim Tartt is the other returning starter. Florida has former five-star recruits Carl Johnson and James Wilson, who toyed with the idea of transferring, available as back-ups. There is no question the line has potential to be better than a year ago, but it must develop chemistry and stay healthy if Florida is going to have another stellar offense.

Defensive linemen

In 2007, a big part of the problem for the Florida pass defense was the lack of a pass rush. Derrick Harvey, the defensive MVP of the 2007 BCS National Title Game, is headed for the NFL, but Florida is in excellent shape at the ends with Jermaine Cunningham and Carlos Dunlap. The big question is at tackle, where UF tried a rotation of undersized players last season. Meyer is so desperate to have an impact player inside he has treated the arrival of incoming freshman Omar Hunter as if he were the Pope. Hunter will play, but if Florida is going to contend for championships this season there has to be an interior push. Justin Trattou could have an impact at both tackle and end.

Linebackers

This is the strength of the defense. Brandon Spikes has continued the run of excellent middle linebackers at UF. He is one of the defensive leaders and will be flanked by Dustin Doe, a starter last year, and possibly Lorenzo Edwards, who played sparingly last year as a true freshman. A. J. Jones was the starter there last year, but a strong spring could allow Edwards to claim that job. Brendan Beal, an early enrollee in the spring, will help with the depth as will Brandon Hicks and Ryan Stamper. Jerimy Finch, who suffered a devastating knee injury last year against Tennessee, has been moved from strong safety to linebacker as well.

Defensive Backs

The big question at Florida is whether or not the Gators can cover this year. Florida was burned in the air by teams like Georgia and Michigan, but three starters return, and the addition of true freshmen Will Hill, Janoris Jenkins and Dee Finley will definitely improve the athleticism of this group. Joe Haden had never played cornerback before last year and did well to hold his own. Wondy Pierre-Louis struggled to be consistent and has to get better to hold off Markihe Anderson and the freshmen. Major Wright was up and down as a true freshman free safety and doesn’t have the speed of his predecessor Reggie Nelson. But who does? If Florida’s secondary makes marked improvements over last season, the Gators can be as good as anyone in the country.

Specialists

Florida brought in true freshman Caleb Sturgis, who made a 60-yard field goal in the spring game, to be the placekicker. “It sounds like a bomb went off when his foot hits the ball,” Meyer says. Sturgis sometimes struggles with accuracy, but his leg makes Florida a threat to score from anywhere inside the 45. Chas Henry had a strong freshman season punting and will handle the chores again. His forte is high kicks that are rarely returned. But the story on special teams is James, who is the conference’s best at running back kicks and punts. Now a junior, James will make the difference in a game or two.

Del.icio.us | Digg it | Athlon Sports RSS Feeds