For previous editions of Theater of Operations' Season Review, please see bottom of article.

In part one of our look at how the safeties performed in 2011, we took a look at someone who is arguably the best player on the defense and quite possibly the entire team. And don't worry, I'm not referring to Moses Jenkins in any way so you can continue drinking that coffee.

Oh, you didn't think that?

You actually read Theater of Operations yesterday?

In that case, let's just move right along quickly and take a look at the other safeties who played significant minutes during this past season. I know it is shocking but it is true. I even looked it up. It's right there in black and white. Apparently, they go by the names of Josh Evans, De'Ante Saunders and Jaylen Watkins. Yes, I know that Watkins saw the majority of his time at cornerback, but Theater of Operations goes by what the player is listed as on GatorZone unless the committee rules otherwise.*

We'll go ahead and start with Evans first despite his penchant for taking horrible angles over and over and ov ... well, you get the idea. He did in fact record an interception against Tennessee (more on that later), so all wasn't lost with him. He did finish the season with the fifth most tackles on the team. I even looked that up as well to confirm. It checked out.

As for Saunders and Watkins, can you say growing pains? The growing pains were so evident in fact, that someone who shall not be named at Alligator Army actually thought Watkins was a freshman in 2011. What a sorry excuse for a fan that guy must be.

Moving along quickly yet again, Saunders had two interceptions (one in which he returned for a touchdown) and Watkins is still getting burned by Georgia Bulldog wide receivers. Wait, I'm fairly sure that Saunders was also burned on a 4th down pass against Georgia.

I thought Georgia were the ones who always got burned?

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The Florida Gators track and field team will split up this weekend for the first time all season. With the SEC Indoor Championships in two weeks, the distance runners will head to Husky Classic in Seattle, Washington while everyone else will head to New Mexico for the Don Kirby Albuquerque Elite Meet.

The Gators head into Friday's (and Saturday's) meet in New Mexico and Washington ranked No. 2 overall in the latest USTFCCCA poll.

The Don Kirby Elite meet, which begins Friday and is hosted by the University of New Mexico is a one-day meet is scheduled to begin with field events at 4:15 p.m ET and conclude with track events starting at 7:30 p.m. ET. Aside from the Gators, the Don Kirby Elite meet only has a handful (at best) of good programs scheduled to compete. Texas (No. 4) and Stanford (No. 7) are the other ranked programs.

The Husky Classic on the other hand -- which is a two-day meet beginning Friday and continuing on Saturday -- has a stunning field of competitors. That's not even mentioning the 120-entries in the one mile run. Arizona (No. 5), Stanford (No. 7), Minnesota (No. 10), Ohio State (No. 15), Wisconsin (No. 17), Oregon (No. 21) and Arizona State (No. 24) among others will compete against the Gators for supremacy.

The Dempsey Indoor facility -- which doubles as Washington's indoor practice facility -- is widely considered to be the fastest track in the country.

Live stats for the Don Kirby Elite Invitational will be provided by GoLobos.com. Stats for the Husky Classic can be found here, and live video of the meet can be found here or here courtesy of FloTrack.org.

For previous editions of Theater of Operations' Season Review, please see bottom of article.

In my opinion, there was no player more important to the Florida Gators defense than Matt Elam. In fact, I'm pretty sure he was the most valuable player on the entire team. Elam was second on the team in total tackles to Jonathan Bostic, and did pretty much everything else to fill up the boxscore.

Elam ended the year with seventy-eight total tackles (including eleven for a loss) to go along with two forced fumbles, two interceptions and two sacks. His tackles for a loss and forced fumbles led the team. He also recorded seven pass breakups and was even credited with a quarterback hurry.

While his height isn't ideal for a safety -- he's listed at 5'10" -- he more than makes up for it by literally flying to the ball. He was also responsible for what was quite possibly the single greatest moment of the season. Yes, I am indeed talking about his in-bounds to out of bounds pick up and toss to the side smack down of Florida State Seminoles running back Jermaine Thomas.

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Chomping At Bits comes stocked with the best Florida Gators links and news we can find. Got a link we should check out? Email us at AlligatorArmy@gmail.com, subject line CAB.

Baseball announces TV schedule: The Gators have quite a few games that are going to be broadcasted locally, regionally or nationally. The Gators will also be on ESPNU's Thursday Night SEC Baseball Game of the Week on March 22 against South Carolina. (Rachel George, Swamp Things/Orland Sentinel)

Early look at what Florida needs in 2013: If there is no unexpected attrition between now and signing day next season, the Gators might only take a 16-player class because of scholarship numbers. (Robbie Andreu, The Gainesville Sun)

Keanu Neal gets Gators offer: The 2013 ESPNU 150 watch-list safety says that "Florida is on top right now" over other offers from UCF, USF, Duke and Georgia Tech. He will be in Gainesville for Junior Day on the 18th, so we'll be able to get a good look at him. (Chris Hayes, Orlando Sentinel)

Gators look to regroup after loss to Kentucky: The only thing that bothers me in the article, is the fact that Billy Donovan concedes the SEC regular season championship to Kentucky. I mean, I get that there are only seven games remaining and the Gators are behind by two-and-a-half games, but they play Kentucky one more time. I've seen it happen before. (Kevin Brockway, The Gainesville Sun)

Grading the Gators at the half-way mark: The Gators will probably be ranked just outside the Top 10 next week and their record is about what we figured. (Michael DiRocco, GatorNation/ESPN)

Donovan talks Kentucky, Syracuse and Ohio State: The Gators are in the unique position of having faced arguably the Top 3 teams in the country, all on the road. Kentucky might have the most talent, but give me Ohio State to win it all out of those teams. (Rachel George, Swamp Things/Orlando Sentinel).

Lawmakers vs. Sports: This is about Clemson-South Carolina, but couldn't the same thing happen with Florida-Florida State? On second thought, it kind of already has. (John Pennington, Mr SEC)

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For previous editions of Theater of Operations' Season Review, please see bottom of article.

The cornerbacks of the Florida Gators were probably the most criticized unit on the team. Aside from being unfairly blamed for the Gators' loss to the Georgia Bulldogs, the unit improved as the season went on. What was especially noticeable however, was their lack of interceptions. When only one cornerback on the roster (Marcus Roberson) gets an interception, you're going to struggle as a unit.

Speaking of Roberson, he was arguably the Gators' best cover corner throughout the year, but he wasn't without his struggles. For a large portion of the season, Roberson looked lost and confused. In terms of talent, one could see that he was going to be just fine, but his season was cut short due to a neck injury.

Cody Riggs on the other hand, didn't quite progress as expected. The sophomore cornerback struggled mightily the entire season picking up the new defense. Riggs didn't manage a single interception on the year (but then again, the entire defense struggled throughout the year getting turnovers) and took what seems to be a step back in the learning process.

I still feel that Riggs will get there, but it is taking a little longer than I thought.

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Chomping At Bits comes stocked with the best Florida Gators links and news we can find. Got a link we should check out? Email us at AlligatorArmy@gmail.com, subject line CAB.

Here is your depressing summation of where Florida's basketball team is: You ready? I don't think you're ready. (Rob Dauster, Ballin' is a Habit)

Look, I know that the Gators are ranked in the top ten and I know that the consensus is that this group is the second-best team in the SEC. But the gap between the first and the second teams in that league is fairly large, and the gap between where Florida truly ranked and the No. 7 spot is just as big. The Gators are a streaky team that stinks on the road, where they have lost to Rutgers and Tennessee already this season.

Erving Walker bottoms out: It was always probably going to be a bad night for Erv, but his worst since his freshman year? (Rachel George, Swamp Things | Orlando Sentinel)

Snarky AP recap is snarky: Okay, it's mostly the headline. (Colin Fly, Associated Press | The Florida Times-Union)

Bradley Beal's future undecided: Written before Tuesday night, of course. (Kevin Brockway, Hoops Scoop | Gainesville Sun)

Florida tennis sweeps USF: So there was that on Tuesday. (GatorZone)

Jeff Demps still good at sprinting: Have you ever considered how fast Jeff Demps really is? Time yourself writing a sentence sometime, or time the chorus of your favorite song. (GatorZone)

As always: Talk about any and all of this and/or anything else you have to say in the comments. Need more Alligator Army in your life? Like AA on Facebook, follow AA on Twitter, and download the SB Nation iPhone app or the SB Nation Android app to take all your favorite Gators content — and the rest of SB Nation — with you on the go.

One of the teams on the floor at Rupp Arena tonight looked destined to win a national title in April. It wasn't Florida.

The Gators were thoroughly outclassed by Kentucky on Tuesday, falling 78-58 on the road to a Wildcats squad that looked more athletic, more poised, and more ready to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.

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