Florida Gators thread

[azuquita8]

Meyer requires team chemistry


By Michael DiRocco,
The Times-Union

GAINESVILLE - Team chemistry can be the difference between a national championship and a nine-win season, and that's one area Florida coach Urban Meyer plans to work on heavily this spring.
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Meyer's biggest enemy is technology.
Cell phones and iPods are the biggest stumbling blocks to creating chemistry, he said, because they hinder the interaction between the players.
"Throw your iPod on, come in [to the locker room] bopping your head. Put on your equipment, go out to practice," Meyer said. "Come in and throw on your iPod, punching your cell phone, text people and leave. How are you going to develop any chemistry on the team?
"You see it every day. Just go walk on campus. You see these white things stuck in peoples' ears, and that means, 'I don't have to talk to you.' "
Meyer said the 2007 Gators didn't have bad chemistry, but it wasn't as good as it was on the 2006 team that won the national championship.
He doesn't want to completely ban cell phones and iPods from the locker room - cell phones are not allowed on Friday nights before games - but said he will institute a ban if he believes those items are hurting the team's chemistry.
"I am going to talk to them about being grown men, and let's develop a little chemistry," Meyer said. "I have talked to them about it, and I will go down there and pull them out and encourage communication."
Proposed rule changes
There are several rule changes, including yet more tinkering with the play clock, that will go into effect for the 2008 season, provided they are given final approval by an NCAA panel next month.
At the end of each play, teams will have 40 seconds to snap the ball. That replaces the old rule, which gave teams 25 seconds beginning when the officials marked the ball ready for play.
In addition, after a player runs out of bounds, the game clock will start when the officials mark the ball ready for play. The old rule started the clock at the snap. The new rule would not apply in the final two minutes of each half.
Other potential changes:
Coaches receive another instant-replay challenge if their first one is upheld.
When a kickoff goes out of bounds, teams can choose to take the ball at their own 40-yard line - instead of the 35 - or make the other team kick again.
All facemask penalties will be for 15 yards.
Horse-collar tackles are personal fouls and will result in 15-yard penalties.
No more sideline warnings. Officials can call a 5-yard penalty without any warning.
Meyer doesn't like the clock rules, but he is fine with the others. He said UF will work on the clock rules during the second half of spring practice.
"I'd like to be on those committees that change the clocks, but I am never asked," Meyer said. "I just like it the old way.
"When you talk about changing and screwing up the clocks because of longer commercials or the TV people, I am opposed to that. When you talk about player safety, I am OK with that."
Etc.
Freshman Matt Patchan has been moved from offensive line to defensive line. ... CB Markihe Anderson (bruised knee), WR Percy Harvin (heel), S Major Wright (elevated temperature) and OL James Wilson (knee soreness) were limited or did not practice Wednesday.
michael.dirocco@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4500

[azuquita8]

Meyer's speed challenge begins

By ROBBIE ANDREU
Sun sports writer
When Urban Meyer threw down his speed challenge a few weeks ago, he probably never envisioned that one of the Florida students racing his fastest players might turn out to be a 37-year-old senior who also works as a full-time accountant for a Gainesville engineering firm.
But, then Gary Bryant didn't see this coming either.
"I wasn't going to come out," said Bryant, 37, an Eastside graduate who is one semester shy of receiving his UF degree in business all these years later. "My girlfriend and my friends pushed me to do this. I just came out here to give it a shot and see how it went."
It went well. Very well.
Bryant was timed in 4.53 seconds in the 40-yard dash, tying him for the second-lowest time among 75 students who participated in the first round of qualifying on the Florida football practice field.
If his time holds up through another round of qualifying next week and he runs a similar time in the finals, Bryant could be one of five students earning the right to race UF's fastest players — tailback Chris Rainey and wide receivers Louis Murphy and Deonte Thompson — before the April 12 Orange and Blue Debut in The Swamp.
"It would be great," he said. "I'm an old guy. I'm kind of glad to hear Percy (speedy wide receiver Percy Harvin) isn't feeling too well (and won't be running)."
Bryant said he was in the ROTC program at Eastside and never played any high school sports. He said he stays in shape now by playing intramural sports (he's a wide receiver and cornerback in football) and working out.
"I just decided to go ahead and come out and try this," Bryant said.
Bryant's time can't match the usual 40 times of Murphy, Thompson and Rainey (they probably dip into the 4.3 range), but it's competitive. And Bryant wasn't even the fastest student Thursday.
That honor went to Ryan Stallings, a junior finance major from Tampa who recorded a head-turning time of 4.49.
That time is pretty stunning alone. Add in the fact he showed up almost an hour late and wasn't feeling all that well after a late night of partying, and it was fairly amazing.
"I had a test that was due at 5 (p.m.). I just got here," Stallings said moments after he ran. "I'm really dehydrated. I went out last night and don't feel so good. I got in about 3 a.m."
Stallings was feeling good about his time — and the prospect of taking on some of UF's fastest players on Florida Field next month.
When asked if he could beat Rainey, he said, "I hope so. I'll give him a run for his money."
Unlike Bryant, Stallings was an athlete in high school, running track (the 100, 200 and 4x100 relay) and playing soccer for Tampa Jesuit. He's also had success running in UF's intramural track meet the past two years.
His fraternity brother, Chris Rodgers from Longwood, was timed at 4.55 Thursday. Rodgers won the 100 and 200 in last year's intramural track meet.
"We were really excited (when we heard about Meyer's challenge)," Stallings said. "We felt we could really do well here."
Thursday's low times (which include a 4.53 by sophomore Mike Dent, a former high school wide receiver from Delray Beach Atlantic) might come as a little surprise to Florida players.
Earlier this week, Thompson predicted, "We should beat them by five yards."
It could be closer than that. But then this whole thing is for fun, anyhow.
"What I'm most excited about it telling my friends to come watch me on Florida Field," Stallings said.
As expected, there were not many 40 times below 5.0 seconds.
One student, a landscape architecture major, plodded the 40 yards in 5.86 seconds, but said he got what he came for. "The free T-shirt," he said.
Only two female students participated.
"I just wanted to see my 40 time and get the free shirt," said Jessica Wooden, a material science engineering major who ran a respectable 5.1. "I thought there would be more females out here.
"It's cool to be out here. This is where our football team practices. It's pretty awesome."

[Sunbiz1]

It's all your fault Tallahassee has come upon some hard times.....J/K !!

[azuquita8]

UF hoops schedule to get tougher

By KEVIN BROCKWAY
Sun sports writer
Florida's non-conference schedule will get a boost next season with the addition of a few more higher-profile opponents.
The Gators will face North Carolina State as part of a home-and-home series next season, according to N.C. State's athletic Web site.
N.C. State will face Florida next season on Jan. 3, 2009 at the O'Connell Center. Florida will then travel to Raleigh, N.C., for the return matchup the following season on Jan. 3, 2010.
It's significant to note that, like the Ohio State series, Florida will begin the two-game series at home. Florida coach Billy Donovan has acknowledged in the past a stumbling block in scheduling has been the ability to get higher-profile opponents to begin a series at the O'Connell Center.
In addition, Florida is expected to be one of four regional hosts in next November's O'Reilly Auto Parts Classic. Syracuse, Kansas and Washington are other host sites. If Florida wins the first two games in the tournament, it may end up facing two of the other three programs in the tournament's final four in Kansas City, Mo.
Florida bypassed an opportunity to play in next December's SEC-Big East challenge. The Gators will likely face a Big East school in the challenge during the 2009-10 season.
As per Florida Athletic Association policy, the school will not officially comment on the men's basketball schedule until it's completed next August.

[azuquita8]

Parsons' confidence grows on court

By KEVIN BROCKWAY
Sun sports writer
Florida freshman Chandler Parsons popped the game tape in the VCR and had a hard time containing his emotions.
Pausing and rewinding, Parsons watched as time after time opposing forwards and centers in the Southeastern Conference caught him out of position defensively. The end result was usually an easy dunk or layup.
"It almost hurt me to see what I was doing a month ago," Parsons said. "It really made me work and focus on defense, the little things."
Parsons isn't Corey Brewer yet, but the 6-foot-9 forward from Casselberry has showed enough progress on defense to earn his coach's trust.
In playing the final 10 minutes of Tuesday's 70-57 National Invitation Tournament quarterfinal win over Arizona State, Parsons not only made a pair of clutch 3-pointers, but gave up his body for a charge and grabbed two rebounds during a game-closing 14-4 run.
Donovan said he turned to Parsons as a bigger body and an extra shooter on the floor to combat Arizona State's 3-2 zone defense.
"Chandler made some smart plays, hit some big shots," Donovan said. "It was good to see him shoot the ball with confidence because there have been some games where he hasn't shot it as well."
Florida remains locked out of its $12 million practice facility, forced to do its own laundry while shuttling to the second-floor practice court at the O'Connell Center. The ban on wearing Florida gear remains intact.
During the ban, Florida has won three straight games by an average of 21.6 points per game to reach the NIT semifinals for the third time in school history. Florida will play Massachusetts on Tuesday at 7 p.m. (ESPN2) in the semifinals at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
"I think it happened at the right time," Parsons said. "We're still playing hard, playing for each other. We're learning what it takes to win, and that begins with defense."
Parsons acknowledged it took time for him to learn how important it was to work hard on both ends of the floor. Following Florida's fourth straight March loss, an 80-69 defeat against Alabama in the opening round of the SEC Tournament, the Gators spent four straight days in practice focusing exclusively on defense.
"I would say that I'm a totally different player than two-and-a-half weeks ago," Parsons said. "I think the whole team, it kind of rubbed off on all of us, how hard you have to work."
As a result, the Gators hope to play for their first NIT championship in school history. While many Florida players expected last October to keep the string of nine straight NCAA Tournament appearances alive, they are trying to make the most of next week's opportunity.
"We're still playing for a championship," Parsons said. "It's maybe not the championship that we wanted to play for, but we can still bring a banner back."

[azuquita8]

UF students may give players run for money


By ROBBIE ANDREU
THE GAINESVILLE SUN
Published Saturday, March 29, 2008 at 4:30 a.m.

GAINESVILLE — When Coach Urban Meyer threw down his speed challenge a few weeks ago, he probably never envisioned that one of the Florida students racing his fastest football players might turn out to be a 37-year-old senior who also works as a full-time accountant for a Gainesville engineering firm.
But then, Gary Bryant did not see this coming either.
"I wasn't going to come out," said Bryant, 37, an Eastside graduate who is one semester shy of receiving his UF degree in business all these years later. "My girlfriend and my friends pushed me to do this. I just came out here to give it a shot and see how it went."
It went well. Very well.
Bryant was timed at 4.53 seconds in the 40-yard dash, tying him for the second-lowest time among 75 students who participated in the first round of qualifying on the Florida football practice field.
If his time holds up through another round of qualifying next week and he runs a similar time in the finals, Bryant could be one of five students earning the right to race UF's fastest players -- tailback Chris Rainey and wide receivers Louis Murphy and Deonte Thompson -- before the April 12 Orange and Blue Debut in the Swamp.
"It would be great," he said. "I'm an old guy. I'm kind of glad to hear Percy isn't feeling too well" and will not be running. That is speedy wide receiver Percy Harvin.
Bryant said he was in the ROTC program at Eastside and never played any high school sports. He said he stays in shape now by playing intramural sports -- he is a wide receiver and cornerback in football -- and working out.
"I just decided to go ahead and come out and try this."
Bryant's time cannot match Murphy's, Thompson's and Rainey's usual speed at the 40-yard dash -- they probably dip into the 4.3 range -- but it is competitive. And Bryant was not even the fastest student Thursday.
That honor went to Ryan Stallings, a junior finance major from Tampa who recorded a head-turning time of 4.49.
That time is pretty stunning alone. Add in the fact he showed up almost an hour late and was not feeling all that well after a late night of partying, and it was fairly amazing.
"I had a test that was due at 5. I just got here," Stallings said moments after he ran. "I'm really dehydrated. I went out last night and don't feel so good. I got in about 3 a.m."
Stallings was feeling good about his time -- and the prospect of taking on some of UF's fastest players on Florida Field next month.
When asked if he could beat Rainey, he said, "I hope so. I'll give him a run for his money."
Unlike Bryant, Stallings was an athlete in high school, running track (the 100, 200 and 4x100 relay) and playing soccer for Tampa Jesuit. He has also had success running in UF's intramural track meet the past two years.
His fraternity brother, Chris Rodgers from Longwood, was timed at 4.55 Thursday.
Rodgers won the 100 and 200 in last year's intramural track meet.
"What I'm most excited about is telling my friends to come watch me on Florida Field," Stallings said.
As expected, there were not many times below 5.0 seconds.
One student, a landscape architecture major, plodded the 40 yards in 5.86 seconds, but said he got what he came for. "The free T-shirt," he said.
Only two female students participated.
"I just wanted to see my 40 time and get the free shirt," said Jessica Wooden, a material science engineering major who ran a respectable 5.1. "I thought there would be more females out here.
"It's cool to be out here. This is where our football team practices. It's pretty awesome."
The Gainesville Sun is part of the New York Times Regional Media Group.

[azuquita8]

Maurkice Pouncey center of attention

By ROBBIE ANDREU
Sun sports writer
The plan for the Pouncey twins was laid out all nice and neat last fall.
Maurkice would play at offensive guard, while Michael would understudy at center behind senior Drew Miller.
Michael, everyone agreed, was the future center at Florida.
Somehow, that plan got flipped.
Now, Michael is the starter at guard and Maurkice is the center of the future. Well, actually, he is the center of the present.
"When Mike moved to defensive tackle (late last season), he forgot the plays because he was concentrating on what he was doing on defense," Maurkice said Saturday. "I already know the system from starting last year, so they made the decision for me to go to center and Michael to guard.
"Anything for the team to help us win. I'm down for it. I'm ready to go."
This is the third spring in a row that the Gators are breaking in a former guard at the starting center position.
It started with Steve Rissler two years ago, and followed with Drew Miller last spring.
Now, it's Maurkice's turn to make the transition.
"It's a hard one, going from playing guard to making all the calls (on the offensive line)," he said. "It's hard for me right now. It's going good, but it's difficult."
Before this spring, the true sophomore said he had never played center before or snapped a football to a shotgun quarterback.
Almost as expected, Pouncey has dribbled and bounced a fair share of shotgun snaps to the quarterbacks in the first two weeks of practice.
That's the same way it was for Rissler and Miller when they made the move.
"That's the one thing I've really got to get down," Pouncey said. "You're stepping and you've got to hike it at the same time. It's difficult.
"I'm still having problems right now, but it's not as bad as when I first started. It's getting better every day."
Miller stopped by Saturday's practice to offer his replacement some encouragement.
"He said, ‘Keep it going, you're doing good,’ ” Pouncey said. "The more
encouragement I get, the better it is. I'm getting there.
"Drew said it was going to be hard in the beginning, but just stick it out, it will all come right."
That's the way it played out for Miller and Rissler. And as productive as those players turned out to be, Pouncey may have an even bigger upside, according to the coaches.
"Maurkice really wanted it (to play center)," offensive line coach Steve Addazio said. "He's a real football guy. He really feels like he can be good at it. I think he can be great at it.
"He's a sharp guy who has played a lot of football. He's doing a hell of a job. We just have to keep working on the snaps, but that will come. He'll be fine. I'm not worried about that. That's sheer repetition."
Addazio said Pouncey fits his ideal description of what a center should be.
"He's got to be a ball guy, a guy that absorbs it and gets the picture of the defense (in order to make the proper line calls)," Addazio said. "Maurkice played as a true freshman, which is hard to do. He had a heck of a year.
"He's a tough guy. He loves football. He can't get enough football. That's a great job description there. You're getting a veteran guy who is a ball guy. He'll do a great job with it."
Pouncey started 11 games at right guard as a true freshman last season. That's 11 starts where he lined up next to Miller and had a chance to see how a top center operates in this offense.
"I learned a lot last year," Pouncey said. "Drew was a big part of my success last year. He was so good at what he did, leading the offensive line and making all the calls."
Pouncey said he's feeling more comfortable at center every day. He's gaining a feel for making the line calls, and the bad snaps are fewer and far between.
One thing Pouncey said he likes about the move is the fact he and his twin are now lining up side-by-side again. At Lakeland High School, Michael and Maurkice formed the left side of the line.
"It feels like we're back home," Maurkice said.

[azuquita8]

Urban Meyer gets a grip on Gators football players

March 30, 2008

A two-hour full-field scrimmage Saturday marked the halfway point of spring football at Florida. And the impression from UF's seven team practices, and a bunch of winter conditioning sessions, has left Coach Urban Meyer with a solid plan for how 2008 will shake out.

"Like I told the team," Meyer said Saturday afternoon, "I have in my mind who's going to play this year. I'm almost done."

Chris Rainey looked like a lock for playing time with two long touchdowns, one each rushing and receiving. Carlos Dunlap and Brandon Spikes each had multiple sacks. And S Jamar Hornsby provided the hit of the day when he left TE Taste Casey gasping for breath on the day's penultimate play.
Sophomore Cam Newton took about three-quarters of the scrimmage's snaps, with incumbent starter Tim Tebow handling the rest. Redshirt freshman John Brantley is still battling a left shoulder injury and did not throw.

In other injury news, WR Percy Harvin and the Gator coaches will wait until at least today before deciding whether Harvin should have surgery on his injured heel. Meyer said he was scheduled to participate in a conference call Saturday afternoon with three doctors advising him on Harvin's care.

Harvin's mother Linda Harvin said Saturday night that her son's situation remained unclear.

"We're still trying to figure out what to do," Linda Harvin said.

[azuquita8]

Meyer uncertain on WR Harvin's injury
BY DAVID JONES
FLORIDA TODAY
Florida coach Urban Meyer said after Saturday's practice he had a conference call scheduled with doctors treating receiver Percy Harvin's heel injury to discuss whether he will be shut down for the rest of the spring.
Meyer also didn't rule out Harvin, who will be a junior next season, may need surgery.
The Gators' top returning receiver and rusher from last year's club has been slowed most of the spring by the problem, and had an MRI. Meyer said there are three different doctors involved in the treatment.
"It is a heel," Meyer said. "We just want to make sure we're doing the best treatments possible. . . . I'll announce Monday exactly what's going to happen."
The Florida coach even sounded a little uncertain what will happen next.
"I've heard people say, 'Hey is he having surgery?' " Meyer said. "I don't know. I'm anxious to find out."
The Gators' spring game is on April 12.
While Harvin has struggled, two players who have surprised Meyer so far this spring are back Chris Rainey and receiver Riley Cooper.
"(Rainey is) 175, 176, 177 (pounds), and he's holding the ball, all the things of why he couldn't play last year, he's really improved," Meyer said. "And Riley Cooper has been a really nice (surprise). He hasn't been here full time (also playing baseball), but he's started to pay a little more attention to detail."
Contact Jones at 242-3682 or djones@floridatoday.com

[azuquita8]

Gators shoot for New York encore

By KEVIN BROCKWAY
Sun sports writer
NEW YORK — It was a strange comment then, but maybe Florida freshman guard Jai Lucas was on to something.
Wise beyond his years, perhaps?
Before Florida's quarterfinal win at Arizona State, Lucas said that he would rather "be who we are today than playing in the NCAA Tournament as who we were a week ago."
Translation? Florida, hardened by the disappointment of not reaching the NCAA Tournament and getting some of its privileges revoked, learned how hard it needed to play on both ends of the floor to become a competitive team.
Florida will get another chance to show its renewed commitment to defense tonight against Massachusetts in the National Invitation Tournament semifinals at Madison Square Garden. With a win, Florida will reach the NIT Tournament finals for the first time in school history and try to become the first team ever to follow up an NCAA
Tournament championship with an NIT championship.
"This is a path for our program, our team," Florida coach Billy Donovan said. "Being here could be more valuable for us right now because we needed to grow and develop."
The NIT run has given Florida extra time to practice and focus on the problems that caused the team to miss the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1997-98.
"It gives you a whole different respect for what you have to go through, the sacrifices you need to make," Lucas said.
Florida has dominated its three NIT wins by an average of 21.6 points, holding all three opponents to 57 points or less. Will it serve as a springboard for the future? Memphis reached the NIT Final Four in 2005, when forward Joey Dorsey was a Conference USA All-freshman. This season, Dorsey has helped lead the Tigers to the NCAA Final Four after two straight Elite Eight appearances.
West Virginia, Mississippi State and Clemson, all NIT Final Four teams last season, reached the NCAA Tournament this year.
"You look at all three of these teams, and you have to say the practice time helped them get better," said NIT Tournament director C.M. Newton, the former Kentucky athletic director and head basketball coach at Vanderbilt and Alabama.
But there's also the case of South Carolina, which followed up back-to-back NIT championship teams in 2005 and 2006 with two seasons of failing to make any postseason tournaments.
If anything, the recent run gave Florida some its lost confidence back. Gone are memories of the four-game nosedive to start March, a losing streak that ended Florida's string of nine straight NCAA Tournament appearances. A tough road win at Arizona State before 12,000 re-affirmed that they were capable of beating quality teams and hostile environments.
"We were more than halfway across the country and we didn't back down," said Florida sophomore forward Jonathan Mitchell. "We hustled. We played hard defense. We showed how much we wanted it."
Florida will show this week if they want to stick around for a Madison Square Garden encore Thursday night in the title game.
"It's a championship," Lucas said. "It's in front of us. It's what we're playing for, right now."

[azuquita8]

Notebook: UF football's defense growing up

By EDWARD ASCHOFF
Special to The Sun
Chalk up another victory for the defense.
Florida’s “D” looked solid against a struggling offense in Florida’s first full scrimmage of the spring.
UF coach Urban Meyer said one of the reasons for the defense’s turnaround this spring has been the maturity of his players and lack of what Meyer likes to call the “dope look,” or that confused look that young players are notorious for.
“Confused looks lead to bad players, bad teams, bad defense, bad offense, and I’m starting to see that disappear a little bit on defense,” Meyer said.
Most of the scrimmage was dictated by the defense. The first series for the offense ended with a fumble and the scrimmage ended on an interception.
Meyer said the momentum really shifted to the defense after freshman defensive lineman Carlos Dunlap came away with back-to-back sacks. It’s plays like that Meyer said he needs his defense to make next season if the Gators want to win the big games.
“It’s all about making plays and trying to get off the field and we’re trying to put them in as many situations similar to last year,” he said. “The difference between winning those games and failing to win, two years ago your defense stood up and made a play and got a victory many times. I can think of four or five times off the top of my head when they went out and made a stop and it was over. Tennessee to Georgia two years ago and then last year we failed to do that. I’m pleased with a lot of performances right now on defense.”
The last few practices have been dominated by the defense and Meyer said Friday’s practice was the best his team has had in two years.
“Our Friday practice was the best, most intense, enthusiastic practice we had,” he said. “The execution wasn’t, but I don’t care about that yet. But (after) the last two days, those kids deserve a day off. We pounded real hard the last two days.”
Brantley sits out
Redshirt freshman quarterback John Brantley (shoulder), who is in a battle with freshman Cameron Newton for the backup quarterback spot, dressed but did not see action Saturday.
Meyer said it was for precautionary reasons.
“We just don’t want to (aggravate the injury),” Meyer said. “Trainers said because he’s trying to push himself, if he re-injures it then it sets him back even further.”
Brantley has had limited participation during 7-on-7 drills in practice.
Two tight ends
With the return of redshirt junior Cornelius Ingram and the emergence of freshman Aaron Hernandez as a legitimate playmaker, Meyer said he will use both in two tight end sets this upcoming season.
“We’ve never had two tight ends, so we’re getting real involved with that,” he said. “We actually have three. Tate’s (Casey) going to give us a third guy and we’ve never had that. You’re seeing a lot different formations with a closed tight end, which we’ve never really done. You’ve gotta take advantage of the talent you have.”
Moody still learning
USC transfer Emmanuel Moody has yet to prove that he can take over running duties from senior Kestahn Moore. While Meyer said Moody has shown that he’s a talented running back, his progression in the offense has not moved as quickly as he would like, despite being with the team in the fall.
“He’s very talented," Meyer said. "It's too early to say exactly what his role will be. He's got a long way to go but his attitude is tremendous. He's a little bit behind. I didn't think he'd be that far behind because he was here all fall, but it seems like everything is new and it shouldn't be that way. But he's a talented guy."
Harvin's status
Sophomore receiver Percy Harvin (heel) was in street clothes Saturday as he missed his third-consecutive practice.
Meyer said a conference call with three doctors to discuss Harvin’s treatment was scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Saturday. Meyer will announce Monday the prognosis and said he was unsure if Harvin’s injury would require surgery.

[azuquita8]

Hornsby's film session pays dividends

By ROBBIE ANDREU
Sun sports writer
Jamar Hornsby disappeared late last season, banished to the Land of the Forgotten, a sad and hopeless place where promising careers go to die.
He earned the trip by selling his complimentary football tickets, an NCAA no-no that resulted in a five-game suspension by the University of Florida.
UF sped things up, but the redshirt sophomore safety from Jacksonville will be the first to tell you he was probably already headed in that direction any way.
The former high school All-America's career seemed to be drifting aimlessly. Before the suspension, his only role on the team was on special teams, and he wasn't giving anyone, not even himself, any indication that that might change in the foreseeable future.
The No. 3 safety prospect in the nation coming out of Sandalwood High School had "bust" written all over him.
After returning for the Capital One Bowl (to play on special teams), Hornsby took stock of his situation in the offseason and decided it was time to make a move.
His first step was into the film room.
"The train is going and time is slipping," Hornsby said. "I've been here almost three years now and I really haven't touched the field on defense yet.
"I had to get into that film room and get to playing."
If last Saturday's scrimmage is any indication, his plan has a chance. He appears to be moving back from the Land of the Forgotten.
On the final two plays, Hornsby produced two of the day's biggest defensive highlights — a monster hit on tight end Tate Casey, followed by a scrimmage-ending interception.
Granted, it's only two plays in one spring scrimmage, but it's a start.
Hornsby is suddenly feeling good about himself (and his UF career) again.
"I'm speechless, really," he said. "It's just the film room. That's really where it's at. If you know what you're doing, the game is a lot easier.
"Studying film makes a huge difference. Last year, I was out there running around, not really knowing what i was doing. Now, I know exactly what my assignments are and I'm getting in a position to make plays. I'm playing with a lot of confidence now."
The coaches have noticed.
"Jamar Hornsby has done some good things," safeties coach Chuck Heater said Monday. "He had that big hit Saturday. Everybody notices those big hits. That was a good thing. That was the most positive thing in that scrimmage.
"He's definitely improved."
Hornsby said he's hoping his more dedicated approach will lead to possible playing time on defense in the fall. It would be his first significant playing time (other than special teams) in the three years he's been here.
Hornsby's UF career got off to a tough start even before he arrived on campus. He injured his knee in his senior season at Sandalwood and had reconstructive surgery after signing with with the Gators.
He said the effects of the injury lingered through a redshirt season in 2006 and even into last season.
"The knee injury was a real big setback," he said. "I came out of high school real heavy. I came here and lost a lot of weight, almost 30 pounds. I had to gain all that back, and I had to get my speed back. I was depressed for a long time because I wasn't playing."
The low point came last fall when he was suspended from the Georgia, Vanderbilt, South Carolina, Florida Atlantic and Florida State games for selling his comp tickets earlier in the season. He had to make restitution to UF.
As bad as things seemed, Hornsby said he was determined to stick it out at Florida.
"I was upset, but I never considered leaving," he said. "Last year was tough, just playing special teams and seeing the other guys out there playing.
"I definitely have matured a lot. I've got my head on straight now, and I think I'm really ready to play now."

[nerrad]

whoa, those are like a million articles a day on florida.