A few thoughts to jump start Friday morning: PRESEASON PRACTICE IS OVER, TIME TO BE A LITTLE NERVOUS Thanks to new NCAA guidelines, every coach in college football is probably feeling a bit nervous now that the 2021 season is upon us. The number of days with contact was cut back from 21 to 18, the number of days in full pads reduced to nine and full contact practices were limited to two consecutive days. We will have to wait and see if this intended safety measure will result in fewer injuries once the season begins. And since targeting rules are going to be strictly enforced will the lack of physical practices where proper technique can be emphasized result in more penalties? Blocking and tackling require repetition in practice, but because every football team in college football has had to cut back we may see a season with the poorest blocking and tackling that we’ve ever seen. Blocking and tackling is what has me nervous as the Florida Gators break camp and begin preparation for their season opener against Florida Atlantic next Saturday. With the Gators transforming from a team that threw the football 56 percent of all snaps last year to one that will likely run the ball 60 percent of the time in 2021, I am concerned about the lack of run blocking that was permitted in August. I don’t know of any way to improve run blocking except full contact in pads. Pass protection is more about finesse, moving your feet and getting your hands in the chest of the guy across from you. Running the ball on third-and-two at the opponent’s seven is mostly about brute strength. During the 2020 season, a friend of mine texted me in the fourth quarter of the Gators’ 41-38 loss to Texas A&M asking if the Gators had reached the 100 mark yet. I replied 100? He texted back, 100 missed tackles. The text became a running joke. What we saw on the field wasn’t a joke. Missed tackles had plenty to do with Florida’s descent from the 9th-ranked defense nationally in 2019 to the 83rd in 2020. I know Dan Mullen and Todd Grantham made tackling a priority in August, but will the lack of contact allowed by the NCAA mean we endure another defensive disaster like last year? I’m the eternal optimist, but I have to admit, tackling and run blocking have me feeling nervous. WHERE WERE THEY RANKED IN HIGH SCHOOL?: RB Here are the 10 highest ranked running backs in every recruiting class since 2010 as ranked by 247Sports.com. Not all that many had remarkable collegiate careers. 2010 1. Michael Dyer (Little Rock, AR), Auburn; 2. Marcus Lattimore (Duncan, SC), South Carolina; 3. Dillon Baxter (San Diego, CA), USC; 4. Lache Seastrunk (Temple, TX), Oregon; 5. Storm Johnson (Loganville, GA), Miami; 6. Rod Smith (Fort Wayne, IN), Ohio State; 7. Jordan James (Corona, CA), UCLA; 8. Malcolm Jones (Thousand Oaks, CA), UCLA; 9. Brennan Clay (San Diego, CA), Oklahoma; 10. D.J. Morgan (Woodland Hills, CA), USC 2011 1. Isaiah Crowell (Columbus, GA), Georgia; 2. Brandon Williams (Brookshire, TX), Oklahoma; 3. De’Anthony Thomas (Los Angeles, CA), Oregon; 4. Malcolm Brown (Schertz, TX), Texas; 5. Savon Huggins (Jackson, NJ), Rutgers; 6. Aaron Green (San Antonio, TX), Nebraska; 7. Dee Hart (Orlando, FL), Alabama; 8. Mike Bellamy (Punta Gorda, FL), Clemson; 9. Mike Blakely (Bradenton, FL), Florida; 10. Herschel Sims (Abilene, TX), Oklahoma State 2012 1. Johnathan Gray (Aledo, TX), Texas; 2. Keith Marshall (Raleigh, NC), Georgia; 3. Trey Williams (Houston, TX), Texas A&M; 4. Duke Johnson (Miami, FL), Miami; 5. T.J. Yeldon (Daphne, AL), Alabama; 6. Rushel Shell (Aliquippa, PA), Pitt; 7. Mario Pender (Cape Coral, FL), Florida State; 8. Mike Davis (Stone Mountain, GA), South Carolina; 9. Todd Gurley (Tarboro, NC), Georgia; 10. Alex Ross (Jenks, OK), Oklahoma 2013 Thomas Tyner (Beaverton, OR), Oregon; 2. Kelvin Taylor (Belle Glade, FL), Florida; 3. Keith Ford (Cypress, TX), Oklahoma; 4. Derrick Green (Richmond, VA), Michigan; 5. Alex Collins (Fort Lauderdale, FL), Arkansas; 6. Alvin Kamara (Norcross, GA), Alabama; 7. Greg Bryant (Delray Beach, FL), Notre Dame; 8. Ty Isaac (Joliet, IL), USC; 9. Altee Tenpenny (North Little Rock, AR), Alabama; 10. Ryan Green (St. Petersburg, FL), Florida State 2014 1. Leonard Fournette (New Orleans, LA), LSU; 2. Dalvin Cook (Miami, FL), Florida State; 3. Joe Mixon (Oakley, CA), Oklahoma; 4. Sony Michel (Fort Lauderdale, FL), Georgia; 5. Roc Thomas (Oxford, AL), Auburn; 6. Nick Chubb (Cedartown, GA), Georgia; 7. Royce Freeman (Imperial, CA), Oregon; 8. Elijah Hood (Charlotte, NC), North Carolina; 9. Joseph Yearby (Miami, FL), Miami; 10. Jeff Jones (Fullerton, CA), Minnesota 2015 1. Damien Harris (Berea, KY), Alabama; 2. Soso Jamabo (Plano, TX), UCLA; 3. Jacques Patrick (Orlando, FL), Florida State; 4. Ronald Jones II (McKinney, TX), USC; 5. Derrius Guice (Baton Rouge, LA), LSU; 6. Taj Griffin (Powder Springs, GA), Oregon; 7. L.J. Scott (Hubbard, OH), Michigan State; 8. Mike Weber (Detroit, MI), Ohio State; 9. Johnny Frasier (Princeton, NC), North Carolina State; 10. Chris Warren III (Rockwall, TX), Texas 2016 1. Miles Sanders (Pittsburgh, PA), Penn State; 2. Tavien Feaster (Spartanburg, SC), Clemson; 3. B.J. Emmons (Morganton, NC), Alabama; 4. Demario McCall (North Ridgeville, OH), Ohio State; 5. Devwah Whaley (Beaumont, TX), Arkansas; 6. Kareem Walker (Wayne, NJ), Michigan; 7. Devin White (Springhill, LA), LSU; 8. Damian Alloway (Fontana, CA), UCLA; 9. Elijah Holyfield (Atlanta, GA), Georgia; 10. Antonio Williams (New London, NC), Ohio State 2017 1. Najee Harris (Antioch, CA), Alabama; 2. Cam Akers (Clinton, MS), Florida State; 3. Stephen Carr (Fontana, CA), USC; 4. Khalan Laborn (Virginia Beach, VA), Florida State; 5. D’Andre Swift (Philadelphia, PA), Georgia; 6. J.K. Dobbins (LaGrange, TX), Ohio State; 7. Ty Chandler (Nashville, TN), Tennessee; 8. Anthony McFarland Jr. (Hyattsville, MD), Maryland; 9. Eno Benjamin (Wylie, TX), Arizona State; 10. ZaQuandre White (North Fort Myers, FL), Florida State 2018 1. Zamir White (Laurinburg, NC), Georgia; 2. Lorenzo Lingard (Orange City, FL), Miami; 3. Ricky Slade (Woodbridge, VA), Penn State; 4. Jaelen Gill (Westerville, OH), Ohio State; 5. James Cook (Miami, FL), Georgia; 6. Brian Snead (Seffner, FL), Ohio State; 7. T.J. Pledger (Bradenton, FL), Oklahoma; 8. Ricky Person (Wake Forest, NC), North Carolina State; 9. Harold Joiner (Birmingham, AL), Auburn; 10. Keontay Ingram (Carthage, TX), Texas 2019 1. Trey Sanders (Bradenton, FL), Alabama; 2. John Emery Jr. (Destrehan, LA), LSU; 3. Jerrion Ealy (Flowood, MS), Ole Miss; 4. Zach Charbonnet (Westlake Village, CA), Michigan; 6. Devyn Ford (Stafford, VA), Penn State; 7. Wan’Dale Robinson (Frankfort, KY), Nebraska; 8. Noah Cain (Bradenton, FL), Penn State; 9. Austin Jones (Oakland, CA), Stanford; 10. Tyrion Davis-Price (Baton Rouge, LA), LSU 2020 1. Bijan Robinson (Tucson, AZ), Texas; 2. Zach Evans (Houston, TX), TCU; 3. Demarkcus Bowman (Lakeland, FL), Clemson; 4. Tank Bigsby (Hogansville, GA), Auburn; 5. MarShawn Lloyd (Hyattsville, MD), South Carolina; 6. Jase McClellan (Aledo, TX), Alabama; 7. Kendall Milton (Clovis, CA), Georgia; 8. Chris Tyree (Chester, VA), Notre Dame; 9. Jahmyr Gibbs (Dalton, GA), Georgia Tech; 10. Roydell Williams (Hueytown, AL), Alabama 2021 1. TreVeon Henderson (Hopewell, VA), Ohio State; 2. Will Shipley (Matthews, NC), Clemson; 3. Camar Wheaton (Garland, TX), Alabama; 4. Donovan Edwards (West Bloomfield, MI), Michigan; 5. LJ Johnson (Cypress, TX), Texas A&M; 6. Evan Pryor (Cornelius, NC), Ohio State; 7. Armoni Goodwin (Trussville, AL), LSU; 8. Lovasea Carroll (Bradenton, FL), Georgia; 9. Seven McGee (Rochester, NY), Oregon; 10. Corey Kiner (Cincinnati, OH), LSU OVER, UNDER, AROUND AND THROUGH THE SEC Alabama: When Alabama opens with Miami in Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta next Saturday afternoon, Nick Saban knows job No. 1 for his defense will be to neutralize UM quarterback D’Eriq King. “It’s going to be very challenging for us,” Saban said. “Not only because he’s a really good quarterback but he’s a great athlete.” Before he tore an ACL last year, King threw for 2,686 yards and 23 touchdowns plus ran for 538 yards and four more TDs. Auburn: Owen Pappoe thinks Auburn’s linebackers are the best to be found in all of college football. “I’d take us over everybody,” Pappoe said. “I think we got the best linebacker group in the country.” Pappoe had 93 tackles, four sacks and an interception last season. Georgia: Placekicker Jack Podlesny, who made 13-16 field goals last year and kicked the game-winning field goal against Cincinnati in the Peach Bowl, is now on scholarship. He was a Lou Groza Award semifinalist last season. Kentucky: Linebacker Jacquez Jones, who transferred to Kentucky from Ole Miss, is back at practice after missing a few days dealing with what has been described as a minor injury. LSU: The Athletic is reporting that running back Tre Bradford, who transferred from LSU to Oklahoma, is no longer at Oklahoma and is looking to transfer back to LSU. Under NCAA rules, if Bradford didn’t participate in 14 practices, he’s allowed to transfer back to LSU and be immediately eligible. Mississippi State: If the season were to start today, incumbent Will Rogers, who started six straight games as a true freshman last year, would be the starting QB for the Bulldogs. Missouri: Former Missouri QB Taylor Powell has won the starting job at Troy. He has two years of eligibility remaining. Ole Miss: Former Baylor Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III, now an analyst for ESPN, has picked Ole Miss QB Matt Corral to win the Heisman Trophy. Griffin said, “I’m going with the most fun to watch gunslinger in all of college football, Matt Corral. I think he’s going to fix his turnover issues and he’s going to go out and lead Ole Miss to being a serious contender in the College Football Playoff.” Corral threw for 3,337 yards and 29 touchdowns while rushing for 506 yards and four more TDs … John Rhys Plumlee is working out at both wide receiver and quarterback. He could start at WR while serving as the backup QB to Corral. South Carolina: Sixth-year wide receiver Randrecous Davis is not practicing with the Gamecocks. A former 4-star recruit, Davis has caught passes for 123 yards and one TD in his career. Texas A&M: The Aggies will face Utah State in a 2025 non-conference game. ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: Supposedly, now that they have joined this glorious (sarcasm and lots of it) alliance, the Big Ten, Pac-12 and ACC are walking in lockstep totally united against the big, bad SEC. West Virginia president Gordon Gee, who used to be the president of Vanderbilt and Ohio State among other schools, says the expansion of the College Football Playoff “is on life support now.” Gee says he won’t vote for expansion nor will the Big Ten or Pac-12. Perhaps Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff didn’t get the memo. “The Pac-12 is 100 percent in favor of the expansion of the College Football Playoffs,” Kliavkoff said Tuesday. Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren also must have missed it. He said, “I’m a big believer in expanding the College Football Playoff, but I’m also a big believer in being methodical and doing our homework.” ACC commissioner Jim Phillips has made comments favorable to expansion, also. Bill Bender of The Sporting News points out that if the playoff had been 12 teams when it began back in 2014, the Big Ten would have had 20 playoff teams including 13 at large while the SEC would have come in at 19 and 12. The Pac-12, which has had only two teams in the playoff since its inception, would have had 11 playoff teams, five at-large. The Big 12 would have come in with 12 playoff teams, five at-large, while the ACC would have been at 11 and four. Independent Notre Dame would have made the playoff only three times while the American Athletic Conference from the Group of Five would have had five. With some economists now projecting that the SEC will be paying each school in excess of $80 million a year, which will dwarf even the Big Ten, the other conferences that make up Division I need to get behind the 12-team proposal and do whatever they need to do to make it happen sooner and not later. They will be desperate for money and the playoff will grease the skids. Rather than trying to give the impression that he actually knows something other than tying a bow tie, perhaps Gordon Gee might focus on helping the Big 12 remain an autonomous power conference. More than even the paupers in the ACC and Pac-12, the Big 12 will need the money that only an expanded playoff can bring.

In the first of this two part series from GatorBait Magazine, Ainslee Lee catches up with former Florida Gators Football players who have stayed in town and in the game, molding the next generation of players. Brady Ackerman, UF c/o 1992 -- Belleview High School The former Florida Gators running back has watched the game of football from the sideline as a player, broadcaster, high school assistant coach, college assistant coach and now as a high school head coach. After serving as the running backs and wide receivers coach at Jackson State for two years, when two-time Super Bowl Champion Deion Sanders was hired to lead the Jackson State program, Ackerman wasn't retained. And instead of staying in the ranks of college football, Ackerman went south to Belleview, Florida, which is about 45 miles south of Gainesville, to take on his biggest test yet. When hired as the head coach of the Belleview Rattlers, Ackerman was taking over a team that had won just one game across the previous three seasons. Since Ackerman's arrival, the buzz surrounding the Rattlers has been positive. Ackerman makes his regular season debut at Belleview on Friday night. John Brantley, UF c/o 1978 -- Trinity Catholic High School John Brantley has been in and out of the high school football scene for many years. Brantley initially coached at Trinity Catholic from 2008 to 2014 and helped the program rise to prominence as one of Central Florida's most successful programs. In his initial six-year tenure, Brantley led the Celtics to a state runner-up bid in 2008 and a state title in 2012 before stepping away in 2014. Brantley's time away from the football field didn't last long. In 2016, Brantley returned to the sidelines -- this time, however, at Belleview High School. Brantley only led the Rattlers for one season before once again leaving coaching to focus on his professional career. But when his old post at Trinity Catholic opened up in 2020, Brantley returned to lead the Celtics. In his first season back at Trinity Catholic, Brantley led the Celtics to a 7-4 season, which included three playoff wins. This season, the Celtics' offense, which is called by Brantley, is led by senior quarterback Cole Gonzales -- who happens to be Florida's wide receivers coach, Billy Gonzales' son. Ciatrick Fason, UF c/o 2004 -- Fletcher High School Ciatrick Fason has always been a favorite for Fletcher High School. Fason, whose time at Fletcher from 1998 to 2001 saw him become the school's all-time rushing leader with 7,479 career yards, took the helm of Fletcher's football program earlier this year. Up to 2021, Fason has been a longtime assistant at the school. Fason is taking over a program that has become one of the Jacksonville-area's most consistent winners. The Fletcher Senators haven't had a losing season in 14 years. So the expectations are high for the Fletcher loyalist. But he isn't shying away from them. "I'm not afraid of pressure," Fason told the Florida Times-Union in July. "I played in front of 100,000 people at The Swamp, at Neyland Stadium, all those places." Fason will make his head coaching debut on Friday night. Jacquez Green, UF c/o 1997 -- Manatee High School Jacquez Green, or better yet, Quezie, is one of the more distinctive names when it comes to Gators of the 90s. And given the former Gator's notoriety, it's fitting that he takes reins at one of the most successful high school programs in the State of Florida. Back in April, the Manatee Hurricanes, which have five state championships, named Green the interim head coach for the 2021 season. According to the school, Green would serve as head coach while a nation-wide coaching search was conducted. Last season, with the help of Green, the Hurricanes sprinted out on a six-game win streak en route to an 8-2 season. Cornelius Ingram, UF c/o 2007 -- Hawthorne High School Former Florida Gators tight end Cornelius Ingram continues to give everything to the quaint town that gave everything to him. Born and raised in Hawthorne, a town about 15 miles east of Gainesville, Ingram was arguably the most coveted recruit to ever come out of Hawthorne High School. But that could change if he continues on the path he's on. When Ingram took the job in 2014, Hawthorne's football program was nearing rock bottom. The small, Class 1A school struggled to get kids to come out for the team. Now, things are vastly different. The Ingram-led Hornets played for a state championship last season. Though they took the runner-up trophy home, the Hornets are expected to be contenders once again this year. And though Ingram is still waiting to bring a football championship home with him, he brought a state championship trophy to the school's trophy case last season when Hawthorne's girl's basketball team, which Ingram also coaches, won the Class 1A state title in 2020. *This is the first part of a two-part series. Come back next week to learn about the five remaining former Gators who coach in the area.

The record in 2020 says the Gators pooped out at the end of the season that started so promising but ended 8-4. A casual glance at those three consecutive losses that ended the season make us think Dan Mullen’s team had a chance to be something special but hit the wall and had to settle for good instead of great. The Gators were good in 2020 but sometimes they were brilliant. They were a flawed team, yet for their many flaws and inconsistencies, they were a handful of plays away from truly special. We only remember the inability to get stops on third down in the fourth quarter of that 41-38 loss to Texas A&M, but we tend to forget that the Gators had back-to-back penalties for delay of game and false start that turned a potential touchdown drive into a field goal. We tend to forget that Malik Davis, who never fumbles, coughed up the ball with 3:40 to go in the game and the Gators driving. Once the Aggies got the ball, they drove for the winning field goal as time expired. We only remember Marco Wilson’s infamous shoe toss in the LSU loss. We tend to forget the missed block that allowed a Kyle Trask pass to be deflected at the line of scrimmage on the opening drive from the LSU three. Kemore Gamble was wide open. We also tend to forget the left side of the offensive line caved on fourth and goal from about six inches on that same drive that meant UF came up empty on the opening drive. There was also the incomprehensible interception at the LSU 15 off a deflection in the second quarter that turned what seemed to be a surefire touchdown into a drive-killing turnover. Or the whiffed blocks on third-and-goal situations (second and fourth quarters) that forced the Gators to kick field goals instead of scoring touchdowns. We only remember Kyle Trask running out of time at the end of the 52-46 loss to Alabama in the SEC Championship Game. Trask was hot. Alabama’s vaunted secondary had no answers for Kyle Pitts and Kadarius Toney. All Trask needed was about a minute-and-a-half and the Gators could have sprung the upset. We forget about the late hit that should have been targeting that forced Trey Dean III to fumble the ball away after he had picked off Mac Jones in the second quarter. Alabama scored a touchdown on the next play. We also forget how Kyree Campbell slowed up near the sideline in the second quarter and instead of a third-down incompletion, the Gators were flagged for 12 on the field. Instead of punting from their own 38, Alabama got new life and drove for a TD. We can make a talking point out of the fact the Gators not only lit up the Alabama defense but they’re the only team that managed to stay within 17 points of the mighty Crimson Tide. But talking points don’t win games and critical mistakes lose them. It’s small consolation to the way the season ended, but the Gators were so close to special, even with the worst defense in the University of Florida’s recorded football history. Think about it. Make one play a game on defense or eliminate a penalty or make a block in those games and the Gators could have been 11-0 and top seeded in the College Football Playoff. Did you happen to watch either of the playoff semifinals and/or the championship game? Do you think for even one second any one of those defenses could have stopped Pitts, Trask and Toney? Everybody knew Florida couldn’t run the ball very well so they resorted to all-out blitzes on every play or dropping seven, eight or even nine in coverage. It looked good on paper yet Trask still found holes in the coverage and the Gators put plenty of points on the scoreboard. Now all we can do is to look back on 2020 and realize just how close Florida was to football greatness even with a team with so many easily identifiable flaws. The distance between merely good and ever so special for UF 2020 is measured this way: Make even one play of those mentioned above in each of the three losses and it’s a Florida team that would be talked about for decades to come. It is the combination of the way the 2020 season ended, the fear that last year’s bad defense will carry over to 2021, the absence of Trask, Toney and Pitts, and the uncertainty of a new season with a quarterback that has never started a game in the three previous years that makes this Florida team a mystery. There are reasons to believe that 2021 will result in another good season, perhaps another 8-4, maybe a 9-3. There are also reasons to believe that this team could indeed be special. Maybe not undefeated special, but special in that the Gators could make the SEC Championship Game if they win two of these three games – Alabama on September 18; LSU in Baton Rouge on October 16; and Georgia in Jacksonville on October 30 – as long as one of the two wins is over Georgia. Let’s tackle the perceptions one by one. From the day the Florida charter landed in Gainesville after the Cotton Bowl loss to Oklahoma, Dan Mullen and his staff have made every effort to put 2020 behind them. Mullen has remarked on more than one occasion that 2020 was a season unlike anything he’s ever had to go through as a coach. The COVID pandemic created a season like no other and it altered everything from the way the Gators practiced to playing in stadiums that were 75 percent or more empty to a schedule that was changed on the fly. “Last year was a very different situation in every aspect of the program,” Mullen said. “The mental and emotional stress and toll it took on you was very hard. You don’t know if you’re playing a game or who is playing until Friday night or Saturday morning, just from week to week with offseason preparation being thrown out. I think one thing you look at is a lot of football players and football programs, you’re used to a very scheduled, regimented approach on how you prepare and how you do things, how you get ready, and how you go through a game week, when all of that is interrupted by massive amounts of uncertainty, that’s really hard.” There was no spring football last year, no offseason conditioning program and instead of being on campus where they do their usual summer bonding, they were back home hoping there would be a season as they did their best to implement their own personal conditioning and workout schedules. Once it was agreed there would be a season, everyone rushed back to campus where COVID protocols were in place that made players almost prisoners in their own apartments. More than one coach nationally has said the COVID protocols made focus a lost art in 2020. Just having spring football, an offseason conditioning program run by Nick Savage and coordinated workouts among the different position groups has helped to erase last year’s memories. There are still COVID protocols in place, but they aren’t nearly as severe as they were last year so last year’s feelings of isolation have disappeared. No one seems to have come up with a reasonable explanation for last year’s defensive reversals that saw the Gators go from the 9th-ranked defense in Division I in 2019 to the 83rd-ranked defense in 2020. The Gators gave up 15.5 points per game in 2019, 30.8 in 2020; 304.8 yards per game in 2019, 428 in 2020. To prevent a repeat of last year’s disaster, Mullen fired the two coaches on the back end of his defense and replaced them with Wesley McGriff, whose resume includes stints coaching the secondary with the New Orleans Saints and most recently Auburn, and Jules Montinar, who cut his coaching teeth as a grad assistant for Nick Saban at Alabama and was most recently at South Florida. The expectation is that McGriff and Montinar will address porous coverage that allowed 28 touchdown passes in 2020, double what the Gators gave up in 2019. If the Gators are to improve significantly on the back end, they’ll need another stellar season out of corner Kaiir Elam, who made numerous preseason All-American teams. About the only sure thing among the other four secondary positions is free safety Trey Dean III, who seems to have found a home after spending the last two years trying to function at corner and nickel. Transfer corners Jadarrius Perkins (from Missouri) and Elijah Blades (from Texas A&M) will be on the field a lot as will redshirt freshman Avery Helm and true freshman Jason Marshall Jr. Tre’Vez Johnson, who played a lot as a true freshman is the front runner at the safety opposite Dean and juco transfer Diwun Black is such a good athlete that he’s being given every opportunity to play nickel. Backing them up are a bunch of guys who have little or no experience although they are quite talented. Up front the Gators gave up a whopping 170.5 rushing yards per game in 2020. To avoid a repeat of that fiasco, Mullen brought in tackles Antonio Valentino (6-3, 312) from Penn State and Daquan Newkirk (6-3, 308) from Auburn. They are both experienced run stoppers who have shown the ability to collapse the pocket in the middle, something that should free up last year’s leaders in sacks, Brenton Cox Jr. and Zachary Carter, to get more pressure off the edge. If sophomore Gervon Dexter and freshman Desmond Watson (6-5 and a couple of biscuits under 400) can become dependable in the interior rotation, defensive coordinator Todd Grantham may have found the answers to stuffing the run. The strength of the defense will be a 12-deep, experienced linebacker corps led by last year’s leading tackler Ventrell Miller, explosive Mohamoud Diabate and experienced vets Jeremiah Moon, Khris Bogle and Amari Burney. The Gators have depth and more talent than they’ve had in the three previous years. No one is predicting the Gators will be a top ten defense in 2021 the way they were in 2019, but if they can finish in the top 30 then Florida will have alleviated the concerns that the defense is in a downward spiral from which it can’t recover. There is no threesome of Kyle Trask, Kyle Pitts or Kadarius Toney on this year’s team so media expectations are that the Gators will drop off significantly but that tends to discount the fact that Mullen has this habit of re-tooling his offense to fit the personnel on hand without much dropoff. Go back to 2016 at Mississippi State. Mullen lost Dak Prescott to the Dallas Cowboys and the replacement quarterback was Nick Fitzgerald, whose best offers out of high school other than MSU were Samford and Chattanooga. The offensive dropoff was two points and 20 yards per game even though Fitzgerald was a run-first QB. And wasn’t it just the third game of 2019 when Feleipe Franks went down with a season-ending injury that doom and gloomers were predicting the Gators would struggle to finish 6-6 with Trask at QB? How’d that work out? It is never easy to replace superstars, but the beauty of college football is it’s an ongoing process because of graduation and transfers. The replacements for Trask, Pitts and Toney may not be household names just yet, but this is a new year and Mullen will design an offense around the talent that he’s accumulated. Instead of an offense designed around an accurate dropback passer (Trask) throwing to a unicorn (Pitts) and the shiftiest all-purpose wide receiver in the nation (Toney), the Gators will more resemble what Mullen ran in 2008 when he was Florida’s offensive coordinator who schemed plays around Tim Tebow, Percy Harvin, Aaron Hernandez and speed guys Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps in the backfield. This year it will be Emory Jones and Anthony Richardson at quarterback either running or pitching to backs like Dameon Pierce, Malik Davis, Nay’Quan Wright, Lorenzo Lingard and Demarkcus Bowman. The Gators will throw the football but not as often as last year and that will be by design to take advantage of what Jones and Richardson can do with their feet. “You're going to be a different scheme,” he said. “So you have different guys, different playmakers. You put guys in different positions that are out there on the field. Obviously, the threat of quarterback run, whether it be a designed quarterback run, whether it be an option run or his ability to go scramble puts a lot of difference and a different type of pressure on the defense.” With running quarterbacks, a loaded backfield, and an improved offensive line that has 95 career starts (Gators had fewer than 20 in 2019, for example), the Gators may be running something like a 60-40 run/pass ratio, which is similar to the 2018 team that ran 526 plays (213.15 yards per game) and threw for 364 (213.5 yards per game). One thing for sure, the Gators will only go as far as Jones and Richardson will take them. Jones is the shiftier runner of the two while Richardson is the more accurate passer. You can’t load the box on Jones, however, because he can indeed throw the ball well, and you can’t drop eight on Richardson, because he may not be as elusive as Jones, but he can pick up big chunks of yardage with his feet. Neither is as accomplished a passer as Trask, but the threat of the run, particularly when they get outside the pocket, should give them open receivers. They may not have to be as accurate as Trask. And, while Trask could take a small opening and turn that into three or five yards, Jones and Richardson can take that same opening and make it 20 yards into the secondary before anyone lays a glove on them. Mullen will be using both quarterbacks, which is something he’s done successfully in the past but when the season starts it’s a clear 1-2 with Jones as the one and Richardson the backup. Whereas Jones may not have ever started a game, he has been on the field during critical moments in big games in the past couple of years. Jones led the Gators to a critical field goal against Auburn in 2019 when Trask was sidelined for a series with an ankle injury, and he threw a TDP and ran for 36 yards in Tiger Stadium against eventual national champ LSU. Last season, Jones was on the field in the SEC Championship Game for the second series. Jones has also used the experience of the last two years combined with the expectations of 2021 to evolve. Mullen has made it abundantly clear that when opponents try to load up the box to stop Jones the runner, they will get burned by Jones the passer. The Jones Mullen saw during the spring and has been seeing during August is one who will be a dangerous dual threat. The key for Mullen will be to put Jones in situations that play to his strengths. “I think he's a very different quarterback than the guy we had last year,” Mullen said. “I mean extremely different. Does some things way better, some things not as good. Our job as coaches is to make sure we're putting him in position to do the things that he does well." To summarize what is ahead for the Gators, if they still have a hangover from 2020, they’ll be that 8-4 team that is good but a long way from great. If the defense is outside the top 30 we can expect good but not great. If the offense hasn’t adapted to new personnel and a new scheme, the Gators will sputter. If Jones and Richardson are unable to harness their skills to make the offense go, then 8-4 might be as good as it gets. Special is possible. A lot of things will have to go right including getting a win over Georgia and going 1-2 against Alabama and LSU, but they’re all do-able. The Gators can put last year behind them. It’s called mental toughness and focus. The defense can and almost certainly will be better. Top 30 better? That remains to be seen but there is talent enough to make that leap and prove 2020 was an aberration. Make up for the absence of the three-headed monster of Trask, Pitts and Toney? It’s called offense by committee and while it may not be quite as explosive as last year, it will definitely be less predictable. You knew exactly what the Gators were going to do last year from the moment they stepped off the bus. Stopping them was the problem.

A few thoughts to jump start your Thursday morning: RICHARDSON COMFORTABLE AS UF’S BACKUP QB Anthony Richardson doesn’t think he has all the answers. Richardson doesn’t lack for size, speed and raw talent, but he knows when it comes to learning how to play quarterback he’s still trying to figure a lot of things out. Take reading defenses for example. Learning coverages, hot reads, who’s blitzing and who’s dropping and understanding mismatches isn’t the mystery it might have been when he came to Florida as the nation’s No. 5 ranked dual threat quarterback in the spring of 2020, but he knows there remains work to be done. “I feel like I’ve grown a lot when it comes to reading defenses,” Richardson said Wednesday. “I feel like that’s something I’ve always struggled with, even in high school. I knew the basics and everything but knowing the advanced things, I didn’t really know that as much.” So, he’s learned that the only dumb question is the one not asked when he’s in the quarterback meeting room with position coach Garrick McGee. And, there is no shame whatsoever in taking extra time to watch film. “He spends a lot of time in the meeting room,” McGee said. “He calls a lot, ‘Hey coach, can I come in and get 30 extra minutes of meeting.’ Or, ‘I have a question about this. Can I come in and meet one-on-one about this particular situation?’” It’s all part of being Florida’s No. 2 quarterback behind starter Emory Jones, who is in his fourth year with quarterback whisperer and head coach Dan Mullen. Jones has paid his dues and patiently waited for his turn, first as the third team QB behind Feleipe Franks and Kyle Trask in 2018 and for the last two years as Trask’s backup. Richardson spent 2020 as the understudy to both Trask and Jones. He appreciates how Jones has embraced the starter’s role while still playing the part of the good teammate ready to help out the next guy. Richardson said, “He’s been there throughout my recruitment. He’s like a big brother to me. He’s also my teammate and he’s also a leader. So, you got to support the leader.” Very few quarterbacks are ready to start in the SEC until they’ve been around awhile. The top two quarterbacks in the SEC last year were Trask and Alabama’s Mac Jones. Trask was in his fourth year at UF when he was pressed into duty in 2019 when Franks went down with a season-ending broken ankle. Mac Jones only saw the field late in the 2019 season when Tua Tagovailoa was injured. Both were on the Heisman podium after record-setting seasons in 2020. Backup quarterbacks have to understand that they’re just an injury away from being thrust into action, so they have to spend every hour on the practice field prepping for that unexpected call. “I think he’s prepared himself to be the starter, which is what you want, you know?” Mullen said Monday. “He’s going to be ready to get on the field in just about any situation that it is. Now it’s our job to kind of put him in the different situations, so that he has that experience in every different possible scenario for when he is on the field.” When he’s on the practice field, Richardson does the kind of things that open everybody’s eyes. The plan once the season begins in earnest on September 4 is to get Richardson meaningful reps and not just during blowout time. McGee thinks everyone will be impressed. McGee said, “The Lord has blessed him with a lot of raw talent. He’s big. He’s fast. He’s a very smart kid, he has a really quick release and he’s accurate with the ball.” Richardson is aware that he will get opportunities, but he’s keeping everything in perspective. “Honestly, my role I believe is to just to go out there and be clean-up, kind of,” he said. “I feel like whenever Emory needs a break and they need me to come out there, I have to bring the same intensity Emory’s bringing and bring the same energy … just all of that, just be the clean-up. So, whenever he does his thing, I come in there – just a 1-2 punch.” WHERE WERE THEY RANKED IN HIGH SCHOOL?: QB Here are the ten highest ranked quarterbacks in every recruiting class since 2010 as ranked by 247Sports.com. Scanning each year, you will notice how few of the top ten quarterbacks have had remarkable or even successful collegiate careers. There are definitely more busts than booms. 2010 1. Phillip Sims (Chesapeake, VA), Alabama; 2. Blake Bell (Wichita, KS), Oklahoma; 3. Devin Gardner (Inkster, MI), Michigan; 4. Jesse Scroggins (Lakewood, CA), USC; 5. Rob Bolden (West Bloomfield, MI), Penn State; 6. Tyler Bray (Kingsburg, CA), Tennessee; 7. Jake Heaps (Sammamish, WA), BYU; 8. Connor Wood (Houston, TX), Texas; 9. Paul Jones (McKees Rocks, PA), Penn State; 10. Barry Brunetti (Memphis, TN), West Virginia 2011 1. Jeff Driskel (Oviedo, FL) Florida; 2. Braxton Miller (Dayton, OH), Ohio State; 3. Kiehl Frazier (Springdale, AR), Auburn; 4. Brett Hundley (Chandler, AZ), UCLA; 5. Christian LeMay (Matthews, NC), Georgia; 6. Max Wittek (Santa Ana, CA), USC; 7. Teddy Bridgewater (Miami, FL), Louisville; 8. Bubba Starling (Gardner, KS), Nebraska; 9. J.W. Walsh (Denton, TX), Oklahoma State; 10. Jacoby Brissett (Palm Beach Gardens, FL), Florida 2012 1. Jameis Winston (Hueytown, AL), Florida State; 2. Gunner Kiel (Columbus, IN), Notre Dame; 3. Zach Kline (Danville, CA), California; 4. Cyler Miles (Denver, CO), Washington; 5. Anthony Alford (Petal, MS), Iowa; Tanner Mangum (Eagle, ID), BYU; 7. Matt Davis (Houston, TX), Texas A&M; 8. Conner Brewer (Paradise Valley, AZ), Texas; 9. Chad Kelly (Buffalo, NY), Clemson; 10. Chad Voytik (Cleveland, TN), Pitt 2013 1. Max Browne (Sammamish, WA), USC; 2. Christian Hackenberg (Fork Union, VA), Penn State; 3. Shane Morris (Warren, MI), Michigan; 4. Cooper Bateman (Salt Lake City, UT), Alabama; 5. Kevin Olsen (Wayne, NJ), Miami; 6. Troy Williams (Harbor City, CA), Washington; 7. Brice Ramsey (Kingsland, GA), Georgia; 8. Cody Thomas (Colleyville, TX), Oklahoma; 9. Asianti Woulard (Winter Park, FL), UCLA; 10. J.T. Barrett (Wichita Falls, TX), Ohio State 2014 1. Kyle Allen (Scottsdale, AL), Texas A&M; 2. Deshaun Watson (Gainesville, GA), Clemson; 3. Will Grier (Davidson, NC), Florida; 4. Keller Chryst (Palo Alto, CA), Stanford; 5. Jerrod Heard (Denton, TX), Texas; 6. Brandon Harris (Bossier City, LA), LSU; 7. David Cornwell (Norman, OK), Alabama; 8. Drew Barker (Hebron, KY), Kentucky; 9. Jacob Park (Goose Creek, SC), Georgia; 10. Brad Kaaya (West Hills, CA), Miami 2015 1. Josh Rosen (Bellflower, CA), UCLA; 2. Blake Barnett (Corona, CA), Alabama; 3. Kyler Murray (Allen, TX), Texas A&M; 4. Jarrett Stidham (Stephenville, TX), Baylor; 5. Brandon Wimbush (Jersey City, NJ), Notre Dame; 6. Deiondre Francois (Orlando, FL), Florida State; 7. Brady White (Santa Clarita, CA), Arizona State; 8. Jake Browning (Folsom, CA), Washington; 9. Ricky Town (Ventura, CA), USC; 10. Drew Lock (Lees Summit, MO), Missouri 2016 1. Shea Patterson (Bradenton, FL), Ole Miss; 2. Jacob Eason (Lake Stevens, WA) Georgia; 3. KJ Costello (Rancho Santa Margarita, CA), Stanford; 4. Malik Henry (Long Beach, CA), Florida State; 5. Feleipe Franks (Crawfordville, FL), Florida; 6. Brandon Peters (Avon, IN), Michigan; 7. Jarrett Guarantano (Oradell, NJ), Tennessee; 8. Dwayne Haskins (Potomac, MD), Ohio State; 9. Brandon McIlwain (Newtown, PA), South Carolina; 10. Jack Allison (Palmetto, FL), Miami 2017 1. Davis Mills (Norcross, GA), Stanford; 2. Hunter Johnson (Brownsburg, IN), Clemson; 3. Tua Tagovailoa (Honolulu, HI), Alabama; 4. Jake Fromm (Warner Robins, GA), Georgia; 5. Tate Martell (Las Vegas, NV), Ohio State; Jack Sears (San Clemente, CA), USC; 7. Kellen Mond (San Antonio, TX), Texas A&M; 8. Sam Ehlinger (Austin, TX), Texas; 9. Dylan McCaffrey (Littleton, CO), Michigan; 10. Myles Brennan (Bay St. Louis, MS), LSU 2018 1. Trevor Lawrence (Cartersville, GA), Clemson; 2. Justin Fields (Kennesaw, GA), Georgia; 3. JT Daniels (Santa Ana, CA), USC; 4. Dorian Thompson-Robinson (Las Vegas, NV), UCLA; 5. Justin Rogers (Bossier City, LA), TCU; 6. Tanner McKee (Corona, CA) Stanford; 8. Matt Corral (Long Beach, CA), Ole Miss; 9. Jarren Williams (Lawrenceville, GA), Miami; 10. Phil Jurkovec (Gibsonia, PA), Notre Dame 2019 1. Spencer Rattler (Phoenix, AL), Oklahoma; 2. Bo Nix (Pinson, AL), Auburn; 3. Jayden Daniels (San Bernardino, CA), Arizona State; 4. Ryan Hilinski (Orange, CA), South Carolina; 5. Graham Mertz (Mission, KS), Wisconsin; 6. Sam Howell (Monroe, NC), North Carolina; 7. Dylan Morris (Graham, WA), Washington; 8. Taulia Tagovailoa (Alabaster, AL), Alabama; 9. Taison Phommahanh (Bridgeport, CT), Clemson; 10. Max Duggan (Council Bluffs, IA), TCU 2020 1. Bryce Young (Santa Ana, CA), Alabama; 2. DJ Uiagalelei (Bellflower, CA), Clemson; 3. C.J. Stroud (Rancho Cucamonga, CA), Ohio State; 4. Hudson Card (Austin, TX), Texas; 5. Ja’Quinden Jackson (Duncanville, TX), Texas; 6. Luke Doty (Myrtle Beach, SC), South Carolina; 7. Harrison Bailey (Marietta, GA), Tennessee; 8. Ethan Garbers (Newport Beach, CA), Washington; 9. Haynes Kiing (Longview, TX), Texas A&M; 10. Jay Butterfield (Brentwood, CA), Oregon 2021 1. Quinn Ewers (Southlake, TX), Ohio State; 2. Caleb Williams (Washington, DC), Oklahoma; 3. Sam Huard (Bellvue, WA), Washington; 4. Brock Vandagriff (Bogart, GA), Georgia; 5. J.J. McCarthy (LaGrange Park, IL), Michigan; 6. Kyle McCord (Philadelphia, PA), Ohio State; 7. Ty Thompson (Gilbert, AZ), Oregon; 8. Jake Garcia (Loganville, GA), Miami; 9. Drake Maye (Charlotte, NC), North Carolina; Jaxson Dart (Draper, UT), USC OVER, UNDER, AROUND AND THROUGH THE SEC Alabama: Although he offered up no names, Nick Saban called out some of his players Wednesday. “You get overwhelmed by constantly talking about negative things – how I feel, how tired I am … whatever it is. Fall camp, practice at this time of year, without playing a game every week is very challenging. When you talk about that stuff all the time it just creates an epidemic of the poor me’s. The season is going to create tremendous challenges, challenges in every game. We’ve got lots of losable games we play. Lots of challenges out there whether we play home or on the road.” Arkansas: Tight end Kolian Jackson, who has had a torn ACL and other injuries in his four-year career, has elected to retire from football. In his four years Jackson caught four passes for 51 yards and a touchdown. Auburn: Assessing the quarterback competition between incumbent starter Bo Nix and LSU transfer TJ Finley, HBC Bryan Harsin said, “Both those guys have been pushing each other, but Bo is rolling with the blues (first team) right now. If we played a game right now, Bo would be starting.” Georgia: Anthony Threash of Pro Football Focus predicts “Clemson will beat Georgia by double digits in week 1.” Threash points out that Georgia will be without tight end Darnell Washington and defensive back Tykee Smith but adds, “… the biggest question marks hover over this quarterback situation, as JT Daniels is set to take over for a full year after closing the final four games of 2020 as the starting quarterback.” LSU: Guard Ed Ingram says he knows what was behind LSU’s struggles in 2020. “We had no leadership last year,” Ingram said. “This year we have a ton of leadership. We’re tired of losing.” … LSU will open its 2024 season against Southern California in Las Vegas Missouri: An MRI showed no structural damage on running back Tyler Badie, who was injured after a collision during a punt return drill Saturday. Tennessee: Matt Zenitz of On3 Sports says that Michigan transfer Joe Milton seems to be taking the lead in the quarterback competition over Virginia Tech transfer Hendon Hooker and last year’s sometime starter Harrison Bailey. Texas A&M: Redshirt freshman Haynes King has won the starting quarterback job over redshirt sophomore Zach Calzada. Vanderbilt: Vanderbilt has announced construction will soon begin on $300 million in athletic facilities upgrades. ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: And here we were (please inject a measure of sarcasm) thinking that the new alliance of the Big Ten, ACC and Pac-12 was all about the integrity of college football and that leagues with integrity would NEVER raid another conference. Well, according to Dave Wannstedt of Fox Sports, the three leagues are already slicing and dicing up the Big 12. Wannstedt said that from what he heard at Fox Sports meetings in Phoenix, Kansas and Iowa State will be joining the Big Ten, West Virginia the ACC and Kansas State and Oklahoma State to the Pac-12. There was no mention of what will happen to Baylor, Texas Tech and TCU. I wouldn’t doubt for a second that Wannstedt has solid info, but if he’s onto something, then my guess is that the Pac-12 will also add Baylor and Texas Tech, making an orphan out of TCU.

A few thoughts to jump start your Wednesday morning: GATORS ARE RANKED RANKED BUT ONLY FOUR ON COACHES ALL-SEC? The Gators are ranked 11th in the Coaches and 13th in the Associated Press polls, yet they get very little respect from the SEC coaches. You want proof? Consider the fact that unranked Arkansas, coming off a 3-7 season, had three first team selections and six overall on the Coaches preseason All-SEC team. Or how about Auburn, also unranked and with a new coaching staff and a roster depleted by what seems a gazillion transfers. The Tigers have only one first teamer but another nine who made the second and third teams. The Gators? Making the first team were D-lineman Zachary Carter and corner Kaiir Elam. Linebacker Ventrell Miller was selected second team and wide receiver Jacob Copeland made third team. That’s it for Florida. Ole Miss and Kentucky both had five. It’s true the Gators lost Kyle Trask, Kyle Pitts, Kadarius Toney and Evan McPherson to the NFL and there will be a bunch of new faces, but only four total on the first, second and third teams? And one of the four isn’t Brenton Cox Jr.? It’s worth mentioning that the Gators placed only five on the final All-SEC first and second teams by the Coaches and the AP in 2020, which was one more than 2019 and two more than 2018. Perhaps I see things through orange and blue tinted glasses but I see a pattern here. It would be one thing for the Gators to be in the lower half of the SEC East, but the Gators finished second in 2018-19, won the East last year and have made a New Year’s Six bowl all three years. Something just doesn’t seem right and hasn’t seemed right for awhile. WHO’S AFRAID OF THE BIG, BAD SEC?: THE BIG TEN, PAC-12 AND ACC For all the bluster about how remarkable is this alliance between the Big Ten, Pac-12 and ACC, the reality is it accomplishes absolutely nothing of significance. It’s designed to put the squeeze on Greg Sankey and the big, bad SEC which had the audacity to accept Texas and Oklahoma from the Big 12. That’s laughable. Here is what Matt Hayes calls “The Spiteful Three” in his Saturday Down South column and what they hope to accomplish: (1) Form a scheduling alliance that will limit SEC schools’ ability to play football and basketball games against teams in their leagues; (2) outvote the SEC 3-1 whenever there are decisions that have to be made regarding the College Football Playoff; and (3) limit the SEC to three teams when the playoff does expand. Let’s start with the scheduling alliance. Basically, the idea is for The Spiteful Three to schedule a couple of games a year against teams from each of the other two leagues in the alliance, leaving very little room for the SEC to schedule games outside the league with alliance members. There are a couple of murky little details here: (1) The scheduling alliance really wouldn’t kick in for at least five to seven years because of existing schedules; and (2) the Big Ten, ACC and Pac-12 don’t have enough highly-regarded teams to provide weekly marquee games that will keep people from tuning in the SEC, which has eight absolute money makers and ratings grabbers in Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Texas A&M, Texas and Oklahoma. Which do you think more people would watch: Ohio State-Clemson or Alabama-Oklahoma? Florida-Texas or Miami-Michigan? Georgia-LSU or Oregon-Florida State? And, let’s say Alabama wants to play Ohio State in a kickoff classic game or maybe Florida and Southern Cal or Georgia and Clemson want to play. Those games are big bucks for The Spiteful Three. What are the odds they would turn those games down? Try slim, none and perhaps non-existent. Do The Spiteful Three really think the TV viewing public will hold their breath five years waiting for the alliance or that they’ll be watching the SEC? When it comes to the playoff, the only two voices that will be heard consistently are those of ESPN and Greg Sankey. Since 2000, the SEC has won 12 national championships. The Big Ten (1), ACC (3) and Pac-12 (2) have combined for six. The SEC has won four of the seven national championships in the playoff era including the last two. The SEC has clout that The Spiteful Three don’t have. The geniuses in the Spiteful Three have concluded that the SEC should be limited to three teams when the playoff expands to 12 teams with the idea that each of their leagues will also get three. Of course, in this theory the Group of Five would be shut out and it doesn’t take into account that the Big 12 might resurface as a 16-team league that will be just about as good top to bottom as the ACC and Pac-12 if it adds the right eight teams. From a financial standpoint, the SEC will be the top revenue producer once Texas and Oklahoma are no longer in the Big 12 with the Big Ten coming in second. The Pac-12 and ACC are bottom feeders. The Pac-12 doesn’t have any real hope for a lucrative media deal when its contract with Fox and ESPN expires in a couple of years and the ACC is locked in with ESPN until 2036. Matt Hayes writes, “Does the ACC, and to a lesser extent, the Big Ten, really want to cause strife between the largest media rights provider of college football?” Not if they are smart, they won’t, but nobody is really accusing commissioners Kevin Warren (Big Ten), Jim Phillips (ACC) and George Kliavkov (Pac-12) of being the sharpest tools in the collegiate athletics shed. They want us to think they’re strong. What they really are is afraid. NOW THAT THE BIG 12 HAS BEEN FORMALLY SHUNNED … ACC commissioner Jim Phillips is a regular comedian. Listen to this knee-slapper: “We want and need the Big 12 to do well.” Phillips actually said that on the day the ACC, Big Ten and Pac-12 formed an alliance that doesn’t once address the fact the Big 12 is on life support. If anything, the alliance is already licking its chops, trying to figure out how to slice and dice the remaining eight orphans in the Big 12. Speculation remains hot and heavy that the Big Ten will add Kansas and Iowa State while West Virginia goes to the ACC. The Pac-12 doesn’t have any really good options but it’s thought the foursome of Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Baylor and TCU could be invited. Unless Bob Bowlsby can make a pre-emptive strike to add eight teams his league will be defunct within a couple of years. Because the Big 12 has autonomy as a Power Five league it would be particularly attractive for teams in the American Athletic Conference, Mountain West and independent BYU. It’s the perfect opportunity for Bowlsby to make a deal with Texas and Oklahoma, strongarming them into paying early exit fees that would allow them to leave for the SEC and him to cover the exit fees of seven AAC teams, for example. With a 16-team league that includes metro areas like Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Kansas City, Oklahoma City added to Tampa, Orlando, Philadelphia, Memphis, Cincinnati and Salt Lake City, Bowlsby might have a good enough league to get a fairly decent TV contract. He could probably get Greg Sankey to give him a boost by throwing a scheduling bone for both football and basketball, particularly if he were to let Texas and Oklahoma leave by 2023. The question as we move forward is whether Bowlsby is willing to move fast enough? If he doesn’t he won’t have anything left to negotiate. PRESEASON ALL-SEC FOR EACH TEAM Alabama: Selected first team preseason Coaches All-SEC were WR John Metchie III, OL Evan Neal, DL Phidarian Mathis, LB Christian Harris, LB Will Anderson Jr., DB Malachi Moore and DB Josh Jobe. Selected second team were TE Jahleel Billingsley, OL Emil Ekiyor, LB Henry To’o To’o, and DB Jordan Battle. On the third team were RB Brian Robinson Jr., DL LaBryan Ray, LB Christopher Allen and PK Will Reichard. Arkansas: Selected first team preseason Coaches All-SEC were WR Treylon Burks, C Ricky Stromberg and LB Grant Morgan. Picked for the second team was DB Jalen Catalon while OL Ty Clary and OL Myron Cunningham made third team. Auburn: Selected first team preseason Coaches All-SEC was RB Tank Bigsby, who was also selected as the all-purpose (AP) back on the second team. Also selected second team were C Nick Brahms, LB Zakoby McClain, DB Smoke Monday and PK Anders Carlson. Selected third team were QB Bo Nix, OL Brodarious Hamm, LB Owen Pappoe and DB Roger McCreary. Georgia: Selected first team preseason Coaches All-SEC were DL Jordan Davis and P Jake Camarga. Selected to the second team were QB JT Daniels, RB Zamir White, WR George Pickens and OL Jamaree Salyer. Selected third team were WR Jermaine Burton, DL Travon Walker, LB Nakobe Dea, DB Lewis Cine and RS Kearis Jackson. Kentucky: Selected first team preseason Coaches All-SEC was OL Darian Kinnard. Selected second team was DL Josh Paschal. Selected third team were RB Chris Rodriguez, OL Luke Fortner and DB Yusuf Corker. LSU: Selected first team preseason Coaches All-SEC were PK Cade York and DB Derek Stingley Jr. Selected second team were WR Kayshon Boutte, OL Ed Ingram, WR and DB Elias Ricks. Selected third team was OL Austin Deculus. Mississippi State: Selected second team preseason Coaches All-SEC was OL Charles Cross. Missouri: Selected second team preseason Coaches All-SEC was DL Trajan Jeffcoat. Selected third team were QB Connor Bazelac, C Michael Maietti and P Grant McKinnis. Ole Miss: Selected first team preseason Coaches All-SEC were QB Matt Corral and AP Jerrion Ealy. Ealy was also selected first team return specialist and third team RB. Selected second team was P Mac Brown with OL Nick Broeker third team. South Carolina: Selected first team preseason Coaches All-SEC was DL Kingsley Enagbare. Selected to the second team was RB Kevin Harris. Selected third team was TE Nick Muse and DL Zacc Pickens. Tennessee: Selected first team preseason Coaches All-SEC was OL Cade Mays. Selected second team was P Paxton Brooks. Selected third team was DB Alontae Taylor. Texas A&M: Selected first team preseason Coaches All-SEC were RB Isaiah Spiller, TE Jalen Wydermeyer and OL Kenyon Green. Selected second team were DL DeMarvin Leal and RS Ainias Smith. Smith was also selected third team at WR and AP. Also named third team were DL Jayden Peevy and DB Leon O’Neal Jr. ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: Back in the 1970s, the late, great Don Shula was asked if he thought he could be a good Major League Baseball manager. After all, Shoes was brilliant at managing in-game situations in the NFL so some in the media thought he would be a natural managing in the big leagues. Shula replied that he didn’t think he could do it because he couldn’t get accustomed to the amount of losing that goes on in Major League Baseball where outstanding teams win maybe 60-65 percent of the time. I’m applying the same logic to Urban Meyer’s leap to the NFL. I think Urban will adapt to the rules changes and to the fact he doesn’t have to stake his future to 18- and 19-year-old kids but how is he going to handle the losing? He has a major rebuild ahead of him in Jacksonville where it could take three or four years to turn the small market Jaguars into contenders. I’ve met few coaches or managers in any sport that take losing as hard as Meyer, whose head coaching career (187-32 record) at the collegiate level produced only two seasons in which he lost more than three games (four in 2007, five in 2010). There is a good chance he will lose as many games this year as he lost in seven years as the head coach at Ohio State (9). I wonder how he will handle it?

A few thoughts to jump start your Tuesday morning: MULLEN SPEAKS … Kaiir Elam, second team AP preseason All-America corner and emerging team leader: “The one thing that I think he’s grown into is more of a leadership role back there. He’s a guy that’s very conscientious, does things the right way, takes care of his business. Obviously, a playmaker on the field. A fabulous student, as well, in the classroom. Really lives up to what the Gator Standard is all about. But also, I think, now he has the opportunity to realize that I’m the veteran older guy, even though it doesn’t seem like he’s been here forever. I’m one of the – I’m the older veteran guy, and I’ve got to be a leader, and he’s bought into that role, as well.” Concerns about the secondary: “I think that they’ve grown up a little bit, but there’s a lot of scenarios guys haven’t been in. There’s a bunch of guys in the secondary that haven’t been in scenarios. Like, Kaiir’s been in situations. Trey Dean’s been in situations. Rashad Torrence’s been in situations. Tre’Vez Johnson’s been in some situations. You know. None of the other guys have really been in those situations much before. It’s how they’re going to — not just their growth and development and how they’re doing at practice, how that transitions into a specific game plan from one week to the next.” What the guys in the secondary should be concerned with: “I’ve always said this, people should be much more concerned of who finishes the game instead of who starts the game. They should say, ‘Hey, you have this many finishes in your career.’ Instead of this many starts in your career. Because we play a lot of guys and the game’s on the line in the fourth quarter, who’s going to be on the field that’s probably more important than who’s playing the actual first play of the game. For us, guys are doing that so there’s guys earning reps and there’ll be a bunch of guys that will play in the secondary and as they get to see, they get that opportunity to show they can translate not just from practice, but then translate on to game experience. The better they do on game day, the more reps they’ll get next week.” Competition for the starting corner position opposite Kaiir Elam: “Yeah, you know, I don't know. I mean, let's see. You've got Avery Helm, Jason Marshall, Elijah Blades, Jedarrius Perkins, Pat Moorer, Ethan Pouncey are the ones getting the reps for the most part. I might have missed somebody in there that are getting that reps. So, they're doing pretty good, though. You know, they're getting all their reps and getting that opportunity to show what they can go do." Anthony Richardson after scrimmage No. 2: “I think he’s prepared himself to be the starter, which is what you want, you know? He’s going to be ready to get on the field in just about any situation that it is. Now it’s our job to kind of put him in the different situations, so that he has that experience in every different possible scenario for when he is on the field.” The O-line at the second scrimmage: “The O-line’s been doing pretty well, to be honest with you, the ones [are] really solid. The ones didn’t get many reps last night. A lot of just seeing who’s ready and who’s prepared to play.” Des Watson in the month of August: "He's done solid. I think he's still heavy, he's still a little bit too heavy to be able to play and he knows that. So, he's gonna have to lose some weight still right there and just to get him where he needs to be functional. But he's got the potential for sure. He's got power and he's got quickness for a guy his size. And we'd like to just get him, I'd love to get him down into that under 380 [pound] range, right around 380 to be able to go play a little bit more consistently." PAC-12 COMMISH: EXPANSION DECISION VERY SOON Speaking to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, rookie commissioner George Kliavkoff indicated a number of schools have reached out to the Pac-12 about joining the league recently. “Probably all the ones you would expect and several you’d be surprised by,” Kliakov said, adding that the Pac-12 will not take a leisurely approach but will reach a conclusion rather quickly. “There’s no hard deadline related to any of this, but I would say I don’t think it’s good for college athletics given the vibration that’s going on as a result of the Texas and Oklahoma news. The quicker we can dampen that vibration, the better. We will have a decision on whether we intend to expand or not in the next couple of weeks.” In the wake of Southeastern Conference expansion to 16 teams by adding Texas and Oklahoma from the Big 12, a move that some economists say will help boost SEC per-team revenue to more than $75 million a year, there are expectations that the Pac-12, Big Ten and ACC will cherry pick the remaining eight schools in the Big 12. More than a month ago there was talk that Texas Tech, TCU, Baylor and Oklahoma State had reached out to the Pac-12. At the same time there seemed to be rather informed speculation that Kansas and Iowa State were ready to join the Big Ten if invited. West Virginia made no effort to hide the fact it wanted to join the ACC. Among these moves, the only one that probably would more sense is Kansas and Iowa State to the Big Ten, mostly because both fit the academic profile of the Big Ten and Kansas basketball television ratings are as good as your typical Saturday night college football game on ESPN. West Virginia joining the ACC would be a good geographic fit and would add a decent football team and a good basketball team but would do nothing for TV ratings. That brings us to the four Texas schools joining the Pac-12. About the only thing it does for the Pac-12 is give the league games that can be televised in the Central Time Zone, but who’s going to watch? And who will be buying the Pac-12 media contract when it expires in three years? Pac-12 teams earn only slightly more money than the ACC and there is no rush from Fox or ESPN to offer up a contract that will increase revenue. Will the Pac-12 expand for the sake of expansion? That’s what it would seem to be doing if it added those four Texas schools. BYU, UNLV, San Diego State and Boise State would literally crawl backward to join the Pac-12 but they’ve tried before and they’ve all been rejected. BYU is the only team that could slightly move the TV needle and that’s because members of the LDS church are fanatical about the Cougars. The Pac-12 rejected BYU when it added Utah to the league because BYU won’t play any sporting event on Sundays. BYU would love to be a member of the Pac-12 but only on its terms and not on the Pac-12s. Judging by this comment, Kliavkov might already see the handwriting on the expansion wall. “In the next three-to-four years three of the Power Five conferences are going to renegotiate those [media rights] deals, but I think the membership of those conferences are going to look a lot like they do today.” OVER, UNDER, AROUND AND THROUGH THE SEC Alabama: Outside linebacker Will Anderson and left tackle Evan Neal were named to the Associated Press first team preseason All-America team. Making the second team were guard Emik Ekiyor, wide receiver John Metchie III and linebacker Christian Harris ... Since spraining his ankle a week ago, left tackle Kendall Randolph hasn’t returned to practice. His replacement is freshman JC Latham. Arkansas: Safety Jalen Catalon made second team preseason Associated Press All-America … As of Monday, the Hogs had completed 15 of their allotted 25 preseason practices. Auburn: Placekicker Anders Carlson was picked for the second team of the Associated Press preseason All-America team. Georgia: Jake Camarda is the first team Associated Press All-America punter while Jamaree Salyer is a second team guard and Jordan Davis is a second team defensive tackle … Georgia is a 3-point underdog for its season opener in Charlotte with Clemson. Kentucky: Right tackle Darian Kinnard made second team Associated Press All-America … It will be interesting to see what becomes of sophomore safety Vito Tisdale, one of six UK football players involved in a burglary case. Tisdale was given two years probation for a marijuana arrest back in July, but with the arrest in the burglary case and the additional charge of wanton endangerment for allegedly having a gun at a fraternity party, he may not see the end of his legal problems anytime soon. LSU: Corner Derek Stingley Jr. and placekicker Cade York made first team Associated Press preseason All-America Senior defensive end Ali Gaye says the Tigers are using the collapses of 2020 as motivation for a bounce back year in 2021. “We’ll always remember 2020 as one of those years that things didn’t go right, or the way we wanted to,” Gaye said. “We use it as motivation, but we don’t really put too much thought into it.” Mississippi State: In the battle for the starting quarterback job, sophomore Will Rogers seems to have taken the lead over South Alabama transfer Chance Lovertich. “I think they’re battling to stay within themselves as far as consistency,” HBC Mike Leach said. “I think Will is more consistent than Chance.” Missouri: Freshman defensive lineman Kyran Montgomery will miss the entire season with a torn ACL. Ole Miss: Running back Jerrion Early was named second team preseason Associated Press All-American as an all-purpose player … Former South Carolina offensive lineman Jordan Rhodes (6-4, 335), who played in 20 games the last three seasons, has transferred to Ole Miss. He is immediately eligible and has two seasons of eligibility remaining … LeDarrius Cox (6-4, 310) has been moved from the defensive line to the offensive line. South Carolina: Placekicker Parker White is 35-40 in his career inside 40 yards but just 21-42 outside 40. Tennessee: HBC Josh Heupel says the Vols are “thinner than you’d want to be” on the offensive line … Tennessee has picked up another quarterback in the transfer portal, but don’t expect him to make a dent in the rotation. Will Kuehne, who comes to UT as a grad transfer from North Texas, played on special teams last year and has never thrown a pass in a college football game. Texas A&M: Named to the Associated Press first team preseason All-America team were left tackle Kenyon Green and defensive tackle DeMarvin Leal. Making the second team were running back Isaiah Spiller and tight end Jalen Wydermyer. Vanderbilt: At Vanderbilt’s second scrimmage, wide receivers Logan Kyle and Cam Johnson caught touchdown passes from Ken Seals. ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: What would an expanded 12-team College Football Playoff have looked like the last two years using the proposed guidelines of the champions of the six highest rated conferences plus six at large teams? Despite all the fearmongering that it would result in an SEC Invitational, the rankings say something different. 2019 Conference champs: LSU (SEC), Ohio State (Big Ten), Clemson (ACC), Oklahoma (Big 12), Oregon (Pac-12) and Memphis (American) At-large: Georgia (SEC), Baylor (Big 12), Wisconsin (Big Ten), Florida (SEC), Penn State (Big Ten), Utah (Pac-12) Since the top four teams – 1. LSU, 2. Ohio State, 3. Clemson, 4. Oklahoma – get first round byes, here is how the first weekend games would look like: 5 Georgia vs. 12. Memphis 6 Oregon vs. 11 Utah 7. Baylor vs. 10. Penn State 8. Wisconsin vs. 9. Florida 2020 Conference champs: Alabama (SEC), Clemson (ACC), Ohio State (Big Ten), Oklahoma (Big 12), Cincinnati (American), Coastal Carolina (Sun Belt) At-large: Notre Dame (Independent), Texas A&M (SEC), Florida (SEC), Georgia (SEC), Iowa State (Big 12), Indiana (Big Ten) Top four seeds: 1. Alabama, 2. Clemson, 3. Ohio State, 4. Oklahoma First weekend games 5 Notre Dame vs. 12 Coastal Carolina 6 Texas A&M vs. 11 Indiana 7 Florida vs. 10 Iowa State 8 Cincinnati vs. Georgia

Lining up correctly in football is not unlike lining up in golf: If you aren’t pointed in the right direction, it’s not likely you’ll hit your target. Uncle George always said that without a solid defense the Gators would never win a championship. (Stay with me on this.) Success back then was anything above .500 and a bowl game. These were not the halcyon days of Coach Spurrier yet, but when Ray Graves won nine games twice in the sixties and the offense suddenly had a pulse, the alumni base got too big for its britches. They thought they had this. Uncle George was right, though. Clearly these are not our grandfather’s – or Uncle George’s – Gators. Screw 1960. What have you done for us millennials in the last 30 minutes? They ask. (Again, stay with me.) What pisses old-timers off is the arrogance of entitlement of those newcomer fans who never suffered the indignance of losing to Georgia 51-0 in the rain. Or never watched the monotony of Doug Dickey’s Fourth-and-Dumb play-calling. Or never struggled through the near-death-penalty days of the NCAA’s investigation of Charlie Pell’s program in the mid-80s. They merely got to see the baby without ever experiencing pains of childbirth and are not grandfathered in by birthright. Then one day, almost accidentally, or purely by divine intervention, The Prodigal Son came home and blew the doors off SEC defenses with the Fun 'n' Gun. Lordie, who knows where the Gators would have been without Steve Spurrier? Which brings me back to Uncle George. And Bobby Stoops. It was the hiring of Stoops from Kansas State which finally uncorked the genie, righted the ship and brought Florida its long-awaited gritty defense which led to the 1996 national championship. And then some. Just like Uncle George said. Now we get to the much-maligned Todd Grantham, whose defense at times last season resembled I-4 rush hour traffic near the Disney World cutoff during Christmas holidays. This season will be his defining moment as a coach. The outcome of the game, as they say in pool-shooting, is still on the table. So how’s that going? Without the benefit of eyeballs on practice, we’re estimating based on limited intel from zoom pressers and a bit of video evidence when it’s available on Instagram. In other words, it’s an un-educated guess. First a little context: Todd Grantham is a well-respected DC, but in baseball lexicon, he’s been in a batting slump. And just like a hitter who is 1 for 25, Grantham has to hack his way out of that slump by working on fundamentals. Let’s start with lining up correctly. Watching Florida on defense last season often looked like a bunch of sixth graders being herded into the lunch line. I’m not cutting anybody slack due to the pandemic, but it could be that the complexity of Grantham’s scheme, with so many moving parts, lent itself to chaos. After all, isn’t that defensive genre nicknamed “Havoc” for the infliction intended to opposing quarterbacks? (A recent story on “Havoc” coordinators referred to Grantham as one of the Top 16 thusly: His 2017 Mississippi State defense ranked 18th in Havoc, and his Florida defenses ranked inside the top 25 in 2018 and 2019. The Gators’ 2020 defense tanked his ranking, though, as it came in at 80th.) There’s that ugly number 80 again. I have a theory for the reason they couldn’t seem to line up correctly: Surprise attack is one of the staples of a “Havoc” coach. That means situational football according to down, distance and time left in the game. It also means group personnel packages which can quickly be deployed. In my opinion, poor communication between the press box coaches, Grantham’s boots on the ground people and the players often broke down. And that needs fixing. Why did it always seem like there was a big defender lumbering off the field tardily, impersonating an oversized Usain Bolt? And another defender out of position, looking like he was searching for that non-existent seat in a game of musical chairs? Lining up correctly in football is not unlike lining up in golf: If you aren’t pointed in the right direction, it’s not likely you’ll hit your target. Last season there wasn’t a stout push from the upfront seven, nor were there athletic plays made by ballhawkers in the secondary. In fact, the now infamous “Shoe Game” loss to LSU in The Swamp was one of the most ignominious plays in Gator history. Out of respect for the player whose bad judgment contributed mightily to the defeat – and probably stained his otherwise excellent legacy – I will respectfully decline to use his name. Did I mention how poorly the tackling was? I don’t find it necessary to demonize Grantham and turn him into a piñata for message board pundits. He’s a smart guy who knows in his head what to do, but sometimes fails to get it transmitted and executed. Which is why he and Dan Mullen had that little dust-up in the 2020 Kentucky game. As the line from Cool Hand Luke goes, “What we have here is a failure to communicate.” To his credit, Mullen has called Grantham one of the best – if not THE best – DCs in the game. He almost lost Grantham to the NFL a few years ago and was able to convince his bosses that he was worth $1.8 million, fourth highest in the country. Was he worth it? I say yes, but it must be proven out. Here’s what we think we know. Mullen’s offense, featuring the “Mobile Pocket Passer” Emory Jones and five excellent running backs, is bound to eat more clock and preserve the defense’s energy. Perhaps the two units will mesh better. Which is good news for Grantham. It is generally thought that the play in the back end of the secondary will be improved. Partly because of their diligence and determination to be better, partly because of better talent that is better coached and partly because pressure brought by the front seven. It all starts with the Man in the Middle, Ventrell Miller, who has become a strong leader and a more impassioned player since being anointed as one of the future Gator greats by Brandon Siler, who looked at Miller one day and challenged him to step up his game if he wanted a legacy at UF. Miller, Jeremiah Moon, Brenton Cox and Mohamoud Diabate are among the top returning playmakers. We’re hearing things about defensive personnel, including the promising group of young corners and the leadership of pre-season all-conference returner Kaiir Elam. Trey Dean is a welcome returnee to the back end. On the edge there’s Zach Carter and upfront new transfers Daquan Newkirk (Auburn) and Tony Valentino (Penn State), plus second-year wunderkind Gervon Dexter. Let me stop there before I sound like a dilletante way over the tips of his skis, which I already do, because – again – these are gut feelings based on uneducated guesses. Mostly I’m betting on smart, capable football coaches who are skilled at development of talent, which seems to have been well handpicked and are all on a mission to prove that last year’s three-game swan dive at season’s end was an anomaly. I can’t prove that, but I think so, too. Let‘s just say that voices from the past, like Uncle George, told me so. (And thanks for staying with me.)

A few thoughts to jump start your Monday morning: SOUNDING OFF ON A MONDAY MORNING KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON THE O-LINE AND SECONDARY THIS WEEK: This is the last week of hard practices before game week prep for Florida Atlantic begins next Monday. The two areas of concern that I have are on the offensive line and at safety and STAR. With Kingsley Eguakun taking over at center, there has been a shuffle on the right side of the offensive line. Heading into today’s practice, Stewart Reese will likely be the right guard with Jean Delance at right tackle. Reese played center in the spring, but he’s started at both guard and both tackle positions in the SEC during his career. Delance has had problems with speed rushers off the edge in the past. I’m not convinced he will get the job done this year and if he can’t pass block effectively, Reese could easily slide out to right tackle, where he started 13 straight games when he was at Mississippi State. If Reese slides outside, then Josh Braun would take over at right guard. I’m willing to be convinced Delance can get the job done, but I’m not optimistic. The starters on the O-line heading into today’s practice will be: LT Richard Gouraige, LG Ethan White, C Eguakun, RG Reese and RT Delance. Because Jedarrius Perkins (from Missouri) and Elijah Blades (from Texas A&M) transferred in, I’m not as concerned with the corners. Kaiir Elam, Perkins, Blades, Avery Helm and freshman Jason Marshall Jr. make for a nice rotation. At safety, my hope is that Trey Dean III has not only found a home but figured out the discipline it takes to be the last line of defense. He’s the only safety with a lot of experience. Tre’vez Johnson and Rashad Torrence played a good bit last year, but they were true freshmen and inconsistent. Kamar Wilcoxson had a lot of ability but not much experience and freshmen Donovan Mitchell and Corey Collier Jr. have a lot of talent, but zero experience. Can one of these guys play STAR or will it be necessary to experiment with Perkins or Blades? Until the back line gets settled, there is no rest for the defense. (2) DAN MULLEN AND LAKE KIFFIN MUST CONNECT TELEPATHETICALLY WHEN IT COMES TO SCHEMING AN OFFENSE: There has been no shortage of hints from Dan Mullen and his running backs that the offense is going to be creatively structured to take advantage of five players with five unique skill sets that will require a good many sets with two on the field at once. Among the looks we could see a running back on either side of the quarterback for a shotgun-veer look that could offer a true triple option (dive back, quarterback reads the DE and either keeps or pitches to the trailing RB) or one in the slot to make a mismatch against linebackers in the pass game or for jet sweeps. When the back is in the slot we probably will see is something similar to what Florida was running particularly in 2007-08 when Tim Tebow had either Chris Rainey or Jeff Demps as his running back and Percy Harvin either as a wingback or in the slot. Rainey and Demps were also good pass catchers so they could slide to the wing and Percy could move in as the running back. In particular this season, we could see Malik Davis and Nay’Quan Wright lined up in the slot or as a wingback on a regular basis. Meanwhile over in Oxford, Jerrion Ealy, who ran for 745 yards and nine touchdowns last year while catching 15 passes for 155 yards and another TD, said he’ll spend a good portion of his time in the slot this year because Lane Kiffin wants to put two running backs on the field at the same time to create mismatches and a personnel dilemma for opposing defensive coordinators. With Snoop Conner (421 rushing yards, 8 TDs; 12-83 receiving) and Henry Parrish (263 rushing yards, 2. TDs; 7-59 receiving) to share the backfield, it makes sense to get creative with the offense to better take the pressure off Matt Corral. There is no question that the two more creative offensive minds in the Southeastern Conference belong to Dan Mullen and Lane Kiffin. They aren’t system offensive coaches in that they don’t have a set way to run things. Instead, they both figure out what their personnel can and can’t do, then design the offense around their strengths. After last season, Florida’s 2021 defense is somewhat of a mystery. While we don’t really know exactly how Mullen plans to use all the weapons at his disposal, we do know his track record says the Gators will be productive and score points. If the defense is top 30 or better, the Gators could win the SEC East. Over in the SEC West, Kiffin doesn’t have the personnel on defense to win the division, but he’s got good enough offensive talent and a creative enough mind that teams like Alabama, LSU and Texas A&M will be on upset alert. (3) IF THE BIG 12 WANTS TO REMAIN AN AUTONOMOUS POWER 5 CONFERENCE … The big news last week in the ongoing attempt to paint Greg Sankey and the Southeastern Conference as the bastion of all that is evil in college athletics was the same culprits who were whining about poor old Bob Bowlsby and the Big 12 really don’t give a fat rat’s ass about the soon-to-be orphaned eight remaining teams. As commissioners Kevin Warren (Big Ten Plus Four), Jim Phillips (Always Clemson Conference) and George (Costanza) Kliavkov (Pac-12) did their best collective impersonation of Little Jack Horner – “He stuck in his thumb and pulled out a plum and said, “What a good boy am I!” – after announcing they’re close to what will be a scheduling alliance that isn’t going to do much of anything for them financially, a few in the national media all but ignored the fact that none of them offered a helping hand to the Big 12. The Big 12 is going to collapse rather soon if it doesn’t do something bold and in a hurry. It can’t afford to play out the clock with Texas and Oklahoma until the media rights deal with Fox and ESPN expires in 2025. As an autonomous Power 5 conference that gets an equal cut of the College Football Playoff revenue, the Big 12 cannot afford to collapse. Perhaps the only way the Big 12 can remain in existence would be to do a pre-emptive strike to expand to 16 teams and in doing so create a more diverse football league that would also be a basketball powerhouse. There isn’t a single team out there with the clout of the soon-to-be departed Texas and Oklahoma but adding seven teams from the American Athletic Conference – Houston, SMU, Memphis, Cincinnati, UCF, South Florida and either Temple or East Carolina – and independent BYU would be a rather strong geographic footprint that would bring networks to the bargaining table. Maybe they wouldn’t come up with a deal as good as the current one with Fox and ESPN that helps the Big 12 pay out a little more than $38 million per school, but something in the neighborhood of $25 million (or more) would dwarf what the AAC teams currently receive from their TV deal. A football league that has Iowa State, Oklahoma State, TCU, Kansas State, West Virginia, Cincinnati, UCF, Memphis, SMU and Brigham Young would be a very competitive league that has a footprint in SEC, ACC and Big Ten country. From a basketball perspective, Baylor won last year’s NCAA championship and Kansas is a perennial contender for the Final Four. Texas Tech and Houston have been to Final Fours in the last three years. Memphis is an emerging power on a national scale and West Virginia is always strong. The Big 12 already does a yearly basketball challenge with the SEC. Why not attempt to get the SEC to bite on a football challenge? SEC fans would probably rather see something like that than scheduling teams from the MAC or Conference USA. An annual game between every team in the Big 12 and SEC would be superior to bringing in a paycheck opponent. That is just one idea and it may not be viable, but Bob Bowlsby and the eight Big 12 orphans better realize in a hurry that if they don’t take pre-emptive and bold steps, they won’t be around much longer. Any future delays could lead to the Big Ten adding Kansas and Iowa State, the ACC scooping up West Virginia and the Pac-12 adding Texas Tech, TCU, Baylor and Oklahoma State. (4) MEANWHILE UP IN ATHENS …: Tight end Arik Gilbert’s status remains in limbo. Former Georgia running back Terrence Edwards, who serves as a mentor, told DawgNation Daily, “The young man is dealing with a situation, and it’s none of anyone’s business with what’s going on. Coach [Kirby] Smart told everyone that it is ‘a personal issue’ … the man needs your prayers and your positivity. He doesn’t need all the speculation and rumors – that are just not true about the young man.” So, figure Gilbert won’t be on the field anytime soon, much less the season opener against Clemson in Charlotte on September 4. Probably 95-99 percent doubtful range are tight ends Darnell Washington (foot surgery) and John FitzPatrick (foot), wide receivers George Pickens (ACL) and Dominick Blaylock (ACL). Wide receivers Kearis Jackson (knee) and Jermaine Burton (ankle) are expected to play, but they’ve missed a lot of practice and it’s uncertain how close either will be to 100 percent healthy. And those are just the receivers. Safety Tykee Smith (foot surgery), who was a third team All-American last year at West Virginia is expected to be out. Over on the offensive line, center Warren Ericson is playing guard because he had surgery on his snapping hand. Redshirt freshman Sedric Van Pran-Granger is expected to take his place. Backup tackles Amarius Mims (back) and Owen Condon (unknown) have been slowed and may be limited. Starting with the situation at receiver, that doesn’t bode well against a Clemson defense that some experts say will be the best in the country. The Tigers return nine starters including the entire front four that is unquestionably the best in the country (led the country with 46 sacks a year ago). Georgia gave up 20 sacks in 306 pass attempts last year, half in the 119 attempts by JT Daniels in the four games he started. ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: Texas A&M got smacked with two years in the NCAA jailhouse back on Friday for a number of major violations. Included in the punishment are loss of scholarships and sanctions against head coach Buzz Williams and a couple of his assistants. I’m amazed at how quickly the NCAA acted. I’m equally amazed that the NCA still hasn’t dealt with Kansas, Arizona, LSU, Auburn, South Carolina, Louisville, North Carolina State, Alabama, Oregon and TCU, all of which are implicated in the college basketball corruption scandal. There is evidence admitted under oath, sworn testimony and in the case of LSU coach Will Wade, wiretap evidence of him bragging about players he was attempting to buy. That the NCAA can smack down the Aggies for violations that pale in comparison to those committed by the schools in the corruption scandal is just more evidence that it’s time to abandon the NCAA altogether. The organization takes in billions, pays its bloated bureaucracy outrageous salaries, refuses to take decisive action against rules breakers and has too many unenforceable rules. We need a new organization with new rules that will make cheaters pay a hefty price, the sooner the better.

It must have felt like a rock in the pit of their stomachs when the Florida Gators left Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta last December after their 52-46 loss to Alabama in the SEC Championship Game. That game was a war and while there is no disgrace in being the only team to stay within a touchdown of the eventual national champs, this was a game the Gators could have won and they know it. What Dan Mullen has to hope is that the 2021 edition of the Gators remember all-too-well that three or four TV mistakes separated them from winning the SEC last year. Will the closeness of that game fuel an inner fire that can take the Gators on the Road to Atlanta for a second straight year? No one in the media believes Florida can get back to Atlanta. Once again, they’ve all bought into the annual Georgia hype. If championships were decided by opinion, on paper or by recruiting classes, then Georgia would be a shoo-in to make the national championship game every single year and the Gators would be one of those nice teams that wins a lot of games but never the big one. Fortunately, the games are decided on the field and while there are obstacles and speed bumps along the way, there is a clear path for the Gators to navigate the Road to Atlanta for a chance to deal with the unfinished business of 2020. It is a 12-game schedule that awaits the Gators, but to get back to Atlanta, it is the eight SEC games that count. Of those eight, three will almost certainly decide their fate – Alabama in The Swamp on September 18; LSU in Tiger Stadium on October 16; and Georgia in Jacksonville on October 30. If the Gators hold serve in the other five games, they can punch their ticket to Atlanta if they win two of those three as long as one of the two is Georgia. Can the Gators pull it off? Can they go 11-1 because that’s what it is almost certainly going to take to repeat as champions of the SEC East and make it to Atlanta for a chance to win Florida’s first SEC title since 2008. Here is a game-by-game breakdown of the 2021 schedule: GAME ONE: SEPTEMBER 4, FLORIDA ATLANTIC The last time Dan Mullen and the Gators had a close encounter with Willie Taggart was 2019, Taggart’s second year at Florida State. That didn’t end well (Gators won 40-17), nor did the 2018 game in Tallahassee (41-14 Florida win). Taggart is now the head coach at Florida Atlantic, where he lost more games (4) in nine games than Lane Kiffin did (3) the year before in 14. The five wins were against teams that won a combined 14 games. But, it was a COVID season so maybe it’s unfair to point out that the Owls went from 23rdnationally in total offense in 2019 to 112th in 2020 running Taggart’s Gulf Coast Offense. There is every good chance the Owls will be just as bad, maybe even worse in 2021 even with Taggart hiring Ed Warriner, formerly the O-line coach at Ohio State and Michigan, and Michael Johnson, whose last college gig was in 2019 as the Mississippi State wide receivers coach, to coordinate the offense. The skinny: This is a paycheck game. FAU can bus up to The Swamp and save a ton of money that can be used to pay for all those non-revenue scholarships. The Owls are a second tier team in Conference USA, which ranks only slightly ahead of the MAC as the weakest of the 10 Division I leagues, so they shouldn’t be much of a match for the Gators. It’s probably the perfect kind of opener for Mullen to gauge the progress of Emory Jones, who gets the first start at QB of his Florida career. Consider this an upset if the Gators win by fewer than four touchdowns. GAME TWO: SEPTEMBER 11, AT USF Jeff Scott had this cushy job at Clemson, where he was the co-offensive coordinator who got to call the plays for Trevor Lawrence. Needless to say, USF didn’t have a quarterback last year who could do a Lawrence impersonation nor is there one this year. The O-line, running backs and wide receivers weren’t exactly Clemson caliber either. The Bulls went 1-8 last year, losing to all eight Division I opponents they faced. The Bulls ranked 90th in total offense in 2020, 94th in total defense. They will be better this year but improved enough to give the Gators anything more than a good quarter or two at Raymond James Stadium? Nine starters return on the offensive side including four linemen. Former North Carolina transfer Cade Fortin, who played only two games due to a shoulder injury in 2020, is the expected starter at QB. Over on defense, Scott brought in six transfers from Power Five conferences to see if he could turn that group respectable. The skinny: The Bulls will be better in 2021 than they were last year. Better than FAU, Florida’s first game opponent? Mullen needs USF to be better because Big Bad Bama comes to town the next week. He doesn’t need anyone to get injured, but he doesn’t need the Bulls to just lay down and die either. He needs them to be competitive enough that he can determine if progress was made from week one to week two. This is the kind of game that UF might run for 300 or more yards against a rather weak 3-man front and linebackers that tend to reach the hole a split second too late. Dameon Pierce could have a monster game pounding it between the tackles. Other than injuries, Mullen’s greatest fear is that the Gators will be looking ahead to Alabama and not focusing on disposing of a team they should beat by at least 25 points. GAME THREE: SEPTEMBER 18, ALABAMA As a head coach, Dan Mullen is 0-10 against Nick Saban. It could have been 1-9 if not for three rather stupid and ill-timed defensive penalties in last year’s SEC Championship Game which the Gators lost 52-46. That was the closest any team came to beating Alabama last year. Alabama will come to The Swamp with what amounts to a brand new offense as eight starters including the Heisman Trophy winner and the record-breaking QB must be replaced among others. The defense is loaded with perhaps as many as five first round draft picks. They may have to carry the load if redshirt freshman quarterback Bryce Young takes awhile to figure things out. Since last year’s crowds were limited to 25 percent capacity, Young has never quarterbacked a game in the kind of atmosphere he will be subjected to in The Swamp. Will he be able to focus when the decibels reach the level of a 747 taking off? And will an offensive line with four new starters be able to function without a few false starts? Unless Alabama loses its season opener to Miami or plays poorly, the Crimson Tide will come to Gainesville favored by a touchdown or more. The skinny: This is the first of what seems to be a three-game gauntlet the Gators have to run if they intend to make a run at a second straight SEC East championship. To win, the Gators will have to eliminate turnovers, silly penalties, get a good game from the O-line whether it’s running the ball or protecting Jones, and Todd Grantham’s defense will have to get the Gators off the field. If the defense had just come up with one or two stops last year, the Gators could have beaten Alabama. If they can hold Alabama to three or fewer touchdowns, the Gators can win this game. That’s a tall order, but that is what it’s going to take. Win and the Gators will vault into the top five nationally. Lose a close one and the season’s not over. Get blown out and it might be a bad omen. GAME FOUR: SEPTEMBER 25, TENNESSEE Josh Heupel brings his no-huddle, run plays at breakneck pace offense to Tennessee, which had the 102ndranked offense in the country last year under the departed genius, Jeremy Pruitt. An exodus began even before Heupel was named the new HBC. More than 30 players left for greener pastures, leaving Heupel with nine returning starters and not much in the way of depth. Either Virginia Tech transfer Hendon Hooker or Michigan transfer Joe Milton figures to start at QB. Both are an upgrade from last year, but who will tote the rock? Who’s going to catch the ball? There aren’t any stud receivers returning and last year’s two leading runners will be starting this year at Oklahoma and North Carolina respectively. Linebacker went from strength to major weakness when all four of last year’s starters hit the transfer portal. Even if Heupel can wear teams down with his fast-paced offense, the defense doesn’t look promising at all. The skinny: The Vols have to hope the Gators have a hangover from the Alabama game, whether that’s from celebrating an upset win long into the following week or the disappointment of getting taken to the mat by Nick Saban. From a pure talent perspective, Florida has it all over the Vols. Last year’s 31-19 win over UT wasn’t nearly as close as the score might indicate, and while Florida is missing Kyle Trask, Kyle Pitts and Kadarius Toney from last year’s team, the Vols are missing much, much more. This is another game the Gators should be able to run the ball for big yardage. If there is no hangover from the Alabama game, Florida will win by two or more touchdowns. GAME FIVE: OCTOBER 2, AT KENTUCKY This is a game to circle. Kentucky has this nasty habit of bringing teams down to their level and turning games into a rock fight. The Wildcats have a huge, experienced offensive line led by All-SEC right tackle Darian Kinnard and one of the nation’s top power runners in Chris Rodriguez, who ran for 785 yards and 11 touchdowns while averaging 6.6 per carry in 2020. UK’s problem in the past few years hasn’t been running the ball but throwing it. That’s why Liam Coen is the new offensive coordinator and why Penn State transfer Will Levis will be the quarterback. For UK to be much more than a 6-6 or 7-5 team they have to throw the ball better to take the pressure off that running game. But don’t think the Wildcats will stray too far from ground and pound. They’ll need to control the clock and keep a defense that returns only two of the front seven starters off the field. If Kentucky can get a lead and a couple of stops, the Wildcats can slow the game down, making it very difficult to mount a comeback. That makes this a very dangerous game for the Gators. The skinny: A Florida win comes down to two things: (1) The Gators can’t let Kentucky control the clock with the running game; and (2) it will be imperative for Florida to get the lead to force the Wildcats to throw the football far more than they want. This is not a talented Kentucky defense, but when the running game gets going the Wildcats can keep the defense off the field for protracted periods of time. The big guys in the middle – Antonio Valentino, Daquan Newkirk and Gervon Dexter – have to be gap sound and Florida’s linebackers have to bring down UK runners with the initial hit. Over on the offensive side, because Kentucky doesn’t have much returning in the way of pass rush, the Gators should be able to light up the UK secondary. This is the kind of game that Justin Shorter and Florida’s big, fast receivers should dominate. If the Gators can stuff the run, it’s a two TD win for UF. If Kentucky can run the ball and control the clock, it will be white knuckles. GAME SIX: OCTOBER 9, VANDERBILT Vandy logic. The Commodores have had a long, dry spell on offense, so they fired Derek Mason, a former defensive coordinator who was clueless when it came to putting points on the scoreboard. So, what did the braintrust in Nashville do? They hired another defensive coordinator. Clark Lea, formerly of Notre Dame, is also a Vandy alum and he’s charged with resurrecting a program that has lost its way since James Franklin took the Commodores to three straight bowl games, which was a miracle of almost feeding the 5,000 proportions. They’re so excited about Lea at Vandy that they’re going to give him new locker rooms. That’s swell, but in the meantime Lea has to go to battle this year with the remnants of a team that did an oh-fer 2020. Last year Vandy ranked 110th nationally in total offense, 121st in total defense. Clark Lea might impart a new attitude and a fresh approach to the long haul, but for 2021, it will be like bringing a butter knife to a gunfight. The skinny: The greatest obstacle for the Gators when they face Vanderbilt will be between their ears. Sure, it’s Vandy and the Commodores are going to stink this year, but that’s no excuse to come to The Swamp lacking focus and looking ahead to the road trip to Baton Rouge the next week. There is no reason the Gators can’t hang 35 or more points on the Commodores and there is no reason Vandy should score more than a touchdown or two. That is, unless the Gators leave their game in the locker room, therefore turning what should be a blowout into one of those go ugly early type of games. This will mark the midpoint of the 2021 season. Will the Gators be 6-0 or 5-1 heading into Baton Rouge? GAME SEVEN: OCTOBER 16, AT LSU This is the second of the three-game gauntlet that likely determines if the Gators are contenders or pretenders. The Gators have lost the last two games to LSU, both of them winnable. In 2019, Florida had the Tigers on the ropes only to collapse in the fourth quarter to a team that went on to run the table and win the national championship. Last year, playing in the fog and in a partially filled Swamp, the Gators shot themselves in the feet so many times that LSU came away with a highly improbable win. The Tigers finished 2020 with a 5-5 record, which prompted Coach O to fire both his offensive and defensive coordinators. Armed with new people calling the plays and the usual impressive talent-filled two-deep, Coach O believes LSU will contend for the SEC West championship. Max Johnson, who was impressive in the Tigers’ win in Gainesville last year, will be the QB, operating behind a line that returns four starters and throwing to two of the faster receivers in the SEC in Kayshon Boutte and Jaray Jenkins. The good news is nine starters return on defense. That’s also the bad news since that defense gave up 35 points, 323 air yards and finished 124thnationally. For LSU to contend in the SEC West and to come away with a win over Florida, the Tigers are going to have to play substantially better on the defensive end and pray that Johnson doesn’t go through a sophomore slump at QB. The skinny: Saturday nights at Tiger Stadium can be an absolute nightmare because it seems half the state of Louisiana descends upon Bator Rouge a good two days prior to the game, then spends the next 48 hours getting liquored up and ready to turn Tiger Stadium into an absolute zoo. Saturday nights in Baton Rouge are not for the faint of heart, but there is a really good chance this game will be played in the afternoon since it’s the biggest game on the October 16 agenda and CBS is almost certain to make it their 3:30 showcase game. LSU in the daytime is a totally different animal. Day or night, Florida can win this game. It will come down to pass defense on the part of both teams. The Gators have to get pressure on Max Johnson and eliminate those 17-18 yard darts that turn into 30-yard gains. When UF has the ball, it will be a matter of keeping the Tigers off stride by getting Emory Jones and Anthony Richardson outside the box where they have the option to run or throw. This game sets up big for Justin Shorter, who is a total mismatch. Whoever plays the best pass defense and commits the fewest turnovers is going to win. GAME EIGHT: OCTOBER 30, GEORGIA IN JACKSONVILLE On paper, this is Kirby Smart’s best team at Georgia. Of course, we said the same thing every year since 2017. Expectations are once again through the roof and all because of JT Daniels. He’s supposed to be Georgia’s latest Moses who will take the Bulldogs to the Promised Land. Of course, they said the same thing about Jacob Eason (transferred, NFL now), Jake Fromm (left early for the NFL), Justin Fields (transferred, first round NFL pick) and they were saying the same thing about Wake Forest transfer Jamie Newman last year before he opted out of 2020. He was being hyped as a Heisman finalist by all the preseason mags but he was being outplayed in practice by the likes of Stetson Bennett IV and the now departed D’Wan Mathis, which led to the COVID excuse when he walked away. So here we are in 2021 and Georgia has it all, including this year’s preseason Heisman finalist in Daniels. The Bulldogs have a two-deep populated by former 5-star and 4-star recruits, former Florida HBC Will Muschamp helping Dan Lanning scheme the defense and offensive coordinator Todd Monken believing Daniels is the right guy at the right time in the right place. There is also a schedule that has two obstacles and a possible speed bump. One obstacle is Clemson in the season opener, but that isn’t an SEC game. The possible speed bump is at Auburn October 9, a place where Georgia has lost three times since 2010. But, with a win at Auburn the Bulldogs could easily arrive in Jacksonville with an unblemished SEC record for a winner-take-all game for the East Division title. The skinny: Georgia is the final leg of the three-game gauntlet that should decide Florida’s fate in the SEC East. UF can afford to lose one of the three as long as the Gators beat Georgia. If the Gators lose to Alabama and LSU, however, the East race will almost certainly be over even before October 30. The Gators lit up Georgia’s secondary last year and the UF defense, which had problems getting off the field most of the year, showed up and played its best game. The Gators won’t be one-dimensional offensively this year and the defense should be vastly improved. Will that be enough to score the win that could possibly send the Gators to Atlanta for a second straight year? The Gators won’t have the weight of expectation on their shoulders. They’re under the radar for the most part. Georgia? It’s another national championship or bust year. GAME NINE: NOVEMBER 6, AT SOUTH CAROLINA Well, the Gators don’t have Will Muschamp to kick around anymore. At least not at South Carolina. The new HBC is Shane Beamer, who has never been a head coach or even an offensive or defensive coordinator. He has inherited a team that went 2-8 last year when it had problems on both sides of the ball. South Carolina was 96th nationally in total offense, 105th in total defense. The Gamecocks do have Kevin Harris, last year’s leading rusher in the SEC, and four returning starters on the O-line to block for him. If Beamer is smart he will try the ground and pound approach to shorten games and keep what should be another bad defense off the field. With Luke Doty out indefinitely with a fractured bone in his foot, the quarterback will be D1AA transfer Jason Brown, who hasn’t played since 2019. The schedule includes Georgia, Texas A&M, Auburn and Clemson in addition to Florida. The skinny: From a strictly personnel aspect, Florida is four or five touchdowns better than the Gamecocks. About the only thing that will keep it close is if the Gators have to deal with a post-Georgia hangover. As long as the Gators come out focused and well-prepared, they will win this game with relative ease. Even if they don’t, the Gators will win. GAME TEN: NOVEMBER 13, SAMFORD Samford comes to The Swamp holding its cardboard “Will take a beating for a paycheck” sign. The Bulldogs figure to be a real factor in the Southern Conference race, largely because of senior quarterback Liam Welch, the preseason choice for SoCon Player of the Year. Samford coach Chris Hatcher played at Valdosta State under Hal Mumme where his offensive coordinator was Mike Leach, which explains the start throwing the moment the bus stops philosophy. It works well in the SoCon but it’s not going to get the Bulldogs a win in The Swamp. They’ll take their beating, cash their paycheck and hope nobody gets hurt for the D1AA playoffs. The skinny: These are the kind of games that can derail momentum late in a season. You’re supposed to win big. You’re supposed to play all the kids. You’re supposed to get some of the starters rested up for the final push. But sometimes you can’t get your mojo back. That’s what has to be avoided here. This should be dial-a-score for the Gators who still have an SEC game and FSU remaining on the schedule. GAME ELEVEN: NOVEMBER 20, AT MISSOURI As we saw at SEC Media Days, Mizzou HBC Eli Drinkwitz talks a good game. He caught the SEC by surprise last year when he went 5-5 against an SEC-only schedule, but that was in a pandemic year when nothing was normal. Now comes the hard part for Drinkwitz and the Tigers. Winning with things back to normal and no Larry Rountree III to run the ball or linebacker Nick Bolton to roam sideline to sideline making tackles. Drinkwitz has a QB in Connor Bazelac, who made giant strides last year. Improving an offense that averaged only 26.7 points per game falls largely on his shoulders. The problem is a defense that gave up 148 points and 1,627 yards in the final three games. Even with only 12 returning starters, the schedule strength is so weak overall that it might be very difficult for Mizzou to win fewer than eight games. They could go 8-4 and still not be a very good football team. The skinny: Late November in Columbia can be a problem. It has been known to snow and cold, wet, rainy days are no picnic. If the weather holds up and the Gators are healthy, this should be a solid Florida win. Even with a team that sometimes struggled to move the ball on the ground, the Gators still ran for 169 yards on Missouri last year. The Gators should be able to run for 200-plus and throw for 200-plus in this game. GAME TWELVE: NOVEMBER 27, FLORIDA STATE These aren’t Bobby Bowden’s Seminoles. They aren’t Jimbo Fisher’s either. Things were already heading south when Jimbo took the money and caught the next private plane out of Tallahassee for Aggieland. Since then it has been a Humpty Dumpty experience for the Seminoles. It took less than two seasons for the boosters to run Willie Taggart out of town. Now Mike Norvell is in charge of putting all the pieces back together again. He went 3-6 last year with a defense that finished 107th nationally and an offense that sputtered like a Yugo in need of a tuneup. The thought in Tallahassee is last year’s 3-6 was rock bottom so there is no place to go but up. FSU should be improved but there are only four games the Seminoles will be favored to win, so the Seminoles will have to figure out a way to steal two or three others to be bowl eligible for the first time since 2017. The Seminoles have an inspirational leader in UCF transfer McKenzie Milton to help the long haul back. That he’s even able to play is a true miracle. If he can help them win a few games, even better. But, 6-6 or 7-5 is the likely ceiling and that might be too high. The skinny: The rivalry was placed on hold due to COVID-19 last year so it’s back on the schedule once again. FSU won’t be as bad as last year, but the Seminoles are still a couple years away from being relevant again. Should the Gators come into this game as SEC East champs, they will have to avoid looking ahead to the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta. This isn’t a conference game so it doesn’t affect Atlanta, but it’s still FSU and that alone means it’s important. Mullen has never lost to FSU. He was 5-0 as Urban Meyer’s offensive coordinator and is 2-0 as the HBC at UF.

Dan Mullen is a football coach of the people. No, that does not mean Mullen takes what his critics say to heart and acts accordingly. In fact, Mullen has never been known to buckle under the pressure of his team’s fanbase. He is, however, his team’s fanbase’s biggest fan. Mullen loves seeing people in the stands. And he’s made that crystal clear on a number of occasions. Sometimes, it’s a good look: Sometimes, it’s a controversial look: And other times, it’s just a bad, bad take: Regardless, the common denominator is this: Dan Mullen loves playing in an environment that has fans cheek-to-cheek and fired up. And after a season like 2020, Mullen and the Gators are going to be reeling to look up at the walls of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium and see more than 17,000 fans. And if student ticket sales at the University of Florida are any indication, packing The Swamp just the way Mullen likes should be no problem. Student tickets had officially been sold out, UF announced on Tuesday. On the first day of student ticket sales back in May, over 7,000 tickets were purchased. In 2019, prior to the pandemic, 16,500 student tickets were sold. It’s unclear what “sold out” means in terms of quantity, but one could guess it’s approaching the 20,000 mark. Naturally, Florida’s attractive slate of home games this season have helped bolster ticket sales. Of the Gators’ three-game ticket packages, which include Alabama, Tennessee and FSU plus Vanderbilt and a choice between FAU and Samford, the Alabama plan has sold out. Tickets to the Alabama game being offered from the UAA have also sold out and are only available through resale. A full house is expected when the Gators host the Crimson Tide on Sept. 18. To date, the University of Florida or the Southeastern Conference hasn’t made mentions of limiting capacity at football games this fall. Last weekend, former longtime Gainesville Sun reporter Pat Dooley tweeted that he had caught wind that the University would be nixing tailgating ahead of the season opener against Florida Atlantic on Sept. 4. However, Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin was quick to respond, squashing the rumor. However, with the number of coronavirus cases rising once again, the feeling of not knowing what’s around the corner is eerily similar to that of last season. While both the UAA at UF and the SEC are “backing the vax” and encouraging players, coaches and other team personnel to get vaccinated for the coronavirus, it’s not that simple. Of the ten states with the lowest vaccination percentages, six are states containing an SEC school, according to the Mayo Clinic. The State of Florida appears to be in the middle of the pack with half of its population fully vaccinated. The country’s average is 51%. As it relates to the Gators, Mullen told the media last week that the team’s vaccination percentage continues to rise. While he said the Gators hadn’t reached the ranks of Ole Miss, which Lane Kiffin said boasted a 100% vaccination rate, Mullen said it’s a number to be proud of. “Our vaccinations continue to increase,” Mullen said last Thursday. “I don’t know the exact number. We’re not at 100%, but we’re really very, very, very high that way. We’re at a grade that you could bring home to your parents, you wouldn’t have to hide that report card. We’re at a percentage where you’d be proud to bring your report card home with our percentage number on there.” Florida’s season kicks off in just over two weeks when the Florida Atlantic Owls come to Gainesville for a game under the lights. It’s obvious that students have an appetite for college football after being away last season. And for Dan Mullen’s sake, hopefully students arrive early and stay late. Because he wants them and everyone else in The Swamp this fall. “Hopefully we’re able to get back to some normalcy in the fall when we hit the field again,” Mullen said back in March. “I think all the Gator Nation is going to be excited. Everyone I see is like, ‘Boy, I hope we can pack the Swamp. I hope we get there; I hope to get it back to where we want it to be as the fans.’ “They’re desperate to get back into the stadium and to go experience Saturdays in the Swamp. And so hopefully through all the precautions and everything going on we’re able to stay safe and we’re able to fill the stadium this fall.”

A few thoughts to jump start your Friday morning: THREE OBSERVATIONS FOR UF IN 2021 As Florida breaks camp and classes begin on Monday, things are about to normalize for the 2021 football season. The next week will be the single most critical week of the preseason since game week preparation for the opener with Florida Atlantic begins August 30. As the clock ticks down toward the game with FAU, here are three observations for the Gators for 2021: (1) This will be the most creative Dan Mullen has been as a play caller since 2008: A year ago, everything was geared to throwing the football. Mullen had a quarterback (Kyle Trask) who could move within the pocket to find clear throwing lanes and could deliver the football with astounding accuracy to a three-headed monster of receivers in Kyle Pitts, Kadarius Toney and Trevon Grimes. The emphasis shifts back to balance this year, but it will not curtail the potential to put up big numbers because of the versatility of quarterbacks Emory Jones and Anthony Richardson. You knew what Trask was going to do. You don’t know what Mullen has cooked up for Jones and Richardson who can run and throw quite well. Add to that five backs who can run and catch, talented receivers that are being sold short and an offensive line that might wind up far better than anyone expects and Mullen has options like he hasn’t had in a long, long time. (2) Grantham knows how predictable he’s become, so the UF defense will evolve: There is that old saying that is you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always be what you’ve always been. Todd Grantham has to understand that he’s quite fortunate to still have a job after last year’s defensive disaster. He’s working with better personnel this year but that won’t matter if it’s back to “Third and Grantham.” Either Grantham evolves and stops doing what he’s always done or else he will be looking for a new job next year. There aren’t a lot of $2 million a year coordinator jobs out there. Therefore, expect Grantham to shake things up. (3) Three games will probably determine if the Gators make it back to Atlanta: It’s a 12-game schedule and the Gators will be favored to win nine of them. For the moment at least, the Gators are underdogs in these three games – Alabama (September 18); at LSU (October 16) and Georgia (October 30 in Jacksonville). If the Gators were to win all three, it’s almost certain they would win the SEC East, but they probably win the division if they win two out of three as long as one of the three is Georgia. Georgia will probably arrive in Jacksonville unbeaten in SEC play, so a Florida win would give the Gators the tiebreaker even if UF were to lose to either Alabama or LSU. QUOTES FROM UF PLAYERS/COACHES AS AUGUST CAMP COMES TO AN END O-LINE COACH JOHN HEVESY The explosive potential of the offense: “We were explosive last year just throwing the ball. I think this year it’s being able to run the ball, being able to run the quarterback, being able to throw the ball. I think you watch the development of the quarterbacks and throwing the ball and the receivers and watch them during camp … you’re seeing it’s not just going to be a run the ball, run the ball. I think they’re doing a great job throwing the ball. To me when they’re running the ball it’s just an added bonus what the defense has to stop. They’ve got to stop more than just the passing game, where last year you see a lot of drop eight and those things. Now it’s okay, you can drop eight, but here comes the running backs, here comes the quarterbacks. You can pack it in the box, they can throw the ball and make big plays. I think it’s going to keep everybody up front and every skill position just doing our job and making plays.” How Kingsley Eguakun has become a factor at center: “Last year you saw him … I’d really say midway through the season you started seeing it. Then I think really during spring practice – had a great spring practice – and you saw the leadership role now at that position him being at center, commanding both sides, you know, the left side, the right side, putting everything together. You really saw the maturity in him come out, I think, during the summer … watched him, the leadership he did in the weight room, on the field with all the drills they do, and you’ve seen it so far in camp. I think that he’s got to continue in that path. He’s still got maturing to go, but I think he’s made a great jump in just his maturity on the field on top of the fundamentals and doing things as a unit more than as an individual.” LEFT TACKLE RICHARD GOURAIGE How the 52-46 loss to Alabama in the 2020 SEC Championship Game serves as motivation: “Coach always comes to, like, team meetings and talks about, ‘We lost by six, lost by six!’ The critical details and stuff like that is, like he says, man it comes down to the details and we come in every day of camp and trying to increase everything …” How the O-line has to step up so that the running game will be successful: “Coach really instilled in us that we need to run the ball more and stuff like that. And so, every day of camp, we’ve been pounding that rock … really. So, he’s just really installed because our whole offense changed since Emory [Jones] and Anthony [Richardson] came and stuff like that, and we just have to step up as a unit and just be more dominant.” Offensive linemen holding each other accountable: “We just look at every day at practice trying to get better, trying to increase our game and how we can be better individuals and hold each other to a higher standard. That’s it really. We just try to help each other the best way we can but we can’t look down the future too much.” Left guard Ethan White transforming from 400 pounds when he arrived to 319 now: “Ethan really bought into the system and really wanted to change his weight and everything, his diet and everything. Now look at him. He looks phenomenal. He’s moving great. He has great feet. I can remember him walking on campus and like, ‘Who is this guy?’ And now he’s natural, you know what I mean?” RUNNING BACK MALIK DAVIS On his expectations for Florida’s five running backs: “I expect big things. I expect us to be able to run the ball, catch the ball, protect the quarterback. I think all of us can do all of that all around. I think we’re bringing a lot to the table.” Impressions of quarterback Emory Jones: “With Emory, I think one of the most impressive things I’ve seen is his ability to extend plays. Last year we had Kyle [Trask] and he was more of a pocket quarterback, and Emory, like you say, he can run a little more, so that’s impressive, just seeing him escape the pocket and create a big play.” How Jones running helps the running backs: “I definitely think it will create larger holes, some bigger passes, just because he’s such a threat. When you’ve got a mobile quarterback, it opens up doors for a lot of opportunities for other guys on the field.” OVER, UNDER, AROUND AND THROUGH THE SEC Alabama: Redshirt freshman quarterback Bryce Young says one of the reasons Alabama appealed to him when he was a 5-star recruit out of Southern California was the level of expectations. “There obviously are expectations,” Young said in a Zoom interview Thursday, “but regardless of what happened in high school are any past experiences I’ve had, coming to ‘Bama is where you come for pressure and come for expectations. Everyone here when they signed on the dotted line and decided to come here, we knew it was going to come with expectations.” Arkansas: HBC Sam Pittman says that defensive coordinator Barry Odom turned down more money elsewhere to remain at Arkansas … Speaking to the media Thursday, Odom said about his defense, “They’re hungry to be good and they’re hungry to have success.” Auburn: Tight end Luke Deal says quarterbacks Bo Nix and LSU transfer TJ Finley “have really kind of bred success with each other … They really bring out the best in each other.” Georgia: “We’re beat up a little bit with some injuries,” Kirby Smart said Thursday. “We don’t have all our guys out there. We’ve got a lot of guys injured all around but I think this time of year everybody does” … With Warren Ericson sidelined with a broken snapping hand, Sedric Van Pran has taken over as the starting center. Ericson has been working out at guard. Kentucky: Six Kentucky football players have been arrested and charged with burglary – second team offensive guard Reuben (RJ) Adams, running back Robert (JuTahn) McClain, second team cornerback Andru Phillips, wide receiver Earnest Sanders IV, first team safety DeVito (Vito) Tisdale and defensive back Joel Williams. Tisdale, who is the starter at nickel, has also been charged with wanton endangerment … Joey Gatewood, formerly of Auburn and more recently Kentucky, is transferring to UCF. LSU: Coach O expects Myles Brennan to return sometime during the season. “He’s just getting now where he’s coming back around,” Coach O said about his injured quarterback. “Obviously, it was emotional. I think they’re going to try and put the pads on him as soon as they can. Maybe start throwing the ball, I don’t know, a month or something but I’m not in a hurry. I’m not going to rush it. I want him to be ready. I was told he could come back some time this season, as early as midseason, as late as open date, Alabama, something around there. None of that’s definite.” Mississippi State: SEC Network analyst and former Gator All-American Chris Doering took exception to Paul Finebaum’s criticism of Mike Leach in which he claims Leach doesn’t interact well with the community. Doering responded, “All that matters, especially in the SEC, is that you win football games. He’s [Leach] a guy who hasn’t ever shown interest in being a guy that goes out and puts himself in front of the program. Go ahead and look at [former MSU head coach] Joe Moorhead. Joe Moorhead I thought did a good job of trying to ingratiate himself into the community in Starkville and it didn’t matter because he didn’t win football games. In any situation, all you have to do is win football games. You can be the weirdest recluse of all time and if you win football games they’re going to like you.” Missouri: Shawn Robinson, who transferred to Missouri from TCU to play quarterback in 2020, is transitioning to safety. Ole Miss: From Twitter, Ole Miss HBC Lane Kiffin sounded off on quarterback Matt Corral, saying, “I don’t want to rat poison him but he’s done a great job from a leadership standpoint. And from an offensive standpoint, the guy’s accuracy is, I think I said, ‘insane,’ today, some of the throws that were made … it was at one point like a video game where there’s not an inaccurate throw.” Corral completed 70.9 percent of his passes last season. South Carolina: The foot injury suffered by starting quarterback Luke Doty has been re-evaluated as a sprain. His status for the season opener with Eastern Illinois has been elevated to questionable. Tennessee: Quarterback Brian Mauer, who hasn’t practiced since last Thursday, announced that he’s entering the NCAA transfer portal. Texas A&M: The Aggies have landed a commitment from Swedish tight end Theodor Ohrstrom, who is 6-6, 245. He had an offer from Alabama but his finalists were the Aggies, LSU and Ohio State. Vanderbilt: Incumbent Ken Seals and Mike Wright remain locked in a battle for the starting quarterback job. ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: In an interview with Mark Schlabach of ESPN, when asked about expanding the College Football Playoff to 12 teams, Nick Saban said, “I don’t like the fact that the [Group of 5] conference want their conference champions to be in the playoff. I coached at Toledo and we were conference champions. We sure as hell didn’t have any business playing Florida. That’s not the best teams. The other argument is are we getting the four best teams now? Is there somebody not getting in that could win?” Whether it’s the four best teams or not, the current CFP has become predictable and boring, unlike the NCAA Basketball Tournament which thrives because every year some unknown pulls off a stunning upset. The threat of upsets by some unknown make the tournament exciting even if we know the eventual champ is going to come from one of the power leagues. And, with 95 percent of the schools in Division I needing more cash, expanding the playoff to include the 65 teams from the non-power leagues is a necessity. Nick may not like it, but he isn’t going to get his way this time.

If Dameon Pierce is being honest, he’s tired of giving this stump speech. He swears he’s answered the question over and over, people unbelieving and poking, but the facts haven’t changed. So this time, he wants everyone to hear him loud and clear. “Make sure y’all write this down,” he asks. The Florida Gators running back room is packed, stacked and versatile. “You know me, I'm the bruiser, I'm the big guy, the big man,” begins Pierce. “I like to run through people not around people. You know, we got [Malik Davis]. I think [Davis] like to be in the open field more, like pass packages or whatever. “Nay'Quan [Wright], he like a little Swiss Army Knife, we put him out in the pass game or you know, he short and stocky to run through you too, you feel me? And then we got [Demarkcus] Bowman and Lorenzo [Lingard], who are like more of our top-end speed guys. Like, if they get step on you, you not catching 'em, so like, just hang that up. We’ve known this, at least in theory, for a while. After adding former five stars Lorenzo Lingard and Demarkcus Bowman through the transfer portal, as well as returning a three-headed monster in Dameon Pierce, Malik Davis and Nay’Quan Wright, it’s no surprise that Head Coach Dan Mullen told GatorBait at SEC Media Days that running back was the unit he worried about the least. We didn’t see much of the group last season (or any of Bowman or Lingard for that matter). The Gators were 96th in the nation in rushing offensive, averaging only 131 yards per game on the ground. Pierce didn’t care. He says the unit understood. “We had a generational quarterback here at Florida and maybe one of the greatest tight ends in the history of college football, so…” He trails off, allowing everyone to remember the record breaking offense the Gators had with Kyle Trask, Kyle Pitts and Kadarius Toney. Florida lived in the air, because they thrived there. “You had Kadarius Toney, you had Kyle Pitts. I mean, two No. 1 draft choices outside on the perimeter,” points out running backs coach Greg Knox. Pitts went No. 4 overall to the Atlanta Falcons and Toney was selected No. 20 overall by the New York Giants. Trask ended up going in the second round to the Super Bowl Champs, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he’ll learn behind Tom Brady. In other words, the Gators didn’t need to run. Even when the running backs did get involved, it was typically on swing passes and wheel routes that will haunt Kirby Smart for years to come. Now, with a mobile QB in Emory Jones and a lack of top speed talent on the outside, the Gators are moving their game inside and leaning on the five deep running back unit. It’s a weighty responsibility. Luckily for Greg Knox, he has a stable of backs that can carry the load. “I tell my guys all the time, ‘We’ve got to step up. We’ve got to play much better. We’ve got to do a better job. All right, we’ve got to be the bell cows.’ And so, as we approach practice every day, we approach practice with that mentality of being a leader, being able to carry the offense, being able to do our job and execute at a high level.” Their job, as all offensive plans do, stems from the quarterback. Jones’ teammates maintain he’s a pocket passer with mobile ability. But anyone who has seen Emory Jones play knows he’s not afraid to use his legs. The running game often sets up the passing game and Jones skill set in that area opens up the entire field for the running backs according to Malik Davis. “I definitely think it will create larger holes, some bigger passes, just because he’s such a threat. When you’ve got a mobile quarterback, it opens up doors for a lot of opportunities for other guys on the field.” If the Gators are going to become more balanced because of Jones’ legs, that also means finding ways to get all five guys involved in the game plan. As Pierce alluded to, Davis can be a huge threat in the open field as a pass catcher as well. In fact, Davis was the fifth leading receiver on the Gators last season, finishing with 31 receptions for 377 yards, averaging 31.4 yards per game just through the air. “Coming in as a freshman and then learning and seeing that the game of football is changing, even at the next level, that’s what’s required from running backs,” explains Davis. “So I just took it upon myself to just work on that. That’s something that I take pride in just working on, because it’s needed and it definitely helps.” Wright, who averaged 19 yards a game rushing and 19 yards a game receiving as a freshman, can also be a swing guy. The goal is to get them all involved, as much as possible. Dan Mullen is adjusting his playbook as such. “I wouldn’t be shocked to see us with multiple running back packages this year, with more than one on the field at a time a little more than we’ve done maybe in the past. Just utilizing our talent and our depth of what we have at that spot,” reveals Mullen. The key to making this quintet work though—the multiple sets, the rotations, everything—is a buy in from each and every guy. Running backs typically work up a lather, wanting to stay in a game and build up to big plays. In the NFL, teams are known to lean on one bellcow, just using others for situational plays or injuries. Knox doesn’t want just one bellcow though; he wants a team of oxen. For a team of oxen to not kill each other, they must move in the same direction, with the same goal. It’s a strategy the Gators have used in recent years with their receivers, and now it’s being applied to the strength of this year’s team. “I think one of the things that those guys have done is really bought into what we do of, one, our job is putting guys in position to do what they do well on the field,” brags Mullen. “When you get into play count of the ability to stay healthy, the ability to stay fresh by rotating a bunch of guys through, and our guys have really bought into that. “When you look at our running back stats as a whole position group, they’re pretty good and maybe not one guy gets all the stats, and everybody else gets nothing. It’s allowed us to be pretty successful over the last several years, and guys having the opportunity here as well as the opportunity beyond here because of how we’ve done things.” One of the greatest examples of this has been Lorenzo Lingard. The former Miami Hurricane was used sparingly last season, taking only five rush attempts for 32 yards and not appearing at all in three games. “For him to sit back and play his role that he had and support us, and every day he’s the same type of guy. Even today, we talked, we spoke today after practice about things that he liked that I did today. He was pointing some of those things out to me. That just shows you what type of person he is,” Davis says of his teammate. “I guess God just blessed me to be around those type of guys.” This rotation, and leaning on each guy at different times, allows for another advantage as well, as Dameon Pierce so eloquently states. "I mean, you can't break 80 yards if you're tired with dead legs man. So I'm alright with being fresh when I go out there.” The Florida Gators running back room is packed, stacked and versatile. They’re five-deep, a cohesive unit and as Pierce puts it, they come with a warning for opposing defenses. “All five of us dangerous, so don't go out there lackin'."