No. 1 Florida Gators

Editor’s Note: This completes Athlon's 2009 Top 25 Countdown but football is still a few months away. Return to AthlonSports.com every day for more preseason coverage.

The loudest cheer heard at the Gators’ national championship celebration was the eruption that followed quarterback Tim Tebow’s announcement that he would be back for the 2009 season. You can’t blame the UF faithful for their enthusiasm about the best player in college football and his imminent return. No one in the sport is more important to his team than Tebow, who took charge after last year’s loss to Ole Miss and made sure the Gators won it all.

After feting Tebow, the fans should have remained on their feet and offered a similarly throaty salute to the Florida defense, which returns intact after an ’08 campaign that erased doubts about its toughness and ability to produce big plays. Every player — all 25 — listed on the defensive depth chart before the BCS title game is ready for action in 2009, and that as much as Tebow’s decision to spend his senior season in Gainesville is the reason Florida will repeat as national champions.

How good was the Gator D last year? Florida stumbled through the ’07 campaign, hemorrhaging yards and points in a poor performance capped off by an embarrassing bowl loss to Michigan. The goal was to improve in 2008, and boy, did the Gators get better. They picked off 26 passes — best in America. Posted a plus-22 turnover margin. Were fourth in the nation in scoring defense and ninth in total defense. All of that is back, every scavenging secondary member, every headhunting linebacker, and every pocket-pillaging defensive lineman. Oh, and did we mention that all of them run like 1970s wishbone halfbacks? OK, maybe not nosetackle Lawrence Marsh, but the 6-foot-5, 304-pounder can get it all rolling when he has to. The defensive backfield has so much young talent that some of the five secondary types who have committed for 2010 are considering whether to throw open their recruiting again. Florida is stacked defensively, and that would make it a threat to win 10 games, even if Tebow weren’t coming back.

But he is. The all-around sensation dazzled everybody in 2007 with his running and passing, en route to becoming the first sophomore to win the Heisman. Last year, he continued to amaze with his skills and playmaking abilities, but Tebow matured into the consummate leader and could be seen in practically every huddle, whether defense, special teams or cheerleader, exhorting the Gators. Some said it was a little too much, but Tebow decided after the Ole Miss defeat to forget about any numbers but those on the scoreboard. So, when he wasn’t dazzling in the BCS title game win over Oklahoma, it didn’t matter. The final outcome was everything.

Tebow’s encore performance could include another Heisman. Or another national title. (We think so.) Or both. (We think so.) He has certainly joined the unique club of beloved Gator quarterbacks that already includes Steve Spurrier and Danny Wuerffel. Now, he’s bidding to become one of the greatest college players ever. And though Percy Harvin left Gainesville early, Tebow will have plenty of help in his quest. Running backs Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps run like they should be wearing singlets and carrying batons. Tight end Aaron Hernandez was virtually uncoverable during the spring. Mike and Maurkice Pouncey are back to crack heads on the offensive line. And if senior Carl Moore continues his development, he’ll join Riley Cooper, David Nelson and Deonte Thompson in what should be a potent corps of receivers.

Florida isn’t a perfect team, but it has few weaknesses. And since everybody decided to come back, the Gators might as well win another championship, don’t you think?

This and That

Winning Big Florida won its seven SEC regular-season games by an average of 37.1 points.

Check Cashed Urban Meyer surprised some people after the SEC Championship Game when he said receiver David Nelson “has just been cashing scholarship checks at the University of Florida until now. We’re even.” Nelson came on at the end of the year and caught the clinching touchdown pass in the national title game against Oklahoma. “I took it as a compliment,” Nelson says. “He trusts me now.” Nelson is easy to spot with his helmet off. He’s the spitting image of Tiger Woods.

Getting Better Florida’s defense was awfully good in 2008, leading the SEC in scoring defense. But there were times when the Gators struggled to get off the field. “We should be a lot better,” says Haden. “It’s simply a matter of knowing what each other is doing. We know each other now, so there shouldn’t be any miscommunications.”

Florida Superlatives

QB Tim Tebow, DE Carlos Dunlap and LB Brandon Spikes are named First-Team All-America, CB Joe Haden, S Ahmad Black and PR Brandon James are named Second-Team All-America and OL Mike Pouncey is named Third-Team All-America.

Tebow, Pouncey, Dunlap, Spikes, Haden, Black and James (as both a PR and KR) all join P Chas Henry as First-Team All-SEC selections.

TE Aaron Hernandez, C Maurkice Pouncey, AP Chris Rainey, DL Jermaine Cunningham and S Major Wright are named Second-Team All-SEC.

DL Lawrence Marsh and CB Janoris Jenkins are named Third-Team All-SEC.

Your Turn

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