Just a summary for those that have done zero research, and know nothing about the 2011 Florida Gators. THIS IS NOT A PREDICTION THREAD. This is just
information. You can use it however you want. Or not use it. Whatever. But after reading so many posts that were insanely ignorant of UF's team this year, I thought I'd post this.
#1 Offensive line
The offensive line lost 4 starters from last year, but that unit had a terrible year in 2010.
The 2011 unit:
RT: RS Fr Chaz Green -6'5, 306
RG: RS So Jon Halapio - 6'3, 324
OC: RS So Jonatthan Harrison - 6'3, 295
LG: RS Sr Dan Wenger - 6'3, 294
LT: Jr Xavier Nixon - 6'6, 292
First off the bench:
RS Jr T Matt Patchan, RS Fr G Ian Silberman, and RS So T/G Kyle Koehne are the first 3 off the bench and are all solid.
There is this theory out there that the UF OL is soft, or not as good as last year and that is ridiculous. This unit is far superior, and that is do to coaching. Most of the stats are irrelevant because of the level of competition, but the key is this: 5.65 YPC and 0 sacks allowed. Make your own judgments.
#2 Offensive Skill Positions
Key personnel
QB: RS Sr John Brantley - 6'3, 219
RB: RS Sr Chris Rainey - 5'9, 174
RB: Sr Jeff Demps - 5'7, 191
FB: So Trey Burton - 6'3, 229
TE: RS So Jordan Reed - 6'3, 239
TE: So Gerald Christian - 6'3, 245
WR: RS Fr Quinton Dunbar - 6'1, 185
WR: RS Sr Deonte Thompson - 6'0, 200
WR: RS Jr Frankie Hammond - 6'1, 184
WR: RS So Andre Debose - 5'11, 191
First off the bench:
Fr QB Jeff Driskel, Jr RB Mike Gilislee, RS Jr WR Ommarius Hines, So WR Solomon Patton, Fr TE Clay Burton.
Bottom line with Florida: The starters are very good. Weis has said that the tandem of Demps and Rainey is the most dynamic that he has ever had at any point in his career at any level at RB. The offense runs through them. The plan has been simple: attack the edges with Rainey and Demps, force the defense to take it away, and then hit UF's under-appreciated WR in the middle of the field. With Brantley looking much stronger with his short and intermediate (10-15 yd) passes (deep ball still ugly), plus the protection that the line has provided, the offense, although simple in its first few games, has been efficient. The only issue which cropped up against UAB was red zone efficiency, but UF is still 11 of 12 on the year with 7 TD which is still way better than last year. Depth is a major concern, and if skill players start getting hurt, UF takes a dive quickly. Trey Burton is probably the most versatile player in the offense, but hasn't been used much to this point.
#3 Defensive Front Seven
DE: So Shariff Floyd - 6'3, 295
NT: So Dominique Easley - 6'3, 282
DT: RS Sr Jaye Howard - 6'3, 303
BUCK: So Ronald Powell - 6'4, 248
SLB: RS Jr Lerentee McCray - 6'2, 246
MLB: Jr Jon Bostic - 6'1, 243
WLB: RS So Jelani Jenkins - 6'0, 230
First off the bench:
RS Sr DE William Green, RS Jr DE Earl Okine, RS Jr DT Omar Hunter, RS Fr NT Leon Orr, RS Fr LB Michael Taylor, RS Jr LB Dee Finley, RS Jr BUCK Kedric Johnson, So LB Darrin Kitchens.
Bottom line with Florida: The starters are SEC championship caliber especially with Floyd returning to the starting rotation. The weakness is depth, where it is still unclear if UF will get much help. Omar Hunter has been decent, and Kedric Johnson has been a nice early surprise. Michael Taylor will be very very good, but isn't ready for full time starting right now. No one else has stepped up to this point, and whether or not the defense is good enough to carry Florida will be determined in large part by their depth or lack of it. They are very strong up front and also very fast, and this is probably the biggest overall front 7 that UF has had in recent memory, maybe ever. And in case anyone questions Easley's size at nose, it's his speed that makes him so disruptive. He demands a double team on every snap.
#4 Defensive Secondary
CB: RS Jr Jeremy Brown - 5'10, 187
CB: Fr Marcus Roberson - 6'0, 184
S: So Matt Elam - 5'10, 206
S: RS So Josh Evans - 6'1, 199
NB: So Cody Riggs - 5'9, 179
First off the bench:
Fr CB/S Pop Saunders, RS Sr CB Moses Jenkins, So S Jaylen Watkins, Fr CB Luchiez Purifoy, RS Fr S Josh Shaw
Bottom Line: UF is fast and athletic in the secondary, but they don't have a true speedster headhunter at safety, there is youth all over the place, and the tackling has been a bit spotty - or at least it was in practice, but haven't noticed it in games yet. Jeremy Brown was out the first two games, but brings much needed experience to the unit. Riggs will move to nickel with Brown back and Roberson, who has been impressive from day 1, will start on the other side. The safety position uses a rotation of four guys, so expect to see most of the bench at some point on Saturday. They have yet to be tested, and the whole world is unsure what they are capable of. The myth that this is a short unit is 100% bogus. Riggs is the shortest at 5'9, but the rest of the unit is 5'10 and above. Moses Jenkins is 6'3, Purifoy is 6'1, and Jaylen Watkins is 6'0. Their best attribute though is their speed and aggressiveness.
#5 Special Teams
K: Sr. Caleb Sturgis
P: Sr. David Lerner
KR: RS So Andre Debose
PR: RS Sr Chris Rainey - usually (situational)
Bottom line: UF has a strong special teams unit, the KO coverage is pretty good, the Punt team is solid, and the KR team is one of the best in the country. PR hasn't been as prolific as in the past but is solid. The punting is still an unknown, as UF has only punted 2 times with very short fields in front of them, and the kicking game has been perfect, with Sturgis going 5-5 and also hitting all his xp and even hitting from 50+ yards.
Final Analysis:
Young team with little proven depth, but with experience at key positions like QB and MLB. Extremely fast, and very powerful up front on both sides of the ball. Still a lot of unknowns.
Key to game: Everyone have fun Saturday and stay safe if you're traveling. Watch out for piss balloons :whistling:
Cheers.
information. You can use it however you want. Or not use it. Whatever. But after reading so many posts that were insanely ignorant of UF's team this year, I thought I'd post this.
#1 Offensive line
The offensive line lost 4 starters from last year, but that unit had a terrible year in 2010.
The 2011 unit:
RT: RS Fr Chaz Green -6'5, 306
RG: RS So Jon Halapio - 6'3, 324
OC: RS So Jonatthan Harrison - 6'3, 295
LG: RS Sr Dan Wenger - 6'3, 294
LT: Jr Xavier Nixon - 6'6, 292
First off the bench:
RS Jr T Matt Patchan, RS Fr G Ian Silberman, and RS So T/G Kyle Koehne are the first 3 off the bench and are all solid.
There is this theory out there that the UF OL is soft, or not as good as last year and that is ridiculous. This unit is far superior, and that is do to coaching. Most of the stats are irrelevant because of the level of competition, but the key is this: 5.65 YPC and 0 sacks allowed. Make your own judgments.
#2 Offensive Skill Positions
Key personnel
QB: RS Sr John Brantley - 6'3, 219
RB: RS Sr Chris Rainey - 5'9, 174
RB: Sr Jeff Demps - 5'7, 191
FB: So Trey Burton - 6'3, 229
TE: RS So Jordan Reed - 6'3, 239
TE: So Gerald Christian - 6'3, 245
WR: RS Fr Quinton Dunbar - 6'1, 185
WR: RS Sr Deonte Thompson - 6'0, 200
WR: RS Jr Frankie Hammond - 6'1, 184
WR: RS So Andre Debose - 5'11, 191
First off the bench:
Fr QB Jeff Driskel, Jr RB Mike Gilislee, RS Jr WR Ommarius Hines, So WR Solomon Patton, Fr TE Clay Burton.
Bottom line with Florida: The starters are very good. Weis has said that the tandem of Demps and Rainey is the most dynamic that he has ever had at any point in his career at any level at RB. The offense runs through them. The plan has been simple: attack the edges with Rainey and Demps, force the defense to take it away, and then hit UF's under-appreciated WR in the middle of the field. With Brantley looking much stronger with his short and intermediate (10-15 yd) passes (deep ball still ugly), plus the protection that the line has provided, the offense, although simple in its first few games, has been efficient. The only issue which cropped up against UAB was red zone efficiency, but UF is still 11 of 12 on the year with 7 TD which is still way better than last year. Depth is a major concern, and if skill players start getting hurt, UF takes a dive quickly. Trey Burton is probably the most versatile player in the offense, but hasn't been used much to this point.
#3 Defensive Front Seven
DE: So Shariff Floyd - 6'3, 295
NT: So Dominique Easley - 6'3, 282
DT: RS Sr Jaye Howard - 6'3, 303
BUCK: So Ronald Powell - 6'4, 248
SLB: RS Jr Lerentee McCray - 6'2, 246
MLB: Jr Jon Bostic - 6'1, 243
WLB: RS So Jelani Jenkins - 6'0, 230
First off the bench:
RS Sr DE William Green, RS Jr DE Earl Okine, RS Jr DT Omar Hunter, RS Fr NT Leon Orr, RS Fr LB Michael Taylor, RS Jr LB Dee Finley, RS Jr BUCK Kedric Johnson, So LB Darrin Kitchens.
Bottom line with Florida: The starters are SEC championship caliber especially with Floyd returning to the starting rotation. The weakness is depth, where it is still unclear if UF will get much help. Omar Hunter has been decent, and Kedric Johnson has been a nice early surprise. Michael Taylor will be very very good, but isn't ready for full time starting right now. No one else has stepped up to this point, and whether or not the defense is good enough to carry Florida will be determined in large part by their depth or lack of it. They are very strong up front and also very fast, and this is probably the biggest overall front 7 that UF has had in recent memory, maybe ever. And in case anyone questions Easley's size at nose, it's his speed that makes him so disruptive. He demands a double team on every snap.
#4 Defensive Secondary
CB: RS Jr Jeremy Brown - 5'10, 187
CB: Fr Marcus Roberson - 6'0, 184
S: So Matt Elam - 5'10, 206
S: RS So Josh Evans - 6'1, 199
NB: So Cody Riggs - 5'9, 179
First off the bench:
Fr CB/S Pop Saunders, RS Sr CB Moses Jenkins, So S Jaylen Watkins, Fr CB Luchiez Purifoy, RS Fr S Josh Shaw
Bottom Line: UF is fast and athletic in the secondary, but they don't have a true speedster headhunter at safety, there is youth all over the place, and the tackling has been a bit spotty - or at least it was in practice, but haven't noticed it in games yet. Jeremy Brown was out the first two games, but brings much needed experience to the unit. Riggs will move to nickel with Brown back and Roberson, who has been impressive from day 1, will start on the other side. The safety position uses a rotation of four guys, so expect to see most of the bench at some point on Saturday. They have yet to be tested, and the whole world is unsure what they are capable of. The myth that this is a short unit is 100% bogus. Riggs is the shortest at 5'9, but the rest of the unit is 5'10 and above. Moses Jenkins is 6'3, Purifoy is 6'1, and Jaylen Watkins is 6'0. Their best attribute though is their speed and aggressiveness.
#5 Special Teams
K: Sr. Caleb Sturgis
P: Sr. David Lerner
KR: RS So Andre Debose
PR: RS Sr Chris Rainey - usually (situational)
Bottom line: UF has a strong special teams unit, the KO coverage is pretty good, the Punt team is solid, and the KR team is one of the best in the country. PR hasn't been as prolific as in the past but is solid. The punting is still an unknown, as UF has only punted 2 times with very short fields in front of them, and the kicking game has been perfect, with Sturgis going 5-5 and also hitting all his xp and even hitting from 50+ yards.
Final Analysis:
Young team with little proven depth, but with experience at key positions like QB and MLB. Extremely fast, and very powerful up front on both sides of the ball. Still a lot of unknowns.
Key to game: Everyone have fun Saturday and stay safe if you're traveling. Watch out for piss balloons :whistling:
Cheers.
