Notebook: Gators lose Antwine to torn ACL

Florida has lost its eighth player to a season-ending knee injury.

UF coach Urban Meyer said after Tuesday’s practice that redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Brandon Antwine will miss the remainder of the season after tearing his ACL. Antwine injured his knee against Florida State and was made questionable for the Southeastern Conference Championship against Alabama Saturday.

“It’s just awful news,” Meyer said. “If there’s a comeback player of the year it’s him. His attitude’s great. He’s with us next year, he’s got two years left, but that’s a damper for him. That’s a tough deal for us right now.”

The loss of Antwine comes at a time when UF will face one of the best offensive lines in the country that has two All-SEC linemen in tackle Andre Smith and center Antoine Caldwell anchoring it.

Meyer said redshirt sophomore Lawrence Marsh (knee) should be a full health for the game and he will rotate fellow sophomores Torrey Davis, Terron Sanders and redshirt freshman Jaye Howard in the interior part of the defensive line.

Another option for the Gators is sophomore end Carlos Dunlap. Dunlap said Tuesday that he has worked at tackle a little this week and has done one-on-one drills with offensive linemen Phil Trautwein and sophomore Carl Johnson to get the feel of for the more physical play he should expect coming out from the inside.

The loss of Antwine will be felt off the field as well.

“He’s like a son to me, to all of us,” Meyer said. “We all love that guy. He’s a tremendous guy, he’s playing well.

“Everything happens for a reason. My wife’s told me to that for a long time and I believe it. He’ll come back stronger than ever.”

Honors

Junior quarterback Tim Tebow was named one of five finalists for the Walter Camp 2008 Player of the Year Award, announced Tuesday by the Walter Camp Football Foundation.

Tebow is a finalist for the award for the second straight year. Tebow has thrown for 2,299 yards and 25 touchdowns, with just two interceptions, while rushing for 507 yards and 12 touchdowns.

The 2008 Walter Camp Player of the Year recipient, voted on by the 119 Bowl Subdivision head coaches and sports information directors, will be announced live on the 6 p.m. edition of ESPN SportsCenter on Dec. 11. The winner will then receive his trophy at the Foundation’s annual national awards banquet on Jan. 17, 2009, at the Yale University Commons in New Haven.

Tebow was also named a finalist for the 2009 Manning Award for the second straight year, announced today by the Allstate Sugar Bowl.

The winner will be announced following the holiday bowl season. It is the only quarterback award that takes into consideration the candidates’ bowl performances.

Defensive Coordinator Charlie Strong was named one of five finalists for the 2008 Broyles Award, given annually to the nation’s top assistant coach.

This is the second time that Strong has been named a finalist for the prestigious award. In 2000, he was nominated while serving as the defensive coordinator at South Carolina.

CI Back?

Rumors have spread that senior tight end Cornelius Ingram will make his season debut against Alabama after tearing his ACL during summer workouts. Meyer dismissed those rumors Tuesday.

“Real wishful thinking on his end and my end,” he said of Ingram playing Saturday.

When asked if he would allow him to play if Ingram said he could, Meyer nixed that as well.

“No, they have doctors and trainers that are well above coaches and players – a lot smarter,” he said.