Scott Van Pelt Tells the Damn Truth

Nails Bud Selig here.

It's a damn shame ESPN suspended him for this, when the man just plain told the truth. Yes, he went at Bud hard, but so what? Bud deserves to get nailed to the wall for this; I know he's in denial and all that, but it's true. He sat on his laurels while MLB players saved the sport, and now he has the gall to get pissed when people actually call him on it? Please.

Scott Van Pelt, this blogger appreciates the troof.

Alex Rodriguez: Pure Fucking Comedy

Let me start with this: I'm not a baseball fan. I think baseball's a joke sport with joke players and joke records. When 5 of the leading 11 are under suspicion of using steroids, along with one of the best pitchers ever, something's wrong with your sport.

Still, though, the Alex Rodriguez Show has been a hell of a show to watch. The guy's so bad at lying that it's comical. Hell, the guy's got the same PR company that George W. Bush employed while he was President; maybe that was their strategy: to make up the lamest story possible so that people would laugh instead of call for his head.

Look at the situation: A-Rod handpicks Peter Gammons and admits to using performance enhancing drugs, then says he doesn't remember how he got them. Then, just yesterday, he says that some unnamed cousin took him down to the Dominican Republic for an over-the-counter "energy booster," because we all know that you inject energy boosters, right? But here's the funny part: he's reading all of this off from a piece of paper. Neon signs saying "KEEP YOUR LIES STRAIGHT" couldn't have been more obvious. Hell, I half-expected A-Rod to give the press a "Is this thing on?" before breaking out the flapping dickie routine. Again, I'm not a baseball fan, but if I were, I think I'd be pretty ticked off. Could this guy be any more pompous? Only an arrogant person could make up such an obviously garbage story and expect anyone to believe him. Never mind the fact that he still hasn't admitted to using the drugs that the 2003 drug test stated that he used. Never mind that there's going to be a book published detailing his drug use. No, the mysterious Dominican cousin took him to get some "Boli," whatever the fuck that is.

And that's probably the thing that gets me the most about this guy. He's completely unwilling to accept responsibility. First, he accused Sports Illustrated Selena Roberts of being a stalker; he even went so far as to accuse her of trying to break into his house while his kids were sleeping. So obviously, he can't be blamed for taking banned substances; some crazy bitch was out to get him. Then came the oft-repeated "I was young and dumb excuse." All those injections must have given poor A-Rod amnesia since he seems to forget that, according to his own story, he started shooting up six years into the league. Either A-Rod's lying or he's the world's dumbest baseball player. Then came the "It was a loosey-goosey culture." First off, who the fuck even says "loosey-goosey?" Second of all, if the culture was so lax about drug use, then why all the secrecy about procuring the drugs? Why even bother going down to the Dominican Republic when everyone was so relaxed about it? I'm not an expert or anything, but something doesn't seem right about that. However, the coup de grace was the unnamed cousin angle. As if blaming real live people for his fuckups wasn't enough, he's now taken to blaming people that don't exist. See, it wasn't Alex Rodriguez who got Boli, it was his "cousin" who told A-Rod that what he was injecting was an energy booster.

None of this is his fault, and that's probably has all the sports reporters on their high horses right now; I normally don't like the whole moral high ground deal, but Alex has given everyone easy ammo. They don't even have to buy the bullets to shoot him down right now; they just have to wait until his next press conference and listen to what he says next. It's pure comedic gold listening to this guy change his story. In fact, MLB should embrace this thing head on; Bud Selig should give A-Rod half of his salary to keep baseball ratings up. Whenever TV ratings dip for a certain month, Selig should call a press conference for A-Rod, and have the guy tell reporters his newest version of the truth. The possibilities are endless. Today, it's the unnamed cousin. Next, why not throw in Mike Tyson and say Iron Mike held him down and injected him? What about throwing in some other things like:

- Bears, because everyone's scared of bears, right?
- OJ Simpson. He's always a good one if you want some sympathy. Everyone hates OJ. Even OJ.
- Jim Brown. "He was showing me how he still keeps giving his wife black eyes after all this time...."
- Jetpacks
- (insert random missing white girl here) To distract people. Duh.
- Michael Jackson. Old white women. See above for the reason.
- Prince. "I couldn't beat Prince at basketball so........"

Just some suggestions. I'm all for keeping this thing going. It's the only thing that's gotten me remotely interested in baseball in years.

PS:

Dear Bud Selig,

It's your fault the steroids issue has gotten out of hand in baseball. You looked the other way when roiders saved your pathetic sport from irrelevancy, and now you're paying the price. Also, you're kinda the commissioner of the sport, so people are probably going to look at you when issues get out of hand. Just a thought. I'm not an expert or anything, though.

Thanks,
Management

Florida= Painfully Average

Don't get me wrong here: I love Florida basketball. I think Nick Calathes might be the best point guard in the league (and no, I don't think Stephen Curry is a real PG; he's a 2 guard being forced to play the point). However, the Gators are an average basketball team. This team has four and five star players all over the place, and a coach that won two straight NCAA tournaments. They've got two upperclassmen on the team for leadership.

So where's the sense of urgency for this team?

Where's the leadership?

Apparently, they're both MIA. Florida is currently 19-6, and 6-4 in the SEC East; they're still projected to make the NCAA tournament, but really, does that mean anything when you consider that Florida's playing in a pathetically weak conference and currently has an SOS ranked 107th in the country? Hell, if they lose enough games down the stretch, they still won't make the tournament. They've got LSU, Tennessee, and Kentucky left on the schedule, along with games against Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, and Alabama. They should be able to beat the latter two, but they'd probably need at least two more wins after that to ensure a tourney bid. The question is, can they do it?

I'm not sure.

Looking at this team, I just don't see enough players who consistently compete outside of Nick Calathes and Erving Walker. I'd throw Alex Tyus in that mix, too, since he's done an admirable job of playing center despite being pitifully overmatched on most nights. However, guys like Chandler Parsons, Walter Hodge, and Dan Werner are either too inconsistent or just plain stink up the joint with bad performances. Parsons has good stretches of games, but disappears during others. Werner and Hodge--the two most experienced players on the team--rarely if ever give the team anything in the way of positive play. Werner is a junior and Hodge is a senior, so where's the on-court leadership? The only memorable things Hodge has done are:

- Elbow a Tennessee player in the face
- Step on Perry Stevenson's arm
- Score 22 points against Georgia.........in a loss

Other than those three, what's he done to make Florida better? I haven't seen anything. Werner is--well, he's Dan Werner: a guy who's playing starter minutes but only giving the team bench warmer production. He had 4 points against Kentucky, and went a woeful 3-11 against a bad Georgia team. Do I really need to repeat that he needs to grab some pine?

My point is this: this team can't rely on Calathes to constantly carry them. He's a great player, and he's gotten a lot better this year, but it's unfair to expect him to be a one man show. Seriously, how many guys have recorded triple doubles, only to have their team actually lose? This team needs to get tough, but more importantly, they need to play like they care. For the past few weeks, I've heard about teams playing like "wounded animals" when they've got nothing else to lose.

So where's Florida's wounded animal mentality? The Gators need to win, and they need to win now; they can't afford to keep losing. This isn't the 2006 Gators team that lost 3 of 4 games down the stretch before turning the light switch back on and repeating as national champions. That team was tough on both the perimeter and in the paint, and played with urgency when they had to. This year's team--and last year's--doesn't have nearly the same mental toughness. And note to Billy Donovan: you're a damn good coach, but saying that Mareese Speights' leaving early for the NBA has something to do with the team's struggles this year is weak. Beyond the fact that you recruited three big men to replace him (Eloy Vargas, Kenny Kadji, and Allen Chaney), it's not like last year's team was tough with Speights in the middle either. This is essentially the same team, minus a bigger, but still soft, guy in the paint. The fact that the three guys you recruited aren't seeing increased playing time doesn't help, either. Those guys aren't going to get better on the bench, and playing them would help with your other complaint, which was that Speights' leaving forced you to give Werner a bigger role in the offense (which is also weak sauce). Also, Donovan has to get some of the blame for not having his team inspired to play against UGA. Seriously, they're the worst team in the SEC; how can you not have your guys ready to tear them apart, especially considering how Florida lost to Kentucky? If Werner and Hodge deserve blame for not providing leadership on the court, then Donovan has to get blame for not providing it from off the court. Again, he's a great coach, but he hasn't done his best coaching job this year.

Is there still hope for Florida? Of course. This is college basketball, and anything can happen if everything falls into place.

But it all starts with desire and a willingness to compete, and unfortunately, I just don't think enough Gators have the desire of the willingness to push this team to anything but slightly above average.

At least for this year. There's always next year, I guess.

Oldie But Goodie

I should post more music shit.

Here's a throwback. Anyone remember Monie Love?

College Basketball "All" Team

Behind college football, college basketball is my greatest love, my favorite sport to watch. As a fan, I've always been intrigued by how quickly players can step in for teams and have an impact; it's rarer to see this in CFB, where guys usually have to grow, mature, and develop for at least a year before contributing for their respective teams. In basketball, this doesn't seem to be the case as much. Every year, there's a laundry list of freshmen talents stepping in to help carry their teams, whether it's Kevin Durant, Michael Beasley, Derrick Rose, Carmelo Anthony, or Stephen Curry. This year's no exception. First, however, I'd like to talk about some of the best players in the country regardless of class, as well as which players I'd choose if I were to build a team.

Given that last sentence, I won't necessarily be choosing the best players at each position; I'd also like to factor in things like team chemistry. For example, I don't think that having Stephen Curry, Jodie Meeks, and James Harden on the same team would be good because each player is accustomed to getting a great deal of touches per game. However, pairing one of them with a more passive point guard, such as a Ty Lawson, would be a better fit. Also, let me add this: I'm a fan of a strong inside game. Guys who can rebound and block shots get big ups in my book, and I'm more likely to build around guys like that than, say, a wing player like Curry. It's not that I don't think that he's a good player--in fact, he's probably the best player in the country not named Blake Griffin--it's just a matter of preference. Anyway, let's get to my College Basketball Dream Team, complete with a 7-man bench.

Starters:
PG: Ty Lawson
SG: Jerel McNeal
SF: Jeff Adrien
PF: Blake Griffin
C: Hasheem Thabeet

Bench:
SF: Al-Farouq Aminu
PG: Nick Calathes
PF: Jarvis Varnado
SG: Stephen Curry
PF: DeJuan Blair
C: Jordan Hill
PF: Greg Monroe

The starting lineup is pretty damn good I think. Griffin, Lawson, or McNeal can take over the game, but the important thing is this: none of them has to take over the game. Lawson can score if needed, but only takess 9 shots per game overall. Griffin and McNeal are really the only guys starting who require a lot of touches. Jeff Adrien's an underrated interior defender, he can score from offensive rebounds, and can hit mid-range jumpers as well. Thabeet in the middle is always a plus, his game against DeJuan Blair notwithstanding; he's raw offensively, but is one of the country's biggest game changers on defense. And speaking of Blair, I nearly put him in the starting lineup, but I like Griffin's offensive game more than Blair's, plus Griffin leads the nation in rebounds per game. At the perimeter, Lawson and McNeal are both athletic enough to play good perimeter D, and the latter is big enough to get physical if need be. Plus, both can shoot well from deep, with both guys shooting over 40% from 3 for the year.

The bench players can fill big roles, too; Calathes isn't the athlete that Lawson is, but he's got the size and passing skills to be a great complement at the point; plus, like Lawson, he can take over the game if need be by scoring. He penetrates well, and can also shoot from deep. I think the player that would benefit most from two good point guards is Stephen Curry. Curry's done an admirable job running the point this year, but he shoots much better when he's able to run without the ball and find an open shot for himself. Both Calathes and Lawson could set him up, and Griffin is a tremendous passer from the post. Blair--as I've mentioned before--is a great rebounder, particularly from the offensive end. If either Thabeet or Griffin is out of the game, I'm putting Blair in the middle to grab every ball that comes near him. The same would go for Varnado, who's a Thabeet-lite in that he can rebound and block shots with proficiency. The two wild cards are Al-Farouq Aminu and Greg Monroe; the latter is a matchup nightmare for most power forwards given Monroe's combination of size and versatility; he can pass well, shoot from deep, and can rebound as well. Aminu plays a lot like Varnado--but with a lot more upside given his age. He'd be another big body in the paint, but he can also knock down the occasional jumper as well.

Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik

Been bumping this album for a while now; it's damn consistent, bangers from start to finish. Only real problems I have with it are the skits and two other tracks Other than that, though, the album's tight. Despite this, though, I've always held it in lower regard than Aquemini and ATLiens. When I reviewed it about a year ago, I think I rated it 4.25 stars out of 5, but I've been considering upgrading that rating. "Crumblin Erb," "Claimin True," "Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik," and "Git Up, Git Out" are some of the best tracks Outkast has ever done; the latter might be the best. More than this, though, I think this is, in many ways, the definitive Southern album; it broke through to the mainstream in a way that albums from the likes of Geto Boys and UGK couldn't at that point in time. Part of the reason that this album is so overlooked, though, is because of the year it was released. 1994 is widely considered to be one of the best years in hip-hop's history. Consider that during this year:

- Nas released Illmatic
- The Notorious BIG released Ready to Die
- Redman released Dare Iz a Darkside
- OC released Word...Life
- Gangstarr released Hard to Earn
- Jeru the Damaja released The Sun Rises in the East
- Method Man became the first Wu-Tang Clan member to release a solo album with Tical

Needless to say, Outkast had some tough competition that year. Add to that the fact that the South had not yet broken into the mainstream; the No Limit and Cash Money Empires wouldn't hit it big until three years later, and UGK wouldn't make a mainstream splash until "Big Pimpin." What does this mean? That Outkast's debut album--by going platinum within a year of its release-- opened the door for an entire region of music to be heard. Think about this for a minutes. Where artists like Scarface and UGK failed, Outkast was able to succeed. Again, I'm not sure if this album is a classic, but it's definitely the group's most significant album.

Some tracks:

Git Up, Git Out:


Claimin True:


Crumblin Erb:

Florida Gator Basketball: Retooling the Roster

Tennessee fans cheered. Volunteer players drained open three after open three, while Florida played out of control and got crushed by an inspired UT team.

Florida's been here before, but they didn't play like it on Saturday. The only consolation for team--and fans--is that Florida is 18-4, and 5-2 in conference; with a win over South Carolina tonight, the Gators can take to outright lead in the SEC East as they prepare to square off against Kentucky this weekend. However, the Tennessee game does raise cause for concern.

- Coming into Saturday's game, Tennessee was 30% from three for the year; the most they'd made in a game was 11 during their opener against Chattanooga. Against Florida, Tennessee shot 43% from deep on 12 threes.

- Florida turned the ball over 17 times, 4 times over their average.

- Tennessee scored 29 baskets against the Gators, 24 of which were assisted. The Vols average about 17 per game.

What do these figures indicate? That Florida simply couldn't stop Tennessee's offensive flow. The Vols moved the ball around the court at will, without much resistance from the Gators; on top of that, many of Tennessee's three point attempts were uncontested, leaving players open for good looks at the basket. I suppose you could blame coach Billy Donovan for not switching out of the zone defense Florida employed for the entire game, but it is not Donovan's fault that players simply refused to contest shots. Run any defense you wish, whether it be a Box and 1, Triangle and 2, or a 2-3 Zone, but none of them will work if players don't put a hand in the shooter's face. More frustrating is the fact that Florida continues to be inconsistent; they destroyed Vanderbilt and Georgia in consecutive games, only to come out completely uninspired against the Vols. A top-tier team simply cannot have this sort of up and down play with the talent that Florida has on its roster. Given that, here are some suggestions to improve Florida's play.

1. Bench Dan Werner and Walter Hodge. It's no disrespect to either of them, but the best players should play in the games. I realize that Werner and Hodge are the two most experienced players on the team, but they're better suited as bench heat for the starters. Some of Hodge's better games have come in precisely that role. As for Werner, his hustle on defense should earn him some playing time. However, neither are starting material. Hodge's numbers have fallen from last year, shooting 43% this year as compared to 48% last year despite the fact that he took more shots last year. Bring him off the bench in relief of either of the starting guards, and give him some shots from the perimeter. He's solid from deep (he shoots 38% from three this year), so he can stretch the opposing defense in that regard. Werner's stats have increased on offense, but that isn't his role; defense is, and his defensive numbers have fallen this year in comparison to last. He rebounds less--4.5 a game this year compared to 6.4 a game last year--as are his steal numbers. Plus, in the Gators' four losses, he simply hasn't gotten it done, going a combined 11-27 from the field in those games. He, like Hodge, should be coming off the bench to provide some energy for the Gators while starters get rest. Both would be more effective in short bursts as opposed to prolonged periods.

2. Play the young guys, particularly Kenny Kadji and Ray Shipman. Erving Walker averages about 23 minutes a game, but I think he should get more playing time as well. Kadji is the important one here, as he could provide the Gators with the inside presence that they have been missing this year. He leads the team in blocks, despite only playing 13 minutes per game. To put that in perspective, Alex Tyus--second on the team in blocks--averages less per game, even though he plays twice as many minutes as Kadji. Another advantage to playing him would be that he receives more in-game experience. Players can only improve so much in practices, and allowing him the chance to play allows him to become more acclimated to playing against opposing defenses; it also gives the Gators at least some semblance of an inside game on both sides of the ball. His per minute stats aren't bad--on a per 40 minute basis, they average out to 15.2 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 2.35 blocks--and it could only benefit the Gators. Walker and Shipman would help out by giving the Gators more help at guard. Nick Calathes has played extremely well this year, but he can't do it alone in the backcourt. Walker has already shown that he can outplay Walter Hodge, shooting better than his senior counterpart despite getting more attempts. He also shoots better from deep, which is an advantage given Donovan's style of play. If Walker were moved to the starting lineup over Hodge, it would also give the Gators a more effective backcourt given Walker's quickness and ability to push the ball upcourt and force the defense to react more quickly. Shipman could also help out with guard depth by coming off of the bench to give Calathes or Walker a rest. He does this to an extent, but only averages 13.6 minutes per game so far (and 11 minutes a game in conference play). In limited action, he's shown the ability to score and rebound; on a per 40 minutes basis, Shipman averages about 12 points and 7 rebounds. This can be compared to Walter Hodge's production on the same basis, which comes out to 10.8 points and 2.1 rebounds. Simply put, the younger players have more upside, and could match, if not surpass, the production of Werner and Hodge.

3. Recruit better perimeter defenders. The inside game should improve next year with Kadji having a year under his belt, Vernon Macklin being eligible to play, and Eloy Vargas being a full strength. The perimeter, however, is going to be an issue, as neither Chandler Parsons nor Nick Calathes are defensive threats. Part of the reason Florida was able to win two consecutive national titles was because both Corey Brewer and Taurean Green were great on the outside. Brewer was long and athletic enough to shut down most guards, and Green had the lateral quickness to prevent the opposing point guard from being effective. This team, however, lacks that presence, and as a result, it forces Florida to be near flawless on offense in order to win games. Against mediocre teams--and some good ones--this will work. However, it also means that Florida will be unable to compete against elite competition. Think of the top teams in the country; all of them have either a good outside defensive squad, a good post unit, or both. Wake has a dominant inside game; Oklahoma has Blake Griffin cleaning up around the rim, and Connecticut may be the best defensive team in the country. Florida is not a great defensive team, or even a good one. They lack the toughness on the inside--and the quickness around the perimeter-- to be such a team. The post game should improve next year, but Donovan has to recruit defensive minded players in order for this Gators squad to be elite. They don't have to be scorers, just role players who can play solid minutes and give the team good defense. This would take the pressure off of the offense, and allow the Gators to become a more balanced team.

The Very Early 2009 Florida Gators Season Preview

After a team wins a national title, there usually isn't anywhere to go but down.

Unless, of course, they repeat.

I know it's something that rarely happens (Nebraska was the last team to repeat, doing so in 1994 and 1995), but this Florida Gators team has as good a chance as any to pull it off. They return Tim Tebow, and the entire defense--two deep, no less. Young players like Jeffrey Demps and Chris Rainey will be a year older and wiser in the offense, and the defense, led by 1st Team All-American Brandon Spikes, will be poised to become even better than they were this year. Will they be able to win it all?

Offense: General

Key Losses:
Louis Murphy- WR
Percy Harvin- WR
Phil Trautwein- OT
Jason Watkins- OT

Key Additions:
Andre Debose- WR
Xavier Nixon- OL
Nick Alajajian- OL

Strengths: Relative experience, Tim Tebow's leadership and level of play, abundance of speed

Weaknesses: Lack of proven WRs

The four losses really hurt the Gators; Murphy was a dependable deep threat at receiver, and Harvin was one of the most electrifying players in the country. If there's a question mark at any position for this team coming into next year, it's wide receiver. Riley Cooper's career has been inconsistent thus far, Deonte Thompson didn't get many touches, and Carl Moore was unable to live up to the hype. However, the Florida run game should help to take the pressure off of the receivers; Rainey and Demps were effective when they got touches, and Tebow is still a threat to run with the ball as well. In terms of recruiting, the biggest need was along the offensive line, and the Gators did an outstanding job of filling that need by signing five linemen. The Pouncey twins will anchor the line along with Carl Johnson, who played extremely well after being inserted into the starting lineup mid-season. After them, freshmen Xavier Nixon and Nick Alajajian could compete for time along the front five. Overall, the offense, which finished 4th in the country in scoring offense, shouldn't suffer a big dropoff with the weapons that they return.

Offense: Position Specific

QB:
When you have Tim Tebow leading the charge, everything else is a lot easier. At this point, there's no need to talk about what Tebow brings to the Gators; we all know how effective he can be. Beyond him, John Brantley has shown that he can lead the offense as well, going 18-28 for 235 yards with 3 TDs in relief of the Heisman-winning QB. Florida should be in safe hands once Tebow leaves. Behind Brantlet, however, is a big question mark; backup Cameron Newton was suspended during the year after a theft charge, and he is set to transfer. Florida filled his open spot by signing Jordan Reed with this year's recruiting class, but he's far from being a proven commodity at this point. Fortunately, he should have a year to adjust to Meyer's offense with Tebow being the team's unquestioned starter at QB.
Combined Stats from 2008: 211-329 (64.1 completion percentage), 33 TDs, 5 INTs
Grade: B+
Projected Starter: Tim Tebow

RB:
Florida finished the year 10th in the nation in rushing offense, led by redshirt freshman Chris Rainey and true freshman Jeffrey Demps. Both made an impact for the team during Florida's game against Arkansas, in which both players ran for over 100 yards. Both have a penchant for the big play, as they ripped off runs of 44, 75, 42, 73, and 38 yards during the year. As a tandem, they averaged over 7 yards per carry. Losing Harvin hurts here because he made such a big impact on the offense; he caused matchup issues for the defense, and made it easier for Demps and Rainey to make plays. However, Tebow is still a capable runner, as he led the team in rush yards with 673; he should take the pressure off of the duo. What is not known at this point is how Emmanuel Moody will fit into the equation; after a solid game against Tennessee, the back was used sparingly for the rest of the season. With Demps and Rainey emerging as playmakers, where does that leave the USC transfer? That remains to be seen. The Gator's depth at the position took a bit of a hit with the losses of Kestahn Moore (graduation) and Mon Williams (transfer), but with Demps, Rainey, Moody, and a fourth RB in incoming recruit Mike Gillesee, the Gators are still fine at tailback.
Combined Stats from 2008: 234 carries, 1733 yards (7.4 yards per carry), 13 TDs
Grade: A
Projected Starters: Chris Rainey and Jeffrey Demps

WR/TE:
With the departures of Louis Murphy and Percy Harvin, the Gators are going to have some big shoes to fill at wide receiver. Redshirt sophomore Deonte Thompson, Riley Cooper, and David Nelson are going to have to become more reliable targets for Tim Tebow; JUCO senior Carl Moore-- who was hyped as a tremendous recruit for Meyer last year--is going to have to live up to the hype. Otherwise, it's going to be on a group of receivers who hasn't played a single down in college football, a group that includes last year's recruits in Omarius Hines and Frankie Hammond Jr., and a receiver Meyer landed this year in Andre Debose. Debose, who's been lauded as the next Percy Harvin, is the centerpiece of Florida's most recent recruiting class and looks to make an impact for the team this year. If Cooper, Thompson, or Nelson are unable to step up, then Debose could definitely see important playing time. On a positive note, however, the three made the most of their playing time this year, scoring 11 touchdowns and averaging over 16 yards per catch. Additionally, tight end Aaron Hernandez emerged as a reliable target for Tebow in the absence of Cornelius Ingram; he led all SEC tight ends in receptions (34) and touchdowns (5). If the receiving corps struggles, look for him to get more touches in the offense.
Combined Stats for 2008: 96 receptions, 1323 yards (13.78 yards per catch), 17 TDs
Grade: B-
Projected Starters (WR): Riley Cooper and Deonte Thompson
Projected Starter (TE): Aaron Hernandez

Offensive Line:
Losing two seniors doesn't help things, but Florida's line was so good last year that their losses may not be as significant as with a lesser unit. Maurkice and Mike Pouncey, and Carl Johnson all played at a high level last year, helping Florida become one of the best running teams in the country and only surrendering 16 sacks. The two open positions look to be filled by the likes of Marcus Gilbert, James Wilson, Maurice Hurt, as well as the incoming freshmen Florida has signed this year. One of those recruits, Xavier Nixon, is highly regarded and could see early playing time this year. With the Pouncey twins to anchor the line, however, the front five should be fine.
Grade: B+
Projected Starters: Xavier Nixon, Maurice Hurt, Mike Pouncey, Maurkice Pouncey, and Carl Johnson

Overall Grade for the Offense: A-

Defense: General

Key Losses: None

Key Additions:
Joshua Evans- DB
Jelani Jenkins- LB
Gary Brown- DT

Strengths: No losses on defense, abundance of talent and experience

Weaknesses: None

Florida's defense could very well be the best of 2009; the unit returns everyone two-deep this year, including First Team All-American Brandon Spikes. Spikes, the leader of the defense, anchors a defensive team with talent and experience brimming at every position, and that's probably the most scary thing about them: there's no one person you can gameplan for. Along the defensive line, it's not just about Carlos Dunlap or Lawrence Marsh, you also have to worry about Terron Sanders and Torrey Davis. At linebacker, Spikes might be the most intimidating figure, but you also have to contend with Ryan Stamper, Brandon Hicks, and Dustin Doe. As for the defensive backfield, Major Wright might lay the wood if you come over the middle, but Janoris Jenkins and Joe Haden aren't going to let you throw it to the sidelines, either. Simply put, the defense is stacked. They were top 10 in scoring defense last year, and held the highest scoring team in college football history to 14 points; this year, with the new players they have, they could be even better.

Defense: Position Specific

Defensive Line: This time last year, I said Florida's front four was a potential liability. This year, they might be the strongest part of the defense. They were top 10 against the run last year, and they were able to pressure the quarterback better than they did the year before. Carlos Dunlap led the SEC with 9.5 sacks--despite splitting time of the position with Justin Trattou. Marsh and Sanders took up space in the middle and were able to become good run stoppers last year, and with the talent available this year, defensive line coach Dan McCarney might have the line even better this year. Torrey Davis looks to build off of a strong showing in the national title game, and could see more playing time; Omar Hunter, who was one of Florida's most cherished recruits last year, could also see the field for the first time. At to that other players such as Brandon Antwine, Tory Epps, and incoming freshman Gary Brown, and you could have a stable of talented players all vying for playing time.
Grade: A
Projected Starters: Carlos Dunlap, Lawrence Marsh, Terron Sanders, Jermaine Cunningham

Linebackers: Just as Tim Tebow leads the Gator offense, Brandon Spikes leads the Gator defense. Whenever Florida needed a big play, Spikes delivered; see his interceptions against LSU and South Carolina, as well as his big hit on Georgia's Knowshon Moreno as proof of his big-play ability. His contributions to the team last year don't need to be explained again. Beyond him, though, other players stepped up as well; Stamper may be the defense's most versatile player given his ability to play all three linebacker spots, and other guys like Brandon Hicks, Dustin Doe, and AJ Jones all played well in their playing time. This year, others such as Brendan Beal, Lerentee McCray, and William Green all look to see the field more, and will push the guys above them on the depth chart even more. All of them are speedy, talented, and eager to play; the end result of this? A higher level of play.
Grade: A+
Projected Starters: Brandon Hicks, Brandon Spikes, Ryan Stamper

Defensive Back: Last year, this was undoubtedly the biggest question mark of the team. Florida was 98th in pass defense in 2007, and Joe Haden and Major Wright had more low moments than high ones. Last year, though, Haden and Wright stepped up their play; Haden became a good corner, and Wright became a more consistent enforcer over the middle (though he still struggles in pass coverage). However, it was two new additions that solidified the back four; Ahmad Black, who many thought would be the temporary starter until then-freshman Will Hill matured, finished second in the country in interceptions and became a major force on defense. Freshman Janoris Jenkins quickly became the team's best cornerback, using his speed and ball instincts to make play after play. This year, all four return, and with guys like Will Hill (who played very well during the second half of the year) and newcomers in Dee Finley and Joshua Evans, the defensive backfield should be even better this year.
Grade: A
Projected Starters: Janoris Jenkins, Joe Haden, Ahmad Black, Major Wright

Overall Grade for the Defense: A

Potential Breakout Player on Offense: Andre Debose

Potential Breakout Player on Defense: Brandon Hicks

Season Schedule and Outlook:
Charleston Southern
Troy
Tennessee
at Kentucky
at LSU
Arkansas
at Mississippi State
Georgia (in Jacksonville)
Vanderbilt
at South Carolina
Florida International
Florida State

The OOC games minus FSU are cake, and Florida has an easy home schedule. Tennessee seems to be in rebuilding mode, and Arkansas still has some kinks to work out before being able to compete with the SEC's best. Florida has three tough games on its schedule: FSU, LSU, and South Carolina. FSU loses Everette Brown, but returns the majority of their starters in what could be a trap game for Florida. LSU was young last year, but should be better this year; with the talent they bring in this year, they could pose a threat, particularly in Death Valley. South Carolina brings in talent, and should also field another stout defense as the Gators come into Columbia. Those three games should be tough, but Florida's blend of talent, speed, experience, and good coaching should be enough to get the Gators through the schedule with a top 10 ranking and a SEC Championship berth. And if it's not going too far out on a limb, I'll say.........





The Gators run the table next year. All the way. 14-0.