GeauxTo
07-18-2005, 01:52 PM
Game number six on the 2005 schedule on October 15 will be against the Florida Gators who came to Tiger stadium on October 11, 2003 with LSU sporting a 5-0 record and handed LSU their first and only loss of the season, 19-7. Coach Les Miles and the team will try very hard to keep that from happening this season. Florida is going to be in the lime light this season with new head coach Urban Meyer (name sounds like a Country and Western singer; DisturbinUrban is better) who was very successful the last four years at Bowling Green and at Utah posting a 39-8 record. Urban Meyer will have some talent to work with at Florida, but not nearly as much talent as Florida teams in the past have had.
The Gators return seven starters on offense and seven on defense. Florida's starting quarterback will be junior Chris Leak who has been a full-time starter since arriving at Florida. Leak's backup will be true freshman Josh Portis who would have most likely signed with Utah had Urban Meyer remained as head coach. Leak threw for 3,199 yards and 30 touchdowns last season but had problems making correct decisions and often threw into double coverage. Meyer worked hard with the 511, 196 junior in the Spring about making better decisions and becoming a team leader. Leak will have three outstanding receivers to throw to in Andre Caldwell, Chad Jackson and Jemalle Cornelius. Tate Casey (66, 220, SO, TE) from Longview, Texas who LSU recruited very hard, had a super Spring and will be a big part of the Gators offense. Florida will have to find a replacement for running back Ciatrick Fason who I thought was the third best running back in the SEC last season behind Brown and Williams from Auburn.
Florida is a veteran team with 19 seniors including three senior starters in the offensive line led by center Mike Degory (66, 310) who will be an early pick in the NFL draft next June. Florida returns their entire defensive line and that will be the strength of their defense. The weak link on the Gators' defense will be the linebacker position. DisturbinUrban will have to replace All-SEC linebacker Channing Crowder who left school one year early to enter the NFL draft, and that is going to be hard to do.
The Gators went 7-5 (4-4 in the SEC) last season and allowed 223 points on defense. I believe the Gators will finish third in the SEC East behind Tennessee and Georgia this season, but they do play Tennessee and Georgia at home and could finish higher than that. I believe Florida will give LSU a hard battle at Tiger stadium, but LSU's depth will be the difference in the fourth quarter. LSU 24-Florida 13.
;)
The Gators return seven starters on offense and seven on defense. Florida's starting quarterback will be junior Chris Leak who has been a full-time starter since arriving at Florida. Leak's backup will be true freshman Josh Portis who would have most likely signed with Utah had Urban Meyer remained as head coach. Leak threw for 3,199 yards and 30 touchdowns last season but had problems making correct decisions and often threw into double coverage. Meyer worked hard with the 511, 196 junior in the Spring about making better decisions and becoming a team leader. Leak will have three outstanding receivers to throw to in Andre Caldwell, Chad Jackson and Jemalle Cornelius. Tate Casey (66, 220, SO, TE) from Longview, Texas who LSU recruited very hard, had a super Spring and will be a big part of the Gators offense. Florida will have to find a replacement for running back Ciatrick Fason who I thought was the third best running back in the SEC last season behind Brown and Williams from Auburn.
Florida is a veteran team with 19 seniors including three senior starters in the offensive line led by center Mike Degory (66, 310) who will be an early pick in the NFL draft next June. Florida returns their entire defensive line and that will be the strength of their defense. The weak link on the Gators' defense will be the linebacker position. DisturbinUrban will have to replace All-SEC linebacker Channing Crowder who left school one year early to enter the NFL draft, and that is going to be hard to do.
The Gators went 7-5 (4-4 in the SEC) last season and allowed 223 points on defense. I believe the Gators will finish third in the SEC East behind Tennessee and Georgia this season, but they do play Tennessee and Georgia at home and could finish higher than that. I believe Florida will give LSU a hard battle at Tiger stadium, but LSU's depth will be the difference in the fourth quarter. LSU 24-Florida 13.
;)