Jeff Driskel highlights the 2011 class. However, do not look for Driskel to splash on the scene and immediately steal the quarterback position away from Johnny Brantley. If you are a Jeff Driskel fan, do not be discouraged, Driskel will certainly play a role in the 2011 Gator offense. As Weis has shown in the past with Jimmy Clausen, he is not afraid to hand the keys over to the kid, if he needs to. Weis realizes Brantley gives the Gators the best chance at immediate success, but Driskel is the key to winning for the next three or four years (which is probably the length of Weis’ tenure in Gainesville).

With the new offense, look for Weis to make good use of Hunter Joyer, the freshman from Wesley Chapel, Florida. Joyer has great size and speed for a fullback. If he can excel in blocking and providing the quarterbacks blitz protection, he will see the field often this fall. Urban Meyer was successful in bringing in some very fast and athletic running backs, but they have struggled with pass blocking. If Joyer shows promise in this category, he may be one of the keys to whether or not the 2011 offense is successful.

On the other side of the ball, for the second year in a row, the Gators are loaded in the secondary. Marcus Roberson and Jabari Gorman highlight the secondary with their size and athleticism. The defensive backs should be a team strength in 2011, and Roberson and Gorman will compete immediately for the weakside cornerback position opposite Janoris Jenkins.

With the lack of depth at linebacker, look for Clay Burton to step in and make an immediate impact. The Gators have two very solid linebackers in Jelani Jenkins and Jon Bostic, unfortunately, there is a dropoff in talent behind them. If Clay can showcase the work ethic his older brother Trey demonstrated last year, a weakside linebacker position may be in his future.

Of course, there are other true freshmen who have the potential to make an immediate impact in 2011. Mike Blakely and A.C. Leonard both come to mind. However, due to the current depth at both the tight end and running back positions, Blakely and Leonard may have an uphill battle in 2011. Creating a spot on a crowded depth chart may be their biggest challenge.

The Gators had an unbelievable class in 2010 and there is enough talent in the 2011 class to really add depth to a superb roster.

In 2010, the Gators were able to land highly-touted Mack Brown, who ended up redshirting last fall. This year’s class adds Mike Blakely, ranked the sixth-best running back in the country by Rivals. Muschamp was still not content, adding verbal commitments last week from Matt Jones and Mike Davis for the 2012 class.

Both Jones and Davis have a lot of upside and plenty of offers thus far, so these are big wins for the Gators.

A lot can happen between now and next year, but getting in early is key. We all know that some of the players create the drama of committing and decommitting. However, getting to them early plays a lot towards getting them enrolled in January, which is very beneficial.

Muschamp has suggested that he wants a strong running game in his new pro-style offense, and the current list of running backs enrolled or verbally committed will certainly help. Brown, Blakely, Davis and Jones are all just under the 200-pound mark. However, they should all exceed 200 pounds once they land in Gainesville and start working out with Mickey Marotti.

In 2011, the Gators will have the privilege of also having Jeff Demps in the backfield. Demps will most likely be the starter and share time with Mack Brown, and will provide the speed on the corner that no one can match. If Brown shows strength between the tackles, the running game in 2011 should be promising—probably not flashy or pretty, but promising.

If you add Hunter Joyer to the list, the backfield adds a solid fullback who will help the young runners develop. I also would not be surprised to see one of the current tight ends on the roster transition into a fullback role.

The tight end position is currently loaded with talent. The position just does not demand a three- or four-man rotation. Transitioning one or more over to fullback would add some more depth. Both positions require a lot of the same skill sets.

Weis would love to see his fullback be able to get into the flats and make some catches, so look for this position to start being a conversation piece as the Muschamp era continues. For the past six years, the fullback position has been an afterthought. Not any longer.

Remember, John Brantley will need a strong running game to help him in the early going. Brantley’s confidence level is going to be low when he steps into The Swamp the next time, and he will need an instant running attack to let him gain his composure and confidence.

Muschamp’s priorities are showing already in Gainesville as his team takes shape, and the backfield looks very promising.

So high, in fact, the defense will probably be asked to carry the offense in the beginning, to allow an inexperienced offense the time to grasp Charlie Weis’ system and philosophy.

Granted the defense lost some special players in 2010 (Ahmad Black comes to mind), but there is plenty of enough talent to overcome any loss they will experience.

There has been numerous speculation and even evidence that plenty of players will be moving positions in the fall, so instead of offering up a potential starting lineup, this discussion relating to defense is going to pertain to the potential playmakers and upside of the defense as a whole.

First let’s begin on the defensive line, which in the SEC, is where everything begins and ends. Upperclassmen Omar Hunter, Jaye Howard, Earl Okine and William Green are solid forces that have progressed nicely over the past year or two. None of them have developed into dominating linemen, but all have shown the talent to be very successful, once consistency is established.

Some younger players that have shown great upside and look to be major contributors along the front in 2011 are Sharif Floyd (who has proven he is as good as advertised), Dominique Easley and Lynden Trail.

If Ronald Powell and Chris Martin remain at the defensive end positions, the potential for a speedy pass rush off the edge is bright. However, this will all rely heavily on what kind of play the Gators get out of the linebacker positions in 2011. It is no secret the linebackers in 2011 were a major letdown. Jelani Jenkins and Jon Bostic showed great potential, but the returning seniors on the outside never quite met the expectations that were placed on them in the spring.

As mentioned, Bostic and Jenkins will be the strength of the linebackers in 2011, with Lerentee McCray joining the group. McCray picked up some valuable experience in 2010 and should be a contributor either at linebacker or end in 2011. As a junior his time to excel has arrived and the coaching staff will expect great things from him.

There is not really a lot of linebacker talent in the 2011 class after the staff whiffed on Curtis Grant and Stephone Anthony during the 2011 recruiting process. However, if Clay Burton adds the “it” factor to his resume, which his brother Trey brought in 2010, Clay could also be an immediate contributor. Both Burton’s were 3 star athletes coming in to Gainesville, however, both could be much more valuable than their star rating when all is said and done.

Speaking of Trey Burton, rumors have circled about him joining the defensive side of the ball in 2011. If this stays true, Trey will mostly likely be a hybrid and play a safety/linebacker position. At 6’3” 220, Trey would be huge safety. He’s shown he has an uncanny ability to play nearly any position on the field and if he does indeed find his way on the defensive side, he could play a large role in the development of his brother.

The list of returning starters in the defensive backfield starts with Janoris Jenkins, which has shown the ability to lock down star receivers such as Julio Jones, A.J. Green, just to name a few. Jenkins will likely be the most talked about cornerback in college football in 2011. How he responds to his recent run-in with law enforcement, will speak volumes to how successful he will be in 2011.

Matt Elam and Jeremy Brown gained valuable experience in 2010 and will be asked to step up in 2011. Especially Brown, who was inconsistent for most of the year. Granted he was very young, however, he will be pushed with lots of talent behind him and will need step his play up, starting in the spring.

Cody Riggs, Joshua Shaw, Jaylen Watkins and Moses Jenkins all saw action last fall, with Riggs showing the most potential. All will be fighting for positions this spring and could provide instant depth at the position if the position battles are competitive.

The gem of the 2011 class is most likely the defensive backs that were snatched up. Marcus Roberson, Jabari Gorman, Pop Saunders and Valdez Showers were all highly touted defensive backs. Roberson and Gorman could provide instant impact to the secondary, which could take a lot of pressure off linebackers, if they remain inconsistent early on.

Yes, the defensive has a lot of potential. If I told you the list of players above and on the defensive roster included eight – 5 star recruits and 19 – 4 star recruits, maybe you would be more impressed. Not that you need to be. Four stars, five stars, their all just rankings, I know, I’m not going to get into that discussion; however the list of talent on this defense is evident.

Have faith in your defense in 2011, they will most likely keep you in a lot of football games, while your offense finds its way.

Rockytop will be jumping this afternoon. Close to 100,000 strong, Tennesseans make their stadium a loud and difficult place to visit. You can bet the Gators are less than welcome guests.

For Urban Meyer and his young Gators, this game presents their first real test of the season. In one of the most hostile environments in the nation, it’s time to show who these Gators really are.

Here are a few things your Florida Gators must do in order to return to the Florida heat with a victory.

1. Quiet the fans early. Rockytop will definitely be loud early. The Gators offense must come out of the gates fast, in order to quiet the crowd. If they fail to get off to a fast start once again, the crowd will only get louder; making communication even harder. Don’t allow the crowd to get to a fever pitch.
2. Control the line of scrimmage. This year, Urban Meyer has re-committed to pounding the ball via the run game. On offense, the line has a definite advantage against an undersized Tennessee front seven. On defense, the Gators’ front must be disruptive. Getting into the Volunteer backfield is key her; don’t allow a rhythm to develop
3. Win Individual battles. On paper, the Gators field one of the best teams in college football. But all the talent in the world won’t win a football game without individual victories. Think of it as the game being a war; you won’t likely win the war without winning the majority of the battles. Prove you’re better than what’s on paper.
4. Continue to gel as a team. Last week in the second half, Gator Nation witnessed a young team begin to come together. This team must continue to gel; prove the last two quarters of football wasn’t a fluke, but the beginnings of a trend.
5. Feed Demps. To win an SEC war of teams, you must be able to impose your will. Demps is lightning in a bottle; pop the cork and look out.
6. Open up the playbook. Two games into the 2010 season, we haven’t seen a good pencil-whipping. It’s time for Urban Meyer and staff to see what quarterback John Brantley really has. The only way to truly find out is to set him free; it’s time.
7. Take the wrapper off the cannon. Speaking of Brantley, whose arm is his greatest asset; it’s time to unleash him. With improvement along the offensive line, John should have plenty of time to survey the field and showcase his talents.
8. Enjoy it. For many of the young guys, this is their first taste of SEC football. Go ahead, take it all in and enjoy it for what it is.

Over the past couple of seasons, this rivalry has lost some of its luster. With Derric Dooley at the helm, look for the rivalry to be renewed.

Meyer told the media that their is a chance that Hill could start.

Stay tuned for more on Hill on Gator Sports Nation.

However, today Haslem’s charges were dropped.

According to Assistant State Attorney Errol Portman, “While there was probable cause for the arrest of Udonis Haslem…the State could not prove Udonis Haslem’s knowledge or possession of the cannabis beyond a reasonable doubt…”

Even though Haslem’s fingerprints were found on the container, charges could not be pressed.

Haslem is proof positive that a good lawer will go a long way.

Source: AP

Mike’s performance has been picked apart all week long, and for good reason. The center / quarterback exchange must be clean in order for an offense to perform consistently; on Saturday, the plays were breaking down on the first step.

Over the past few days, anybody with an opinion has speculated whether or not Pouncey will be the Gator’s center moving forward.

On Thursday, offensive coordinator Steve Addazio squashed any rumors that Pouncey would not be his center. When asked about Pouncey’s status Addazio responded, “He played in the Sugar Bowl, had no issues, had no issues through camp. That surfaced, and when something surfaces, you address it. ”

Addazio considers the offensive line issues a “collective deal.” He continued, “he had a couple of them and he’s addressing that.”

Addazio was obviously agitated about the questions and protective of his center. Regarding a supposed lack of focus which may have caused the poor snaps which plagued the Gator offense, Addazio stated that it’s “not an issue.” Steve would continue, “I’m not the least bit concerned about Mike Pouncey. Not even a little.”

Moving forward, the Gator’s offense is preparing for a clash with USF on Saturday. A game in which the Gators look to bounce back from last week’s disappointing showing.

Look for the gators offense to be much improved, starting with the first man to touch the ball: Mike Pouncey.

Due to the fact that Florida lost several great players to the draft, many analysts and scouts expect UF to have somewhat of a reloading season this year. In order to live up to their #3 position, Florida’s underclassmen must step up. Meyer will have to find players that can fill the void of Tim Tebow, Joe Haden, Maurkice Pouncey, Aaron Hernandez, Carlos Dunlap and Brandon Spikes. There are a lot of talented players on the squad to choose from but, the players lack experience which could cause trouble down the road – especially when the Gators face the defending champions on October 2. Since the players are unproven, UF is definitely not worthy of such a high ranking. If the voters based their votes on each teams’ potential, then Florida is very much worthy of their position. Urban Meyer has done nothing but attracted top talent. Year after year Meyer and the Gators have had one of the top recruiting classes in the nation.

The coaches’ poll makes up one-third of the Bowl Championship Series calculation. The talent is there, no doubt. The problem is, the players are totally unproven. With that said, for the orange and blue, a No. 3 ranking is very surprising. This just goes to show how much respect the coaches have for Urban Meyer and the Florida Gator football organization.

… On the verge of beginning life after Tebow, John Brantley is clogging around fall practice in those huge shoes. All of Gator Nation is holding their breath, hoping young Jonny Brantley can grow into those shoes.

For the first time, fall practices will be closed to the public as well as the media. Sadly, we’ll all have to wait another few weeks to see our new Gators take the field. At this point in the year, the mystery is almost too much to handle, but will make opening day that much more special.

After losing so many great players to the NFL over the offseason, Urban Meyer has spoke of the “newness” and “freshness” in the air, surrounding this team. Newness and freshness may be an understatement with all the turnover we have witnessed in the past eight months.

There are many questions being posed for this season.

How well will John Brantley perform outside of Tim Tebow’s shadow?

With a cannon arm and an NFL type of pocket presence, expect Brantley to be a dark horse candidate for the Heisman Trophy.

How much support will Brantley receive from the receiver group?

Andre Debose hopes to have an impact after an injury-shortened 2009. Deonte Thompson comes into camp as the most productive returning receiver from 2009. Maybe the most intriguing receiving prospect is converted running back Chris Rainey. Rainey looks to have a Percy Harvin-type of impact this season; getting the ball in space any way he can.

Can the running back group avoid a letdown?

The lone group not picked apart by the NFL, the running back group should pick up where they left off. Jeff Demps should be improved and handle a lion’s share of the touches out of the backfield. If Emanuel Moody can stay healthy, he can take some of Demps’ carries, but any more that 50 touches should be considered a bonus.

Can the offensive line replace Maurkice Pouncey?

Replacing Pouncey is the only real question mark in this unit. Expect someone to emerge in the coming weeks to play next to the Pouncey left behind. Barring injury, this unit will be solid.

Among many question marks on defense, can new defensive coordinator, Teryl Austin pick up where Charlie Strong left off?

Even though this unit lost superstars at all three levels, there is immense talent all over the defense. If Teryl Austin can point the young guys in the right direction and the leftover veterans can provide solid play and leadership, this unit should compete with most teams. Look for the defense to improve over the course of the season and don’t be surprised by a rocky start to the season.

Come September 4^th, The Swamp will be ready to swallow up opponents. Miami of Ohio will be the first to enter.

Just as expected, the first Gator to be drafted was cornerback Joe Haden. Haden was selected by the Cleveland Browns with the seventh overall pick in the draft. This makes him the highest a defensive back has ever been picked coming from UF.

Next up, at the 18th selection, was offensive lineman Maurkice Pouncey. Pouncey got picked up by the Pittsburgh Steelers who say they may start him out as a right guard instead of at the center position. No matter what position on the offensive line Maurkice ends up playing, he’ll be great. He’s a very flexible o-lineman and could play any position on the line if asked.

The biggest surprise in round one of the  NFL Draft was the selection of college football legend, Tim Tebow. The former Heisman Trophy winner got taken by the Denver Broncos withthe 25th overall pick. Nobody expected that at all, especially after all the sports analysts talked so badly about him and so-called “exposed” his mechanics. When interviewed at his private ceremony in Jacksonville, Tim said he was absolutely thrilled and will work as hard as he can to become a successful NFL quarterback. All it took was one team to believe in Tim Tebow and it was Coach Josh McDaniels and the Denver Broncos. Tebow got what he deserved – a chance in the NFL to prove critics wrong, and he surely did.

Starting at 6pm (EST), rounds two and three of the NFL Draft will take place and the Gators still have a few players in the draft. Linebacker Brandon Spikes, defensive end Jermaine Cunningham, tight end Aaron Hernandez, safety Major Wright, and wide receiver Riley Cooper could all be selected tonight.