Colleges

For UF, plethora of playmakers, only one ball

Andre Caldwell is a big loss, but unlike 2005, the Gators are well prepared to fill the void.

By ANTONYA ENGLISH, Times Staff Writer
Published September 13, 2007

GAINESVILLE - Midway through the 2005 season, Urban Meyer's "go-to list" had been reduced to what was and what might have been.

Ordinarily, the list is in the bottom corner of his play sheet - filled with the names of players he believes must have the ball in their hands if the Gators are to win.

When receiver Andre Caldwell broke his leg three games into the 2005 season, the offense nearly crumbled and the list was depleted.

"I looked down the list and we didn't have any playmakers to go to," Meyer said.

Fast forward two years.

When Caldwell sprained the MCL in his right knee against Troy on Saturday, the news that he would be out for this week's pivotal SEC opener against Tennessee was a blow. But this time, the concern was primarily for his health. Meyer's go-to list? It's still filled with names. And when No. 5 Florida hosts No. 22 Tennessee on Saturday, there's no panic about a lack of offensive firepower.

"It's a tough loss for us because he's a great player and a great leader for us," sophomore quarterback Tim Tebow said.

"But the great thing about being at Florida is we've got other guys who can step up and make plays. And I think all those guys will step up."

The list of playmakers, as Meyer likes to refer to them, seems endless. Percy Harvin, Louis Murphy, Cornelius Ingram, Riley Cooper, Jarred Fayson, Kestahn Moore, Brandon James ...

"It's great," senior offensive lineman Carlton Medder said. "We know every play something's going to happen. Bubba Caldwell is gone, but we've got Percy, C.I. (Ingram), Louis Murphy. Riley Cooper, ya'll didn't even see him in the Troy game. So we've got a lot of weapons, some we haven't even exposed yet. We've got three running backs that are dynamic, you just haven't seen it yet."

To get a sense of what Meyer and offensive coordinator Dan Mullen have to work with, look no further than the final stats from the first two games.

In the opener against Western Kentucky, six players totaled 16 receptions for 325 yards, led by Cooper's four catches for 102 yards. Against Troy, eight players rushed the ball, including Tebow (the team's leading rusher) and five caught passes; Cooper wasn't among them. Although they haven't played a conference game, the Gators are averaging just more than 500 yards.

"It's real hard for opponents to prepare for us because each game somebody else could step up and be big in this offense because we have so many key weapons," said Murphy, the junior from Lakewood High who has a team-high nine receptions for 98 yards. "We have a lot of different weapons to make plays. And it's not just the receivers. We've got receivers, running backs, and it's just a matter of putting it all together. So while we're sad that Bubba went down, we're more capable of picking up the slack now."

In news conferences after the first two games, Meyer lamented that he has so many players he can't get them all the touches they need. It's a problem he defines as "intriguing."

"I don't know if I can remember having this many guys that at the end of the day I have found myself asking (if they got the ball enough)," Meyer said. "But that's not what it's all about. But it is all about guys who do certain things very well and letting them do it. ... So when I say intriguing, it's the first time I've ever found myself even asking that question, saying who didn't get (the ball), we've got to get this guy the ball."

The go-to list was solidified during fall preseason drills, but is re-evaluated weekly.

"You try to monitor who has touched the ball over the course of the game, that's why you need that list," Mullen said. "If we get into a certain point of the game where someone hasn't touched the ball and you have a play that I know I can get him the ball, you get him the ball. ... All we want to do is put a bunch of guys on the field who can make plays, so that when we find a mismatch, the guys we're giving the ball to can make it happen."

So far, so good.

No. 5 Florida vs. No. 22 Tennessee

When/where: 3:30 Saturday, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, GainesvilleTV/radio: Ch. 10; 620-AMLine: Florida by 7 1/2

[Last modified September 13, 2007, 00:49:22]