Gator Country

Aaron Hernandez heads upfield with a pass at Monday's practice. He's Florida's most consistent and dangerous receiver this spring/Gator Country Photo by Tim Casey

Florida’s offense has struggled to find consistency this spring. All you have to do is look on the sideline to all the players that have been missing practice due to injuries to see why there has been a definite lack of productivity.

Offensive players that missed Monday’s practice included guards Mike Pouncey (shoulder), Maurice Hurt (neck/shoulder), James Wilson (foot) and David Young (sprained ankle); center Maurkice Pouncey (shoulder); tackle Matt Patchan (knee injured in a scooter accident); kick returner/running back Brandon James (broken foot) and wide receivers David Nelson (sprained foot) and Deonte Thompson (hamstring).

As if they needed more bad news, early enrollee freshman tight end Desmond Parks left the field on the cart with a sprained knee.

The offensive line has been exposed this spring with so many injuries. The Pouncey Twins mean the starting center and right guard are out. Wilson has spent the spring as the starter at left guard. Maurice Hurt, who started the spring as the starter with Mike Pouncey out until August, has been slowed by his chronic shoulder/neck problems.  Juniors Carl Johnson and Marcus Gilbert are the only original starters that began the spring who are still healthy.

With so many linemen out with injuries Monday, Florida’s first offensive line often included Sam Robey at center, Corey Hobbs or Byran Jones at left guard, Johnson at right guard, Gilbert at left tackle and true freshman Nick Alajajian at right tackle.

Robey didn’t have a great day Monday, but Coach Meyer said after practice how much they love his versatility. If Wilson continues to struggle with injuries there could be a possibility that Robey could remain at center with the Pouncey Twins playing the guards.

Gilbert might have had the best day of the first team offensive linemen. He sealed off the left side of the line at least twice that sprung Emmanuel Moody for long runs.

The second team offensive lineman used walkon sophomore Billy Steinmann at left tackle, with Alajajian at right tackle. Jonotthan Harrison played some snaps at left guard, with Byran Jones also helping the second team at right guard. Hobbs also worked double duty by taking snaps at second team center.

The offensive line definitely struggled Monday afternoon, but it’s hard to expect anything less. The first team is down three starters, which bumps the second team players into the starting lineup, and leaves holes for walk-ons to fill in the second team.

NO HOLES: As expected when the offensive line is struggling, Emmanuel Moody, Chris Rainey and Chris Scott didn’t do too much Monday. Moody had a few nice runs, but more than half of them came after he dodged a defensive lineman in the backfield.

Rainey had a nice run between the tackles that came after he put a move on defensive tackle Omar Hunter, who was already in the backfield. Rainey also owned a one-on-one tackling drill. It puts the ball carrier in space with the defensive player expected to stop him.

Rainey faked left and went hard to his right, leaving Brandon Spikes grabbing armfuls of air. The two were matched up a few reps later, and Spikes went aggressively for Rainey, hoping to get to him before he made a move. Instead, Rainey gave a spin move and Spikes whiffed again. Spikes has always struggled to tackle Brandon James in this drill, and it looks like Rainey is simply taking his place.

Scott actually had an impressive run between the tackles today. He was already about 20 yards down the field before using a head fake to get the corner and go around the safety. He might not be a factor in the fall, but he is certainly taking advantage of Jeff Demps running track this spring.

Demps was also at practice in street clothes observing practice.

NO RECEIVING: Wide receiver became a bigger hole when Thompson spent his entire practice observing.

Carl Moore has been hit or miss this entire spring. He looked to be mostly missing Monday. He dropped a few passes and had some problems getting open consistently. Tim Tebow lobbed a few passes up to him on the run, but Moore was unable to make a play on any of the passes with even a tip. Moore has been on campus for a full year now. It’s time that he starts playing like it.

T.J. Lawrence had a same old story practice which means he made some plays and dropped some passes. Lawrence dropped a pass from Tebow on a drag route, which prompted Tebow to yell at him from across the field to hold onto the football. A few plays later Lawrence caught a pass across the middle of the field for a nice gain.

Frankie Hammond has to be the biggest offensive surprise so far. His most impressive play on Monday actually came on an incomplete pass. John Brantley was rolling out and threw a ball over Hammond’s head near the sideline. Hammond, who was one of the best high jumpers in the state as a high school senior, jumped towards the ball like he was shot from a cannon. Everyone knew this spring that he can run and catch the ball, but he is showing new elements to his game.

SAFETY BLANKET: Where the receivers may be struggling, Aaron Hernandez is truly proving his worth. The receivers can’t get open, so the Florida quarterbacks are depending on Hernandez when the feel pressure. He is almost always open on the underneath routes.

The Florida coaches used Hernandez on some deeper routes Monday. He can go up and get the ball as effectively as any receiver on the team.

BONE CRUSHERS: The Florida secondary played physical Monday, and it may not have come from the guys who expect. Florida was working on the two-minute offense and Brantley dropped the ball off to Lawrence near the sideline. Adrian Bushell met Lawrence with a hit that stood Lawrence up and almost seemed to shock him. The receiver then put his head down and ran out of bounds.

Will Hill probably had the best day out of any player in the secondary. Watching him go sideline-to-sideline is something that doesn’t sink in until you see it in person. We got a glimpse of it in a late interception against South Carolina last year, but he is showing that ball hawking ability with consistency this spring.

The coaches trust Hill as a one-high safety. Tebow rolled out right and threw to the corner of the end zone, but Hill came out of nowhere to deflect the ball. He finished it off with a summersault into the fans on the side of the field.

MISC. DEFENSE NOTES: Omar Hunter and Jaye Howard are getting valuable snaps with Lawrence Marsh and Terron Sanders out with injury. Howard and Hunter are both doing much better than expected this spring. Coach Meyer used the phrase “showing a pulse” in reference to them Monday, so it’s safe to say he seems them coming on.

The surprise of the day may have come from Brendan Beal. Scott ran the ball outside the tackles, and Beal flew through the offensive line and pulled Scott to the ground. On the very next play, he intercepted a Brantley pass across the middle.

Jon Bostic is going to be a good one at linebacker. For a guy who admits he doesn’t know a lot about the position, he is almost always around the football.

Between Beal, Bostic and Lorenzo Edwards, there should be an outstanding fight for the middle linebacker spot after Brandon Spikes graduates.

QUOTABLE: Urban Meyer to Earl Okine during field goal drills, “Earl, block the field goal! You’re 700 feet tall! Block it!”

About the author

GatorCody

Cody, born and raised in Daytona Beach, is a baseball fanatic, but loves covering Gator recruiting for Gator Country. He graduated from Spruce Creek High's prestigious International Baccalaureate program and is now in his sophomore year studying journalism at the University of Florida.

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