What started as a promising effort turned into an ugly affair in the second half, as Florida was worn down and eventually beaten up by Alabama in the Swamp.

We’re all disappointed, and many are pissed.  Imagine how the coaches and players feel.

It will be interesting to see how the experience of this staff, much of it from the NFL, transfers to how they get the players to re-focus and prepare for the next game.  Yeah, the QB is out, but the next guy steps in and you move on.

Florida has enough talent and playmakers to stay with Bama at home, but the loss of Brantley was way too much for the offense to overcome.  Coach Weis had an effective plan in place, but losing Brantley scuttled that plan, and Driskel was overmatched in a game of this magnitude against a strong opponent.  The passing scheme was effective the entire first half, and the Gators, while getting little to nothing from the running game, were still moving the ball through the air.  The pass protection was actually pretty good, but the OL seemed to be overpowered when trying to block man for man in the running game.  An unlucky interception for a defensive TD really changed the momentum in the 2nd quarter, and the Gators never really recovered.  There were some nice individual efforts given by Debose and Thompson, but not enough positive plays from the rest of the supporting cast.

Biggest disappointment?  Zero running game.  Biggest surprise?  No swing passes to see if Rainey and Demps could make something happen in space.

The Florida DL was, quite frankly, a disappointment.  The tackles simply did not get penetration often enough to keep the Tide offense off-schedule on first down, and the lack of top-tier DE play was sorely apparent, as Bama had no trouble setting the edge in the run game all night.  The LB play was pretty much MIA, as Bostic and Jenkins simply were whipped and overpowered.  The secondary did a good job overall, but never was truly tested as the Bama running attack dictated the action most of the game.  Again, some flashes from individuals like Easley and Howard, but no consistency, and lack of support from the rest of the defense.

No rest for the weary, as the Gators travel to death Valley to face a solid Tiger team with a great defense of it’s own.  LSU has a fast DL that can occasionally be gashed in the run game, but hasn’t really been challenged that way since their opener against Oregon.  They start 3 senior LBs, and the best playmaking secondary in the country, led by CBs Tyrann Mathieu, Morris Claiborne, and safety Brandon Taylor.  Not as physically large as Alabama, but probably a little quicker with loads of depth.

LSU’s offense is pretty vanilla with Jarrett Lee at QB, preferring to pound away with a strong running game featuring a deep rotation of RBs led by Spencer Ware and Michael Ford, with the occasional downfield throw when the defense has to put 8 in the box.  The Tigers actually have some dangerous WRs in Rueben Randle, Odell Beckham, and Russell Shepard, and hopefully they remain underutilized this week.

L$U has proven it’s mettle this season already, and will probably have to take the Gators a little lightly for Florida to have any chance to steal a win, especially given the potential offensive constraints.  The real grind of an SEC season starts to take shape with this game, and I don’t believe the Gators have enough experience and playmakers on offense to give Driskel enough help to win.

It’s hard to anticipate what kind of game plan to expect.  Coach Weis will divide a plan for Driskel’s strengths, but he simply doesn’t have any quality experience right now.  The OL has to nut up and provide some running room for Rainey and Demps.  One thing I can venture a guess about is the return of the swing pass early on to try and make some big plays and loosen up the Tiger defense.

The Gator defense will again be tested in big-boy football, as they can expect a steady diet of power running all afternoon.  I’m sure Coaches Muschamp and Quinn will have some Bama tape to provide incentive for a better effort, and I expect one.  But unless the Florida offense somehow sustains some drives to give this unit a rest, they will likely again wear down in the second half.

Probably a handful of fragile psyches right now, but this is the SEC, and it’s a “tough-ass league”, as described by Urban Meyer after he lost at Auburn in 2006 with a better team.

Charlie Weis is a smart guy, and will give Driskel a game plan he can execute with success. Now, will that translate to a win?  Not unless the defense is lights-out.  But we shall see.

It is tremendously difficult, especially with college guys, to move on from such a tough loss, especially when you’re thrown right back into the Lion’s (Tiger’s) Den the very next week with a new QB and potential scheme changes. Lots of turmoil and disappointment right now. I think we have the staff, with Muschamp, Weis, Quinn, etc., to get these kids ready to compete.

Of course, I could be wrong.

Gonna be an interesting next 4 weeks……

Prediction – L$U 30        Florida 13

 Once again the Gators reminded the Vols who owns this series, putting a beatdown on the Inbreds at the Swamp. The game was essentially a 10-point blowout, as only a multitude of penalties and a turnover gave Tennessee any chance at all to score points.

 The defense achieved its goal of making the UT attack one-dimensional, stuffing the run all game long and making life miserable for trash-talking Tyler Bray, just another Vol QB to get pounded in the Swamp. The DL dominated throughout – especially Dominique Easley, who’s looking like a potential all-SEC player right now – with Jaye Howard right behind him. The return of Sharrif Floyd certainly helped out at DE, and even Ron Powell showed signs of life. Any success for the balance of this season is directly tied to how this group performs. It’s nice to see the LBs actually not have to fight off OL and get to make some plays at the LOS. The pass coverage of Jelani Jenkins was great (hands – not so much). The young secondary was tested, and had some deserved penalties, but the refereeing in general was spotty at best, and some legitimate pass breakups and interceptions were wiped away by poor calls. This group has to continue to develop mental toughness to reduce lazy penalties, but there are some future SEC-caliber players emerging. Marcus Roberson is physical enough already to hold his own against the bigger WRs he’ll face. This unit really does need the healthy return of Jeremy Brown, though. Matt Elam is doing everything at safety, but needs better (and smarter) play from Josh Evans and Pop Saunders, who is still figuring out college football.

 On offense, the Gators dictated much of the tempo all day. Chris Rainey continues his early success, and hopefully doesn’t get beaten down too much as the season progresses. Trey Burton is still the one guy that can be counted on in the red zone. The OL is improving, but time is almost up before they play the big boys of the SEC. The WR group is still a disappointment, as not one guy has shown he can consistently get open and make plays. Perhaps that is partially a function of the simplistic game plans that have lead to wins, but that won’t cut it against Alabama and L$U. John Brantley has been functional so far, but is still missing some keys throws in the red zone that should be touchdowns – especially the quick seam route to either the WR or TE in the slot. He also has to improve his touch passing as well, losing a potential TD to Omarius Hines by not dropping a soft throw into the back of the end zone. Still a few shaky throws into coverage, but not as often as in 2010.

 So much for Tennessee being relevant in the SEC yet……they are gonna get punished over the next 6 weeks.

 Now comes the first road trip of the season to Kentucky, to face a Mildcat team that is really struggling. Tough cookies for them – the Gators need to step on their throat early and knock them out. Joker Phillips foolishly talked a lot of trash when he took over last year as to how UK was going to keep making strides……well, they are moonwalking backwards at this point. The 4 straight bowl games (3 under Rich Brooks) will be a distant memory after this season. They have lost the handful of SEC-level playmakers they had on both offense and defense to the past 2 NFL drafts, and are almost bankrupt of quality talent on both sides of the ball. Out of pure anger and embarrassment, they will probably hang around for the first half, but Florida should put them away in the 3rd quarter and start resting the starters for the brutal October stretch of games.

 I expect another vanilla game plan on both offense and defense, as the Gators have too much quality across the board and will overwhelm the Mildcats.

 Prediction – Florida 34 Kentucky 13

Florida ended the preseason with another solid effort against UAB.  The result was an easier-than-expected shutout of the Blazers, but there is a lot for the defense to continue to work on and improve.  UAB did hit some longer pass plays, one TD being called back by a penalty.  The young secondary has to improve communication and recognition of certain patterns.  The flats are still a little soft, but that may be given to UT this week to prevent big plays and to try and make the Vols impatient.

It looks like Weis wanted the running game to get some extra reps in the second half, as there were only 2 passes after halftime.  The OL started to show some cohesion on some pulling and trap blocks, opening up some interior lanes.  This could help keep Tennessee’s offense off the field and wear down a suspect UT defense.

The Gator front seven controlled the action most of the night.  Mike Gillislee came out of witness protection to remind folks that he is a quality RB, and is Florida’s best inside runner.  Trey Burton also started to show some flashes of what Weis will have him do all year — a jack-of-all-trades as an H-back.

Now the real season starts with the Volunteers coming to the Swamp, and talking a lot of trash for a sorry-ass team for the past 5 seasons.  They have 3 weapons on offense — QB Tyler Bray, and WRs Justin Hunter and Da’Rick Rogers, holdovers from the Lame Kiffin debacle.  On paper this would seem to be a big advantage for UT, as the Gator secondary is young and untested.  However, the Vols have not shown a real running game yet, and their OL has no idea what is about to hit them.  The Gators get Sharrif Floyd back from suspension, joining an already strong DL that will look to punish Bray and let him know Florida is not Montana or Cincinnati, where he had all day to pick out receivers.

Coach Muschamp and Coach Quinn will definitely have some new looks and schemes ready to confuse Bray, despite an inexperienced secondary.  I really don’t expect an inordinate amount of blitzing, as I think the DL can control the LOS and get pressure on the QB without too much help.  I also expect to see a lot of new looks, such as more 3-4 alignments, with extra rushers coming from different angles.  The LBs need to clean up the flats, so the secondary can concentrate on preventing big plays and busted assignments.

I get the feeling Charlie Weis is going to pound the running game to wear down a mediocre Tennessee front seven, and to control the clock and tempo.  There will be some new formations and pass plays that he has not shown yet, but the Gator OL should be able to control the action.  Once again, John Brantley will be asked to manage the game and hit the occasional big play if there, while limiting turnovers.  Time for him and the WRs to step up their level of play, starting this week.

Volsheimers is once again in full effect, and once again Florida reminds Tennessee that they are the better team.

Prediction – Florida 31    Tennessee 21

A solid debut for the Gators against FAU. Vanilla schemes on both sides of the ball, good effort, and some big plays to put the game away early.

The offense looks like it might actually have a clue this fall. Weis exploited Demps and Rainey all evening against a soft, deep zone. Brantley looks more comfortable, and his timing on the swing passes was very good. Not much shown as far as a deep game, but that was mainly due to the deep zones and also to not showing much on film for upcoming opponents. The OL played pretty well for a first game, with few penalties. However, the interior run blocking was no better than average, and must improve as the competition toughens.

The defense dominated the first half, but was a little ragged the second. Easley and the other DL looked very good, getting quick penetration on almost every snap, and playing the run well. The LBs flowed to the ball well, but were sloppy in covering the flats and TE. The young secondary wasn’t really tested, but has a long way to go the be SEC-caliber. Decent tackling, but some silly penalties and blown coverages.  Finally, the news is good about the Sharrif Floyd suspension – he’s out one more game (this week), and will return for Tennessee.

UAB comes the Swamp this week, and they should prove to be more of a challenge. The Blazers have plenty of experience going on the road to face top teams, and will be a good measuring stick for Florida to see how much the Gators improve after week 1. UAB runs a 4- and 5-WR spread offense, a completely different look for a young Gator secondary, and I expect some struggles this week.

The Florida OL has to continue to mesh, and it’s time to show a little bit more downfield passing. I hope to see the TE become more of a threat this game. Demps and Rainey will always be capable of popping the big play, but consistent interior running lanes have to be made. The Gator defense will continue to rotate a lot of players in to get as much experience as possible before the SEC season starts.

UAB may stick around into the second half before Florida wears them down. It wouldn’t be a bad thing to see the team pushed harder to see how the younger players respond to some pressure. The mantra continues to be weekly development, and NO INJURIES.

Prediction – UF 38 UAB 17

Time for a fresh start across the board for the 2011 Florida Gators.  It starts with new Head Coach Will Muschamp, an almost completely new staff, and (hopefully) better coaching and play on the field this season.

Most of the off-season attention has been paid to re-building the offense.  The confidence of the entire unit, especially John Brantley, must have been shattered by abominable coaching and coordinating by the Dazzler, and Charlie Weis has a monumental job to get these guys believing they can compete in the SEC again.  I expect a vanilla scheme for the most part in the opener, but it appears Brantley will play more than you would normally expect, needing as many reps as he can get in the new offense before the SEC season starts.  Florida should be able to overpower FAU on the ground, but the timing and honing of the downfield passing game need to develop right away.

The perceived strength of the 2011 Gators is their defense, but this is a very young group with a thin depth chart at LB and in the secondary.  The defensive line will have to lead the way all season, starting in the opener, by getting run penetration and pressure on the QB.  Expect most of the roster to get some snaps in this game.  The linebackers and secondary have a few weeks to gear up for the SEC schedule, and still have along way to go to establish communication and cohesiveness.  That position is going to struggle at times in 2011, and it will get ugly at times.

FAU might hang around for 1-2 quarters on emotion and adrenaline, but Florida outclasses them across the board.  One coach starts his head coaching career, while another (Howard Schnellenberger) begins his last season.  The mantra for the opener is, as always, NO INJURIES.

Prediction  – UF 41        FAU 13

While it was surprising to hear Coach Meyer had decided to resign as Head Coach at Florida, the announcement didn’t come with the shock and dismay as last year.

It’s been obvious to many that Urban was not the aggressive, engaged, and fiery leader he was when he came to Gainesville in 2005.  Whether the reason is his health or simply being burned out, he made the tough, and necessary, decision to step down and allow Jeremy Foley time to move the program forward as best as possible.  It seems that some reports are starting to come out that, indeed, his health is partly to blame, so good for him to take care of himself.

As time goes by, upon reflection Gator fans will realize once again what a fundamental change Meyer made to the entire football program from where it was at the end of the Zook Error.  The Gator Walk, the new “Front Door” to Gator Football at the Swamp, the Gator Brick walkway, having the team come over to the band after each game for the alma mater and fight song……great stuff.  Coach Meyer worked his ass off in all phases — recruiting, coaching, mentoring — everything.  What a tremendous ambassador for Florida athletics AND the entire university in general. 

And thinks to Shelley Meyer as well.  She has been a great supporter of not just Gator Football, but her own family as well.  It can’t be stressed enough how challenging the life of a coach’s wife can be, and Urban has said many times what a wonderful person she is and how much of a help she has been throughout his coaching career.

It will be a wild ride the next few weeks as a new Head Coach is announced, and most of the old staff gets replaced.  It’s always a strange time, as it’s hard not to get attached to at least some coaches, but that’s the nature of college football.

This isn’t the first rodeo for Foley, Bernie Machen, and the inner circle.  The new hire may be an established coach, or perhaps a boom-or-bust type of younger guy, but there’s really no reason to start any hand-wringing or angst once the announcement is made.  Just throw your support behind the new Head Gator, and hope for the best. 

The Florida job is one of the elite positions in America……it’s more than likely that a selection will be made from an impressive list of candidates.  The first real task for the new guy will be to keep the 2011 recruiting class together, as well as keeping the current roster intact as much as possible.  There probably will be some attrition, but we’ll have to be patient and let things shake out.

Finally, it is being reported that Coach Meyer will remain associated with the Athletic Dept. in some capacity for at least the next year or so, and I say ‘great!’.  I do not feel he will be seen as any sort of threat to the new Head Coach, but instead an invaluable resource and confidant.

I’ll be back later to discuss the hire of the new Head Gator and staff.

Go Gators!

A nightmare season is mercifully over, after Florida implodes against a mediocre F$U team in Taliban City.

Not much analysis is needed after viewing this debacle.  The ‘Plan to Win” has been lost, as the Gators turned the ball over, had terrible field position the entire game, and once again could not get off the field on defense on 3rd down.

What a fall from the heights of the past 5 seasons when your team makes Dumbo Fisher and a sore-armed Christian Ponder look like world-beaters.  Even worse, the weak Criminole defense looked competent.  It was obvious the Gators had a huge advantage by playing a power running style, and ripped off chunks of yardage almost at will.  But fumbles and a putrid passing game undermined any hope of scoring enough points to win.

The worst thing to see is how the defense became dispirited the last few games, knowing the offense had no clue as to play winning football.  Not that Teryl Austin  did a great job to start with.  It’s just another indictment against the Dazzler and a terrible offensive staff.

Here’s the funny thing……F$U is celebrating as if they defeated a good team (finally)……the joke’s on them.  They are still a far cry from a very good team.  Maybe this false hope will backfire on them next season.

Florida football is broken right now, and Coach Meyer needs to go back to basics and fundamentals this off-season, and build from the ground up again.  It’s sobering to see how poor coaching can derail even the best program in just one season, and changes have to be made.  The Dazzler, DJ Durkin, Stan Drayton, Scott Loeffler, and maybe Zach Azzanni all may be gone.

Now it’s time to await the bowl matchup, and to get after recruiting in earnest.  At least the staff (or who remains) can sell playing time at many positions right now……but can they overcome the rumored return of the Dazzler?  This subject is already sending negative vibes to recruits, and don’t think that every other program isn’t pounding this home to kids.

I’ll be back with a bowl game preview after Christmas.  Happy Holidays to Gator Nation.

A workmanlike effort on Senior Day, as the Gators’ superior physicality and depth were too much for the Mountaineers to deal with.

The odd cycle of personnel and play-calling continues, as Florida played more of Reed at QB and actually threw more downfield against an outmanned opponent, while force-feeding Brantley and predictable play-calling against SEC teams.  The defense was not great, but played hard and tackled well.

Despite the lopsided score, there are still the same troubling faults that seemingly can’t be corrected by this staff — poor pass blocking against the blitz, and simply no pass rush of significance.  ASU did move the ball decently and could have scored more points with better execution in the passing game. 

Now it’s on to the regular season finale against the School Out West. 

On defense, the Gators simply have to clamp down and play tight coverage on F$U’s WRs.  None of those guys are breakaway threats.  Jenkins has had an A-A season, and should be able to take away Haulstead, who seems to be Ponder’s go-to guy for big plays.  Brown, Riggs, and Moses Jenkins can handle Reed and the rest.  The Criminole running game is inconsistent at best.  They seem to break a long run with Thompson occasionally, but are not physical or dominating behind the Turnstiles.  The matchup between the Seminole OL and Gator DL is one of mediocrity this year, and one that the Gators have dominated recently — this gives F$U a decent chance to win Saturday.  The key may be the Florida LB corps — a unit that has simply not performed well the entire season.  They have to get proper drops in the passing lanes and tackle well.  The bottom line is aggressiveness from all units all game.

Of course, if the late rumors are true that Jenkins may not play due to a concussion suffered against ASU……all bets are off. 

It’s a crapshoot as to what kind of offensive game plan Florida will have ready.  I have little confidence right now in the ability of the staff to scheme for mismatches in personnel.  I do believe that the Gator OL can physically overpower the F$U DL in a power-running game, especially if Burton and Reed are allowed to mix in some counter-plays and sweeps on their own.  But what happens when Brantley is in to throw?  Will the staff actually give him some extra protection to allow a little time to exploit a poor F$U secondary?  The Gators have the advantage in talent in the matchup between their WR vs. the F$U DBs, but will they get the chance to exploit it?  

With no SECCG to prepare for, there is no reason to hold anything back in this game.  This is a huge game for recruiting ramifications and the perception that UF still is the dominant team.  A lot of what Urban Meyer has established since 2005 can be torn down with a poor showing this week.  I’m hopeful that the defense can get some turnovers to help the offense generate some points and lessen the pressure on them to sustain drives all afternoon.  It’s just a shame that the Gators have actually fallen back to the level of F$U and that they can actually lose this one.

Florida 24        Florida $t. 23