2012 Gator Bowl: tOSU-Florida Game Preview
Preface
Ohio State is making its first appearance in the Gator Bowl since 1978, when No. 20 Ohio State lost to No. 6 Clemson, 17-15, in Woody Hayes' final game as head coach of the Buckeyes. This will be Ohio State's first bowl game in the State of Florida since the 2002 Outback Bowl. This is Ohio State's 12th consecutive bowl appearance, the last season Ohio State did not go to a bowl was in 1999. The school record for consecutive seasons going to a bowl game is 15 (1972-86), but the current streak will end after this year. Ohio State is meeting Florida for just the second time ever - the only previous meeting was the 2007 BCS National Championship game in Glendale.
NOTE - numbers about bowl appearances include last year's Sugar Bowl, since this preview deals in reality and vacating wins is simply stupid.
Ohio State has a 20-22 record in bowl games, dating back to the 1921 Rose Bowl, where the Buckeyes were defeated 28-0 by California. The Buckeyes have appeared in 12 different bowl games during their storied history, counting the BCS Championship Game as a separate bowl, and counting the Hall of Fame/Outback Bowl as one.
The Buckeyes are 6-3 in BCS game appearances, and hold a 15-19 record in bowl games played on New Year's Day or later.
Ohio State has a nation's best nine BCS bowl appearances. Oklahoma has 8, and USC is third with seven. Ohio State is 6-3 in those BCS bowls, tied with USC (6-1) for the most BCS Bowl wins, just ahead of Florida (5-1).
In Ohio State's eight BCS bowl appearances, they have only been the Big Ten's automatic BCS bowl qualifier four times (2002, 2006, 2007, 2009). They have received an at-large berth four times (1998, 2003, 2008, 2010) and were an automatic participant by the `3-4 rule' in 2005.
Ohio State has won the Fiesta Bowl three times, the Sugar Bowl twice and the Rose Bowl once in the BCS era. The Buckeyes join Oklahoma (Orange, Rose and Fiesta), Florida (Orange, Sugar and BCS title game) and Miami (Sugar, Rose and Orange) as the only teams to win three different BCS bowls.
Ohio State is among three different programs to have appeared in at least four different BCS bowls, joining Oklahoma and Miami. The Buckeyes only need to play in the Orange Bowl to join Oklahoma as the only program to appear in five different BCS bowls. While Miami has won the BCS title (2001 season), they have not played in a bowl game specifically called the BCS title game.
Ohio State has appeared in a bowl game in 22 of the last 23 seasons. Nineteen of those bowl appearances (including this year's) have taken place in January. Ohio State will be appearing in a January bowl for the seventh straight season. The two teams in this match-up have had the most January bowl game appearances in the last 20 years.
January Bowls (since January 1, 1992, including 2012 bids)
19 - Florida
18 - Ohio State
16 - Florida State
16 - Michigan
15 - Penn State
Ohio State (20) has the most bowl wins all-time as a Big Ten representative, just ahead of MIchigan's 19. Nebraska is 24-23 in bowl games, but has not represented the Big Ten in the postseason until this year.
Ohio State has not finished with a losing record since finishing 4-6-1 in 1988 (John Cooper's first season leading the Buckeyes). Ohio State's run of 21 straight seasons without a losing record is the third-longest among active FBS teams. Florida State has gone 34 straight seasons since finishing 5-6 in 1976 and Florida has gone 31 seasons since going 0-10-1 in 1979. Virginia Tech and Texas Tech have the fourth-longest runs at 18 seasons each.
Braxton Miller joined a distinguished list of Buckeyes that have been named B1G Freshman of the Year.
Ohio State's Big Ten Freshmen of the Year:
Later in this preview, we'll look specifically at this year's offense, defense and special teams for both tOSU and Florida. The preview also has a totally separate section that covers the opponent's coaching staff, recruiting, traditions, and history. It also contains the Behind the Numbers and The Lighter Side sections, and can be accessed via the link at the bottom of this page.
Date and TimeNOTE - numbers about bowl appearances include last year's Sugar Bowl, since this preview deals in reality and vacating wins is simply stupid.
Ohio State has a 20-22 record in bowl games, dating back to the 1921 Rose Bowl, where the Buckeyes were defeated 28-0 by California. The Buckeyes have appeared in 12 different bowl games during their storied history, counting the BCS Championship Game as a separate bowl, and counting the Hall of Fame/Outback Bowl as one.
The Buckeyes are 6-3 in BCS game appearances, and hold a 15-19 record in bowl games played on New Year's Day or later.
Ohio State has a nation's best nine BCS bowl appearances. Oklahoma has 8, and USC is third with seven. Ohio State is 6-3 in those BCS bowls, tied with USC (6-1) for the most BCS Bowl wins, just ahead of Florida (5-1).
In Ohio State's eight BCS bowl appearances, they have only been the Big Ten's automatic BCS bowl qualifier four times (2002, 2006, 2007, 2009). They have received an at-large berth four times (1998, 2003, 2008, 2010) and were an automatic participant by the `3-4 rule' in 2005.
Ohio State has won the Fiesta Bowl three times, the Sugar Bowl twice and the Rose Bowl once in the BCS era. The Buckeyes join Oklahoma (Orange, Rose and Fiesta), Florida (Orange, Sugar and BCS title game) and Miami (Sugar, Rose and Orange) as the only teams to win three different BCS bowls.
Ohio State is among three different programs to have appeared in at least four different BCS bowls, joining Oklahoma and Miami. The Buckeyes only need to play in the Orange Bowl to join Oklahoma as the only program to appear in five different BCS bowls. While Miami has won the BCS title (2001 season), they have not played in a bowl game specifically called the BCS title game.
Ohio State has appeared in a bowl game in 22 of the last 23 seasons. Nineteen of those bowl appearances (including this year's) have taken place in January. Ohio State will be appearing in a January bowl for the seventh straight season. The two teams in this match-up have had the most January bowl game appearances in the last 20 years.
January Bowls (since January 1, 1992, including 2012 bids)
19 - Florida
18 - Ohio State
16 - Florida State
16 - Michigan
15 - Penn State
Ohio State (20) has the most bowl wins all-time as a Big Ten representative, just ahead of MIchigan's 19. Nebraska is 24-23 in bowl games, but has not represented the Big Ten in the postseason until this year.
Ohio State has not finished with a losing record since finishing 4-6-1 in 1988 (John Cooper's first season leading the Buckeyes). Ohio State's run of 21 straight seasons without a losing record is the third-longest among active FBS teams. Florida State has gone 34 straight seasons since finishing 5-6 in 1976 and Florida has gone 31 seasons since going 0-10-1 in 1979. Virginia Tech and Texas Tech have the fourth-longest runs at 18 seasons each.
Braxton Miller joined a distinguished list of Buckeyes that have been named B1G Freshman of the Year.
Ohio State's Big Ten Freshmen of the Year:
1990 - Robert Smith, RB
1992 - Korey Stringer, OT
1994 - Orlando Pace, OT
1996 - Andy Katzenmoyer, LB
2002 - Maurice Clarett, RB
2008 - Terrelle Pryor, QB
2011 - Braxton Miller, QB
All-American center Mike Brewster will start his 49th consecutive game in the Gator Bowl, leaving him 1 game shy of Luke Fickell's team record.
Officially, Ohio State has scored 32 of 36 times (88.9 percent) this season inside the 20 with 23 touchdowns and nine field goals. The only four times the Buckeyes have failed to score came on a fumble and on three end-of-game possessions against Akron, Colorado and Indiana while running out the clock. So if you take out those three instances, Ohio State is really 32 of 33 (97.0 percent). Since Rod Smith's fumble in the first quarter against Akron, Ohio State has scored on 30 consecutive red zone possessions if you don't count the three possessions in which the Buckeyes took a knee to run out the clock.
1992 - Korey Stringer, OT
1994 - Orlando Pace, OT
1996 - Andy Katzenmoyer, LB
2002 - Maurice Clarett, RB
2008 - Terrelle Pryor, QB
2011 - Braxton Miller, QB
All-American center Mike Brewster will start his 49th consecutive game in the Gator Bowl, leaving him 1 game shy of Luke Fickell's team record.
Officially, Ohio State has scored 32 of 36 times (88.9 percent) this season inside the 20 with 23 touchdowns and nine field goals. The only four times the Buckeyes have failed to score came on a fumble and on three end-of-game possessions against Akron, Colorado and Indiana while running out the clock. So if you take out those three instances, Ohio State is really 32 of 33 (97.0 percent). Since Rod Smith's fumble in the first quarter against Akron, Ohio State has scored on 30 consecutive red zone possessions if you don't count the three possessions in which the Buckeyes took a knee to run out the clock.
Later in this preview, we'll look specifically at this year's offense, defense and special teams for both tOSU and Florida. The preview also has a totally separate section that covers the opponent's coaching staff, recruiting, traditions, and history. It also contains the Behind the Numbers and The Lighter Side sections, and can be accessed via the link at the bottom of this page.
Date: Monday, January 2nd, 2012
Time: 1 pm ET Kick-off
Location: EverBank Field (Jacksonville, FL)
Constructed: 1995 (Replaced Gator Bowl that was built in 1946)
Seating Capacity: 77,000
Playing Surface: Grass
Events:
Time: 1 pm ET Kick-off
Location: EverBank Field (Jacksonville, FL)
Constructed: 1995 (Replaced Gator Bowl that was built in 1946)
Seating Capacity: 77,000
Playing Surface: Grass
Events:
Broadcast Information: TV Broadcast: ESPN2: Mike Patrick (play-by-play), Ed Cunningham (analysis), and Jeannine Edwards (sideline).
Radio Broadcast: Ohio State Radio Network (WBNS FM 97.1 The Fan in Columbus): Paul Keels (Play-by-play), Jim Lachey (Analysis), and Marty Bannister (Sideline); also on Sirius/XM channel 91.
2011 Florida Gators Offensive Preview
2011 Florida Gators Offensive Preview
Rarely do New Year's Day (OK, January 2) Bowl games feature a pair of 6-6 teams, yet the Gator Bowl gobbled up Ohio State and Florida in what is now being coined the Urban Meyer Bowl, as his former and future programs collide in a much less anticipated rematch of the title game following the 2006 season. First year head coach Will Muschamp found out just how difficult it is to make the transition to a major coaching job from a coordinator position, going 6-6 in the highly competitive SEC and losing his offensive coordinator after just one season. Muschamp is a high energy coach who brings a lot of enthusiasm to his players, but questions remain about his ability to compete in major college football after finishing with a losing record in the SEC (3-5) while playing in the significantly weaker Eastern Division and dropping 6 of his last 8 after starting off 4-0. The Gators failed to secure a signature win in 2011, dropping all 5 of its games against ranked teams and getting dominated by their arch-rival Florida State. The Gators in fact only beat one bowl team in 2011...Vanderbilt. Still the Gators field a reasonably good defense and if the offense can avoid turnovers, they can compete against some of the better teams in the country and could give Ohio State a thorough challenge in what amounts to a home game.
Also rarely does a New Year's Day (OK, January 2) Bowl game feature 2 teams that fail to crack the top 100 in total offense. Yet amazingly, for as prolific as they have been in the recent past, the Florida Gators finished the regular season of 2011 averaging a paltry 334.2 yards per game (101st). They ranked 87th in passing (204.3 YPG) and 75th rushing (144.0), so they didn't move the ball particularly well this year. Their 25.6 points per game ranked just 71st nationally, a giant dropoff for a team that finished in the top 10 in scoring just 2 seasons ago. Florida QBs have tossed 12 INTs and taken 23 sacks, not terrible numbers but also not great for a team that doesn't move the ball through the air particularly well. Florida also failed to crack the top 100 in first downs, finishing with just 208 on the season (103rd) and their 3rd down conversion percentage was even worse, going an awful 29.3% for the season to rank 113th out of 120 FBS teams. It is evident that the defenses will likely rule this game, but the winner of this game will likely be the team that manages to establish some sort of continuity on offense, which has not been an easy task for either team this year.
Quarterbacks
QB #12 John Brantley (6-3, 219, SR, Trinity Catholic HS, Ocala, FL)
Brantley had the unenviable task of following the highly successful Tim Tebow, and then saw his head coach leave the institution. He has made 23 starts in his 40 game career, including 10 this season. He missed 2 games because of injury, against LSU and Auburn. He doesn't put up a ton of passes, topping 30 attempts only twice, but he hovers around the 60% completion, 175-225 yard mark most games. He can be really good (329 yards, 4 TDs against Furman) or awful (104 yards, 3 INTs against Florida State), but he generally takes care of the football and keeps the Gators in games. He is not a running threat, which limits his effectiveness somewhat. Other than Furman, his best FBS game was probably against Tennessee, where he threw for 213 yards and 2 TDs. He competed well against Alabama, throwing for 190 yards and a TD on 11/16 in just a half of work, before getting hurt. Brantley is not spectacular, and will not pile up gaudy stats, and does not run well, but he can move the offense and he does a decent job of finding his playmakers in space when he has time. Pressure from the front four will therefore be paramount in the bowl game.
True freshman Jacoby Brissett (#17) is the primary reserve and started the LSU and Auburn games. He was thrown into the fire against 2 quality SEC defenses, and his stats (8/14, 94 yards, TD, 2 INTs against LSU, 5/10, 45 yards, INT against Auburn) reflect that. He also entered the Florida State game but went just 4/13 for 27 yards, a TD and an INT. Obviously he will need time to develop, and the Gators weren't planning on needing him so soon. Fellow freshman Jeff Driskel (#16) will likely be competing with Brissett for the job next season, and also saw some action this year. He went 9 of 18 for 75 yards against Auburn, and tossed a couple of INTs in limited action earlier in the season. Like Brissett, he could be a future star but will require quite a bit of seasoning.
QB Rating: C-
Head-to-Head: Florida QB versus OSU QB
Brantley: 132/224 (58.9%), 1912 yards, 10 TDs, 6 INTs, 140.0 rating; 23/-117, 0 TDs
Miller: 67/134 (50.0%), 997 yards, 11 TDs, 4 INTs, 133.6 rating; 144/695, 7 TDs
Brantley isn't terrible, but the offense just hasn't moved with him at the helm much this season. Miller has explosive running ability when the passing game is struggling, which Brantley does not have, so that limits his effectiveness given the struggles of the dropback passing game. Miller had a breakout game against Michigan in the finale, missing some open throws but also moving the offense with grit and determination and carrying a Buckeye team undermanned on defense to the brink of a win against a team invited to a BCS game. By contrast, the QB play for Florida in their final game against Florida State was basically awful. It will be interesting to see how Miller develops with Meyer at the helm, but it was easy to see some significant progress at the end of this season as well. Miller can carry the team when needed...the same probably cannot be said of Brantley. Neither team boasts much usable depth.
Edge: Ohio State
Running Backs
HB #1 Chris Rainey (5-9, 174, SR, Lakeland HS, Lakeland, FL)
FB #8 Trey Burton (6-3, 229, SO, Venice Senior HS, Venice, FL)
The Gators have very few dynamic playmakers on offense...but they have Chris Rainey, and he is enough to get the attention of any defensive coordinator in a heartbeat. He is not a running back that one expects to pound it 25 times a game or run much between the tackles. However he gets about 15-20 touches per game, and the Gators like to set him up in space whenever possible to break a big play. He broke the 100 yard plain on the ground 4 times in 2011, and added a 100 yard receiving game against Tennessee. He also led the team in rushing (790), tied for the team lead in receptions (28) and was named by the SEC coaches to the All-SEC team as an all-purpose threat. He started 9 games this year, giving him 18 career starts and 51 appearances in a Florida uniform. When the Gators were winning early, he was a big reason why, gaining over 100 yards on the ground against UAB (119), Tennessee (108), and Kentucky (105). His production tapered off in the middle of the season as the Gators struggled, and then he broke out for 132 yards against South Carolina and finished the season strong. Surprisingly he only scored 4 offensive TDs, which given his speed and ability in the open field is lower than one might expect. He also didn't score an offensive TD in the last 9 games, which is even more surprising. Thus the Buckeyes will need to have an eye on him at all times, both rushing the ball and receiving it out of the backfield, in order to contain him and prevent him from dominating as he did early in the season.
The primary backup is senior and program veteran Jeff Demps (#28). Demps made a handful of starts this season, pushing his career total to 27 and his appearance total to 50 games. Demps is a track standout and a hit-or-miss explosive element to the offense, who seems to disappear in some stretches and completely dominate in others. Most of his production this season came from 3 games. Against Florida Atlantic in the opener, he had 12 carries for 105 yards and 2 TDs, and added 3 receptions for 21 yards. In week 4 against Kentucky, he had 10 carries for 157 yards and 2 TDs. Finally, against Vanderbilt, which is the only game Rainey missed, he had 23 carries for 158 yards and 2 TDs. He also had a 72 yard reception against Georgia and is dangerous on special teams as a return man. Florida won all 3 games where he was heavily involved, so look for him to play a very active role against the Buckeyes in the Gator Bowl. After Demps is junior Mike Gillislee (#23), who has 35 total appearances for Florida, all in a reserve role. His touches have been sporadic by game, but he has been productive when given opportunities. He had 11 carries for 79 yards and a TD against UAB, 6 carries for 84 yards and a TD against Kentucky, and 9 carries for 56 yards against a very stout LSU defense. He didn't catch a pass this season, but he is also valuable on punt and kickoff coverage. He had just 5 carries total in the final 3 games of the season, so it is unclear what his role will be in the Bowl game.
At "fullback" the Gators have a good and highly versatile player in Burton, who can carry it (33 carries, 102 yards, 3 TDs), catch it (19 receptions, 149 yards, TD) and throw it (4/6, 16 yards). He is also a decent blocker and is basically just a good athlete who can do a lot to help the offense. His ability to run, catch and throw also opens up the playbook, especially in a bowl game, where coaches are known to be more liberal with their playcalling. The Buckeyes will have to be very aware of him at all times.
RB Rating: B+
Head-to-Head: Florida RB versus OSU RB
Rainey: 155/790 yards, 2 TDs, 5.1 YPC; 28 rec/350 yards, 2 TDs, 12.5 YPR
Demps: 91/539 yards, 6 TDs, 5.9 YPC; 15 rec/165 yards, 0 TDs, 11.0 YPR
Gillislee: 51/313 yards, 2 TDs, 6.1 YPC; 0 rec/0 yards, 0 TDs, 0.0 YPR
Herron: 123/596 yards, 3 TDs, 4.8 YPC; 4 rec/23 yards, 0 TDs, 5.8 YPR
Hyde: 101/549 yards, 6 TDs, 5.4 YPC; 9 rec/65 yards, 0 TDs, 7.2 YPR
Hall: 95/381 yards, 2 TDs, 4.0 YPC; 9 rec/102 yards, 2 TDs, 11.3 YPR
This is a pretty stark contrast in styles, but both units are pivotal to the limited offenses of their teams. The Gators don't have that workhorse back to rely on when the passing game isn't working, but they have fast and athletic players who can do a lot of different things and hurt defenses in a lot of different ways. The Buckeyes are more traditional at the position and often turn to Herron to power the ball and maintain possession. Hall brings a more dynamic element to the Buckeye backfield, but the advantage in receiving and multi-purpose players clearly lies with the Gators, while consistency in the running game itself and the ability to move the chains would seem to favor the Buckeyes. Both teams have some decent depth and both have fullbacks who add something to the offense. Turnovers at critical times cost both the Gators and the Buckeyes this season, so whichever team plays the cleaner game moving the ball on the ground may have the advantage.
Edge: Even
Wide Receivers
WR-X #4 Andre Debose (5-11, 191, SO, Seminole HS, Sanford, FL)
WR-Z #6 Deonte Thompson (6-0, 200, SR, Glades Central HS, Belle Glade, FL)
The receiver position has been somewhat hit or miss for the Gators in 2011 as they failed to establish an adequate passing game. They use a lot of players in a regular rotation, and none topped 20 receptions on the season. Debose however is an explosion waiting to happen on every play. He started 4 games and appeared in 11, and though he caught only 15 passes, he scored 4 TDs and did some of his biggest damage against Alabama (2 receptions, 90 yards, TD) and LSU (1 reception, 65 yards, TD) in back-to-back games. He also owned Furman, with 3 receptions for 151 yards and 2 TDs. He had much less of an impact in the other games he played in offensively, so if the Buckeyes can cover him deep they may be able to take him out of the equation. However he is also a monster in the return game and is a danger to score a TD every time he touches the ball, so Ohio State will have to be mindful of letting him get loose in space. Thompson led all receivers in catches with 19 and played more of a possession-type role, averaging 12.5 yards per catch but scoring no TDs. He caught at least one pass in 9 games but never topped 3 receptions or 45 yards in any one game. He is a program veteran with a lot of knowledge who can make a tough catch on 3rd down when necessary. He also provides leadership to the group, with 9 starts for the season, 33 for his career, and 51 games played.
Others in the regular rotation include junior Frankie Hammond (#85) and freshman Quinton Dunbar (#9). Hammond made 4 starts (11 career) and caugh 14 passes, racking up 42 yards against Kentucky and 40 against Auburn. Dunbar is a rising star who started 4 games and caught 13 passes, racking up 94 yards and 2 TDs over the final 2 games, so he will likely see quality time in the Bowl game and top the depth chart next season. Junior Omarius Hines (#82) is a WR/TE hybrid (6-2, 220) who caught just 5 passes this season after tallying 20 last year. He could also see time in the Gator Bowl.
WR Rating: C+
Head-to-Head: Florida WRs versus OSU WRs
Debose: 15 catches, 423 yards, 4 TDs, 28.2 YPR
Thompson: 19 catches, 237 yards, 0 TDs, 12.5 YPR
Dunbar: 13 catches, 210 yards, 2 TDs, 16.2 YPR
Smith: 12 catches, 247 yards, 4 TDs, 20.6 YPR
Brown: 14 catches, 205 yards, 1 TD, 14.6 YPR
Posey: 7 catches, 124 yards, 1 TD, 17.7 YPR
Debose is a legitimate home run threat, but the Gators lacked consistency from this position as no player started more than 9 games or caught as many as 20 passes. The same can be said of the Buckeyes, who saw Posey finish 3rd in receiving after playing in just 2 games. He definitely brings a strong presence and desperately needed leadership to what has been a somewhat rudderless position over 2011. Upgrading the production from the receivers will have to be a top priority for both programs in 2012, and it could start in the bowl game if some underclassmen make significant contributions. Debose and Dunbar are likely the future for Florida, so look for them to be featured. The Buckeyes will likely lean on Posey until the new regime takes over, but Smith and/or Brown will have to contribute if the passing game is to provide any threat in the bowl game. Neither one of these units was up to the standard that fans have become accustomed to.
Edge: Even
Tight Ends
TE #11 Jordan Reed (6-3, 239, SO, New London HS, New London, CT)
One of the more underrated aspects of Florida's recent past has been the quality of their TEs, and Reed appears to be another good addition to Gator Nation after switching from QB last season. He made 9 starts in 2011, giving him 13 for his young career, and caught at least one pass in all 9 games. His two best games statistically in receiving came against Georgia (4 receptions, 69 yards, TD) and South Carolina (5 receptions, 62 yards) so he is definitely not limited in ability to hurt quality defenses. He has good size, good hands, and as a former QB, he has a good grasp of the offense and where the soft spots in a defense are.
The reserve is freshman A.C. Leonard (#81), who can also play some fullback. He is a decent blocker with good size (6-4, 244) who got an opportunity to play significantly over the final month of the season (4 starts) and had 7 receptions for 95 yards over the final four games, including 3 for 65 yards against Florida State. He appears to have a bright future as he learns the offense and establishes himself in the rotation full time.
TE Rating: B
Head-to-Head: Florida TE versus OSU TE
Reed: 28 catches, 307 yards, 2 TDs, 11.0 YPR
Leonard: 7 catches, 95 yards, 0 TDs, 13.6 YPR
Stoneburner: 14 catches, 193 yards, 7 TDs, 13.8 YPR
Fragel: 5 catches, 64 yards, 0 TDs, 12.8 YPR
Reed has been a nice surprise for the Gators this season, anchoring the TE position after spending much of 2010 as a QB. His 28 receptions are tied for the team lead and significantly surpass all players at the WR position. In that way, he is much like Stoneburner, who was the Buckeyes most reliable threat in the passing game throughout the first part of the season. His production tapered off as the Buckeyes followed a long list of previous teams to go away from the TE as the season progressed, but he is still a reliable threat over the middle and dangerous in the red zone with 7 TDs. Leonard appears to have a bright future and Fragel is a decent blocker.
Edge: Even
Offensive Line
LT #73 Xavier Nixon (6-6, 292, JR, Jack Britt HS, Fayetteville, NC)
LG/C #56 Dan Wenger (6-3, 294, SR, St. Thomas Aquinas HS, Coral Springs, FL)
C/LG #72 Jonotthan Harrison (6-3, 295, SO, South Lake HS, Groveland, FL)
RG #67 Jon Halapio (6-3, 324, SO, St. Petersburg Catholic HS, St. Petersburg, FL)
RT #71 Matt Patchan (6-6, 292, SO, Armwood HS, Tampa, FL)
The Gator line is somewhat undersized by modern standards, as 4 of the 5 starters are under 300 pounds. That does yield advantages in lateral movement and mobility, however. The line has experienced some turbulence this year, which reflects the inconsistency of the offense as a whole. Most of the starting 5 started most of the games, but they moved around the line a fair bit over the course of the season. At LT, Nixon started 9 games, played in all 12, and has 22 career starts. He is a decent blocker but can be overmatched by larger DEs. At LG, Wenger, a one season transfer from Notre Dame, started 10 games there as well as one at C (South Carolina). He had played for Charlie Weis at Notre Dame, where he made 19 starts previously. Harrison started 11 games at C and played LG against South Carolina. At RG, Halapio has been a mainstay, starting all 12 games, bringing his career total to 19. He is the largest lineman they have in the 2-deep and is a good bulldozing blocker for the running game. At RT, Patchan has moved around, starting twice at LT before finishing the final 5 games as the starter at RT. He has struggled with injuries but has played in 27 games and will likely anchor the line for the next 2 seasons at T.
The 2-deep features two other players who have started games this season. Freshman Chaz Green (#75) started the first 7 games at RT and started the Florida State game at LT. He provides useful depth at both tackle spots. Along the interior, sophomore Kyle Koehne (#64) has been steadily improving and earned a start at LG against Furman. He is part of the regular rotation and has seen time in 25 games in his career thus far. Sophomore Nick Alajajian (#58) is an undersized guard (6-4, 275) who also provides some depth.
OL Rating: C
Head-to-Head: Florida OL versus OSU OL
Neither line played up to their expectations in 2011. The Gators didn't allow many sacks, but they didn't establish a consistent ground game and they didn't generate the push to convert many third downs. The Gator line is relatively young and still developing, and they had a lot of intermixing this season. The Buckeye line is more upperclassmen-laden but had issues with injuries, suspensions, and underperformance this year. Whichever line can establish the line of scrimmage will have the advantage, but that isn't as critical for Florida because of the consistent threat of a big play. Protecting the QB will be paramount for the Gators because of the lack of mobility of Brantley and the inexperience behind him.
Edge: Even
Overall Offensive Analysis
This game on paper looks like the completely resistible force against the easily movable object, as both offenses failed to crack the top 100 of FBS this season. Still the paths of the 2 teams seem to be different at the end of the year, as the Gators seemed to regress somewhat against Florida State and the Buckeyes put on their best offensive game of the season against Michigan. Turnovers killed the Buckeyes against Penn State as well, though they moved the ball some during that game. With Posey back receivers are also getting open more frequently, and though Miller has missed a few he hit a few against Michigan as well. The biggest factor in this game will likely be turnovers. As evidence, Florida was +2 in their 6 wins and -12 in their 6 losses. Interim coordinator Brian White will have to find ways to get his speedy skill players the ball in space, because with an undersized line and smallish running backs, a ball control game seems unlikely against the Buckeye front 7. The Gators won 2 of their last 4 and played South Carolina and Georgia tough, but they have struggled to move the ball and score points against better defenses and they have faced way too many third and longs all season. As a result their kickers have seen the field way too many times. None of their units are bad, but none really stand out and though they can always break a big play, sustaining drives and pressuring defenses have not been their strong suits as they have been in years past. The first quarter will likely tell the tale of the Bowl Game, as the Gators have broken out early in their wins and fallen behind in their losses, and they don't have the offense to make comebacks. If the Buckeyes can get pressure from their front 4 and prevent big plays in the running game, the Gators will have trouble moving the ball at all. However if Brantley can find Debose downfield and Rainey or Demps can make 2 or 3 big plays, they could demoralize the Buckeyes enough to where they feel like they're playing catch-up the rest of the game. It is difficult to envision both teams totalling the 41 points that Florida scored in Championship game 5 years ago, but anything is possible in bowl season.
Overall Offensive Rating: C-
2011 Florida Gators Defensive Preview
The Gators defense is orchestrated by head coach Will Muschamp (former Texas DC) and defensive coordinator Dan Quinn. Quinn came to UF after serving as the defensive line coach for the Seattle Seahawks for the last two seasons. In 2010, the Seahawks ranked sixth in the NFC in total sacks (37.0), with 24.0 of them coming from the defensive line. Seattle had 13 different players record at least one sack in 2010.
Florida's 6-6 record is not the fault of the defense. The Gators are 9th in the country in total defense (299.6 ypg) and 25th in scoring defense (20.6 ppg). They rank 21st in the country in passing efficiency defense (114.3). Their red zone defense has allowed 4.89 points per possession (22 TDs and 9 FGs in 37 attempts), and their rush defense yields 3.4 ypc. which is 23rd in the country.
The Gators have been excellent at third down defense, only allowing 46 of 166 attempts (27.7%) to be converted. That number ranks second in the country, only behind Alabama. They haven't been very solid at 4th down, though, as opponents have retained possession on 13 of 25 attempts, despite Kentucky going 0-for-5.
However, like the Buckeyes, Florida has had limited success in rushing the passer this year, with their 22 sacks being 1 less than tOSU has tallied. They do have an impressive number of QB hurries (32), however, so the Buckeyes difficulties in pass protecting could again be a problem if the ball isn't thrown quickly.
In terms of turnovers, both teams haven't been able to jump on loose balls often enough. Florida has recovered only 4 of 13 fumbles by their opponents, and the Buckeyes have only recovered 5 of 19 similar opportunities. Florida has also only grabbed 8 interceptions (compared to tOSU's 12), with their net result being a -11 in turnovers, compared to tOSU's +4.
Defensive Line
DE #73 Sharrif Floyd (6-3, 295, So.)
NT #6 Jaye Howard (6-3, 303, Sr.)
DT #99 Omar Hunter (6-1, 305, Jr.)
Buck #7 Ronald Powell (6-4, 248, So.)
The D-Line is missing Dominique Easley (37 tackles, 7.5 TFLs), who suffered a torn ACL in their previous game against Florida State. Seniors Howard and Hunter have combined for 41 career starts on the interior of the line. Howard is the leading tackler among defensive linemen, totaling 126 in his career, including 24 TFLs and 9.5 sacks, both tops among all current UF players. He registered the first TD of his career at Kentucky when he snagged a fumble in mid-air, only two yards from the end zone. Howard matched his a season-high with eight tackles against Georgia and finished with five tackles and a fumble recovery against Florida State. Howard is fourth on the squad with 60 tackles (33 solo) and has 8.5 TFL, four sacks and four QB hurries.
Hunter has 17 career starts (11 in 2009, 6 in 2010), tied for third-most among Florida defenders. He has 66 total tackles in his career and seven tackles-for-loss. At Kentucky, Hunter had a then-season-high four tackles and was credited with his first fumble recovery in the first quarter. He had a season-high five tackles at Auburn, collected his first career sack versus Georgia and had four tackles at South Carolina.
Well-known to Buckeye recruitniks, Sharrif Floyd had a career-high 11 tackles at No. 1 LSU, eight versus Georgia and blocked his first career field goal against Vanderbilt. He has shown up on some lists for All-SEC second-team defense.
Powell started one game as a true freshman, totaling 25 tackles, 2.5 tackles-for-loss and 1.0 sack. He was named to the 2010 SEC Coaches All-Freshman Team. Powell plays the 'Buck' position in the Gators defensive scheme, which is similar to tOSU's 'Leo' spot as a hybrid linebacker/defensive end. Powell had five tackles, two for loss and forced a fumble versus FSU, and has also been named as a second team All-SEC defender.
The first DE off the bench should be #96 William Green (6-4, 256, Sr.), who has just three starts in his career, but has been a regular in the defensive line rotation since he arrived as a true freshman in 2008. Other DE depth comes from #91 Earl Okine (6-7, 272, Jr.), who had a career-high three solo tackles against FAU and two quarterback hurries versus Auburn. He is tied for the team lead with four quarterback hurries. Another player that might be spotted at DE is Lenrette McCray, who can move from the Sam LB over to the Buck position.
Inside depth for the tackle spots comes from #44 Leon Orr (6-5, 310, RFr.), and they can also move Floyd inside to improve the overall quickness of the line.
DL Rating: A-
Head-to-Head: Florida DL versus OSU DL
The Buckeyes have two excellent players in John Simon and Johnathan Hankins, but the injury to Nathan Williams left tOSU without a consistent speed rusher from the D-Line. Based on the ability to stuff the run, despite the loss of Easley (which lowered this rating slightly), the nod goes to the Gators here.
Edge: Florida
Linebackers
SLB #34 Lerentee McCray (6-2, 246, Jr.)
MLB #52 Jonathan Bostic (6-1, 243, Jr.)
WLB #3 Jelani Jenkins (6-0, 230, So.)
The linebacking group is led by junior Jon Bostic and sophomore Jelani Jenkins. Bostic started six games last season, while Jenkins started 11 games and was named to the SEC All-Freshman team. Both players were preseason All-SEC Third Team picks by the league's coaches.
Bostic had a game-high 12 tackles versus South Carolina and a career-high 13 tackles and a sack at LSU. He totaled 10 tackles, eight of which were solo, forced his first career fumble and had a sack at Kentucky. He had previously matched his personal best with eight tackles versus Tennessee and had a sack. He leads the Gators with 86 tackles (53 solo) and has six tackles for loss (totaling 42 yards) this year and has 161 tackles, 8.5 TFLs, 4.5 sacks and three picks in his career (all in 2010).
Jenkins is third on UF with 71 tackles (46 solo) this season and is second with six pass breakups. He equaled his career best of 11 tackles against Florida State and had a 10 tackles against Furman, highlighted by a career-high 75-yard interception return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. His 75-yard return is the second-longest in school history by a linebacker (second only to an 81-yarder by Darren Hambrick in the '94 WLOCP). It's the longest return by a linebacker in the SEC this year and fifth-longest in the nation. Jenkins has also appeared on All-SEC second-team defenses this year.
McCray made his first career start at the SAM linebacker spot to open the season and started in the same spot against Tennessee, LSU and Auburn. He had a career-high seven tackles in Baton Rouge, two of his four tackles against Auburn were for losses and he had first-ever sack against Georgia before being injured. He missed 3 games while injured, but is tied for the team lead woith 4 QB hurries. He's the LB that will normally leave the field when the Gators shift into a nickel package.
Depth at the Sam is provided by #49 Darrin Kitchens (6-2, 229, So.), who made his first career start at the SAM linebacker spot versus Furman and delivered a game-high 12 tackles. The middle is backed up by #51 Michael Taylor (6-0, 227, RFr.), who had a career-high 7 tackles against LSU and totaled 6 against Georgia before making his first career start against Vanderbilt. At Kentucky, he recorded six tackles (all solo), two of which TFLs. He snared his first career interception in the third quarter and had a 30-yard interception return that set up a field goal.
#55 Graham Stewart (6-1, 245, Fr.) provides depth at the Will, but doesn't get on the field very often.
LB Rating: B+
Head-to-Head: Florida LBs versus OSU LBs
For the Buckeyes, the LB play this year hasn't been up to tOSU's standards. There have been too many missed tackles. Andrew Sweat will be playing with a brace on the elbow that was injured and caused him to miss The Game. He's moving to the Mike position for the bowl game, in order to be on the field alongside Ryan Shazier, who made a lot of plays at the Will position in the last two games, although he was slowed by a knee injury that had him limping all over the field for most of the snaps against TSUN. The opponent gets the edge here based on experience and depth.
Edge: Florida
Secondary
CB #31 Cody Riggs (5-9, 179, So.)
S #22 Matt Elam (5-10, 206, So.)
S #24 Josh Evans (6-1, 199, Jr.)
CB #14 Jaylen Watkins (6-0, 187, So.)
Nickel #26 De'Ante 'Pop' Saunders (5-8, 192, Fr,)
Elam has started all 12 games at safety, and is a playmaker whose 72 tackles are second most in the team. He's tallied 9 TFLs to go with a pair of INTs and a pair of forced fumbles. He racked up a career-high 12 tackles at LSU, and forced the first fumble of his career during the third quarter against UAB that was recovered by freshman Marcus Roberson. His first career interception iced the win over Tennessee, and he added another pick to set up the Gators' third touchdown of the opening quarter at Kentucky. Elam had eight tackles at South Carolina, including his first sack of the season in the fourth quarter.
Riggs, who had 18 tackles and one interception as a true freshman last season, started the first seven games and was credited for his first career sack (0.5) at Kentucky and had 3 tackles. He had a career-best five tackles and had one for loss in the win over Furman.
Evans established a personal best of 11 tackles (all solo) at South Carolina and picked off Tennessee's first pass of the second half. He has 46 tackles (34 solo) this season.
Watkins is third on the team with 5 PBUs. He had 4 tackles with a 12-yd TFL against the 'Noles. He made his first career start against UK, tying for 2nd on the team with a career-high 6 tackles (5 solo).
Saunders collected his first career interception against the Gamecocks, and also returned a pick 25 yards for his first career TD against Furman.
CB depth comes mainly from #36 Moses Jenkins (6-3, 189, Sr.), who earned the first two starts of his career last season and has 40 tackles with one interception, one tackle-for-loss and one sack. He was granted a fifth year of eligibility after missing eight games in 2009 with a concussion and began 2011 with a pair of solo tackles against UAB. #15 Loucheiz Purifoy (6-1, 183, Fr) is the other CB on the depth chart; he appeared in all 12 games, notching 22 tackles.
The backups at safety include #21 Jabari Gorman (5-11, 170, Fr.), and De'Ante Saunders, when he's not in the nickel spot. Also manning a safety spot could be #9 Josh Shaw (6-3, 197, RFr.) who established a career high with six tackles against Auburn and has has 22 tackles (10 solo) this season.
DB Rating: B+
Head-to-Head: Florida DBs versus OSU DBs
The Buckeyes have made more interceptions, despite the fact that Florida's D-Line is slightly better at generating pressure on the QB. Both squads have good coverage ability, and haven't yielded a great deal of big plays, which will likely be a key to this game since both offenses struggle to maintain drives. Buckeye receivers have shown the ability to get open deep, although those deep attempts aren't completed with enough frequency. The Buckeye safeties also need to take proper angles in order to avoid giving up big plays, because they won't catch Demps and Rainey if they get past them. If one of these units can grab a turnover or two without getting burned, that could be decisive.
Edge: Even
Overall Defensive Analysis
Florida has solid talent throughout the defense, based on strong recruiting classes recently. Despite that, they didn't place a single player on the All-SEC first team, although both LSU and Alabama understandably dominated those lists. Florida dominated FSU in their last game, allowing only 95 yards in total offense. They are solid against the run, and efficient against the pass, but they have trouble getting sacks and turnovers. Overall, they rate as highly as any unit the Buckeyes have faced this year.
Overall Defensive Rating: A-
2011 Florida Gators Special Teams Preview
The Buckeyes continue their consecutive bowl streak (up to 16 in a row) by playing the Florida Gators in the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Florida. Once again, the Buckeyes will face what amounts to be a home game for the Gators (Jacksonville is 90 miles from their Gainesville campus) in a rematch of the 2007 "Debacle in the Desert" where the Gators won the National Championship 41-14 in the Fiesta Bowl.
Special Teams' Stats (NCAA, GatorZone, OhioStateBuckeyes)
Florida
Punting
David Lerner: 27 for 1040 yards, 38.5 avg, 50 long
Kyle Christy: 27 1115 yards, 41.3 avg, 67 long
Team: 54 for 2155 yards, 39.9 avg, 67 long (46th nationally)
Placekicking
Caleb Sturgis: 21-25 FGs, 28-28 PATs (3rd nationally)
Brad Phillips:. 2-3 FGs, 2-2 PATs
Team: 23-28 FGs, 30-30 PATs
Punt Returns (none have minimum number of returns to qualify for NCAA ranking)
Chris Rainey: 11 for 75 yards, 6.8 avg, 1 TD, 22 long
De'Ante Saunders: 5 for 25 yards, 5.0 avg 25 long
Frankie Hammond Jr: 2 for 5 yards, 2.5 avg, 6 long
Tim Clark: 2 for 0 yards
Dominique Easley: 1 for 0 yards
Soloman Patton: 1 for 28 yards
Cody Riggs: 1 for 0 yards
Team: 23 for 133 yards, 5.8 avg, 1 TD, 22 long (91st nationally)
Kickoff Returns
Andre Debose: 17 for 367 yards, 21.6 avg, 63 long (89th nationally)
Jeff Demps: 10 for 250 yards 25.0 avg, 1 TD, 99 long (does meet the minimum number of returns to qualify for NCAA ranking)
Soloman Patton: 10 for 241 yards, 24.1 avg, 33 long (does meet the minimum number of returns to qualify for NCAA ranking)
Chris Rainey: 4 for 103 yards, 25.8 avg, 37 long (does meet the minimum number of returns to qualify for NCAA ranking)
William Green: 2 for 21 yards, 10.5 avg, 13 long (does meet the minimum number of returns to qualify for NCAA ranking)
Mike Gillislee: 1 for 19 yards (does meet the minimum number of returns to qualify for NCAA ranking)
Chris Johnson: 1 for 8 yards (does meet the minimum number of returns to qualify for NCAA ranking)
Team: 45 for 1009 yards, 22.4 avg, 1 TD, 99 long (44th nationally)
Punt Return Defense
18 for 99 yards, 5.5 avg (29th nationally)
Kickoff Return Defense
57 for 1263 yards, 22.16 avg, 11 Touchbacks (74th nationally)
Ohio State
Punting:
Ben Buchanan: 65 for 2653 yards, 40.82 avg, 1 blocked (49th nationally)
Placekicking:
Drew Basil: 15-18 FGs, 34-35 PATs (34th nationally)
Punt Returns: (none meet the minimum number of returns to qualify for NCAA ranking)
Jordan Hall: 12 for 70 yards, 5.8 avg, 27 long
Chris Fields: 5 for 88 yards, 17.6 avg, 1 TD, 69 long
Corey Brown: 2 for 28 yards, 14.0 avg, 17 long
Devin Smith: 1 for 3 yards
Ryan Shazier: 1 for 25 yards
Team: 21 for 214 yards, 10.2 avg, 1 TD, 69 long (42nd nationally)
Kickoff Returns:
Jordan Hall: 22 for 619 yards, 28.1 avg, 90 long (12th nationally)
Jaamal Berry: 7 for 150 yards, 21.40 avg, 28 long
Devin Smith: 4 for 86 yards, 21.4 avg, 28 long
Corey Brown: 1 for 44 yards
Chris Fields: 1 for 15 yards
Tony Jackson: 1 for 10 yards
Carlos Hyde: 2 for 47 yards, 23.5 avg
Team: 38 for 971 yards, 25.6 avg, 90 long (8th nationally)
Punt Return Defense:
24 for 126 yards, 5.25 avg (25th nationally)
Kickoff Return Defense:
46 for 842 yards, 18.30 avg, 14 touchbacks (13th Nationally)
Florida (GatorZone)
Punter
#44 Kyle Christy (6-3, 184, Fr., Brownsburg HS, Brownsburg, IN
#40 David Lerner (6-0, 194, Sr, Buchholz HS, Gainesville, FL)
Place kicker/Kickoffs
#19 Caleb Sturgis (5-11, 183, Jr., St. Augustine HS, St. Augustine, FL)
#45 Matt Wile (6-2, 208, Fr., Francis Parker HS, San Diego, CA)
Punt Returners
#1 Chris Rainey (5-9, 174, Sr., Lakeland HS, Lakeland, FL)
#26 De?Ante Saunders (5-8, 192, Fr., DeLand HS, DeLand, FL)
Kick Returners
#4 Andre Debose (5-11, 191, So., Seminole HS, Sanford, FL)
#28 Jeff Demps (5-7, 191, Sr., South Lake HS, Winter Haven, FL)
#83 Solomon Patton (5-9, 169, So., Murphy HS, Mobile, AL)
#23 Mike Gillislee (5-11, 198, Jr., DeLand HS, DeLand, FL)
Long Snapper
#46 Drew Ferris (6-1, 217, So., Jewish Academy HS, Carlsbad, CA)
#54 Christopher Guido (6-1, 216, So., Lake Bradley HS, Altamonte Springs, FL)
Holder
#47 John Crofoot (5-11, 150, So., The First Academy HS, Windemere, FL)
#10 Tyler Murphy (6-2, 209, Fr., Wethersfield HS, Wethersfield, CT)
Ohio State (Rivals)
Punter:
#17 Ben Buchanan (6-0, 195, So., Central HS, Westerville, OH)
#39 Derek Erwin (5-10, 203, Jr., Buckeye Central HS, Tiro, OH)
Place Kicker/Kickoffs:
#24 Drew Basil (6-1, 206, So., Chillicothe HS, Chillicothe, OH)
#20 Russel Doup (6-1, 180, Fr., Mt Vernon HS, Mt Vernon, OH)
Punt Returners:
#7 Jordan Hall (5-9, 195, Jr., Jeanette HS, Jeanette, PA)
#80 Chris Fields (6-0, 185, So., Harvey HS, Painesville, OH)
Kickoff Returners:
#7 Jordan Hall (5-9, 195, Jr., Jeanette HS, Jeanette, PA)
#34 Carlos Hyde (6-0, 238, So., Naples HS, Naples, FL)
#80 Chris Fields (6-0, 185, So., Harvey HS, Painesville, OH)
Long Snapper:
#56 George Makridis (5-11, 236, So., Harding HS, Warren, OH)
#54 Bryce Haynes (6-4, 185, Fr., Pinecrest HS, Cumming, GA)
Holder:
#39 Derek Erwin (5-10, 203, Jr., Buckeye Central HS, Tiro, OH)
#14 Joe Bauserman (6-1, 233, Sr., Lincoln HS, Strasburg, VA)
Head-to-Head: Florida Punt team vs. Ohio State Punt Return Team.
The Gators used 2 punters this year, David Lerner and Kyle Christy, but neither were outstanding. Lerner averaged only 38.5 yards per punt and Christy 41.3. The Buckeyes average over 10 yards per return and have some dangerous players running them back.
Edge: Ohio State
Head-to-Head: Florida Kickoff Team vs. Ohio State Kickoff Return Team.
Florida has not been good this year on kickoff return defense, giving up over 22 yards per return to rank 74th in the nation. The Buckeyes are among the statistical leaders in this category in the NCAA, bringing back kicks at the rate of over 25 yards per return. This puts them 8th in the nation and gives them the edge in this part of the game.
Edge: Ohio State
Head-to-Head: Ohio State Punt Team vs Florida Punt Return Team.
The dangerous SEC speed that we have always heard ad nauseum is not evident in the Gator's punt return statistics. Their team stats are as follows: 23 returns for 133 yards, 5.8 avg, 1 TD, with 22 being their longest, thus ranking 91st nationally. Of course, for many of those returns they are going against SEC-speed level return defenses, so it evens out. The Buckeyes counter with a strong return team, allowing only 126 yards on 24 returns (5.25 avg) to rank 25th in the nation. But again, this was against plodding Big 10 defenses. Still, advantage OSU.
Edge: Ohio State
Head-to-Head: Ohio State Kickoff team vs. Florida Kickoff Return Team.
UF has a 99 yard kickoff return for a TD to their credit this year. As a team they rank 44th with a 22.4 avg per return, certainly solid. OSU's kickoff defense unit vies with the kickoff returners as the best unit on the team. Ohio State allows only 18.3 yards per return to rank lucky 13th in the nation.
Edge: Ohio State
Overall Special Teams Analysis
On paper it looks like Ohio State has outperformed Florida in every aspect of special teams. Across the board their statistics are better. But make no mistake, the Gators have the athletes it takes to impact the game. The Buckeyes get the nod overall, but will need to excel and contribute for them to win.
PredictionsAlso rarely does a New Year's Day (OK, January 2) Bowl game feature 2 teams that fail to crack the top 100 in total offense. Yet amazingly, for as prolific as they have been in the recent past, the Florida Gators finished the regular season of 2011 averaging a paltry 334.2 yards per game (101st). They ranked 87th in passing (204.3 YPG) and 75th rushing (144.0), so they didn't move the ball particularly well this year. Their 25.6 points per game ranked just 71st nationally, a giant dropoff for a team that finished in the top 10 in scoring just 2 seasons ago. Florida QBs have tossed 12 INTs and taken 23 sacks, not terrible numbers but also not great for a team that doesn't move the ball through the air particularly well. Florida also failed to crack the top 100 in first downs, finishing with just 208 on the season (103rd) and their 3rd down conversion percentage was even worse, going an awful 29.3% for the season to rank 113th out of 120 FBS teams. It is evident that the defenses will likely rule this game, but the winner of this game will likely be the team that manages to establish some sort of continuity on offense, which has not been an easy task for either team this year.
Quarterbacks
QB #12 John Brantley (6-3, 219, SR, Trinity Catholic HS, Ocala, FL)
Brantley had the unenviable task of following the highly successful Tim Tebow, and then saw his head coach leave the institution. He has made 23 starts in his 40 game career, including 10 this season. He missed 2 games because of injury, against LSU and Auburn. He doesn't put up a ton of passes, topping 30 attempts only twice, but he hovers around the 60% completion, 175-225 yard mark most games. He can be really good (329 yards, 4 TDs against Furman) or awful (104 yards, 3 INTs against Florida State), but he generally takes care of the football and keeps the Gators in games. He is not a running threat, which limits his effectiveness somewhat. Other than Furman, his best FBS game was probably against Tennessee, where he threw for 213 yards and 2 TDs. He competed well against Alabama, throwing for 190 yards and a TD on 11/16 in just a half of work, before getting hurt. Brantley is not spectacular, and will not pile up gaudy stats, and does not run well, but he can move the offense and he does a decent job of finding his playmakers in space when he has time. Pressure from the front four will therefore be paramount in the bowl game.
True freshman Jacoby Brissett (#17) is the primary reserve and started the LSU and Auburn games. He was thrown into the fire against 2 quality SEC defenses, and his stats (8/14, 94 yards, TD, 2 INTs against LSU, 5/10, 45 yards, INT against Auburn) reflect that. He also entered the Florida State game but went just 4/13 for 27 yards, a TD and an INT. Obviously he will need time to develop, and the Gators weren't planning on needing him so soon. Fellow freshman Jeff Driskel (#16) will likely be competing with Brissett for the job next season, and also saw some action this year. He went 9 of 18 for 75 yards against Auburn, and tossed a couple of INTs in limited action earlier in the season. Like Brissett, he could be a future star but will require quite a bit of seasoning.
QB Rating: C-
Head-to-Head: Florida QB versus OSU QB
Brantley: 132/224 (58.9%), 1912 yards, 10 TDs, 6 INTs, 140.0 rating; 23/-117, 0 TDs
Miller: 67/134 (50.0%), 997 yards, 11 TDs, 4 INTs, 133.6 rating; 144/695, 7 TDs
Brantley isn't terrible, but the offense just hasn't moved with him at the helm much this season. Miller has explosive running ability when the passing game is struggling, which Brantley does not have, so that limits his effectiveness given the struggles of the dropback passing game. Miller had a breakout game against Michigan in the finale, missing some open throws but also moving the offense with grit and determination and carrying a Buckeye team undermanned on defense to the brink of a win against a team invited to a BCS game. By contrast, the QB play for Florida in their final game against Florida State was basically awful. It will be interesting to see how Miller develops with Meyer at the helm, but it was easy to see some significant progress at the end of this season as well. Miller can carry the team when needed...the same probably cannot be said of Brantley. Neither team boasts much usable depth.
Edge: Ohio State
Running Backs
HB #1 Chris Rainey (5-9, 174, SR, Lakeland HS, Lakeland, FL)
FB #8 Trey Burton (6-3, 229, SO, Venice Senior HS, Venice, FL)
The Gators have very few dynamic playmakers on offense...but they have Chris Rainey, and he is enough to get the attention of any defensive coordinator in a heartbeat. He is not a running back that one expects to pound it 25 times a game or run much between the tackles. However he gets about 15-20 touches per game, and the Gators like to set him up in space whenever possible to break a big play. He broke the 100 yard plain on the ground 4 times in 2011, and added a 100 yard receiving game against Tennessee. He also led the team in rushing (790), tied for the team lead in receptions (28) and was named by the SEC coaches to the All-SEC team as an all-purpose threat. He started 9 games this year, giving him 18 career starts and 51 appearances in a Florida uniform. When the Gators were winning early, he was a big reason why, gaining over 100 yards on the ground against UAB (119), Tennessee (108), and Kentucky (105). His production tapered off in the middle of the season as the Gators struggled, and then he broke out for 132 yards against South Carolina and finished the season strong. Surprisingly he only scored 4 offensive TDs, which given his speed and ability in the open field is lower than one might expect. He also didn't score an offensive TD in the last 9 games, which is even more surprising. Thus the Buckeyes will need to have an eye on him at all times, both rushing the ball and receiving it out of the backfield, in order to contain him and prevent him from dominating as he did early in the season.
The primary backup is senior and program veteran Jeff Demps (#28). Demps made a handful of starts this season, pushing his career total to 27 and his appearance total to 50 games. Demps is a track standout and a hit-or-miss explosive element to the offense, who seems to disappear in some stretches and completely dominate in others. Most of his production this season came from 3 games. Against Florida Atlantic in the opener, he had 12 carries for 105 yards and 2 TDs, and added 3 receptions for 21 yards. In week 4 against Kentucky, he had 10 carries for 157 yards and 2 TDs. Finally, against Vanderbilt, which is the only game Rainey missed, he had 23 carries for 158 yards and 2 TDs. He also had a 72 yard reception against Georgia and is dangerous on special teams as a return man. Florida won all 3 games where he was heavily involved, so look for him to play a very active role against the Buckeyes in the Gator Bowl. After Demps is junior Mike Gillislee (#23), who has 35 total appearances for Florida, all in a reserve role. His touches have been sporadic by game, but he has been productive when given opportunities. He had 11 carries for 79 yards and a TD against UAB, 6 carries for 84 yards and a TD against Kentucky, and 9 carries for 56 yards against a very stout LSU defense. He didn't catch a pass this season, but he is also valuable on punt and kickoff coverage. He had just 5 carries total in the final 3 games of the season, so it is unclear what his role will be in the Bowl game.
At "fullback" the Gators have a good and highly versatile player in Burton, who can carry it (33 carries, 102 yards, 3 TDs), catch it (19 receptions, 149 yards, TD) and throw it (4/6, 16 yards). He is also a decent blocker and is basically just a good athlete who can do a lot to help the offense. His ability to run, catch and throw also opens up the playbook, especially in a bowl game, where coaches are known to be more liberal with their playcalling. The Buckeyes will have to be very aware of him at all times.
RB Rating: B+
Head-to-Head: Florida RB versus OSU RB
Rainey: 155/790 yards, 2 TDs, 5.1 YPC; 28 rec/350 yards, 2 TDs, 12.5 YPR
Demps: 91/539 yards, 6 TDs, 5.9 YPC; 15 rec/165 yards, 0 TDs, 11.0 YPR
Gillislee: 51/313 yards, 2 TDs, 6.1 YPC; 0 rec/0 yards, 0 TDs, 0.0 YPR
Herron: 123/596 yards, 3 TDs, 4.8 YPC; 4 rec/23 yards, 0 TDs, 5.8 YPR
Hyde: 101/549 yards, 6 TDs, 5.4 YPC; 9 rec/65 yards, 0 TDs, 7.2 YPR
Hall: 95/381 yards, 2 TDs, 4.0 YPC; 9 rec/102 yards, 2 TDs, 11.3 YPR
This is a pretty stark contrast in styles, but both units are pivotal to the limited offenses of their teams. The Gators don't have that workhorse back to rely on when the passing game isn't working, but they have fast and athletic players who can do a lot of different things and hurt defenses in a lot of different ways. The Buckeyes are more traditional at the position and often turn to Herron to power the ball and maintain possession. Hall brings a more dynamic element to the Buckeye backfield, but the advantage in receiving and multi-purpose players clearly lies with the Gators, while consistency in the running game itself and the ability to move the chains would seem to favor the Buckeyes. Both teams have some decent depth and both have fullbacks who add something to the offense. Turnovers at critical times cost both the Gators and the Buckeyes this season, so whichever team plays the cleaner game moving the ball on the ground may have the advantage.
Edge: Even
Wide Receivers
WR-X #4 Andre Debose (5-11, 191, SO, Seminole HS, Sanford, FL)
WR-Z #6 Deonte Thompson (6-0, 200, SR, Glades Central HS, Belle Glade, FL)
The receiver position has been somewhat hit or miss for the Gators in 2011 as they failed to establish an adequate passing game. They use a lot of players in a regular rotation, and none topped 20 receptions on the season. Debose however is an explosion waiting to happen on every play. He started 4 games and appeared in 11, and though he caught only 15 passes, he scored 4 TDs and did some of his biggest damage against Alabama (2 receptions, 90 yards, TD) and LSU (1 reception, 65 yards, TD) in back-to-back games. He also owned Furman, with 3 receptions for 151 yards and 2 TDs. He had much less of an impact in the other games he played in offensively, so if the Buckeyes can cover him deep they may be able to take him out of the equation. However he is also a monster in the return game and is a danger to score a TD every time he touches the ball, so Ohio State will have to be mindful of letting him get loose in space. Thompson led all receivers in catches with 19 and played more of a possession-type role, averaging 12.5 yards per catch but scoring no TDs. He caught at least one pass in 9 games but never topped 3 receptions or 45 yards in any one game. He is a program veteran with a lot of knowledge who can make a tough catch on 3rd down when necessary. He also provides leadership to the group, with 9 starts for the season, 33 for his career, and 51 games played.
Others in the regular rotation include junior Frankie Hammond (#85) and freshman Quinton Dunbar (#9). Hammond made 4 starts (11 career) and caugh 14 passes, racking up 42 yards against Kentucky and 40 against Auburn. Dunbar is a rising star who started 4 games and caught 13 passes, racking up 94 yards and 2 TDs over the final 2 games, so he will likely see quality time in the Bowl game and top the depth chart next season. Junior Omarius Hines (#82) is a WR/TE hybrid (6-2, 220) who caught just 5 passes this season after tallying 20 last year. He could also see time in the Gator Bowl.
WR Rating: C+
Head-to-Head: Florida WRs versus OSU WRs
Debose: 15 catches, 423 yards, 4 TDs, 28.2 YPR
Thompson: 19 catches, 237 yards, 0 TDs, 12.5 YPR
Dunbar: 13 catches, 210 yards, 2 TDs, 16.2 YPR
Smith: 12 catches, 247 yards, 4 TDs, 20.6 YPR
Brown: 14 catches, 205 yards, 1 TD, 14.6 YPR
Posey: 7 catches, 124 yards, 1 TD, 17.7 YPR
Debose is a legitimate home run threat, but the Gators lacked consistency from this position as no player started more than 9 games or caught as many as 20 passes. The same can be said of the Buckeyes, who saw Posey finish 3rd in receiving after playing in just 2 games. He definitely brings a strong presence and desperately needed leadership to what has been a somewhat rudderless position over 2011. Upgrading the production from the receivers will have to be a top priority for both programs in 2012, and it could start in the bowl game if some underclassmen make significant contributions. Debose and Dunbar are likely the future for Florida, so look for them to be featured. The Buckeyes will likely lean on Posey until the new regime takes over, but Smith and/or Brown will have to contribute if the passing game is to provide any threat in the bowl game. Neither one of these units was up to the standard that fans have become accustomed to.
Edge: Even
Tight Ends
TE #11 Jordan Reed (6-3, 239, SO, New London HS, New London, CT)
One of the more underrated aspects of Florida's recent past has been the quality of their TEs, and Reed appears to be another good addition to Gator Nation after switching from QB last season. He made 9 starts in 2011, giving him 13 for his young career, and caught at least one pass in all 9 games. His two best games statistically in receiving came against Georgia (4 receptions, 69 yards, TD) and South Carolina (5 receptions, 62 yards) so he is definitely not limited in ability to hurt quality defenses. He has good size, good hands, and as a former QB, he has a good grasp of the offense and where the soft spots in a defense are.
The reserve is freshman A.C. Leonard (#81), who can also play some fullback. He is a decent blocker with good size (6-4, 244) who got an opportunity to play significantly over the final month of the season (4 starts) and had 7 receptions for 95 yards over the final four games, including 3 for 65 yards against Florida State. He appears to have a bright future as he learns the offense and establishes himself in the rotation full time.
TE Rating: B
Head-to-Head: Florida TE versus OSU TE
Reed: 28 catches, 307 yards, 2 TDs, 11.0 YPR
Leonard: 7 catches, 95 yards, 0 TDs, 13.6 YPR
Stoneburner: 14 catches, 193 yards, 7 TDs, 13.8 YPR
Fragel: 5 catches, 64 yards, 0 TDs, 12.8 YPR
Reed has been a nice surprise for the Gators this season, anchoring the TE position after spending much of 2010 as a QB. His 28 receptions are tied for the team lead and significantly surpass all players at the WR position. In that way, he is much like Stoneburner, who was the Buckeyes most reliable threat in the passing game throughout the first part of the season. His production tapered off as the Buckeyes followed a long list of previous teams to go away from the TE as the season progressed, but he is still a reliable threat over the middle and dangerous in the red zone with 7 TDs. Leonard appears to have a bright future and Fragel is a decent blocker.
Edge: Even
Offensive Line
LT #73 Xavier Nixon (6-6, 292, JR, Jack Britt HS, Fayetteville, NC)
LG/C #56 Dan Wenger (6-3, 294, SR, St. Thomas Aquinas HS, Coral Springs, FL)
C/LG #72 Jonotthan Harrison (6-3, 295, SO, South Lake HS, Groveland, FL)
RG #67 Jon Halapio (6-3, 324, SO, St. Petersburg Catholic HS, St. Petersburg, FL)
RT #71 Matt Patchan (6-6, 292, SO, Armwood HS, Tampa, FL)
The Gator line is somewhat undersized by modern standards, as 4 of the 5 starters are under 300 pounds. That does yield advantages in lateral movement and mobility, however. The line has experienced some turbulence this year, which reflects the inconsistency of the offense as a whole. Most of the starting 5 started most of the games, but they moved around the line a fair bit over the course of the season. At LT, Nixon started 9 games, played in all 12, and has 22 career starts. He is a decent blocker but can be overmatched by larger DEs. At LG, Wenger, a one season transfer from Notre Dame, started 10 games there as well as one at C (South Carolina). He had played for Charlie Weis at Notre Dame, where he made 19 starts previously. Harrison started 11 games at C and played LG against South Carolina. At RG, Halapio has been a mainstay, starting all 12 games, bringing his career total to 19. He is the largest lineman they have in the 2-deep and is a good bulldozing blocker for the running game. At RT, Patchan has moved around, starting twice at LT before finishing the final 5 games as the starter at RT. He has struggled with injuries but has played in 27 games and will likely anchor the line for the next 2 seasons at T.
The 2-deep features two other players who have started games this season. Freshman Chaz Green (#75) started the first 7 games at RT and started the Florida State game at LT. He provides useful depth at both tackle spots. Along the interior, sophomore Kyle Koehne (#64) has been steadily improving and earned a start at LG against Furman. He is part of the regular rotation and has seen time in 25 games in his career thus far. Sophomore Nick Alajajian (#58) is an undersized guard (6-4, 275) who also provides some depth.
OL Rating: C
Head-to-Head: Florida OL versus OSU OL
Neither line played up to their expectations in 2011. The Gators didn't allow many sacks, but they didn't establish a consistent ground game and they didn't generate the push to convert many third downs. The Gator line is relatively young and still developing, and they had a lot of intermixing this season. The Buckeye line is more upperclassmen-laden but had issues with injuries, suspensions, and underperformance this year. Whichever line can establish the line of scrimmage will have the advantage, but that isn't as critical for Florida because of the consistent threat of a big play. Protecting the QB will be paramount for the Gators because of the lack of mobility of Brantley and the inexperience behind him.
Edge: Even
Overall Offensive Analysis
This game on paper looks like the completely resistible force against the easily movable object, as both offenses failed to crack the top 100 of FBS this season. Still the paths of the 2 teams seem to be different at the end of the year, as the Gators seemed to regress somewhat against Florida State and the Buckeyes put on their best offensive game of the season against Michigan. Turnovers killed the Buckeyes against Penn State as well, though they moved the ball some during that game. With Posey back receivers are also getting open more frequently, and though Miller has missed a few he hit a few against Michigan as well. The biggest factor in this game will likely be turnovers. As evidence, Florida was +2 in their 6 wins and -12 in their 6 losses. Interim coordinator Brian White will have to find ways to get his speedy skill players the ball in space, because with an undersized line and smallish running backs, a ball control game seems unlikely against the Buckeye front 7. The Gators won 2 of their last 4 and played South Carolina and Georgia tough, but they have struggled to move the ball and score points against better defenses and they have faced way too many third and longs all season. As a result their kickers have seen the field way too many times. None of their units are bad, but none really stand out and though they can always break a big play, sustaining drives and pressuring defenses have not been their strong suits as they have been in years past. The first quarter will likely tell the tale of the Bowl Game, as the Gators have broken out early in their wins and fallen behind in their losses, and they don't have the offense to make comebacks. If the Buckeyes can get pressure from their front 4 and prevent big plays in the running game, the Gators will have trouble moving the ball at all. However if Brantley can find Debose downfield and Rainey or Demps can make 2 or 3 big plays, they could demoralize the Buckeyes enough to where they feel like they're playing catch-up the rest of the game. It is difficult to envision both teams totalling the 41 points that Florida scored in Championship game 5 years ago, but anything is possible in bowl season.
Overall Offensive Rating: C-
2011 Florida Gators Defensive Preview
The Gators defense is orchestrated by head coach Will Muschamp (former Texas DC) and defensive coordinator Dan Quinn. Quinn came to UF after serving as the defensive line coach for the Seattle Seahawks for the last two seasons. In 2010, the Seahawks ranked sixth in the NFC in total sacks (37.0), with 24.0 of them coming from the defensive line. Seattle had 13 different players record at least one sack in 2010.
Florida's 6-6 record is not the fault of the defense. The Gators are 9th in the country in total defense (299.6 ypg) and 25th in scoring defense (20.6 ppg). They rank 21st in the country in passing efficiency defense (114.3). Their red zone defense has allowed 4.89 points per possession (22 TDs and 9 FGs in 37 attempts), and their rush defense yields 3.4 ypc. which is 23rd in the country.
The Gators have been excellent at third down defense, only allowing 46 of 166 attempts (27.7%) to be converted. That number ranks second in the country, only behind Alabama. They haven't been very solid at 4th down, though, as opponents have retained possession on 13 of 25 attempts, despite Kentucky going 0-for-5.
However, like the Buckeyes, Florida has had limited success in rushing the passer this year, with their 22 sacks being 1 less than tOSU has tallied. They do have an impressive number of QB hurries (32), however, so the Buckeyes difficulties in pass protecting could again be a problem if the ball isn't thrown quickly.
In terms of turnovers, both teams haven't been able to jump on loose balls often enough. Florida has recovered only 4 of 13 fumbles by their opponents, and the Buckeyes have only recovered 5 of 19 similar opportunities. Florida has also only grabbed 8 interceptions (compared to tOSU's 12), with their net result being a -11 in turnovers, compared to tOSU's +4.
Defensive Line
DE #73 Sharrif Floyd (6-3, 295, So.)
NT #6 Jaye Howard (6-3, 303, Sr.)
DT #99 Omar Hunter (6-1, 305, Jr.)
Buck #7 Ronald Powell (6-4, 248, So.)
The D-Line is missing Dominique Easley (37 tackles, 7.5 TFLs), who suffered a torn ACL in their previous game against Florida State. Seniors Howard and Hunter have combined for 41 career starts on the interior of the line. Howard is the leading tackler among defensive linemen, totaling 126 in his career, including 24 TFLs and 9.5 sacks, both tops among all current UF players. He registered the first TD of his career at Kentucky when he snagged a fumble in mid-air, only two yards from the end zone. Howard matched his a season-high with eight tackles against Georgia and finished with five tackles and a fumble recovery against Florida State. Howard is fourth on the squad with 60 tackles (33 solo) and has 8.5 TFL, four sacks and four QB hurries.
Hunter has 17 career starts (11 in 2009, 6 in 2010), tied for third-most among Florida defenders. He has 66 total tackles in his career and seven tackles-for-loss. At Kentucky, Hunter had a then-season-high four tackles and was credited with his first fumble recovery in the first quarter. He had a season-high five tackles at Auburn, collected his first career sack versus Georgia and had four tackles at South Carolina.
Well-known to Buckeye recruitniks, Sharrif Floyd had a career-high 11 tackles at No. 1 LSU, eight versus Georgia and blocked his first career field goal against Vanderbilt. He has shown up on some lists for All-SEC second-team defense.
Powell started one game as a true freshman, totaling 25 tackles, 2.5 tackles-for-loss and 1.0 sack. He was named to the 2010 SEC Coaches All-Freshman Team. Powell plays the 'Buck' position in the Gators defensive scheme, which is similar to tOSU's 'Leo' spot as a hybrid linebacker/defensive end. Powell had five tackles, two for loss and forced a fumble versus FSU, and has also been named as a second team All-SEC defender.
The first DE off the bench should be #96 William Green (6-4, 256, Sr.), who has just three starts in his career, but has been a regular in the defensive line rotation since he arrived as a true freshman in 2008. Other DE depth comes from #91 Earl Okine (6-7, 272, Jr.), who had a career-high three solo tackles against FAU and two quarterback hurries versus Auburn. He is tied for the team lead with four quarterback hurries. Another player that might be spotted at DE is Lenrette McCray, who can move from the Sam LB over to the Buck position.
Inside depth for the tackle spots comes from #44 Leon Orr (6-5, 310, RFr.), and they can also move Floyd inside to improve the overall quickness of the line.
DL Rating: A-
Head-to-Head: Florida DL versus OSU DL
The Buckeyes have two excellent players in John Simon and Johnathan Hankins, but the injury to Nathan Williams left tOSU without a consistent speed rusher from the D-Line. Based on the ability to stuff the run, despite the loss of Easley (which lowered this rating slightly), the nod goes to the Gators here.
Edge: Florida
Linebackers
SLB #34 Lerentee McCray (6-2, 246, Jr.)
MLB #52 Jonathan Bostic (6-1, 243, Jr.)
WLB #3 Jelani Jenkins (6-0, 230, So.)
The linebacking group is led by junior Jon Bostic and sophomore Jelani Jenkins. Bostic started six games last season, while Jenkins started 11 games and was named to the SEC All-Freshman team. Both players were preseason All-SEC Third Team picks by the league's coaches.
Bostic had a game-high 12 tackles versus South Carolina and a career-high 13 tackles and a sack at LSU. He totaled 10 tackles, eight of which were solo, forced his first career fumble and had a sack at Kentucky. He had previously matched his personal best with eight tackles versus Tennessee and had a sack. He leads the Gators with 86 tackles (53 solo) and has six tackles for loss (totaling 42 yards) this year and has 161 tackles, 8.5 TFLs, 4.5 sacks and three picks in his career (all in 2010).
Jenkins is third on UF with 71 tackles (46 solo) this season and is second with six pass breakups. He equaled his career best of 11 tackles against Florida State and had a 10 tackles against Furman, highlighted by a career-high 75-yard interception return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. His 75-yard return is the second-longest in school history by a linebacker (second only to an 81-yarder by Darren Hambrick in the '94 WLOCP). It's the longest return by a linebacker in the SEC this year and fifth-longest in the nation. Jenkins has also appeared on All-SEC second-team defenses this year.
McCray made his first career start at the SAM linebacker spot to open the season and started in the same spot against Tennessee, LSU and Auburn. He had a career-high seven tackles in Baton Rouge, two of his four tackles against Auburn were for losses and he had first-ever sack against Georgia before being injured. He missed 3 games while injured, but is tied for the team lead woith 4 QB hurries. He's the LB that will normally leave the field when the Gators shift into a nickel package.
Depth at the Sam is provided by #49 Darrin Kitchens (6-2, 229, So.), who made his first career start at the SAM linebacker spot versus Furman and delivered a game-high 12 tackles. The middle is backed up by #51 Michael Taylor (6-0, 227, RFr.), who had a career-high 7 tackles against LSU and totaled 6 against Georgia before making his first career start against Vanderbilt. At Kentucky, he recorded six tackles (all solo), two of which TFLs. He snared his first career interception in the third quarter and had a 30-yard interception return that set up a field goal.
#55 Graham Stewart (6-1, 245, Fr.) provides depth at the Will, but doesn't get on the field very often.
LB Rating: B+
Head-to-Head: Florida LBs versus OSU LBs
For the Buckeyes, the LB play this year hasn't been up to tOSU's standards. There have been too many missed tackles. Andrew Sweat will be playing with a brace on the elbow that was injured and caused him to miss The Game. He's moving to the Mike position for the bowl game, in order to be on the field alongside Ryan Shazier, who made a lot of plays at the Will position in the last two games, although he was slowed by a knee injury that had him limping all over the field for most of the snaps against TSUN. The opponent gets the edge here based on experience and depth.
Edge: Florida
Secondary
CB #31 Cody Riggs (5-9, 179, So.)
S #22 Matt Elam (5-10, 206, So.)
S #24 Josh Evans (6-1, 199, Jr.)
CB #14 Jaylen Watkins (6-0, 187, So.)
Nickel #26 De'Ante 'Pop' Saunders (5-8, 192, Fr,)
Elam has started all 12 games at safety, and is a playmaker whose 72 tackles are second most in the team. He's tallied 9 TFLs to go with a pair of INTs and a pair of forced fumbles. He racked up a career-high 12 tackles at LSU, and forced the first fumble of his career during the third quarter against UAB that was recovered by freshman Marcus Roberson. His first career interception iced the win over Tennessee, and he added another pick to set up the Gators' third touchdown of the opening quarter at Kentucky. Elam had eight tackles at South Carolina, including his first sack of the season in the fourth quarter.
Riggs, who had 18 tackles and one interception as a true freshman last season, started the first seven games and was credited for his first career sack (0.5) at Kentucky and had 3 tackles. He had a career-best five tackles and had one for loss in the win over Furman.
Evans established a personal best of 11 tackles (all solo) at South Carolina and picked off Tennessee's first pass of the second half. He has 46 tackles (34 solo) this season.
Watkins is third on the team with 5 PBUs. He had 4 tackles with a 12-yd TFL against the 'Noles. He made his first career start against UK, tying for 2nd on the team with a career-high 6 tackles (5 solo).
Saunders collected his first career interception against the Gamecocks, and also returned a pick 25 yards for his first career TD against Furman.
CB depth comes mainly from #36 Moses Jenkins (6-3, 189, Sr.), who earned the first two starts of his career last season and has 40 tackles with one interception, one tackle-for-loss and one sack. He was granted a fifth year of eligibility after missing eight games in 2009 with a concussion and began 2011 with a pair of solo tackles against UAB. #15 Loucheiz Purifoy (6-1, 183, Fr) is the other CB on the depth chart; he appeared in all 12 games, notching 22 tackles.
The backups at safety include #21 Jabari Gorman (5-11, 170, Fr.), and De'Ante Saunders, when he's not in the nickel spot. Also manning a safety spot could be #9 Josh Shaw (6-3, 197, RFr.) who established a career high with six tackles against Auburn and has has 22 tackles (10 solo) this season.
DB Rating: B+
Head-to-Head: Florida DBs versus OSU DBs
The Buckeyes have made more interceptions, despite the fact that Florida's D-Line is slightly better at generating pressure on the QB. Both squads have good coverage ability, and haven't yielded a great deal of big plays, which will likely be a key to this game since both offenses struggle to maintain drives. Buckeye receivers have shown the ability to get open deep, although those deep attempts aren't completed with enough frequency. The Buckeye safeties also need to take proper angles in order to avoid giving up big plays, because they won't catch Demps and Rainey if they get past them. If one of these units can grab a turnover or two without getting burned, that could be decisive.
Edge: Even
Overall Defensive Analysis
Florida has solid talent throughout the defense, based on strong recruiting classes recently. Despite that, they didn't place a single player on the All-SEC first team, although both LSU and Alabama understandably dominated those lists. Florida dominated FSU in their last game, allowing only 95 yards in total offense. They are solid against the run, and efficient against the pass, but they have trouble getting sacks and turnovers. Overall, they rate as highly as any unit the Buckeyes have faced this year.
Overall Defensive Rating: A-
2011 Florida Gators Special Teams Preview
The Buckeyes continue their consecutive bowl streak (up to 16 in a row) by playing the Florida Gators in the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Florida. Once again, the Buckeyes will face what amounts to be a home game for the Gators (Jacksonville is 90 miles from their Gainesville campus) in a rematch of the 2007 "Debacle in the Desert" where the Gators won the National Championship 41-14 in the Fiesta Bowl.
Special Teams' Stats (NCAA, GatorZone, OhioStateBuckeyes)
Florida
Punting
David Lerner: 27 for 1040 yards, 38.5 avg, 50 long
Kyle Christy: 27 1115 yards, 41.3 avg, 67 long
Team: 54 for 2155 yards, 39.9 avg, 67 long (46th nationally)
Placekicking
Caleb Sturgis: 21-25 FGs, 28-28 PATs (3rd nationally)
Brad Phillips:. 2-3 FGs, 2-2 PATs
Team: 23-28 FGs, 30-30 PATs
Punt Returns (none have minimum number of returns to qualify for NCAA ranking)
Chris Rainey: 11 for 75 yards, 6.8 avg, 1 TD, 22 long
De'Ante Saunders: 5 for 25 yards, 5.0 avg 25 long
Frankie Hammond Jr: 2 for 5 yards, 2.5 avg, 6 long
Tim Clark: 2 for 0 yards
Dominique Easley: 1 for 0 yards
Soloman Patton: 1 for 28 yards
Cody Riggs: 1 for 0 yards
Team: 23 for 133 yards, 5.8 avg, 1 TD, 22 long (91st nationally)
Kickoff Returns
Andre Debose: 17 for 367 yards, 21.6 avg, 63 long (89th nationally)
Jeff Demps: 10 for 250 yards 25.0 avg, 1 TD, 99 long (does meet the minimum number of returns to qualify for NCAA ranking)
Soloman Patton: 10 for 241 yards, 24.1 avg, 33 long (does meet the minimum number of returns to qualify for NCAA ranking)
Chris Rainey: 4 for 103 yards, 25.8 avg, 37 long (does meet the minimum number of returns to qualify for NCAA ranking)
William Green: 2 for 21 yards, 10.5 avg, 13 long (does meet the minimum number of returns to qualify for NCAA ranking)
Mike Gillislee: 1 for 19 yards (does meet the minimum number of returns to qualify for NCAA ranking)
Chris Johnson: 1 for 8 yards (does meet the minimum number of returns to qualify for NCAA ranking)
Team: 45 for 1009 yards, 22.4 avg, 1 TD, 99 long (44th nationally)
Punt Return Defense
18 for 99 yards, 5.5 avg (29th nationally)
Kickoff Return Defense
57 for 1263 yards, 22.16 avg, 11 Touchbacks (74th nationally)
Ohio State
Punting:
Ben Buchanan: 65 for 2653 yards, 40.82 avg, 1 blocked (49th nationally)
Placekicking:
Drew Basil: 15-18 FGs, 34-35 PATs (34th nationally)
Punt Returns: (none meet the minimum number of returns to qualify for NCAA ranking)
Jordan Hall: 12 for 70 yards, 5.8 avg, 27 long
Chris Fields: 5 for 88 yards, 17.6 avg, 1 TD, 69 long
Corey Brown: 2 for 28 yards, 14.0 avg, 17 long
Devin Smith: 1 for 3 yards
Ryan Shazier: 1 for 25 yards
Team: 21 for 214 yards, 10.2 avg, 1 TD, 69 long (42nd nationally)
Kickoff Returns:
Jordan Hall: 22 for 619 yards, 28.1 avg, 90 long (12th nationally)
Jaamal Berry: 7 for 150 yards, 21.40 avg, 28 long
Devin Smith: 4 for 86 yards, 21.4 avg, 28 long
Corey Brown: 1 for 44 yards
Chris Fields: 1 for 15 yards
Tony Jackson: 1 for 10 yards
Carlos Hyde: 2 for 47 yards, 23.5 avg
Team: 38 for 971 yards, 25.6 avg, 90 long (8th nationally)
Punt Return Defense:
24 for 126 yards, 5.25 avg (25th nationally)
Kickoff Return Defense:
46 for 842 yards, 18.30 avg, 14 touchbacks (13th Nationally)
Florida (GatorZone)
Punter
#44 Kyle Christy (6-3, 184, Fr., Brownsburg HS, Brownsburg, IN
#40 David Lerner (6-0, 194, Sr, Buchholz HS, Gainesville, FL)
Place kicker/Kickoffs
#19 Caleb Sturgis (5-11, 183, Jr., St. Augustine HS, St. Augustine, FL)
#45 Matt Wile (6-2, 208, Fr., Francis Parker HS, San Diego, CA)
Punt Returners
#1 Chris Rainey (5-9, 174, Sr., Lakeland HS, Lakeland, FL)
#26 De?Ante Saunders (5-8, 192, Fr., DeLand HS, DeLand, FL)
Kick Returners
#4 Andre Debose (5-11, 191, So., Seminole HS, Sanford, FL)
#28 Jeff Demps (5-7, 191, Sr., South Lake HS, Winter Haven, FL)
#83 Solomon Patton (5-9, 169, So., Murphy HS, Mobile, AL)
#23 Mike Gillislee (5-11, 198, Jr., DeLand HS, DeLand, FL)
Long Snapper
#46 Drew Ferris (6-1, 217, So., Jewish Academy HS, Carlsbad, CA)
#54 Christopher Guido (6-1, 216, So., Lake Bradley HS, Altamonte Springs, FL)
Holder
#47 John Crofoot (5-11, 150, So., The First Academy HS, Windemere, FL)
#10 Tyler Murphy (6-2, 209, Fr., Wethersfield HS, Wethersfield, CT)
Ohio State (Rivals)
Punter:
#17 Ben Buchanan (6-0, 195, So., Central HS, Westerville, OH)
#39 Derek Erwin (5-10, 203, Jr., Buckeye Central HS, Tiro, OH)
Place Kicker/Kickoffs:
#24 Drew Basil (6-1, 206, So., Chillicothe HS, Chillicothe, OH)
#20 Russel Doup (6-1, 180, Fr., Mt Vernon HS, Mt Vernon, OH)
Punt Returners:
#7 Jordan Hall (5-9, 195, Jr., Jeanette HS, Jeanette, PA)
#80 Chris Fields (6-0, 185, So., Harvey HS, Painesville, OH)
Kickoff Returners:
#7 Jordan Hall (5-9, 195, Jr., Jeanette HS, Jeanette, PA)
#34 Carlos Hyde (6-0, 238, So., Naples HS, Naples, FL)
#80 Chris Fields (6-0, 185, So., Harvey HS, Painesville, OH)
Long Snapper:
#56 George Makridis (5-11, 236, So., Harding HS, Warren, OH)
#54 Bryce Haynes (6-4, 185, Fr., Pinecrest HS, Cumming, GA)
Holder:
#39 Derek Erwin (5-10, 203, Jr., Buckeye Central HS, Tiro, OH)
#14 Joe Bauserman (6-1, 233, Sr., Lincoln HS, Strasburg, VA)
Head-to-Head: Florida Punt team vs. Ohio State Punt Return Team.
The Gators used 2 punters this year, David Lerner and Kyle Christy, but neither were outstanding. Lerner averaged only 38.5 yards per punt and Christy 41.3. The Buckeyes average over 10 yards per return and have some dangerous players running them back.
Edge: Ohio State
Head-to-Head: Florida Kickoff Team vs. Ohio State Kickoff Return Team.
Florida has not been good this year on kickoff return defense, giving up over 22 yards per return to rank 74th in the nation. The Buckeyes are among the statistical leaders in this category in the NCAA, bringing back kicks at the rate of over 25 yards per return. This puts them 8th in the nation and gives them the edge in this part of the game.
Edge: Ohio State
Head-to-Head: Ohio State Punt Team vs Florida Punt Return Team.
The dangerous SEC speed that we have always heard ad nauseum is not evident in the Gator's punt return statistics. Their team stats are as follows: 23 returns for 133 yards, 5.8 avg, 1 TD, with 22 being their longest, thus ranking 91st nationally. Of course, for many of those returns they are going against SEC-speed level return defenses, so it evens out. The Buckeyes counter with a strong return team, allowing only 126 yards on 24 returns (5.25 avg) to rank 25th in the nation. But again, this was against plodding Big 10 defenses. Still, advantage OSU.
Edge: Ohio State
Head-to-Head: Ohio State Kickoff team vs. Florida Kickoff Return Team.
UF has a 99 yard kickoff return for a TD to their credit this year. As a team they rank 44th with a 22.4 avg per return, certainly solid. OSU's kickoff defense unit vies with the kickoff returners as the best unit on the team. Ohio State allows only 18.3 yards per return to rank lucky 13th in the nation.
Edge: Ohio State
Overall Special Teams Analysis
On paper it looks like Ohio State has outperformed Florida in every aspect of special teams. Across the board their statistics are better. But make no mistake, the Gators have the athletes it takes to impact the game. The Buckeyes get the nod overall, but will need to excel and contribute for them to win.
BB73's prediction: 24-23, Ohio State
Buckeyeskickbuttocks' prediction: 3,652-2, Ohio State
Bucklion's prediction: 24-20, Ohio State
Bucky Katt's prediction: 17-20, Florida
DaddyBigBucks's prediction: 24-21, Ohio State
jwinslow's prediction: 34-21, Ohio State
JCOSU86's prediction: 21-17, Ohio State
Low score wins the year long battle of prediction supremacy! (Difference of actual scores versus predicted scores. 10 point penalty for picking the losing team.)
Previous Game Result: (tOSU 34, TSUN 40)
(256) BB73's prediction: 20-27, TSUN (27 + 229 last week = 256)
(272) jwinslow's prediction: 27-24, Ohio State (33 + 239 last week = 272)
(294) Bucky Katt's prediction: 13-31, TSUN (30 + 264 last week =294)
(307) Bucklion's prediction: 16-24, TSUN (34 + 273 last week = 307)
(332) DaddyBigBucks's prediction: xx-xx, Ohio State (46 + 286 last week = 332)
(341) Buckeyeskickbuttocks' prediction: xx-xx, Ohio State (46 + 295 last week = 341)
(341) JCOSU86's prediction: 21-17, Ohio State (46 + 295 last week = 341)
Buckeyeskickbuttocks' prediction: 3,652-2, Ohio State
Bucklion's prediction: 24-20, Ohio State
Bucky Katt's prediction: 17-20, Florida
DaddyBigBucks's prediction: 24-21, Ohio State
jwinslow's prediction: 34-21, Ohio State
JCOSU86's prediction: 21-17, Ohio State
Low score wins the year long battle of prediction supremacy! (Difference of actual scores versus predicted scores. 10 point penalty for picking the losing team.)
Previous Game Result: (tOSU 34, TSUN 40)
(256) BB73's prediction: 20-27, TSUN (27 + 229 last week = 256)
(272) jwinslow's prediction: 27-24, Ohio State (33 + 239 last week = 272)
(294) Bucky Katt's prediction: 13-31, TSUN (30 + 264 last week =294)
(307) Bucklion's prediction: 16-24, TSUN (34 + 273 last week = 307)
(332) DaddyBigBucks's prediction: xx-xx, Ohio State (46 + 286 last week = 332)
(341) Buckeyeskickbuttocks' prediction: xx-xx, Ohio State (46 + 295 last week = 341)
(341) JCOSU86's prediction: 21-17, Ohio State (46 + 295 last week = 341)
Scores are adjusted for weeks missed. Participant must take the highest score from the week they missed.
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