Road To Pasadena: Maurkice Pouncey and The O-line

The relationship between a quarterback and a center is like a pitcher and catcher, but with the added bonus of keeping your hand on a dude's butt for a few hours a day (shotgun excluded). That relationship is a bit different for UF as last year's starting center, Maurkice Pouncey, is finally healthy following shoulder surgery. But, he enters practice after redshirt freshman Sam Robey made grown men swoon, as much as you can swoon over an offensive lineman.

The question of Pouncey or Robey at center will remain until Pouncey's shoulder can survive game speed, but Urban Meyer revealed which guy he prefers up front.

"You could pick his energy up," Meyer said. "When he and (quarterback Tim) Tebow are in, that line elevates play a lot."

We should be able to pencil in Pouncey at center with Mike Pouncey and Carl Johnson at the guards, Matt Patchan at left tackle and Marcus Gilbert protecting Tebow's blind side. While Florida has depth on the line with Robey, James Wilson (who has a bum foot) and freshman Xavier Nixon, offensive line is the one sport where you don't want to use your depth. If Florida's line starts breaking down due to injury, 14-0 starts becoming a pipe dream. It doesn't matter how much talent UF has in the backfield if they can never get past the first level of defenders.