By
Brian Harbach
By
Russ Mitchell
YPN running drills with each team, one at a time, heading into the opening kickoff.
3 FLORIDA QUESTIONS THAT NAG MORE THAN YOUR EX
(i) Who is the most overrated and underrated player for Florida?
Russ Mitchell:
Overrated
There are no overrated players on this team’s Offensive or Defensive 1-deep. And we turned over the rocks. So our surprising answer is nobody. We could go with the over-hyped transfer RB Emmanual Moody, though it’s hard to call a guy overrated that no one talks about anymore and who’s stuck at third on the depth chart behind two younger players. His overrated year was last season, which we called correctly. As for Mr. Harbach’s choice, we don’t think there’s enough hype surrounding the receiving trio of Deonte Thompson, Riley Cooper and David Nelson to warrant the overrated label. All three receivers are upperclassman, and to this point have been steady if not spectacular; but it’s not like any are being called the next Percy Harvin. We could single out all the praise/expectations hovering over true freshman Andre Debose – except that he’s going to be that good. So the answer is… nobody.
Underrated
For just a moment, we considered going with Tim Tebow as the most underrated Gator – until the point they named the cure for cancer after him. Still – and open your minds – even with the abundance of talent around him, how many games these past two seasons has Tebow won virtually by his own will? How many times has he put his team on his back and walked (run) them to victory? Remove this single variable from the equation, and is Florida a two time BCS Champion? Are they even a two time SEC Champion (2006-2008)? Still, I would smack myself for you if Tebow got this designation – he receives far too much adulation to stomach it.
Instead, while his talented colleagues Joe Haden and Major Wright get more ink, we go with safety Ahmad Black. In his first year as a starter, the Lakeland, Florida junior had a banner season – he led the team in INTs (7), which tied him for best in the SEC with Tennessee’s All-American safety Eric Berry. It was perhaps understandable that Black was overlooked at times last season – given both the number of future NFLers he played beside, as well as his diminutive stature (5’9”, 185 lbs). Yet past all the picks, Black was consistently good. He excelled in every game, and ranked fourth on the team in tackles with 59, ahead of DBs Will Hill (48) and Janoris Jenkins (39), as well as linemen Jermaine Cunningham (52) and Carlos Dunlap (39). Not to be satisfied with that, Black also saved his best for the big games. His season best for tackles-in-a-game (7) came against both Mississippi and Alabama, and with Oklahoma driving (with momentum) midway through the fourth quarter, and the Gators clinging to a 17-14 lead, Black’s INT was critical to Florida’s National Championship (Black also had 6 tackles to go with that pick). Oh yeah, did we mention he's just a junior?
Brian Harbach:
Overrated
There is no doubt Florida will have one of the best offenses in the country thanks to Tim Tebow and the speedy running backs, but the Gator receivers are a question mark heading into this season. No one will dispute the talent of starting receivers Riley Cooper, Deonte Thompson and David Nelson, but the experience of current NFL receivers Percy Harvin and Louis Murphy will be difficult to replace. The popular name this offseason has been freshmen Andre Debose, Florida’s new ‘Harvin’. Debose looks like type of player who can thrive in Urban Meyer’s system, but he hasn’t done it yet. The good news is that there hasn’t really been a go-to receiver for Tebow, with Harvin more of a hybrid. Tebow indiscriminately finds the open man. Yes, the talent at wide receiver can’t be argued, but neither can the fact that right now the position is overrated.
Underrated
Carlos Dunlap will be a top 10 NFL Draft pick at some point in the future, but Florida has more than one remarkable defensive end in the starting rotation. Jermaine Cunningham has been just as disruptive a force in the SEC, and he doesn’t get nearly the credit a player of his talent deserves. Last year, Cunningham had 52 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 6 sacks, 4 pass break-ups and 3 forced fumbles. He trailed Dunlap in the high-profile categories (sacks and TFL’s), but the overall numbers show an extremely productive SEC defensive lineman. With Dunlap likely to get even more attention this year, look for Cunningham to have another big year, and find himself on many Post-Season All SEC lists.
(ii) What every Florida fan should be talking about, but isn’t?
Mitchell:
Well that leaves out anything to do with Tebow, “TimTebow”, or Mr. Tebow. (i) Ok, we have to do it – just how bad is Tebow’s back? He returned Tuesday after taking some "me time" to nurse the back, and his shoulder. Defense wins championships and there’s a ton of it in Gainesville. But this team is not winning a consecutive NC with John Brantley under center. Not to say Brantley lacks talent, and the propaganda machine from the Florida coaching staff has been intensely plugging the young man – for they recognize what we do. But Brantley was the backup to Cameron Newton before Computergate, and regardless, the team’s confidence would take a significant hit if Mr. “A Lot of Good Will Come Out of This” were sidelined for any material stretch, (ii) If you factor for those players with more than 40 rushes last season, then three Gators led the conference in yards per carry in 2008: Harvin (9.4), Chris Rainey (7.8) and Jeffrey Demps (7.8). Spread that!, (iii) Is it just us, or is the police blotter a bit less active this offseason? Getting closer to that “1%”, Urban, (iv) Outside of the Sunshine State, there’s been little ink devoted to the change at Offensive Coordinator. One year as OC at Indiana?? Our thoughts below, (v) Florida has lost to an SEC West team in every season this decade, and (vi) Will the Gators set a record with redshirts in 2009?
Harbach:
There is one number that Florida fans should be thinking about all season long, and that number is zero. Zero is so important is because the Gators have never had a season with zero losses. In a hundred plus years of Florida football, no season has been an undefeated season for the Gators. This year is their best chance in school history to go unbeaten since they have two of the best senior leaders in the country (Tim Tebow and Brandon Spikes), a manageable schedule, and the entire defense returning. It won’t be easy since only three teams have gone unbeaten since the inception of the SEC Championship game, and Florida has lost a game to an SEC West opponent in each of the last 10 years. It is a very tall task for any SEC team to go unbeaten - Florida has the talent, but history may not be their side.
(iii) The Florida season will be successful if…
Mitchell:
...they win the National Championship. The East is light this season, and Florida is a heavy, heavy favorite to be in Atlanta come the first week in December. Even if they have a loss, winning the SEC will likely put Florida into the National Championship given (i) the conference’s success in the BCS era – not to mention the last three years, (ii) the Gator’s recent pedigree, (iii) where they started the season (#1), and (iv) star power (read ESPN $$$; remember who’s broadcasting the National Championship game this year, and what conference it just ‘bought’). Once there, it doesn’t matter what the voters think – the winner is the BCS National Champion. The Gators will get their shot at the brass ring if they win the SEC Championship, but that isn’t enough or this team. There’s not a Gator player that would consider this the goal. There’s simply too much talent, experience and depth on defense, and talent and depth on offense, to expect anything less than a National Championship. Undefeated isn’t necessary - while it’s a goal Meyer can use to motivate his club (along with the “back-to-back” t-shirts), at the end of the day it doesn’t matter, and shouldn’t factor. It’s nice, but really - who cares? It’s all about the crystal football. Winning a National Championship is setting the bar high enough, and it’s what this team must do for the season to be a success – our only caveat being the health of Tebow. Heading into a season, this is the most talented, deepest college football team we have ever evaluated.
Harbach:
It is tempting to write something like National Championship or Bust, but since it is impossible to control what voters think and the SEC is such a tough conference, a successful year for the Gators would be winning a second straight SEC Championship. The last undefeated team in the SEC to win a National Championship was Tennessee in 1998, since that time only 1 SEC team has gone undefeated and the 2004 Auburn Tigers did not play for a National Title. The last team to win back to back SEC Championships was Tennessee in 1997 and 1998. Expectations are rightfully high this year, and with the best player, coach and team in the country those expectations are warranted. A National Championship would be great, but the first goal of every team should be to win their conference. As long as Florida meets that goal Tim Tebow’s last year will be a success.
IN FOCUS: Which Florida Coach / Player is in the Spotlight this season?
Mitchell:
Steve Addazio. Who? Exactly. Only the Gator faithful and ardent SEC fans are likely to know much about the new Florida Offensive Coordinator, who took over for Dan Mullen, now the HC of the receiver-less Mississippi State Bulldogs. (Good luck running the spread with that, Dan.) Addazio did a solid job rebuilding the Florida Offensive Line after joining the Gators in 2005. Before that, he was the OC at Indiana for a year… Sure, you’re saying to yourself, how hard can it be with Tebow & Co. Anytime a team loses a player that averaged more than 10 yards each time he touched the ball (Harvin), the OC is losing sleep. Toss in the turnover at WR, and oh yeah - there’s also a wee bit of pressure on Coach Addazio (LA or Bust!). Bit more than during his one year at Indiana... Addazio is a veteran coach, with more than 20 years experience and the respect of his fellow coaches and players. Still – the spotlight doesn’t get much brighter than this.
Harbach:
Brandon Spikes. Everyone talks about how great it was that Tim Tebow came back for his senior season, but it wasn’t surprising. What is shocking is that Brandon Spikes is still a Gator and not at an NFL Training Camp right now. Considering this defense brings back its top 22 defensive players, Spikes could very well be leading the nation’s top defense. It is often discussed how important a leader Tebow is for the Gators, but Spikes will be his equal for the other side of the ball. Last year’s stats were impressive with 93 tackles, 4 interceptions, 2 sacks and it is expected that he will continue those great numbers this season. Look for Spikes to take an even more vocal role this season while SEC offenses struggle to move the ball on Florida all season long.
THREE FLORIDA GAMES TO DVR
Mitchell:
1) Florida vs. Texas, January 7th. Florida dissects another overrated Big 12 offense for its second consecutive title (fourth for the SEC).
1) Florida at LSU, October 10th. If LSU’s 19-year-old QB (happy birthday, kid) becomes the “Peach Bowl Jordan Jefferson”, this could be the Gator’s (and the SEC’s) game of the year. If he’s the “Little Rock Jordan Jefferson”, it’s Florida by 10+.
3) TIE: Florida vs. Georgia, October 31st & Tennessee vs. Florida, September 19th. Florida wins both games by more than 100 combined points. Somebody write that down. No way Meyer lets off the gas against Kiffin, and there’s no way Joe Cox outplays Matt Stafford against the same defense, with more experience. Watch how many times Richt runs the ball in the second half of that one, just to help out the game clock.
Harbach:
1) Florida at LSU, October 10th. The last two trips to Death Valley have been four point losses for the Gators, this should be the SEC game of the year.
2) Florida vs. Georgia, October 31st. It will be interesting to see if Urban Meyer still remembers the stomping incident, does anyone think he won’t?
3) Florida vs. Tennessee, September 19th. Every fan in the nation will be paying attention to this game to see the first match up between Kiffin and Meyer.
Yell at Brian: Brian Harbach
Yell at Russ: Russ Mitchell
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