Florida Gators

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Florida’s return to a BCS bowl comes against some familiar faces.

When No. 3 UF (11-1) plays Louisville (10-2) in the Allstate Sugar Bowl on Jan. 2, the Gators will be facing three former coaches and three former players -- including former defensive coordinator Charlie Strong, who is finishing his third season as head coach of the Cardinals.

Florida will be making its ninth appearance in the Sugar Bowl and first since 2010. The Gators are 3-5 in their previous appearances, with victories over West Virginia (1994), Florida State (1997) and Cincinnati (2010).

The Gators have reached a bowl game in 22 consecutive seasons, which is the longest active streak in the SEC.

UF is 2-0 against Louisville, winning 13-0 in 1980 and 31-17 in 1992.

Strong was UF’s defensive coordinator twice, from 2003-09 and from 1991-94, and he had two other stints in Gainesville (1988-89 and 1983-84). Strong was a huge part of UF’s two national titles under coach Urban Meyer. UF smothered Ohio State in the 2007 BCS National Championship Game, holding the Buckeyes to just 82 yards in a 41-14 victory. In the 2008 title game, Strong’s defense held Oklahoma, which averaged 54.0 points per game and had scored a Football Bowl Subdivision record 702 points, to just 14 points.

In addition, two other former UF coaches are members of Strong’s staff: running backs coach/special teams coordinator Kenny Carter and defensive coordinator Vance Bedford. Both were members of Meyer’s staff in 2008-09.

The Cardinals also have three former UF players on the roster. WR Robert Clark and TE Gerald Christian left UF in October 2011 before transferring to Louisville. CB Adrian Bushell left for Cedar Valley junior college following the 2009 season and transferred to Louisville in 2011.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Neither Jeff Driskel nor Jacoby Brissett was able to separate himself from the other during spring practice and summer workouts, so Florida’s quarterback situation is still unsettled heading into the first day of practice Aug. 4.

As a primer, GatorNation is taking a look at each player’s resume. What they did in high school doesn’t matter. Neither does what they did in the spring game, either, because it was under controlled conditions and against watered-down defenses. The only evidence is what they did last season in limited playing time.

Neither put up decent numbers, but both were thrown into tough situations because of injuries to starter John Brantley.

Today we’ll take a detailed look at Driskel’s play in 2011. On Thursday we’ll look at Brissett.

Jeff Driskel

Driskel played in five games and completed 16 of 34 passes for 148 yards and two interceptions. We broke the stats down from the 17 drives in which he either threw a pass or carried the ball. In those 17 drives, the Gators managed just 21 first downs, scored only 10 points, and turned the ball over four times. Driskel accounted for three of those (two interceptions and a fumble).

Here’s a look at his game-by-game stats in those 17 drives. (Note: To make this easier to read, not every play in the drive is listed.)

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ESPN’s GatorNation brings you the 30 things you need to know about Florida’s upcoming 2012 season. For 30 weekdays we’ll preview games, talk about trends, spotlight players and positions, and give you pretty much everything you need to know to be ready for the season before the Sept. 1 opener against Bowling Green.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Florida is one of only five SEC programs to make the top 25 in ESPN’s team recruiting rankings in each of the past five seasons.

In fact, the Gators finished in the top five in four of those five years. But somehow that hasn’t translated to consistent on-field success.

Florida lost just two games combined in 2008 and 2009, but very few of the members of those signing classes contributed significantly -- which shows how good UF’s roster was in those two seasons. Since then, however, the Gators are a combined 15-11, and while some of those highly touted signees have turned into very good players, UF has slipped from its spot among the national elite.

But things are looking brighter entering 2012. The core of this year’s team is comprised of members of the 2009 and 2010 classes, and several members of the 2011 class appear to be ready to become significant contributors or are on the verge of being elite players.

Here’s a look at those signing classes (see chart below):

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Safety Josh Shaw and defensive end Lynden Trail are leaving the Florida program, which brings the total number of players to leave the program since coach Will Muschamp was hired to 11.

Shaw is a redshirt freshman who has played in 11 games in his career. He missed the Furman game earlier this month because he went home to Palmdale, Calif., to be with his ailing grandfather.

"I enjoyed my time at Florida but I feel like I need to be closer to my family right now," Shaw said in a statement. "This is not a football decision, this is a family decision. I need to be with my family."

Trail is a redshirt freshman from Miami who has yet to play in a game.

"We wish Lynden and Josh the best of luck in the future and we certainly appreciate their contributions to the football program," UF coach Will Muschamp said in a statement.

Florida now has 70 players on scholarship, which includes the four walk-ons awarded scholarships before the season began. The Gators will lose nine scholarship seniors and redshirt junior offensive lineman David Young, who decided to forgo his senior season, which means the Gators will go into the off-season with 60 players on scholarship -- well below the NCAA maximum of 85.

Of the 11 players who have left the program since Muschamp's hiring, only cornerback Janoris Jenkins was anything more than a little-used reserve. Muschamp dismissed Jenkins, who is a potential first-round NFL Draft pick, after his third arrest in 23 months (two for marijuana). He is now at North Alabama.

In addition to Trail and Shaw, three other players have left the program this season: redshirt sophomore linebacker Dee Finley, sophomore receiver Robert Clark and sophomore tight end Gerald Christian.

The other five players who left the program did so between January and the start of the 2011 season: running back Mike Blakely, receiver Chris Dunkley, tight end Michael McFarland, defensive end Chris Martin and receiver Javares McRoy.