Everyone is starting to wonder how the wide receiver corps is going to react without its leader, Andre Caldwell.
Well, here's a suggestion: go ask the offensive linemen.
They lost one of their best leaders in preseason All-Southeastern Conference tackle Phil Trautwein, and they've been just fine.
Trautwein suffered a stress fracture in his right foot just four days before the season opener against Western Kentucky, and UF coach Urban Meyer has said there's a chance he's done for the season.
The offensive line didn't look good during the third quarter against Troy, but neither did anybody else on the team. It's hard to blame players for losing focus when they've scored touchdowns on seven consecutive drives. If I were an offensive lineman, my thoughts would have been on the postgame buffet, too.
That quarter excluded, quarterback Tim Tebow has had time to make all his checks and decide whether he wants to throw a dart to one of his speedsters or take off running and demolish a linebacker Tebow-style.
Running back Kestahn Moore has had holes to run through as well.
It was only Western Kentucky and Troy, you say? Go tell that to the defense who allowed 31 points against the Trojans and whose secondary has still not proven that much.
While you're at it, let's also say that Tebow still can't pass just because he played those creampuffs.
Give credit where credit's due. Right now, the big boys up front deserve some love.
Going into the season, Trautwein and Drew Miller were supposed to be the leaders of an experienced offensive line - the area where the Gators returned most of their starters from last season's championship team. But Trautwein's injury ended that rosy scenario, and freshman Maurkice Pouncey had to jump in at right guard with senior Carlton Medder moving back to his original position of right tackle.
With a freshman starting at guard on opening day for the first time in school history - and learning he would do so just four days beforehand - an adjustment period was expected. But there wasn't much of a learning curve, if any.
Medder said that if Maurkice continues at his current pace, he'll probably be a freshman All-American. Maurkice hasn't been perfect, but he hasn't been responsible for Tebow falling flat on his back, either.
Miller and Medder deserve a lot of credit for this success, too. Through two games, there has very rarely been any confusion in formations on the line, and Meyer is relying on Miller to know where everyone should be on every play. So far, so good.
Meyer said he wasn't sure if some of the backup linemen wanted it bad enough, but he did say Mike Pouncey (Maurkice's twin brother) and Maurice Hurt are putting forth strong efforts in practice. Though the likes of Carl Johnson and Marcus Gilbert are not ready to contribute full time, the Gators aren't completely lacking depth.
Considering they lost arguably their top lineman, that's not bad.
So if you see these giants on campus, give them some kudos. Just don't offer to buy them a meal - you probably can't afford it.
Seriously, the Pouncey twins told me "cooks start sweating" when they enter restaurants.
Yikes. Buy them dinner, and you'll be taking out a student loan.
