Georgia on Muschamp’s mind

Like many other college football teams across the country, the Florida Gators prefer to keep their season goals to themselves. But it doesn’t take locker room access (or insider information) to know what goes to the top of the Gators’ to-do list every fall.

Win the SEC East and a trip to Atlanta on the first Saturday in December.

Some years, the goal is more realistic than others. In coach Will Muschamp’s first season, for instance, winning the division seemed possible, but certainly not plausible. Two years later, the goal seems realistic for a team that came close to reaching Atlanta last season.

In Muschamp’s third season, are the Gators good enough to get to Atlanta to play for the SEC title?

“I think so,” quarterback Jeff Driskel said, without flinching. “I think we have a really good team. We’re a close-knit bunch of guys. We were so close last year, we could taste it.

“We really want to get there this year. I think we have a good chance to get there.”

The Gators were almost ready to pack their bags a year ago before a perfect season crashed in Jacksonville in a six-turnover loss to Georgia. They fell one win short of getting a shot at Alabama in the SEC Championship Game.

This year, the Gators enter the season as a consensus top 10 team, a team that’s being viewed as a serious contender in the SEC and possibly in the BCS national title chase.

“We want to make it to Atlanta and win a championship,” sophomore defensive end Dante Fowler Jr. said. “We’ve got the talent to do that.”

Other players have expressed the same opinion during preseason camp.

“Talk is cheap,” Muschamp warns. “You’ve got to do it on the field. I’m glad that our guys have confidence that (getting to Atlanta) is going to happen.

“Anytime you want to talk about a run to Atlanta, you’ve got to have things fall your way.”

Here are some things the Gators probably need to happen to reach Atlanta:

Quarterback Jeff Driskel has to show significant improvement in the passing game in his second year as the starter, and the offense needs to find a better balance between the pass and the run.

Some playmakers need to emerge at wide receiver.

UF must shore up the middle of its defense. That middle was gutted by the NFL Draft. Tackle Sharrif Floyd and safety Matt Elam went in the first round and middle linebacker Jon Bostic in the second.

The Gators need to find some depth at linebacker and establish two new starters at safety.

Driskel and other key players, including Ronald Powell, need to stay healthy.

A capable replacement for place-kicker Caleb Sturgis must emerge.

If that all falls into place, Atlanta might just be a realistic December destination for Florida.

“I think this football team, we need to be more balanced on offense. We need to be more efficient throwing the football,” Muschamp said. “ We need to be able to create more explosives. We need to score more touchdowns in the red zone. I think we have a lot of question marks defensively at the middle of our defense.

“I think we have a good enough mixture of guys up front that have played well and can play well for us to be fine. I’m concerned about the depth and the quality experience at the linebacker position, and obviously the safety position.

“But we need to be more balanced offensively. If you had to benchmark No. 1, that is No. 1. Then No. 3, we need to shore up the inside of our defense from linebacker to safety, and then the kicking situation. If we’re able to come through with those and have productive players, then certainly I think we’ll be in contention to get to Atlanta, and we should be anyways.”

Of course, also at the top of the priority list is this: take care of the football.

The Gators didn’t do that in the loss to Georgia, turning the ball over six times, and it cost them a chance to go to Atlanta.

“I mean, obviously, we’ve had some turnover issues in Jacksonville in the last two years and that’s really cost us the football game,” Muschamp said. “You go back to two years ago and you turn it over inside your 20 twice and it results in 14 points, huge momentum swing in the game.

“When you turn it over six times and you still have an opportunity to drive down the field and score and possibly go for two to tie the ballgame, it tells you how you played defensively, and it tells you what you did in special teams. You just didn’t take care of the football.”

It also tells you how close the Gators came to Atlanta a year ago.

By Robbie Andreu
Staff writer

Published: Thursday, August 29, 2013 at 5:01 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, August 29, 2013 at 5:01 p.m.

The Opening Kickoff: Gators vs. Toledo

THE OPENING KICKOFF

No. 10 Florida vs. Toledo

#UFvsTOL

Saturday, 12:21 p.m.

Ben Hill Griffin Stadium

Broadcast Info

Game Notes

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Three years ago it was Miami (Ohio). Last season Bowling Green stopped by. Next up: Toledo, the latest member of the Mid-American Conference to visit The Swamp for a Gators season opener.

The 10th-ranked Gators welcome the Rockets to town Saturday to kick off the 2013 season. Florida sent Miami and Bowling Green home with losses and will try to do the same against a Rockets team coming off a 9-4 season and trip to the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

The Gators open their third season under head coach Will Muschamp with visions of winning the SEC East and playing for the conference title in Atlanta. That journey starts Saturday afternoon.

Let's face it -- we've all had enough of the offseason -- so let's get right to Saturday's matchup with The Opening Kickoff:

Five Storylines to Watch

Ø     Gators junior quarterback Jeff Driskel enters his second season as the starter and once he recovered from an appendectomy right before camp, Driskel looked sharp in practice. A more seasoned Driskel is a major reason second-year offensive coordinator Brent Pease expects more big plays in his second year. How will Driskel look in the opener?

Ø      Florida's offense will be without three projected starters: running back Matt Jones (viral infection), right tackle Chaz Green (torn labrum, out for season) and right guard Jon Halapio(pectoral tear). The absence of Jones creates an opportunity for others to be the featured back. Redshirt junior Mack Brown will start, but expect to see Valdez Showers and Mark Herndon carry the ball, too.

Ø      The Toledo trio of quarterback Terrance Owens, running back David Fluellen and receiver Bernard Reedy are productive and prolific in the Rockets' offense. Owens likes to stay on the move and will test Florida's defense with his running ability.

Ø      Gators sophomore defensive ends Dante Fowler Jr. and Jonathan Bullard are coming off strong freshman seasons and move into the starting lineup. Together they form an impressive duo and will be key in keeping Owens in check.

Ø      Celeb Sturgis was a gift from the kicking gods in Muschamp's first two seasons. Sturgis is now in Miami, and redshirt freshman Austin Hardin is Florida's new kicker. Hardin has a strong leg but still has a lot of tests to pass to make the Gators feel better about life after Sturgis.

Cast of Characters

Ø     Redshirt junior linebacker Michael Taylor is expected to start at middle linebacker in place of suspended Antonio Morrison. Taylor has played in 25 games and made two starts in his career.

Ø     Gators redshirt junior Ronald Powell will play for the first time since the 2012 Gator Bowl win over Ohio State. Powell missed last season following two knee surgeries.

Ø      A pair of Florida offensive linemen -- right tackle Tyler Moore and left guard Max Garcia -- will be making their debuts after transferring last year. Garcia transferred from Maryland and Moore played as a freshman at Nebraska.

Ø     Rockets senior center Zac Kerin, 6-foot-5 and 300 pounds, will be a good matchup for Florida's interior linemen. Kerin was an All-MAC selection last season and is on the Rimington Trophy watch list as one of the nation's top centers.

Ø      Freshman receiver Demarcus Robinson emerged in spring practice and fall camp as a potential downfield target for Driskel. If Robinson is the real deal, Florida's offense could have the playmaker receiver it has been missing.

The Quote File

Ø     "There's two ways you can take it. You can take a fear-based spirit and worry about it or you can be excited. We get to go and test ourselves against a top 10 team in the country." -- Toledo defensive coordinator Tom Matukewicz on facing the Gators

Ø     "The bottom line is if they are the best at their position, they will start. If they are good at their position, they will play. We don’t really sit back and try to ease anybody into anything." -- Muschamp on playing freshmen in season opener

Ø     “I always expect the most out of myself. That’s every day I wake up. The way that factors in, of course, it will be a different feeling for me.” -- Powell on his long-awaited return

10 Quick Hitters

Ø     Former Gators running back Errict Rhett returns to the field, this time as "Mr. Two Bits" in a new tradition Muschamp announced this week. A Gators celebrity will return each home game to honor the tradition of Florida's most famous cheerleader.

Ø     The Gators have won 23 consecutive season openers, the nation's second-longest streak behind Nebraska's 27 consecutive wins on opening day.

Ø     The Gators went 7-0 at home in Muschamp's second season a year ago. The last time the Gators lost at home was a 21-7 setback to Florida State in the 2011 regular-season finale.

Ø     Florida opens the season ranked No. 10 in both major polls, the Gators' highest ranking to open a season since 2010.

Ø     Fowler was a teammate of Rockets receiver Reedy at Lakewood High in St. Petersburg.

Ø     Toledo has never played a game against an SEC opponent but opens with back-to-back games against SEC foes. After playing the Gators Toledo travels to Missouri to face former coach Gary Pinkel, who went 73-37-3 from 1991-2000 at Toledo.

Ø     The Rockets are 7-12 all-time against teams in the top 25, and 1-6 against opponents ranked in the top 10.

Ø     Rockets head coach Matt Campbell is 33, the second-youngest head coach at a FBS school behind Western Michigan's P.J. Fleck, 32.

Ø     Campbell is a friend of Gators defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin. Both grew up in northeastern Ohio and crossed paths climbing the coaching ranks. "He’s probably one of the best young football coaches in college football," Campbell said. "He’s a tremendous leader.

Ø     Toledo kicker Jeremiah Detmer, an All-MAC pick last year, has made 17 consecutive field goals.

The Bottom Line

The Gators want to make a strong opening statement in the season opener. Their last game was that forgettable performance against Louisville in the Sugar Bowl and several players mentioned this week how that loss served as a motivating factor over the summer.

They finally get a chance to take out some of that pent-up frustration against Toledo. However, don't expect the Rockets to roll over and play the role of sacrificial lamb. This is a talented Toledo team that will test the Gators' defense with its up-tempo offense.

GATORS STRESS SELF-PROTECTION TO DRISKEL

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- From his place in the “Monday Night Football” booth last week, ESPN analyst Jon Gruden had some advice for Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III and his hotly anticipated return from a devastating knee injury.

“Think touchdown, then first down, then get down,” Gruden said.

In other words, protect yourself.

Which brings us to Jeff Driskel, the Florida quarterback who had a slew of highlights as a runner last season -- some working from the zone-read option, others on scrambles from the pocket -- in finishing as the team’s second-leading rusher with 413 yards and four touchdowns.

But Driskel, the junior from Oviedo, Fla., has heard from Coach Will Muschamp and offensive coordinator Brent Pease about being smart when he takes off with the ball. Given the way the offense is built, he’s too valuable to take any unnecessary risks.

It’s OK to try and make a play ... but live to call another one.

Translation: Get down, dude.

“We’ve talked about that,” Muschamp said Monday, as his team commenced game-week operations heading toward Saturday’s season opener against Toledo at Florida Field. “Obviously, we’re going to do what we have to do to win football games, but we have explored, No. 1, him taking care of himself and getting down in some situations.”

Coming out of Hagerty High School, Driskel was rated the No. 1 quarterback by several recruiting services and not just because he could throw the football. He also rushed for 1,333 yards and 20 touchdowns as a senior.

“That’s part of our offense. We have some designed runs, and obviously, I’m going to have to take off at some points," Driskel said. "I’m going to have to be smart with it, not take as many hits, get out of bounds when I can, and slide when need be. I’m still going to be running the ball; just need to be smart about it.”

Extra smart.

Remember, the running game carried the Florida offense last season, with tailback Mike Gillislee becoming the first UF runner in eight years to reach 1,000 yards, as the Gators finished third in the Southeastern Conference in rushing at 187.7 yards per game.

But with starting tailback Matt Jones having yet to take the practice field due to a viral infection, UF heads into the Toledo game with some questions about its ground attack. Jones could be cleared to rejoin the team next week, but it's unlikely the sophomore -- with zero practices to date -- will be at full strength.

Junior tailback Mack Brown, with 167 yards over his first three seasons, will make his first career start against the Rockets. Brown, who carried 25 times for 102 yards in 2012, will be backed up by sophomore and former walk-on Mark Herndon, who was placed on scholarship last week and has never carried the ball, followed by Valdez Showers, who was moved from safety to running back a week into training camp.

True freshmen Kelvin Taylor and Adam Lane eventually could be in the mix, but both had trouble protecting the ball in live scrimmages during the preseason.

So until Jones gets back, the UF running game could very well be by committee.

“We’ll see who has the hot hand,” Pease said.

That still leaves Driskel as the team’s most experienced runner.

Quandary: He’s also the team’s most experienced passer, too.

That’s why Muschamp and Pease have stressed the importance of avoiding unnecessary contact, be it by running out of bounds or a simple feet-first slide. To hammer home their point, Driskel got a screening of greatest hits -- as in ones delivered on the Florida quarterback last season --  in hopes he’d take the message to heart.

“We emphasized it more to him than maybe he wanted us to,” Muschamp said.

Proof to that point.

“I’ve never been one to slide,” Driskel said.

This would be a good time to start.

“He’s a competitive kid,” Pease said. “But he’s going to try to get this right.”

TOP-10 SOCCER MATCH-UP FRIDAY WHEN NO. 8 FLORIDA PLAYS HOST TO NO. 3 FLORIDA STATE

Florida faces its first top-10 opponent of the 2013 season Friday when No. 3 Florida State visits the James G. Pressly Stadium. This is the fourth time in the last five meetings between the intrastate rivals that both bring a top-10 ranking into the match.

The match is the first of nine regular-season matches to be televised in 2013 and Fridays match will air on SUN Sports.

Last Week:

Both teams opened their seasons last weekend with a pair of home wins. The Gators used 3-1 scores to take wins versus both Florida Gulf Coast and Oregon State. In Fridays match with FGCU, junior Havana Solaun scored the seasons first goal in the 35th minute but the Eagles tied the match just before halftime off a corner kick score. The match remained tied until the 81st minute when freshman Savannah Jordans eight-yard shot found the far corner. She also put in an insurance goal in the 86th minute when an Eagle defender couldnt clear a Caroline Triglia shot off the line.

Jordan provided all the Gator scoring Sunday versus Oregon State. She now joins Florida All-Americans Andi Sellers (two in 1997) and Abby Wambach (one in 1998) as the only Gators to post a hat-trick as a freshman. Two matches into her collegiate career and Jordan now owns five goals the highest goal total for any Gator through a seasons opening two contests.

Her performance earned her both the Disney Soccer/National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) and Top Drawer Soccer national player of the week honors. She also was the Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week selection.

FSU defeated Oregon State 1-0 in a weather-delayed match last Friday in Tallahassee. The only goal came in the 43rd minute when FSU sophomore Nora Kervroedan put in a deflected shot. It was the 31st shutout for Seminole senior goalkeeper Kelsey Wys. Sunday, the Seminoles claimed a 4-1 victory over Auburn. Redshirt freshman Berglind Thorvaldsdottir turned in two goals Sunday. She had a hand in the three goals scored in the run of play as she also assisted on Jamia Fields goal. Kervroedan earned her second goal of the weekend off a penalty kick.

Preseason Conference Votes:

Both Florida and Florida State won their conference titles in 2012.

Florida Gators are picked to take second in the Southeastern Conference. Texas A&M topped the coaches vote for 2013 league title.

FSU The Seminoles are slated to finish second in the Atlantic Coast Conference behind defending NCAA champion North Carolina.

Becky Burleigh Says:

What I love about the FSU game is that it is always a really fun game because it is a pretty respectful rivalry. Both teams appreciate the way each others team plays. It is always a battle and it always seems like it is a one-goal game. It is just going to be fun and everyone is looking forward to it.

Rankings:

Florida is ranked No. 8 on the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) poll and Florida State is No. 3.

No. 9 Florida Soccer opens season with 3-1 win over Florida Gulf Coast

Freshman Savannah Jordan gave the Gators’ the go-ahead goal in the 81^st minute and then added an insurance score just under five and a half minutes later as No. 9 Florida opened the season with a 3-1 win over Florida Gulf Coast Friday evening at the James G. Pressly Stadium.

Junior Havana Solaun scored the season’s first goal in the 35^th minute off the double assist from freshmen Brooke Sharp and Pamela Begič. The Eagles tied the match just before halftime when Ally Kasun headed in Melissa Arnold’s corner kick. It was the 13^th season-opening win in Florida’s 19-year history.

GATORS STARS

·         Solaun, a graduate of Gainesville’s Buchholz High School, scored the first goal of the season off a 12-yard left-footed shot. It is the second goal in a season’s debut for Solaun as she also scored UF’s second goal in a 2-0 win at Miami in 2011.

·         Jordan, from Fayetteville, Ga., is the first Gator freshman to score twice in a season opener since Aimee Wagstaff in the program’s debut match in 1995.

·         The Gators limited the Eagles to a single shot. 

RECORDS: Florida (1-0, 0-0 SEC); Florida Gulf Coast (0-1, 0-0 ASC).

THE SERIES: Florida is now 4-0 versus FGCU. All of the meetings have come since the 2011 season. The Eagles scored their first goal versus the Gators tonight.

Six Gators Named to Coaches' Preseason All-SEC Teams

Six University of Florida football players were named to the Coaches’ Preseason All-SEC Teams, as announced by the Southeastern Conference office on Thursday. Including ties, the Gators rank fourth in the league with the number of players listed. Ronald Powell was named to the list twice, making Florida one of three schools to have a single player listed multiple times.

Senior defensive lineman Dominique Easley (Staten Island, N.Y.) and junior defensive back Loucheiz Purifoy (Pensacola, Fla.) were named to the First-Team Defense. Both Easley and Purifoy are also on Lindy’s, Phil Steele’s, Athlon Sports and SEC Media Days Preseason All-SEC First Teams. Additionally, Easley has been named to the Bednarik Award, Rotary Lombardi Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Outland Trophy watch lists. Purifoy is on watch lists for the Bednarik Award, the Paul Hornung Award and the Bronko Nagurski Trophy.

Kyle Christy (Brownsburg, Ind.) was named to the First-Team for specialists. The junior was a finalist for the 2012 Ray Guy Award and has been named to the 2013 Ray Guy Award Watch list. Additionally, Christy was named to Lindy’s, Phil Steele’s, Athlon Sports and Beyond Sports Network Preseason All-American First Teams. He is also on Lindy’s, Phil Steele’s, Athlon Sports and the SEC Media Days Preseason All-SEC First Teams.

Jon Halapio, a redshirt senior offensive lineman, was named to the second-team offense. The St. Petersburg, Fla., native is also on the SEC Media Days Preseason All-SEC Second Team as well as Lindy’s and Athlon Sports Preseason All-SEC third Teams.

Junior Marcus Roberson (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) has been named to the second-team defense. The defensive back was also named to SEC Media Days, Athlon Sports and Phil Steele’s Preseason All-SEC Second Team. Roberson was on the 2012 AP All-SEC Second Team and Phil Steele’s All-SEC Third Team. Powell (Moreno Valley, Calif.) was named to the third-team defense as both a defensive lineman and linebacker. The redshirt junior was also named to Phil Steele’s Preseason All-SEC Second Team and the SEC Media Days Preseason All-SEC Third Team.

Florida Announces 2014 Football Schedule; Trip to Alabama, Home Dates with LSU and South Carolina Among Highlights

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- The Gators will open the 2014 football season with three consecutive home games the way they did in Will Muschamp's first season two years ago.

However, instead of playing their first road game at Kentucky like in 2011, Florida's first away game next season will be at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

The SEC released its 2014 football schedule Wednesday and one of the highlights is the renewal of the Florida-Alabama rivalry.

Florida coach Will Muschamp and his former boss, Alabama coach Nick Saban, will meet for the second time as head coaches on Sept. 20. The two programs have combined to win five of the last seven national championships.

Florida won the national title in 2006 and 2008, and Alabama has won three of the last four national titles, including two in a row.

The Gators open the 2014 season at home against Idaho on Aug. 30 in the first meeting between the schools. Idaho is set to join the Sun Belt Conference next season after playing as an independent this season.

Florida then welcomes Eastern Michigan to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Sept. 6 before opening SEC play against Kentucky at home on Sept. 13 to cap a three-game homestand to open the season. The Gators play at Miami in the second game of the 2013 season and traveled to Texas A&M in the second game of last season.

The game against Kentucky kicks off a stretch of eight consecutive conference games until Eastern Kentucky visits The Swamp on Nov. 22 in the Gators' home finale.

The SEC is currently reviewing its football scheduling format with the addition of Texas A&M and Missouri to the conference in 2013.

At SEC Media Days last month, conference commissioner Mike Slive said the current format is set for at least the next two seasons.

"The end result was a decision to commit the conference to a review of our scheduling format in anticipation of the 2016 season,'' Slive said. "This review will include whether or not to play an eight- or nine-game conference schedule and whether or not to retain permanent non-divisional opponents.

“In the meantime, until that review is complete, we will continue to schedule based on the current 6-1-1 format pending the results of that review."

Under the 6-1-1 format, each team plays six games against teams in its own division, one permanent cross-divisional game, and one rotating cross-divisional game. The Gators continue to face LSU as their cross-divisional game and drew Alabama for 2014 as their SEC West rotating opponent.

Here is a look at Florida's 2014 schedule (starting times to be determined unless noted): 

Aug. 30: Idaho, TBA

Sept. 6: Eastern Michigan, TBA

Sept. 13: Kentucky, TBA

Sept. 20: at Alabama, TBA

Sept. 27: Bye week

Oct. 4: at Tennessee, TBA

Oct. 11: LSU, TBA

Oct. 18: Missouri, TBA

Oct. 25: Bye week

Nov. 1: Georgia, TBA (in Jacksonville)

Nov. 8: at Vanderbilt, TBA

Nov. 15: South Carolina, TBA

Nov. 22: Eastern Kentucky, TBA

Nov. 29: at Florida State, TBA

Talented Tandem: Fowler and Bullard Stick to Plan

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- This was their plan all along. They talked about it before they ever signed on as teammates with the Gators. The remained steadfast when others tried to persuade them to change direction.

Back on the recruiting trail, when others told them they would be better off going somewhere the other wasn't, sophomore defensive linemen Dante Fowler Jr. and Jonathan Bullard tuned them out.

They knew as a tandem they were good enough to be labeled double trouble, dynamic duo or as Fowler revealed last week, Florida's "Bash Brothers," a self-anointed nickname they came up with over the summer.

"Those two guys aren't afraid of anybody,'' Florida coach Will Muschamp said.

Certainly not of each other.

Fowler and Bullard had options out of high school. Fowler was a Florida State commit until deciding to sign with the Gators in February 2012. Clemson and South Carolina had their eyes locked on Bullard.

They heard it all before deciding they wanted to be teammates at Florida.

"We had schools even throwing our names at each other,'' Bullard said. "Coming in, we wanted to play with great players. I think he is a real good player and he has a lot of good attributes that are going to help me out.

"We looked at [signing as the same school] as a positive thing."

So did Gators fullback Rhaheim Ledbetter, a teammate of Bullard's at Crest Senior High in Shelby, N.C. Ledbetter and Bullard have been friends since elementary school. Their families are close, too.

They wanted to remain teammates in college. Ledbetter had a good idea of what that could mean for Florida's defensive line if Fowler, who starred at St. Pete (Fla.) Lakewood High, also signed with the Gators.

"That duo right there is crazy,'' Ledbetter said. "A lot of people don't realize it, but after this year, I think a lot of people are going to realize what kind of duo that is going to be in the future."

Florida fans got a glimpse of the Fowler-Bullard duo last season. Both played regularly as freshmen, providing energy, depth and as the season wore on, more and more big plays.

Fowler finished with 30 tackles and 2 1/2 sacks. Bullard started two games and finished with 27 tackles and 1 1/2 sacks. Both were named to the Southeastern Conference All-Freshman Team.

As sophomores Fowler and Bullard will move into starting roles -- Fowler at left defensive end and Bullard on the right side. Fowler can also play the BUCK position, a hybrid linebacker/end spot that specializes in rushing the passer or dropping into coverage.

"I actually like covering,'' Fowler said. "Some people think I'm just a defensive lineman. Whenever I get out and cover, I take it really serious."

First-year defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin sees a pair of emerging players that have the ability to help the Gators finish among the nation's top defenses. Florida is one of five schools to finish in the top 10 nationally in total defense the past two seasons.

The 6-foot-3, 265-pound Fowler has all the tools to be an elite pass rusher.

"He’s an impressive football player," Durkin said. "He’s a rare mix of a guy his size that can move as well as he does and he plays really, really physical. And the great thing about Dante is he practices hard every single day.

"Every day you see him at meetings, on the field, he’s got a big smile on his face. He just loves competing, loves football, and he’s hungry. He’s one of the best guys to coach on the team. He takes coaching really well so a guy with that ability level that takes coaching, the sky’s the limit.”

Bullard (6-3, 270) has a little more bulk than Fowler and defends the run as well as he rushes the passer.

As a senior at Crest Senior -- the same school that produced former Gators linebacker Brandon Spikes and NBA great David Thompson -- Bullard and Ledbetter helped the Chargers to a state runner-up finish.

Ledbetter signed with the Gators as a defensive back and has moved to fullback. Having played with Bullard in middle school and high school, Ledbetter is not surprised as Bullard's quick impact at Florida.

"His speed coming off the ball is just unbelievable,'' Ledbetter said. "In high school, just put him on one side, and I'll be happy to go to the other side. He would tell me, 'I got it.' He had it."

Bullard and Fowler are now trying to form that kind of dominating presence for the Gators. Florida lost starting defensive linemen Sharrif Floyd, Lerentee McCray and Omar Hunter, but with senior defensive tackle Dominique Easley returning and Bullard and Fowler on the verge of breakout seasons, the defensive line projects as one of the Gators' strengths.

"Two quality guys who have a huge upside as players,'' Muschamp said.

As for that "Bash Brothers" nickname, Muschamp doesn't know much about that. Fowler and Bullard came up with that one.

That's nothing new. They have talked about their possibilities together for a long time. Regardless of what they do individually, Fowler and Bullard will continue to be lumped together.

They are fine with that, same as they never backed off from playing together when others told them they would be better off going their own way.

"We knew that coming in," Bullard said. "We just try to go out and make something happen every play."

Dunbar a favorite target at Saturday practice

In the preseason projections for the Florida Gators, most were picking senior wide receiver Quinton Dunbar to emerge as quarterback Jeff Driskel’s go-to guy in the passing game in 2013.

On an overcast Saturday morning in The Swamp, about 1,000 fans saw just that — a lot of Driskel-to-Dunbar, in what turned out to be the favorite combination of the day.

That was in sharp contrast to UF’s first open practice Thursday night at the Dizney Lacrosse Stadium, where the receiving star of the day was true freshman wideout Demarcus Robinson.

In Saturday’s practice, Driskel was looking for Dunbar, and he found him quite often. Perhaps the highlight was a 25-yard laser by Driskel that found Dunbar between three defensive backs about five yards deep in the end zone for a touchdown. The two hooked up for several more completions, including one of about 20 yards during 11-on-11 against the defense.

Here are some other observations from Saturday’s practice:

*Driskel, who had a tendency to lock onto his primary receiver at times last season, seems much more comfortable now going through his progressions until he finds the open receiver. The 20-yard pass to Dunbar during 11-on-11 was a perfect example. Driskel dropped back and looked to the right side. When he saw his primary receiver covered, he checked down to the next guy and found Dunbar open over the middle.

*Offensive coordinator Brent Pease said he and the offensive coaches were a little stunned when they went back and looked at last year’s numbers and discovered how little the running backs were used in the passing game. Since then, there’s been a concerted effort to get the backs (especially the tailbacks) involved in that phase of the game. That was evident Saturday. The quarterbacks threw to the backs on numerous occasions, a move that helped the offense move the chains several times. And this was with UF’s best pass-catching back, tailback Matt Jones, still sidelined while he recovers from a viral infection. Of the tailbacks who practiced Saturday, true freshman Kelvin Taylor appeared to have the best hands.

*The quarterbacks had to cope with a strong pass rush for most of the practice. It was especially devastating when Dante Fowler Jr. and Ronald Powell were streaking in from opposite edges. When those two are in the game at the same time, the Gators are very fast and athletic up front, especially when you factor in tackle Dominique Easley, who appears to have regained that lightning first step he had before he injured his knee at the end of the 2011 season.

*The players benefiting the most from the pass rush Saturday were the guys in the secondary, especially the cornerbacks. The starting corners — Loucheiz Purifoy and Marcus Roberson — provided suffocating coverage for most of the day, even when the quarterbacks had some time to scan the field. Florida’s safeties — Cody Riggs and true freshman Keanu Neal, in particular — also appeared to have a good day in coverage (even though Riggs appeared to get away with pass interference in the end zone on one play).

*The left tackle on the No. 2 offense Saturday was Maryland transfer Max Garcia, who is the starter at right guard while senior Jon Halapio is out with a partially torn pectoral muscle. Also, true freshman Cameron Dillard ran with the second team at center, while Kyle Koehne took some reps with the No. 1 offense at center. Koehne provides depth at center and both guard positions and is the back-up to Jonotthan Harrison at center. On the defensive line, true freshmen Jay-nard Bostwick and Caleb Brantley got reps at tackle on the No. 2 defense.

*Several players talked earlier in the week about how mammoth offensive tackle Trenton Brown makes everyone else look small. Well, in Saturday’s practice, Brown certainly made true freshman linebacker Alex Anzalone look undersized on one play. Anzalone, who is 6-foot-3, 230 pounds, tried to get past Brown on a pass rush, but Brown got his hands into Anzalone’s chest and gave him a mighty shove that sent Anzalone flying. Anzalone rolled twice after hitting the turf. Anzalone is not the only defender who has had problems getting around or through the 6-foot-8, 363-pound Brown in camp. Brown, by the way, is running with the second team at right tackle and figures to see significant playing time this season.

*Senior linebacker Darrin Kitchens, a projected starter in the opener, practiced in a non-contact jersey Saturday. He was not on the injury list that coach Will Muschamp revealed to the media before Friday’s scrimmage. … Matt Jones watched some of Saturday’s practice from the south end zone. Although he looked fine and has started doing cardio work, there still is no timetable for his return.

Florida Opens Season Ranked No. 10 in Associated Press Preseason Poll

The University of Florida football team will open the 2013 season ranked No. 10 in the Associated Press Preseason Poll, announced on Saturday. The Gators are also ranked No. 10 in the preseason USA Today/ESPN Top 25 football coaches’ poll.

Florida is ranked in the preseason AP poll for the 10th year in a row, dating back to 2003. That streak ranks third in the SEC behind LSU (13 straight) and Georgia (11 straight). Nationally, that streak ranks sixth, also trailing Ohio State (20), Oklahoma (14) and Southern Cal (12).

On the Gators’ 2013 schedule there are four teams ranked in the preseason top 12 according to the AP poll. Florida will play No. 5 Georgia on November 2 in Jacksonville, No. 6 South Carolina in Columbia on November 16, No. 11 Florida State at home in the regular season finale and No. 12 LSU in Baton Rouge on October 12.

The Southeastern Conference has six teams ranked in the poll, followed by the Big Ten and Pac-12 with five teams each.

2013 Associated Press Preseason Poll

Rank	Team	Pts
1	Alabama (58)	1498
2	Ohio State (1)	1365
3	Oregon	1335
4	Stanford	1294
5	Georgia (1)	1249
6	South Carolina	1154
7	Texas A&M	1104
8	Clemson	1083
9	Louisville	1042
10	FLORIDA	894
11	Florida State	845
12	LSU	802
13	Oklahoma State	755
14	Notre Dame	748
15	Texas	677
16	Oklahoma	579
17	Michigan	531
18	Nebraska	382
19	Boise State	328
20	TCU	323
21	UCLA	286
22	Northwestern	199
23	Wisconsin	185
24	USC	134
25	Oregon State	129

Others receiving votes: Michigan State 95, Baylor 92, Virginia Tech 86, Miami (FL) 85, Arizona State 53, Kansas State 43, Fresno State 36, Vanderbilt 19, Washington 17, Northern Illinois 16, Ole Miss 11, Utah State 8, Georgia Tech 6, Cincinnati 3, Arizona 3, North Carolina 3, Penn State 2, Brigham Young 1

Competition at tight end

Florida redshirt freshman Colin Thompson, who sat out last season with a broken foot, is battling sophomore Kent Taylor for the starting job at tight end.

The two were part of Florida's 2012 class and became close during their recruiting process. And they haven't let the competition in camp come between their friendship.

“You just kind of go out and play,” Thompson said. “People look at it like it's going to be a heated rivalry, but at the end of the day, you still put the Gator helmet on and you go out together and compete. We're all trying to achieve the same goal.”

There's even a chance that both could be on the field at the same time.

“Multiple tight end sets, that's why I came here,” Thompson said. “That would be great. Some chemistry and some physicality. Kent has gotten a lot bigger and stronger. It would bring a lot to the table.”

Players discuss Debose

Florida football players were crushed earlier this week when they were told redshirt senior receiver Andre Debose had torn his anterior cruciate ligament.

“That hurt,” running back Mack Brown said. “When I heard the news, I just had to pause for a couple minutes because he was having his best camp that I'd seen since I've been here.

“I think he's the best returner in the country. College and pro, if you ask me. And he has quickness when he catches the ball. We've got people to fill in for him, but it's hard to replace a guy like Andre Debose.”

Added fullback Hunter Joyer, “It's really tough, especially it being his last year and just seeing his reaction to how the whole thing went down. We definitely lost a step at the wide receiver position.”

In addition to his skill set, linebacker Mike Taylor will miss the energy Debose always brings.

“That's really detrimental,” he said of the loss. “You lose one of the guys who can break a game open instantaneously. He's a playmaker. He's a positive guy to have around the locker room. When you see him he's smiling, he's joking, he's laughing.

“Not even just having him football wise, because a lot of times life is bigger than the game of football. But just having him around being that same person, because with an injury like that, it takes a lot out of you. It's going to really hurt us, but it's just production were going to have to make up for.”

Driskel is good to go for UF

The morning after practicing for the first time this preseason, and only 10 days after having his appendix removed, Florida quarterback Jeff Driskel proclaimed himself 100-percent healthy and not limited in any way.

“It was good,” Driskel said Friday of his first practice Thursday night. “Everything felt good in my stomach. I thought I threw the ball really well and I thought we had a good day offensively.

“I wasn't limited at all. I was full go. I didn't have any pain, no issues. I didn't get all the reps I'd like to because I'm still in the (NCAA) acclimation period, so I couldn't be out there in pads. So, there were a couple of things I couldn't do. But other than that, I wasn't limited at all.”

The Gators opened practice with a one-minute drill, and Driskel led the offense to a winning field goal, UF coach Will Muschamp said.

“Great to have Jeff Driskel back at practice last night,” Muschamp said. “Very accurate with the ball, felt very comfortable in there. For me standing behind the offense, he had great command in what we were doing and directing traffic with our offensive football team. Really pleased to get him back on the field.”

Driskel practiced in shorts Thursday and Friday and will be in shells (small shoulder pads) for Saturday's scrimmage and Sunday's practice. Per NCAA rules concerning the start of preseason camp, Driskel cannot go into full pads until after his fourth practice.

Driskel said he is good to go health-wise and has no future doctor's appointments concerning his appendectomy surgery.

“There's nothing scheduled. I'm in the clear,” he said. “It was great. I went in (Thursday) morning and the doc said I'm good to go. He said, ‘Don't be dumb about it.'

“If it hurts, tell the trainers and they'll do what's best for me. Don't push through pain is basically what that means.”

Even though the quarterbacks are in non-contact jerseys, Driskel said he thinks he could take a hit right now if he had to.

“I'm sure I won't take a hit until the first game, but I'm sure I could. We haven't tested or anything like that. Everything seems fine, and that's not really any issue for me anymore."

Driskel said he does not feel that missing six practices has put him behind in preparation for the start of the season.

“I think I'm up to speed,” he said. “Second year in the offense means there's not really anything I haven't done yet. I think I've done a good job of staying alert in the meetings and getting the mental reps. I think I'm good to go.”

Muschamp said Driskel did not look rusty in any way throwing the ball Thursday night.

“Very good, very good,” Muschamp said. “He had great command. He threw the ball extremely well. Nice zip on the ball. He threw a couple nice touch passes. I thought he looked sharp.”

Muschamp and offensive coordinator Brent Pease have said they expect Driskel to be a much-improved quarterback in his second year as the starter in Pease's offense. Driskel said he's eager to show everyone the progress he has made since last season.

“I'm excited for the first game to really show it off,” he said. “Thus far I feel like I've gotten a lot better and I think we've gotten a lot better as a whole on offense.

“I just think I'm a lot more comfortable. I know where to throw the ball and I know where to throw the ball in certain situations, and we're a lot better at timing. I'm getting the ball out before they're breaking rather than waiting for them to break to throw the ball. That's a big difference in catching the ball and getting tackled or catching the ball and turning it up-field.”