by Jeff Goodman

Season Outlook

One year ago, Billy Donovan didn't know what to expect after losing virtually every significant piece from the team that brought consecutive national titles to Gainesville.

Goodman's Countdown

Who are the nation's best teams? We'll find out as the season starts this week. For now, here's Jeff Goodman's preseason Top 25 Countdown. Check our college basketball page for more features and news.

Jeff Goodman's Top 25

1. North Carolina Tar Heels
2. Michigan State Spartans
3. Louisville Cardinals
4. Gonzaga Bulldogs
5. Connecticut Huskies
6. Duke Blue Devils
7. UCLA Bruins
8. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
9. Pittsburgh Panthers
10. Purdue Boilermakers
11. Texas Longhorns
12. Georgetown Hoyas
13. Memphis Tigers
14. Tennessee Volunteers
15. Miami Hurricanes
16. Arizona State Sun Devils
17. Oklahoma Sooners
18. Marquette Golden Eagles
19. Villanova Wildcats
20. UNLV Runnin' Rebels
21. Florida Gators
22. Wake Forest Demon Deacons
23. USC Trojans
24. Wisconsin Badgers
25. Syracuse Orange

Donovan's young Gators wound up with 24 wins and a .500 mark in SEC play, which sounds fairly impressive for a young, inexperienced club. However, the Florida coach was hardly satisfied.

Now he'll add a group of five freshmen to a team that was not only thin, but also small a year ago.

The guy to build around is sophomore guard Nick Calathes, who averaged 15.3 points, 6.1 assists and 5.3 rebounds as a freshman. He's one of the top all-around guards in the country without question.

Big man Marreese Speights bolted for the NBA after an up-and-down campaign in which he averaged 14.5 points and 8.1 rebounds.

Other than that, it was realistically a bunch of role guys a year ago.

Now those role guys will have to compete with a strong freshman class for playing time.

Walter Hodge is a senior guard who brings plenty of experience as the lone remaining link who played on the championship teams. He'll see plenty of time with Calathes in the backcourt.

Other than that, spots should be wide open.

Dan Werner is a skilled junior forward who averaged 9.1 points and 6.4 rebounds last season, but he'll be pushed for playing time by freshmen forwards Eloy Vargas and Allan Chaney.

Sophomores Chandler Parsons, Alex Tyus and Adam Allen all got their feet wet a year ago, but there's no guarantees this season with Vargas, Chaney, big man Kenneth Kadji, wing Ray Shipman and point guard Erving Walker all entering the program.

Kadji may be key because while he won't be able to give the Gators the low-post scoring presence that Speights was able to supply, he can be a strong rebounder and shot-blocker and is the most physical player on the team.

It's highly unlikely that the Gators will be back to competing for a Final Four spot this season, but one thing is clear: They are a year older and have far more depth.