Ace Sanders electrifies a nation with dazzling punt return

Ace Sanders had arguably the best highlight reel in last Saturday's full college football slate in providing a key spark that helped ignite South Carolina to its biggest victory of the season.

Check out Sanders electrifying punt return
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=vIPmdEVVo-k

 

For his scintillating 70-yard punt return for a touchdown that played a huge role in South Carolina’s 35-7 triumph over previously undefeated Georgia, Sanders was named the co-SEC Special Teams Player of The week.

It was the second career touchdown for the 5-8. 175 pound Manatee High product, who is ranked first in the SEC and 15^th nationally averaging 15.47 yards per return. The junior is third in the nation in total punt return yardage with 263 yards (min 1.2 returns per game).

“I didn’t field it cleanly and dropped it and had to scramble to pick it up. I saw the lane open up and tried to hit it as fast as I could,” Sanders said in his post game press conference. “I think I probably provide a pretty big spark (on punt returns) because I can see when I am about to go out there (to field a punt) the whole team is behind me and just tell me to put it in the endzone ‘we know you can do it.’

“I do my best and when I actually do it I see how the stadium erupts and the players respond and they just come out and start playing and that’s when I know special teams is pretty big part of the team.”

It was the second punt return for a touchdown in Sander’s career and his fourth TD this season with his three others coming on pass receptions. Last season he returned a punt 68 yards for a touchdown against East Carolina and has nine career TDs.

The victory propelled South Carolina to third in the AP and USA Today Coaches polls marking its highest ranking since 1984 when the Gamecocks were second with a 9-0 record.

But South Carolina has two big back to back challenges coming up. The Gamecocks face AP No. 9 LSU Saturday and then travel to Florida to play the fourth ranked Gators.

 

 

    

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=vIPmdEVVo-k

Not interested in BCS title game? You were not alone

If you were bored watching the Alabama-LSU BCS title game or simply not interested enough to turn it on, don’t feel bad. You were not alone.

The reported TV ratings were the third lowest for the BCS title game in the 14 year history of the BCS. It drew a 14.0 rating on ESPN squeaking ahead of the 2004 game between LSU and Oklahoma and the 2002 Miami-Nebraska game.

The Alabama-LSU game was down eight percent from last year’s Auburn-Oregon and was possibly part of a bigger trend, which says people want a different system.

An interesting note is that the three lowest rated BCS title games featured a team that did not win its conference perhaps proving that the public is not as easy to fool as the BCS moguls would like to believe. There was Alabama this year and Nebraska in ’02 and Oklahoma in ’04.

The five BCS Bowl games this year averaged 8.4 percent of all TV households, down from last year. West Virginia’s 70-33 demolition of Clemson at the Orange Bowl drew a 4.5 rating, making it the lowest rated game in BCS history. The Rose and Sugar Bowls also saw a significant drop in ratings.

Expect Jeff Driskel to start for Gators, but Jacoby Brissett could finish

Just about everyone associated with the University of Florida football program expects Jeff Driskel to be the starter against LSU, but that's where the certainty ends.

It might surprise some that true freshman Jacoby Brissett is listed as the backup going into Saturday's 3:30 p.m. kickoff game. Afterall, he joined the team late, doesn't have near the knowledge of the offense as redshirt freshman Tyler Murphy and the coaching staff doesn't want him to burn a year of eligibility.

But Brissett is a talent, which is a reason offensive coordinator Charlie Weis went after him with Driskel already in the Gator fold.

A team can never have enough running backs and that might be true for quarterbacks. But Brissett is no slouch in the talent department.

It's anybody's guess how Driskel will fare against the AP's number one team whose defense is right up there with Alabama. And Driskel tweaked his ankle a little in last week's loss to the Crimson Tide, though Gators head coach Will Muschamp says it's nothing to be concerned about.

Driskel will be the fifth true freshman quarterback to start for the Gators in their long history. Three of the other four had good careers (Wayne Peace, Jesse Palmer and Chris Leak).

Peace, Palmer and Leak recorded victories in their inaugural starts, but none faced an opponent as formidable as this year's LSU team, which ranks third nationally in rushing defense and ninth in total defense and scoring defense, allowing less than 13 points per game.

Whoever the quarterback, he is going to need help from the run game and the way Florida played against Alabama that is expecting a lot. Running backs Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps are quick as lighting, but small. Alabama's quickness negated their speed and reduced them to less than mediocre because of their lack of power.

Some believe LSU has a quicker defense than Alabama and the Tigers are nearly as effective against the run, allowing only 3.8 yards per carry against a tougher schedule so far.

Gator fans are hoping for a little deja' vu. In 2003 with Leak as the true freshman starting quarterback, Florida went into Baton Rouge and upset the Tigers 19-7. But realistically expecting someone as untested as Driskel to come up with a similar performance and an over-matched Gator defense to hold LSU to seven points is asking quite a bit to say the least.

Brantley out for LSU; his replacement uncertain

Florida quarterback John Brantley will miss the LSU game with high ankle sprain and his return is uncertain.

The fifth year senior, who was injured just before halftime of last Saturday night’s Alabama game, was reported to be wearing a medical boot on his right leg today.

Gators head coach Will Muschamp said as of today true freshman Jeff Driskel is listed as starter, but things could change before Saturday’s 3:30 p.m. kickoff at LSU. He said others who will take significant reps this week are redshirt freshman Tyler Murphy and true freshman Jacoby Brissett.

“We will do what’s best for our football team,” Muschamp said.

The coach said offensive coordinator Charlie Weis would put together a game plan that would play to the strengths of Driskel and the other quarterbacks.

Coming off arguably the best half of his career, Brantley has been sharp this season completing 66 of 102 passes for 942 yards with four touchdowns and one interception. Against Alabama’s highly touted defense he was 11 for 16 for 190 yards and one touchdown.

Driskel is 7 for 16 for 73 yards and two interceptions. Murphy has never thrown a pass and Brissett has never appeared in a game.

A high ankle sprain is the sprain of a syndesmotic ligaments that connect the tibia and fibula on the lower leg. High ankle sprains are caused when the lower leg and foot twist out.

High ankle sprains are difficult to diagnose and even more difficult to determine how long an athlete might be out with the time ranging from a few days to six months. They are particularly tough on running backs because it takes away one of their strengths. For a drop back passer like Brantley the injury might not be so debilitating.

Brantley's status still unclear the day after

The status of Florida quarterback John Brantley remained unclear Sunday.

The senior was knocked out of the game on the last offensive play of the first half, when he dropped back and was taken down for a sack by Alabama linebacker Courtney Upshaw.

He limped off the field and into the locker room with the help of two trainers and spent the rest of the game in the trainer’s room though he was not taken to the hospital. His lower right leg was injured, but Gators head coach Will Muschamp would not say anything else.

Muschamp did reveal anything further on Sunday, but has said the Gators need to prepare to move forward without him. Florida is at AP number one ranked LSU for a 3:30 game on Saturday and if Brantley can’t go true freshman Jeff Driskel will get the start.

Driskel played the second half against Alabama, but was ineffective as was the rest of the Gators offense after Brantley went down. Florida’s backup quarterbacks have never started a game. Among the most prominent, Driskel and Jacob Brissett are true freshman and Tyler Murphy is a redshirt freshman.

“It's unfortunate for John. We'll see how it goes here as far as our medical staff is concerned and then working into this week,” Muschamp said.

Florida dropped t no. 17 in this week’s AP poll and no. 18 in the USA Today Coaches Poll. The Gators were number 12 last week in both polls.

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Quarterback situation at Florida could get even more crowded

Everyone in Gainesville seems to be talking about whether John Brantley or freshman Jeff Driskel will be the quarterback next season, that that hasn’t stopped new offensive coordinator Charlie Weis

from searching for more signal callers.

Weis met recently with Palm Beach Dwyer quarterback Jacoby Brissett, who at 6-5, 225 pounds has the size to match Driskel and Brantley.

Brissett has been offered by many of the top notch programs in the country, including Florida’s SEC rivals Alabaman, LSU and South Carolina. It was reported in some circles that he was leaning towards FSU but after meeting with Weis that could be change

ESPN ranks Brissett the best uncommitted quarterback available and compares him to former LSU standout JaMarcus Russell.

ESPN says Wisconsin could be the favorite if Brissett decides to leave the state of Florida where Miami is making a strong pitch under new coach Al Golden.

If Brissett goes to Florida it appears Weis sold him on the idea that nothing is etched in stone for the heralded Driskel.