James strikes early against Vols

With the game less than two minutes old, the end zone in front of him and Tennessee Volunteer would-be tacklers beginning to fade into the background, Brandon James had just one thought.

Please don't let there be a flag.

He got his wish, and on Florida's first touch of the game James had returned a punt 83 yards for a score. That began an avalanche of points that didn't subside until the final second ticked off of the Gators' 59-20 victory Saturday.

Coach Urban Meyer and quarterback Tim Tebow later praised the talent and skills of the 5-foot-7, 180-pound sophomore. But James, who had an 89-yard punt called back because of a penalty in last year's Tennessee game, didn't want to talk much about himself.

"Once I caught the ball, I knew if the 10 guys in front of me did their usual good job of blocking, I could just follow them and something might happen," said James, who finished with a combined 193 return yards on three punts and four kickoffs. "They did that."

Never a braggadocious sort, James nonetheless said he has gained a lot personally from his summer arrest for purchasing marijuana from an undercover police officer.

He said the misstep, which forced a suspension for the season-opener against Western Kentucky, helped him rediscover his priorities and understand better how much he wanted to be a good teammate.

"It made me more humble," said James, who added his long return was aided by a Tennessee coverage unit that was slow off the ball for fear of a blocked punt. "It opened my eyes to a lot of things. I learned to watch the guys I have around me, and I also don't want to embarrass (my teammates) again."

Meyer said he has faith in his return man.

"I believe Brandon James is a good person," Meyer said. "Brandon James wouldn't be here if he wasn't a good person.

"He's digging himself out."

And on the field, he's drawing oohs and aahs.

Count Tebow among those not surprised.

High school rivals — James played at St. Augustine and Tebow at Ponte Vedra Beach Nease — Tebow said he learned years ago what a mistake it was to kick the ball to James.

"We tried not to because when we did, he'd do what he did (against the Volunteers)," Tebow said with a laugh.

"He's a dynamic playmaker. He's a game-changer. He was doing that to me in high school, so it's good to have him on my team now."