2013년 12월 4일 수요일

About 'fla gator'|GATOR MANIA Gainesville Florida, Gator Mania University Sports Clothing Store,Oaks Mall Alachua County FLA.







About 'fla gator'|GATOR MANIA Gainesville Florida, Gator Mania University Sports Clothing Store,Oaks Mall Alachua County FLA.








#25               Arkansas               Razorbacks               What               a               strange               debut               season               at               Arkansas               for               Bobby               Petrino.

In               his               first               losing               season               as               a               college               head               coach,               Petrino's               Razorbacks               were               not               competitive               in               two               losses,               were               blown               out               late               in               two               others,               and               had               to               scratch               tooth-and-nail               to               go               5-3               in               their               other               games.

The               result               was               a               5-7               record               and               no               bowl               for               a               team               that               was               woefully               short               on               defensive               enforcers,               had               only               a               couple               of               bona               fide               offensive               threats,               and               was               dreadful               on               special               teams.
               Petrino               hopes               to               eradicate               the               blowouts               and               discover               the               winning               edge               in               close               games               this               season.

He               should               have               plenty               of               weapons               at               his               disposal,               from               quarterback               Ryan               Mallett               to               running               back               Michael               Smith               to               tight               end               D.J.

Williams.

And               the               corps               of               receivers,               while               not               known               too               well               around               the               league,               is               very               deep.
               The               Razorbacks               should               be               significantly               saltier               on               defense,               where               nine               starters               return,               including               virtually               the               entire               front               seven,               and               on               special               teams,               which               18-year               head-coaching               veteran               John               L.

Smith               was               hired               to               coordinate.
               The               Hogs               worked               hard               in               their               winter               program               to               add               weight               and               strength,               particularly               on               defense,               which               was               pushed               around               too               often               last               year.

The               incoming               recruiting               class               will               add               height,               speed               and               strength               at               key               positions               such               as               defensive               tackle,               safety,               cornerback,               receiver               and               tailback,               and               Petrino               expects               to               have               more               impact               players               on               both               sides               of               the               ball               this               fall.
               "I               expect               us               to               make               huge               strides,"               Petrino               said               in               the               spring.

"Last               year,               every               day               was               a               new               day.

There               wasn't               any               carryover,               so               there               was               a               lot               of               trying               to               memorize               things               and               figure               out               what               we               were               trying               to               do.

I               expect               to               see               a               lot               of               improvement,               11               guys               understanding               the               scheme               and               understanding               the               other               side               of               the               ball.

When               you               do               that,               you               can               play               fast."
               #24               Florida               State               Seminoles
               Four               years               have               passed               since               Florida               State               played               for               -               and               won               -               an               Atlantic               Coast               Conference               championship.

Returning               to               that               stage               is               the               next               logical               step               in               the               Seminoles'               progression,               after               Bobby               Bowden's               program               rebounded               from               consecutive               7-6               seasons               to               finish               9-4               last               season,               5-3               in               ACC               play.

Finishing               No.

21               in               the               final               AP               poll               marked               the               Seminoles'               best               finish               since               2004.
               With               seven               offensive               starters               returning,               including               the               entire               line               and               quarterback               Christian               Ponder,               there's               a               growing               confidence               that               the               program               is               moving               forward.
               "Offensively,               we'll               be               better,"               says               Bowden,               who               is               entering               his               34th               season               at               the               helm.

"Defensively,               that's               where               we               really               got               most               of               our               work               done               (during               spring               practice),               and               I               feel               pretty               solid               if               we               stay               healthy."
               FSU               improved               dramatically               in               offensive               coordinator               Jimbo               Fisher's               second               season,               averaging               33.4               points               and               371.9               yards               per               game.

Ponder's               continued               development,               specifically               in               the               passing               game,               will               be               critical               to               further               improvement.
               "I               want               him               (Ponder)               to               be               able               to               beat               people               from               the               pocket,               and               that's               what               I've               been               happiest               about,"               Fisher               said               near               the               conclusion               of               spring               practice.
               With               only               five               defensive               starters               returning               and               players               with               limited               experience               stepping               into               expanded               roles,               Ponder               and               the               offense               may               have               to               carry               a               greater               load               against               one               of               the               nation's               toughest               schedules.
               #23               Clemson               Tigers
               Dabo               Swinney               was               armed               with               a               prop               when               he               stepped               to               the               podium               for               a               press               conference               in               the               spring.

He               toted               a               wood               carving               of               the               word               "Believe."               Painted               orange,               of               course.

The               carving               sits               on               Swinney's               desk               as               a               constant               reminder               that               transforming               Clemson's               program               is               a               task               that's               as               much               mental               as               anything               else.
               "My               number               one               thing               is               to               get               everybody               to               believe,"               Swinney               said.

"If               you               don't               have               this               right               here,"               he               said,               pointing               to               his               head,               "you've               got               no               chance.

If               you               don't               believe               in               yourself               and               don't               believe               that               you               can               do               great               things,               then               you               have               no               chance               of               great               things               happening."
               Great               things               have               eluded               the               Tigers               in               recent               years,               and               that's               perplexing               given               all               the               talent               that's               been               on               campus.

Two               years               ago,               Clemson               needed               only               to               beat               Boston               College               at               Death               Valley               to               assure               a               trip               to               the               ACC               title               game.

The               Eagles               ended               up               winning               the               Atlantic               Division               after               scoring               17               points               in               the               fourth               quarter.
               Last               year,               the               Tigers               were               considered               the               overwhelming               favorites               to               win               the               conference.

Their               star               power               was               evidenced               in               three               of               their               players               (quarterback               Cullen               Harper,               tailback               James               Davis               and               tailback               C.J.

Spiller)               going               1-2-3               in               the               preseason               conference               Player               of               the               Year               voting.

All               they               had               to               show               for               it               after               six               games               was               a               3-3               record               and               a               distinction               as               the               biggest               disappointment               in               college               football.
               That               led               to               Tommy               Bowden's               forced               resignation               after               nine-plus               years,               and               now               here               the               Tigers               are               with               Swinney               trying               to               deliver               the               program's               first               conference               title               since               1991.
               The               39-year-old               was               tabbed               interim               coach               immediately               after               Bowden's               departure,               and               he               won               the               job               after               guiding               the               Tigers               to               four               wins               in               their               final               six               regular-season               games               -               including               a               31-14               pummeling               of               rival               South               Carolina               that               sealed               the               deal.
               Swinney,               who               previously               served               as               Bowden's               receivers               coach,               clearly               believes               there               were               fundamental               problems               under               the               previous               regime.

Otherwise               he               wouldn't               be               making               comprehensive               changes               in               almost               every               aspect               of               the               program.
               "If               we're               not               successful,               then               that's               on               me,"               he               says.

"We're               going               to               do               it               my               way,               and               if               it               doesn't               work               then               I               don't               have               anybody               to               blame               but               myself."
               #22               BYU               Cougars
               Senior               quarterback               Max               Hall               and               the               rest               of               BYU's               offensive               players               hope               to               duplicate               much               of               what               they               produced               last               season,               only               with               a               better               ending.

Hall               is               21-5               in               two               years               as               a               starter,               but               his               interceptions               and               fumbles               have               proven               costly               in               those               five               defeats.

That               was               the               case               in               losses               to               Utah               in               November               and               Arizona               in               the               Las               Vegas               Bowl,               as               the               Cougars               settled               for               a               10-3               record               after               a               promising               start.
               The               Cougars               rolled               up               444.8               yards               per               game               to               rank               first               in               the               Mountain               West               and               16th               in               the               country               in               total               offense,               and               their               310.4               passing               yards               per               game               ranked               sixth               nationally.

Matching               that               production               will               be               difficult               with               receiver               Austin               Collie               having               entered               the               NFL               Draft               and               four               linemen               lost               to               graduation.
               The               positive               news               is               that               Hall               will               still               have               tight               end               Dennis               Pitta,               who               caught               83               passes               as               a               junior,               and               running               back               Harvey               Unga,               who               rushed               for               1,132               yards               as               a               sophomore.

The               wide               receivers               are               mostly               unproven.

McKay               Jacobson               is               back               from               an               LDS               Church               mission               after               catching               28               passes               as               a               freshman,               and               while               O'Neill               Chambers               and               Luke               Ashworth               have               potential,               neither               has               caught               more               than               six               passes               in               a               season.
               The               line               will               be               led               by               left               tackle               Matt               Reynolds,               and               coaches               have               confidence               in               the               other               four               starters,               although               there's               limited               depth.
               Mendenhall               likes               the               attitude               of               his               team,               comparing               it               favorably               to               the               2006               squad               that               finished               11-2               after               losing               two               of               its               first               three               games.

A               similar               pattern               may               develop,               considering               the               Cougars               meet               Oklahoma               and               Florida               State               in               the               first               three               weeks               of               the               season.
               If               the               secondary               can               improve               and               the               inexperienced               receivers               and               offensive               linemen               develop               as               expected,               Hall               should               be               able               to               produce               enough               points               to               keep               BYU               in               the               conference               race.

The               Cougars               are               motivated               by               the               way               they               finished               2008               and               feel               less               pressure               than               last               year,               when               they               were               burdened               by               their               "Quest               for               Perfection."
               #21               UCLA               Bruins
               The               coaching               staff               remains               strong,               but               as               many               UCLA               fans               learned               during               last               season's               4-8               snooze-fest,               talent               is               often               the               determining               factor               come               game               day.

So,               with               another               strong               recruiting               class               and               the               development               of               young               players               from               a               year               ago,               this               should               be               a               markedly               more               competitive               -               not               to               mention               better               -               UCLA               squad               than               it               was               during               coach               Rick               Neuheisel's               first               season.
               "We've               got               a               lot               to               prove,               as               a               football               team               and               as               a               coaching               staff,''               Neuheisel               says.

"We've               got               to               perform               better               on               the               offensive               side               of               the               ball.''
               Offensive               coordinator               Norm               Chow               has               more               to               work               with,               but               uncertainties               on               the               line               and               unproven               players               at               quarterback               and               running               back               make               this               a               difficult               season               to               forecast.
               Still,               after               averaging               a               paltry               17.7               points               per               game,               the               offense               is               expected               to               be               improved               and               to               relieve               much               of               the               burden               the               defense               felt               in               2008.
               Defensive               coordinator               DeWayne               Walker               left               to               take               the               head               coaching               job               at               New               Mexico               State,               so               Neuheisel               promoted               linebackers               coach               Chuck               Bullough               in               the               name               of               continuity.
               #20               Boise               State               Broncos
               The               Broncos               enter               Year               2               of               the               Kellen               Moore               era,               which               has               fans               expecting               fireworks.

Moore,               the               WAC               Freshman               of               the               Year               in               2008,               set               a               school               record               by               completing               69.4               percent               of               his               passes.

He               threw               25               touchdown               passes               and               averaged               268.2               yards               per               game.
               He               lost               some               high-profile               offensive               weapons,               but               with               junior               wide               receivers               Austin               Pettis               (95               career               catches)               and               Titus               Young               (14.9               yards               per               catch)               and               junior               tailbacks               Jeremy               Avery               (6.0               yards               per               carry)               and               D.J.

Harper               returning,               the               Broncos               boast               abundant               speed,               experience               and               playmaking               ability.

Avery               rushed               for               614               yards               complementing               Ian               Johnson               last               fall,               while               Pettis               totaled               567               receiving               yards               as               the               No.

2               option               behind               Jeremy               Childs.
               The               Broncos               also               are               loaded               at               tight               end               -               where               Tommy               Gallarda               has               improved               his               route-running               and               Kyle               Efaw               is               a               downfield               threat               -               and               fullback,               where               Richie               Brockel               is               considered               an               NFL               prospects               at               his               position.
               There               are               questions               surrounding               the               Broncos'               offensive               line,               which               returns               three               starters               and               six               players               with               starting               experience               from               a               unit               that               never               quite               clicked               last               season.

Sophomore               center               Thomas               Byrd               should               be               an               All-WAC               pick.

The               rest               of               the               line               is               in               flux,               though,               with               sophomore               tackle               Nate               Potter               and               junior               guard               Kevin               Sapien               likely               to               return               to               the               lineup.
               Everything               points               to               another               top               20               season               for               the               Broncos               -               except               recent               history.

They               haven't               put               together               consecutive               great               seasons               since               2003-04,               a               fact               that               has               coach               Chris               Petersen               pushing               his               team               to               find               the               edge               they               carried               in               2008               as               they               set               out               to               reclaim               the               WAC               title.

If               the               Broncos               are               that               determined,               they               could               make               a               run               at               another               BCS               berth.
               #19               Nebraska               Cornhuskers
               The               restoration               of               Nebraska's               tradition               appears               to               be               on               track,               as               evidenced               not               only               by               the               Cornhuskers'               9-4               record               and               Gator               Bowl               victory               in               Bo               Pelini's               first               season               but               also               by               the               second-year               coach's               significant               pay               raise               in               late               March.

Athletic               Director               Tom               Osborne               bumped               Pelini's               annual               salary               to               $1.851               million,               up               from               $1.1               million,               and               added               a               year               to               his               contract,               which               now               runs               through               Feb.

28,               2014.

Pelini               went               from               11th               in               salary               among               Big               12               coaches               to               seventh.\
               Pelini               was               hired               because               of               his               defensive               credentials.

Statistically,               the               defense               was               in               a               shambles,               and               Nebraska's               most               dramatic               improvement               came               on               that               side               of               the               ball.

Even               so,               "we're               nowhere               near               where               I               want               us               to               play               defensively,               and               I               expect               to               get               there               this               year,"               Pelini               says.
               He               and               his               assistants,               who               also               got               raises,               have               had               a               year               together               -               Nebraska's               staff               remained               intact               for               the               first               time               since               2002               -               and               know               "what               we               have               on               our               roster               right               now,               what               exactly               we               want               to               do,"               says               Pelini.

"I               think               we               have               a               better               plan               as               a               coaching               staff               on               both               sides               of               the               ball."
               With               the               year               together               recruiting,               they               have               more               players               suited               to               their               system.

Plus,               they               were               able               to               redshirt               all               but               three               members               of               their               first               recruiting               class.

So               Nebraska               will               have               depth               in               addition               to               being               better               prepared.
               #18               Illinois               Fighting               Illini
               Ron               Zook               had               delivered               the               warning.

Early               and               often.

"We               aren't               there               yet."               Few               listened.

Those               who               did               figured               the               coach               was               simply               trying               to               downplay               his               team's               prospects.

Heading               into               the               2008               season,               preseason               polls               listed               Illinois               among               their               Top               25s.

Bowl               prognostications               had               the               Illini               going               anywhere               from               the               Rose               to               the               Alamo.

Fans               jumped               on               board,               filling               renovated               Memorial               Stadium.
               All               of               Zook's               warnings               came               true.

The               team               showed               it               wasn't               there               yet,               going               5-7               and               missing               the               postseason.
               So,               now               what?
               The               coaches               and               players               say               the               bowl-less               season               provided               extra               motivation.

If               they               got               tired               during               winter               conditioning               or               summer               workouts,               all               they               had               to               do               was               think               back               to               all               of               those               bowl               games               they               missed.
               "I               think               we               all               learned               an               awful               lot               last               year,"               Zook               says.

"I               learned               an               awful,               awful               lot.

There's               things               I               would               have               changed.

I               think               we               got               away               from               what's               important.

We               started               worrying               about               winning               instead               of               letting               the               wins               and               losses               take               care               of               themselves.

Our               football               team,               they're               focused               and               excited               about               being               the               type               of               football               team               they               can               be."
               #17               Miami,               Fla               Hurricanes
               Asked               this               spring               to               name               what               he               regretted               most               during               his               short               tenure               as               Miami's               head               coach,               Randy               Shannon               pointed               to               a               prediction.

"Probably               the               first               year               when               I               said               we               would               win               eight               games,"               Shannon               said.

Two               years               into               his               term,               Shannon               and               the               Hurricanes               are               still               searching               for               that               eight-win               season.
               With               a               roster               full               of               young               talent               that               had               Miami               in               the               ACC               Coastal               Division               race               last               fall               before               a               late-season               meltdown,               could               this               be               the               year               the               Hurricanes               finally               crack               that               eight-win               mark?

Don't               bet               on               it.

A               schedule               that               will               likely               be               among               the               nation's               toughest               will               test               the               young               Hurricanes               immediately.

Miami               opens               at               Florida               State,               hosts               Georgia               Tech,               travels               to               ACC               champ               Virginia               Tech,               then               returns               home               to               face               2008               national               runner-up               Oklahoma.

All               of               that               in               the               first               four               games.
               "Depends               on               how               you               approach               it,"               says               Shannon,               12-13               in               two               seasons.

"You               can               say               this               is               a               tough               schedule.

How               are               we               going               to               get               through               it?

Or               you               can               say,               this               is               a               great               schedule.

It               can               put               us               in               position."
               Getting               off               to               a               fast               start               might               be               difficult               for               another               reason.

The               Hurricanes               are               incorporating               new               offensive               and               defensive               coordinators.

Mark               Whipple,               the               former               NFL               assistant               given               much               of               the               credit               for               Ben               Roethlisberger's               development               as               a               rookie,               has               been               given               carte               blanche               to               run               an               offense               that               has               been               sickly               for               years.

John               Lovett               is               Miami's               fourth               defensive               coordinator               in               four               seasons.
               #16               Iowa               Hawkeyes
               Somewhat               lost               in               Shonn               Greene's               improbable               rise               to               stardom               last               season               is               that               Iowa               found               its               winning               ways               under               Kirk               Ferentz               again.

After               lingering               around               .500               the               previous               three               seasons,               the               Hawkeyes               won               six               of               their               final               seven               games               to               finish               9-4.

The               four               losses               came               by               a               combined               12               points,               and               three               came               against               teams               that               went               on               to               play               in               bowl               games.

So               did               the               Hawkeyes,               who               pounded               South               Carolina               in               the               Outback               Bowl               to               become               the               only               Big               Ten               team               to               win               a               bowl               game               last               season.

Ferentz's               crew               also               ended               Penn               State's               hopes               for               a               national               title               last               season               by               pulling               off               a               shocking               24-23               upset               at               Kinnick               Stadium.
               And               while               Greene               had               much               to               do               with               the               turnaround               by               rushing               for               a               school-record               1,850               yards,               so               did               a               number               of               players               who               return               in               2009,               including               six               starters               on               offense,               eight               starters               on               defense               and               the               kicker               who               broke               the               hearts               of               Penn               State               fans               with               his               game-winning               field               goal               in               the               final               seconds.
               Iowa               lost               most               of               its               star               power               from               last               season,               with               Greene               entering               the               NFL               Draft               as               a               junior               and               four-year               starting               defensive               tackles               Mitch               King               and               Matt               Kroul               having               used               up               their               eligibility.

But               the               core               of               the               team               is               still               pretty               much               intact.
               And               with               that               kind               of               experience               and               success               come               higher               expectations.

"I               don't               want               to               get               too               carried               away               with               our               preseason               euphoria,"               Ferentz               says.

"I               know               there               is               a               little               bit               of               that               out               there.
               "Last               year               is               last               year.

This               is               a               totally               new               team."
               #15               TCU               Horned               Frogs
               Quite               possibly,               TCU's               best-kept               secret               is               its               offense.

The               Horned               Frogs               have               been               known               for               defense               since               coach               Gary               Patterson               took               over               for               the               2001               season,               but               four               of               the               five               highest-scoring               teams               in               TCU               history               have               come               under               Patterson's               watch.

This               season,               TCU               returns               four               offensive               starters,               but               the               number               could               be               bumped               up               if               you               include               Ryan               Christian               and/or               Joseph               Turner               at               tailback,               since               the               two               rotated               with               senior               Aaron               Brown               last               season.

Those               two               were               limited               most               of               the               spring               with               minor               injuries               and               will               be               pushed               by               impressive               redshirt               freshman               Ed               Wesley               this               season.
               Quarterback               Andy               Dalton               will               be               starting               for               the               third               straight               year.

Dalton               helped               TCU               to               a               single-season               school               record               in               both               points               scored               (437)               and               touchdowns               (56)               last               season.

In               2008,               Dalton               threw               five               of               his               career-high               11               touchdowns               passes               to               Jimmy               Young,               who               returns               after               falling               only               12               yards               short               of               becoming               TCU's               second               1,000-yard               receiver               in               school               history.
               The               Frogs               have               always               believed               in               running               the               ball               to               be               successful               -               and               that               shouldn't               change               with               two               coaches               being               promoted               to               co-offensive               coordinators               -               but               TCU               will               have               to               make               sure               it               shores               up               the               guard               positions               on               the               offensive               line.
               With               only               15               seniors,               TCU's               squad               is               still               pretty               young,               so               finding               emotional               leaders               will               be               key.

If               the               Frogs               can               make               it               out               of               September               -               when               they               have               games               at               both               Virginia               and               Clemson               -               unscathed,               they               could               quite               possibly               be               the               next               BCS-busting               team.

At               the               very               least,               the               Frogs               should               once               again               be               in               the               running               for               the               Mountain               West               Conference               title.

But               that's               not               the               only               goal               for               this               group               after               last               season's               11-2               finish               and               No.

7               final               ranking.
               #14               Oklahoma               State               Cowboys
               Oklahoma               State               coaches               have               been               pointing               to               2009               for               the               last               few               years,               knowing               it               would               be               the               season               all               the               pieces               came               together.

The               Big               12               Conference               schedule               breaks               in               the               Cowboys'               favor,               with               nearly               every               challenging               opponent               coming               to               Boone               Pickens               Stadium.

Quarterback               Zac               Robinson               is               a               senior               and               in               his               third               year               as               a               starter.

And               the               depth               that               was               absent               in               recent               seasons,               primarily               on               defense,               has               been               replenished.
               That               defense               has               a               new               leader               in               first-year               defensive               coordinator               Bill               Young,               a               40-year               coaching               veteran               who               oversaw               a               major               rebuilding               project               earlier               this               decade               at               Kansas,               turning               one               of               the               nation's               worst               defenses               into               one               of               the               best,               resulting               in               the               Jayhawks'               2007               Orange               Bowl               run.
               Young               will               be               asked               to               perform               a               similar               reclamation               project               on               a               defense               that               hasn't               ranked               in               the               top               50               nationally               in               any               major               category               over               the               last               six               seasons.
               Offensively,               the               Cowboys               return               loads               of               talent,               especially               at               the               skill               positions,               as               well               as               the               majority               of               their               offensive               line.
               Oklahoma               State               should               be               in               line               for               a               school-record               fourth               straight               bowl               appearance,               but               this               year,               it               will               be               a               Bowl               Championship               Series               berth               that               the               Cowboys               have               in               their               sights.

Though               they've               only               won               one               conference               title               -               that               being               a               shared               Big               Eight               crown               in               1976               -               over               the               last               50               years,               and               despite               stout               competition               in               the               Big               12               South,               the               Cowboys               are               focusing               on               a               conference               championship.
               After               winning               nine               games               for               only               the               eighth               time               in               school               history               in               2008,               the               Cowboys               could               be               primed               for               one               of               the               best               seasons               in               school               history.
               #13               Virginia               Tech               Hokies
               A               few               hours               after               Virginia               Tech               beat               Cincinnati               in               the               Orange               Bowl,               the               Hokies               -               from               the               youngest               to               the               oldest               -               were               already               talking               excitedly               about               the               potential               for               the               2009               season.

"I               said               if               we               won               this               and               we               did               it               the               way               that               we               wanted               to               do               it,               then               the               sky               is               the               limit               for               us,               as               long               as               we               continue               to               stay               humble               and               practice               hard               and               carry               all               the               good               things               from               this               season               over               into               next               season,"               tailback               Darren               Evans               said.

"And               we               should               be               a               lot               better               next               year.

People               will               be               a               lot               more               confident               next               year."
               Asked               about               the               possibilities               for               the               future,               now-departed               cornerback               Victor               "Macho"               Harris               just               smiled.

"The               future?"               he               said.

"Mmmm.

The               future               is               unlimited."
               The               future               is               here               for               the               Hokies.

They               return               15               starters               and               ought               to               be               in               the               mix               to               capture               the               ACC               championship               for               the               third               consecutive               season.

If               they               beat               Alabama               in               the               season               opener               Sept.

5               in               Atlanta,               some               observers               will               certainly               start               talking               about               even               greater               aspirations.
               But               if               the               Hokies               want               to               contend               for               a               national               championship,               their               offense               has               to               pull               its               weight.

While               Tech               ranked               seventh               nationally               last               season               in               total               defense               -               and               in               the               top               four               during               the               previous               four               seasons               -               the               Hokies               have               finished               99th               or               worse               in               total               offense               for               three               consecutive               seasons.
               #12               Ohio               State               Buckeyes
               After               enduring               national               championship               wipeouts               by               Florida               and               LSU               in               recent               years,               Ohio               State               was               bombed               at               USC               and               nipped               at               home               by               Penn               State               last               season,               effectively               ending               any               chance               of               playing               for               the               national               championship.

The               Buckeyes               then               absorbed               a               third               loss               in               the               Fiesta               Bowl               at               the               hands               of               Texas.

That               24-21               defeat,               however,               wasn't               quite               as               hard               to               swallow,               considering               the               Longhorns,               who               had               felt               slighted               not               to               be               playing               in               the               BCS               title               game,               had               to               come               from               behind               in               the               final               seconds               to               win.

And               the               Buckeyes               enter               the               2009               season               with               considerable               spring               in               their               step,               despite               the               loss               of               several               big-time               players.
               Gone               are               decorated               All-Americans               James               Laurinaitis               and               Malcolm               Jenkins               from               a               defense               that               again               was               nationally               elite               in               several               categories.

Also               departed               are               veteran               linemen,               reliable               wide               receivers               and               star               running               back               Beanie               Wells               from               a               big-play               but               inconsistent               offense.

In               all,               28               seniors               and               three               draft-eligible               juniors               walked               out               the               door.

Still,               there               is               plenty               of               talent               in               Columbus.

The               most               notable               holdover               is               excessively               nimble               quarterback               Terrelle               Pryor,               who               used               the               spring               to               shore               up               his               throwing               technique               and               develop               his               leadership               skills.

"That's               my               offense               and               I'm               going               to               run               it,"               Pryor               says.

"That's               how               I               feel.

I               try               and               lead               the               team               as               much               as               I               can."
               #11               Georgia               Bulldogs
               Matthew               Stafford               and               Knowshon               Moreno               are               now               beginning               their               NFL               careers,               and               the               expectations               that               they               sparked               for               last               year's               Georgia               football               team               are               an               even               more               distant               memory.

This               time               last               year,               the               Bulldogs               were               a               national               media               darling.
               The               Associated               Press'               preseason               No.

1               team               was               everybody's               new               favorite               team,               but               nothing               in               Athens               -               not               the               undeniable               talent               of               Stafford               and               Moreno               or               the               leadership               of               coach               Mark               Richt               -               could               hold               up               the               weight               of               those               expectations.

The               2008               Bulldogs               were               a               dysfunctional               group               by               the               time               they               finished               the               season               10-3               (all               three               of               those               losses               being               of               the               humbling               variety).

The               Bulldogs               who               enter               2009               are               almost               unrecognizable               from               that               group               that               started               last               season.

They               hope               not               to               resemble               the               group               that               finished               it               either.
               "I               think               (the               lack               of               expectations)               has               helped               us,"               senior               quarterback               Joe               Cox               says.

"I               think               it               has               pushed               everybody               to               work               that               much               harder.

We               feel               like               we               have               something               to               prove.

I               like               having               our               backs               up               against               the               wall               and               everybody               fighting               for               what               we               get.

I               think               it's               going               to               make               us               better."
               So               the               question               in               Athens               is:               Can               these               no-name               Dawgs               outperform               last               year's               lauded               but               underachieving               group?
               "When               everybody               is               talking               about               the               team               (rather               than               individuals),               it               just               makes               everybody               more               focused.

Everybody               is               more               determined,               everybody               is               on               the               same               page               and               wants               to               do               it               right,"               linebacker               Rennie               Curran               says.

"Not               to               say               when               they               were               here               everybody               didn't               want               to               do               it               right,               but               I               feel               like               taking               away               that               star               power               will               help               us               focus               on               each               other.

We're               all               going               go               to               end               up               at               the               same               place               at               the               end               of               the               year."
               #10               California               Golden               Bears
               After               a               three-plus-year               run               that               found               Cal               consistently               in               the               national               conversation,               the               Bears               have               taken               a               step               back               the               past               year-and-a-half.

Since               rising               to               No.

2               in               the               polls               with               a               5-0               record               midway               through               the               2007               season,               the               Bears               are               only               11-10.

But               there               are               many               around               Berkeley               who               believe               this               is               the               year               the               program               can               return               to               national               prominence.
               To               do               that,               there               is               one               not-so-small               issue               to               resolve               -               finding               a               passing               game.

Everything               else               seems               to               be               in               place               to               make               a               run               at               USC               for               Pac-10               dominance.

Running               back               Jahvid               Best,               the               league's               defending               rushing               champion,               is               back.

The               defense               returns               eight               starters               to               a               unit               that               ranked               in               the               top               30               nationally               in               2008,               its               first               season               in               a               3-4               alignment.
               But               to               keep               opposing               defenses               from               focusing               on               Best               and               alleviate               some               of               the               pressure               on               the               defense,               the               Bears               need               to               improve               a               passing               attack               that               ranked               83rd               in               the               nation               last               season.

Neither               Kevin               Riley               nor               Nate               Longshore               was               very               effective               at               quarterback.

Longshore               has               graduated,               leaving               Riley,               who               started               nine               games               last               year,               as               the               frontrunner               to               lead               the               offense               again.

But               coach               Jeff               Tedford               has               opened               up               the               position               and               is               taking               a               long,               hard               look               at               sophomore               Brock               Mansion.
               Meanwhile,               the               Bears               also               need               improved               play               from               their               wide               receivers.

Almost               all               of               them               played               their               first               full               season               of               college               football               last               year.

The               Bears               are               hopeful               that               experience               will               result               in               more               production               this               season.
               Tedford               continues               to               bring               plenty               of               talent               to               Berkeley,               so               it's               not               hard               to               believe               the               Bears               can               make               the               necessary               improvements.

But               there's               no               time               to               waste.

After               a               three-game               non-conference               stretch               to               open               the               season               that               includes               two               BCS               conference               opponents,               Cal               jumps               right               into               the               league               schedule               by               playing               fellow               Pac-10               top               dogs               Oregon               and               USC.

It               won't               take               long               to               find               out               exactly               where               this               team               stands.
               #9               Notre               Dame               Fighting               Irish
               When               you've               lost               nine               straight               bowl               games               spanning               a               decade-and-a-half,               a               victory               over               a               mediocre               Hawaii               team               is               cause               for               celebration,               particularly               when               you've               lost               more               regular-season               games               in               a               two-year               span               (15)               than               at               any               point               in               the               school's               storied               football               history.
               "After               the               butt-kicking               we               took               against               Southern               Cal,               which               was               after               a               home               loss               to               Syracuse,               everyone               expected               us               to               lay               down               and               get               the               crap               beat               out               of               us,"               says               Irish               head               coach               Charlie               Weis               of               his               team's               49-21               Hawaii               Bowl               victory               on               Christmas               Eve.
               "Everyone               but               us.

We               didn't               believe               that."
               Now               it's               time               for               Notre               Dame               to               convince               the               rest               of               the               college               football               world               that               it's               back               and               ready               to               compete               with               the               big               boys.

After               all,               Notre               Dame               participated               in               back-to-back               BCS               games               under               Weis               in               his               first               two               years               at               his               alma               mater.
               They               took               "butt-kickings"               in               those               games               against               Ohio               State               and               LSU,               too.

But               with               a               favorable               schedule,               an               experienced               offense               led               by               junior               quarterback               Jimmy               Clausen,               a               set               of               big-play               receivers,               and               a               veteran,               deep               and               talented               back               seven               on               defense,               anything               short               of               a               New               Year's               Day               bowl               game               would               be               a               disappointment.
               #8               LSU               Tigers
               Falling               from               grace               is               a               painful               and               bumpy               journey               for               any               college               football               program               accustomed               to               success,               especially               one               that               climbed               to               the               mountaintop               twice               in               five               years.

LSU               traveled               that               uncomfortable               path               in               2008,               staggering               through               a               7-5               regular               season               (3-5               in               the               SEC),               a               stunning               follow-up               to               the               2007               BCS               National               Championship               campaign.

The               Tigers               managed               to               salvage               some               respectability               and               provide               a               flicker               of               hope               for               the               immediate               future               with               a               dominant               38-3               triumph               over               Georgia               Tech               in               the               Chick-fil-A               Bowl.

But               the               remnants               of               the               worst               season               in               Baton               Rouge               since               the               start               of               the               decade               are               conspicuous.
               The               dismal               regular               season               triggered               wholesale               changes               in               the               defensive               coaching               staff,               as               head               coach               Les               Miles               hired               former               Tennessee               defensive               coordinator               John               Chavis,               veteran               secondary               coach               Ron               Cooper               and               defensive               line               coach               Brick               Haley.

The               new               defensive               staff               and               the               sting               of               a               disappointing               season               created               an               offseason               punctuated               by               competition.
               "Ever               since               we               began               working               toward               a               new               season,               there's               been               a               greater               intensity,               a               different               level               of               hunger               with               this               group               because               we               all               know               we               took               a               step               backward               last               year,"               says               Miles,               who               is               42-11               in               four               seasons               at               LSU.

"There's               a               better               understanding               that               there               has               to               be               a               level               of               excellence               to               everything               we               do."
               For               that               to               happen,               the               Tigers               must               get               stronger               and               more               consistent               play               at               quarterback,               where               sophomore               Jordan               Jefferson               is               the               relatively               untested               incumbent               after               starting               the               final               game               of               the               regular               season               and               the               bowl               game.
               Chavis               will               be               in               charge               of               restructuring               and               molding               a               unit               with               three               new               starters               on               the               defensive               front,               a               new               starting               middle               linebacker               and               a               secondary               bustling               with               talent               but               strapped               with               wounded               confidence               after               that               unit               was               at               the               core               of               most               of               LSU's               defensive               problems               in               2008.

The               Tigers'               new               coordinator               installed               a               system               based               on               simplicity,               intensity               and               aggressiveness,               and               the               new               philosophy               seems               to               be               a               good               fit               with               LSU's               talented               cache               of               defensive               talent.
               "The               new               coaches               have               come               on               board               with               our               culture               and               the               things               we               do               here,               and               the               things               they               bring               from               the               places               they               came               from,               and               I               think               our               players               have               really               bought               into               it,"               Miles               says.

"It's               the               same               style               that               we've               had               here               on               defense,               a               very               attacking,               aggressive               style.

I               think               it's               working               well,               and               I               think               it's               much               improved."
               #7               Alabama               Crimson               Tide
               Not               even               Alabama               coach               Nick               Saban               could               lower               the               ever-building               expectations               throughout               the               2008               season.

The               opening               blowout               of               Clemson.

The               blackout               beat-down               at               Georgia.

The               overtime               dramatics               at               LSU.

The               Iron               Bowl               thumping               of               reeling               rival               Auburn.
               It               all               culminated               in               a               No.

1               ranking               and               perfect               regular               season,               feeding               a               starving               fan               base.

Saban               worried               his               team               would               get               full.
               "When               you               get               satisfied               and               fall               in               love               with               yourself,"               Saban               says,               "you               lose               your               desire."
               That               might               not               be               a               problem               this               season               in               the               wake               of               two               season-ending               defeats.

The               loss               in               the               Southeastern               Conference               title               game               to               Florida               left               a               bad               taste               in               many               mouths.

But               the               Sugar               Bowl               embarrassment               administered               by               Utah               did               more               than               that.

There's               motivation               aplenty               for               the               Crimson               Tide.
               Alabama               may               return               nine               starters               on               an               already-stout               defense               and               several               key               members               of               its               offense.

The               Tide               may               have               a               new               quarterback               in               junior               Greg               McElroy.

But               it               wants               to               take               care               of               some               old               business               from               2008.

And               Alabama               has               a               serious               opportunity               to               finish               what               it               started,               beginning               with               the               high-powered               opener               against               Virginia               Tech               in               Atlanta               on               national               TV.
               "We               didn't               do               what               we               were               supposed               to               do               last               year,"               nosetackle               Terrence               Cody               says,               "and               that's               what               made               us               hungry               to               come               back               this               year."
               A               three-year               starter,               John               Parker               Wilson               exited               as               the               program's               leader               in               nearly               every               statistical               category.

This               year,               the               plan               was               for               an               open               quarterback               competition               between               McElroy,               redshirt               freshman               Star               Jackson               and               sophomore               walk-on               Thomas               Darrah.

But               McElroy               blew               away               the               field.

"Everybody               knows               who               our               players               have               the               most               respect               for,"               Saban               says,               "who               has               the               best               knowledge               and               experience.

He's               far               and               away               our               best               quarterback               right               now.

He               knows               that               somebody's               got               to               beat               him               out."               The               whiz               kid               McElroy               is               used               to               waiting               his               turn.

He               did               so               in               high               school               behind               future               Missouri               star               Chase               Daniel.

At               Alabama,               too.

His               highlight               is               a               34-yard               touchdown               pass               against               Auburn.

"I               know               I               haven't               started               a               game               yet,"               McElroy               says.

"I               know               I               haven't               really               done               anything               up               to               this               point               that's               proven               myself."               While               the               athletic               Jackson               and               the               strong-armed               Darrah               battle               to               be               his               backup,               they               face               another               challenge               this               fall               with               talented               freshman               A.J.

McCarron.
               Alabama's               physical               ground               game               produced               plenty               of               big               leads               and               wore               down               many               a               defense.

The               focus               of               that               attack               was               All-SEC               running               back               Glen               Coffee               (1,383               yards,               10               touchdowns),               who               decided               to               leave               school               early               for               the               NFL               Draft.

But               there               is               talent               on               hand               with               Mark               Ingram,               a               bruiser               who               gained               728               yards               with               12               scores               as               a               freshman               last               season,               and               senior               Roy               Upchurch,               a               versatile               performer               who               gained               350               yards               with               four               touchdowns.

However,               the               running               back               position               was               blurred               this               spring               because               Ingram's               hamstring               injury               and               Upchurch's               pinched               nerve               held               them               out               of               scrimmages.

And               scatback               Terry               Grant               was               inconsistent.

Though               the               picture               likely               will               be               clearer               this               fall               when               injuries               figure               to               be               healing               and               blue-chip               running               back               Trent               Richardson               arrives,               Saban               isn't               buying               the               notion               that               this               unit               is               deep.

"Just               because               you               have               numbers,               how               does               that               make               you               deep?"               Saban               says.

"How               many               guys               do               we               have               that               have               done               anything               in               the               game?"
               By               the               end               of               the               Sugar               Bowl               loss,               it               was               clear               that               receiver               Julio               Jones               had               established               himself               as               one               of               the               top               freshman               receivers               in               the               country.

He               finished               with               58               catches               for               924               yards               and               four               scores               last               season.

But               expect               improvement               this               year               as               offensive               coordinator               Jim               McElwain               utilizes               the               6'4"               Jones               all               over               the               field.

"Because               of               his               knowledge               of               the               offense,"               Saban               says,               "we               can               use               Julio               in               more               ways               now.

It               makes               him               a               more               difficult               player               to               defend."               The               coaches               are               hoping               several               players               will               emerge               to               complement               Jones.

Among               the               possibilities               are               senior               Mike               McCoy               (16               catches,               191               yards),               who               must               be               more               consistent;               the               physical               Earl               Alexander,               who               must               stay               healthy;               and               sophomore               Marquis               Maze,               who               must               mature.

There               is               ample               opportunity               for               freshmen,               including               Kenny               Bell,               Kendall               Kelly               and               Kevin               Norwood,               to               contribute.

"We've               got               some               speed               guys               coming               in,"               Saban               says.

The               Tide               will               surely               benefit               from               the               addition               of               senior               transfer               Colin               Peek,               a               former               Georgia               Tech               tight               end               who               immediately               becomes               Alabama's               top               receiving               tight               end.
               #6               Penn               State               Nittany               Lions
               Penn               State               surely               leads               the               Big               Ten               in               optimism               heading               into               the               2009               season.

Even               after               a               lopsided               loss               to               USC               in               the               Rose               Bowl               and               a               harsh               winter               in               which               they               said               goodbye               to               a               batch               of               veterans,               the               Nittany               Lions               are               still               talking               national               championship.
               "That's               been               motivation,"               quarterback               Daryll               Clark               says,               "The               national               championship               is               going               to               be               out               at               the               Rose               Bowl               this               year,               and               that's               everyone's               goal.

We've               gotten               a               lot               of               the               young               guys               in               tune               with               what               we're               trying               to               accomplish               this               year,               and               it               showed               in               winter               workouts."
               Maybe               so,               but               it's               a               long               way               from               the               weight               room               to               the               White               House,               and               the               last               time               the               Lions               received               a               presidential               invite,               it               was               from               Ronald               Reagan.

So               a               little               skepticism               is               warranted.
               Or,               for               that               matter,               a               lot               of               skepticism.

Many               of               the               players               who               led               Penn               State               to               the               Big               Ten               championship               in               2008               are               now               toiling               in               NFL               training               camps.

All-time               PSU               receiving               leader               Deon               Butler?

Gone.

Big               Ten               sack               leader               Aaron               Maybin?

Gone.

Big               Ten               career               kick-scoring               leader               Kevin               Kelly?

All-America               center               A.Q.

Shipley?

Team               captain               Derrick               Williams?

Gone,               gone               and               gone.
               So               how               are               the               Lions               supposed               to               surpass,               match               or               even               approach               last               year's               11-2               finish?

By               leaning               heavily               on               Clark.

The               sixth-year               senior               is               just               the               sort               of               guy               you               want               in               charge               of               a               young-ish               team               -               resourceful,               accurate,               confident               and               charismatic.

The               bad               news               is               that               he               can't               play               cornerback.

Or               defensive               end.

Or               placekicker.

Or...

you               get               the               idea.
               "We've               lost               some               kids,"               acknowledges               Joe               Paterno,               back               for               his               44th               season               after               signing               a               three-year               contract               extension               in               December.

"We've               got               a               lot               of               work               ahead               of               us.

But               I               don't               think               it's               a               situation               where               we               can't               be               a               good               football               team."
               Clark               is               the               Lions'               unquestioned               leader               going               into               his               second               and               final               season               as               a               starter.

He               can               throw               (2,592               passing               yards,               19               touchdowns               in               2008),               and               he               can               run               (282               rushing               yards,               10               TDs).

He's               careful               with               the               football,               having               thrown               only               six               interceptions               in               357               career               passing               attempts,               and               yet               he               isn't               afraid               to               improvise,               a               talent               that               should               serve               him               well               now               that               veteran               tackle               Gerald               Cadogan               is               no               longer               protecting               his               blind               side.

Clark's               marvelous               junior               season               did               have               one               drawback               -               it               led               to               the               departure               of               backup               Pat               Devlin.

Devlin               transferred               to               Delaware               in               the               offseason,               and               now               the               Lions               have               two               freshmen               as               backups:               blue-chip               recruit               Kevin               Newsome               and               walk-on               Matt               McGloin.

If               Clark               goes               down               -               and               he's               been               concussion-prone               -               fans               will               need               to               adjust               their               expectations.
               #5               Ole               Miss               Rebels
               Not               since               Eli               Manning               lined               up               under               center               has               Ole               Miss               begun               a               football               season               with               so               much               potential               at               the               most               important               position               on               offense.

When               former               Texas               quarterback               Jevan               Snead               chose               Ole               Miss               as               his               home               for               a               career               makeover,               Ole               Miss               fans               hoped               it               would               be               this               way.
               Snead               passed               for               26               touchdowns               and               was               third               in               the               SEC               in               efficiency               last               season.

He               led               the               Rebels               to               at               least               30               points               in               their               last               four               games,               three               times               to               40-plus               points               and               once               to               59.

All               this               from               a               unit               that               never               reached               30               points               against               an               FBS               opponent               in               three               seasons               under               former               coach               Ed               Orgeron.
               It               took               him               a               while               to               settle               in,               but               he               did,               and               now               Snead               has               command               of               the               offense               and               has               formed               a               bond               with               offensive               coordinator               Kent               Austin.

"I               think               my               comfort               level               is               a               lot               higher.

I've               been               in               just               about               every               situation               now               and               I               am               more               comfortable               and               should               grow               with               the               position,"               Snead               says.
               It               had               been               five               years               since               Manning               led               Ole               Miss               to               a               10-3               season               and               a               Cotton               Bowl               win,               five               years               since               the               Rebels               had               seen               such               productive               leadership               at               quarterback.

Now               Snead               is               being               mentioned               in               some               circles               as               a               Heisman               hopeful,               and               he               has               plenty               of               weapons               around               him.
               Established               playmakers               return               on               both               sides               of               the               ball.

They're               joined               by               a               top               20               recruiting               class,               and               the               cumulative               effect               is               an               Ole               Miss               team,               the               second               under               former               Arkansas               coach               Houston               Nutt,               that               begins               the               season               with               expectations               not               seen               in               these               parts               since               the               John               Vaught               Era.
               Much               of               the               hope               centers               around               Snead,               a               6'3",               215-pounder               from               Stephenville,               Texas,               who               helped               lead               a               quick               turnaround               for               a               program               that               had               suffered               four-straight               losing               seasons.

Ole               Miss               went               9-4,               finishing               with               six               straight               wins,               another               Cotton               Bowl               title               and               a               No.

14               ranking.
               "Our               expectations               are               for               him               to               pick               up               where               he               left               off,"               Nutt               says.
               Nutt               further               muddled               the               team's               deepest               position               last               year               by               moving               wide               receiver               Dexter               McCluster               to               tailback               for               the               second               half               of               the               season.

McCluster               proved               less               prone               to               fumble               when               taking               a               handoff               than               when               thinking               run               after               a               catch.

He               finished               as               the               team's               leading               rusher               with               655               yards,               one               of               three               players               with               at               least               500               yards               on               the               ground.

The               explosive               McCluster               was               the               Offensive               MVP               of               the               Cotton               Bowl               and               was               second-team               All-SEC               as               an               all-purpose               back.

Senior               Cordera               Eason               is               back,               and               Brandon               Bolden               returns               after               a               stellar               freshman               season.

Bolden               gained               more               than               100               yards               in               the               Cotton               Bowl               and               emerged               from               spring               as               the               starter,               though               Nutt               showed               last               season               he               was               willing               to               move               the               touches               around               to               find               the               hot               back.

McCluster               is               listed               as               the               starting               flanker,               but               he'll               again               run               the               "Wild               Rebel,"               which               takes               a               shotgun               snap               and               sets               the               offense               in               motion.

Senior               Andy               Hartmann               is               a               solid               blocker               at               fullback.
               A               deep               and               talented               group               loses               the               experience               of               deep               threat               Mike               Wallace.

Nutt               believes               he               filled               that               hole               with               freshman               Patrick               Patterson,               rated               the               nation's               No.

4               wide               receiver               by               Rivals.com.

Patterson               may               be               a               step               slower               than               Wallace,               who               had               blazing               speed,               but               he's               a               very               physical               player               who               is               prone               to               win               the               one-on-one               battle               for               the               ball.

Split               end               Shay               Hodge,               with               dependable               hands               in               traffic,               returns               after               hauling               in               44               catches               and               sharing               the               SEC               lead               with               eight               touchdown               receptions.

McCluster               also               caught               44               balls               last               year.

Markeith               Summers               and               Lionel               Breaux               showed               up               less               in               the               final               stats               but               made               big               plays               in               crucial               situations               last               year.

Tight               end               Gerald               Harris               emerged               late               in               the               year               and               returns               as               the               starter.
               #4               USC               Trojans
               As               streaks               go,               this               one               has               sprinted               past               impressive               and               screeched               to               a               stop               just               short               of               surreal.

USC               has               produced               seven               consecutive               dazzling               seasons               that               include               at               least               11               victories,               a               BCS               bowl               bid,               a               Pac-10               title               and               a               top-4               AP               poll               finish.

Clearly,               coach               Pete               Carroll               is               college               football's               Mr.

Consistent.
               Impressive               as               it               is,               the               streak               could               be               in               imminent               danger.

If               there               was               ever               a               season               in               which               Carroll               and               the               Trojans               could               crash               to               the               terrible               depths               of,               say,               nine               or               10               victories,               this               is               the               one.

USC               loses               eight               starters               from               the               best               defense               in               the               country               in               2008               and               will               begin               2009               with               a               new               quarterback,               new               offensive               and               defensive               coordinators               and               what               appears               to               be               the               most               challenging               schedule               of               the               Carroll               era.
               Before               you               feel               too               sorry               for               them,               though,               be               forewarned               that               the               Trojans'               talent               level               still               rivals               anything               you               can               find               on               a               nearby               Hollywood               sound               stage.

Former               blue-chippers               will               be               replaced               by               new,               hungry               blue-chippers,               and               Carroll's               record               suggests               there               is               never               a               huge               drop-off.
               "We               always               have               high               expectations               at               USC,               and               2009               is               no               exception,"               Carroll               says.

With               the               entire               offensive               line               returning               along               with               the               usual               boatload               of               gifted               tailbacks               and               two               breakout               wide               receivers,               this               team               should               score               plenty               of               points.

It's               probably               unfair               to               expect               the               defense               to               even               approach               last               year's               stingy               group,               but               the               secondary               is               loaded,               the               pass               rush               was               surprisingly               strong               in               the               spring               and               the               linebackers               will               be               better               and               faster               than               most               think.
               The               first               big               clue               will               come               Sept.

12               at               Ohio               State.

If               the               Trojans               get               by               that               one,               watch               out.

The               streak               might               still               be               alive               and               kicking.
               Carroll               was               understandably               upset               when               Rose               Bowl               MVP               Mark               Sanchez               opted               to               leave               a               year               early               for               the               NFL.

With               Sanchez,               this               team               undoubtedly               would               have               been               among               the               preseason               favorites               for               No.

1.

Without               him,               well,               the               spring               featured               the               most               interesting               quarterback               duel               since               a               pair               of               Matts,               Leinart               and               Cassel,               first               went               at               it               in               2003.

This               time               it               was               supposed               to               feature               sophomore               Aaron               Corp               against               junior               Mitch               Mustain.

But               by               the               end               of               spring               it               turned               out               to               be               Corp               vs.

Matt               Barkley,               the               precocious               true               freshman               who               went               to               the               same               high               school               (Mater               Dei)               as               Leinart               and               was               the               nation's               No.

1               prep               quarterback.

Corp,               entering               his               third               year               in               the               program,               makes               fewer               mistakes               and               is               the               most               mobile               player               Carroll               has               had               at               the               position.

Barkley,               however,               is               remarkably               mature               for               his               age               and               has               a               Sanchez-like               arm               and               a               much               higher               ceiling.

In               a               battle               that               went               deep               into               the               spring,               Carroll               finally               played               it               safe               and               picked               Corp,               but               kept               the               door               open               for               Barkley               if               the               competition               heats               up               again               in               the               fall.

Corp's               arm               is               good               enough,               but               it               is               his               legs               that               could               give               the               offense               an               extra               dimension.

He'll               roll               out               and               scramble               for               more               than               a               few               first               downs,               something               that               could               be               unsettling               for               teams               already               struggling               to               stop               the               Trojans'               usual               glut               of               talented               runners               and               receivers.

If               Corp               starts               winning               right               away,               Carroll               will               stick               with               him.

If               not,               Barkley               and               all               that               glowing               potential               will               be               there,               waiting               in               the               cardinal-and-gold               wings.
               Nowhere               does               USC's               talent               pool               run               deeper               than               at               tailback.

The               Trojans               have               a               six-pack               of               stylish               runners,               any               one               of               whom               could               start               at               most               Pac-10               schools.

You               begin               with               Stafon               Johnson,               who               ran               for               705               yards               and               nine               TDs               a               year               ago,               and               C.J.

Gable,               who               rushed               for               617               yards               and               eight               TDs.

You               mix               in               Joe               McKnight,               who               had               the               highest               per-carry               average               at               7.4,               and               Allen               Bradford,               the               team's               most               consistent               runner               in               practice,               and               you               already               have               an               imposing               group.

Then               there               is               sophomore               Marc               Tyler,               who               flashed               some               serious               ability               in               fleeting               minutes               a               year               ago,               and               stumpy               redshirt               freshman               Curtis               McNeal,               who               was               one               of               the               stars               of               the               spring.

The               question               is,               which               one               of               these               flashy               tailbacks               will               start?

Probably               someone               different               each               week.

"We               don't               have               a               starter,"               Carroll               says.

"They're               all               starters."               It's               an               interesting               mix.

Johnson               is               the               best               pure               runner,               Gable               the               most               rounded               player               and               McKnight,               who               has               been               injury-prone,               is               the               top               breakaway               threat.

Tyler               and               McNeal               both               ooze               talent.

Junior               fullback               Stanley               Havili               can,               among               other               things,               be               a               dangerous               receiver.
               #3               Oklahoma               Sooners
               Another               dose               of               post-bowl               blues               was               hanging               over               Oklahoma               last               January               when               a               jolt               of               unexpected               good               news               revived               Sooner               Nation.

Heisman               Trophy               quarterback               Sam               Bradford,               despite               projections               that               put               him               at               the               top               of               the               NFL               Draft,               announced               he               was               returning               to               school.

So               did               dynamic               tight               end               Jermaine               Gresham.

And               defensive               tackle               Gerald               McCoy.

And               Bradford's               blind-side               protection,               tackle               Trent               Williams.

All               put               off               their               personal               pro               paydays               to               attend               to               serious               business               left               undone               by               the               Sooners.

And               just               like               that,               the               cloud               of               postseason               disappointments               dissipated.
               "I               think               our               players               recognize               the               opportunities               we               have               as               a               program               to               pursue               more               championships,"               says               OU               coach               Bob               Stoops,               "and               that's               something               that               means               a               lot               to               all               of               us."
               The               Sooners               should               be               in               the               mix               both               in               the               Big               12               and               nationally,               as               21               players               with               starting               experience               return               from               a               team               that               finished               12-2               and               battled               Florida               to               the               end               in               the               BCS               title               game.
               OU's               continued               relevance               may               not               please               the               masses               nationally,               considering               the               Sooners               have               now               failed               in               their               last               five               chances               in               BCS               bowls.

But               in               Norman,               they're               preparing               for               another               shot               at               winning               it               all.
               Bradford               stunned               -               and               stoked               -               the               Sooners               by               returning.

"I've               dreamed               about               playing               at               Oklahoma               ever               since               I               was               little,"               says               Bradford,               who               is               just               now               a               junior               in               eligibility.

"My               three               years               have               probably               been               the               best               three               years               of               my               life,               and               I               really               feel               that               there's               no               need               to               cut               this               experience               short.

I'm               really               looking               forward               to               coming               back               and               competing               for               a               fourth               straight               Big               12               championship               and               another               opportunity               at               a               national               championship."               With               Bradford               behind               center,               the               offense               should               hum               again.

In               winning               the               Heisman,               he               broke               the               school               record               for               touchdown               passes               in               a               season               and               a               career,               leading               the               nation               with               50               scoring               tosses.

He               also               established               Sooner               single-season               standards               for               passing               yards               (4,720),               total               offense               (4,767)               and               300-yard               passing               games               (12).

Bradford's               skills               and               smarts               spurred               OU's               move               to               a               no-huddle,               fast-paced               attack               that               piled               up               yards               and               points               in               2008.

The               young               quarterback's               recognition               and               understanding               of               defenses,               combined               with               an               array               of               weapons               spread               across               the               field,               made               for               a               wildly               effective               and               entertaining               offense.

And               more               of               the               same               is               expected               for               2009.

The               Sooners               scored               a               school-record               99               touchdowns,               and               their               716               points               made               them               the               highest-scoring               team               in               the               modern               era               of               the               college               game.

It               was               the               first               team               ever               to               feature               a               4,000-yard               passer               and               two               1,000-yard               rushers               (Chris               Brown               and               DeMarco               Murray).

And               the               bulk               of               the               credit               belonged               with               the               triggerman,               Bradford.

Some               aspects               -               and               targets               -               will               change,               but               Bradford               remains               a               difference-maker               capable               of               adapting               on               the               fly.

Beyond               Bradford,               no               Sooner               quarterback               has               taken               a               college               snap.

Redshirt               freshman               Landry               Jones,               a               former               touted               recruit,               is               the               backup.

Jones               was               given               a               heavy               load               of               spring               reps               in               an               effort               to               get               him               ready               for               relief               or               -               gasp!

-               in               case               of               emergency.

Drew               Allen,               a               true               freshman,               is               the               only               other               scholarship               quarterback               on               campus.
               The               Sooners               are               so               loaded               in               the               backfield               that               they               lost               a               1,000-yard               rusher               (Murray)               late               last               year               to               injury               and               barely               missed               a               beat.

Brown               isn't               flashy,               but               he's               a               productive,               instinctive               runner               who               rushed               for               a               team-high               1,220               yards               and               20               touchdowns               a               year               ago.

Mossis               Madu               made               a               bid               for               an               enhanced               role,               running               for               114               yards               and               three               touchdowns               in               a               Big               12               title               game               rout               of               Missouri.

Madu               offers               a               shiftiness               and               quickness               to               go               with               receiving               skills               that               fit               well               when               the               Sooners               operate               from               the               spread.

Jermie               Calhoun               is               the               back               of               the               future,               but               as               a               bigger               power               runner,               however,               he               may               not               be               ideal               to               be               an               every-down               back               in               this               version               of               offensive               coordinator               Kevin               Wilson's               offense,               so               his               impact               may               be               a               year               away.

Murray               enters               a               second               straight               season               coming               off               an               injury.

Last               year,               it               took               him               nearly               half               the               schedule               to               find               his               stride               following               knee               surgery.

Now               he's               coming               back               from               a               procedure               to               repair               a               hamstring               tendon.

When               Murray's               at               full               speed,               he               gives               OU               its               greatest               burst               from               the               backfield.

But               if               he's               slow               recovering,               the               younger               backs               are               in               place               to               pounce               on               the               opportunity.
               While               the               return               of               Bradford               was               a               huge               coup               for               the               OU               offense,               getting               Gresham               back               can't               be               overvalued.

Gresham               could               be               the               college               equivalent               of               Antonio               Gates,               with               deep-threat               speed               and               top-end               receiving               skills.

Bradford               and               Gresham               connected               regularly               last               year,               especially               in               the               red               zone,               where               Gresham's               combination               of               size               and               skill               makes               him               a               mismatch               for               almost               any               defender.

Bradford               is               seeking               out               new               outside               targets               after               losing               seniors               Juaquin               Iglesias               and               Manny               Johnson,               who               will               be               missed.

Sophomore               Ryan               Broyles               broke               out               in               his               debut               season,               emerging               as               a               big-play               threat               in               the               slot.

He               could               slide               outside               or               move               around.

Wherever               he               is,               Bradford               will               be               looking               for               him.

OU's               other               starting               receiver               slots               are               up               for               grabs.

Adron               Tennell               and               Brandon               Caleb               are               veterans               who               remain               mostly               unproven               due               to               frequent               injuries.

Youngsters               Jameel               Owens               and               DeJuan               Miller               are               supposed               to               be               the               next               wave,               yet               haven't               seized               the               opportunity.

Cameron               Kenney,               a               junior               college               addition,               could               join               the               mix.

Also,               the               Sooners               will               likely               put               Madu's               good               hands               to               use               in               a               pure               receiver               role,               after               he               spent               much               of               the               spring               working               in               the               slot.
               McCoy,               an               All-American               a               year               ago,               is               a               game-changer               in               the               middle.

He               utilizes               speed,               strength               and               quickness               to               plug               running               lanes               and               pressure               the               passer.

And               McCoy's               presence               creates               advantages               for               OU's               edge               rushers,               a               rotating               trio               of               ends:               Jeremy               Beal,               Frank               Alexander               and               Auston               English.

Those               three               combined               for               16.5               sacks               last               fall.

DeMarcus               Granger,               who               offsets               McCoy               at               tackle,               is               returning               from               back               surgery,               creating               some               concern.

His               health               is               critical,               as               quality               depth               is               minimal.
               Cornerbacks               Dominique               Franks               and               Brian               Jackson               turned               a               worrisome               position               into               a               strength               in               their               first               seasons               as               starters.

They               both               boast               speed               and               an               attitude               to               thrive               in               any               match-up,               vital               in               a               pass-happy               conference.

The               new               concern               is               at               safety,               where               both               starters               were               lost.

Quinton               Carter               is               a               big               hitter               coming               off               a               solid               season               as               a               sub.

Now               he               must               produce               down               after               down.

There's               competition               at               the               other               spot,               where               Sam               Proctor,               Joseph               Ibiloye               and               Desmond               Jackson               are               promising               players               bidding               to               start               or               provide               depth.

The               experience               factor,               not               easily               gained               in               practices,               is               missing.
               #2               Texas               Longhorns
               Mack               Brown               told               ESPN's               Mel               Kiper               in               a               radio               broadcast               before               last               season               that               2009               could               be               Texas'               year               to               contend               for               its               second               national               title               this               decade.

Brown               nearly               pulled               it               off               a               year               ahead               of               schedule               by               going               12-1               in               2008.

A               last-second,               go-ahead               touchdown               pass               from               Graham               Harrell               to               Michael               Crabtree               at               Texas               Tech               was               the               only               thing               separating               Texas               from               an               undefeated               season.
               Now,               Brown,               in               his               12th               year               in               Austin,               is               doing               everything               he               can               to               fight               complacency.
               "More               people               will               be               positive               about               this               upcoming               season               than               last               year,"               Brown               says.

"Our               players               will               have               to               handle               the               positives.

What               I've               found               traditionally               at               our               school               is               that               the               guys               handle               the               negatives               and               criticism               a               lot               better               than               the               positives.

It's               a               much               better               motivation               than               the               positives."
               The               schedule               appears               manageable               for               a               team               with               14               returning               starters.

There               is               no               marquee               game               in               non-conference               play               (UL               Monroe,               at               Wyoming,               UTEP               and               UCF).

The               toughest               conference               games               appear               to               be               Oklahoma               on               Oct.

17               and               at               Oklahoma               State               on               Oct.

31.

Texas               has               taken               three               of               the               last               four               from               OU               and               has               never               lost               to               the               Cowboys               under               Brown               (11-0).
               "We,               as               a               team,               feel               like               this               could               be               a               special               season,"               says               cornerback               Chykie               Brown.
               Colt               McCoy,               runner-up               to               Oklahoma's               Sam               Bradford               in               the               Heisman               Trophy               voting,               set               an               NCAA               Division               I               single-season               record               by               completing               76.7               percent               of               his               passes.

He               is               on               a               mission               after               Texas               was               bypassed               for               the               Big               12               title               game               last               season               despite               beating               both               Oklahoma               and               Missouri               by               double-digits.

(The               conference               tiebreaker               sent               OU).

He               was               the               team's               leading               rusher               last               season               (561               yards),               but               coaches               don't               want               McCoy               running               as               much               this               season               because               he's               too               valuable               as               a               passer.

The               backup               role               could               end               up               going               to               true               freshman               Garrett               Gilbert,               one               of               the               top               high               school               recruits               in               the               country,               who               will               battle               junior               Sherrod               Harris.

The               backup               role               became               a               hot               topic               after               junior               John               Chiles,               a               highly               recruited               athlete               out               of               Mansfield               Summit,               moved               to               receiver               in               the               spring.
               At               a               school               known               for               churning               out               high-profile               running               backs,               none               managed               even               400               yards               rushing               last               season               as               Texas               struggled               to               find               a               primary               ball-carrier.

UT               hoped               to               have               an               answer               coming               out               of               spring               ball               but               didn't.

Vondrell               McGee               (376               yards               rushing               in               2008),               Cody               Johnson               (338               yards)               and               Foswhitt               Whittaker               (284               yards)               are               the               top               returnees               and               will               be               pushed               by               sophomore               Jeremy               Hills               and               redshirt               freshman               Tre'               Newton,               the               son               of               former               Cowboys               offensive               lineman               Nate               Newton.

True               freshman               Chris               Whaley,               who               weighs               235               pounds,               will               also               get               an               opportunity               as               Brown               appears               serious               about               committing               to               a               "power               running               game."               For               that               reason,               Johnson,               a               former               fullback               who               coaches               want               to               get               down               to               240               pounds               from               255,               could               be               the               opening-day               starter               at               tailback               for               the               Longhorns.

Whoever               gets               the               job               will               have               to               catch               the               football               -               a               key               component               in               McCoy's               passing               options.

Chris               Ogbonnaya,               who               emerged               as               the               team's               starting               running               back               last               year               and               has               now               graduated,               finished               third               in               receptions               in               2008               with               46               for               540               yards               and               three               TDs.
               Gone               is               Quan               Cosby,               who               quietly               became               one               of               the               most               important               players               in               UT's               12-1               season               in               2008.

Cosby               had               a               team-leading               1,123               yards               receiving               and               provided               leadership               as               a               26-year-old               former               minor               league               baseball               player.

Attempting               to               replace               Cosby               will               be               6'3",               220-pound               blazer               Malcolm               Williams,               who               is               not               a               natural               pass-catcher               but               is               lethal               with               the               ball               once               he               corrals               it.

Texas               lacked               a               big,               downfield               receiver               last               year.

Williams               should               be               the               answer.

He               exploded               for               two               long               TD               receptions               against               Texas               Tech               last               season               but               struggled               to               catch               the               ball               consistently               the               rest               of               the               season.

Extra               work               with               McCoy               has               offensive               coordinator               Greg               Davis               saying               he               expects               "a               breakout               season"               from               Williams               in               2009.

Also               returning               is               veteran               Jordan               Shipley,               who               had               1,060               yards               receiving               last               year               and               is               McCoy's               go-to               guy               in               a               pinch.

Shipley               recorded               three               100-yard               games               last               season,               including               a               memorable               11-catch,               112-yard               performance               against               Oklahoma.

Joining               Williams               in               the               category               of               rising               star               are               Brandon               Collins               and               James               Kirkendoll,               who               have               quickly               gained               the               trust               of               McCoy.

An               intriguing               project               will               be               Chiles,               who               moved               from               quarterback               in               the               spring               and               has               athleticism               to               burn.

Tight               end               is               a               big               problem               as               starter               Blaine               Irby's               football               future               may               be               in               doubt               after               a               serious               knee               injury               in               2008.

Coaches               were               hoping               sophomore               Ian               Harris               would               emerge               as               an               answer               at               tight               end,               but               he               has               struggled               to               stay               healthy               because               of               recurring               neck               and               shoulder               stingers.
               Replacing               Lombardi               and               Nagurski               award               winner               Brian               Orakpo               at               defensive               end               and               tackle               Roy               Miller,               arguably               the               heart               and               soul               of               last               year's               defense,               will               not               be               easy.

The               line               also               lost               end               Henry               Melton               and               backup               tackle               Aaron               Lewis               from               the               nation's               No.

3               rush               defense               in               2008.

Defensive               coordinator               Will               Muschamp               spent               all               spring               trying               to               find               answers,               and               he               may               have               a               star               in               senior               end               Sergio               Kindle,               who               had               10               sacks               last               year               as               an               end/linebacker               hybrid.

Senior               tackle               Lamarr               Houston               will               anchor               the               middle               of               the               line,               and               true               freshman               end               Alex               Okafor,               a               top               national               recruit,               is               expected               to               contribute               right               away.

Houston               has               emerged               as               a               locker               room               leader,               which               will               help               fill               the               void               left               by               Orakpo               and               Miller.
               Last               year,               this               position               was               seen               as               a               liability               going               into               the               season;               now               it's               the               deepest               position               on               the               team.

The               Horns               somehow               managed               to               go               12-1               last               season               in               the               high-flying               Big               12               with               two               freshman               safeties               -               Earl               Thomas               and               Blake               Gideon.

Now,               those               two               are               veterans               as               sophomores.

Thomas               and               sophomore               cornerback               Aaron               Williams               were               defensive               stars               in               the               spring               and               figure               to               have               breakout               seasons.

Chykie               Brown               already               has               NFL               scouts               taking               note               because               of               his               electric               speed,               fluid               hips               and               long               arms.

Muschamp               says               he               has               four               corners               and               five               safeties               he's               comfortable               putting               on               the               field.
               #1               Florida               Gators
               The               first               time               Florida               won               a               national               title               under               Urban               Meyer,               the               Gators               followed               up               with               a               disappointing               four-loss               season               despite               having               the               Heisman               Trophy               winner.

That               was               two               years               ago,               the               sandwich               season               between               Meyer's               two               national               crowns.

He               often               referred               to               the               2007               team               as               "standing               on               third               without               hitting               the               triple."               There               was               a               sense               of               entitlement               that               came               back               to               bite               the               Gators               during               the               season.
               This               year,               Florida's               leaders               promise               that               complacency               won't               be               an               issue.
               "Being               complacent               is               taking               things               for               granted               and               not               pushing               yourself               to               the               best               of               your               ability,"               says               quarterback               Tim               Tebow.

"That's               not               going               to               happen               when               you               have               great               leadership."
               That               leadership               will               come               from               Tebow               and               linebacker               Brandon               Spikes,               a               pair               of               seniors               who               decided               against               jumping               to               the               NFL               in               order               to               pursue               a               third               BCS               championship               in               four               years.

And               from               a               head               coach               who               has               won               44               of               53               games               at               Florida.
               "It's               our               job               not               to               let               that               happen,"               Meyer               says               of               possible               complacency.
               At               least               the               Gators               know               what               to               watch               out               for.
               Florida               likes               its               starting               quarterback.

As               a               sophomore               he               won               the               Heisman.

As               a               junior               he               received               the               most               first-place               Heisman               votes               (without               winning               the               award).

In               three               seasons               he               has               two               SEC               and               two               national               title               rings.

He               has               a               chance               to               go               down               as               one               of               the               best               players               in               college               football               history.

But               as               lengthy               as               Tebow's               list               of               accomplishments               is,               it               doesn't               tell               the               whole               story.

He               has               been               the               Gators'               emotional               leader               his               entire               career.

His               speech               after               the               Ole               Miss               loss               in               2008               set               the               tone               for               the               rest               of               the               year.

("I'm               sorry.

Extremely               sorry               ...

But               I               promise               you               one               thing.

...

You               will               never               see               a               team               play               harder               than               we               will               the               rest               of               this               season.

God               bless.")               But               the               speech               that               made               Gator               Nation               happiest               came               at               the               national               title               celebration               in               January:               "One               more               thing.

Let's               do               it               again.

I'm               coming               back!"               Tebow               will               be               tutored               by               Scot               Loeffler,               who               replaces               Dan               Mullen               as               quarterback               coach.

Loeffler,               who               had               recruited               Tebow               while               at               Michigan,               will               put               the               quarterback               under               center               at               times               and               has               worked               to               improve               his               fundamentals.

Backup               John               Brantley               has               also               benefited               from               Loeffler's               instruction               and               may               be               one               of               the               best               pure               passers               to               suit               up               for               the               Gators               in               years.

Brantley               could               start               for               many               SEC               teams.

The               third-teamer               will               be               incoming               freshman               Jordan               Reed.

If               Tebow               does               indeed               improve               in               2009,               there's               no               telling               what               kind               of               numbers               he               could               put               up.

A               second               Heisman               is               not               merely               a               possibility;               Tebow               has               to               be               the               favorite               going               in.
               Florida               led               the               SEC               in               rushing               a               year               ago,               averaging               231               yards               per               game               despite               not               having               a               true               running               back               average               50               yards.

Having               Percy               Harvin               move               over               from               wide               receiver               on               select               plays               helped,               but               Harvin               is               gone.

The               Gators               again               will               take               a               committee               approach               as               Emmanuel               Moody               and               speedsters               Jeff               Demps               and               Chris               Rainey               share               the               position.

Moody               was               supposed               to               be               the               guy               after               transferring               from               USC,               but               injuries               slowed               him               during               the               year               and               he               ran               the               ball               only               58               times.

Rainey               and               Demps               showed               the               ability               to               break               big               plays,               each               averaging               7.8               yards               per               carry.

Neither               will               get               caught               from               behind,               and               Demps               had               more               than               one               play               last               year               where               a               safety               had               an               angle               on               him               and               was               burned.

Demps               scored               seven               touchdowns               a               year               ago.

So               who               will               replace               Harvin               as               a               change               of               pace               for               the               running               game?

It               could               be               Andre               Debose,               an               incoming               freshman               whom               Meyer               has               compared               to               Harvin.
               There               aren't               many               college               football               teams               that               consider               a               tight               end               its               go-to               guy.

Florida               will               be               the               exception,               in               part               because               of               the               loss               of               Harvin               and               Louis               Murphy,               and               in               part               because               junior               tight               end               Aaron               Hernandez               has               NFL               written               all               over               him.

This               could               be               his               last               year               at               Florida,               and               the               Gator               coaches               plan               to               take               advantage               of               him.

"He's               a               mismatch               for               guys,"               Tebow               says.

"He               goes               out               there               and               makes               plays."               Florida               is               looking               for               a               group               of               wide               receivers               to               step               up               and               fill               the               voids               left               by               Harvin               and               Murphy.

David               Nelson               came               on               strong               at               the               end               of               the               season,               prompting               Meyer               to               say               that               the               6'5"               wideout               finally               earned               his               scholarship.

Riley               Cooper               and               Deonte               Thompson               both               have               had               flashes               of               brilliance               during               their               careers.

Carl               Moore,               who               came               to               Gainesville               from               junior               college               a               year               ago,               took               most               of               the               season               to               catch               on.

Those               four               players               combined               for               only               62               catches               a               year               ago.
               Florida               not               only               has               all               four               starters               returning,               but               also               has               built               some               depth               behind               those               starters.

If               Omar               Hunter,               who               played               sparingly               as               a               freshman,               can               build               on               a               strong               spring,               Florida               could               be               three-deep               at               tackle               despite               losing               a               pair               of               players               (John               Brown               and               Torrey               Davis)               who               were               big-time               recruits               but               left               the               program.

Lawrence               Marsh               and               Terron               Sanders               are               good               players               who               want               to               be               great.

End               Carlos               Dunlap,               the               Defensive               MVP               of               the               title               game,               can               be               as               good               as               he               wants               to               be,               and               Jermaine               Cunningham               has               improved               every               season               at               the               other               end.

"We               were               a               good               defense               last               year,               but               not               a               dominant               one,"               says               defensive               coordinator               Charlie               Strong.

"We               want               to               be               dominant               this               year."               That               starts               up               front.
               Spikes'               return               was               a               bit               unexpected.

The               leader               of               the               defense               is               ready               to               do               it               again.

"I'm               going               to               keep               everyone               hungry,"               he               says.

The               Gators'               leading               tackler               is               the               key               to               the               defense.

When               Spikes               has               not               played               his               best               over               the               last               two               years,               Florida's               defense               has               struggled.

The               outside               backers               should               be               Ryan               Stamper,               who               can               and               has               played               all               three               positions,               and               Brandon               Hicks.

But               Dustin               Doe               and               A.J.

Jones,               starters               at               the               beginning               of               last               year,               have               a               chance               to               win               their               jobs               back.

Florida               is               athletic               and               deep               at               linebacker,               but               the               Gators               must               improve               at               the               outside               spots.
               The               strength               of               the               Gators'               defense               was               a               weakness               only               two               seasons               ago               and               contributed               to               those               four               losses.

But               two               years               later,               this               may               be               one               of               the               best               secondaries               Florida               fans               have               seen.

"We               have               so               much               depth               at               each               position,"               Strong               says.

Florida               has               five               safeties               who               could               start               for               most               teams               in               the               nation.

Ahmad               Black,               who               led               the               team               with               seven               interceptions,               and               Major               Wright               will               start,               but               Will               Hill               and               Dorian               Munroe,               who               was               out               last               year               with               an               ACL               tear,               also               will               see               significant               action.

Joe               Haden,               a               two-year               starter               at               cornerback,               may               be               the               strongest               player               pound-for-pound               on               the               team.

The               other               corner,               Janoris               Jenkins,               took               over               the               starting               spot               as               a               true               freshman               and               should               be               even               better               this               year.






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    1. Buying Florida Gator Gear For Kids is a fun-filled activity for most of us; in parallel, it is a challenge too.

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