The Orange & Blue Game is as big as you make it out to be

Saturday's Orange & Blue Game will feature so few actual Gators that instead of having students race players in a 40-yard dash, the students will run a 3-4 defense.

While that is not true, it could be, which puts a real damper on the Orange & Blue Game. It's not like anyone cared about the scoring or who had the most yards. If a young guy makes a great play, that's all we need. Just like Spring Training, it doesn't matter if the Braves lose 10-1, as long as the 1 was Jason Heyward hitting a bomb. On Saturday, nothing matters as long as my brother Omarius Hines looks awesome and Ronald Powell throws bodies around like Jermaine Cunningham threw sandwiches in Jimmy Johns. (Actually, that line is wrong. Brother Omarius always looks awesome.)

Young Ronald brings up a point that the Gainesville Sun noted. In their coverage this week, Powell, Dominique Easley, Matt Elam, and Sharrif Floyd were targeted in articles regarding their output as freshmen. Of those players, only Elam played last spring. Did the spring game mean anything for Elam? Maybe. But, the coverage reminds us of the differences of people watching the same games. Especially with young players, I tend to give them the benefit of the doubt. I thought Elam, Floyd and Powell were great last season, considering UF had a lame duck coach. The Sun makes them out to be failed free agents. 

I'm not trying to be critical of the press, because I know many of you thought Florida's stud defensive class would come in and eat people. (To be fair, Floyd did eat a guy in the Vandy game.) But if 13 games, in limited action, wasn't enough to show you, nothing that happens on Saturday will change your opinion. There is nothing wrong with getting sucked in by Frankie Hammond playing like he is Jerry Rice, but don't get upset when he plays like Alvin Harper in September.

If we can take anything away from Saturday, it should be how does Will Muschamp run a team? There is plenty of NFL coaching experience on the field with him, but is that translating to the players? Does everyone look organized, coaches included? I'll be looking for that, because I'm still not sold on the Muschamp Experience. You'll probably think it is a big deal if none of our defensive studs lays out a walk-on.