Gator Clause

UF 56, UH 10

GAINESVILLE -- Impressive start to the season for the Gators. Thoughts? I say give the ball to RBs Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps and watch them go.

LIVE BLOG BELOW
Live blogging ends in fourth quarter. UF leading 56-0.

UH D10: It's safe to say UF SS Ahmad Black has secured his role as a starter. Black, who was a third-string cornerback last year, gave UF a 56-0 lead near the end of the third quarter with an 80-yard interception return for a touchdown. It was Black's second of the game.

UF D8: QB Cam Newton rushes for a one-yard TD. Drive highlights: 16- yard pass from Tebow to Carl Moore; 10-yard pass from Tebow to RB Chris Rainey. UF 49, UH 0.

UH D9: Punt UF D7: Another quickie. WR Louis Murphy joins the scoring party with a 48-yard TD reception. The drive took two plays and 38 seconds. UF 42, UH 0. UH D8: Punt.

UF D6: RB Jeff Demps is fast. His 62-yard touchdown run was a blur. The score was made possible by a fake punt Chas Henry.

HALF:Quick thoughts on the first half. Florida's defense has forced four turnovers. This is a major improvement from last season. The Gators have also received scores from its offense, defense and special teams.

HALFTIME

UH D7: Punt.

UF D5: RB Chris Rainey scores on a 33-yard touchdown run. Drive took two plays, 22 seconds and the rout is one. UF 28, UH 0. NEWS ALERT: Rainey is fast.

UH D6: Fumble. (UF defense now with four turnovers. Wow.)

UH D5: Punt. UF's Brandon James returns punt 74 yards for a touchdown. UF 21, UH 0. Simply an amazing run, folks. James' third punt return for a touchdown of his career. That's one shy of the UF record.

UF D4: Punt

UH D3: UF safety Major Wright returns a 32-yard interception for a touchdown, 10:47. UF 14, UH 0. Second pick of Wright's career. His first touchdown.

UF D3: RB Brandon James scores on 1-yard run with 11:39 left in 2nd Q. Drive highlights: Tebow scrambles to 1-yard line...10-yard screen to WR Jeff Demps...RB Brandon James for 13-yard gain...Impressive 34-yard reception by UF TE Tate Casey gives Gators momentum to start the drive.

(No score in the first quarter. No one predicted that.)

UH D2: UF strong safety intercepts Hawaii QB Brent Rausch in the end zone. Hawaii receiver was wide open but Rausch missed his man. Nice play by Black. First pick of his career.

UF Drive 1: Everyone is seeing field time...except Percy, of course. UF Punt.

Hawaii Drive 1: Florida defense starts game in 3-3-5. Janoris Jenkins starts at corner with Joe Haden at nickel. UH punt.

--Will Hill wastes not time. Makes first tackle on kickoff.

PREGAME
Sitting in the press box now waiting for kickoff. Plenty of tailgaing picks but that stuff will have to wait until afterwards. My computer's Internet is flaking out today, so it's all BlackBerry.

--It's pouring down rain right now, 30 mins before kickoff. Hawaii just did its traditional pregame "haka." Its a war dance but today it might be a rain dance.

--LB Brandon Spikes has a boot on his right foot. He's definitely not playing.

--I ran into Plantation American Heritage OL Jared Wheeler before the game. He says he plans on coming to as many Florida games as he can this season. He went to the UM-CSU game on Thursday.

--UF recruit Ian Silberman (Fleming Island, Class of 2010) is also in attendance.

--Absolutely pouring now.

-jo-

PREGAME PODCAST: UF limping into opener

GAINESVILLE -- The Florida Gators have 14 players who are either questionable, doubtful or unavailable for the season opener. That list includes a handful of starters and several key reserves. It's still an excellent team but not the one coach Urban Meyer thought he had returning from 2007. With so many injuries and a few fresh faces in key places, is it a good thing Florida is opening the season against Hawaii and not The Team Down South?

Edited and produced by Joseph Goodman of The Miami Herald

-jo-

ONLINE PREVIEW: Gators ready to impress on Saturday in season opener with Hawaii

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: Check back on Saturday for pregame bloggery. Gator Clause will snap some tailgating pictures, report any recruit sightings and comment on any other observations that we find mildly interesting or smashingly brilliant. Then we'll blog live during the game.

STUFF YOU NEED TO KNOW
Hawaii at Florida, 12:30 p.m.
UF two-deep depth chart: CLICK ME!
UF AND HAWAII INJURY REPORT: CLICK ME!
UF vs. Hawaii official game notes: CLICK ME!
Live TV: Raycom (Dave Neal, play-by-play; Dave Archer, color analyst; Dave Baker, sideline reporter)
XM Radio: Channel 200
WEB audio: GatorZone.com
LIVE BLOGGERY: Gator Clause, duh.
AM/FM: CLICK ME!

GATOR CLAUSE OFFICIAL PREDICTIONS
-Florida 52, Hawaii 17 (LEAVE US YOUR PREDICTIONS!) 
-Tebow: six total touchdowns (four passing, two rushing)
-Wondy Pierre-Louis (at least one interception)
-Jeff Demps returns at least one kickoff
-Percy Harvin lines up for four or five plays

DUNLAP, OTHERS MAKE FIRST STARTS
GAINESVILLE -- First-year starting defensive end Carlos Dunlap is a smart kid. He understands what's at stake on Saturday, perception.

No. 5 Florida opens the season against unranked Hawaii and everyone is expecting a blowout. Dunlap [PICTURED, NO.8], who has the wingspan of a Cessna or perhaps a small bridge, is ready to oblige. He said on Wednesday that his new look defensive line "is going to show out."

"[The first game] is going to show everybody what we’ve got, so everybody knows what we have," Dunlap said. "We aren't going to hide anything. Right now we’re just hiding it. The first game, you’re going to see for yourself. Y'all can judge us.”

Carlos, we love your excitement but the official judging won't begin until next week, when the Gators host rival Miami. This Saturday is all about witnessing carnage the good ole fashioned way. And by old fashioned we mean Roman Coliseum style. Hawaii at Florida will be the north-central Florida version of Charleston Southern at Miami.

Dunlap is one of several Gators making their first career starts on Saturday. The list includes: DT Lawrence Marsh, DT Terron Sanders, SS Ahmad Black, MLB Ryan Stamper (technically, he started against Georgia but was a reserve nonetheless), WR Deonte Thompson and K Jon Phillips.

15 THINGS TO WATCH
So, as an informed Gators fan, what should you be looking for amid Hawaii's cries for help? Gator Clause is here to help you slosh through the bloodbath. Here are 15 things to look out for. (If you're keeping an eye on something we didn't mention, then leave a comment so everyone can appreciate your insight.)

1. Florida should score at least 45 points. Anything less will be for lack of trying.
2. If the Gators hold Hawaii to under 14 points, then that will be a clear sign that the defense has improved. Hawaii led the nation in scoring last year (43.4 ppg). Troy scored 31 points against the Gators last season in the unofficial season opener. (Western Kentucky doesn't count.)
3. Pay special attention to how many carries redshirt sophomore RB Emmanuel Moody [PICTURED] accumulates. If Moody, the USC transfer, finishes the game with more carries than RB Kestahn Moore, that might be an indication for bigger things to come.
4. If RB Kestahn Moore fumbles, that's bad news for Kestahn Moore.
5. This might seem inconsequential to some, but it fascinates Gator Clause: Watch for RB Chris Rainey's shoe to fly off at any point during the game. Rainey didn't play much last season, but when he did it seemed like his shoes were always flying off.
6. Keep count of how many series Will Hill plays at safety.
7. Who's Meyer's designated kick blocker? This is an important job. My pregame guesses are William Green, Chris Rainey or Frankie Hammond Jr.
8. Does OG Jim Tartt play most of the game? His shoulders have been hurting, he didn't practice much during the preseason but he's apparently getting the start.
9. Redshirt freshman receiver Deonte Thompson (Belle Glade) is starting over junior Riley Cooper. Keep track of Thompson's receptions, drops and downfield blocking.
10. Watch for cornerback Joe Haden to move inside as the Gators' nickel cornerback. You might be surprised who takes Haden's place on the edge. My guess is true freshman Janoris Jenkins [PICTURED].
11. If Matt Patchan records two sacks against Hawaii, then I'm predicting a start against Miami, the team his father and uncle played for.
12. Keep an eye on No.1. It might just be me, but I wouldn't be surprised to see WR Percy Harvin run a few routes.
13. Middle linebacker Ryan Stamper is a redshirt junior but he's making just the second start of his career.
14. If CB Wondy Pierre-Louis gets an interception, look up to the press box. I'll be the guy screaming, "I told you so!"
15. If Tebow rushes more than 12 times against Hawaii, then he's going to win the Heisman this year. Just sayin', mmhmmm.

WEEK ONE SPOTLIGHT
In the course of three weeks, UF safety Justin Williams [PICTURED] has gone from fourth-string receiver to back-up free safety. Watch for Williams to get some reps against Hawaii. Remember, folks, UF's secondary is one injury to Major Wright away from panic mode. (Wright broke his hand last season.) Williams needs some game-time experience before he gets tossed on the field as a starter.

"You're going to have to develop two deep, no question about this," Florida safeties coach Chuck Heater said. "The season is incredibly long."

Williams (6-1, 205 pounds) says he approached coaches about moving to safety. He had two interceptions in the Gators' first scrimmage of the spring and since that time Williams has proven to be a viable option. He played safety in high school and told Gator Clause earlier this week that he had 10 interceptions as a prep star in Georgia.

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HAWAII
June Jones is no longer the coach at Hawaii and Colt Brennan is no longer the quarterback.
You're asking yourself, why is Florida such a heavy favorite against Hawaii if the Warriors played in the Sugar Bowl last year? Well, it's simple. Hawaii was overrated last year. No, just kidding. Hawaii has a new coach, (Greg McMackin) new quarterback (either Brent Rausch or Greg Alexander) and is playing at 12:30 ET, which is 6:30 a.m. Hawaii time. Of course, Hawaii did arrive on the east coast on Tuesday to get acclimated.

RANDOM ANNOYANCE
Why does ESPN and others insist on spelling Hawaii like this, Hawai'i? That accent mark between the 'ii' (or whatever it is) is silly and borderline self-righteous, if you ask me.

RECORDS WATCH
-Tebow needs five rushing touchdowns to tie Florida great Emmitt Smith for the school record. Smith finished his career with 36.
-Tebow has rushed for at least one touchdown and passed for at least one touchdown in 14-straight games. The streak is the longest in NCAA history.

THE OTHER GUYS
Read how UF's future opponents faired on Thursday night, the opening night of the 2008 college football season:
LINK: Miami Hurricanes open new era with flair
LINK: Gamecocks shut out Wolfpack in opener
LINK: Nixon gets Vandy off to strong start

SEC GAMES WORTH WATCHING
TENNESSEE AT UCLA, Monday 9 p.m., ESPN
This will be the first game for UT and UCLA since 1997 when Payton Manning and the No.3 Vols defeated UCLA 30-24 at Pasadena...UT safety Eric Berry was the Sporting News' national defensive freshman of the year. Berry had five interceptions...UT's leading rusher (Arian Foster) and receiver (Lucas Taylor) return.

KENTUCKY AT LOUISVILLE, Sunday 4:30 p.m., ESPN
Kentucky broke the Cardinals' four-game win streak last year. Senior receiver Dicky Lyons had 56 receptions for 655 yards last season. The Cats return three experienced running backs, senior Tony Dixon, junior Alfonso Smith and sophomore Derrick Locke.

MEMPHIS AT OLE MISS, Saturday 7 p.m., Pay Per View
Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt coaches his first game with the Rebels. Highly touted Texas transfer Jevan Snead will make his Ole Miss debut at quarterback. Ole Miss' defensive line returns three veterans including Clinton McDonald, who had four sacks last year.

ALABAMA VS. No. 9 CLEMSON AT ATLANTA, Saturday 8 p.m., ABC
ESPN GameDay is in Atlanta for this season opener. Can Alabama coach Nick Saban get his first signature win with the Crimson Tide? Saban hasn't had a winning regular season as a coach in over three years. Clemson is stacked with offensive talent. Running backs James Davis and C.J. Spiller (who almost transferred to UF before 2007) return.

APPALACHIAN STATE AT LSU, Saturday 11 a.m., ESPN CLASSIC
This is the upset everyone is waiting for. Appy State shocked Michigan last year in Ann Arbor. Can QB Armanti Edwards do the same in Death Valley. LSU defensive linemen Tyson Jackson and Ricky Jean-Francois will look to knockout Edwards early.

-jo-

Meyer: Patchan could get a starting nod

GAINESVILLE -- Florida coach Urban Meyer said on Thursday evening that true freshman defensive lineman Matt Patchan could get the starting nod on Saturday. Seriously, Coach?

According to Meyer, Patchan [PICTURED, GREAT HAIR] is one of three players who could start at defensive tackle against Hawaii. The others are redshirt sophomores Lawrence Marsh and Terron Sanders.

Even if Patchan doesn't start, it's still quite a compliment for the kid to be considered worthy of a start in a season opener as a true freshman. And, considering Patchan's offseason, he must be one heck of a player. Defensive line coach Dan McCarney praised Patchan after Wednesday's practice. Gator Clause can't wait to watch this kid go. Sounds like he has the potential to be pretty special.

Patchan enrolled at UF for the spring semester and had a great spring practice despite some nagging injuries. Then, over the summer, Patchan was the victim of a seemingly random shooting near his hometown of Seffner. Patchan says he was lucky to walk away with his life. If that setback wasn't enough to discourage the freshman, he then strained his chest muscle while working out later in the summer.

The strained chest muscle limited Patchan's progression during the entire fall camp. He was only cleared for full contact drills on Monday. If you're counting, that means he has only practiced at full speed four times since the spring.

BACK-UP QUARTERBACKS
Meyer still won't name a back-up quarterback to Tebow. Can't damage the egos of reserve QBs Cam Newton and Jon Brantley, we suppose.

"We haven't settled on a back-up quarterback," Meyer said. "They're both fairly even and we hope to get them both in the game."

Get them BOTH in the game!?! This can only mean one thing: Florida must plan on beating Hawaii by at least 60 points.

-jo- 

UF season preview; Plus 5 goals for a trip to Atlanta for the SEC championship game

THE MIAMI HERALD'S college football preview hit newsstands today. Check it out!

LINK: Check out the online version of The Herald's college football preview section.
LINK: Seeking the perfect form: Criticism lingers for Heisman-winner Tebow
LINK: Role rehearsal goes well: Spikes shows he is growing into needed leader on defense

GAINESVILLE -- We're excited and having some fun today on Christmas Eve, Eve of the Gators' season opener. Gator Clause presents five statistical measures or thoughts that could land the Florida Gators in Atlanta for the SEC championship game.

5 Hold Tennessee RB Arian Foster to under 100 yards. Foster rushed for over 1,000 yards in 2007 but only had 26 yards on 11 carries against the Gators.

4. Hold LSU to under 20 points. Each of Florida's seven SEC championships since 1991 have two things in common when it comes to LSU. Florida beat LSU each time and held the Tigers to under 20 points.

3. Make Georgia QB Matthew Stafford throw the ball in the fourth quarter. He has a tendency to let pressure get the best of him. In each of the Bulldogs' two losses last season (South Carolina and Tennessee), Stafford tossed fourth-quarter interceptions.

2. Make LSU punt the ball. Everyone knows what happened last season. (The Tigers converted 5-of-5 fourth-down attempts.)

1. Block at least eight kicks. In 2006, the Gators blocked eight kicks (five punts, two field goals and one extra point) and won the national championship. In 2004, Urban Meyer's undefeated Utah team blocked nine kicks (seven punts and two field goals).

GATOR CLUB OF MIAMI
Football season is here. Stay in touch and up to date with the Gator Club of Miami. CLICK ME!

-jo-

DE William Green is 'lightning' fast; Learn why he snubbed the Crimson Tide to play for UF

GAINESVILLE -- One defender will most certainly appear out of place on Saturday along the University of Florida's defensive line. True freshman William Green, all 215 pounds of him, will look like a stick figure when he lines up against Hawaii.

On Wednesday, Florida coach Dan McCarney said that Green will most certainly see action on Saturday. McCarney has nicknamed Green "Lightning" because of the defensive end's speed and quickness. Green [PICTURED] is listed as a third-string defensive end but McCarney said that Green will see action as a speed rusher.

That revelation might come as a surprise to some, considering Green's slight physique, but McCarney says that he knew Green would be a significant contributor this season almost immediately during training camp.

"We're going to turn him lose and he's going to play," McCarney said. "It took about three days in camp to say that this kid is going to play this year. He'll help our team somewhere.

"He's not going to go in there and bull rush 310-pounders but he practices smart and he's got quickness and speed. I nicknamed him "Lightning" because he is really going to be something but you've got to be smart because he is 220 pounds ringing wet."

Gator Clause caught up with Green during the preseason and found out the reason why Green, who grew up in Hoover, Ala., snubbed the Alabama Crimson Tide in favor of the Gators. According to Green, it was a foregone conclusion for many in Hoover and Alabama that Green was heading to Tuscaloosa.

Green's coach at Hoover Spain Park even moved Green to linebacker during his senior season because, according to Green, Alabama's coaching staff wanted him to arrive on campus at Alabama with experience as a linebacker. There was only one problem with that plan. Green didn't want to play linebacker and Florida wanted Green to play defensive end. There you go.

A side note: Green is extremely smart and that likely helped his transition to college football. He picked up the Gators' defensive schemes quickly, allowing him to (as Florida's coaches like to say) play fast.

A second side note: Green's all-time favorite NFL player is former UF defensive end Javon Kearse. Kearse was nicknamed "The Freak." Green hasn't even played in one game at UF and already he has his nickname. This is a player to keep an eye on this Saturday.

-jo-

Harvin, Spikes, Hurt are out; Ronnie Wilson moves back to O-line; Patchan wowing coaches

GAINESVILLE -- Florida defensive line coach Dan McCarney said on Wednesday evening that Ronnie Wilson has been moved back to the offensive line and could begin competing for a spot on the Gators' two-deep offensive line depth chart immediately.

"Tough guy and strong guy," McCarney said. "He's got to help our team somehow, some way."

Florida coach Urban Meyer said on Wednesday that reserve offensive lineman Maurice Hurt (neck stinger) will be unavailable for Saturday's season opener against Hawaii. Hurt is a second-string right guard behind Mike Pouncey. Meyer also said that receiver Percy Harvin and linebacker Brandon Spikes are doubtful for Saturday.

There are two likely reasons why coaches moved Wilson back to offensive line. One, Wilson wasn't very good at defensive tackle. Two, they don't need him anymore because freshman Matt Patchan is wowing coaches in practice. Patchan has only been back to full-contact practice for three days and already McCarney likes what he sees.

"His motor never stops and when you say go play relentless for the Gators he understands that about as good as anybody," McCarney said. "The short time he has practiced he has really, really left a strong impression on everybody."

McCarney plans to play 9-10 players in the defensive line rotation. Here's an educated guess at list: Jermaine Cunningham, Carlos Dunlap, Justin Trattou, Duke Lemmens, Lawrence Marsh, Terron Sanders, Matt Patchan, Troy Epps, William Green and Javier Estopinan.

--Torrey Davis is not working with the defense. He is out of shape, according to McCarney and working with trainers during practice.

-jo-

Details of Harvin's surgery sound pretty scary

LINK to my feature story on UF defensive tackle Javier Estopinan in today's paper.
LINK to Mike McCall's practice notebook in today's paper.
LINK to former Gators DE Derrick Harvey finally ending his holdout with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

GAINESVILLE -- Florida coach Urban Meyer shed some light on Percy Harvin's offseason surgery yesterday. The process sounded pretty scary and the surgery was apparent a very delicate procedure.

"The original thing was to drill some holes to encourage bleeding and healing and when they found out the had a growth on the bone that was causing issues of tendonitis in his knee and hip they went to North Carolina and they took off a good chunk of bone, which is a pretty difficult surgery," Meyer said.

Thoughts and opinions are welcomed on Harvin's surgery and his playing status. I'd be surprised if he returns to action in a full-time basis before Tennessee.

Understandably, UF and Harvin are being careful with the injury. Harvin did not participate in fall camp or two-a-days and only this week returned to practice on a limited basis. Harvin played in 7-on-7 drills on Tuesday and Meyer said there is a chance Harvin could play against Hawaii.

--Meyer said on Tuesday that back-up quarterback Jonathan Brantley has a staph infection in his throwing arm. The infection will not affect Brantley's playing status, according to Meyer. Gotta think Newton is the first option off the bench now.

--Redshirt senior kicker Jonathan Phillips is the projected starter on Saturday. An interesting side note about Phillips: He turned down a chance at law school at the University of Miami to return for his final season with the Gators. Phillips, who received his undergraduate degree in finance, is attending graduate school at Florida. If plans on reapplying to law school next year.

Phillips was injured last season when freshman reserve cornerback Moses Jenkins collided into Phillips' knee during a routine special teams drill.

-jo-

Meyer's idea for a "White Out" was inspired by Gator Clause, we're assuming

GAINESVILLE -- Florida coach Urban Meyer has a request for fans attending Saturday's season opener: Wear white clothes to help raise awareness for cancer. "White Out Cancer," according to the press release.

First things first, this is a great idea. Second things second, the editorial board here at Gator Clause just wants to go on record and thank Coach Meyer for considering our idea for wearing jerseys in honor of a cause. Usually, major college football programs only think about contracts with ESPN and Nike. Here's the link to the idea we suggested over a month ago. CLICK ME!

Way to go, Urban! Thanks for hearing us out!

-jo-

Stamper calls Spikes' injury "pretty serious"

GAINESVILLE -- Florida coach Urban Meyer indicated on Tuesday that he was discouraged with the apparent severity of Brandon Spikes' toe injury. But Meyer said it was too early in the week to rule Spikes unavailable for Saturday's season opener.

Replacing Spikes in the starting line-up would be redshirt junior Ryan Stamper, who defensive coordinator Charlie Strong says is one of the most reliable players on the team. Stamper saw action in 13 games last season and started against Georgia. He has a cursory knowledge of each linebacker position. On Tuesday, Stamper said that Spikes' injury seemed "pretty serious."

"I don't know if [Spikes] is going to be out a couple of weeks but it seems like a pretty serious injury," Stamper said. "Coach probably doesn't want to stress the injury too much. He probably could play with it but I don't know if they want to take that chance."

If Spikes is unavailable on Saturday, Stamper said he will be excited to start for a season opener, something he has never done. Coaches have told Stamper to be prepared to replace Spikes for the first three games of the season.

"If [Spikes] can't go and I get that opportunity that's just a great honor for me -- first game," Stamper said. "I'll be ready to go any game: Hawaii, Miami or Tennessee. I've just got to be ready if my number is called."

-jo-

RB Chris Rainey analyzes his sex class

GAINESVILLE -- Any regular reader of this blog knows that we here at Gator Clause believe Chris Rainey is the pretty much the best thing to ever happen to the sport of football. He loves the game, he lives to be a positive part of the team, he's tougher than an alligator's scales and he can run really fast. But on top of that, Rainey is a funny guy and tells it like it is. During a press conference, Florida coach Urban Meyer can't speak about Chris Rainey without smiling.

On Monday, Rainey spoke with reporters about one of his classes this semester. Rainey calls it a "sex class."

Rainey on his sex class: "It's boring. I don't like to be in that class. I thought it was going to be fun, like what you see on TV but, it ain't like that."

Rainey on the Gators' depth at skill positions: "I'd have to put names in a hat to see who gets the ball first."

Rainey is listed as a second-string running back for the Gators' home opener against Hawaii.

-jo-

Torrey Davis back at practice; John Brown underperforming; Tebow talks smack; PLUS ... The Patron Saint of running backs

GAINESVILLE -- Sophomore defensive tackle Torrey Davis attended his first practice on Monday, according to Florida's coaching staff.

Davis did not practice but defensive line coach Dan McCarney said that Davis will remain on scholarship while the coaching staff tries to "work him back into the program" and "back on the team."

Davis was unable to participate in preseason practice due to academic problems. He also recently appeared in court for driving with a suspended license. But, frankly, that has nothing to do with why he isn't on the team. See Tony Joiner: Arrested one day and starting against LSU another. No, Davis just can't get it done in the classroom.

JOHN BROWN FLAMING OUT?
Ever wonder why John Brown isn't competing for a playing time? McCarney said on Monday that Brown simply hasn't performed well in practice and is unreliable. He's also recovering from a broken bone in his hand. Of course, you don't need hands to play defensive tackle, just a will to out work your opponent. Brown, apparently, lacks the goods right now.

TEBOW TALKING SMACK?
Well, not exactly. But he did say on Monday that it "wouldn't be bad" if he got to play Southern Methodist University on Saturday. SMU is coached by June Jones, the former Hawaii coach who called Tebow a system quarterback last year before the Heisman ceremony.

"I'm sure they have a great system there," Tebow said of SMU.

MORE MINUTIAE
--Anyone other than me surprised that Jonathan Phillips beat out Caleb Sturgis for kicking duties this preseason? Not a good sign, if you ask me.

--Freshman defensive lineman Matt Patchan participated in contact drills for the first time on Monday and McCarney was impressed. Expect Patchan to see playing time against Hawaii.

EMMANUEL MOODY AND JESUS
Emmanuel Moody is listed as a reserve running back but if you read between the lines of Meyer's statements on Monday, then you'll realize that Moody will get his fair share of touches against Hawaii.

"[Moody] is a completely different player than he was last spring and he is ready to go out there and play college football. It has been a while. If you haven't gotten to know Emmanuel Moody yet, he is a high-character guy and he and his position coach are very close."

An interesting side note on Moody: He doesn't sign autographs like most athletes. Instead of writing his signature on a jersey or helmet or magazine or whatever, Moody writes "Jesus" and below that a cross and below the cross a "21." Imagine the surprise of some kid who gets a Gators autographed football for Christmas. Look, Mom! Jesus signed my football!

-jo-

MLB Brandon Spikes questionable for season opener

LINK: UF official depth chart...CLICK ME! (I typed this out by hand as a Word document, so y'all can print it out.)
LINK: SEC lands enormous TV deals with CBS and ESPN, totaling $205 million per year...CLICK ME!

GAINESVILLE -- Florida coach Urban Meyer said on Monday that Brandon Spikes is questionable for the Gators' season opener on Saturday due to a foot injury.

Meyer didn't elaborate but said that the foot injury is a "lingering" problem. Spikes led the Gators in tackles in 2007 and, according to teammates and coaches, has asserted himself as a team leader this offseason.

Redshirt junior Ryan Stamper is listed as Spikes' back-up on the Gators' depth chart.

Gator Clause asked Meyer one question during Monday's press conference and received a pretty good answer. Meyer mentioned that the defensive coaches plan on using three-linemen sets at times. Here's the question and Meyer's answer:

GATOR CLAUSE: If you go to that three linemen set, who are going to be the three linemen and who will be the linebackers?

Meyer: "There are just too many groupings. We have one where it's 3-3-5 where it's five defensive backs and an extra linebacker. [Linebacker] Brandon Hicks will play a lot and also [cornerback] Joe Haden will go to nickel and [cornerback] Janoris Jenkins will come in when we play five defensive backs. We'll play a lot of the game like that where [Haden] will move inside and we'll go with Janoris or [cornerbacks] Jacques Rickerson and Wondy [Pierre-Louis] on the outside and two safeties, Ahmad Black and Major [Wright]. That will be a big chunk of our game.

"Linemen will be Carlos Dunlap, Jermaine Cunningham and Lawrence Marsh but then you have [Justin] Trattou and [Matt] Patchan, we'll find out if [Patchan] goes. You're going to see a lot of players playing on defense. A lot of rotation going and that's advantage us because one of the hardest things in sports is to rush a quarterback. You rush him 60 times a game you're usually toast after three series so the ability to rotate guys on the pass rush is going to be key. You'll see Duke [Lemmens] play as well.

"William Green will play. He's a true freshman. He's 218, 219 pounds right now. A couple more peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, get him up to 221. He's going to play on defense a lot. He's a really good player. You will enjoy watching him play."

MORE LATER THIS EVENING...So, check back.

-jo-

Florida safety Ahmad Black is smiling; Gators to face virgin QBs in first two weeks

TAMPA -- I'm sitting inside Raymond James Stadium tonight covering Jags-Bucs. Yes, former Florida Gators safety Reggie Nelson is in the house and, yes, he already has one interception for the Jags. [OK, make that TWO picks for Reggie Nelson IN THE FIRST HALF!]

Reggie's picks of Bucs QB Jeff Garcia got me thinking: The Gators' current safeties -- the weakest unit on the Gators' team -- couldn't have asked for a better start to the season. They're facing two virgin college quarterbacks in the first two weeks.

Hawaii starting quarterback Brent Rausch is a junior-college transfer who has no experience at the FBS level. BUT RAUSCH MIGHT NOT EVEN START. Rausch, who was the projected back-up this offseason, missed practice on Saturday with a strained arm, according to the Honolulu Advertiser. Hawaii coach Greg McMackin isn't sure if Rausch will be healthy by next Saturday. Rausch's back-up is Greg Alexander. Alexander was Hawaii's projected third-string quarterback at the beginning of the offseason.

If that's not enough to lower the collective blood pressure of Florida's defensive coaches , the news out of Coral Gables certainly will. According to The Miami Herald, projected Miami Hurricanes starter Robert Marve, a redshirt freshman, is suspended for Miami's season opener. That means true freshman Jacory Harris will get the start in the 'Canes against Charleston Southern.

It seems that Marve is expected to return to the starting line-up for the Hurricanes' date with the Gators on Sept. 6. That means Marve will be making the first start of his college career inside The Swamp. That's a tough assignment, folks.

Like I said, I'm in Tampa tonight but if I squint really hard I think I can see Florida sophomore safety Ahmad Black smiling all the way from here. Could the season be starting any better for the Gators? Next thing you know, Tennessee safety Eric Berry is going to catch the flu in three weeks.

-jo-

Harvin back on the field but limited; Tebow says Harvin at full speed

GAINESVILLE -- Florida receiver Percy Harvin practiced sparingly on Saturday. It was Harvin's first action since the beginning of fall camp, according to Florida coach Urban Meyer and quarterback Tim Tebow. 

Meyer said that "there's a chance" that Harvin could play in the season opener next Saturday against Hawaii. The decision will be made next week, Meyer said.

Tebow said Harvin practiced at full speed even though the receiver did not participate in contact drills.

For those that want to try and read between the lines, Meyer did not mention Harvin among the Gators' top four receivers.

"[Louis] Murphy, Carl Moore and Riley Cooper have separated themselves and then Deonte Thompson," Meyer said. "Those guys have to all be on the same page and going."

The Gators will not practice on Sunday. For the players, the break comes as a welcomed respite. Florida practiced for over two hours on Friday while Tropical Storm Fay was passing over Gainesville. The Gators practiced for 2 1/2 hours on Saturday as well.

"Right now on offense we're not very good because we're beat up," Meyer said. "I'm kind of counting on Monday when the ball is snapped we have our best 11 players going and right now they're not."

"He still didn't do everything but he did a lot," Tebow said. "You notice there's a different gear when Percy steps onto the field."

"Everybody has been going the whole fall camp and their legs are a little blown and a little slower then Percy comes out full speed, it makes everyone look a little slower."

--Freshman defensive lineman Matt Patchan practiced with the scout team on Saturday. Meyer said Patchan will rejoin the defensive line rotation on Monday.

--Meyer said that running back Emmanuel Moody, the transfer from Southern Cal, isn't the all-purpose back the Gators would like him to be. There is room for improvement, according to Meyer.

--Senior kicker Jonathan Phillips is ahead of freshman Caleb Sturgis, according to Meyer.

--Freshman defensive tackle Omar Hunter continues to participate in full-contact drills.

--Meyer remembering his first conversation with running back Chris Rainey: "Ever sit with a three-year-old and had a good, solid discussino about Santa Claus? That's what it was like. Now we talk about life, football and academics. It's kind of neat now. We're beyond the Santa Claus thing."

RECRUITING: Seffner Armwood defensive end Ryne Giddins (6-4, 235 pounds) attended the Gators' practice on Saturday.

-jo-

RAINY DAY (and Rainey Day) BLOG: Who do your favorite Gators hate more, Miami or FSU?

GAINESVILLE -- The rain continues to fall here in Hogtowne. Since UF football players and coaches here in Gainesville don't speak to reporters when the roads are wet, I'll have to fill the blog space today with a little intra-state smack talk. Works for me! Gotta write SOMETHING, right?

The Gator Clause staff (Goody and Mike-Mike McCall) polled several Gators recently with 10 random questions. One of the questions was, "Who would you cheer for between FSU and Miami?" Here are the answers...

--Back-up quarterback John Brantley: "I really don't like either team but I definitely don't like FSU. So, I'd have to say Miami."
--Offensive tackle Phil Trautwein: "Miami."
--Defensive end Duke Lemmens: "I just want Florida to beat both."
--Defensive end William Green: "Probably Miami."
--Safety Major Wright: "Miami."
--Defensive tackle Javier Estopinan: "They're both terrible to me. I couldn't even choose one."
--Cornerback Moses Jenkins: "Miami for sure."
--Running back Chris Rainey: "They're both sorry. FSU."
--Receiver Frankie Hammond Jr.: "Miami."
--Cornerback Wondy Pierre-Louis: "I don't even care."

So, if you counting. Pretty much everyone polled hates FSU more than Miami except for Chris Rainey. Oh, and Wondy doesn't care. He just doesn't want Georgia to ever win another game.

TORREY DAVIS CHARGED
Florida sophomore defensive tackle Torrey Davis, who is currently suspended from the Florida football team due to academic concerns, pleaded not guilty to knowingly driving with a suspended license on Wednesday in Alachua County traffic court. Davis was cited twice in April for knowingly driving with a suspended license.

Those two citations came after Davis was stopped twice in 2007 for unknowingly driving with a suspended license. Davis’ pre-trail date is scheduled for Sept. 22. His lawyer, Huntley Johnson, also represents current Florida defensive tackle Ronnie Wilson and former Florida safety Jamar Hornsby. Both Wilson and Hornsby were initially arrested for felonies but their charges were later reduced to misdemeanors.

--RECRUITING: Miami Columbus defensive tackle Antwan Lowery (6-4, 335 pounds) has narrowed his college suitors to three schools -- Florida, Rutgers and Clemson. Sounds like good news for the Gators.

--THE LATEST FROM HAWAII: The Warriors are set to leave for Atlanta on Tuesday. Hawaii is only traveling with 65 players. The travel roster will not include quarterback Tyler Graunke, who was recently reinstated to the team. 

--IN THE NEWS: Former Gator Jerimy Finch is eligible to play safety for IU this season. How is this possible? The NCAA cites extenuating circumstances. Finch is a father of a toddler, who lives in Indiana. The child never made the move to Gainesville when Finch lived in Florida. 

--CHECK OUT THIS 3-D map on Google Earth of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Brought to you by the fine folks at mapgameday.com. Pretty cool. (You'll need to install the Google Earth plug-in for this to work.)

--One columnist, the great Pat Dooley of the Gainesville Sun, says this is the most important season of Urban Meyer's career. Do you agree? Meyer already has won a national title with Florida and he's going to make about $3.5 million this season regardless, so there is room here for an argument.

--ON THE RADIO: Gator Clause will be chatting Florida football live around 8:45 a.m. on Saturday with Knoxville radio personality Josh Ward of Knoxville's WNML-AM, The Sports Animal. Listen live via the radio station's live Internet stream.

-jo-

EMAILS I GET: AJC says Florida Gators are most obnoxious fans in the SEC

GAINESVILLE -- This email comes to us from Alex Burgos. Thanks for the great email, Alex. (Alex's email in blue font. CLICK THE RED FONT BELOW for the link.)

Hey Joe: As a diehard Gator alum and fan who was born and raised in Miami, I read your articles and blog on an almost daily basis. This story from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution caught my attention, so I wanted to pass it along.  What a surprise – an Atlanta reporter thinks the Gator Nation has the most obnoxious fans: Ranking Obnoxious SEC Football Fans The Cocktail Party is going to be an absolute war this year.  I can’t wait. Go Gators! Alex Burgos, UF ‘02 FORMER HALLANDALE RECEIVER FRANKIE HAMMOND JR. TOOK A DIFFERENT PATH TO UF Sometimes the system uses the player and sometimes the player uses the system. Learn how Frankie Hammond Jr.'s path to Florida was anything but typical. This is a great read for parents of high school football players who might get discouraged by the phony hype perpetuated by Internet recruiting websites! To read my feature story on Florida freshman receiver Frankie Hammond Jr. CLICK ME! FLORIDA GATORS COACH URBAN MEYER TAKES A BREAK FROM FOOTBALL AND TALKS PHILOSOPHY Florida coach Urban Meyer is a great public speaker. He is also a realist and a smart man. He understands that his football players are professionals in many ways. On Wednesday, he recognized the difficult situation he faces as the University of Florida head football coach. During a civic luncheon at the Gainesville Hilton, Meyer explained to city leaders, UF faculty, university trustees and a few major football boosters that molding football players who are unprepared for college is a tough job. CLICK ME! -jo-

BEING URBAN MEYER: Who gets a redshirt?

I should be in bed right now. It's 1:30 in the morning but I just can't take my eyes off the television. The Olympic race walkers just have that affect on me. So bizarre. Olga of Russia IS A BEAST! I'll have to check the official Olympic media guide, but I'm pretty sure this sport was invented at Bal Harbor (Miami Beach mall) but then later popularized at Sawgrass Mills (suburban Sunrise mall). I haven't seen this many manic Canadian walkers since last I went to Hollywood Beach ...

GAINESVILLE -- So, while I watch the Olympics and wonder how these ladies' hips don't pop out of joint from all the swishing, I'll raise an always-intriguing preseason question: Who gets a redshirt? This is a popular topic for both fans and reporters, so make sure to chime in with your comments. I'm interested to know what you guys think.

Last season, the Gators decided to redshirt nine scholarship freshmen. (Most notably: Chris Rainey, Deonte Thompson, John Brantley, John Brown and James Wilson.) Some people don't agree (one of those Internet guys who tried to convince me last week), but redshirting is still an important part of college football. Meyer likes to say that he doesn't ever plan to redshirt anyone. That's bologna. Especially this season, which features so many underclassmen at UF. Florida's roster includes 60 underclassmen (31 sophomores, nine redshirt freshmen and 20 true freshmen).

Like in 2007, a few talented players need to redshirt this season. If I was Meyer, here are the guys I'd redshirt this season:

GIVE'M A REDSHIRT
--Brendan Beal, LB, An obvious redshirt. This guy recently tore his ACL.
--Jeremy Brown, CB, Battled back spasms throughout fall camp. He's not ready but has big-time potential.
--Adrian Bushell, DB, Didn't practice for the first week of the preseason.
--Earl Okine, DE, Plenty of defensive ends on the depth chart. Give him a year to develop.
--Omarius Hines, WR, One of the three freshmen receivers should redshirt.
--Sam Robey, OL, Plenty of young offensive linemen already on the depth chart.
--David Young, OL, Despite an excellent fall camp, could use a year of development.
--Omar Hunter, DT, John Brown of 2008? Does the addition of Ronnie Wilson make redshirting Hunter a possibility? I say yes.

PUT'M ON THE FIELD
--Janoris Jenkins, CB, Will play a significant role on special teams. A possibility at nickel and dime.
--Matt Patchan, DT, Give him about three more weeks and he'll be in the mix.
--Caleb Sturgis, K, I don't care what anyone says. This guy should start.
--Jeffrey Demps, ATH, Can't wait to see what he can do.
--William Green, DE, Special teams dynamo.
--Frankie Hammond Jr., WR, Still a redshirt possibility, Hammond Jr. has wowed coaches with his smarts.
--Will Hill, S, One play away from being a starter.
--T.J. Lawrence, WR, Special teams star.
--Lerentee McCray, LB, Special teams.
--T.J. Pridemore, FB, Special teams.

-jo-

Florida is a 34-point favorite to beat Hawaii; Check out the official game notes

GAINESVILLE -- Florida released pregame notes today for the Gators' season opener against Hawaii. It's filled with plenty of interesting numbers. (CLICK ME! for a portion of the official game notes. Print that sucker out and study it next week when you're supposed to be working!) It lacks one important figure, though. According to a few online sports books, Florida is a 34-point favorite to beat Hawaii.

Florida also didn't release a depth chart despite UF coach Urban Meyer telling reporters last week that the starting line-up was set. I put together a depth chart last week. Here are the links:

UF TWO-DEEP OFFENSIVE DEPTH CHART
UF TWO-DEEP DEFENSIVE DEPTH CHART

Hawaii played in a BCS game last season, so why such a big point spread? Consider this: Hawaii has a new head coach; Hawaii is replacing the best quarterback in school history; Hawaii is playing thousands of miles from home. It will be 6:30 a.m. Hawaii time at kickoff on Aug. 30. Not to mention, Hawaii will have been on the road for a week. The Warriors are arriving two days ahead of schedule next week to acclimate and practice.

So, basically, the season opener is a preseason game for Florida and the Gators should already be scheming for Miami. Florida will probably only be a 14-point favorite against the Canes. Here's hoping Hawaii's players treat fans inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium to their pregame "haka," the Warriors' version of a traditional Maori war dance. It will be the most exciting part of the day.

-jo-

Should Jamar Hornsby get a second chance?

GAINESVILLE -- Former Florida safety Jamar Hornsby was charged with four misdemeanor counts of unauthorized use of a credit card on Wednesday by the Alachua County State Attorney's Office. Hornsby was kicked off the team this summer for apparently using a gas card of a UF student who passed away earlier in the year. Hornsby was initially arrested for a felony.

Should Hornsby receive a second chance with the Gators? UF lineman Ronnie Wilson was given a second chance at Florida football this year after initially being arrested for a felony. Wilson's felony charge was reduced to a misdemeanor and then dropped all together.

Hornsby has the same attorney, Huntley Johnson, as Wilson. Johnson has said that he is confident Hornsby's charges will also be dropped. Hornsby is currently at East Mississippi Community College, which means he will likely transfer to another FBS school (possibly in the Southeastern Conference) next season.

Should Hornsby be allowed back onto the UF team next season and given a similar chance at redemption a la Ronnie Wilson? If not, explain why because these cases seem similar in nature. Hornsby's alleged crimes, however, did not involve a rifle.

-jo-

Oddsmakers think Harvin is healthy; Set betting line at 1,500 yards; UF favored to win SEC over UGA; Plus a bookie's insight

A different and off-beat angle on some UF storylines that you guys won't read anywhere else...

GAINESVILLE -- Working hard today for you guys. I was in Orlando early Wednesday morning to cover Sen. Barack Obama's speech to the Veterans of Foreign Wars. You can find that story on MiamiHerald.com, if you like. I missed UF's Wednesday practice, obviously, but I still have some interesting notes to pass along.

In between listening to and analyzing Obama's speech, I conducted an interview of sorts with an online gambling house, BoDogLife.com. The boys at BoDogLife.com, an offshore sports book, have set a collection of gambling lines and odds for various college football statistical measures, including the Heisman Trophy and BCS national championship. You can beat on pretty much everything, if that's your sort of thing.

One of the numbers that caught my eye was the website's over/under on UF receiver Percy Harvin's combined rushing and receiving yards. The line is set at 1,500 yards. Last season, Harvin combined for 1,622 yards receiving and rushing. I asked the betting house if they "knew something I didn't" regarding Percy's injury.

"[Harvin] was running full speed in earlier practices this week," said Jimmy Shapiro, a publicist for BoDogLife.com "I think they are just being more cautious than anything at this point. I'm OK with the number."

It should be noted that Harvin must play in the first game of the season for the wager to have action. Read into that however you like.

Still, 1,500 yards seems like an interesting number, considering Harvin had over 1,600 combined receiving and rushing yards last season and missed two games.

ODDS FAVOR UF TO WIN SEC
Another interesting number that sticks out is BoDogLife.com's odds for UF to win an SEC championship. UF has better odds than Georgia. In the BCS odds, Georgia is slightly ahead of Florida. UGA has 5-1 odds to win the BCS title. Florida is 11/2 (5.5/1).

Keep in mind that these numbers only mean that this online sports book thinks people will jump at these odds. Nothing else.

In addition to the sports book's publicist, I also spoke with Richard Gardner, BoDog sports book manager, about the numbers and odds placed on UF quarterback Tim Tebow.

“The Florida Gators should score a lot of points this season, something they have been doing ever since Tim Tebow took over the reigns," Gardner said. "This season, Tebow should put up similar numbers through the air but his Ground numbers should be smaller due to the influx of talent In the Florida backfield. USC transfer Emmanuel Moody and freshmen Chris Rainey should take away some carries that would normally be reserved for Florida’s do-all quarterback.

"Tebow’s passing numbers should improve in terms of yardage, however, don’t expect a big increase in his touchdowns through the air. Expect the Gators to pound the ball in with their new and improved running game and Tebow’s touchdown numbers should decrease slightly from last season as a result."

Gardner, online sports bookie, on the early numbers for BCS champion betting trends. And also a few betting tips:

"This should be a very interesting year in the BCS. With heavyweights Ohio State and USC playing early in the season, the race for the No.1 spot in the BCS will be heated early in the season. We have seen a substantial amount of money come in on Ohio State in the past week and currently have them No.2 behind USC in terms of shortest odds.

"The No.1 ranked team, Georgia, comes in third, but injury concerns and suspensions have made the bettors shy away from them so far. The rest of the top six come in with Missouri, Florida and Oklahoma as all short-odd favorites to take home the BCS championship. A team to watch out for is Texas Tech. They have been bettors' favorites for most of this offseason, and at 30/1 may be the best value on the board.”

-jo-

More UF-related wagers at BoDogLife.com. In blue font, I added last year's numbers:

Odds to win the 2008 BCS National Championship      
Florida                          11/2

2008 Regular Season Wins - Florida
Over                              10 (-130)
Under                            10 (EVEN)

Odds to win the SEC Conference
Florida                           3/2
Georgia                          2/1
Auburn                           3/1
LSU                                4/1
Alabama                         7/1
Tennessee                      9/1
South Carolina                15/1
Mississippi                      35/1
Arkansas                        40/1
Mississippi State            45/1
Kentucky                        50/1
Vanderbilt                      50/1

Odds to win the SEC East Division
Florida                            4/5
Georgia                           5/4
Tennessee                       4/1
South Carolina                  8/1
Kentucky                         20/1
Vanderbilt                       30/1

How many Passing Yards will Tim Tebow (FLA) have in the 2008 Season?
Over/Under        3,550 3,286

How many Passing TD’s will Tim Tebow (FLA) have in the 2008 Season?
Over/Under        32  32

How many Rushing Yards will Tim Tebow (FLA) have in the 2008 Season?
Over/Under        725  895

How many Rushing TD’s will Tim Tebow (FLA) have in the 2008 Season?
Over/Under        18 .5   23

How many Combined Receiving and Rushing Yards will Percy Harvin (FLA) have in the 2008 Regular Season?
Over/Under 1,500   1,622

How many combined Receiving and Rushing TD’s will Percy Harvin (FLA) have in the 2008 Regular Season?
Over/Under        12    10

Odds to win 2009 BCS National Championship
USC                             7/2
Ohio State                   4/1
Georgia                       5/1
Florida                       11/2
Oklahoma                    6/1
Missouri                     14/1
West Virginia             15/1
LSU                            20/1
Texas                         20/1
Clemson                     22/1
Virginia Tech              30/1
Tennessee                  30/1
Wisconsin                   30/1
Auburn                       35/1
Texas Tech                40/1
Florida State              50/1
Illinois                        50/1
Penn State                  50/1
Michigan                     50/1
Alabama                     55/1
Miami                         60/1
Notre Dame                65/1
South Florida              75/1

Odds to win the 2008 Heisman Trophy
Tim Tebow (FL)                        7/2
Chris Wells (Ohio St.)                6/1
Chase Daniel (Missouri)             6/1
Knowshon Moreno (UGA)           8/1
Michael Crabtree (TTech)         10/1
Pat White (WVU)                      10/1
Sam Bradford (Okl)                   14/1
DeMarco Murray (Okla)             15/1
Matthew Stafford (UGA)           15/1
Graham Harrell (TTech)           16/1
Percy Harvin (FL)                     20/1

Duke Lemmens gearing up for the storm; Plus Meyer's (lack of) thoughts on Rainey vs. Harvin

FYI, folks. Gator Clause will be away from Gainesville on Tuesday and Wednesday, helping The Miami Herald's news section with tropical storm/hurricane coverage...If I can't get around to posting on Tuesday, Wednesday and possibly Thursday, then you guys will know why...

GAINESVILLE -- Gator Clause is gearing up for Tropical Storm Fay and so is Florida defensive end Duke Lemmens. Lemmens, a sophomore from sunny California, said on Monday that he's going to invest in an umbrella for the storm.

Needless to say, Lemmens [PICTURED], a sophomore, got a few laughs from reporters today with that statement. Lemmens praised junior linebacker Brandon Spikes for his leadership during fall camp. Lemmens also said that the attitude of the defense is an improvement from last year and that "everyone is taking pride in what they're doing."

"The D-line is as close as I've ever seen it," said Lemmens, a back-up end. "It's the same with the [linebackers] and everyone is following Spikes and he is leading for us. He's doing an incredible job being a leader for us."

--Omar Hunter practiced with the team on Monday. Hunter has been limited to individual workouts due to his sore back. Lemmens is impressed with Hunter's potential but also said that Hunter is still out of shape.

"It was so good to see [Hunter] out there today," Lemmens said. "Coming out of high school so highly recruited, it's hard on someone's ego but he has always kept a level head. I know it's really good for him to be out there.

"He looks very explosive off the ball and I even saw get up into the Pouncey's a little bit, which shows his strength. Everyone here knows what the Pouncey's can do."

--When asked, Florida coach Urban Meyer said on Monday that he did not discipline receiver Percy Harvin for his fight with redshirt freshman Chris Rainey. Meyer acted like he either didn't know about the fight or isn't worried about it.

"That's a minor thing," Meyer said. "Fights during practice happen every once in a while."

--Florida might cancel one practice this week due to Tropical Storm Fay. Meyer said on Monday that the Gators are ahead of schedule and could afford to cancel one practice. He would prefer, however, to practice through the week.

"I worry about the weather," Meyer said. "We can't have wasted time. So we're making sure our plan is in order because we can't just waste practices."

Meyer said he plans to conduct two practices on Wednesday and simulate a scrimmage against Hawaii on Tuesday. Back-ups will play the role of Hawaii.

--Carl Moore and David Young have lost their newcomer helmet stripes.

-jo-

PODCAST: Receiver Percy Harvin is not a team leader; Does it matter to UF's success?

Your weekly Sunday podcast...

GAINESVILLE -- Florida receiver Percy Harvin started a fight with freshman running back Chris Rainey during fall camp. Harvin is a junior and a preseason Heisman Trophy candidate. He is also, arguably, the most gifted athlete in college football.

But Harvin [PICTURED] has a history of assaulting other athletes and is a maverick among his teammates. Will Harvin's poor attitude affect the Gators' chances of winning a national championship? Gator Clause addresses the important topic on this podcast. Run time is four minutes and 21 seconds. Click the play button.

-jo-

Podcast edited and produced by Joseph Goodman of The Miami Herald.

SEC WEST ROUND-UP: Julio Jones' star shining brightly in Bama

SEC West two-a-days round-up, as promised...

GAINESVILLE -- The SEC West round-up begins in Auburn, Ala., where the Tigers brawled earlier this week during practice. No fighting reported from Saturday's closed-doors scrimmage but there were apparently a few highlights nonetheless. Offensive coordinator Tony Franklin's new spread-offense is apparently getting the team's speedy young receivers involved. Coach Tommy Tuberville praised true freshman receiver Philip Pierre-Louis of Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas for his work during two-a-days. 

--Up in Tuscaloosa, Crimson Tide freshman receiver Julio Jones apparently had an impressive scrimmage on Saturday. The practice was closed to the 16,058 beat writers who cover Alabama football, but the most powerful coach in sports watched intently.

--About 90 minutes due west of Tuscaloosa, the Mississippi State Bulldogs scrimmaged on Saturday and worked on red-zone situations. Led by a solid group of linebackers, defense will likely once again be this team's strength.

--Driving north now to Oxford, where the Ole Miss Rebels have a battle brewing for the starting running back position.

--Down on the bayou, LSU coach Les Miles praised his defensive backs. [Thanks for the heads up, guys. Apparently I was the last one to know about Patrick Johnson changing his name to Patrick Peterson.]

--In Arkansas, the Hogs' defense is having trouble stopping the team's unproven offense. That might be a problem.

-jo-

Harvin possibly out 1-2 games, according to James; And Rainey DID get into a scuffle with Harvin

IN THE NEWS: Gators No.5 in writers' poll.

GAINESVILLE -- Florida junior Brandon James said on Saturday that Gators receiver Percy Harvin will "probably only miss one or two games" to begin the season.

Florida opens the season on Aug. 30 against Hawaii before hosting rival Miami on Sept. 6. James' revelation on Saturday was team's first mention of Harvin possibly sitting out games. Florida coach Urban Meyer was not available for comment on Saturday.

James, an all-SEC return specialist, is filling in for Harvin at receiver until the Heisman Trophy candidate is cleared for practice. Harvin had offseason surgery to correct a chronic heel injury. He participated in the Gators’ first session of fall camp but hasn’t practiced since.

“I’m just hitting it hard and staying on my game if he’s going to be out there,” James said.

Harvin, a junior, led the Gators in receiving last season with 58 receptions for 858 yards despite missing two games due to migraine headaches. Harvin also ranked second on the team in rushing (764 yards on 83 carries).

Harvin's inability to practice is apparently weighing on his patience. According to teammate Chris Rainey, Harvin and Rainey got into a fight during the first week of fall camp. Both players were sitting out of practice with injuries when the fight occurred, according to Rainey.

“He was frustrated,” Rainey said.

Rainey said that Harvin started the fight.

-jo-

Projecting UF's defensive depth chart...

IN THE NEWS: Hawaii has a new starting quarterback, according to the Honolulu paper...

GAINESVILLE -- Here's the defense. A few things to note: 1. No Javier Estopinan. 2. Florida is one injury to Major Wright away from disaster in the secondary.

FYI: This is my opinion only and it is based on observations during practice and interviews with coaches and players...

DE
--Jermaine Cunningham, jr., A balanced defensive end expected to fill the void left by Derrick Harvey.
--Duke Lemmens, soph., A reliable option for the Gators' D-line rotation.

DT
--Lawrence Marsh, Rsoph., Confidence is up for this former defensive end. Marsh shed a few pounds during the offseason and has worked his way up the depth chart.
--Terron Sanders, Rsoph., Will see significant action.

DT
--Troy Epps, jr., Impressed coaches with his strength and toughness during the offseason.
--John Brown, soph., Progressing slowly.

DE
--Carlos Dunlap, soph., Potential to be one of the best pass rushers in the Southeastern Conference. Still needs to work on his run defense.
--Justin Trattou, soph., Starting Trattou would not be a drop off.

SLB
--Dustin Doe, jr., Second-year starter is "all business" this season, according to Brandon Spikes
--Lorenzo Edwards, soph., Perhaps the Gators most talented linebacker next to Spikes.

MLB
--Brandon Spikes, jr., A first-round draft pick.
--Ryan Stamper, Rjr., One of the Gators' most-improved players, according to coaches.

WLB
--A.J. Jones, Rsoph., Dedicated himself to improving this offseason. Gained about 20 pounds of muscle.
--Brandon Hicks, soph., Another improved player. A heavy hitter, according to teammates.

SS
--Ahmad Black, soph., Was a third-string cornerback last season.
--Justin Williams, Rsoph., Has only played safety for one week.

FS
--Major Wright, soph., A knockout artist.
--Will Hill, fresh., Head still swimming.

CB
--Joe Haden, soph., Looking like an SEC cornerback, according to Meyer.
--Markihe Anderson, jr., Could be a solid option if he can stay healthy.

CB
--Wondy Pierre-Louis, jr., Will be the SEC's most improved player, according to Gator Clause.
--Jacques Rickerson, Rsoph., When does J-Rick make good on his hype?

-jo-

SEC ROUND-UP: Georgia picks new sideline pooch; Check out Kentucky's 'Daily Dicky'

SEC EAST round-up today...SEC West coming tomorrow

GAINESVILLE -- Up in Athens, they apparently found a new sideline dog. CLICK ME! for the story from the Atlanta paper.

As everyone knows, most the staff members here at Gator Clause are huge animal lovers. We shed a tear when UGA VI passed away in June. Here's the highlight of UGA VI's life...CLICK ME! Here's a YouTube.com video. CLICK ME!

Dogs hate the Auburn Tigers with a rabid passion. Even highly trained dogs like police canines try and eat Auburn football players. Remember this?...CLICK ME!

--Georgia is the preseason No.1 in the coaches' poll. The media poll comes out on Saturday. Will Georgia be ranked No.1 in the writers' poll as well? Doubt it. My guess is Ohio State.

--Thought Florida was the only team hurting during two-a-days? Nearly every scholarship defensive end on the Dawgs' roster is currently injured, according to published practice reports. Only one DE, Jarius Wynn, is healthy enough to practice at full speed.

TENNESSEE
The Vols will conduct a full-contact scrimmage on Saturday night inside Neyland Stadium. The scrimmage is closed to the public. (So don't get any wise ideas...[COUGH! COUGH! HELICOPTER!])

--According to the Nashville paper, Vols running back Arian Foster is expected to participate in eight to 11 plays on Saturday. Foster is suffering from a bone bruise on the right knee.

SOUTH CAROLINA
--The Gamecocks will hold their second scrimmage of the fall on Saturday. Unlike the first scrimmage, this one is closed to the public.

From The State: “If it was only Gamecock fans we’d leave it open, but when you open it up you’ve got to let everyone in,” USC coach Steve Spurrier said. “I’m not convinced that somebody from Raleigh, N.C. or somebody from Nashville (won’t say) ‘Let’s see what them boys are up to.’ That happens everywhere. So we might as well be careful. And we would like to run some plays we’d like to use the first or second week.”

--Quarterback Stephen Garcia, the redshirt freshman from Tampa, isn't practicing. He was recently reinstated to the team on a no-tolerance policy. CLICK ME! for more or Garcia.

VANDERBILT
'Dores still don't know who their starting quarterback is...Here's a story on that.

KENTUCKY
Check out The Daily Dicky. The folks in Kentucky are crazy for giving receiver Dicky Lyons Jr. a camera every day during the preseason.

Gators get visit from Celtics coach Doc Rivers

GAINESVILLE -- The football team had its third-annual Champions Night on Thursday. Champions Night is one of Florida coach Urban Meyer's motivational tools. Basically, the players are dragging through two-a-days right about now and Champions Night is a good kick in the pants.

Three guest speakers, all with ties to the University of Florida, spoke to the football team about excellence in athletics: Florida hoops coach Billy Donovan, former NFL receiver Cris Carter (one of Meyer's close friends) and the night's headliner, Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers. Rivers' connection to Florida is an interesting one. His son, a sophomore in high school, has already committed to Florida. Also, Rivers' daughter plays volleyball for UF.

[What is it about Boston pro coaches and the Florida football team? If you recall, Pats coach Bill Belichick has spoken with the football team several times. Meyer and Bilichick are friends.]

Meyer says guest speakers like Rivers bring instant credibility to the message the Florida coaching staff is constantly preaching during preseason practice. The message: Hard work wins championships ... or some variant of that.

Champions Night also included a 15-minute video of highlights edited by UF's multimedia staff. The video featured champions like Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan, etc. (UF's video crew does great work, by the way.)

PRACTICE NOTES
--Meyer said that Percy Harvin conditioned today.
--Freshman defensive tackle Omar Hunter (sore back) still isn't practicing with the team.
--Another freshman defensive lineman, Matt Patchan, hasn't been cleared to practice at full speed just yet but Meyer says Patchan is getting close.

-jo-

Gators starting line-up set for Hawaii; Here it is...

GAINESVILLE -- Florida coach Urban Meyer said on Wednesday that the Gators' starting line-up is set and that the team will begin scheming for Hawaii today [Thursday]. Ladies and gents, here's your 2008 Florida Gators starting line-up and projected back-ups. (Barring more knee injuries, of course.)

FYI: This depth chart is just my opinion and assumes Percy Harvin and Louis Murphy will be healthy...Please, folks, leave me a comment if you agree, disagree or thought of something I forgot...

OFFENSE
QB
--Tim Tebow, jr. Accounted for 55 touchdowns in 2007; performs minor surgery on unsuspecting Pacific Islanders.
--Cameron Newton, soph. All the physical tools to be a starter. But will he ever learn how to relax in the pocket?

RB
--Kestahn Moore, sr. Florida coach Urban Meyer says Moore is a dynamic running back. Meyer also says Moore might play fullback a la Billy Latsko in 2006.
--Emmanuel Moody, Rsoph. Moody didn't transfer from USC to sit the bench. You might recall Moody saying something about being a featured back.
--Chris Rainey, Rfr. With Moore in at fullback, Rainey becomes a serious offensive threats.

Outside WR "X"
--Louis Murphy, sr., Meyer's "go-to player."
--Riley Cooper, jr., An amazing athlete, can Cooper remain healthy?

Outside WR "Z"
--Deonte Thompson, Rfr., Primed to make a major impact.
--Carl Moore, jr., Tebow's favorite target at the beginning of two-a-days, according to Meyer. (Everyone else was hurt.)

Slot "P" (As in the "Percy" position)
--Percy Harvin, jr., Will he be ready?
--Brandon James, jr., Meyer has been gushing about James' overall improvement this week.
--Jeffrey Demps, fr., Gotta think Florida will design a few plays each game for this kid.

RT
--Jason Watkins, Rsr., Has developed into the Gators' best offensive lineman.
--Marcus Gilbert, Rsoph., The Gators' top reserve offensive lineman, according to Meyer.

RG
--Mike Pouncey, soph., The Gators' only first-year starter. Saw action at defense last season.
--James Wilson, Rfr., Quickly moving up the depth chart.

C
--Maurkice Pouncey, soph., The best young lineman in the SEC?
--Mike Pouncey, soph., Was a back-up center last year before moving to defense.

LG
--Jim Tarrt, Rsr., Will his shoulders hold up the entire season?
--Maurice Hurt, Rsoph., Finally healthy and eager for playing time.

LT
--Phil Trautwein, Rsr., Was a preseason first-team all-SEC selection in 2007 before his foot injury (micro fractures).
--Carl Johnson, Rsoph., Not quite 100 percent healthy but is an option.

TE
--Aaron Hernandez, soph., Meyer considers Hernandez a receiver.
--Tate Casey, Rsr., UF better hope that Hernandez stays healthy.

PROJECTED DEFENSE COMING TOMORROW

-jo-

Coverboys: Tim Tebow and Nick Saban

GAINESVILLE -- Tim Tebow is on another magazine cover. This time it's Men's Fitness, September issue. Tebow says he posed for the cover to reach a different audience with his religious message.

Here are my thoughts on that. Good for him. So often this country's best athletes never take a stand about anything. Voicing their opinions would hurt their marketability, right? Tebow is using his fame for something meaningful to him that has nothing to do with money. (Not until he turns pro, at least.) That's commendable.

Speaking of money, Forbes will feature Alabama coach Nick Saban on its cover this Friday. You can read the article here. CLICK ME! Forbes' editors (experts that they are) declare Saban to be the most powerful coach in sports.

Note to Forbes: The most powerful coach in the state of Alabama is dead...And just wait until Saban loses to Auburn again.

-jo-

Tebow is 21 today; Is he going out tonight?

GAINESVILLE -- It's a magical day for Florida quarterback Tim Tebow. Today is his 21st birthday.

Does young Timmy go out on the town tonight? As a fan, would you be upset if Tim celebrated his 21st (in proper fashion) during two-a-days?

Heisman Trophy, national title, international humanitarian ... I'd give the guy a pass.

-jo-

Williams nabs two INTs in scrimmage

A few notes from today's scrimmage before I go donate platelets...

GAINESVILLE -- Converted safety Justin Williams, a redshirt sophomore, is adjusting well to his new position, according to UF coach Urban Meyer. Williams had two interceptions this morning [Wednesday] during the Gators' scrimmage.

How thin are the Gators at safety? Williams has only played safety for four days and already he is second string.

--Lawrence Marsh, a redshirt sophomore, appears to be a starter at defensive tackle after the first week of two-a-days. Marsh lost some weight over the offseason and coaches are pleased with his progression.

--If you're counting at home...That's Marsh and JUCO transfer Troy Epps at the tackle and nose tackle positions.

--Defensive end Jermaine Cunningham practiced today for the first time in over a week.

--Offensive lineman Jason Watkins recently had a mild concussion, according to the coaching staff.

--South Miami alum Javier Estopinan hasn't been getting many reps at DT over the last week. He'll probably start the season on special teams (punt defense). Estopinan was a starter last year but is recovering from his third ACL tear.

--Defensive end Duke Lemmens and linebacker Lorenzo Edwards both have pulled hamstrings, according to defensive coordinator Charlie Strong.

--With Percy Harvin out, running back/receiver Brandon James has apparently taken over as the Gators' multi-talented offensive threat. Meyer lauded James' effort during the scrimmage and says James and intimated that James could play a larger role this season than just a return specialist.

ANSWER TO THE TRIVIA QUESTION: Of the 10 players Gator Clause polled during media day, only true freshman defensive end William Green knew the capital of Montana.

-jo-   

Williams moves to safety; Another ACL injury

GAINESVILLE -- Florida coach Urban Meyer said on Tuesday that receiver Justin Williams has been moved to safety.

--Freshman safety T.J. Lawrence separated his shoulder during practice. He's not performing at safety as well as the coaches had hoped.

--Cornerback Joe Haden said that Williams looks like a natural at the safety position.

--All I know: Major Wright better not break another hand this season.

--Linebacker Brendan Beal tore his anterior-cruciate ligament, according to Meyer. Five Gators have now torn their ACLs (Beal, Jim Barrie, Dorian Munroe, Cornelius Ingram and John Curtis).

--Will Hill and Moses Jenkins both suffered concussions last week, according to Meyer.

--QB Tim Tebow's favorite target this spring has been Carl Moore. Of course, with Louis Murphy, Cornelius Ingram and Percy Harvin out, Tebow doesn't really have anyone left to throw to.

--Tebow compared Moore to former UF receiver Dallas Baker. Baker led the team in receptions in 2006.

--Freshmen Frankie Hammond Jr. (receiver/Hallandale) and running back Jeffrey Demps have joined the list of freshmen who have lost their helmet stripes. (For the record, defensive end William Green was the first.)

-jo-

Demps at first-string punt return?

Last day to answer the trivia question: Which Gator successfully answered the trivia question, "What is the capital of Montana?"... Here's the link...CLICK ME! Scroll down for the related blog post...

GAINESVILLE -- Couldn't help but notice today after practice that freshman speedster Jeffrey Demps was taking extra reps as a punt-return specialist. Demps was the only player on the field as a jugs machine rocketed football into the sky. Demps dropped a couple.

Florida coach Urban Meyer said last week that Demps would be one of the freshmen to play this season.

Other notes from this afternoon's practice:
--Linebacker Lorenzo Edwards did not practice on Monday afternoon after limping of the field following Monday's morning session. Edwards appeared to have a friend or family member accompany him to Monday afternoon's closed-doors session.

--Percy Harvin didn't dress.

-jo-

Touching C.l. video tribute

This YouTube video was brought to our attention by loyal Gator Clause reader and insane Gators fan UF Peru...REMINDER: Don't forget to post a comment for C.I. on the Get-Well-Soon blog post. Here's a  direct link. CLICK ME! I'll be printing out everyone's comments this week and giving it to C.I. ...

PRACTICE REPORT: More key players injured; Two freshmen de-striped

GAINESVILLE -- Florida cornerback Markihe Anderson did not practice on Monday morning and left practice with his right arm in a sling. Florida coach Urban Meyer said that Anderson had a sprained wrist and that an MRI and x-ray were both negative, meaning Anderson should be able to practice next week.

Anderson entered the 2007 preseason as a starter at cornerback but never became a starter after a series of injuries throughout the season.

--Senior receiver Louis Murphy limped out of the Gators' closed practice with a boot on his right leg. Meyer said that Murphy had a sprained ankle.

--Kestahn Moore is an option at fullback, according to Meyer. Meyer says he's excited about Moore playing some fullback.

-Percy Harvin didn't dress this morning. Meyer said Harvin should begin practicing later this week.

--Strong-side linebacker Lorenzo Edwards limped off the practice field this morning. Meyer didn't know if the injury was serious or not.

--Omar Hunter didn't practice this morning but will participate this afternoon, according to Meyer.

--Meyer said that defensive lineman Torrey Davis will definitely not be available for the season opener against Hawaii. Meyer was vague about Davis' status with the team and said that Davis had several off-field issues to address.

--Meyer said that Cornelius Ingram had surgery on Monday morning. The senior tight end recently injured his knee and will not play this season. Even though Ingram will not play, Meyer said that Ingram will be a team captain. Meyer called Ingram a "superstar."

--Defensive end William Green and cornerback Janoris Jenkins appear to be the first freshmen to lose their fall-camp stripes. Neither player had stripes on their helmets after practice today. As the tradition goes, when a Florida Gator freshman loses his stripe during fall camp, he becomes an accepted member of the team.

-jo-

Let the de-striping begin...

Florida is off today...(UPDATE: We have 40 great comments for C.I. but we need at least 40 more. Don't be shy. Wish C.I. well by leaving your own personal comment on the get-well-soon blog post. Here's the direct link to that post. CLICK ME! Seriously, a soldier in Afghanistan had the time to leave a comment for C.I., so you can take the time out, too. Hooah!)

GAINESVILLE -- One of Florida coach Urban Meyer's two-a-days traditions is welcoming freshmen into the program by removing a stripe (it's a sticker) from their helmets. (The true freshmen begin camp with a thin black sticker/stripe on their helmets.)

The de-striping process is a rite of passage. You've got to earn it, apparently. Fans get excited about the de-striping process and speculate which freshman will lose his stripe first. Past freshmen to lose their stripes first include Percy Harvin and Major Wright.

This fall, several freshmen have stood out thus far. Cornerback Jeremy Brown's work ethic is being compared to Tim Tebow. Coaches are shocked by the speedy development of receiver Frankie Hammond Jr. Defensive end William Green appears to be a star in the making and, like Hammond Jr., is a highly intelligent student-athlete. Florida coach Urban Meyer says Jeffrey Demps has already earned the right for playing time this season. Will Hill is battling for a starting spot.

ON A DIFFERENT SUBJECT, Herald correspondent Mike McCall and I asked 10 football players during media day a series of 10 questions with one-word answers. Only one player knew the capital of Montana. Not coincidentally, this same player was one of only two players who could correctly spell "Guacamole." Take a guess who the smart player is and leave your answer in the comment field. I'll announce the name on Monday afternoon after practice and think of a cool prize. (I've got plenty of cool prizes just lying around my house these days!)

-jo-

Florida Bulletin Board: "BEAT Miami"; FSU hate literature; Spurrier gets no love

29 DAYS UNTIL MIAMI...

The countdown is on at the University of Florida for the Gators' rivalry game against the Miami Hurricanes. Check out the exclusive story in The Miami Herald this morning about the football team's motivational bulletin boards. There are five separate boards for six teams: Hawaii, Miami, Tennessee, LSU, Georgia and Florida State...

GAINESVILLE -- You know how football players are always saying that the next game is the most important game. BORING, right? Well, Gator Clause offers visual proof that all that rhetoric is bologna.

The Miami Herald snapped this photo on Friday during a tour of Florida's new weight room. (Holy Lou Ferrigno, the weight room is amazing! I felt my muscles getting bigger just walking through the joint.) By the looks of the countdown boards, the home opener against Hawaii feels a little less important than the game against the 'Canes, Vols, Bayou Tigers, 'Dawgs and 'Noles.

MORE NOTES FROM A TOUR OF THE NEW FACILITY
--If you're making a road trip to Gainesville this fall for a football game, then make sure you reserve some time for a tour of Ben Hill Griffin's latest addition. As UF coach Urban Meyer likes to call it, the "Front Door of Florida Football" is impressive and fan friendly, too. There are a few interactive video screens, a few shrines to Danny Wuerffel and Tim Tebow and some trophy cases.

--For me, Steve Spurrier's Heisman Trophy was initially pretty hard to find. You wouldn't think so, because it's near the front of the museum. It's in a corner and when I walked through the front door I didn't even see it at all. (My first time through the museum, I never noticed Spurrier's Heisman.)

--Reporters were given a behind-the-scenes tour of the coaches' offices, recruiting ammenities and weight room on Friday. A few thoughts:

--Dorian Munroe seems to be in great spirits. I ran into the Florida safety and Miami native while walking into the weight room. He said he's feeling great and ready to power through his rehab for the torn anterior-cruciate ligament his suffered during the offseason. Good luck, Dorian. We're rooting for your speedy recovery.

--The coaches' offices are nice. Right when you walk in the front door, there's a poster board detailing Florida's dominance over Florida State the last few years. Recruiting is a dirty business. (Click on the photo and zoom into the graduation rates. And what you're seeing implies what, exactly? )

--Dan Mullen's office is HUGE! Plenty of breathing room to think about how to use all those offensive weapons. Tim Tebow and John Brantley were hanging out with Mullen. (Tebow had on his Crocs. Damn those Crocs!)

--The walls of each coach's offices were literally big dry-erase boards. So cool! The whole of all the walls was for doodling plays and formations and Tim Tebow quarterback-rocker plays and how Brandon Spikes is going to sack Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford eight times in November. Raise your hand if you ever got pounded like Stallone in Rocky III for coloring on walls when you were a kid.

--The hall walls of the coach's offices are covered with screened photos of Florida football players and emblazoned with more literature for recruits. (In other words, walking into the coaches' offices feels like you're walking into one big media guide. In case you didn't know it, schools use media guides as recruiting tools.)

--Again, no sign of Steve Spurrier. (Well, not entirely true. Apparently, there's a team photo but you might have to squint.)

--But, we did see plenty of evidence of Ron Zook. Other than all the 2006 national championship memorabilia laying around, former and current "Zookerman," Jarred Fayson, is pictured on the walls of the coaches' offices reading a book to children. Giving back: What college football is all about! (That's linebacker Dustin Doe to the right of Fayson. Looks like Doe is doing all the reading.)

-jo-

IN THE NEWS: Former Gator Ryan Lochte wins Olympic bronze in 400 IM.

PIERRE-LOUIS: 'Georgia, that's the game of the year'; Wright: Looking forward to Miami

GAINESVILLE -- This is all you need to know from Florida's media day. Everything else was white noise.

"Georgia, man," cornerback Wondy Pierre-Louis said. "That's the game of the year. I'm not going to lie. Even though we're going to take it one by one, Georgia is the game of the year."

Of course, there is that little 'ol team down in Coral Gables. Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas grad Major Wright is pretty excited about that one.

"It's a very important game," Wright said. "You know, every time I go home I never hear the end of it. It's going to be an intense game, high energy. I look forward to this game."

Wright grew up idolizing former 'Cane great Sean Taylor. Instead of following in Taylor's footsteps as one of the next great Miami safeties, Wright committed to the Gators. He's friends with Hurricanes Anthony Reddick and Leonard Hankerson, among other 'Canes.

As anyone who has read this blog for the last year can tell you, Wright and Pierre-Louis are two of my favorite Gators. Wright is busy teaching Will Hill how to play safety these days. Pierre-Louis is busy fending off fellow cornerback Markihe Anderson, who wants Pierre-Louis' starting job.

OTHER NOTES
--Defensive coordinator Charlie Strong says linebacker A.J. Jones is a mainstay on the defense this season at weak side.

--Defensive line coach Dan McCarney says Ronnie Wilson is strong but way behind.

--Safeties coach Chuck Heater on if Ahmad Black is too short to play safety: "We'll see."

--Offensive lineman James Wilson was very truthful with reporters on Friday. I says he was really upset that Florida wouldn't grant his request to transfer. He's happy that he stayed at UF, however. Left guard Jim Tartt's shoulders might not hold up this season.

--Anyone seen Percy Harvin lately?

--Pictures coming tomorrow morning.

-jo-

Percy, Spikes didn't show up to media day

FOLKS, DON'T FORGET TO SEND A LINK TO C.I.'S GET-WELL CARD TO ALL YOUR GATOR FRIENDS...SIX DAYS LEFT UNTIL I GIVE C.I. THE CARD!

GAINESVILLE -- Florida's annual preseason media day was this morning. It's when all the reporters from around the state (and some from around the country) travel to Gainesville to interview the Gators' players. It's really a shame that two of the team's most important players decided not to show.

Percy Harvin was nowhere to be seen and neither was Brandon Spikes. Florida's official statement as to why these players skipped out: No clue.

I've got a suggestion. Maybe it's because a Sports Illustrated photographer wasn't there. No Erin Andrews, then no Percy, right?

Not cool.

Let the speculation begin, I guess. What else are reporters supposed to write about today? Percy Harvin, the Heisman Trophy candidate who is slow to recover from offseason heel surgery, can't even meet the press? (Must be pretty bad.) Spikes can't either?

Well, at least we know Tim Tebow is an accountable team leader. Tebow spoke at length with reporters today. In other words, Percy didn't show and Tebow was stuck answering questions about why his best receiver isn't practicing right now.

I don't know much about Percy's situation (He's hurt) but I do know this: Don't expect Percy or Spikes to be around next year for media day either.

(Check back later for more from media day, including behind-the-scenes pictures of Florida's new weight room and coaches' offices.)

-jo-

GET WELL CARD: Gator fans, Tell C.I. how much he means to you!

This great idea is brought to us by Rico, loyal poster and proud Gators fan living in Tampa ... (Thanks for the great idea, Rico!)

GAINESVILLE -- This blog post will be printed out in one week and given to Cornelius Ingram. It's a get-well-soon card and a chance to tell Cornelius what he means to us both as a football player and as a person. You don't even have to be a Gator fan to send him a message. C.I. was THAT important -- and still is that important -- to college football. When others jumped for the NFL, Ingram stayed in school to get his degree and dedicate another year of unpaid service to the game. Don't disappoint me, folks. I'll go first...

Cornelius,

My heart took a big hit when I heard the news of your injury today. I have always respected you as an amazing football player but mostly as a great individual. You have a great family and you represent them well. I can speak confidently for sports reporters throughout the Southeast and all over the country when I say that the sporting nation shed a collective tear today while we were writing the sad news. You're one of the good guys and I'll be rooting for you in the NFL! Get well soon and kick  some butt during rehab!

Sincerely,

Joseph Goodman
The Miami Herald
UF beat writer

LOUIS MURPHY: 'Nobody can be C.I.'

GAINESVILLE -- The loss of Cornelius Ingram can be overstated. Not only did the Gators lose one of the best tight ends in the nation, the team is now without a leader perhaps more respected among his peers than even quarterback Tim Tebow.

"It hurts really bad," Louis Murphy said. "My heart really goes out to him and his family. I'm going to dedicate this season to him and (Dorian Munroe)."

The Gators might have plenty of skill position players to make up for the loss of Ingram but Murphy said on Thursday that nobody can replace Ingram's role on the team.

"It's going to hurt a lot losing his leadership and hard work, and I don't mean just not playing out there with him -- when he goes hard, everybody else goes hard," Murphy said. "Nobody can be CI, but we have other players that can step up and make plays. There's not going to be another CI. He's still going to be successful in life and he's still going to get drafted."

FROM PRACTICE
Many of you are probably wondering who is going to replace Ingram's offensive production in the line-up. I was wondering the same thing after practice, so I interviewed sophomore tight end Aaron Hernandez and JUCO transfer Carl Moore.

Hernandez is the obvious answer to Ingram's injury. The sophomore told me that he wasn't nearly as good as Hernandez yet but that he was going to work extra hard to be a viable replacement.

Moore, the transfer, said on Thursday that he is practicing with the first-offense at the inside-receiver position. That's any interesting development.

--Adrian Bushell practiced today. That's good news for the Gators. Bushell, a defensive back, was awaiting the OK form the NCAA Clearinghouse.

--Chris Rainey (groin) sat out again.

--True freshman Jeffrey Demps practiced today after his leg cramps on Wednesday. Demps is impressing coaches every day and Meyer said that Demps will see playing time this season.

--Omar Hunter will go full speed tomorrow, according to Meyer. Hunter was recovering from a nagging back injury and not allowed to participate in contact drills.

MAKE SURE TO READ MY STORY ON C.I. IN TOMORROW'S MIAMI HERALD. IT'S GOING ON THE FRONT PAGE.

-jo-

BREAKING NEWS: Florida closes its practice doors suddenly

GAINESVILLE -- If you're driving to Gainesville today to catch a glimpse of your favorite Gator, then STOP! Turn around and go home! Save your gas!

At 12:36 p.m. today, Florida released a statement alerting members of the media that the Gators are closing their practice doors today and tomorrow. Fans and reporters will be turned away at the door. This is not a joke, by the way. Don't show up at the UF practice football field today if you want to watch your favorite team. Do show up, however, if you just want Tebow to sign an autograph so you can go and sell it on ebay. You can stand outside the practice gates just like everyone else.

Florida gave little explanation for why it suddenly closed practice. On Wednesday, UF coach Urban Meyer clearly was not happy with practice. Florida practiced for an hour longer than scheduled and then ran sprints after that. Afterwards, Meyer said he was unhappy and that his players lacked focus.

Originally, practices were open to all until Saturday, when Florida moves its practice operation to the UVS practice field, a more easily shrouded facility. The real work -- two-a-days -- begins on Saturday.

Closing practice will be a major letdown for fans. Last year, the final open practice (Friday night) was so popular that Florida had to turn people away at the gates.

We can only speculate why UF coach Urban Meyer decided to shut the doors. I blame the Internet! No, just kidding. The atmosphere around the practice field on Wednesday was a distraction, according to a Florida spokesman.

-jo-

It's so easy to make fun of the Georgia Bulldogs

GAINESVILLE -- Musician and songwriter Ryan Parker is at it again. This time he's singing about those baaaad Georgia Bulldogs. For more songs from Ryan Parker CLICK ME!

-jo-

Is Aaron Hernandez ready to take over?

GAINESVILLE -- While Florida Nation awaits the status of Cornelius Ingram's knee, let's focus on the guy who will be starting at tight end if Ingram has a serious injury.

Hernandez played in 13 games as a true freshman but mostly on special teams. He began to show flashes of his ability late in the season and finished the year with nine catches and two touchdowns. Hernandez (Bristol, Conn.) was the No.2-rated prep tight end in the nation in 2007, according to Rivals.com.

Hernandez could play an important role for the Gators if Ingram's MRI revealed ligament damage. According to Florida coach Urban Meyer, Ingram injured his knee on Monday during 7-on-7 drills. Ingram had an MRI on Wednesday night.

Ingram returned to UF for his redshirt senior season despite an opportunity to be drafted professionally. If injured for the season, Ingram will only be eligible for a medical hardship (sixth year of eligibility) if Florida's staff can prove to the NCAA that Ingram was previously redshirted because of an injury. Ron Zook was the head coach at UF when Ingram was redshirted (2004).

So, is Hernandez ready to be a first-stringer?

IN THE NEWS: Former Gator safety Jerimy Finch might have transferred for family reasons. CLICK ME! for more news on Finch's transfer.

-jo-

Three days down; Three speedsters down

GAINESVILLE -- Florida's three fastest players are injured.

After three days of practice, the most memorable mental image of fall football camp at the University of Florida occured this afternoon when Percy Harvin (jersey No.1), Jeffrey Demps (No.2) and Chris Rainey (No.3) limped side-by-side-by-side to the back of Florida's practice field. (Otherwise known as "The Pit." It's where the injured players go and mill about during practice.

Harvin didn't practice for the second straight day (offseason heel surgery). Rainey pulled a groin muscle on Tuesday and didn't practice today. Jeffrey Demps [PICTURED IN BLACK] fell to the ground after the final play of practice with what appeared to be a left knee injury.

Florida coach Urban Meyer said he did not know the severity of the injury but Demps limped off the practice field with the help of an assistant trainer. At one point during Demps' walk back to the Gators' locker room inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium (about 350 yards), a person stopped Demps, put his arms around the football player and appeared to whisper words of encouragement into his ear. (It looked like they were praying but I couldn't tell for sure.) I'm hoping since Demps was allowed to walk all the way back to the locker room under his own power then that means he's OK.

Demps' injury occured on the last play of practice. As the rest of the team huddled, Demps remained on the ground. Trianers immediately converged. Demps, the high school track phenom from Orlando, nearly qualified for the Olympics this summer in the 100 meters. He ran a 10.01 at the U.S. Olympic track and field trials and is considered to be the fastest teenager in the nation.

According to some, Demps could have pursued a career in professional track after his showing at the trials but instead chose to report to Florida for college football.

MARCUS GILBERT STARTING AT LEFT GUARD

--Redshirt sophomore Marcus Gilbert (Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas/PICTURED) told me after practice that he is playing first-string left guard as well as second-string tackle while senior Jim Tartt rests an ailing shoulder. Marcus' elbow is completely healthy after a long rehab. He played all last season with a brace. He is brace free right now and looking great physically. He told me about six times that he was excited about this season.

--Sophomore safety Major Wright (Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas) told me after practice that the new safeties have "a long way to go" but that he sees potential. Major did say that freshman Will Hill has "the body and the skills" to contribute. Major Wright waited on Ahmad Black to finish interviews today. They walked back together and are apparently really close friends. Fans of high school mega programs Lakeland and Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas will get a kick out of that little nugget.

-jo-

Jeffrey Demps limping after last play of practice

GAINESVILLE -- Last play of practice and Jeffrey Demps goes down with what looks like a left knee injury. Doesn't look good. Hopefully it's just a cramp but trainers were with him on the ground for a couple minutes.

--Percy is taking another day off, apparently.
It doesn't look like Chris Rainey is practicing today either. Chris pulled a leg muscle on Tuesday.

--Kickers Caleb Sturgis and Jonathan Phillips both just made 47-yard field goals. Sturgis' was good from 55, at least. Phillips' kick barely cleared the bar.

--On to newcomers, as promised. (Oh, Bob Tebow makes his first apperance of the fall today.)

--One-on-one drills now. Deonte Thompson just juked Ahmad Black out of his shoes.

--Newcomer Ronnie Wilson getting one-on-one insruction from D-line coach Dan McCarney.

McCarney appears to be teaching Wilson the basics. Wilson's technique looks a lot like an O-lineman.

--Mike Pouncey, first-year starter, just nailed LB Ryan Stamper back five feet.

--O-line coach Steve Addazio of Wilson: "He's not even in the box. He's not even in this hemisphere.

--It's standing-room only here at the practice field. They're about to start turning fans away, I'm told.

--Full team drills: Newcomer Janoris Jenkins picks off QB John Brantley.

--Moses Jenkins on a cornerback blitz. Nice speed to chase Brantley down.

-jo-

Will Hill: Savior or second-teamer?

GAINESVILLE -- Redshirt freshman Deonte Thompson (Belle Glade) made a great catch on Tuesday and that's when it dawned on me. There's no way Ahmad Black can play safety.

Thompson had no business catching the pass. Black was draped all over Thompson with excellent coverage. Major Wright was closing in, too. All three players went up for the ball and Thompson, somehow, made a remarkable catch. After replaying the sequence over in my brain (that's what sports writers do when they know they're going to write the details of an exciting play and there's no instant replay) I realized there was actually no "somehow" about it. Thompson shouldn't have caught the pass.

Black was right there and should have intercepted it or at least knocked it away. He could do neither. His physical limitations simply would not allow him to make the play. Bless his heart, he just wasn't tall enough. Ahmad Black is listed at 5-9 but he's not even that tall. I'm 5-7 1/2 and about eye level with Black.

UF's coaches only have one other option right now for the second safety spot, true freshman Will Hill [PICTURED]. Hill has to start. The way I see it, there's no other choice. (Other than moving Moses Jenkins to the position, which I think needs to happen. Jenkins (Lauderdale Lakes Boyd Anderson) looks great and will definitely be a reliable option in nickel and dime sets this season.)

Smartly, Hill is being low key about the battle at safety. He told reporters on Tuesday that Black was the starter.

"I'm still learning the position but I still have a guy in front of me who knows what he's doing," Black said. "I love the pressure, it's pushing me to be a better player."

Sophomore safety Major Wright is basically serving as Hill's own personal coach during practice. It's proof that Hill's development is Priority No.1 for the Gators during fall camp.

"As soon as I got here [Wright] got on me telling me everything, what to do, how to do it and about the temp mostly," Hill said. "It helps me a lot. He teaches me through his experiences."

TRIO OF GATORS MAKE SI COVER
Tim Tebow is on another preseason cover, this time it's Sports Illustrated. Tebow shares the cover with Percy Harvin and Brandon Spikes. Oh, no! The SI curse. Me, I don't believe in curses. I do believe one thing, however, Georgia fans will feel slighted. They're the No.1 team in the country (at least in the coaches' poll).

-jo-

Hoops schedule released: It's WEAK ... so far

GAINESVILLE -- Florida released the men's basketball team's tentative schedule for next season. In short, it's weak.

So far, the only major non-conference opponents the Gators play next season are Florida State and N.C. State. Florida plays Missouri-Kansas City on Nov. 30 in Orlando. The Gators take on Central Florida in Jacksonville on Dec. 20. There are four dates still to be announced so hopefully there's at least one exciting match-up mixed in there.

Luckily for South Florida Gators' fans, Florida visits Broward County as part of the Orange Bowl Classic on Dec. 28 and takes on Winthrop. That appears to be the best non-conference game of the schedule so far. Winthrop second-year coach Randy Peele led the Eagles to the NCAA Tournament last season.

The Gators return four starters but must replace Mo Speights, the 6-10 sophomore center who left school early for the NBA. Is anyone out there excited about any of these games? The biggest home games appear to be Georgia (Jan.28), Vandy (Feb.21), Tennessee (March 1) and Kentucky (March 7).

For a look at the tentative schedule, CLICK ME!

-jo-

Gators get 2009 QB commitment

GAINESVILLE -- Prep quarterback Jordan Reed (class of 2009) recently committed to Florida, according to reporter Adam Gorney of the Internet fan website, GatorBait.net.

Reed of New London, Conn., is another New England commitment for the Gators. The region has become a pipeline of sorts for Florida thanks to assistant coach Steve Addazio, an excellent recruiter and a great offensive line coach.

Reed is the Gators' ninth commitment for the 2009 recruiting cycle. Players officially sign in February of next year. Reed (6-3, 235 pounds) passed for over 1,700 yards, 28 touchdowns and just two interceptions his junior season.

This appears to be a great pick up for UF coach Urban Meyer and his staff. Reed is the Gators' first quarterback commitment since John Brantley switched from Texas to Florida nearly two years ago. With so many great underclassmen quarterbacks already on the Gators' roster, highly rated prep quarterbacks were shying away from the Gators. Reed bucked the trend.

Thoughts on Reed joining the Gators next season? Should PETA be concerned that Reed plays high school ball for the New London Whalers? Is this a possible public-relations nightmare for the University of Florida? Turn your speakers down at work if you plan on watching the YouTube highlights.

-jo-