TALLAHASSEE - Florida's supply of playmakers continues to seem endless.
With wide receiver Percy Harvin going down to injury there were a few more touches to go around Saturday, and tight end Aaron Hernandez capitalized.
The sophomore had four catches and set career-highs with 61 yards and two touchdowns, both in the first half. The two scores give him five on the season, best among SEC tight ends.
Even with Harvin out, FSU's defense was left worrying about running backs Chris Rainey (8 carries, 97 yards) and Jeff Demps (9 carries, 89 yards).
So when the Seminoles went to man-to-man coverage to try and stop the run, the 6-foot-3, 255-pound tight end found some favorable matchups.
"Defenses aren't worried about me," Hernandez said. "They're worried about the other key players, so I get open."
The sophomore was plenty open on both of his touchdown catches. On the first one, late in the first quarter, Tim Tebow rolled left from the FSU 7 and then threw a floater back across the field to Hernandez who caught it at the 1 and walked into the end zone untouched.
"The last few weeks teams used [the throwback pass] against Florida State and it worked," Hernandez said. "So we put in our playbook and we used it."
Then he found himself alone again right before halftime when Tebow connected with the sophomore for a 24-yard touchdown.
His other two catches were also key, both shovel passes from Tebow for big gains. One came with UF backed up to its own 4-yard line, and the tight end rumbled for 16 yards to give punter Chas Henry some breathing room. Henry responded with a career-long 67-yard punt pinning FSU on its 13-yard line.
"He stepped up and made some big plays," offensive coordinator Dan Mullen said of Hernandez. "That's part of our deal. We want to have enough guys on the field that you're going to struggle matching up against everyone, and he had a couple advantageous matchups on him."
These were the types of games Florida coach Urban Meyer expected after standout tight end Cornelius Ingram went out with an ACL injury in the preseason.
But inconsistency still plagues the sophomore.
Saturday was only the third time this season Hernandez recorded more than 50 receiving yards.
"I think he could be a draft pick in the NFL," Meyer said. "He could be one of the best tight ends in college football. He needs to continue to improve."
