South Carolina @ Florida

E.T.G. · Nov 10, 2008

One important note, Kick returner and Safety Chris Culliver is suspended for the 1st half of the Florida game for getting ejected in the Arkansas game. Culliver threw a punch after Arkansas tried an onside kick and one of their players was choking one of the South Carolina players on the bottom of the pile. Culliver is very fast and is one of the 3 starters at safety for the defense. His likely replacement is Akeem Aguste who has seen his share of playing time this year but not having Culliver out there is a loss because he is probably the fastest player in that secondary.

The whole reason SC moved to a 4-2-5 defense this year was to better defend the spread (Florida) type offenses that have been popping up around CFB.

Spurrier rotated QB's on every play last game, I had no idea it was going to be like that and he is keeping his mouth tight this week about the plan with the QB's and I don't like that at all.

UF is on fire right now hitting on all cylinders. They have beaten Arkansas-LSU-Kentucky-UGA-Vandy by an average of 37 points. During this stretch UF has rushed for an average of 235ypg. I think that is something that is sometimes overlooked when people think of UF but they spread the ball around on the ground as well as the air.

Special Teams are huge in this game. UF excels in this phase of the game and has used it to really open up an ass kicking on teams lately. South Carolina can't let UF block punts, return punts, return kickoffs, if they want any shot of staying on the field in this game. There is a reason Coach Ray was brought in as special teams coordinator from Maryland for SC, he hadn't had a punt blocked in his 7 years there and that streak is still alive at South Carolina, knock on wood.

To slow down UF, you have to get pressure and hit Tebow. Ole Miss was able to overwhelm the UF offensive line but no one has done that since. South Carolina has 12 sacks in its last 2 games and has gotten a lot of pressure lately but they'll have to put forth an even better effort here.

Florida is peaking and is playing like the best team in the country, its a scary proposition to go against them at this moment with the way they are playing.

RetroVK · Nov 10, 2008

was waiting for this thread .....

Blue_Chip · Nov 10, 2008

UF has covered every game since the Ole Miss loss.

Blue_Chip · Nov 10, 2008

In fact, I think Ole Miss was the only game UF has not covered this season

RetroVK · Nov 10, 2008

Blue_Chip said:
In fact, I think Ole Miss was the only game UF has not covered this season

correct ... i bet against them in most of the others ...:hang:

HUNT · Nov 10, 2008

good shit brah.

E.T.G. · Nov 11, 2008

November 10, 2008

Excited Gamecocks Ready for Gators

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Scott Hood
GamecockCentral.com Staff Writer
<SCRIPT language=javascript>document.write("<div id=contentcontainer style='font-size: " + currentsize + "pt;'>");</SCRIPT>Talk about it in The Insiders Forum

Two days after posting its sixth win in the last seven games with a 34-21 victory over Arkansas, USC got back to work for possibly its biggest challenge of the season – beating mega-talented Florida on the road.

The Gamecocks held their first practice session Monday night on the Bluff Road practice fields in preparation for Saturday's clash with the Gators at the Swamp. Kickoff for the nationally televised contest on CBS is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.

"We had a good practice tonight. The weather was nice," Spurrier said following the two-hour workout. "I think our guys are excited about getting the TV Game of the Week down there, the 3:30 game. We'll see what happens when we go down there.

"We always practice pretty well. We're playing big games every week. We've been fortunate. We were fortunate last week. We had a lot of careless play that gave Arkansas a chance to get in the game. We had the good play by Jordin Lindsey to put it away. We know we've been fortunate to win lately. We have a chance to win some more."

While USC lost by just one point to Florida, 17-16, at the Swamp two years when a last-second field goal attempt was blocked, the Gamecocks will surely have their hands full this time around. The speedy Gators are considered one of the fastest teams in the country as they try to capture their second national championship in three seasons.

Oddsmakers have made USC 21-point underdogs to the high-flying Gators, a betting line Spurrier said doesn't surprise him despite the fact the Gamecocks' three defeats this seaosn have been by a combined 21 points.

"They've been scoring a bunch of points and we've haven't been scoring a bunch of points," Spurrier said. "You just go by that."

Florida is No. 4 in the latest BCS rankings, meaning they're four wins away from competing in the BCS National Championship game, including the Dec. 6 SEC title game against Alabama.

With reigning Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow directing the offense, the Gators are first in the SEC in scoring offense (42.8 ppg) and rushing offense (198.7 ypg), and second in total offense (407.4 ypg). Florida also tops the SEC in scoring defense (11.9 ppg).

Having already lost to Ole Miss at home this season, the Gators can't afford another defeat and remain in the national title hunt. They've played like a team with a sense of urgency the last five weeks by demolishing quality opponents.

"There's a lot more on the line for those guys," Spurrier said. "Of course, South Carolina has never beaten Florida down there. We have a lot to play for, they have a lot to play for. It should be a heck of a game."

Chris Culliver, ejected late from Saturday's game for throwing a punch at an Arkansas player during a scuffle following an on-sides kick, publicly apologized for his behavior on Monday night.

Spurrier criticized the sophomore defensive back/kick returner during his post-game press conference following Saturday's 34-21 win, describing his conduct as "selfish."

Culliver stepped in front of a large group of reporters and cameras and said the following: "I want to apologize to my teammates, to my fans and to everybody that was watching South Carolina and the university. It was a careless mistake on my part. I shouldn't have retaliated that way. I just wish I could do it all over again. I'm sorry, really."

Culliver, who had seven tackles in the win over Arkansas, is required to sit out the first half of Saturday's game in Gainesville.

"Hopefully, this is behind us," Spurrier said. "It was an embarrassing situation. I couldn't believe he was throwing a punch at a helmet, which is what he did. But, you can't do that anymore. We don't do that. That should never happen again."

LINDSEY HONORED BY SEC: USC defensive end Jordin Lindsey was honored Monday as the SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week after he changed the momentum in the Arkansas game by intercepting a pass in a key situation Saturday to help USC emerge with the 34-21 victory.

Lindsey, a 6-3, 266-pound defensive end from Mobile, Ala., recorded a pair of solo tackles in addition to his third career interception. After Arkansas had narrowed the deficit to 20-14 in the third quarter and appeared to be marching towards another score, Lindsey leaped to grab a Casey Dick pass and returned it 40 yards to the Razorback 15-yard line. Two plays later the Gamecocks were in the end zone, regaining a 13-point advantage.

Lindsey also played a key role for a defense that limited Arkansas to just 54 rushing yards on 31 attempts.

Lindsey becomes the fifth Gamecock football player to be honored by the SEC this fall. Previous honorees include Chris Smelley, Ryan Succop, Captain Munnerlyn and Spencer Lanning.

DECISION TIME FOR RYCHLESKI: With Chris Culliver suspended for the first half of Saturday's game at Florida as a result of his ejection from the Arkansas game, Captain Munnerlyn will take over kickoff return duties for the first half of the game, special teams coordinator Ray Rychelski said Monday night.

"It'll be Captain for the whole first half, then we'll go with Chris for the first one of the second half whenever that may be. Nothing has really changed there other than Captain will get a little more work there."

While Culliver will miss the first half in Gainesville, special teams star Chris Hail, one of the first-team gunners on the punt coverage team, should return to the lineup after missing Saturday's game for disciplinary reasons.

"Unfortunately, if he messes up one more time, he won't be (back)," Rychleski said. "Right now, Chris is back. But he just can't mess up. We need him. He can't mess up."

With Akeem Auguste hobbled by an injury, Kenny McKinley worked on fielding punts during Monday's workout. He could serve as Munnerlyn's backup Saturday against Florida.

The USC special teams are, overall, coming off a solid performance against the Razorbacks. The most glaring errors were a fumbled punt by Munnerlyn and a missed 25-yard field goal by Ryan Succop. Except for those two plays, USC was solid.

"I'm very pleased with the way we performed," Rychleski said. "The punt teams were very good. We netted 40 yards. Kickoffs were excellent because Ryan Succop did an excellent job. I was pleased that we didn't give up any big plays. We had one very good kickoff return (41 yards by Culliver) and the other two we were one block away from breaking.

"On punt returns, we can't fumble the ball. It's the same old thing right now. We're walking a fine line here and that's not good. Captain stumbled and just didn't get it. The fumbles really have got me. I don't know what else to do. I'm trying everything. We're living miraculously. We've had seven fumbles (on punt returns) and we've only lost one."

Rychleski's challenge this week is preparing his troops for a special teams showdown with one of the best units in the league. Florida has blocked multiple punts this year, including two in one quarter against Kentucky, and possesses possibly the best team speed in the conference in all three phases.

"They're not just wiggling guys, they're running over guys," Rychleski said. "Going from the ACC to the SEC, I haven't noticed much of a difference in team speed, but I've noticed it this week. There is a difference in this team. That's the way it is. There's a reason why they beat LSU by 30 (51-21) and Georgia by 39 (49-10). It's a little scary. But we're looking forward to going to the Swamp.

"It's an afternoon game, and that's better than a night game. We have to play and we're good. We're a good team. Winning is contagious. The kids are into it. We're going to fire every bullet that we have. We're going to do everything in the playbook to win this game. We're not going there to play close. Nobody cares about close."

Maryland was 20-point underdogs at Clemson in 2006 and won on a last-second field goal, Rychleski recalled.

Florida's lightning-fast Brandon James is the top punt returner in the SEC with an average of 19.3 yards per return and is second in kickoff returns with an average of 26.5 yards per return. Culliver is third at 26.0 yards per return.

"Brandon James is the Devon Hester (Chicago Bears) of college football," Rychleski said. "They have Tebow, who has the Heisman, Percy Harvin, (Jeff) Demps, who might be the best of them all, and Chris Rainey. Watching them, I'm saying, who are these guys? And they're using them well."

HUNT SAYS O-LINE IS PROGRESSING. The USC running game has surpassed the 100-yard mark for two consecutive games. The offensive line has allowed only three sacks in the last two games after LSU collected six on Oct. 18. Yes, things are looking up for offensive line coach John Hunt and his often-maligned players along the offensive front.

"We're certainly making progress," Hunt said. "Not having Heath there when we expected him out there for the whole time has hurt us. We've also had some injuries to overcome (Lemuel Jeanpierre). It was encouraging to see the other guys step up and play good football.

"We told the guys if we could put them on their backs just one time and get a little scoring drive and they did," offensive line coach John Hunt said. "They very next drive, they went out there and we ran the ball pretty good. It gave us an opportunity to run the ball. It was great to see Baker and Mike do a lot of good things. It was encouraging."

USC started Terrence Campbell and Hutch Eckerson at the two guard spots and both played respectably well, Hunt said.

"Terrence gave up an early sack when he whiffed," Hunt said. "He's not the biggest guy in the world, but he's playing hard. He loves playing the game and I enjoy coaching him. We just have to get him a little bigger to handle those other guys."

Eckerson played left guard for the first time in his career after spending most of his time at tackle.

"There's quite a bit of adjustment," Hunt acknowledged. "Guard is a little more complicated. It's easier to learn to play tackle. But he went in there and did pretty well."

GOING BOWLING: An article published Monday on the Tampa Tribune's web site described South Carolina as the Outback Bowl's "dream team." The paper cited multiple reasons for this statement including the possibility of Steve Spurrier coaching a bowl game in the state where he first shot to fame as both a player and coach, the return home of redshirt freshman quarterback Stephen Garcia (he graduated from Jefferson High School in Tampa) and the willingness of Gamecock fans to travel in droves to any bowl game in which USC is participating.

"South Carolina has been in our discussions all along," Outback Bowl President Jim McVay is quoted as saying in the article. "Are they an attractive looking team for any bowl game? Absolutely."

If USC is invited to the Outback Bowl, the Tribune speculated the probable Big 10 opponet would be one of three teams: Iowa, Northwestern or Minnesota.

But the Outback isn't the only bowl game looking to snatch up the Gamecocks. The Chick-fil-A Bowl in Atlanta appears ready to select USC for their game should the Outback Bowl go in another direction. The Chick-fil-A Bowl sent a pair of representatives to Saturday's victory over Arkansas. The last time USC played a bowl game in Atlanta was 1969 when it was simply known as the Peach Bowl.

"Obviously, fan following is a factor," Chick-fil-A bowl rep Art Gregory said. "But in our case, it's only one of several factors. We've sold out the bowl for 12 consecutive years. It's not as if we're prostituting the bowl to bring fans in. Coach Spurrier certainly adds a dimension of attractiveness. His offense is productive. The fan following is good. And we haven't had them in 40 years. All those factors combined make (inviting USC) an attractive possibility for us if it should work out."

MEYER CONTENDS RIVALRY EXISTS: The SEC East race might be over and Florida has lost to USC only once since the Gamecocks joined the SEC in 1992, but don't tell Florida head coach Urban Meyer that a rivalry between the two schools doesn't exist. He responded to a reporter who made that claim during his weekly teleconference on Sunday this way: "I disagree with that. It is a rivalry game. South Carolina is a very good team and then you have the built in rivalry with Coach Spurrier coming back to town. You'll have a rivalry atmosphere around here."

Although Florida secured a spot in the SEC Championship game opposite Alabama by walloping Vanderbilt, 42-14, Saturday night in Nashville, the Gators still have plenty to play for, namely the national championship. Florida is No. 4 in the latest BCS rankings released Sunday. If Florida and Alabama are able to survive unscathed until the SEC title game, the winner of that game will likely earn a spot in the BCS national championship game.

"There's a lot at stake," Meyer said. "I don't mind a guy saying that. The first goal is to get to Atlanta. The second goal is to be in the national picture and we're in the national picture."

Some people thought Florida's chances of competing for the national championship evaporated when the Gators fell to Ole Miss, 31-30, on Sept. 27. But Florida has rebounded with five straight lopsided victories, including a 49-10 rout of rival Georgia two weeks ago in Jacksonville in the annual Cocktail Party game. How will Florida respond if Saturday's game develops into a close, hard-fought affair?

"I worry about that a little bit," Meyer acknowledged. "We had some close games early in the year. There's nothing you can do about that. I worry about everything. I saw Alabama had a very close one in a tough environment. That does make you battle-ready. There's only so much you can control. We're going to up against Coach Spurrier, Coach (Bobby) Bowden and Coach (Nick) Saban. We're loaded up pretty good here."

Meyer credited the strong leadership of the seniors - something he said previously was missing from last year's Capital One Bowl team - on the current Florida squad with the Gators' ability to bounce back strongly following the stunning loss to the Rebels.

"I'm the kind of person who relies on leaders all the time," Meyer said. "Unfortunately, sometimes you don't have many. Sometimes you have none. Part of the reason the offensive line is playing well is because we have some invested leaders in that group. I rely on leaders all the time. Every coach does. (Former UF linebacker) Brandon Siler was as good a leader as I've ever been around. Once he left there was a tremendous void there."

NOTES:

-- The SEC office announced Sunday that CBS will televise Saturday's USC-Florida matchup at 3:30 p.m. It will mark the second time this season the Gamecocks have appeared on the network. Verne Lundquist and Gary Danielson will call the game. They lost, 14-7, to Georgia on Sept. 13 in the first CBS game of the season. Here is the full SEC television schedule for Sat. Nov. 15:

Georgia at Auburn, 12:30 p.m. (Raycom)
South Carolina at Florida, 3:30 p.m. (CBS)
Mississippi State at Alabama, 7:45 p.m. (ESPN)
Vanderbilt at Kentucky, 8 p.m. (ESPN2)

-- USC WR Kenny McKinley is now 10th on the SEC's all-time receiving list with 188 career receptions.

-- USC is one of five SEC schools ranked in the Top 25 of the major national polls (AP and USA Today Coaches) this week. Alabama is No. 1 in both polls with Florida third behind Texas Tech. Georgia is No. 13 in the AP poll and 12th in the Coaches poll. LSU is 19th in the AP poll and 20th in the Coaches poll. USC is also No. 25 in the BCS standings. The SEC has three teams in the Top10 of the BCS rankings.

-- Despite Tennessee's shocking 13-7 Homecoming loss to Wyoming last Saturday at Neyland Stadium, the SEC continues to lead the nation in non-conference winning percentage. The SEC is 32-8 (80.0 percent) against non-conference foes.

E.T.G. · Nov 11, 2008

November 10, 2008

MEYER PREVIEWS SOUTH CAROLINA
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Adam Gorney
GatorBait.net Assistant Editor
<SCRIPT language=javascript>document.write("<div id=contentcontainer style='font-size: " + currentsize + "pt;'>");</SCRIPT>Talk about it in Alligator Alley

Coach Urban Meyer met with the media on Monday to preview third-ranked Florida's matchup against South Carolina this weekend. Meyer was asked about former Gators' coach Steve Spurrier, now with the Gameocks, the influence President-elect Barack Obama might have on his players and much more right here:

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</TD></TR><TR><TD align=right>Associated Press</TD></TR><TR><TD height=3>

</TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle>Meyer will lead the Gators against South Carolina this weekend.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
You talked about following Florida football in the '90s. This five-game run you're on now, does that remind you of what Florida was doing back then?

Meyer: I haven't had a chance to reflect. I was a big fan of Florida football in the '90s and a pretty big fan of our team right now. More than scores, I'm a fan of the professionalism and the way they handle themselves and it must continue for us to have success.

Can you revisit Jarvis Moss' blocked field goal a couple years ago, how vivid is that memory for you and where does that rank all time in Florida plays?

Meyer: I think it's the greatest play in the history of Florida football (laughing). It was certainly a monumental play, a monumental moment in my life, in the program's life. It happened to a guy that worked extremely hard the whole year for us so that was one of the finest plays I've ever been a part of.

South Carolina's defense is probably the best defense you've faced all year long. What do they do differently that makes them so outstanding?

Meyer: First, they have personnel and they made a change in coordinator and the guy they have in there now (Ellis Johnson) is much more multiple than they've been. Right now, it's Monday we're not practicing so we're consumed with the scheme and watching film and it's overwhelming now so we're going to have to settle down.

We have not faced this kind of multiplicity. What I mean is three-down, four-down, they drop nine, they drop eight, full blitz. I'm very concerned about it. What you do is just tighten down our package. Very efficient this week and make sure our offensive line blocks their people.

Ryan Stamper wasn't recruited by Florida until you came in. What did you see in him and what was that recruitment like?

Meyer: I saw about a 10-play Internet tape and someone said this guy is going to Auburn. Coach (Charlie) Strong told me we had an issue at linebacker depth-wise and I flipped it on and I saw a guy that ran around and said let's go talk to him. I found out what kind of person he is. I only needed to see 10 plays.

They weren't 10 great plays, they were 10 good plays. The fact that a guy from Jacksonville was going to Auburn set off a red flag. Auburn is very good on defense, they know how to evaluate. Then when we met he is what he is. He was elected a captain and wasn't even a starter. It tells you what kind of person he is.

Do you expect Emmanuel Moody to get more carries?

Meyer: I do. I'm not telling you that, I do, but if it doesn't happen, it doesn't happen. We're finding out our personnel, I don't want to say they're role players, Emmanuel Moody is terrific, he's good at everything, but at some things he's outstanding. The one he came out of (against Vanderbilt) was a direct off-tackle power play. I can see him getting more carries. I still saw a little bit of a gimp. He got run down fairly quickly and the boys were giving him a hard time. He still has a little bit of a hitch in that leg.

You said after Saturday's game it's time to at least address the BCS with a state of the union. What was the message?

Meyer: We've had that every year, every week. The only difference is we've always talked about the SEC East, the SEC East. On Sundays, we do have a meeting and I do think it's appropriate, it's the first time we addressed it. Here's where we stand, here's who we play, here's the schedule for the next four weeks, let's move on. That's what we did.

Barack Obama was elected president. Philosophically, are you hopeful that will have a great influence on some of the young men you coach and their feeling about their place in this country?

Meyer: I didn't know where you were headed with that. I thought you were going to ask about playoffs. I think that's a very valid point, absolutely I do. It shows how far we've come as a country and I think it's tremendous. Do I hope it has an impact on the youth and some of our players? Absolutely, that's why we're all here to make sure guys have positive role models and make sure guys make right decisions. Is there a chance that helps? Absolutely.

About how many hours per week roughly do you spend game-planning for special teams?

Meyer: Sunday it's the first thing I go in and do. I'd say 7-8 hours and punt block takes a lot of time because that's not easy. You basically have two seconds to get a hand on the ball. You have two seconds to try to go block a punt. That's from snap to get to the ball. That takes a lot of work.

It all starts with personnel. If you have good people, 10.5 100 (meter) guys (Jeffrey Demps) or Carlos Dunlap with the wingspan he has it's a little easier. The best thing going right now is our guys are like sharks in the water. They want to be on that. Emmanuel Moody came up to me and said, 'Coach, I have to get back on punt block, get me out there.' It's a good thing we have that kind of attitude.

pags11 · Nov 11, 2008

my butthole still hurts from trying to beat Urban Meyer and crew twice this year, as much value as I see or saw in this line at 23 I just can't do it to myself again...

O-State · Nov 11, 2008

When Tebow said they wouldn't lose again this year------we should have rode him for a nice payout.

IMO certain players and coaches are special. Meyer is special. Tebow is special. These guys with revenge or back up against the wall are fricken money.

---Would just have to be careful riding them early on when everything is great perhaps.

But seriously I'm starting to think a big thing in betting is finding certain coaches and difference makers as players that are "winners"

--MJ was better than everyone because his competitive level, it was astronomical, it was life or death.

I think Meyer and Tebow have some of that.

Find those players, and when there back is up against the wall or motiation angle exists---because these types really really use that, BET THEM.

That's what I have learned this year.

E.T.G. · Nov 11, 2008

pags11 said:
my butthole still hurts from trying to beat Urban Meyer and crew twice this year, as much value as I see or saw in this line at 23 I just can't do it to myself again...

I can't do it either Pags. They just look too damn good right now and its not just 1 phase, its offense, defense, and special teams.

E.T.G. · Nov 11, 2008

November 11, 2008
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Tebow Filling USC's Mind

David Cloninger
GamecockCentral.com Staff Writer
<SCRIPT language=javascript>document.write("<div id=contentcontainer style='font-size: " + currentsize + "pt;'>");</SCRIPT>Talk about it in The Insiders Forum

No one was shocked to hear the question.

"How do you plan on stopping Tim Tebow?"

"What makes him so good, I think, also, is he can shake a one-arm tackle and those guys run in there and hit him and they almost bounce backwards," South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier answered during his Tuesday press conference that previewed Saturday's game at No. 3 Florida (8-1, 6-1 SEC). "We got guys running at our quarterbacks and we're sort of heading the other way or trying to dump it off as fast as we can, which most quarterbacks do, but Tim Tebow, he'll just sort of drift backward a little bit and get it off.

"So he's hard to sack and a lot of his runs come from just a dropback pass or a pass play and there's nobody open. He'll just take off and run for 8 or 10 yards. That's what makes it tough on defenses is when your quarterback can take a broken play and make 8, 10 yards."

The reigning Heisman Trophy winner will lead his Gators against the No. 24 Gamecocks this week, the SEC East title already in hand but no doubt wanting to keep a stellar five-game stretch going. Since losing a shocking 31-30 decision to Ole Miss on Sept. 27, Florida has won five straight by an average score of 48.6 – 11.4.

The Gators have abused their last five opponents, led by the multi-talented Tebow throwing for 1,740 yards and 17 touchdowns while rushing for 354 yards and 10 scores. Those aren't his Heisman numbers from last year – but that's not necessarily a good thing.

Florida has simply added parts around him, like two tailbacks with over 300 yards each; superstar receiver/scatback Percy Harvin, who has caught 513 yards worth of passes and rushed for 309 yards; a defense that's ranked fourth in the SEC; and special teams that have blocked seven kicks.

Tebow's got plenty of help instead of the one-man gang he was last year, which is a big reason why the Gators are aiming for the SEC championship and, with a win there, a likely spot in the BCS National Championship game. The Gamecocks (7-3, 4-3), nationally third-ranked defense at the ready, are standing in the way.

All the Gators are on the scouting report, but Tebow, after his performance in Columbia last year, is tops on the list.

"I had the opportunity to sit on the sideline and watch him just rip us to pieces," linebacker Jasper Brinkley said. "You want to go out this year and prove a point that we are capable of playing with these guys."

Tebow shredded USC for 304 passing and 120 rushing yards last year, the bulk of a 536-yard day in a 51-31 win. He scored five touchdowns with his legs and threw for two more as the Gamecocks' collapse kept spiraling.

Playing at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Florida Field ("The Swamp"), where the Gators are a sizzling 104-13 since 1990, isn't an easy task. Brinkley and his mates, though, figure they've done a super job stopping several SEC supermen already this year, so why not add Tebow?

"We definitely want to go down there on their home field, and it'd be great to make that statement on their home field," Brinkley said. "(Tebow), I got the opportunity to hit him (in 2006). He's pretty big. Anytime you got a player like that, it's going to be a challenge just to stop him."

Spurrier was asked where Tebow was the most dangerous. The Head Ball Coach cracked, "He's most dangerous probably running and throwing," before breaking down the junior's resume.

"He's a good passer, now. He's a very good passer as well as a runner," he said. "Our guys will have a plan for every play and try to execute the plan the best they can. There's way too many guys on that Florida offense to concern yourself with just the quarterback."

THE CRY GOES OUT FROM FAR AND NEAR FOR … : The Gamecocks opened as 21-point underdogs for the game, several fans voicing their displeasure at the apparent lack of respect for USC's top-ranked SEC defense. Spurrier said his team wasn't paying any attention to it.

"Well, Ole Miss beat them. You got to remember that, now," Spurrier said. "Ole Miss went in there and got a break or two, hit a big play, hit a big run, hung in there and found a way to beat them. So if Ole Miss can go in there and beat them, we got to believe we got a chance to go in there and beat them."

Spurrier didn't mention it on Tuesday, but has doubtlessly thought a few times already about his last trip to The Swamp. A blocked field goal prevented USC from perhaps making it two straight wins over the Gators and sent Florida on its way to the national championship.

USC could get its revenge this year, considering the Gamecocks seem like the toughest regular-season opponent Florida has remaining. After USC, the Gators play The Citadel and Florida State before taking on No. 1 Alabama for the SEC title. Even by losing that game, Florida would probably still go to a BCS bowl, but probably not the national championship.

Another loss in the regular season wouldn't help those title dreams, but Spurrier said he wasn't talking about that to the team.

"We can't -- you can only worry about your own self," he said. "And really, we're just going down there trying to play the best we can. We don't get into what will happen to our opponent. We're just really trying to concern ourselves with playing our assignments, playing with maximum effort, trying to play smart, trying to be prepared to play. That's really what we do every game."

MEMORIES … LIGHT THE CORNERS OF MY MIND … : Spurrier said he expected to see several old faces from his tenure at Florida once the Gamecocks get to The Swamp on Saturday. Before the game, though, USC will be staying in Ocala, Fla., about a 40-mile drive from Gainesville.

"Yeah, I'll see a few of the Florida people before the game," he said. "Athletic director, the security guys and a bunch of them, trainers. They've still got a lot of people there from when I was there. Team doctors, all of those guys will be out there walking around."

MAKE SURE WE"RE CONNECTED: The Gamecocks and Gators have several connections between each other. Consider:
· Florida coach Urban Meyer was scheduled to play USC on Sept. 15, 2001, when he was coaching Bowling Green. That game never happened after Sept. 11.
· Spurrier's obvious playing and coaching career with the Gators.
· Florida defensive coordinator Charlie Strong served from 1999-2002 in the same position at USC.
· USC assistant coaches Steve Spurrier Jr. and John Hunt are former UF assistants. Hunt is also a former Gator player, as is USC running backs coach Robert Gillespie.
· Assistant coach David Reaves' father, John Reaves, played at Florida from 1969-71.
· USC director of football operations Jamie Speronis and strength coach Mark Smith served at Florida for a combination of 24 years.

SEEING THINGS FOR THE FIRST TIME: According to the Heisman Trophy Trust, Saturday will be the first time in the history of college football that a Heisman winner will play against a team coached by a Heisman winner.

LIKE A RECORD: Spurrier's 28 wins since he took over at USC have tied him for the best four-year stretch in school history. The Gamecocks also won 28 games from 1987-90, under coaches Joe Morrison and Sparky Woods.

Spurrier has led his team to four straight seasons of .500 finishes or better, which combined with a 6-5 record in 2004, the last season under Lou Holtz, gives USC the second-longest such streak in school history. The Gamecocks posted seven straight winning seasons, the longest stretch, from 1928-34.

With last week's 34-21 win over Arkansas, Spurrier also tied his best home record at USC. The Gamecocks went 5-2 at Williams-Brice Stadium in 2005 and this year.

MR. BOJANGLE'S: Spurrier threw out a few more jokes when discussing the health of cornerback Captain Munnerlyn, who has been at practice in his upper shell but warmup pants as he seeks to get his injured foot healthy. Munnerlyn, who has had career-long problems with cramping, is told to pump plenty of fluids before every game.

"He's OK as long as he drinks his Gatorade all day and all week before," Spurrier said, also mentioning the coaching staff's orders to Munnerlyn to stay away from fried foods. "Yeah, we try to get him away from Bojangle's. Don't get mad at me, Bojangle's -- they've got some good chicken.

"Yeah, Captain loves fried chicken. He does. It's OK occasionally. You can't make a steady diet of it."

SOMEBODY GET ME A DOCTOR: Outside of Munnerlyn's nagging foot, the Gamecocks are very healthy. Spurrier said left guard Jamon Meredith may get some snaps this week after recovering from a sprained ankle.

E.T.G. · Nov 11, 2008

November 11, 2008

Spurrier: Since Rebels did it, USC can too
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Scott Hood
GamecockCentral.com Staff Writer
<SCRIPT language=javascript>document.write("<div id=contentcontainer style='font-size: " + currentsize + "pt;'>");</SCRIPT>Talk about it in The Insiders Forum

Steve Spurrier has a simple strategy for beating No. 4 Florida on Saturday – just do what Ole Miss did.

The week before the Gators started their current five-game winning streak in which they've demolished four opponents by 30 or more points, the Rebels marched into the Swamp and escaped with a 31-30 victory by accomoplishing a number of things teams like Georgia, Kentucky and LSU couldn't later on like winning the turnover battle, avoiding disasterous special teams plays, hitting a few big plays on offense and stopping the Florida offense on third down and in other key situations.

Kickoff Saturday from Ben Hill Griffin Stadium is set for 3:30 p.m. CBS will televise the game.

Somehow, South Carolina must find a way to slow down a Gators machine that's been operating on all cylinders in every phase of the game over the last five weeks.

And it shows in the numbers.

Florida leads the SEC in scoring offense (42.8 ppg) and scoring defense (11.9 ppg), a lethal combination, as well as rushing offense (198.7 ypg), pass efficiency offense (166.6 rating) and turnover margin (plus-13). Over the last month, the Gators have averaged 51.3 points per game, which ranks second nationally.

The Gators are one of two schools in the country (Penn State) ranked inside the Top 10 nationally in both scoring offense and defense. Florida is seventh in scoring and fourth in scoring defense.

So, what must the Gamecocks do? Watch the Ole Miss film. Ole Miss recovered three fumbles, sacked the quarterback three times, ran the ball for 140 yards, averaged 28.0 yards on five kickoff returns, blocked a critical extra point and held Florida to 1-of-11 on third down conversions.

Most importantly, Florida had no blocked kicks against the Rebels. Three weeks later, they had three in a 63-5 smashing of Kentucky.

If USC follows the same guidelines, they'll have a good chance to beat Florida at the Swamp.

"The first thing Ole Miss did, they didn't give them any scores," Spurrier said. "I don't think they had any breakdowns on special teams. Florida is really good everywhere but they're very good on special teams. They block punts, they run it back, kickoffs, coverage and all that kind of stuff. I don't think Ole Miss gave them any special teams scores. They did well in that. One thing we hope to do is not allow them any big plays in special teams.

"And then we hope not to allow them any big defensive turnovers. When you're the underdog, you always have a lot better chance if you don't give the favorite anything at all and make them go 70, 80 yards for scores. Our objective is to really try to take care of the ball and play special teams."

The Rebels hung close to Florida for three quarters before taking the lead for good on an 86-yard TD pass with about six minutes left. Later, they blocked an extra point when it appeared Florida would tie the score and stuffed Tebow for no gain on a fourth-down sneak with less than two minutes left.

Although Vegas oddsmakers have tabbed Florida as a 21-point favorite, Spurrier looks to the Ole Miss win in the Swamp as a source of inspiration that the Gamecocks can accomplish the same thing.

"Ole Miss beat them. Ole Miss went in there and got a break or two, hit a big play, hit a big run, hung in there and found a way to beat them," Spurrier said. "So, if Ole Miss can go in there and beat them, we've got to believe we've got a chance to go in there and beat them."

Saturday's game will feature a showdown between two of the top special teams units in the SEC. USC special teams coordinator Ray Rychleski is proud of his mark of not allowing a blocked punt in eight years, one of the longest active streaks in the NCAA.

That record will be challenged this week. Florida has blocked five punts and seven kicks overall this season. Florida has blocked a kick against USC in each of the last four meetings against the Gamecocks. Since 2005, the first season for both Spurrier and Florida head coach Urban Meyer at their respective schools, the Gators have blocked more kicks (five) against USC than any other school.

"I'm sure they're going to try and block a punt because they do it every game or about every other game," Spurrier said. "They'll just see if they can block one of Ray Rychleski's punts. He hasn't had one blocked going on eight years now. We'll see if we can get them off, I'm sure they're going to try and block one. The fans may find that interesting, seeing if we can get a punt off."

Of course, three of the blocks occurred two years ago when Florida hung on for a 17-16 victory, denying a last-second potential game-winning field goal attempt by Ryan Succop.

In addition to being well-coached on special teams, the Gators have possibly the most diversified running attack in the nation. Four rushers have between 300 and 400 yards rushing led by Jeff Demps with 395 yards. He's averaging 9.6 yards per rush. Chris Rainey (360 yards), Tim Tebow (354) and Percy Harvin (309) are fellow members of the 300-yard club.

Tebow is averaging just 3.4 yards per rush, but leads the Gators with 10 rushing touchdowns on a team-high 105 rushing attempts. He had 88 yards on 11 carries in Florida's 42-14 victory over Vanderbilt last Saturday.

"What makes (Tebow) so good, I think, is he can shake a one-arm tackle," Spurrier said. "Those guys run in there and hit him and they almost bounce backwards. Tebow will just sort of drift backward a little bit and get it off. So he's hard to sack and a lot of his runs come from just a dropback pass or a pass play and there's nobody open. He'll just take off and run for eight or 10 yards. What makes it tough on defenses is when your quarterback can take a broken play and make 8, 10 yards."

With so many weapons, it's no surprise Florida leads the SEC in rushing offense with an average of 198.7 yards per game. They've rushed for 214 or more yards four times during the current five game winning streak.

"They've started really running the ball extremely well," Spurrier said. "Of course, Tebow runs with it as well. He's actually run a little bit more now than he did earlier in the year. They're coming out running and running and throwing when they want to. With Percy Harvin back there, they're hard to stop. They're very difficult to stop. We'll have a plan, and our defensive players are looking forward to seeing if we can stop them."

With a highly productive ground game, Florida has little need to throw the ball much, and they don't. The Gators have attempted the second fewest number of passes (211) in the SEC this season (only Vanderbilt has less). But when they complete one, it goes for big yardage. The Gators' average of 8.9 yards per completion is second highest in the SEC behind Georgia (9.0 yards).

With Florida involved deeply in the national championship picture, Spurrier will try to convince his players that all the pressure is on Florida. In short, they expect to win, and win big.

Overall, USC is 10-7 on the road since Spurrier took over as head coach after the 2004 season, including a 3-3 mark against ranked opponents.

"Our guys enjoy playing on the road and we look forward to the environment down there," Spurrier said. "We'll certainly go down there with the attitude that we really don't have anything to lose. We're pretty huge underdogs, which is OK, but we're going to go down there and pitch it around and line up and see how our No. 1 defense ranks against the No. 1 offense (Florida is No. 2 in the SEC in total offense). And hopefully our No. 7 offense will go pretty good against their defense. We'll see how it goes."

The Swamp has a well-deserved reputation as one of the loudest stadiums in the country. USC didn't deal with the noise very well two years ago and Spurrier knows the Gamecocks must improve in that area. As he pointed out Tuesday, the Swamp, with a capacity of 88,548, is the biggest road stadium USC has played in this season.

"We understand we're not going to get to hear much," Spurrier said. "Our quarterbacks will pick their foot up when we're trying to snap it in the shotgun or all kinds of stuff. If you go audible, you'd better do it with some hand signals. We won't be able to hear audibles. Other than that, our guys should just go play and enjoy being in a big-time college football game."

E.T.G. · Nov 12, 2008

November 11, 2008

Meyer Talks About South Carolina
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Adam Gorney
GatorBait.net Assistant Editor
<SCRIPT language=javascript>document.write("<div id=contentcontainer style='font-size: " + currentsize + "pt;'>");</SCRIPT>Talk about it in Alligator Alley

Urban Meyer has coached an undefeated team at Utah, a national-championship team at Florida and now he has these Gators headed back to the SEC title game with even more at stake if they can beat top-ranked Alabama.

<SCRIPT language=Javascript>document.write(insertImage('http://vmedia.rivals.com/uploads/882/692853.jpg', '692853.jpg', 0, 267, 200, 1, 'Meyer said he has not reflected on this team\'s talent level.', 'Associated Press', 1226454510000, 'UMeyer200_920_AP_2', 882, 'Align=Left'));</SCRIPT><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=208 align=left border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=202>

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</TD></TR><TR><TD align=right>Associated Press</TD></TR><TR><TD height=3>

</TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle>Meyer said he has not reflected on this team's talent level.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Is this the best team Meyer has coached? Remember, Florida in 2006 beat five teams by seven points or less, trailed Arkansas in the third quarter of the SEC championship and needed some breaks along the way with a Southern Cal loss and Florida being selected instead of Michigan to play for it all.

"I haven't had time, I get a lot of questions about how do you reflect upon this or compare this, I just haven't had time," Meyer said. "(This is) a very talented team but the '06 team and the '04 team, I can't answer that."

Whether the 2006 team was better could be an interesting debate for various reasons but there's no question this squad is playing outstanding football. All of Florida's wins this season have been by 23 points or more and after the Ole Miss hiccup the Gators have destroyed five SEC opponents. South Carolina, which visits Gainesville at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, hopes to not be the sixth victim in a row.

"We'll go down there with the attitude that we don't really have anything to lose, we're pretty huge underdogs," coach Steve Spurrier said. "But we're going to go down there and pitch it around and line up and see how our defense, our No. 1 defense, ranks against the No. 1 offense."

No letdowns this week: After beating Vanderbilt handily Saturday night in Nashville to clinch the SEC championship game berth, Florida might be looking at a letdown but Meyer said that's not the case.

"The good thing is when you watch South Carolina on film it gets your attention real fast," Meyer said. "That tight end is going to be a first-round draft pick, they're playing as well as they have all year on offense and their defense, they're the No. 1 defense in the league and that's a result of really good players and a complex scheme.

"They're strong, they're solid, tough secondary. Their linebackers, 270 (pounds), 260 and a 300-pound inside guy so it's very solid plus their coordinator is doing a hell of a job. Very multiple, but very sound. This is the most difficult week we've had getting ready."

On what makes South Carolina's defense so good: "Talent," Meyer said. "No. 1 it's all personnel-based but they're very multiple. A lot of teams, we've faced some teams, I don't want to give you names, we faced some teams that were multiple but not sound and we had some big plays against them because we exposed them.

"They're very multiple which means you get a lot of three-down, a lot of four-down, a lot of pressure but they're all sound. That means they cover people, when they fire a zone they're very well-disciplined in their coverage which is hard to be with as many blitzes as they run."

On whether Florida has weaknesses like last season: "You always have weaknesses with depth if the No. 2 is not as good as the No. 1," Meyer said. "When you finally get Florida where it needs to be and the problem is guys leaving early and everything else we've had in the past it's hard to get there. Our concern is if a (starter) goes down can the (backup) carry the load and I don't think we can do that right now. Some spots are OK."

Johnson should be ready to play: Offensive lineman Carl Johnson was held out of some offense-defense work but did everything else in Tuesday's practice, Meyer said. Johnson was thought to have a meniscus injury but it turned out to be an MCL sprain. He should be ready to play this weekend.

E.T.G. · Nov 12, 2008

random notes:

Since Spurrier has been at SC, they've lost 1 road game by more than 12 points (2005 @ Auburn) which was a disaster with a backup QB.

Akeem Aguste is more than capable of filling in for Culliver. Depth is hurt with Culliver out the 1st half and Culliver is a step or 2 faster and the kick off return man but Aguste probably has better cover skills while Culliver supports the run better.

November 12, 2008

Defense Makes a Difference for Florida
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Olin Buchanan
Rivals.com College Football
<SCRIPT language=javascript>document.write("<div id=contentcontainer style='font-size: " + currentsize + "pt;'>");</SCRIPT>NASHVILLE – Brandon Spikes, Florida's imposing middle linebacker, could have gloated like a pro wrestler. He could have bragged, talked trash and beat his chest as thoroughly as the Gators beat Vanderbilt on Saturday night.
<SCRIPT language=Javascript>document.write(insertImage('/IMAGES/Player/video/BRANDONSPIKES250_0725.JPG', '', 0, 300, 250, 1, 'Linebacker Brandon Spikes is the leader of a much-improved Florida defense.', '', 1226436208000, '', 1144, 'Align=Left'));</SCRIPT><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=258 align=left border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=252>

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</TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle>Linebacker Brandon Spikes is the leader of a much-improved Florida defense.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Instead, Spikes was so nonchalant, he might have been staving off a yawn.
Even after a 42-14 dismantling of Vanderbilt, which managed two scores only after Florida appeared to lose interest, Spikes had a so-what-else-is-new? attitude. "We felt like we've done that before," he said. "And we can do it again."
Upgrades in the secondary and at defensive tackle have bolstered a unit that was a liability in 2007. Suffocating defensive efforts have become so common this season that Florida might be closing in on a second national championship in three years – that is, unless some lingering doubts prove justified and the Gators have issues against the stronger offenses they figure to face in the postseason.
But heading into the final quarter of the regular season, which begins Saturday with a visit from South Carolina, the Gators' defense is starting to resemble the '06 unit that held nine opponents to 14 or fewer points and overwhelmed Heisman winner Troy Smith and Ohio State in the national championship game. Once thought to be a weakness, Florida's defense is flexing its muscle.
The Gators – who have no seniors on the two-deep defensive depth chart – have allowed just one first-half touchdown in the past five games. They're 14th in the nation in total defense and fourth in scoring defense. They've limited seven opponents to 14 points or less. They've forced 21 turnovers.
Even the defensive coordinator is named Strong.
"I enjoy watching them play now. I enjoy watching the coaches coach," Florida coach Urban Meyer said. "You can't say it's the defensive line, you can't say it's the linebackers and you can't say it's the secondary. Collectively, they're all playing very well right now."
Yet there remains a measure of uncertainty.
In August, it was universally accepted that with Tim Tebow, Percy Harvin and an array of other offensive weaponry, Florida would be a national championship contender – if the defense, a liability in 2007, didn't become a thorn in the lion's paw.
Last season, the secondary was in shambles. Florida ranked 98th in the nation in pass defense and gave up 19 touchdown passes. This season, they lost potential starting strong safety Dorian Munroe and backup John Curtis to knee injuries, which forced the move of Ahmad Black from cornerback.
Defensive coordinator Charlie Strong admitted he had some anxiety about the secondary coming into the season. "When we first started the season, we didn't realize how they would play," he said. "They didn't play well last season, and we were hoping they would this year. I think they got so tired of hearing they were the weak link, and they took it on themselves to get better."
They have.
Black has emerged as a budding star and leads the Gators with five interceptions, two of which he has returned for touchdowns. Freshman Janoris Jenkins has played well on the corner opposite sophomore Joe Haden, who started as a true freshman last season even though he probably wasn't ready. 
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; FONT-WEIGHT: 900; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; COLOR: #ffffff; PADDING-TOP: 4px; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #0a4ea3" colSpan=3>On the defensive</TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #e4e7eb" colSpan=3>A look at Florida's defense and where it ranks nationally:</TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px; BORDER-BOTTOM: #e4e7eb 1px solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #f6f6f8">Category</TD><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px; BORDER-BOTTOM: #e4e7eb 1px solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #f6f6f8">Average</TD><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px; BORDER-BOTTOM: #e4e7eb 1px solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #f6f6f8">NCAA rank</TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px; BORDER-BOTTOM: #e4e7eb 1px solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #f6f6f8">Rush defense</TD><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px; BORDER-BOTTOM: #e4e7eb 1px solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #f6f6f8">108.3 ypg</TD><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px; BORDER-BOTTOM: #e4e7eb 1px solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #f6f6f8">21st</TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px; BORDER-BOTTOM: #e4e7eb 1px solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #f6f6f8">Pass defense</TD><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px; BORDER-BOTTOM: #e4e7eb 1px solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #f6f6f8">177.9 ypg</TD><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px; BORDER-BOTTOM: #e4e7eb 1px solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #f6f6f8">17th</TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px; BORDER-BOTTOM: #e4e7eb 1px solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #f6f6f8">Total defense</TD><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px; BORDER-BOTTOM: #e4e7eb 1px solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #f6f6f8">286.2 ypg</TD><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px; BORDER-BOTTOM: #e4e7eb 1px solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #f6f6f8">14th</TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px; BORDER-BOTTOM: #e4e7eb 1px solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #f6f6f8">Scoring defense</TD><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px; BORDER-BOTTOM: #e4e7eb 1px solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #f6f6f8">11.9 ppg</TD><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px; BORDER-BOTTOM: #e4e7eb 1px solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #f6f6f8">4th</TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px; BORDER-BOTTOM: #e4e7eb 1px solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #f6f6f8">Forced turnovers</TD><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px; BORDER-BOTTOM: #e4e7eb 1px solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #f6f6f8">21</TD><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px; BORDER-BOTTOM: #e4e7eb 1px solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #f6f6f8">T-26th</TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px; BORDER-BOTTOM: #e4e7eb 1px solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #f6f6f8">3rd-down defense</TD><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px; BORDER-BOTTOM: #e4e7eb 1px solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #f6f6f8">32.8 percent</TD><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 4px; PADDING-LEFT: 4px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px; BORDER-BOTTOM: #e4e7eb 1px solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #f6f6f8">22nd</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Defensive tackle was another problem area a year ago, but now has a solid rotation led by sophomore Lawrence Marsh - who dramatically raised his level of play. Last season, he had five total tackles. This season, he has 20 - including 5.5 for losses.
The other starting tackle is sophomore Terron Sanders, who Meyer once referred to as a recruiting mistake. He had four tackles in '07 but already has 18 this season.
"Lawrence has been a pleasant surprise," Strong said. "Black and Sanders didn't play much last year, and now they're contributing and making plays."
The Gators also have been boosted by the play of Ryan Stamper, who filled in at weakside linebacker when Dustin Doe had double hernia surgery. Stamper has been praised as the most reliable defensive player.
Strong said he was encouraged by a 26-3 victory over Miami in which the Gators allowed just 140 total yards. He said they were further validated in a 51-21 win over LSU. "We played well enough against LSU to see how good we could be," Strong said.
But there could be some back-of-the-mind doubts about just how good the competition was. Could Florida's defensive dominance be a byproduct of offensive dormancy?
Seven of Florida's nine opponents currently rank 47th or worse nationally in total offense. Five are 76th or worse. And even the higher-ranking teams have issues. LSU, which is 33rd in total offense, has struggling freshman Jarrett Lee at quarterback. Also, a slew of injuries left Georgia, ranked 22nd, with a makeshift offensive line.
In the SEC Championship Game, Florida will face Alabama, which has one of the nation's premier offensive lines and a solid quarterback in John Parker Wilson.
If the Gators do reach the BCS national championship game, they likely would face a high-scoring Big 12 team.
The only team Florida has faced that didn't have questions at quarterback and had its regular offensive line was Ole Miss, which accumulated 325 yards and scored a game-winning touchdown on an 86-yard pass with 3½ minutes remaining in a 31-30 upset.
But Spikes doesn't see that loss as proof that the Gators' defense is vulnerable. Rather, he says it was an awakening. "After we got beat by Ole Miss, it opened our eyes to stop taking things for granted," Spikes said. "We know what to do and what we're capable of. We have a lot of talent and ability. We just have to take every step and approach it right."

E.T.G. · Nov 12, 2008

Not good news for South Carolina

<DIV id=contentcontainer style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt">November 12, 2008
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Injuries

David Cloninger
GamecockCentral.com Staff Writer
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South Carolina got a little thinner at free safety on Wednesday, coach Steve Spurrier announcing that projected starter Akeem Auguste had a slight ankle injury.

If Auguste, set to start in the absence of Chris Culliver, who faces a one-half suspension this week, can't play, former wide receiver Dion LeCorn will start at free safety.

In other news, receiver Moe Brown suffered a knee injury and was carted to the locker room. Linebacker Dustin Lindsey may also miss the Florida game after a reoccurence of knee troubles.

Stay tuned to GamecockCentral.com for a complete recap.

LeCorn has minimal experience at safety and is too slow for this UF offense. I don't believe SC would move back to their 4-3 defense for this game though, even with the question marks at the last safety position.. Moe Brown going down at WR takes a starting WR out of the game for SC even though his production has gone down, he is probably the fastest WR. Dustin Lindsey is a backup at this point.

pags11 · Nov 13, 2008

glad you know what I mean ETG...should be an interesting game to watch though...

South Carolina @ Florida

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