Florida GatorStop

July 31, 2009

Florida Gators should join billboard campaign

With recent news surfacing that the Tennessee Volunteers plan on launching a billboard campaign to help recruiting in Florida, I think it's time Urban Meyer and the Florida Gators Football team should join the billboard sweepstakes.

I mean, if Tennessee is really going to be advertising on our turf, what's to stop the Gators from putting up a little billboard of their own a few hundred yards down the road. Can you imagine what a recruit would think if he saw a Tennessee billboard and then a few hundred feet down the road, a Florida billboard that put it to shame.

I've got a handful of ideas, and I'm sure the idea has been kicked around on some of the Florida message boards. However, with recent mockups of the Tennessee billboard floating around the web, I came up with a design that should do the trick for the Gators.

Here you go, first the Tennessee billboard (these are the actual designs):

And then 300 yards down the road:

Thoughts, comments, additional ideas or photos for the billboard campaign? Read Florida Gators post...

Israeli guard Nimrod Tishman could play for Florida Gators

It looks like the Florida Gators basketball team may have some help on the way in the backcourt, as Israeli guard Nimrod Tishman seems to be strongly considering the Gators.

I've been pretty vocal about the lack of depth in the backcourt since Nick Calathes decided to take his game overseas, and I still feel that the Gators might be in trouble if our backcourt rotation consists of only three players.

Currently, we're looking at either Erving Walker or Kenny Boynton at the point guard spot. Boynton is a more natural two guard, but he would have to play the point some to give Walker a breather at times. That would leave Ray Shipman playing the two guard when Boynton is at the point.

Shipman, to me, is a much more natural three guard, where he can man up on someone on defense more in line with his size. With the addition of Tishman, it would allow much more flexibility in the backcourt.

The Israeli guard is 6-foot-6 and can play any of the three guard spots. In fact, NBA Draft analyst Jonathan Givony compared him to Calathes due to his versatility. Givony also said Tishman was one of the best players in the 2009 U-18 European Championships.

Tishman has really impressed there for the Israeli team, averaging 18.6 points per game, to go along with 4.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. He shot a blistering 53.3% from behind the arc in the competition.

I think he's a great fit for Florida with his versatility, and just having another body back there for the 2009-10 season would be huge for the Florida Gators basketball team.

It's still pretty unclear where Tishman stands as far as coming over here to play, but the Gators are making a very solid push for him. He would have to jump through a few minor hurdles, as he is required to go through three years of military service as an Israeli. That said, there are exceptions for people who go abroad to a University.

There are also a couple minor NCAA hurdles he would have to clear, but all signs so far are that it wouldn't be a big deal. We should know more in the next few weeks, but it would be really key for us to land Nimrod Tishman. We really need the depth in the backcourt. Read Florida Gators post...

July 30, 2009

One week from Florida Gators fall practice

Well, we're now officially just one more week away from the first fall practice for the Florida Gators football team. That means that competition for starting spots will begin in earnest and the blood, sweat and tears that could carry the Gators to another BCS National Championship will begin soaking the field.

Today, I'll take a look at the key positions to watch during fall practice and add my thoughts on who I think will take the strangleholds on some of the starting spots.

The key positions of concern for the Gators are at wide receiver and on the offensive line. I feel pretty confident coming out of the spring that the Gators will do just fine on the offensive line, but the wide receiver position has me a bit perplexed.

I'll start by covering the wide receiver position. First off, I think people are underestimating just how much production we lost. I've seen various pre-season publications list the Gators as high as the third best team in the SEC at wide receiver.

Personally, I think that right now we don't even deserve to be in the top half of the league based on returning production. Now, we certainly have the potential and the talent to be much better than that, but until they show up and start producing, I'll have some questions.

Riley Cooper is still reportedly on the fence about playing pro baseball or coming back for his senior season. I feel like he's leaning towards coming back at this point, but I really have no basis for that statement other than a gut feeling and what would seem to make sense for him.

If he returns, he will enter the season as our leading receiver. He is by far the best blocker on the team and I think you'll see Demps and Rainey's production slip a bit if he doesn't return.

After him, David Nelson and Carl Moore are more less on the same tier as far as talent and what they bring to the offense. Both are lanky players who have fairly good hands and can make crucial catches when necessary. That said, I don't see either developing into a true gamebreaker or a guy that we can look to no matter what on every third and long.

Deonte Thompson will start the season third or fourth on the depth chart, but he's a guy who can be a gamebreaker. After watching him in spring ball two years ago, he could easily develop into a Percy Harvin type player at wide receiver. He has blinding speed and will be the dominant deep threat for the Gators this year. He does a good job of getting upfield after the catch and I think by the end of the year, he'll be the number one or number two target.

Finally, we have a handful of freshmen who could make an impact at the receiver position. I'll lump the first three together, as they're all redshirt freshmen. The star of the spring was Frankie Hammond Jr. That said, Hammond really didn't show much chemistry with Tebow, only making his big plays when John Brantley was under center. I think he'll be a great threat late in games when Brantley takes over, but I don't think he's the guy when Tebow is in.

That said, T.J. Lawrence is on the complete opposite end of the spectrum. I thought he had great chemistry with Tebow, yet disappeared when Brantley was in. I actually think he has the chance to develop into one of the top three receivers this year. He plays gritty, is a good blocker, and is arguably one of our most physical receivers. He's going to get tough yards after the catch, particularly on five yard dump routes, where he just fights his way up field. I think he'll have a big impact this season.

Finally, Omarius Hines is another redshirt freshman who could see the field. Based on what I saw during the spring, I don't expect Hines to be a huge contributor. True freshman Andre Debose has the type of game-breaking ability to be a big contributor, though. Debose is very fluid and has drawn Percy Harvin comparisons. Personally, I don't think he's nearly as physical as Harvin was and that will keep him from having the same level of impact. Still, he's one of the guys that could step up into that top three rotation.

Now, on to the offensive line. During the spring, we saw a good bit of redshirt freshman Sam Robey at center. Robey looked great and I think we'll be better off if he ends up winning the starting spot there. That would allow us to move Maurkice Pouncey to guard again, where he can be a much better run blocker. In that scenario, Carl Johnson will slide outside to the left tackle spot. The right side of the line will feature Mike Pouncey at guard and Marcus Gilbert at tackle.

Here are the different lines we could see this season, starting with the most likely to the least likely (from right to left):

1. Johnson, Ma. Pouncey, Robey, Mi. Pouncey, Gilbert
2. Matt Patchan, Johnson, Ma. Pouncey, Mi. Pouncey, Gilbert
3. Johnson, James Wilson, Ma. Pouncey, Mi. Pouncey, Gilbert

I think Matt Patchan is a little light at the moment to play tackle, so the coaches will probably try to avoid that if possible. That said, I still think he's probably a bit ahead of James Wilson at this point, so the second lineup would be better as a whole.

Finally, some of the defensive spots I'll be watching. I like the position battles developing on the defensive line and at linebacker. We have so many possibilities there it's impossible for me to list them all. Still, I'll give a good rundown of who I expect to step up.

Starting with the inside of the defensive line, the starters are Lawrence Marsh and Terron Sanders. Guys that will push for playing time and maybe even starting spots are Jaye Howard, Troy Epps, Brandon Antwine and Omar Hunter. I really think Howard will end up taking over Sanders' spot at some point in the season. He is massive and one of the best interior rushers of the group.

Antwine is a bit of a wild card in that he has fought through some injuries and nobody really knows quite how he'll look when things go live. Meyer seems to really like him, though, so you can bet he'll see the field. Epps is a good player and a pretty good pass rusher, but he doesn't have the upside that Howard and Hunter both have.

As far as I know, Hunter is still really struggling to get to a good playing weight and grasp the defense. I still think he's probably a year away from being a big contributor. Like I said, I expect Howard to really surprise some people this year.

Now, on to defensive end. At defensive end, we have a trio of players competing for the starting spots. Right now, it looks as if Jermaine Cunningham and Justin Trattou will open up fall practice as the starters, with Carlos Dunlap rotating in frequently for Trattou. Most expect Dunlap to take over the starting role, and he could. That said, I love the fact that we can bring him on just like Houston Nutt brings on Greg Hardy at Ole Miss. Let Trattou pound them with his strength for the first two downs, then stick Dunlap in there on third down and let him use his speed and length to really get after the quarterback. I think it's way more effective that way than putting Dunlap in for all three downs.

On the other side, I expect William Green to make a big impact. He was very impressive as a true freshman and only got better during the spring. Reports are that he's really put in the time in the weight room and should be a terrific backup for Cunningham. Other guys to keep an eye on are Duke Lemmens and Earl Okine. Both should see some playing time this year at end.

Now, let's get to the linebackers. There are legitimately six guys that could start and you might see even more rotating here than the defensive line. The one constant is that Brandon Spikes will be in the middle for as long as he can run. On the outsides, the leading candidates to be starters are Ryan Stamper and Brandon Hicks. Stamper has really come into his own and likely has one starting spot locked up.

Hicks will battle with A.J. Jones for the starting spot on the other side, but both have suffered from inconsistency. I personally favor Hicks, but several people I've talked to close to the team think Jones is poised for a breakout year. Either way, the starter there should be more than competent.

After Dustin Doe's latest arrest, I really doubt he'll see the field much for the Gators this season. He has been in the doghouse for a while now and there are so many talented youngsters just waiting in the wings.

Urban Meyer has indicated that three freshman will play at linebacker. First is redshirt freshman middle linebacker Brendan Beal. Beal will compete for the backup spot with Lorenzo Edwards true freshman Jon Bostic. Bostic and Beal were both terrific in the spring. True freshman Jelani Jenkins also figures to see some time and the linebacker position as a whole is as deep as it has ever been at Florida.

Finally, there's a lot of talk about Will Hill potentially taking the starting spot of Ahmad Black. Frankly, it's just not going to happen. If Hill is going to take anyone's spot it will be Major Wright's. I don't think that happens either, so expect to see Hill play the nickelback a good bit this season. Black is just too dynamic in the secondary to sit on the bench.

Those are the main spots I'll be watching during the spring. Defensively, I'm not concerned at all, just excited about all the possibilities. The offense is a different story, as I'll definitely be holding my breath waiting for some wide receivers to step up. Read Florida Gators post...

Friday Night Lights post-camp evaluation

Well, the Florida Gators football team wrapped up their Friday Night Lights recruiting event last weekend and there were several changes to the recruiting board as a result.

I had a chance to pass by and there was a healthy buzz surrounding the Swamp on Friday night. I can only imagine what must have been going through some of those guys' minds as they watched highlights of the BCS Championship in the Swamp.

I'll go over some of the top stories from the event and talk a little bit about who I think went up and down our board based on conversations I've had with a friend in the know and my own speculation.

First off, Miami commit Tavadis Glenn was sent home from the camp after repeatedly "flashing the U" and making several pro-Miami comments openly after making a good play. He was asked by the coaches repeatedly to stop, and he didn't. The coaches then told him he had no place at our camp.

I have no problem with this, we run the camp and if the kid can't do what he's asked to, it's our coaches right to be able to ask him to leave. Miami fans weren't all too pleased with star recruit Bryce Brown showing up in Tennessee gear last year, so I don't really feel sorry for the ones complaining about the send off.

The offensive MVP of the night was WR Markeith Ambles. Ambles committed to Tennessee on Tuesday morning and has promised to actively recruit for the Volunteers.

First off, I've heard that Ambles was extremely impressive and that the Gator coaches were ready to accept his commitment. However, Ambles does seem to have some "intangible qualities" that have caused some other teams to back off him. He was all but set to recruit, but after his interview with the coaches Saturday morning, the coaches took him off our board and pulled the offer.

I have no info on exactly what happened, but the interview must not have gone well. This somewhat pains me as a Gator fan, as Ambles has all the measurables to be a future star in the SEC. To see Lane Kiffin end up with him, especially when Ambles promises to be an active recruiter, is a little unnerving. If Tennessee does land a high caliber quarterback in this recruiting class, you can bet Ambles will have done his part in recruiting him.

Defensively, Ronald Powell was a standout. He played everywhere, including linebacker, defensive end and tight end. He has an NFL body already and will almost certainly be one of those guys that comes in and pushes for a starting spot. The Gators seem to be in decent shape with him, but pulling high profile guys off the West Coast is never easy. The fact that Powell came all the way to Gainesville for the camp on his own dime definitely proves the Gators will be a player for his services.

WR Chris Dunkley also looked extremely good. He is very fluid and has great hands. He is exactly the type of receiver Florida would love to have on board. If National Signing Day was tomorrow, I'd say Dunkley is a Gator. He is rumored to be a silent commitment, but over the years I've learned not to put a whole lot of stock into that. He is certainly a prospect that is both high up on the Gators' board and highly interested in the Gators.

Several Gator commits were in attendance, and QB Trey Burton was the most active recruiter among them. He helped to land a commitment from talented RB Mack Brown. Brown committed to the Gators on Friday night and told one reporter that Dunkley was committed to Florida. LB Neiron Ball committed to Florida as well early this week.

I'll keep the recruiting updates coming as I hear more. The guys to keep an eye on for commitments in the near future are C Brandon Linder, WR Christian Green, CB Cody Riggs, and OT Chaz Green. Dunkley could go public as well, but he's the type of high profile guy that will likely wait until he gets back to school, where he can have a press conference to announce his decision. Read Florida Gators post...

July 29, 2009

New jumbotrons in the Swamp

The new jumbotrons in Florida's Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, more affectionately known as The Swamp, are a true sight to behold.

The monster video boards are every bit as big as advertised, and construction is completed on the two works of art.

I had the luxury of passing by the Swamp last Friday, during the Gators' hosting of Friday Night Lights, the massive recruiting event that turned out to be highly successful. Naturally, as a recruiting ploy, Meyer had the boards fully lit up and rolling through the highlights of Florida's National Championship video over Oklahoma.

Needless to say, the recruits weren't the only ones who were impressed. From the corner of University Avenue and Gale Lemerand, a distance of maybe 800-1000 yards from the bigger of the two jumbotrons, I could see every glorious detail in crystal clear non-HD.

I say non-HD because the boards aren't technically high definition due to some technicality with the resolution. As a casual passer by, you would never know the difference. It's crystal clear and it's huge.

I'm not kidding when I say I'll be tempted to watch the games on the screens when I'm in the Swamp this fall. They're that nice.

The sound system also sounds like it has been upgraded, as I could hear the roar of the crowd and the elation of the announcers perfectly when David Nelson caught Tim Tebow's jump pass.

That's all for now, please excuse me while I go try to steal the jumbotron for use in my apartment. Read Florida Gators post...

Vernon Macklin bulking up

I ran across Florida Gators basketball player Vernon Macklin yesterday on my way to class.

I must say that Macklin has really put in the time in the weight room and seems to be physically ready to have a huge impact for the Gators in the paint. At 6-foot-10, Macklin is now looking extremely chiseled and he appears to be the most physically imposing big man for the Gators since Al Horford was around.

I was here for Marreese Speights' tenure at Florida and he was nowhere near as athletic looking as Macklin. While Speights was tall and lanky looking, Macklin is clearly a much stronger player. His upper body looks like you would expect of a college basketball player, while Speights always left me thinking that if he just hit the weight room a little more he would be much better off.

If Macklin's physique is any indication, the Gators will be much better than a year ago, when we were less than competitive in the paint. Questions still remain about his ability to fit into the Gators' style. He has also been criticized publicly for not giving his all in practice.

I saw Macklin last year and he has blown up since then from a physical standpoint. That has to be a positive indication of a renewed vigor off the court.

With a backcourt that really lacks depth and may not be nearly as productive as it was last season, it's highly important that Macklin and company take over and dominate the paint. If not, it could be another long ride for the Florida Gators during the 2009-10 season. Read Florida Gators post...

Welcome to the GatorStop!

For those of you that don’t know me, my name is Thomas Goldkamp. I’m a current junior at the University of Florida and I own the popular Southeastern Conference site SEC Sports Hub.

My passion for the past decade has been following college football. I’m a bit of a statistician and have a great memory. As a result, you’ll see a lot of statistical analysis and comparison in my writings.

I’m currently majoring in journalism at the University of Florida, and I hope to pursue a career in sports journalism.

I’ll be honest with you, it’s an ambitious career path, especially as mainstream journalism has fallen by the wayside in favor of the instant gratification given by internet bloggers.

So, rather than buck the trend, I’ve come to embrace it. In addition to SEC Sports Hub, I will keep this blog as my personal opinion piece.

It will be very much Florida Gator oriented, and I hope to give somewhat of an insider perspective through my experiences on campus and the various connections I have made here over the past two years.

I plan to touch on just about every issue Florida related and to give my opinion where I see fit. I’ve become known across the internet for my unbiased approach to sports journalism, something you’ll rarely find in today’s media.

If you’re looking for someone to tell you that everything in the Florida athletics department is perfect, or defend every action of a Gator athlete, you won’t find it here. I will keep things on an even keel and do my best to evaluate situations that I arise in an ubiased manner, whether or not that happens to portray things in a pro-Gator or anti-Gator light.

Please keep that in mind when reading this blog. These are strictly my opinions and may not reflect those of the Gator Nation or the media.If we can keep that in perspective, I think that this can be a great resource for every Gator fan out there. If you want a completely unbiased and strictly news based perspective, SEC Sports Hub is the place for you.

This will be a running diary so to speak of my personal thoughts on the Gators, but you can bet I’ll have a good bit of analysis and thought provoking ideas well mixed in.

Read Florida Gators post...