11/20/09 - (QB) - Tim Tebow, Sr, 6-3, 245 2009 JOHNNY UNITAS GOLDEN ARM AWARD FINALIST: The annual competition to select the top senior college quarterback in the nation has been narrowed from an original field of 22 to five finalists for the 2009 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award. Named after the man many call the greatest quarterback ever to play football, the prestigious Golden Arm Award is presented annually to the nation’s top senior college quarterback by the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, Inc. and Transamerica, a leading provider of innovative business and personal financial services. The 2009 winner will be presented with the Golden Arm Award on Friday, December 11 at the Tremont Grand Meeting & Banquet Facility in Downtown Baltimore. Past winners of the Golden Arm Award include: Matt Ryan (Boston College); Brady Quinn (Notre Dame, 2006); Matt Leinart (USC, 2005), Eli Manning (Ole Miss, 2003); Carson Palmer (USC, 2002); and Peyton Manning (Tennessee, 1997). Tim Tebow (Florida), who currently has a 154.0 QB rating, with 1,730 yards and 12 touchdowns. - Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award
11/16/09 - (CB) - Joe Haden, Jr, 5-11, 190 SEC WEEK 11 DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Joe Haden, Cornerback, Florida, led Florida with 11 total tackles (10 solos), including a quarterback sack (-9 yards), interception, two forced fumbles and a pass deflection in the Gators’ 24-14 win at South Carolina. The interception, his third of the season, came in the fourth quarter and sealed the win for the Gators. The Florida defense held South Carolina to 247 yards of total offense and forced three Gamecock turnovers. Haden’s sack of Carolina QB Stephen Garcia was one of six by the Gator defense. For the season, Haden is second on the squad with 55 total tackles, including a team-high 44 solo stops. - SEC football
11/16/09 - (RB) - Brandon James, Sr, 5-07, 186 SEC WEEK 11 OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE: ATH BRANDON JAMES (Florida) - Tallied 154 all purpose yards, including a season-long 49 yard punt return and caught career-high-tying four passes for 24 yards against South Carolina. - SEC football
11/15/09 - (CB) - Joe Haden, Jr, 5-11, 190 Florida junior cornerback Joe Haden - a potential first-rounder in the eyes of many scouts and analysts - told the Sentinel that he expects to file paperwork for an NFL draft evaluation. The NFL Draft Advisory Board is composed of professional football scouts, experts and general managers to offer opinions on a player's draft stock. Haden has 50 tackles, three interceptions, three sacks and a forced fumble through 10 games, prompting Coach Urban Meyer to call him "one of the best players in the country." - Jeremy Fowler, The Orlando Sentinel
11/14/09 - (QB) - Tim Tebow, Sr, 6-3, 245 Tim Tebow tied the Southeastern Conference touchdown record and No. 1 Florida gained its first perfect league season in 13 years with a 24-14 victory over South Carolina on Saturday. The Gators (10-0, 8-0) remained on track for a third national title in four years. They again called on their SEC-leading defense to save things against former coach Steve Spurrier, who looked like he’d figured out a few cracks in Florida’s front line. Down 17-14, South Carolina (6-5, 3-5) drove 48 yards to Florida’s 22. But defensive lineman Justin Trattou intercepted Stephen Garcia and brought it back 53 yards. Tebow cashed in the touchdown four plays later, a 1-yard burst that was the 53rd of his SEC career to match LSU great Kevin Faulk. - AP Sports
11/14/09 - (QB) - Tim Tebow, Sr, 6-3, 245 Florida quarterback Tim Tebow tied the Southeastern Conference’s career touchdown record with a 1-yard scoring run against South Carolina on Saturday. Tebow’s 53rd touchdown tied the mark of former LSU running back Kevin Faulk, set from 1995-98. Two weeks earlier, Tebow surpassed Georgia great Herschel Walker to set the SEC mark for rushing touchdowns with 50 in a victory over the Bulldogs. - AP Sports
11/09/09 - (P) - Chas Henry, Jr, 6-3, 222 SEC WEEK 10 SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Chas Henry, Punter, Florida, punted four times for 211 yards and a season-best 52.8 average in Florida’s 27-3 win against Vanderbilt. He had three punts for over 50 yards, including two of 58 yards, giving him six punts of 50+ yards on the season. Vanderbilt’s six-yard punt return in the first quarter was the first return allowed all season by Florida. Florida allowed Vanderbilt an average starting field position of its own 23-yard line. Florida leads the SEC in opponents’ average starting field position this season (26 yard line). Henry is second in the SEC in percentage of punts inside the 20-yard line (36 percent / 9 of 25). - SEC football
11/09/09 - (FB) - Aaron Hernandez, Jr, 6-2, 250 SEC WEEK 10 OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE: TE AARON HERNANDEZ (Florida) - Had career highs of seven catches for 120 yards against Vanderbilt. - SEC football
11/09/09 - (OLB) - Dustin Doe, Sr, 6-0, 232 SEC WEEK 10 OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE: LB DUSTIN DOE (Florida) - Notched career-high 11 tackles with pass deflection against Vanderbilt. - SEC football
11/07/09 - (QB) - Tim Tebow, Sr, 6-3, 245 No. 1 Florida didn’t do much to erase all the negative vibes from a rough week for the defending national champions. Tim Tebow accounted for two touchdowns, Caleb Sturgis kicked two field goals and the Gators beat Vanderbilt 27-3 in a lackluster effort Saturday night at The Swamp. Florida fans looking for something positive following linebacker Brandon Spikes’ one-game suspension for dirty play and coach Urban Meyer’s hefty fine for criticizing officials may have been disappointed. The Gators (9-0, 7-0 Southeastern Conference) extended their winning streak to 19 games overall—and their streak against Vandy (2-8, 0-6) to 19 games, too — but struggled on offense for the fifth time in seven league games. The solution was standing on the sideline in street clothes. Percy Harvin, a first-round draft pick by the Minnesota Vikings, attended the game along with former teammate and current Oakland Raiders receiver Louis Murphy. A week after finding some offensive rhythm in a 41-17 victory over Georgia and clinching a spot in the SEC title game, Florida looked more like the team that eked out close games against Tennessee, LSU, Arkansas and Mississippi State. Tebow completed 15 of 20 passes for 208 yards and a touchdown, but a big chunk of his yardage came on a 64-yard run-and-catch by Aaron Hernandez late in the fourth quarter. Tebow also ran 16 times for 27 yards and a score. - AP Sports
11/04/09 - (ILB) - Brandon Spikes, Sr, 6-3, 256 Florida linebacker Brandon Spikes has had his suspension for apparently trying to gouge the eyes of a Georgia running back increased to a full game. Coach Urban Meyer says it was in the best interest of the team for Spikes to serve a full-game suspension when the top-ranked Gators play Vanderbilt on Saturday. Meyer had faced some criticism for only suspending his All-American linebacker for only the first half the Vandy game. The Southeastern Conference accepted the original punishment. Spikes stuck his hand into the facemask of Georgia’s Washaun Ealey during Florida 41-17 victory against the Bulldogs last week. There was no penalty called at the time, but Meyer went back and looked at the play of tape and decided to punish Spikes. - AP Sports
11/04/09 - (CB) - Joe Haden, Jr, 5-11, 190 2009 JIM THORPE AWARD SEMIFINALIST: University of Florida junior cornerback Joe Haden (Ft. Washington, Md.) was announced as one of 12 semifinalists by the Jim Thorpe Award Screening Committee on Wednesday for the award given annually to the nation’s best college defensive back. This list will be narrowed again on Monday, Nov. 23, to three finalists who will be invited to the nationally-telecast Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards Show on Thursday, Dec. 10. The winner will be announced on the show and the official presentation will be at a formal banquet in Oklahoma City on Feb. 9, 2010. The 2009 award marks the 24th presentation of the trophy, first won in 1986 by Baylor’s Thomas Everett. Last year’s winner was Ohio State University’s Malcolm Jenkins, now playing for the New Orleans Saints. - Florida football
11/04/09 - (DE) - Jermaine Cunningham, Sr, 6-3, 252 It took a while, but Florida's highly touted defensive ends are starting to make their presence felt. Through the first five games this season, Carlos Dunlap and Jermaine Cunningham had combined for just three sacks, a total linebacker Brandon Spikes equaled in the LSU game alone. They flashed little of the talent and drive that made ESPN's Scouts, Inc. rate them the Nos. 1 and 8 defensive end prospects for April's NFL Draft. But they've recovered from the slow start, racking up four each in the last three contests. That's the kind of production that was expected from the duo at the beginning of the season, and if it keeps up, an already stout UF defense will be even better. "Those two guys off the edge right now are playing about as well as any pair of defensive ends in college football," defensive line coach Dan McCarney said. "They need to continue that. They haven't been doing that all year. In the last two or three weeks, I think they have been." Following the LSU game, the Gators were 34th in the nation for sacks, but they've risen to No. 14 and are now tied for the Southeastern Conference lead with Alabama and Ole Miss at 23. McCarney said they should have "at least six more," and he's hopeful his unit can add to that tally after regaining some depth on the interior line. - Mike McCall, Independent Florida Alligator
11/03/09 - (QB) - Tim Tebow, Sr, 6-3, 245 Florida quarterback Tim Tebow seems to be answering NFL scouts' concern about his ability to operate under center. Tebow twice lined up under center on a three-play touchdown drive early in the second half of UF's 41-17 victory over Georgia. Running back Jeff Demps carried both times and Tebow capped the drive with a 5-yard option run out of the shotgun. "It's something that teams don't prepare for a lot," Tebow said. The Gators apparently don't prepare for it a lot either, because on the first snap of the drive - which began at the Georgia 19 after a turnover - Tebow was supposed to be in the shotgun. Instead, Tebow went under center, took the snap and handed the ball off to Demps, who gained 9 yards. "I guess I feel somewhat comfortable there," Tebow joked. "I thought the play was called for me to be under center but it wasn't. I talked to [the coaches] when I got back on the sidelines and they were saying [before the snap], 'Well, do we call timeout or what?' But we ran it - 9-yard gain - so it ended up being OK." UF used the formation once against Mississippi State on Oct. 24 and it resulted in an 8-yard TD run by Chris Rainey. - Michael DiRocco, The Florida Times-Union
11/03/09 - (ILB) - Brandon Spikes, Sr, 6-3, 256 Georgia running back Washaun Ealey says he doesn’t think Florida linebacker Brandon Spikes should be suspended for apparently trying to gouge Ealey’s eyes in Saturday’s game. Florida coach Urban Meyer on Monday suspended Spikes for the first half of this week’s game against Vanderbilt after the defensive captain stuck his hand in Ealey’s helmet and appeared to try to stick in fingers in Ealey’s eyes. Ealey says he doesn’t agree with those who have said the suspension was not stiff enough. He said on Tuesday Spikes “shouldn’t, I think, get suspended at all.” Top-ranked Florida beat Georgia 41-17. On Monday, Spikes issued an apology, saying there “is no excuse for my actions.” - AP Sports
11/03/09 - (RB) - Brandon James, Sr, 5-07, 186 11/03/09 NFL DRAFT SCOUT FALLER: Brandon James, RB, Florida: This former Gator sprinter has been a top-notch return specialist during his career, gaining more than 3,000 return yards. But he just hasn't been as productive in 2009, possibly due to surgery he had on right foot last spring. His 20-yard punt return Saturday was his longest of the season, but he is only averaging 5.1 yards return and managed only 61 all-purpose yards on three returns, a rush and a reception in Florida's win over Georgia. Some may compare him to LaRod Stephens-Howling, Arizona's successful seventh-round pick from last year, but James does not play as strong as the former Pitt back. Too small to be a receiver, if James is not strong enough to get carries it will be tough for him to hear his name called next April. - Chad Reuter, The SportsXchange, NFLDraftScout.com
11/02/09 - (ILB) - Brandon Spikes, Sr, 6-3, 256 Top-ranked Florida will be without star linebacker Brandon Spikes for the first half of Saturday’s game against Vanderbilt. Coach Urban Meyer suspended Spikes on Monday, two days after the defensive captain apparently attempted to gouge the eyes of Georgia running back Washaun Ealey in a 41-17 victory. “I don’t condone that,” Meyer said. “I understand what goes on on the football (field), but there’s no place for that. We’re going to suspend Brandon for the first half of the Vanderbilt game. I spoke with him. That’s not who he is. That’s not who we are. He got caught up in emotion.” Spikes issued a statement apologizing for what he did. “I accept responsibility for my actions and I accept the consequences of my actions,” he said. “I would like to apologize to my team and the coaching staff and Washaun Ealey. Football is a very physical and emotional game, but there is no excuse for my actions.” Meyer’s wife mentioned Spikes’ actions to him Sunday night, then defensive coordinator Charlie Strong did the same Monday morning. Meyer’s said his first reaction was to move on. Then he saw a replay of the incident, which shows Spikes shoving his glove-covered right hand into Ealey’s facemask and moving it back and forth. Meyer then spoke to Spikes and determined he was retaliating after getting his helmet ripped off and eye poked earlier in the game. Meyer also talked to Southeastern Conference commissioner Mike Slive, but Florida officials said it was Meyer’s decision to suspend Spikes. “We understand the game of football,” Meyer said. “Some of us have played it. Very emotional things happened in that game in particular that were not good for either side, but the bottom line is we’re Florida and he’s Brandon Spikes and we expect certain things. He understands.” - AP Sports
11/02/09 - (K) - Caleb Sturgis, So, 5-10, 190 SEC WEEK 9 SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Caleb Sturgis, Kicker, Florida, nailed a career-long 56-yard field goal in the first half against Georgia, while also completing a 44-yard attempt, in the Gators’ 41-17 win against Georgia. His 56-yarder was the second-longest FG in school history and the longest field goal in the SEC this season. His eight kickoffs helped hold Georgia to an average starting field position of its own 20-yard line for the game. He is the only Gator since 1984 to connect on two field goals over 51 yards in the same season and is only of only four kickers to accomplish the feat in school history. Is one of only six kickers in the nation to have two field goals of 51 yards or more this season, and one of two in the SEC to accomplish the feat. - SEC football
11/02/09 - (ILB) - Brandon Spikes, Sr, 6-3, 256 Florida coach Urban Meyer has suspended Brandon Spikes for the first half of Saturday’s game against Vanderbilt after the star linebacker attempted to gouge the eyes of Georgia running back Washaun Ealey in a 41-17 victory. Meyer says Spikes was retaliating after getting his eye poked earlier in the game. Spikes is fourth on the team with 42 tackles and has three sacks. He decided to return for his senior season instead of entering the NFL draft. The team’s defensive captain has missed most of two games this season with an injured groin. He played only a series against Arkansas and sat out the entire game at Mississippi State on Oct. 24. - AP Sports
11/02/09 - (QB) - Tim Tebow, Sr, 6-3, 245 SEC WEEK 9 OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE: QB TIM TEBOW (Florida) - Completed 15-of-21 passes for 164 yards and two TDs and was also Gators’ leading rusher with 85 yards on 18 carries and two TDs against Georgia. - SEC football
11/02/09 - (OLB) - A.J. Jones, rJr, 6-1, 226 SEC WEEK 9 OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE: LB A.J. JONES (Florida) - Had five total tackles, two for losses (-9), including a sack, two interceptions and a pass deflection against Georgia. - SEC football
11/02/09 - (ILB) - Brandon Spikes, Sr, 6-3, 256 University of Florida coach Urban Meyer announced today that linebacker Brandon Spikes will be suspended for the first half of Saturday's game against Vanderbilt because of his actions in last Saturday's 41-17 win against Georgia. A CBS video shows Spikes reaching into the helmet of Bulldogs running back Washaun Ealey and apparently trying to gouge his eyes. Meyer said Spikes was retaliating after getting his eye poked earlier in the game. "I don't condone that,'' Meyer said. Meyer said he talked with SEC commissioner Mike Slive about the incident. "We're going to suspend Brandon for the first half of the Vanderbilt game," Meyer said. "I talked to [Spikes]; that's not who he is.'' Meyer added, "I love Brandon Spikes, the team does. We're going to move on. He has our full support.'' But Meyer made it clear he was unhappy with some of the actions of his senior team captain. "The bottom line is we're Florida and he's Brandon Spikes and we expect certain things,'' Meyer said. Spikes had a game-high 10 tackles and returned an interception for a touchdown against Georgia. Gators quarterback Tim Tebow said Georgia used some of the same tactics that Spikes did. "I don't think we did anything that they didn't do,'' Tebow said. "If you go back and look at the film ...'' Tebow said there were more things like the actions of Spikes by both teams than usual. "Probably a little bit because of the rivalry,'' Tebow said. "It was an intense game. Both teams wanted to win.'' Spikes ranks fourth on the team with 42 tackles and has three sacks. - David Jones, Florida Today
10/31/09 - (QB) - Tim Tebow, Sr, 6-3, 245 Black pants, black helmets and another team-wide celebration. No matter what Georgia does to change its luck against Florida, the result usually stays the same. The Gators own this series. Tim Tebow accounted for four touchdowns, A.J. Jones had two huge interceptions and top-ranked Florida beat the Bulldogs 41-17 Saturday for its 17th win in the last 20 meetings between the Southeastern Conference rivals. The Gators (8-0, 6-0) extended the nation’s longest winning streak to 18 games and clinched at least a share of the SEC East title. Florida can secure a spot in the conference title game if Tennessee beats South Carolina later Saturday. The Bulldogs (4-4, 3-3) lost for the third time in four games. - AP Sports
10/31/09 - (QB) - Tim Tebow, Sr, 6-3, 245 Florida quarterback Tim Tebow has broken Herschel Walker’s Southeastern Conference record for rushing touchdowns. Tebow slipped up the middle and ran mostly untouched for a 23-yard score with 1:32 remaining in the first half against Georgia. The 50th rushing TD of his career gave the top-ranked Gators a 24-10 lead. Tebow broke the mark in his hometown, and maybe more fittingly, against Walker’s Bulldogs. The 2007 Heisman Trophy winner had eight rushing TDs as a freshman in 2006, 23 in his Heisman-winning season in 2007 and found the end zone 12 more times last season. He now has seven this year. - AP Sports
10/27/09 - (ILB) - Brandon Spikes, Sr, 6-3, 256 Top-ranked Florida could have four key defenders, including linebacker Brandon Spikes, back against Georgia. Spikes and defensive tackles Lawrence Marsh and Jaye Howard practiced Tuesday for the first time in more than a week, and coaches expect them to play Saturday against the Bulldogs. Marsh has played just two games this season because of a high ankle sprain, and Howard missed the last two games because of a knee injury. Spikes, the team’s defensive captain, injured his groin Oct. 10 at LSU and played only a series the following week against Arkansas. He sat out Saturday’s game at Mississippi State. The Gators also could have backup defensive tackle Justin Trattou available. Trattou ruptured his left biceps tendon against Arkansas and didn’t play last weekend. - AP Sports
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