Florida Gators
Overall Rank: #15
#5 Southeastern Conference
2010 Record: (8-5, 5-4)
2010 Bowl: Outback Bowl vs. Penn State (W 37-24)
Coach: Will Muschamp (0-0 at Florida, 0-0 overall)
Offensive Coordinator: Charlie Weis
Defensive Coordinator: Dan Quinn
Returning Leaders:
Rushing: Jeffery Demps, RB, 551 yards
Passing: John Brantley, QB, 2,061 yards
Receiving: Deonte Thompson, WR, 570 yards
Tackles: Jelani Jenkins, LB, 76
Sacks: Jaye Howard, DT, 3
Interceptions: Jon Bostic, LB, and Jeremy Brown, CB, 3
Other Key Returnees: RB Trey Burton, G Jon Halapio, DT Omar Hunter, OT Xavier Nixon, RB Chris Rainey, K Caleb Sturgis
Key Losses: S Ahmad Black, OT Marcus Gilbert, P Chas Henry, S Will Hill, G Maurice Hurt, CB Janoris Jenkins, C Mike Pouncey
The wildly successful Urban Meyer era has ended. Apparently “out with the old and in with the new” goes beyond just the coaching staff. Head Coach Will Muschamp has been working to change the culture in Gainesville. While the Gators were the envy of college football on the field under Coach Meyer, off the gridiron they were often an embarrassment, with more than 30 arrests of players during his tenure. Coach Muschamp laid down the law in April when he booted starter Janoris Jenkins, one of football’s top cornerbacks, off the team. If Coach Muschamp wins big while taking a hard line on player conduct, then Coach Meyer might soon be forgotten. If not … well, there will be a new sheriff in town before long.
Strengths:
A keg of dynamite has nothing on Florida’s backfield when it comes to explosiveness. Jeffery Demps is likely the fastest man in college football and he put those wheels to good use in 2010 with a 6-yards-per-carry average. Fellow senior Chris Rainey can also motor, as his 7.2 ypc average attests. Fullback Trey Burton found the end zone 12 times last year and he was second on the team in receptions. In all, the Gators had five different players rip off runs of at least 36 yards last season and all of them return. On defense, Florida boasts a bevy of potential stars who could thrive under new coordinator Dan Quinn. Ronald Powell was a terror in the spring game operating as the “buck” in Quinn’s 4-3 alignment. With the freedom to both attack the passer and roam the field making plays, Powell should emerge as one of the most dynamic defensive players in the country this year. Another highly-skilled athlete ready to break out is Gerald Christian. Moved to linebacker from offense, he has impressed Coach Muschamp so much that he is set to start along with veterans Jonathan Bostic and Jelani Jenkins, giving the Gators a potentially excellent corps. There is also optimism about the secondary. Sophomore safety Matt Elam, in particular, seems on the verge of stardom after a stellar spring. Finally, Florida’s blazing speed is put to good use in the kick return game. Andre Debose ran back two kickoffs for scores last year, and Rainey should flip the field regularly as the new punt returner.
Weaknesses:
All those weapons in the backfield might get neutralized if the offensive line fails to come together. The right side seems set with Xavier Nixon and Jon Halapio, but the other three spots are up in the air. Solidifying the line is especially important if quarterback John Brantley is to improve. He struggled mightily filling the huge shoes of Tim Tebow, ranking 10th in the conference in passing efficiency and throwing just nine touchdown passes compared to 10 interceptions. The troubles continued in the spring game. Brantley completed only four of 14 attempts, leaving Gator fans to fret. It would help Brantley a lot if some playmakers emerged at wide receiver. Deonte Thompson is the top returning pass-catcher, and he is not exactly a difference-maker. The loss of punter Chas Henry should not be discounted. He averaged 45.1 yards per kick last season as Florida finished second in the nation in net punting.
The Bottom Line:
With a roster laden with NFL-quality talent and a new coaching staff that features many of the best minds in the business, including famed offensive coordinator Charlie Weis, the Gators are one of the more buzz-worthy teams heading into the 2011 campaign. Coach Weis will find inventive ways to use his posse of game-changing backs, and he figures to coach up Brantley into a respectable QB. But how many W’s that translates to is a big question in the brutal SEC. In October alone the Gators must tangle with Alabama, LSU, Auburn and Georgia. And let’s not forget the traditional season-ender with Florida State, which just might be the best team in the land. Anything above last year’s eight-win total would be a real accomplishment and a fine start for Coach Muschamp’s regime.
Projected Bowl: Cotton Bowl
2010 Team Stats:
Rushing Offense: 166.54 (44th in nation, 6th in conference)
Passing Offense: 184.31 (88, 10)
Total Offense: 350.85 (82, 10)
Scoring Offense: 29.85 (43, 7)
Rushing Defense: 130.62 (31, 5)
Pass Defense: 175.92 (12, 2)
Total Defense: 306.54 (9, 2)
Scoring Defense: 21.31 (29, 4)
Turnover Margin: .15 (47, 7)
Sacks: 1.62 (86, 11)
Sacks Allowed: 1.85 (58, 5)
Madness 2011 NFL Recruit Rankings:
#8 Jeff Driskel
#54 A.C. Leonard
#72 Mike Blakely
#76 Marcus Roberson
#92 Jacoby Brissett
#136 Jabari Gorman
#139 Valdez Showers
Check out another article about Florida football
