Why The Florida Gators Post Tim Tebow Are In The National Title Hunt

Will history repeat itself for the University of Florida football team in 2010?

Don't bet against the Gators even with the loss of legend Tim Tebow and ten other key players who won two national championships and are now off to the NFL. 

Don't bet against the Gators even with the health issues of Head Coach Urban Meyer and the loss of longtime Defensive Coordinator Charlie Strong who is now the Head Coach at the University of Louisville. 

Don't bet against an under the radar Florida Gator football team in an even year. It's a Gator Nation Mojo thing but so far it seems to have worked. 

In 2006 Florida won the National Championship over #1 favorite Ohio State. Nobody figured they would be in the BCS Championship Game let alone win it but they did and in convincing fashion. In 2008 Florida mounted another National Championship drive beating #1 Oklahoma who had set all kinds of NCAA offensive records that season. That was the second championship of the Urban Meyer era. Are the stars aligning for a third even year championship campaign in Gainesville? 

Standing in the way is Alabama, the reigning National Champions and like Florida in 2009 they return a Heisman Trophy winner in RB Mark Ingram. The Crimson Tide suffered some graduation and early departures for the NFL including All-Americans middle linebacker Rolando McClain, CB Javier Arenas, Offensive Lineman Mike Johnson, Defensive Tackle Terrence Cody and Placekicker Leigh Tiffin along with Defensive Backs Kareem Jackson, Marquis Johnson and Defensive Lineman Brandon Deaderick. Still Bama is loaded with Ingram, All-World Wide Receiver Julio Jones, Running Back Trent Richardson, and Quarterback Greg McElroy. The defense only returns one starter but this is Alabama and they will once again be stout on defense.

The Crimson Tide and Gators meet on October 2nd in Tuscaloosa for a Battle of the Titans. Does Florida stand a chance after the drubbing they received in the SEC Championship Game at the hands of Alabama  last December in Atlanta? In 2005, an odd year and also Urban Meyer's first year as the Florida coach, the Tide rolled over the Gators 31-3 in what has been the most embarrassing loss Meyer has suffered during his 5 years in Gainesville. 

That was then and this is now. Florida was outplayed by the Crimson Tide players and out coached by Nick Saban. That isn't lost on the Gator team or staff. There have been no reports of inspirational flyers dotting the Griffin/Oakley Strength and Conditioning Complex like last year when Lane Kiffin/Tennessee bulletin board material was on almost every weight station. This season it's eerily quiet. 

A much more relaxed Urban Meyer promises he will open up the Gator offense. Last year with All-Everything Quarterback Tim Tebow and all the returning two deep off a National Championship team Florida appeared tight, too conservative and way too predictable. Florida's offense was All Tebow, All the Time. The Gators were playing not to lose and they didn't have fun especially the coach who felt the stress more than anybody else on the team. The result was a trip to the hospital the day after that devastating SEC Championship Game loss, the happy news it wasn't a heart attack, the devastating news Meyer would retire and finally the good news he would stay. 

Meyer heeded the advice of doctors, family and friends and he relaxed this off season. He went on vacation, he spent more time with his family, lost weight, looks in better shape and he often has a smile on his face. Teams feed off their coaches so this year's Gator football team is happier, looser and much closer than even the Championship teams. 

That's all well and good but Florida lost Tim Tebow, Maurkice Pouncey, Brandon Spikes, Joe Haden, Major Wright, Jermaine Cunningham, Carlos Dunlap, Ryan Stamper, Riley Cooper, Aaron Hernandez,  David Nelson and Brandon James off their 2009 team. Five of those players were All-Americans (Tebow, Haden, Pouncey, Hernadez and Spikes). How does a team rebound from losses like that? Why are there smiles in Gainesville and a lot of quiet confidence that Florida can return to the top?

It starts with Urban Meyer and his new attitude. Meyer is the classic obsessive compulsive control freak but this year he is letting his excellent staff take a lot more responsibility. He's still on top of things but he doesn't obsess about it as much as he did his previous five years in Gainesville. Meyer replaced long time Defensive Coordinator Charlie Strong with Teryl Austin who comes from the NFL with 19 years of coaching experience, 12 of those years at the college level and he was on the defensive staff of two Super Bowl teams (the Cardinals and Seahawks). Long time Wide Receivers coach Billy Gonzales now works for rival LSU. Meyer replaced him with somebody he knew previously in his coaching career, Zach Azzanni and in his first game as a coach his receivers had 31 catches for 482 yards in a 51-24 Sugar Bowl blowout of undefeated #4 Cincinnati. An old face is back at Running Backs Coach in Stan Drayton and Meyer also added former Stanford position coach DJ Durkin to handle the Linebackers. Offensive Coordinator and Offensive Line Coach Steve Addazio took over when Meyer took some time off. Last year was his first year as the Florida Offensive Coordinator replacing Dan Mullen who is now the head Coach at Mississippi State and you get the sense he kept is simple because he was ordered to by Urban Meyer. This year he promises to open things up using all the weapons he has at his disposal and adding an air of unpredictability to his game calling. Quarterbacks Coach ScotLoeffler is back ( he coached Tom Brady and Chad Henne at Michigan) along with Defensive Line Coach Dan McCarney, Safeties Coach Chuck Heater and Tight Ends Coach Brian White. The staff is great . Meyer is great. 

The Gators football team?

They might be great too.  

Coach Meyer has a consensus # 1 recruiting class in 2010 with players good enough to play right away to fill some pressing needs. His team was loaded to begin with so talent is not an issue. The Gators go 3 deep in most all positions with players good enough to start, and often star, for other college football teams. The biggest question is who replaces Tim Tebow and all those other championship winning stars.

Here are the new names to remember. John Brantley IV, Jordan Reed, Deonte Thompson, Carl Moore, Omarious Hines, Mike Gillislee, Ronald Powell, Sharrif Floyd, Dominique Easley, Will Hill, William Green, Jelani Jenkins, Matt Elam, Andre Debose, Mack Brown, and Trey Burton. These new names join a lot of familiar faces to make Florida as dangerous a team on both sides of the ball as there is in the nation. 

You don't replace a Tim Tebow . He's a legend, but college football has always had the dynamic that it's brightest stars weren't on stage very long. Behind them are willing, talented and capable understudies with skills of their own to showcase.

Enter John Brantley IV. Johnny Brantley has been Tebow's backup for 2 of the 3 years he's been on campus. Brantley is a Florida legacy player whose father John III was a Gator Quarterback, his uncle Scot and All-SEC Linebacker and whose high school coach,  Kerwin Bell, was another former Gator Quarterback. Brantley is from Ocala, some 35 miles south of the University of Florida campus, and he has been going to Gator games since he was a toddler and Gator football camps since Middle School.

Blessed with a strong and accurate arm, a quick and flawless release and the ability to read defenses and deliver a catchable football Brantley is a better passer than Tim Tebow. It may sound like heresy but it's the truth. Brantley doesn't have the physical or emotional presence of Tebow but there are some outside the Gator Nation as well as most inside who considered Brantley the third best Quarterback in the SEC behind Tebow and Arkansas' Ryan Mallett last season.

Greg McElroy may have something to say about that which adds even more drama to what figures to be one of the biggest games of the session when Florida meets Alabama. Be it resolved though that Florida has the one guy with the temperament, skills, confidence, leadership and experience to take over for Tim Tebow. At this juncture even though there are lots of new players replacing departed stars how many knew of Greg McElroy, Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson before last season? Alabama is the consensus pre-season #1 choice even though they are replacing 10 starters on defense. Where is the Gator love when they have less spots to fill and just as much talent to fill them as the Tide? 

I can hear the wheels turning in the heads of skeptics and haters from coast to coast. 

"So Brantley is a good drop back passer. Florida runs The Spread and Brantley is not an option quarterback. Who gets those tough Tebow yards? When Brantley does throw who does he throw to with the three leading receivers from last year's team gone to the NFL?"

At 6'3 and 215 lbs. Brantley is not going to be the runner Tim Tebow was but he doesn't have to be. The Spread is predicated on adapting to the personnel so there might be less option plays or not. That mystery over what Florida will do is part of the reason folks around the Gator program are so quietly confident. This year's offense will be a lot more unpredictable and things foes and critics think the Gators cannot do they in fact can do and that includes Brantley running the option. Brantley runs a sub 4.6 40 yard dash and he's been running the offense for three years now. He knows how and when to pitch and if he keeps the ball he is an effective ball carrier. Brantley can throw on the run with accuracy and velocity. 

Florida returns four starters on their offensive line including Mike Pouncey replacing his All-American twin brother Maurkice at Center and the two players vying for that lone open job at guard are both well experienced. Florida is deep along the offensive line and they have a lot of size led by senior Offensive Guard Carl Johnson who is 6'5 and 340 Lbs. Also back are Offensive Tackles Marcus Gilbert and Xavier Nixon. The two players vying for the open Offensive Guard position are Red Shirt Senior Maurice "Mo" Hurt (owner of one of the great names in college football this season) and Red Shirt Junior James Wilson. Also competing for jobs are Matt Patchan, Nick Alajajian, Jon Halapio, Jon Harrison, David Young, Sam Robey, Kyle Koehne, Ian Silberman and Chaz Green. 

Short yard situations are going to be a lot different than last year. Tebow is gone but so who are the short yardage go to players? The answer there is multi-faceted. Tebow averaged 15.5 carries per game and 4.2 yards per carry last season. He finished as Florida's leading rusher with 910 yards. Florida is returning all their Running Backs and have added an elite high recruit to the backfield mix in Mack Brown. Tebow had 217 carries last season in 14 games. The other Florida Running Backs (Jeff Demps, Chris Rainey, Emmanuel Moody and Mike Gillislee) had 277 carries. That quartet averaged 6.2 yards per carry. Tebow was a bull at 245lbs but Gillislee and Moody are between 210 and 215 lbs. To keep perspective Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram, Jr. is 215 lbs. He's a little wider because he is 2 inches shorter than Moody and Gillislee but from that perspective Jeff Demps will play this year at 5'8 and 190 lbs and his thighs are enormous due to his track career and now the upper body is more in sync. Demps is the NCAA 100 meter champ too so add speed to that impressive physical mix and Demps can be effective in short yardage situations also mainly because Florida won't be going up the gut so much. Demps and Gillislee are both excellent read, react and cut back runners and they are both fast. Demps hits the hole fast and in afterburner mode so quickly defenders realize he has the ball when he is already past them. 

Chris Rainey is going to play the Slot Receiver for the Gators this season giving the offense a versatile player with elite running skills and instincts and tremendous speed. That puts either Demps, Moody or Gillislee on the field at the same time as Rainey. Now defenses have another threat to cover. Chris Rainey knows what to do with a football and just a little space. Rainey also has good hands and he will be a threat to take it to the end zone every time he touches the football. Behind Rainey are red shirt freshman Andre Debose and true freshman Chris Dunkley. These three guys along with true freshmen Solomon Patton and Robert Clark are the Florida slot guys. They have similar skills. They have diverse skills. They share two things in common that all of them can fly and all of them know what to do with a football in their hands. All of them won't play but the pool of talent at this position is exceptionally deep. 

Debose missed his freshman season rehabbing a hamstring surgery but he was the #3 receiver in the country according to Scout.com and ESPN's 18th ranked player in the country as a prepster in 2009. Debose was considered the most likely candidate then to take the place of another Florida legend, Percy Harvin. Chris Dunkley was the 8th ranked high school Wide Receiver in Scout.com's database and #39 in the ESPN Top 150 players in the country last season. Both Debose and Dunkley are taller than Rainey and better pure receivers. They can line up out wide too and all of the Florida slot players can carry the football.

Florida replaces All-American Tight End Aaron Hernandez with converted Quarterback Jordan Reed who is 6'3 and 230 lbs. Both Hernandez and Reed are from Connecticut but there the similarities end. Hernandez was a pure Tight End using great hands, a huge and wide body and better than average speed to make plays. Reed has terrific hands and good speed too but he is lighter than Hernandez. Because Reed was a Quarterback he offers yet another twist in the Florida offense especially in Wildcat short yardage situations. In a lot of ways Reed compares more to former Gator Tight End Cornelius Ingram who also was a highly regarded high school Quarterback before converting to Tight End. Second string Quarterback Trey Burton is also a big kid at 6'3 and 220 and he can fly at 4.5 for the 40 yard dash. He gained 123 yards in the Spring Orange and Blue game so he too is a Wildcat short yardage option. Last year Florida went with just Aaron Hernandez at Tight End because of injury to his back up. Reed has some depth behind him with highly regarded prep Tight Ends Michael McFarland and Gerald Christian. Desmond Parks was hurt last year and still recovering but he too is expected back. The biggest issue at Tight End for the Gators is lack of experience.  The good news is Reed has been on campus for 2 years and he was primarily a running Quarterback in high school so the transition is a little easier. Both Christian and Burton enrolled at Florida in January and got an early start to their college careers. 

* Late Note: Omarious Hines will see time as a "hybrid" Tight End using his physicality and 4.3 speed to add yet another weapon to the Gator arsenal.  

Who does Brantley pass to? Star with Deonte Thompson. DT, as he is known on campus, was considered the fastest prep player in the country in 2007 and the #3 Wide Receiver in the country according to Scout.com and now that he has filled out to 6' and a shade over 200 lbs he has the physicality to match that speed and his skills. He was the third option at Wide receiver last year (Tight End Aaron Hernandez led the team in receptions)  behind Riley Cooper and David Nelson but Thompson and Brantley are Scout team and workout partners with great chemistry. Deonte can get deep on anybody and this year he should be a featured receiver joining senior Carl Moore who also missed last year due to injury. Considered the #1 Junior College wide Receiver in the country in 2008 Moore is 6'4, 220 lbs and like all Gator wideouts he can run. He has great hands too and the ability to make plays after the catch and the size and disposition to go over the middle without hesitation. 

Florida also has Wide Receiver Omarious Hines who is an absolute physical freak at a bit over 6' and a chiseled 220lbs. Hines has skills to go with that impressive physicality. Stephen Ali is a Red Shirt freshman who stands 6'6, weighs 220lbs and can run a 4.4 40 yard dash. As always speed is a Florida trademark and Ali has wheels. Ali is raw but progressing well through camp and if his skills ever come close to his physical ability he is going to be scary. Both Debose and Dunkley can split out joining Frankie Hammond, Jr., Solomon Patton, Robert Clark, Quinton Dunbar and Justin Williams. 

Losing Spikes, Cunnigham, Dunlap, Stamper, Wright and Haden off the defense seems like a major issue till you consider Alabama lost 10 starters on their team, Florida is deep and the #1 rated recruiting class is full of defensive stud players who will play this season. Defensive Ends Justin Trattou and William Green look to be the starters though nothing is official yet. Trattou is a senior and he has started games at Defensive Tackle and Defensive End and he has seen a lot of snaps. Green is a blur off the edge and finally this year he is up over 250 lbs which is why he should start. A pass rushing phenom in high school Green came to the University of Florida under 210 lbs. Now he is ready but both Trattou and Green will hear their backups, Duke Lemmens and Earl Okine, thundering feet behind them. They will also hear from the nation's #1 overall recruit Ronald Powell. A 6'4, 250 lb. athletic freak Powell runs a sub 4.6 40 yard dash, he is strong, skilled and he has that special gift of finding the ball. His motor runs at 110% every play and he is so gifted an athlete that likely he would have been the nation's #1 Tight End if he wanted to play offense only. Powell joins Dominique Easley, who can play Defensive End or Defensive Tackle, and the #1 rated Defensive Tackle in the country and another freak, Sharrif Floyd as freshman of impact. Powell could be a starter and so could Floyd even though the Defensive Tackle depth chart has the starters from 2008 and 2009 in front of him. Terron Sanders and Lawrence Marsh started at Defensive Tackle for the 2008 National Championship team. Omar Hunter and Jaye Howard started last year, They all face a big challenge from the trio of talented freshmen Powell, Floyd and Easley. Filling out the defensive line depth chart are Lerentee McCray, Kedric Johnson, Lyndon Trail, Leon Orr and Brandon Antwine.

Florida lost two starting Linebackers including the heart of their defense Middle Linebacker Brandon Spikes. Ryan Stamper was a solid player who could play all the Linebacker positions and often did for Florida. AJ Jones and Brandon Hicks return and both started games for Florida. Jelani Jenkins was one of the top 2009 Linebacker recruits coming out of high school as was Jon Bostic. Jenkins runs a 4.4 40 yard dash and he may win the Middle Linebacker job. Bostic was considered the successor to Spikes but Jenkins may beat him out or may play alongside of him because a feature of the Gator linebackers (just like the offensive and defensive lines) is that they are all cross trained to play all the linebacker positions. Lorenzo Edwards, Dee Finley and four talented true freshman backers, Michael Taylor, Darrin Kitchens, Neiron Ball, and Gordon Ajagbe complete the roster but the battle is really amongst the top four and if Jenkins starts he might anchor the nation's fastest linebacker corps. Both Jones and Hicks can fly and Bostic is very fast for a Middle Linebacker. 

The early departure of  Safety Major Wright to the NFL is compensated for with Will Hill joining incumbent Ahmad Black as the Gators starting Safeties. Hill, the nation's #1 Safety and a top 5 player nationally in the recruiting class of 2008, started a lot last season as Florida used five defensive back alignments a lot. Wright was a major hitter but Hill is superior in coverage. He and Black are both play making Safeties. They are backed up by a couple of  highly touted true freshmen Matt Elam and Jon Dowling along with Josh Evans. 

Janoris Jenkins returns as the lock down Cornerback and the battle is on for the other Cornerback job with Red Shirt sophomore Jeremy Brown now healthy, senior Moses Jenkins and three highly rated true freshmen Jaylen Watkins, Cody Riggs and Joshua Shaw. 

Florida returns both Punter Chaz Henry and Placekicker Caleb Sturgis. With Brandon James gone the competition is thick and fierce for kickoff and punt returning positions but between Chris Rainey,Jeff Demps, Mike Gillislee, Janoris Jenkins and Frankie Hammond, Jr. there are plenty of explosive options. I would not be surprised at all to see true freshman Mack Brown back receiving punts or kickoffs either as Urban Meyer prides himself on his Special Teams and he has made playing for Special Teams an honor and a proving ground for position players. 

Meyer is healthy and happy. He has an extremely strong team that should be effective and diverse on offense and stout against the run and pass on defense. His Special Teams squad could be special. Meyer wants to control the field, control the clock, win the turnover battle and have his Special Teams be a factor. All these things are possible but so too is a quick strike down the field offense using more of the middle of the field especially slants and crosses and also getting the ball to a lot of fast and skilled playmakers who are always a threat for a big play. If this sounds familiar it is but the names are not.  

So Florida lost a lot of stars from their championship teams but stars aplenty are awaiting their turn to shine and few will see them coming and fewer still think they can win the SEC let alone the National Championship. Then again who believes in mojo these days? So what if Florida is under the radar and it's an even year? Alabama is returning a ton of talent and they should repeat.

Wasn't that what a lot of people said about Florida last year?