The 2015 season and the Jim McElwain era kicks off with the New Mexico State Aggies traveling to the Swamp for a large paycheck and a beatdown.

Most of the attention of Gator Nation will again be given to the performance of the offense, under it’s 4th Offensive Coordinator in 5 season.  Doug Nussmeier has to determine which of Will Grier and Treon Harris will be his full-time starting QB, and can use the first 2 games of the season to (hopefully) see one guy step to the forefront and be the leader heading into the SEC schedule.  Harris gets the start this Saturday.

As much as everyone would like to see an effective passing game develop, the first order of business is to establish a solid running game, and set the rotation at RB between Kelvin Taylor, Jordan Scarlett, and Jordan Cronkrite.  After that, we’ll see if either QB can spread the ball around to let WRs Demarcus Robinson, Brandon Powell, and Ahmad Fullwood show their abilities.  Hopefully Jake McGee and C’yontai Lewis can help out at TE to take some pressure off the QB.  The rebuilt O-Line should take advantage of the opportunity to start the process of developing chemistry.  This is a great opportunity to work out some kinks with the base offense, and begin the process of rebuilding the confidence of this group.

The Aggie offense should not prove very challenging to the Gator defense, as they are overmatched physically and in skill level.  Their best unit is their OL with 4 returning starters that allowed only 14 sacks last season.  The priority for the Gator defensive coaching staff is to determine the playing rotation for the front seven.  Plenty of young guys will get their chance to prove they belong in the rotation this week and next at various positions on the D-Line (Caleb Brantley, Khairi Clark, Cece Jefferson, Taven Bryan) and at LB (Alex Anzalone, Rayshad Jackson, Jeremi Powell, Matt Rolin).

Here’s hoping that the Gator offense can show some life early and start to gel in real game conditions.  There are so many new starters and variables right now that it’s hard to say of they can score enough points early to provide the defense the opportunity to rest the starters after halftime and allow for a lot of guys to gain experience and develop depth.

This should be a good opener for the team to settle in with all of the new coaches and to start building momentum before the SEC season begins.  As always, the mantra for these games is, “no injuries!”

Prediction: Florida 41        NMS 10

Once more, it’s time for the Gator program to start over, as Jim McElwain and a brand new staff attempt to get Florida back on track as a consistent contender in the SEC and among the national elite. McElwain has done an outstanding job so far to wash away the stench of the Will Muschamp era in all aspects. He has enlarged the support staff to concentrate on recruiting. He has convinced Jeremy Foley to loosen the purse strings and immediately build an indoor practice facility and upgrade the player’s dorms. He has hired a coaching staff that is energetic and relates very well with the high school kids Florida is recruiting. He is savvy with the media and not confrontational and immature like Muschamp. He actually seems to have a clue about offensive football and has really shown an aptitude to be a program manager with a real understanding of organization, delegation, and getting recruits interested in Florida.

Offense

The Gators will implement their 4th offense in 5 years, and I can only hope that this one sticks for the time necessary to gain continuity and comfort. Doug Nussmeier comes to Gainesville as the OC and QB Coach after one undistinguished season at Michigan. He did work closely with McElwain at Alabama during their recent run of success, and after 5 seasons of wandering in the wilderness, Florida’s offense finally has a vision and a direction with the Head Coach and the offensive staff on the same page.

It will be a competition in fall camp between Will Grier and Treon Harris for the starting QB job. Harris has the advantage in experience, getting thrown to the wolves as a true freshman last season. He showed composure under fire and leadership skills, but was too inaccurate and was hurt by poor coaching. Grier redshirted to gain weight and strength, and had the edge after Spring practice. He is taller and has a stronger arm, and came out of a high school program that had a more sophisticated passing game. But until you have to face SEC defenses and gain valuable experience, it’s difficult to say who will eventually emerge. I do think, though, that once McElwain names a starter, he and Nussmeier will give him plenty of opportunity to prove himself before making a switch. I expect both to see action the first 2 games, and perhaps a full-time starter named prior to the Kentucky game.

The running back situation seems to be more clear, as Kelvin Taylor has seemingly become the #1 guy after a successful spring, and has responded to new coach Tim Skipper. Behind Taylor, though, the picture gets a little murkier until the season develops. True freshman Jordan Scarlett comes in with a lot of hype – he has the size and speed to possibly become a star in the SEC……..if he picks up the playbook and continues to work. By default he is the backup and will get a lot of snaps, as Adam Lane continued to be in the doghouse and has recently transferred. True freshman Jordan Cronkrite will likely get some opportunities this year as well. A run of injuries here could prove disastrous with little proven depth.

The WR position could be the most pleasant surprise of the season, as there is untapped potential that has suffered from poor coaching and, frankly, poor QB play the past 2 years. Demarcus Robinson is the clear leader of the unit and can be an all-SEC player this year with improved play from the QBs and the WRs around him. He has the size, speed, and blocking ability that NFL teams desire already – it’s all about consistency going forward. Behind him, Brandon Powell, Ahmad Fullwood, C.J. Worton, and true freshman Antonio Calloway all have the natural talent to make plays in the SEC…….but need to prove it to the staff and their teammates in live action.

The TEs can really make a difference in the overall effectiveness of the offense this fall. Jake McGee was granted a 6th year of eligibility by the NCAA after breaking his ankle in the very first quarter of game 1 last year. He is a proven player with starting experience at Virginia, and could thrive in the new offense by being a weapon over the middle in the intermediate zones and taking pressure off of the inexperienced QBs. Redshirt freshman C’yontai Lewis is the backup – he has speed, but not the size to be an effective in-line blocker. For now it appears that the TEs will be flexed out more often than not to help spread the field, and not a factor in the running game.

Finally, the most talked-about and scrutinized unit facing the most pressure is the Offensive LIne. This unitl has been a mess for most of the past 2 seasons due to injuries and no consistent game planning from the previous coordinators. Coach Mike Summers was the only coach retained from the Will Muschamp failure, which speaks volumes about the trust McElwain has in him. Last season he actually did a fine job with a mash up of players with varying experience and some with marginal talent. The entire offensive staff went all out since December to bring in fresh recruits, transfers and reevaluated the returning players to try and cobble together an effective unit going forward. The only proven SEC-level player already on hand is OT David Sharpe. After that, it’s all hands on deck as transfers, redshirts and some true freshmen will make up the balance of the starting OL and rotation. Mason Halter comes from Fordham as a FCS All-American, and will likely be a starter at tackle or guard. Trip Thurman will be a starter at the other guard position or at center. True freshman Tyler Jordan has drawn raves form the staff and will get a lot of playing time at center. Martez Ivey steps in right out of high school as an immediate rotation player at tackle. Other newcomers, mostly redshirt or true freshmen such as Nick Buchanan, Cameron Dillard, Travaris Dorsey, Kavaris Harkless, Antonio Riles, and T.J. McCoy all will have opportunities this fall to prove themselves. It’s painfully obvious that coach Summers has a monumental task ahead of him, and the development of this group as the season progresses will influence the effectiveness of the entire offense and the game-planning of Nussmeier, especially if they struggle.

Defense

Overall, this unit – again – will be counted on to lead the team, and will have to carry their weight plus some until the offense can find it’s way. Fortunately, there is a lot of returning quality talent to compete against anyone in the country.

The Defensive Line, despite the loss of Dante Fowler Jr. to the NFL, has plenty of experience and quality players to establish the front line of a typical tough SEC defense. Jonathan Bullard surprised some by returning for his senior year, and will anchor the line. He has the flexibility to play both tackle and end based upon the scheme, and will be the leader of this group. There is a lot of young talent ready to get their chance. At tackle, Caleb Brantley, Taven Bryan, Joey Ivie, and Khairi Clark should form a solid rotation – Bryan, in particular, has looked very good so far in fall practice. At end, Alex McCalister and Bryan Cox, Jr. showed flashes last year in getting to the QB, but now have to prove thry can do it more consistently and without Fowler drawing attention away from them. True freshmen Cece Jefferson and Jabari Zuniga come in with high expectations, and will see significant playing time.

The Linebacker corps is the unit under the most scrutiny coming in to the season, as the prior staff simply did not recruit this position well in terms of quality talent and depth. Antonio Morrison should have entered his senior season as the leader on the field, but the knee injury suffered in the bowl game has set him back, and no one is sure if or when he’ll see the field this fall, and how effective he will be. Personally I’d like to see him redshirt, but the lack of depth and experience at the position leads me to think he will try and play as soon as possible. Jarrad Davis and Alex Anzalone are the only others in the rotation that have seem significant playing time, and they have both been injury-prone. New coach Randy Shannon is a great coordinator and has developed a lot of fine players, and he has a huge task ahaead of him trying to find a mix of young guys to fill in the depth chart and try to survive the season until he can re-stock the position. He has tirelessly worked his old stomping grounds of South Florida to find freshmen like Rayshad Jackson and Jahim Lawrence, who will have to learn some hard lessons right away in the SEC. There is some potential with some returning players like Daniel McMillian and Matt Rolin, but injuries or simply not picking up the scheme have hampered their careers so far.

The strength of the Gator defense this season lies in the secondary, which, barring injuries, will be among the best in the country. Leading the way is A-A candidate Vernon Hargreaves III at cornerback, who is great in coverage and also shows toughness in supporting the run game. Quincy Wilson, Jalen Tabor, and Brian Poole are all quality players, and can rotate outside as well as in the slot. All four are also very capable in making big plays with the ball in their hands after turning the ball over. The safety position is well-manned by Keanu Neal, Marcus Maye, and Duke Dawson. All have the size and speed necessary to be playmakers in the SEC, especially Neal, who is a big hitter and should be an all-SEC candidate this season. There are plenty of young guys like Marcell Harris and Deiondre Porter, and some true freshmen such as Kylan Johnson that will provide quality depth. There is an embarrassment of riches in this unit.

Special Teams

New Tight Ends and Special Teams Coordinator Greg Nord has a lot of work ahead of him establishing his own style, along with incorporating new players and improving the returning specialists.

The placekicking duties fall solely on Austin Hardin this season. He made some clutch FGs last year including the game-winner at Tennessee, but this is his 4th year at Florida, and it’s time for him to show consistency and improve his accuracy and start to fulfill the hype that came with him out of high school. Johnny Townsend inherits the punting from Kyle Christy. He has some experience from the past few years, but the job is his now, and it will be interesting to see how he responds to the challenge and pressure. Until the offense can show proof it will actually be functional unlike the past few disastrous seasons, field position will be even more important.

The return game loses one of the SEC’s all-time leaders in Andre Debose, and it may take a few games to settle on who will handle the kick and punt returns. Going in to fall camp it appears as if VH3 will be the PR. He has the playmaking ability, but I’m always nervous having such a good and important skill position starter returning kicks, because of the added risk of injury. There is no established leader right now at KR. Right now Demarcus Robinson and freshman DB Chris Williamson are mentioned as the first guys to get the opportunity, and Robinson may also handle some of the PR duties. This is concerning, as again I’m concerned about the best WR increasing his chances for injury, and also having an unknown like a true freshman returning any kicks. This situation shows just how fortunate Florida was in having guys like Brandon James and Debose in the past that were so dangerous. Yes, they both made major contributions as true freshmen, but they were not critical starters elsewhere.

Schedule and Outlook

Gator fans approach a new season with some trepidation – again. A new staff, new offense – again, and the horrific last 2 years of the Will Muschamp era have spooked even some of the most ardent fans. The defense will need to carry more than it’s share of the load until the offense (hopefully) develops some confidence and rhythm. September is crucial to this year’s success (or lack of it).

New Mexico State – Win
Time to establish a new identity for the offense (again), and use this as an advanced scrimmage. Stay healthy – please!

East Carolina – Win
Rematch of last season’s bowl game. The Pirates could be good enough on offense to force the Gators to be pressured to score more often than they may be ready to – the defense will be on the spot to control this game.

@Kentucky – Win
The Gators barely squeaked by the Wildcats last year, and the Florida fan base is not used to this game being such an iffy proposition. If the Gators play well in all 3 phases they should be able to win this game, but until there is evidence of that with the offense and special teams, the margin for error is uncomfortable.

Tennessee – Win
The overhyped media team of the offseason comes to the Swamp. The Vols may be improved, but I’m not buying that they are “back” in any way. Still, the Gators have to play well and avoid turnovers. If Florida loses either to UK or UT, the bad part of the fan base will already start to vocalize it’s displeasure (yes – that quickly), and Coach McElwain will learn first-hand as a head coach in the SEC what expectations – even reduced ones – can do to make your job that much harder.

October is a tough 4 game stretch against 2 quality SEC West teams and 2 SEC East contenders. Talk about how far Will Muschamp drug the program down – the Gators could easily be underdogs in all 4 of those games. There won’t be any chance to hide any offensive deficiencies – the OL and QB play have to be shored up and efficient by then or another difficult season could be ahead.

Mississippi – Loss
Ole Miss comes to the Swamp with another solid squad and a defensive line that will give the Gators trouble at it’s weakest position – OL and QB. The Rebels historically catch the Gators at less than their best, and right now this matchup does not look favorable.

@Missouri – Win
This game (and the next) will be a test for the young and inexperienced offense. Another solid defensive front seven awaits, and the Tigers have been able to take advantage of a historically weak SEC East. I’m going to be an optimist here and say that the Gators surprise with a close win at Columbia.

@LSU – Loss
Too tough an opponent, too tough a venue. Death Valley and the Tigers have their own issues on offense and at QB, but have one of the best RBs in college football in Leonard Fournette, and the Gators would have to win the turnover battle by at least +2 or +3 and make huge plays on special teams in order to pull off the upset.

Off Week

vs. Georgia (Jacksonville) – Loss
The Puppies are another team breaking in a new QB, but have a very strong running game and continuity in the offensive scheme that Florida can’t match. I can’t see the Gators running for over 400 yards again like last season. The off week to rest and game plan is a huge benefit, but I’m not sure if it’s enough to win.

November should be less difficult, giving the Gators a chance to either rebound from a difficult SEC gauntlet in October, or to perhaps build upon some success and complete a turnaround season.

Vanderbilt (Homecoming) – Win
The Commodores have had a nice run the past 3 seasons, but it’s back to reality, and Florida should win relatively easily.

@South Carolina – Win
The Gamecocks are rebuilding, but any road game in the SEC is a challenge. Florida’s strength on defense is it’s secondary, and that’s a good matchup against a Steve Spurrier offense. Again an optimistic prediction based on confidence in the new staff.

Florida Atlantic – Win
The Owls simply don’t have the personnel to match up with the Gators for 4 quarters. They might hang around with in-state pride and the Gators mentally looking ahead to the next game, but the Gators should pull away in the 2nd half.

Florida State – Loss
Florida has lost 4 out of 5 to the Criminoles, as Muschamp’s legacy lives on painfully for a few more seasons until the Gators restock the roster with the quality and depth it is used to. An in-state rivalry as intense as this one usually means there isn’t a real upset, but the Gators will need to jump to an early lead and not play with the pressure of playing from behind, even at home. By this time, if Florida has shown some success on the field and the offense shows signs of life, there may be enough positive momentum to help the team mentally in getting the win.

Overall Record 8-4
SEC Record 5-3

The perception of the Gator program is one of skepticism – again, especially on the offensive side of the ball – again, from knowledgeable observers and recruits. Everyone outside of the players and coaches is in wait-and-see mode – again. A good season that shows offensive progress can lead to a great offseason and recruiting class, and help permanently turn the corner for a positive future. More struggles, whether they are due to injuries or with learning the offense, could slow down the rebuilding effort. This refrain is getting old, and it’s time for good things to happen to Florida football – again.

It’s that time – again……Heeeeeeeeeeeere come the Gators!

The Song Remains The Same……

There was one final bitter pill to swallow as Will Muschamp’s head coaching career at Florida closed with another brutal loss, this one at Taliban City against the Criminoles. Just another in the long list of improbable scenarios leading to a close loss played out, as the Gators managed to waste a brilliant performance by the defense that forced 4 interceptions of Shameless Winston and repeatedly gave the offense the chances to put the game away. Sadly, the game was a microcosm of Muschamp’s tenure at Florida.

The Gator offense actually did open up the playbook some (as it should have continued to do even after the debacle at Alabama), breaking tendency by throwing the ball occasionally on first down and taking shots downfield not just to Demarcus Robinson. The inexperience and lack of accuracy of Treon Harris, however, were glaringly evident as he missed a handful of clutch throws that would have extended drives and definitely led to more points being scored. He was bitterly disappointed leaving the field after his last incompletion, throwing behind a wide-open Robinson that effectively ended the game. He has tools to work with, and importantly the poise to not panic despite his youth, but simply needs to be coached up in his timing and doing a better job of leading a receiver – that will come. Florida continued to run the ball, even when it was apparent that F$U was daring them to throw more often. Matt Jones and Kelvin Taylor weren’t as effective as needed to provide balance and help Harris out, but that points more to the poor development of a passing game than to most of the players. Harris did scramble for some first downs, and actually had some clutch runs called back by penalties in the fateful second half.

Of course, the play of the game was the pick 6 that change what would have been a 12-0 or 16-0 lead into a 9-7 lead that completely changed the complexion of the game and gave the Criminoles life. While the play call wasn’t that bad, planning a throw to Tevin Westbrook, knowing his history of drops, was poor personnel management. The throw was a little behind him, but history suggested that he wasn’t a reliable option, and that falls on the offensive staff. Really feel bad for the kid, but he directly contributed to 2 crushing losses this season. Ugh.

There were some critical penalties throughout the game that were partially a by product of the rivalry, but also a lack of poise that doomed some scoring chances and contributed to the loss. The frustrations of the past 2 years and losing their coach obviously influenced some of the behavior that led to dumb penalties.

The Gator defense was terrific, forcing the many turnovers and pressuring King Crab all afternoon. The game plan to shut down the passing game did allow F$U to have success with Dalvin Cook running the ball, but that success should have been limited by some better tackling in the second half. Overall you can’t ask anything more out of that unit. They flew all over the field, blanketed WRs, and laid the wood on some punishing hits. The secondary has come a long way from the meltdown at Alabama back in September, completely shutting down the F$U passing attack except for 2 TD receptions by Nick O’Leary.

Now comes another turbulent off-season, as recruiting remains in flux and some potential big-time players are either de-committing or wavering. Jeremy Foley claims that he will have a new coach named by mid-December, and it’s critical for a new head coach and staff to have as much time as possible to hold the class together. It’s remarkable that, despite the many losses on the field, Will Muschamp is still well-liked and hasn’t been vilified by many fans and in the press. He inherited a real mess from Urban Meyer inside and outside of the locker room, and has cleaned out a lot of bad apples while rebuilding camaraderie within the team. But as he stated after being let go, the bottom line is winning, and he didn’t get that done. He leaves behind a very good defense and scheme, and I hope that a few key coaches like Travaris Robinson and Brad Lawing are retained by the new head coach – they are excellent positional coaches as well as ace recruiters. Despite the poor results on offense, there is more talent than has been shown that is left behind, and needs to be developed. Foley stated that he wants a head coach that has exhibited a more wide-open and explosive offense, and as evidenced by the results of the past 4 seasons and also across the country given more liberal rules benefiting the offense, Florida has no reason it can’t get back to what was seen from 1990-2009.

The Will Muschamp era ends at Florida, but another is soon to begin. With some improvement on offense, Florida should contend for the SEC East as soon as next season. Here’s hoping the new head coach can improve the offense while continuing the tradition of solid defense, and getting the Gators back to winning ways.

I’ll be back with a bowl preview, wrap up, and then an analysis of the new staff and what I hope is a solid recruiting class, despite the coaching change.

It’s been a rough 5 years, but better days are ahead. Go Gators!

The Gators sent the senior class and Will Muschamp out on a winning note in the Swamp with a workmanlike thrashing of the Colonels. The team played well, especially factoring in all of the off-the-field distractions surrounding the program. The defense throttled EKU all afternoon, while the offense got some explosive plays from the passing game to build a huge lead and enable the staff to clear the bench in the second half. Both Treon Harris and Jeff Driskel made some excellent TD throws, and Demarcus Robinson and Quinton Dunbar showed that they are threats downfield when given the chance. Other than the bruised knee suffered by Harris, fortunately there were no other key injuries. There’s not much in-depth analysis needed for this game, which is a welcome break from the drama that has been 2014.

Which leads to……the showdown in Taliban City this Saturday against the Criminoles.

There are even more storylines than usual for this year’s game, starting with F$U’s winning streak, Muschamp’s last game as Gator head coach, and the fact that the entire country hates the cesspool that is the Criminole program and their teflon QB, Shameless Winston.

It’s imperative that Florida not fall too far behind early and force the offense to try and climb out of that hole, as they are simply not ready to do it. The Gator offense has shown the ability to run the ball effectively, and will need to do so again to control the flow of the game and rest the defense. F$U’s defense has been vulnerable most of the season, and can be exploited. I do expect more chances to be taken than at any time this season on early downs, as there is really nothing to lose for Muschamp and the team……but ultimately it will still come down to an effective running game. The O-Line is in good health, and hopefully can repeat what a handful of teams have already done this season – gash the F$U defensive line and also have success with zone read runs by the QB. I expect both Harris and Driskel to play, and possibly a little reverse game-planning in store with Harris running more than usual and Driskel taking some shots downfield in the passing game. Hopefully Kurt Roper is allowed to actually run more of his true offense than Muschamp allowed after the Alabama loss, and has a few big plays dialed up for Saturday.

Florida’s defense knows what it has to do – slow down the Criminole passing game and force some turnovers, which Winston has been susceptible to all season. I fully expect F$U to pass the ball early and often to try and expose Florida’s mediocre play at the safety position. Rashad Greene and Nick O’Leary are the favorite targets of Winston, and the Gators need to force someone else to beat them. Dante Fowler should command a lot of attention in the pass rush, so that could open up things for others in the front seven to make some big plays and also get some sacks. The defensive game plan will likely be to dare F$U to run the ball with Dalvin Cook and Karlos Williams – consistently – and make them try and be patient on offense, which isn’t in the nature of King Crab.

If Florida can keep this game close deep into the second half, the pressure on F$U will ratchet up and possibly finally make them lose one of a handful of games they have escaped with a win this year. Dumbo Fisher is crowing about how they “finish” games. Yeah, with a team fumbling inside the 15 with a minute left (Climpson), another being stopped by a pass interference call negating the winning score (Notre Shame), another who went too conservative in the second half, and where it took a fluke tipped pass that became a TD to escape (scUM), and just last week against a team that outsmarted itself with a late trick play call that almost worked, instead of pounding the rock (Bahsten College). I’d love to see Florida put the Criminoles in that spot and to see what happens.

Can history repeat itself on Ron Zook Field at Joke Shamble Stadium? Can a lame-duck coach go out with a huge win, and in this case ruin an undefeated season and the playoff aspirations of F$U? While the Gators can play carefree with no pressure, the Criminoles have their entire season on the line, and they will be feeling it. It could be a perfect bookend scenario – Florida winning in Taliban City before the F$U winning streak starts, and ending it.

The struggles in the passing game, along with the injuries on defense to LBs Jarrad Davis and Neiron Ball, make this a tough game to win for Florida. My thought is that the Gators have a 1 in 4 chance of winning this game – not great, but does the right scenario play out and will Florida embrace the situation and put the dagger into F$U’s season? The Gators have to win the turnover battle and have to play a full game with only a few minor mistakes or penalties, given the razor-thin margin of error for the offense. The opportunity is there, but I’m not sure this team can reach out and take it. It’s my 34th consecutive game in the rivalry, and 35th out of 36 – I’m looking forward to it. No matter the outcome, it’s great to be a Florida Gator, and not be a “fan” of a rogue “school” with players, a head coach, and an administration lacking a moral compass.

Prediction: Florida $t. 26 Florida 17

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me 3 times (or more), bullshit.

I hate to see Will Muschamp forced to resign, but ultimately he did himself in, which is the biggest tragedy of all. He finally had things going his way starting with the big win against Georgia, then getting the offense a little more balanced against Vanderbilt, then…….he reverted back to the overly risk-averse coach he is, not allowing the offense to put South Carolina away in the 4th quarter and sealing his fate as Gator head coach. Yes, the special teams implosion, especially the blocked punt, were egregious enough. But his fingerprints were all over the play-calling in the 4th quarter, repeatedly running the ball into a stacked defense when a few safe passes could have helped slam the door on the Gamecocks…..but instead slammed it in his own face.

After a slow start in which both the offense and defense slept through the 1st quarter, both units came alive from the 2nd quarter until the ill-fated last 8 minutes of regulation and then overtime. How brutal to watch this self-fulfilling prophesy come to fruition……in many ways even worse than the LSU debacle. Finally it was too much even for Jeremy Foley, as I’m sure even Muschamp’s biggest supporter and close friend saw it was time for a change.

The Gator defense was terrific the last 50 minutes of regulation, completely stuffing Carolina and controlling the LOS. Tank Morrison played his ass off with 16 tackles, and the young secondary really started to realize it’s potential by controlling the Gamecock passing game. VH3 shut down his opponent (again), and his 4th down hit that stuffed Carolina’s drive early in the 4th quarter was one of the defensive plays of the season. The D-Line harassed Dylan Thompson all afternoon, repeatedly forcing him to throw off-balance and hitting him……a lot. Even when thrown into a bad spot after the blocked FG, they responded by shutting down Carolina on 4 downs. But even they couldn’t cover up the last meltdown by the punt team – letting a man come clean right up the freakin’ middle, where any sort of clean punt ices the game. There was no reason for a spread protection call – just setting up in safe protection was the call to make.

The Gator offense got the running game going in the 2nd quarter, and controlled the pace of the game until the bitter end. However……you could see the play-calling become painfully conservative as Treon Harris racked up 21 carries. Even with good gains on first down in the red zone, there was no threat of a safe pass in the 4th quarter to out the dagger in. That falls directly on Muschamp, as it’s obvious that this was not Kurt Roper’s offense after Florida took the lead (or, frankly, pretty much after the Alabama game)..

It will be interesting to see how the team responds and if they can focus on these last 2 games and play well. I’m sure playing Florida State will get their interest, but it could be a sloppy affair this Saturday against the Colonels of Eastern Kentucky. EKU plays a wide-open offensive style and can score a lot of points, but likely not against one of the better defense in the country – as long as the guys can focus for at least a few hours and get through this game.

I’m just hoping that the team doesn’t come out flat (a very possible scenario), builds an early lead, and gets this one done with no significant injuries, like losing Jarrad Davis and Neiron Ball for the rest of the season with meniscus tears against Carolina.

Wow – there are few schools that can create coaching drama like Florida does. There will be plenty of time after the regular season ends to go into further details and analysis, but the only real item to focus on is somehow keeping what could have been a great recruiting class as intact as possible. Yeesh.

Prediction: Florida 37 Eastern Kentucky 17

Florida took care of needed business in Nashville, getting a solid road win and continuing to build some positive momentum going in to the last few games of the season. So far, so good for the start of the Treon Harris era.

Despite the 34 points on offense, I would characterize the performance as spotty. Vandy completely disregarded the passing game and loaded up the box with 8-9 defenders all night, daring Florida to throw. Harris and the WRs eventually obliged, but I was surprised it took so long to exploit this scheme. The running game, while piling up over 200 yards, really struggled at times, getting stuffed at the goal line on 4th down once, then barely getting in just a few moments later on 4th down. I get the attitude this instills in your team of being tough in short-yardage situations, but sometimes you can take the easier way out and either run some option or throw a safe swing pass or fade route on first or second down The main thing was no turnovers – this offense right now is not good enough to overcome them, and their margin for error is razor-thin.

The defense was good overall against the pass, but the Vandy TEs had a big night, and coverage has to be addressed there. The front seven applied pressure the entire game despite getting only a few sacks, and held the Commodores under 50% completions. The run defense still has work to do, though, as Ralph Webb found the same creases that Georgia exploited so often last week. At least they generated 4 turnovers – 2 fumbles and 2 interceptions. At this point it may be as good as it gets, and somehow the players and coaches have to find a way to improve against South Carolina and F$U. VH3 had a solid game and an interception, and Jalen Tabor has a highlight-reel pick in the end zone to prevent a late score.

It’s back to the Swamp now to face South Carolina and the The Pariah, who will try and salvage his season by doing anything he can to beat Florida. The Gator defense will be severely tested, especially the young secondary. If the front seven can’t control the LOS and pressure QB Dylan Thompson, it could be a long day and another home loss. Make Davis is still one of the best RBs in the SEC, and unless the run defense can solve some of the schematic problems it has had against power running plays, he could be the difference in the game. The defense has to do a good job of getting off the field on 3rd downs, and slowing down Davis is the start of that. Eventually the big-name guys will have to play their best – Dante Fowler and Jon Bullard need to get off of blocks and disrupt the LOS, while VH3 and the secondary really need to get a turnover or two.

The Gator offense has to do it’s part and likely score at least 24 points (any help from the special teams would be a huge plus). The Gamecock defense has struggled all season, and hopefully their week off hasn’t solved all of their problems. Harris is still inexperienced, and the running game has to take some pressure off of him and not force him into poor down-and-distance situations. Kelvin Taylor and Matt Jones are both in good from right now, but I believe Harris is going to have to be more of a running threat this week, despite the chance of injury. am hopeful that the WRs are starting to respond to the QB change, and they have to make some big plays to balance things out. If the running game is doing well, I think Jeff Driskel will get a few more snaps to pound away, and possibly pull off the surprise pass. Finally, I hope the O-Line is in decent health – Tyler Moore looks like he will miss the game, while Trenton Brown is questionable. The guard rotation is paper-thin – it’s up to Trip Thurman and a cast of thousands to step up to the challenge. This game will require a high level of play in order to win – the offense simply can’t stand by and rely on the defense all afternoon.

This one is tough to predict. Despite the latest 2 wins, the Gator offense is still a work in progress, and if it has to play from behind all afternoon or is forced to score 30+ points, I just don’t know if it is ready for that. Therefore the defensive staff has to develop a game plan that is ready for a passing offense at least as good as Alabama’s. We will see if the young secondary has truly developed, as they will be under siege all afternoon. The continued absence of Keanu Neal will be felt at safety – Jabari Gorman and Duke Dawson are going to get picked on to see if they can make plays. This is going to be a difficult game to win – it’s unfortunate that the Gamecocks had an off week to prepare for this game……that could be the difference on Saturday.

Florida has to re-establish dominance at home to build for the future, and this would be a great place to start. This is also the last big home game of the season with a lot of big-time recruits attending – Will Muschamp needs this one to save his job and possibly re-build a very good recruiting class. I’m just not sure if the defense is ready for what they will face – the Swamp needs to be loud and raucous to help win this one. This just feels like a close game throughout decided late in the 4th quarter……this pick is made more with the heart than the head.

Prediction: Florida 24 South Carolina 23