Florida Gators Thoughts of the Week: July 14 – 20

Hey gang! Sorry, I missed you last week, but with all the news from SEC Media Days, I didn’t want things to get mixed up and lost.

Let’s take a look at the past week and talk a bit about the Florida Gators.

 

My Three-Year Anniversary

July 20th was my official three-year anniversary with Gator Country. It was on July 20, 2012 when I wrote “Know the name: Florida defense” when I said three players that would climb from relative obscurity to prominence would be Darrin Kitchens, Louchieiz Purifoy, and Lerentee McCray – it was a good start and I guess it all went down hill from there. Just kidding! But 146 articles later and we are still on a good run.

Gator Country is a great outlet to write and escape “real life.” As many of you know, I help manage a recruiting firm that focuses on technology, which can be high stress and high pressure.

Gator Country has allowed me the opportunity to interact with head coaches Will Muschamp and Jim McElwain; Gator Greats like Keiwan Ratliff, Guss Scott, and Jacquez Green; and go to events like the IMG 7-on-7 National Championships three years in a row.

As many of you know I was on the Florida Gator recruiting staff from 2006 – 2009, which afforded me a ton of cool opportunities, and when I graduated from UF, I missed the behind the scenes of Florida Football. Gator Country has allowed me to continue to stay connected and I am grateful.

Thank you for reading, commenting, telling me when I am wrong (and sometimes right), and for allowing me to be a part of your community for the past three years.

 SEC Media Days Thoughts

We are about 48 days from the start of football season and the one thing that kept us going this week was SEC Media Days. A three-day long event that brings SEC football coaches, media, and the craziest of fans to the Hyatt Regency in Birmingham, Ala. to talk about things that we have known for months and learn nothing new, yet act like we landed on the moon. It happens every year, and it is fascinating.

I want to take a look at a few things Jim McElwain said and comment on a few things:

“I think background-wise, just historically, growing up out West and kind of being in the Big Sky Conference, as long as we were, we threw it around the park quite a bit, and that’s something we believe in. Yet at the end of the day, you learn as you kind of go through that you’ve got to be able to run the ball and stop the run to be successful.”

I wonder how successful this model will be with Treon Harris having difficult last season throwing short to moderate throws and Will Grier being a redshirt freshman? Now, I believe Florida will improve in the passing game simply with the addition of Jake McGee at tight end and Brandon Powell in the slot, while Demarcus Robinson has had another year to mature, but I am curious to see how Grier and/or Harris will be able to sling it around field – especially if the offensive line is subpar. I expect a more balanced attack using Kelvin Taylor, Adam Lane, and even, Jordan Scarlett.

I really like those opening games, like we’re going to get an opportunity in a while to play Michigan down in Texas, and I’m looking forward to that. I think that’s good for college football. I really do. Playing Florida State, that’s one of those rivalry things, and I don’t think you ever get away from that. I’m a big believer in — that’s what I love about college football. I love the rivalries. I love those Saturdays. Those are certain things that I think just shouldn’t go away. So for us, maybe playing some of those opening games like that, I just think it helps your team prepare in the offseason knowing that right off the bat, here we go. And I think it’s a good thing.

Interesting. Florida for the past few decades has scheduled two-three cupcakes, particularly the first two games of the season to help ramp up the season and allow players that will be suspended for a game or two to sit against Directional College U and not against the likes of Michigan. I think Florida would be smart to play a school like a Michigan, Arizona State, Oklahoma State, etc. every three-to-four years to open the season. It is good for Florida and good for college football. Now, I know many of you think Florida’s schedule is tough enough – and it is – but another game is better for these students and the University.

Those guys — the one thing is they all signed up to come and play, and some think they’re ready maybe before they are. In our case, they’re going to have an opportunity, and we’re going to rely on them. They’re going to have to take a lot of valuable reps, especially on the offensive side of the ball. For those guys, that learning curve has got to happen in a hurry. There’s a lot that goes into it, and yet we can’t dump it all on them at once. That’s got to be — our understanding is we’ve got to have a little patience with a couple of those position groups as we move forward without hindering the play of the people around them. That’s really kind of the delicate part. I’ll be really interested to see how they blend once we get down there August 6th.

I particularly see Martez Ivey, Jordan Scarlett, Antonio Callaway, Cece Jefferson, and Kylan Johnson being big contributors as freshmen.

 

Gators Defensive Backfield is Loaded

In my opinion, the Gators could have three first round draft picks in their backfield next season (although two won’t be drafted until 2017). In my opinion, Vernon Hargreaves, Quincy Wilson, and Jalon Tabor will all be first round draft picks in their career. They all have the size, speed, instincts, and ability to be first round draft picks.

 

Rest in Peace, Bill Arnsparger

At the age of 88, we paid our final respects to the Bill Arnsparger this past week, who helped mold Florida into what it is today. Arnsparger took over Florida after NCAA violations took a toll on the UAA and helped build Florida into a contender, particularly in football, even though some NCAA violations happened under this tenure – hey, no one said it was a perfect tenure.

Arnsparger brought Steve Spurrier back to Florida from Duke, hired Lon Kruger, and helped continue develop an athletic department that brought in 32 SEC Championships during his tenure.

Jeremy Foley said it best, ” he helped right the ship during a very difficult time at the University of Florida.”

 

Fun Suggestion

If you live in Florida, you need to make your way over to Homosassa/Crystal River sometime in the near future to go scalloping.

This was my first year going and have gone twice in the past three weeks. The first time, I took some members of my team from work and the second time with I met my parents, aunt, uncle, and grandmother – each time was an absolute blast.

It is such a fun time being one with the water looking for scallops – it is like a mini treasure hunt.

It is a great activity to do with your friends and family and is a somewhat hidden gem here in this great state.

 

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Daniel Thompson
Dan Thompson is a 2010 graduate of the University Florida, graduating with a degree in Economics and a degree in Political Science. During this time at UF, Dan worked three years for the Florida Gator Football team as a recruiting ambassador. Dan dealt daily with prospects, NCAA guidelines, and coaching staff. Dan was also involved in Florida Blue Key, Student Government and Greek Life. Currently, Dan oversees the IT consulting practice of a Tampa-based company. Dan enjoys golfing, country music, bourbon, travel, oysters, and a medium-rare steak. Dan can be found on Twitter at @DK_Thompson.

5 COMMENTS

  1. SEC Media Thoughts: I think your cautionary comments about the 2015 Gator offense are well taken. Many of our more ‘spirited’ fans seem to forget that 2015 is a transitional year for crippled program. During the past four years of Foley-Muschamp the UF offense has been disgraceful. FSU and especially Clemson has ‘eaten us alive’ in recruiting skill position players. At times during the 2015 season, it is not going to be pretty on offense. And, no, it is unlikely that the 2015 Gators are going to win 8-9 or 10 games. McElwain has said more than once that the type of talent and the numbers on offense are ‘insufficient’. You cannot run a particular offense until you have players that fit the system. I do not believe we will see a true ‘McElwain offense’ until year 2-3. That’s just the way it is.

  2. Perhaps. but less than an eight win season will always be viewed as a failure at FL. At least for those of us that were lucky enough to begin our true Gator fan hood post 1990. The talent on this roster is better than 7 teams we face this season and equivalent to several more. And according to so many of us – our coaching is now approaching the best in our division.

    • Let me see if I understand this: I start with the premise that Jim McElwain knows more about his offense, his defense, his players than any poster on this site and any member of Gator Nation.

      I continue with the premise that no poster or member of Gator Nation has attended a coaches meeting where the team and its players were the subject, where film of watched and discussed.

      After his evaluation of the situation, Jim McElwain counsels patience, has stated several times that the ‘numbers are insufficient’ in (not one) but several areas, and that this is obviously a ‘transitional season.

      Yet there are those who have NO direct involvement with coaching this team who feel comfortable rejecting the assessment and evaluation of Jim McElwain and his coaching staff.

      Let’s see ” Talent superior to 7 teams (7 wins), coaching that is the BEST in the conference and talent ‘equivalent to several more teams in the SEC (3-4 more wins).

      That is WONDERFUL, we should win 10-11 games. Look out OSU!!

      Please excuse me. But, most respectfully, I cannot take your opinions seriously.

  3. You are so right about Crystal River scalping. I did it the first time in late summer (too late) and we had a blast. We stayed at the rennovated Plantation Inn; we caught enough scallops to feed an army; the kitchen staff served them three ways including carbonara which was perfect. Oh, yes, the Gators beat Tennessee and my friend’s wife, a Vol, was pissed because we were supposed to be riddled by their QB. Do this. It is essential Florida.

    The Gators? A question mark. But we have a chance to win some and develop over the first three games. Kentucky is no push over with Stoops working that magic. UT is pissed and wants to end the draught. I was up there last year and they thought it was in the bag…until the 4th quarter. Go Gators. Things can only get better.

  4. Landport- I believe you’re right about expectations, but I think that there’s so much unknown about how our offense will perform- that it’s okay to dream. What if Mike Summers performs miracles and our Oline gels after a game or two? Can Kelvin Taylor have his breakout year (or lane as well)? Is adding Powell to the slot the secret recipe? Or is it the addition of a healthy McGee? Will we see an accurate QB at fla for the first time in forever? So many questions will only be answered on Saturdays this fall. Until then, we can dream.