O-LINE LOOKS LIKE POTENTIAL TROUBLE SPOT

GATOR GRIDIRON
ROGER FRANKLIN WILLIAMS

Today, on the first day of June and the un-official start of summer, the start of August two-a-day practices and subsequent September 3rd kick-off vs. FAU at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium can't be far away. With that in mind, Gator Gridiron will begin our "un-official" pre-views of various aspects of the 2011 season.

As we have previously stated, Gator Gridiron has a more optimistic feeling about 2011 than many Gators and especially most of the "experts". That inspires even more optimism for us, because the so-called "experts" are pretty much universally wrong....just ask the '69 Gators and their recently minted College Football Hall of Famer, Carlos Alvarez.

 (For newer "post-modern" Gators and new visitors to Gator Gridiron, the '69 Gators began the season proclaimed by the "experts" as a preseason last in the SEC and voted into the Bottom 20 poll of that era. The '69 Gators finished the season with a 9-1-1 record, the best in Gator football history to that point. Along the way they shattered the SEC record book for single game and single season passing yardage and TDs (QB John Reaves, #7), single game and single season receiving yardage (WR Carlos Alvarez, #45) and single season rushing TD's and scoring (RB Tommy Durrance, #33) while defeating the pre-season No. 1 team, by the "experts" at Playboy, Houston, the regular season SEC Champion, Tennessee, in addition to handing FSU the worst defeat of the series to that point and routing Miami in the Orange Bowl while smashing dozens of Florida and SEC records for passing (Reaves), receiving (Alvarez) and scoring (Durrance) in the process. Oh, and one other thing....that band of Gators who were held in such contempt by the national "experts" produced an NFL Hall-of-Famer--- DE Jack Youngblood #74, two College Football Hall of Famers---Youngblood and Alvarez; four 1st Team All-Americans---Youngblood & Alvarez, Reaves and DB Steve Tannen #22; and three NFL first round draft choices---Tannen, Youngblood and Reaves....not to mention numerous All-SEC selections).

Anyway....back to 2011......the point is that Gator Gridiron, as previously reported (check the archives) sees many positives for 2011. Unfortunately, the O-line is not one of them. Lack of numbers and depth...lack of experience...no returing players who have excelled in game situations...the O-line has the look of a unit that, worst case scenario, could bring the whole season down. Even the "bright spot" is pretty dim---JR OT Xavier Nixon and SOPH OG Jon Halapio with 7 starts a piece last season and SR OG James Wilson, a full fledged starter last year, do bring some experience; on the other hand, the offensive line was one of the 2010 Gators' weakest areas....and that's saying a lot, because, as we know, their were a lot of weak spots....

Other potential starters (and we say potential, because with the new staff virtually all positions are still up for grabs) are Matt Patchan, an often-injured, former coveted recruit, FR OT Chaz Green and SOPH OG Ian Silberman. As for the second unit, the format for the Spring Orange and Blue game had to be altered because there was no second unit.....a result of attrition and injuries.

There is one bright spot along the offensive line, however.

Soph Jonotthan (not a misprint) Harrison will take over at Center for Mike Pouncey. The scouting report on Harrison is that he is very green and has a lot to learn. The scouting report from Gator Gridiron is, no matter how green and inexperienced, there is no way on God's Green Earth he couldn't do a better job at Center than Mike Pouncey....