This time, Aaron Hernandez was ready.
A week after missing UF's season opener against Hawaii because Gators coach Urban Meyer said he "wasn't ready to play," the sophomore tight end dazzled in his season debut.
Hernandez's first touch of the season was a 14-yard touchdown reception in the back left corner of the end zone, and he also threw in a 38-yard catch in the third quarter.
Hernandez finished the game with 58 yards on a team-high and career-high five receptions.
Sitting out of the Hawaii game for giving minimal effort in practice that week showed him what not to do.
"It was horrible," Hernandez said. "But I learned my lesson. Now I've got to start practicing hard."
Hernandez's performance was especially noteworthy because he was not the Gators' starting tight end coming into the season. When redshirt senior Cornelius Ingram tore his anterior cruciate ligament during summer practice, Hernandez got the call.
"I learned so much basically from CI," Hernandez said. "(I had) huge shoes to fill. He's a great player, and he's the one who helped me all through camp. Even when he was injured he came back and was helping me.
"He's the reason why I'm actually playing, making plays right now."
On the first-quarter touchdown, he began the play on the left side of the line, and ran straight back to the goal post.
UF quarterback Tim Tebow was under pressure from the Miami defensive line, and Miami senior defensive back Anthony Reddick started to run toward him, leaving Hernandez open for the easy catch.
Tebow said he didn't come into the night expecting Hernandez to be his leading receiver, but the fact does not shock him afterward.
"If he's open, go to him," Tebow said. "He was able to beat his man (on the touchdown), I found him, and he was able to make some big points off of it."
Hernandez's long catch in the third quarter was much more impressive.
After snagging the ball in the middle of the field, Hernandez ran for a few yards, then cut back toward the right sideline, adding an extra 20 yards to the catch.
It appeared for a moment Hernandez would break the reception for a touchdown, but the Hurricanes' safeties caught up to him.
"I just tried my hardest to get to the end zone," Hernandez said. "Miami's a fast team, so they got me. I was kind of mad, but it was a big play."
The Gators went on to score their second touchdown on the drive.
Combine that with the return of UF wide receiver Percy Harvin - who finished the game with 39 combined yards - and linebacker Brandon Spikes - who led the team with 11 tackles- and all the starters who missed the Hawaii game came back with a bang.
"Hernandez really played well," Meyer said. "Harvin, we can do much more with him, and we will. But I thought he played hard, and I thought Hernandez played hard."
