2006 Statistics

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.

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.