Urban Unanimity

The Florida Gators open the college football season as the indisputable number one team in the country. The Sunshine State’s overachievers are the most overwhelming preseason AP number one in the history of the media poll. The cordial collegian quarterback, Tim Tebow, may seem mild and innocuous on the outside, but is a harmful, dangerous BCS beast when he takes the field. The Gator offense defines dashing and the defense has the potential to be the top in the country. The game-breaking speed on offense and experienced defense places Florida in a class by themselves.
The defending national champions are counting on chomping their cheery colors all the way to California. The Rose Bowl is this year’s host for the national title game on January 7, 2010. Head coach, Urban Meyer and his talented team return over twenty skilled starters. The only disappointment from last season was a loss to SEC rival, Ole Miss, during the regular season. The one point loss was somewhat justified when the Rebels won the Cotton Bowl. The Gators won their second BCS title in three seasons a year ago and look to repeat when they begin their quest against Charleston Southern on September 5th. The diminutive school shouldn’t be a problem for the team five preseason publications picked number one. Florida is not expected to coast through their schedule, however. The toughest opponent and key game of the year could be the September 19th meeting with the Volunteers of Tennessee. It was last year when new Tennessee coach, Lane Kiffen, mistakenly and verbally accused Meyer of cheating while recruiting a high school receiver. The rebuilding Vols will either rise to the occasion in the Swamp of have the score run up against them when they meet next month. The LSU Tigers represent another big challenge. LSU’s defense is much improved from the team that allowed an average of 24 points last year. The run-happy Tigers are the second best in the SEC and will lean on Charles Scott to take the pressure off inconsistent quarterback, Jordan Jefferson.
The experience and depth on defense begin at linebacker, where All-American standout, Brandon Spikes, returns. Other defenders include Janoris Jenkins and Joe Haden at cornerback, and defensive tackle, Carlos Dunlap. Jenkins was one of the players arrested and charged with battery this offseason, but Haden is an All-SEC corner. The Gator defense is capable of snatching the football away at any time, so it is substantial they control the turnover battle. Unfazed and aggressive, the 4-3 defense is predicted to pressure the quarterback while staying disciplined against the run. Tackles Omar Hunter and Justin Trattou are a nuisance as a backup pair to a line that includes Jermaine Cunningham, Lawrence Marsh, Dunlap and Terron Sanders.
The Gators rallied to beat Nick Saban and Alabama in a nail-biting SEC final in Atlanta. Tebow, the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner, trots out for his senior year as the Gator’s leading man. The multidimensional signal-caller will have to play without his favorite target, receiver Percy Harvin. The departure should not be an issue for the dual threat quarterback, who rushed for 43 touchdowns by himself in his college career. Sophomore speedster, Jeff Demps, will make up for Harvin and fill in when Tebow can’t scramble to the goal line on his own. Demps will run the football and catch passes from the slot position. The Gators also have two standout runners in Chris Rainey and freshman Andre Detose. Rainey and Demps were two catalysts important to producing points for Florida in 2008. No wide receiver on the current Florida team has caught more than 18 passes in a season. Frankie Hammond, Jr. is officially initiated into the offense after having an excellent spring. The redshirt freshman is poised to be a primary backup at the wideout position. Carl Moore, the senior backup, is out with a back injury. If anyone is to expose the Gators, it might be at the weakened receiver position. But Florida has the schemes and security to pull off alternative plays.
The highest paid coach in the SEC and third highest in the game, Meyer, hired a new offensive coordinator. Steve Addazio assumes the role and will help implement the treacherous i-formation strategy to keep opposing defenses off balance. As talented as Tebow is with his adept arm, the strength of the offense is at the line. Carl Johnson, a redshirt junior, is expected to shine at left guard. Matt Patchan, a former defensive tackle, is slated for a starting left tackle spot, while sophomore Sam Robey could win the center job. When a defensive line gets handled by Florida, they can find space. It enables linebackers to compensate and blitz more often. The adaptable offense then finds their speedy players and gets the ball to them. Tebow can beat you with his legs, but if he is forced into throwing, can also dominate. The hardest part about beating Urban’s unanimous number one team is mentally breaking their confidence. If the highly touted Tebow does not wilt under pressure and keeps a cool head, Florida is virtually unbreakable.

Parting points: Leave it to the Mets to be the second team in baseball history to end the game on an unassisted triple play…