After reading this from Inside The Gators on Rivals, I'm wondering if Phil Steele is having doubt about leaving UF outside his top 55 ranked teams:
florida.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1788534August 3, 2015
Pre-camp Roundtable
Inside the Gators
Fall training camp is finally here. With that comes plenty of burning questions about this Florida Gators football team as it heads into the first season of the Jim McElwain era.
Today, football expert Phil Steele of Phil Steele's College Football Preview magazine, Bleacher Report lead SEC college football writer Barrett Sallee and Gainesville Sun writer Zach Abolverdi join Inside the Gators' Landon Watnick to discuss a few key topics about the Gators before fall camp gets underway.
Which quarterback do you think is named the starter by the time the season-opener is underway: Will Grier or Treon Harris?
Abolverdi: Grier will prevail in the quarterback competition. Harris is a talented player who could thrive in the right system, but Grier is more suited for what McElwain and Doug Nussmeier want to do offensively. He's more of a pro-style QB as opposed to the dual-threat Harris. Grier is also three inches taller and now up to 215 pounds.
Sallee: I could definitely see Grier being a star. There is some concern that his high school success was a byproduct of weak high school competition, and that his arm strength isn't up to par. With McElwain as his coach, he will be a star at some point. If the offensive line helps him out, it could be this year.
Steele: I'm clearly going with Grier as the starting quarterback. In McElwain's offense he needs a guy who is a polished passer, and I think Grier fits that billing. He's got better size. He was the No. 3-rated quarterback coming out of high school. You go back and look at his high school career -- he had more than 14,000 yards passing. I think he fits the offense best. What I saw out of Harris last year, he completed less than 50% of his passes. Granted, that was in a different type of offense, but I just think Grier is ready to step in. McElwain is an excellent quarterback coach. I think he's got a good product to work with.
Watnick: Grier, simply because he's a better fit for what McElwain is trying to do in his pro-style offense. You really saw the difference in the spring game. Harris made some miraculous, spectacular throws here and there, but ultimately Grier had the more consistent outing and looked smoother in his progressions. If Grier can cut down on his turnovers a bit this fall camp, the job should be his after he pulled slightly ahead during the spring.
Other than the ongoing quarterback battle, what storyline about this team are you most interested in following this fall?
Abolverdi: I'm interested to see how the running back rotation shakes out. Kelvin Taylor is the presumed starter, but underachieved last season after coming off a promising freshman campaign in 2013. Taylor must assert himself early, because Adam Lane and Jordan Scarlett should both push for playing time. McElwain will rely heavily on the run game in his first year.
Sallee: The offensive line will be fascinating to watch develop. It's safe to assume that there will be some inconsistencies early, but if they gel as the season progresses, it could set Florida up in a good spot in 2016.
Steele: The offense as a whole. Florida's got a good defense -- that's pretty much been the status quo and it will be the status quo again this year -- so the big question is if they can get the offense rolling along there. Of course, the offensive line is the biggest question mark. In the spring, six scholarship offensive linemen were available for the spring game. The unit has gotten deeper with Fordham transfer Mason Halter -- 6-8, 300, he was a three-year starter there. But overall, the offense is only going to go as far as the offensive line takes them. If they're getting wiped out by opposing defensive lines, it's going to be a long year for Florida. How quickly the offense comes together will be the key to whether Florida can actually contend in the East.
Watnick: What I really want to see if who steps up at wide receiver outside of Demarcus Robinson and Brandon Powell. That other outside receiver spot will be up for grabs and plenty will contend for it, including Ahmad Fulwood, Chris Thompson, C.J. Worton, Alvin Bailey and even freshman Antonio Callaway. Some of those guys are really going to need to step up and make plays to take the pressure off of Robinson.
Who is your offensive breakout pick for Florida this year?
Abolverdi: Jake McGee, if his broken leg is fully healed. Florida finally has depth and talent at the tight end position, and McGee will be the standout of the group. He's a perfect fit for McElwain's offense, has the experience others don't and will become a go-to target for Grier. Expect McGee to bring production to a position that has been non-existent the last two seasons.
Sallee: Brandon Powell is in a perfect spot to develop into a star. He's a weapon at slot receiver, can be used in jet sweeps and is darn near impossible to cover. What's more, with the concerns up front, some quick passes might be a good idea, which would mean even more work for Powell. His versatility will make him incredibly valuable to the Gators.
Steele: I'm going to go with Grier. Kelvin Taylor was one of my thoughts, but I think Grier can step in. Here's a guy who hasn't started, hasn't played in a college football game, but I think he could be a pretty good SEC quarterback in his first year as a starter.
Watnick: In the slot, Powell has the capacity to be a really productive threat. That's where most of his big catches came last year - the FSU and LSU games immediately come to mind in that department. Instead of seeing time both as a running back and receiver like he did as a freshman, Powell can focus on one position and master it. Considering he was the lone offensive player to make the trip to SEC Media Days last month, the new coaching staff must be optimistic about his prospects this upcoming season.
Who is your defensive breakout pick for Florida this year?
Abolverdi: It's Caleb Brantley's time to shine. With Darious Cummings now gone, Brantley is slated to start this fall and has the potential to be much better than his predecessor. The redshirt sophomore showed several flashes in 2014 and has the best first step of Florida's defensive tackles. If his work ethic and level of play stay consistent, Brantley will have a breakout season.
Sallee: CeCe Jefferson for sure. New defensive coordinator Geoff Collins loves to rotate nine or 10 guys up front, and Jefferson will almost certainly be used in pass rush situations early and perhaps evolve into a three-down end by the end of the season. He could have the same kind of year Carl Lawson had in 2013 for Auburn, where he shows tons of potential and evolves into a star by season's end.
Steele: Jefferson up front. He's a guy who comes in as my No. 5-rated defensive linemen out of high school. If you're an offensive line, you have to be concerned with Jonathan Bullard and Bryan Cox Jr. Talking to head coaches, one of the easiest positions for a true freshman to play is rush end, because you just line them up and say, "Go get the quarterback." Jefferson fits into that mold pretty good. He was a guy who had 17.5 sacks as a junior, had a bunch of sacks again the next year. He's an explosive pass-rusher and won't be the focus of offensive lines, but he will be playing that position where it's easy for true freshmen to contribute right away.
Watnick: Outside linebacker Alex Anzalone is a player who could really have an impact heading into his junior season. Injuries limited him as a freshman, and despite playing sparingly as a sophomore he made some really smart plays and rarely missed any tackles. He's one of Florida's most skilled and sound linebackers, and I expect him to take a leap following this past spring where he took leadership of the group with Antonio Morrison (knee) out. Redshirt freshman defensive tackle Taven Bryan, now known around these parts as the "Wyoming Wild Man" thanks to defensive line coach Chris Rumph, is another player I'd pick for this category following his impressive spring.
Which Florida freshman do you expect to really impress this fall?
Abolverdi: Five-star recruit CeCe Jefferson obviously comes to UF with high expectations, but the Gators have edge rushers and freshman defensive linemen usually don't play a lot. However, Jefferson might have more natural ability than any pass rusher on Florida's roster. Look for him to see the field early and often, and he'll be running with the first-team defense sooner than people think.
Sallee: Grier can absolutely be a star. There is some concern that his high school stats were a byproduct of weak high school competition. He is in a perfect spot to develop into a star with the right coach and right system, as long as his line helps him out.
Steele: You have to look at a guy like Jordan Scarlett out of the backfield. Kelvin Taylor and Adam Lane both have had a couple of seasons where they were banged up a little bit, but Scarlett comes in -- either him or Jordan Cronkrite actually, the two freshmen running backs -- both have some decent size, both have good speed. They're in a brand-new system. One of those guys could step in with the new head coach and end up being perhaps the leading rusher.
Watnick: As the season progresses, I would expect Callaway to play well enough to potentially catapult himself into a starting role. He's impressed many of his teammates during summer player-run workouts with his speed, good hands and knack for making plays. Safety Keanu Neal recently called Callaway a player who is going to be really special. A four-star receiver out of Miami (Fla.) Booker T. Washington High School who finished outside of the Rivals250, Callaway is at good playing weight (5-11, 198 pounds) and should make an impact immediately for the receiving corps.
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