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

This was my 35th consecutive Florida-Georgia game, and I have to say it was one of the most shocking results of all of them. The Gators came in with a likely dead-man-walking Head Coach, off of 2 crushing defeats, and with a true freshman making his first ever start. The Puppies came in riding a 5 game winning streak including 2 big road wins, and with a chance to run the table in the regular season and set up a shot at the College Football Playoff if they managed a win in Atlanta.

And Florida kicked their a** right out of Jacksonville.

So much for Georgia turning the series around, and just another example of Helen Hunt, er, Mark Richt, blowing another big game in the clutch. This result was an indictment of the entire Puppy coaching staff, as they couldn’t solve the most basic of game plans and obviously did not have their players mentally ready for such an important game. I hate seeing Florida in a spoiler role, but love to see the Gators do it to Georgia most of all.

There’s not much analysis needed for this one:
60 runs, 6 passes
Total domination of the LOS from late in the 1st quarter until the end of the game
418 yards rushing, the second-most ever allowed by the Puppies
2 RBs just under 200 yards each
A season-crushing loss for Georgia – the best kind
“Come get some” – LMAO

I think that after the staff figured out something in the running game, that plus the windy conditions dictated the play-calling. Still, it was stunning (and fantastic) to watch what looked like a ‘Back To The Future’ performance, one witnessed all too often by Gator fans in the ‘70s and ‘80s in this game – a running game that slowly and inexorably choked the life out the opponent, and left them beat up and humiliated.

Obviously the players of the game are the O-Linemen, who had to relish the chance to play smash-mouth football all afternoon. I’m not going to overlook the blocking by the WRs, especially Demarcus Robinson, who personally helped break 2 long TD runs by picking off 2 separate guys – simply a great effort. I’m not discounting the excellent running by Matt Jones or Kelvin Taylor either – both ran hard and physically. It’s unfortunate that Treon Harris couldn’t get more passing done in order to start building some chemistry with the WRs, but getting a win was paramount to anything else. Hopefully he gets his chance the next few weeks, which will help balance the offense and keep the defense from consistently loading the box.

The defense made some adjustments after the 1st quarter, which started out badly – there’s no way to sugarcoat it. The run defense was gashed for over 100 yards and was on it’s heels. Obviously the emergence of the Florida running game changed a lot of how the rest of the game played out, but the front seven still has some issues to be worked out. I will say that Georgia has successfully run the ball on everyone this season, so it’s not all on the defense – sometimes you have to credit the opponent. Tank Morrison seems to have rediscovered the hard-hitting style he showed 2 years ago as a freshmen, and led the team with 15 tackles. At least the frequency of big runs was slowed dramatically in the second half, and the biggest Gator defensive play was made by Brian Poole, hustling downfield to strip the ball away from Nick Chubb and ending the last real chance of the Puppies getting back into the game late in the 3rd quarter. Once the game was put on Hutson Mason’s shoulders, there was little doubt of the outcome.

Now it’s on to Nashville to face Vanderbilt. Sadly, the Gators have some payback to deliver after last year’s embarrassment. More importantly, though, this team and coaching staff need to put 2 good games in a row together to prove that last week wasn’t simply an aberration, but a sign that this team can actually improve and become more consistent.

I don’t expect much change in the offensive game plan – lots of power running against a suspect rush defense, but perhaps a few more passes and some on 1st and 2nd down in case the Commodores load up the box early. I do think that the windy conditions last week played some part in only throwing 6 times. I don’t expect the weather to be a real factor – the forecast at kickoff is temps in the 40s with a 10 mph breeze. Hopefully the offense continues to respond to Harris at QB, and the OL doesn’t sustain any more injuries – I don’t expect to see Trenton Brown play this week after hurting his knee. We will see how Matt Jones responds to the workload against Georgia – his knee has been an ongoing problem, and he’s a big part of the offense going forward. I know Kelvin Taylor had to have relished the opportunity to get over 20 carries and get into a rhythm after really struggling most of the season. The only worry is that the WRs become disenchanted with the minimal number of passes, but at least for one game they blocked very well and didn’t sulk.

The Gator defense should be able to control the LOS and hold the number of points allowed down. The only consistent threat right now is RB Ralph Webb, but there is no way that Vandy’s O-Line approaches that of Georgia’s. The front seven still have to stop the running game first, and the LBs need to show they can maintain their level of play from last week. It looks like Keanu Neal will be out a few weeks at safety with a high ankle sprain, so Jabari Gorman has to step in and play smart football.

Make no mistake – while beating Georgia was huge for the program and for Will Muschamp, neither is out of the woods. Florida needs to build on it’s performance in Jacksonville and start enjoying football again, while Muschamp likely has to win until the F$U game to salvage his job. This is precisely the kind of set up that the Gators have failed miserably at since the start of 2013, and that is why the staff has to re-focus the players on this week only. It’s definitely not an optimal environment in which to coach and play in, but everyone has contributed to the current situation, and it will take everyone to improve it.

Prediction: Florida 27 Vanderbilt 14

Where to begin……

After an off week filled with bitching about Will Muschamp not being fired and the 2015 recruiting class taking some major hits (both stud LBs decommitted), Florida has to somehow focus on the remainder of the season, starting with the annual visit to Jacksonville to face Georgia.

One bit of good news for many is that Treon Harris will start at QB.  While the offense may rally around him and show some life, he is still a true freshman making his first collegiate start, with minimal experience gained so far.  By all accounts his disposition is very calm, and he is not easily rattled or intimidated by the task at hand.  He does come from a football family (his dad, Ice, is a coach at scUM and is a legendary high school coaching figure in Miami), and won a state championship at Booker T. Washington, a national power.  Perhaps Kurt Roper can devise a game plan that is unique to Harris’ skill set and one that hasn’t really been seen on game tape from this season to date.  It will be interesting to see if the Puppies choose to sit back and try to confuse Harris by disguising schemes, or simply come after him often, making the Gator skill position players prove they can actually make an impact.  I’m not sure what to expect from the RB position.  Perhaps Matt Jones is healed up enough to provide some tough inside running, while Kelvin Taylor has been MIA, and hopefully used the off week to get his mind right.  I’m hopeful that Demarcus Robinson can make some huge plays downfield, and perhaps (finally) Andre Debose will get enough touches on offense to perhaps break a long gain or score.  As for the rest of the WRs and TEs, until I see production on the field I have no clue as to whether anyone can make an impact – a sad state of affairs.

The Gator defense knows what to expect – lots of power running plays featuring Todd Gurley and Nick Chubb.  I expect Gurley will be back from suspension (of course) and fresh, but Chubb has filled in nicely in his absence, with no real falloff in production.  QB Hutson Mason is efficient, but not really a guy that can go strictly to a passing game if needed.  Most of his throws are very safe, with few deep shots.  The Gator secondary will likely play man coverage to allow the front seven to focus on stopping the run.  The week off should have allowed some major cogs like Dante Fowler to heal up, but the group of young D-Linemen has to elevate their level of play and somehow make some game-turning plays.  Until the LB corps proves it can stand up in a 4 quarter game against a power running attack, I can’t expect that to happen.  Forcing some turnovers is probably the only way to get Georgia to play out of it’s comfort zone and rely more on passing.

If Florida loses and is not competitive, this may very well be Muschamp’s last stand.  There is too much uncertainty right now that is further damaging the program.  A bad finish to 2014 likely sets Florida back another 2-3 years while a new coach comes in the try and resurrect a once-proud program.  It’s hard for any Gator fan to sit and watch while the program sinks lower than it has been in 40 years.  Jeremy Foley is getting closer to either retirement or perhaps something new (SEC Commissioner?), and this could be his last chance to fix a bad hire.  His legacy is secure in that the athletic program is financially in the black while being one of the preeminent programs in the nation……but this could be an unfortunate stain on his record unless he hits a home run with a new Head Coach.

Right now, even with a positive jolt from a new QB and a week off to prepare, I just don’t see the Gators winning this game without help from Georgia in the form of turnovers.  Perhaps an early emotional surge could put doubt into the minds of the Puppies, and turn things Florida’s way.  It’s sad that a scenario like that may be the only path to an upset.  I can also see Georgia jumping out to an early 7-10 point lead against an inexperienced QB that demoralizes a fragile team.  Right now it appears that Muschamp likely rides off into the sunset winless against his alma mater……and doing more damage to Florida than Georgia ever could do on their own.

Prediction:  Georgia 31      Florida 13

From Ripley’s Believe It or Not, to Theater of the Absurd……

It all came crashing down on Will Muschamp, as the Gators completely laid an egg on both offense and special teams in a desultory Homecoming loss.  After that abysmal performance, it looks like he won’t survive as head coach, and another transition period in Florida football may begin……again.

The not-so-special teams got things started on a bad note, allowing Missouri to run the opening kickoff back for a TD to set the tone for a miserable night.  Just to cover all the bases, they also allowed a punt return TD that essentially iced the game at the start of the second half, and had an extra point blocked as well.  This was a perfect example of the inconsistency that has plagued Muschamp’s tenure, as one unit will have a great week (special teams almost won the LSU game), and then turn right around and collapse.

The offense was dysfunctional……again……as neither QB could establish a decent passing game.  To add insult to injury, both Driskel and Harris fumbled inside their own 20-yard line, Driskel’s resulting in a scoop-and-score, and Harris’ in an easy scoring “drive” for the Tigers.  Driskel capped off his lousy evening with a pick 6 that emptied the Swamp, leading to embarrassing television shots of empty stands, further damaging the program.  Harris managed to get the offense moving a little in the 4th quarter, but against Missouri’s backups and with the game out of reach.  Still no sign of the effective running game from earlier in the season.  Matt Jones still isn’t 100%, and the injuries he has suffered throughout his career have noticeably affected him.  Kelvin Taylor has little confidence right now, and his unhappiness with lack of playing time seems to be affecting his game.  But perhaps most disappointing was the glaring lack of touches for Brandon Powell until the 4th quarter.  He showed flashes against LSU of being an effective spread RB – but it’s just another example of poor management of talent on the offensive side of the ball……and falls directly into Muschamp’s lap.  The O-Line and WRs really looked dispirited as well……the strain of the poor QB play has affected their focus (although, to be fair, the WRs have brought a fair share of this on with a ton of drops).

It’s difficult to judge how the Gator defense performed, as the offense and special teams gave Missouri 28 points alone on returns, and a “drive” of less than 20 yards.  Again, how long can you go to that well before those guys finally crack and give in to the negativity flowing from the offense?  And how long before the locker room becomes fractious (again)?  The return of VH3 had a noticeable effect on the secondary, and the front seven looked solid……but admittedly against an offense partially reined in due to the lopsided score.

I’ll end this week’s article with these gems:

> Here’s an incredible statistic – in the past 10 years, teams that have allowed less than 120 yards of offense are 147-2.  The 2 losses?  By Florida, to F$U in 2011 and now to Missouri – BOTH AT HOME!!

> There was a quarterback in Saturday night’s game between Florida and Missouri that completed only 6-of-18 passes for a total of 20 yards — or 1.1 yards per attempt — with no touchdowns and an interception.  That quarterback played for a team that managed only 119 yards of total offense, averaging only 2.4 yards per play, and committed 11 penalties for 74 yards.  That quarterback was Missouri’s Maty Mauk, and his team won by 29 points.

As Paul Harvey used to say, “and that’s the rest of the story”……

We will see what the off week brings as far as the state of the program.  Will Jeremy Foley finally pull the plug?  Is he vainly waiting until the Georgia game to see if the offense shows a pulse with Treon Harris starting?  Can a team with little senior leadership hold it together mentally and put forth a solid effort in Jacksonville?  Will that even matter?  Perhaps Foley has already made his decision privately to jettison Muschamp, but there are pros and cons to announcing it now or waiting until the season ends.  Ironically, if Foley decides to fire Muschamp, and does it now, it could get the offensive recruits excited about coming to Florida.  It’s harder than ever in the modern recruiting cycle to have kids stay patient and wait and see what happens as late as the beginning of December.  It’s crazy, as that’s still 2 full months until National Signing Day.  The mind of an 18-year old football player is a mysterious thing……

See you next week with my preview of the Georgia game.  Hold on……it could be a bumpy ride!

LSU Review / Missouri Preview

Ripley’s Believe It or Not, I present to  you……

……the 2014 Florida-LSU game.

You can’t make this stuff up.  What was a great, but ragged, effort went for naught due to a series of unbelievable events that cost the Gators an important SEC win, and makes you wonder how the players will react and come back from it.  The team played hard for 4 quarters and seemed to have put the events of the week leading up to the game behind them.

I have to start with praising Andre Debose and the return team for electrifying the Swamp with a great night.  He is possibly the most dangerous return man in the SEC, and maybe, just maybe, this game makes him a consistent threat the rest of the season.  Perhaps he will also get some more touches on offense as well.

As for the winner of the “Who Feels the Worst” award, I’d have to say it’s a tie between Brian Poole on defense and Tevin Westbrook on offense.  Poole somehow did not get the check on the pass play that went easily over his head, allowing LSU to covert a 3rd-and-25 that led to their taking the lead with under 4 minutes to go.  And if that wasn’t crushing enough, Westbrook dropped the likely game-winning TD pass from a scrambling Driskel with under 2 minutes to go.  It would have forced LSU to drive the length of the field with a below-average passing game and no timeouts.  This was Twilight Zone material……everyone is still shaking their \heads about 2 plays of that magnitude happening in the same game.

On offense, Jeff Driskel still made some bonehead reads and missed opportunities for long pass plays, but showed real toughness in carrying the ball 21 times due to a depleted backfield, and still made enough plays to win.  He was betrayed by a terrible read on the last interception that put LSU in position for the game-winning FG, and by too many drops (again) by the WRs and TEs – especially the inexplicable drop by Westbrook.  The injury to Matt Jones really hurt the running game – Kelvin Taylor and Mack Brown are MIA, and Brandon Powell is not a short-yardage specialist.  At least Powell showed flashes of becoming a playmaker in the Spread, proving elusive in the open field.  I am perplexed as to why Kurt Roper did not have Driskel try to ram the ball in from 2 yards out with 3 opportunities, or even line him up under center and try 3 sneaks.  The O-Line played reasonably well, especially given the fact that an inconsistent passing attack allowed LSU to put 8-9 guys in the box.  Driskel and Demarcus Robinson were able to hook up on what should have been the play of the game, a 73-yard bomb down to the Tiger 2-yard line.  But failure to punch it in from there ultimately doomed the Gators.  Ugh.

The defense had it’s moments, but allowed 2 time-consuming drives as LSU gashed them with the running of Leonard Fournette.  That isn’t a crime……but what was criminal was allowing the 3rd-and-25 pass completion late in the 4th quarter which led to a go-ahead score.  Apparently another miscommunication in the secondary let the Tigers off the hook until Driskel’s long pass to Robinson.   Jalen Tabor did a fine job filling in for VH3 when he left due to a head injury – he will be an excellent SEC CB in the future.  But the loss of VH3 was telling on that play, as Poole was forced to play outside instead of where he more comfortable – in the slot.

It’s on to Homecoming, as Missouri comes to Gainesville after getting hammered by Georgia 34-0 at home.  A lot of teams have payback in mind for the Tigers after they took advantage of a weak SEC East last season.  They are starting to feel the loss of 4 senior starters on the O-Line in league play.  QB Maty Mauk was horrible last week with 4 int.  Time for DJ Durkin and the defensive staff to borrow a lot from that game plan and continue to do the same this week.  I think the Gator defense should be able to have a good game, as the Tigers do not have the power rushing attack that LSU does.  The secondary is actually playing better overall, despite the one meltdown play last week.  Missouri will look to take advantage of the Gator LB corps on intermediate routes, so it will be interesting to see if Florida runs more 4-2-5 sets to insert an extra DB.  The return of VH3 cannot be understated – it will be a lift to the entire defense.

The Gators will utilize 2 QBs this week, as Treon Harris returns from his suspension and a hellish week personally.  I hope he can somehow refocus on football and provide a nice change of pace to Driskel.  We shall see how the offense responds when Harris is in the game, and also how they adapt to changes at QB during the game.  Of course, the main thing for the Gators is getting a healthy Jones back at RB, and somehow unlocking the Taylor mystery and getting him going.  If there is no running game, neither QB is equipped to rely solely on the passing game right now.  And it’s time to start playing some new guys like CJ Worton at WR, until Quinton Dunbar can somehow regain his confidence and relax during the game and make the simple catches.

Will Muschamp, and Gator Nation, really needs a win this week.  A Homecoming loss might get the ball rolling behind the scenes for Jeremy Foley to have to begin a coaching search, despite his statement that Muschamp will not be evaluated until after the season is over.  Florida still has a chance at securing a quality recruiting class if the current staff stays in place.  Finally, the program is in desperate need of some positive momentum heading into the bye week before playing Georgia.

Prediction:  Florida 24        Missouri 23

Another big-time SEC atmosphere in Knoxville, heightened by the checkerboard pattern in the stands, and the anticipation that Tennessee would finally end their 9 game losing streak to Florida……NOT.

It took way too long, but the Gator offense finally put some drives together in the 4th quarter to win 10-9.  You know it’s a tough loss when the opponent’s fans are so stunned they can’t even yell at you after the game!  Not sure how much easier the Gators can make it for the Vols, with no passing game, a turnover machine at QB, AND a short field twice to start the second half.  Let the Inbreds chew on that for a long time……if they have any teeth.

Sadly, still more issues need to be addressed after being thatclose to having the entire season unravel and possibly dealing with a dead-man-walking head coach.  Another terrible performance by Jeff Driskel finally led Will Muschamp to pull the plug and insert Treon Harris.  And the kid came through in a bad situation.  Harris looked calm and under control, even with a limited playbook to choose from.  He hit a few key passes to extend the 2 scoring drives, and also looked good running the ball.  The real offensive player of the game (and season to date) was Matt Jones, who wore down the Vol defense with tough runs and was a steadying influence on Harris and the entire offense.

The defense was the star of this game.  Time and again these guys went onto the field knowing they had to bail out an ineffective offense, and also likely having to generate some turnovers in order to set up scores.  And sure enough, they came through in the clutch time and again.  Early in the 3rd quarter they were called upon twice inside their own 25-yard line after Driskel interceptions, and each time they stood tall.  VH3 came up with a huge end zone interception, and then with the Vols starting at the Gator 13-yard line, the defense stoned Tennessee, forcing a field goal.

Obviously there were many individual players that contributed on defense, but special mention needs to be made of VH3, Jalen Tabor (thrown in as a true freshman CB against a quality WR corps), Dante Fowler (who was in the backfield all afternoon terrorizing Justin Worley), Jonathan Bullard (who made a lot of plays stuffing the run), and also Bryan Cox, Jr. (who had 3 sacks).  It’s extremely difficult to keep going to that well, knowing it takes only one crack to lose the game.

It really was an unnecessary escape against a team with frankly a weak O-Line and D-Line, but that’s what ineffective QB play and turnovers can do.  I am still struggling to understand Muschamp’s stubbornness in making the change to Harris.  It was obvious that both the offense and defense rallied and were energized after he came in.  Usually, there’s no going back after that decision has been made, but……

……in the latest episode in the tragicomedy that has been Gator football the past 4 1/2 years, Harris is now suspended indefinitely after being accused of sexual assault.  Whether the accusations prove true or not, he will now miss at least a few weeks, if not the balance of the season, completely away from team activities.  That means Driskel is the default starter, with zero confidence from perhaps anyone other than himself and Coach Muschamp in his ability to lead this team.

LSU comes in to this game with a lot of problems of their own – including QB play.  Anthony Jennings started the season, but was benched in favor of true freshman Brandon Harris late in their bad loss at home against Mississippi St.  Unfortunately, Les Miles may have learned the hard way that starting a true freshman on the road in the SEC is almost always a losing proposition, as the Tigers were pounded at Auburn last week.  I’m afraid Miles will go back to Jennings, whereas I’d like to see Harris struggle against the Gator defense.  The Tigers will rely largely on their running game – I expect to see a heavy dose of Kenny Hilliard and Leonard Fournette.  Eventually they will look to break some pass plays with quality WRs Malachi Dupre and Travin Dural.  The Gator secondary again will need to stay disciplined and keep everything in front of them.

On offense, I have no clue as to how Kurt Roper will decide to attack LSU, now that Driskel is starting.  Maybe it will be an ugly running affair to keep the game close and see which team blinks first and makes a crucial mistake.  What I simply can’t comprehend is why some back-shoulder and fade route throws aren’t attempted more often – these are low risk throws, and often result in completions or penalties to extend drives.  These throws are not difficult – especially since Driskel has not shown any touch on dump offs or deep throws.  I’m not going to put all the blame on his shoulders, though.  The WRs are still having too many drops, and I sure as hell hope it’s not because they are upset about who the QB is – that is unacceptable.  Demarcus Robinson and Quinton Dunbar need to get their minds right and start playing SEC-level football, consistently.  I hope Matt Jones isn’t getting used up too early, as he’s carried a heavy load early this season.  Kelvin Taylor has not looked anything like he did at the end of last season, and has to improve.  It hasn’t been all doom-and-gloom for the offense, though.  The O-Line actually looks competent this season – thanks to a great coaching job by Mike Summers.  The pass protection has been good, and it’s nice to see blitzes actually get picked up for the most part.  There were some communication breakdowns, but when the opponent knows your QB can’t pass effectively, they can jam the box and take lots of chances.

Just when there was a spark of hope and something for Gator Nation to be excited about and get revved up for a huge game Saturday night in the Swamp against LSU, another kick in the groin to the program and fan base.  I don’t know how the staff can rally the players to support Driskel at this point, as his performance has been awful the last 2 games.  Somehow the players (and fans) need to support him, dig down deep, and do what extra they can to make plays and scratch out some wins going forward.  Hopefully the shock of the Harris suspension will have worn off by Saturday, and the Swamp will be rocking to try and help the Gators get a critical SEC win.  As long as Florida avoids turnovers, I think that enough plays can be made in all 3 phases of the game in order to pull out a tough win…….but it could be ugly in the process.

Prediction:  Florida 20        LSU 17