Florida Gators' 2007 Season Review

Last year, the Florida Gators lived the life of college football kings.

SEC Champions, BCS National Champions, and making the Heisman Trophy winner look like a freshman thrown to the wolves—what more could a team ask for?

With all the talent the Gators lost to the NFL, most fans thought this would be a rebuilding year.

Not so fast, sweetheart. This year's team came out hot.

In each of their first four games, the Gators had more than 500 yards of total offense—included a 59-20 blowout of eventual SEC East-winner Tennessee.

But in the fifth game of the season, Tommy Tuberville brought his Auburn Tigers into the Swamp and held the Gators to 312 yards of total offense, their lowest total of the season. The Tigers pulled off a last second field goal to take the win.

LSU came the next week, and really exposed Florida's main weakness: a young defense. The Tigers were 5-5 on fourth-down conversions, driving down the field and taking the lead. The Gators could not capitalize on their chances, and lost to the Tigers, 28-24.

With the exception of a loss to Georgia in Jacksonville, the Gators picked their offense back up, racking up more than 45 points in five of their last six games. The strength of the offense rested on Tim Tebow's shoulders, which moved through opposing defenses like a battering ram, as he ran for 838 yards and 22 touchdowns—not to mention his 3,132 yards and 29 touchdowns through the air.

Tim Tebow deserves the Heisman Trophy. In my opinion, Heisman voters are against giving the trophy to a sophomore, because there is then a chance of the same player winning the award twice. When they give the trophy to a junior, they expect them jump to the upcoming draft.

Sophmores can't go anywhere, which is why Darren McFadden didn't win last year—and why McFadden will win this year.

The best thing about thie 2007 season was the fact everyone is very young. Next yearm, the offense will be dynamic again, with the return of Tebow and Harvin. In addition, USC transfer Emmanuel Moody should make an impact in the backfield. There is also a ton of talent at the skill positions.

Depending on whether Derrick Harvey enters the draft, UF could lose only one defensive starter—senior strong saftey Tony Joiner. With two four-star commitments at the cornerback position, and a five- and four-star commitment at safety, Urban Meyer will to add some depth to the secondary next year.

Coach Meyer is a proven recruiter, and if he can keep his coaching staff together, I smell another BCS title next year.