Gators Notebook: Brantley-to-Debose Strikes Twice; Sturgis Rebounds in Big Way
Sunday, November 20, 2011 | Football, Scott Carter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Andre Debose flashed back to his days at Sanford’s Seminole High on Saturday.
As one of the nation’s top recruits, Debose pretty much did whatever he wanted in high school, scorching opposing defensive backs with his blazing speed on the way to the end zone.
In Florida’s 54-32 win over Furman on Saturday, Debose’s speed helped ignite the Gators’ offense not once, but twice on long touchdown receptions from quarterback John Brantley.
Debose’s 80-yard touchdown reception late in the second quarter cut Furman’s lead to 22-20 after the Paladins jumped ahead 15-0. Debose made a nice catch by beating Paladins cornerback Ryan Steed as they both went for the ball
“Our team needed it, our crowd needed it,’’ Brantley said. “It just came at a good time. Andre did a great job of just running down there and making a play for us.’’
But Debose wasn’t finished. With Florida nursing a 30-25 lead late in the third quarter, Debose sprinted down the sideline on another go route and caught a 64-yard touchdown from Brantley.
He finished with three catches for a career-high 151 yards and two touchdowns.
“The DB was a little bit too close and I took full advantage of it and just beat him with speed,’’ Debose said. “I was very surprised the way they played me the second time. We took full advantage of it, and once again it was a great throw by John Brantley.
“Once the ball is in the air I just attack it. It brings back a lot of memories and great times in high school.”
Debose wasn’t the only Gator receiver with a touchdown catch Saturday. Tight end Jordan Reed hauled in a 14-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter and Quinton Dunbar’s 29-yard touchdown reception late in the second quarter gave the Gators their first lead. The touchdown catch was the first of Dunbar’s career.
“I just wanted to make a play,’’ Dunbar said. “Brantley put the ball right where it had to be.’’
Brantley finished 16 of 28 for a career-high 329 yards and four touchdowns in the best passing game of his Gators career. He joined Iowa’s James Vandenberg as the only quarterbacks in the country with two touchdown passes of 80 or more yards this season. Brantley tossed an 83-yard touchdown to Chris Rainey against Tennessee.
BIG FOOT
Redshirt junior kicker Caleb Sturgis has been perhaps the most consistent player on Florida’s roster.
Sturgis has made 21 of 25 field goals and has been good on all 27 point-after attempts. In Saturday’s win over Furman, Sturgis’ day started out on the wrong foot when he missed a 51-yard attempt in the first quarter and a 40-yard try in the second.
Sturgis rebounded by hitting a 43-yarder in the third quarter and in his biggest kick of the day, Sturgis hit a 55-yarder to put the Gators up 40-32 early in the fourth quarter.
He had mixed emotions about his performance.
“I never want to go 50 percent,’’ Sturgis said. “But I did some good things and hopefully can build off that. I shouldn’t have missed the 51-yarder and 40. I feel bad when we have great protection and a good snap and hold and I miss.’’
With the 55-yarder, Sturgis became the first kicker in UF history with five field goals of 50 or more yards in his career. He also now has 45 career field goals, second in school history behind Jeff Chandler’s 67.
He joined UConn’s David Teggert as the only kickers this season with three field goals of 50 or more yards.
“I don’t look too much into the personal records. I just want to help the team out,’’ Sturgis said. “If they ask if I’m ready to go out there, I’m not going to tell them I am if I expect to miss.’’
O-LINE RESPONDS TO ADVERSITY
Florida’s offensive line took on yet another look on Saturday due to injuries.
Already short on depth, regular starters Dan Wenger and Chaz Green did not play due to ankle injuries. Wenger had started every game until Saturday while Green has missed four consecutive games. Green dressed out against Furman but was unable to go.
During the game, starting left tackle Xavier Nixon was injured, prompting starting left guard Kyle Koehne to move to tackle and fifth-year senior James Wilson coming in for Koehne. Meanwhile, center Jon Harrison returned to the starting lineup after being replaced by Wenger against South Carolina.
Muschamp said the short-handed unit got the job done. The start was the first of Koehne’s career.
“Kyle Koehne and James Wilson responded very well for us," Muschamp said.
SWAMP NUGGETS
--Rainey led the Gators in rushing with 90 yards on 15 carries, increasing his season total to 748 yards. Rainey needs to average 126 yards in his final two games to become first Florida back with 1,000 yards since Ciatrick Fason in 2004.
--Gators S Pop Saunders and LB Jelani Jenkins had interception returns for touchdowns, marking the first time the Gators have returned two picks for scores since Aug. 30, 2008, when Major Wright and Ahmad Black scored against Hawaii.
--Reed, who had four catches for 56 yards in the first half, did not play in the second half re-aggravating an ankle injury. Muschamp said team trainers are hopeful Reed could return to practice in a couple of days.
--Jenkins’ 75-yard interception return was second-longest by a Florida LB since 1980, trailing only an 81-yard return by Darren Hambrick against Georgia in 1994.
--Gators senior WR Deonte Thompson’s 41-yard reception in the first quarter was his longest of the season.
--Gators DT Dominique Easley blocked the first punt of his career in the second quarter. The block was the Gators’ fifth of the season (four punts, one field goal).
--Furman QB Chris Forcier put the Paladins up 15-0 with his 31-yard touchdown pass to David Hendrix in the first quarter. The touchdown pass was his 23rd of the season, breaking former Gator Ingle Martin’s single-season school record set in 2004 after Martin transferred from Florida.
--Gators LB Darrin Kitchens made the most of his first career start, recording a team-high 12 tackles starting in place of injured Lerentee McCray.
--OL Matt Patchan, LB Jon Bostic, S Josh Evans and WR Frankie Hammond Jr. served as Florida’s captains.
--The announced crowd of 84,674 was the smallest of the season.
--Furman RB Jerodis Williams became the first Paladins back to break the 1,000-yard barrier since Hindley Brigham in 2003. Williams rushed 19 times for 133 yards, including a 77-yard touchdown in the third quarter that cut Florida’s lead to 37-32.
