GAINESVILLE, Fla.— Defending national champion Florida has opened fall practice, taking the field with hopes of winning a third title in the last four years.

The Gators started at 5:45 a.m. Thursday, with about 200 fans eagerly awaiting their arrival. The early start was no surprise after coach Urban Meyer promised to make summer workouts and two-a-day practices the toughest in his five years.
His rationale? Florida returns nearly every starter — receivers Percy Harvin and Louis Murphy and both offensive tackles are gone — from last year’s team that beat Oklahoma 24-14 in the Bowl Championship Series title game in Miami, and Meyer wants his players to avoid complacency.