For the opening of the game, the season and the newest chapter in Florida football history, quarterback Rex Grossman and receiver Taylor Jacobs wanted to send a message.

First-year Gator coach Ron Zook, who likely answered more questions about Spurrier this offseason than the Spurrier's own publicist, agreed.

First play from scrimmage: Grossman to Jacobs.

Deep.

	Taylor Jacobs set a Florida record with 246 yards receiving in the season opener.

The message -- that despite the defections of coach Steve Spurrier and receivers Reche Caldwell and Jabar Gaffney to the NFL, the Gators passing attack is still, well, the Gators passing attack -- was delivered loud and clear when Jacobs split double coverage and Grossman dropped a perfect spiral in his hands for a 59-yard gain.

Before the game would end, Jacobs would snag eight Grossman bullets out of the sky, shattering a 33-year-old Florida record with 246 yards receiving.

In his first game without Gaffney and Caldwell, his first game as the proverbial "man," Jacobs, a senior, exploded. Now you better watch out.

"That game was bigger than any other game I will ever play from the mental state of realizing that I can make plays," Jacobs said. "It played a major, major factor in my confidence."

Now comes No. 1 Miami, the defending national champions. Though the Hurricanes feature one of the best front seven in college football, the secondary is young and inexperienced.

In the season-opener against Florida A&M, Miami had six first-time starters on defense -- four of them were defensive backs. Long gone are Ed Reed, Phillip Buchanon and Mike Rumph -- all first-round NFL draft picks.

"They're a big, athletic group," Grossman said of the 'Canes' new cast. "But I'd lie if I said I'm not glad those other guys are gone."

Miami's front four will likely make it difficult for Florida running back Earnest Graham, who rushed for 182 yards against UAB, to get going on the ground. Which will likely leave it up to Grossman, the early-season Heisman favorite, and Jacobs, a Biletnikoff Award candidate, to move the ball downfield.

And if you ask Grossman, that's a good thing. The confident QB paraded around this summer, touting Jacobs as the top receiver in the country. Some reporters laughed. Others rolled their eyes. Yet one week into the season, Grossman looks like he knows what he's talking about.

Against UAB, it took Jacobs just two catches to pass his previous regular season career high of 105 yards receiving. By halftime, he surpassed the 170 yards he amassed in last year's Orange Bowl.

Not bad for a guy that just a year ago was fighting for his share of catches with Gaffney and Caldwell.

"(Gaffney and Caldwell) were great receivers, but Taylor is going to have a bigger year than any of them ever had," Grossman said. "Say what you want, but he's going to have more stats and more numbers than anybody. He's my guy."

When Jacobs showed up to Gainesville a skinny freshman in 1999, the Gator coaches fell in love with his blistering speed. He played in 10 of 12 games, the only true freshman receiver to see action. But he wasn't ready. Eventually, Gaffney and Caldwell passed Jacobs on the depth chart.

"I didn't know what I was doing. I was lost," he said. "All I knew was speed. And at this level, there's more to the game than speed.

For two years, Jacobs played the third fiddle to Gaffney and Caldwell, the lost man in a crowded receiver rotation. Not until last year's Orange Bowl, when he earned MVP honors after catching 10 passes for 170 yards and two touchdowns, did he begin to make a name for himself and boost his confidence.

"It was a big deal," Jacobs said. "That's where I felt I came into my own."

When Spurrier left for the Redskins, Jacobs planned on leaving too. "I was outta here. I didn't want to come back to an unstable situation."

Zook calmed him down. And privately, he and Grossman both thought that if the other returned, they would return with him. They both talked about it. And instead of heading to the NFL, came back to school.

This offseason, he worked with Grossman to improve their timing. He also worked on softening his hands, improving his route running and increasing his speed. The result is blistering a 20.4 200-meter dash for the Florida track team.

"He was already one of the fastest receivers we've had," Grossman said. "And he's possibly even a little faster. But most of all, he believes in himself. Last year behind Reche and Jabar, his confidence wasn't nearly as high as it is now. Now he believes he's the man."

Just listen.

"I want to be the go-to guy," Jacobs said. "And if the ball comes my way, I'm going to scratch and claw and fight for it."

Wayne Drehs is a staff writer at ESPN.com. He can be reached at wayne.drehs@espn3.com.