Where do you begin to discuss the defending champion Florida Gators? I'm sure many discussions start with something like, "It's a bird! It's a Plane!" Most people believe the biggest strength of the team is the return of Heisman winning quarterback Tim Tebow. Sure, it's always great to get a Heisman winner and a great leader like Tebow back on the field, but perhaps a different element of the 2009 version of the Florida Gators is more impressive: the Gators return all 11 starters on defense. Oklahoma sure can vouch for the most over-used, cliche saying in sports: "Offense sells tickets, defense wins championships."
Florida's defense held an Oklahoma team scored at least 58 points in each of the last six weeks of season to just 14 points in 24-14 win in the the BCS Championship Game in January. That was the same Oklahoma team whose season low point total was 35, a team who scored 50 or more points nine times during the year. So why dwell on last year? Normally I wouldn't, but the Gators return all 11 starters, which is almost unheard of. Oh, and if that wasn't enough, 10 of the defensive backups return this year. There should be no question marks on defense for the Gators. So how about offense?
Tim Tebow's decision to return for his senior year definitely bolsters
the Gators chance of defending their title in 2009. Tebow's leadership maybe be more im
portant to this team than his ability to lead the offense, and that is a big statement. Florida is so stacked with talent that a few media personnel have said that an injury to Tebow wouldn't necessarily remove the Gators from national title contention. Backup quarterback John Brantley has been getting rave reviews this offseason. Hopefully for the Gator Nation, Brantley is only seen in mop-up duty in 2009.
The Gators also return some other weapons on offense including tight end Aaron Hernandez (first team preseason All-SEC), wide receivers Riley Cooper and Deonte Thompson, as well as a committee of running backs that are expected to share the load. Replacing the versatile Percy Harvin will be a tough task in Gainesville. You can't replace a guy like that, you just have to hope for alternative options. Last year's second leading receiver Louis Murphy left some big shoes to fill as well. But head coach Urban Meyer certainly has plenty of options to choose from. In addition to replacing Harvin and a few other key players on offense, the Gators have a new offensive coordinator in Steve Addazio after former offensive coordinator Dan Mullen took the head coaching position at Mississippi State. Despite some of the losses on offense, Addazio steps into a position that most OC's would envy: he's got arguably the best football player in the nation running his offense and a defense that should provide his team with outstanding field position throughout the year.
On special teams, the Gators caught a break when kicker Jonathan Phillips was granted medical hardship waiver for a 2007 injury, allowing him an extra year of eligibility. The Gators also return the top punter in the SEC in junior Chas Henry. The Gators return team is always a threat to take one back, especially Brandon James who proved last year that he is capable of being one of the best return men in the country.
It is easy to see why the Gators are the consensus preseason number one in the AP polls and just about everyone's pick to win the BCS Championship again in 2009-2010. If they do repeat, the Gators will be the first team to repeat back to back years during the BCS era. It appears as though the Gators have the tools to be the first repeat BCS Champion, and the first repeat national champion since Nebraska won back to back championships in 1994 and 1995.
Looking at the Gators schedule, things are set up quite nicely for the Gators to make a title defense. A road game at LSU on October 10th is easily the Gators biggest test. Florida has two non-conference opponents at home to open the season before hosting Tennessee in their first SEC game. Tenneesee head coach Lane Kiffin has been all over the news since his hiring in November of 2008. His controversial comments and repeated recruiting violations have hardly kept him out of the spotlight. Kiffin really rattled the cages in Gainesville when he tried to publicly criticize and report alleged recruiting violations against the Gators. Those allegations ended up being not true, according to findings of SEC Commissioner Mike Slive. Don't be surprised to see Urban Meyer pull out all the stops in that game as Florida should be anxious to teach Lane Kiffin a lesson in how things are done in the SEC.
The event formerly known as "The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party" takes place once again on Halloween in Jacksonville between the Gators and the Georgia Bulldogs. Florida has had the upper hand over the past few years in this rivalry and I don't expect things to change this year. On November 28, in-state rival Florida State comes to Gainesville for the regular season finale. FSU just doesn't have the horses to compete with the Gators depth and experience. The Florida Gators have a very realistic chance of defending their title in Pasedena in January.
Predictions:
Realistic best case scenario: 12-0
Realistic worst case sceanario: 10-2
X Marc's The Spot Predicts: 11-1 (7-1) and a win in the SEC Championship Game.
The Gators will win the SEC and go on to become the first BCS repeat champion by beating the Texas Longhorns in Pasadena.
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