Oliver Barry, CRS, GRI, SFR
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From: JunoGator <broadreachfsc@earthlink.net>
Date: March 31, 2016 at 7:20:22 AM CDT
To: GatorNEWS <gatornews@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [gatornews] GatorNews from the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, courtesy of JunoGator
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Randy Shannon compares Gators LB Jarrad Davis to Jonathan Vilma, Jon Beason, Ray Lewis
Linebacker Jarrad Davis knew he wanted to return for his senior season right after Florida's loss in the SEC championship game.Quarterback Drew Lock #3 of the Missouri Tigers avoids a sack by linebacker Jarrad Davis #40 of the Florida Gators in the third quarter at Memorial Stadium on October 10, 2015 in Columbia, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)
"I knew what I wanted to do after the SEC championship game," Davis said earlier this month. "Of course, I had to look and see what it looked like. But at the same time, just that bad taste that was in my mouth, I can't walk away from that. It's something that I know I have another opportunity and I'm going to come at it full go. I'm going to make sure I take advantage of it."
And the Gators plan to take advantage of Davis' return. With the departure of linebacker Antonio Morrison, cornerback Vernon Hargreaves and defensive lineman Jon Bullard, Florida is going to have to rely on Davis to be one of the defense's leaders.
"It's big for us as a team because he's a guy that coming back his senior year wanted to play for the University of Florida and has an opportunity to compete at a high level," Gators linebackers coach Randy Shannon said this week. "The way his energy is each and every day, the way he brings it in practice is something that's special because every day he comes out, he competes at a high level and the players on the team see those things and the young guys see it and they take their step up to the next level."
Along with being one of the team leaders, Davis will also have to lead a thin and inexperienced position group. After Davis' 14 career college starts, the other 12 linebackers on Florida's roster have combined to make four college starts. Alex Anzalone, who is expected to start at linebacker next to Davis this season, has made two career college starts.
But Davis is still learning how to be a leader after rising to that status following a breakout junior season. The 6-foot-2, 240-pound Davis recorded 98 tackles, including 11 tackles for loss last season.
Davis totaled a combined 47 tackles over his first two seasons with the Gators.
"I definitely just want to set a good example on the field as far as my emotions, my mental, the way I play," Davis said. "I just want to show the guys on my team – offense and defense – I'm someone they can lean on, who's not going to break, who's not going to fold."
When asked about Davis' potential, Shannon — a former Miami Hurricanes player and head coach — offered some high praise.
"He's competitive like Jon Vilma was," Shannon said of Davis. "Vilma, if you played cards, he'd play all night until he beat you. That's how Jarrad is. He'll never quit, he's going to have to win. If you want to keep competing at dominoes or a game, you're gonna be up all night with it until you let him win. Very competitive in that aspect, he takes a lot of pride in himself. Athletically he has like Jon Beason-ness, the speed and the power and stuff like that and the knowledge like Ray [Lewis] was. He has the game, he knows what to do, he knows how to get the guys lined up, he knows how to protect certain guys on the defense with a call."
Video: Former Gators QB Tim Tebow ready to run for political office?
Tim Tebow is used to running for touchdowns, but could he soon be running for political office?Broadcaster Tim Tebow of the SEC Network speaks on air before the Goodyear Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium on December 31, 2015 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images)
The former Gators quarterback and 2007 Heisman winner didn't rule it out when asked recently about a possible future in politics.
"I don't know at this time in my life," Tebow said in an interview with Fox News. "But if there's a chance to make a difference someday at something, then that would be intriguing."
Football isn't really keeping Tebow busy these days. He hasn't taken a snap in a regular season NFL game since 2012. Tebow was cut by the Philadelphia Eagles in the preseason last year.
After being cut by the Eagles, Tebow made his return to ESPN as an SEC Network college football analyst.
Could politics be next for Tebow? Maybe.
Miami natives Cronkrite, Scarlett vie for UF starting running back job
Cronkrite has mostly worked with the first-team offense
Scarlett has battled a hamstring injury throughout camp
The two Miami natives are roommatesFormer Westminster Christian standout Jordan Cronkrite is a leading candidate for the starting running back job at Florida PATRICK FARRELL MIAMI HERALD STAFFGAINESVILLETim Skipper won't tip his hand.
Florida's running backs coach is excited about the team's three-headed competition in the backfield, but Skipper maintains there's no clear leader for the No. 1 job.
"It's a real good competition," Skipper said, referring to Miami natives Jordan Cronkrite and Jordan Scarlett, as well as junior-college transfer Mark Thompson.
"We've got some of the young guys that are in their second year playing who didn't play as much last year. Everyone is fighting to get on that field a little bit more, so it's going good. I'm real excited about the future."
Still, while Skipper has praised his stable of tailbacks, one sophomore has seemingly emerged from the pack.
Cronkrite, a standout at Westminster Christian, has received the majority of first-team reps in camp this spring, as the 5-11, 204-pounder has displayed a consistent combination of speed and power.
He takes to coaching and is obsessive about film study.
"I just listen. Everyday," Cronkrite said. "It starts with the film and just applying that to the field."
Cronkrite played sparingly as a freshman in 2015, carrying the ball just 44 times for 157 yards and three touchdowns.
But the former four-star recruit quickly showed his versatility (he played a little receiver in high school) and an ability to learn the pass playbook and pass protect.
"Jordan is an athlete. He can do a lot of things," Skipper said, noting Cronkrite's nifty 41-yard touchdown grab against South Carolina.
"He went over the top and caught that deep ball. He gives us something out of the backfield that the other guys don't [in the passing game]. He can run good routes."
Cronkrite also credited some of his development to a piece of sage advice from Florida's starting tailback Kelvin Taylor last season.
"The first thing he told me on the practice field was, 'Whatever you do, go hard but don't fumble because you'll be the most hated man [on campus].'"
Cronkrite happens to be battling for the starting job with his good buddy and roommate Jordan Scarlett.
After teasing electric potential in flashes last, Scarlett, also a sophomore, actually entered camp as the purported favorite.
"You look at Scarlett, he's a bruising downhill runner you've got to wrap up in order to get him down," Skipper said.
"He's smart. He understands angles and things like that. Protections are good, all that type of stuff. He's that big back you're looking for."
But consistency has been an issue for Scarlett early in his career.
After rushing for 96 yards against Georgia, the former blue chip prospect tallied just 16 yards the rest of the season and was suspended for Florida's bowl game against Michigan.
"It definitely humbled me," Scarlett said.
"It was a humbling experience, thinking I was going to come in here and play a lot. I learned a lot sitting and taking visual and mental reps on everything. I learned a lot from it."
The staff has been impressed with Scarlett's improved work ethic this offseason, but the former St. Thomas Aquinas star has been hampered by a hamstring injury throughout the spring.
Still, the 5-10, 215-pound back believes he still has every opportunity to become the starter, and he relishes competing for the job against his best friend.
"We love each other like brothers," he said of Cronkrite.
"We just both say we got to eat, and we got to do what we got to do. Just let the field handle itself."
Purdue transfer Austin Appleby competing to start at quarterback for Gators
By Luis Torres - Special to The PostGAINESVILLE — Luke Del Rio is odds-on favorite to win the starting quarterback job for the Gators, simply because he's been around the program longer.
Don't tell that to Purdue transfer Austin Appleby, who is looking to make it a two-way battle.
"I didn't come here to not play," Appleby said Wednesday. "I came here to compete and earn this starting job."
Appleby arrived on Florida's campus in January after finishing up his four years with the Boilermakers. But after he got his degree, Appleby still wanted to continue playing football, so he started to look around.
That's when Florida entered the picture. Coach Jim McElwain and offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier needed to add depth at quarterback, Appleby contacted Florida and the two parties got things rolling.
"There was mutual interest coming from the University of Florida and myself. There's an unbelievable opportunity here and they expressed (that) to me," Appleby said. "And it was the perfect fit and here I am."
The Gators' struggles at quarterback are well known. Whoever starts under center when the season gets underway on Sept. 3 against Massachusetts will be the eighth different starting quarterback since Tim Tebow left in 2009.
"There's obviously a lot of quarterback issues and there's an opportunity to come in here and compete to be the guy," Appleby said. "That's an opportunity that's hard to pass up and I'm excited to be here."
Appleby and Del Rio are currently in a two-way battle in the spring with freshmen Feleipe Franks and Kyle Trask in the rear-view mirror.
McElwain has said Del Rio is ahead of the other three quarterbacks because he was in the system last year when he redshirted.
However, there's something Appleby has over Del Rio and the other quarterbacks on the roster: Experience.
Appleby played in 17 games at Purdue — 14 more games than Del Rio's three at Oregon State — and had 11 starts. The 6-foot-4 quarterback threw for 2,777 yards, 19th most in Purdue history, and 19 touchdowns.
"The guy started at a high level, and (he's) a guy that understands what it is to prepare as a starting quarterback," McElwain said. "That's something that's lost sometimes. … He's played in a heck of a league (Big Ten) and in some real big stadiums."
In 2015, he played in four games for the Boilermakers, throwing for 1,260 yards and eight touchdowns. He also added four rushing touchdowns, an element Del Rio isn't known for.
"I think he's a little more athletic," wide receiver Ahmad Fulwood said. "He still can spin it. Smart guy. Makes good decisions with the ball, too."
If there is one knock on Appleby's game, it's turnovers. He threw 19 interceptions at Purdue.
That was against Big Ten defenses. Appleby is still adjusting to practicing against an SEC-caliber defense.
"There's talent everywhere, but it's just these guys are special," Appleby said. "I quickly learned, not only offensively but defensively, everything happens a tick faster here."
With the spring game on April 8, Appleby is leaning on his experience to guide him. And he hopes that guidance will lead him to be the starting quarterback once the season rolls around.
"I've got an opportunity to go through the fire and to experience a lot of things, good and bad, that not many quarterbacks get to go through," Appleby said. "I think that experience is going to serve me well in Year 5 and it's going to help the Gators."
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1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 National Football Champions |
Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tim Tebow (2007)
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