Welcome to the Inside the Gators Roundtable. Of course the question on every one's mind this time of the year is the upcoming spring practices.
Join Landon Watnick and Mark Wheeler for this no holds barred discussion of the Gators football squad.
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* Spring Positional Preview: Offensive Line
* Roundtable: Starting Quarterback & Sink or Swim
* All 10 of our Class of 2017 Signing Class Reviews
* Anonymous Player: Looking at those who have left
* Anonymous Player: Tidbits on the 2016 signees
* Anonymous Player: Breaking down the offense, playcalling
* Anonymous Player: Taking a closer look at the quarterbacks
* Anonymous Player: Florida football behind the scenes
* TOTAL ACCESS: 30 DAY FREE TRIAL
* Redshirt Report: Brett Heggie
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Which returning player on the offensive side of the ball do you expect to break out this spring?
Watnick: It’s hard to deem this as a full-on breakout, considering he made some noise at points throughout the 2016 season, but I expect wide receiver Tyrie Cleveland to make considerable strides in his game this spring.
Cleveland missed most of fall training camp with a hamstring injury, as his career in Gainesville got off to a rocky start with that couple with a summer arrest. Still, Cleveland managed to carve a role in the rotation en route to 298 yards and two touchdowns on 14 grabs. Memorably, 98 of those yards came on a long touchdown catch racing down the right sideline at LSU on a pass from Austin Appleby.
If Cleveland is capable of that with little offseason preparation, then just imagine what he could be capable of with a full offseason under his belt.
Having a full spring (if he stays healthy) should do Cleveland wonders, as he’ll have time to hone his craft and further grow more accustomed with Florida’s offensive playbook. He’s already worked his way into the starting lineup, but this spring Cleveland should solidify his spot opposite Antonio Callaway.
Wheeler: The easy choice would be to go with one of the quarterbacks. I ruled that out and started thinking along the lines of going with Freddie Swain.
However, using the same logic as Landon above, I am going to go against the grain with this pick.
Yes, I know Martez Ivey isn't just a returning starter, but he is also a two-time SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week.
That being said, I expect him to break out and take his game to a whole new level – for two reasons:
He is healthy. Last spring he sat out with shoulder issues. Missing incredibly valuable practice time.
After spending much of the last two years at guard, he is moving outside to left tackle, his more natural spot.
Ivey has the tools to be a Top 10 NFL Draft choice. I think you'll start to see that become even more evident this spring.
How about on defense? Which player on that side of the ball from last year’s roster do you expect to turn some heads?
Watnick: Everything I’ve heard up to this point about redshirt freshman linebacker Jeremiah Moon has been positive. Moon, who at 6-foot-4 and roughly 230 pounds put on about 15 pounds during his redshirt season, was on the verge of avoiding a redshirt and seeing immediate playing time. However, during the first month of the season he suffered a thumb injury that required surgery.
I wrote about Moon’s first year as a Gator more in-depth here, but that injury led to him redshirting.
Before that point, Moon was working with the second-team defense in practice at strongside linebacker and was on par with a couple of Florida’s other talented freshmen, like David Reese and Vosean Joseph. Now healthy and with a year of the college level under his belt, I expect Moon to make a similar sort of impact this spring. He’s a long, athletic linebacker who can rush the passer and has a knack for getting into the backfield. I fully expect him to play a regular role in the linebacker rotation in 2017.
Wheeler: How does that old saying go: 'Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice shame on me.' Even after hearing reports that he struggled last spring, I was still in Chris Williamson's corner. From what I was told, he looked better in fall camp and with Jalen Tabor sidelined actually started in the season opener against UMASS.
Torrian Gray didn't pull his name out of a hat or have the players draw straws. Williamson apparently had to have practiced well enough to deserve the start.
Early in the game, that looked to be the case. In the official game thread, I complimented him for tight coverage on a Minuteman receiver on I believe the second drive of the game.
Unfortunately, that was the highlight of his season.
Just a couple of plays after I bragged on him, he was beaten for a long gain on a double move. Then he was toasted again not much later on the same play.
So, basically, we were both fooled. Me by Williamson's supposed improvement. Williamson by the UMASS wide out. The difference is, I was fooled once, he was fooled twice.
Yes he – inexplicably – twice fell for the same double-move on the same drive.
However, there is still talent there.
With Florida needing to rebuild their secondary, many have Duke Dawson and Chauncey Gardner penciled in as the starting cornerbacks, but I have a feeling Williamson is going to make some noise. And if not, shame on me for going to the well one too many times.
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