Finally.
No more brain rattling for stories. No more hoping that something, anything happens that's UF sports related to run a story on.
Football is finally rearing its head around the sports doldrums corner. The Southeastern Conference Media Days start on Wednesday, and this edition of Steele-ing Bases has decided to bring you the top questions Urban Meyer is going to have to deal with.
1. Can I get a safety?
A year ago, this would've been laughable. We all knew Tony Joiner would be out the door, and nothing against Tony, but he could be adequately replaced.
Then Jerimy Finch finally figured out how far away Florida was from his hometown of Indianapolis. Transfer.
Then Jamar Hornsby decided it was a dandy idea to lack any human decency. Hornsby was charged with using the credit card of UF student Ashley Slonina, who tragically died with walk-on quarterback Michael Guilford in a crash. Kicked off. Kicked out. Just get out, Jamar. Meyer should take me at safety before he lets you anywhere near this team, his family or anybody that has a soul.
Then Dorian Munroe. This is the guy you feel for. Munroe's been a pretty decent player for two years now, and you already knew incoming freshman Will Hill would be on his heels from day one. Munroe's heels are fine. It's his knee that's not. A torn ACL has ended the probable starter's season, and now Hill could be considered the top candidate to start. Munroe probably could've staved off Hill for at least a year.
Not to mention John Curtis - yes, he's a safety too - went down with the same injury. It's bad enough that an injury to Curtis, who was way down on the depth chart, is considered a blow.
Ahmad Black has the talent to be a very nice corner. But a 5'9 guy at safety doesn't sound good. Maybe Moses Jenkins will move to safety, and former wide receiver Cade Holliday already has. But none of these names are ones Gators fans expected to hear to be in contention for the starting safety gig last spring.
2. How healthy is Percy?
I can almost hear the prayers of SEC coaches. Sorry, but it looks like Percy Harvin is healthy. Regardless, it's going to be until the speedster gets on the field and stays on the field that it's believable. Harvin has Heisman hype going into this season, and if he stays healthy, he'll probably keep at least some hype throughout it. If his hands and route running improve even more, he's potentially the hardest matchup in college football. He's apparently gotten even stronger and has taken his conditioning more serious under strength and conditioning coach Mickey Marotti.
3. And the starting running back is…
I don't know, and Meyer won't divulge this either. But after Chris Rainey jumped onto the national scene with his performance in the Orange and Blue game, it will be very interesting to see who will get the most carries. Once Emmanuel Moody transferred here, all of us were saying he'd be the first 1,500-yard back since Meyer arrived in Gainesville. Then in the spring, he was struggling to grasp the blocking techniques in Meyer's system. And Meyer still has a man crush on Kestahn Moore. Brandon James, who I completely dismissed before last season, deserves his touches as well.
The best guess would be for Moore to still start, with his carries lessening as the season goes on. Then Moody should be starting, but Rainey will be the home run threat. You could even make the argument that Rainey's the most important player on offense if he can provide that other big-play threat next to Harvin.
4. Tim Tebow
There's not one specific question about Tebow. But when you're the coach of a sophomore who scored 51 touchdowns, people are going to want you to talk about him. How does he follow it up? How does he actually get better? Tebow will probably just blush and giggle when asked these questions, but there is room for improvement. His throwing mechanics can improve and so can his accuracy. So can his decision making. And all of this is very bad news for college football. May the One Gator Nation Under Tebow have mercy on their poor linebackers and secondaries.
5. "Florida Nonsense"
That's what will happen when anybody asks Meyer about the Nov. 1 matchup with Georgia. Or any other game besides the season opener against Hawaii. Meyer doesn't look ahead, or at least he doesn't admit to it. At least he doesn't say, "We're taking it one game at a time," the classic coach cliché. Instead, he calls all that hype about anything outside of the immediate future "Florida Nonsense." Even though the stars will probably align to make the Bulldogs/Gators matchup the deciding factor in who wins the SEC East, you won't hear Meyer say it. You'll be lucky if he even cracks a smile. Meyer will probably talk about Hawaii if you want him to, but June Jones isn't around anymore to make comments saying Tebow isn't as good as his former quarterback Colt Brennan.
