It's go time as Gators face LSU
By Edward Aschoff
Correspondent
Published: Monday, October 5, 2009 at 6:01 a.m.
Last Modified: Monday, October 5, 2009 at 12:47 a.m.
Now is the time for Florida's football team to take flight.
Four games have passed. Health issues came and went and the learning period is over.
As the top-ranked Gators (4-0, 2-0 SEC) begin their October schedule, they’ll dive into the heart of the season. The part of the year where seasons are made — and destroyed — in the Southeastern Conference.
“It’s a little bit like this time last year (after) the Arkansas game … some team’s going to catch fire here,” Florida coach Urban Meyer said. “I hope it’s the Gators, but we’re not on fire yet.”
On the surface, it appears Florida has it all. The Gators are No. 1, have the top-ranked defense nationally (212.8 yards allowed per game) and have the third-best offense (526.2 yards per game).
However, Florida’s had its hiccups with penalties and turnovers. Florida’s also struggled to find a go-to receiver outside of senior Riley Cooper.
Now, there’s uncertainty at the most critical position.
It’s been a little more than a week since All-America quarterback Tim Tebow was forced out of Florida’s 41-7 win at Kentucky after his third-quarter concussion.
Tebow spent most of last week undergoing tests, but there has been no word if he’ll play or practice this week.
Tebow’s injury means the Gators could enter one of their more difficult games Saturday with backup John Brantley under center. Florida travels to No. 4 LSU (5-0, 3-0 SEC), which is fresh off a 20-13 win at Georgia.
The Tigers will be fueled by momentum. The Gators, fueled by rest.
Florida used its much-needed bye week to sit those slowed by illness, like safety Will Hill, or nagging injuries, like Lawrence Marsh (ankle) and Deonte Thompson (hamstring).
“It’s a very important week for us,” redshirt senior receiver David Nelson said. “We have a huge SEC stretch coming up — LSU, Arkansas and Georgia. This is a time for a lot of the guys to get healthy and get their minds right and get ready.”
The bye week also means Florida will certainly be prepared. Meyer’s teams are 28-3 when having more than a week to prepare for a game.
But the Tebow issue still looms. Brantley, a redshirt sophomore, could make his first-career start in one of college football’s most hostile environments. The pressure is there, but so is the confidence.
“He’s a quarterback at Florida,” junior offensive lineman Maurkice Pouncey said of Brantley. “We recruited him to be one of the best and he is.
“He can throw it really great. I like him a lot. I’m confident in Brantley. I have no problem with (Brantley starting) at all.”
Brantley could find himself manning the beginning of Florida’s chances at a season-defining run.
This time last year, Florida and Mississippi caught fire. It was Ole Miss’ 31-30 defeat of the Gators to close out September that turned the Gators’ season around. Florida averaged just under 500 yards of total offense in its final eight regular-season games en route to capturing the SEC and national championship.
The Rebels dropped two after the UF win, but finished the year on a six-game winning streak, including a 47-34 win over Texas Tech in the Cotton Bowl.
Two years prior, Florida won its last five after a loss to Auburn and claimed the SEC championship and the school’s second national title.
A win Saturday could go a long way in stimulating yet another championship run that Meyer desires.
“You watch these SEC teams, it’s this time of year every year,” he said. “Some team just gets going and they go. It has to be us.”
http://www.gainesville.com/article/...88/1002?Title=It-s-go-time-as-Gators-face-LSU
hmmm....doesn't sound all that promising.