Florida Gators: Cameron Dillard
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Still somewhat of a busy week, despite the fact that Florida has finished the spring semester and there's a break before the first summer semester begins.
ESPN provided a wrapup of spring practices around the SEC. Here's the breakdown of the Gators' spring. There are still several important questions that have to be answered.
One of those questions surrounds quarterback Jeff Driskel. How much has he improved and will that make the Gators' passing offense any more potent than it was in 2012, when it ranked 114th nationally? History seems to be on Driskel's side. All of UF's starting quarterbacks going back to Shane Matthews showed improvement from their first to second seasons as a starter. Sometimes it was dramatic, sometimes not.
ESPN provided a wrapup of spring practices around the SEC. Here's the breakdown of the Gators' spring. There are still several important questions that have to be answered.
One of those questions surrounds quarterback Jeff Driskel. How much has he improved and will that make the Gators' passing offense any more potent than it was in 2012, when it ranked 114th nationally? History seems to be on Driskel's side. All of UF's starting quarterbacks going back to Shane Matthews showed improvement from their first to second seasons as a starter. Sometimes it was dramatic, sometimes not.
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GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- GatorNation wants you to get to know Florida’s incoming freshmen.
How are they preparing for their first college season? What are their goals for 2013?
To find that out, we’re starting a series of Q&As, beginning with offensive lineman Cameron Dillard (Canton, Mich./Canton), who will be making the transition from guard to center -- a position he hasn’t played on a regular basis since he was at the Pop Warner level.
How are they preparing for their first college season? What are their goals for 2013?
To find that out, we’re starting a series of Q&As, beginning with offensive lineman Cameron Dillard (Canton, Mich./Canton), who will be making the transition from guard to center -- a position he hasn’t played on a regular basis since he was at the Pop Warner level.
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GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Florida head coach Will Muschamp has said time and again that the SEC is a line-of-scrimmage league, and offensively it all starts between the tackles.
To beat teams such as Alabama, LSU and Georgia -- teams notorious for having strong and athletic defensive fronts -- the Gators have made a priority of getting bigger and more physical at the line of scrimmage. With talent and depth on the roster, it appears the Gators are beginning to go after talented, yet under-the-radar offensive line prospects.
To beat teams such as Alabama, LSU and Georgia -- teams notorious for having strong and athletic defensive fronts -- the Gators have made a priority of getting bigger and more physical at the line of scrimmage. With talent and depth on the roster, it appears the Gators are beginning to go after talented, yet under-the-radar offensive line prospects.
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GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Florida only had three official visitors this weekend, but the Gators' coaching staff was plenty busy.
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GatorNation position breakdown: G/C 
January, 10, 2013
Jan 10
8:00
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Michael DiRocco | ESPN.com
Editor’s note: Every Tuesday and Thursday through Jan. 31, 2013, GatorNation will break down each position. We’ll look at 2013, of course, but also try and give you a peek beyond next season, too. Today is guard/center. We will profile tight end on Jan. 15.
GUARD/CENTER
Two-deep: With the graduation of sixth-year senior James Wilson, redshirt freshman Jessamen Dunker and redshirt junior Max Garcia will compete for the starting job at left guard. Jonotthan Harrison and Jon Halapio will return as starters at center and right guard, respectively. Both will be redshirt seniors. Redshirt senior Kyle Koehne and Ian Silberman, provided his shoulder injury is healed, are the reserves.
GUARD/CENTER
Two-deep: With the graduation of sixth-year senior James Wilson, redshirt freshman Jessamen Dunker and redshirt junior Max Garcia will compete for the starting job at left guard. Jonotthan Harrison and Jon Halapio will return as starters at center and right guard, respectively. Both will be redshirt seniors. Redshirt senior Kyle Koehne and Ian Silberman, provided his shoulder injury is healed, are the reserves.
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GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- The Florida Gators will be well represented in this year's all-star games. Thirteen of Florida's 25 verbal commits have been selected to play in postseason games. Here is a closer look at what to look for over the holiday break.
WHAT: Under Armour All-America Game
WHERE: St. Petersburg, Fla.
WHEN: Jan. 4, at 5 p.m. ET
WHAT: Under Armour All-America Game
WHERE: St. Petersburg, Fla.
WHEN: Jan. 4, at 5 p.m. ET
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GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- With their second top 10 matchup in three weeks, the Florida Gators will once again be bringing in several top prospects for Saturday's game against the No. 7-ranked South Carolina Gamecocks. The list is heavy on prospects who are verbally committed to other schools, but there will be at least two big uncommitted prospects in attendance.
Four-star offensive guard David Dawson (No. 87 in ESPN 300; Detroit/Cass Tech) decommitted from Michigan just last week, and the Gators appear to be in the driver's seat for his services. Dawson, who will be taking his official visit to UF, said he is looking forward to spending time with other Florida commits on his visit to Gainesville.
"I'm just looking forward to seeing the campus, getting to chill with some of the other Florida commits again," Dawson said. "I'm also looking forward to seeing the facilities and all the Nike gear they have."
Four-star offensive guard David Dawson (No. 87 in ESPN 300; Detroit/Cass Tech) decommitted from Michigan just last week, and the Gators appear to be in the driver's seat for his services. Dawson, who will be taking his official visit to UF, said he is looking forward to spending time with other Florida commits on his visit to Gainesville.
"I'm just looking forward to seeing the campus, getting to chill with some of the other Florida commits again," Dawson said. "I'm also looking forward to seeing the facilities and all the Nike gear they have."
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Mailbag: Replacing early NFL draftees
September, 20, 2012
9/20/12
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By
Derek Tyson | ESPN.com
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- It’s time to dip in to the GatorNation recruiting mailbag and answer the questions you want to know. Because of the amount of questions we’ve received, we won’t be able to get to all of them today, but we encourage you to ask your questions on our Insider fan forum, The Chompions Club.
impulse36: Based on the first three games, is it likely that Dominique Easley, Sharrif Floyd or Matt Elam enters the NFL draft this April? Assuming they don't, does that affect the number we can recruit or the positions we recruit? Do we recruit the same number and just "encourage" more transfers?
A: It's too early to say which of the three listed could potentially enter the NFL draft. At this point it shouldn't affect how many prospects UF can take in this class. Florida is looking to sign 23-24 players and Florida is likely planning to lose at least one of the three you mentioned. Situations like this have a way of working themselves out. Whether it's future transfers, injuries or other situations the public might not be aware of, the coaching staff already has a good idea of how many players it will be able to take in this class.
impulse36: Based on the first three games, is it likely that Dominique Easley, Sharrif Floyd or Matt Elam enters the NFL draft this April? Assuming they don't, does that affect the number we can recruit or the positions we recruit? Do we recruit the same number and just "encourage" more transfers?
A: It's too early to say which of the three listed could potentially enter the NFL draft. At this point it shouldn't affect how many prospects UF can take in this class. Florida is looking to sign 23-24 players and Florida is likely planning to lose at least one of the three you mentioned. Situations like this have a way of working themselves out. Whether it's future transfers, injuries or other situations the public might not be aware of, the coaching staff already has a good idea of how many players it will be able to take in this class.
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GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Finally, the high school football season is underway. With several Florida commits playing in preseason games or their teams' first game of the year, here is a closer look at how they fared this weekend.
WR Ahmad Fulwood (Jacksonville, Fla./Bishop Kenny) -- In only one half of play, Fulwood accounted for two catches for 80 yards and a touchdown. Bishop Kenny lost to Orange Park 14-13 in a preseason game.
DE Jordan Sherit (Tampa, Fla./Hillsborough) -- In one half of action, Sherit recorded four tackles for loss, including a safety and a sack. Hillsborough lost to Plant City 15-7 in a preseason matchup.
WR Ahmad Fulwood (Jacksonville, Fla./Bishop Kenny) -- In only one half of play, Fulwood accounted for two catches for 80 yards and a touchdown. Bishop Kenny lost to Orange Park 14-13 in a preseason game.
DE Jordan Sherit (Tampa, Fla./Hillsborough) -- In one half of action, Sherit recorded four tackles for loss, including a safety and a sack. Hillsborough lost to Plant City 15-7 in a preseason matchup.
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Gators deal with spate of decommitments
August, 19, 2012
8/19/12
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By
Derek Tyson | ESPN.com
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- With the loss of four-star offensive line prospects Rod Johnson (Delray Beach, Fla./American Heritage) and Josh Outlaw (Lithonia, Ga./Martin Luther King) over the past week, the Gators find themselves in a bind along the offensive line.
Florida would like to sign four linemen and still has commitments from center prospect Cameron Dillard (Canton, Mich./Canton) as well as the Gators' most recent commit, Octavius Jackson (Moultrie, Ga./Colquitt County), a guard prospect.
The Gators will now turn their focus to five-star Laremy Tunsil (Lake City, Fla./Columbia), three-star Joe Fennell (Ft. Myers, Fla./South Ft. Myers), four-star Na'Ty Rodgers (Owings Mills, Md./McDonough) and and three-star Kenny Lacy (Pheonix/Mountain Pointe HS).
Florida would like to sign four linemen and still has commitments from center prospect Cameron Dillard (Canton, Mich./Canton) as well as the Gators' most recent commit, Octavius Jackson (Moultrie, Ga./Colquitt County), a guard prospect.
The Gators will now turn their focus to five-star Laremy Tunsil (Lake City, Fla./Columbia), three-star Joe Fennell (Ft. Myers, Fla./South Ft. Myers), four-star Na'Ty Rodgers (Owings Mills, Md./McDonough) and and three-star Kenny Lacy (Pheonix/Mountain Pointe HS).
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Editor's note: RecruitingNation is taking a look at the state of each team's brand.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- After a couple of sub-par seasons on the field, Florida's brand remains very strong among top high school prospects. Head coach Will Muschamp experienced a dip with his first recruiting class (ranked No. 12) in 2010, but quickly had UF back near the top with a top-five class in 2011. Now the Gators are contending for the nation's No. 1 recruiting class.
Four-star offensive linemen Cameron Dillard (Canton, Mich./Canton) is one of six out-of-state commits for the Gators. The 6-foot-3, 290-pound center prospect thinks there are a few reasons why Muschamp has continued to keep Florida's brand strong amongst recruits.
"It's the coaching staff. They are a team that's always pushing forward, never getting in trouble and always doing the right thing. It's just a team you can look at to set an example," Dillard said. "They do a great job every year. Coach Muschamp's vision for the team is great. They always bring in the top athletes in the country and get the athletes to the next level."
Despite sliding with 15-11 record over the last two years, the Gators have three national championships on their resume and have sent numerous players to the NFL. In 2011 alone, Florida had 35 former players on NFL rosters.
Tim Tebow, who could be the most popular athlete to ever play at UF, and Percy Harvin are two of the more recognizable names to play for the Gators. Top 2014 wide receiver prospect Johnnie Dixon (Palm Beach, Fla./Dwyer) said it was players like Tebow and Harvin who made him grow up a fan of the Gators.
"I've always liked Florida," Dixon said. "It was my childhood favorite. They've just always been my team. Like Percy was an animal and Tebow, they were just a great team."
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- After a couple of sub-par seasons on the field, Florida's brand remains very strong among top high school prospects. Head coach Will Muschamp experienced a dip with his first recruiting class (ranked No. 12) in 2010, but quickly had UF back near the top with a top-five class in 2011. Now the Gators are contending for the nation's No. 1 recruiting class.
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AP Photo/Mark HumphreyPercy Harvin, left, and Tim Tebow took Florida to the statosphere with two national championships.
AP Photo/Mark HumphreyPercy Harvin, left, and Tim Tebow took Florida to the statosphere with two national championships."It's the coaching staff. They are a team that's always pushing forward, never getting in trouble and always doing the right thing. It's just a team you can look at to set an example," Dillard said. "They do a great job every year. Coach Muschamp's vision for the team is great. They always bring in the top athletes in the country and get the athletes to the next level."
Despite sliding with 15-11 record over the last two years, the Gators have three national championships on their resume and have sent numerous players to the NFL. In 2011 alone, Florida had 35 former players on NFL rosters.
Tim Tebow, who could be the most popular athlete to ever play at UF, and Percy Harvin are two of the more recognizable names to play for the Gators. Top 2014 wide receiver prospect Johnnie Dixon (Palm Beach, Fla./Dwyer) said it was players like Tebow and Harvin who made him grow up a fan of the Gators.
"I've always liked Florida," Dixon said. "It was my childhood favorite. They've just always been my team. Like Percy was an animal and Tebow, they were just a great team."
What's next for Florida? More spots in 2013
August, 12, 2012
8/12/12
11:15
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By
Derek Tyson | ESPN.com
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Florida lost two four-star commitments this weekend, as cornerback Tre' Bell (Jersey City, N.J./St. Peters Prep) and offensive lineman Rod Johnson (Delray Beach, Fla./American Heritage) decided to part ways with the Gators.
What this means for Florida
For the Gators and Bell, who decided not to participate at Friday Night Lights or camp earlier in the summer at Florida, the decision to part ways was mutual. Bell made his decision final on Friday when he committed to Vanderbilt.
What this means for Florida
For the Gators and Bell, who decided not to participate at Friday Night Lights or camp earlier in the summer at Florida, the decision to part ways was mutual. Bell made his decision final on Friday when he committed to Vanderbilt.
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Gators' offensive line class taking shape
August, 7, 2012
8/07/12
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Derek Tyson | ESPN.com
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- With the addition of three-star offensive lineman Octavius Jackson (Moultrie, Ga./Colquitt County) on Friday, the Gators now have four offensive line commits, three of which are ranked four-star prospects.
The Gators have limited scholarships remaining for the 2013 recruiting class and they could be done recruiting the position -- but not likely.
First, and probably most importantly, the Gators will continue to recruit their committed offensive line prospects. Versatile guard/tackle prospect Rod Johnson (Delray Beach, Fla./American Heritage), who's been committed to Florida since March, said Friday that he plans to take a visit to FSU this season. When asked if he was still committed to the Gators, Johnson responded with "right now yes." The Gators, however, love Johnson's upside and versatility and you can expect Florida to turn up the heat on the talented prospect to try and keep him a part of this recruiting class.
The Gators have limited scholarships remaining for the 2013 recruiting class and they could be done recruiting the position -- but not likely.
First, and probably most importantly, the Gators will continue to recruit their committed offensive line prospects. Versatile guard/tackle prospect Rod Johnson (Delray Beach, Fla./American Heritage), who's been committed to Florida since March, said Friday that he plans to take a visit to FSU this season. When asked if he was still committed to the Gators, Johnson responded with "right now yes." The Gators, however, love Johnson's upside and versatility and you can expect Florida to turn up the heat on the talented prospect to try and keep him a part of this recruiting class.
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GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Fresh off his visit Wednesday to Florida, four-star offensive line prospect John Montelus (Everett, Mass./Everett) has named the Gators' as his leader.
"It was really good," Montelus said. "I was looking for the good atmosphere, a good coaching staff and basically what I want academically. I was really excited to come down here and I got exactly what I expected. They are definitely on top, and after this Notre Dame visit I will probably commit soon. I'm going to see how Notre Dame goes tomorrow then probably commit."
While on his visit, the 6-foot-5, 293-pound prospect had a chance to spend some time with Florida offensive line coach Tim Davis and head coach Will Muschamp.
"It was really good," Montelus said. "I was looking for the good atmosphere, a good coaching staff and basically what I want academically. I was really excited to come down here and I got exactly what I expected. They are definitely on top, and after this Notre Dame visit I will probably commit soon. I'm going to see how Notre Dame goes tomorrow then probably commit."
While on his visit, the 6-foot-5, 293-pound prospect had a chance to spend some time with Florida offensive line coach Tim Davis and head coach Will Muschamp.
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UF recruiting recap: Biggest needs met
April, 12, 2012
4/12/12
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By
Derek Tyson | ESPN.com
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- With less than 10 months until national signing day, the Florida Gators have already filled more than half of their 2013 recruiting class.
Will Muschamp and his staff have 15 verbal commits, including 11 who appear on the ESPN 150 Watch List. It's not just the number of commitments that is so impressive, it's that Florida has landed top players at positions of need.
In Florida's 2012 recruiting class, the Gators hoped to bring in at least four offensive linemen and three wide receivers. Falling short with only two offensive linemen and two receivers, Florida made those two positions a priority for this recruiting cycle.
Will Muschamp and his staff have 15 verbal commits, including 11 who appear on the ESPN 150 Watch List. It's not just the number of commitments that is so impressive, it's that Florida has landed top players at positions of need.
In Florida's 2012 recruiting class, the Gators hoped to bring in at least four offensive linemen and three wide receivers. Falling short with only two offensive linemen and two receivers, Florida made those two positions a priority for this recruiting cycle.
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ABOUT GATOR NATION
Michael DiRocco
Michael DiRocco came to ESPN.com in 2011 after spending 10 and a half years covering UF for the Florida Times-Union. He lives in Middleburg, Fla., with his wife and two sons. Email him at espndirocco@gmail.com.
Derek Tyson
Derek Tyson joined ESPN.com in 2011. He worked as a football and recruiting analyst for GatorCountry.com before joining ESPN. He currently resides in Gainesville, Fla. Email him at derektysonespn@gmail.com.