Year 2 begins for Will Muschamp at Florida with a box of chocolates on offense and a seasoned defense.

Brent Pease does not have to perform a complete re-building job, as part of the direction from the head coach was to keep as much terminology as possible from the previous year.  However, he has to be more creative with his schemes and motion, and find a way to maximize a mixed-bag of unknown and misused talent trying to run it’s 3rd offense in 3 years.

Both Jacoby Brissett and Jeff Driskel will play, as neither has separated himself from the other yet. I am looking for which QB executes in the passing game better – which guy reads the defense properly and, more importantly, quickly and in rhythm with his receivers.  Florida should be able to overpower Bowling Green on the ground, but can a second RB earn the trust of the coaches behind Mike Gillislee?  Can any of the WRs develop chemistry with the QBs and be a clutch player?  Is there any deep threat after Andre Debose?  Can any of the TEs behind Jordan Reed block in the running game at all or become a legitimate receiving threat?  As I said in the season preview……many more questions than answers right now……I’m not sure I’m going to like the first few chocolates out of the 2012 box just yet.

The strength of the 2012 Gators is their defense.  It appears that some quality depth has been established in the LB and secondary units, after leaning heavily on the defensive line last season.  It’s time for the back seven to become playmakers and help the offense out.  The rotation in the DL looks solid even with Dominique Easley a question mark coming back from knee surgery. Sharrif Floyd is poised for a breakout year.  Tank Morrison and Michael Taylor will get a lot of snaps to prove they can contribute at LB behind Jon Bostic, Jelani Jenkins, and Lerentee McCray.  The CB position gets a huge boost with the return of two guys from injury – Marcus Roberson and Jeremy Brown (again), even if they still have some rust after their injuries and missing spring practice.  Jabari Gorman looked great throughout the spring and will get a lot of snaps.  The biggest worry is at safety – no consistent performer returns after Matt Elam, with inexperience behind Josh Evans and Pop Saunders, neither of whom stood out last season.  Lots of young players, including true freshmen, will get a long look early this year.

BGSU might hang around for 1-2 quarters on emotion and adrenaline, but Florida outclasses the Falcons across the board. There is no second cupcake in the new schedule format – it’s time to sharpen up the performance right away before a dangerous SEC opener on the road at Texas A&M.

The mantra for the opener is, as always, NO INJURIES.

Prediction – UF 38    BGSU 10

SHATTERED

Pretty much all that had been built and accomplished from 2005-2009 has been torn down and broken by the putrid performance that capped off the 2011 regular season.

As if the 2010 season wasn’t painful enough, watching the Gators stumble through Urban Meyer’s last year, the 2011 season shows just how badly broken the program is. Poor recruiting, coaching staff turnover, attitude problems from some players, and, frankly, some bad coaching, have the Gators now as a mediocre team searching for a new direction and leadership.

That performance by the offense in the Swamp against a middling F$U team was shockingly bad. As I had said in my game preview, perhaps the best thing Florida had going for itself was Dumbo Fisher and EJ Manuel, and they (under)performed exactly as expected, giving the Gators plenty of opportunity to win. But John Brantley lost what little favor he had curried through an injury-marred season by looking like a freshman QB. 3 horrific interceptions, all telegraphed, leading to the first 14 F$U points on very short fields, and the last requiring the defense to (again) bail out the offense.  After the injury that knocked him out of the game, Jacoby Brissett was thrown in, and his 4th quarter pick-six ended any hope for a comeback. It’s was a sad display of QB play, even beyond the so-so game-planning by Coach Weis.

Another desultory performance by the OL, allowing the Criminoles to control the LOS, and not generating any semblance of a running game or consistent pass protection. The few highlights were a handful of runs by Chris Rainey and some nice downfield catches by AC Leonard. After Brantley went out with a concussion, the offense became completely inept with Jacoby Brissett at QB……and that falls at the feet of Coach Weis. There’s simply no reason not to have a decent plan ready for either Brissett or Jeff Driskel by the end of the season as a contingency – a direct failure by Weis.

The Gator defense played 11 vs. 22 all night, and stood up admirably until the end. Matt Elam was a beast all game, making plays all over the field – he has become the leader of the defense, if not the entire team. The DL made plays as well, even after Dominique Easley’s knee injury took him out of the game. The F$U offense did not generate one legitimate drive, and was fortunate to get the 14 points they did. Despite what had to be a disheartening sight in watch the offense suck the life out of the Swamp crowd, they came back on the field time and again with little rest and played like men.  It became painfully obvious even before halftime that the Criminoles were going to pay it safe on offense, letting the Gators self-destruct instead.

Less than 100 freakin’ yards allowed at home – and a loss.  That’s all you really need to know about how far Florida has fallen.

Now the Florida program is left with more questions than answers. Is Will Muschamp really the right guy? Does he have the right staff in place? How will recruiting be affected by a second straight bad season? How much more player attrition takes place? The Gators are essentially operating on a self-imposed probationary scholarship level right now with the lack of talent on top of players leaving the program. There is opportunity for immediate playing time at almost every position for recruits, but can this staff close the deal with the studs left out there? Has Florida lost it’s juice?

What is obvious is that it will take 2-3 years of outstanding recruiting along with some much-needed coaching staff continuity to get Florida back to a title-contending level. Sadly, all of the advantages gained from a great run are now seemingly lost an abrupt fashion that is stunning in it’s swiftness and completeness.

Hopefully the bowl practices will allow for some changes to be made in both personnel and coaching that can be the first building blocks for 2012. The Gator Nation is terribly impatient after the bar had been set consistently so high, and it’s doubtful many have the patience it will take to see if Coach Muschamp can turn things around.  I’m sure that Jeremy Foley understands the mess left behind by Meyer that has been revealed……but even that may not be enough for Will to last through his first contract due to internal pressures.

Another winter of discontent……but it’s still great to be a Florida Gator!  Happy Holidays, and see you in 2012.

In keeping with how the season has played out, the Gators did everything they didn’t want to do in getting a sloppy, uninspired win over Furman.

The defense was sleepwalking throughout the first half, digging a 15-point hole early that required most of the starters on both sides of the ball to play into the 4th quarter to ensure the win. The offense was able to score on a multitude of big plays, mostly through the air, which was to be expected. What wasn’t expected was the sporadic running game, where poor blocking led to more short gains than should have ever happened. I give the defense some credit for pulling together after the rough start, mostly due to the fact that the Paladins came out with an entirely new offensive scheme not shown all year. Smart by them, but once Florida made their adjustments after the 1st quarter, they simply out-manned Furman the rest of the game, outscoring them 47-10. Forcier, who transferred from UCLA, is a solid QB that could play on a lot of FBS teams.

On the injury front, a few key players were dinged up as well. Jordan Reed’s ankle injury did not look good, while Matt Elam’s shoulder should be OK this week. John Brantley continues to limp around, and Chris Rainey has a bad ankle as well. The loss of Marcus Roberson in the secondary will be painfully obvious this week. LB Lerentee McCray and OT Chaz Green have been sorely missed recently – unless they are immobilized this week, they need to at least provide some quality snaps. Suck it up, rub some dirt on it, or, more likely, get a pain shot and get your ass in there, young man.

The season mercifully ends this Saturday against F$U. After all the preseason claims of being “back”, the Criminoles are “back” – back to another 4 or more loss season, and once again little factor in the Almost Competitive Conference. They have no excuses, except for continued mediocre OL play, an overrated QB, and the imagined genius of Dumbo Fisher, who still hasn’t put together a potent offense, going back to his underachieving L$U offenses in the mid-2000s.

Sadly, the F$U front seven on defense has outperformed Florida’s group in 2011. DE Jenkins is a tough pass rusher, and their LB corps is very good – light years ahead of the Gator contingent. Nigel Bradham is excellent, but still is as dirty as they come. Their secondary is the weakness, but, can Florida’s OL give Brantley time to expose them? Lemarcus Joyner is a stud at FS, but the rest of that group strikes fear in no one. Their team speed is again very good, and will be tough for the Gators to consistently overcome, given their lack of a power running game. Coach Weis is up against it with his current roster – he’s going to have to develop a scheme that will keep the F$U defense off-balance and make them think (always a challenge for them) instead of just reacting. Just as Reed was finally showing development at TE, he could be no factor this week. A.C. Leonard may have to rise to the challenge – Brantley did target him more last week than all year. All the skill guys have to show up and contribute. Andre Debose has to make a few big plays downfield, and should command respect and enough attention from the F$U secondary to hopefully help the other WRs find some open space. someone out the remaining WRs – Deonte Thompson, Frankie Hammond, or Quinton Dunbar, have to help keep the F$U defense honest and prevent them from crowding the box. Jeff Demps and Rainey need to rip off a few big runs, and perhaps Trey Burton and Hunter Joyer will finally get a few more touches inside the tackles. We may see a little more Wildcat in short yardage this week. It’s all hands on deck for the Gator offense. But unless the OL plays well, it could get ugly.

The Florida DL has to get penetration on it’s own without relying on blitzes to pressure the QB. E J. Manuel scares no one – despite his mobility, he is an inaccurate passer downfield and looks tentative when having to read defenses. The defensive game plan in general may look very similar to what they employed for Georgia – concede the run, and concentrate on the short and intermediate routes. This actually plays to the strength of Jon Bostic and Jelani Jenkins at LB. Despite the loss of Roberson, I think Coach Muschamp and Coach Quinn can devise some coverage looks that will confuse Manuel.  The secondary has to find some playmakers – Elam can’t do it all by himself, and Jaylen Watkins is still very inexperienced, despite his recent improvement.  Maybe Pop Saunders gets another pick this week – he still gets out of position, but definitely has ball skills.  F$U’s running game is nothing special, their OL is almost as mediocre as Florida’s, and they have no consistent WR threat that the Gators can’t handle in man coverage. The Criminoles will attempt the occasional deep pass that Josh Evans or Josh Shaw must stay in position for.

Special teams are about equal. Greg Reid, despite being a punk, is a dangerous punt returner. Hopkins is a decent FG kicker, but will be coming in off of choking a win away last week against Virginia. FSU’s kick coverage unit is average, but Florida’s KO return game has been dynamite all year. Here’s hoping that the Gators do maximum damage with hopefully only a few attempts. If the Criminoles are smart (risky proposition), they will do what many teams have done recently – kick shorter to the up backs. At least Florida has countered that strategy by moving Debose up.  Kyle Christy has been shaky at punter, but Caleb Sturgis has had a great season on FGs – the game could hinge on him at the end.

Can the Gators pull together after all of the adversity and troubles throughout the season to put together one complete game from all units? Certainly pride has to be on the line, and not just after the debacle in Taliban City last year. Florida can atone for at least some of it’s self-inflicted woes with a win over it’s rival. This is a huge game for recruiting momentum for the Gators, as the staff has put together a solid class so far that will add 10-12 more players before NSD 2012. There is immediate playing time available next year at a multitude of positions for any freshman that takes advantage of the opportunity. Urban Meyer said it himself after last year’s loss to F$U – “We have to hit the recruiting trail hard to build things back up”. That’s a fact that many fans simply have forgotten – the fruits of which were borne out in 2011 and, unfortunately, will still be seen in 2012 as well. It will take 2-3 years of solid recruiting classes to stockpile the roster back to 85 quality athletes that can compete for championships.

It’s a shame that the Gators are so far down in talent and depth that they are a home underdog to Florida St.  The Swamp will be alive early, but ultimately it will be up to the players to keep the crowd in the game to the finish  I think Florida has one final big push in them. The defense has had enough sand kicked in it’s face to last a career – Jaye Howard, Sharriff Floyd, Omar Hunter, and Dominique Easley need to fight back now.  The incredibly overrated Dumbo Fisher could also be a great equalizer.  If the game were in Taliban City, Florida loses by 14-21 points.  At a neutral site, Florida loses by 7-10 points.  At the Swamp?  Ugh – this hurts……

Prediction  – Florida $t. 24        Florida 20

Same as it ever was……

This nightmare season continues to be a broken record, as the Gators find ways to lose, not win, against a ranked opponent. This year’s team is simply not good enough to overcome turnovers, stupid penalties, mental breakdowns at critical times, and a lack of SEC talent on the OL and at DE. The Gamecocks are nothing special, which makes it even more frustrating to watch Florida let another win slip away.

The Gators are a bad football team right now.

On offense, the Pistol formation seems to be the best bet to help Brantley’s effectiveness. The running game was actually pretty good, as Chris Rainey had a big day. However, it was puzzling that neither Burton or Joyer got a chance to pound the ball near the goal line, and no Wildcat formation was used in short yardage situations. The inability to score TDs in the red zone is just another indicator of a bad team. The passing game was only good mostly for short, quick throws, as the OL continues to be a sieve. Jordan Reed is showing some progress at TE, but the lack of pass protection negates any real chance of deep passes, making Debose a non-factor. Another poor game from Nixon, and Wenger needs to be benched. What a mess.

Again, I am having some difficulty understanding some of the personnel packages Coach Weis is choosing to use. He does not seem to have definitized the roles of Burton, Joyer, Leonard, and some of the WRs like Dunbar and Hammond. I like bringing in Brissett to take snaps under center in short yardage and near the goal line, but the seeming lack of play-action passes, bootlegs, and running play variations may simply be an admission of poor OL play that seemingly can’t be overcome. Stunning.

The defense once again played well enough to get a win. After struggling to stop the QB runs the entire first half (bad coaching/preparation by Quinn), they controlled the second half except for one long pass to set up the last FG by Carolina. The one huge failure was not stopping the Gamecocks from basically running out the clock at the end, as a dumb penalty by Easley allowed the drive to continue. The poor play of the LBs continues, as no one seems to fill the holes to consistently stop the run, and they can’t seem to shed blockers. There were some nice short-yardage stops, but then the collapse in the 4th quarter when Carolina was simply playing keep-away. The secondary did a solid job controlling Alshon Jeffrey and the short passes to the RBs. Overall a solid effort, but because of the struggles of the offense, this isn’t enough.

There is almost a sense of knowing that good teams see that they just have to play it safe and conservative, and wait for the Gators to make the mistake that will lose the game. It’s a sad state of affairs right now, but it’s going to take another 2 years to re-build the talent base and establish the kind of style this staff wants. Patience is not the staple of most fan bases – especially in the SEC. The frustration among the players must be a difficult thing for the coaches to address each week.

The hits just keep on coming for Florida. Marcus Roberson is out for the rest of the regular season with a neck injury, which is a huge loss for the F$U game. Easley is banged up, and Brantley is still playing on one leg. Hopefully JB4 sits this week and heals up for F$U. Brissett and Driskel can handle Furman with little problem, and get some more reps for the future. The only concern about playing Furman is……NO MORE INJURIES. The Gators need to just muddle through this game, clear the bench, and start preparations now for Florida St. It’s hard to fathom that it will take a win against Furman to become bowl-eligible.

Prediction Florida 38 Furman 10

Florida got a much-needed win against Vanderbilt, and maybe found a few things on both offense and defense that could make a difference for the rest of 2011.

That was one of the best Vandy teams in recent memory that came into the Swamp Saturday, and the fact that the Gators dominated until midway through the 3rd quarter was good to see. The Commodores had already taken Georgia and Arkansas to the wire earlier this year, so Gator fans shouldn’t be too concerned about the close final score.

On offense, it looks like the Pistol formation may be the best way to help Brantley out with his limited mobility, and it seemed to be the most effective scheme for both the OL and RBs. Demps came up with a huge effort with Rainey out, and Joyer showed he can be an effective blocking back and can get some tough yards in the red zone. Even the passing game looked a little more settled, with a handful of WRs getting involved, and actually some completions in the middle of the field, which have been sorely lacking all season.

The Gator defense did a good job through 3 quarters containing an very good QB in Jordan Rodgers, who may be a top 3 SEC QB this year. The only disappointing performance came in the 4th quarter, as the defense started to lay back in pass coverage and allowed Vandy to find some rhythm and start moving the ball. The safety play other than Elam continues to struggle, as Pop Saunders again gave up a big TD pass. Unfortunately, there’s no help on the horizon the rest of this season, and somehow Coach Robinson has to get something out of this position. Michael Taylor looked pretty good in his first start at LB, and should be a major contributor from here on out. Roberson was solid at CB again, and Jaylen Watkins continues to improve now that he’s getting more snaps at the other CB spot.

It’s on to Columbia this week to face the Gamecocks and the Pariah. There would be a lot of satisfaction to gain in ruining what hopes they have left to win the East.

The USCeast defense has a solid DL, led by Melvin Ingram and Jadeveon Clowney. The LBs are adequate, but their secondary is beat up right now and has been torched most of the year. The usual formula for winning in the SEC, especially on the road, is to establish a good running game. However, since the Gators have struggled most of the year generating long drives, it may be time to simply air it out deep and often to try and make enough big plays to negate that need, and to loosen up the defense to perhaps create some running opportunities. I expect Andre Debose to get some chances all day to break a long play, and hope to see more crossing routes by the other WRs like Frankie Hammond or TE Jordan Reed. Weis will probably continue to use the Pistol formation to give Brantley and the OL it’s best chance of success. It will be interesting to see if Robey gets more snaps at C, with Harrison sliding over to G and Wenger going to the bench. The bad snaps have hindered the timing of the offense lately, and Wenger simply isn’t good enough. The left side of the OL with Chaz Green out has been a mess – perhaps he plays some this week, because Xavier Nixon has regressed to the point where he needs help on almost every pass play, and isn’t strong enough to be an effective run blocker.

The Gamecock offense looks like it will have Connor Shaw at QB, after he left last week’s game at Arkansas with what looked like a possible concussion. The Pariah will pull out all the stops in this one, and I expect a lot of passing early, especially with Marcus Lattimore out for the season with a knee injury. Brandon Wilds could get some carries, but Shaw actually likes to run as well, and the Gator LBs need to perhaps spy him to try and prevent the QB runs that hurt them the past 2 games. The Gator DL should be able to at least get a draw, so it once again will fall on the LBs and DBs to make some big plays if Florida wants to have a chance of winning. WR Alshon Jeffery is still a tough matchup for anyone due to his size, so expect Roberson to get that assignment all afternoon, with perhaps some safety help rolling to that side occasionally. That leaves the rest of the inexperienced DBs to stop Ace Sanders and the other WRs. USCeast does an effective job of utilizing the RBs in the passing game, so the Florida LBs have to rise to the occasion – Bostic and Jenkins will be busy all day.

The Gators really do have the personnel to win this game, even with some shortcomings in the secondary. However, most road games in the SEC are tough, and until this current group proves it, I can’t see a win in Columbia. We may have to see that smirking face of the Pariah for another year after this game……yeesh.

Prediction – S. Carolina 27 Florida 17

The beat goes on, as the Gators found a way to lose their 4th straight game in 2011, this time to a mediocre Puppy team.

Talk about embarrassing – it took 2 Florida turnovers inside their own 20, 2 4th down TD passes, zero running game, 7 sacks allowed, an injured QB, and 14 penalties, for Georgia to barely pull out a win in the 4th quarter. The UGA kicking game was awful – and even that wasn’t enough for the Gators to take advantage of. It’s hard to believe that this Gator offense, despite it’s limitations in talent and personnel fit for the schemes Muschamp and Weis want to run, could still be performing this poorly.

The defensive gameplan was spot-on:

1) Controlled the TEs, and made Murray use the WRs, which he’s not comfortable with. Got some fortunate (to say the least) 4th down TD throws.

2) Conceded the run to some extent. It worked some for the Puppies, but they are a passing team first, and aren’t comfortable running too much. Allowed some yards between the 20s, but stiffened there. The Gator defense just didn’t close the door due to some shaky PI penalty calls and poor technique (and lack of size) by the CBs on the 4th down TD throws.

3) Controlled the screen game to great extent – again, making Murray look downfield. His stats were pretty bad.

Sharriff Floyd was a man in this game. The DL in general did more than enough to win. The secondary, less Roberson and Elam, was the unit that cracked at critical moments. Jaylen Watkins made some plays, taking advantage of the most playing time he’s received to date. Riggs and Saunders won’t be playing much in 2012 at this rate. Overall, the defense again played well enough for a decent offense to pull out a victory……which unfortunately isn’t the case in 2011. Yeesh.

The offensive gameplan was, as odd as this sounds, good as well. Spreading the field with Brantley the surprise starter at QB opened up a lot of opportunities the first half. However, poor execution, penalties, and horrid pass-blocking eventually doomed the Gators by not putting the game away early. The lack of any semblance of a running game, even with the smallish backs, was particularly alarming – an even worse performance than against Bama, LSU, or Auburn. If Burton is going to run some Wildcat plays, he has to properly execute the zone read, and keep the ball occasionally……he can make things happen with the ball in his hands. Since Brantley had limited mobility, he couldn’t execute the run game out of the I-formation, which really hampered the offense in scoring territory.

The fumbles by Rainey and Hammond were killers, and ultimately decided the outcome. I’ll give Hammond a pass because he hasn’t had fumbling problems before, but Rainey has zero excuse – he simply doesn’t protect the ball in open space.

One note on the late-game coaching strategy……I have to disagree with Muschamp taking a delay penalty and punting the ball with a 4th down and 2 at Georgia’s 33 yard line. That decision shocked me, and practically all of Gator Nation. Maybe even a worse call than against Auburn when he eschewed a late FG to go for it on 4th down in the red zone down by 8 points with more than 6 minutes left. 2 decisions that show how little confidence he has in the offense – but still poor strategy, and the second-guessing is justified. That couldn’t have helped the morale of the offense. Based on their crappy second half output, there really was no choice but to go for it that close to getting some points.

What a disaster all around. Maybe the silver lining in all of this is that Mark Pricht may actually stick around a few more years to continue the tradition at Georgia of underachieving.

The good news? Florida is dead last in the SEC and 114th in the nation in turnover margin, and dead last in the nation in penalties. YAY!!!

It’s Homecoming week for the Gators, as they welcome what has usually been a more-than-accommodating visitor in Vanderbilt. All bets are off this year, though, as Florida’s offense continues to be a mess, and the entire team continues to be an undisciplined bunch.

The Commodores have been very competitive this season, giving Georgia and Arkansas all they could handle before losing late. Their offense is not explosive, but has been steady with a good season from QB Jordan Rodgers, who is a good runner out of the Spread. Their defense leads the SEC in interceptions, which could be a bad sign for the Gators, as they will primarily be a passing team the rest of this year due to the struggles of the OL and RBs.

The Florida defense has executed the gameplan fairly well the past 2 games, but still cannot generate turnovers, and the secondary breaks down due to inexperience or lack of talent/physical play at critical times. I don’t think Vandy can exploit the secondary too much this week, but the front seven will have to play the run game out of the Spread well. The Gator DL should have the physical advantage, so the LBs can actually fill some gaps for a change and make plays.

I’ll continue to say it – the hardest thing for a young team that is struggling is to get off of a losing streak and to break the bad habits they have formed. It cost them wins against Auburn and Georgia, and could lead to a stunning loss at home this week to an opponent who they have not lost to since 1988. Expect a lot of empty seats, and a nasty crowd if things turn ugly in the first half. Despite the fact that most Gator fans knew it could be a struggle in 2011, the poor play and mental mistakes have stretched what little patience they have very thin.

Prediction – Florida 27        Vanderbilt 20

Just like last season, Florida comes into Jacksonville riding a disappointing 3-game losing streak, but this time with a new staff and a still-unsettled QB situation. The off week had to help the physical health of the team overall, but the main challenge for the coaches is to get the players into a positive mental state – no sure thing given the youth and inexperience of the 2011 Gators.

Florida’s defense will again be called upon to carry any real hope of victory. The pass rush has to improve, but the poor play of the DEs probably can’t be solved by any personnel changes – there is simply a void of SEC talent at this position. More blitzing by the LBs may be in the offing this week, but the sad thing is that this group is better in pass coverage than in run support, so that negates some of their strengths. That leaves the bulk of the responsibility and pressure on the DTs – Howard, Easley, Floyd, and Hunter. The secondary has 2 solid players in CB Marcus Roberson and S Matt Elam, but every other position in any scheme is shaky at best. No matter the personnel, it’s time to play more man-to man coverage and take your chances.

Georgia still relies on the pass for it’s most effective means of moving the football, which should help the Gators out based on their current personnel. The #1 priority is to stop the TEs from beating you……failure to do that almost guarantees a loss. That’s why I think you’ll see Bostic, Jenkins, and even Powell used to shadow Orson Charles and Aron White. They are the security blanket for Aaron Murray, as the Puppy WRs are inconsistent and simply not that scary – if they are the ones to make big plays, so be it. Malcolm Mitchell is probably their deep threat with his speed, and Tavarres King is their most experienced WR, but has never been a go-to guy. Georgia’s running game has recently begun to show signs of life again, but the injury status of Isaiah Crowell could hamper them. Given Florida’s struggles against the run recently, I’d be surprised if the Puppies didn’t try and exploit that weakness, but, again, I don’t think it’s in their nature to comfortably rely on running more than passing.

Georgia’s defensive front seven is fairly solid this season. The DL has a good size with DTs Jonathan Jenkins and Kwame Geathers (suspended for the 1st half). Jarvis Jones (transfer from USCwest) was a godsend to an underachieving unit, and Brandon Boykin can make plays in the secondary and as a kick returner. Overall not a terribly distinguished group, but it hasn’t taken much to stop the Gator offense in October. Of course, I can only hope that Florida finds a way to pull off the shocker and rub it in the face of that loser defensive coordinator, Todd Grantham, he of the choke sign to Chas Henry before his game-winning FG last year, and repeated missteps with opponents with his big mouth that isn’t backed up by a great defense.

It’s anyone’s guess as to how the Gator QB situation is handled this week. Will Brantley miraculously be well enough to play? Will Brissett and Driskel split halves like they did against Auburn? Can someone get a hot hand and play the majority of the game? This is what a loss to Georgia is made of unless someone rises to the challenge, and unfortunately neither of the freshmen looks the part yet. The Puppies have a good offense, not the mediocre crew that Auburn fielded that kept Florida in the game 2 weeks ago. It would be nice to see Mike Gillislee finally get the chance to carry the ball between the tackles, instead of Rainey bouncing most of his carries outside and giving up valuable yards. Maybe Jeff Demps is serviceable for a handful of meaningful snaps this week after not playing against the Tigers – the threat of his speed is still a concern for any defense, and can take some of the focus off of the young QBs.

I do believe that we will see more of the Wildcat on offense with Burton running the show. It has earned some solid yards in the running game, even in the past 3 games. The key for me is whether we will see it when Florida gets into the red zone instead of using it for getting out of the hole deep in it’s own territory. My opinion is this was a misstep by Coach Weis against Auburn, as the Gators could have punched in at least one touchdown that way to possibly steal the win.

The Gator WRs and TEs have been of zero help during the losing streak. Frankie Hammond is the only consistent performer. Coach Hill has to find a few guys that can raise their level of play to stretch the field and give the QBs at least a chance for success. Jordan Reed has been terribly inconsistent at TE – his route-running is poor, and both he and AC Leonard have been guilty of too many penalties. That simply has to stop, whether it’s by better focus or becoming comfortable with riding the bench.

Finally, the Florida OL has been inconsistent just like the rest of the team, but I still believe there is enough talent there to be effective. The OTs have struggled in pass protection, but hopefully the additional week of practice has tightened that up. The interior of the line has done an adequate job run-blocking in the Wildcat, but needs to translate that play to I-formation run plays as well.

Coach Muschamp and his entire staff have a huge challenge ahead of them the rest of the way……motivating the younger guys to continue to practice hard and improve, while keeping the seniors that have seen their hopes dashed engaged. My biggest hope is to actually see improvement in the fundamentals across the board for the balance of 2011, no matter the win/loss results.

The hardest thing for a young team to do is get off of a losing streak. Last year’s team still had a familiar coaching staff and a handful of senior leaders to pull together and get a much-needed win. Unfortunately neither of those applies to 2011, and the losing streak probably will stretch to 4 games for the first time in a LOOOOONG time. It pains me to predict this, because the Puppies are a mediocre team (as usual)……

Predictions:

Georgia 31 Florida 13 (if Brantley doesn’t play or is ineffective)

Georgia 27 Florida 20 (if Brantley is somewhat effective)

2012 starts now……

Another exercise in pain and suffering for Gator fans, as Florida threw away a winnable game at Auburn with horrid QB play and unconscionable turnovers on punt returns.  Despite the fact that Brissett and Driskel are true freshmen, are they really so limited in playmaking ability right now that the playcalling is barely above high school level?  Both guys missed a slew of open receivers all evening, even when they had time to throw – troubling.  The running game was marginally better, but Rainey has never broken his habit of giving up yards to bounce to the outside.  Gillislee must really stink in practice, because even after the staff said he would get more touches against Auburn, he remained the milk carton player of the week.  The only positive to come out of the running game was that Demps was held out, so he can try to get healthy again for the rest of the season.

Hammond seems to be the only consistent WR at this point.  Thompson is no factor, and Debose is always hurt……and needs to toughen up mentally if he ever expects to be a contributor.  Jordan Reed is wildly inconsistent as a route runner, cannot set the edge in the running game, and commits too many penalties.

The OL did not play well, despite a better matchup physically than the previous two weeks.  Green is having a rough learning experience at tackle.  Even the interior did not get a consistent push most of the night, which was especially disappointing.

Charlie Weis has to coach up the young QBs on reading defenses, and get them to improve their accuracy in a hurry.  As far as the playcalling, I’m actually OK with running some Wildcat with Burton at QB, as this seems to be the only way for Florida to generate a running game right now.  What I don’t get is not using it in the red zone – instead trying to get the young QBs to make plays that they have shown no ability yet to do.

The defense played hard all evening and hustled.  There is nothing more mentally difficult than trudging out time after time knowing your offense sucks, and that the game is essentially all on your shoulders.  They were valiant to the end, but simply couldn’t generate the big plays needed to steal the road win.  Beware of fool’s gold, though, as Auburn’s QB play was only slightly better, and their OL is mediocre.  What is amazing is the complete lack of turnovers generated by the defense……maybe due to schemes in place to play things safe, but……wow.

Player of the Game?  Matt Elam.  That kid is the real deal and a future all-SEC safety.

Special teams were disastrous.  Rainey was not even allowed to catch punts after the 1st quarter, and the final drop in the 4th quarter sealed Florida’s doom.  Why even allow someone to touch the ball at that point, when that was your last reasonable chance to tie the game?

Now that the Gators have essentially no meaningful goals to fulfill for 2011, it’s time for the staff to start making some difficult and significant decisions as to personnel moves, potential roster changes, and shaping the remainder of the 2012 recruiting class…….and even looking farther ahead to 2013 recruiting as well.  The remaking of the roster to fit the talents desired by the current staff will take a few more years……and will require a lot of patience from Gator fans.

In regards to the current roster……

Ron Powell is a non-factor at this point, and the staff needs to find a position where he can actually contribute to this team.  It may be time to consider a move to the offense.

Xavier Nixon is a great kid, but is simply not physically ready for SEC football.  Maybe move him to TE.

Either Driskel or Brissett have to make a move in practice the rest of the year to stake a claim as the 2012 starter.  Yes, Brantley will return before the end of 2011, but it’s all about the future now.

Sharrif Floyd is out of position at DE, and needs to move back inside to DT.  If this means Easley slides outside to DE for the rest of the season, so be it…..this move could actually benefit both guys right now.  The entire DE position is anemic right now.  If the staff can get some quality recruits in at this position, they are going to have the chance for immediate playing time……which, of course, will be especially painful in the SEC.

The LB play is not functional.  It’s time for Michael Taylor to get major reps, let Bostic and Jenkins fight it out at OLB, and get McCray in full-time at the other OLB spot.  McCray has actually played well this year, but is not a DE, and needs reps at OLB the rest of the season.

The safety position is in shambles.  Evens is not the answer, and Saunders is a freshman who is not an SEC safety, especially physically.  This would mean playing even more inexperienced guys like Shaw and maybe Purifoy the rest of 2011, but the staff has to give them their chance to better evaluate the possibilities for 2012.

Unfortunately, October has played out as many feared, and yes, it likely will get worse, as even Georgia is superior to Florida at this point and could make it a tough weekend in Jacksonville.  The coaches have a tremendously difficult task ahead in terms of keeping the young guys motivated, and getting leadership out of a senior class that might have lost it’s focus.

Two blowouts in a row.  First consecutive 28-point or worse losses since 1971.  No real chance given to the offense by a sieve of a run defense.  Another weak running attack by the offense.

Other than that – everything’s good in Gator Nation.  Then again……

The biggest disappointment about this latest debacle is the lack of mental toughness.  Maybe that’s to be expected somewhat by such a young team, but it’s Florida, and the SEC……no real excuse.

There really isn’t much positive to take from this game on offense or defense.  I will say that I’m impressed with Jacoby Brissett.  The kid doesn’t panic.  He CAN run as well…….when necessary. Notice he didn’t just break outside the pocket and into sacks……he stepped up into the pocket.  Also, he seems to have good pocket awareness……pretty deft in avoiding some tacklers.  He also wasn’t afraid to step into some throws with a defender getting ready to pound him.  For a true freshman with ZERO experience……on the road at #1……pretty damn impressive.

Actually, I though Weis was too careful with him and the playcalling. Screw the 2010 Dazzler offense of running Wildcat on 1st and 2nd down, then bringing the kid in on 3rd-and-long.  Maybe Weis was trying to coach Brissett up some on the sideline periodically, but I really think the kid deserves a chance to get into some kind of groove.  That may be especially difficult given the weak running game the past two weeks, but so be it.

The only other plays being made are either by Andre Debose, who’s finally starting to show some consistency at WR, and Rainey, who made some nice runs with second effort.

The failings of the run defense is particularly embarrassing.  Perhaps the front seven isn’t physically ready yet for a 4-quarter slugfest with Alabama or L$U, but that was painful to watch.  Was it technique, physical superiority, or intimidation of a hostile SEC road crowd?  Probably a combination of all 3, but still somewhat surprising.

The staff has to find a way to get through to these kids, or else Florida is headed for a 6-6 season.  It also may be time to seriously consider some drastic changes in personnel either after the upcoming game at Auburn or in the bye week before Georgia.

Ron Powell is completely out of position at DE, and it’s a waste of time to continue that failed experiment.  Let the kid play more stand up LB and in coverage.  Also, it might be time to slide Sharrif Floyd back inside to DT, and move Easley to DE, where he can better utilize his speed and quickness.  TE is a complete mess – Reed runs poor routes and is not a good in-line blocker, and AC Leonard is a penalty waiting to happen.  Quinton Dunbar and Omarius Hines are on the back of milk cartons at WR to date – pretty stunning.

It will be two desperate teams on the Plains this Saturday night, as the loser is out of the SEC race and can start building for 2012.  Auburn has been the more consistent team overall, and has a solid road win in it’s resume at S. Carolina.  However, their offense is plagued by inconsistency in the passing game, and opponents are starting to load up to stop Michael Dyer and Ontario McCalebb.  Emory Blake is a decent WR, but there best offensive weapon is TE Philip Lutzenkirchen.  Follow his blocks to see where the running play is going, and he’s a bad matchup for almost any LB or safety – great player.  He’ll have to be stopped if the Gators have any chance of stealing a win at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

The Tiger defense has struggled much of the season, but did show some flashes at S. Carolina two weeks ago, and held up for one half vs. a strong Arkansas offense.  They are searching for leadership after the departure of Nick Fairley to the NFL, and are currently a far cry from the last two defenses the Gators have faced.  Of course, facing a true freshman QB can cure a lot of ills.

The Gator offense will be better this week, and Brissett should have a little more time and be more comfortable. The run game has to become at least functional this week; 120 yards or so should be enough to help out the passing game. Look for some more deep shots to Debose to at least loosen things up, and it’s time to bring back the swing pass……it works.

Not much left to say about Florida’s defense.  It’s obvious to everyone that they have been bitch-slapped the past two weeks, and have not pushed back yet.  They should be able to match up physically with Auburn’s OL, and if they get run over again, there will be serious questions about whether some of these guys are quitting on the season.  Harsh, but true.

What will it take to get the win?  Better special teams play, less stupid penalties, and the defense rising to the challenge – even perhaps getting a turnover or two to help the cause.

I actually think Auburn will be pressing as well to win, and this could benefit the Gators.  Unfortunately, the offense is still limited by a true freshman QB in only his second start, and I can’t see it overcoming another tough road crowd to get a much-needed win.

Prediction – Auburn 27        Florida 17