Previewing the Florida Gators offense for spring: Podcast

This GatorCountry podcast focuses on previewing the offensive side of the ball for the Florida Gators spring practices that start next Wednesday afternoon in Gainesville.

Andrew Spivey and Nick de la Torre break down each position on the offensive side of the ball, plus highlights the key position battles for this spring.

Andrew and Nick also preview the Florida Gators softball and baseball teams weekend series, plus talk a little Gators basketball in the podcast as Florida plays at Missouri on Saturday.

TRANSCRIPT:

Andrew:                 What’s up, Gator Country? Your man, Andrew Spivey, here. My man, Nicholas de la Torre. Nicholas, bringing fire podcast on gify day on Twitter today. We’re starting to be gify central. What’s going on?

Nick:                         You’re coming along nicely there with the gifs. I think they’re supposed to be gifs, but you can’t make a word, put it out there, and then a year later tell me that I’m saying it wrong. Should have said something earlier, buddy. Today is football preview day. We’ll preview the offense. I know everyone has been loving the baseball and softball coverage, as both of those teams are now unanimous #1s, but this is what you’re really here for. It’s almost football season, spring football season.

Andrew:                 No. People are really here for me, the Goat. I took a break from it, because people didn’t like it, but I’ve come to realize this. Does it matter what people think? It only matters what I think. The people are here for me really, Nicholas.

Nick:                         Maybe we should get you a reality TV show, and if you’re listening to this, tweet at me what Spivey’s reality TV show would be called, and I will retweet some of the better ones.

Andrew:                 It’s what? Keeping Up with the Kardashians? Isn’t that what it’s called?

Nick:                         That’s one of them.

Andrew:                 I don’t know what I could be. Following the Goat. That could be something. That could be cool. That could be really cool. I won’t bore the people no more. Football season. 365 days a year. It really does seem like just yesterday that we were in Orlando for the bowl game. It really doesn’t seem like it’s been that long ago, and some teams are almost done. I know Arizona’s halfway through with spring practice. Vandy’s midway through spring practice. Michigan’s down in Bradenton pissing people off. Let’s go.

Nick:                         Bielema said he was going to go down to open practice on Friday. NCAA told him that he cannot attend open practice.

Andrew:                 Mark Dantonio.

Nick:                         That would have been hilarious if 20 head coaches from other schools show up to Michigan’s practice.

Andrew:                 That would have been funny. Here’s the thing, and this is kind of, it almost makes my point even more clear. The NCAA says it’s a quiet period. Okay. So other coaches can’t go, but you granted Michigan. No. You’re wrong.

Nick:                         What if Brett brings his team?

Andrew:                 Yeah.

Nick:                         I guess if only the coach comes it’s a recruiting trip. If he brings a player, then the player’s just training.

Andrew:                 Whatever. It’s so much crock of crap. It’s so stupid.

Nick:                         Good for Jim Harbaugh, because it’s not as easy in my mind to recruit if you’re at a Big Ten school, versus an SEC school. He found a loophole, and he shimmied his way right through it.

Andrew:                 He did. It is what it is. That would have been funny had Brett Bielema just walked in. Brett got on my nerves with the whole Florida thing. Brett’s a funny dude, and he loves Twitter, that kind of stuff. I think it would have been cool. For real though, as much as the crap Brett Bielema gets, but he’s kind of the SEC version of Jim Harbaugh a little bit. He’s the guy that always creates controversy, tries to create his own news. Someone says to me the other day, they said it to me, and I don’t want to talk politics, but they made a good point. He said, “He’s a good politician, because he creates free media, Jim Harbaugh does.” It’s kind of what Brett Bielema is doing today. He’s keeping his name in the paper by people getting after him, kind of like a politician does. How do you fault him for that? It’s free advertisement.

Nick:                         Absolutely. Look, a Gator podcast is talking about it.

Andrew:                 There you go. The khaki pants, going out to Detroit Tigers game as third baseman. That is what it is. Let’s get into our offensive preview though. Nick, it’s going to be a really good spring for a change, because there’s enough offensive guys to fill the offensive team, and I say that in there’s enough offensive guys that are good players, that are going to be able to get out there and go at it. You want to start with the quarterback position, or you want to start with the line and work our way out?

Nick:                         We’ll start with the quarterback. That’s what they’re here for. I wrote about it, called it Groundhog Day. It seems like it’s the same old story. We’re going into spring, and who’s Florida’s starting quarterback?

Andrew:                 So we’re looking to see which quarterback sees the light, the sun? What is it? Pops their head out of the hole?

Nick:                         Groundhog Day is a movie with Bill Murray.

Andrew:                 Isn’t Groundhog Day a real day where it’s like do we have winter coming or spring? Isn’t that it?

Nick:                         I’m referencing the movie. You have to check out the movie to understand the reference there, buddy.

Andrew:                 Okay.

Nick:                         It’s a great movie. Classic.

Andrew:                 Thought you were trying to emphasis like the groundhog popping his head out of the tunnel or the hole or whatever you want to call it. That’s what I thought you were doing.

Nick:                         The movie’s based on that.

Andrew:                 Okay. Maybe one of these quarterbacks will pop up and start to lead the way. Let’s go quarterback play. Got four quarterbacks really. I’m going to go ahead and move Treon to receiver, like you and I have reported for a while. Are we cool with that?

Nick:                         Would I be surprised if Treon Harris comes out the first day of spring, second day of spring, with the quarterbacks? No. Do I think his future is at quarterback? No. To me spring is a time where you’re working things out. I wouldn’t be surprised if Florida still uses him at quarterback some, but, obviously, if you’re going to be moving in another direction, which I feel like they are, I feel like that’s pretty evident, then it behooves them to start getting Treon some looks at a different position.

Andrew:                 I think he will definitely be looking at another position this spring. Some time or another, like you said. Maybe he starts out at quarterback, but I think by the end of the time spring game goes you’ll be seeing him at receiver. You got two freshmen, Kyle Trask, Feleipe Franks. We’re both in agreement those guys are redshirt guys, correct?

Nick:                         Yes.

Andrew:                 So then you’ve got Austin Appleby, the transfer in from Purdue, and then you’ve got redshirt junior, Luke Del Rio. Heading into spring, Del Rio. It’s Del Rio’s job. Are we just going into spring looking for a second string guy? In my opinion that’s kind of what you’re looking at. We put on the message board at Gator Country on Monday or Tuesday that Kyle Trask has kind of leapfrogged Feleipe Franks. You and I have been told by multiple people he has the strongest arm on the team. Is it we know it’s going to be Del Rio, Appleby, or is it now competing between Trask and Franks as to which one would be the third string guy? What’s your outlook on that? Then I’ll give my outlook.

Nick:                         Here’s my thing about Luke Del Rio. He only had three scholarship offers coming out of high school. One of those was Colorado State and Jim McElwain. Instead he chose to walk on at Alabama, and that was Doug Nussmeier as the offensive coordinator. He spent a year redshirting there in that system. Then he leaves, goes to Oregon State. Comes back and is welcomed by two coaches, one that he’s worked with, and one that recruited him, and has another year to familiarize himself with the system. To me that is your starter. Florida’s not looking for, Jim McElwain and Doug Nussmeier aren’t looking for the next Johnny Manziel, the next Cam Newton. They don’t need a quarterback that’s going to put the team on their back and carry you to wins by themselves. They’re looking for a guy to run the offense and have the offense function effectively, because the quarterback is making smart decisions. To me, that is what they think they can get from Luke Del Rio.

When you get in two guys like Feleipe Franks and Kyle Trask, I think both of them need to redshirt. The coaching staff realizes that they both need to redshirt. There’s some things physically. Both are very gifted, strong arms, tall quarterbacks, but there’s a lot that goes into the mental side of the game, and when I talk about running the offense efficiently you’d rather have an experienced guy who has time in the offense rather than a quarterback who’s got 15 spring practices in the offense leading you forward. To me getting Austin Appleby as a graduate transfer is just your emergency safety vest that was sitting under your airplane seat. This is a guy who lost his starting job to a redshirt freshman last year at Purdue after just three games. He has 19 interceptions to 19 touchdowns. That’s not a good ratio, especially for a quarterback, or a quarterback coach and a head coach in Jim McElwain that really stresses throwing to the guy in the same color jersey.

So to me Luke Del Rio is your starter. If something were to happen to Del Rio, it would be Austin Appleby coming in as backup. If some crazy 2013 scenario happens and two guys go down, I think Kyle Trask would be the first guy off the bench. You really want to keep Franks’ redshirt intact. That’s my opinion, based on what I’ve seen of the guys, talking to people around the program. I think that would be your order, Del Rio, Appleby, Trask, Franks.

Andrew:                 That’s kind of where I’m at, unless Franks is just head and shoulders. The thing that someone described to me, and you and I were talking about this as well with Trask, is he’s like an infant at the quarterback position where he has all the tools. He’s going to be able to prepped in the way you want him to be prepped. You’re able to teach him the game more from a fresh start than it is trying to change someone’s philosophy and their thought process. Trask is a young guy who’s played in kind of a run first spread option attack, and he’s just kind of a raw quarterback that they’re able to do things with. They’re able to make him up, help him with his middle game.

I’m with you on Del Rio. Florida doesn’t need a quarterback that’s going to be the Heisman. They just need a game manager. That’s exactly what they needed out of Treon this year. Everyone wants to give Will Grier the Heisman Trophy, but he wasn’t exactly lighting the world up whenever he was at quarterback. He was just managing the game, not throwing a ton of interceptions, throwing the ball to the right color jersey, and making plays. When you look at Treon the last few games, you and I talked about it several times, there were so many wide open receivers that if a quarterback could just get the ball from Point A to Point B Florida does really well on offense.

McElwain, Nussmeier’s offensive system is great. You and I talked to people, and they’re like Nussmeier and McElwain are two guys that are just geniuses with coming up with ways to get their players in open space, creating mismatches, that kind of stuff. They just need a quarterback that can get the ball there. I think that’s going to be Del Rio. Del Rio’s a smart guy. Dad’s an NFL coach. He’s a guy that’s a very smart guy as well. I think that it’s Del Rio’s job to lose. My thing is this. Appleby, is he a guy that you can go to if need be, or is he, unfortunately, a guy like Josh Grady who no matter as bad as times get you can’t go to?

Nick:                         No. I think it’ll show itself, and that is going to be Appleby will be more of a Grady where it’s not, I don’t get the sense that Jim McElwain or Doug Nussmeier want to yank quarterbacks.

Andrew:                 That’s not what I’m saying at all. I’m saying this. If Del Rio gets in there and is struggling as bad as Treon Harris, Treon Harris at any other school in America is likely replaced. Correct or not?

Nick:                         You can’t say any other school.

Andrew:                 90% of other schools.

Nick:                         If Florida had a better option, they would have used it.

Andrew:                 Right. If they believed in their backup any bit. That’s what I’m saying. Will Appleby give the coaches confidence that if need be he can play, or is he a guy like Grady who you’re saying no matter if he throws 50 interceptions or whatever it may be, we got to stick with this guy, because we don’t believe in our backup?

Nick:                         If you name Luke Del Rio your starting quarterback I don’t think it gets to a point where it’s going to be bad, and you’re going to put in Austin Appleby. If it gets to that point I think you’re going to put in Kyle Trask, even a Feleipe Franks. I just don’t anticipate it getting to that point. It could happen. I don’t anticipate it.

Andrew:                 You’re not playing the game.

Nick:                         I’m not playing the game. I never play the game.

Andrew:                 You’re acting like a politician. I’m asking you for a straight answer. Is Appleby a serviceable backup, or a guy that is just strictly a number? Yes or no.

Nick:                         I would lean more towards that he’s just a number. It’s just so that you can hopefully preserve the redshirts for two other quarterbacks, and also you have two freshmen, and you bring in a redshirt senior to kind of show them the ropes. Show them how to prepare and do stuff like that. I don’t think he is an actual option. If he’s playing I don’t think that’s good for Florida.

Andrew:                 Thank you, Senator Del Rio. That was my question. Let’s go to running back position. We’re good on quarterback. Let’s go to running back. It’s kind of laughable to say that a guy that’s been on campus for what? Two months now, is going to be your starter, but nothing that I’ve been told leads me to believe that anybody but Mark Thompson is starting running back. Now I’m sure Jordan Scarlett and Jordan Cronkrite will get the first reps in spring, because they’ve been the guy, but when it comes to spring game Mark Thompson is the clear #1. Agree or disagree?

Nick:                         I think right now, just based on talking to Mark when we did, thank him again for joining the podcast, I think to me he has the right attitude. He knows that I’m coming to Florida hopefully for one year, and fans might not want to hear that, but that’s the attitude that he needs to have as a junior college kid coming in. He doesn’t have time to waste. You need to have that kind of mentality if you’re coming in as a Juco. In Mark Thompson’s mind this is his last year of college football, and he’ll be damned if he’s not going to be the starting running back.

Andrew:                 Right. That’s my view as well. If he is anything like he was last year he should be just fine. He’s that big bruiser Mac, Tim Skipper, Nussmeier, all those guys want. Thing is can he pick up the playbook and the system, and if he does then I think he’s there. For me this might be the most interesting battle for me is who’s going to be that #2? Does Jordan Scarlett show the promise we all thought he was going to be, or is he still taking back what held him back last year? Does he have his mind back right? Is he on football like he says? For me, this is one of the biggest battles is who’s that #2 guy? Is it Cronkrite, or is it Jordan Scarlett, who we all thought it was going to be? Then again, what happens if a Mark Thompson takes the starting job? Does it hurt the confidence of a Jordan Scarlett that he’s been in the system two years and is the backup?

Nick:                         I think that’s what you hit on. Last year there was some stuff with Scarlett not understanding why. I’m doing what they want me to do in practice. It’s not translating to playing time on Saturday. Then you start moping, and start not coming to practice or to meetings with the right attitude. Now going into year two I think the biggest question is if you’re not the starter, and this guy who hasn’t been in the program as long as you is the starter, how do you handle that mentally? Do you check out, or does it push it and fuel you to go harder in practice? I think that’s going to be the biggest thing. Physically everything is there, size, speed, quickness, everything is there. It’s just the mental part, and you can sweep it under the rug last year, and say he was a freshman, he was young, he’s dealing with a lot, and a lot of stuff is changing. Heading into your sophomore year you can’t keep using those same excuses. It’s kind of time now to figure it out. If you’re going to be the backup, you need to still approach every day like you’re the starter.

Andrew:                 Then, of course, the off the field stuff. You’ve got to do what you’ve got to do off the field. You’ve got to handle your business there and go forward with it. Then with Cronkrite, he did really well last year. Is he able to keep that up this year? That’s another thing going in. The thing for Florida is this, and I don’t know when the last time we can say this, but they really have three backs that I personally would feel comfortable with them all going in heading into the spring game. I would comfortable with any of those three guys taking the rock and running with it in the spring and in the spring game, and I think all three guys are very capable SEC running backs.

Nick:                         It’s a good problem to have. Mark Thompson, Scarlett, Jordan Cronkrite, and you can even add in a fourth with Mark Herndon. I’m very comfortable with Thompson, Scarlett, Cronkrite. To me, Jim McElwain has shown that he’s going to lean on one running back, and then that’s when you really get into how do the other guys handle it?

Andrew:                 I agree. The receiver position, you start to look at it.

Nick:                         Antonio Callaway will start.

Andrew:                 Yeah. Is it Callaway and then the two freshmen are the next best options on campus? You and I are hearing very big praise for Hot Sauce Hammond, Josh Hammond. I’m expecting him to have a good spring. I’m interested to see that for myself how he’s doing. You and I have been told by a couple people that he’s been having good days against the Gator’s best corner in Jalen Tabor. I’m interested to see that. Interested to see Freddie Swain, and then also which of these guys that are older guys that have been on campus, which one of these guys step up? Is it finally C.J. Worton? Does he finally let everything come into play? Is he finally the guy that we all kind of thought he could be, or is it just another year for C.J. Worton?

Nick:                         To me, you put aside Antonio Callaway, because he’s going to start, and then you start looking at guys. Who else is going to play on the outside? Does Ahmad Fulwood, does the light click for him? Jim McElwain, his biggest knock on Fulwood was that you’re 6’4”, but you don’t play 6’4”. Antonio Callaway might be 6’0, 6’1”, but he plays bigger than his size. Jim McElwain wasn’t asking Fulwood to play bigger than his size, just play like a 6’4” wide receiver. Chris Thompson’s another guy that’s been on campus for a while. Got some run last year, not much, and then you’ve got the new blood in Freddie Swain and Josh Hammond. I was very impressed with Josh Hammond at the Under Armour week, even admitted that I’d been down on him, not so much down, but hadn’t been excited or talking about Hammond’s commitment as much, but you and I have both heard very good things from the player run workouts that they’re doing and the team lifting that they’re doing.

You also have a guy like Dre Massey. We talk about Mark Thompson coming in with a mentality that the clock is ticking, the sand is almost done in the hourglass. Where does Dre Massey fit in in the slot with Brandon Powell? That’ll be a nice competition between the two of them for reps. It really, as it always is, is kind of wide open. The guys I think that will really compete for time are Powell, Fulwood, Massey, Hammond, Callaway obviously, C.J. Worton, Freddie Swain, Chris Thompson, and then you’ve got the other three guys who I don’t think are ready in Kalif Jackson, maybe a guy that could be moved to tight end if you’re looking at the tight end depth chart right now, Alvin Bailey, and Ryan Sosa.

Andrew:                 I agree. Probably right now I would say this. I would say it’s probably Callaway and Massey. That’s probably the two guys that I feel pretty good in saying they’re the starters. You’re looking for that X receiver or Z receiver, depending on if Callaway still stays at Z, or if he goes to the X, depending on where that goes. You’re still looking for that other outside receiver to go along with Dre Massey. Then you look at a guy like Brandon Powell. What role does Brandon Powell have? He underperformed majorly last year, coming in with some high expectations, and showed some glimpses, but in my opinion he’s just not a true receiver that catches the ball really well. Did he get better this off season? Where does he go from there?

Like you said, Ahmad Fulwood, senior time. It’s do or die now. If you don’t have a good year this year, your NFL career is over with. You’re not going to the NFL unless you have a good year. Then you look at Chris Thompson. He shows glimpses at times of being a guy, but can he be someone that does everything instead of just running simple nine route? You look at the other guys, Bailey, Sosa, and Worton, who develops out of that group? C.J. Worton at times showed that he can make plays, in the Alabama game shows he can make plays, but off the field stuff just troubles him so bad that you never know what’s going to come about.

For me, it’s what happens with Powell? Does Worton come back to be okay? Does Fulwood go? Then the freshmen guys, the newcomer guys. For me this might be the position that is the most unclear right now, and then heading into after the spring you’re really only adding Rick Wells. Who comes out of the spring looking like the starters? That’s going to be the biggest thing. Is it a Callaway and then the rest of the guys, or is it Callaway and a couple guys that can make defenses respect them?

Nick:                         It’s kind of, we talked about Groundhog Day with the quarterbacks, it’s kind of the same thing with wide receivers. Antonio Callaway was the pleasant surprise, and the question last year was who lines up on the other side of Demarcus Robinson? Now the question is who lines up on the other side of Antonio Callaway? Hopefully we’ll find an answer, and somebody will emerge in the spring, but I am very interested in seeing Swain and seeing Hammond. We’ve seen the other guys, know what they do. A lot of the stuff that they need to work on is not so much their game as it is handling everything right, from off the field to team meetings to film sessions to practice habits. Interesting to see what the freshmen have. It’s wide open there at that position.

Andrew:                 Another thing Brandon Powell had the injury. Is he healthy? That’s another thing.

Nick:                         He’s really had to battle that foot ever since he’s been at Florida.

Andrew:                 So that’s another thing. The good thing for Florida after the receiver position is the tight end position, which is basically the flexed out tight end or the inside receiver, C’yontai Lewis being that guy. He, before he had the hand injury, looked really good. Goolsby had some glimpses of being really good from that H back role there. Those two guys, in my opinion, are going to be guys that play a lot. Does Camrin Knight? Who, Nick, I know you’re not as high on as I am, but I think he could be that inline tight end for Florida. Does he make that step forward and do well, or do they have to move a guy like Kalif Jackson over there to be that third guy?

Nick:                         I think that Camrin Knight did play some last year and show that he could be a blocker, so if that’s what you’re looking for.

Andrew:                 An inline tight end. That’s what I’m saying.

Nick:                         If that’s what you’re looking for you’re not getting that from Kalif Jackson.

Andrew:                 No. I’m saying you’ve got to have a third guy. That’s Camrin Knight. If Camrin Knight falls down more, then you’ve got to go for Kalif Jackson to be that third guy, because goal line situations Florida did go three. They may have to go to Kalif. That’s what I’m saying. What happens there? They did sign a tight end in the Class of 2016. They got to go there. You and I are both in agreement Moral Stephens isn’t the answer, and probably won’t see the field. So it’s Kalif or Camrin Knight. I think Camrin Knight’s going to be just fine, but we’ll see.

Nick:                         I just know as far as being an offensive weapon what he brings, but I do think he probably showed some promise as an inline tight end, as a guy who can block some. Moving on.

Andrew:                 Hold on. Hold on. You just changed your tone, you freaking politician.

Nick:                         No. I said he’s not, I’m not throwing a pass to him. Would I put him in there to block on a running play? Sure. I’m not going to design plays for him and throw him the ball on offense. Absolutely not.

Andrew:                 You know who would?

Nick:                         Who?

Andrew:                 Will Muschamp.

Nick:                         Maybe he’d move him to defensive end, and then move him back.

Andrew:                 Maybe so. I mean, we’ll see. We’ll see.

Nick:                         Yeah. I’m not down on Camrin Knight as a player. Being a tight end is more than just catching passes, and you’d like to be able to see C’yontai Lewis and DeAndre Goolsby block better, quite frankly, but I just don’t see Camrin Knight as an offensive weapon. I think he’s a piece on offense that can help you in your all around offense, but not someone that you’re designing stuff for.

Andrew:                 We’ll agree on that. Let’s go to offensive line. For the first time in a long time there’s a couple pieces that are back. Let’s start with the guys that are back, real quick, that started last year. David Sharpe, left tackle, started. Martez Ivey started at left guard, probably goes to tackle, we’ll see, started. Tyler Jordan started at the end of the year at right guard, and then you had Fred Johnson who played some at right tackle. Those guys, Cam Dillard also started at center. So you’ve got those five. I believe that those five don’t start this year. I believe that Sharpe stays at left tackle. Does Ivey go to right tackle or stay at left guard? What happens with Fred Johnson if Ivey goes to right tackle? Does Jordan bump inside to center or stay at right guard? Where does Cameron Dillard go? Who plays right guard if Jordan bumps inside, or left guard if Ivey goes to right tackle?

Nick:                         I think Fred Johnson is thought of and kind of established as just a tackle. So I don’t think you would see him slide in. David Sharpe has really worked at both. Martez Ivey has worked at both. Maybe if you’re sliding anyone you might flip flop Ivey and Sharpe with left tackle, left guard. Then the only other spots that I could see with some movement would be the right side at center with Cam Dillard and Tyler Jordan, because you also have a guy like Nick Buchanan, who the coaching staff was high on, took a redshirt last year.

Andrew:                 And Travaris Dorsey, who before he was injured in the beginning of fall camp was a guy that the staff was also high on, because he was in the best shape of his life. Those two guys are big boys that can develop into two really good guards. Maybe the inside play hinges on whether those two guys develop or not as to whether you go with Jordan at center and Ivey at tackle, or if they don’t develop maybe you do have to stick Jordan and Ivey still at guard, or Sharpe at guard and Ivey at left tackle.

Nick:                         Yeah. These are good problems. When was the last time we were talking about moving returning starters? Last year Florida returned 11 starts, and 10 of them were Trip Thurman. You got guys to move around. I still don’t know, some guys I don’t know about. I don’t know about Antonio Riles. I don’t know about Kavaris Harkless, and I don’t know about Brandon Sandifer. I think he might still need to lose some weight, Heavy Chocolate is the name for a reason, and then I think Richerd Desir-Jones and Andrew Mike probably both still need some time. We might get to a point where is Andrew Mike ever going to play? Then you have a freshman in Stone Forsythe.

Andrew:                 T.J. McCoy also.

Nick:                         T.J. McCoy also. With Stone Forsythe at 6’7”, 309, I think you probably project him as a tackle, not really a spot for him right now, a guy that is 6’7, 309 pounds listed. I saw him next to Fred Johnson, who’s listed at 6’6”, and Johnson was taller and much thicker, much bigger than Stone Forsythe. Even made the comment, Fred Johnson is so massive that he’s making another massive human being look small. Stone Forsythe might be in a good position to sit back and learn, because David Sharpe’s a junior. If he leaves, now there’s a spot that’s opened up. Also, what we need to see is what will the rotation be? Will there be a rotation with the offensive line? Last year you did it, and in my mind it was probably to cover deficiencies. The offensive line wasn’t very good. So if we can rotate guys and keep them all fresh, at least we’re not going to have a line that we don’t really trust who’s now tired at the end of the game when we need to go out and win.

Andrew:                 I hope they don’t go to the rotation. I hate the rotation. I think it hurts consistency.

Nick:                         I agree. When you talk about offensive line that’s probably the one position where you need the most cohesiveness between the guys, all five guys really working together as one unit and one group, and to be constantly shuffling guys. It’s like when Kyle Perry at the beginning of two years ago when they won their championship, said we’ve got our first five and our second five. So those five guys will always play together. It wasn’t like that for Florida. You take a right guard, and put a new one in. You take a right tackle out, slide him over to left tackle. Left tackle’s out. Now you’ve got a new right tackle. It was just always mixing and matching guys, and I think it’s hard to build that cohesion you need.

Andrew:                 I agree. I think the things is McCoy or Dillard or Jordan can be your center. I think it depends though. I think Buchanan and Dorsey could determine what happens with the tackle positions. You and I were both told Buchanan was a guy that impressed a lot during the summer, and then kind of fell off a little bit during the fall. Then Dorsey was injured. We’ll see what happens on those guys. Now we’ve talked about each five groups, the one thing there is is this. There’s jobs open for grabs, and there’s some pretty good players battling for those jobs. Running back position and offensive line position are two spots that got some players there, just who’s going to win the job? Then at receiver there is a few players there. It’s a chance to battle for that spot of being opposite of Callaway, and then playing in the slot. For the first time in a while Florida has some pieces, and it’s just about who’s going to win the job. And they have a spring game finally.

Nick:                         And a spring game. It’ll be Friday night. I will unfortunately miss a baseball game that night, but it’ll be a Friday night. That’s pretty cool, as Jim McElwain would say. I’m looking forward to covering an actual game. What we had two years ago was pretty terrible. Last year wasn’t great. I’m looking forward to something that more resembles football for a spring game.

Andrew:                 Football is still little less than a week away, Wednesday the first practice. This weekend Gator softball, Gator baseball both at home. Florida has played, softball has only played two home games, so I’m sure they’re ready to get back at home. We’ll have six games this weekend over a three day period. That’ll be good for them to continue on that 16-0 run. Then the Gators welcome in Dartmouth after a midweek sweep over the UCF Golden Knights.

Nick:                         Yeah. Florida is really firing on all cylinders in baseball right now. 22 strikeouts for the Gators in two games. Really yesterday you had Jackson Cower coming in throwing 93, 96. I saw him top out I think 96, 97, and then you bring in Brady Singer. These are two guys who are pitching on a Wednesday that will both probably be first round picks in the 2019 draft.

Andrew:                 The thing is you said Cower throwing 96? That doesn’t even say the deal though. His changeup and breaking stuff for a freshman pitcher is insane. His pitch selection from Sully on Wednesday night was insanely good at keeping hitters off balance.

Nick:                         The reason that Sully is able to call the game the way he is is because Cower was throwing all three pitches for strikes. In baseball I don’t care how hard you throw batters will catch up to you. A changeup, a good changeup, is the most difficult pitch to hit, because it comes out exactly, if you can throw it out of your same arm slot, same arm speed as your fastball, now you’re trying to gear up for that. He’s throwing a 77 mile an hour changeup and a 96 mile an hour fastball, and the arm slot and everything about his delivery is the same. To master a changeup is something that guys in the pros don’t have. You’ll see pitchers get called up to major league teams, and they’ll be working on their changeup, and they’ll only go fastball, slider out of the bullpen.

Andrew:                 When you look at some of the best in the MLB, they have really good changeups. Tom Glavine made a living, is in the Hall of Fame now, because of his changeup. What’s even more impressive for me with Cowert is this. Nick, you can speak on this too. A right on right changeup is the most difficult pitch in baseball to throw, and a good right on right changeup is the best pitch when thrown off of your good fastball.

Nick:                         To me really any changeup. You can point to back in the day, what’s his name? The lefty, Barry Zito’s crazy curve ball that broke eight feet. You can point to a submarine pitcher that throws a slider that looks like a Frisbee, but to me because of the way that it’s thrown the most difficult pitch to changeup, and then the movement that you’re going to get from a right handed pitcher to a right handed batter is going to be kind of a down and in motion with the changeup. It’s just really tough. The most impressive thing to me is that he’s 18 years old, and not only does he have a great changeup, just as far as the speed, the way he throws it, but the way he’s able to command it. That’s different.

Andrew:                 This weekend Dartmouth shouldn’t put up a big challenge for Florida.

Nick:                         I just mentioned 22 strikeouts in two games against UCF. That number will be broken. Florida also only has eight homeruns this year, and that’s including two on Wednesday. I think that number will get a boost this weekend against Dartmouth.

Andrew:                 For me the weekend will be a success if A.J. Puk throws a good game on Saturday.

Nick:                         Right. You have to. Florida, I still believe that they’re the best team in the country, but for Florida to continue playing that way, and for Florida to reach their goals, they haven’t been shy about it, their goal is to win the College World Series. For Florida to do that they need the A.J. Puk that they had last year, and they haven’t gotten that. 4.1, 2.1 in his first two outings is not getting the job done, and you need the A.J. Puk who finished the year last year.

Andrew:                 Exactly. That’s for me. You want a sweep, of course, and that should happen, but it is baseball. It’s tough to sweep anybody, but they need A.J. Puk to hit on some strikes. Softball, much like baseball this weekend. Has a pretty easy schedule. They have Illinois State coming in with a 3-11 record. FIU with an 11-5 record, but all their games have been at home. Florida A&M coming in with a 5-6 record, and then the almighty South Alabama Jaguars coming in with a 8-6 record, a couple good losses to LSU and Alabama. Overall this six game span over four days you’ve got Illinois State on Thursday, FIU on Friday, a double header on Saturday with South Alabama and FIU, and then Sunday with Illinois State and Florida A&M as a double header.

For me this weekend is kind of like, I don’t want to say a scrimmage series, because it’s real games, and you want to continue that 16-0 run through this, but getting those pieces, figuring out this lineup this weekend is going to be big. Walton’s still playing with the lineup. DeWitt is in the two hole right now, kind of struggling a little bit in that two hole. Does she stay there? Do they move Merritt back? Kind of getting the loose pieces going again. We always talk about trial and error, and this is a great weekend to do that for Florida. Delanie Gourley, Kelly Barnhill, and Aleshia Ocasio shouldn’t have any problem this weekend against those teams. It’s big, because next weekend guess who comes into town? Or Florida goes to #3 Auburn in SEC play. So it’s your last tune up weekend. You need a good series.

Nick:                         Last week might not even be a tune up. You played some really good teams out there. I really think this week is kind of a tune up. I give you some heck for it with South Alabama, but that’s a good softball team. I think people just see the name and assume that they’ll just walk over, because that’s South Alabama. They’re a good softball team. Baseball team’s not bad either.

Andrew:                 No, baseball team’s really good, top 25 team. Softball is 26 in the country. Have only been in the program for five years, four straight appearances in the NCAA Tournament, including a super-regional appearance a couple years ago, two years ago, that they lost to Alabama. Last year lost to Alabama in the regionals. It’s a good team. Florida should still do really well this weekend. Again, I think it’s just all about this offensive lineup getting the pieces going. Walton’s been playing around some with some execution of some different things, from hit and runs, from some sacrifices to some double steals. It’s all about getting all that together this weekend. Again, the pitching staff is doing well. It will be interesting to see next weekend how he does his pitching staff, but this weekend I think all three throw in the six game series. Diamond’s there. Basketball going to Missouri. It’s must win again. You win here.

Nick:                         You’ve kind of passed that point of must win with this team. Yes, you have to win, but winning this game doesn’t get you into the tournament.

Andrew:                 No, but a loss here, and it would take winning the SEC Championship. A win here and getting far along in the tournament maybe gets you in. You can’t lose five in a row. You lose five in a row here, and then go one and done in the SEC Tournament, are you even a lock for the NIT?

Nick:                         I don’t know. Florida’s going to have to end up traveling for that anyway.

Andrew:                 Couple things real quick on some other sports. Florida women’s basketball plays Friday. They got a double bye in the SEC Tournament, so they play on Friday in the quarter finals. That should be good for them. Lacrosse, been noticing that a little bit on social media. Took care of the #2 team two times in a row, Syracuse and North Carolina. The Gators are doing well on Lacrosse. They should be doing well. Gymnastics has its final home meet against Kentucky this weekend. I think it’s the last ever event in the O Dome.

Nick:                         I think gymnastics?

Andrew:                 I think it’s this weekend. Is this weekend the last meet, or do they have one more?

Nick:                         It’s either this weekend or next weekend. I probably should have had that pulled up.

Andrew:                 Here we go. I’m telling you right now. They have Kentucky on the road this weekend, and then next weekend is the one.

Nick:                         So Friday, March 11 at 6:45. That will be the last, I keep saying the last thing in the O Dome, but it’s just a renovation. Not the last thing in the O Dome.

Andrew:                 It will be totally different, in my opinion, except for the outside deal. Good things coming.

Nick:                         If you’re rich you can drink beer and wine at the games. If you’re in the opposite of the cheap seats.

Andrew:                 In my opinion it should be open to everybody, because alcohol sales are good money. any program needs more money. Think about what Florida could do, football program, with more money. Could do a lot of things with more money. Let’s go. Get that going. Get some more money in that. Recruiting, a couple of big name prospects coming on campus this weekend. Five star receiver, James Robinson, and his teammate, A.J. Davis, from Lakeland High School coming on campus for an unofficial visit this Saturday. That should be fun. Prospects will be coming in for spring practice, starts next week. That should be fun as well. Nick, I think there’s only one place that they can find every bit of this and much, much more.

Nick:                         That spot is my Twitter feed, @NickdelaTorreGC, Andrew Spivey @AndrewSpiveyGC. GatorCountry on Twitter. TheGatorCountry on Instagram. Also on our Facebook page. Just search Gator Country there. It’s going to be a big weekend with softball, baseball. I might even sneak out to a softball game on Thursday, just to hang out. Then we’ll get big series, and then we’ll be back probably on Monday. We’ve been doing these on Tuesday, Thursday, but with spring practice here we’ll probably go back to three podcasts per week, Monday, Wednesday, Friday. You’ll probably hear our defensive review on Monday. Be ready.

Andrew:                 Be ready, for sure. Florida’s going to have a successful spring, but Rick and Butch, I don’t think so. You still suck, boys. Go Braves. Chomp, chomp.

Nick:                         You stay classy, Gator Country.

Andrew:                 Nice of you to say that after I say bad things.

Andrew Spivey
Andrew always knew he wanted to be involved with sports in some capacity. He began by coaching high school football for six years before deciding to pursue a career in journalism. While coaching, he was a part of two state semifinal teams in the state of Alabama. Given his past coaching experience, he figured covering recruiting would be a perfect fit. He began his career as an intern for Rivals.com, covering University of Florida football recruiting. After interning with Rivals for six months, he joined the Gator Country family as a recruiting analyst. Andrew enjoys spending his free time on the golf course and watching his beloved Atlanta Braves. Follow him on Twitter at @AndrewSpiveyGC.

2 COMMENTS

  1. Why did you guys say after spring they only have Rick Wells? What about Tyrie Cleveland? He’s definitely going to be in the mix. Maybe even start. I think the top six are going to be Callaway,Hammond,Cleveland,Swain,Powell,and Massey, in no order.

  2. I would like to see them swap Sharpe and Ivey. Put Sharpe at LG and Ivey at LT. Sharpe is bigger and seems to be stronger and Ivey seems to have quicker feet. It’s looks kinda weird having a 6-6 355lb LT and a 6-6 305lb LG.