GATOR GRIDIRON STILL OPTIMISTIC FOR 2011

GATOR GRIDIRON
ROGER FRANKLIN WILLIAMS

While musing about the upcoming season with some fellow Gators, Gator Gridiron made the point that the ingredients are in place for a surprisingly good year. Since my friends, like many clear thinking Gators, did not quite see things the same way, I'll share a few of the reasons today:

1. New coaches with a fresh set of eyes. Let's face it, the 2010 Gators were one of the worst coached football teams in the nation last year and one of the worst coached Gator teams since the early Doug Dickey years---when he and his Tennessee staff were dismantling the '69 Gators. Obviously, the Urban Meyer of 2005-2009 never returned, turning things over to Steve Addazio to serve as de-facto Head Coach. And when Steve Addazio is running your program.....well, we saw what happens when Steve Addazio is running your program.....

With a new set of coaches, led by Will Muschamp's youthful optimism and Charlie Weis' experienced, innovative mind a new spirit of energy has a chance to take hold.

2. The Gators are LOADED with talent. Florida underachieved last year...no, Florida underachieved dramatically last year. Memories of the 2010 Gators overshadow the fact that many of the players who were responsible for the lofty pre-season top-10 and SEC East Champion predictions of last summer are back for 2011.

3. The RB position is stocked with excellent backs---Jeff Demps, Chris Rainey, Mike Gillislie, Mack Brown to name a few.

4. There are a stable of talented and under-utilized WR's---Omarius Hines, Frankie Hammond, Jr, Andre DuBose, Robert Clark, Stephen Ali, Quentin Dunbar---and, most importantly, a new OC with the knowledge to first, get the right players on the field, and then put them in a scheme to take advantage of their immense, untapped talents.

5. Defense could be a real strength. Once again, the defense is loaded with players with ability and experience. The defensive line boasts 3 potential stars to go along with returning SR leader DT/DE Jaye Howard, a top NFL prospect; Florida returns 2 starting LB's and even with the departure of CB Janoris Jenkins the secondary returns several talented players with game experience, including starter Jeremy Brown and up and comer Matt Elam. When you consider that HC Will Muschamp made his reputation in college football as one of the top D-Coordinators in the game it is resonable to expect the Gator defense to be strong in 2011.....and when the defense is strong, you could be looking at a real good year....Good teams are built on good defense.

Of course there are major question marks as well----the QB position is unsettled and the depleted O-Line has the look of a real problem area.

However, we "Old School" Gators remember that some of Florida's greatest teams---the Legendary '69 Gators, the '84 Gators--Florida's first on-the-field SEC Champion and the 1984 Sporting News and NY Times National Champion, and even Urban Meyer's 2006 National Champions began the season as unheraled and even, in the case of the '69 Gators, ridiculed, only to emerge as outstanding teams that provided fans with extraordinary achievements and  cherished memories that live on to this day.

Will the 2011 Gators be one of those teams?