SEC Football 2008: Florida

Stacked offense offsets Gators' holes

By John Adams

Originally published 08:47 p.m., July 26, 2008
Updated 08:47 p.m., July 26, 2008

Florida coach Urban Meyer might have an affinity for offense, but you won't be able to tell it by preseason practice.

"Every day, I'm going to watch (the tackles) practice," Meyer said. "I'll get down there with the individual drills.

"I think that's the secret to if we have a successful defense."

It's not the only question. Off-season attrition at safety has thinned out the Gators' last line of defense.

There's also a question of leadership, which was lacking in last year's 9-4 team.

"We have a very good team coming back," Meyer said at SEC football media days on Wednesday.

That's worth about seven wins, Meyer said. Discipline will get you a couple of more wins, he added.

"But somehow, if you can develop a little leadership - not necessarily seniors - to get you off the field on fourth down or make a big play at the end of the game, that's when you start having great things happen."

Last season, great things happened mainly on offense for the Gators. Quarterback Tim Tebow won the Heisman Trophy, wide receiver/running back Percy Harvin totaled 1,622 yards rushing and receiving, and the Gators averaged 42.5 points and 457.2 yards per game.

Tebow, Harvin, preseason All-SEC tight end Cornelius Ingram and most of the other key contributors from last season return to an offense that has no apparent weakness.

Defense is a different matter.

The Gators ranked seventh in the SEC in total defense and last against the pass. Their shortcomings were often magnified when it mattered most.

"You saw it happen on fourth down five times against LSU," Meyer said. "We didn't get the guy down on fourth down because we just didn't have a guy make that play.

"The guy didn't step up. The huddle didn't get together. Some maybe didn't believe.

"Someone's got to disengage, get off a block and make a play. That comes from a team that's being well led."

Such leadership is most likely to come from 245-pound middle linebacker Brandon Spikes, who made first-team All-SEC last season as a sophomore.

"Brandon Spikes is a great player," Meyer said. "He could be a great leader. That's going to be a big part of our success if that happens."

Spikes, who led the team in tackles and fumble recoveries, is the surest thing on a defense that was last spotted giving up 41 points in a Capital One Bowl upset loss to Michigan.

With Spikes leading the way, linebacker isn't a problem. The ends also are well fortified with returning starter Jermaine Cunningham and 6-foot-6, 290-pound Carlos Dunlap, who dominated spring scrimmages and had four sacks in the spring game. Cornerback, a position of weakness last fall, is less of a concern now that Joe Haden, who started last year as a true freshman, and juniors Markihe Anderson and Woody Pierre-Louis have gained more experience.

The questions are elsewhere - at safety and tackle, where the Gators remain bigger on potential than production.

They aren't short of tackle candidates, including converted defensive end Lawrence Marsh, who has bulked up to 305 pounds; Terron Sanders, a sophomore who played sparingly last season as a backup; and junior college transfer Troy Epps, who distinguished himself in spring drills; and former starter Javier Estopinan.

Redshirt freshman John Brown and sophomore Torrey Davis, a couple of former high school All-Americans, also will compete for playing time. So will true freshmen Omar Hunter and Matt Patchan, who both ranked among the best high school linemen in the country last season. In fact, there has been speculation that the much-heralded Hunter might be good enough to start.

The Gators have so much potential and so many possibilities at tackle, they can't help but be improved. They aren't as deep at safety after Dorian Munroe suffered a season-ending knee injury and Jamar Hornsby was kicked off the team for disciplinary reasons.

Hard-hitting sophomore Major Wright and Ahmad Black, who excelled in the spring, are the likely starters. But don't count out consensus high school All-American Will Hill.

True freshmen Tebow and Harvin boosted the offense two years ago when Florida won the national championship. This time, the Gators might need a freshman spark on defense.

Sports editor John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knoxnews.com.