GETTING INSIDE

If anything has been constant for Florida since the Gators won back-to-back national championships in 2006 and 2007, it has been change.

It seems like just when coach Billy Donovan is ready to set his roster, somebody up and leaves.

It was Marreese Speights heading for the NBA after the 2008 season, leaving a gap in the middle, and Nick Calathes signing a pro contract in Greece after last season, taking away their most experienced point guard.

In all, the Gators have lost six underclassmen in the past three years, which includes the loss of Joakim Noah, Corey Brewer, Al Horford and Taurean Green from the 2007 champions.

But don’t cry for the Gators.

If they can find the answer at point guard, they have a good mix up front with the likes of 6-8 Alex Tyus, 6-9 Chandler Parsons, 6-10 Kenny Kadji and 6-10 Vernon Macklin, a transfer from Georgetown who sat out last season under NCAA rules.

The addition of Macklin should improve the Gators on the boards and will allow senior Dan Werner to operate on the wing, where he likes to pop a 3-pointer on occasion.

Which leaves Calathes’ spot.

The likely candidate to run the show is 5-9 Erving Walker, who had a solid freshman year, scoring 10.1 points a game and handing out 86 assists while shooting 41.9 percent from 3-point range.

The issue isn’t Walker but the depth behind him. It appears that role is going to fall to incoming freshman Kenny Boynton, who fits in more ideally as a shooting guard.

Nimrod Tishman, a late arrival from Israel, also is a potential backup at the point.

If the point guards come through, the Gators should be back in the NCAA field.

NOTES, QUOTES

• Florida has had 11 consecutive seasons with 20 wins or more under coach Billy Donovan, who was 13-17 and 14-15 his first two years with the Gators.

• F-C Alex Tyus becomes Florida’s leading returning scorer at 12.5 points a game, with the premature departure of Nick Calathes, who scored at a 17.2-point clip. Tyus also led the Gators in rebounds last season at 6.2 per game.

• G Erving Walker shot nearly as well from 3-point range (41.9 percent) as he did overall (43.4) as a freshman.

Last Year:   25-11 overall, 9-7 in the SEC; lost in the third round of the NIT.

Head Coach:   Billy Donovan (career 345-146); 14th year at Florida (231-126).

Quote To Note:   “We’re really setting our jets for Erving Walker, who’s really naturally a point and played that quite often in high school.”—Assistant coach Larry Shyatt, asked if freshman Kenny Boynton could step in for the departed Nick Calathes at point guard.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

Scouting The Newcomers:   The Gators added only three newcomers to their roster, but at least two should have an immediate impact. Kenny Boynton, a 6-2 shooting guard, and Erik Murphy, a 6-10 power forward, both figure in the early plans. Nimrod Tishman, a 6-5 guard from Israel, could also be a factor by the end of the season.

Key Early-season Games:   Coach Billy Donovan has come under criticism for his soft non-conference schedules since the 2007 national championship season, but the pace picks up this season. Florida State visits on Nov. 24, and the Gators then go to Atlantic City, N.J., for the Legends Classic to play Michigan State. Either Massachusetts or Rutgers awaits a day later. The Gators have their first true road game on Dec. 4 against Jacksonville, then go to Tampa on Dec. 10 to take on Syracuse in the SEC-Big East Challenge.

Program Direction:   After a couple of so-so years following the back-to-back national championships in 2006 and 2007, the Gators appear to be ready to get back to the NCAA Tournament field. But they are playing in the tougher of the two divisions in the conference and will be hard-pressed to greatly improve upon last year’s 25 victories.

Probable Starting Lineup:   G Erving Walker, G Kenny Boynton, F Dan Werner, F Chandler Parsons, F-C Alex Tyus.

Roster Report:  

• F Eloy Vargas, who reportedly was on shaky ground academically, has left the Gators and will play at Miami Dade Community College. He reportedly has an interest in playing at Kentucky.

• F Vernon Macklin, a 6-10 junior, should help the Gators on the boards. He averaged 2.4 rebounds in playing slightly more than 12 minutes game as a sophomore at Georgetown.

• F Adam Allen, a 6-8 sophomore, had a second surgery to repair a stress fracture in his left leg and his status for the season is somewhat in doubt. He missed last season.