New level of competition awaits
Marshall facing nation's highest ranked team

by CHRIS R. MCLAUGHLIN
sports editor

When Marshall takes the field Saturday in Gainesville, Fla., the Thundering Herd will be entering a level of college football that the team and its fans have never seen before.

Past season openers have seen the Thundering Herd take down Clemson and South Carolina in front of huge crowds. This time though, the opponent is the number one ranked University of Florida Gators.

Marshall offensive coordinator Ed Zaunbrecher knows the Thundering Herd will be stepping up to a another level of competition.

"They (Florida) just have so many phenomenal athletes, it will be a great test for our kids," Zaunbrecher said.

The Gators finished last season 10-3, including a South Eastern Conference Championship and an appearance in the Nokia Sugar Bowl.

Florida Head Coach Steve Spurrier features an offense he describes as the Fun and Gun.

Orchestrating the offensive unit will be sophomore Rex Grossman, who returns following a freshman season in which he threw for 1,866 yards and 21 touchdowns.

Also likely to see time at quarterback with Grossman will be fellow sophomore Brock Berlin.

USA Today named Berlin National Prep Offensive Player of the Year in 1999 after a career at Shreveport Christian High in Louisiana.

Junior Earnest Graham and senior Robert Gillespie will split the running back duties. The duo combined for over 1,300 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2000.

Rob Roberts will start at fullback if the senior can return in time from a preseason injury. Freshman Ray Snell is the primary back-up.

Spurrier believes the Gator receiving unit will be the strong point of his offense. Returning will be sophomore Jabar Gaffney and junior Reche Caldwell.

Gaffney was named National Freshman of the Year in 2000 after catching 71 passes for 1,184 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Caldwell pulled in 49 receptions to go along with six touchdowns.

Junior Aaron Walker will return as the starter at tight end.

The offensive line returns three starters, headed by first team All-SEC choice Mike Pearson. Senior guard Tommy Moody and center David Jorgensen each started all 13 games last year.

Expectations are also high on the defensive side of the ball for the Gators.

Nine starters return, led by All-Americans Alex Brown and Lito Sheppard.

Brown, a senior defensive end who has earned first team All-SEC honors the past two years, leads the Gator defensive front. Sophomore Clint Mitchell returns at the other end spot. Both Mitchell and Brown will be backed up by senior Kennard Ellis, who saw action in all 13 games last year.

The tackle position was dealt a blow when Gerard Warren decided to bypass his senior year and enter the NFL draft. Warren was the third player chosen overall by the Cleveland Browns. Hoping to fill WarrenÕs shoes will be juniors Tron Lafavor and Bryan Savelio. Sophomre Ian Scott will start at the other tackle position.

All three starters from the 2000 linebacking core return. In addition, Andra Davis, who began the 2000 campaign as the starting middle linebacker, returns from a knee injury suffered in the season opener.

Junior Mike Nattiel will be the starter at one outside linebacker position while Byron ÒBamÓ Hardmon will man the other linebacker position.

Top reserves include senior Travis Carroll, who started five ganes last year and Marcus Oquendo-Johnson, who started eight games last year.

All four starters return in the secondary as well for coach Spurrier.

Lito Sheppard headlines the conerbacking unit. Sheppard was a first team All-American selection as a sophomore while leading the SEC with six interceptions.

Projected starter Robert Cromartie, who has started 24 games for the Gators, suffered a knee injury during falll practice. His return date is in doubt. Ready to step in for Cromartie is Benny Alexander, who started six games last year.

Todd Johnson is the starting free safety. Johnson was named first team All-SEC last year after leading the Gator defense with 102 tackles.

Senior Marquand Manuel returns for his third season as the starter at strong safety. Junior Daryl Dixon will serve as back-up to both safet spots.

Senior Jeff Chandler returns at placekicker. Chandler ranks as the Gators all-time leading scorer with 265 points. The punting job will be given to freshman Matt Piotrowicz following the graduation of all SEC pick Alan Rhine.

Expectations are high this year for the Gators. Anything less than an SEC championship and a trip to the Rose Bowl would be considered a disappointment.