Pivotal Players

Junior quarterback Doug Johnson, who was in coach Steve Spurrier's doghouse for playing minor league baseball in '97—he hit .191 as a third baseman for the Princeton (W.Va.) Devil Rays of the rookie league—eschewed the diamond over the summer to rehab after rotator-cuff surgery in May. Sophomore Jesse Palmer, who completed 21 of 38 passes, will begin the season as the starter....

Senior tailback Terry Jackson excels at both carrying the ball (118 yards and two TDs in the 1997 Sugar Bowl) and catching it out of the backfield (41 career receptions, four TDs)....

Starting wideouts Nafis Karim and Travis McGriff, both seniors, have only five career TD catches between them....

Senior Tony George, who moves from strong safety to cornerback (both of last year's starters are gone), will be under the gun in the pass-happy SEC....

The Gators need injury-plagued senior defensive tackle Ed Chester (second-team All-SEC last season) to stay healthy and anchor the line.