When UF coach Billy Donovan looks down his bench this season, he is going to see new faces, new possibilities and fewer minutes to go around.
With a handful of new guards in the backcourt this year, Donovan is going to have some hard decisions to make.
Last season's starters - Jai Lucas, Nick Calathes and Walter Hodge - are joined by freshmen wingman Ray Shipman and point guard Erving Walker.
Look for Donovan to start experimenting with the rotation tonight at 7 when the No. 19 Gators take on Warner in the O'Connell Center for their first exhibition game of the season.
"I feel a lot better about them," Donovan said. "We have more numbers and more depth. We can do a lot more than last year."
Because of his court vision and passing ability, Donovan has hinted at using Calathes more at the point this season.
"Nick's a guy who can do things with the ball in his hands," Donovan said. "You want to make sure that he has the ability to make other people on the floor better."
While Calathes, the reigning Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Year, has solidified his spot in the starting lineup, questions remain in the rest of the backcourt.
As the team's lone senior - and one of its best outside shooters - it is unlikely Hodge will be relegated to the bench.
This could spell trouble for Lucas, who started all 36 games last year for the Gators as a freshman.
"That's the coach's decision," Lucas said. "I'll do whatever helps the team."
Shipman also figures to make an early impact for UF.
The athletic, freshman guard has impressed in practice and should provide the Gators with a shutdown defender and an above-the-rim scoring option.
"With the versatility that Ray Shipman has - the ability to get to the rim and the speed that he has - he's really a mismatch anywhere you put him," Lucas said. "He has the speed to guard twos (shooting guards), and he's too fast to be guarded by a three (small forward)."
Fans should also keep an eye out for the contributions Walker can make.
The 5-foot-8 point guard is quick with the ball and has the ability to knock down the outside shot.
"I'm comfortable a few feet from behind the 3-point line," Walker said. "I've always shot from long distance since I've been young. It doesn't seem like a far shot for me."
Walker could surprise with his ability to score off the bench early in the season.
While Donovan said he knows that all the players will not be happy with their minutes, he hopes that the competition for playing time will make the team better.
"Once minutes start to get divided up, and guys don't play as much as they hoped to, or think, or thought they should, then there's a lot of things that can create adversity inside a team," he said. "But we have to be able to handle those things."
