Florida Gators thread

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Meyer beams over UF's new front door

By PAT DOOLEY
Sun sports writer
Urban Meyer was like a kid with a new bike. He couldn't wait to show it off even if dad had yet to attach the chain or the horn.
So he excitedly marched a visitor over to the area that has been behind closed doors for months — the southeast corner of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium that has been shielded by fences and green tarps. Brick by brick, the new front door to Florida football has been rising into the sky leaving imaginations to wonder how orange-and-bluey it will be.
It won't be ready until July and the inside is still just a hollow shell with a high ceiling. But you can imagine it, the Heismans over there and the national championship trophies here. Is there a market for Gator goosebumps?
What Meyer wanted to show off was outside what will be the new entrance. There, chiseled into granite bricks lined up on the sidewalks, are the names of each of Florida's All-America football players.
“The first time I saw this, I had tears in my eyes,” Meyer said. “Really, I did. To think of all of these guys who gave their lives to Florida football and made it what it is today.”
He pulled back a sheet of plastic to reveal the first one — Dale Van Sickel, 1928. There's Carlos Alvarez, Steve Spurrier, Ralph Ortega. By the time I got three words into a Ralph Ortega story, an excited Meyer moved to the next column.
“Reidel Anthony, Ike Hilliard, Fred Weary.”
You can tell he will never tire of stopping on his way into the building at 6 a.m. to reflect on the players who have meant so much to the University of Florida. Or that he can't wait to show this new toy off to recruits in the fall.
“Tim Tebow and Percy Harvin, we've already got them in here,” Meyer beamed.
And then he was a tour guide explaining how things would be set up. One element of the entrance will be a large alligator with the names of every player from the 1996 and 2006 national champions engraved in it.
While the Gateway of Champions is a collaborative effort of the University Athletic Association, you can tell Meyer is treating it like a proud father.
That's the thing about Meyer. Coaches can talk about embracing tradition but few have given it such an emotional hug. He has talked the talk and stepped up to do something about it. It is possible to look back while still being able to look ahead.
That's why they have the Gator Walk now. Meyer couldn't believe that the team was bused into the stadium through the south entrance, took a left turn and walked into the locker room. How is that supposed to fire anyone up?
And anyone who has been to the football offices — first of all, congratulations for being able to find them — knows that they were about as dramatic as a visit to the podiatrist. Think about it as if you were a recruit. You walked up stairs with no pictures on the walls into a waiting room that made you feel like you might have to fill out some paperwork and have a proof of insurance card. (The breaking point came when a recruit's father referred to the facilities as “dirty, dull and dingy.”)
That said, Florida football did fine in the 1990s without a Ring of Honor or a Gator Walk or a recognizable front door. But it's not a coincidence that Meyer's tenure as the Gator coach has coincided with a sudden interest in honoring the history of the football program.
“If you're going to build tradition, you have to recognize tradition,” Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley said. “The thing about Urban is that he is a college football coach who understands about honoring the past.”
In a way, it was a perfect storm in that Meyer came to UF the year before its 100th football anniversary. He was the guy who would not only reach out to former players but put them all in a metaphoric group hug.
“We made a concerted effort to do something special for our fans, the former players and our recruits,” said Meyer.
Meyer is reaching back into the past while also striding confidently into the future. The new front door will be a pat on the back for former players as well as an enticement for future ones.
For the thousands of fans who will head to The Swamp on Saturday for the annual Orange and Blue game, the Gateway of Champions will remain a mystery, still under lock and key. The granite slabs remain covered for now, the names of the greatest UF warriors shielded from the elements.
Never forgotten.
Soon to be remembered.

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Meyer giving students chance to race Florida's fastest players, earn full scholarship
By MARK LONG
AP Sports Writer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) -- Florida coach Urban Meyer is searching for the fastest student on campus.
He's quite certain it's one of his football players -- Louis Murphy, Chris Rainey or Deonte Thompson.
Just to be sure, he's having a race Saturday.
What happens if someone beats his speedsters before the team's spring game?
"They're on scholarship,'' Meyer said.
It would be a long shot, especially after school officials held 40-yard dash time trials and didn't exactly find any real burners. Of the approximately 225 students who tried out, two covered the distance in 4.47 seconds, one ran a 4.48 and another was clocked at 4.49.
The fastest 15 students advanced to the finals Saturday. They will be split into three groups of five. Murphy will race one group, Rainey another and Thompson a third.
The players aren't exactly afraid of the competition.
"I'll blow them out,'' Rainey said. "I love challenges and I've got confidence in myself.''
Thompson had a more detailed prediction.
"We should beat them by more than five (yards),'' he said. "I think we will.''

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Thompson's time off was valuable

By EDWARD ASCHOFF
Special to The Sun
At the time, sitting out was the last thing Deonte Thompson wanted to do last season.
He arrived at UF with the thought of getting immediate playing time. What the freshman receiver got was five months of watching and learning.
“That's the greatest thing that could've happened,” Thompson said. “I wanted to play, but I redshirted. It's always a good thing because it's all for the better. It made me become a better football player technique-wise.
“Playing about one game and just (getting) two catches for the season — that's a wasted year. I'm coming back this year, feeling fresh.”
The most disappointing thing had to be when coach Urban Meyer would repeatedly use Thompson's name when he talked about which freshmen might play each week. But when game time arrived, Thompson could only be found on the sidelines.
“Every freshman wants to come in right away and play,” Thompson said. “When I got here it was a little depressing when I didn't play, but I got over it.”
With depth at receiver, the chances of him seeing playing time were slim. Looking back on it, Thompson concedes that he wasn't game-ready in the fall.
He wasn't used to reading defenses in high school. Thompson said he let his speed do most of the work. Unfortunately, it's not that easy in college when your routes are usually dictated on what defenses show you.
The spring has been good to Thompson, who put on a show on deep routes and in space. But like all inexperienced players, he's got cleaning up to do.
“He's still learning,” said junior receiver Louis Murphy. “He's still asking a lot of questions. He's just got to step up and make plays because he's in a situation where he's kind of been thrown into the fire (with Harvin injured).
“He's going to do good too because our offense is made for playmakers and the plays that they're putting in is going to give everybody a chance to make plays, so he should step up real good.”
Receivers coach Billy Gonzales said it was tough to keep a talent like Thompson off the field, but with the complexity of the offense, learning by observing will benefit him in the long run.
“I think Deonte's future will be extremely successful based on what we did last year,” Gonzales said. “The ability to learn the system (is important) and now that he knows (it), he's playing fast.”
It only seems logical that the faster Thompson plays the more dangerous he becomes. But by watching practice film, Gonzales said the almost 200-pound Thompson is playing more physically and learning not to rely solely on his speed to make plays.
Thompson said he's happy with his spring progression, but he won't be satisfied with himself until he steps out onto the field against Hawaii on Aug. 30 lined up for the first offensive series.
In order to do that, Thompson said he's still got to prove to his coaches that he's ready to assume a significant role in a receiving corps stocked with talent.
“Coach (Meyer) just always says ‘effort,’ so I just want to come out here every day and go as hard as I can go,” he said. “That's all he wants to see is effort, so I just keep doing that. I know the offense now, so that's it.
“I'm hungry. I want it this year, I gotta have it. I sat out last year. I wanted to play so bad, so now's my turn. Can't let it slip.”

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Confidence grows in Gator defense

By ROBBIE ANDREU
Sun sports writer
Nothing on the tape stunned or surprised him. It only confirmed what Vance Bedford had seen live, from the opposing sideline, several weeks earlier in the Capital One Bowl. Florida's defense appeared young and vulnerable.
"I looked at the tape again when I got here," said Bedford, the new UF cornerbacks coach who was the Michigan secondary coach last season. "Until that Michigan game, I think the defense did an outstanding job last year. They were so young, and each game they got better.
"Sometimes when you have a long layoff with a young team. ... I think that's what we saw in that particular game. I think it was more of an experience thing."
Whatever the reason for the lapse, it was a defensive disaster for the Gators in their
41-35 loss to Michigan on Jan. 1.
After showing improvement during a four-game winning streak to end the 2007 regular season, all the earlier problems on defense came roaring back with a vengeance in Orlando.
The defense couldn't put any pressure on Michigan quarterback Chad Henne, couldn't cover the Wolverines fleet receivers, and the Gators were shredded for 373 yards passing and 524 total yards.
The Michigan tape has been required viewing for Florida's defensive coaches and players. It's been a tough way to start 2008, but it had to be done.
"It hurt to watch," linebacker Brandon Spikes said. "But we needed to see it."
It was the first step in the process of breaking down the defense and beginning a reconstruction project, one that has been moving forward this spring.
"We felt really bad after that game," sophomore cornerback Joe Haden said. "That tape was hard to look at. After we watched it, the coaches basically told us no one had anything in the bank. We were all starting from scratch and we needed to come out here and work as hard as we can and get better as a unit."
In the Michigan game, the Gators started two true freshmen (Haden and free safety Major Wright) in one of the nation's youngest secondaries. Going into the season, strong safety Tony Joiner was the only starter with any game experience at all.
Given that the Gators gave up 373 yards in the air to the Wolverines, the natural assumption is to blame the secondary, and the cornerbacks in particular. UF coach Urban Meyer would not go there when he viewed the tape.
"It's very easy to start blaming corners, and sometimes people do that," Meyer said.
"My job is not to blame, but to try to come up with a solution.
"To sit there in a meeting room and just start blaming corners, that's not acceptable, and we didn't do that. That's a good thing."
In breaking down the tape (and the overall defensive performance last season), Meyer said it was obvious the inexperienced secondary was only a part of the problem. The lack of a pass rush also contributed heavily to all those big plays and all those passing yards.
"When we were tremendous in pass-efficiency defense two years ago, there was a
correlation between pressure on the quarterback and pass defense," Meyer said. "Pass rush was very inadequate last season. As a result, we gave up far too many plays downfield.
"Those are two of the areas we've been working hard on this spring. I'd have to say the back end (secondary) has improved more than the front end (defensive line). The front still has a long way to go."
The consensus among the coaches is that the cornerbacks have made great strides this spring and are playing with more confidence and doing a better job of locking down receivers and breaking on the ball. There are more athletes and there is more competition going on at those positions. That's pretty much the story with the safeties as well.
"I think our corners are our most improved area," Meyer said. "Is it because of something? Yeah, because they were freshmen last season and now they're sophomores with game experience. That's maturity. Vance and (safeties coach) Chuck Heater are doing a heck of a job back there."
With experience, comes maturity. With maturity, comes confidence, Haden said.
"I think the biggest difference is we're playing with confidence now in the secondary," Haden said. "It's studying a lot of film and knowing our techniques better, knowing the concept of the defense better.
"I feel like everyone (on defense) is so much more confident than they were last year.
Everyone knows what to do and everyone feels more comfortable. I'm a lot more comfortable playing corner now."
Before he arrived at UF last summer, Haden had never played cornerback. The fact he started at the position as a true freshman illustrates how little experience the Gators had in the secondary. Three of the top four cornerbacks (Haden, Markihe Anderson and Jacques Rickerson) were freshmen. The other (Wondy Pierre-Louis) was a true sophomore with zero experience. Then there was a true freshman (Wright) starting at safety.
Throw in little to no help from the pass rush, and it added up to a defensive disaster
at times.
"The defensive line is still a concern, but coach (Dan) McCarney is doing a great job," defensive coordinator Charlie Strong said. "The strength right now has to be the linebackers, and the secondary has really come on. If you're looking for improvement, it's been the secondary.
"There is a lot of competition at the corner positions and the guys are playing well. We didn't have a lot of defensive backs last season. Now we do."
The Gators have had plenty of motivation. Mainly, that Michigan tape.
"We've taken it to heart to get better," Spikes said. "A lot of guys are growing up and taking steps. The secondary has opened my eyes. They came out here determined to get better this spring, and they have. You can see it in their performance."

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I took time out to attend the 2008 Gator Orange and Blue scrimmage today; the game was also broadcast live in ESPN with the College Gameday crew set up in The Swamp (yeah Lee Corso was acting like a putz, but Kirk Herbstreit set him straight a few times).

The Gators divided themselves up into two squads; Tim Tebow headed up the Blue and Cam Newton ran the Orange offense. Our third QB, John Brantley, did not play due to injury as well as Percy Harvin who's recovering from foot surgery and should be ready to go this fall.

Tim Tebow's Blue squad won the game; he silenced those who say "he can't pass" by proving them wrong with connections to Riley Cooper, Aaron Hernandez and others, but did make a couple of costly mistakes that caused turnovers. Cam Newton looked good on the option plays and QB-keepers but was struggling with his passing today. Hopefully he'll be ready this fall as Urban Meyer is returning to the two-QB system. Should Newton win out the #2 slot over Brantley I see him being used in the same capacity Tebow was in 2006 as he was rotated with Chris Leak - on short-yardage situations, third-down conversion plays and in the deep red-zone.

I saw a huge improvement in our running game today; the addition of Kevin Carter as RB coach has definitely helped. Senior Kestahn Moore ran for a nice 11-yard breakout today and showed versatility as a blocker; had Newton been on his game today Moore could have seen some passes in the underneath zones thrown his way as he lined up in the TE slot a few times. He's emerging as a leader amongst his teammates and I expect him to be named a team captain this fall. Unlike Emmanuel Moody who seemed more personable Moore is more reserved, but I saw him interacting with his teammates on the sidelines in a positive way that he commands respect.

Moody is adapting to the spread offense; he showed some speed and power on rushes and in spite of him fumbling the ball on his first TD attempt he would later get it in the end zone. Chris Rainey emerged as another strong rusher and playmaker today for the Blue squad. We could have three RB's in the rotation along with Brandon James, who should see most of his duties on kick and punt returns with Moore as a lead blocker.

With Tate Casey coming back from an injury last season he and Hernandez give us one of our best tight-end depth in years. As far as our receivers go we didn't see too much because of injuries, but it's nice to see Cooper back after injury problems last year. Deonte Thompson saw some action on the Orange squad, but needs more experience at the college level. He has potential, though. One weak area I saw was the ability of our receivers to play in double coverage; this needs to be worked on during fall two-a-days.

Our defense has improved by leaps and bounds, especially our secondary. We had lost 9 starters in 2007, and our inexperience showed. Yet today I saw more aggressiveness from our corners, especially Jacques Rickerson and Wondy Pierre-Louis. We return two solid linebackers in Brandon Spikes and Dustin Doe, and freshman Matt Patchan will add some power to our D-line.

Caleb Sturgis showed us today that he's got "the leg". He nailed some field goals from a considerable distance and showed he was the better of the two when matched up against Jonathan Phillips in kicking through the uprights. Florida will likely have Phillips kick off and Sturgis as the placekicker this fall.

Since last year's 9-4 record and a Cap one loss to Michigan that was a hard pill for the Gators to swallow, there's a new attitude on this team. I for one hope it carries over into the fall and will lead us back to Atlanta for the SEC title. In spite of what Corso said about South Carolina being the deciding game for us this year, IMHO the road back to the SECCG goes through the Georgia game, and based on a lot of the smack talk I heard (and a fan's sign "Knowshon Moreno plays with Barbie" that was featured in ESPN) there's a need to avenge that loss and Mark Richt's allowing his players to rush the field after a TD last year.

Tim Tebow was honored for his Heisman win with his own commemorative sign in The Swamp, and he received another award for being a player of the year. I had great seats on the 50-yard line to view the game behind the band and the Orange bench, and I sat with the relatives of one of our reserve linebackers, Chris Pintado from Miami. Overall it was a great day for some pre-season college football, and I'm heading back up there for the Women's Football Clinic this June. I'm already jonesing for the August two-a-days!

GO GATORS!!!!

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Meyer takes look at UF running backs

By EVAN DREXLER
Special to the Palm Beach Post
Sunday, April 06, 2008
GAINESVILLE — After scrimmage at Saturday's practice, Florida football coach Urban Meyer said he was happy with his running backs but still wants more from them.
"I guess my point is expectations I have for them is so high," Meyer said. "I expect them to be no different than receivers.
"And now I think our tight ends are some of the best in the (Southeastern Conference), I think our receivers are some of the best in the SEC as is our quarterback. How about our backs? I don't know."
Sophomore running backs Chris Rainey and Mon Williams saw significant amounts of playing time in the scrimmage. Rainey broke a few tackles and got into open space while Williams got praise for his first official practice of the spring.
"He ran really hard," Meyer said of Williams. "I think about one stretch we gave him the ball 10 straight plays."
Offensive coordinator Dan Mullen also was excited to see Williams back after he tore his anterior cruciate ligament in 2007, causing him to miss the season.
"Even when you're cleared and you're back supposedly 100 percent, you're not playing with that confidence," Mullen said. "And Mon looked like he played with that confidence today."
Starting running back Kestahn Moore played early, as did Southern Cal transfer Emmanuel Moody.
Thompson catches 2 TDs: Wide receiver Louis Murphy did not participate in the scrimmage because of chronic headaches, Meyer said.
Former Glades Central standout Deonte Thompson played in his place and caught two deep touchdowns from quarterback Tim Tebow.
"We've got to be deep," Mullen said. "One guy steps down, someone else has to jump right in there. Murph didn't go today, so Deonte, you've got to be the next guy to jump in there, make some plays and show that you can do it."
Thompson dropped a pass in the end zone as it bounced off his knee, and he was frustrated because he thought he had a sure score.
"I was so happy, I already knew it was a touchdown," Thompson said.
Minor injuries: Offensive lineman Mike Pouncey came up lame early in the scrimmage and was on crutches afterward.
Fellow lineman Carl Johnson dislocated a finger, but Meyer said both were going to be fine.

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Moody blues

By TALAL ELMASRY
Special to The Sun
As he dove for the end zone, Southern Cal transfer running back Emmanuel Moody was one yard away from making a big first impression on his new team and the record crowd of 61,000 attending Saturday's Orange and Blue Debut.
Any hopes of Moody leaving his mark were erased when the sophomore fumbled before he crossed the plane, and the Blue team recovered for a touchback.
"I thought that run before he got hit going into the end zone was an excellent run. He's got talent," coach Urban Meyer said. "But there's no chance you'll see him play regardless of what dot.com says and all the e-mail I'll get and everything else. He will not play football if there's a chance it's falling on the ground."
With the Blue team leading 21-7 at the start of the second half, Moody (14 carries, 111 yards) was set to single-handedly march the Orange team in for a score with three consecutive runs. After Moody reversed field and rumbled 34 yards to the Blue team's 31-yard line, he ran for 12 more, then for 19 before the ball was jarred loose at the 1.
Running backs coach Kenny Carter was asked if he gave Moody "a talking to" on the sidelines after the play.
"That's an understatement," said Carter, who's in his first year at Florida. "Football players make plays. Either you make them or you don't. It's unacceptable, and there are consequences that follow irresponsibility."
Although his performance was tainted by the turnover, the 5-foot-11, 206-pound Moody muscled his way into the end zone with just 1:41 left to play after bouncing off tacklers on a 10-yard touchdown run.
"That kind of let everybody down on that drive where he fumbled. I felt like he wanted to make up for it," sophomore running back Brandon James said. "When he got in the end zone, I think he got a little better morale about himself."
Moody ended up helping the Orange team rush for 155 yards on the day, which is the highest total since the Blue team rushed for 157 in 2004.
His combination of power and speed in spring practices have still impressed his coaches, who believe this will only motivate a workhorse like Moody.
"He got a lot of carries (today) and was productive, which we expected," Carter said. He's got the ability to be a special player," Carter said. "We expect him to come back in preseason and do a good job this summer to get himself to that (level)."
Moody was not available for comment after the game.

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Notebook: Flu can't stop Tebow

By EDWARD ASCHOFF
Special to The Sun
Even with a stomach flu that caused him to have a 100-degree fever the night before, Tim Tebow led the Blue to a 28-14 win over the Orange in front of a record crowd of 61,000.
“Come on, Orange and Blue game, you have to play,” the sophomore quarterback said of the possibility of sitting out the game because of the illness.
Tebow finished the day going 13 for 21 for 200 yards and two touchdowns and his now 3-0 in spring games.
With ESPN in the house with College GameDay, UF coach Urban Meyer said he wanted to put on a show for the fans and the nation watching, but because of injuries to almost every position he feared he would fail.
His offensive line was so banged up that he had to play his starters for the entire game.
Two players Meyer was especially disappointed about were junior college transfer receiver Carl Moore (ankle) and redshirt freshman quarterback John Brantley (hand).
“Those are two players that needed to perform under the bright lights and they didn't get the chance to do that,” Meyer said. “We'll have to make that up.”

Redshirt junior tight end Cornelius Ingram (ankle) and redshirt freshman linebacker A.J. Jones (thumb) were also inactive.
Despite the injuries, the Gators delivered exciting plays and with spring practice officially over, Tebow said the confidence is running high heading into summer.
“We're getting a lot better feel because we have a team that's a lot more mature than we were in the past and guys are really stepping up,” he said. “It makes you very confident. The guys that are out there you can depend on and you're confident in what they can do and so it makes everything run a lot smoother and brings everybody's confidence up a lot.”
Tebow honored
Tebow's 2007 Heisman Trophy display was unveiled in the South End Zone at halftime.
“That was pretty cool out there,” Tebow said. “I'm just blessed to have the opportunity. It's something that I'll definitely remember for a while.”
Tebow finished the 2007 season with 3,286 passing yards and 32 touchdowns. He also led UF with 895 yards rushing yards and 23 touchdowns. Tebow became the first sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy and the first player to total both 20 rushing touchdowns and 20 passing touchdowns in a single season.
Sturgis Impresses
Freshman kicker Caleb Sturgis wanted the 65-yarder, but he settled for a spring game record 60-yard field goal in the second quarter.
“I wanted it pretty badly,” Sturgis said. “I knew I didn't hit it the best that I could have, but I still thought it might get there.”
Even with the 61,000 fans cheering him on and his coach simply telling him “Don't miss,” Sturgis said he didn't feel much pressure, but adds that once he's kicking in a real game things could change.
“You just have to get everything out of your head right away,” he said. “I'm sure it will be different to when it's completely filled with people behind the field goal posts and probably cheering against me when I'm away (from The Swamp).”
Jackson inducted
Former UF receiver Willie Jackson Jr. was inducted into the UF Athletic Hall of Fame at halftime.
Jackson, who played with the Gators from 1990-93, finished his career with 162 receptions, good for third all time. He also had 2,172 receiving yards and 24 touchdowns in his career.
Etc.
Rainey's 4.24 40-yard dash time in the Fastest Gator Contest was the fastest recorded time during Meyer's tenure at UF. … Freshman defensive lineman Carlos Dunlap's four sacks were a spring game record. … Freshman linebacker Lorenzo Edwards' 50-yard interception returned for a touchdown in the second quarter was the longest defensive touchdown in a spring game and was the first interception returned for a touchdown since Keiwan Ratliff's 42-yarder in 2003. … Freshman punter Chas Henry's 64-yard punt in the first quarter was the longest in spring game history.

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Gators running backs impress Meyer

Moody's 'ball security' concerns coach, though

news-press.comsports bureau
GAINESVILLE - A year ago, Chris Rainey's shoulder was so weak that Florida coach Urban Meyer remembered pushing on it and seeing the freshman from Lakeland nearly fall to the ground. Emmanuel Moody was watching from the sidelines, sitting out the season after transferring from Southern Cal.
After a fall of surgery and rehabilitation, Meyer predicted during spring practices that Rainey, who has gained 10-15 pounds, will be a special weapon for the Gators in 2008. At the same time, the Gators' coach confessed all winter he had his fingers crossed that Moody would be a very good running back in Gainesville.
The possible impact of Moody and Rainey in 2008 was very obvious in Saturday's Orange and Blue game, which was a 28-14 win for the Blue.
Rainey had runs of 6, 8, 6 and 21 to key the Blue team's opening drive, finished off on a 9-yard run by Mon Williams. He then caught a 65-yard pass from Heisman Trophy quarterback Tim Tebow (13 of 21, 200 yards, two touchdown passes) as a record spring game crowd
announced at 61,000 roared at the electric play that made it 14-0 near the end of the first quarter.
"It made me feel good,'' Rainey said. "I had to prove to coach Meyer what I can do so I can play in the game. ... He said if you do well in the spring you will get the ball (in the fall) so I had to do what I can do.''
Rainey was the star of the first half. He finished the game with 75 yards on 11 rushes and the one TD catch for 140 yards on 12 touches.
"I think Chris Rainey is going to be a very, very fine football player for us,'' Meyer said. "If we can get him to 185 pounds that can be really good.''
Rainey said he tips the scales at 177.
Tebow had a 102-degree temperature on Friday night but took some intravenous fluids before the game and played anyway. Meyer said his star quarterback "didn't look like himself'' before the game.
"I probably shouldn't have played him,'' Meyer said. "It's Tim, so he's going to go play.''
Tebow had a pair of first half interceptions. The second was returned 50 yards by Lorenzo Edwards for a touchdown for the Orange squad - among the positive signs for a defense unit that was abused in key moments last season.
Rainey kept a lot of UF followers smiling at his potential as an exciting new weapon. Rainey also had an 18-yard run in the second quarter and finished the 65-yard drive off with a one-yard leap into the end zone to make it 21-7.
Despite ill health and a less than perfect performance, Tebow still had plenty to smile about. He was honored at halftime with the unveiling of his sign on the south end zone wall honoring him for winning the 2007 Heisman Trophy.
As the cover came off the sign he smiled and waved to a standing ovation at Florida Field.
In the second half, it was Moody's turn to impress. He finished with 111 yards on 14 carries, most of which came in the third quarter. He had the final touchdown of the game on a 10-yard run for the Orange squad. But Moody also lost a fumble, which has been a concern this spring.
"He's very talented,'' Meyer said. "But he's not good at ball security. He will not play tailback at the University of Florida without ball control.''
Riley Cooper also had a nice day, catching five passes for 67 yards at receiver. Cam Newton, battling for the backup quarterback job, was just 6 of 18 for 53 yards. John Brantley, expected to compete for the No. 2 job, did not play. He's been nursing a shoulder problem throughout the spring. Highly-decorated receiver recruit Carl Moore (ankle) also didn't play.
"We've got a team that's a lot more mature than we've had in the past,'' Tebow said. "Guys are really stepping up. That's good to see. It makes you very confident. The guys that are out there you can depend on and you're confident in what they can do and it makes everything run a lot smoother and brings everyone's confidence up.''

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Show of colors

Florida quarterback Tim Tebow (center) prepares to take a snap as coach Urban Meyer (left) looks on during the Orange and Blue Debut on Saturday in Gainesville. JENNIFER CHASTEEN/Lake City Reporter

Gators show off for fans, coaches at scrimmage game.

By CHRIS WHITE
cwhite@lakecityreporter.com

Published: Sunday, April 13, 2008 6:07 AM EDT
GAINESVILLE — Florida quarterback Tim Tebow was college football’s leading man last season. His teammates made their first push for best supporting role on Saturday at the annual Orange and Blue Debut scrimmage.

The game offered fans a chance to punctuate the offseason monotony and

gave Florida coach Urban Meyer and his staff a chance to see what they have to work with and how many of the players would react in front of 60,000 people for the first time.

The Gators had been plagued by fumble-prone running backs in the past few seasons, and a handful of young players showed signs of making a transition into the feature back coaches have been hoping to groom.

Running back Chris Rainey stood out, particularly in the first half, scoring his first of two touchdowns on a 65-yard pass from Tebow. The redshirt freshman made the grab over the shoulder and juked defensive back Ahmad Black before sprinting the final few yards for the score.

“That was a tough catch, I don’t know how I caught that,” Rainey said. “When I caught it, I saw Ahmad coming at an angle, and I cut back, and he didn’t cut back.”

The former Lakeland High star played the role of injured wide receiver Percy Harvin, who underwent ankle surgery last week. Like Harvin, Rainey was able to catch the defense off guard by playing multiple positions.

“I don’t know if Percy-ish is a word, but he has some of those qualities,” Meyer said of Rainey.

On the long pass play, Rainey went completely uncovered and exploited more than half a field of open sideline.

“That was a bad idea,” said Rainey, who would score again in the second half on a 1-yard run. He led the Blue team with 75 yards rushing on 11 carries and the 65-yard touchdown haul was his only reception.

Florida junior running back Kestahn Moore, who was troubled by fumbles last season, is the top running back heading into summer, according to Meyer, but Rainey will receive ample playing time.

“Kestahn Moore and Chris Rainey will start the game at tailback,” Meyer said. “A lot of that depends on the play.”

Moore had only two carries in the game for a combined 13 yards.

Southern California transfer Emmanuel Moody, playing in his first Orange and Blue game, has been shaking things up at spring practices, and had a game-high

111 yards rushing for the Orange team. He had one reception for two yards, and scored on a 10-yard run with just under two minutes to play in the game.

Moody came close to scoring earlier in the game, but fumbled the ball into the end zone on his final push for a score. The drop limited his playing time after that and drew criticism from Meyer.

“He’s not very good with ball security,” Meyer said. “He won’t play tailback at Florida unless he has more ball security. He’s very talented he’s had some great runs, that run going into the end zone before he got hit was a great run.

“He’s got talent, but there’s no chance to see him play here... if there’s a chance that ball will hit the ground.”

Mon Williams, who has spent the spring battling it out with Moody for a spot on the depth chart, scored the first touchdown of the game on a 9-yard run, but was held to short yardage most of the game. He finished with 16 yards rushing on seven

carries for the Blue team.

Meyer said he was encouraged by the progress and competition he saw at the

position and said he felt confident without one when asked if the Gators could compete without a feature back.

“We won a national championship two years ago without one, and we led the SEC in offense a year ago without one,” Meyer said. “So to answer that, it’s a little hard on a coach, so you have to be creative.”

Tebow, who blazed a path for the Gators on the ground last season en route to becoming the first-ever sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy, tried to let his arms speak Saturday.

The junior quarterback was 13-of-21 for an even 200 yards with a pair of interceptions including one by freshman linebacker Lorenzo Edwards for a 50-yard touchdown.

Tebow got in a good hit on the play — he sent Major Wright sprawling to the

sidelines with a mere flick of the shoulder as the defensive back tried to block on the interception return — but almost didn’t play. The quarterback recently came down with a case of food poisoning or the flu, and said he had a fever and been vomiting since Friday.

“I probably shouldn’t have played him,” Meyer said. “That’s Tim, so he’s going to go play.”

Tebow did not score a rushing touchdown on Saturday — the first time he has failed to do so in a game since last year’s scrimmage — but his determination to improve continues to impress coaches.

“He’s one of the greatest competitors I’ve ever been around,” Meyer said. “He could be the greatest. He’s one of the best players of our era. Not of Florida, but of our era. What makes him such a great player is that trend of holding down and going.

“He’s not necessarily the best quarterback, but the best competitor.”

Tebow’s understudy, Cameron Newton, proved he, too, could scramble. The soon-to-be sophomore made his case for Meyer to continue with his plans to implement a two-quarterback system with 20 yards rushing on 10 carries and 53 yards passing. Backup John Brantley is nursing a shoulder injury and did not play Saturday.

Harvin already has garnered Heisman hype from teammates and is expected to break out as a full-time receiver next season, but his heel injury allowed the rest of the receiving corps a chance to make a play for the No. 2 spot.

Brandon James had a pair of receptions for 27 total yard to lead the Orange team, and Riley Cooper had five catches for 67 yards, including a 14-yard touchdown, to lead the Blue team.

Deonte Thompson had two catches for 18 yards, freshman Justin Williams had one catch for six yards and Moody’s two-yard grab to complete the receiving for the Orange team. Tight end Aaron Hernandez had three catches for 26 yards, David Nelson had two catches for 22 yards, Butch Rowley had two catches for 20 yards and Rainey had a single 65-yarder for the Blue team.

With Tebow and Harvin still at the helm, the Gators hardly can get worse offensively. But after winning a national championship with an overpowering defense, Florida spent last season trying to fill holes left by graduation and the NFL draft.

Enter the replacements.

Meyer criticized freshman defensive end Carlos Dunlap’s positioning after the game, but lauded his pass rushing ability. He sacked Newton four times for a spring game record, including three in the first half.

Defensive back Joe Haden picked up speed on his pass coverage and cornerback Wondy Pierre-Louis had his hands in passing lanes all afternoon, with both drawing praise from Meyer.

“Wondy and Joe are the first two, but not the last,” Meyer said. “We have about seven guys that can play. Behind them, we have Jacques (Rickerson) Markihe Anderson, we’ve got two freshman (Black and Wright) and we’ve got Moses Jenkins. So you have seven athletes that are all freshman and sophomores. That’s a unique thing that we have.

“So if one guy decides to have a bad day, like we had last year and no one to put in behind them, we can put someone in behind them. And they all want to play.”

Some defensive veterans left the play-making to the young players.

Middle linebacker and defensive leader Brandon Spikes had only two tackles, and both were assisted. But with more of the young players finally living up to their recruiting hype, success should come easily, Spikes said.

“There are a lot of our guys who are more comfortable,” Spikes said. “When you’re like that, you’re going to make the plays.”

The Gators would shake up their play book again this season to accommodate the specific talents they had, Meyer said, and would implement some new formations, including a two-tight-end lineup.

“You’re going to see some two-tight-end sets here soon with the University of Florida Gators,” Meyer said. “How about that? Our goal is to be 3 yards and a cloud of dust.”

The 28-14 victory was the second in a row for the Blue team, which was led by Tebow both years.

[azuquita8]

Rookie life tough for Brewer, Richard

By KEVIN BROCKWAY
Sun sports writer
ORLANDO — With the quick hands that were part of his trademark at Florida, Corey Brewer stripped the ball from Orlando Magic guard Carlos Arroyo and spun into open space.
Then Brewer, the Minnesota Timberwolves' rookie lottery pick, sped down the court and skied for a highlight-reel dunk that was so common during his three years at UF. But trailing on the play was Orlando Magic backup center Adonal Foyle. With a long swipe of his arm, Foyle caught the ball in mid-flight. Brewer couldn't finish the dunk, but forced enough contact on his wrist to draw a foul.
It's been a rookie season of peaks and valleys for both Brewer and Chris Richard, who returned to the Timberwolves last month after a stint in Sioux Falls, S.D., with Minnesota's NBA Developmental League affiliate.
Mainly, the two have had to adapt to losing after leading Florida to back-to-back national championships in 2006 and 2007. The Timberwolves entered Friday night's game in Orlando at 19-59 after a horrendous 5-34 start to the season.
"To lose this many games, I just never really have lost this much at any level," Brewer said. "When you lose 40 or 50 games, it's tough. You just have to keep working and try to correct the little things."
There was cause for mild celebration on Friday night. The Timberwolves rallied from down nine points in the final four minutes to win 102-101 on a pair of Ryan Gomes free throws with 2.9 seconds remaining. Brewer kept the winning play alive at the end, crashing the offensive glass and batting a loose ball to ensure Gomes was fouled on an offensive rebound in the closing seconds.
Brewer finished with 12 points, nine rebounds and three steals in 30 minutes off the bench, receiving a loud ovation from the sellout crowd at Amway Arena when he checked in mid-way through the first quarter. Richard had four points and five rebounds in nine minutes.
"It felt good, because we beat a playoff team on their court," Richard said.
Much was expected of Brewer after the Timberwolves took him with the seventh overall pick in last June's NBA Draft. Brewer, Al Jefferson and Rashad McCants were photographed for the cover of Minnesota's media guide, hailed as new young cornerstones of the franchise after team icon Kevin Garnett was traded from Minnesota to Boston last offseason.
But Brewer has spent much of the season in and out of Minnesota's starting lineup, due in part to his inconsistent perimeter shooting. For the season, Brewer is shooting 37.1 percent from the floor while starting in 35 of Minnesota's 77 games this season.
"That's been tough," Brewer said. "I might start one night, get 15 minutes the next
night."
Minnesota coach Randy Wittman described Brewer and Richard as, "Two quality kids. Like most rookies in the league, they've had had ups and downs this season.
"Corey has got to work on his jump shot, to be more consistent," Wittman said. "His upper body strength is something that also needs to be addressed in the offseason.
"Chris has to create a niche for himself in this league. Is he a rebounder? Is he a defender? He has the body and the smarts to play at this level."
Defensively, Brewer has tried to make up for his strength with his quickness and length. On Friday night, Brewer guarded Orlando forward Hedo Turkoglu, who at 6-foot-10 and 220 pounds, had an inch and 40 pounds on the 6-9, 180-pound Brewer. Turkoglu finished with 23 points.
"In college, you could just lock in on a guy," Brewer said. "Here you have to adjust to more team defense, more help defense."
Asked his toughest defensive assignments this season, Brewer said, "Kobe (Bryant) probably, although I think (San Antonio Spurs guard) Manu Ginobili has given me the most problems."
Off the court, Brewer spent a portion of his $2.5 million rookie salary to build a new house for his parents in his native Portland, Tenn. Brewer said his father, Ellis, had another surgery last December due to complications from diabetes, but is currently in good health and good spirits.
When Brewer has bad days, he can usually find support from Richard. The two leased neighboring condominiums a few doors down from each other in the same downtown Minneapolis complex.
"It's just like college," Richard said. "I can knock on the door and borrow some things."
Richard endured his own basketball odyssey when he spent time in the NBDL last February, traveling his share of five-hour bus rides through the South Dakota countryside.
"I didn't look at it like a demotion," Richard said. "It was good for me because I was able to get more playing time. I got about 20 to 30 minutes a game. I got better."
The losses and the cold Minnesota winter were tough to bear. "I spent a lot of time inside," Richard said. But both insist they are living out their dreams by playing in the NBA.
Richard, a Lakeland native, returned to the same arena where he watched Magic games as a kid.
"I was telling (Minnesota teammate) Michael Doleac before the game that I used to watch him play here when he played center for the Magic," Richard said. "Way up in the nosebleeds."
Brewer said he's eager to build on his rookie season.
"I think this season has made me m