08/24 research has begun

[LuCane]

I watched the Gates play a few times last year, but can't say I'm close to being an expert on their roster. I know one of the big things to look for is they lost basically their entire OL. With only a month or so remaining, going to be posting about our matchups a lot more and watching all of their games. In the first game I watched, I noticed there were 4 OL from last year's unit who are now gone. Here are the dudes who'll supposedly comprise their new OL unit:

Stone Forsythe - Former 3 star in class of 2016, RS Junior, has some starts sprinkled in over his career, but all at RT.
Brett Heggie - Former 3 star in class of 2016, RS Junior, some starts under his belt from 2017, has been injured on and off for last couple years, did get game action in most of their games last year
Nick Buchanan - Former 3 star in class of 2015, RS Senior, the lone returning starter (12 games) from last year's unit, former 3 star, not the biggest dude you'll see lined up at center.
Noah Banks - Dude's a transfer from Iowa Western College, RS Senior. *** This is apparently Chris Bleich. Banks has a medical issue and may not be cleared. Bleich is also a former 3 star.
Jean Delance or Richard Gouraige - Both former 4 stars. Delance is from class of 2016; Gouraige is from class of 2018. Delance is a former transfer from Texas, played in a handful of games last year. Gouraige took a redshirt last year.

Good chance I missed something since I only now began checking out the matchup with this disgusting program. Nonetheless, this matchup with our DL and blitz packages likely is the #1 or #2 key determinant for 08/24.

On the surface, it's a plus matchup for us because we get Garvin against a dude who's mostly played RT and has minimal career starts on one side, and Hill/Rousseau/Patchan against whoever they choose to settle in to their RT spot. Inside, one thing I'm afraid of early in the season would be big, mauling OL like Wiscy going up against Bethel, Ford, Nesta and company. Luckily for us in this game, I wouldn't necessarily call label their OL as "big and mauling." I'm sure we're likely gonna get hit with some misdirection and hope Blake Baker can clean up some of it, but if you're as excited for 08/24 as I am, this is a key matchup to dig in on.

If you know more or can add to info about 08/24 matchup(s), please post here...

 

[rok]

Lu, looking forward to this. Will be nice to begin talking about the game instead of tailgates and lodging.

At the risk of being attacked by Miami homers for knowing too much about UF's rooster, I have this to offer: Chris Bleiche was their starter at RG exiting the spring.

Second-Year Surge: Chris Bleich

Swamp247 continues its series profiling second-year scholarship players and what impact Florida can expect for them going forward with a monster of a man on the O-line.

247sports.com

 

[brock]

Believe Chris bleich the redshirt freshman former 3 star will be starting at guard. Noah banks (3star) still hasn’t been cleared yet to play and not sure he will.

Richard Gouraige has been a bust so far and gets routinely beat off the edge as does delance. Hill/garvin and the rest of our ends should feast. Brett Heggie is supposedly solid but we will see

 

[LuCane]

Thanks for the correction, fellas. Like I said, just beginning this process. Is that Delance kid legitimate or a George Brown-ish level transfer?

 

[rok]

Good question on Delance. He was eligible in 2018 and played in 4 games as a reserve. Perhaps they wanted to preserve his redshirt, or (hopefully) he isn't very good and was unable to push Taylor, Ivey, Forsythe, Banks.

 

[brock]

Thanks for the correction, fellas. Like I said, just beginning this process. Is that Delance kid legitimate or a George Brown-ish level transfer?

More talented than brown but i dont think he’s that good and can get beat off the edge. Think he might have had a slight injury this spring as well

 

[rok]

Good call on banks, brock.

As of now, we have the Gators set to head into the 2019 season with 78 players on scholarship. That number includes senior Noah Banks, who may not play again after experiencing an epileptic episode during a practice leading up to the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl in December. Banks has not practiced with the team since then and has not yet been cleared by doctors to return to the field. So UF will already be working with a roster well shy of the NCAA's limit of 85 scholarship players. That's not a huge issue for 2019; the Gators are loaded with veterans on both sides of the ball. On offense nine of 11 projected starters are juniors or seniors, while that number is eight of 11 on defense.

 

[LuCane]

Good call on banks, brock.

As of now, we have the Gators set to head into the 2019 season with 78 players on scholarship. That number includes senior Noah Banks, who may not play again after experiencing an epileptic episode during a practice leading up to the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl in December. Banks has not practiced with the team since then and has not yet been cleared by doctors to return to the field. So UF will already be working with a roster well shy of the NCAA's limit of 85 scholarship players. That's not a huge issue for 2019; the Gators are loaded with veterans on both sides of the ball. On offense nine of 11 projected starters are juniors or seniors, while that number is eight of 11 on defense.

I'm starting to read about them and this is a common theme. Except, some of these juniors and seniors are guys with limited playing/starting experience and weren't highly coveted prospects to begin with. We shall see.

 

[[]_[] swag]

Good call on banks, brock.

As of now, we have the Gators set to head into the 2019 season with 78 players on scholarship. That number includes senior Noah Banks, who may not play again after experiencing an epileptic episode during a practice leading up to the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl in December. Banks has not practiced with the team since then and has not yet been cleared by doctors to return to the field. So UF will already be working with a roster well shy of the NCAA's limit of 85 scholarship players. That's not a huge issue for 2019; the Gators are loaded with veterans on both sides of the ball. On offense nine of 11 projected starters are juniors or seniors, while that number is eight of 11 on defense.

When is this article from? I’m curious what their number of scholarship players is now.

 

[Ziggy]

And I thought we had offensive line issues... Our defensive line should control the game. I just hope our offensive/special teams can get off to a fast start so we can pin our ears back and get after Franks.

 

[Poptimus]

Both teams' offensive lines will likely be significantly overmatched. I think a key difference and benefit for us is that we'll utilize Realus George to help block whereas UF doesn't use a FB.

 

[brock]

Both teams' offensive lines will likely be significantly overmatched. I think a key difference and benefit for us is that we'll utilize Realus George to help block whereas UF doesn't use a FB.

I think Miami has quite a bit more talent in their starting group of the oline compared to what uf has actually

 

[rok]

When is this article from? I’m curious what their number of scholarship players is now.

Posted 6 days ago on 247 so that 78 number may already have reflected Edwards leaving.

 

[rok]

I think Miami has quite a bit more talent in their starting group of the oline compared to what uf has actually

Based on the HS ratings we absolutely do. Delance is by far their highest rated OL (94) but he's yet to make an impact.

Then again, Herbert and Reed (4 stars) have done nothing either.

 

[flagator86]

@LuCane

Take out Noah Banks cause it's actually Chris Bleich. Banks may not ever play as he's dealing with some sort of medical issue which i believe it's epilepsy

 

[AllAboutTheU]

Thanks for the correction, fellas. Like I said, just beginning this process. Is that Delance kid legitimate or a George Brown-ish level transfer?

More talented that Brown, but largely still pretty underwhelming. Think they're just hoping that he's an average starter, tbh.

 

[LuCane]

@LuCane

Take out Noah Banks cause it's actually Chris Bleich. Banks may not ever play as he's dealing with some sort of medical issue which i believe it's epilepsy

it was mentioned above. Thanks.

What are your biggest concerns with the unit? Any specific players make you nervous to watch or you think can surprise?

 

[Poptimus]

I think Miami has quite a bit more talent in their starting group of the oline compared to what uf has actually

I sure hope so. Our LT spot does not inspire confidence, are we starting a freshman? I think we both will have trouble against each DL but that's where I think Enos can help mask deficiencies by utilizing Realus and it's also why I think Martell ends up starting for us. I don't see any QB necessarily head and shoulders above the other and if that's the case, the most mobile QB should get the nod.

 

[rayray]

both offensive lines will be at a severe disadvantage... the interesting wrinkle to me is that manny should know mullen's offense from the inside and mullen the same with manny's defense. i don't know who that benefits but it makes the match up when we're on defense a little different than when we're on offense where grantham will be going in blind vs enos.

 

[d--1]

More talented that Brown, but largely still pretty underwhelming. Think they're just hoping that he's an average starter, tbh.

All 3 of the Big 3 schools are looking at major O Line questions that will likely set the course for the type of season each will have. I'll be honest, I don't know much about the guys UF will be rolling out on 8/24, but O line is more about player development than signing top prospects (in most cases), IMO. So I won't discount their abilities just b/c you see a bunch of guys on their 2 deep. Definitely a huge position to watch for both Miami and UF once camp opens next week.