What's next for the Gators?

Florida's spring game did not set the lineup for September, but a lot can happen between now and then. It is not just the guns, drugs and women that Urban Meyer railed about last Thursday. It is how seriously this edition of the Gators takes their place in the SEC and in the national picture.

One example is Andre Debose, who was healthy enough for two catches and 30 yards in the Orange & Blue Game. Without the influence of the Gators coaching staff, will Debose continue on the road to recovery? Can he make up for lost time? Another example is John Brantley, who has to fill the leadership void left by Tim Tebow. Tebow would spend large chunks of his summer away from Gainesville, but made his presence felt when he got back. Does Brantley pick up on that and lead by example? Or will he stay in his own zone and let everyone work on their own?

The questions about leadership are also true on defense, with the losses of Ryan Stamper, Brandon Spikes and Joe Haden. Stamper especially was a hard worker and relied a lot on intelligence as he did not have the superb talent levels Haden or Spikes. In the case of Spikes, it took a rough sophomore campaign for him to grasp the value of a strong summer. How will Jon Bostic, Jelani Jenkins and Brendan Beal respond?

As anyone who had played football at any level will tell you, your summer goes a long way in determining your fall. The sooner the Gators approach their summer off-season like their predecessors did, the sooner they can win like their predecessors did.