Thursday, September 3, 2009
A Call to Arms. All Hands on Deck. The Season is Here!
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
College Football Starts Tomorrow Night - Thursday 9-3-09!!!
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
To Hold Back or Not to Hold Back: USC & UF Week One
How 'bout this for a Stat! - UF Football Graduation Rates
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Gator Sightings
A Gator sighting in the Galapagos Islands. (See the shirt in the center.)Sunday, August 23, 2009
Head Count
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Lee Corso
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Trojans - Number Three is a Good Place to Be!
No. 3 USC |  |
| Coach: Pete Carroll (88-15 in eight seasons). | Staff In 2008: 12-1 overall, 8-1 in Pac-10 (first in league). Beat Penn State in the Rose Bowl. Returning starters: Offense: 9. Defense: 3. Special teams: 0. | Depth Chart Final 2008 Rivals.com ranking: 2nd. | Complete Final 2008 Rankings Past four Rivals.com national recruiting rankings: 4th in 2009, 8th in '08, 2nd in '07, 1st in '06. |
| 2009 Breakdown: Offense | Defense | Special teams | Coaching | Schedule | Depth Chart |
THE SCHEME: Coach Pete Carroll has lost his past two coordinators to head-coaching jobs: Steve Sarkisian (to Washington) after last season and Lane Kiffin (to the NFL, but now at Tennessee) after the 2006 season. John Morton was promoted to offensive coordinator from receivers coach, but former NFL assistant Jeremy Bates will call the plays. He comes from the Denver Broncos, and his dad, James, is a longtime NFL defensive coordinator now with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Trojans still will run a pro-style offense, but expect Bates to be more creative when it comes to getting the ball into the hands of his talented running backs.
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| Associated Press | |
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| Damian Williams is carrying on the USC tradition of big-play receivers. |
IMPACT NEWCOMER: USC has veterans all over the offense except for one spot - quarterback. Sophomore Aaron Corp won the starting job during spring practice. Corp has more mobility than most recent USC quarterbacks and also possesses a nice arm. True freshman Matt Barkley, the top quarterback in the 2009 class, enrolled for the spring and impressed coaches with his maturity in spring drills; he enters fall camp second on the depth chart. And at running back, 5-foot-8 redshirt freshman Curtis McNeal could work his way into the mix despite a deep group of veterans ahead of him at the position.
WATCH FOR HIM TO EMERGE: RB Joe McKnight has been serviceable in his first two seasons on campus, but USC would like him to be more than that. McKnight was the No. 2 prospect in the 2007 class, but he has scored just seven touchdowns in two seasons. In his defense, he was hampered by injuries last season and USC likes to spread the ball among a deep group of running backs. Now healthy and playing for a new coordinator, McKnight could develop into the Reggie Bush-like threat the Trojans envisioned he would become when he arrived on campus.
STRONGEST AREA: The Trojans return five starters on a line that allowed the fewest sacks in the Pac-10, though not all five returnees are scheduled to start. LT Charles Brown, LG Jeff Byers and C Kristofer O'Dowd started every game last season and should return to those same spots this season. At right tackle, sophomore Tyron Smith could beat out Butch Lewis, who has started nine games in the past two seasons. Besides the experience on the line, USC returns starting TE Anthony McCoy and FB Stanley Havili. Blocking for the run and protecting the passer shouldn't be problematic.
BIGGEST PROBLEM: All the tools - running backs, receivers and linemen - are in place for a monster offensive season. The only thing that could hold the Trojans back is instability at quarterback. Three Rivals100 quarterbacks (Corp, Barkley and third-stringer Mitch Mustain) are competing at the position. Skill isn't the issue; it's experience. Carroll and his staff are looking for a guy with big-play potential who won't turn it over.
GRADE: A-minus
THE SCHEME: Coordinator Nick Holt joined Sarkisian at Washington, but this remains Carroll's defense. He calls the defenses, though Rocky Seto, 33, was promoted from secondary coach to coordinator. The Trojans run a 4-3 defense, but Carroll may have less flexibility than usual given USC's inexperience at linebacker.
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| Taylor Mays likely would have been a first-round pick in the NFL draft had he left after last season. |
IMPACT NEWCOMER: Though the linebacker position appears to be in good hands with sophomore Chris Galippo and junior Malcolm Smith, a number of freshmen should still see time at the position. The leading candidates are Marquis Simmons and Kevin Greene. The Trojans don't often take junior college transfers, but tackle Hebron Fangupo could be a factor in the middle.
WATCH FOR HIM TO EMERGE: Pick a linebacker, as the Trojans are looking to replace all three starters from last season. Galippo was the highest-ranked linebacker nationally in the 2007 recruiting class. In his two years on campus, he has redshirted, then backed up Rey Maualuga in the middle. Now the starter, Galippo had a good spring and should emerge as a leader on defense. Smith and junior Michael Morgan locked down the starting spots on the outside during the spring.
STRONGEST AREA: Led by Mays, the secondary should anchor the defense. The Trojans return plenty of experience from a secondary that led the nation in pass defense and pass efficiency defense. If everyone stays healthy, this could be one of the best units in the nation. That's easier said than done, though. Safeties Josh Pinkard and Will Harris and CBs Shareece Wright and Kevin Thomas have injury histories.
BIGGEST PROBLEM: "Problem" is a relative term. The front seven lacks starting experience, but at least the three new starting linebackers appear settled. Jurrell Casey is battling Christian Tupou, a starter last season, for one of the tackle spots. Averell Spicer is penciled in at the other tackle, but he struggled early last season. E Everson Griffen was a freshman All-American but slipped as a sophomore. He appeared to be rejuvenated in the spring.
GRADE: B-plus
USC will look to walk-ons at kicker and punter. Billy O'Malley is set to take over at punter, and Joe Houston is the leader for the kicking job. The glut of talent at the offensive skill positions helps on special teams, where RBs C.J. Gable, Stafon Johnson and McKnight and WR Ronald Johnson see regular duty in the return game. While the Trojans allowed the fewest punt returns (12) in the Pac-10 last season, they did a poor job covering those kicks, allowing foes to average 10.2 yards per return. The kick-coverage unit, on the other hand, was a good one.
GRADE: B
USC has won at least a share of seven consecutive Pac-10 titles, and the Trojans haven't lost a game by more than a touchdown since Carroll's first season in 2001. USC shows little signs of slowing down as far as the Pac-10 and top-five finishes are concerned. But USC has kept itself out of national championship games by losing to teams such as Oregon State (in '08 and '06), Stanford ('07) and UCLA ('06). The offense could have some new wrinkles with Morton and Bates taking over this season. Changes on defense might be more subtle. Defensive line coach Jethro Franklin, back after spending three seasons in the NFL, has earned rave reviews from Griffen and others.
GRADE: A
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| DATE | OPPONENT |
| Sept. 5 | San Jose State |
| Sept. 12 | at Ohio State |
| Sept. 19 | at Washington |
| Sept. 26 | Washington State |
| Oct. 3 | at California |
| Oct. 17 | at Notre Dame |
| Oct. 24 | Oregon State |
| Oct. 31 | at Oregon |
| Nov. 7 | at Arizona State |
| Nov. 14 | Stanford |
| Nov. 28 | UCLA |
| Dec. 5 | Arizona |
USC could have the most challenging non-conference schedule of any national title contender. The opener against San Jose State is by far the easiest non-conference game. A road trip to Ohio State on Sept. 12 could be a national-title elimination game. That's not the end of USC's challenging road schedule. Games against Pac-10 contenders Cal and Oregon come on the road, in addition to the annual rivalry game against Notre Dame. For the first time since 2003, USC's regular season will not end against rival UCLA. The Trojans finish with Arizona on Dec. 5.
OVERALL OUTLOOK
USC enjoyed one of the best defensive seasons in recent history last season on the way to another Rose Bowl rout. The roles will change this season; the offense will be expected to carry the team while the new starters in the defensive front seven find their footing. An explosive offense, though, is no given because of the new quarterback. Another Pac-10 title and top-four finish is possible, but the Trojans need to prove they can avoid upsets in conference play before returning to the national championship game.
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| (NOTE: TB C.J. Gable is a returning starter on offense, but he is projected as the third-stringer. *--denotes returning starter; %--denotes returning starter who has changed positions.) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
David Fox is a national writer for Rivals.com. He can be reached at dfox@rivals.com.
Friday, August 7, 2009
Gator Cornerback Joe Haden As Quarterback?!!!
Notebook: Haden a Wildcat QB?
Coach Urban Meyer is hinting that one of our favorite cornerbacks, Joe Haden, might be taking some snaps under center this season. Is the Urbinator kidding or is he trying to freak out his SEC colleagues???!!!. Joe Haden played quarterback in high school and was darn successful at it. But he's been a terrific All-SEC corner at Florida the last couple of seasons. Now Urban has our quaterbacks coach working with Haden and getting him ready to take snaps and drop back in the pocket.
According to an article in today's Gainesville Sun:
Florida junior Joe Haden might be a preseason All-SEC cornerback, but with his athleticism he could see himself playing on both sides of the ball this fall.
“He was a high school quarterback and we thought about playing him at some receiver, but there’s a chance (he could lineup at quarterback),” UF coach Urban Meyer said after Friday’s practice.
“Let people think about it for a little bit. That’s good.”
Meyer said he’s always known of Haden’s interest to take a few snaps in the backfield, but never really looked into it until the two were together over the summer.
“He threw me a football and that damn thing came at me, tight spiral and hot,” Meyer said. “I said, ‘Do that again,’ and he did it again, and ever since then he’s been talking to me and now that we’re allowed (to work with players) he’s throwing with (quarterbacks coach) Scot (Loeffler) and that’s a possibility.”
Is the Urbonator our of control or what????!!!!
Can't wait for the fall to start!!!!
Thursday, August 6, 2009
A Little Like Heaven
What Can I say gang?
The University of Florida at Gainesville is a sun kissed, blessed, marvelous corner of this world... "A Little Like Heaven". Paynes Prairie, The Devil's Millhopper, Mysterious remote Lake Santa Fe, Itcheetucknee Springs... The Swamp... Crescent Beach... on and on and on. It gets to you, deep in your soul. I've known it for over 40 years. Urban Meyer just figured it out. The cynical among you might say $4 mil a year new contract had something to do with it but it's much more than that. Check out the article below from the Gainesville Sun. P.S. Meyer's in good company, WR Riley Cooper who had a big $$$ contract from the Texas Rangers to play pro ball just announced he decided to pass it up and come back for one more season to play pitch and catch with Timmie Tebow. Billy Donovan just couldn't get away, nor could the fab starters of the back-to-back basketball national championship team. Anyway, check it out!!! JoaqGator
Florida's Meyer: 'This is it'
When the song was first released, Urban Meyer was the head coach at Utah. He knew little about Gainesville, the place Drew Copeland sang about with such passion on "A Little Like Heaven."
Today, it is Meyer's theme song.
He even made his children memorize the lyrics — like he did with his players and the Gator fight song — and pushes Copeland to play it every time the Sister Hazel member visits the lakehouse that the Meyer family owns on Melrose Bay.
"Well, it was out on Payne's Prairie where I got my first kiss."
"He made me play it twice the last time I was out there," Copeland said.
Meyer gets the song now. He gets Gainesville. It wasn't always that way. There were struggles and internal questions about the job he took in December of 2004. There were times he wondered if he had made the right decision.
Not anymore. As Meyer begins preparation Thursday morning for his fifth season with a brand new contract that makes him the SEC's highest-paid coach, there is a comfort level that hasn't been there before. It's not just the team he will be coaching. It's not just Tim Tebow. It is not just the new contract that will pay him $4 million a year. It's not just the friends he has made during his time here.
It's everything.
Urban Meyer is a Gainesville guy.
"That song should be kind of a community rallying song," Meyer said. "Maybe it's not, but it should be. This is a helluva community. Go find one better. I've lived in seven different places. This is the best place we've ever lived."
For Meyer, it took awhile. And it wasn't until the weeks after he guided Florida to a second national title and the third in school history that he had those epiphanic moments.
"After the Oklahoma game, I realized that this is it," he said. "I could see it coming before, but there were a bunch of moments this spring. It's coaching 101 when you first put your foot into coaching. What is your dream job? You've got your facility, your strength staff, training staff, a really good group of players where there is no void coming up.
"It's Melrose. It's Bluewater Bay. It's Buchholz High School. It's watching Nate pitch Little League and it's no cow pasture. It's a big-time field at Diamond Sports Park. It's my church, Queen of Peace, where I know the priest now. It's Ballyhoo's, and they put me and my daughter at a corner table and we laugh. It's being out in a boat on Lake Santa Fe watching the sun set. It's a conglomeration of comfort. I can drive to my office in seven minutes. I can be at Bluewater Bay in 18 minutes if I hit the lights right.
"I think human beings are driven for peace of mind. As a coach, what's your peace of mind? I've got peace of mind. This is my dream job. Three years ago, I couldn't say that. When I came here, I talked about how great Gainesville was, but I didn't know. Now, oh my God. Now, I can say, wow. I love Gainesville now."
"We could water ski out on Melrose Bay / We could wear flip-flops on Christmas Day."
Despite the many statements made by Meyer about the possibility of his leaving for Notre Dame and the new six-year deal he agreed to, the story won't die until the Irish have a successful season under Charlie Weis or hire another coach. The speculation is Meyer is a Midwest guy and Notre Dame will throw tons of money at him, even more than the $4 million a year Florida will pay Meyer.
But Meyer revealed for the first time in an interview with The Sun that there have been big-money offers from both colleges and the NFL during his tenure at Florida.
"If it was only about money, I wouldn't be coaching at Florida," he said. "It's about more than that. I've got peace of mind. I have an athletic director, the first two years we loved him but we didn't know him. His presentation (in Utah), you give him a 10 and everybody else a two. I thought I trusted him, but I didn't know I trusted him. Now I know I trust him. We've had enough heart-to-hearts and conflicts we've had to work through. We're good.
"Billy Donovan, I didn't know Billy. He's turned out to be a great friend. Guys like James Bates. I get a text the other night. It's from Bates. It says, 'bocce tournament.' So Shell (his wife Shelley) and I went over there and there's 20 people playing bocce. That's just cool. I didn't have that four years ago. I didn't have any buddies to call. Nobody's fault. It's my fault. It takes time to call someone."
In his first year as Florida's coach, Meyer's cell phone was reserved for texting and calling recruits or players on the team. Now, it's just as likely to be a call to set up dinner with a friend.
"The transformation of Urban has been amazing," Shelley said. "I knew things would work out because I always think they'll work out. But I was worried because he was so miserable. I felt bad because I couldn't help him.
"I'm proud of him for opening himself up. He's so guarded. But I told him, 'We like it here. We're going to be here a long time. Let's get out and meet some people.' "
"And when we had enough cash for gasoline / Then we would all skip school and go to Crescent Beach."
It wasn't always a little like heaven for Meyer. Although the family adapted quickly to the third move in five years, the head coach at the University of Florida struggled through that first season.
Not all of his players were drinking the Kool-aid, but they were drinking plenty of other beverages during the season. There was a drug problem that prompted Meyer to push for a more stringent drug-testing policy at Florida.
"At one point, I didn't know if I could do it," he said. "There was a point where I hit that wall, where I was wondering, 'Can I really do this here?'
"I left a place that was undefeated. I left my comfort. I left something that we worked awful hard to build up — a certain work ethic, certain pattern, certain routine that was completely thrown in another direction. I felt fatigued, 99 high schools and 22 Gator Clubs.
"And issue after issue after issue. More than once, there was a time when I did some soul-searching. Can we do this thing? I never felt that way at Bowling Green. I never felt that way at Utah. It was like a toothache. It didn't go away."
The losses at Alabama and LSU in 2005 left Meyer reeling. The loss at South Carolina that eliminated Florida from the SEC East race was the last straw. As has been reported many times, Meyer kept the team on the charter plane when it returned to Gainesville and read the players the riot act.
He dismissed two players from the team right there on the tarmac.
"You had a really good coach in here before me and some of the guys on the team wanted me and some didn't," he said. "We had some guys in here the other day — Jeremy Mincey, Jarvis Herring, Vernell Brown. We almost cried together. They didn't have to drink the Kool-aid. The seniors, you know, they're all lame ducks (that season). They could have imploded it. We had some seniors who did try to implode it. They did their best to implode it."
Meyer believes the beginning of Florida's march to a pair of national titles began on that tarmac, that the performance the rest of the season showed it.
But there was a problem that would take more than speeches to correct.
Meyer was recruited to Florida by UF athletic director Jeremy Foley in Utah. He never visited Florida's facilities other than a brief look at the stadium when he was an assistant coach at Notre Dame.
"I was so enamored with the stadium," he said. "But I had never been to LSU or any of the places I had to recruit against. It wasn't until a guy from Ohio was down here with a recruit and he mentioned how bad it was. Things have all got to be in place and they were not."
So Meyer drafted Florida sports information director Steve McClain, strength coach Mickey Marotti and director of football operations John Clark to come up with a PowerPoint presentation that would show how much UF's facilities were lacking compared to the other top programs. The three-month study helped convince Foley and other UF officials that a new front door, museum, coaches offices and weight room were needed.
Last August, the $28-million Heavener football complex opened its doors.
"In 2009, I'll take ours over anybody's in America because of the substance and the class," Meyer said. "Look at what our administration did. Now I have people coming down here saying, 'Wow." Most importantly, I have recruits saying, 'Wow.'
"I talk about peace of mind, part of that is walking out the door and into two staff meetings. It's not me and Charlie Strong scrunched up together or shouting down the hallway."
"We pulled arrowheads out of Hogtown Creek."
So it's all in place. Meyer has figured out what so many in this community understand. And he has a program flirting with a dynasty tag.
Florida almost assuredly will begin the season ranked No. 1. The Gators have all the defensive starters returning as well as Tebow. The schedule is manageable. The fans are beside themselves. They, too, have come to embrace a coach they wondered about when he was first hired.
The stadium has never looked better. The facilities have never been better.
There's only one glitch in Meyer's perfect situation. His oldest child, Nikki, left Saturday for Georgia Tech where she is on a volleyball scholarship.
"It'll take me about a week to get over that," he said.
But before she left, there was one more trip out to the lakehouse and into the water to watch one more sunset. One more dinner at Bluewater Bay, heavy on the lobster.
"Where I come from / It's a little like heaven / And I can't stay gone too long / Where I come from."
Contact Pat Dooley at 374-5053 or at dooleyp@gvillesun.com.
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