Gators look like they're finally turning the corner

[IHateUGAlyDawgs]

Considering the emphasis that Urban Meyer and his coaching staff put on practice, the post practice comments of the last week would seem to indicate that the Florida Gators have either turned or they are about to turn a corner in this season that is just past the midway point. Due to the youthful makeup of the team, a roller coaster ride wasn’t totally out of the question when the season began but the offense seems to have found a groove and at some point, the young defensive players are going to break out and start making plays.

This is the kind of week that the Gators (5-2, 3-2 SEC East) need to make that leap forward defensively. Florida faces off with Georgia (5-2, 3-2 SEC East) Saturday (3:30 p.m., Jacksonville Municipal Stadium, CBS) in what amounts to an elimination game in the wild SEC East Division where five of the six teams have two losses in league play. A loss for Georgia would totally eliminate the Bulldogs from the SEC East race as it would mark the third loss to an SEC East opponent. The Gators are the only team in the East that hasn’t lost to a division foe.

The Gators geared up for last week’s win over the Kentucky Wildcats with practices that Meyer thought were the best of the season. The Gators have followed up that week of steady progress with two excellent practice days. Florida’s “Bloody Tuesday” was a practice day that Meyer called an “excellent day … I mean an excellent day.”

In 2005, Meyer’s first season as the Florida coach, it wasn’t until the week after a loss to South Carolina late in the season that the team came together and became a great practice team. The Gators closed that season on a high note by blowing the doors of Florida State in the final regular season game and then beating a good Iowa team in the Outback Bowl.

The momentum from the end of the 2005 season carried over into 2006. Florida was a very good practice team and Meyer never had to worry which team was going to show up every day. The 2006 team came to work every day with a business-like approach and that helped carry the Gators to the national championship.

With all the senior leaders on that 2006 team, Meyer was dealing with a mature group at the top that gave plenty of guidance and assurance to the young guys. This year, he doesn’t have that luxury so it’s been a waiting game for a coaching staff hoping to hold on until good practice habits produce consistent daily results.

Perhaps the Gators have reached that point where maturity is setting in because the last several days have been the best practice days of the season. That’s cause for optimism for Meyer.

“I kinda like which direction this team is heading right now,” he said Tuesday evening.

ANTWINE ON THE MEND: Meyer said that sophomore defensive tackle Brandon Antwine has been hospitalized since last week with a painful muscular condition in his lower back.

“It’s a muscular issue that’s very painful but it’s not a structural issue,” said Meyer, who anticipated that Antwine would be released from Shands Hospital at some point Tuesday.

Meyer also said that he is hopeful that freshman safety Major Wright and sophomore wide receiver Riley Cooper will be able to play Saturday. Wright had surgery to repair a broken thumb and Cooper had a couple of screws put in a broken finger.

“I guess I’m an optimist that I’ll see them later this week,” said Meyer.

On Monday, Meyer indicated that the Florida medical staff held out hope that both players would be able to play against Georgia.

Also on the medical front, senior wide receiver Bubba Caldwell had some soreness in his back Tuesday so he was held out of some drills. Caldwell played close to full speed against Kentucky, delivering six catches for 73 yards and two runs for a net of 19 yards. Caldwell caught a touchdown pass in the game and his 20-yard run on a jet sweep set up another score.

Although Meyer says that Caldwell still isn’t quite 100 percent, “he’s getting close to being back where he was.”

QUARTERBACK DUEL II: Last week was billed as a quarterback duel between Florida sophomore Tim Tebow and Kentucky senior Andre Woodson. Tebow threw for four touchdowns and ran for a fifth, producing 256 passing yards and 78 on the ground to send his Heisman Trophy candidacy through the roof. Woodson may have lost the game but he had Heisman-worthy stats with five touchdown passes and more than 400 yards in the air.

This week, Tebow will be going head to head with Georgia sophomore Matt Stafford. When the two quarterbacks came out of high school, Stafford was considered the top player in the nation. Although Stafford is in his second year as the Georgia starting quarterback and this is just Tebow’s first, Tebow has been much more impressive.

Through seven games, Tebow is the nation’s leading passer with 115 completions in 174 attempts for 1,711 yards and 17 touchdowns. He has run for 578 yards and an additional 10 touchdowns.

Stafford, on the other hand, has had good but not overwhelming stats this season. He is 115-208 for 1,364 yards and 10 touchdowns through seven games.

Meyer said there are similarities between Stafford and Woodson.

“I think Stafford’s got one of the strongest arms I’ve ever seen,” said Meyer. “I also think Woodson is one of the best anticipation quarterbacks I’ve ever seen, a lot of experience. They’re probably cut out of the same mold, not necessarily runners but very good in the pocket, accurate strong arm throwers.”

A RIVALRY GAME LIKE NONE OTHER: Meyer always enjoyed the Florida-Georgia game from afar but now that he’s had a chance to participate in two of them as a coach, he recommends this game to any college football fan. Meyer says he love the unique neutral site setting in Jacksonville where one side of Jacksonville Municipal Stadium is completely orange and blue with Florida fans and the other side is completely red and black with Georgia fans.

“It’s one of my favorite games to coach in,” Meyer said. “I’ve watched it for many years. It’s awesome. I tell people there are certain things you can’t miss.
Someday in college football you need to come watch this game. If you’re a college football fan you need to come to the Florida-Georgia game.”

[DocZaius]

Given the team's youth, I have always figured that they'd get better towards the end of the season.