getting a chance
Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2007 7:49 am
All the talk the last couple days has been about the possibility of freshman wide receiver Deonte Thompson finally seeing the field when fourth-ranked Florida hosts Auburn Saturday night. Thompson will probably play. He might not be the only freshman who gets his first chance.
"(Cornerback) Moses Jenkins is a guy that's almost game ready and that's another position with Markihe (Anderson out)," coach Urban Meyer said after Thursday's practice. "He's been practicing well, so there's a chance you'll see him Saturday. There's a chance on special teams and then on defense as well.
"The guy that's getting a little better is (freshman defensive tackle) John Brown. He won't play this week but he's going to start getting a look. He's starting to get into shape and catching up a little bit."
The wide receiving corps is banged up. That's one reason Thompson is expected to play this weekend. The other is because he deserves it based upon his practice performances, Meyer said. Sophomore wide receivers Percy Harvin (hip pointer) and Riley Cooper (ankle) are expected to go.
Fifth-year senior Andre Caldwell (knee) will not. Meyer said Harvin is not yet 100 percent but expects him to be by game time. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. Cooper was 80-85 percent Wednesday. He was 90 percent Thursday. Watch for Thompson to get his opportunity.
"It's a long season," Meyer said. "We're nicked up, plus he's earned it. That's the biggest thing. And there's nothing like getting experience. He's game ready. I sometimes say, 'we're going to try to get him in there. We'll see how it goes,' but he's game ready now. He was not game ready until this week. He was getting close, close, close, close. Now he's game ready. Without Bubba and Cooper and Percy, we practiced on Wednesday, we were down three pretty explosive players.
"I used to think redshirt (for Thompson) but he's the kind of talent that who knows five years from now what's going on. It's more for him. He wants to play and he's getting really close to being ready."
Senior Joey Ijjas (quad) will kick. Who starts at free safety, either senior Kyle Jackson or freshman Major Wright, will be a game-time decision. Both are expected to play.
Sophomore defensive tackle Brandon Antwine, who has returned from a hyper-extended elbow, will also play. Meyer hopes Antwine can cause more of an interior pass rush than what Florida has been getting.
"He's going to give us a little juice off the ball because he's quick," Meyer said. "I hope (he) gives us a little juice off the edge plus it gives you a little rotation now. We didn't have that last week.
"He's what we're looking for as far as getting up the field and creating issues for the defense. I hope that's what he is. He hasn't played a lot here. That's what I've seen in practice."
"(Cornerback) Moses Jenkins is a guy that's almost game ready and that's another position with Markihe (Anderson out)," coach Urban Meyer said after Thursday's practice. "He's been practicing well, so there's a chance you'll see him Saturday. There's a chance on special teams and then on defense as well.
"The guy that's getting a little better is (freshman defensive tackle) John Brown. He won't play this week but he's going to start getting a look. He's starting to get into shape and catching up a little bit."
The wide receiving corps is banged up. That's one reason Thompson is expected to play this weekend. The other is because he deserves it based upon his practice performances, Meyer said. Sophomore wide receivers Percy Harvin (hip pointer) and Riley Cooper (ankle) are expected to go.
Fifth-year senior Andre Caldwell (knee) will not. Meyer said Harvin is not yet 100 percent but expects him to be by game time. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. Cooper was 80-85 percent Wednesday. He was 90 percent Thursday. Watch for Thompson to get his opportunity.
"It's a long season," Meyer said. "We're nicked up, plus he's earned it. That's the biggest thing. And there's nothing like getting experience. He's game ready. I sometimes say, 'we're going to try to get him in there. We'll see how it goes,' but he's game ready now. He was not game ready until this week. He was getting close, close, close, close. Now he's game ready. Without Bubba and Cooper and Percy, we practiced on Wednesday, we were down three pretty explosive players.
"I used to think redshirt (for Thompson) but he's the kind of talent that who knows five years from now what's going on. It's more for him. He wants to play and he's getting really close to being ready."
Senior Joey Ijjas (quad) will kick. Who starts at free safety, either senior Kyle Jackson or freshman Major Wright, will be a game-time decision. Both are expected to play.
Sophomore defensive tackle Brandon Antwine, who has returned from a hyper-extended elbow, will also play. Meyer hopes Antwine can cause more of an interior pass rush than what Florida has been getting.
"He's going to give us a little juice off the ball because he's quick," Meyer said. "I hope (he) gives us a little juice off the edge plus it gives you a little rotation now. We didn't have that last week.
"He's what we're looking for as far as getting up the field and creating issues for the defense. I hope that's what he is. He hasn't played a lot here. That's what I've seen in practice."