Five list of five: Florida Gators preseason

Last Time Out:

• Florida lost to Michigan 41-7 in the Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl

2015 Breakdown:

• Head Coach: Jim McElwain (10-4 in his 1st season as Head Coach of Florida)
• Conference: Southeastern Conference Eastern Division Champions
• 2015 Overall Record: 10-4
• 2015 Conference Record: 7-1
Top 5 Players Entering Fall:

1. Jalen Tabor (Junior) – Cornerback
Preseason all-conference and all-American will take over the show full time with Hargreaves now gone. A good year and this will most likely be his last as a Gator.
2. Jarrad Davis (Senior) – Linebacker
The heart and soul of the Florida defense returns. The unsung recruit from Georgia will prove why he is one of the best in the SEC.
3. Antonio Callaway (Sophomore) – Wide Receiver
The most explosive weapon on the roster. He has game changing ability and will be relied upon on offense and special teams.
4. CeCe Jefferson (Sophomore) – Defensive Linemen
CeCe will line up inside and outside and show his versatility. Don’t expect a sophomore slump from CeCe, he is one of the best young talents in the conference.
5. David Sharpe (Junior) – Offensive Linemen
Sharpe has fought through injuries to be the anchor on the Florida line. He has continued to get better since arriving and that will not change heading into the season.

5 Things to Pay Attention to:

1. The QB “Competition”:
Exiting spring Jim McElwain did not name a starter but Luke Del Rio seems to be favorite entering the fall. Austin Appleby will challenge him for the starter role but most likely will be the number two guy. True freshman Kyle Trask and Felipe Franks should be redshirted this year barring an injury.
2. Defensive Back Depth
The Gators will once again field one of the best defensive back units in the nation. With Jalen Tabor, Marcus Maye and Quincy Wilson leading the way the starters in the secondary will be strong. The concern comes from those behind them, especially at corner. New defensive back coach Torrian Gray will need to develop young prospects Chris Williamson and Chauncey Gardner to give them production early in the year.
3. Offensive Line
One of the weak spots on last year’s squad was the play of the offensive line unit. The Gators will be looking to David Sharpe and Martez Ivey to lead the way. Florida also returns experience with Antonio Riles, Cameron Dillard, Tyler Jordan and Fred Johnson. This unit should be much improved heading into the season.
4. Newcomers
Since arriving in Gainesville McElwain has done a great job adding more talent to the roster, especially on offense. Look for JUCO newcomers Mark Thompson and Dre Massey to contribute early. In addition to the JUCO additions Florida brought in some young players in the spring that should see playing time, mainly freshman receivers Joshua Hammond and Freddie Swain. Of those coming in the fall wide out Tyrie Cleveland and defensive end Antonneous Clayton will see the field early.
5. Tight End Position
The Florida offense lost a reliable weapon in Jake McGee but DeAndre Goolsby and C’yontai Lewis are more than capable of filling the role. They provide versatility and big play ability. If they can be strong blockers in the run game they can be a match up problem for defenses moving forward.

5 Players to Pay Attention to:

1. Kylan Johnson
If you did not see the Orange and Blue Debut you missed a possible coming out party by Kylan Johnson. The former safety turned linebacker from Dallas received plenty of attention throughout spring and if he keeps that pace he will challenge for a starting role on defense.
2. Jordan Cronkrite
Last year many were expecting the other Jordan to steal the show at running back but it was Cronkrite who proved to be more consistent. At the beginning of spring practices, a lot of eyes were on Mark Thompson but it was Cronkrite who led the way. Last year he showed versatility and strength running between the tackles. He could be the breakout player on offense no one is talking about.
3. Eddie Pineiro
We are aware of Pineiro’s YouTube popularity kicking from everywhere on the planet and he showed that skill during the Orange and Blue game as well. Now when the lights come on can he still make it happen. He could be the most important special team’s newcomer to any team in the SEC.
4. Caleb Brantley
Now that Jonathan Bullard has exited Caleb Brantley will be relied upon to anchor the Florida interior of the defensive line. We will see many players rotate around him but his ability the hold down the middle will be the difference between a very good defense and a great to elite defense. The self-tabbed “Best defensive linemen in the country” will be looking to prove that this year.
5. Alex Anzalone
Once again Anzalone’s season was cut short due to injury. His presence will be needed this year now that Antonio Morrison has gone. The highly recruited athlete from Pennsylvania will look to form a 1-2 punch at linebacker with Jarrad Davis and show that there will be no drop off with Morrision gone.

5 Signs It Was a Good Preseason:

1. Quarterback Play is Solid
It has been a long time since the Gators have had no questions at quarterback entering the season. That is no different this year so the hope is that when UMass arrives on September 3rd that staff will be confident and sure about the play at quarterback.
2. No Major Injuries OR Suspensions
If history has taught us anything recently, Injuries and suspension can derail a season very quickly. If Florida can enter the season with a close to healthy and clean roster as possible that will be good momentum heading into a season with a legitimate opportunity to win the east.
3. Offensive Line Depth is Built
Last season Florida was duct taping an offensive line together and it showed as the season went along as they were inconsistent thoughout the year. The staff has done some good recruiting and now they will need to work to build the depth. The SEC season is a grind and it is hard to expect a season without injuries on the line. There also has to be a development at tackle behind Sharpe who has battled injuries and Martez Ivey as well.
4. Pineiro’s Continued Success
Pineiro is coming off of a solid spring and Orange and Blue game. His kicking was probably the most relieving news coming out of spring practice. As he gets used to kicking under pressure and in game situations this will be a major plus for the entire Florida pursuit of another SEC East title.
5. A Receiver Emerges Opposite Callaway
We have seen what Callaway can do on the field, he will be the focal point of defenses until another option emerges. Ahmad Fulwood will be the hope here, coaches praised him during the spring so hopefully that translates to the field. Most will be excited about the new options in Dre Massey, Tyrie Cleveland, Freddie Swain and Joshua Hammond, but we can’t sleep on the veterans still here, C.J. Worton, Brandon Powell and Chris Thompson.

5 Predictions:

1. No announcement made at QB until week of the first game
Unless there is a clear separation under center don’t expect McElwain to announce a starter any time soon. This will be a conversation throughout fall practice but as stated before expect Luke Del Rio to take the first snap and hold the position throughout the season unless injury occurs.
2. Receiver play is enhanced due to upgrade at quarterback
Expect the new guys to breakthrough and build quality depth a receiver. This will be due to upgraded talent but largely in part due to quarterback play. We saw early in the season last year, when the quarterback play was good, the receivers were highlighted.
3. Antonneuos Clayton will break into the defensive rotation early.
Coming out of high school Clayton had one of the quickest first step you will see amongst any prospect. He dominated at the Under Armour All-American game and earned more recognition heading towards signing day. Florida list Clayton at 227 lbs. so every down right now may be tough but there is no doubt he will see action in passing situations.
4. Chauncey Gardner will challenge for a starting role
Coming into fall Nick Washington and Marcell Harris will compete for the starting role opposite Marcus Maye. By game week we will see Gardner on the same line. He provides speed and big play ability on the back end that Washington and Harris don’t provide. If he is not named starter, he will see plenty of playing time.
5. Florida Special Teams will be really special
Last year the Florida special teams as a whole was a mixed bag. While Florida had one the best punters in conference with Johnny Townsend and one of the best punt return men with Antonio Callaway, placekicking was a nightmare regardless of distance and the production on kickoff return was underwhelming. That will all change with the addition of Eddie Pineiro kicking to go along with the return of Townsend at punter. Callaway will continue to be explosive and if the staff chooses not to use him on kickoff there are more explosive options available. I fully expect the Florida special team’s unit to be the difference in a game or two this year.

Kevin Camps
Kevin, a lifelong Gator fan has followed and studied Florida football since 1990. He is a Gainesville native that has experienced many great triumphs of Florida football. Born and raised as a Gator, Kevin loves to talk and promote the Gator Nation. When not talking Gators, Kevin is spending time with his wife and five kids, serving in his church or grilling great bbq.

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