FOUR BITS: Sturgis honored, UF No. 2 in AP, Mullen meeting, Marsh’s return

By Adam Silverstein
October 19, 2009

1 » Florida Gators kicker Caleb Sturgis has been named the SEC Special Teams Player of the Week after going 3-4 on field goal attempts Saturday against the Arkansas Razorbacks including a game-winner with 0:09 left on the clock. [UPDATE:] Sturgis was also named one of the Lou Groza National Collegiate Placekicker Award’s “Stars of the Week.” Sturgis missed his initial 37-yard attempt but went on to hit, consecutively, from 30 yards, 51 yards and 27 yards. Sturgis’ final kick earned him a spot in Florida football lore, potentially saving the Gators’ season and chances at a third National Championship in four years.

2 » Astoundingly, Florida fell to No. 2 in this week’s AP Top 25 Poll with the Alabama Crimson Tide jumping into the No. 1 spot. Apparently the Gators’ 23-20 last-second victory was not enough for the voters, who dropped Florida in a 30-vote swing. It is not so much being No. 2 that bothers me; it is that there was such a heavy swing of votes following a hard fought victory by one team (UF) to another team (Alabama) that only won 20-6 at home, scoring their only offensive touchdown late in the fourth quarter. At least it doesn’t bother the players. Regardless, the Gators were ranked ahead of the Crimson Tide in the first BCS Rankings released Sunday.

3 » Moving on. This Saturday night will be the first time head coach Urban Meyer and his former offensive coordinator Dan Mullen go face-to-face across the gridiron. Mullen, now head coach of the Mississippi State Bulldogs, has his new team off to a 3-4 (1-2 SEC) start including a close home loss to the then-No. 7 LSU Tigers at home at Scott Field. Mullen remains close friends with Meyer and worked with him from 1999 until last season, where he helmed the offense that won the Gators two National Championships in 2006 and 2008. He also remains close with Florida quarterback Tim Tebow.


4 » David Jones of Florida Today makes a great point in his Monday column, saying that what the Gators need is for starting redshirt junior defensive tackle Lawrence Marsh to get healthy and return to the field. “The Gators need Marsh to get back, to help the rest of the defensive front have a better rotation with one of its leaders adding guidance to what is quickly becoming a question mark in a defense that could be much better against the run with him on the field,” Jones said.

4 Comments

  1. ReptilesRule says:

    Can’t sleep walk in the Miss State game. Must improve in every facet including playcalling. If I see one more Chris Rainey dive play…! We DO have weapons, we are just not using them properly. Are the Coaches coaching scared???

  2. I agree – the weapons are there; it is the utilization that is questionable. Brandon James should not run the ball. Moody should get more touches. Dive plays are OK on occasion, but not 10 times a game with the smallest guys on the team. The Gators need to spread the field and take advantage of a very week Mississippi State defense this week.

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  4. millerkyle says:

    I believe Florida will get the win this weekend, but I do not like the situation. We are playing at mississippi state against a coach who knows our offense better than we know out offense. Given the fact that state won’t be able to move the ball on our defense is why we win the game. But it will be interesting to see what our offense will do this weekend.

    I think a lot of our offensive woes are because mullen is gone.

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