Florida Gators

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Florida released a post-spring depth chart on Wednesday. There were no big surprises, although seeing running back Mack Brown behind Matt Jones and ahead of Kelvin Taylor did earn a raised eyebrow.

Here’s the breakdown:

Offense

LT: D.J. Humphries (6-5, 285, So.)/Trenton Brown (6-8, 363, Jr.)

LG: Max Garcia (6-4, 307, RJr.)/Ian Silberman (6-5, 290, RJr.)

C: Jonotthan Harrison (6-3, 303, RSr.) /Kyle Koehne (6-5, 314, RSr.)

RG: Jon Halapio (6-3, 317, RSr.)/Trip Thurman (6-5, 313, RSo.)

RT: Tyler Moore (6-5, 315, RSo.) OR Chaz Green (6-5, 305, RJr.)

TE: Clay Burton (6-4, 247, Jr.)/Tevin Westbrook (6-5, 258, Jr.) OR Colin Thompson (6-4, 250, RFr.) OR Kent Taylor (6-5, 223, So.)

RB: Matt Jones (6-2, 228, So.)/Mack Brown (5-11, 215, RJr.)

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Schedule: The Gators open spring practice today at 4:30 p.m. ET and will conclude the spring with their annual Orange & Blue Debut on April 6 at 1 p.m. ET inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

What's new: Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn left to become the defensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks. Will Muschamp then promoted D.J. Durkin from linebackers/special teams coach to defensive coordinator. Brad Lawing was hired away from South Carolina to help coach Florida's defensive line and was given the title of assistant head coach. Interim wide receivers coach Bush Hamdan was replaced by former Kentucky head coach Joker Phillips.

On the mend: Redshirt junior offensive lineman Chaz Green will miss all of spring after undergoing ankle surgery following Florida's bowl game. Redshirt junior defensive end/linebacker Ronald Powell will also miss the spring while he continues to rehab his ACL injury that he suffered last spring. Redshirt junior offensive lineman Ian Silberman is out for the spring, as he recovers from shoulder surgery that he had before the bowl game. Freshman linebacker Matt Rolin is also out, recovering from ACL surgery. Senior offensive lineman Jon Halapio (knee scope), senior wide receiver Solomon Patton (broken arm), redshirt junior linebacker Neiron Ball (ankle) and punter Kyle Christy (shoulder) will all be limited this spring.

On the move: Junior cornerback Loucheiz Purifoy will start the first seven practices at the "Z" receiver spot. Redshirt freshman Quinteze Williams moved from defensive tackle to offensive tackle. Sophomore Antonio Morrison moved from Will to Mike linebacker, while redshirt junior linebacker Michael Taylor has moved from Mike to Will. Redshirt freshman Rhaheim Ledbetter moved from safety to fullback. Redshirt junior Gideon Ajagbe also moved from linebacker to fullback. Redshirt junior Cody Riggs has moved from cornerback to safety, where he's listed as a starter.

Question marks: Heading into the spring, the biggest questions remain on offense, where the Gators were incredibly inconsistent last year. Workhorse running back Mike Gillislee is gone, and while the Gators should feature a stable of running backs this fall, throwing the ball has to improve or this offense will go in reverse. Quarterback Jeff Driskel says he's more confident and offensive coordinator Brent Pease expects to open things up more in the passing game, but the Gators also have to get better protection up front and develop some more reliable receivers and replace top target, tight end Jordan Reed. Florida's defense has a lot of experienced youngsters, but it won't be easy to replace the production that guys like Sharrif Floyd, Matt Elam and Jon Bostic had last year. Florida is also looking for someone to replace kicker Caleb Sturgis. Redshirt freshman Austin Hardin and senior Brad Phillips will compete for that spot.

New faces: Rolin, running back Kelvin Taylor, linebackers Alex Anzalone and Daniel McMillian, defensive lineman Joey Ivie, and wide receiver Demarcus Robinson all enrolled early as true freshmen. Florida also welcomed Nebraska offensive lineman transfer Tyler Moore (sophomore) and junior college transfer Darius Cummings (DT). Offensive lineman Max Garica also transferred from Maryland and sat out last season.

Key battle: Florida has to find a reliable receiving target at either tight end or receiver. The athletic Kent Taylor figures to be the favorite at tight end, but he'll have to compete with Colin Thompson, Clay Burton and Tevin Westbrook. At receiver, it's a free-for-all, and there isn't a ton of experience. Purifoy will certainly get his shot, but vets Quinton Dunbar and Andre Debose have to make significant strides. So does rising sophomore Latroy Pittman, who fell off last year after a successful spring. Sophomore Raphael Andrades will be back and forth between football and baseball, while Patton will be limited. Keep an eye on Robinson, who was the top receiver in the Gators' 2013 class and is a downfield threat and someone who can be elusive through the middle of the field.

Breaking out: Florida needs to replace Gillislee, and sophomore Matt Jones has already had a solid offseason, according to coaches. He progressed as last season went on and has both speed and strength to work with. The plan is for him to be a 20-plus-carry player this fall. Morrison's role now expands, and after having a very solid freshman year, even more is expected from him now that he's at the Mike. If he improves his coverage ability, he could be a big-time player for the Gators. Also, keep an eye on junior safety Jabari Gorman. He covers a lot of ground and isn't afraid to play in the box.

Don't forget about: Ball and Riggs have dealt with injuries in the past, but as they get healthy, Florida's coaches are excited about what they could do in 2013. Ball will play some Buck and provides Florida with another solid third-down pass-rusher and should help the Gators put more pressure on opposing backfields this fall. Riggs played in just two games last year before fracturing his foot, but he's a very physical defensive back. With his speed, moving to safety should provide him a chance to make more plays in Florida's secondary. He was also the starter at safety when Elam went to nickel last year.

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 tight end. We will profile wide receivers on Jan. 17.

TIGHT END

Two-deep: With the departure of Jordan Reed to the NFL, the Gators are thin on experience at this position. Juniors Clay Burton and Tevin Westbrook have played the most of any of the tight ends on the roster. Burton has as many drops in his career as he does catches (two) and Westbrook is a former defensive lineman who was converted to tight end before the 2012 season.

Next up: Sophomore Kent Taylor was one of two tight ends the Gators signed in 2012. A concussion set him back early in the season and he never made much of an impact, catching just two passes for 5 yards and a touchdown. Colin Thompson was forced to redshirt after he underwent a second surgery to repair a broken bone in his foot. He is expected to be healthy for spring practice.

High-profile commits: None.

Additional targets: None.

Looking into 2013: Tight end production in the passing game is a major question mark. Thompson should immediately help as a blocker, but the Gators need weapons in the passing game. The 6-foot-5, 225-pound Taylor is the best option there, provided the Gators use him right. He’s a flex tight end who should be used similar to the way former UF standout Aaron Hernandez was used. Line him up wide, in the slot, or as an H-back and get him in space so he can take advantage of mismatches. Thompson could be a factor in the passing game as a red zone target, but Burton and Westbrook should only be used as blockers. Burton dropped an easy touchdown pass and another pass on a fake field goal against Florida State.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Tight end Jordan Reed's departure for the NFL means fixing Florida's passing offense -- which ranked 114th nationally this season -- in 2013 just got a lot tougher.

Not only do the Gators no longer have their top pass catcher (45 catches for 559 yards), they're scrounging for experienced options in the passing game. The Gators have only two receivers or tight ends on the roster who has caught more than eight passes in their career. WR Solomon Patton, who will be a senior next season, has eight career receptions in 31 games, and WR Andre Debose has 26 catches in 31 games. WR Quinton Dunbar, who will be a redshirt senior in 2013, has 50 catches for 599 yards and six touchdowns in 26 games. RB/FB Trey Burton has 69 career catches for 531 yards, but he's certainly not someone who can stretch the field. Most of his receptions have been short passes or passes out of the backfield. He's not fast or elusive enough to line up at receiver.

The tight end spot is now a huge question mark. The Gators have four tight ends on the roster: Kent Taylor (sophomore in 2013), Colin Thompson (redshirt freshman), Clay Burton (junior) and Tevin Westbrook (junior). They have a combined four catches for 17 yards and one touchdown. Taylor has shown some promise as a pass catcher, but Clay Burton and Westbrook are mainly blockers. Clay Burton dropped an easy touchdown pass and dropped another pass on a fake field goal. Thompson, who redshirted this season because of a foot injury, is more of a blocking tight end as well. Florida has no tight end commitments in its class of 2013 as of yet.

At receiver, the Gators' top option right now is Dunbar, who had a solid season but struggled with his consistency. He's going to have to improve significantly to be a No. 1 receiver in the SEC. Patton, who missed the last five games with a broken arm, was used sparingly in the passing game. His job was to run the jet sweep, and he did well in that role, gaining 140 yards on 14 carries. Debose has been in and out of the doghouse because of attitude, work ethic, and consistency issues, so to count on getting anything from him would be unwise.

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Florida quarterback Jeff Driskel has been cleared medically to play in Saturday’s season opener against Bowling Green, but it’s still unclear when the sophomore will get on the field.

Coach Will Muschamp has come up with at least the beginning of a plan for rotating Driskel and Jacoby Brissett. He said Monday that each sophomore quarterback would play a quarter before the staff determines the plan for the second half.

Muschamp said he and offensive coordinator Brent Pease have not yet decided which quarterback would start and whether one or both would play in the second half.

"We’ll evaluate it at halftime," Muschamp said.

Muschamp said Friday morning that neither player was able to distance himself from the other throughout preseason practices and both would play against the Falcons.

Muschamp said he knew following the Gators’ second scrimmage (Aug. 17) that he would likely play both quarterbacks in the season opener. Both sophomores handled themselves well in the situational work, such as one-minute drill, third-down conversions, and goal line work, Muschamp said, and picking one as the starter wouldn’t be fair.

Both players struggled last season in place of injured starter John Brantley. Driskel completed 47.1 percent of his passes for 148 yards and two interceptions. Brissett completed 46.2 percent of his passes for 206 yards and two touchdowns with four interceptions.

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ESPN’s GatorNation is previewing each position leading up to the start of the season with a short video. Each Friday until the season kicks off, Michael DiRocco and Jeff Barlis will analyze a position group, tell you who is starting and why, and provide a breakdown of the depth at the position. This week it’s receivers/tight ends.

The starters: WR Andre Debose (RJr.), WR Frankie Hammond, Jr. (RSr.), WR Quinton Dunbar (RSo.), TE Jordan Reed (RJr.)

The backups: WR Latroy Pittman (Fr.), WR Solomon Patton (Jr.), WR Stephen Alli (RJr.), WR Raphael Andrades (Fr.), TE Clay Burton (RFr.), TE Kent Taylor (Fr.), TE Colin Thompson (Fr.), TE Tevin Westbrook (RFr.)

Comment: Hammond is UF’s most experienced receiver (41 catches). Debose has proven big-play ability (27.0 yards per catch and 4 TDs of at least 60 yards in 2011). But neither has been very consistent. Dunbar had a solid spring. The star of the spring, though, was Pittman, an early enrollee who was easily the most impressive receiver. He’ll get the start on opening day if he continues to progress. A.C. Leonard was Florida's most talented tight end but transferred after an arrest and suspension. Reed is still working through the transition from quarterback. Taylor is intriguing because he’s not an inline tight end and could be used as a wide receiver if needed.

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Heading in to fall camp, Florida had many questions surrounding the running back position. Can probable starter Mike Gillislee stay healthy? Will sophomore Mack Brown push Gillislee for playing time and will true freshman Matt Jones be able to contribute early?

If Saturday's scrimmage is any indication, the Gators are closer to answering those questions. Head coach Will Muschamp said on Monday that Gillislee, Brown and Jones were standouts at the scrimmage, as the three combined to average five yards per carry.

"We ran the ball very well," Muschamp said. "Mike Gillislee ... Mack Brown had his best scrimmage since he’s been here. And Matt Jones. All three ran the ball extremely well. Very pleased with those guys getting the ball north and south and running and what we did up front."

Brown, who has been slowed by injuries during his career at Florida, has failed to receive significant playing time during his time in Gainesville. But now an improved Brown could earn more action in the fall because of his running style.

“He got the ball north and south and ran the ball extremely well, protected well," Muschamp said. "Again, (he) didn't do a lot of dancing. Stuck his foot in the ground and got north and south, which is something he can do very well. He's a strong guy, he's got a strong lower body. That was very pleasing.”

It wasn't just the running game that pleased Muschamp. He was pleased with the offense's overall execution.

“I thought we functioned very well," he said. "We didn’t have a lot of procedure issues, alignment issues offensively, in and out of the huddle. We had a good tempo and those are things to me that were very pleasing, especially for a first scrimmage."

Injury update

Tight end Jordan Reed will miss 3-to-4 days with a "twisted knee." Muschamp said the injury is not serious and will not require surgery. Tight end Colin Thompson is still recovering from a broken foot and there is no timeframe on when he will return to practice. Freshman safety Marcus Maye participated in his first practice on Sunday night. Maye has missed time due to a torn meniscus he suffered in early spring. Muschamp said there are no other significant injuries to report.

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Schedule: The Gators' first practice is on Friday, and their first day in pads is on Aug. 8. They open the season at home against Bowling Green on Sept. 1. The game will air on ESPN at 3:30 p.m. ET.

Returning starters: Seven on offense, 10 on defense, and the place-kicker and punter on special teams.

Star power: Junior safety Matt Elam was one of Florida's most heralded recruits in the 2010 recruiting class, and now could compete to be one of the top safeties in the SEC. He's the heart of the Gators' defense and can make plays all over the field, as he led Florida with 11 tackles for loss and totaled 78 tackles last fall.

New faces: Will Muschamp isn't afraid to play freshmen, and he has a handful who could see time early. Defensive end Dante Fowler Jr. is on campus and could get looks at the hybrid linebacker/defensive end Buck position. Fellow end Jonathan Bullard could also compete for time outside. Also, keep an eye on tight ends Colin Thompson and Kent Taylor, who should get more reps this fall with A.C. Leonard's departure this summer. And cornerback Brian Poole could get quality reps on defense during camp.

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- It’s no surprise that Florida’s Andre Debose is not a fan of the rule changes the NCAA made on kickoffs.

Debose is one of the nation’s top kick returners, but his impact on the game will be minimized by kickoffs moving up to the 35-yard line from the 30-yard line. Those extra five yards likely mean more touchbacks, which means Debose won’t have as many opportunities to make a play.

"I do not like the new kickoff rule," Debose said Thursday during UF’s annual media day at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. "I had thoughts in my head about (a reduced role), but I feel like I still will get a couple opportunities. Maybe not as many as previous years."

Debose averaged 26.1 yards on 19 kickoff returns last season and took one back for a touchdown against Ohio State in the Gator Bowl. The 5-foot-11, 186-pound redshirt junior already has a school-record three career kickoff returns for touchdowns.

UF coach Will Muschamp is also not a fan of the new rule -- which also states that touchbacks on kickoffs will come out to the 25-yard line -- and said he and special teams coordinator D.J. Durkin have already begun adjusting their plans for kickoff returns.

"We need to get on the field and rep through it and see how it works," Muschamp said. "He (Debose) is a guy that's certainly been a game-changer for us and needs to continue to be, so we need to continue to find ways for that to happen.

"D.J. and I have talked about that, and we are going to look in camp early to figure out how we can get the ball in his hands and gain some returns."

Uneventful offseason

No news was good news this summer for the football program. The Gators didn’t have a single player arrested or get into trouble since defensive tackle Leon Orr was cited on May 14 for knowingly driving with a suspended license.

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HOOVER, Ala. -- Florida tight end A.C. Leonard caught only eight passes for 99 yards last season, so on the surface, his decision to transfer doesn't seem as if it would have much of an impact on the Gators in 2012.

But losing Leonard will hurt.

The 6-foot-4, 245-pound sophomore was Florida's most talented tight end. He's got good hands and runs with the ball well after the catch. An early-season injury hurt his development, but he came on toward the end of the season, making all receptions in the final five games.

Redshirt junior Jordan Reed is the only tight end remaining on the roster who has caught a pass in college. He has 34 career catches for 386 yards and three touchdowns, but has been exclusively a tight end for only one season. He began his career at UF as a quarterback and he is still adapting to the position switch.

The other tight ends on the roster are redshirt freshman Clay Burton, sophomore Tevin Westbrook, and freshmen Kent Taylor and Colin Thompson. Westbrook was moved to tight end after spring practice. Taylor is more of a flex tight end and could be used at receiver if the Gators struggle there. Thompson is more of a blocking tight end.