|
WR
Andre Caldwell |
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2006
Statistics |
Coach:
Urban Meyer
22-4,
2 years |
2006
Record: 13-1 |
NATIONAL
CHAMPIONS |
|
SOUTHERN
MISS |
WON
34-7 |
UCF |
WON
42-0 |
at
Tennessee |
WON
21-20 |
KENTUCKY |
WON
26-7 |
ALABAMA |
WON
28-13 |
LOUISIANA
STATE |
WON
23-10 |
at
Auburn |
LOST
17-27 |
vs.
Georgia |
WON
21-14 |
at
Vanderbilt |
WON
25-19 |
SOUTH
CAROLINA |
WON
17-16 |
W.
CAROLINA |
WON
62-0 |
at
Florida State |
WON
21-14 |
SEC
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME |
vs.
Arkansas |
WON
38-28 |
BCS
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME |
Ohio
State |
WON
41-14 |
|
2006
Final Rankings
AP-1, Coaches-1, BCS-2
|
2007
Outlook |
No
one knows what happens in the third
year of a team coached by Urban Meyer,
but we can see the quality of his
(and Chuck Heater’s) astounding
recruiting efforts finally coming
to fruition for another banner year
in north Florida. If Meyer could bring
a national title here with mostly
ex-coach Ron Zook’s guys, just
think of how far he can go with his
hulking dual-threat QB Tim Tebow and
Freshman of the Year (SEC) Percy Harvin
now leading the charge. Expect OC
Dan Mullen to fine tune their creative
spread approach even more, with only
Tebow growing/adjusting into being
an every-down QB possibly constituting
a step back on offense. Subtleties
in formations and execution still
tripped up the Gators at times in
’06 (Auburn, South Carolina),
so we will have to wait to see if
Tebow can orchestrate the offense
around him to master all of Meyer’s/Mullen’s
variables. But the true test for Meyer
will be replacing nine starters on
defense, including all three starting
linebackers, both corners and four
linemen who are good enough to start
in the NFL (we’ll see). In this
juggernaut of a conference, only the
defense returning to rank amongst
the top 25 units for total effort
will see UF get back to the BCS (as
the defense goes, so goes the team).
And new faces at both kicking jobs
only makes these Gators that much
more uncertain. The eight consecutive
SEC opponents that start with Tennessee
at home and end with a trip to Columbia
for the ‘Spurrier Bowl’
are bookended by two non-cons to start
and end the regular season…ergo,
the new D can learn and gel early,
the only shot Florida has at resurrecting
its title hopes. To say this much
talent, amongst both coaches and players,
can automatically equal success (like
last year) would be arrogant. But,
similarly, to think that the momentum
from last year’s BCS crown won’t
carry over would be equally naïve.
The range in which this UF squad will
fall is pretty wide, making them one
of the biggest question marks heading
into the 2007 campaign. Still, proverbially,
the Gator’s glass is always
half full with Meyer running their
show.
Projected
2007 record: 10-2
|
|
FLORIDA
*POWER RATINGS |
Offense |
Defense |
QB
- 4 |
DL
- 3 |
RB
- 3.5 |
LB
- 3 |
WR
- 4.5 |
DB
- 3.5 |
OL
- 4 |
.. |
|
RETURNING
LEADERS |
Passing:
Tim Tebow, 22-33-1, 358 yds., 5 TD
Rushing: Tim Tebow, 89 att.,
469 yds., 8 TD
Receiving: Andre Caldwell,
57 rec., 577 yds., 6 TD
Scoring: Tim Tebow, 8 TD, 48
pts.
Punting: None
Kicking: Jonathan Phillips, 0-0
FG, 5-5 PAT, 5 pts.
Tackles: Tony Joiner, 59 tot.,
31 solo
Sacks: Derrick Harvey, 11 sacks
Interceptions: Tony Joiner,
2 for 0 yds.
Kickoff Returns: Brandon James,
21 ret., 18.2 avg., 0 TD
Punt Returns: Brandon James,
33 ret., 11.0 avg., 1 TD
|
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|
DB
Tony Joiner |
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FLORIDA
|
|
|
OFFENSE
- 6 |
----RETURNING
STARTERS---- |
DEFENSE
- 2 |
|
KEY
LOSSES |
OFFENSE:
Chris Leak-QB, DeShawn Wynn-RB, Dallas
Baker-WR, Jemalle Cornelius-WR, Billy
Latsko-HB, Steve Rissler-C, Chris Hetland-K |
DEFENSE:
Ray
McDonald-DE, Marcus Thomas-DT, Steven
Harris-DT, Joe Cohen-DT, Brian Crum-SLB,
Earl Everett-WLB, Reggie Lewis-CB, Tremaine
McCollum-CB, Eric Wilbur-P, Jarvis Moss-DE
(NFL), Reggie Nelson-FS (NFL), Brandon
Siler-MLB (NFL), Ryan Smith-CB (NFL)
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|
|
2007
OFFENSE |
contributing
writer Gene Rice
With
grand adulation from the alumni, the destiny
of the Gators now rests in the hands of
marginally proven soph Tim Tebow. This hulking,
quick-footed Jacksonville-native showed
his wares in poignant spots for coach Meyer
– when he was injected, foes knew
he was likely to run it straight at them
from the shotgun and they still couldn’t
stop him on the ground, let alone his aerial
successes (two-thirds of the time) on play-action.
The key, though, will be to see how he develops
as an every-down field general. We feel
he is a perfect fit for Meyer’s/Mullen’s
scheme (ala Alex Smith) of checking off
the play call once the back seven matches
up. Oh, and then there is the straight up
trickery...reverses, wide-outs who wind
up passing, direct snaps to someone besides
Tebow, etc. Tebow will also learn to roll
out more often to either run it or to find
isolated targets. Incredibly deep recruiting
efforts have yielded a wealth of talent
position players who also fit the spread
approach found in Gainesville. One example
is last year’s Freshman of the Year
in the SEC, Percy Harvin. Slash specialist
Harvin, like modified-QB Jarred Fayson,
is just too talented to be either red-shirted
or put into a learning/backup roll. In other
words, don’t expect a position label
to limit the contributions of all the Gators
who touch the rock...and there will be many.
The UF receivers go three deep. Senior Andre
Caldwell provides a great nucleus from which
to build and we will see his roll as ‘go
to’ guy remain with so much speed
amongst the others. Keep an eye on newbie
Deonte Thompson, the top receiver prospect
coming out of the Sunshine State. TE Cornelius
Ingram has super soft hands and goes downfield
at will to open up defenses, while counterpart
Tate Casey stays home in more of an H-back
capacity. This year’s No.2 (rivals.com)
TE recruit, Aaron Hernandez, is another
guy who is just too talented not to see
reps. Little-used Mon Williams was looking
to get the start at tailback, but he tore
his knee up this spring so veteran Kestahn
Moore luckily is waiting in the wings. Just
as lucky, backs are stacked deep in Gatortown.
Improvements to the Gator’s No.38
running attack will signal that these guys
are likely to return to the BCS, and that
prospect looks strong with four returning
starters up front. All-SEC guard Drew Miller
shifting to center will allow him to foster
the new guard replacing him, highly-touted
soph Ronnie Wilson. The creativity seen
when the Gators have the ball will now be
in the hands of Meyer’s personal selections/recruits,
so what we thought was an already effective
offense actually has a good chance of becoming
even better.
|
|
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FLORIDA
2007 DEPTH CHART
Returning Starters/Key
Players |
OFFENSE |
QB |
Tim
Tebow-So (6-3, 234) |
Bryan
Waggener-Jr (6-6, 226)
Cameron Newton-Fr (6-5, 242) |
RB |
Kestahn
Moore-Jr (5-10, 208) |
Brandon
James-So (5-6, 178) |
WR |
David
Nelson-So (6-4, 208) |
Louis
Murphy-Jr (6-2, 199) |
WR |
Andre
Caldwell-Sr (6-0, 198) |
Jarred
Fayson-So (6-0, 200) |
WR |
Percy
Harvin-So (5-11, 181) |
Justin
Williams-Fr (6-1, 195) |
TE |
Tate
Casey-Sr (6-6, 235) |
Cornelius
Ingram-Jr (6-4, 221) |
OT |
Phil
Trautwein-Sr (6-6, 298) |
Jason
Watkins-Jr (6-6, 304) |
OG |
Jim
Tartt-Jr (6-3, 312) |
Simon
Codrington-So (6-6, 313) |
C |
Drew
Miller-Sr (6-5, 297) |
Maurice
Hurt-Fr (6-2, 317) |
OG |
Ronnie
Wilson-So (6-3, 316) |
Carl
Johnson-Fr (6-5, 339) |
OT |
Carlton
Medder-Sr (6-5, 318) |
Marcus
Gilbert-Fr (6-5, 299) |
K |
Greg
Taussig-So (6-0, 194) |
Jonathan
Phillips-Jr (5-10, 207) |
|
|
2007
DEFENSE |
Champions
are predicated on superior defense, so UF
has its work cut out if it is to stay atop
the college football world. Building the
line around resident beast and top sack
artist Derrick Harvey will help. Miami-native
and former prep state wrestling champ Javier
Estopinan is back (ACL) and will compete
with a plethora of new hats (two five-star
guys) to complete the Gator front four.
The line sees only three scholarship DT’s
on the roster, so work here is needed for
UF to even come close to their No.5 ranking
in run stopping. Still, this group has the
promise of a top 25 unit. Prospects at linebacker
look even thinner, though; assignments already
in motion have a pair of RBs moving to the
corps (Walker, Williams). Still, big soph
Brandon Spikes has experience, as do oft-seen
reserves Dustin Doe, Ryan Stamper and A.J.
Jones, so there is a starting trio of sophomores
amongst those four who can buoy the incoming
talent that is sure to see the field on
game day. This super-fast group varies in
size nicely for both underneath coverage
and run stopping specialists to arise. The
bend-but-don’t-break philosophy found
in the Gator secondary is the most probable
quality still found from last year’s
stopping 11. Safety Tony Joiner gets Dorian
Munroe and Kyle Jackson to join him in the
deep middle to form a nucleus there, but
the youth movement at corner will mean secondary
coach Chuck Heater has his work cut out
before his bunch can return glory here.
Keep an eye on Major Wright, this year’s
No.2 safety prospect who hits like a Mack
truck…whose duties could include outside
coverage. Accomplishments here will go the
farthest toward putting UF back in the BCS,
and the work that has to be done to get
there will measure just how great the legend
of Urban Meyer may become.
|
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DE
Derrick Harvey
|
|
|
FLORIDA
2007 DEPTH CHART
Returning Starters/Key
Players |
DEFENSE |
DE |
Derrick
Harvey-Jr (6-4, 245) |
Trent
Pupello-Fr (6-2, 275) |
DT |
Javier
Estopinan-Jr (6-1, 270) |
Terron
Sanders-Fr (6-1, 304) |
DT |
Brandon
Antwine-So (5-11, 265) |
Lawrence
Marsh-Fr (6-5, 284) |
DE |
Jermaine
Cunningham-So (6-3, 230) |
Jerry
Howard-Fr (incoming) |
SLB |
Ryan
Stamper-So (6-1, 227) |
A.J.
Jones-Fr (6-1, 206) |
MLB |
Brandon
Spikes-So (6-3, 241) |
John
Jones-Fr (incoming) |
WLB |
Dustin
Doe-So (6-0, 219) |
Lorenzo
Edwards-Fr (incoming) |
CB |
Markus
Manson-Jr (5-11, 207) |
Jacques
Rickerson-Fr (5-9, 172) |
CB |
Markihe
Anderson-So (5-9, 175) |
Wondy
Pierre-Louis-So (6-1, 184) |
SS |
Tony
Joiner-Sr (5-11, 217) |
Kyle
Jackson-Sr (6-1, 201) |
FS |
Dorian
Munroe-So (5-11, 200) |
Bryan
Thomas-Fr (6-1, 203) |
P |
Chas
Henry-Fr (incoming) |
Bobby
Kane-So (6-0, 183) |
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|
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2007
SPECIAL TEAMS |
This
year’s No.5 kicking recruit, Chas Henry,
enters the placekicking and punting competitions
that have no less than four Gators vying for the
starts. Almost anyone will bring more promise
after the longest field goal last year prior to
the BCS title game was 33 yards. The Gator net
punting results will likely stay high with so
many four- and five-star recruits needing to distinguish
themselves. Though Brandon James earned Freshman
All-American honors as a return specialist, his
marginal efforts on kickoffs leave room for true
frosh Deonte Thompson (rumored to have run three-consecutive
sub-4.3 40’s) to find some reps.
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