What we don’t know about the SEC East
Yes, I know that March Madness cranks up in full gear on Thursday. But by the end of next week, every team but two in the SEC (Kentucky) and ACC (Virginia Tech) will be into spring practice. So we’re going to spend the next four days talking about what we know and what we don’t know about each division of those two conferences.
Now I need your input here. There is a lot that we’d don’t know and spring practice is about finding some answers before things heat up in August. If there is something you don’t know about a team that you think is important, let’s hear it.
We’re going to start today with the SEC East. On Thursday we’ll discuss the SEC West. These teams are in alphabetical order. Then we’ll move to the ACC.
FLORIDA (13-1, practice starts March 25, ends April 18)
What we know: The defense is set. Of the top 22 players on defense in the BCS championship game against Oklahoma, 14 were freshmen, redshirt freshmen, and sophomores. Even the leadership returns as LB Brandon Spikes is back for his senior season. Talent will not be an issue for the Gators in 2009. Great expectations might be. Just ask Georgia. Also, that No. 15 guy at quarterback is pretty good.
What we don’t know: Will Florida really miss Percy Harvin? Don’t get me wrong. I believe Harvin was one of the most gifted players to come along in this generation. But rarely was he completely healthy. There is just so much speed on this team with Chris Rainey, Jeff Demps, Brandon James, Deonte Thompson etc., that I have to believe that new OC Steve Addazio will be able to get by without Harvin.
GEORGIA (10-3, practice started March 17, ends April 11)
What we know: The running game, and really the whole offense, is going to be just fine. Yes QB Matthew Stafford and RB Knowshon Moreno are gone, but the offensive line, which had to be patched together for all of the 2008 season, is now solid and finally has some depth. Now cross your fingers that the injury bug does not hit. QB Joe Cox doesn’t have the pure talent of a D.J. Shockley, another Georgia quarterback who waited his turn behind a star, but he does have the leadership. That should give OC Mike Bobo the luxury of bringing his freshman quarterbacks along more slowly.
What we don’t know: Is there an elite athlete who will step forward at defensive end? While a lot of Georgia fans seem to be concerned about rebuilding the secondary, it won’t matter who plays defensive back if the Bulldogs can’t rush the passer. Georgia was eighth in the SEC in quarterback sacks with 24 last season. Kiante Tripp moves back to DE from OL. Three defensive ends will miss the spring. Somebody has to step up and be a difference maker at this position or the Georgia defense is going to struggle again.
KENTUCKY (7-6, practice starts April 1, ends April 25)
What we know: The defense is going to be good. CB Trevard Lindley of Hiram, DE Jeremy Jarmon and middle linebacker Michael Johnson would have all been reasonably high NFL draft picks had they chosen to pass up their senior seasons. All will be coming back and so coach Rich Brooks expects his defense to be strong in 2009. Kentucky’s defense was disappointing last season, finishing 11th in the SEC at 332.4 ypg.
What we don’t’ know: Who is going to play quarterback? Mike Hartline, a junior, started the season but then lost the job to freshman Randall Cobb. Cobb had knee surgery at the end of the season and not play in the Liberty Bowl. Kentucky also has a talented freshman coming in the fall in Morgan Newton. Kentucky averaged 22.6 points per game last season with a rebuilt offense. That unit must get better.
SOUTH CAROLINA (7-6, practice started March 3, ends April 11)
What we know: Ellis Johnson will have another good defense. Despite all the issues on offense, and there were many, South Carolina had a chance to win each week because of its defense. The Gamecocks got some bad news Tuesday when DT Ladi Ajiboye was suspended indefinitely. If he doesn’t return, that hurts their depth. But with OLB Eric Norwood (9 sacks) back this unit has a chance to be as good as the one that finished fourth in the SEC (291.9 ypg).
What we don’t know: Will Stephen Garcia make it through spring practice unscathed? Better hope so because he’s the only quarterback Steve Spurrier has right now. Garcia’s former competitors, Chris Smelley (transferred to Alabama to play football) and Tommy Beecher (transferred to Liberty), are gone and there is nobody else in camp who has taken a snap. Garcia was suspended the past two spring practices. Spurrier has hired a new quarterbacks coach in G.A. Mangus, hoping to accelerate Garcia’s improvement this spring.
TENNESSEE (5-7, practice started March 10, ends April 18)
What we know: Every position is open, except Eric Berry’s. Every player starts with a clean slate and a chance to win a job under new coach Lane Kiffin. The most notable exception is Berry, who was a warrior every week while Tennessee was struggling at the end of the Phillip Fulmer era. The challenge for new DC Monte Kiffin will be finding a lot of different ways to put Berry in position to make plays. Defense was never the problem in 2008 (Tennessee led the SEC at 263.5 ypg). It won’t be in 2009.
What we don’t know: The Vols have running backs, but who is going to block? Tennessee has made headlines by grabbing two highly recruiting running backs in Bryce Brown and David Oku. There are a number of proven running backs in camp. But the offensive line was inconsistent a year ago, which is why the Vols were ninth in the SEC in rushing (122.9 ypg). Chris Scott (6-5, 346) from Riverdale needs step up and be a big time tackle. Unless somebody dramatically improves at quarterback, the Vols figure to be average at best at that position. So an effective running game will be essential.
VANDERBILT (7-6, practice starts March 10, ends March 28)
What we know: The Commodores are going to be better. With only 10 seniors, Vanderbilt was supposed to be rebuilding in 2008. Now they return 19 starters from a team that went to its first bowl in 26 years and won only the second bowl game in its history over Boston College in the Music City Bowl.
What we don’t know: Can quarterback Larry Smith keep it up? Vanderbilt shuffled quarterbacks Chris Nickson and Mackenzie Adams all of last season and both were ineffective. At the end of the season coach Bobby Johnson turned to redshirt freshman Larry Smith, who started his first game in the Music City Bowl (10 for 17, 121 yards). Vanderbilt was sixth in the SEC in scoring defense (19.6 ppg) in 2008. But the Commodores only scored 19.2 points per game. This spring will be about finding ways to score more points and take some of the pressure off the defense.
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178 comments Add your comment
Blindog
March 18th, 2009
9:18 am
Joe Cox will surprise a lot of teams early because he is a really good Q.B.The expections are low but the Dawgs will win the S.E.C. East
matt
March 18th, 2009
9:19 am
TOny- Logan Gray is pure athlete at the QB position. Is Richt looking to get him into the game at QB some how? I’m assuming it’s Joe’s position to lose. If Richt had the balls to give Joe T. the reigns then he owes it to Joe Cox!!
Tony Barnhart
March 18th, 2009
9:25 am
Matt,
I don’t see Logan Gray as a full time starter but as a guy who can be used in a “Wildcat package” for a change of pace. My sense is that the coaches have a lot of confidence in Cox. I just think there are a lot bigger issues at Georgia than quarterback.
ValdostaMike
March 18th, 2009
9:26 am
Dawgs will be fine on offense. Yes DE is a concern, both if we do not tackle better this year, nobody will have to throw the ball against us. I do not know where it will come from, but I do expect the Dawg Defense to play with more violence this year.
T-Bone
March 18th, 2009
9:28 am
Which is the real Ga Tech offense, the one that ran all over MIami and UGA, or the one that got stifled by LSU?
1eyedJack
March 18th, 2009
9:28 am
Logan Gray is just too good of an athlete to keep off the field. You gotta believe Bobo is preparing a package for him. Vandy could be scary for a number of teams this year. Good for them as long as they don’t trip up my DAWGS. Both UGA and GT have to play at Vandy this year. Two years ago we escaped by the skin of our teeth.
Otto
March 18th, 2009
9:30 am
I’m not sure it was balls that gave Joe T the reigns…… I am looking forward to Cox at QB
bigdawg01
March 18th, 2009
9:30 am
TN is a mess. Crappy o-line with NO QB, repeat NO QB. They will have a tough time this year. FL will be good, again, but OK showed that if you stop the run and make Tebow beat you with his arm, things are different. Dawgs will surprise a few people. Cox is not Tereshinski, and definitely has the skill. Complaints on Cox was that he could not throw as long as Stafford, but who cares. We need accuracy and completions. Most of Staffords long throws were garbage and never connected.
FL will be brought down a notch or two next year. Tebow cannot play forever, and without him FL will not be the same team plus it will be interesting to see them this year without Harvin.
No matter what, the SEC is still the best most exciting conference in the country.
Otto
March 18th, 2009
9:31 am
T-bone they were both the GT offense put them up against a solid DL and LBs that wrap up and they get blown out.
Bamafan
March 18th, 2009
9:32 am
Florida in talent is the very best team easy in the SEC east or West. Georgia should come in 2nd place in the east behind the gators. Put the other teams in the east in a hat and pick 3-6 because
they all are average. Hope Vandy does well this season, Bobby Johnson is a real nice man and a real
good coach!!
Cameron
March 18th, 2009
9:32 am
Tony,
The Gators will miss Percy Harvin more than anyone realizes. In big games, him and Tebow were the only ones who made plays. Rainey, Demps, Thompson, and James are cute, little, fast guys. They can make big impacts in the passing game and special teams. But, good teams shut those guys down. Harvin always was able to bust big play after big play in both the running and passing game. Those little backs broke huge runs against bad teams and when games were already decided. None of those backs scare me nearly as much as Harvin does.
Having said that, their offense will still be good. Tebow will still run the show and “will” them to victories when he has to. And, they won’t need their offense to be that good. Their defense may be one of the best college football has ever seen. They return just about everyone, but the loss of Torrey Davis will hurt them big time. I would expect them to win the SEC again.
Otto
March 18th, 2009
9:34 am
Will Kiffen repeat the NFL to CFB success of Charlie Weiss?
Miles
March 18th, 2009
9:36 am
Florida…best team in the SEC East…this we know for sure! What we don’t know is how many points they’ll put up on their SEC East opponents!
Cameron
March 18th, 2009
9:37 am
Funny you don’t see Logan Gray as a full time starter, yet the UGA coaching staff does. This was the player of the year in Missouri coming out of high school. I personally watched him in the spring game last year and he has the talent to be an awesome QB. He may have stunted his QB growth by playing special teams last year. But, he is such a good athlete Richt wanted to put him on the field. he also wanted to do whatever helped the team win. Just because he is a good athlete, doesn’t mean he is not a good QB. He throws a pretty ball and I saw him laser in a 20-yd post to Mike Moore for a TD in last years G-Day game, in the rain.
Chris
March 18th, 2009
9:38 am
Tony,
Does anyone know who might start at tight end for GA? I know we have the two freshman studs coming in. It seems like some time ago that we enjoyed a big athletic receiver with hands like Pope or Watson.
Cameron
March 18th, 2009
9:38 am
Miles,
Florida’s scoring average will go down. But, it may not matter because of their defense. I still think they are the best team in the SEC, but they’re offense will take a step back.
Cameron
March 18th, 2009
9:43 am
Chris,
I expect Bruce Figgins to start at TE if he is healthy. He can block and catch. Aron White and Orson Charles will see plenty of time though due to their abilities to create mismatches in the passing game. Arthur Lynch will have a harder time making the field then Orson, because he offers the same skill set as Figgins, and to a lesser extent Aron White. Aron White has gotten bigger and becoming more of a complete TE. He may end up being your starter, especially if Figgins isn’t healthy.
Figgins starts (if healthy), Aron White is the top backup, Orson will see plenty of time as a Flex/Receiving TE, Bryce Ros will be seldom used as a blcoking TE, and Arthur Lynch is on the outside looking in and will probably be redshirted.
JB
March 18th, 2009
9:44 am
My Dawgs will be better than last year, but will be 10-2 also this year. We need for 2-3 ’special” players to emerge on each side of the ball. I don’t think this year will be that year, But I like our young players, and I do feel the coach’s had an awful year last year and they know it. I think the team this year will be more intense, but I think we win 10 again. 2010 could be special, if we get one of these Freshman QB’s some game time.
tenn.DAWG
March 18th, 2009
9:52 am
Pressure on the QB is a must.I also believe that with todays parity you should use some multible schemes,disguising blitz,etc.There should also be more immagination used on the offence.
Voice of Reason
March 18th, 2009
9:56 am
we were 9-3 this past year, not 10-2. the 10 came in the bowl game making us 10-3.
Voice of Reason
March 18th, 2009
9:57 am
Cox at QB, Gray lined up at reciever. Could be great for a few reverses and every now and then add the fake reverse and have gray throw the ball down the field. Or Gray in the wildcat. All kinds of options with great recievers and an athlete like Gray.
Huh?
March 18th, 2009
9:59 am
Joe Cox is the starter today and, barring injury, will be the starter in the bowl game. With all due respect to Logan Gray, there is no amount of talent that can replace his experience and knowledge of the system. And I don’t know why people are so down on his talent anyway. He’s been SEC starter material from day one.
Florida is the hands down preseason #1 but they are not unbeatable and will not go undefeated. Its almost considered slanderous to say that Florida will lose a game (or more) in 2009, but they will. Repeating as national champion, or even SEC champion, is an extremely difficult thing to do. That’s why it rarely happens. As a Georgia fan, I’m hoping they buy in to their hype and get complacent. Its college football. It happens all the time. You have to wonder if they are doing extra reps in the weight room for all the points that Ole Miss scored on them? I bet they aren’t. Good luck with that target on your back Florida. I must admit that if anyone is equipped to deal with it its them.
GATORZONE
March 18th, 2009
10:01 am
Percy will be missed, he is a great talent. However, just look at the SEC championship game if you need proof that UF can win without him. Just like every year, new players will be stepping in to fill the gap taking the ball. Obviously, Florida has plenty of weapons.
And to Bigdawg, how did Ok prove that UF can be beat when Tebow is forced to pass? Didn’t Florida win? I know he threw a couple of INT’s, but he also engineerd great drives in the second half that won the game.
ChewDawg
March 18th, 2009
10:01 am
Speaking for the Dawgs…
Less we forget, Cox was a highly recruited QB out of high school. While not the cannon like Stafford, nor the athlete like Shockley, he is highly accurate as a passer. With a complete OL and time to pass, he’ll be fine. He adds an element that neither Stafford nor Shockley had, accuracy and finesse. Seems a man named Brady isn’t a cannon or athlete either. The offense will be fine…arguably better than 2008. I’ve seen King play personally, and if he can get it together, he’ll make your jaw drop. If not, we can platoon it amongst the stable of backs and still have an effective running game. I don’t expect the O to miss a beat.
Defense is a huge question mark. The only solid part are the linebackers. UGA’s D for 2008 was one of the worst I’ve seen in recent memory. The boys need an edge…and need it fast. There was a time when UGA’s D was fierce. They got after the QB and the secondary could knock the taste out of your mouth. Both were gone in 2008 and 2007. I trust the embarrassments of UA, UF and GT last year give Martinez all the ammunition he needs to get that edge back. He’s got one more year to show me something, or I’m on the bandwagon to fire Martinez as well.
Red Elephant
March 18th, 2009
10:06 am
GA should be fine as they again finish 10-3 behind the Gators in the East and win another bowl in Florida.
shards1967
March 18th, 2009
10:08 am
W.O. a DE and a can do attitude on D, the Dawgs are in for another so so year. The coaches have to infuse aggression into them all. Cox will lead and the running back “position” will be a tandem effort. I see FB Chapas being a real solid workhorse for them. He can do it all.
Cox can throw little down and out passes and the over the middle stuff to our receivers and they can take it to the house. With the guy from Memphis, the opposing D backs will not be able to double team AJ Green and it will hurt them. This is how I see Chapas being used ………… he will get his share of dump passes and it will pay dividends. He is a tank with great hands.
D is the key to a great season ……w.o. the ATTITUDE and AGGRESSION forget it. 9-3 or 10-2 is where we will be.
JB
March 18th, 2009
10:10 am
my bad on saying we went 10-2. I forgot Tech Won because of OUR poor play ( 3 points, unless you hear a nerd, and they think it was 4 or 5 TD’s ) I’m just so used to Tech being a W for the Dawgs.
ChewDawg
March 18th, 2009
10:12 am
Gatorzone -
not wanting to take anything away from UF’s win…but OkSt did show UF can be beat when forced to pass. While Tebow engineered some great drives, he’s not a highly accurate passer. But this isn’t news. The problem is stuffing the running game while still managing to restrict the passing game. OkSt couldn’t do this, so the game was close with UF winning (congrats BTW). If you’ll watch the first half of the UGA/UF game, you’ll see UGA’s D was doing this fairly well. If UGA doesn’t fall apart in the 2nd half, it’s a coin flip going into the final 2 minutes. (I know, “if”s and “but”s…but still). OkSt defense is average at best…their game plan was to stop the run and limit the score while hoping to beat UF on offense. But UF has a pretty good offense too.
FWIW, I’m won’t be betting on UF to repeat as SEC champs or National Champs. They’ve certainly got the talent and leadership to do it. But both will be undone by ego and high expectations. UF loses two. So you know, I said the same thing about my dawgs last year as well.
1eyedJack
March 18th, 2009
10:12 am
It is amazing what a couple of NFL-bound DTs (Owens & Atkins) can do for your DEs. You’re going to have to doubleteam them freeing up the DEs to rush. I think they will be much better this year.
bigdawg01
March 18th, 2009
10:14 am
Gatorzone:
A score of 7-7 at the half showed that a “mediocre defense” and that was what OK had could stop the gator run game. Tebow did have to throw it more, and did so against that defense which was ranked in the high 40’s nationally. Point is that against better defenses in SEC that will be tuned in to stopping Demps and Rainey, teams will take their chances on Tebow throwing. No, FL did not get beat, but also did NOT score as much as everyone thought.
45-42
March 18th, 2009
10:15 am
JB, are you used to Florida being a L for the Dawgs?
That is pretty automatic too
JB
March 18th, 2009
10:18 am
45-42…..yes I do. Now, you man up and tell me the Dawgs will beat you guys 8 of 10 times we play you, even with Johnson there. Because you KNOW we will. Not enough horsepower on the flats to beat us over and over.
DirtyDawg
March 18th, 2009
10:19 am
Florida and Tebow have been beaten before and they’ll be beaten again and no reason why we shouldn’t think it’ll be Georgia that does it. That’s the only way to look at a game eight months out. When we get to Halloween maybe the picture will be different, but right now we ain’t taken’ crap off no Gators, and we damn sure won’t take it from somebody that wear’s the most putrid color of faded orange and is proud of it.
Alabamadawg
March 18th, 2009
10:20 am
I certainly agree with Cameron’s comments concerning Logan Gray. Most people seem to forget what a talent he is. I believe Cox will do fine this year and Gray will win the job next year…
GATORZONE
March 18th, 2009
10:20 am
True Bigdawg, but the BCS Championship game is different from any game in the regular season. Expectations are up, nerves are tight, and Oklahoma (not OKST) was a great team that averaged 50+ points per game(most in NCAA). So neither team scored as many as expected. I do not think that proves anything on how to beat UF and Tebow. Just my opinion, but I am biased as you might expect
Barnhart’s Questions ‘Bout The SEC East | MrSEC.com
March 18th, 2009
10:20 am
[...] update.First, he lays out the known… then he delves into the unknown for each squad.You can read his full report right here, but here’s a summary of his unknowns:Florida — Will Florida really miss Percy [...]
Gen Neyland
March 18th, 2009
10:23 am
FLORIDA…Go ahead and give ‘em the dang East title and the Heisman to Tebow. GEORIGA…Last year, UGA had the luxury of having an offense that could score more points than their defense gave up. This year, they’ll need a wee bit more D effort. Some feel Cox can do what other back ups have done when given center stage. May or may not happen. D’s will be coming after him early to test. SOUTH CAROLINA…Two words, Beat Spurious… TENNESSEE…In 2008, every D UT faced knew they were one dimensional. Can Orgeron fix what Clawson broke? UT’s O-Line was built first, on pass protection, run second. In 2008, they couldn’t field a QB that could even toss his Wheaties so the D’s put what seemed like 12 in the box. VANDY…Has their share of youth coming back from a decent 2008 season by Commodore standards, plus a win over Boston College in a bowl. Vandy and bowl. Sounds odd. Vandy won’t win the East but I have a feeling they’ll push a few to excel on game days. At LSU early might be one of those…
ChewDawg
March 18th, 2009
10:30 am
Ooops on typing OkSt…Fully aware that it’s OU. Only one cup of coffee this morning, so the brain’s still a bit foggy.
OU didn’t show the world how to beat UF. It was already known. Man up on the receivers and contain the run. Who cares if OU averaged 50+ points a game (even defenses that ranked in the bottom half of DivI)? Their D is still average at best. They didn’t have the talent to contain the run while still defending the pass. And even with an average at best D they gave themselves a chance by containing the run. So with that little fact, here’s what we know…any defense that can contain UF’s running game and still have the talent to go one on one on the receivers can be UF. Fortunately for UF, that’s a hard thing to come by.
bull-gator
March 18th, 2009
10:31 am
To ChewDawg: The Gators played Oklahoma in the BCS not OkSt (I presume OkSt means Oklahoma State University Cowboys, not the Oklahoma University Sooners)…I could be wrong, have been before…
GATORZONE
March 18th, 2009
10:31 am
VANDY will be on everyone’s radar this year. They will not be overlooked any longer.
ChewDawg
March 18th, 2009
10:38 am
Vandy and UK will continue to make up the bottom half of the SEC. But they won’t be overlooked any longer. UGA made that mistake in 2006 and nearly did it again in 2007. Neither will contend for the East any time soon, but both are building respectable programs capable of 7-8 wins each year including the regular upset.
Eric Zeier
March 18th, 2009
10:46 am
It is so funny listening to these stupid leg humpers insisting that Tebow can’t throw after 3 years. The kid led the SEC in QB Efficiency rating last year and before the bowl game, only had 2 picks.
Jan Kemp was so right. UGA players and fans, can’t read, but they sure can yap, yap, yap. If you think Florida is going to be complacent this year, you don’t know Urban Meyer very well. Florida did just fine in the games that Harvin could not play, including the SEC championship game. Hey Leg Humpers! Remember Alabama?
Did you see what Florida’s defense did to the highest scoring offense in College Football History? The Oklahoma offense that averaged over 60 points a game? The offense everyone said that Florida could not stop?Well that defense has the entire 22 player 2-deep coming back.
And it was OK, not OKST that Florida played, you illiterate Dog fans. And please notice that I know how to spell DOG.
Diss Tebow’s passing all you want. For 3 years you have been saying he can’t throw, but he continues to lead the conference and definitely the East in QB ratings.
Georgia fans are just, so damn stupid.
“Let the Big Dog Read” -Jan Kemp, 1986
G8R GRAD
March 18th, 2009
10:47 am
2009 will be a repeat of 2008:
UF will win the SEC East with one loss (probably LSU);
LSU will win the SEC West and get beat by UF in Atlanta;
UF will play in Pasadena, again.
Volaholic
March 18th, 2009
10:47 am
Bryce Brown is the second coming of both Herschel Walker and Bo Jackson. And he’s about to stomp an orange hole through the SEC. Lane Kiffin is a better coach than Vince Dooley and Pat Dye combined. Brown on O and Berry on D, the Vols are gonna win the SEC!
Wally Butts
March 18th, 2009
10:50 am
Bryce Brown will be ruled ineligible by the NCAA and never play a down in college.
heyberto
March 18th, 2009
10:51 am
Not sure the assessment is really accurate. He may not be as talented DJ Shockley, but he’s still pretty damn capable of being a great College QB.
PTC DAWG
March 18th, 2009
10:53 am
I don’t it’s a cakewalk for FU. Last time FU came off a great year, they went 9-4..I’m not predicting that (they play ZERO OOC ‘cept for FSU), so their record is padded for sure.
My point is, it’s just not as easy as rolling a team out there. The East should be interesting. I keep thinking SOS may up and win this division one year. Time will tell.
Eric Zeier
March 18th, 2009
10:56 am
Last time UF came off a championship and went 9-4, they lost every single starter on defense. At least act like you know what you are talking abpoiut before opening your mouth.
G8R GRAD
March 18th, 2009
10:59 am
Or, in the alternative:
Uf wins the SEC East with one loss (LSU or MSU):
The winner of the LSU/UA game will lose to UF in Atlanta;
Tebow wins the Heisman, again; and
UF wins the BCS in Pasadena, again.
ChewDawg
March 18th, 2009
11:03 am
Eric Zeier wannabe -
Thanks for making it personal. Glad you get to sleep better at night knowing you put us leg-humpers in our place on the internet.
It’s pretty obvious your knowledge of the game is limited to name calling and tailgating.
Passing efficiency means squat in Meyer’s offense. When 99% of your passes are within 10 yards to receivers with GREAT hands, your numbers are going to be good. Tebow’s passing numbers are inflated by the talent around him. That’s not taking anything from Tebow. I absolutely believe he’s one of the best QBs to play at the college level. His leadership and sheer athleticism makes him a phenomenal player. He should have won the Heisman last year and proved it in the BCS game.
Answer this, if he’s such a great passer, how come no one (of credibility and football knowledge – as such excludes you) actually believes he’ll be a QB at the professional level. He won’t. He’ll be a TE or FB. He likely won’t even be a first round draft pick. He’s not a passing QB. Why is that hard for most Gators to accept? Yeah, he’s made a couple great plays over the years, but day in and day out, his days of taking snaps will be confined to college.
Cameron
March 18th, 2009
11:07 am
Eric Zeier:
Did you see what all the other defenses did to all of those other Big 12 offenses? Oklahoma was only that high scoring of an offense because they were playing other Big 12 defenses. Stopping their D does not say nearly as much as their patsy D stopping your Offense.
Harvin was the best palyer on your team besides Tebow. If Tebow is such a great passer, why didn’t he leave to go to the NFL. Oh yeah, because the NFL says he can’t pass and want him to play another position. Sure he can pass well enough to win in college. But, clearly the way to slow doen Florida is to stop the run and make Tebow beat you with his arm. He is fully capable as he has shown, but that is your best bet.
ChewDawg
March 18th, 2009
11:13 am
Kiffin has proven nothing as a head coach. NOTHING. 5-15 with the Raiders…and a second year that was making out to be worse than the first.
He was a pretty decent OC at USC under Pete’s shadow. But it’s the PAC-10. I just doubt he’s going to have that same success playing the caliber of defense he’ll play almost weekly in the SEC. But who knows?
I’m not saying he’ll fail. I’m just saying he’s done absolutely NOTHING to warrant the “Savior” title the Vol nation has given him. The only thing he’s proven is he can run his mouth, and even that seems to be lacking. He’s created some excitement and the Vols certainly needed that. But I’ll wait until he’s coached a few before declaring him better than already proven coaches.
GATORZONE
March 18th, 2009
11:13 am
Funny how so many UGA fans claim they know the “secret” to beating Tebow and UF.
Tebow can’t pass, he is just a so-so QB that will be nothing in the pros.
Yet, these same fans are the ones stating that UF will be knocked down a notch or two when Tebow graduates. You cannot play it both ways. Either he is fantastic or a liability, but not both.
Eric Zeier
March 18th, 2009
11:15 am
The Illiterate ChewDawg said “Answer this, if he’s such a great passer, how come no one (of credibility and football knowledge – as such excludes you) actually believes he’ll be a QB at the professional level.”
The answer is Bill Belichick. I will bet you your mortgage, (if it is not in foreclosure) that Belichick drafts Tebow in the first round. If you know how to use Google, just look up Belichick and Tebow for the answer to your question.
“Let the Leg Humpers Read” – Jan Kemp, 1986
Huh?
March 18th, 2009
11:15 am
“Last time UF came off a championship and went 9-4, they lost every single starter on defense. At least act like you know what you are talking abpoiut before opening your mouth.”
Yet they were still #3 in the nation in the preseason. Go figure, eh? Its funny how quick Gator fans are to point out those lost defensive starters now. I didn’t hear too much about it back then. Hindsight is always 20/20. Who knows, the loss of Percy Harvin and both offensive tackles could have a similar effect on you this year. An injury here and an injury there and the Gators could be in trouble. We just don’t know. That’s why they play the games champ. Sorry nobody is ready to hand Florida the championship trophy in March. Quit your whining.
Eric Zeier
March 18th, 2009
11:16 am
And I am not an Eric Zeier wannabe! That loser was 0-4 against Florida.
Eric Zeier
March 18th, 2009
11:18 am
Hey Huh! You are an idiot. The writers picked UF #3 that year, just like they picked Georgia #1 last year. Does that answer your question? Meyer said before the season, that they lost everybody and should not be #3. What did the genius Richt predict before last year?
Mike
March 18th, 2009
11:24 am
Tebow not a highly accurate passer? What do the delusional UGA fans base that opinion upon? Tebow was the most accurate passer in the SEC last year.
Les W. More
March 18th, 2009
11:25 am
It must be frustrating being a Georgia football fan a.k.a leg humpers, mutts, yappers, slobbers, lipstick lickers, and fleabags.
Wally Butts
March 18th, 2009
11:27 am
Let the illiterates from Athens bash UF all they want. 17 losses out of the last 20 and a losing record to Florida since 1950 (which includes the Dooley years) says it all. They will crow about their wins in the 20’s and 30’s which was 80 years ago, but they are the only ones who really care.
ValdostaMike
March 18th, 2009
11:28 am
Meyer chipped his tooth the other day and made Tebow run sprints for eating peanuts!
GATORZONE
March 18th, 2009
11:29 am
Calm down UGA. You guys are the “top” team of the second tier of the SEC. You should be glad about that.
Like the infamous words of Spurrier…
“Heck, its just Georgia.”
PTC DAWG
March 18th, 2009
11:33 am
So I’m wrong about the last time FU came off a great year? Is someone trying to say they DIDN”T go 9-4? All I said, is it won’t be as easy as many think. IF it is, the rest of SEC is weaker than I thought.
mark
March 18th, 2009
11:33 am
Eric Zeier- if UGA fans can’t read then Fla. fans can’t punctuate. You have WAY too many commas in your post. It, makes, it hard, to, read. Tebow is far from an accomplished passer. Game manager? Excellent! Make no mistake though, he works his arm off of his legs. How else do you think his famed backyard jump pass works?!?! He’s projected as a 2nd – 3rd round TE for crying out loud!!!
BR
March 18th, 2009
11:35 am
And Gator fans are just… so damn cheesy. One thing we ALL agree on in the SEC and much of the nation… the only people that can stomach Florida fans or their team are FLORIDA fans and their team! You only need to read posts from their redneck fans to see why!
ValdostaMike
March 18th, 2009
11:36 am
What do you get when you mate Urban Meyer with Tim Tebow?
nothing, but that doesn’t stop Urban from trying
K
March 18th, 2009
11:36 am
Eric Zeier… does your trailer have a mortgage or is it paid off?
ChewDawg
March 18th, 2009
11:37 am
Eric Zeier Wannabe -
As you’ve donned his name, I can only assume.
And the more you talk, the more you confirm that you know very little, if anything about football. Tebow isn’t a first round pick. Period. Not as a QB nor as a TE. Belichick isn’t going to waste a first round pick on a hunch that the wildcat formation could make a comeback in the NFL. Maybe a second or third round pick, but not his first. Especially when he’s winning rings left and right with Brady. Several coaches are talking about the wildcat formation, but none are committing to it. And none are going to gamble their first round pick on a chance it might work. Write it down and be ready next spring when you have to swallow your pride and accept you don’t really know anything about football except for what somebody else wrote in an article.
And betting my mortgage doesn’t seem really fair…I’m pretty sure the mortgage on my home is a good bit higher than the payment on your double wide.
To the rest of the Gator Nation (at least those with more sense that the wannabe), is it really an insult to say Tebow isn’t a great passer? It doesn’t take anything from him as a player. It’s just what it is.
Wally Butts
March 18th, 2009
11:38 am
10. Arm Strength – This is probably the least disputed of Tebow’s strengths, but it bears mentioning. Sam Bradford, who many consider the best deep ball passer in the college game, had a lower completion percentage than Tebow on throws of 15 yards or more. He also averaged less yards and touchdowns per attempt on those passes. In fact, almost half of Tebow’s passing yards this year came on throws of 15 yards or more. And before you say it, no Tebow’s stats weren’t skewed by Percy Harvin turning a five yard slant into a 60 yard touchdown. Only 42% of Florida’s receiving yards came after the catch. Compare that to 60% for the Sooners, and scratch your head while you realize Tebow can throw a football. Not bad for a guy who’s just a “fullback under center.”
G8R GRAD
March 18th, 2009
11:39 am
Here, UGA ladies, read this and weep:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/tim_layden/01/13/tebow/
The scary unwritten aspect of this article is that the NFL will inevitably come looking for a coach who can translate this offense to the pros and it’s good-bye Urban.
Wally Butts
March 18th, 2009
11:39 am
9. Winning Percentage – Winning at the college level doesn’t always translate to success in the NFL. Just ask Matt Leinart. But Tim Tebow’s got two national championships in three years of college football. And unlike former first-rounder Leinart, both of his were decided in BCS title games. Not to mention a 22-5 record as a starter. Georgia’s Matt Stafford, considered no worse than the second best quarterback in the draft, is 21-5 over the last two seasons, but his record is lacking even a conference title. Tebow already has one in the toughest conference in the land. As for a three year tally, Tebow’s Gators would have to finish 6-6 next season for Stafford to finish with more wins.
GATORZONE
March 18th, 2009
11:40 am
UGA fans just wish that they could compete in Jacksonville more than 3 or 4 times every 20 years.
Keep pretending that it is a real “rivalry.” Just like dawg fans ridicule Tech for losing 8 in a row. UGA is almost as competitive with Florida as Tech is with Georgia!
HAHAHAHA!!!!
murfdawg
March 18th, 2009
11:41 am
Gatorzone,
What is your OL looking like this year? It could be as weak as it was in ‘07. UGA should have a good DL with Geno Atkins back (ask Timmy about him). By Halloween, we will know which unit has progressed more. Have fun ranting and raving and I’ll talk to you again in Nov.
Wally Butts
March 18th, 2009
11:42 am
3. Determination – There’s not a single player in the NFL who will tell you that they weren’t “determined” to help their team reach the playoffs. But 20 of those teams were sitting at home watching the wild card round. Talk is cheap. Real determination is converting 11 thirds downs in the national championship game after tossing two picks. Tebow converted three of those in the second half with his legs. He converted seven through the air, including the game’s first touchdown. Down three to top ranked Alabama with a national championship berth on the line, Tebow stepped up and went 5 for 5 for 72 yards and a touchdown in the fourth quarter to seal the win. That’s not talking about determination. That’s living it.
Wally Butts
March 18th, 2009
11:43 am
2. Delivery – Yeah that’s a funky throwing motion. It’s not as quick as Eli Manning’s, and it’s certainly not as prototypical as Sam Bradford’s or Matt Stafford’s. But if you remember the year Eli was drafted, another quarterback with a strange delivery came off the board only a few picks later. Phillip Rivers was dogged by every draft analyst with a soapbox for his crooked side-armed release. Well Rivers just finished leading the NFL in touchdown passes while leading the improbable 4-8 Chargers to a playoff win. This is what coaches get paid for. Tebow has another year in school to hone his throwing motion, and if, like Rivers, he enters the draft with a less-than-perfect delivery, guess what? There are coaches at the pro level, too. He’s got the arm strength. He’s got the smarts. He’s got the work ethic. He can throw the ball. If his release needs tweaking, it will get plenty of it.
Wally Butts
March 18th, 2009
11:45 am
1. Accuracy – Which brings me to the final knock on Tebow’s prospect rating. His accuracy. Somehow, despite the jaw-dropping third-down conversions, despite all the passing yards, despite having the fourth best passer rating in the country NFL draft pundits still say
the biggest problem with Tim Tebow achieving success at the next level is his accuracy, or lack thereof. These guys must not have watched the SEC championship game where Tebow tossed dart after dart at the bullseye on his receivers chests. Maybe they missed those winning throws to Louis Murphy and Riley Cooper and David Nelson in Miami. No one has a problem with Matt Stafford’s accuracy. Over the last three years Stafford has notched completion percentages of 52.7, 55.7, and 61.4. His best isn’t even as accurate as Tebow’s worst. In three seasons Tebow has completed 66.7, 66.9, and 64.4 percent of his throws. He has a career touchdown to interception ratio of 67-11. That’s better than Sam Bradford who has a draft-attractive total of 86-16. Where’s the accuracy problem? Maybe it’s the fact that the football often looks more like Daffy Duck fired from a cannon than a Nerf Vortex. Well Chris Leak threw one hell of a spiral. Where is he? Buried behind super quarterbacks Kyle Orton and Rex Grossman on the Chicago Bears’ depth chart. The last two Super Bowl winning quarterbacks have thrown more than their share of ducks. But the point isn’t what the ball looks like on its way to the receiver, it’s that it gets there. Tebow’s passes get there. That’s what completion percentage measures – accuracy.
Mark
March 18th, 2009
11:46 am
I wouldn’t care if Florida won the nat’l championship every year, you couldn’t pay me to pull for those classless loud mouths! And yes, I am sure it’s safe to say that I speak for 99% of the SEC!
Wally Butts
March 18th, 2009
11:46 am
This bears repeating…
No one has a problem with Matt Stafford’s accuracy. Over the last three years Stafford has notched completion percentages of 52.7, 55.7, and 61.4. His best isn’t even as accurate as Tebow’s worst. In three seasons Tebow has completed 66.7, 66.9, and 64.4 percent of his throws.
ValdostaMike
March 18th, 2009
11:47 am
Can you say “Danny Wuerffel”?
Wally Butts
March 18th, 2009
11:47 am
And again…
No one has a problem with Matt Stafford’s accuracy. Over the last three years Stafford has notched completion percentages of 52.7, 55.7, and 61.4. His best isn’t even as accurate as Tebow’s worst. In three seasons Tebow has completed 66.7, 66.9, and 64.4 percent of his throws.
ValdostaMike
March 18th, 2009
11:47 am
Can you say “Alex Smith”?
mark
March 18th, 2009
11:48 am
Wally- 10,9,3??? Skipped a few numbers didn’t you?? Get back to work!!
ValdostaMike
March 18th, 2009
11:51 am
Can you say “system quarterback”? “gimmick offense”?
He’s a helluva player, a great leader, and sounds like a fine person (Danny Wuerffel) but he is not a prototypical NFL QB. He may end up being a QB in the NFL, but no team is going to invest a high draft pick on him. I will bet that is what he was told by the advisory committee. I doubt he would have done the “drama thing” if he was never considering leaving early.
Dogbyte
March 18th, 2009
11:51 am
The Gators will be good and anybody who says different is sticking their head in the sand. As for the Dawgs, as Tony says they have to come up with some people to put pressure on the opposing QB. If so, and one of our running backs steps up, we will be all right. There won’t be any easy touches in the East. Everything you get(win), you are going to have to get it the old fashioned way. You are going to have to EARN it!
Mark
March 18th, 2009
11:52 am
Again, let FL win the championship every year. I will continue to thank GOD that I am not a gator fan!!!
ChewDawg
March 18th, 2009
11:53 am
I guess I’ll just have to accept that most Gator fans are all knowing. Oddly, the only people that ever argue for Tebow being an excellent passer are Gator fans. I guess the pro scouts and coaches don’t know what they’re talking about either. I’m glad I’m in good company.
I’ll be glad to reverse my thinking if any of you can show me a single pro who wants Tebow because he’s a great passer. You can’t. Case closed. They want him because of his athletic ability. Even those who envision him in the wildcat formation see him as an adequate (read as decent but not good) pass with great hands and legs. Sounds like a TE to me.
Sam Robards
March 18th, 2009
11:54 am
The more I read about my Dawgs, the better I feel about this upcoming year. I was nervous about Cox at first but then I read about how he interacts with the team, his skills and his time in the program: that definitely put me at ease. Also, if we use Logan Gray in some special packages or even in the DJ Shockley manner for a few games (where they’d switch drives with David Greene and the Shocker), that’ll give our offense enough variability to keep defenses honest.
The running game’ll be fine. We have more than enough high-quality backs, and one of them will step up in a big way next year. At first I thought Richard Samuel would be the guy, but now I have the feeling that King’ll show us what he can really do.
Defense is our biggest question mark, but if we maintain and improve upon the level we set in the bowl game last year, we’ll do great. I predict we kick things off with a bang in Stillwater. We beat the ‘Pokes by 16, at least.
How about my number two Vols? If they get one of those quarterbacks to play decent, find a couple of decent receivers and play solid on the line, they’ll do ok. Not great, but certainly better than last year. I predict they go 7-5 with an UPSET over Florida.
Yeah, Kiffin talked trash about Meyer, but if he takes that team, which has a large amount of talent, down to Gainesville with attitude and the belief they can win, which I think he can and will do, then they have a very good chance of making a statement on Sept 19 (or whenever it is they play). Ole Miss did it last year: why can’t Tennessee do it this year?
Florida can (and will) be beaten this year … multiple times. I don’t think they’ll get blown out, but they lose 2 games (3 in a worst-case scenario). I think they’ll lose to UGA, Tennessee and maybe LSU.
Why will Florida lose those games? Percy Harvin. Yeah, they won the one game they didn’t have him for (SEC Championship), but without him, they lose to Oklahoma. As others have said, when OU shut down UF’s run game in the BCS, they were stagnant on offense because Tebow isn’t a passing quarterback. Yes, he can pass the ball and pass it well, but he isn’t the type of quarterback that can sit in the pocket and take apart a secondary: he’s an option quarterback. His doing well relies on the ability to RUN first and PASS second. That’s why I think he’ll play FB in the NFL, but that’s another story. It wasn’t until Harvin, Tebow and the running game picked up in the second half that they put OU away.
Yeah, Demps and Rainey are fast, but they’re small. They get hit and they go down. Harvin had both speed and the ability to shrug off hits, which is what made him so dangerous. The only other guy I see being able to possibly fill that role would be Emmanuel Moody, but that’s a long shot.
Anyways, that’s my three cents. Go Dawgs!
mightyKC
March 18th, 2009
11:55 am
Cameron, re:
“Rainey, Demps, Thompson, and James are cute, little, fast guys. They can make big impacts in the passing game and special teams. But, good teams shut those guys down.”
those ‘cute’ guys didn’t get into the offense until arkansas game. i won’t focus on how many yds they had against the razorbacks, because you’ll just say they weren’t a good team (but they both went over 100 yds). they combined for 190+ yds against LSU. KY had the top defense in the SEC at the time, and Demps had 117 total yds vs them. UGA, like arky, not a good team, won’t waste your time there. vandy…they avg 5 yds/carry, but like arky/UGa, crapbox team. South Carolina, they avg 9+ yds/carry, against at the time the best D in the SEC. against FSU, a top 5 D in nation, they ran for 180 yds combined, avg 11 yds/carry. against bama, demps went for 50 yds and a TD.
yes, neither of those guys are Percy, and I don’t believe they can do it on their own, but with Moody and Tebow running, too, they will continue to be a great change of pace and will have a big impact on the running game for FL. If you take out harvin’s rushing yds out of last year’s totals, FL still rushed for 50+ more yds/game than UGA.
Chewdog, re:
“Answer this, if he’s such a great passer, how come no one (of credibility and football knowledge – as such excludes you) actually believes he’ll be a QB at the professional level. He won’t. He’ll be a TE or FB. He likely won’t even be a first round draft pick. He’s not a passing QB. Why is that hard for most Gators to accept? Yeah, he’s made a couple great plays over the years, but day in and day out, his days of taking snaps will be confined to college.”
guess what? fortunately for FL and Tebow, teams like UGA don’t have eleven NFL caliber defensive players…i know, it’s crazy! (some would argue they don’t have one, but that’s not my point) Tebow will continue to do what he has done the last few years against the best defenses in COLLEGE football, including throw all the 10 yd throws, the 67 TD *PASSES*, compoleting 2/3 of his throws, etc, etc. Anyone that thinks he can’t throw the deep ball against college compeition is blind or an idiot. And oh yeah, Matt Stafford, the #1 NFL prospect from the 2008 preseason national champs, only threw 51 TD passes in his entire career…tebow almost RUSHED for more than that, and he only started for 2 seasons! I LOVE the “tebow won’t make it in the NFL arguments” from Florida’s college rivals….WHO CARES? I don’t care that Peyton is the best QB of all time (well, #2 after Stafford)…i care that Danny W was undefeated against him! thank god when tebow graduates folks will have to move on to some other lame “argument”.
Gotta love the offseason…same every year, Dogs yapping and yapping, non-stop. 17 out of 20 (!), here we come.
ChewDawg
March 18th, 2009
12:00 pm
Wally -
Who’s arguing accuracy here? His stats are impressive and he leads the SEC and most of the nation in several areas. But, it’s a result of the offense he’s in and the players around him.
While Rivers had a side-arm delivery, he also has presence in the pocket and a quick release. Tebow has neither. His mechanics are unusual, he’s never played in a pocket offense, and his release is as slow as Christmas. And that adds up to the first round how?
AltamahaDawg
March 18th, 2009
12:08 pm
The defense needs to step up this year. Tackle better. More attitude. All so true. All attainable. The majority of improvement in those areas will be from pure reps in practise hopefully at full speed this year. DE is a matter of finding one. I think there are several candidates. And eventualy, at least able to rotate at that position, unlike last year.
But its worth pointing out that the offense can help the defense a boat load more than they did last year. The constants in all of the worst stretches last year were horribled position, TO and an inability to line it up and grind out 3 yrds when it was absolutely critical. That too should be improved this year. Not as much flash, but more control from the offense I would think would cure a lot of the ill’s on both side.
ChewDawg
March 18th, 2009
12:13 pm
MightyKC -
You seem to think I’m arguing that Tebow and UF suck. Read again. My argument has solely been that Tebow is not a passing QB. Period. Seems anyone not cheering for the Gators agrees with me. Also read that I said Tebow is one of the best QBs to play the college game. Better than Stafford. Stafford, if he can find the touch, will have a better NFL career, but didn’t have the college game that Tebow had. I can admit that.
UF has every reason and weapon necessary to repeat at SEC Champs and BCS Champs. But they won’t. The “nobody can beat us” attitude reflected here by you blind loyalist is already showing itself with the team. UF loses 2, maybe more. One to an underdog. I’m not making any prediction on who does it, just that it happens.
UF should stomp a big mud-hole in every team they play this coming season, including my Dawgs. But ego and bravado have a way of undoing a team. Even the best.
Gen Neyland
March 18th, 2009
12:26 pm
ChewDawg : When CMR came to Athens, he was following in the footsteps of Goof and Dunn’em in. The UGA fanbase was upbeat and more than that, hopeful. Sure, some Vol fans are raving about the future, but it’s all based on Hope and/or Change. I fall into the Hope catagory because I wasn’t one clamouring for Change. I just wanted Clawson tossed into the river. That SonofaGun took a peice of Rocky Top down with him…
ValdostaMike
March 18th, 2009
12:29 pm
“Hope and Change”, you’re kidding, right?
The audacity
Ole Dawg
March 18th, 2009
12:39 pm
Hey Eric Zier….I’m not sure you want to talk about Jan Kemp….have you ever heard Lawrence March speak….he can’t even put a sentence together. Georgia didn’t even recruit him because his grades were so low.How did he even qualify to go to Florida? Everyone in his hometown of Augusta,Ga.is still trying to figure it out. Half your team is made up of “student athlete’s” who can barely talk or read and are only staying qualified to play because Urban Crier has got them all in a cream puff major with 24 hour a day help. This will all soon be exposed by ESPN ….and Urban will be gone. Count on it.
Huh?
March 18th, 2009
12:41 pm
Someone dare suggest that Florida is human and they might actually..GASP!!…lose a single game in 2009 and they are just jealous haters “bashing” the Gators. A tad bit sensitive aren’t we Gator fans? I hate to break to ya but nobody is going to bow down before your golden boys this year. They are going to have to earn everything they get. I’m sorry to break this horrible and heart breaking news to you sensitive crybabies. Thanks.
WePeeYellow2
March 18th, 2009
12:51 pm
Who cares about UF? Who cares if UF beats UGA in Jacksonville? At the end of the day the UF fans have to go to work on Monday cleaning the toilets, making beds, cooking meals and Retrieving cars for all the vacationing UGA fans, Grads and current students. Face it UF, life as a dawg is a damn site better than life a subservient gator. I mean UF isn’t the most popular school in your own state, FSU even in down years holds that title. And as far as being a leg humper, I’ll take that 6 days a week and twice on Sunday to being a bottom feeding swamp lizard, whose claim to fame is being the main material for wallets, belts and shoes! The fact that you idiots proudly proclaim your devotion to UF is more telling to your lack of intelligence, than any other. Look at me I wear prison orange, jorts and a mullet; I’m Es Em Are Tee! Jeezz, shadup and I might tip you for parking my Benz.
SlimG
March 18th, 2009
12:55 pm
Tony, all winter and this is all you have? Hire a proofreader okay.
It’s way to early for this crap. Enjoy March Madness and get back to us when you have some real, pertinent information that checks out.
David
March 18th, 2009
12:55 pm
Percy Harvin was the best player in college football. Believe me they will miss him. Rainey, Demps, James….they don’t compare to Harvin. Florida is going to get a wake up call the next two years, this one without Harvin and the next without TT. The only thing that saves them this year is their schedule is a joke.
bama12titles
March 18th, 2009
12:57 pm
Chewdawg,
I have to respectfully disagree with your assertion that Tebow is not a very accurate passer. My jaw dropped when I read that one. You must not have watched the seccg. He pretty much beat Bama with key “accurate” 3rd down td passes. We pretty much shut down the UF running game and forced a lot of 3rd and long passing situations. Tebow hit 3 of 3 3rd down passes for tds and on all 3 plays we had good coverage. On 2 of those plays the Bama db was all over the gator with blanket coverage but Tebow put the ball in the exact spot that only the receiver could have caught it. Even Saban admitted after the game that he wasn’t even mad at the dbs. He flat out said the coverage was very good but that Tebow just put the ball where only the wr could have gotten it. If Tebow doesn’t hit at least 2 of those key 3rd down passes then UF doesn’t win that game.
He also dropped a 50 yard bomb on us where he hit the wr perfectly in stride on a 2nd and long. The guy led the sec in passing efficiency and when he was in high school he broke virtually every high school passing record in the state of Fla.’s highest classification. You don’t achieve these accolades by being inaccurate.
To say he is not an accurate passer means you’re either just incredibly biased or you really didn’t watch him all season or you’re basing everything on 2 picks in one game. You have to look at the season as a whole.
Lastly, he will not be a high qb draft pick for the simple reason that he doesn’t have a cannon of an arm like Stafford. He has a strong arm, just not the cannon that the pros like. That’s all.
I think UF wins the east and probably the sec again just due to the number of great players coming back, specifically on D. To have your whole D back and top 14 of 22 back will make it tough for anyone to beat them because a great D can always keep you in the game. Harvin was a special player but it doesn’t matter if he’s gone. Gators still have a bevy of backs. They will miss a couple of good o-lineman but with the recruiting they’ve had they won’t have a problem rebuilding.
Fla. wins the east, the rest of the division will fight for 2nd place with UGA likely the runnerup. I think there will be a surprise team somewhere like Carolina or Vandy that could win 8 or 9 games and upset someone major. It won’t be the vols though. Expect another season of mediocrity for them and a brutal beatdown when they get to Gainesville. As Richt found out last year Urban Meyer has a long memory.
I think the big thing to watch with everyone will be whose qb stays healthy the whole year and who has to find a new starter due to an injured qb. This is something that will bite someone in the butt really hard this year. That to me is the big question of the year.
BigMike
March 18th, 2009
1:01 pm
Tony, Is Isreal Troupe going to finally step up and compete, or is this position wide open? Also what is the status of Donte Jackson?