Tag Archives: Dominique Easley

Dominique Easley, Sharrif Floyd Hope To Cause Confusion For Opposing Offensive Lines

  By The Bull Gator | July 25, 2012 - 4:13 pm | Florida Gators Football
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Big things were expected when the Florida Gators signed the nation’s top two defensive tackles as part of the 2010 recruiting class. Dominique Easley and Sharrif Floyd were going to own the middle of the line for years, creating one of the greatest duos to ever play at the University of Florida. The two have been far from disappointments, but things have definitely changed.

During the 2011 season, Floyd spent most of his time lined up at defensive end while Easley manned the middle. There are a few reasons for it – integrating the 3-4 defense and injuries – but Floyd started the final 11 games at DE.

This season, that will flip. Easley will technically start at end while Floyd will go back to his natural position of defensive tackle. But don’t even expect that to last long.

In an attempt to disrupt opposing offensive lines, the Gators will roll out multiple defensive fronts. Easley may start at end with Floyd at tackle, but that could switch. We could also see both at end or both in the middle. With multiple defensive sets, you’ll see the two in multiple places on the field. Cue chaos, but the good kind for Florida.

The linebackers are among those excited about the constant switching we’ll see from Easley and Floyd. With offensive lines focusing and where the big men went and who needs to get to them off the snap, the linebackers could see lanes open up and find themselves in the backfield at an alarming rate.

2012 could be a make-or-break season for the vaunted 2010 recruiting class. Among them are Easley and Floyd, key components to the Gators’ success.

2013 Football Recruiting: Caleb Brantley And The Varying Degrees Of A Commitment

  By The Bull Gator | May 8, 2012 - 9:40 am | Football Recruiting
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On Monday, we learned that 2013 defensive tackle Caleb Brantley had adjusted the level of his commitment to the Florida Gators. The four-star DT from Crescent City, FL (Crescent City) stated via Facebook that he was now a soft verbal commitment to Florida, dropping his status down from solid verbal commitment. Brantley maintains he is still committed to the Gators and head coach Will Muschamp understands where the defensive tackle stands, but that he may have jumped into his commitment too early.

In addition to wanting to take visits to other schools, Brantley is concerned about the depth chart at defensive tackle. He seems like someone that wants to play immediately and were Dominique Easley and Sharrif Floyd to return for their senior seasons, the guess is Brantley wants to know what his role would be. He doesn’t want to spend his first season watching from the sidelines, but instead wants to learn on the job.

This development is hardly shocking and could be viewed as just another example of the way the recruiting world turns. Until a player signs his letter of intent, he is nothing more than verbally committed to a school. Whether we want to clarify that verbal commitment as solid or soft, it’s still nothing more than a recruit claiming which school tops his list in many cases. Brantley may still end up signing with the Gators – Florida still holds the lead – but he may sign elsewhere as well. At the moment, he’s being honest in saying that he may have jumped the gun and would like to learn a little more before he makes a final decision.

Brantley remains committed for now and has mentioned it would take a lot for that to change, but he does want to visit other schools and make an informed decision. Among those schools are Alabama, Florida State and USC.

Drafting The Florida Gators To Go Head-To-Head Against…The Florida Gators

  By The Bull Gator | May 1, 2012 - 7:23 am | Florida Gators Football
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The football offseason brings about boredom and plenty of it. It has forced us at The Bull Gator to come up with ways to occupy our time whether they are fun or trivial exercises in futility. Some examples include past attempts at coming up with the best Florida Gators of all-time at each jersey number and a draft consisting of only players available from the schools we have attended. This is another one of those exercises.

One Eyed Willy and I conducted a draft where we each attempted to fill a starting roster made up of all Gators. The rules were simple: 1) you need to fill each position with a player that could realistically line up at that position, and 2) your only real wildcards are going with a fullback or a third wide receiver and playing either a 4-3 defense or a 3-4.

Once we were done, we gave the teams to Evandagator and he let us know which team he thought would win if they went head-to-head. We didn’t tell him which team belonged to which one of us, so he could give his unbiased opinion (we aren’t completely sure which one of us he likes more just yet). We also posted the teams on Alligator Alley (one of the message boards on Inside The Gators) to see what they thought as well.

First up, the teams:

*The numbers in parenthesis indicate the overall pick the player was selected. Some players don’t have numbers next to their names because once we realized we only had positional openings left where we wouldn’t be competing for players, we each filled our rosters in one lump selection.

(more…)

Gators Defensive Tackle Nick Alajajian Has Wrist Surgery

  By The Bull Gator | April 12, 2012 - 8:00 am | Florida Gators Football
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Senior Nick Alajajian underwent wrist surgery on Tuesday. The Florida Gators defensive tackle had been having trouble with his wrist throughout spring practice. With the Orange and Blue Debut having come and gone, now was the perfect time for Alajajian to have the surgery and have the time to get healthy for fall practice.

Already a senior, Alajajian’s career at Florida seems to have gone by almost too quickly. Having spent his first three years as a reserve offensive lineman, Alajajian made the switch to defensive tackle in preparation for the 2012 season.

He has appeared in 32 games and got his first start in the Gator Bowl following the conclusion of the 2011 season. Although Alajajian will provide depth at DT, his path to significant playing time won’t be any easier. He shares the position with Sharrif Floyd, Dominique Easley, Omar Hunter, Leon Orr and Damien Jacobs. JaFar Mann and Dante Phillips will join the Gators in the fall.

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Josh Shaw And Lynden Trail Transfer From Florida: Gators’ Depth Takes Another Hit

  By The Bull Gator | November 30, 2011 - 3:00 pm | Florida Gators
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You know what Florida really needed? More players transferring. That’s a great way to build depth.

Those would be the extremely sarcastic words of Andy Hutchins of Alligator Army. It’s also what nearly every fan of the Florida Gators thought to themselves when they head the news on Tuesday that defensive back Josh Shaw and defensive end Lynden Trail would transfer.

The Gators’ 2010 recruiting class was one of legend. Ronald Powell, Sharrif Floyd and Dominique Easley topped the list of star recruits who signed with Florida and then head coach Urban Meyer. Nearly two full seasons later and that 27-man class has lost nine of its members. Transfers are expected when you lose a coach and his staff; one-third may be more than even a worst-case scenario (and, oh yeah, some think Mack Brown and/or Tyler Murphy may not be far behind). Did going 14-11 over the last two seasons have something to do with it? It’s possible, but in the case of Shaw and Trail, it probably had more to due with playing time.

Shaw was one of the nation’s best coming out of high school. The Palmdale, CA cornerback was rated the no. 28 player in the country by Rivals.com. Moved around the defensive backfield, Shaw never found a home and never was able to find consistency in his play. Despite injuries in the secondary, Shaw wasn’t able to take command of a position during practice and playing time was limited in 2011. Rumors of his impending transfer have been swirling for nearly a year now. At first glance, Shaw may not appear to be a immediate loss, but how many times have we heard little from a player early in his career, only to watch him grow into an important part of the team in later years?

Trail – and Booker T. Washington teammate Quinton Dunbar - also joined the Gators as part of the 2010 class. The nation’s no. 7 weakside defensive end in high school, Trail was a tall defender almost in the mold of Jarvis Moss. His path to playing time appeared to be a longer one and, in the end, he wasn’t willing to wait.

With depth continuing to take hit after hit, 2012 is shaping up to be a building year. It doesn’t help that rumors continue regarding additional transfers. Keep your fingers crossed for a growing 2012 recruiting class and a stop to a shrinking roster. We may be in one of those dreaded “things have to appear worse, before they get better” times. Let’s hope it all ends quickly.

Preview: Florida Gators vs. Auburn Tigers – Saturday, October 15, 2011 – 7:00pm

  By The Bull Gator | October 13, 2011 - 12:00 pm | College Football, Florida Gators
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The quick look came earlier this week; now to the full preview. Everything below has and will be discussed leading up to Saturday’s game against Auburn, but there is one thing Florida needs to do: just win. We’ve reached must-win status at game seven. The Gators need to learn from the losses and improve in the areas of concern right now. The second half of the season starts now and 4-2 must become 5-2.


The Facts

Opponent: Auburn Tigers
When: Saturday, October 15, 2011 – 7:00pm
Where: Auburn, AL
Television/Radio: ESPN, ESPN3.com, GRN, Sirius 91, XM 91
Records: Florida: 4-2 (2-2), Auburn: 4-2 (2-1)
Point Spread: Florida -2
Over/Under: 49.5
Betting Score That Would Calculate To: Florida 26-24
Scoring Offenses: Florida: 30.3, Auburn: 27.8
Scoring Defenses: Florida: 19.2; Auburn: 29.2
Gators’ Win Factor (See Here): TBG: 51, OEW: 49

Learn About Auburn

1. Auburn was originally chartered in 1856 as the East Alabama Male College. Doesn’t really have much of a ring to it, does it?
2. Auburn offered the nation’s first interior architecture design degree.
3. The school has a fully FAA certified Air Agency – the Auburn University Aviation Department.
4. Sure the Tigers are the defending national champions, but swimming and diving is where it’s at. The men’s and women’s squads have combined for 13 titles.
5. As you know, Gene Chizik played football at Florida. As you may not have known, he began his career as an assistant at Seminole High School. Don’t get confused though, that’s not the same Seminole Gators’ wide receiver Andre Debose went to.

When the Gators Have the Ball

When the Gators have the ball we at least know that the Gators will have the ball. What we don’t know is exactly which one of the Gators will have the ball. We do know that John Brantley is out until at least the Georgia game (some conspiracy theorists seem to think he’ll miss more time than that), so no. 12 won’t have it. We also know that both Jacoby Brissett and Jeff Driskel are being prepared. What we don’t know is the exact combination we are expected to see. Odds are in favor of both playing along with a little Trey Burton thrown in there, without Burton actually throwing the ball more than once or possibly twice. And the “who will have the ball?” line of questioning doesn’t end there.

At running back there’s a similar situation that is there for entirely different reasons. Chris Rainey will get the majority of carries again as he looks to get back on track after a disappointing outing against Alabama and a subpar one against LSU. Jeff Demps, we all hope, will eventually return to his normal self and bring back the threat of world-class speed in pads. And Mike Gillislee has earned carries and should become a change of pace to the speedsters over the last half of the season. Not that Gillislee doesn’t have a nice burst of his own, but Charlie Weis may look to use him between the tackles against Auburn to give the Florida offense another dynamic to move the ball.

There you have it: a three-headed pass game and a three-headed run game. For the run game, it’s a positive – assuming the offensive line, well, you know. For the pass game, it’s a riddle of sorts. Brissett and Driskel have had a rough go of it this season; in part due to inexperience and in part thanks for the Alabama and LSU defenses. They will need all the time they can get against Auburn. Still in the learning mode, both need the offensive line to step up every aspect of line play. They need time to be able to make decisions without having to worry about avoiding a pass rush. Because of this, and the need for an explosive run game to return, the offensive line continues to be the most important unit on the team.

For those that watch football for the big play or the huge hit, there’s a sigh associated with hearing about offensive line play, but it’s a definite truth. The last two weeks have been rough for the Gators’ offensive line. It hasn’t been any easier for the defensive line, but we’ll get into that in a second. The offensive line hasn’t allowed the run game to develop and hasn’t given the young quarterbacks a chance to survey more than their first option, if they even have time to do that. The remainder of the season lies on the shoulders of the offensive line. That’s a lot of pressure, but there should be. Along that line is experience, talent and potential. The Gators have not used any of those three things to their favor over the last two weeks. In order to beat Auburn, they’ll have to bring them all together…FOR 60 MINUTES!

There should be a section in there about the wide receivers and the tight ends, but enough has been said at this point. The line needs to give the quarterbacks the chance to get through plays and the QBs have to deliver before we focus on the pass catchers yet again.

When the Tigers Have the Ball

Now for that other line – the defensive line. They’ll be named individually because they’re being called out: Dominique Easley, Sharrif Floyd, Jaye Howard, Omar Hunter and Ronald Powell. There are other names that could be thrown in there and Powell could also be taken out since he is technically occupying the buck position, but those five are the key to pressuring opposing quarterbacks and disrupting running plays in the backfield. They’ve done little of either since the win over Kentucky. Did we mention that among that group, there are four five-star rankings and a fifth-year senior? You already knew that, but more importantly the players know it too. They’re just as frustrated as the coaches and Gators’ fans are. They don’t want to underachieve. They want to be great in the orange and blue. If the offensive line is unit of importance number one, then the defensive line is number two.

And then there’s that whole tackling thing. Practice, coaching, a review of the fundamentals, film review and, yes, a lot of yelling needs to occur. This site counts Jon Bostic and Jelani Jenkins among its favorites on the roster. Michael Taylor is about the take the top linebacker spot on that list. He’s one more game away from taking actual minutes away from one of those two as well and rightfully so. Taylor is the bright spot on a unit that was invisible in 2010 and is quickly disappearing in 2011. It’s only a matter of time before a change is made on the field and off of it. D.J. Durkin doesn’t seem to be getting through to his players. Either that or he is but is just being completely ignored when games start. Guess is it’s the former.

This is another game for the secondary in which they’ll be facing an average quarterback. Kiehl Frazier is used often, but he rarely throws the ball, so the focus is on Barrett Trotter. Trotter’s efficiency rating has decreased progressively over the course of the season and he hasn’t made it through a game interception-free since the opener against Utah State. The secondary may not have much to worry about in the pass game, but they have to be prepared to help in the run game. Auburn is another team that pounds the ball at opposing defenses. The Tigers’ top four rushers all average between 5.2 and 5.5 yards per carry. If tackling from the front seven is an issue again, the Gators’ defensive backs must come up with meet the running backs and not allow those extra yards.

Special Teams

The Gators need a special teams spark. Whether that is a blocked kick or a Debose kickoff return, Florida needs a momentum shifter. The defense isn’t cause turnovers, so the special teams may need to provide that spark. A big special teams play can silence a crowd in a mere second. These previews usually only mention Will Muschamp and Weis when discussing coaches, but this will be the second time Durkin’s name has come up. The assistant needs his unit to come through.

Outcome

The Gators can’t drop three in a row. It’s really as simple as that. The game won’t be, but the outcome needs to be. Florida needs to believe they have the talent to compete in the SEC this year and not wait for the future to come. The Gators are still alive in the chase for the East, but a loss to the Tigers almost assuredly knocks them out. Auburn is a team Florida can beat, but it has also become a team the Gators must beat.

Defense: LSU Tigers 41 – Florida Gators 11

  By The Bull Gator | October 9, 2011 - 3:15 pm | College Football, Florida Gators
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First thoughts here. Offense here.


Once again, the run game did in the Gators. LSU decided early it would pound the rock against Florida and did so to the tune of 49 times for 238 yards and three touchdowns. It wasn’t as explosive as what Alabama did to the Gators, but it was effective time and time again.

Spencer Ware led the way for the Tigers with 109 yards on 24 carries. His long of the day was only 18 yards, but he was able to consistently gain yards and make would-be tacklers look ridiculous. When relieved by Alfred Blue, it was much of the same. Neither went down at first contact and both were able to drag defenders for additional yards. That could be a testament to their ability as power runners, but more often than not it was due to a glaring problem in the Gators’ defense – tackling.

For the second-straight game, Florida defenders weren’t able to make tackles. They would meet Ware or Blue, attempt to stand them up, and ultimately get run over. This isn’t a coaching problem, it’s a fundamentals problem. These players know how to tackle, but aren’t using proper technique or are just getting overpowered. That can’t happen. Far too often, Matt Elam was coming up to help make a stop because the LSU running backs were bowling over the defender that got to them first. Amazingly, Jon Bostic had 13 tackles, Sharrif Floyd had 11, Dominique Easley had nine, and Jelani Jenkins added eight. Elam was second on the team with 12, but it seemed like his total was closer to 30 or 40. In a game dominated by the run, Bostic and Jenkins need step up. They two may have totaled 21 tackles, but how many ended with Ware or Blue falling forward? The answer is most of them.

A quick side note related to linebacker talk: Michael Taylor is going to be one heck of a defender. He should be on the field more. That is all.

In the passing game, Jarrett Lee didn’t end up being a hero, but only because LSU didn’t ask him to be. Lee only attempted 10 passes, but completed seven for 154 yards. He looked comfortable dropping back when he needed to and if asked to do more, could have had much better numbers. Even Jordan Jefferson got in on the passing action including a…gasp…jump pass! I can’t blame Les Miles for giving the Gators a taste of their own medicine, but I also hope next year in Gainesville Will Muschamp goes for it on every fourth down and calls a fake on every kick and punt.

If there was a glaring weakness in the passing game it was allowing the big gain. Rueben Randle totaled 127 yards on four catches including a touchdown during which he just ran by Cody Riggs. Russell Shepard averaged 20.5 yards on two catches. And even though Deangelo Peterson and Kadron Boone only had one catch each, they both went for over 20 yards. The secondary gave too much room to LSU’s receivers and was beaten deep on more than one occasion. During one-on-one coverage situations, Gators’ defenders looked lost being either too focused on the quarterback or too focused on the receiver, but never a good balance of both. Bostic had a sure interception that he never turned around to catch. He was covering the receiver perfectly on the play, but had he been aware of the ball, it would have been a definite turnover.

Speaking of turnovers, the Gators were unable to force any for the second-straight game. In each of the last two matchups, there were points late when Florida wasn’t that far out of it. Against Alabama, the Gators entered the fourth quarter down 24-10, but the defense was unable to force a turnover or stop the Tide in the fourth and the game got out of hand. Against LSU, it was much of the same. Down 27-11 entering the fourth, Florida had a chance to make a move. Again the defense was unable to stop the Tigers and the game got more out of hand than it had already been.

The defense screams potential and Muschamp probably screams a lot more at them. There is experienced talent and inexperienced talent as well. Against elite opponents, that talent has been on hold. Florida clearly has a lot to learn and improve upon before the program returns to that level, but what’s frustrating is what’s holding them back: a lack of pressure, tackling problems, and coverage mishaps. Can they be fixed? We don’t know, but the SEC schedule doesn’t stop to give the Gators time to do so. A week off after Auburn will be welcome, but then it’s right back to work.

Up next: special teams.

Dominique Easley Story Too Strange To Be True?

  By The Bull Gator | October 4, 2011 - 10:48 am | College Football, Florida Gators
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This story about Florida defensive lineman Dominique Easley is too weird to have really happened. Or is it strange enough that it could actually have some truth to it?

Former Alabama player Reggie Myles claims to have been attacked outside of The Swamp after the Tide’s 38-10 win over the Gators on Saturday night. Myles claims his attacker fled the scene, but dropped his cell phone. That cell phone was then asked to be returned by…here we go…Easley’s parents.

What really happened is anyone’s guess. Was Easley really the attacker? Was the publicly intoxicated Myles even attacked? WHAT ABOUT THE CHILDREN???

The link to the original article that appeared on the Tuscaloosa News’ website now goes to a page that states “Article no longer available.” Take what you want from that. This could be one of those stories that pops up repeatedly throughout the week with little or no proof associated with it whatsoever.

Preview: Florida Gators @ Kentucky Wildcats – Saturday, September 24, 2011 – 7:00pm

  By The Bull Gator | September 24, 2011 - 8:13 pm | College Football, Florida Gators
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Later than usual because I was playing the role off plumber this morning as we had a slight sink mishap is the TBG household. All is well, but some choice words were uttered as water that should be going down decided to come back up. After the situation was resolved and everything was put back together, I sat down to begin a preview that should have been up a day or two ago. Better scheduling to come, although I’ve been promising that since sometime around the day TBG started. Oh well, at least I’m consistent. On to the preview…


The Facts

Opponent: Kentucky Wildcats
When: Saturday, September 24, 2011 – 7:00pm
Where: Lexington, KY
Broadcasting: ESPN, ESPN3.com, Gator Radio Network, GatorZone, Sirius 217, XM 200
Records: Florida: 3-0 (1-0), Kentucky: 2-1 (0-0)
Point Spread for Those that Enjoy Betting on Florida Football: Florida -20
Over/Under for Those Mentioned Above: 44
Betting Score That Would Calculate To: Florida 32-12
Scoring Offenses: Florida: 37.7, Kentucky: 19.3
Scoring Defenses: Florida: 8.7; Kentucky: 13.3
Our Gators’ Win Factor (See Here): TBG: 95, OEW: 95

10 Things About Kentucky From Wikipedia

Learn a little something about the school of the opponent. And some football. But mostly the school. And not much football. The school. Got it? For more football, keep scrolling.

1. Kentucky is home to 16 colleges, a graduate school, 93 undergraduate programs, 99 master programs, 66 doctoral programs, and four professional programs. I don’t know what other schools have, but that seems like a lot.
2. The University of Kentucky began as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Kentucky and was a part of Kentucky University. Oddly enough, Kentucky University isn’t part of the University of Kentucky today. Instead, it became part of Transylvania University.
3. Lyman T. Johnson became the first African American to attend UK when he was admitted as a graduate student in 1949.
4. Before the Postsecondary Education Improvement Act of 1997, UK operated 14 community colleges.
5. Kentucky is home to 15 libraries. That – like the various programs – seems like a lot to me, but could be perfectly normal. I can count the times I stepped foot into university libraries on one hand. Then again, I went to school before wireless Internet existed.
6. The Wildcats nickname came about in 1909, but it wasn’t until 1976 that Kentucky would have a costumed mascot.
7. The men’s basketball team was the first ever to reach 1,000 wins. It was also the first to reach 2,000.
8. Among the 28 fraternities present at Kentucky is the Triangle Fraternity. I had never heard of it despite the fact that it has been around since 1907.
9. 91.3 FM WUKY was the first university owned FM radio station in the country.
10. Notable alumnus: Ashley Judd.

When The Gators Have The Ball

What you’re hoping for here is excitement, firepower, and downright dominance. The Florida offense has been good, but hardly great. It’s hard to really complain as we’ve seen improvement in some areas, but others haven’t shown us too much yet. With the October gauntlet looming, it’s time for the Gators to put their foot on the gas pedal and not take it off. It would boost the confidence of the players, coaches, and fans if Florida were to come out and dominate this side of the ball from the first minutes of the game.

Oh John Brantley, you model of efficiency. So maybe that’s a little much, but he’s becoming a game manager of sorts and that’s exactly what many of us predicted. Brantley doesn’t need to light the world on fire. He doesn’t need to be Tim Tebow or Danny Wuerffel. Brantley just needs to be careful. He needs to manage the game and limit mistakes. He did enough in the first three games to help the Gators to wins. You don’t have to like what he’s doing or not doing, but for now it works. As the season continues, Charlie Weis will have to open him up a little more. And he’ll have to work the wide receivers into the offensive game plan. Three receptions for the receivers and tight ends against Tennessee is a problem. It didn’t impact the outcome too much against the Vols, but eventually that lack of production could hurt the Gators. Facing Kentucky is the perfect time for Weis to fix it. Work the receivers into the passing game early and often and give someone…anyone…a chance to shine.

Ah the run game. There’s something we shouldn’t have to worry about. As if Chris Rainey weren’t a weapon already, he is quickly becoming one of the nation’s most dangerous. With Jeff Demps as option 1B, there’s not much to worry about here other than the offensive line giving them room to do what they do. It would be nice to see Mike Gillislee and Mack Brown worked in like they were against UAB, but I’m sure we’ll all be just fine with Rainey and Demps having their way with the Wildcats defense. Clock control is an important aspect of a Weis offense and these two could provide that all night.

When The Wildcats Have The Ball

108, 91, 100. Those numbers are Kentucky’s national rankings in passing yards, rushing yards, and points scored per game. As you can tell by the two triple-digit entries and the other one in the 90s, they aren’t having the best offensive season so far. Therefore, we have a near ideal matchup for the Gators’ defense.

Pressure for the defensive line was present against Tennessee; now it needs to remain so. Dominique Easley, Sharrif Floyd, Jaye Howard and Ronald Powell are tasked with planting Kentucky quarterback Morgan Newton into the Lexington turf repeatedly. By getting pressure on their own, the line will leave Jon Bostic and Jelani Jenkins to control the middle of the defense and not support the blitz if they don’t have to. That pressure can no longer be a question mark heading into upcoming games against Alabama, LSU, etc., etc., etc.

Despite a passing game that ranks 108th in terms of yards per game, Newton has improved each week. He put the ball into the air 41 times last week against Louisville and completed 27. The Wildcats came out on the losing end of the scoreboard, but may be on to something by committing more to the pass. Newton will have to test the Florida secondary and the Gators’ need to be tested. With the exception of two many pass interference calls for an entire season, the secondary – like many other units – is showing us more each week. They appear to be more confident in their abilities, but the penalties need to be cut in…not half…cut out. I won’t even give you the number again, because you already know it, but Florida gave up far too many yards against Tennessee. The score was closer than the game should have been and defensive penalties were a big part of that. Discipline must improve.

Special Teams

Caleb Sturgis is off to a great start to the season, but I wish we saw less of him.

Outcome

Another matchup, another game in which Florida is the favorite. This was expected so we aren’t near the shock point just yet. The Gators need to come out of the gate and put points on the board early. The red zone offense needs to up its efficiency and not settle for field goals. There’s plenty to be excited about, but points are being left on the field. Florida should have little trouble with Kentucky, but we need to see a full 60 minutes. Remember what starts next Saturday.

Football Preview: FAU Owls @ Florida Gators – Saturday, September 3, 2011 – 7:00pm

  By The Bull Gator | September 2, 2011 - 1:37 am | College Football, Florida Gators
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Back with added bulk. It’s football season and that means game previews. This is the first; there will be 11 more with hopes for 12 and dreams of 13. They may not be traditional, but there are plenty of those out there. Take these for what they are and add your own thoughts in the comments. Enjoy them in their entirety because there about more than just football; they’re about trust in me to give you what you need and more because as Vinnie tells us: “…trust is…uh…trust is life.”


The Facts

Opponent: FAU Owls
When: Saturday, September 3, 2011 – 7:00pm
Broadcasting: ESPNU, Gator Radio Network, GatorZone, XM 205
Records: Florida: Not Yet, FAU: Nope
Point Spread for Wagerin’ Folk: Florida -35
Over/Under for Those Mentioned Above: 47
Betting Score That Would Calculate To: Florida 41-6
Our Gators’ Win Factor (See Here): TBG: 99, OEW: 99
Where We’ll Be Watching: A certain Midwestern town that starts with a C, ends with an O, and in the middle is HICAG.

10 Things About FAU Direct From Wikipedia

You must know about the school before you can know about the team and the matchup. What better place to find information than the ever reliable Wikipedia? Don’t answer that. There isn’t one. For those not interested, there is football stuff and such below; just keep scrolling.

1. Florida Atlantic University (that’s what FAU stands for people) was founded in 1961 and has the Epcot-esque motto “Where Tomorrow Begins.”
2. You might think it to be much smaller, but FAU sports an enrollment of 28,000. That makes it not little.
3. FAU’s mascot is Owlsey the Burrowing Owl. You know, just in case the name didn’t scream that it was an owl, they’ve gone ahead and stated it for you again. I present to you Albert’s cousin and Florida’s new mascot…Gator the Gatory Gator.
4. Enrollment in 2010 included students representing 49 states and the District of Columbia. We don’t know who that one state is that’s too good for FAU, but we’re looking at you Alaska!
5. The campus was built on land that was an army airbase in the 1940s. The airfield served some 100,000 airmen, including those onboard the Enola Gay (do your own research if you don’t know what the Enola Gay is).
6. The first degree ever awarded by FAU was an honorary doctorate given to Lyndon B. Johnson. Honorary means he didn’t earn it, which means it’s just a piece a paper. TBGU gives out honorary degrees written on the back of Phil Steele college preview magazines on a daily basis; they mean nothing.
7. FAU initially only admitted upper-division and graduate students. The university was designed to complement the other schools in the state by taking in students who already had associate degrees.
8. Three interesting facts: FAU has the largest adult continuing education program in the country, the first student-run record label in the U.S., and a Wall Street trading room simulator.
9. Homecoming is known as the Owl Prowl, which coincidentally rhymes with Gator Growl, which means absolutely nothing.
10. Notable alumnus: Carrot Top attended. Yes, that counts.

When The Gators Have The Ball

It’s Charlie Weis’ world from this point forward. The big man runs the offense and will do so from the sidelines, which Florida fans are familiar with and not too supportive of, but Weis has offensive coordinator credibility, so we’ll let him do his thing until his thing is sitting in a nice cool coaching box that isn’t in the blistering Florida heat.

The offense starts and ends with John Brantley, at least until it starts and ends with Jeff Driskel. For now, it’s Brantley’s and his confidence and consistency will lead or destroy the Gators’ flow. We’ve heard the practice stories of Brantley’s improvements and we all believe the new offense will suit his style better than anything Urban Meyer could concoct. What we don’t know is what will happen on Saturdays. As intense as a practice might be, it’s never a game. FAU allowed 198 passing yards per game in 2010, which was actually a four-year low, but not much is expected from the Owls this season and they only return five starters on defense. This presents a perfect opportunity for Brantley to work through the offense and not feel too much pressure in this first game of the season. He has the ability to pick apart a defense like FAU’s if he’s given the time to throw and get through a few successful plays early. This game is a confidence builder and one in which we may see Brantley deep into regardless of the score.

While all eyes will be on Brantley, the running game is just as important. Weis wants to control the flow of the game by running the ball successfully in order to take time off the clock and set up the pass. He says he’s never had two players quite like Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps and is excited to see them in action. The two will get to shine on Saturday like they both have so much before in their Florida careers. Expect at least one big play to be broken by no. 1 or no. 28 (yes, they both changed jersey numbers this offseason; if you’re keeping count, that’s five numbers between the two). Where there may be concern is behind the co-starters. We haven’t heard much about Mike Gillislee and Mack Brown during the offseason. Not much at all.

Wide receiver is anyone’s guess. The coaching staff may use this game to see which receiver steps up. The staff seems to be up and down on Deonte Thompson and Omarius Hines (who could be limited by injury), but enamored with Quinton Dunbar. Those three, along with Frankie Hammond, seem to be at the top of the rotation, but we’re intrigue by others as well. Everyone wants to see what Andre Debose brings to the table. The high school star has yet to show how good he can be on offense and is entering his third year in the program (although it’s his first in this system like every other player on the roster). This could be a chance for him to get on the field early and work with the first team offense in a game the Gators should coast through. At tight end, expect to see plenty of Jordan Reed. He needs to establish himself at the position with A.C. Leonard out for some time and Gerald Christian switching between defense and offense numerous times.

With all the talk of Brantley and even the run game, it would seem either of those is the key to the offense. Neither is; it’s the offensive line. For all of Brantley’s struggles last season, the line didn’t help matters. Inconsistency ran rampant and that needs to change in 2011. The line received praise from coaches and other players all throughout fall practice. Let’s hope it was deserved. The line needs to keep Brantley clean and give the backs room to run. If they can do both of those things, we’ll see a drastic change from 2010.

When The Owls Have The Ball

FAU’s most experienced quarterbacks combined to attempt seven passes in 2010. That’s not experience. It’s a blip. A glitch almost. Last week, 6’6” Graham Wilbert was named the starter over 6’7” David Kooi. That’s a lot of height, but as mentioned, not a lot of field time. The Gators’ defense has to be excited to face the Owls’ offense as much as they are excited to just get out there and hit someone that isn’t wearing orange and blue. Expect Wilbert to be pressured early. The sensational sophomores – Ronald Powell, Sharrif Floyd and Dominique Easley – will want to get to the quarterback play after play after play and disrupt anything FAU might attempt to get going on offense.

The Owls’ run game is a little better than its pass game. FAU returns Alfred Morris who rushed for 928 yards and seven touchdowns in 2010. The Florida linebackers are critical in the run game and need to become visible again after disappearing for much of the 2010 season. Jon Bostic and Jelani Jenkins are highly talented athletes that are entering their third year in the program. It’s time for them to show up and shut down a better than average back in Morris.

The Gators’ secondary is the question mark. Not because it lacks talent, but because little of that talent has stepped up as far as we know. Matt Elam has one safety spot; that much we know. True freshman Marcus Roberson seems to have taken control of one cornerback position, but we’ll also see Jeremy Brown, Moses Jenkins, Cody Riggs and Jaylen Watkins at CB. The other safety? Who knows? It was supposed to be a battle between Josh Shaw and Josh Evans, so who is listed as the starter? True freshman De’Ante Saunders. That’s not to take anything away from Saunders, but the others didn’t step up. Whoever plays on Saturday, Florida needs to have a good day from its defensive backs. They’ll need all the confidence they can get before heading into the SEC part of the schedule.

Special Teams

Chas Henry is gone, which means all hope for a mildly successful season is gone. We might as well close up shop now. But we can’t do that. We have to play the games and if we must, we have to find a new punter. His name is Kyle Christy, but he’s not listed atop the depth chart. That would be David Lerner, so we’re behind whoever boots the ball. We’re punter supporters and the Gators have had great ones for quite some time now.

Outcome

I asked One Eyed Willy for his thoughts and he provided us with this insight: “The Gators will win. You’re welcome.” I’ll go one step further and predict a score. 34-12. Sound familiar? Florida won their 2010 season opener against Miami (OH) by the same score. The difference this year will be a more consistent game from the offense. Instead of a 34-12 game that left fans worried, we’ll see a 34-12 win that will have fans excited for week two. 34-12, 24-12, or 44-12, we’ll be excited as long as Will Muschamp is excited; that could be a long, long time.