2007 Florida Gators
Recap:
Florida learned in 2007 that even defending national champions need
to regroup every once in a while. Despite sporting Heisman winner
Tim Tebow and one of the most prolific offenses in the country, the
Gators struggled to fill the gaps on a defense that was gutted by
graduations and early defections to the NFL a year ago. The result
was a solid, if unspectacular, nine-win season and Capital One Bowl
loss to Michigan, in which underclassmen played enormous roles on
every corner of the depth chart.
Offensive Player of the Year: QB Tim Tebow
Defensive Player of the Year: LB Brandon Spikes
Biggest Surprise: Tebow. Hey, everyone knew he could play,
but there was still plenty of skepticism about his ability to be a
complete quarterback, rather than a glorified fullback. Not any
longer. Without a lot of help from anyone other than WR Percy
Harvin, Tebow became the first player in NCAA history to rush and
pass for 20 touchdowns in the same season, and the first sophomore
to win the Heisman Trophy.
Biggest Disappointment: The Gators had No. 1 LSU on the ropes
on Oct. 6, but allowed the Tigers to wriggle out with a 28-24
victory. Falling victim to Les Miles’ gambles on fourth down,
Florida squandered a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter, yielding
the game-winning score with just 1:09 left on the clock.
Looking Ahead: After catching their breath in 2007, the
Gators are poised to make another run toward an SEC championship and
national title. The defense took its lumps last fall, but will
return in 2008 a little bigger, a lot wiser, and far better prepared
to slow down SEC offenses.
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2007 Florida Preview
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2006 Florida Season
2007 Schedule
CFN Prediction:
9-3
2007 Record: 9-4
Sept. 1
Western Kent.
W 49-3
Sept. 8
Troy
W 59-31
Sept. 15
Tennessee
W 59-20
Sept. 22
at Ole Miss
W 30-24
Sept. 29
Auburn
L 20-17
Oct.
6 at
LSU L 28-24
Oct.
20 at
Kentucky W 45-37
Oct.
27
vs. Georgia
L
42-30
Nov.
3
Vanderbilt
W 49-22
Nov.
10 at
So. Carolina W 51-31
Nov.
17
Florida
Atlantic
W 59-20
Nov.
24
Florida State
W 45-12
Capital One Bowl
Jan. 1 Michigan L 41-35 |
Jan. 1
2008 Capital One Bowl
Michigan 41 ... Florida 35
Michigan rolled up 524 yards of total offense, but it needed
to come back late and hold on to seal the stunning win. Florida
stayed alive on four Wolverine turnovers, including two fumbles from
Mike Hart, as Tim Tebow threw three touchdown passes and Percy
Harvin scored twice on the way to a 35-31 fourth quarter lead. The
Wolverines rallied late with an 18-yard touchdown catch from Adrian
Arrington with 4:12 to play to take the lead, and a 41-yard K.C.
Lopata field goal made it a six-point margin with just over two
minutes to play. But Tebow would get one more shot with the ball on
his own 23. Four misfires later, including an errant fourth down
pass under pressure, and the Wolverines sent head coach Lloyd Carr
out a winner. Chad Henne threw three touchdown passes and Hart ran
for two short scores, but Florida was able to crank out yards in
chunks thanks to Harvin, who amassed 242 yards of total offense.
Offensive Player of the
Game: Florida WR Percy Harvin ran 13 times for 165 yards and a
touchdown and led the team with nine catches for 77 yards and a
score
Defensive Player of the Game: Michigan SS Jamar Adams made
nine tackles, a sack, and had a quarterback hurry
Stat Leaders: Michigan- Passing: Chad Henne,
25-39, 373 yds, 3 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: Mike Hart, 32-129, 2 TD. Receiving: Adrian
Arrington, 9-153, 2 TD
Florida - Passing: Tim Tebow, 17-33, 154 yds, 3
TD
Rushing: Percy Harvin, 13-165, 1 TD. Receiving: Percy
Harvin, 9-77, 1 TD
Thoughts & Notes ...
5 Thoughts on the Capital One Bowl ... Michigan took
things to a level it hasn't been at in years. It was flying around
on defense, dominant on offense, and with Chad Henne and Mike Hart
healthy, the attack was unstoppable by everything but turnovers.
Sure, wanting to send head coach Lloyd Carr out with a bang was a
motivation, but for Henne, Hart and Jake Long, is was about ending
their careers with a real, live big win. ... Third down conversions:
Michigan 10 of 15, Florida 2 of 11. ... The Florida secondary might
be young, but it has to be a whole heck of a lot better going into
next year. It gave up too many big plays and had a nightmare of a
time against the big Wolverine receivers. ... If Mike Hart had been
100% all season long, would he have won the Heisman? As he showed
against the Gators, he's a special player when he gets to control a
game.
Nov. 24
Florida 45 ... Florida State 12
Florida rolled up 541 yards of total offense with Tim Tebow
running for scores from 23 and five yards out and throwing for three
scores with two to Louis Murphy. Percy Harvin ran for 157 yards with
a 24-yard touchdown dash putting a cap on the scoring. Florida State
only managed four Gary Cismesia field goals, but he nailed a 60-yard
bomb at the end fo the first half.
Player of the
game:
Florida RB Tim
Tebow completed 19 of 28 passes for 262 yards and three touchdowns,
and ran 13 times for 89 yards and two scores
Stat Leaders: Florida State - Passing: Drew
Weatherford, 20-37, 188 yds
Rushing: Preston Parker, 12-48. Receiving: Preston
Parker, 6-55
Florida - Passing: Tim Tebow, 19-28, 262 yds, 3
TD
Rushing: Percy Harvin, 16-157, 1 TD. Receiving: Cornelius
Ingram, 5-75
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... What
else does Tim Tebow have to do to win the Heisman? His consistent
greatness should be enough to get the honor, but apparently coming
up with one of the greatest seasons in college football history
might not get it done. He toyed with Florida State doing whatever he
wanted to get the offense rolling, and now he'll have to sit back
and see if the voters give him his due. The key part about senior
day? There weren't that many of them. This is a loaded team
coming back for next year, and it's just hitting its stride going
into the bowl season.
Nov. 17
Florida 59 ... Florida Atlantic 20
Florida got up to a quick 21-0 lead on a Kestahn Moore
nine-yard run, a blocked punt for a score, and a four-yard catch
from Cornelius Ingram, but Florida Atlantic made things extremely
interesting with a 20-point third quarter helped by a Rusty Smith
20-yard touchdown pass to Cortez Gent and a one-yard Smith run. A
Tim Tebow 26-yard scoring pass to Ingram with nine seconds to play
in the first half started a run of 31 unanswered points. With a
five-yard touchdown run, Tebow set the record for SEC rushing
touchdowns with 20.
Player of the
game:
Florida RB Tim
Tebow completed 25 of 34 passes for 338 yards and three touchdowns,
and ran 11 times for 31 yards and a touchdown
Stat Leaders: Florida Atlantic - Passing: Rusty
Smith, 18-33, 290 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Charles Pierre, 9-33. Receiving: Cortez Gent,
6-118, 1 TD
Florida - Passing: Tim Tebow, 25-34, 338 yds, 3
TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Cameron Newton, 6-46, 1 TD. Receiving: Andre
Caldwell,
13-164
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... In a
throwaway game against Florida Atlantic, the offense was able to
open things up a little bit while the defense was able to overcome a
rough second quarter. Tim Tebow once again showed why he needs to be
the favorite for the Heisman, or at least in the top two, by setting
the SEC record for rushing touchdowns in a year with 20, while
throwing tremendously well once again. Andre Caldwell continues to
blow up with a fantastic 13 catch performance. The team's only real
knock was a penalty problem, committing 12 for 75 yards.
Nov. 10
Florida 51 ... South Carolina 31
Tim Tebow ran for a school-record five touchdowns and threw
for two more as Florida won in a rout. South Carolina held a 13-7
lead in the first quarter on a two-yard Cory Boyd run, and then
Tebow took over with three short scores for a 34-14 Gator lead.
Andre Caldwell had a huge day for the Gators with 11 catches for 148
yards and a 21-yard touchdown catch late to seal the win. Boyd ran
for three scores for the Gamecocks, but it wasn't nearly enough.
Florida outgained USC 537 yards to 384.
Player of the
game:
Florida RB Tim
Tebow completed 22 of 32 passes for 304 yards and two touchdowns
with an interception, and ran 26 times for 120 yards and five scores
Stat Leaders: South Carolina - Passing: Blake
Mitchell, 26-42, 316 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Cory Boyd, 17-44, 3 TD. Receiving: Kenny
McKinley, 7-95
Florida - Passing: Tim Tebow, 22-32, 304 yds, 2
TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Tim Tebow, 26-120, 5 TD. Receiving: Andre
Caldwell, 11-148, 1 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... It's
time to put Tim Tebow at the front of the line in the Heisman race.
He's not only throwing more efficiently than anyone in America, but
he's on the verge of breaking the all-time mark for rushing
touchdowns by a quarterback in a season. With 14 coming into the
South Carolina game, he's now at 19 and needing four more to break
the record. He's getting a boost in the passing game with Andre
Caldwell exploding, and now he needs his defense to provide a little
more help.
Nov. 3
Florida 49 ... Vanderbilt 22
Florida jumped out to an early lead on the first of two
one-yard Tim Tebow touchdown runs, and an 18-yard Percy Harvin dash
for a score. Vandy pulled within seven on the first of two one-yard
Mackenzi Adams scoring runs, and then the Gators ended it with a
21-point second quarter run on three Tebow touchdown passes with two
to Andre Caldwell. Harvin later added a 13-yard touchdown run to
make it a route. Florida cranked out 498 yards of total offense,
while Tebow set the SEC record for most rushing touchdowns by a
quarterback in a season with 14.
Player of the
game:
Florida WR Percy
Harvin ran 11 times for 113 yards and two touchdowns, and caught
nine passes for 110 yards.
Stat Leaders: Vanderbilt - Passing: Mackenzi
Adams, 16-32, 159 yds
Rushing: Jeff Jennings, 6-37. Receiving: Earl Bennett,
5-31
Florida - Passing: Tim Tebow, 22-27, 281 yds, 3
TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Percy Harvin, 11-113, 2 TD. Receiving: Percy
Harvin, 9-110
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ...
Florida bounced back nicely from the Georgia loss in a dominant
performance over Vanderbilt. The defense came up with one of its
better performances, while the running game got a nice balance of
Percy Harvin and Kestahn Moore to keep Tim Tebow from having to run
too often with a banged up shoulder. Getting all the weapons
involved will be vital against South Carolina next week, since job
one for Steve Spurrier will be to get to Tebow. Brandon Spikes had
an All-SEC caliber performance stuffing the Commodore running game.
Oct. 27
Georgia 42 ... Florida 30
Georgia showed off its attitude early on, as the entire team
came out to celebrate a one-yard Knowshon Moreno touchdown run to
establish the tenor of the game. Florida responded with a 40-yard
Louis Murphy touchdown catch, but Georgia answered right back with
an 84-yard Mo Massaquoi touchdown catch. The Bulldogs overcame an
interception returned for a score by Wondy Pierre-Louis to get
relative control of the game for the final 35 minutes, with Moreno
running for a 10-yard score at the end of the first half, and
sealing the game with a three-yard scoring run after Florida got Tim
Tebow's second touchdown run of the game. Stafford threw three
touchdown passes highlighted by a great throw to Mikey Henderson,
who made a tough catch, for a 53-yard touchdown.
Player of the
game:
Georgia RB
Knowshown Moreno ran 33 times for 188 yards and three touchdowns
Stat Leaders: Georgia - Passing: Matthew
Stafford, 11-18, 217 yds, 3 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Knowshon Moreno, 33-188, 3 TD. Receiving:
Sean Bailey, 3-44
Florida - Passing: Tim Tebow, 14-22, 236 yds, 1
TD
Rushing: Percy Harvin, 10-97. Receiving:
Andre Caldwell, 4-56
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... Tim
Tebow is hurt. The Gators might have put up 30 points on Georgia,
but seven came from the defense, and the offense wasn't the same
with Tebow getting 13 carries late. Percy Harvin was used more as a
runner, but the big problem was Kestahn Moore's fumbling. Urban
Meyer stopped using him, and then the overall options became
severely limited. Once again, the secondary struggled, and it's
going to be tested the rest of the year until it proves it can
consistently stop the deep ball.
Oct. 20
Florida 45 ... Kentucky 37
Tim Tebow threw four touchdown passes, highlighted by a
66-yard play to Louis Murphy and a one-yard jump-pass to Aaron
Hernandez for a score and a 21-10 lead late in the first half. An
eight-yard touchdown pass to Andre Caldwell to open up the second
half appeared to put the Gators on their way to a blowout, but Andre
Woodson and the Wildcats bombed their way back. Dicky Lyons finished
with three touchdown catches with a 50-yarder and a seven-yarder to
pull within seven late in the fourth, but the Gators put it away
with a two-yard Tebow touchdown run. Kentucky outgained the Gators
512 yards to 427.
Player of the
game: Florida QB Tim Tebow completed 18 of 26 passes for 256
yards and four touchdowns, and he ran 20 times for 78 yards and a
score
Stat Leaders: Florida - Passing: Tim Tebow,
18-26, 256 yds, 4 TD
Rushing: Tim Tebow, 20-78, 1 TD. Receiving: Andre
Caldwell, 6-73, 1 TD
Kentucky - Passing: Andre Woodson, 35-50,
415 yds, 5 TD
Rushing: Derrick Locke, 14-76. Receiving: Steve
Johnson, 8-128
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... The
offense is still banking too much on Tim Tebow game-in-and-game-out
to produce, but he's producing. At some point, the running backs
have to get more involved. Kestahn Moore only got six carries, while
Tebow got 20. Getting the ball in Percy Harvin's hands is never a
bad thing. He got six carries and two catches, and while he got
bottled up for the most part, he sprung two big plays to break UK's
back. Finally getting Andre Caldwell back in the mix is a very, very
good thing, allowing the passing game to open up even more.
Oct. 6
LSU 28 ... Florida 24
In one of the year's most thrilling games, LSU chose to go for
it on fourth down deep in Florida territory, rather than kick the
field goal that would've tied it, got it, and finished off the drive
with a two-yard Jacob Hester touchdown run with just over a minute
to play. Tim Tebow's last gasp Hail Mary was batted down in the end
zone. Florida jumped out to a 10-0 lead on a 31-yard field goal and
a two-yard touchdown catch from Kestahn Moore, and took a 17-7 lead
into halftime on a one-yard Tebow run. LSU dominated the second
half, controlling things on the ground, with Keiland Williams
scoring from four yards out and Demetrius Byrd catching a four-yard
scoring pass, but a 37-yard Cornelius Ingram scoring play helped
Florida stay ahead until the final moments.
Player of
the game:
LSU S Craig
Steltz made 16 tackles, and Florida DE/LB Jermaine Cunninghman made
17 tackles and broke up two passes
Stat Leaders: LSU - Passing: Matt Flynn,
14-27, 144 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Jacob Hester, 23-106, 1 TD. Receiving:
Brandon LaFell, 6-73
Florida - Passing: Tim Tebow, 12-26, 158
yds, 2 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Kestahn Moore, 12-79. Receiving:
Percy Harvin, 4-58
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ...
What happened to the Florida run
defense? In the second half, the Gators couldn't get LSU off the
field, but were still in the game until the end. It took LSU
converting all five first down chances, and it took several
gut-check calls to pull it off. Florida played well in the first
half, found ways to get points on the board, played tough defense
early, and did a great job in a hostile setting, but this was a game
about the defensive line. It did its best, but couldn't get the one
big stop despite having several chances.
Sept. 29
Auburn 20 ... Florida 17
Wes Byrum appeared to hit the game-winning 43-yard field goal
for Auburn, but Florida head coach Urban Meyer had called time out
just before the kick. No big deal. Byrum calmly nailed it again, as
the Tigers stunned the Gators. Auburn took a 17-3 lead going into
the fourth quarter, thanks to a 30-yard Byrum field goal, and
scoring runs from six yards out by Kodi Burns and three yards out
from Ben Tate. The Gators roared back in the fourth with Tim Tebow
connecting with Cornelius Ingram for a six-yard touchdown pass, and
barreling in from two yards out to tie it up. Florida had one final
drive, went three and out, and Auburn went on its march to win the
game.
Player of
the game:
Auburn QB
Brandon Cox completed 17 of 26 passes for 227 yards
Stat Leaders: Florida - Passing: Tim Tebow,
20-27, 201 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Tim Tebow, 19-75, 1 TD. Receiving: Percy
Harvin, 7-119
Auburn - Passing: Brandon Cox, 17-26, 227
yds
Rushing: Ben Tate, 20-65, 1 TD. Receiving: Rod
Smith, 9-102
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... If the
Gators weren't going to lose this week to Auburn, they were going to
lose in the near future, and more than once, because of the lack of
a running back threat. Auburn's defense might be good, but the
Gators didn't even pretend to get anyone other than Tim Tebow
involved in the running game. Tebow might have been great, but the
Florida offense was rolling early on, the running backs were getting
the ball. Basically, the offense has become way too predictable.
It's either going to be Tebow running the ball, or Percy Harvin
getting involved in some way. That's good enough to beat just about
anyone in America, but Florida can't win consistently, or be as
dominant as it should, until all the parts are working on a regular
basis.
Sept. 22
Florida 30 ... Ole Miss 24
Florida got up 27-9 on two Tim Tebow touchdown runs and a
19-yard pass play to Percy Harvin, but had to hang on as Ole Miss
rallied late in the third quarter on a Seth Adams 19-yard touchdown
pass to Shay Hodge, and a 77-yard touchdown pass to Mike Wallace.
The Gators were able to get up by six late on a 25-yard Joey Ijjas
field goal, and then the defense held as Ole Miss couldn't get a
first down on its final drive. The two teams combined to commit 24
penalties for 197 yards.
Player of the
game:
Florida QB Tim
Tebow completed 20 of 34 passes for 261 yards and two touchdowns,
and ran 27 carries for 166 yards and two scores
Stat Leaders: Ole Miss - Passing: Seth Adams,
18-31, 302 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: BenJarvus Green-Ellis, 11-37. Receiving: Shay
Hodge, 7-81, 1 TD
Florida - Passing: Tim Tebow, 20-34, 261 yds, 2
TD
Rushing: Tim Tebow, 27-166, 2 TD. Receiving: Percy
Harvin,
11-121, 1 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... For
the first time, there appears to be a chink in the armor with the
running game, outside of Tim Tebow, struggling against Ole Miss, and
the pass defense had a few breakdowns. This is Ole Miss that threw
for 302 yards, and while 77 of them came on one play, it still might
have been just enough to keep Florida on the outside looking in when
it comes to the current discussion of the national title contenders.
Of course, with wins over Auburn and at LSU over the next two weeks,
that would change right back. First, everyone has to get healthy,
and second, the penalties have to stop. Committing 14 for 127 yards
is ridiculous.
Sept. 15
Florida 59 ... Tennessee 20
Florida showed off all its speed and talent scoring in all
phases. Brandon James started off the scoring with an 83-yard punt
return for a touchdown and Tim Tebow threw for two scores and ran
for another, but Tennessee hung tough thanks to a 15-yard Chris
Brown touchdown catch and a 96-yard interception return for a score
from Eric Berry. But the Gators responded with a defensive touchdown
of its own on a fumble return for a score from Dustin Doe, and then
Percy Harvin put it away with an electrifying 19-yard touchdown run
as past of a 31-point run to close out the game.
Player of the
game:
Florida QB Tim
Tebow finished 14-of-19 for 299 yards, two touchdowns and an
interception, while running 18 times for 61 yards and two
touchdowns.
Stat Leaders: Tennessee - Passing: Erik Ainge,
26-41, 249 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Arian Foster, 11-26. Receiving: Josh Briscoe,
8-76
Florida - Passing: Tim Tebow, 14-19, 299 yds, 2
TDs, 1 INT
Rushing: Percy Harvin, 9-75, 1 TD. Receiving: Percy
Harvin, 4-120
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... Is
it now time for America to jump on the Florida bandwagon? Let out of
the national title discussion by most, the Gators showed just how
fast, talented, and loaded they are even after needing to replace a
slew of top players. This was supposed to be Tim Tebow's coming out
party, and while it sort of was, this was more of a showcase for the
entire team. It's going to take a whale of an effort for anyone to
touch this team in Gainesville, and it might take a slew of Gator
mistakes for anyone other than LSU to have a shot at pulling off an
upset.
Sept. 8
Florida 59 ... Troy 31
Florida cranked out 49 first half points as Tim Tebow threw
three touchdown passes and ran for a three-yard score. Troy didn't
exactly make it interesting after going into the lockerroom down by 42,
but it didn't give up as Omar Haugabook ran for a touchdown and threw
two touchdown passes. Tebow added a 16-yard touchdown run late in the
fourth after playing the entire game. Florida outgained the Trojans 500
yards to 336 and 264 yards to 53 on the ground.
Player
of the game:
Florida QB Tim Tebow went 18-of-25 for 236 yards and three touchdown
passes, and had 93 yards and two more scores on the ground.
Stat Leaders: Troy - Passing: Omar Haugabook, 29-52,
283 yds, 2 TDs, 1 INT
Rushing: DuJuan Harris, 6-18. Receiving: Austin Silvoy,
5-72, 2 TDs
Florida - Passing: Tim Tebow, 18-25, 236 yds, 3 TDs
Rushing: Tim Tebow, 17-93, 2 TDs. Receiving: Cornelius
Ingram, 7-105, 1 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... Call
the win over Troy the perfect scenario for the Gator coaching staff. The
outcome was never in doubt after a huge first half, but a sloppy second
half, two fumbles, and 11 penalties for 104 yards will let Urban Meyer
yell at his guys about focusing for a full sixty minutes before the
showdown with Tennessee. Tim Tebow has been terrific so far, and Kestahn
Moore had a good game running the ball. Percy Harvin has had a nice
start to the season and has to be the number two concern for defensive
coordinators behind Tebow. He's proving to be too dangerous to not
always know where he is, even if he only got the ball in his hands seven
times.
Sept. 1
Florida 49 ... Western Kentucky 3
Florida did whatever it wanted to against WKU as Tim Tebow
started off the scoring with a one-yard run and then connected
with Riley Cooper for a 59-yard touchdown and Percy Harvin for a
19-yard score for a 21-0 lead early in the second quarter.
Western Kentucky didn't get on the board until the end of the
half on a 26-yard Chris James field goal for its only highlight
of the game. Tebow and Cooper connected again in the third
quarter for a 42-yard score. Kestahn Moore ran for two short
scores.
Player of
the game ...
Florida QB
Tim Tebow was 13-of-17 for 300 yards and three touchdowns and
ran eight times for 38 yards and another score.
Stat Leaders: Western Kentucky - Passing:
K.J. Black, 10-13, 102 yds
Rushing: Tyrell Hayden, 11-32 Receiving: Jake
Gaebler, 4-43
Florida - Passing: Tim Tebow, 13-17, 300
yds, 3 TDs
Rushing: Kestahn Moore, 16-91, 2TDs Receiving: Riley
Cooper, 4-122, 2 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ...
Don't dismiss how important it was
for Tim Tebow to get off to a hot start, even if it was against
Western Kentucky. Anything less than a fantastic game would've
raised a few eyebrows, but he was in command, made good
decisions, and put the ball in places where his receivers could
make plays. Predictably, the defense was simply too much for WKU
as Derrick Harvey cranked out two sacks and Brandon Spikes was
allover the field making 11 tackles. This was a defending
national champion performance.
Sept. 1 – Western Kentucky
Sept. 8 - Troy
Offense: Spread it out with four wide receivers, let Sun Belt
Player of the Year Omar Haugabook throw to the open guy, hope it all
works. This isn't an explosive attack, and it won't be for a while with
a mixed bag of talents on the front line trying to fit the puzzle. The
running backs are fine with the return of Sean Dawkins helping out Kenny
Cattouse, and Gary Banks and Mykeal Terry lead an inexperienced
receiving corps that'll be fine. But it's all up to Haugabook. He's the
difference between a second straight Sun Belt title and a losing season.
Defense: Troy won the Sun Belt title despite a mediocre year from
the defense. Now the D will be positively dominant with the best
secondary and a defensive line that's either the best, or a close second
behind Middle Tennessee's. Generating pressure won't be a problem with
phenomenal pass rushers from every spot, while the secondary will use
five and six defensive backs at times just to get all its talent on the
field. The linebacking corps is the weakness of the defense by default
considering how good the line and secondary will be, but it'll still be
fantastic with Boris Lee and Marcus Richardson each deserving all-star
consideration.
Sept. 15 - Tennessee
Offense: The return of David Cutcliffe as offensive coordinator
made a night-and-day difference in the passing game. Now he needs to get
the running game to do more, and there needs to be even more from QB
Erik Ainge after a nice bounceback year. The receiving corps loses the
top three targets and the line loses the two best players, so it'll be
up to the trio of Arian Foster, LaMarcus Coker and Montario Hardesty to
carry the running game and the offense. Ainge has to make everyone
around him better until new producers at receiver emerge.
Defense: Is there a defense in America that's produced less with
so much promise and potential? The Vols have a who's who of top high
school prospects that haven't quite panned out, and now that has to
change to have any hope of winning the SEC East. Jerod Mayo will move
from the outside to the middle and Jonathan Hefney returns at free
safety to give the Vols two All-America caliber defenders to build
around. Now there needs to be more of a pass rush after coming up with
an inexcusable 17 sacks, and the new starting tackles have to quickly
emerge. The secondary has to replace three starters, but should be fine
in time, while the linebacking corps, if healthy, will be among the
SEC's best.
Sept. 22 – at Ole Miss
Offense: The offense needed more out of the running game
after a woeful 2005, and it got it with BenJarvus Green-Ellis coming up
with a 1,000-yard season as the workhorse for the offense. Now the
offense has to figure out how to score after averaging 15.7 points per
game (up from a whopping 13.45 per game in 2005). The passing game needs
a lot of work, and the hope will be for the young receiving corps to
step up and become passable. There will be a quarterback battle into the
fall with Brent Schaeffer needing to prove he can move the offense, or
he'll be unseated be Seth Adams, who's the more efficient passer. The
massive line should be better after years of seasoning.
Defense: This should've been the year when everything started to
come together for the Rebel defense, but the loss of all three starting
linebackers, along with some major uncertainty in the secondary, will
make this an inconsistent year, at least early on. The defensive line
will be the strength with end Marcus Tillman on the verge of stardom,
and the tackle combination of Peria Jerry and Jeremy Garrett to be among
the best in the league ... if they stay healthy. The secondary lost some
of its top safety prospects to the depleted linebacking corps, and the
corners have to be far better. Ole Miss only picked off three passes
last year. That can't happen again.
Sept. 29 - Auburn
Offense: Where are the stars? The Auburn offense is full of
above-average talents who need to mesh into a better, more consistent
attack than the one that averaged just 24.77 points and 321 yards per
game while doing next to nothing against the top teams. Only one
starter, massive tackle King Dunlap, returns to the offensive line,
while the receiving corps could be a problem is no one becomes a
reliable number two receiver alongside Rodgeriqus Smith. On the plus
side, the running backs are deep and talented, Brandon Cox appears ready
to be a more productive passer, and the tight ends are the best in the
league by far.
Defense: The whole will likely be better than the parts. Auburn's
defensive front has the potential to be excellent thanks to the return
of star end Quentin Groves for his senior year and with the emergence of
Sen'Derrick Marks on the inside. Getting into the backfield won't be an
issue, and coming up with sacks had better not be with a secondary
that'll be shaky despite getting three starters back. The loss of corner
David Irons will hurt. The linebacking corps isn't experienced, but it
should be better than last year's group as the season goes on.
Oct. 6 – at LSU
Offense: There's a little bit of nervousness among LSU fans with
a major change underway in the offense under new coordinator Gary
Crowton. There'll be more option, more quick timing patterns, and
quicker reads on the line. Fortunately, the loss of JaMarcus Russell
won't hurt as much as it would for almost any other program with Matt
Flynn and Ryan Perrilloux returning to run the attack. The backfield is
loaded with options led by star newcomer Keiland Williams working behind
a great line with enough returning experience to dominate. The receiving
corps won't be as productive without Dwayne Bowe and Craig Davis, but
Early Doucet and Brandon LeFall will be a great 1-2 combination.
Defense: The nation's number three defense in each of the last
two years might crank things up yet another notch with eight starters
returning led by the nation's most impressive line. Tackle Glenn Dorsey
and end Tyson Jackson might be top five draft picks next season, while
Ali Highsmith leads a fantastic linebacking corps that'll only get
better once the star prospect backups get more time. Chevis Jackson and
Jonathan Zenon form a top lock-down corner tandem, while Craig Steltz
and Curtis Taylor will be more than just fill-ins for safeties LaRon
Landry and Jessie Daniels. With all the talent returning, expect more
big plays, more turnovers, and more dominance against the average to bad
teams.
Oct. 20 – at Kentucky
Offense: The Wildcat offense exploded last year thanks to the
emergence of Andre Woodson as a superstar quarterback. It'll be bombs
away once again, as Woodson chose to come back for his senior year and
will have all his weapons at his disposal. Keenan Burton finally stayed
healthy, and he became one of the SEC's most lethal receivers. Dicky
Lyons, tight end Jacob Tamme, and running back Rafael Little are also
back, with Little healthy enough again to be one of the SEC's best
all-around offensive weapons. The problem is the line, which is mediocre
at best, a liability at worst. It could be what keeps the Wildcats from
being special.
Defense: Defensive coordinator Mike Archer is gone, and now
former secondary coach Steve Brown will take over in an attempt to
revive one of the nation's worst defenses. The run defense won't be any
good again with little size up front, but the secondary should be better
with excellent speed and good young prospects. It'll take awhile to see
any improvement overall, but there's enough overall athleticism to
expect things to be a bit better.
Oct. 27 - Georgia
Offense: The offense was a disaster at times throughout an
inconsistent season, but that was to be expected with a true freshman at
quarterback, at times, injury problems at running back, and the team's
best receiver out. Now, sophomore QB Matthew Stafford appears on the
verge of being the superstar he's supposed to be, Thomas Brown is
expected to be back at some point to help out the running game, after
missing the second half of last year with a knee injury, and Sean Bailey
should be the number one target now that he's back from his knee injury.
The offense, at least early on, will revolve around big Kregg Lumpkin
and the running game, but the line needs to produce as well as it did
this spring. A mega-concern going into the off-season, now the front
five appears to be a strength.
Defense: Defensive coordinator Willie Martinez has his work cut
out for him. After losing star corner Paul Oliver to academic
ineligibility, the defense is woefully short on sure-thing veteran stars
with only three returning starters. There's plenty of potential, speed,
and athleticism, but several things have to happen for this to be nearly
as good as the number eight defense it was last year. The pass rush
should be there in time, but it might take the wheels of outside
linebackers Darius Dewberry and Dannell Ellerbe to generate some
consistent pressure early on. The secondary needs to unearth more big
play options, and a number one corner has to quickly emerge. While
undersized, the line is tough and should grow into a rock as the year
goes on. This will be a far, far better defense after a few games. By
then the coaching staff will have the right combination.
Nov. 3 - Vanderbilt
Offense: The offense is loaded with experience with nine starters
returning including tackle Brian Stamper, who missed most of last year.
The line should be tremendous with five senior starters that know how to
pass protect and should be better for the running game. Junior receiver
Earl Bennett is one of the nation's most productive playmakers and
should finally start to get the attention he deserves. Quarterback Chris
Nickson is a dangerous run/pass combination with the potential to grow
into a star if he can cut down on his interceptions. The running backs
aren't special, but they're experienced.
Defense: Vanderbilt won't have one of the SEC's better defenses,
but it'll be far better with seven returning starters and plenty of
experience. Most importantly, there are plenty of all-stars to build
around. Tackle Theo Horrocks, end Curtis Gatewood, safeties Reshard
Langford and Ryan Hamilton, and linebacker Jonathan Goff and Marcus
Buggs are all capable of making All-SEC teams. The cornerbacks have to
shine, a second defensive tackle has to take the heat off Horrocks, and
the stars have to be stars for a major overall improvement. Coming up
with more turnovers would be nice, but just being better in all areas
might be enough to dramatically change the record.
Nov. 10 - at South Carolina
Offense: This should be a balanced attack that'll rely on the
running game early on and the steady play of emerging QB Blake Mitchell
to be more explosive and consistent than last year. The big concern is a
line that was overmatched throughout the spring as it tried to break in
three new starters. Getting a push for the nice 1-2 rushing punch of
Cory Boyd and Mike Davis is job one, while Mitchell will have to make
quick decisions early on until things start to come together. The loss
of Sidney Rice won't be a killer if Kenny McKinley handles the number
one job like he's expected to and a good number two emerges.
Defense: The defense has plenty of returning experience, depth,
young options waiting to step up and shine, and good stars to build
around. MLB Jasper Brinkley is one of the best in America, and now his
twin brother will move from defensive end to outside linebacker to help
out (though he might end up back on the line). The secondary is emerging
as a potential force if everyone starters to play consistently. There's
speed at corner, depth and experience at safety, and an emerging star in
SS Emanuel Cook. The defensive line has to be far better against the
run, and it should be with the return of Marque Hall from injury and the
emergence of freshman Ladi Ajiboye.
Nov. 17 - Florida Atlantic
Offense: Things should be more consistent now that the
quarterback situation is settled (at least to start the year) with Rusty
Smith the full-time starter and Sean Clayton the backup. The running
backs are experienced and quick, and Frantz Simeon leads a decent
receiving corps, but it's all up to the line which was decent in pass
protection last season but awful in the running game. It's a small front
five by design, and that's a major issue for a ground game that averaged
just 110 yards per game and an offense that struggled to amass 300 yards
and 15 points per outing.
Defense: The defense should be tremendous is all the starters
play as expected. The back seven will be among the best in the Sun Belt
with all three starters returning to the linebacking corps, two All-Sun
Belt caliber safeties in Kris Bartels and Taheem Acevedo, and a
shut-down corner in Corey Small. The defensive front gets three starters
back led by top pass rusher Josh Pinnick and star tackle Jervonte
Jackson. Even so, the run defense will be average, while the pass
defense will be great.
Nov. 24 - Florida State
Offense: After a dreadful two seasons, the offense is under new
leadership with new offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher coming in to
breathe life into the nation's 70th ranked attack. Step one is to find
some semblance of a running game, and that starts with talented junior
Antone Smith getting more carries. The offensive line, problem one over
the last few years, gets a big upgrade with the addition of line coach
Rick Trickett from West Virginia. He's immediately pushed everyone to
get into better shape and to get a lot tougher. The passing game won't
be forgotten about, with Fisher wanting to bomb away down the field to
Greg Carr and DeCody Fagg. Now a steady quarterback has to emerge
between Drew Weatherford and Xavier Lee.
Defense:
The defense
came up with a better year than it got credit for, but it gave up too
many points. Now the potential is there for this to be a Florida
State defense again with tremendous speed and talent in the
secondary and a good enough front seven to come up with a big year.
There are question marks. Everette Brown is a good-looking pass rushing
end, but he needs help from the other side. The linebacking corps will
be special as long as Derek Nicholson and Marcus Ball can quickly return
from torn ACLs, otherwise it'll be an undersized group with no depth. As
always, there's a slew of NFL talent to work around, highlighted by
tackle Andre Fluellen and safety Myron Rolle.
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