LEXINGTON, Ky. &ndash John Brantley finally got his meaningful minutes at the helm of Florida's offense, it just didn't come the way the Gators had planned.
Coaches talked all offseason about their desire to use the backup quarterback more this year, but after earning only mop-up duty in UF's first three contests, he was thrust into the spotlight during the third quarter of Florida's 41-7 win against Kentucky.
After starter Tim Tebow was sacked by UK defensive end Taylor Wyndham on a third and 6, he laid motionless on the field for a few minutes and had to leave the game. When the Gators' offense took the field on their next drive, Brantley ran the show while a dazed Tebow watched from the sideline.
Brantley had plenty of time to settle his nerves, as he didn't trot out until after the Wildcats' next possession, but it was a jarring way to make his debut.
"I was taken aback because that was a nasty hit," Brantley said. "The way he just froze up, it was unbelievable. My thoughts and prayers go out to him, and I'll hopefully see him [Sunday] or Monday."
Brantley finished the game 4 of 6 for 30 yards and a touchdown, and he performed well on his first drive. Brantley went 3 for 4 for 22 yards, converting on third and fourth downs before mishandling a snap and turning the ball over.
Faced with a second and 16, Brantley connected with David Nelson for 14 yards and then hit tight end Aaron Hernandez for four yards and a first down.
He followed that up with a four-yard pass to running back Jeff Demps to convert a fourth and two, but just as he looked poised to lead the Gators to a score, he fumbled a snap from under center and the Wildcats pounced on it.
The setback didn't do too much to harm his confidence, and he even did his best Tebow impression on a third and 6 in the fourth quarter, escaping pressure and scrambling for five yards, taking on three defenders at the end of the run.
After UF took possession at the Kentucky 8-yard line following an interception, Brantley didn't take long to tally a touchdown pass. On the first play of the drive, he tossed a jump ball for receiver Riley Cooper, who hauled it in over a defender to make the score 41-7.
It was a big moment for Brantley, who has struggled with overcoming mistakes in the past.
"For the coaches to come back with the confidence in me to get back under center, it felt good," he said. "That's what I worked on last spring and this camp, how to bounce back. Anyone can play well when they're up, but when something goes wrong, it's about bouncing back from that."
Brantley will enter this week preparing as if he'll start in UF's clash at LSU on Oct. 10. UF coach Urban Meyer said Saturday night that if Tebow's injury causes him to miss the showdown in Baton Rouge, Brantley will lead an offense similar to the one run by Chris Leak.
