Offensively, it all starts with quarterback Tim Tebow. Tebow is the current Heisman Trophy winner and is only entering his third year. Tebow will have an incredibly talented group of players to carry the ball to, and as a result, I don’t see him hitting last season’s staggering totals of 32 aerial touchdowns and 23 ground touchdowns.
The Gators are stacked at the wide receiver position, they have two extremely talented tight ends and a lot of experience along the offensive line. Florida will deal the ball to wide receivers Percy Harvin, Louis Murphy and Riley Cooper, as well as a deep group of running backs who complement each other very well. Second-year running back Chris Rainey, who will also line up as a catcher, was the star of the spring game.
Florida led the SEC on offense last season and they have much of that unit coming back. I don’t expect the Gators to have much trouble moving the ball or scoring points in groups.
The Gators’ defense seemed to be improving as the season progressed. But Michigan completely humiliated them with 524 yards of offense in the Capital One Bowl. Coach Urban Meyer responded by bringing in two new defensive coaches. He also brought in a ton of talent from his recruiting class to improve the defensive side of the ball. Meyer also emphasized changing some defensive strategies. This season, Meyer plans to play more coverage outside of the man.
SEC linebacker Brandon Spikes is the cornerstone of Florida’s defense. The Gators will need the help of some of their freshmen to improve their defense. These freshmen include cornerback Janoris Jenkins, safety Will Hill and defensive tackle Omar Hunter.
On special teams, Florida will have a new kicker, most likely rookie Jacob Sturgis. Sturgis wowed coaches in the spring game by kicking a 60-yard field goal. Sophomore Chas Henry is back as the team’s kicker. Henry’s strong punts were very difficult for opponents to return last season.
Last season was a rebuilding year for Florida. The Gators lost a lot of talent from their 2006 National Championship team. They lost four games and were unable to repeat as SEC champions. IMHO, the pieces are in place for Florida to clinch another national title this season. However, it will not be an easy task.
The Gators are in the same division with Georgia, another preseason favorite. Florida also has a very tough schedule consisting of non-conference games against Miami, Florida State and Hawaii, road games in Tennessee and Arkansas, a home game against LSU, the defending national champions.
While it won’t be easy, Florida certainly has the talent to be considered one of the preseason favorites in the hunt for the 2008 national championship.