Spring football practice is over, so they tell me. And the Orange and Blue Debut came and went unspectacularly.
That means you fans in the Gator Nation must wait until August to see or hear anything tangible related to the football team. (Remember, arrest reports don’t count.)
But that also means the time for all-important prognostication is upon us.
On cue, Urban Meyer, as part of his new gig as a college football analyst for ESPN, appeared recently on a College Football Live segment to break down the Gators football team and their expectations for the upcoming season.
(The “experts” have Florida ranked No. 18 in their way-too-early, dead-wrong-by-fall preseason rankings.)
If you happened to be away from the couch for this gem of television greatness, you missed some outstandingly awkward back-and-forth from a panel featuring Kirk Herbstreit and Robert Smith, alongside Meyer and former Gators quarterback Jesse Palmer.
It opened with Smith wondering how Will Muschamp would restructure the Florida football program after it sunk beneath the ever-lofty expectations in Meyer’s last season.
All while Meyer sat two chairs away. Awkward, as the kids say.
Palmer stepped in and said Muschamp has already changed lots of things at Florida, including closing spring practice to the public. Much to the chagrin of Gators fans. Smiling ear-to-ear, wrinkles showing from years on the sidelines, Meyer quipped, “Glad I didn’t do that.”
The star-studded panel went on to discuss such important topics as entitlement issues, blue-collar mentalities, playing with ‘fire,’ team psychologists and whether Charlie Weis was a great hire or the greatest hire. But what does all that mean in terms of actual football? You don’t need me to tell you. Absolutely squat.
So let’s take a look at five real issues facing the Gators this season:
1 –John Brantley. Is he the guy?
In the last 30 seconds of the segment, Meyer said quarterbacks receive too much praise for winning, and too much blame for losing. While true, Brantley still must prove he’s the caliber of quarterback necessary to win in the Southeastern Conference. Regardless of Meyer’s public stance on Brantley, no one can deny the quarterback has the most direct effect on a team’s success of any other position. If the Gators are going to be great, Brantley must be as well.
2 – The pass rush.
In 2009, the Gators ranked fifth in the country with 40 sacks. They accumulated 34 in each of the national championship seasons of 2006 and 2008. But Florida had just 21 a year ago, tied for 86th in the nation.
Muschamp must get good production from highly-touted recruits Dominique Easley, Sharrif Floyd and Ronald Powell for the Gators pass rush to return to elite status.
3 – The secondary, minus Janoris Jenkins.
Muschamp said recently he’s happy with the guys remaining on the roster after Jenkins’ dismissal. But how will they line up, and can they be effective? Senior Moses Jenkins, junior Jeremy Brown and sophomore Cody Riggs all figure to play prominent roles.
But the Gators will also likely have to depend on production from freshmen like De’Ante Saunders, who Muschamp said has impressed thus far.
4 – Who will emerge at running back?
The Gators situation at running back is muddled at best. Jeff Demps and Chris Rainey are still there to catch swing passes out of the backfield and run stretch plays off tackle, but who will get the pivotal 3rd-and-1’s?
5 – The schedule.
The Gators play three teams — Alabama, LSU and FSU — that are ranked in at least someone’s preseason top 10, take it for what it’s worth.
Two of those teams (Alabama, FSU) must come to The Swamp. But the Gators also face a daunting three-game road trip with games at LSU, at Auburn and then against Georgia in Jacksonville.
