Gator Clause

Florida pitcher, Okeechobee native Jonathon Crawford selected by Detroit Tigers in first round of MLB Draft

With the No. 20 pick overall in the first round of Thursday's Major League Baseball Player Draft, the Detroit Tigers selected Florida pitcher Jonathon Crawford, erasing any doubts that a less-than-stellar junior season would hurt the Okeechobee native's chances of going early.

Crawford (6-2, 205) burst onto the scene as a first-year starter as a sophomore in 2011-12, throwing a no-hitter against Bethune Cookman in the NCAA Tournament Regional to cap a year in which he compiled a 6-2 record with a 3.13 ERA and 73 strikeouts in 77.2 innings. However, with a much younger and inexperienced team behind him in 2012-13, Crawford put up a 3-6 record with a 3.84 ERA and 69 strikeouts in 86.2 innings.

Still, Detroit saw enough to make Crawford a first-round pick Thursday.

“The Tigers organization is pleased to select Jonathon Crawford this evening,” Tigers vice president of amateur scouting David Chadd told the Detroit Free Press. “He has a power arm with a plus slider and we’re thrilled to have the opportunity to add him to our organization.”

While Crawford has been to known to reach mid-90s with his fastball and has great movement on his slider, some critics pointed to the lack of a strong third pitch as to why Crawford would not be selected in the first round. Additionally, concerns about his delivery leading to control issues with his fastball also led to criticism during pre-draft analysis. It's possible Crawford could end up as a setup man or closer if those issues are not sorted.

Crawford's performance while a member of Team USA certainly helped his case for a first-round selection. He earned a win against Cuba after striking out six over 6.1 innings and finished the summer with a 3-0 record and 2.02 ERA against some of the best young talent in baseball.

Baseball America had Crawford ranked 19th overall and the ninth-best pitcher available in the draft.

Gators notes: Florida to play Kansas, No. 1 recruit Wiggins at home in '13; Jenkins, Sturgis sign contracts; UF gains '14 commit

The Southeastern Conference and the Big 12 conference announced Tuesday the matchups for the 2013-14 Big 12/SEC Challenge, including the headline game between Florida and Kansas on Dec. 10 in Gainesville.

“The ability to showcase SEC basketball in this kind of conference competition makes this a unique and exciting event for our coaches, student-athletes and fans,” SEC commissioner Mike Slive said in a release. “We are pleased to be able to work with the Big 12 and ESPN to highlight the sport of men’s basketball.”

The Jayhawks will bring with them to Gainesville the nation's No. 1 recruit and perhaps the best player in college basketball in Andrew Wiggins, who committed to Kansas Tuesday after much hype surrounding his decision. The Gators signed two of the nation's top 10 recruits and are expected to be ranked in the preseason top 5.

Show us the money

The Dolphins on Tuesday announced they have agreed to terms with former Florida linebacker Jelani Jenkins and former Florida kicker Caleb Sturgis.

Jenkins, Miami's first fourth-round pick, and Sturgis, the first place kicker taken in the draft, both have a solid chance at contributing heavily as rookies. Jenkins provides immediate depth at linebacker and should play a large role on special teams, while Sturgis is expected to battle veteran Dan Carpenter for the starting job. Carpenter is scheduled to earn nearly $2.7 million this season.

PG picks UF

Obviously overshadowed on a national scale by the commitment of Wiggins, 2014 point guard Chris Chiozza ended his recruitment by choosing to attend Florida on Tuesday.

A four-star recruit, Chiozza from Memphis, Tenn., is one of the top point guards in next year's class and chose the Gators over his hometown school as well as Butler, Ohio State and others.

Miami Dolphins select former Florida Gators linebacker Jelani Jenkins in fourth round of NFL Draft

The Miami Dolphins selected former Florida Gators linebacker Jelani Jenkins with the 104th overall selection during the fourth round of the National Football League Draft on Saturday.

Jenkins, who decided to leave school after his junior season, was regarded as one the nation's best coverage linebackers by ESPN analyst Todd McShay. In three seasons at Florida, Jenkins racked up 182 tackles, 16.5 tackles for a loss, six sacks and three interceptions.

It was thought the 6-0, 237-pound Jenkins would return to school for his senior season after missing extended time last year with several injuries, including a broken thumb, pulled hamstring and a broken bone in his foot.

Still, in Jenkins, the Dolphins get a smart, athletic linebacker who put up 27 repetitions of 225 pounds at the combine. There are some durability concerns, but that's it. Jenkins has the makeup of a longtime pro.

Boynton Beach native Jessamen Dunker to transfer from Florida

Still dealing with the fallout from a felony arrest earlier this year, redshirt freshman offensive lineman Jessamen Dunker will transfer from Florida, coach Will Muschamp announced Wednesday.

A graduate of Boynton Beach High, Dunker was arrested in January and charged with grand theft of a motor vehicle after he was pulled over by campus police on a scooter that was reported stolen. Dunker was suspended indefinitely following the arrest, but a return to the roster was expected at the time.

That door slammed shut Wednesday with Muschamp's announcement that Dunker would leave the program after just one season. According to Muschamp, he and Dunker sat down to discuss his future and the two came to the conclusion that it wasn't going to work out in Gainesville.

"He's got some pretty well-documented off the field issues and he needs a fresh start," Muschamp said. "He felt like he needed a fresh start and I didn't disagree with him."

In addition to the legal trouble, Dunker also was not well-liked by his teammates and struggled to fit in while at Florida, according to multiple reports. He did not play in a game as a freshman after coming to the Gators as the nation's No. 4 offensive guard and the No. 46 overall recruit in the country, according to ESPNU.

It is not yet known where Dunker will seek to transfer.

Gators center Patric Young undergoes ankle surgery

Florida center Patric Young on Friday underwent surgery on his right ankle to remove a bone spur.

Young is on crutches and will not be able to participate in lower body workouts for roughly six weeks. A UF spokesman confirmed the surgery to Landon Watnick of The Independent Florida Alligator.

Young played in all 37 of UF's games this season, starting all but one and finishing with an average of 10.1 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. Through the school, Young announced on April 8 that he would return for his senior season. He was projected as a second round pick in the NBA Draft. 

In a press conference held last week to wrap up the season, coach Billy Donovan spoke of wanting to see more out of the 6-9 big man next year.

"With him going into his senior year now, I think if you look at him when he was a sophomore, he averaged 10 and 6. This year he averaged 10 and 6. I really felt that Patric has the potential and ability to rebound more," Donovan said. "People wanted look at his offense, that he has gotten better offensively. But I feel him playing with a consistent motor would not only help him, it would help our team. I think he has the capability of doing those things."

Perhaps playing on a gimpy ankle limited Young in 2012-13, but there won't be any room for that in 2013-14 as Florida has transfers Damontre Harris (6-11, averaged 6.8 pts, 5.5 rebs with 71 blocks as a sophomore at South Carolina) and Dorian Finney-Smith (6-8, averaged 6.3 pts and 7.0 reb as a freshman at Virginia Tech) as well as incoming freshman Chris Walker (6-10) to add to the competition for minutes in the frontcourt.

Florida defensive line coach Bryant Young resigns from Gators staff

Citing personal reasons, Florida defensive line assistant coach Bryant Young has resigned from his position, the school announced Wednesday in a press release.

Young joined the Gators staff in 2011 after spending 14 seasons in the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers. He worked primarily with the defensive tackles while at Florida, specifically helping Dominique Easley and Sharrif Floyd develop their technique inside.

However, coach Will Muschamp plucked Brad Lawing from South Carolina earlier this offseason to coach the defensive line, and that move appeared to make Young expendable. Not regarded as a premier recruiter, Young was not offered a contract extension following the 2011 season, when then-defensive coordinator Dan Quinn and other assistants were extended and in some cases offered raises.

"We are very thankful for coach Young’s contributions to the program and I respect his decision," Muschamp said in the release. "This is strictly a personal decision and has nothing to do with NCAA compliance, but just an opportunity to evaluate his future path."

For Young, he said in the release that the decision was based on spending more time with his family, including six children.

"After heavy consideration and giving over two decades to the game of football, I have made a personal decision to resign from my position at the University of Florida in order to pursue more time with my family," Young said in a prepared statement. "I am humbled by and grateful for the opportunity I have had to positively influence the hardworking student-athletes and young men whom I will surely miss. However, I have come to the realization that it is time to invest more in my family during this fleeting season in life."

Muschamp denies allegation of paying player while at Auburn

Accused of paying a player under the table while working as defensive coordinator at Auburn in 2007, Florida coach Will Muschamp today denied any wrongdoing.

"Totally deny it," Muschamp told Robbie Andreu of the Gainesville Sun. "I don’t know where this is coming from."

The allegations surfaced Wednesday on Roopstigo.com in a story by former New York Times and Sports Illustrated writer Selena Roberts. The story is centered on former Auburn player Mike McNeil, who is facing charges of armed robbery. McNeil alleges that Muschamp called the player into his office following a practice and paid McNeil nearly $400 for reasons unknown.

According to Roberts' story, here is McNeil's account of the incident: 

"I had no clue what it was about because I’d never directly asked him for anything. He slid about $400 over to me. He went into a drawer and gave me money and said, 'Is this enough? Is this good?' And I said, 'Yeah, I’m good.'"

The story also alleges other serious NCAA violations, including academic fraud, impermissible recruiting benefits as well as local police corruption. Several other players quoted in the story have since backed off their statements, saying they were misquoted or denying certain facts. Roberts, in an interview with Al.com writer Brandon Marcello, defended the story.

Muschamp denied the allegations Wednesday through a spokesman and Thursday through the Sun. His next scheduled media availability is following Saturday's spring game.

 

UF Football Notes - Spring game in for change due to lack of depth on offensive line; Kelvin Taylor, Marcus Roberson updates; Injuries

With Florida nearing the end of spring practice, injuries are starting to take a toll on the offensive line and the Gators’ annual spring game could look more like a glorified practice as a result.

The depth up front has been an issue since Will Muschamp took over for Urban Meyer as UF’s coach. Practices in spring and fall have had to be adjusted, and that helped lead to what Muschamp called a “soft” football team following the 2011 season.

The number of scholarship players along the offensive line has increased to 11, but the problem has returned this spring because of a litany of injuries. Returning starters Chaz Green (ankle) and Jon Halapio (knee) are still recovering from offseason surgeries, as is backup Ian Silberman (shoulder). Sophomore Trip Thurman just went down last week with a shoulder injury that Muschamp said “doesn’t look good,” transfer Max Garcia has been limited with a back issue and fellow sophomore Jessamen Dunker remains suspended due to multiple run-ins with the law.

“What’s really hurt us is on the offensive line,” Muschamp said Tuesday. “Really right now we’ve got six healthy guys.”

The lack of depth has prevented Florida from running many full-squad, 11-on-11 snaps in practice, something that Muschamp said could carryover into the team’s scrimmage this Saturday and the spring game on Apr. 6.

“It’s tough right now on those guys and now it’s even harder to get scrimmage snaps because of the lack of numbers at those positions,” he said. “We’re adjusting as we go as far as this coming Saturday and even with the spring game, it may be more of a practice-like atmosphere for what we’re going to do.”

Muschamp said there will be more work on fundamentals with individual players, as well as 1-on-1s and 7-on-7 drills. In Saturday’s scrimmage, Florida ran between 30 and 40 snaps of live football with full squads. That number is closer to what fans should expect during the spring game, not the 120-130 the Gators ran last year during scrimmages and the spring game.

“What’s hard for the offensive line is just taking 60 straight snaps,” Muschamp said. “That’s kind of difficult for just five guys to take that. I think if we’re incorporating within the scrimmage some 7-on-7, some special teams periods, where we just concentrate and let those guys get a break. … Last spring, we’d go 120-130 snaps in a scrimmage. You can’t do that with five offensive linemen. That won’t be good.”

Taylor still ‘swimming’

During Saturday’s scrimmage, freshman running back Kelvin Taylor (Glades Day) caught a short screen pass, made one move and took it 40 yards to the end zone for a touchdown.

The score showed exactly why Taylor racked up record after record in high school and was one of the most coveted backs in the 2013 recruiting class. Muschamp called it a “really nice play” and a display of Taylor’s “natural running instincts.”

Still, expecting Taylor to see the field early and often this fall might be a bit optimistic. Taylor, like many other early enrollee freshmen, is still struggling to pick up the offense at this point, Muschamp said.

“Kelvin Taylor has really nice, natural running instincts – he just has to learn what to do and where to go,” Muschamp said. “The tempo of practice, the speed of the practice, the installation, it’s all a mess right now. … All of those guys right now are swimming. … They’re drinking water out of a fire hose right now.”

Taylor is currently battling for carries with junior Mack Brown, as sophomore Matt Jones appears to be the frontrunner for Florida’s starting running back job in 2013. And, according to Muschamp, he will have to earn those carries.

“Any freshman and any player that hasn't played a lot, you're challenging them all,” he said. “I always tell the guys, 'You've got to earn your stripes around here.' That's kind of my process, but it's not just one guy, there's a bunch of guys that need to do that.”

Roberson earns praise

Asked to identify players that have caught his eye this spring, Muschamp mentioned cornerback Marcus Roberson, which was somewhat surprising considering Roberson has started 14 games in two seasons at Florida.

But Muschamp said he was impressed with the growth Roberson has made in the offseason. A lean player coming out of Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas, Roberson has now bulked up to around 195 pounds.

“He's changed his upper body,” Muschamp said. “It's gotten stronger. He's better on the line of scrimmage in press. He's more disruptive on receivers and routes. I think he's made some strides.” 

Injury updates

Freshman wide receiver Demarcus Robinson suffered a high ankle sprain last week in practice. He is currently in a walking boot to stabilize the injury, and Muschamp said he is unsure when Robinson will return to practice.

Sophomore defensive end Jonathan Bullard is still considered day-to-day with a hamstring injury, and Muschamp said he hopes that Bullard will be able to return for Saturday’s scrimmage.

Linebacker Neiron Ball (ankle) and cornerback/safety Cody Riggs (hamstring) are both considered day-to-day as well.

Suspended Florida OL Jessamen Dunker again in legal trouble

Florida sophomore offensive lineman and Boynton Beach High alum Jessamen Dunker was cited last week by Gainesville police for speeding and unknowingly driving with a license that is suspended or revoked, according to Alachua County Court records.

Already indefinitely suspended from all team activities because of a Jan. 16 arrest on charges of grand theft of a motor vehicle and driving with a suspended license, Dunker's offenses from last week appear to violate the terms of his release from jail following the January arrest. According to court records, Dunker was released under the provision that he would not drive a motor vehicle without a valid driver's license, among other conditions.

Asked Tuesday about Dunker's status with the team, Florida coach Will Muschamp said: "He’s been suspended. I haven’t had any communication with him."

A team spokesman confirmed Muschamp was aware of the most recent incident.

Dunker is represented by attorney Huntley S. Johnson, who entered a plea of not guilty on Dunker's behalf in response to the January charges. According to Johnson, Dunker maintains he bought the scooter legitimately for $600 and did not know the scooter was stolen.

More information coming soon.

Gators Spring Football Update: Muschamp provides early depth chart; Purifoy at WR; Riggs, Gorman starting

Florida football coach Will Muschamp met with the media Tuesday on the eve of spring practice, providing a preliminary depth chart and addressing several issues as the Gators head into their first practice of 2013 on Wednesday.
The full depth chart is below, but one of the big highlights is the listing of cornerback Loucheiz Purifoy as a starting wide receiver. Purifoy is not listed at all on the defensive side of the ball.
According to Muschamp, Purifoy will remain a cornerback but he will also spend the first week of spring practice working exclusively with the offense in order to further develop his skills at a position of weakness for Florida.
“He (Purifoy) will still be a corner on our football team,” Muschamp said. “Y'all know me. Spring is about experimenting and looking at different things.”
While the Gators have plenty of depth at cornerback to allow Purifoy to experiment on the offensive side of the ball, there is uncertainty at the safety position, where both spots are wide open after the departures of Josh Evans and Matt Elam. The competition will be considerable.
As of now, two area players appear to be the frontrunners for starting spots.
Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas alum Cody Riggs is listed as a starter at safety alongside Monsignor Pace alum Jabari Gorman. Depending on packages, cornerback Jaylen Watkins can also be used at safety.
Riggs redshirted last season after breaking a bone in his foot in Week 2 against Texas A&M, but he has the most experience at the position and will be the man to beat in spring.
Right tackle Chaz Green, the starter at the position last season, will miss all of spring after ankle surgery. Buck defensive end Ronald Powell will also miss the spring as he is still recovering from a torn ACL suffered during last year’s spring game. Freshman linebacker Matt Rolin (knee) and offensive lineman Ian Silberman (shoulder) will also miss spring.
Right guard Jon Halapio (knee), wide receiver Solomon Patton (arm) and linebacker Neiron Ball will be limited.

OFFENSE

QB – Jeff Driskel, Tyler Murphy, Skyler Mornhinweg
RB – Matt Jones, Mack Brown, Kelvin Taylor
FB – Hunter Joyer, Rhaheim Ledbetter OR Gideon Ajagbe
WR (X) – Quinton Dunbar, Andre Debose, Demarcus Robinson
WR (Z) – Loucheiz Purifoy, Solomon Patton, Raphael Andrades
F Position – Trey Burton, Latroy Pittman, Mike McNeely
TE – Clay Burton, Tevin Westbrook, Kent Taylor, Colin Thompson

LT – D.J. Humphries, Trip Thurman
LG – Max Garcia, Kyle Koehne
C – Jonotthan Harrison, Kyle Koehne
RG – Jon Halapio, Kyle Koehne
RT – Tyler Moore, Quinteze Williams

DEFENSE

DE – Dominique Easley, Jonathan Bullard, Bryan Cox, Jr.
NT – Leon Orr, Darious Cummings
DT – Damien Jacobs, Joey Ivie
Buck DE – Dante Fowler, Jr., Alex McCalister
SLB – Darren Kitchens, Neiron Ball, Jeremi Powell
MLB – Antonio Morrison, Alex Anzalone
WLB – Michael Taylor, Daniel McMillian

CB – Marcus Roberson, Jeremy Brown
CB – Jaylen Watkins, Brian Poole
Nickel CB – Brian Poole, Cody Riggs, Jaylen Watkins
Dime CB – Marcus Maye, Valdez Showers
S – Cody Riggs, Marcus Maye
S – Jabari Gorman, Valdez Showers

SPECIAL TEAMS

K – Brad Phillips OR Austin Hardin
P – Kyle Christy, Todd Fennell
H – Trey Burton, Tyler Murphy
LS – Drew Ferris, Kyle Crofoot
KR – Andre Debose OR Loucheiz Purifoy
PR – Marcus Roberson, Trey Burton

Donovan named SEC Coach of the Year; Boynton, Gators rack up awards

For the second time in his career, Florida basketball coach Billy Donovan was named Tuesday the Southeastern Conference Coach of the Year.

Donovan led the No. 10 Gators (24-6) to an undefeated 15-0 mark at home this season with a 14-4 record in conference play. Florida cut down the nets Wednesday following its win against Vanderbilt that clinched the SEC regular season championship, the fourth under Donovan and fifth in UF history.

The All-SEC teams were also announced Wednesday with Gators senior forward Erik Murphy earning First-Team honors. Pompano Beach native and senior guard Kenny Boynton was named to the Second Team alongside senior guard Mike Rosario and junior center Patric Young.

Young also took home the SEC's Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award for the second straight year. Majoring in telecommunication, Young holds a 3.38 GPA and is averaging 10.5 points and 6.2 rebounds this season.

Wrapping up the NFL Combine: The ascension of Sharrif Floyd, reviewing performance of former Gators

A year ago, Florida was coming off a disappointing 7-6 season and the team's showing at February's NFL Combine and the subsequent NFL Draft followed suit. Chris Rainey and Jaye Howard were the only Gators chosen.

It's quite a different story this year.

With six seniors and four early departures making the trip to Indianapolis, Ind., to workout, Florida had a large presence at the combine. And a name from Gainesville is likely to be called in the first five to 10 picks come April.

That name? Defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd.

At 6-3, 297 pounds, Floyd impressed scouts and general managers when he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.97 seconds. His footwork in the three-cone drill and the 20-yard shuttle also wowed the NFL personnel on hand.

Floyd didn't have eye-popping stats at Florida, and he was talked about as a fringe first-round pick a few months ago. Questions remain about his strength, and he chose not to do the bench press in Indy,but teams have seen enough on tape and now in person to reportedly push Floyd to the top of the pack at defensive tackle. The news about Star Lotulelei's heart condition also benefited Floyd.

ESPN.com's Mel Kiper Jr. now has Floyd as the No. 2 overall prospect, while Don Banks of SI.com has projected Floyd to be taken No. 3 overall by Oakland. If Floyd makes it past No. 3, it's hard to envision Philadelphia at No. 4 passing on the hometown boy, especially considering the moves the Eagles made this week along the defensive line.

It will be interesting to see how things play out over the coming weeks until the draft.

Here's how the rest of the former Florida players did this week:

S Matt Elam (5-10, 208 pounds)

40 time: 4.54 seconds
Bench press: 17 reps
Vertical jump: 35.5”
Broad jump: 118”

One of the smaller safeties in the draft, Elam helped solidify his first-round grade with a fast time in the 40-yard dash and a solid number on the weight bench. He was among the top seven in both, which should inspire confidence for a team that was already impressed by what they saw of Elam on film. Likely to be one of the first safeties chosen.

RB Mike Gillislee (5-11, 208 pounds)

40 time: 4.55 seconds
Bench press: 15 reps
Vertical jump: 30.5”
Broad jump: 119”
Three cone drill: 7.12 seconds
20-yard shuttle: 4.40 seconds
60-yard shuttle: 12.02 seconds

Like Gillislee’s career, his combine performance wasn’t anything flashy. Put on the tape and watch Gillislee run and you know what you’re going to get. He’s a hard-nosed workhorse that has the size to be an every-down back in the NFL. He showed that at the combine. He’s just not elite. Gillislee compares himself to Arian Foster, and while their stories are similar, Gillislee will be hard pressed to match the production of Foster.

TE Jordan Reed (6-2, 236 pounds)

40 time: 4.72 seconds
Bench press: 16 reps

Reed had to have been disappointed in his results in Indianapolis, where his 40 time ranked outside the top five at his position and his showing on the bench put him third to last among tight ends. Reed drew some criticism for deciding to leave school early, but he will be drafted on his potential, which still figures to be high.

LB Jelani Jenkins (6-0, 243 pounds)

Bench press: 27 reps

Florida’s Pro Day on March 12 is the date of importance for Jenkins, who did not perform in most of the drills in Indy while still recovering from a broken bone in his foot suffered against Florida State in November. The strength Jenkins displayed on the bench press was impressive, and scouts have raved about his ability in pass coverage, but a long history of injuries leaves a shadow of doubt on Jenkins and where he will be selected come April.

LB Jon Bostic (6-1, 245 pounds)

40 time: 4.61 seconds (sixth among linebackers)
Bench press (225 pounds): 22 reps
Vertical jump: 32.5”
Broad jump: 118”
Three-cone drill: 6.99 seconds (eighth among linebackers)
20-yard shuttle: 4.24 seconds (10th among linebackers)

In today’s NFL, there is no substitute for speed. Linebackers who can hold their own in pass coverage are becoming coveted commodities, and Bostic showed he has the potential to run with tight ends at the next level. There are still questions surrounding Bostic, however, and a team isn’t likely to call his name in the first three rounds.

S Josh Evans (6-1, 207 pounds)

40 time: 4.58 seconds
Vertical jump: 34.5”
Broad jump: 123”
Three-cone drill: 6.64 seconds
20-yard shuttle: 4.10 seconds

Evans is perhaps the most intriguing prospect Florida has entering the draft. The senior safety’s play on the field in 2012 garnered him praise as one of the most improved players on the Gators’ defense, and Evans’ workout in Indianapolis was impressive. At this time last year, Evans wasn’t on the NFL’s radar. Now, he’s likely to be drafted as high as the fourth round. A good kid with a solid head on his shoulders, some team is going to get a productive player at a good price in Evans.

LB Lerentee McCray (6-2, 250 pounds)

Another guy who needs to perform well at Florida’s Pro Day is McCray, who didn’t work out at the combine because of recovery from shoulder surgery. A potential late round selection.

OL Xavier Nixon (6-6, 321 pounds)

A hamstring injury prevented Nixon from working out and building on what some perceived to be a strong showing at the Senior Bowl. A potential late round selection.

K Caleb Sturgis (5-10, 188 pounds)

Arguably the most impressive kicker at the combine, Sturgis has a chance to be drafted in the last round come April if a team wants to avoid having to battle other teams for his services as an undrafted free agent. Sturgis will get every chance to make an NFL roster.

Gators CB Purifoy facing marijuana charge; Florida F Yeguete out for rest of hoops season

Another Gators football player is in trouble with the law, as Florida cornerback Loucheiz Purifoy was cited early Sunday morning on a charge of possession of marijuana, according to Alachua County Court records.

Purifoy is the 13th player arrested since Will Muschamp took over the Florida program. Eight of those players have been charged with a marijuana-related crime.

As first reported by Thomas Goldkamp of 247Sports, Purifoy was a passenger in the back seat of a car that was pulled over for a routine traffic stop around midnight on Saturday night. After stopping the car, the officer noticed "a baggie containing 2.5 grams of cannabis" between the front driver's and passenger seats, according to the police report.

Purifoy played in all 13 of Florida's games last season, finishing fourth on the team with 51 tackles. He also recorded five pass breakups, forced three fumbles and blocked two kicks.

Due to depth concerns, Muschamp said Wednesday that Purifoy could play wide receiver in the spring after working out at the position and playing several snaps there last season. A team spokesman was not immediately available for comment and it is unclear what if any punishment Purifoy will face.

Gators lose key defensive piece for season

Florida forward Will Yeguete will miss the rest of the college basketball regular season, coach Billy Donovan announced Thursday.

Yeguete had been dealing with pain in his right knee throughout much of the season, but he aggravated the injury in the Gators' blowout loss to Arkansas on Tuesday and must now have arthroscopic surgery to repair damage.

"He’s had some significant swelling over the last several weeks and he’s got some floating chips and cartilage in there, which we knew beforehand that was there, but it’s not anything that’s putting him necessarily in jeopardy playing," Donovan said. "It was more how could he play with the chips floating around? And a lot of it was based on pain, and he wasn’t in a lot of pain. But I think because those chips were floating around, they’ve probably gotten into different parts of his knee that have just put him in a situation where I think that the treatment going forward is not what we need to do."

Donovan said Yeguete will be about four to six weeks, putting hope that the Gators' defensive specialist could return in time for the NCAA Tournament. The latest injury is a crippling blow for Florida, as Yeguete was instrumental in the Gators' press defense.

Last year, Yeguete suffered a broken bone in his foot on February 21, and Florida went on to lose four of its next five games.

Seattle Seahawks make it official: Florida DC Dan Quinn leaving Gators, rejoining NFL; ST coach Durkin promoted

Dan Quinn is leaving Florida after two seasons, as the Seattle Seahawks made it official Thursday afternoon with the announcement on their Twitter feed that Quinn will become the team's new defensive coordinator.

The position was open after Gus Bradley took the Jacksonville Jaguars head coaching job Thursday morning.

Quinn was rumored after Bradley's hire to be a strong candidate for the vacant position, and the confirmation announcement came swiftly. Within hours, the speculation became fact, and now Florida is on its fourth defensive coordinator in the last five seasons.

"I’m happy for Dan and this opportunity," coach Will Muschamp said in a school press release. "I’ve said before that I always encourage my staff when opportunities arise to take the next step in their career. Dan’s background is in the NFL and this is a great chance to go back to a place he’s familiar with."

Special teams coordinator and linebackers coach D.J. Durkin was announced as the team's new defensive coordinator in the same release.

“D.J. and I will run the defense, continuing the way that Dan and I did for the past two years,” Muschamp said. “We will look to add another coach that is the best fit for our staff moving forward.”

Still, losing Quinn hurts for Florida. In two seasons at the helm of the defense, Quinn led the Gators to back-to-back top-10 finishes in total defense. He was also instrumental in the development of the unit's front seven, and the players loved and respected him. 

Quinn spent two seasons (2009-2010) as the defensive line coach in Seattle under Jim Mora and then Pete Carroll. Carroll thought highly enough of Quinn to retain him from Mora's staff in 2010, and his familiarity with the personnel and the scheme that Bradley ran helped immensely in Quinn being a seamless hire. 

In that same vein, Durkin provides continuity for Florida, as he has been on staff since 2010. The hire was first reported by Bryan Holt of Rivals.com.

Quick hits: Dunker released from jail; DC Quinn rumored to be target of NFL, Seahawks; Brissett to NC State

Florida freshman offensive lineman Jessamen Dunker was released from jail Thursday on his own recognizance.

Dunker is facing charges of grand theft of a motor vehicle, a third-degree felony, and driving with a suspended license, a second-degree misdemeanor. But Huntley S. Johnson, a local attorney who represents most Gators athletes who get in trouble with the law and is working on Dunker's behalf, said Dunker paid $600 for the scooter and had no idea it was stolen, according to reports.

"His position is that he bought the scooter from an individual; he had no idea it was stolen,” Johnson told the Tampa Times.  "And if he paid the amount of money that he said he paid for it, it was certainly a reasonable amount."

Coach Will Muschamp will likely address the situation in a press conference scheduled for noon on Friday.

Quinn involved in NFL rumors

The Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday hired former Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator Gus Bradley to become the team's new head coach, which immediately set in motion rumors that Florida's Dan Quinn would be targeted by Seattle as a potential replacement. 

"There is a 'strong possibility' Florida DC Dan Quinn will return to Seattle to replace Gus Bradley as DC," ESPN NFL reporter Adam Schefter tweeted Thursday morning, adding that Quinn is reportedly also being targeted for the same position with Cleveland and Philadelphia. 

NFL.com's Ian Rapoport also reported Quinn as a possible name in Seattle, mentioning also that Quinn has interest in Philadelphia.

Prior to joining Florida's staff in 2011, Quinn coached the defensive line in Seattle for two seasons under Bradley. Quinn brought elements of Bradley's hybrid 4-3, 3-4 scheme with him to Gainesville and his familiarity with the personnel and style in Seattle make him a logical candidate.

Brissett chooses destination

Former Florida quarterback and Palm Beach Dwyer High alum Jacoby Brissett will transfer to North Carolina State, according to a report from the Palm Beach Post.

The attraction to N.C. State apparently stems from new Wolfpack coach Dave Doeren, who is familiar with Brissett after recruiting him heavily as the defensive coordinator at Wisconsin from 2008-10. If he enrolls this week, Brissett will be eligible to go through spring practice with his new team but he will not be allowed to play until 2014 due to NCAA transfer rules.

 

Florida freshman and Boynton Beach High alum Jessamen Dunker arrested, charged with grand theft

Florida freshman offensive lineman and Boyton Beach High alum Jessamen Dunker was arrested Wednesday morning in Gainesville for driving a scooter that was reported as stolen.

Dunker is being charged with grand theft, a third-degree felony, and knowingly driving with a suspended license, a second-degree misdemeanor, according to University Police.

Dunker was pulled over around 9:30 a.m. near the south end zone of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium for following too closely and driving a moped without a license plate. After stopping Dunker, police discovered the moped had earlier been reported as stolen. Dunker, who admitted he knew that his license was suspended, said he did not know the moped was stolen, according to UPD.

The arrest was first reported by Thomas Goldkamp of 247sports.com. An official arrest report will not be available until Thursday, police said. Dunker is being held at Alachua County Jail and bond has not yet been set.

A university spokesman confirmed coach Will Muschamp is aware of the arrest, but said Muschamp is on the road recruiting was not immediately available for comment.

Dunker becomes the 12th player arrested or cited and the 15th total incident since Muschamp took over the Florida program in December 2010. A four-star recruit and the fifth-ranked guard in the country out of Boynton Beach High, according to Rivals.com, Dunker, 6-6, 315, redshirted in 2012 but was expected to compete for a starting spot in 2013.

Former Gators and current Steelers RB Chris Rainey arrested on battery charge

Former Gators and current Pittsburgh Steelers running back Chris Rainey was arrested Thursday morning in Gainesville for slapping his girlfriend in the face during an altercation over a cell phone, Gainesville Police confirmed to the Miami Herald.

Rainey was charged with one count of simple battery (dating violence), a first-degree misdemeanor, and he is currently being held at Alachua County Jail.

According to Gainesville Police spokesman Ben Tobias, police responded at 8:26 a.m. Thursday to a 911 call from witnesses that said Rainey and a female later identified as his girlfriend of nine months got into an argument because she took his cellphone and got into Rainey's roommate's car in an attempt to get away from Rainey. According to the written report from GPD, witnesses said Rainey went to the passenger side of the car and pulled his girlfriend out of the car, slapping her across the face and causing both to fall to the ground. Rainey chased after her, again trying to obtain his cell phone that was in the female's purse, grabbing it and causing both to fall to the ground again.

Neither Rainey nor his apparent girlfriend suffered visible injuries, according to the report.

Thursday's incident wasn't Rainey's first domestic run-in, however, as he was charged in 2010 with felony aggravated stalking after sending a girlfriend a text message that read "Time to die."

In an interview with Steelers.com following the team's selection of Rainey in April's draft, Rainey said he had learned from the incident.

"I became a better man, I matured," Rainey told the team website. "I learned a lesson not to do that ever again. It’s something I know that I won’t ever do again. I didn’t even know that you could get in trouble over a text. Plus, I wouldn’t harm a fly."

UPDATE: The Steelers have released Rainey in light of Thursday's arrest. “Chris Rainey’s actions this morning were extremely disappointing,” Steelers General Manager Kevin Colbert said in a statement. “Under the circumstances and due to this conduct, Chris will no longer be a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers.”

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Gators linebacker Jelani Jenkins leaving Florida for NFL Draft

Redshirt junior linebacker Jelani Jenkins (3) returns an interception against Florida State on Nov. 14. (Photo: Brett LeBlanc, brettleblanc.com)

Florida redshirt junior linebacker Jelani Jenkins has decided to forgo his final season of eligibility and declare for the NFL draft, the school said Monday in a release.

Jenkins was mired by injuries this season, playing in just nine games while dealing with a broken thumb and hamstring issues. Still, Jenkins' ability in coverage has caught the eye of NFL scouts, and linebackers that can stick with the new breed of athletic tight ends at the next level are becoming more and more coveted.

"Jelani informed me that he wishes to pursue his dream of playing in the NFL," coach Will Muschamp said in the release. "We wish him the best of luck and encourage him to return to Florida and complete his degree."

Jenkins recorded 29 tackles, including five tackles for a loss, and a pair of sacks, two quarterback hurries and one interception. He also came up with the game-saving touchdown on a return of a blocked punt to beat Louisiana in the final seconds.

ESPN analyst Todd McShay in October called Jenkins "the best cover linebacker in college football today" citing his speed, instincts and anticipation in coverage. Because of those attributes, McShay said Jenkins could be drafted as high as the second round. It's unclear how his injury history could affect that grade, but a strong showing at UF's pro day and the NFL combine could make Jenkins a coveted player at some point in the draft come April. However, the chance exists that teams are reluctant to take a chance and Jenkins could go undrafted.

Florida has now had four redshirt juniors declare early for the draft with Jenkins joining safety Matt Elam, defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd and tight end Jordan Reed.

The Gators now have room to sign up to 30 recruits in this year's class, which will be finalized in early February.

Dwyer alum Jacoby Brissett to transfer from Florida

Sophomore quarterback Jacoby Brissett walks off the field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium for the last time following Florida's win against Jacksonville State on Nov. 17. (Photo by Brett LeBlanc, brettleblanc.com)

Florida on Sunday confirmed multiple reports stating sophomore quarterback Jacoby Brissett will transfer from the program.

Brissett battled for the starting job in spring and fall camps with fellow sophomore Jeff Driskel, but Driskel won the job following the season opener against Bowling Green. In December, coach Will Muschamp confirmed that Driskel had done enough during the season to earn the job going forward, saying there was no foreseeable situation in which Driskel was not the starter in 2013.

Cue Brissett's transfer.

Additionally, Florida announced in the same release that reserve running back/linebacker Chris Johnson will also transfer. Johnson will leave Gainesville with the dubious memory of being ejected from his last game, as he was flagged for unsportsmanlike and subsequently kicked out of the Gators loss in the Sugar Bowl for throwing a punch at a Louisville player following a failed onside kick attempt to start the third quarter.

“Both Jacoby and Chris expressed an interest in transferring and getting a fresh start,” Muschamp said in the release. “We are very thankful for their contributions to the University of Florida and wish them the best of luck.”

According to reports, Brissett, a Dwyer High alum, will look to transfer to West Virginia, Louisville, Arkansas or NC State. Brissett was heavily recruited by Miami out of high school, and his mother was upset that he chose to go to Florida, but as of now it does not appear that the Hurricanes are in his future plans.

The Gators will now likely look to sign another quarterback in this recruiting class, which will be finalized in early February. Behind Driskel, the options are rather slim with redshirt sophomore Tyler Murphy, freshman Skyler Mornhinweg and incoming three-star recruit Max Staver. 

Two Gators leaving program before Sugar Bowl

Sophomore safety De'Ante "Pop" Saunders and fifth-year junior offensive lineman Matt Patchan will transfer from Florida, coach Will Muschamp announced Thursday after his team landed in New Orleans to continue preparations for the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 2.

Saunders, a three-star recruit from DeLand who has made 17 starts in two seasons in Gainesville, was set to miss the bowl game with what Muschamp said was an injury sustained against Lousiana on Nov. 10, a game in which Saunders played until the final whistle.

"Matt Patchan and [De'Ante] Pop Saunders are both transferring. I really appreciate their time at Florida, and we wish them the best,” Muschamp said. "I think they just needed a fresh start — both guys and both situations. That’s all I’ve got to say about it."

Saunders likely would have played even more at Florida had it not been for disciplinary issues. In May of 2011, Saunders was cited on a misdemeanor charge of possession of marijuana, but he was not suspended for the incident and started the season opener as a true freshman. Saunders later missed the Alabama and Auburn games in 2011 for seperate issues. He also missed the first two games of the 2012 season with what Muschamp called a "hamstring injury."

A productive player when he could find his way onto the field, Saunders recorded 44 tackles and three interceptions playing mostly free safety in nickel formations for the Gators. With senior Josh Evans and junior Matt Elam both likely gone following the 2012 season, it appeared the door was wide open for Saunders to claim a starting role at safety in 2013. Instead, he will be playing elsewhere.

"He’s one of our brothers, so obviously we don’t want him leaving the program," linebacker Jon Bostic said. "But that may be what’s best for him."

According to the Gainesville Sun, Saunders is leaning toward Louisville, which is Florida's opponent on Jan. 2 in New Orleans. He would have to sit out the 2014 season and could play as a redshirt junior in 2015.

Patchan's departure seems to be more about playing time or lack thereof. After missing two whole seasons (2010, 2012) with injuries, Patchan still has one year of eligibility remaining and will not have to sit out because he has already graduated. According to the Sun, Patchan is considering joining former Florida head coach Urban Meyer at Ohio State or former Florida offensive coordinator Steve Addazio at Boston College.

Former Gators DL Mann arrested two days before transferring from Florida

Two days before coach Will Muschamp announced Jafar Mann would transfer from Florida, the freshman defensive tackle was issued a written arrest/notice to appear in court on a misdemeanor charge for possession of fewer than 20 grams of marijuana, according to Gainesville Police and Alachua County Court records.

According to the notice, Gainesville Police officer Jordan Craven in the early morning hours of Saturday Nov. 3 reported smelling “a strong odor of burnt marijuana emanating from the inside” of a dorm room at Springs Complex later identified as Mann’s. In the report, Craven wrote that he received consent from Mann to search the dorm and noticed marijuana in “plain view” under Mann’s bed and that Mann admitted the marijuana belonged to him.

Florida played Missouri at noon on Nov. 3, but Mann did not see the field for the ninth straight game. On Nov. 5, in the opening statement of his weekly Monday morning press conference, Muschamp announced Mann was done at Florida.

“As far as some other roster management, Jafar Mann and I met last night (Nov. 4), and he decided to transfer,” Muschamp said. “He and I agreed that it’s time for him to move on.”

A team spokesman declined comment on the arrest.

Ranked a three-star prospect by Rivals.com, Mann (6-4, 305) came to Gainesville as a defensive tackle, but coaches moved him to offensive line midway through the season.

Mann agreed to a deferred prosecution agreement on Nov. 29 that states the charge will be dismissed if he pays a total of $250 in fines/donations and is not arrested again within the next six months.

Mann became the 11th player to be in trouble with the law and 14th total arrest or incident since Muschamp took over for Urban Meyer. Six of the 11 players are still with the team, four decided to transfer and one was officially dismissed.

Cornerback Janoris Jenkins (marijuana) was dismissed after a second arrest in Muschamp's first few months on the job, and defensive end Chris Martin (marijuana), tight end Dee Finley (driving with a suspended license, resisting arrest), tight end A.C. Leonard (simple battery) and Mann all transferred.

Safety Matt Elam (underage possession of alcohol twice), safety De’Ante Saunders (marijuana), cornerback Marcus Roberson (underage possession of alcohol), defensive lineman Leon Orr (marijuana, suspended license), defensive lineman Kedric Johnson (marijuana) and offensive lineman Trip Thurman (alcohol, possession of fake ID) remain on Florida’s roster.

Elam, Saunders, Roberson and Orr played prominent roles for the Gators this season. Johnson has been out all season with an injury. Thurman, a redshirt freshman, appeared in three games. 

Muschamp, Gators racking up postseason awards

After posting an 11-1 record and earning a No. 3 final ranking in the Bowl Championship Series Standings, Florida's players and coaches alike have been recognized for their accomplishments this season.

Coach Will Muschamp was named Wednesday the Southeastern Conference's Co-Coach of the Year, becoming the first Florida coach since Steve Spurrier in 1996 to win the award. Muschamp shared the honor with first-year Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin. Muschamp is also a finalist for the national Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year award.

Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn finished in the top three for Broyles Award, which is given to the nation's top assistant coach. And special teams coordinator D.J. Durkin was named Wednesday the FootballScoop Special Teams Coordinator of the Year in a vote of his peers.

A number of Gators players have also been recognized. Below is a breakdown of every honor announced thus far.

ASSOCIATED PRESS ALL-SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE TEAM

FIRST TEAM
- Mike Gillislee, 5-11, 209, senior running back -- 1,104 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns.
- Jordan Reed, 6-3, 244, redshirt junior tight end -- 44 receptions, 552 yards, 3 touchdowns.
- Sharrif Floyd, 6-3, 303, junior defensive tackle -- 41 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 6 quarterback hurries, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, 1 blocked kick.
- Matt Elam, 5-10, 202, junior safety -- 65 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 4 interceptions, 5 pass breakups and 1 forced fumble.
- Caleb Sturgis, 5-11, 184, senior place kicker -- 23 of 27 on field goals with a long of 51 and 3 of 3 from 50 yards or longer, 32 of 33 on extra points.
- Kyle Christy, 6-2, 199, sophomore punter -- 46.1 gross average, 43.6 net average per punt, 25 punts of 50 yards or longer and 26 punts downed inside the opponent's 20.
SECOND TEAM
- Marcus Roberson, 6-0, 178, sophomore cornerback -- 20 tackles, 1 sack, 2 interceptions, 12 pass breakups.

SEC COACHES ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM

- D.J. Humphries, 6-6, 275, offensive tackle -- started three games at left tackle in place of injured starter Xavier Nixon and appeared in 11 of Florida's games as a true freshman.
- Jonathan Bullard, 6-3, 271, defensive end -- 26 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, led team with 7 quarterback hurries.
- Dante Fowler, 6-3, 277, defensive end -- 27 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks.
- Antonio Morrison, 6-1, 218, linebacker -- 31 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble.

CBSSports.com ALL-AMERICA TEAM

FIRST TEAM
- Matt Elam, safety.
SECOND TEAM
- Caleb Sturgis, kicker.
THIRD TEAM
- Kyle Christy, punter.

COACHES' ALL-SEC TEAM

FIRST TEAM
- Mike Gillislee, running back.
- Sharrif Floyd, defensive tackle.
- Matt Elam, safety.
- Caleb Sturgis, kicker.
- Kyle Christy, punter.
SECOND TEAM
- Jon Bostic, senior linebacker -- 62 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 2 interceptions, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery.
- Jordan Reed, tight end.

SPORTING NEWS ALL-AMERICA TEAM

FIRST TEAM
- Matt Elam, safety.
- Sharrif Floyd, defensive tackle.
- Caleb Sturgis, kicker.

UF hires former UK head coach Joker Phillips to coach receivers

Fired as Kentucky's head coach in November, Joker Phillips did not have to wait long to find work. Florida coach Will Muschamp hired Phillips on Monday to be the Gators' new wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator.

Graduate assistant Bush Hamdan held the position on an interim basis this season after Aubrey Hill resigned in August. Phillips will start with UF on Friday.

"We are excited to have Joker join our staff," Muschamp said in a school release. "His background as a head coach and the number of years he has coached wide receivers will be a tremendous asset to our coaching staff and players."

Phillips began his career as a graduate assistant at Kentucky in 1989 and previously has coached wide receivers at Cincinnati (1997), Minnesota (1999-2000), Notre Dame (2001) and South Carolina (2002). He returned to Kentucky in 2003 as the wide receives coach and recruiting coordinator and remained there until he was fired. 

"Joker is obviously very familiar with the Southeastern Conference and has always done a great job in recruiting," Muschamp said. "Obviously I had a number of experiences with Joker both on and off the field, as our paths have crossed often, but I’ve been really impressed with Joker Phillips as a man during this hiring process."

Phillips held a 13-24 record in three seasons as Kentucky's head coach, but he was able to draw some talented prospects to Lexington during his time there. Current Buffalo Bills receiver Steve Johnson and Green Bay Packers receiver Randall Cobb both played under Phillips at Kentucky. He also recruited receiver and top-10 overall pick Troy Williamson while at South Carolina.

"I’m thrilled to become part of the Gator family," Phillips told the school's website. "I’m looking forward to the opportunity to compete and win at the highest level. I believe in coach Muschamp’s philosophy and what he has done in his short time here at Florida is phenomenal. I’m looking forward to contributing to the long-term vision that he has for this program. In addition, it will be very rewarding to be involved in the hands-on development of the players I will coach."

Gators LB Jelani Jenkins to miss bowl game, could be NFL bound

Linebacker Jelani Jenkins (3) runs for a touchdown after picking up a blocked punt during the second half of Florida's game against Louisiana-Lafayette on Nov. 10. Florida won 27-20. (AP Photo/Phil Sandlin)

 

Starting weakside linebacker Jelani Jenkins will miss Florida's bowl game after suffering a broken bone in his foot during Saturday's game against Florida State, coach Will Muschamp confirmed Monday.

Jenkins had surgery on the foot Monday and Muschamp said he will be out for four to six weeks.

"It’s a medical term for it," Muschamp said. "It’s a small bone in his foot. Should be fine. It’s a four- to six-week recovery time, and he’ll be fine."

Jenkins was in street clothes with his foot in a boot and using crutches while the Gators celebrated their win against the Seminoles in Tallahassee. He spoke to reporters afterward but said he did not know the extent of the injury at the time.

A redshirt junior, Jenkins missed four games earlier in the season due to a broken thumb that also required surgery. Jenkins also left Florida's game against Georgia without recording a tackle after injuring his hamstring. Jenkins finished the season with 29 tackles, including five tackles for a loss,two sacks and one interception.

He will be replaced by freshman Antonio Morrison, who stepped in Saturday against Florida State and caused the fumble of quarterback EJ Manuel that helped Florida take over the game. Morrison delivered a punishing hit on the play, sending Manuel to the sideline to be evaluated by the Seminoles' medical staff. He missed FSU's next offensive series but did return to the game.

"He does that in practice," Jenkins said of Morrison. "There's nothing abnormal about that. He's a big playmaker. A big hitter. He loves to hit."

The question now becomes whether or not Jenkins returns for his senior season at Florida.

Earlier this season, ESPN analyst Todd McShay said on a conference call with reporters that Jenkins is "the best cover linebacker in college football today" when healthy. McShay said Jenkins' speed, instincts and anticipation in coverage mean he could be selected as early as the second or third round of the NFL Draft in April should he choose to forgo his final year of eligibility.

It's unclear how injuries could affect that projection, but there is a possibility Jenkins has played his last game as a Gator.

Notes: Quarterback Jeff Driskel (ankle) is wearing a walking boot, but Muschamp said it is just to treat soreness. Driskel is expected to be fully healthy for the bowl game. ... Center Jonotthan Harrison (ankle) is also in a boot for precautionary reasons. ... Linebacker Neiron Ball (ankle) will return for Florida's bowl game after missing the last two games. ... Reserve offensive lineman Ian Silberman (torn labrum) will miss the bowl game.

Are unimpressive wins keeping Florida out of BCS National Championship Game?

On Sunday night's BCS Countdown show, ESPN analysts David Pollack, Jesse Palmer and Kirk Herbstreit all agreed that Florida has a legitimate case for being ranked No. 2 in the BCS Standings and getting a chance to play for a national title.

The reasoning?

-Florida played the nation's toughest schedule, and its only loss came to No. 3 Georgia in a game that featured six Gators' turnovers. In UF's 11 wins, it turned the ball over a total of six times.

-The No. 4 Gators have beaten four teams ranked in the top 13 of the standings. The three teams ahead of them combined have a record of 4-2 against the top 13.

-Alabama lost to Texas A&M at home. Florida beat Texas A&M on the road, holding Johnny Manziel in check in the second half like no other defense has this season. Manziel torched the Tide late.

-Georgia lost to South Carolina by 28 points. Florida beat South Carolina by 33 points.

Following Saturday's win against Florida State, Florida coach Will Muschamp was uncharacteristically emphatic when stating Florida's case.

"I think it was a really sexy win," he said. "Guys, our résumé speaks for itself, come on. You’ve seen where we’ve played, who we’ve played and the quality of football teams we’ve beaten. We’ll play anyone anywhere -- whatever that slogan is."

"I’d play anybody in the country (in the national championship game). You play in our league and it’s gonna give you confidence."

And the only thing preventing such a chance, apart from the loss to Georgia? Lackluster offensive showings in the final weeks of the season, Pollack said. Pollack theorized that the campaigning Muschamp did following the win against the Seminoles would have been better received had Florida blown out teams down the stretch.

But UF needed a punt block in the final seconds to beat Louisiana-Lafayette, and the team didn't perform much better in a 14-7 win against Missouri and a 23-0 win against FCS opponent Jacksonville State. Largely because of these showings, Florida's rankings in two important polls continues to suffer even after defeating previously No. 10 Florida State on Saturday.

The Gators are No. 2 in five of the six computer rankings, but at No. 5 Florida is behind Oregon, Georgia, Alabama and Notre Dame in both the Harris and the USA Today Coaches Poll, which comprise two-thirds of the BCS formula.

Muschamp admitted watching his team struggle in those games was not what he had in mind.

"Believe me, I was glad we won them," he said. "I wish our guys would get out of this mantra of playing to our competition. It frustrates me."

Said Herbstreit: "If they're guilty of anything it's playing up or down to the level of their competition."

But Muschamp has also time and again denied that one win means more than any other and that "style points" don't matter. Asked last week how long he has thought about criticism of the Gators' unimpressive wins, Muschamp said: "Well, those three seconds I just thought about it, that’s probably the most time I’ve spent thinking about it."

All that said, it will be interesting to hear Muschamp's take on the theory that "style points" could be keeping Florida out of the fight for the crystal. His final press conference of the regular season is Monday morning at 11:45. I'll have live updates on Twitter if you want to follow along.

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Special teams gives Gators distinct advantage over Seminoles in a close, ugly game

With two of the nation's top defenses butting heads Saturday, points and offensive production will be at a premium. And so will field position.

Special teams play is often overlooked by the casual fan, but Florida would not be where it is at this point in the season without stellar play in that phase.

The Gators have made a habit of "winning ugly" by coming up with big plays on special teams that helped overshadow poor offensive performances, like when Loucheiz Purifoy blocked a punt and Jelani Jenkins returned it for a touchdown in the final seconds to allow Florida to escape against Louisiana two weeks ago. The unit has blocked four kicks this season, and place kicker Caleb Sturgis is routinely referred to by coach Will Muschamp as "the best kicker in the nation."

Sturgis was named Monday as a finalist for the Lou Groza Award, and he is as close to automatic on field goals as there is in college football.

But the unsung hero is Gators punter Kyle Christy, who was named Monday one of three finalists for the Ray Guy Award. Christy is averaging 46.29 gross yards per punt this season, which ranks fourth nationally, and Florida's net average of 41.6 is second-best nationally. He has 25 punts downed inside the 20, 24 punts of 50 yards or longer and 19 forced fair catches.

In a close game against LSU, Christy helped make the difference. He averaged 49.1 yards on seven punts with three downed inside the 20, including two inside the 10 after Florida's first two drives to help flip the field and bury LSU inside its own end.

In comparison, Florida State ranks 121st nationally with an average of just 35.87 yards per punt. With the leg of Cason Beatty, the Seminoles average just 34.5 net yards per punt. And the punt Beatty had blocked in the fourth quarter against North Carolina State was the deciding play in Florida State's only loss this season.

However, FSU wide receiver and return man Rashad Greene is one of the best in the country, averaging 15.35 per return with two touchdowns scored on punt returns this season. And Florida is facing some uncertainty at both return roles. Regular returner Andre Debose coming back from injury this week, but Muschamp said he will not immeditely resume the job. Plus, safety De'Ante Saunders, who filled in nicely for Debose, will miss the rest of the season with an undisclosed injury.

Both teams have shown the ability to force fair catches, as Florida and Florida State each allow fewer than 5.2 yards per return on average. The burden is on Christy and Beatty to hang it up there to prevent returns, and the gunners to get downfield and wrap up. By the numbers, and with how well Purifoy has played in that gunner role, it's hard to say the advantage here goes to Florida.

The difference between the two net averages doesn't seem like that much, but 7 yards of field position could mean the difference between making a 45-yard field goal to win the game late or missing a 52-yarder to lose.

With Seminoles on Saturday, Muschamp's Gators expectedly not talking BCS

For the first time in years, the Florida-Florida State rivalry game has year-end importance with both teams ranked in the top 10 of the BCS Standings and fighting for the chance to clutch the crystal ball.

Currently No. 4 in the BCS Standings, the Gators must beat the Seminoles and then need only a Notre Dame loss to USC on Saturday to all but assure a berth in the title game.

After a 6-6 regular season in 2011-12, to even be in the discussion this late in the season is a feat in and of itself. In just his second year after replacing Urban Meyer as UF's coach, Will Muschamp has his team nearing the precipice it reached twice under Meyer. That's a big deal.

Still, when speaking to media Monday morning, senior defensive tackle Omar Hunter and senior linebacker Jon Bostic said they weren't aware of the Gators' ranking, trying to dismiss any question related to potential national championship scenarios.

Asked if the Gators deserved a shot at the title if they beat the Seminoles on Saturday, Hunter said: "I don't even worry about that stuff. I didn't even know we were No. 4. I thought it was like 21 or something like that. I didn't even know we were No. 4. Somebody just told me we were No. 4. I didn't even know that."

Hunter said he doesn't watch the television show that releases the rankings on Sunday nights. He also said he hasn't heard a word from teammates about the BCS.

"Everything's been Florida State this week," he said.

For Bostic, he said he went to sleep Sunday night not knowing where Florida stood in the new BCS Standings.

"A lot of it is controlled outside of here," he said. "We’re going to control what we can control."

A reporter then asked Bostic a hypothetical question -- If the Gators were to beat the Seminoles on Saturday should they be considered worthy of a shot at the national title? -- and, again, his response toed the company line.

"We’re just going to try and go up to Tallahassee and play like we've been playing all season and let the rest play out for itself."

Later, a different reporter tried to lob Bostic a softball of a question about not focusing on the BCS because none of the conjecture would matter if the Gators don't win this weekend. Again, he didn't bite.

"Nah, I mean it’s another game for us," he said.

Thinking Bostic must of misunderstood the question, the reporter interupted his response, rephrasing the question and attempting it again. Again, Bostic repeated the words he has been coached to say.

"No, I mean it’s another game for us," he said. "That’s how we look at it."

To those who follow the Gators, it shouldn't come as a surprise that players this week are not gushing about the team's chances at making to the BCS National Championship Game in Miami in January.

Like his coaching mentor Nick Saban, Muschamp would never allow it. He preaches a week-by-week approach where each game is the most important "because it's the next one." During fall camp last year, his first as a head coach, Muschamp declared that there would be "one voice" -- his -- speaking on behalf of the program, meaning the message would be the same no matter who delivered it.

To that end, Muschamp has gone to great lengths to control what gets said about his program. Florida makes available each week offensive coordinator Brent Pease and defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, experienced coaches who have dealt with media throughout respective long coaching careers and who will not answer any questions pertaining to injuries under Muschamp's instruction. None of the Gators' seven positional assistants are made available at any time during the season or offseason. And, like many programs and coaches around the nation, Florida and Muschamp restrict which players can speak to the media. Freshmen are not allowed to talk under any circumstance, and there is a list of players "approved" to speak during interview times, although none of them are required to do so.

That creates an atmosphere where the same players begrudingly deliver the same message each week. No players exemplify that more than Bostic and Hunter. It can be boring at times, but that's what Muschamp wants. And although you can certainly expect more of the same this week with everything on the line, it's hard to argue with the results: Florida is 10-1 and in the hunt for a national title, and Muschamp was named Monday as a semifinalist for the Maxwell Football Club's Collegiate Coach of the Year Award.

Why change now?

For comparison's sake, Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher makes four weekly appearances with local media in addition to his obligatory ACC coaches teleconference. And he has an open period for media during at least one practice each week. But Fisher does not make any assistant coaches available at any time, and offensive coordinator James Coley and defensive coordinator Mark Stoops speak only at the team's preseason media day. And his players seem to toeing the same company line as Muschamp's this week.

On the other hand, Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly openly admitted to cheering while watching Kansas State and Oregon lose on Saturday night, which opened the door for his Irish to be the new No. 1 team in the nation. And star tight end Tyler Eifert was refreshingly honest about what winning a national championship would do for the program.

"It would mean a lot, especially to the entire university," Eifert said. "Notre Dame, I don't know, has kind of lost its reputation, as far as how good we've been in past years. To be able to restore that reputation will be huge."

Sound familiar? Probably not, because no Florida player would ever say that. But swap the university name in that quote, and it describes precisely where the Gators find themselves right now.

So which approach is right: Deny what's out there in an attempt to focus on the task at hand? Or embrace it and move forward knowing that words don't have much of an impact once you step between the lines?

We'll find out this weekend.

Florida, Donovan sign pair of five-star recruits for 2013

Florida coach Billy Donovan inked Wednesday his most impressive class in recent years, receiving letters of intents from the state's top two recruits in point guard Kasey Hill and power forward Chris Walker.

Hill and Walker are both consensus top-10 players nationally and provide Donovan with a duo of top-flight talent comparable or better than any he has had as Florida's coach.

"How they rank to the rest of the country, doesn’t really matter to me because there are so many things they bring to the table,” Donovan said in a release on the school's website. "Being in-state guys, I’ve had a chance to watch them grow over a three-year period and I understand what we’ll be getting. They’re athletic, with speed and quickness and competiveness. They both have a chance to have tremendous careers here."

And in the NBA.

Last year's one-and-done shooting guard Brad Beal was the first of that type of player Donovan has recruited to be a Gator -- even the 2004 class that won back-to-back national championships did not have a five-star recruit or one ranked in the top 30 nationally. Both Hill and Walker are projected as NBA talents, and it will be interesting to see how they develop and how long Donovan can hold onto them.

At 6-1, 170 pounds from Eustis Montverde Academy, Hill brings a complete game to the point guard spot, providing Donovan with a weapon that's equally good at distributing as he is at scoring and creating for his teammates.

"He just as a presence on the floor," Donovan said in the release. "Great vision."

Walker (6-10, 195) from Bonifay Holmes County High has the explosiveness and athleticism to be a factor around the rim from his first game in Gainesville. He's raw, but has a high motor, something that can't be taught.

"The best frontcourt players to come through here -- the Horfords, Haslems, Bonners, Noahs -- they could all really run," assistant coach Matt McCall told the website. "And Chris Walker can really run."

 

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Muschamp stands by Floyd in wake of USA Today article

 

(AP Photo)

 

As he did last year when the then-sophomore defensive tackle was suspended by the NCAA, Florida coach Will Muschamp on Wednesday defended Sharrif Floyd and any criticism as a result of an article outlining his "unprecedented" adoption.

In the article that ran Tuesday in the USA Today, Rachel George reports that Floyd was legally adopted by Kevin Lahn, the man responsible for providing Floyd with $2,500 in impermissible benefits that led to his 2011 suspension. It's a controversial situation because it's being viewed by some as a potential loophole to circumvent NCAA bylaws that prevent such benefits. Now that Lahn is an legal guardian for Floyd, the vice president of a commercial real estate company is free to provide for Floyd as any other parent provides for a child that also happens to be a student-athlete -- essentially, spoiling your own child isn't an NCAA violation.

Since adopting Floyd in December, Lahn has leased him a 2012 Ford Explorer XLT and an apartment, signed Floyd up for a credit card and provided for him to take a trip to Disney World and then to Miami for his 21st birthday, where he was joined by teammates Ronald Powell and Dominique Easley for steak and lobster dinners at the Mandarin Oriental luxury hotel and a trip aboard an 80-foot, $3 million yacht, according to the article.

But Muschamp said Wednesday he was never concerned about Floyd's eligility, and he delivered strong words in support of Floyd.

"I knew everything, absolutely not ever worried about any eligibility issues," Muschamp said. "Sharrif is a fine young man, everything is above board that the University of Florida has handled with Sharrif and Kevin Lahn.

"What is wrong with someone caring about someone else? What is so bad about that is my question. The young man has done nothing wrong."

The people who criticize the situation see the potential for exploitation by people such as agents, runners, AAU coaches and the like looking to capitalize on the future financial gain of elite athletes. It could quickly become a slippery-slope situation, some believe.

The counter to that is that each case must be judged individually. Floyd comes from a difficult family situation, one similar to former Ole Miss and current Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Michael Oher, who was also adopted by a wealthy family. Why doesn't he deserve to have support like so many others have? Whose to say that Lahn and his wife Tiffany don't care about Floyd as their own? According to the article, Lahn said Floyd's great grandmother, who helped raise him, signed off on the adoption. Florida's compliance department knew about it and approved it. And it does not appear that the NCAA will investigate or that any sanctions are likely.

Muschamp certainly isn't worried.

"My statements speak for themselves and what I said a year ago, and I stand by it today," he said Wednesday.

George's article is a very interesting read and certainly worth your time. Give it a look if you haven't already. Let me know what you think in the comments.

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Muschamp states Gators' case for BCS

Florida is the only team to win three games against teams ranked in the Top 10 of the current BCS Standings. And the Gators have a 9-1 record against the nation's most difficult schedule.

But when the latest standings were released Sunday, UF again checked in at No. 6, behind one-loss Alabama and one-loss Georgia, which beat Florida three weeks ago in Jacksonville.

When asked Monday whether his team is getting the respect it deserves, coach Will Muschamp said that he's not worried about a potential lack of respect or the opinion of his program among those outside Gainesville.

"I don’t really worry about the perception of what might be out there," he said.

Then he wised up and proceeded to state the Gators' case for a better ranking, as most coaches in Muschamp's position do this time of year.

"Unfortunately, in our profession, sometimes perception becomes reality," Muschamp said. "I don’t apologize for being 3-1 and the only team in the BCS Top 10 that has that record and a better record than anyone else and has a tougher schedule than anyone else in the country.

"So, I don’t know what else you need to do."

But the problem for Muschamp is that even though his team certainly has the best resume of any one-loss team, the perception circulating in college football circles is that Florida doesn't pass the eye test. Sure, the Gators beat LSU and had a convincing win against South Carolina, but the offense has regressed in the last month and Florida struggled mightily against Louisiana on Saturday.

The USA Today Coaches' Poll and the Harris Interactive Poll, which both use human voters, comprise two-thirds of the BCS Standings, and thus have a large impact on the rankings. Currently, due to their strength of schedule and quality of wins, the Gators are ranked No. 3 in four of the six computer polls, No. 2 in one and No. 6 in the last. Their computer ranking when averaging all six is No. 3. But, in the human polls, they fare much worse. Both the coaches and the Harris poll have Florida at No. 7.

No matter how much hot air Muschamp blows, the Gators aren't likely to move up into contention for the BCS National Championship game unless several teams ahead of them lose. Even then, it's a longshot. Muschamp knows that.

"I don’t really worry about it," he said. "You control the things you can control. That’s one thing I learned last year. Some things you can’t control, so don’t spend a whole lot of time worrying about them. Figure out what you can handle, what you can deal with and move forward."

Plus, should the top three remain undefeated, and Georgia beats Alabama in the SEC Championship Game, there is a chance Florida misses a BCS bowl completely, whether it beats Florida State convincingly in two weeks or not.

That's the last thing Florida fans want to hear -- that, in the team's magical turnaround season, it's possible for the Gators to go 11-1 and play in the Outback or Capital One Bowl. But that's reality.

"You look at our record, you look at our schedule and what we’ve accomplished this year," Muschamp said, "we’ve had a hell of a year."

A year that might not be rewarded with a high-paying berth in a BCS bowl.

Gators starting QB Driskel doubtful for Saturday; Time set for UF-FSU game

Starting quarterback Jeff Driskel is doubtful for Saturday's game against Jacksonville State, coach Will Muschamp said Monday morning.

Driskel suffered a sprain to his right ankle during the third quarter of the win against Louisiana and did not return to the game. Muschamp said that nothing is broken in the ankle, but the severity of the sprain and his availability going forward are in question. Driskel is currently wearing a protective boot on his right foot and ankle as a precautionary measure to help keep the area stabilized.

If he can't play, fellow sophomore Jacoby Brissett will make the start.

"We'll try to get (Driskel) on the field Wednesday," Muschamp said. "If he can't go by then, certainly we'll go with Jacoby. We have all the confidence in the world Jacoby will play well. ... We're going to continue to work through the week and see if he can do anything. If he can, great. If he can't, we'll move forward."

Florida-Florida State time set

The annual rivalry game between two of the state's top football programs  will be played at 3:30 p.m. and aired on either ABC, ESPN or ESPN2, the Atlantic Coast Conference announced Monday.

The Gators and Seminoles each have just one loss, and this year's game is shaping up to be one of the biggest in recent history.

Florida has not had a game with a kickoff later than 6 p.m. this season.

 

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Gators to be without two key pieces in season opener against Georgetown

When Florida opens its basketball season on Friday night against Georgetown in the Navy-Marine Corps Classic aboard a ship docked at Mayport Naval Station in Jacksonville, the Gators will be without starting point guard Scottie Wilbekin and forward Casey Prather.

Wilbekin did not make the trip to Jacksonville on Thursday. Coach Billy Donovan announced that Wilbekin has been suspended indefinitely, but added that the suspension is not due to any legal trouble or NCAA issues.

"Sometimes the decision a person makes, is not who that person is," Donovan said, according to a school release. "People are trying to figure out what's going on. But to say any more would not be fair to Scottie."

Senior shooting guard Kenny Boynton will likely start at point guard in Wilbekin's absence, with fellow shooting guard Mike Rosario and freshman point guard Braxton Ogbueze also seeing time at the spot. Florida will likely play more big lineups than usual with Will Yeguete at small forward, and Yeguete will be asked to log more minutes than he is accustomed to because the additional absence of forward Casey Prather.

Prather suffered his second concussion in a little more than a week during practice Monday. He has been ruled out for the game and a date for his return date has not been announced.

Florida running back Mike Gillislee has NFL attributes, Pease says

Gators offensive coordinator Brent Pease knows what an NFL running back looks like. For the past four years, he coached first-round pick Doug Martin at Boise State, who is quickly becoming a rookie of the year candidate after breakout performances in back-to-back weeks for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

On Tuesday, Pease said his current running back, Florida senior Mike Gillislee, has a similar skillset and attributes that will translate well to the next level.

“He’s got good hands. He’s willing to block. He has all the phases that he can do it at the next level -- catching, running, blocking," Pease said. "I think those are the things they’re looking for first. They all want to know if you’re coachable."

Last year, Gillislee said his weakness was pass protection. Pease said Gillislee has made strides in that area in this season, but still has some work left to do.

"In the NFL they have way more protections than we probably have," Pease said. "They’re always constantly changing. Then physically, do you match up against the guys, linebackers that you’re going to have to block at that level with their strength and speed. ... He’s consistent. He understands the scheme. Sometimes we’ve missed a guy here or there, but you know everybody... you always learn. The one thing with Mike, he’s good at making adjustments and understanding what you need to get done within the game."

 

Florida's Mike Gillislee (23) runs for a 45-yard touchdown as Missouri's Braylon Webb (9) tries to catch him during the second half of Florida's 14-7 win over Missouri on Nov. 3. (AP Photo)

 

Most importantly, Gillislee has shown in his senior season that he has the speed and vision to run at the next level. Through nine games, he has 177 rushes for 797 yards and 7 touchdowns with a 4.5-yard average. Gillislee is on pace to become Florida's first 1,000-yard back since Ciatrick Fason rushed for 1,267 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2004. Fason was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft.

Although Gillislee likely will not reach the lofty preseason goals of 1,500 yards and 24 touchdowns he set at SEC Media Day this summer, he said that doesn't matter as long as the Gators keep winning.

"I just want to finish the season and win out, win out at home," he said, adding that the NFL is also on his mind. "That’s always been a dream and a goal. With God’s will I someday will play in the NFL."

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Gators OC Brent Pease says he will not address Kentucky rumors during season

Nearing the end of his first season as Florida's offensive coordinator, Brent Pease is becoming a hot name for the number of head coaching jobs set to open at season's end.

Pease, however, on Tuesday said he will not address during the season any rumors of taking the Kentucky job or leaving Florida after just one year.

I'm not going to approach it in-season at all," he said. "If the opportunity comes up afterward, I'd do whatever's appropriate at that time."

"That situation is out of the question right now because I haven't heard anything. I wouldn't do that. I'm focused on here. I've only been here one year. I've made a commitment to be here, especially with my family. ... Ask me that question later when something happens, I guess. I can't comment on a ghost story right now."

But Pease that he would certainly hear Kentucky out if atheletic director Mitch Barnhart comes calling.

"I mean, you always visit with people," Pease said. "That's what we're in the profession for."

Kentucky on Sunday announced that coach Joker Phillips will not return next season, and soon thereafter Pease's name popped up in an article by Yahoo! Sports' Pat Forde theorizing the potential candidates for the job. Pease spent the 2001 and 2002 seasons in Lexington serving as the Wildcats' offensive coordinator, and Forde named Pease as a likely candidate.

"Sources tell Yahoo! Sports that the candidate list includes Louisiana Tech coach Sonny Dykes and Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter, plus several college offensive coordinators. Among those believed to be interested in the job are Florida's Brent Pease and Texas Tech's Neal Brown, both of whom have ties to UK – Pease as a former assistant and Brown as a player."

Florida coach Will Muschamp has endorsed Pease twice now, saying that he would be in favor of any of his assistants getting an opportunity for advancement.

"Brent certainly an outstanding football coach," Muschamp said Monday. "Any opportunity he has as a head coach I know that I will fully endorse that as well as Jeremy Foley our athletic director, and our president. He is a really good football coach and that goes for any of our coaches. If they have an opportunity to be a head coach I am all for it."

Pease, despite dispelling any rumors, had positive things to say about Kentucky and its program.

"I think it's a good program. I've been there. They've got great people," He said. "They've got a great program and the facilities are good. They're committed to winning. And they have won. They won when we were there, when I was there on staff. They won when Rich Brooks was there. You can get good kids there."

Addressing Florida's lack of playmakers, Will Muschamp says 'I want to score 60, too'

After another narrow victory in which his offense put together an underwhelming performance, it seems Florida coach Will Muschamp has grown tired of answering questions about the subject.

The Gators lagged to a 14-7 victory against Missouri (4-5, 1-5 SEC) on Saturday. The offense, once again, was woeful outside of two big plays. Even though quarterback Jeff Driskel came out throwing, Florida was again outgained in the first quarter, bringing the total to nine straight games -- or, every game this season. That's just the beginning.

The struggles have been well documented -- I've written about it twice (here and here) since Saturday's game. Plenty of writers who cover the team have dedicated inches in print or space online to critique the lack of firepower. However, when asked Monday about the lack of playmakers, Muschamp seemed to have had enough of the criticism.

"It is what it is. We’re where we are. We’re 8-1, alright?" he said. "It’s easy to go pick at that and that’s what everybody’s decided to do at this point. We’re not scoring 60 points a game, so obviously we’re all upset. I want to score 60, too, but I want to win first of all. That’s really what’s important, and that’s what we’re trying to do."

AP Photo

But when your offense is ranked 103rd in the country and no team ranked in the BCS Standings carries a worse point-per-game average, then questions and stories are bound to come. No. 23 Rutgers and No. Florida are tied for 79th nationally scoring an average of 26.0 per game.

Notre Dame is the only other team ranked in the BCS Top 10 that scores fewer than 29 points per game. Both the Irish and the Gators have been able to get away with such low outputs on average because of dominant defenses -- Florida and Notre Dame are two of only four teams (Florida State, Alabama) to allow fewer than 110 points this season.

But if the offense has a bad day, like it did against Georgia with six turnovers, or if the defense is matched up against a dominant offense, like it will face against Florida State at the end of the month, then what?

Florida this season has played only one of the top 20 scoring offenses, and that was Texas A&M in the team's first game under new head coach Kevin Sumlin. The Aggies still managed to score 17 points to tie a season-high against the Gators, and they did it all in the first half. Muschamp and Dan Quinn made great adjustments to confuse freshman quarterback Johnny Manziel at halftime, but will they be able to do that against a more-balanced and just-as-dangerous Florida State team? Or against Alabama in the SEC Championship game should Auburn surprise Georgia this week? That remains to be seen.

Muschamp has been honest about the need for improvement on offense, and he should recognize it's probably not coming this season. Offensive coordinator Brent Pease has as well, and he was honest last week when asked if he thinks the Gators have a big-time playmaker at wide receiver on the roster.

"Do I see a big-time? I don’t know if I’d say that but I feel confident in with some of the kids that we have," Pease said. "Do we’ve got to get better? Yeah, we’ve got to get better everywhere."

"You run a route, you get open. ... In this league you’ve got to win on man-to-man coverage. I mean it’s easy, zones are easy. You just know the coverage you’ve got to beat."

Redshirt sophomore Quinton Dunbar leads the unit with 20 catches for 227 yards and two touchdowns. Of the team's ranked in the BCS Top 10, Dunbar's numbers are the lowest for a leading receiver. Here's how the rest shake out:

No. 1 Alabama - Amari Cooper - 32 catches, 472 yards, 5 touchdowns
No. 2 Kansas State - Chris Harper - 35 catches, 542 yards, 2 touchdowns
No. 3 Oregon - De'Anthony Thomas - 29 catches, 277 yards, 4 touchdowns
No. 4 Notre Dame - TJ Jones - 31 catches, 383 yards, 3 touchdowns
No. 5 Georgia - Tavarres King - 27 catches, 551 yards, 6 touchdowns
No. 7 LSU - Jarvis Landry - 31 catches, 292 yards, 2 touchdowns
No. 8 South Carolina - Ace Sanders - 24 catches, 270 yards, 5 touchdowns
No. 9 Louisville - Damian Copeland - 33 catches, 414 yards, 1 touchdown
No. 10 Florida State - Rashad Greene - 28 catches, 374 yards, 2 touchdowns

Of those 10 teams, Florida (186 attempts, 1,261 yards) and Kansas State (196 attempts, 1,930 yards) are the only two to have attempted fewer than 200 passes this season, however the Wildcats have not had the same issues with production. While most of those teams have a quarterback more established than the sophomore Driskel, he can't be the sole recipient of blame for the lack of production.

The line hasn't held up at times, and the backs and tight ends have struggled in pass protection as well. And, frankly, as Driskel and Muschamp have said, the Gators haven't really yet needed to open up the offense and push the ball downfield to win. But that also means that there's no proof that they can when and if necessary.

The good news is Florida has its two easiest opponents of the season coming up in the next two weeks at home in The Swamp. It's a chance to get right offensively, pad the stats a little bit and, most importantly, develop some rhythm and confidence in the passing game against lesser opponents.

So, with all that said, tell me: What do you think? Can the Gators compete on offense with the big boys of college football? Is the defense good enough that it doesn't matter? What would happen if Florida somehow found itself in a game against Alabama for the SEC or national championship?

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Could Alabama beat the worst NFL team? Will Muschamp says no chance

While which team is entitled to the dubious distinction of the NFL's worst is up for debate, the chance that it would lose to Alabama is not, according to Florida coach Will Muschamp.

Muschamp was asked about South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier's comments from Tuesday about Alabama being favored in a game against one of the lowly NFL teams that are struggling right now, such as the Kansas City Chiefs or Jacksonville Jaguars.

Here's what Spurrier had to say Wednesday on "The Dan Patrick Show."

"Alabama, gosh, they look like they could beat a couple of those NFL teams that I've watched on Sundays," Spurrier said. "I think a lot of the oddsmakers out there that usually know what's going on, I'd guess Alabama would be favored by a little bit."

Muschamp was having none of it. He laughed at the notion when asked Thursday.

"I would have a hard time seeing that," Muschamp said.

Muschamp, like Spurrier, of course, has experience at the next level. But unlike Spurrier, Muschamp said he learned that there is a distinct difference between college and the pros.

"That maturity of those guys, there are full-grown men playing in that league," Muschamp said. "The speed of the game when I left LSU to go to the Miami Dolphins was more than noticeable on the field. It's a grown man's league."

On his Twitter account Wednesday, Todd Fuhrman, a former oddsmaker for Caeser's Palace in Las Vegas, also disagreed with Spurrier's take.

"Despite Spurrier's comments, he's not a linesmaker and Bama would be a 3 TD dog at MINIMUM to even the worst team in the NFL," Fuhrman tweeted.

And yes, that's counting that team up in Jacksonville.

"The Jaguars," Muschamp said, "are going to be fine."

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Muschamp updates situation with injured DB Riggs, redshirt likely

A medical redshirt is likely for defensive back Cody Riggs, coach Will Muschamp said Thursday.

Muschamp sat down Tuesday with Riggs to discuss the likelihood of taking a medical redshirt this season. After practicing Monday and Tuesday of last week, it became clear that the aftereffects from the injury were still an issue although Muschamp said the team's medical staff feels like the broken foot he suffered against Texas A&M has healed properly.

“He’s come back, I guess last week and practiced Monday a little bit, but then went Tuesday and tried to go on it," Muschamp said. "It's just one of those deal when you’re dealing with a foot."

Vanderbilt wide receiver Jordan Matthews (87) catches a 6-yard touchdown pass as he is defended by Florida cornerback Cody Riggs (31) in November 2010. (AP Photo)

"He’s not as full speed as he has been, let’s just say that. He’s not playing as fast as he’s capable of playing. I’m not going to put a player out there that’s not going to play as well as he can play. It hasn’t healed as fast as maybe we thought. We’ve got to just kind of continue to evaluate the situation."

Muschamp said he has spoken to Riggs' family about the decision to redshirt, but added that he "can't make any promises for the simple reason of injury."

If Florida were to suffer another injury in the secondary, it's possible Riggs' chance at a redshirt this season would be null and he would return to the lineup. As of now, the depth is sufficient, but that could change, and Muschamp said that is the main reason for any uncertainty in the situation.

"Right now, probably would apply for a medical (redshirt) based on the time in the season left," Muschamp said. "We still have a lot of the games to go. ... We’ve made no 100% decision yet at all. That’s probably where we’re heading."

Riggs, a Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas alum, started 10 games at cornerback last season and one at safety this season before the injury.

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Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas alum Cody Riggs (foot) still out

Junior defensive back Cody Riggs is still not ready to return from a broken foot he suffered against Texas A&M in the second week of the season, defensive coordinator Dan Quinn said Wednesday.

Riggs was originally expected to be out 4 to 6 weeks with the injury, but the Missouri game will mark 8 sinces since the injury occurred. Before Florida's game against South Carolina, Riggs was seen walking on the sideline without the protective boot he had worn in previous weeks, but Quinn said Wednesday there was no update on his status.

"Each one (injury) is different, and it's hard to put a timetable on it," Quinn said.

A medical redshirt is certainly in the cards for Riggs, which is something Quinn attested to Wednesday, saying it's "something we'd certainly consider moving forward."

"At this time, we're just kind of trying to push to try and get everybody back available as we needed," Quinn said. "With him just not being back yet, at [defensive back], if you can't go and run and do the things you need to do then you're not ready yet. Certainly, at that position, when you get outside there on the freeway at corner or safety, you better be able to run."

To receive a medical redshirt, a player must not have played in more than four of a team's games and not past the sixth game of the season. The school must also prove an injury, which would not be an issue in this case. But Quinn said the coaching staff has not yet discussed a redshirt.

Gators injuries: Patton out for the year; McCray, Jacobs, Nixon, Wilson updates

Wide receiver Solomon Patton is out for the season after suffering a broken upper arm in Saturday's loss to Georgia, coach Will Muschamp confirmed on Monday.

Patton's arm was trapped underneath his body as he was tackled around the neck by Bulldogs safety Shawn Williams on a fourth-and-1 jet sweep in the first half Saturday. Patton was the team's third-leading rusher with 14 carries for 140 yards. He also had one catch for 17 yards. Muschamp said he will return in the spring, seemingly ruling out any chance of playing in a bowl game in about eight weeks.

Defensive tackle Damien Jacobs (hip) could return to practice on Tuesday, Muschamp said. "I think he will, based on the report I got this morning," Muschamp said. Jacobs did not travel to Jacksonville for Saturday's game.

Buck linebacker Lerentee McCray (ankle) is probable for Saturday's game against Missouri but will not practice until Wednesday, Muschamp said.

Offensive linemen Xavier Nixon and James Wilson both twisted a knee in Saturday's loss and should return to practice on Tuesday, Muschamp said.

 

UF falls in BCS, other polls; time set for Missouri game

After falling to Georgia 17-9 on Saturday, Florida fell from No. 2 to No. 7 when the new Bowl Championship Series standings were released Sunday.

The Gators dropped from No. 3 to No. 8. in the USA Today/Coaches Poll, the AP Top 25 and the Harris Poll.

In the BCS, the Bulldogs moved up from No. 10 to No. 6, while LSU, which UF defeated on Oct. 6, is now No. 5. Alabama retains the top spot and is followed by new No. 2 Kansas State, No. 3 Notre Dame and No. 4 Oregon. The strength of the Irish's win over Oklahoma has them ranked first overall and no lower than second in all the computer polls and helped propel them past Oregon.

No. 7 South Carolina, No. 8 Florida State and No. 9 Louisville round out the BCS Top 10.

Early kick this Saturday

Florida's game against Missouri at home this Saturday will kick off at 12 p.m. eastern and be televised on ESPN2. It will be the earliest the Gators have played this season and only the second game to kick off before 3:30 p.m.

Gators offensive lineman arrested, facing two alcohol-related charges

Florida offensive lineman Trip Thurman, 20, is facing charges of possession of a driver's license or identification card with an altered date of birth and possession of alcohol by a person under the age of 21, Alachua County Court records show.

Both charges are second-degree misdemeanors.

Thurman, a redshirt freshman whose legal name is Frederick Alexander Thurman III, was originally charged on June 15 with a third-degree felony for possession of a forged driver's license or identification card after University of Florida police stopped Thurman's vehicle at the intersection of Gale Lemerand Drive and Stadium Road on UF's campus.

Trip Thurman (GatorZone.com)

It is unclear why Thurman was initially stopped, but when the officer who stopped him asked for his driver's license the officer noticed within Thurman's wallet "what appeared to be a forged Florida driver license" which "made Thurman over the age of 21 and in turn able to purchase alcoholic beverages," according to a UPD report.

The officer read Thurman his Miranda rights and afterward, according to the report, Thurman allegedly stated the license was a "fake" and that he "used the license to gain access into night clubs."

Gainesville attorney Huntley Johnson, who has represented numerous Florida athletes in the past, filed a written plea of not guilty in Alachua court on Thurman's behalf a little more than a week after the arrest. The felony charge was reduced to the misdemeanor charge, and Thurman accepted a deferred prosecution agreement on Sept. 25 that stated he must pay $50 in prosecution fees and donate $100 to a local not-for-profit organization called Pleasant Place or perform 10 hours of community service. The agreement also stated he must "refrain from, violating any federal or state law or county or municipal ordinance" for four months. If he met those requirements, the charge would be dropped from his record.

However, two days after signing the agreement, Thurman on Sept. 27 was issued a written arrest/notice to appear for allegedly being in possession of a beer at The Florida Theater at 233 W. University Ave. during a concert by country singer Corey Smith.

According to a Gainesille Police Department record, officer Lonnie Scott observed Thurman holding a half-full can of Pabst Blue Ribbon beer, and when he saw the officer, Thurman "immediately placed the drink down on the ground (next to his left foot) in an attempt to discard the alcoholic beverage." The report also states that Thurman had black "X's" on his hands to indicate that he was under the age of 21.

Because he violated the terms of his deferred prosecution agreement, it's likely Thurman will now be again facing the charge for misdemeanor possession of a forged driver's license. Both cases are listed as "open" in the Alachua County Court system, and a court date has been set for December 5 at 9 a.m.

A spokesperson for the Florida football program did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.

Thurman is the 10th player and 12th and 13th individual arrest since Will Muschamp took over for Urban Meyer as the Gators' head coach. He is the first player to be arrested since tight end A.C. Leonard was charged with domestic battery in February defensive tackle Leon Orr was cited in May for driving with a suspended license, breaking the agreement he signed following an arrest on marijuana charges in January.

Thurman appeared in four games as a freshman last season before undergoing shoulder surgery and taking a redshirt. He has not made a start but has appeared in three games this season, mostly on special teams. Thurman, 6-6, 320 pounds, was rated by Rivals.com as a four-star recruit out of Dover High in Dover, Del.

No. 3 Florida plays No. 12 Georgia at 3:30 p.m. Saturday in Jacksonville. The Gators can clinch the Southeastern Conference East division with a win.

Gators aware of change in public perception, return of fans and 'believers'

AP Photo

Winning changes everything.

For everyone with a stake in the Gators' football program, last year wasn't much fun. Mired in a second straight year of mediocrity on the field, fan interest in the Florida football team expectedly dwindled.

You know what I'm talking about. After four straight losses in October, it was a lot harder to wear that Tebow jersey or Gators T-Shirt to work for casual Friday, right? (Note: I'm a fan of the Jacksonville Jaguars, so you know I get it.)

It's only natural. It happens to every team in every sport. Not even the beloved Boston Red Sox are immune, as evidenced by the paltry crowds at Fenway late in the year. Who wants to watch your favorite team implode, especially when it was on top of the world as recently as the Gators and Red Sox have been.

Well, the players notice that, too.

Defensive tackle Omar Hunter said the change in public perception from a 7-6 season in 2011 to a 7-0 start in 2012 has been noticeable.

"It's pretty funny actually," he said. "Just hearing everybody say, 'Go Gators,' you know, whereas last year it was, 'Man, we suck.' Hearing 'Go Gators' now, it's been a complete 360."

Headed up by strength coach Jeff Dillman, the Gators have rallied around the slogan "Florida Never Breaks," represented by the acronym "FNB." Defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd had it written on his tape during Saturday's win against South Carolina. Players wear shirts with the slogan or letters as constant reminders.

"They've been preaching it to us all offseason," Hunter said. "When times were the worst this offseason and beginning of the season when no one believed in us, we kept saying it: Florida Never Breaks, Florida Never Breaks. And I think it's just really stuck with guys."

The doubt didn't subside much after the season-opening win against Bowling Green failed to wow most fans. Even after Florida won two conference games on the road in the season's first three weeks, there was still skepticism. Attendance for the first two home games was spotty, with nearly 6,000 empty seats against Bowling Green and roughly 3,000 against Kentucky.

"Coming into the season, we really didn't have many fans like what we're used to," center Jonotthan Harrison said. "We weren't really worried about it. We're playing for each other. We're playing for the players in the locker room, the coaches, the training staff."

But now, after two wins against top-10 opponents, the Gators are ranked No. 2 in the Bowl Championship Series standings and suddenly people care again. Funny how that works.

Before the home game against South Carolina, a sellout, fullback Hunter Joyer said there was a different atmosphere around the school.

"You walk through the campus and there's people telling you good job and keep it up, saying they're really excited for this weekend, so it's a pretty good vibe," he said, adding that the BCS rankings and wins have brought attention from friends "and a couple of old teachers" who he doesn't usually hear from.

Joyer was then asked if it was like that last year, if the Gators had people approach them during game weeks.

"For like the Alabama game, we did," he said.

That game, a devastating blowout loss, set the stage for the winless October and the downturn in fan interest. The stands were nearly empty well before the game ended. They were full three weeks ago when Florida beat LSU, and the bandwagon filled up quickly after the Gators won.

Harrison knew what was coming. After the 14-6 win over the Tigers, he was asked what it meant to play on such a big stage after the nature of the last two seasons. Nothing, he said.

"We clear out all that clutter, especially since in the beginning of the season, our first Gator Walk especially, we had no fans out there," he said. "You know what I mean? Nobody was behind us. Nobody was supporting us, and that's just our motivation.

"The fact that this is a national audience or a full stadium or whatever it is, you know, we just block that out of our mind. We just keep it ourself that, you know, this isn't going to faze us. No matter how many people are watching, no matter how full the stadium is, we're playing for each other. We're playing for the coaches. We're playing for the players to the left and right of us. As long as we do that we will succeed."

Again, that's where "FNB" comes back into play. Quarterback Jeff Driskel called it a "unity-type thing," and it's become clear that the Gators are playing with the right mindset.

"Honestly, we really don’t care how people think we do," defensive end Dominique Easley said. "We take every game that we lost, every game that we lost, that we weren’t close, we take all of that personally. All of that is personal. Because that’s each other. We let down each other. So it’s more than a football game."

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Pease pleased with local WR Dunbar after one-on-one talk

Florida's Quinton Dunbar (1) breaks away from South Carolina cornerback Jimmy Legree (15) on a 13-yard touchdown pass play during the first half Saturday, Oct. 20. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

WIth Florida's passing offense struggling to produce at least 100 yards in the team's last three games it's become difficult to find a bright spot, however offensive coordinator Brent Pease said he's seen an uptick in wide receiver Quinton Dunbar's play.

Pease said he had a recent conversation with Dunbar to ask him how things are going and provide some motivation for consistent play.

"I said, ‘Hey, you’ve got to continue to work hard and the ball comes your way if you’re doing the right things,'" Pease said.

Dunbar, a redshirt sophomore from Miami's Booker T. Washington High, responded with two catches for 29 yards and a touchdown in the second quarter of Florida's 44-11 win over South Carolina on Saturday. On the scoring play, a third-and-6 situation from the South Carolina 13, quarterback Jeff Driskel hit Dunbar on a curl route on the left hashmark and Dunbar made two defenders miss and scampered into the end zone untouched.

"In some situations, we’ve run the same play before, but coverages don’t allow the ball to go where he was at," Pease said. "That coverage in particular allowed the ball to go where he was at and he made a great play with it. So when your opportunity comes, you need to be in the right place and running the right route and making the plays and he did."

While Dunbar still has a ways to go to develop into a go-to receiver for the Gators, he has made strides in his second season as a regular contributor on offense. He leads all Florida receivers with 15 catches for 174 yards and two touchdowns. Fellow South Florida product Frankie Hammond of Hollywood Hallandale leads the unit in total yards (220) and touchdowns (3).

But in this offense, which is predicated heavily on running the football, more goes into being a productive receiver than filling the stat sheet, Pease said.

"[Dunbar] had a great game," he said. "I mean a lot of those guys, Frankie –- I look at the couple of plays he had on third down, a touchdown catch and the run by Omarius, Frankie had a great block that nobody noticed. It’s key that he gets the block and that’s why Omarius scores. A lot of guys think if you really look down the process in the end, they’re all kind of becoming the go-to or effective players and they’re all producing. And that’s my whole thing.”

 

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Florida punter Kyle Christy sets school record, earns SEC weekly honors

After booming six of his seven punts at least 50 yards in Saturday's win against South Carolina, Florida punter Kyle Christy is raking in the accolades.

Christy's average of 54.3 set a new single-game school record, and it boosted his season average up to 47.49, which leads the nation. In recognition of his performance, the Southeastern Conference named Christy the Special Teams Player of the Week on Monday.

Christy's net average of 44.24 also leads the nation, and it's that number that he said special teams coach D.J. Durkin is most concerned with.

"We put a lot of value just on net punt," Christy said Saturday. "Hangtime is really important, but it's obviously got to go far, too. A lot of times coach Durkin would rather have a really high, somewhat short punt than a line drive because that gives them the chance to return it."

AP Photo

With the offense stalled inside its own 20, Christy's first punt went for a season-long 62 yards and helped Florida flip the field position. Just a sophomore, Christy already has 24 punts of longer than 50 yards, and coach Will Muschamp has described him with words such as "gamechanger," "weapon" and "phenomenal."

"Again, he’s been outstanding for our football team this year," Muschamp said. "He’s a been a guy that’s flipped the field, created momentum, hung some punts up there and our coverage was outstanding again in the whole coverage units, whether it was kickoff or punt."

Thanks in large part to Christy's leg, Florida was able to keep South Carolina's dynamic return man Ace Sanders in check. Sanders attempted to return two of Christy's seven punts but only managed 1 total yard. Sanders was under pressure on each attempt, and he fumbled in the second quarter to set up Florida's second touchdown. In all, only three of Christy's seven punts were returned for a total of minus-13 yards.

Still, for all his talent, Christy is not used to the attention his play this year has garnered. Surrounded by reporters after Saturday's win, Christy was noticeably uncomfortable. I asked him if he was more nervous talking to the media than he is when facing the rush before letting off a punt, and he answered with a resounding "yes."

"Is that bad? It's probably not good," he said, laughing. "I'm not used to this (the attention). I'm used to that (the pressure of the rush)."

Steve Spurrier's return to The Swamp: Still interesting or old news?

From a Heisman Trophy campaign as a quarterback in 1966 to coaching the Gators to the program's first national championship in 1996, the legacy of Steve Spurrier at Florida is well known -- at least to those 25 or older.

You might remember his playing days or know him as the head ball coach or the old ball coach, that tormented man who just couldn't keep his visor on his head for a whole game. But do today's players even know about all of his history at Florida? Current Gators quarterback Jeff Driskel said he's not sure he even remembers watching Spurrier's Gators as a kid.

"I don’t think so. I think I was more worried about cartoons at that time," he said. "But you see the film of him being a Gator coach and you see his visor and stuff like that. I was too young for that. I wasn’t a football fan at that time."

AP Photo

 

With Saturday's game marking the fourth time Spurrier has returned to play against the Gators in Gainesville, do people even care? Is it still a storyline? (Feel free to tell me your opinion in the comments below.)

However you feel about it, Spurrier is coming back on Saturday to the place he helped build. When Spurrier's team from South Carolina comes into The Swamp to play his former team, the Gamecocks will be playing in a stadium he named. Spurrier christened Ben Hill Griffin Stadium with its current nickname.

After losses in his first two return trips to Gainesville, Spurrier and the Gamecocks clinched the Southeastern Conference East division in The Swamp in November of 2010. South Carolina has won two straight in the series for the first time since the 1930s.

But both Spurrier and Florida coach Will Muschamp have said that the "Return of Spurrier" is much more of a story for the media and fans than the players.

"I think so," Muschamp said when asked Wednesday. "Kids nowadays, it's a lot different than when I grew up. I was glued to the T.V. set or I was sitting at Florida Field when I was growing up and watching the players and the coaches. Nowadays, they've got so much stuff going on in their lives. ... It's a little different in that there's a lot of distractions other than just watching college football. That's what me and you did growing up. Sometimes, it's amazing the football IQ now of the some of the young men we get that are advanced more from a football standpoint. It's kind of shocking."

Florida offensive coordinator Brent  Pease said he wasn't sure whether or not players are aware of everything Spurrier accomplished at the school.

"I think they respect what he’s done here," Pease said. "He’s probably been gone for a while."

Because they coached against each other, Pease said he has followed Spurrier's career. He also knows Spurrier's son, Steve Jr., who earned a graduate degree at Florida.

"We totally respect what he’s done," Pease said. "He’s a great player and a legend here — winning a Heisman. Our players are aware of that. They understand that."

But Spurrier said he thinks his return isn't a big deal at all.

"I don’t think it’s much of a storyline now that it’s eight years we’ve gone to play each other and fourth time I’ve been down there coaching," he said. "I guess it is a little unusual to be on the other team when you come into the ball park and your name is on the wall up there, but I think everybody handles it very well. It’s our team against their team. This is a game between the players. Us coaches, we just try to direct them a little bit, but these players are pretty much going to decide who wins this thing."

However, Spurrier also admitted that Florida, as well as Duke and now South Carolina, will always mean a lot to him.

"Florida is always going to be my school. I love Florida," Spurrier said Tuesday. "My wife, my daughter and even Steve (Spurrier) Jr. got a graduate degree from there. We're Gators, but we're Gamecocks now. When my coaching days are over, I'll be more of a Gator then. I'm a Gamecock now and this is our team. ... When I get through coaching I'll be Duke, Florida and South Carolina. I'll have feelings for all three schools."

Of course, he couldn't lay it on the Gators too thick. A fan base in Columbia, S.C. wouldn't like that.

"I hope the Gators finish second in the East this year," Spurrier said. "That would be a good finish for them. Hope we finish first."

Vintage Spurrier.

So what do you think? Is it a big deal? If so, should it make any difference to the players? Or is it just for the fans and hacks like me?

______________________________________________________________________________

Here's any remaining quotes about Spurrier from Florida's players and coaches:

WR Frankie Hammond

Was it tough watching South Carolina and Spurrier celebrate on Florida field two years ago after clinching the SEC East…

"It was tough. They’re a great football team and we’ve got another opportunity coming up. We’ve got all of this week to prepare and we’re going to prepare and get ourselves ready for the game."

Does it make a difference that Spurrier is on the other sideline…

"With him being an alumni from here and basically all of the great accolades with the Heisman and everything and championships he’s done for this university, it’s definitely a certain type of, you feel a certain type of way. But hey, we’ve got to prepare, and we’ve got to somehow get it done, so."

LB Jon Bostic

"I know he's always one of those guys, he likes to air it out. He can draw up a lot of different things and give a defense headaches. We got to make sure we're on our keys. We're playing smart. Everybody's eyes are in the right place."

Thoughts on his stature at UF and the state?

"I know a lot of people, they like him around here. He's been here a while. He's won a championship here, too. So a lot of guys are probably excited for him to come back and want to get a win just as much as we do."

DT Omar Hunter

Do you think Spurrier's mystique still hangs over UF?

"Oh, yeah. Definitely. Coach Spurrier, he's a legend in Gainesville. Some of the older guys, like a few coaches that we have played under him, coach Spurrier. They're very excited with him coming back into town. I know a lot of guys really pumped up for that."

QB Jeff Driskel

Thoughts on Spurrier?

"He’s definitely a Gator great. I drive by his statue every day. But it’s not really anything that’s going to bother us. All of our players here didn’t play for him or weren’t here when he was around. So it’s definitely a media-type and fan buildup thing. It’s definitely bigger for the media and the fans."

Are there some players who don’t realize Spurrier was coach here?

"I don’t know. I don’t think so. It’s hard to miss the statue. It’s hard to miss a guy that named our stadium what it’s called. But like I said, I don’t think we’re too worried about it. But I think they know that he coached here."

Is this game bigger for Muschamp because it's Spurrier?

“I don’t think so.  The whole team you just have to take it one game at a time and you can’t get caught up in the hype. It’s another SEC game. We’re going to have to play well to win and we’re going to have to practice well to win.”

HC Will Muschamp

"Obviously coach Spurrier winning a Heisman Trophy here and his 12 years as head coach here and his 12 y ears as head coach here probably will never be repeated. You look at six SEC titles and the 1990 season had the best record in the SEC, national championship, and really put Florida on the map as far as winning championships in football. I’ve asked him before why it didn’t happen before and he never gives me a good reason, but he just did a phenomenal job here as the head football coach. And a guy that’s very well respected and a guy that I’ve got a tremendous amount of respect for."

Does your history as Gator fan mean this game and the opportunity to beat Spurrier means more to you?

“Not really. I mean, at the end the day, we're about winning championships on and off the field here at Florida. And it's another step to Atlanta. That's the way I look at it. But I knew about him winning the Heisman Trophy, not just being a Florida fan but being an SEC fan. And then the job he did as coach here was pretty amazing.”

What has been Steve Spurrier's stamp on the SEC?

"Well, you know, honestly, being an SEC guy growing up in this part of the country and being a huge fan of the Southeastern Conference, there are really two coaches that come to the forefront of your mind as far as what they've done for this league, and that's Bear Bryant and Steve Spurrier for winning, bringing championships to the University of Florida and understanding what that's about. But those would the two guys that would, you know, jump out in my mind. That's just personally my opinion. You look at what he did when he came to our league. It was more of a 'three yards and a pile of dust' league, and he came in and spread the ball out a little bit. He was credited with throwing the ball a bunch, but they were 50-50. They ran the ball extremely well when he was here. But it became a little more of a throwing league and changed things defensively. It helped advance this league from an offensive mindset, in my opinion.Again, that's my opinion. Those would be the two guys that jump out to me as coaches in this league that for a long period of time had tremendous success."

@JoshatTheState

Steve Spurrier on WNKT: "Marcus is not going to start the game, but he’s going to go (to Florida). We’ll see how he does in warmups."

Muschamp: Injured offensive linemen to play Saturday against South Carolina

Speaking on the Southeastern Conference coaches teleconference Wednesday morning, Florida coach Will Muschamp said injured offensive linemen James Wilson, Jonotthan Harrison and Xavier Nixon will play this weekend against South Carolina.

Wilson, who did not travel with the team to Nashville for last weekend's game against Vanderbilt, was the most in doubt after he suffered an eye injury in practice last Wednesday when his helmet was dislodged during a play. But Muschamp said Wilson practiced on Tuesday and "should be ready to go" for Saturday.

Harrison (arm) and Nixon (concussion) are expected to return to practice today, Muschamp said.

Linebacker Jelani Jenkins (hamstring) and defensive end Dominique Easley (knee) also practiced Tuesday and are expected to play on Saturday. Freshman wide receiver Latroy Pittman (ankle) is questionable still, however.

Lack of passing game matters, but not huge concern for UF OC Pease

The Gators currently rank No. 2 in the BCS standings, and last in the Southeastern Conference in passing.

Florida's passing offense ranks 118th nationally with an average of 145 yards per game. Georgia Tech with its triple-option attack currently has more passing yards. Offensive coordinator Brent Pease said while he cares about being ranked last in the conference in passing a year after leading Boise State to the 11th-ranked passing offense, the emphasis is really on winning -- no matter what the stats say.

"I care because you don’t want to be last and we talk about balance. But you’ve got to understand something. There’s always give and take and we’ve got a game plan every game. And there’s a situation where, especially in my spot, I’m going to probably have to rely on that more," he said.

Against Vanderbilt, Pease said certain plays continued to work throughout the game and there is no reason to change what you're doing until the opponent proves it can stop it.

"They didn’t find some answers to a few plays," he said. "So whether that kid (Jeff Driskel) ends up throwing for 300 or rushing for a record like he does, I don’t really care how it gets done as long as we’re productive with what we do and score points."

Florida is running the ball on nearly 70 percent of its offensive snaps this season, and while Pease said that balance is certainly ideal, he also said he plans to stick with what's working until it's not.

"When we go in and you hit 10 plays for explosive plays, the bottom line is run them again," he said. "Run them again, OK. Let's not get greedy here as a coach and say, 'I don't like that, I'm throwing the ball because that's what we all love to do.' If Jeff Driskel can carry the ball 70 yards and outrun everybody, he's getting the ball. If Mike Gillislee can get the ball and outrun everybody, he's getting the ball. And if our O-line blocks like they block, we're giving them the ball. I'm not going to be stubborn as far as playing off numbers every week. I'm going to do what's best for this team and what they create for us to be productive and score points and win football games.”

Florida expects three injured offensive linemen to return against South Carolina

The Gators played the majority of Saturday's game without three starting offensive linemen, but coach Will Muschamp said Monday he expects left tackle Xavier Nixon (concussion), left guard James Wilson (eye) and center Jonotthan Harrison (elbow) to be probable for this week's matchup with South Carolina.

Wilson did not travel with the team for Saturday's game against Vanderbilt, while Harrison and Nixon both went down during the first quarter and did not return.

Tight end Jordan Reed (eye), defensive end Dominique Easley (knee) and linebacker Jelani Jenkins (hamstring) are also expected to be probable for Saturday, but freshman wide receiver Latroy Pittman (ankle) will be questionable, Muschamp said.

Safety Cody Riggs (foot) and offensive tackle Matt Patchan (pectoral) remain out.

Vandy coach James Franklin praises Florida's defense

Speaking to the media on the Southeastern Conference teleconference on Wednesday morning, second-year coach James Franklin had some interesting things to say regarding Florida's defense.

"They’re playing very well on defense. The things that’s kind of interesting to me is a lot of defensive coaches and defensive coordinators they’ll try to take something away. It might be the run or it might be the deep passes, and you look at these guys, they really take everything away," Franklin said. "They don’t give you any of the short, high-percentage throws. They load the box up. They play really aggressive."

The Gators are coming off a game in which they allowed just six points to then-No. 4 LSU and have not allowed a touchdown in their last two games. The unit is ranked 12th nationally in total defense and has forced three turnovers in back-to-back games. Most impressive, however, is the fact that Florida has not allowed a point in the fourth quarter all season.

"Obviously they have the depth to rotate and keep those guys fresh," Franklin said. "I think Sharrif Floyd is going to be a challenge. He’s a very good player. ... They’re playing great defense, great special teams and on offense they’re going to run the ball and a have toughness to them. That’s what you see. So a tremendous challenge and our guys are looking forward to it."

Muschamp: Gators need "drastic improvement" in return game, changes in personnel likely

Although Florida is fresh off an upset win over LSU, coach Will Muschamp sees plenty of areas in need of work.

"Punt return and kickoff return, we need drastic improvement," Muschamp said on Monday, adding that changes in personnel are likely.

Florida currently ranks last in the Southeastern Conference and 94th nationally in kick return average at 18.82 and 50th nationally in punt return average at 9.57. Wide receiver Andre Debose is the only Gators player to return a punt this season, and he has returned nine of the 11 kickoffs the team has received.

Against Kentucky three weeks ago, Debose was benched for the first half and then muffed a punt in the second half. His next return went for eight yards, but Debose has done more dancing and lateral movement in an attempt to break a big return than Muschamp would like. He also fumbled on a return he fielded inside UF's own 10-yard line in the fourth quarter of a one-score game against Texas A&M in Week 2.

"Punt return, we’ve worked on fielding punts and not losing yardage in those press situations. We cannot afford to continue to do that," Muschamp said. "That’s something we’ve addressed. We have not done a good job. We’ll find somebody different and figure out what we can do there."

"We’ve just got to make better decisions. We work on it every single day. It’s not something we haven’t worked on."

Florida forced seven punts in Saturday's win against LSU, but Debose and De'Ante Saunders did not attempt a return on any of them. Cornerback Marcus Roberson has also worked as a returner this season, but Debose is the only one of the three to attempt a return. His longest return (32 yards) came against Bowling Green in the season opener, and it's been downhill since with an average of just 4.2 yards on his six other returns.

With the new kickoff rules this season, making the right decision has become paramount. But twice against LSU, Debose took the kick out from deep in the end zone only to not make it to the 20-yard line. Because a touchback now sets up the offense at the 25, those poor decisions were also something that drew Muschamp's ire. 

Debose was effective in the return role last season, averaging 26.1 yards per kick return with a 99-yard long that went for a touchdown in the Gator Bowl game against Ohio State. That number is down to 21.5 this season, but Debose remains the best option for kick returns.

However, at punt returner, it's likely Muschamp goes with someone else this week against Vanderbilt. Roberson, Saunders and wide receivers Frankie Hammond and Solomon Patton are options. Regardless of who earns the job, Muschamp said he knows it's a difficult job, but an important one nonetheless.

"[The returner has] got to make a judgment as he sees the flight of the ball and then see where the coverage and how close the coverage is to him, to whether or not he can return it, field it or fair catch the ball, which is easy for you and I to sit here on Monday afternoon and talk about," he said. "It's a little different when it’s hung up there and you’ve got some guys that can really run well down the field, and you’ve got to make that decision. We need to make better choices and decisions in those situations." 

“It’s one of the toughest deals. You’re standing looking at a ball, and you’ve got guys running down the field ready to hit you. I never did it, so I don’t know. I can imagine it’s pretty daunting.”