GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Jim McElwains second season at Florida cant possibly have as many twists as his first.The Gators dealt with a costly suspension, celebrated a surprising division championship and then endured a dreadful final three games in 2015. For players and coaches, it was staggering, exhilarating and ultimately humbling.The journey also may provide some valuable lessons as Florida heads into Year 2 of McElwains tenure.This team has to understand that what they did a year ago was kind of discover, kind of discovered a little bit maybe what was possible, McElwain said. And yet (we) learned some lessons along the way about understanding, never being satisfied. And hopefully even all the older players understand that they never made it. In other words, you cant go into coast (mode).Instead, the Gators hope to learn how to finish.After unexpectedly clinching the Southeastern Conferences Eastern Division last November, Florida lost its final three games. McElwains team was exposed and overmatched against rival Florida State, against Alabama in the league title game and against Michigan in the Citrus Bowl. The Gators managed just two offensive touchdowns in those losses and were outscored 97-24.Quarterback play was among the main issues, with Treon Harris having more turnovers than touchdowns in those games and getting sacked 13 times. Harris started the final eight games after Will Grier was suspended for one year for violating the NCAAs policy on performance-enhancing drugs.Harris and Grier have since transferred, leaving Florida with a college journeyman, a graduate transfer and two freshmen at quarterback.Luke Del Rio, the son of Oakland Raiders coach Jack Del Rio, is the front-runner to win the starting job despite throwing just 18 somewhat meaningful passes at Alabama (2013), Oregon State (2014) and Florida (2015).Whether its Del Rio, former Purdue starter Austin Appleby, Feleipe Franks or fellow freshman Kyle Trask under center, McElwain expects the offense to be dramatically better this fall.The Gators ranked 100th in the nation in scoring and 112th in yards last season.Our quarterback room, their grasping of the things we are trying to accomplish and their knowledge will allow us to do maybe some different things that maybe we didnt do a year ago, offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier said.Here are some other things to know about Florida heading into the season:---DEFENSE REIGNS: Floridas defense was among the best in the SEC last season, and the Gators expect the same this year despite having to replace six starters. Jalen Tabor appears to be the programs next star cornerback while linebacker Jarrad Davis and defensive linemen CeCe Jefferson and Caleb Brantley also could make big leaps.TROUBLED RECEIVERS: Antonio Callaway, Tyrie Cleveland and Rick Wells could be suspended to start the season because of legal issues. Callaway has been accused of sexual assault, a case being handled by the university. Cleveland and Wells, both freshmen, are facing felony charges for allegedly firing BB guns into a residential hall last month.KEY GAMES: The Gators essentially play five games -- at Tennessee, against LSU, against Georgia, at Arkansas and at Florida State -- that will determine their season.PREDICTION: With one of the weakest non-conference schedules in recent history -- Florida hosts UMass, North Texas and Presbyterian, teams that combined for six wins in 2015 -- the Gators should be a lock to win nine games. And since Georgia, Missouri and South Carolina have new coaches, they also should be in the hunt in the SEC East.SEASON OPENER: Sept. 3 against UMass. It will be the teams first meeting.---AP college football website: collegefootball.ap.orgTigers Jerseys 2020 .C. -- After a listless first half, the Washington Wizards used a big third quarter run to beat the Charlotte Bobcats Bradley Beal scored 21 points and the Wizards used a 17-0 run in the third quarter to take control of what had been a close game and beat the Bobcats 97-83 on Tuesday night. Stitched Tigers Jerseys . -- Charlie Graham stopped 67 shots as the Belleville Bulls edged the visiting Guelph Storm 6-5 on Saturday in Ontario Hockey League action. https://www.cheaptigers.com/ . Haas said he "felt a lot of pain" in his right shoulder when he slammed his racket to the ground in frustration after losing his serve at 3-3 in the first set. Cheap Tigers Jerseys . Scott won the Australian PGA last week in his first event in Australia since winning the U.S. Masters in April. American Matt Kuchar, ahead by two strokes with four to play and even with Scott with one to go, double-bogeyed the 18th after taking two shots to get out of a bunker. Tigers Jerseys China . Boucher previously coached the Tampa Bay Lightning and had a 97-78-20 record over two-plus seasons. He was dismissed by the team last March after the Lightning struggled in the lockout-shortened season with a 13-18-1 record.LIMOGES, France -- Hit by a virus, denied a place on the Tour de France and then parting company with his team, not much went right last season for German sprinter Marcel Kittel.Now hes back with a vengeance.Kittel claimed his ninth stage win at cyclings biggest race in a mass sprint on Tuesday, as the fourth leg of the Tour took the peloton from the medieval town of Saumur to Limoges in central France.For me the victory means a lot, because I know how hard my way back to this moment was, said Kittel, who was fighting back the tears at the podium ceremony.Kittel, who wore the race leaders yellow jersey in 2013 and 2014, joined the Etixx Quick Step team from Giant-Alpecin for this season, replacing the departing Mark Cavendish.The new partnership has been extremely successful so far. Kittel has been the dominant sprinter this year, claiming 11 victories including back-to-back stage wins at the Giro dItalia.At the Tour, he got off to a disappointing start, getting beaten by Cavendish in the opening stage and missing out on a chance to wear the yellow jersey. So when the German held off Frenchman Bryan Coquards surge in a photo finish in Limoges, it was a huge relief.Last year was a huge setback. But I tried to take action to make changes for my future and to be able to win stages again at the Tour, Kittel said. I live for my sport. I never did anything else -- contrary to what some critics said.Kittel began his final surge for the line a little too early for comfort. But he just managed to hang on and edge Coquard.I feel very emotional right now, it feels like my first stage win again, Kittel said. Im mega, mega happy. Im very proud, because the team was really fighting for this win. Things went wrong in the last days, and Im so happy to be back in the Tour and to win a stage like this.World champion Peter Sagan finished third on the 237.5-kilometer ride and kept the yellow jersey. Courtesy of a time bonus, he extended his lead over Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe to 12 seconds in the overall standings. Spaniard Alejandro Valverde is third, 14 seconds back.It was a very fast sprint, I started too early today, the same time as Marcel started, Sagan said.dddddddddddd Coquard made a very nice sprint. He was patient and almost won.Coquards aggressive burst for the line almost paid off with his first stage win in cyclings showpiece event. He brushed shoulders with Kittel in the slightly uphill final stretch, but lost by a few millimeters.I think I belong with the greats now, Coquard said. There is no mistake in the sprints, the stronger wins. I was never as close to victory, but I havent won yet. Im young, but Im a winner... and I want to win this year on the Tour.After a first attack fizzled out soon after the start, a group of four riders managed to escape from the pack and build up a five-minute lead over the peloton.Tour debutants Oliver Naesen and Alexis Gougeard, alongside Markel Irizar and Andreas Schillinger, made their move near the 30-kilometer mark and quickly increased the gap, helped by a tail wind.Determined to defend Sagans yellow jersey, the Tinkoff team hit the front of the bunch to step up the pace in hot and sunny conditions. They organized the chase with sprint-specialist teams Lotto-Soudal and Etixx, and the gap was down to four minutes with 100 kilometers left.However, the pack was in no rush to rein in the breakaway riders on the winding roads of the lush green Limousin countryside.Gougeard was dropped from the leading group with 35 kilometers left, moments before the pursuit really started in the hilly finale to Limoges. The remaining trio was swallowed up during a short climb seven kilometers from the finish.On the eve of the first mountain stage, the races main favorites Chris Froome and Nairo Quintana enjoyed a quiet day. Froome, a two-time Tour champion, is in fifth position overall, 18 seconds behind Sagan. Quintana is seventh with the same time as Froome.Wednesdays Stage 5 features four difficult climbs including the second-category Pas de Peyrol, the highest road pass in the Massif Central with an average gradient of 8.1 percent. ' ' '