2010 PRESEASON PERSPECTIVE
Are you ready for some football? I know I am. It has been an interesting off-season to say the least. Last year was a year that the preseason expectations were so high that even a win over a hated rival was no fun, only a relief. I promise you that this year will at least be more fun than last. I know I have developed the reputation as being a “sunshine pumper”, however, I am not naturally an overly optimistic person. But, given the unprecedented success of the Gator program since the last half of the 2005 season, it is impossible not to be realistically optimistic. With that in mind, the following are my preseason thoughts for the 2010 edition of the Florida Gators:
1. Let me first say that I have never seen inside information on the Gators harder to come by. It goes way beyond simply closing the practices. Coach Meyer has laid down the law in regards to leaks and inside information getting out. The coaching staff has been warned and the players have been told to keep all information within the team. That is why you are seeing everyone parroting the team concept of accountability. Ask the people who run this site or the others and each will tell you (if they are honest) that it has become virtually impossible to get those on the inside to reveal anything of substance. Personally, I lost my two best sources on staff, one to a HC job and the other to LSU. My two remaining sources, one coach and one support staff, are much more reluctant to divulge specifics that can be traced back to them.
2. Chris Rainey’s comments have been taken somewhat out of context. Instead of primma donnas he should have used the word superstar. He did not mean to demean Tebow, Spikes, Haden etc. he only meant to say the 2010 Gators would appear to be more of a team than a collection of superstars. Even as great a guy and teammate as Tebow was, it was only natural that there was some jealousy from teammates towards his fame and notoriety. The same applied to Spikes. Did that jealousy have anything to do with the loss to Bama? Of course not, however, it is convenient for those looking for a reason for such a devastating loss to point the finger in that direction. Anyone that has had an older sibling that accomplished big things can understand the feeling. In spite of your love and fondness for that sibling there is usually a natural jealousy as well.
3. I expect the 2010 Gator team to be a more talented version of the 2006 Gators. A combination of experience and youth exists on both offense and defense. Big but not overwhelming expectations. Just enough national doubt to provide fodder for the team to play with a chip on their shoulders. With everyone extolling the virtues of Bama and the foregone conclusion that they will win the SEC and play for a repeat national title (sound familiar?) the Gators are flying a little under the radar. It is funny how a team ranked #3 can be flying under the radar, isn’t it?
4. Speaking of Bama, I am not convinced they are not the juggernaut they are being portrayed as. They lost 9 starters off of a defense that won several games for them. McElroy, with the exception of the SEC game, was not particularly impressive in my eyes and teams will crowd the line to stop Ingram and Richardson. Don’t be surprised if they end up with multiple losses.
5. My source on the staff tells me that Meyer hasn’t appeared to be this loose and confident since before the NC game against Ohio State. The entire staff was extremely confident that OSU could not move the ball against our defense after watching hours of film on them. That is one of the reasons Meyer did not appear to be extremely upset when Ginn ran back the opening kickoff. I also expect Meyer’s new approach to pay big dividends. He will be fresher and able to concentrate on tweaking the offense and adapting it to our personnel instead of wasting time on the minutia that the assistants should be (and now will be) handling. In addition, it increases the effectiveness of the assistants when they know they have primary responsibility for certain areas. This is a highly talented staff of innovative and highly motivated coaches. We will be a less predictable than in the past when Meyer called virtually every shot.
6. My source also cannot contain himself when talking about the talent on this team, particularly the freshmen. His words were that there are times during practice when one of the freshmen will do something so special that the coaches will look at each other and “giggle like little girls”. This is without a doubt the most physically imposing and talented team the Gators have fielded, at least in my lifetime. (I am 56 years old) The speed on this team is simply unbelievable at virtually every position. Although some of the depth is inexperienced, there is depth at every position. This bodes well for the fourth quarter of those hard fought and tight ball games down the road.
7. I know many of you are really looking for recruiting nuggets, so to save you from having to read this entire post I will address some of the recruiting process next.
8. While it was disappointing that Wilder announced to FSU, it is not as big a loss as many think. First of all, if Wilder remains a running back he will not be missed in Gainesville. While he is a good back, he is not an elite back as he lacks the break away speed of an elite back. He will be more of a bruising short yardage back. However, when he does not experience the success he envisions at RB he will likely move to defense where he will be a difference maker. Wilder had silently committed to UF and consequently his failure to attend FNL was not viewed as a problem by the staff. In fact, by not attending it allowed Meyer to spend more time with other recruits, particularly RBs and LBs. Had Wilder verbally committed to UF it would have likely caused some concern amongst recruits at two positions and could have cost both a RB and a LB. What happened? Well, there are family members that have been pushing FSU from the beginning. In addition, Gran is one of the best recruiters around, however, the eye of the NCAA is beginning to focus on him. Wilder became convinced that he is the stud running back that FSU can ride to renewed glory and that at UF he will be in a log jam at RB. However, his recruitment is not over, despite what his family says. Just as he reneged on his silent to UF, he is just as likely to do the same on his public verbal to FSU. If his switch comes at the last minute (ala Elam) we can have our cake and eat it too by nabbing him and it not affecting other recruits.
9. There is a pair of highly recruited recruits who have silently committed to UF. I have been asked not to name names, however, one plays DL and the other is a tall and physical WR. Their identities should be readily apparent. Of course, Wilder’s recent switch hammers home the certainty or lack thereof of a silent commitment.
10. There are those that have questioned the quality of the OL commitments the Gators have received. The truth is that 2010 is not a particularly good year for OL recruits. That being said, I am told that Addazio has handpicked our recruits and given his track record I choose to trust his judgment over the so-called “experts” from the various recruiting services.
11. Mark my word, when all is said and done we will end up with a top 5 recruiting class. It will not be as highly ranked or star studded as last year’s, however, given the fact that the 2009 class was one of the best classes compiled anytime, anywhere that is no cause for concern. BTW, Driskel is the real deal and a superstar in waiting. It will be interesting to see the battle between him and Burton in two years.
12. Speaking of QB, Johnny Brantley will be the best passing QB the Gators have ever had. Yes, better than John Reeves and/or Rex Grossman. At the beginning of his Junior year when it was expected by most of us that Tebow was going to go pro at the end of that year I asked him if he would feel like he was leaving Gator Nation in a lurch if he left early. His answer to me was “Johnny Brantley is a better QB than I am. He knows the offense as well as I do and he has a better arm. Gator nation will be in good shape with him under center.” Keep in mind that Brantley has been under the tutelage of Loeffler for two years since that first hand assessment from Timmy. The college football world is going to be amazed by the efficiency of Brantley. Barring injury he will be in the Heisman discussion by the end of the year (he won’t win) and will be the Heisman favorite his senior year. He will set school records for yards, completion percentage and QB rating. We will all hold our breath until he announces he is coming back for his Senior year.
13. The most crucial issue for this team will be Brantley’s health. This is even more crucial than Tebow remaining healthy last year as he had Brantley as a backup. Fortunately, our OL will be one of the best and deepest in school history. This bodes well for both Brantley and the ample stable of running backs. Pouncey may well be the best OL in the country and Carl Johnson is talented enough to be a possible first round draft pick as well. Gilbert is very steady and has been overshadowed by the Pounceys and Johnson. He is solid and a tenacious blocker. The OL is deep enough to withstand several injuries and still be outstanding. I certainly hope the staff makes a concerted effort to get Brantley out of games when they get out of hand to avoid injury. Also, it will give Burton invaluable experience in the event Brantley does get injured.
14. While I, like everyone else, expect Demps to put up big numbers, I actually think Moody will finally display the talent and potential we have waited three (3) years to see. Just when the opponent starts wearing down, Gillislee and Brown will provide the dagger in the heart. The end result of the running game will be to demonstrate to elite RB recruits that UF will use their RBs contrary to what our rivals have claimed. For this reason, we are not out of the running for both Bellamy and Wilder.
15. The WR corps will be much improved and deeper than in past years. DT and Brantley have always had a special relationship and that should continue. While I doubt he actually runs a 4.2, DT is plenty fast and Moore is “sneaky fast” making it difficult to double either of them. Watch Hammond to make a move and make everyone forget his DUI and the doghouse he has resided in. Hines is a beast in the mold of Hernandez as is Reed. Between them they will ease the loss of Aaron even though neither is a traditional TE. Of course, neither was Hernandez.
16. While neither Rainey nor Debose will be mistaken for Percy, each is very dangerous in his own right. My source has stressed that each have burned our secondary repeatedly in practice. Both will be more productive than James was last year from the slot.
17. Expect to see more of the I formation. I know we have heard that promise for the past two years, however, I actually believe it will happen this year.
18. The offensive staff has a nice dilemma, do we control the ball and the clock with a power running and short passing game or do we use our speed to strike quickly? We have the OL to move the chains and also to give Brantley the time to look down field. The decision on how to attack a particular defense will depend on the perceived weakness of our opponent. We will not be nearly as predictable as last year.
19. As dynamic as he would undoubtedly be as a KO returner, I hope Demps is not used on KO returns. However, I love him on the punt and FG block teams. With him and Rainey coming off the corner there is always a chance of a block.
20. While we will certainly miss Spikes, Dunlap, Stamper, Cunningham, Wright and Haden on defense, especially early in the year, the talent level of the defense will actually be better than last.
21. We will be strong in the front 7 (assuming Trattou, Lemmens, Green and Powell can produce at DE). Our DL will be deep and strong providing a much needed push up the middle and remain stout against the run against teams like Bama. Howard will be the most noticeable of the DL as his push up the middle will create havoc for the opposing QB. Hunter will be the more steady defender stuffing the run up the middle with Sanders, Marsh and the freshmen providing quality minutes in relief. If Sanders and/or Marsh can stay injury free (a big if) either may end up starting as well. All in all a very good, deep and talented group.
22. We will most likely put the fastest set of LBs on the field in the country. Just before the start of last season Coach Strong told me the best natural LB on campus was then freshman Bostic. That was high praise considering a guy named Spikes was manning the middle. However, as good as Bostic is, he is running second team to Jelani Jenkins. That is more of a compliment to Jenkins than it is a criticism of Bostic. Expect to see both of them on the field at the same time on a regular basis. Jenkins does not have the prototypical MLB size, however, his speed and hitting power is amazing. Jones and Hicks provide the experience and leadership needed to be the glue that holds the defense together. BTW Kitchens has turned heads in preseason camp and has probably played himself out of a redshirt.
23. Janoris Jenkins is a star at corner, especially now that he has been moved to the boundary side. He should get more opportunities to make big plays. I think Brown, if he stays healthy, will be a budding star on the other side. If not, look for Moses Jenkins or one of the freshmen (probably Shaw) to get a shot there.
24. Safety is a team strength and Elam will have an immediate impact. In fact, I am told we are going to play a great deal of nickel to get him on the field more often. Will Hill is finally showing the potential we expect out of him and Black is ever steady and the true leader of this group. There is not a better group of safeties anywhere.
25. As far as special teams go, is there a better duo of kickers than Henry and Sturgis? At least a half dozen very fast Gators are capable of returning punts and/or kicks. I must admit that Rainey catching punts makes me a little nervous. I guess James spoiled me with his sure hands.
26. How does Meyer keep replacing quality coaches with coaches as good or better? FSU’s slide began when Bowden had to replace Richt, Scott and “Chesty”. If anything, our staff has improved with the additions.
27. Azzani is a future coaching superstar. Meyer targeted him after watching him at several Gator football camps. He jumped at the chance to hire him even before the doorknob hit Billy G in the ass. Billy’s bluff to use the LSU offer to get at least the co-OC job backfired, in part, because of Meyer’s desire to get Azzani. As much as I personally liked Billy (he was a good source of info) Azzani is a serious upgrade. Did you notice the difference in our receivers in the Sugar Bowl? No more multiple receivers in the same area and/or dropped balls. Coincidence? I think not. BTW he is an astute judge of talent and a tireless recruiter.
28. Addazio has been wrongfully maligned due to the Gators boring offense last year. It was Meyer that insisted that we take very few chances and allow our defense to win the games. It is hard to argue with 13-1, however, I like most of you, felt our play calling more often than not held the score down. Without Timmy’s broad shoulders to rely on, expect a little more innovative and wide open offense this year. Addazio is an unbelievable recruiter.
29. Heater is a great secondary coach and a real team player. He deserved the DC job once Caoch Mac made it clear he was not interested in it. However, for the good of the team he accepted the co-DC title to allow us to sign a black DC. This is not a knock on Austin as he appears extremely talented and qualified. However, the fact is that we needed another black coach for diversity and recruiting. Regardless, the defense is a group effort and it doesn’t appear there will be a clash of egos among the defensive coaches.
30. BTW when it was reported that Tyrone Nix had turned down the UF DC job, that was not true. He was never offered the job because the defensive coaches did not seem to mesh with him when he interviewed. He came in and made it known that he would make changes in scheme and personnel (coaches) and would be the guy in charge. Since Meyer has been here it has been a team effort on both sides of the ball. Yes, it was Charlie’s defense, however, all of the defensive coaches contributed to the game plan.
31. Coach Mac is a great DL coach and an awesome recruiter as well. It will be interesting to see what he does with the “fabulous four” DL recruits.
32. Drayton will seem like a much better coach now that he has good talent to work with. How bitter was it to swallow the comments he made about UF while at UT? The truth is that Addazio and Drayton are good friends and it was Addazio that convinced Meyer to give him another chance. I am told that it took quite a bit of talking to accomplish that task. Meyer is not the most forgiving man in the world.
33. Loeffler is a great QB coach and has the perfect protege to work his magic with. He was told not to mess with Timmy’s throwing motion and consequently received undeserved criticism for Timmy’s awkward motion. He has made a tremendous difference with Brantley and will be vindicated as a QB coach with Brantley’s performance.
34. As far as predicting the season, I think we will probably finish 13-1 and play for the MNC. In my ideal scenario we would lose a very close and hard fought game to Bama at their place. Ideally, we lose on a bad call by the officials. A loss here increases the likelihood, in my mind, that we prevail in the rematch in Atlanta. If we were to beat them Saban will not sleep until we play again in Atlanta. If there is any coach in America more intense than Meyer, it is Saban. That being said, I would not be surprised if we beat Bama by double digits as our defense is more suited to stop them than their defense will be to stop us.
35. We all need to root for Va Tech against Boise so that Boise doesn’t leap us in the event we lose to Bama. Boise has such an unbelievably easy schedule that if they beat the Hokies it should be clear sailing to an undefeated record.
36. As always, it is GREAT to be a Florida Gator!
Are you ready for some football? I know I am. It has been an interesting off-season to say the least. Last year was a year that the preseason expectations were so high that even a win over a hated rival was no fun, only a relief. I promise you that this year will at least be more fun than last. I know I have developed the reputation as being a “sunshine pumper”, however, I am not naturally an overly optimistic person. But, given the unprecedented success of the Gator program since the last half of the 2005 season, it is impossible not to be realistically optimistic. With that in mind, the following are my preseason thoughts for the 2010 edition of the Florida Gators:
1. Let me first say that I have never seen inside information on the Gators harder to come by. It goes way beyond simply closing the practices. Coach Meyer has laid down the law in regards to leaks and inside information getting out. The coaching staff has been warned and the players have been told to keep all information within the team. That is why you are seeing everyone parroting the team concept of accountability. Ask the people who run this site or the others and each will tell you (if they are honest) that it has become virtually impossible to get those on the inside to reveal anything of substance. Personally, I lost my two best sources on staff, one to a HC job and the other to LSU. My two remaining sources, one coach and one support staff, are much more reluctant to divulge specifics that can be traced back to them.
2. Chris Rainey’s comments have been taken somewhat out of context. Instead of primma donnas he should have used the word superstar. He did not mean to demean Tebow, Spikes, Haden etc. he only meant to say the 2010 Gators would appear to be more of a team than a collection of superstars. Even as great a guy and teammate as Tebow was, it was only natural that there was some jealousy from teammates towards his fame and notoriety. The same applied to Spikes. Did that jealousy have anything to do with the loss to Bama? Of course not, however, it is convenient for those looking for a reason for such a devastating loss to point the finger in that direction. Anyone that has had an older sibling that accomplished big things can understand the feeling. In spite of your love and fondness for that sibling there is usually a natural jealousy as well.
3. I expect the 2010 Gator team to be a more talented version of the 2006 Gators. A combination of experience and youth exists on both offense and defense. Big but not overwhelming expectations. Just enough national doubt to provide fodder for the team to play with a chip on their shoulders. With everyone extolling the virtues of Bama and the foregone conclusion that they will win the SEC and play for a repeat national title (sound familiar?) the Gators are flying a little under the radar. It is funny how a team ranked #3 can be flying under the radar, isn’t it?
4. Speaking of Bama, I am not convinced they are not the juggernaut they are being portrayed as. They lost 9 starters off of a defense that won several games for them. McElroy, with the exception of the SEC game, was not particularly impressive in my eyes and teams will crowd the line to stop Ingram and Richardson. Don’t be surprised if they end up with multiple losses.
5. My source on the staff tells me that Meyer hasn’t appeared to be this loose and confident since before the NC game against Ohio State. The entire staff was extremely confident that OSU could not move the ball against our defense after watching hours of film on them. That is one of the reasons Meyer did not appear to be extremely upset when Ginn ran back the opening kickoff. I also expect Meyer’s new approach to pay big dividends. He will be fresher and able to concentrate on tweaking the offense and adapting it to our personnel instead of wasting time on the minutia that the assistants should be (and now will be) handling. In addition, it increases the effectiveness of the assistants when they know they have primary responsibility for certain areas. This is a highly talented staff of innovative and highly motivated coaches. We will be a less predictable than in the past when Meyer called virtually every shot.
6. My source also cannot contain himself when talking about the talent on this team, particularly the freshmen. His words were that there are times during practice when one of the freshmen will do something so special that the coaches will look at each other and “giggle like little girls”. This is without a doubt the most physically imposing and talented team the Gators have fielded, at least in my lifetime. (I am 56 years old) The speed on this team is simply unbelievable at virtually every position. Although some of the depth is inexperienced, there is depth at every position. This bodes well for the fourth quarter of those hard fought and tight ball games down the road.
7. I know many of you are really looking for recruiting nuggets, so to save you from having to read this entire post I will address some of the recruiting process next.
8. While it was disappointing that Wilder announced to FSU, it is not as big a loss as many think. First of all, if Wilder remains a running back he will not be missed in Gainesville. While he is a good back, he is not an elite back as he lacks the break away speed of an elite back. He will be more of a bruising short yardage back. However, when he does not experience the success he envisions at RB he will likely move to defense where he will be a difference maker. Wilder had silently committed to UF and consequently his failure to attend FNL was not viewed as a problem by the staff. In fact, by not attending it allowed Meyer to spend more time with other recruits, particularly RBs and LBs. Had Wilder verbally committed to UF it would have likely caused some concern amongst recruits at two positions and could have cost both a RB and a LB. What happened? Well, there are family members that have been pushing FSU from the beginning. In addition, Gran is one of the best recruiters around, however, the eye of the NCAA is beginning to focus on him. Wilder became convinced that he is the stud running back that FSU can ride to renewed glory and that at UF he will be in a log jam at RB. However, his recruitment is not over, despite what his family says. Just as he reneged on his silent to UF, he is just as likely to do the same on his public verbal to FSU. If his switch comes at the last minute (ala Elam) we can have our cake and eat it too by nabbing him and it not affecting other recruits.
9. There is a pair of highly recruited recruits who have silently committed to UF. I have been asked not to name names, however, one plays DL and the other is a tall and physical WR. Their identities should be readily apparent. Of course, Wilder’s recent switch hammers home the certainty or lack thereof of a silent commitment.
10. There are those that have questioned the quality of the OL commitments the Gators have received. The truth is that 2010 is not a particularly good year for OL recruits. That being said, I am told that Addazio has handpicked our recruits and given his track record I choose to trust his judgment over the so-called “experts” from the various recruiting services.
11. Mark my word, when all is said and done we will end up with a top 5 recruiting class. It will not be as highly ranked or star studded as last year’s, however, given the fact that the 2009 class was one of the best classes compiled anytime, anywhere that is no cause for concern. BTW, Driskel is the real deal and a superstar in waiting. It will be interesting to see the battle between him and Burton in two years.
12. Speaking of QB, Johnny Brantley will be the best passing QB the Gators have ever had. Yes, better than John Reeves and/or Rex Grossman. At the beginning of his Junior year when it was expected by most of us that Tebow was going to go pro at the end of that year I asked him if he would feel like he was leaving Gator Nation in a lurch if he left early. His answer to me was “Johnny Brantley is a better QB than I am. He knows the offense as well as I do and he has a better arm. Gator nation will be in good shape with him under center.” Keep in mind that Brantley has been under the tutelage of Loeffler for two years since that first hand assessment from Timmy. The college football world is going to be amazed by the efficiency of Brantley. Barring injury he will be in the Heisman discussion by the end of the year (he won’t win) and will be the Heisman favorite his senior year. He will set school records for yards, completion percentage and QB rating. We will all hold our breath until he announces he is coming back for his Senior year.
13. The most crucial issue for this team will be Brantley’s health. This is even more crucial than Tebow remaining healthy last year as he had Brantley as a backup. Fortunately, our OL will be one of the best and deepest in school history. This bodes well for both Brantley and the ample stable of running backs. Pouncey may well be the best OL in the country and Carl Johnson is talented enough to be a possible first round draft pick as well. Gilbert is very steady and has been overshadowed by the Pounceys and Johnson. He is solid and a tenacious blocker. The OL is deep enough to withstand several injuries and still be outstanding. I certainly hope the staff makes a concerted effort to get Brantley out of games when they get out of hand to avoid injury. Also, it will give Burton invaluable experience in the event Brantley does get injured.
14. While I, like everyone else, expect Demps to put up big numbers, I actually think Moody will finally display the talent and potential we have waited three (3) years to see. Just when the opponent starts wearing down, Gillislee and Brown will provide the dagger in the heart. The end result of the running game will be to demonstrate to elite RB recruits that UF will use their RBs contrary to what our rivals have claimed. For this reason, we are not out of the running for both Bellamy and Wilder.
15. The WR corps will be much improved and deeper than in past years. DT and Brantley have always had a special relationship and that should continue. While I doubt he actually runs a 4.2, DT is plenty fast and Moore is “sneaky fast” making it difficult to double either of them. Watch Hammond to make a move and make everyone forget his DUI and the doghouse he has resided in. Hines is a beast in the mold of Hernandez as is Reed. Between them they will ease the loss of Aaron even though neither is a traditional TE. Of course, neither was Hernandez.
16. While neither Rainey nor Debose will be mistaken for Percy, each is very dangerous in his own right. My source has stressed that each have burned our secondary repeatedly in practice. Both will be more productive than James was last year from the slot.
17. Expect to see more of the I formation. I know we have heard that promise for the past two years, however, I actually believe it will happen this year.
18. The offensive staff has a nice dilemma, do we control the ball and the clock with a power running and short passing game or do we use our speed to strike quickly? We have the OL to move the chains and also to give Brantley the time to look down field. The decision on how to attack a particular defense will depend on the perceived weakness of our opponent. We will not be nearly as predictable as last year.
19. As dynamic as he would undoubtedly be as a KO returner, I hope Demps is not used on KO returns. However, I love him on the punt and FG block teams. With him and Rainey coming off the corner there is always a chance of a block.
20. While we will certainly miss Spikes, Dunlap, Stamper, Cunningham, Wright and Haden on defense, especially early in the year, the talent level of the defense will actually be better than last.
21. We will be strong in the front 7 (assuming Trattou, Lemmens, Green and Powell can produce at DE). Our DL will be deep and strong providing a much needed push up the middle and remain stout against the run against teams like Bama. Howard will be the most noticeable of the DL as his push up the middle will create havoc for the opposing QB. Hunter will be the more steady defender stuffing the run up the middle with Sanders, Marsh and the freshmen providing quality minutes in relief. If Sanders and/or Marsh can stay injury free (a big if) either may end up starting as well. All in all a very good, deep and talented group.
22. We will most likely put the fastest set of LBs on the field in the country. Just before the start of last season Coach Strong told me the best natural LB on campus was then freshman Bostic. That was high praise considering a guy named Spikes was manning the middle. However, as good as Bostic is, he is running second team to Jelani Jenkins. That is more of a compliment to Jenkins than it is a criticism of Bostic. Expect to see both of them on the field at the same time on a regular basis. Jenkins does not have the prototypical MLB size, however, his speed and hitting power is amazing. Jones and Hicks provide the experience and leadership needed to be the glue that holds the defense together. BTW Kitchens has turned heads in preseason camp and has probably played himself out of a redshirt.
23. Janoris Jenkins is a star at corner, especially now that he has been moved to the boundary side. He should get more opportunities to make big plays. I think Brown, if he stays healthy, will be a budding star on the other side. If not, look for Moses Jenkins or one of the freshmen (probably Shaw) to get a shot there.
24. Safety is a team strength and Elam will have an immediate impact. In fact, I am told we are going to play a great deal of nickel to get him on the field more often. Will Hill is finally showing the potential we expect out of him and Black is ever steady and the true leader of this group. There is not a better group of safeties anywhere.
25. As far as special teams go, is there a better duo of kickers than Henry and Sturgis? At least a half dozen very fast Gators are capable of returning punts and/or kicks. I must admit that Rainey catching punts makes me a little nervous. I guess James spoiled me with his sure hands.
26. How does Meyer keep replacing quality coaches with coaches as good or better? FSU’s slide began when Bowden had to replace Richt, Scott and “Chesty”. If anything, our staff has improved with the additions.
27. Azzani is a future coaching superstar. Meyer targeted him after watching him at several Gator football camps. He jumped at the chance to hire him even before the doorknob hit Billy G in the ass. Billy’s bluff to use the LSU offer to get at least the co-OC job backfired, in part, because of Meyer’s desire to get Azzani. As much as I personally liked Billy (he was a good source of info) Azzani is a serious upgrade. Did you notice the difference in our receivers in the Sugar Bowl? No more multiple receivers in the same area and/or dropped balls. Coincidence? I think not. BTW he is an astute judge of talent and a tireless recruiter.
28. Addazio has been wrongfully maligned due to the Gators boring offense last year. It was Meyer that insisted that we take very few chances and allow our defense to win the games. It is hard to argue with 13-1, however, I like most of you, felt our play calling more often than not held the score down. Without Timmy’s broad shoulders to rely on, expect a little more innovative and wide open offense this year. Addazio is an unbelievable recruiter.
29. Heater is a great secondary coach and a real team player. He deserved the DC job once Caoch Mac made it clear he was not interested in it. However, for the good of the team he accepted the co-DC title to allow us to sign a black DC. This is not a knock on Austin as he appears extremely talented and qualified. However, the fact is that we needed another black coach for diversity and recruiting. Regardless, the defense is a group effort and it doesn’t appear there will be a clash of egos among the defensive coaches.
30. BTW when it was reported that Tyrone Nix had turned down the UF DC job, that was not true. He was never offered the job because the defensive coaches did not seem to mesh with him when he interviewed. He came in and made it known that he would make changes in scheme and personnel (coaches) and would be the guy in charge. Since Meyer has been here it has been a team effort on both sides of the ball. Yes, it was Charlie’s defense, however, all of the defensive coaches contributed to the game plan.
31. Coach Mac is a great DL coach and an awesome recruiter as well. It will be interesting to see what he does with the “fabulous four” DL recruits.
32. Drayton will seem like a much better coach now that he has good talent to work with. How bitter was it to swallow the comments he made about UF while at UT? The truth is that Addazio and Drayton are good friends and it was Addazio that convinced Meyer to give him another chance. I am told that it took quite a bit of talking to accomplish that task. Meyer is not the most forgiving man in the world.
33. Loeffler is a great QB coach and has the perfect protege to work his magic with. He was told not to mess with Timmy’s throwing motion and consequently received undeserved criticism for Timmy’s awkward motion. He has made a tremendous difference with Brantley and will be vindicated as a QB coach with Brantley’s performance.
34. As far as predicting the season, I think we will probably finish 13-1 and play for the MNC. In my ideal scenario we would lose a very close and hard fought game to Bama at their place. Ideally, we lose on a bad call by the officials. A loss here increases the likelihood, in my mind, that we prevail in the rematch in Atlanta. If we were to beat them Saban will not sleep until we play again in Atlanta. If there is any coach in America more intense than Meyer, it is Saban. That being said, I would not be surprised if we beat Bama by double digits as our defense is more suited to stop them than their defense will be to stop us.
35. We all need to root for Va Tech against Boise so that Boise doesn’t leap us in the event we lose to Bama. Boise has such an unbelievably easy schedule that if they beat the Hokies it should be clear sailing to an undefeated record.
36. As always, it is GREAT to be a Florida Gator!
