Thoughts of the Day: March 5, 2021

A few thoughts to jump start your Friday morning:

THINGS THAT MAKE ME GO HMMM ON FRIDAY

SATURDAY DOWN SOUTH SAYS UF HAS SEC’S 6TH-BEST RECEIVING GROUPS

Saturday Down South rated the receiving corps at each SEC program for the 2021 season this way: (1) Georgia; (2) Alabama; (3) LSU; (4) Arkansas; (5) Ole Miss; (6) FLORIDA; (7) Mississippi State; (8) Texas A&M; (9) Missouri; (10) South Carolina; (11) Kentucky; (12) Vanderbilt; (13) Tennessee; (14) Auburn.

I wouldn’t pick Florida as my No. 1, 2 or 3, but I’ve been writing about college football for 50 years and I have learned to recognize what happens when talent combines with really good coaching. You would be hard pressed to find a better wide receivers coach in the SEC or even the nation than Billy Gonzales and all you have to do is look at how Kyle Pitts blew up after a year of being coached by Tim Brewster to know that Florida isn’t going to take too many steps backward in 2021. This is despite losing Pitts, who might be the highest drafted tight end in history, and Kadarius Toney in the first round with Trevon Grimes likely to go somewhere around mid-to-late third. Those are big losses but if you recall, the Gators lost four to the NFL (Van Jefferson, Freddie Swain, Tyrie Cleveland and Josh Hammond) in the previous draft and rather than take a step back, UF was even better in 2020.

I’m not predicting that Florida’s receivers will be better than the two previous groups, but receivers coached by Gonzales and Brewster (a) make tough catches, (b) run great routes and (c) know how to block. The 2021 unit headed up by Jacob Copeland (23-435, 3 TDs), Justin Shorter (25-268, 3 TDs), Xzavier Henderson (9-148, 1 TD), Trent Whittemore (10-148, 1 TD), Kemore Gamble (10-160, 3 TDs) and Keon Zipperer (11-145, 2 TDs) will rank with the best in the league even though they may not have gaudy numbers. That has everything to do with the way the Gators spread the ball around – eight caught 10 or more passes in 2018, nine in 2019 and 12 in 2020. The Gators will be running the ball more in 2021, but that will force the safeties to play closer to the line and it will open things up for the receivers to make their share of very big plays. A Gator probably won’t lead the SEC in receiving but as a group, UF will be very, very productive and dangerous.

My own rankings at this point of the spring: (1) Alabama; (2) Arkansas; (3) Georgia; (4) FLORIDA; (5) LSU; (6) Texas A&M; (7) Mississippi State; (8) Ole Miss; (9) Missouri; (10) South Carolina; (11) Kentucky; (12) Auburn; (13) Vanderbilt; (14) Tennessee.

I would rank the top three returning wide receivers in the league as (1) John Metchie III (Alabama, 55-916, 6 TDs); Treylon Burks (Arkansas, 51-820, 7 TDs) and Kayshon Boutte (LSU, 45-735, 5 TDs). The top two returning tight ends are Jaylen Wydermyer (Texas A&M, 46-506, 6 TDs) and Jahleel Billingsley (Alabama, 18-287, 3 TDs).

GATORS FIRST SPRING SCRIMMAGE IS SATURDAY There will be familiar faces although in different places on the first unit offensive line Saturday when the Gators hold their first spring scrimmage at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

Moving from left guard to left tackle will be Richard Gouraige with Stewart Reese moving from right guard to center. Ethan White will move over to left guard although he may see some snaps at center. Right guard will be manned by Josh Braun with holdover Jean Delance at right tackle. Word out of spring practice so far is that the entire O-line is looking much improved with the biggest surprise of all the play of DeLance.

Gouraige, who came to Florida as a highly-regarded 4-star offensive tackle, finally will be playing the position he was expected to play when recruited out of Tampa. Like Delance, he’s getting high praise from O-line coach John Hevesy.

“He’s done a great job so far, a very knowledgeable kid,” Hevesy said. “To me, just very meticulous about his work ethic, everything he does. He’s studying film. He’s constantly on it. I feel very comfortable. He’s had a year, close to year and a half of playing time.”

CAN THE GATORS BOUNCE BACK AT TENNESSEE Coming off a disappointing 72-70 loss to Missouri Wednesday night, the Gators (13-7, 9-6 SEC) find themselves in a must win situation Sunday (12 noon, ESPNU) in Knoxville when they face Tennessee (16-7, 9-7 SEC), which hasn’t played since last Saturday’s 77-72 loss at Auburn. At stake is a top four finish in the SEC regular season with the winner earning a bye into the Friday quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament next week.

The Gators were originally scheduled to face the Vols in Knoxville back on February 10, but a Covid-19 outbreak on the UF team forced postponement. Because the Vols have one more SEC win than the Gators, if they win on Sunday, they will clinch fourth and earn the bye. Florida could have clinched that spot but the Gators dropped that game to Missouri Wednesday night.

Florida owns a 75-49 win over Tennessee back in January when the Vols were ranked 10th nationally. Florida played that game without Colin Castleton, who was out with a sprained ankle, and Scottie Lewis, out due to Covid-19 protocols. Both Castleton and Lewis will be available Sunday.

Florida is led by sophomore guard Tre Mann, who averages 15 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game.

Thursday SEC score Vanderbilt (8-14) 78, Cincinnati (9-10) 64

Saturday SEC games South Carolina (6-13, 4-11 SEC) at Kentucky (8-15, 7-9 SEC) Mississippi State (14-12, 8-9 SEC) at Auburn (12-14, 6-11 SEC) #8 Alabama (20-6, 15-2 SEC) at Georgia (14-10, 7-10 SEC) LSU (15-8, 10-6 SEC) at Missouri (15-7, 8-7 SEC) Texas A&M (8-8, 2-7 SEC) at #12 Arkansas (20-5, 12-4 SEC) Vanderbilt (8-14, 3-12 SEC) at Ole Miss (14-10, 9-8 SEC)

Sunday SEC game

FLORIDA (13-7, 9-6 SEC) at Tennessee (16-7, 10-7 SEC)

UF SPORTS WEEKEND

Gymnastics: The top-ranked Gators clinched a share of the SEC title last week. They can claim the title outright tonight when they visit 6th-ranked Alabama (8:30 p.m., SEC Network). The Gators have the top team score in the country this year (198.275). Trinity Thomas, the all-time leader in SEC Gymnast of the Week selections (15), is coming off a meet in which she scored two perfect 10s, only the second Gator in UF history (Alex McMurtry was the other) to accomplish that feat.

Baseball: The 3rd-ranked Gators (6-3) host Florida A&M for a three-game weekend set. Tommy Mace (2-0, 0.82 ERA) goes tonight (6:30) for the Gators with Jack Leftwich (1-0, 3.37 ERA) Saturday (4 p.m.) and Hunter Barco (0-1, 11.88 ERA) on Sunday (1 p.m.).

Softball: The 5th-ranked Gators play host to 16th-ranked Florida State (10-3) at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium at 3:30 p.m. (SEC Network) and travel to FSU Saturday to face the Seminoles at 6 p.m. The Florida pitching staff leads the nation in ERA (0.81) and ranks second in shutouts with seven. The Gators have yet to give up more than five hits in a game.

Lacrosse: The 5th-ranked Gators (2-1) will be in DeLand Saturday to face off with Stetson.

Volleyball: Arkansas (11-5 SEC) is the opponent this weekend for the 8th-ranked Gators (12-2). Both the Friday and Saturday matches at the O-Dome will start at 6 p.m. (SEC Network Plus).

Men’s Tennis: It’s a big weekend for the 10th-ranked Gators (8-1, 4-0 SEC) when they host 14th-ranked Georgia (6-2, 1-2 SEC) today (5 p.m.) and 3rd-ranked Tennessee (14-1, 3-0 SEC) Sunday (12 noon).

Women’s Tennis: The 27th-ranked Gators (5-4, 3-1 SEC) are on the road this weekend when they face 3rd-ranked Georgia (7-1, 3-0 SEC) today and then 21st-ranked Tennessee (7-4, 1-2 SEC) on Sunday.

TODD MCSHAY HAS A NEW MOCK DRAFT In his latest first round mock draft for ESPN, Todd McShay has Kyle Pitts going sixth to the Philadelphia Eagles and Kadarius Toney going 19th to the Washington Football Team.

The following SEC players show up in this latest effort: (7) Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU, to Detroit; (8) DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama to the Miami Dolphins who trade down and still get their guy; (9) Mac Jones, QB, Alabama, to San Francisco which trades up to get him; (10) Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama, to Dallas; (11) Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama, to New York Giants; (16) Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina, to Arizona; (23) Azeez Ojulari, LB, Georgia, to New York Jets; (24) Najee Harris, RB, Alabama, to Pittsburgh; (27) Terrace Marshall Jr., WR, LSU, to Baltimore; (31) Nick Bolton, LB, Missouri; to Kansas City; and (32) Jamin Davis, ILB, Kentucky, to Tampa Bay.

First round quarterbacks taken are: (1) Trevor Lawrence, Clemson, to Jacksonville; (2) Zach Wilson, BYU, to New York Jets; (3) Justin Fields, Ohio State, to Carolina in a trade with Miami; (4) Trey Lance, North Dakota State, to Atlanta; and (9) Mac Jones, Alabama, to San Francisco.

JAMEIS WINSTON TO NEW ENGLAND? ESPN NFL writer Seth Galina makes a case that Jameis Winston might be the perfect fit for Bill Bellichick and the New England Patriots. There is a slim chance that Cam Newton will return to the Patriots and Jarret Stidham has done nothing to make anyone believe he’s anything more than a career backup, but Jameis Winston?

Yes, he has a very strong arm and is capable of making some throws that nobody else can make but unfortunately, he’s never quite figured out that you can’t help your team by completing passes to the other guys as he proved by throwing 30 interceptions in 2019, his last year with the Tampa Bay Bucs. Unless Bellichick is willing to hire a quarterback exorcist, he would be far better off to pass on the Publix Crab Legs King.

Bellichick would be far better off to trade with San Francisco for Jimmy Garoppolo, who grew up in the New England system, and has proven when he’s healthy (see 2019) that he can be a quality NFL starter. Trade for Garoppolo and then draft Florida’s Kyle Trask in the second round. That would seem to be far smarter.

ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: Georgia State athletic director Charlie Cobb has been named to the College Football Playoff Committee, replacing Terry Mojahir, who left Arkansas State to become the AD at UCF. Cobb is a former offensive lineman at North Carolina State, so I have no doubt he can form reasonably accurate opinions about who belongs and who doesn’t in the playoff. My question is why he’s in the position in the first place. Considering the playoff has all but locked out anyone but the Power Five teams, why be hypocritical and include someone from the Group of Five on the committee? Now, if the CFB decides it wants to be fair about things and truly give someone from the Group of Five a legitimate shot, that’s fine, but the way things are set up now, the Group of Five has as much chance as I have of breaking the Olympic pole vault record.