Dante Fowler Jr. is one of the most notable standouts to play for the Gators this decade. (File photo)
A Gators All-Decade Team (So Far)
Monday, July 30, 2018 | Football, Scott Carter
In Mullen's first stint at Florida as offensive coordinator, the Gators won two national titles in four seasons and featured some of college football's most dominant players.
Of course, Mullen is back at Florida following nine seasons as head coach at Mississippi State because, well, times have changed. The Gators enter Mullen's first year coming off a 4-7 season.
Consider this: in Mullen's final three seasons as UF's offensive coordinator under Urban Meyer, Florida lost a combined six games -- and four of those came during Tim Tebow's Heisman-winning season of 2007.
Not that anyone here needs another reminder, but, yes, times have indeed changed.
Still, while the Gators have lost their place at the top of the polls in recent years, the program continues to attract and produce high-quality players. The Gators have had at least one player selected in the first round of the NFL Draft for six consecutive years, the third-longest streak in program history.
Florida produced a first-round pick nine consecutive years from 1983-91 and seven in a row from 1997-2003.
With the Gators set to open fall camp on Friday, now seems a good time for a different sort of look back at the last eight seasons, or for Florida fans, that period of history known as A.T. – After Tebow.
But this time, instead of regurgitated the program's ups and downs since the start of the 2010 season, here's a look at a Gators All-Decade Team over the past eight seasons (2010-17). To make sure those most deserving make the team, for players who played multiple positions during their UF careers, I have placed them at the position they fit best to round out the teams.
Note: These selections are based strictly on their college careers. To be included, players had to be on the roster for at least one season from 2010-17, a stretch that includes three head coaches and 101 games (60-41 record).
I'll post this blog to my FloridaGators.com Facebook page if you want to chime in with your own selections or to simply tell me I should become a gardener.
Let the fun begin:
WR Demarcus Robinson – 53 catches, 810 yards in 2014 single-season highs since '09
WR Antonio Callaway – Burst onto scene by averaging 19.4 yards per catch in '15
OT D.J. Humphries – Turned in solid junior season in '14 to jump up draft boards
OG Marcus Gilbert – Started final 27 games of career, including 13 as senior in '10
C Mike Pouncey – Moved to center his final season in '10 and named All-SEC
OG Jon Halapio – Versatile and powerful; started 43 games from 2010-13
OT David Sharpe – Starter in '15 and '16 who declared for draft after junior year
TE Jordan Reed – Named first-team All-SEC by AP in '12, declared for draft
QB Will Grier – Never lost as Gators starter; now a Heisman candidate at West Virginia
RB Mike Gillislee – Rushed for 1,152 yards in '12, seventh-best in school history
UT Chris Rainey – First-team All-SEC as senior in '11 as dangerous playmaker
WR Solomon Patton – 44 catches, 556 yards, 6 TDs as senior in '13
WR Tyrie Cleveland – Deep threat averaged 18.6 yards per catch in '17
OT Martez Ivey – Enters senior season on quest to win and reach potential
OG Trenton Brown – Transfer quickly established himself over '13 and '14 seasons
C Max Garcia – All-SEC selection as senior after transferring in from Maryland
OG Chaz Green – Started three seasons from 2011-14; freshman All-American in '11
OT Jawaan Taylor – Two-year starter enters junior season as a building block
TE Trey Burton – Mr. Versatile played in 50 games, started 29 from 2010-13
QB Jeff Driskel – Impressive athlete missed out on playing in Urban Meyer's offense
RB Kelvin Taylor – Workhorse carried ball 259 times in '15, second in school history
UT Jeff Demps – Accumulated 3,592 all-purpose yards by time career ended in '11
DE Dante Fowler Jr. – Two-time All-SEC selection anchored line in '13 and '14
DT Jaye Howard – Three-time SEC DL of Week had 131 tackles from 2008-11
DT Sharrif Floyd – First-team All-SEC and Sporting News All-American in '12
DE Jonathan Bullard – Started 36 games, 33.5 tackles for loss from 2012-15
LB Jarrad Davis – Team leader played key role in back-to-back SEC East titles
LB Antonio Morrison – Led Gators in tackles for three consecutive seasons
LB Jon Bostic – Team-high 94 tackles in '11 and rung Teddy Bridgewater's bell in '12
CB Janoris Jenkins – AP All-SEC pick as junior in '10; finished at North Alabama
CB Vernon Hargreaves III – Only second two-time All-American DB in school history
FS Ahmad Black – Playmaker had 13 career picks, Outback Bowl MVP as senior in '10
SS Matt Elam – Ferocious hitter lived up to hype as a first-team All-American in '12
DE CeCe Jefferson – Seeks to build on strong junior season; 28.5 career TFLs
DT Dominque Easley – Knee injuries stunted production on way to 72 tackles
DT Caleb Brantley – Second-team All-SEC in '16; 20 TFLs, 5.5 sacks in career
DE Alex McCalister – Finished with 18.5 TFLs, 12.5 sacks in only 27 career games
LB Jelani Jenkins – Solid player overshadowed at times, finished with 182 tackles
LB David Reese – Team-leading 102 tackles last season as a sophomore
LB Alex Anzalone – Physically gifted player limited by injuries in 31 career games
CB Quincy Wilson – Kept getting better and named second-team All-SEC in '16
CB Jalen Tabor – Two-time first-team All-SEC selection oozed confidence
FS Marcus Maye – All-SEC as a senior in '16 and USA Today All-American in '15
SS Keanu Neal – Developed into a force by junior season in '15 with 96 tackles
K Caleb Sturgis – First-team All-American in '12, made 70 of 88 FGA in career
P Johnny Townsend – SEC's all-time leader in career average a fan favorite
KR Andre Debose – Returned school-record four kickoffs for TDs from 2010-14
PR Antonio Callaway – Returned two punts for TDs and averaged 15.5 yards in '15
K Eddie Pineiro – Second-team All-SEC in '17 made 38 of 43 career kicks
P Kyle Christy – Averaged 43.7 yards on 181 career punts from 2011-14
KR Solomon Patton – Averaged school-record 27.7 yards per return from 2010-13
PR Andre Debose – Had 62-yard touchdown return in loss to LSU in 2014
Toughest call: Leaving first-round pick Taven Bryan off the list. While Bryan turned in a strong junior season in '17, Easley was more productive consistently when healthy, hence he gets the nod on the second-team defense.
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