Florida defensive lineman Jermaine Cunningham smothers Miami quarterback Robert Marve in win over Canes. (Photo: Matt Marriott/UAA Communications)
Welcome Home, Part IV: 10 Tidbits That Made 2008 Gators Special
Thursday, October 4, 2018 | Football, Scott Carter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The 2008 Gators were so good that when 2009 started, they had only one goal on their mind: to repeat as national champions.
Most liked their chances.
"With the ammunition returning to Gainesville this fall, the Florida Gators could roll out of bed an hour before kickoffs and go 10-2 in the regular season. Quarterback Tim Tebow has mastered the spread offense, the defense returns every starter from last year and most victories could be a yawn away." – The Sporting News
The Gators were a great team in '09 but not national champions as in '08, a loss to Alabama in the SEC Championship Game serving as a titanic shift of power.
As we continue to take a look back at the 2008 Gators leading into their return to campus on Saturday to be honored on the 10-year anniversary of UF's third national title, we toss out 10 factoids that helped the Gators climb to the top:
DEFENSE DID IT
In the victory over Oklahoma in the BCS National Championship Game, the Gators held the Sooners to 14 points. Oklahoma, led by Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Sam Bradford, set a modern record for scoring that season with 702 points and scored at least 60 points in its last five games. The Gators limited Oklahoma to 363 yards and held Bradford (26 of 41, 256 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs) relatively in check as Ahmad Black and Major Wright came up with interceptions.
***
NO-PICK ZONE
The reigning Heisman winner when the '08 season started, Tim Tebow set a school record during Florida's 26-3 victory over Miami in the second game of the season. Tebow extended his streak of passes without an interception to 130, breaking Danny Wuerffel's previous school record of 121. Tebow would go on to throw 203 consecutive passes without an interception before Arkansas freshman Jerry Franklin picked him off later in the season. Tebow's record remains intact today.
***
POINTS, POINTS, POINTS
The 2008 Gators scored a school-record 611 points, averaging 43.6 points per game, the program's best per-game average since the final year of Steve Spurrier's Fun 'N Gun offense of 2001. The fewest points Florida scored in a game all season was its 24-14 win over Oklahoma for the national title. The Gators scored 50 or more points five times, topped by a 70-19 home win over the Citadel.
***
COMPLETE ATTACK
The Gators provided a glimpse of what was to come when they scored in all three phases of the game in the season opener, a 56-10 win over Hawaii. Brandon James scored UF's first touchdown of the season on a 1-yard run, defensive back Major Wright scored the second on an interception return, and then James scored the third on a 74-yard punt return. Offense, defense, special teams – Florida had it all.
***
RUNNING WILD
Running backs Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps became the first pair of UF freshmen to rush for more than 100 yards in the same game. Rainey had 103 yards on 10 carries and Demps reeled off 103 yards on seven carries in Florida's 38-7 win at Arkansas.
***
BIG BLOCKERS
In the Gators' 63-5 rout of Kentucky, they quickly jumped to a 14-0 lead thanks to special teams. Florida capitalized on a pair of blocked punts by William Green and Jeff Demps on Kentucky's first two possessions of the game. The Gators finished the season with nine blocked kicks/punts, led by three from defensive lineman Carlos Dunlap.
***
RECORD RUN
In Florida's 49-10 thumping of Georgia, quarterback Tim Tebow's first rushing touchdown of the game was the 37th of his career. Why was that significant? It broke the school record owned for 19 years by Emmitt Smith, who set the mark from 1987-89 before leaving to become the NFL's all-time leading rusher.
***
TURNOVER TIME
The Gators dominated the turnover margin in '08 with a school-record 26 interceptions. Nine players had at least one interception, led by sophomore safety Ahmad Black's seven. Linebacker Brandon Spikes and safety Major Wright each had four picks, and cornerbacks Joe Haden and Janoris Jenkins chipped in with three each. The Gators returned five of the interceptions for scores.
***
NEW DIGS
As the '08 Gators opened preseason camp, the $28 million construction/renovation of the Heavener Football Complex was completed, including an expansion of the strength and conditioning room, a new Gator Room, renovation to the football offices and a trophy room in tribute to Gator Greats.
***
SPECIAL RETUNER
Junior Brandon James put together the best season of any punt returner in school history for the '08 Gators. James returned 37 punts for a school-record 510 yards, an average of 13.8 return. James returned two punt for touchdowns. James also returned kickoffs, averaging 23.1 yards per return.
Most liked their chances.
"With the ammunition returning to Gainesville this fall, the Florida Gators could roll out of bed an hour before kickoffs and go 10-2 in the regular season. Quarterback Tim Tebow has mastered the spread offense, the defense returns every starter from last year and most victories could be a yawn away." – The Sporting News
The Gators were a great team in '09 but not national champions as in '08, a loss to Alabama in the SEC Championship Game serving as a titanic shift of power.
As we continue to take a look back at the 2008 Gators leading into their return to campus on Saturday to be honored on the 10-year anniversary of UF's third national title, we toss out 10 factoids that helped the Gators climb to the top:
2008 Season Review:
— Gators Football (@GatorsFB) October 4, 2018
🐊 Playmakers
🐊 Touchdowns
🐊 Interceptions
🐊 Blocked Kicks
🐊 Fun
2008 Recap: https://t.co/OyQwDwYaEf #GatorsAlways pic.twitter.com/foT4C6V0Gg
DEFENSE DID IT
In the victory over Oklahoma in the BCS National Championship Game, the Gators held the Sooners to 14 points. Oklahoma, led by Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Sam Bradford, set a modern record for scoring that season with 702 points and scored at least 60 points in its last five games. The Gators limited Oklahoma to 363 yards and held Bradford (26 of 41, 256 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs) relatively in check as Ahmad Black and Major Wright came up with interceptions.
***
NO-PICK ZONE
The reigning Heisman winner when the '08 season started, Tim Tebow set a school record during Florida's 26-3 victory over Miami in the second game of the season. Tebow extended his streak of passes without an interception to 130, breaking Danny Wuerffel's previous school record of 121. Tebow would go on to throw 203 consecutive passes without an interception before Arkansas freshman Jerry Franklin picked him off later in the season. Tebow's record remains intact today.
***
POINTS, POINTS, POINTS
The 2008 Gators scored a school-record 611 points, averaging 43.6 points per game, the program's best per-game average since the final year of Steve Spurrier's Fun 'N Gun offense of 2001. The fewest points Florida scored in a game all season was its 24-14 win over Oklahoma for the national title. The Gators scored 50 or more points five times, topped by a 70-19 home win over the Citadel.
***
COMPLETE ATTACK
The Gators provided a glimpse of what was to come when they scored in all three phases of the game in the season opener, a 56-10 win over Hawaii. Brandon James scored UF's first touchdown of the season on a 1-yard run, defensive back Major Wright scored the second on an interception return, and then James scored the third on a 74-yard punt return. Offense, defense, special teams – Florida had it all.
***
RUNNING WILD
Running backs Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps became the first pair of UF freshmen to rush for more than 100 yards in the same game. Rainey had 103 yards on 10 carries and Demps reeled off 103 yards on seven carries in Florida's 38-7 win at Arkansas.
***
BIG BLOCKERS
In the Gators' 63-5 rout of Kentucky, they quickly jumped to a 14-0 lead thanks to special teams. Florida capitalized on a pair of blocked punts by William Green and Jeff Demps on Kentucky's first two possessions of the game. The Gators finished the season with nine blocked kicks/punts, led by three from defensive lineman Carlos Dunlap.
***
RECORD RUN
In Florida's 49-10 thumping of Georgia, quarterback Tim Tebow's first rushing touchdown of the game was the 37th of his career. Why was that significant? It broke the school record owned for 19 years by Emmitt Smith, who set the mark from 1987-89 before leaving to become the NFL's all-time leading rusher.
***
TURNOVER TIME
The Gators dominated the turnover margin in '08 with a school-record 26 interceptions. Nine players had at least one interception, led by sophomore safety Ahmad Black's seven. Linebacker Brandon Spikes and safety Major Wright each had four picks, and cornerbacks Joe Haden and Janoris Jenkins chipped in with three each. The Gators returned five of the interceptions for scores.
***
NEW DIGS
As the '08 Gators opened preseason camp, the $28 million construction/renovation of the Heavener Football Complex was completed, including an expansion of the strength and conditioning room, a new Gator Room, renovation to the football offices and a trophy room in tribute to Gator Greats.
***
SPECIAL RETUNER
Junior Brandon James put together the best season of any punt returner in school history for the '08 Gators. James returned 37 punts for a school-record 510 yards, an average of 13.8 return. James returned two punt for touchdowns. James also returned kickoffs, averaging 23.1 yards per return.
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