|
QB
Chris Leak |
|
|
2005
Statistics |
Coach:
Urban Meyer
9-3,
1 year |
2005
Record: 9-3 |
|
WYOMING |
WON
32-14 |
LOUISIANA
TECH |
WON
41-3 |
TENNESSEE |
WON
16-7 |
at
Kentucky |
WON
49-28 |
at
Alabama |
LOST
3-31 |
MISSISSIPPI
STATE |
WON
35-9 |
at
Louisiana State |
LOST
17-21 |
vs.
Georgia |
WON
14-10 |
VANDERBILT |
WON
49-42 (2OT) |
at
South Carolina |
LOST
22-30 |
FLORIDA
STATE |
WON
34-7 |
OUTBACK
BOWL |
vs.
Iowa |
WON
31-24 |
|
2005 Final Rankings
AP-12, Coaches-16, BCS-17
|
2006
Outlook |
It
was a rough year in Gainesville. So
many, including ourselves, thought
the legend of Urban Meyer would carry
over and that, with so many more superior
athletes than he has ever had with
which to work, he would run roughshod
over the SEC competition with his
superior “spread” approach
and tough defensive ideals –
like he did at Bowling Green and Utah.
But those results were in softer conferences,
and foes’ superior defensive
athletes in the SEC proved they could
react to the subtleties he and OC
Mullen had fooled others with and
reflect much better stopping power.
UF was (and will be) balanced, but
that barely ranked them in the top
half of the nation for offensive categories,
not in the top 10 as was the case
at those other stops. Leak also struggled
with the new approach. Conversely,
the ability of his defense did excel,
so he has the most important variable
in line – without D, you go
nowhere in the SEC, huh. Siler, Everett,
Thomas & Co. will need little
to make them go, and depth in each
stopping unit means defensive consistency
will take them far into games if/when
the O struggles.
Florida’s
offensive foray will be better, that
is if Meyer’s second year here
is anything like it was at either
other school. Meyer will simplify,
not further complicate, his offense,
making more conventional, “tighter”
sets the norm and the spread more
the exception. Arguably, this is how
UF had the most success in ‘05,
and Leak will make things go if this
can happen. Running to set up the
pass - not the opposite, as seemed
the case last year – from those
traditional sets will then make the
spread more formidable/intimidating.
Meyer can keep trying the spread to
start, but will likely get the same
mixed results. Change will be good
for his usual.
Meyer
is a master recruiter, and his haul
over the last two seasons will come
to fruition that much more due to
his own choices taking over more spots
(OL). Having this classes’ No.1
QB (Tebow) will make for a short leash
if Leak cannot do what is asked, and
Leak’s tutelage will least of
all make handing over the reigns for
’07 segue well. But this is
2006, and the Gators know someone
will lead them to better results.
The
Gators have non-cons Southern Miss
and UCF as warm-ups, and then a trip
to Knoxville will tell whether they
have the chomping power to finally
put some marks in the conference’s
best. The offensive line will really
be the key – as they rise/fall,
so will the team’s results.
‘Bama and LSU – both at
home – along with Georgia, will
then reveal where UF will finish.
Meyer needs to make amends for losing
so bad in Tuscaloosa (31-3), or there
is no reason to believe he has the
rallying power to raise this squad
to the levels when/how needed. Just
ask Gene…
Projected
2006 record: 10-2
|
|
FLORIDA
*POWER RATINGS |
Offense |
Defense |
QB
- 4.5 |
DL
- 4.5 |
RB
- 3 |
LB
- 4.5 |
WR
- 4 |
DB
- 3 |
OL
- 2.5 |
.. |
|
RETURNING
LEADERS |
Passing:
Chris Leak, 324-235-6, 2639 yds.,
20 TD
Rushing: DeShawn Wynn, 130
att., 621 yds., 7 TD
Receiving: Dallas Baker, 52
rec., 697 yds., 5 TD
Scoring: Chris Hetland, 13-16
FG, 38-40 PAT, 77 pts.
Punting: Eric Wilbur, 59 punts,
41.7 avg.
Kicking: Chris Hetland, 13-16
FG, 38-40 PAT, 77 pts.
Tackles: Earl Everett, 72 tot.,
39 solo
Sacks: Jarvis Moss, 7.5 sacks
Interceptions: Earl Everett,
2 for 7 yds.; Kyle Jackson, 2 for
0 yds.
Kickoff Returns: Markus Manson,
16 ret., 19.6 avg., 0 TD
Punt Returns: Tremaine McCollum,
1 ret., 8.0 avg., 0 TD; Jemalle Cornelius,
1 ret., 22.0 avg., 0 TD
|
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LB
Brandon Siler |
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|
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FLORIDA
|
|
|
OFFENSE
- 6 |
----RETURNING
STARTERS---- |
DEFENSE
- 6 |
|
KEY
LOSSES |
OFFENSE:
Randy Hand-OT, Tavares Washington-OG,
Mike Degory-C, Lance Butler-OT, Chad
Jackson-WR (NFL), Skyler Thornton-RB
(transferred), Josh Portis-QB (transferred) |
DEFENSE:
Jeremy
Mincey-DE, Todd McCullough-SLB, Vernell
Brown-CB, Jarvis Herring-SS, Demetrice
Webb-CB (NFL) |
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|
2006
OFFENSE |
Quarterback
Urban
Meyer didn’t do what he has done in
the past two places (Bowling Green, Utah)
he was brought in – he failed to make
the QB (Chris Leak, in this case) much better
than he already was. Leak hasn’t been
bad, but has yet to live up to his potential.
The Charlotte-native was the No.2 pro-style
hurler when recruited in ’03, and
with 4.6 speed, and most thought Meyer would
make him as efficient as Alex Smith and/or
Omar Jacobs became. But the SEC has defenses
that are “up to speed” with
the best, so Meyer’s schemes have
yet to truly blossom under Leak. But none
of this disqualifies Leak from the top spot
here. Most know that Leak should be more
impacting in his second/senior year with
Meyer, and we agree. Leak has the improvisational
skills to make the UF spread offense work,
so expect his tenure to go out with a bang.
Hi s2005 backup, Josh Portis, was too good
not to start, so he transferred to Maryland.
Luckily, the big news out of Gainesville
in the off-season has been Tim Tebow, who
set state prep records at St. Augustine
for both career and single-season total
yards, and was rated this year’s top
QB prize. Meyer will surely play Tebow,
knowing the future is so bright in the sunshine
state and that the kid needs to see time
so this unit can develop beyond 2006. Still,
no experience would likely mean adjustment
time if Tebow becomes the primary. But after
that, he could actually make the O hum even
better.
Running
Back
Coach
Meyer lambasted the spring developments
here, saying that if more isn’t seen
from them, and soon, he may just throw every
down…really, he said that. His disappointments
are shared with so much talent to be had,
but a rebound is surely in their forecast.
DeShawn Wynn weighs 235 lbs. and can run
the 40 in 4.35. Do we really have to say
more? When given the rock, he runs over,
around and right through defensemen, with
a deceptively quick first few steps. He
is too often 10 yards down the field before
anyone can even touch him, and what a load
to bring down – arm tackles don’t
work with Wynn. Marcus Manson has a 39”
vertical leap and is even faster. He doesn’t
quite have Wynn’s power, but his swiftness
allows him to be a nice alternative to Wynn.
Both will have jobs on Sundays in the future.
Kestahn Moore is a hybrid RB/WR who gets
the ball enough that we will list him, though
Wynn seems to be allowed to go deeper in
his routes in Meyer’s eclectic play-calling.
Chevon Walker entered school prior to spring
so as to be “up to speed” with
the Gator schemes, but he is neither big
nor super fast, though is supposed to be
the future here with so many prep accolades.
The nation’s 16th-rated RB prospect
(Scout.com), Mon Williams, also seems a
bit slow to take the corner for sure gains,
but has the same promise as Walker and will
surely get a look. With the QBs also having
ground impact, UF needs to make this unit
reflect better results (56th rushing offense
and only 3.9 per carry in ’05).
Receiver
Senior
Dallas Baker joins two classmates to give
the Gators another formidable group that
foes cannot ignore, or else. Baker will
be the primary target and has the size to
go underneath without being slaughtered
by safeties. Jemalle Cornelius will help
to stretch the field, while Ken Tookes and
junior Andre Caldwell (most reliable hands
on the team) can do the same, or anything
else Meyer requires. All are over 6-foot,
so the Gator’s three-and four-WR sets
impose mismatches galore. Then there is
the No.1 overall recruit of this year’s
class – Percy Harvin – who will
hit the field sometime soon, and Harvin
is just one of many major recruits (sub-4.4
guys Jarred Fayson and Riley Cooper are
both too fast not to see time) Meyer has
made sure come here to play their best.
Only LSU has had a unit this deep so recently,
a corps going four-deep across each spot.
The only problem will be getting them all
the rock enough so that none transfers,
a problem that bodes well for Gator fans.
Tight
End (H-back)
Tate
Casey has the size and speed to make this
spot work both ways, but Meyer doesn’t
give this position the usual look. Trent
Pupello will add dimension to the spot,
though Pupello comes for his first year
as a Gator. Eric Rutledge and Cornelius
Ingram are brought in more for running plays
when conventional two-TE sets are used,
but that won’t happen as much as plays
where the TE/H-back is put in the slot/spread
and/or backfield. Still, so many options
here has to keep foes guessing, depending
on how they look as the ball is snapped.
Offensive
Line
We
see a weakness here, comparatively, for
the UF offense. Losing four starters will
hurt, but Meyer has recruited well to get
the kind of guys he wants, so it is just
a matter of time until this area develops
beyond what it once was. Steve Rissler and
Drew Miller, both Sarasota-Riverview products
(our editor’s alma mater), will give
them size inside to go with experience.
Street & Smith prep all-American Jim
Tartt, now a sophomore, also has enough
size and footwork to take on the biggest
of DLmen, and he will anchor an outside
spot. Five-star recruit Carl Johnson is
the No.4 guard coming in this year, representing
the youth we outlined that should make this
area eventually better than it was - a group
that gave up 35 sacks, even with the mobility
of Leak, and plowed for under four per rush.
Meyer pulls and shifts assignments up front,
something that has worked best when Urban
can get his big men into his quirky approach
before they learn more conventional (and
easier) schemes. But a move toward ore convention
may occur, so it is all good. Like last
year, developments here will dictate how
the entire offense works, for this area
is too relied upon not to mean such.
OFFENSIVE
BREAKDOWN
This
will be the second year under the creative
schemes of Urban Meyer, which, at his other
stops, has been the year his offense becomes
one of the nation’s best. But the
SEC is a tough place to think that you can
just fly by those superior in-conference
defenses, and Meyer knows it won’t
be magic that raises the production. One
cannot just “spread” opposing
SEC defenders and expect them to be exploited
via isolation – athletic defenders
in this superior conference can recover
and exploit such ways, themselves. Dan Mullen,
brought along from Utah with Meyer as his
secret weapon, will surely take hard lessons
to heed and benefit the offense due to such.
Their results with the talents of Leak at
the helm were balanced (56th-ranked in rushing,
51st in passing), but that only ranked UF
61st in total production, very un-Meyer/Mullen-like
numbers with so much at the talent positions.
The revamped line will actually help developments
in the long run, and their trip to Knoxville
(third game) will let us know how far this
offense will be able to go via the “Gator
beef”.
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WR
Dallas Baker
|
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FLORIDA
2006 DEPTH CHART
Returning Starters/Key
Players |
OFFENSE |
QB |
Chris
Leak-Sr (6-0, 210) |
Tim
Tebow-Fr (6-3, 229) |
RB |
Kestahn
Moore-So (5-10, 212) |
DeShawn
Wynn-Sr (5-11, 232)
Markus
Manson-So (6-0, 210) |
WR |
Dallas
Baker-Sr (6-3, 206) |
Andre
Caldwell-Sr (6-1, 200) |
WR |
Jemalle
Cornelius-Sr (5-11, 290) |
Nyan
Boateng-So (6-2, 205) |
WR |
Kenneth
Tookes-Sr (6-2, 209) |
Louis
Murphy-So (6-3, 195)
Billy Latsko-Sr (5-10, 231) (HB) |
TE |
Tate
Casey-Jr (6-6, 242) |
Cornelius
Ingram-So (6-4, 235) |
OT |
Phil
Trautwein-Jr (6-6, 309) |
Carlton
Medder-Jr (6-5, 315) |
OG |
Jim
Tartt-So (6-3, 310) |
Maurice
Hurt-Fr (6-2, 315) |
C |
Steve
Rissler-Sr (6-3, 310) |
Eddie
Haupt-Fr (6-4, 295) |
OG |
Ronnie
Wilson-Fr (6-4, 310) |
Simon
Codrington-Fr (6-7, 310) |
OT |
Drew
Miller-Jr (6-5, 305) |
Jason
Watkins-So (6-6, 310) |
K |
Chris
Hetland-Sr (6-0, 185) |
Jonathan
Phillips-So (5-11, 195) |
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|
2006
DEFENSE |
Defensive
Line
Four
proven seniors will make the line again
formidable. Inside will be returning starters
Marcus Thomas and Steven Harris, two seemingly
undersized guys who play bigger than they
appear. Both are smaller than most tackles,
but Thomas is a special kind of player that
occupies two hats, or foes pay the price.
Harris isn’t “chopped liver”,
making plays all over, too. Hey, you can’t
put two hats on both, so the middle will
be constantly clogged. Classmate Joe Cohen
and sophomore Derrick Harvey get the nod
on the outside, with Harvey excelling enough
to pass senior backup Ray MacDonald on the
depth chart. Jarvis Moss, a man amongst
men, seems to be the statistical choice
to start, so a healthy rotation means experience
and fresh legs for 60 full minutes of pain.
Three four-star-caliber DTs come in with
this class. This is a top 10 rushing defense
again, possibly lowering their 3.1 yards
allowed per carry average, too.
Linebacker
Brandon
Siler will be a junior, and with his 4.5
speed in the 40 and all-academic mind, he
will lead the D from his MLB spot again
to great heights. If there is a loose ball,
he falls on it (seven fumble recoveries
in ‘05), and he is just everywhere
the action goes. Ex-RB Earl Everett is the
lone senior starter to return, and he produces
much from his weakside spot. Everett can
play any back-seven position, so when you
see him line up one-on-one in the slot,
don’t buy into any thoughts of a mismatch.
Big guy John Demps was too good not to see
time his first year and is primed to step
up as a starter, if heralded, while svelte
RS frosh Ryan Stamper and his 4.6 speed
will produce as another cover-specialist.
This year’s No.2 prize (Rivals.com)
at OLB is Shelby, N.C.-native Brandon Spikes,
and Meyer made sure he is wearing Blue-and-Orange
for a reason. Other four-star prospects
make this area have depth even before real
game trials prove anything. Foes who have
discounted UF’s LB corps in the past
have paid, dearly, and unknowns dotting
the roster shouldn’t scare Gator fans.
Defensive
Back
This
is the area we feel could cost UF the most
yards, seeing how three of four starters
have left, and how the remaining starter,
free safety Kyle Jackson, is only a sophomore.
He is well-sized and hits with vengeance,
and there is a foundation of experience
around which to build with junior Reggie
Nelson. Nelson is a kick-blocking fiend,
so his presence in the box will be commonplace,
most likely. Nelson had more tackles than
Jackson, and will rotate in early and often,
if not making the starting grade, himself.
Classmate Tony Joiner will likely be the
other safety, and he has made coming up
with huge plays his forte. Jacques Richardson
and Derrick Robinson (4.25 speed!) will
push twins Jermaine and Tremaine McCollum
for those vaunted starting corner spots,
but experience says the brothers will be
the main components on the outside, and
both can survive on islands, if need be.
It will matter how quickly this group can
come together as to how the entire defensive
effort plays out, but Meyer has enough green
recruits to plug in if injuries occur. That
may mean a step back initially, but the
talent is there for this to be as good a
crew as any in the conference.
DEFENSIVE
BREAKDOWN
The
front seven is strong, and the DBs just
have to catch up to their brethren’s
quality to make the secondary as feared.
Since the LBs (Everett and Siler) are the
genuine shizz, their efforts will pull the
entire D together for maximum results, aiding
the DBs until they come along. Meyer demands
his D hold as much water as his creative
spread offense, so there will be little
room for errors before subs are brought
in, and depth exists everywhere. They will
likely employ a healthy rotation, anyway,
and such will keep the entire defensive
effort strong for the 60 needed minutes,
with no drop off in fourth quarter production
(they were only on the field an average
of 27+ minutes in ’05, which should
continue). Still, the 78 fourth-quarter
points given up by the Gators has to be
lessened, or losses will occur. With sunshine
state prospects displaying speed and strength,
there is no reason to believe the secondary’s
initial showing(s) will not drastically
improve as they learn, and the schedule
demands this to be true. Cover-two will
be employed early, but Meyer and his blitzing
ways will demand more as the SEC foes hit.
This will again be a top 10 defense (ninth
overall in ’05).
|
|
DT
Marcus Thomas
|
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FLORIDA
2006 DEPTH CHART
Returning Starters/Key
Players |
DEFENSE |
DE |
Ray
McDonald-Sr (6-3, 280) |
Derrick
Harvey-So (6-4, 260) |
DT |
Marcus
Thomas-Sr (6-3, 290) |
Clint
McMillan-Jr (6-1, 282) |
DT |
Steven
Harris-Sr (6-4, 285) |
Joe
Cohen-Sr (6-2, 292) |
DE |
Jarvis
Moss-Jr (6-6, 252) |
Darryl
Gresham-Fr (6-1, 260) |
SLB |
Brian
Crum-Sr (6-3, 237) |
Eric
Sledge-Fr (6-2, 212) |
MLB |
Brandon
Siler-Jr (6-2, 235) |
Jon
Demps-So (6-4, 230) |
WLB |
Earl
Everett-Sr (6-2, 231) |
Ryan
Stamper-Fr (6-1, 228) |
CB |
Reggie
Lewis-Sr (5-10, 195) |
Tremaine
McCollum-Sr (5-8, 175) |
CB |
Avery
Atkins-So (5-11, 189) |
Jermaine
McCollum-Sr (5-9, 185) |
SS |
Tony
Joiner-Jr (5-11, 208) |
Dorian
Munroe-Fr (6-0, 201) |
FS |
Reggie
Nelson-Jr (6-1, 198) |
Kyle
Jackson-Jr (6-1, 200) |
P |
Eric
Wilbur-Sr (6-1, 203) |
.. |
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2006
SPECIAL TEAMS |
Kicker
Chris
Hetland will again win a few games for the Gators,
and the senior has consistency from beyond the
40, maximizing confidence that he can be leaned
upon at most any juncture. Holder Nick Fleming
gets some KO nods, so does Jon Phillips and his
huge leg. Either can sub for Hetland well. Coverage
here is also strong.
Punter
Eric Wilbur averages 41+ and had 38 of his 59
tries either land inside the 20 or fair caught.
Wilbur produced the nation’s ninth-best
net results, a statement unto both him and the
superior coverage Meyer gets from his hungry reserves.
Return
Game
With
this year’s incoming class boasting four
players with sub-4.4 speed, let alone the stable
of speedsters already there, a new punt returner
will emerge and will likely improve this area.
Jemalle Cornelius or Jermaine McCollum will initially
be slated, but Meyer will swing with whoever has
the best results in late August. Manson has the
nod on KOs, but his presence on the offense could
preclude the staff wanting him out there to cover
kicks. It looks good for improved results, regardless,
in both areas.
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