UF coach Urban Meyer remembers looking down at his play sheet during a 2005 game and simply shaking his head.
With his top three receivers out due to injury, the coach felt hopeless on offense.
"Dan, call a good play," he remembers sarcastically remarking to offensive coordinator Dan Mullen via headset.
"We had no one on the field that could make a play," Meyer said.
Nowadays the Gators have an entirely different problem when it comes to receivers.
They?re loaded.
"I think we?ve got too many playmakers," senior wide receiver Andre Caldwell said.
"Every time they touch the ball, it can be six points on the scoreboard."
Because of the depth and speed at the position, Caldwell said the receivers are the strength of the team.
"They depend on us a lot to make a lot of big plays and make sure we stay in every ballgame," he said. "We work hard every day, and we're just trying to stay No. 1 on this team."
The likely starters at wide receiver are Caldwell, sophomore Percy Harvin and junior Louis Murphy.
Caldwell passed up the NFL to return for a fifth season at UF.
"I want to be known as one of the greatest players to play the game," Caldwell said. "At Florida, nobody can say they won two national championships. So I am trying to go back to back."
Harvin, the reigning Most Valuable Player of the Southeastern Conference title game, is considered one of the most explosive and dynamic players in the country.
"Percy is probably the best player in our conference, and they call the SEC the little NFL," sophomore Jarred Fayson said. "He is one of the top two or three players in the country. He's a big time ball player."
An afterthought at the position a year ago, Murphy has been the surprise of the off-season.
Caldwell said Murphy's breakout is a product of staying healthy through a full off-season conditioning program.
Sophomores Riley Cooper and Fayson also figure to see a great deal of playing time, though Fayson spent the off-season learning to play running back and will likely be the backup to Kestahn Moore. Speedy freshman Deonte Thompson is another candidate to receive playing time.
Cooper, who missed most of spring practice with a foot injury, might be the most underrated receiver on the depth chart, Caldwell said.
"He is out there making plays (in practice), just showing that he needs to be on the field catching balls somehow, some way," Caldwell said.
At tight end, junior Cornelius Ingram figures to create plenty of matchup problems.
In fact, despite very limited experience at the position since making the switch last season, Ingram was voted second team All-SEC in preseason balloting.
"To be honest, I was surprised," Ingram said. "But I know the ability that I have … and a lot of people see some things in me, and they know the best is yet to come."
Still, Ingram knows that with the depth of talent around him, he'll have to make the most of his opportunities.
"I'd like to get a lot of touches, but I know we have a lot of guys we have to spread the ball to," Ingram said.
Senior Tate Casey will also see action at tight end, particularly in blocking situations.
