The Gators had eight of their nine early signees enroll early, which means they will be eligible to participate in the Spring practice and conditioning program. This type of early exposure to the program generally gives new players a leg up in competing for playing time in the Fall. The early enrollees are:
Kelvin Taylor, RB
Taylor is the son of former Florida running back Fred "Shake and Bake" Taylor. He is 5'11", 216 pounds, and runs a 4.63 40 and is ranked the No. 1 RB by ESPN. Taylor rushed for 2400 ards and 41 TDs his senior season at Glades Day.
Demarcus Robinson, WR
Robinson is a former Clemson recruit who the Gators were able to flip. The 6'2", 200 pound Peach County H.S. (Fort Valley, Ga.) recruit caught 35 passes for 700 yards and 10 TDs his senior year.
Tyler Moore, OL
The Gators are getting a real steal with Moore. He is an offensive tackle with real experience and potential. Moore started at tackle as a true freshman for the Nebraska Cornhuskers in 2011 before deciding to return to his home state of Florida, where he attended Countryside H.S. in Clearwater. Moore sat out the 2012 season, but based on his experience should start for the Gators on the offensive line this year. At Nebraska, he was the first true freshman offensive lineman to start the season opener and earned the most starts by a true freshman offensive lineman in school history (4). He was named to the ESPN's All-Big Ten Freshman Team.
Darious Cummings, DT
Cummings is a former Florida State recruit and player who most recently played for East Mississippi Community College. The 6'3", 310 pound defensive tackle should add immediate depth to the defensive line and help fill the void left by Shariff Floyd and Omar Hunter.
Joey Ivie, DE
Ivie is a 6'4", 271-pound defensive lineman with a high motor. He totaled 89 tackles including 8 for losses during the 2012 campaign at Pasco H.S. in Dade City. He had 12 sacks, caused three fumbles and recovered two fumbles.
Daniel McMillian, LB
McMillian is the No. 3 rated outside linebacker by ESPN. He is 6'2", 220 pounds and played at First Coast H.S. where he recorded 97 tackles, three interceptions, two sacks and two fuble recoveries.
Matt Rolin, LB
Rolin is the No. 5 rated outside linebacker by ESPN. He is 6'4", 209 pounds and played at state champion Briar Woods H.S. in Ashburn, Va. He recorded 43 tackles with 14 of those for losses.
Alex Anzalone, LB
Anzalone was a late flip from Notre Dame and is listed as an athlete. He is the No. 11 rated athlete by ESPN. He is 6'3", 231 pounds and runs a 4.73 40. He played for Wyomissing H.S. in Pennsylvania. On offense, he totaled more than 1,500 yards from scrimmage and scored 30 TDs, but will most likely be used as an inside linebacker.
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Friday, January 11, 2013
Gators move up to No. 1 in ESPN recruit rankings
The Florida Gators on Thursday jumped to No. 1 in ESPN's football recruiting list. The Gators, which were No. 1 in early December, but passed by Notre Dame in late December, moved back up to the top spot with the addition of several new recruits and the movement of Kelvin Taylor from a four-star recruit to a five-star recruit.
Gators flip Notre Dame recruit
Rainey arested, waived
Thursday, January 10, 2013
7 enroll early at UF
Seven of the 2013 class of football recruits enrolled early this week at the University of Florida.
The group is headlined by Fred Taylor's son Kelvin, who is the No. 1 rated running back and No. 15 overall rated player in the country, according o ESPN.
Monday, January 7, 2013
Gator Tidbits
With a new recruiting class, we are also having to say farewell to some current Gators who have chosen to transfer from the Gator program. Among them is second string quarterback Jacoby Brissett. After fighting for the starting position right up to the first game of the season, Brissett found himself on the bench for most of the season. He played in 13 career games at Florida as a quarterback, including two starts in 2011, at LSU and at Auburn, and one start in 2012 against Jacksonville State. Brissett completed 41-of-74 career pass attempts for 455 yards with three touchdowns and four interceptions.
Chris Johnson, from my neck of the woods (Ocala) is also planning on transferring. Johnson, who played safety and running back while at Florida, saw action in all 26 games in his two years on campus, mostly as a special teams’ ace. He totaled 19 career tackles on kickoff and punt coverage and recovered a fumble against South Carolina in 2012 which he returned to the one-yard line. He totaled five carries for 35 yards as a running back in 2012.
Chris Johnson, from my neck of the woods (Ocala) is also planning on transferring. Johnson, who played safety and running back while at Florida, saw action in all 26 games in his two years on campus, mostly as a special teams’ ace. He totaled 19 career tackles on kickoff and punt coverage and recovered a fumble against South Carolina in 2012 which he returned to the one-yard line. He totaled five carries for 35 yards as a running back in 2012.
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Gator News
Florida gators continue to make their mark in the NFL. In week 14 of this season's NFL 22 former Gators were active and 14 started for
their respective teams. One of the key players was Aaron Hernandez who scored two touchdowns. We also want to give a shout out to Major Wright who started and recorded five tackles, a pass defense and an interception. Many other gators are on the injured reserve including Tim Tebow, Percy Harvin, Jeff Demps and Marcus Gilbert.
We saw some serious coach scrambling in the SEC at the close of the season. Let's start by welcoming Joker Phillips to the University of Florida. After being let go by Kentucky the Gators swooped in and hired Phillips to coach wide receivers and serve as recruiting coordinator.
Tennessee picked up a new coach after Dooley disappointed the Volunteers one too many times. Butch Jones will be leading the Volunteer safter three seasons at Cincinnati, where he led the Bearcats to first-place finishes in the Big East. He had also been named the Big East Coach of the year in 2011. He has 50-27 career record. Tennessee was interested in former Gator coach Charlie Strong but he turned downed their overtures and appears to being staying at Louisville, at least for now. He did a superb job with the Cardinals and is set to face the Gators in the Sugar Bowl.
Arkansas has hired Bret Bielema as its new head football coach. He is the former head coach from Wisconsin and went 68-24 with the Badgers. During his seven years as the Wisconsin head coach, he led the team to three consecutive Rose Bowl appearances and three consecutive Big Ten championships, including a 70-31 win over Nebraska on Saturday.
We saw some serious coach scrambling in the SEC at the close of the season. Let's start by welcoming Joker Phillips to the University of Florida. After being let go by Kentucky the Gators swooped in and hired Phillips to coach wide receivers and serve as recruiting coordinator.
Tennessee picked up a new coach after Dooley disappointed the Volunteers one too many times. Butch Jones will be leading the Volunteer safter three seasons at Cincinnati, where he led the Bearcats to first-place finishes in the Big East. He had also been named the Big East Coach of the year in 2011. He has 50-27 career record. Tennessee was interested in former Gator coach Charlie Strong but he turned downed their overtures and appears to being staying at Louisville, at least for now. He did a superb job with the Cardinals and is set to face the Gators in the Sugar Bowl.
Arkansas has hired Bret Bielema as its new head football coach. He is the former head coach from Wisconsin and went 68-24 with the Badgers. During his seven years as the Wisconsin head coach, he led the team to three consecutive Rose Bowl appearances and three consecutive Big Ten championships, including a 70-31 win over Nebraska on Saturday.
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Gators Blast FSU
What a pleasant surprise Saturday's game was against Florida State. With a weak offense, playing against one of the strongest defenses in the country I had little hope we would be able to score against the Seminoles. I have never been more happy to be proven wrong. An away game on a hostile field that displays a graveyard of past romps. this game was an outstanding victory for the Florida Gators.
The second half of the evening didn't go quite as well, when unbeaten Notre Dame refused to fall to USC. With a weakened quarterback position, the Trojans were unable to score when needed, but kept the game close enough to keep my hopes up until the end.
The real question is who will the Florida Gators play in the Sugar Bowl? It seems to be looking more and more like we could end up with a chump for an opponent. With Penn State and Ohio State not even bowl eligible and the loser of the SEC championship game not even going to a BCS bowl, the chance of some really good games seem less and less likely. I would love to play Oregon, but I don't think that will happen. Although I love ex-gator Charlie Strong, I really don't want to play Louisville. I do want to give him a big shout out though. He has done one heck of a job for the Cardinals and has proven to be a coach who knows how to win!
The second half of the evening didn't go quite as well, when unbeaten Notre Dame refused to fall to USC. With a weakened quarterback position, the Trojans were unable to score when needed, but kept the game close enough to keep my hopes up until the end.
The real question is who will the Florida Gators play in the Sugar Bowl? It seems to be looking more and more like we could end up with a chump for an opponent. With Penn State and Ohio State not even bowl eligible and the loser of the SEC championship game not even going to a BCS bowl, the chance of some really good games seem less and less likely. I would love to play Oregon, but I don't think that will happen. Although I love ex-gator Charlie Strong, I really don't want to play Louisville. I do want to give him a big shout out though. He has done one heck of a job for the Cardinals and has proven to be a coach who knows how to win!
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Florida in National Championship Hunt?
Wow, what a crazy week in college football. Although the Gator game against Jacksonville State was anything but exciting, Gators fans can feel that orange and blue blood pumping at the thought of traveling to Tallahassee Florida to play FSU on Saturday. Always a big game in the state of Florida, this game could have extra ramifications for the Gators, since a victory could give us hope at a shot for the National Championship.
How many of you caught Muschamp's press conference? I never knew he had such a good sense of humor. Unlike Les Miles who went on some sort of scary rant from hell, Muschamp joked about how the Gators wins have been anything but sexy. He went on to say that even his wife said the Gator's wins weren't sexy but he was, so that was all that mattered. What a hoot! I'm glad we have finally had a nice enough season for our coaching staff to relax a little and have some fun with the press.
So back to our championship hopes. I am sure most you gator fans have already done the math but just to re-iterate the highly unlikely opportunity this is what it will take to get us in the big game. Lets look at the top 5 in the BCS poll:
The best part is we have at least some control in our own destiny. By beating Florida State we can at the very least guarantee a BCS bowl game, and with a little help we could be playing for another national title. However, if we lose to FSU we can only look forward to spending New Year's in Orlando.
How many of you caught Muschamp's press conference? I never knew he had such a good sense of humor. Unlike Les Miles who went on some sort of scary rant from hell, Muschamp joked about how the Gators wins have been anything but sexy. He went on to say that even his wife said the Gator's wins weren't sexy but he was, so that was all that mattered. What a hoot! I'm glad we have finally had a nice enough season for our coaching staff to relax a little and have some fun with the press.
So back to our championship hopes. I am sure most you gator fans have already done the math but just to re-iterate the highly unlikely opportunity this is what it will take to get us in the big game. Lets look at the top 5 in the BCS poll:
- Notre Dame
- Alabama
- Georgia
- Florida
- Oregon
The best part is we have at least some control in our own destiny. By beating Florida State we can at the very least guarantee a BCS bowl game, and with a little help we could be playing for another national title. However, if we lose to FSU we can only look forward to spending New Year's in Orlando.
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Gators Struggle
Well a win is a win, but our game Saturday against those raging Cajuns was anything but pretty! Not only did it take a last second blocked punt and touchdown from our defense our quarterback was forced out of the game with an ankle injury. As of today, Driskel is listed as doubtful for next Saturday's game against lower-division Jacksonville State. Driskel sprained his right ankle in the third quarter of Saturday's 27-20 win over Louisiana-Lafayette on Saturday.
On a positive note Brissett is a good quarterback and barely lost the starting position. He should be able to easily handle Jacksonville State, and it may even encourage the coaches to throw the ball more. When the pair were competing for the quarterback position Brissett had the stronger arm, while Driskel had the mobility.
After our lackadaisical game I watched Texas A & M crush Bama and enjoyed every second of it. It was exciting watching teams throw the ball around and I think its noteworthy that with all that passing, it was the running game that caused Alabama to turn the ball over. I felt a sigh of relief that we played Texas A&M at the beginning of the season, and not now when they have some experience behind both the rookie coach and quarterback. Johnny Football will be a problem for SEC opponents in the coming years and may have a Heisman trophy in his future!
On a positive note Brissett is a good quarterback and barely lost the starting position. He should be able to easily handle Jacksonville State, and it may even encourage the coaches to throw the ball more. When the pair were competing for the quarterback position Brissett had the stronger arm, while Driskel had the mobility.
After our lackadaisical game I watched Texas A & M crush Bama and enjoyed every second of it. It was exciting watching teams throw the ball around and I think its noteworthy that with all that passing, it was the running game that caused Alabama to turn the ball over. I felt a sigh of relief that we played Texas A&M at the beginning of the season, and not now when they have some experience behind both the rookie coach and quarterback. Johnny Football will be a problem for SEC opponents in the coming years and may have a Heisman trophy in his future!
Shout out to Riley Cooper
Riley Cooper is a big impact player in the NFL. As a Philadelphia Eagle he has had some great plays, including a one-handed touchdown catch last week against the Cowboys.
Although this play didn't work out it was still a great effort by one of our beloved Gators. Riley Cooper laid down in the end zone lettering on the kickoff, then jumped up and caught the trick pass, racing down the sideline. Unfortunately, it was a clear forward lateral, and the play was negated.
Although this play didn't work out it was still a great effort by one of our beloved Gators. Riley Cooper laid down in the end zone lettering on the kickoff, then jumped up and caught the trick pass, racing down the sideline. Unfortunately, it was a clear forward lateral, and the play was negated.
Monday, November 5, 2012
We can mark up another SEC win for the Florida Gators. It wasn't pretty but we got the W and in the end the win loss numbers are all that really matter. Before the game started, we had the dubious honor of leading the nation on running the ball on first down. We opened the game with two throws on first downs and quickly converted both times. Sadly it didn't take long before we were back to our old predictable self.
Statistics show that passing on first down is a smart play. Statistics also show that teams who jump out to a good lead often win the game. Just ask South Carolina about that. They had Georgia down 21-0 almost immediately and never looked back and we had the same effect on them when we manged to get 21 points without so much as a first down. That's why I'm confused why our strategy seems to be to score as little as possible, especially the first half. Our defense is one of the best in the country and our special teams has come through every time we needed them. But the rules of the game dictate, you must score the most points in the game to win, not merely keep the other team from scoring. When our offense does score it is usually because our defense or special teams gave them the ball on the pretty side of the field. Sometimes even that isn't enough for our offense though. Take for example the Missouri game when the defense gave us the ball only 20 yards from the goal line. We somehow managed to come out of that with zero points. Indeed if it had not been for all of Missouri's turnover's we had little hope of winning a game against one of the easier SEC opponents.
Brent Pease has a history of being aggressive and throwing the ball around to win. I wonder if he has changed his style this drastically or if Muschamp has him on a very short (and predictable) leash. In order to run the ball, we need to be able to confuse defenses. They need to line up and have no idea if we are going to run or throw. We have plenty of weapons but we seldom use them. I was shocked to hear during the game that Trey Burton completed his tenth reception for the year. How can we have that kind of talent and use him so little? Also passers and receivers need to be in sync and in order for that to happen, you need to throw the ball (a lot). My heart fluttered when we threw a beautiful pass to the end zone for a touchdown. Even though a holding call brought it back, it still was working, but we still prefer 2-5 yard passes over airing one out and catching the defense off guard.
Our next two games will provide little challenge and I for one am hoping the Gators use these fluff games to develop their passing game. We can still hold our heads high as beloved fans this year, especially if we manage to crush Florida State. That won't happen though without a strong passing game and maybe some "Spurrier" type tricks up our sleeve.
Statistics show that passing on first down is a smart play. Statistics also show that teams who jump out to a good lead often win the game. Just ask South Carolina about that. They had Georgia down 21-0 almost immediately and never looked back and we had the same effect on them when we manged to get 21 points without so much as a first down. That's why I'm confused why our strategy seems to be to score as little as possible, especially the first half. Our defense is one of the best in the country and our special teams has come through every time we needed them. But the rules of the game dictate, you must score the most points in the game to win, not merely keep the other team from scoring. When our offense does score it is usually because our defense or special teams gave them the ball on the pretty side of the field. Sometimes even that isn't enough for our offense though. Take for example the Missouri game when the defense gave us the ball only 20 yards from the goal line. We somehow managed to come out of that with zero points. Indeed if it had not been for all of Missouri's turnover's we had little hope of winning a game against one of the easier SEC opponents.
Brent Pease has a history of being aggressive and throwing the ball around to win. I wonder if he has changed his style this drastically or if Muschamp has him on a very short (and predictable) leash. In order to run the ball, we need to be able to confuse defenses. They need to line up and have no idea if we are going to run or throw. We have plenty of weapons but we seldom use them. I was shocked to hear during the game that Trey Burton completed his tenth reception for the year. How can we have that kind of talent and use him so little? Also passers and receivers need to be in sync and in order for that to happen, you need to throw the ball (a lot). My heart fluttered when we threw a beautiful pass to the end zone for a touchdown. Even though a holding call brought it back, it still was working, but we still prefer 2-5 yard passes over airing one out and catching the defense off guard.
Our next two games will provide little challenge and I for one am hoping the Gators use these fluff games to develop their passing game. We can still hold our heads high as beloved fans this year, especially if we manage to crush Florida State. That won't happen though without a strong passing game and maybe some "Spurrier" type tricks up our sleeve.
Friday, November 2, 2012
Gator Season
This has certainly been an exciting and nail biting season for the Florida Gators. Last weeks loss to Georgia was disappointing on multiple levels, but its time to look ahead and face our first SEC game against Missouri. On a side note its interesting to note that Muschamp has always been on the losing end of the Florida-Georgoa game. As a Georgia bulldog player he constantly loss, and now he is 0-2 as a coach.
I am hoping the Gators have put their loss behind them and will stay focused. We have some chump games coming up but we still have Florida State on the horizon and that could be a big win for us. I also hopr the loss let the coaches know that a passing game is needed to get the big wins!
Depending how you feel about Urban Meyer, you may be either happy or upset that OSU is having a stellar season. Of course since they are on probation there will be no Rose Bowl or BCS title game at the end of the season, so winning all the games will only give them some bragging rights in their conference.
I am hoping the Gators have put their loss behind them and will stay focused. We have some chump games coming up but we still have Florida State on the horizon and that could be a big win for us. I also hopr the loss let the coaches know that a passing game is needed to get the big wins!
Depending how you feel about Urban Meyer, you may be either happy or upset that OSU is having a stellar season. Of course since they are on probation there will be no Rose Bowl or BCS title game at the end of the season, so winning all the games will only give them some bragging rights in their conference.
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Shout out to our Baseball Team
The University of Florida baseball program
boasted four first-team All-SEC selections for the first time since 1991! Way to go Gators. And now our beloved Gators are playing in the Men’s College World
Series. The top-seeded Gator baseball
team (47-18) will face eighth-seeded South Carolina (45-17) at 9 p.m. (ET) on
Saturday. The game will be aired live on ESPN/ESPN3.
The University of Florida is 80-58 (.580) all-time in NCAA Tournament action and has reached the CWS seven times: 1988, 1991, 1996, 1998, 2005, 2010 and 2011. Last season, the Gators defeated Manhattan (17-3) and Miami (Fla.) twice (5-4 and 11-4) to sweep the Gainesville Regional before downing Mississippi State twice in three games to win the Gainesville Super Regional. UF claimed its bracket in Omaha to reach the CWS Championship Finals for the second time in school history and fell to South Carolina. This year we are looking to avenge the loss against the Gamecocks and go all the way!
Below is the schedule for the Games- We want everyone to have a chance to watch and support Florida's talented baseball team.
The University of Florida is 80-58 (.580) all-time in NCAA Tournament action and has reached the CWS seven times: 1988, 1991, 1996, 1998, 2005, 2010 and 2011. Last season, the Gators defeated Manhattan (17-3) and Miami (Fla.) twice (5-4 and 11-4) to sweep the Gainesville Regional before downing Mississippi State twice in three games to win the Gainesville Super Regional. UF claimed its bracket in Omaha to reach the CWS Championship Finals for the second time in school history and fell to South Carolina. This year we are looking to avenge the loss against the Gamecocks and go all the way!
Below is the schedule for the Games- We want everyone to have a chance to watch and support Florida's talented baseball team.
2012
COLLEGE WORLD SERIES SCHEDULE (all times Eastern)
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Friday,
June 15
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Game 1
– 5 p.m. (ESPN2/ESPN3)
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(V)
Stony Brook (52-13) vs. (H) No. 2 UCLA (47-14)
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Game 2
– 9 p.m. (ESPN2/ESPN3)
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(V)
Arizona (43-17) vs. (H) No. 3 Florida State (48-15)
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Saturday,
June 16
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Game 3
– 5 p.m. (ESPN/ESPN3)
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(V) Kent
State (46-18) vs. (H) Arkansas (44-20)
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Game
4 – 9 p.m. (ESPN/ESPN3)
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(V)
No. 8 South Carolina (45-17) vs. (H) No. 1 Florida (47-18)
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Sunday,
June 17
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Game 5
– 5 p.m. (ESPN2/ESPN3)
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Loser
Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2
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Game 6
– 9 p.m. (ESPN2/ESPN3)
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Winner
Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
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Monday,
June 18
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Game 7
– 5 p.m. (ESPN2/ESPN3)
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Loser
Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4
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Game 8
– 9 p.m. (ESPN2/ESPN3)
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Winner
Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4
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Tuesday,
June 19
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Game 9
– 8 p.m. (ESPN/ESPN3)
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Winner
Game 5 vs. Loser Game 6
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Wednesday,
June 20
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Game
10 – 8 p.m. (ESPN/ESPN3)
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Winner
Game 7 vs. Loser Game 8
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Thursday,
June 21
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Game
11 – 5 p.m. (ESPN2/ESPN3)
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Winner
Game 9 vs. Winner Game 6
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Game
12 – 9 p.m. (ESPN2/ESPN3)
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Winner
Game 10 vs. Winner Game 8
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Friday,
June 22
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Game
13 – 5 p.m. (ESPN2/ESPN3) or 9 p.m. (ESPN/ESPN3) Game 13 will be necessary if
the winner of Game 9 also wins Game 11. If it is the only game
scheduled for that day, the game will start at 8 p.m.
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|
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Game
14 – 9 p.m. (ESPN/ESPN3)
Game
14 will be necessary if the winner of Game 10 also wins Game 12. If it
is the only game scheduled for that day, the game will start at 8 p.m.
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Saturday,
June 23
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No
games scheduled
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MEN’S
COLLEGE WORLD SERIES FINALS
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Sunday,
June 24
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Game 1
– 8 p.m. (ESPN2/ESPN3)
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Bracket
One Winner vs. Bracket Two Winner
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Monday,
June 25
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Game 2
– 8 p.m. (ESPN/ESPN3)
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Bracket
One Winner vs. Bracket Two Winner
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Tuesday,
June 26
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Game 3
– 8 p.m. (ESPN/ESPN3)
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Bracket
One Winner vs. Bracket Two Winner
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Friday, May 25, 2012
Gators place 11 on All-SEC preseason team
The good news is that Florida's total number of All-SEC selections (11) is right up there with the big boys (LSU 17, Arkansas 12, Alabama 11, and Georgia 10). The bad news is they only have one first teamer (Kicker Caleb Sturgis) and no first or second team offensive players. In contrast, the big boys mentioned above have at least three first team selections (Alabama 3 off/3 def, LSU 1 off/3 def, Arkansas 3 off, and Georgia 3 def). Some of the reason could be the two new teams are siphoning off some of the spots (Texas A&M 7 total and Missouri 6 total). But much of the reason is the imbalance created by poor recruiting during Meyer's last few years and a lack of discipline that cost us some top talent along the way.
Notably absent from my discussion of big boys is South Carolina. Steve Spurrier's boys had 6 total selections with Marcus Lattimore (RB) as their lone first teamer.
Notably absent from my discussion of big boys is South Carolina. Steve Spurrier's boys had 6 total selections with Marcus Lattimore (RB) as their lone first teamer.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Will Hill, one year later, signs with NFL team
Will Hill has finally signed on with an NFL team. Hill left Florida as a junior last year with the hopes of being drafted by an NFL team. However, he was forced to sign with the Arizona Rattlers of the Arena Football League after going undrafted. Hill signed on Monday as a free agent with the New York Giants.
Georgia HS receiver commits to Gators
Columbus Carver's Marqui Hawkins, a 6-foot-2, 194-pound wide receiver prospect from Georgia, committed Monday to the Florida Gators. It is the Gators' 16th commitment to the 2013 recruting class.
Hawkins has been clocked at 4.53 seconds in the 40.
Hawkins has been clocked at 4.53 seconds in the 40.
Monday, May 14, 2012
Two former Gators sign with Ravens
Two former Gators, quarterback John Brantley and receiver Deonte Thompson signed Friday with the Baltimore Ravens. Brantley hopes to secure a spot as the No. 3 quarterback and Thompson is vying for a spot on special teams.
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Gators have plenty to smile about
I know the last two years have been down years as we have gone 15-13 and finished both seasons unranked. However, did you know Florida has the longest current stretch of winning seasons (24) and the longest current stretch of non-losing (.500 or better) seasons (32). So despite the lackluster years, we have managed to keep the streak alive, which is more than any other major program has been able to do over the past three decades.
This season will be better than the last two and I think Florida will challenge for the SEC East title. Their defense, which ranked eighth nationally in total defense (299.5 yards per game) and second nationally in third down defense, holding opponents to 48 first downs in 176 attempts last year. We return 10 starters on that defense and 14 of our 15 top tacklers.
Offensively, we will have a more experienced and deeper offensive line and our quarterback situation will be in better hands as both sophomores have been battle tested and have shown this spring that they have a much better handle on running the offense.
Additionally, the Gators had a top 5 recruiting year and some of the recruits will help immediately with depth and increase the competition for starting jobs, making us better overall.
Yes, Gator fans, there will be plenty more to smile about in the coming year.
This season will be better than the last two and I think Florida will challenge for the SEC East title. Their defense, which ranked eighth nationally in total defense (299.5 yards per game) and second nationally in third down defense, holding opponents to 48 first downs in 176 attempts last year. We return 10 starters on that defense and 14 of our 15 top tacklers.
Offensively, we will have a more experienced and deeper offensive line and our quarterback situation will be in better hands as both sophomores have been battle tested and have shown this spring that they have a much better handle on running the offense.
Additionally, the Gators had a top 5 recruiting year and some of the recruits will help immediately with depth and increase the competition for starting jobs, making us better overall.
Yes, Gator fans, there will be plenty more to smile about in the coming year.
Monday, May 7, 2012
UF Linebacker Graham Stewart to Transfer
For Florida Gator Graham Stewart one season in Gainesville was enough, he has announced his intention to transfer from the program. In high school Stewart led Xavier to a 13-0 record and a state championship. Widely recruited he chose Florida over Boston College, UConn, Iowa, Syracuse and Temple. He was a a four-star member of UF’s 2011 recruiting class, playing in 12 games this past season, mostly on special teams. Stewart also blocked a punt during the season finale game against OSU in the Gator Bowl.
Graham Stewart, who is from Connecticut has sited personal reasons for the transfer request. He is hoping for a NCAA waiver that will allow him to play next season for the University of Connecticut. Stating the need to be closer to his family Stewart has asked for a hardship waiver. Stewart is quoted as stating" “I appreciate my time in Gainesville and have nothing but good things to say about Coach Muschamp and the staff at Florida, but some things are more important. I really need to be closer to home.”
Graham Stewart, who is from Connecticut has sited personal reasons for the transfer request. He is hoping for a NCAA waiver that will allow him to play next season for the University of Connecticut. Stating the need to be closer to his family Stewart has asked for a hardship waiver. Stewart is quoted as stating" “I appreciate my time in Gainesville and have nothing but good things to say about Coach Muschamp and the staff at Florida, but some things are more important. I really need to be closer to home.”
Eligibility rules to change in 2016
In 2016, freshmen will have to meet new, more rigorous academic standards in order to play sports. They will be required to take and pass 16 core classes with at least a 2.3 GPA, up from 2.0. This is a good thing for schools, as students will have to take high school academics more seriously in order to play at the next level. For more on this story see ESPN's SEC Blog.
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Howard, Rainey drafted
Seattle Seahawks selected Gator DT Jaye Howard in the fourth round Saturday and the Pittsburgh Steelers selected Gator RB Chris Rainey in the fifth round on Saturday.
Jenkins taken in the second round
Congratulations to former Gator cornerback Janoris Jenkins taken in the second round by the St. Louis Rams. He was the 39th pick overall.
No current Gators were selected in the first three rounds. In fact, it is likely the Gators will only have two Gators get drafted - DT Jaye Howard and RB Chris Rainey.
No current Gators were selected in the first three rounds. In fact, it is likely the Gators will only have two Gators get drafted - DT Jaye Howard and RB Chris Rainey.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Janoris Jenkins Speaks Out
Janoris Jenkins has awesome talent as an athlete, but multiples decisions in his private life have caused speculations and may hurt his pick in the draft. Jenkins attended Pahokee High School, where he was recognized as a first-team Class 2B all-state selection and a Parade magazine All-American as a senior in 2008. Rated a four-star recruit by Rivals.com, Jenkins was listed as the sixth-best cornerback prospect in the nation when the Gators picked him up.
Now with the draft right around the corner, many teams seem to be veering away from picking Jenkins in the first round. Jenkins, the father of four children from three different mothers, is quick to point out that is a good father and his fatherhood never got in the way of his abilities to play college football for the Gators.
What did get in his way however were bar fights and arrests for marijuana use. On June 1, 2009, Jenkins was arrested near a bar by Gainesville Police for fighting and resisting arrest after punching a man in the head around 2 AM. Police were forced to use a taser on Jenkins after fighting escalated. When asked why the fight started, Jenkins told police it was because he thought someone was going to steal the gold chain around his neck. On April 23, 2011, Jenkins was cited by a Gainesville police officer and charged with misdemeanor marijuana possession. He was cited for the same violation in January 2011, and paid a $316 fine. He was arrested in May 2009 during a downtown Gainesville fight that resulted in probation and community service. On April 26, 2011, he was dismissed by the Florida Gators football team, due to his second drug related arrest in 3 months. He played his senior year at North Alabama.
Lets face it many college students delve into smoking a little pot. The biggest problem with the marijuana use, is that Jenkins got caught not once, but twice, including after new Florida coach Will Muschamp came in and made clear that he wasn’t going to tolerate the off-field arrests that previous coach Urban Meyer had tolerated. But are these mistakes enough to hurt Jenkins in the draft?
Jenkins speed and agility make him a natural cover corner. As a Gator he became just the second true freshman in school history to start at cornerback on opening day raking in four tackles against Hawaii, and finished his freshman year just as strong with five tackles in the BCS National Championship Game against Oklahoma. His sophomore year Jenkins started all 13 games he appeared in and totaled 38 tackles on the season, including 33 solo hits. His Junior season Janoris Jenkins was named First-Team All-SEC pick by the AP and Second-Team All-SEC selection by the coaches’. A starter on the kickoff and punt coverage teams, his 67-yard interception return for a touchdown vs. Miami University is the fourth-longest in the SEC in 2010. Thirty-two of his 44 tackles were solo and he had one sack and six tackles for loss that season. Despite an 'average' build at 5-10, 193 pounds, he's willing in run support and has shown great toughness playing through pain. As such, he's a first round caliber prospect.
A true Gator, despite playing his senior year for a Bowden, we wish Janoris Jenkins good luck in the draft and hope the negative experiences are part of past! As Jenkins is quoted as saying "Whoever gets me is going to get a blessing, I’m a great guy.”
Now with the draft right around the corner, many teams seem to be veering away from picking Jenkins in the first round. Jenkins, the father of four children from three different mothers, is quick to point out that is a good father and his fatherhood never got in the way of his abilities to play college football for the Gators.
What did get in his way however were bar fights and arrests for marijuana use. On June 1, 2009, Jenkins was arrested near a bar by Gainesville Police for fighting and resisting arrest after punching a man in the head around 2 AM. Police were forced to use a taser on Jenkins after fighting escalated. When asked why the fight started, Jenkins told police it was because he thought someone was going to steal the gold chain around his neck. On April 23, 2011, Jenkins was cited by a Gainesville police officer and charged with misdemeanor marijuana possession. He was cited for the same violation in January 2011, and paid a $316 fine. He was arrested in May 2009 during a downtown Gainesville fight that resulted in probation and community service. On April 26, 2011, he was dismissed by the Florida Gators football team, due to his second drug related arrest in 3 months. He played his senior year at North Alabama.
Lets face it many college students delve into smoking a little pot. The biggest problem with the marijuana use, is that Jenkins got caught not once, but twice, including after new Florida coach Will Muschamp came in and made clear that he wasn’t going to tolerate the off-field arrests that previous coach Urban Meyer had tolerated. But are these mistakes enough to hurt Jenkins in the draft?
Jenkins speed and agility make him a natural cover corner. As a Gator he became just the second true freshman in school history to start at cornerback on opening day raking in four tackles against Hawaii, and finished his freshman year just as strong with five tackles in the BCS National Championship Game against Oklahoma. His sophomore year Jenkins started all 13 games he appeared in and totaled 38 tackles on the season, including 33 solo hits. His Junior season Janoris Jenkins was named First-Team All-SEC pick by the AP and Second-Team All-SEC selection by the coaches’. A starter on the kickoff and punt coverage teams, his 67-yard interception return for a touchdown vs. Miami University is the fourth-longest in the SEC in 2010. Thirty-two of his 44 tackles were solo and he had one sack and six tackles for loss that season. Despite an 'average' build at 5-10, 193 pounds, he's willing in run support and has shown great toughness playing through pain. As such, he's a first round caliber prospect.
A true Gator, despite playing his senior year for a Bowden, we wish Janoris Jenkins good luck in the draft and hope the negative experiences are part of past! As Jenkins is quoted as saying "Whoever gets me is going to get a blessing, I’m a great guy.”
Monday, April 23, 2012
Gators pick up O-line transfer
The Gators picked up a key piece in their recruiting puzzle when Maryland offensive lineman Max Garcia officially transferred to Florida. The 6-4, 290-lb tackle played in all 12 games last year for the Terapins and is expected to contribute immediately after sitting out this fall due to NCAA transfer rules.
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