This looks like a good football team. Defense will be there with Will Muschamp and Dan Quinn, an excellent defensive coordinator, in charge. Florida was eighth in the country in total defense last year, and they return 24 of their 26 top tacklers from 2o11. They'll be led by linebackers Jon Bostic (6'1", 243, Sr., 94 tackles last year, 10 for loss, and and three sacks), linebacker Jelani Jenkins (6'0", 233, Sr., 75 tackles, six for loss, two sacks) and standout safety Matt Elam (5'10", 210, Jr., 78 tackles, 11 for loss, two sacks, and two ints). They've got a couple of stud defensive lineman in dtackle Sharrif Floyd (6'3", 305, Jr.) and defensive end Ronald Powell (6'4", 250, Jr.). Both were five-star recruits out of high school. They're loaded on defense. A couple of other Gator defensive players who will play major roles and make a lot of winning plays are linebacker Michael Taylor (6"0", 220, sophomore) and sophomore safety Jabari Gorman (5'9",183). Taylor had 36 tackles last year, and 4.5 tackles for loss, along with an interception. He had an excellent spring game. Gorman played in all 13 games last year, and was all over the field in the spring game. They are both winners.
The offense has a new OC in Brent Pease. Pease came to Gainesville this year from Boise State, and you know how good their offenses have been. The offenses started off slowly in the spring game, but really picked it up midway through the first quarter. Sophomore quarterbacks Jacoby Brissett and Jeff Driskel are both stellar players. Like them both a lot. Excellent passers and athletic; both can run. Brissett is 6'3", 229, and Driskel is 6'4", 232. Both were high four-stars coming out of high school. Brissett was a 5.9, four-star in high school and Driskel was a 6.0, four-star. Judging from the spring game, it's a dead heat for the starting job. I would say Brissett had a little better spring game. He made some excellent throws with a couple of nice deep balls. But Driskel had some nice throws and some athletic runs also.This competition will go into August, maybe all the way to the first game and beyond. It's that close. Don't think Muschamp wants a two-quarterback system. That doesn't usually work very well. Maybe Muschamp will do what S did and just let it play out even into the season. A.J. took over against Penn State in the second game of the season. Muschamp may start them both and just see who is the better player in games. Should be interesting to watch. Mike Gillislee is an excellent running back. Should have a solid, 1,000-yard season for the Gators. Looks like he's close to elite. There's a little depth behind him with Mack Brown, Jr. (not coach's son) and Omarius Hines, who looks like a playmaker on the edge. Trey Burton is a weapon, kind of sweep, reverse-type player, who is also kind of a hybrid guy who can play H-back and catch passes. He's a player. Tight end Jordan Reed caught 28 passes for 307 yards and two touchdowns last year, not eye-popping numbers, but he made some nice plays in the spring game and is talented. The Gators have a young freshman receiver named Latroy Pittman, who came in early, and who looks like he's going to be a player this year. Junior Andre Debose is back. He caught four touchdown passes last year and had a nice deep ball catch in the spring game. Quinton Dunbar (6'1", 183, sophomore) is another weapon on the perimeter for the Gators. The Gators look a lot better on offense this year. Their defense will be there. If they can get settled in at quarterback, they should be a pretty darn good football team. The line looks a lot better than it has in recent years. Xavier Nixon, a 6'6", 309 tackle, looks like the mainstay guy there. Big guys, good pass protectors and look like pretty good run blockers too.
The Schedule:
Start with a W against Bowling Green at home.
At Texas A&M. Tough matchup. Will pick Gators.
Tennessee in Knoxville. Like Gators.
Kentucky, LSU at home, then Vandy in Nashville. Should be at least 2-1 from those games.
South Carolina at home and Georgia in Jacksonville will be huge. After watching the Gators in spring, if their qb can come through, I like them to knock off both SC and Georgia. Missouri in Gainesville a win. Two wins against Louisiana Lafayette and Jax State and then an epic with Florida State. Need to watch the FSU spring game before I make this prediction. It's at Tallahassee, so like FSU just from the surface. Will have more on FSU next week after I watch their spring game. At first glance, like FSU.
I see the Gators going 10-2. They are very much improved from last year. Will Muschamp is an excellent coach. Gets pretty pumped up out there; he's a screamer. But I think he can really motivate, and he's got some stellar football players. These two quarterbacks are very impressive, and with Pease from Boise State calling the shots on offense, I like this Gator offense to be much improved from the last couple of years. Pease looks like a big step up from Charlie Weis, who left to take the Kansas head coaching job. Like this Gator squad a lot. I picked SC over them on Wednesday, but after watching the Gators, like the Gators to knock off South Carolina at home and Georgia in Jacksonville and make it to Atlanta. It'll be highly competitive, but the Gators look to me, after watching them, Georgia and SC, to be the best team. Will watch Tennessee and give you a preview of them, but I don't think they're there yet.
Will Muschamp looks to have the Gators ready to compete for an SEC Championship in 2012