For those in desperate need of a football fix now that the Dog Days are upon us, there is a quick and easy remedy, and it can be found at your local newsstand, bookstore or supermarket.
The preseason college football magazines.
They’re out — and ready to be consumed by insatiable fans who hunger for the fall.
For Florida followers, there is a whole lot of positive stuff to digest between now and the start of preseason practice.
The consensus among the experts is that the Gators will be strong again on defense, improved on offense with more efficient quarterback play and a more reliable line and among the nation’s elite on special teams. With a tough but doable schedule that features only three true road games, Florida is considered a top-16 team and legitimate contender in the SEC East.
Phil Steele’s College Football Preview is perhaps the most comprehensive (and usually most reliable) preseason magazine on the shelves. Steele is showing the Gators a lot of love — picking them to win the East and listing Florida as his No. 1 surprise team in the nation
Here’s what Steele has to say about the Gators, who he has ranked No. 9 in his preseason rankings: “This year, the QB will be surrounded by talent at RB, WR, TE and the offensive line. … Feleipe Franks has a rocket arm and looks the part, he just needs some experience. … They can afford one loss and if they are in the SEC title game, Florida is just one win away from the playoffs. I will call for them to find a QB and an offense and match it with that defense and special teams unit. With a favorable schedule, this team has a shot at winning it all.”
Among his player rankings, Steele really likes the UF receivers, special teams, secondary and defensive line. He ranks the receivers No. 4 in the nation. The special teams are No. 4, the secondary No. 7 and the D-line No. 8.
He has three Gators on his preseason All-SEC team — offensive tackle Martez Ivey, defensive end Jabari Zuniga and cornerback Duke Dawson.
As for some of the other publications, Street & Smith has the Gators ranked 13, while Lindy’s and Athlon have the Gators at No. 16 in their preseason rankings.
The magazine is picking the Gators to win the East.
Here’s is Street & Smith’s take on the Gators:
“Jim McElwain has engineered a quick turnaround in Gainesville. But the Gators have used 10 different quarterbacks since Tim Tebow and remain unsettled at the position heading into August.
“As McElwain heads into his third season, he is looking at a collection of players more of his and his staff’s making. More importantly, Florida has a roster that is more complete and deeper than he has had at his disposal. That’s important as the Gators try to keep moving forward after a 9-4 season that included an SEC East title and an Outback blowout of Iowa.”
The preseason rankings:
Phil Steele’s 2017 College Football Preview
Alabama
Ohio State
Florida State
Southern Cal
Oklahoma
Penn State
Washington
Clemson
Florida
Wisconsin
Street & Smith
Alabama
Ohio State
Florida State
Southern Cal
Clemson
Oklahoma
Penn State
Washington
Michigan
LSU
13. Florida
Lindy’s Southeast Preview
Alabama
Southern Cal
Ohio State
Florida State
Oklahoma State
Penn State
Clemson
Washington
Oklahoma
Auburn
16. Florida
Athlon Sports
Alabama
Ohio State
Florida State
Washington
Southern Cal
Penn State
Clemson
Oklahoma
Auburn
Michigan
16. Florida
Street & Smith does have one major glitch in its Florida preview. It’s an action photo of quarterback Feleipe Franks that is actually outside linebacker Daniel McMillian, who was also No. 13 last season as a senior.
Lindy’s does not agree with Street & Smith and Steele on where the Gators will finish in the East, picking UF second behind the Bulldogs.
Lindy’s is really high on the UF kickers, ranking Eddy Pineiro No. 3 among the nation’s place-kickers and Johnny Townsend No. 5 among punters. The magazine has Dawson ranked at the No. 5 cornerback and Antonio Callaway the No. 7 wide receiver.
Lindy’s lists sophomore linebacker Vosean Joseph as UF’s emerging star and true freshman quarterback Kadarius Toney as the top newcomer.
Here’s Lindy’s take on Florida:
“Hey, the Gators might have a quarterback. It’s not a done deal heading into fall camp, but redshirt freshman Feleipe Franks just might be the spark UF needs to pair with WR Antonio Callaway and RB Jordan Scarlett. Florida faces only three true (and manageable) road games: Kentucky, Missouri, South Carolina.”
In Athlon, the Gators are No. 16 in the preseason rankings and predicted to finish second in the East behind Georgia. The magazine’s projection is for UF to face Louisville in the Belk Bowl in Charlotte, N.C.
Here’s Athlon’s summation of the Gators:
“In one sense, McElwain’s teams have overachieved. Yet the Gators also have underwhelmed too often. A 30-3 win against Iowa in the Outback Bowl is something to build on. But Florida’s 2017 schedule is challenging. … Two seasons after he was named SEC Coach of the Year, McElwain enters Year 3 still with much to prove.”
Contact Robbie Andreu at 352-374-5022 or robbie.andreu@gvillesun.com. Also check out Andreu’s blog at Gatorsports.com.
