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UF Ready For No-Huddle Challenge

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By MICK ELLIOTT | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 5, 2009

MIAMI - The biggest challenge Florida faces as it enters the BCS National Championship Game against Oklahoma is the hurry-up offense the Sooners employ.

While the Gators have faced some of the nation's most talented offensive players in Georgia QB Matthew Stafford and RB Knowshon Moreno, they have never faced an offense as explosive as Oklahoma's.

Adjusting to the quick turnaround between plays will be the key to defensive success for the Gators.

"They're explosive and well-coached on offense and I like how they run it," S Ahmad Black said. "They play a quick tempo and we've just got to get lined up to it. They line up quick and fast like that so they can see what we're in before we can see what they're in."

Preparation is the key, according to the Gators. Florida has used much of its practice time using no huddles in hopes of improving their conditioning and timing.

"They try to do the no huddle and a lot of teams weren't ready for it and weren't lined up correctly," LB Ryan Stamper said. "If they do that we have to be ready for it and get off the field on third down."

QB Tim Tebow's emotional speech following the Gators' devastating loss to Mississippi has been replayed several times. Not only because of how shocking it was to see Tebow openly show so much emotion, but also because of the role the Heisman Trophy winner played in turning the Gators' season around.

"Tebow's speech let the entire team know that more was expected of them than just mediocrity. Seeing our quarterback stepping up like that, that's a great motivation for our O-line and especially for our team," OL Jason Watkins said. "We took it as a chip on our shoulder, and each day we work even harder in practice to make sure we can uphold the promise that he made."

LB Brandon Spikes has always been considered a supremely talented player capable of making dynamic plays. But it hasn't been very long that he has been considered a leader.

That began to change after Florida's victory against Arkansas on Oct. 4 in which the Gators won 38-7 after leading just 17-7 entering the fourth quarter.

"We kind of came together after that and molded together as a defense," Spikes said. "I didn't really prepare the way I should have being the starting middle linebacker. I mean, we won the game against Arkansas but as far as taking things for granted we stopped doing all that."

HITTING BRADFORD

More than anything else, getting pressure on Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford may be the key to a Gators victory. Bradford has been hit just 25 times this season, a stat that surprises the Gators, though not in the way you would think.

"I didn't even know he'd been hit that many times," S Ahmad Black said. "Every time I see him his jersey is clean."

The Gators defensive line is aware of the challenges it will face in attempting to slow Bradford.

"He's one of the best quarterbacks in the country," DE Jermaine Cunningham said. "Winning the Heisman, he's probably the best quarterback in the country but everyone is average when you get pressure in their face."

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