GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The latest game in the Kentucky-Florida series went about like the previous four: the Gators took the lead early and won in lopsided fashion.
Jeff Driskel accounted for two touchdowns, and No. 14 Florida beat Kentucky 38-0 Saturday for its 26th consecutive win in the Southeastern Conference series. more…
Still on Top at Rocky Top
All that talk…….all that excitement……all those toothless fans……and still another beatdown administered by Florida to Tennessee.
The Vols certainly made it easy for the Gator coaching staff to motivate the players, trash-talking all week about everything they were going to do to the Gators, and there was even a debate as to whether to rush the field. Maybe one of their fans could have helped catch Trey Burton or Frankie Hammond as they scorched the field for the tying score and the backbreaker. Stupid is as stupid does, as another case of Volsheimers is documented for the record.
It looks like Jeff Driskel is learning with every game, and that is an encouraging sign going forward. He kept his cool in the pocket, ran only when necessary (but with great effect), but is starting to learn that using his mobility can help in the passing game as well. After a sluggish start, the O-Line started to wear down the Tennessee front seven, and the big plays came in bunches in the second half. Still some missed assignments and some really dumb penalties (Xavier Nixon), but this group is starting to gel, and it’s fun to watch. Still, a lot of improvement is needed as the tough competition is coming up in October.
Mike Gillislee continues to show toughness by playing through a groin injury, but is still producing at a high level, and leads the SEC in rushing. The matchup problems caused by Jordan Reed and Trey Burton are being exploited by Brent Pease, who is showing Florida fans what a real OC does, after the disasters known as the Dazzler and the Cheeseburger. Now we are seeing glimpses of what the WR corps can start to contribute, with Hammond and Dunbar beginning to get some looks. The production at the WR position is still the weakness of the offense, and must improve as better defenses to come will really squeeze the box and force Driskel to make plays downfield. Can Coach Pease find a way to unleash the athletic ability of Andre Debose, who is starting to appear on milk cartons as the missing WR?
Another slow start for the Gator defense, as they allowed that punk Tyler Bray to make some big plays down the field throughout the first half, and this group is still giving up way too many 3rd-and-long conversions. A new threat was unveiled, as Lerentee McCray was in beast mode all night – he may very well be showing up on NFL draft boards now, and not in the late rounds. It was a solid if unspectacular performance by the rest of the D-Line rotation, as they started to get hits on Bray in the second half and apply enough pressure to make him inaccurate.
The performance by the LB corps was OK, as they tackled well in space and did a decent job of pass coverage on the short throws. Still, too many unfilled holes against the run, and this has to improve. Jon Bostic was flying from sideline to sideline making plays, and Tank Morrison continues to show signs he can be an future all-SEC level player. The rest of the group needs to contribute more big plays, though.
The secondary had it’s struggles, but you have to give credit to the QB, WRs and TE they were facing – possibly the best they will face in the SEC all season. To their credit the CBs played physical and did not back down even after giving up some big plays. Marcus Roberson and Jaylen Watkins had their hands full, but battled. Louchiez Purifoy is still learning, and gets beat too often. Matt Elam, Pop Saunders, and Josh Evans were in position most of the game at safety, not allowing the home run that could have turned momentum strictly Tennessee’s way.
Finally, the special teams were exactly that – another great game from Kyle Christy, Caleb Sturgis is the best PK in the SEC, and the coverage teams were excellent. The only problem is the continued timidity of the punt returners. Too many times they have allowed short kicks to roll for an additional 10-20 yards, giving a still-growing offense that much harder a task. Maybe Will Muschamp is still gun shy after the disaster that was 2011, but he has a lot of gifted runners available to make things happen.
Next up is Kentucky, as Florida seeks it’s 26th straight victory against them. The Mildcats are coming off an embarrassing home loss to Western Kentucky, and can’t be a good frame of mind heading to the Swamp.
The offense has to remain focused on solid execution……they are simply not good enough yet to look past an SEC opponent. It’s time for some backups to contribute this week at RB and WR. Perhaps Jacoby Brissett can get some snaps at QB if things go well through 3 quarters. The defense should be too much for Kentucky’s offense to have consistent success against. Jumping on the Mildcats from the start and getting them in an early hole would be the best scenario. I need to see continued development from the backups at LB and DB.
I hope that many key players can get some rest this week. In a perfect world, Gillislee and Dominique Easley would not play at all, but maybe the staff wants them to get enough snaps to stay sharp. This could be a great opportunity to develop some more depth before the bigger games come along.
It will be interesting to see how the Florida players react to the early success so far. Will they stay focused on the current opponent, or have another sloppy performance at home, looking ahead to October? That’s the challenge facing the Gator coaching staff – it would be nice to see some maturity in preparations this week by the players, and a professional effort on Saturday. However, there are still many young and/or inexperienced players at many critical positions, and it wouldn’t surprise me to see a middling affort……but I’d like to be pleasantly surprised.
Prediction: Florida 34 Kentucky 13
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Florida running back Mike Gillislee, who suffered an injury to his groin last week in the win against Texas A&M, went through warm-ups and appeared to move well.
Gillislee will definitely be worth watching Saturday night. He’s the SEC’s leading rusher through two games and the centerpiece of the Gators’ offense. If he’s not 100 percent or can’t finish the game, that’s a huge blow for Florida. more…
A Tale of Two Halves
There were a lot of Gator fans out on the ledge after the 1st half ended in Aggieland. A shockingly poor defensive effort against a freshman QB playing his first game had many shaking their heads in disbelief, and perhaps the entire season was hanging in the balance. However, cooler heads prevailed, with the coaching staff finally getting through to the defenders to play their assignments and how they had been coached, and suddenly the hammer fell on Texas A&M to the tune of 65 yards and zero points in the 2nd half.
College Station is one of the unique places in college football, with all the Aggie traditions on display – the yell leaders, the corps of cadets and cadet band, and a fan base that’s one of the most loyal in the country. Florida was able to overcome all of that and a poor first half, as the offense(!) actually held things together and put together two solid drives in the second half to get a much-needed win.
A lot of the discussion and analysis will be centered on the 8 sacks allowed, but only a few of those were poor protection – Jeff Driskel will learn to throw the ball away and start to check down to his secondary receivers as he gains experience. Despite these bad plays, he exhibited a strong arm, some nice touch, and made some clutch plays with his legs.
Mike Gillislee played tough despite a strained groin, scoring twice and getting some tough yards in the red zone that simply weren’t seen the past 2 years at RB. Jordan Reed is a big factor at TE, and the WRs started to make some plays downfield just often enough to keep some drives going. The O-Line is still suffering from some blown protections, and losing Chaz Green at RT for most of the second half hurt. But the unit stuck together and made the difference in the last 20 minutes.
This was a huge confidence-builder for the team, and gives them momentum heading into another important road game at Tennessee.
Volsheimers is in full effect again, as the Tennessee players are all talking a big game and saying “it’s their time”. Tyler Bray says he’s ready to pick apart the Gator defense, and their defenders for some reason are bragging on themselves……I guess that comes from the confidence gained from beating two cupcakes so far this year, and after such a fine performance in the SEC the past 2 seasons. The Vols still have no real running game, their O-Line is still suspect, and almost their entire defense is untested or inexperienced. I’m sure the Gator coaching staff won’t have to do too much motivating on their own – they’ll let the Volunteers do that job for them.
There were a lot of injuries suffered against Texas A&M – the worst being the broken thumb for LB Jelani Jenkins (out 2-4 weeks) and the broken bone in the foot of CB Cody Riggs (out 4-6 weeks). Tank Morrison and Jaylen Watkins, respectively, get their turn at bat, in Will Muschamp’s “man down, man up” philosophy. Tennessee’s passing attack is very different from what Florida has faced so far, and it’s time for the D-Line and LBs to make some big plays and punch Bray in the mouth a few times. The Vol WRs are a good unit, and they will make some plays, though.
One of the best ways to keep Tennessee’s passing game off the field is simple – control the clock on offense with a solid running game and timely completions by Driskel. If Gillislee is hobbled or unable to play, Coach Pease will have to find a way to get some production out of Brown, Jones, and Hines. It may not be pretty, but I expect a large dose of running plays, even if they aren’t getting any big gains. I still think the passing game will be mostly of the short, safe throw variety to get to manageable down and distance on 2nd and 3rd down……but I believe it’s time to see the deep ball, and Andre Debose or someone else to get their chance to make a big play. The Gator O-Line should be able to more than hold it’s own against the Vol front seven.
It’s all hands on deck for a second consecutive SEC opponent on the road trying to make a statement. It’s going to be a tough haul, as the 2012 Gators still are searching for a complete identity, but the confidence gained from last week should be a huge boost. I expect Tennessee to come out with guns blazing, and wouldn’t be surprised to see Florida down in the first half again…….but with the experience now to come back……and the experience of whipping the Volunteers 7 straight times.
Prediction – Florida 27 Tennessee 23
You can tell the football season has begun, as the angst from the fans is already in full effect. Based on the performance by the Gators against the Falcons, some of it is warranted.
The offense was extremely vanilla as expected, with emphasis on the running game despite 8- and 9-man fronts, to give Texas A&M as little as possible to scout on film. Even so, there were a lot of missed assignments by the O-Line, especially in short-yardage situations, that were inexcusable from a veteran line. Mike Gillislee looks like a solid no. 1 at RB, but there is no established backup or rotation yet.
The passing game was painful to watch, with dropped passes by the WRs and both missed reads and bad throws by both QBs.
Based on getting the majority of the snaps from the 2nd quarter on, Jeff Driskel appears to be the starter going into College Station next week. He is definitely the better runner between he and Brissett, and I’m hopeful the staff allows him to utilize this against the Aggies, as he’s going to be pressured all afternoon. It was interesting to see that Brissett had minimal snaps and passing attempts before sitting, leading me to believe that Coach Pease had made some decisions even before fall practice had ended.
The WR performance is hard to gauge right now with the inefficient QB play, but there were drops and missed assignments that were obvious. This group has to establish some consistency and a vertical threat the next 2 weeks. I’m sure the conservative game plan had something to do with it……then again, maybe I’m not so sure.
The TEs will be relied upon heavily it appears early this season while the QB play (hopefully) improves. Reed and Burton (out of the H-Back position) were open all game, and are playmakers that the QBs have to take advantage of until they are more comfortable in the new offense and can establish a downfield passing threat to back defenses off of the LOS.
What unexpectedly has me worried is the so-so performance of the defense. Perhaps the preseason hype for this unit was off base, as the D-Line failed to get consistent penetration most of the game, and the LBs looked painfully reminiscent of last year’s group in its inability to fill the gaps against a pretty simple run scheme. The DE play will again struggle this season, but there is hope for the future in the performance of Dante Fowler and Jonathan Bullard, who will get on-the-job training against the SEC as true freshmen.
The secondary’s pass coverage was pretty good, but the quick slants were not adjusted to most of the game, and the tackling was horrendous. Too much reaching and grabbing, and not enough form tackling……worse than anything I saw in 2011. Some young guys like Jaylen Watkins and Jabari Gorman got extended snaps, because Louchiez Purifoy was beaten all day in coverage and couldn’t tackle anyone. Even Matt Elam played a little lazy – hopefully he’s back to last season’s level of play as the competition ramps up, but that was a disappointing effort from one of the team leaders.
Someone in the DT rotation has to step up his play to match that of Sharrif Floyd. Between Hunter, Orr, and Jacobs, there should be enough ability to play off the attention Floyd will get and to start making plays of their own consistently. Everyone got a huge scare when Easley went down with a tweak to his surgically-repaired knee. I still maintain he has been rushed back too soon, and I’m concerned he will not get back to his former level of play until 2013……unless he gets injured again first. His former aggressiveness could be missed all season.
Now it’s on to the start of the SEC season, as Florida travels to Texas A&M with the pressure of not just an inconsistent offense to improve, but facing a program and team extremely motivated to prove it’s worth to the SEC by winning its first conference game and announcing its arrival as an opponent to be reckoned with.
Complicating matters for the Gators is the arrival of a new staff in College Station, as Kevin Sumlin brings his pass-heavy spread attack over from a successful run at Houston. He will have the advantage of scheming up a game plan that likely will have twists that the Florida staff will not see on any Houston game film that is tailored to his new players. However, part of that advantage is hopefully offset by the Aggies having to start a freshman QB, and having their first game against Louisiana Tech postponed by Hurricane Isaac. That should affect their timing and perhaps limit their efficiency, while also causing some mistakes – whether those are penalties or, better yet, turnovers.
Texas A&M does have most of its O-Line return from last year, led by 2 tackles that could be in the first 2 rounds of the NFL Draft after the season. Solid OL play can offset a lot of other issues, and the Gator DL must elevate its play and disrupt the rhythm of the quick passing game that Sumlin employs.
The Aggie defense is led by a strong LB corps that will be coming after the Gator QBs all day long, and forcing the Florida offense to prove it can make plays down the field before they play a more honest scheme. They will have the home crowd advantage and will attempt to dictate the tempo. If the Gators can find some balance between the run and pass, though, they can take advantage of a young secondary and D-Line and control the flow of the game.
Kyle Field will be rocking, and a likely record crowd will be there to see this historic game, including the Visor. The 12th Man will be in force for Aggies, trying to bring home a first SEC win. It is tremendously hard to predict how the game will unfold, as both teams have so many questions to answer in terms of both the performance of its players, and also the coaching staffs.
Will Texas A&M’s players actually come out too hyped, and make a lot of early mistakes that help Florida grab an early lead? Will their young QB be inaccurate or become rattled if the Gator defense comes with pressure and new looks? Can Florida shake off a mediocre effort in week 1 and start to silence the doubters and critics? Will Jeff Driskel be the guy to grab the starting QB job for good and elevate the play of the entire offense? Can the Gator WRs finally make some big plays downfield to take the pressure off the running game?
I am expecting Coach Pease and the Gator offensive coaching staff to unveil some wrinkles in the passing game that allow Driskel to roll out of the pocket and allow a pass/run option to pressure the Aggie LBs and secondary. I have to believe that Dan Quinn and Coach Muschamp have some schemes ready to confuse the young QB and force some mistakes. The Gator defense has to play aggressively and close off the short, quick throws – sitting back and waiting is a bad plan vs. this passing attack.
It’s time for Florida to play with pride for itself and the entire SEC by stepping up with a big-time road win to start the conference season and work on erasing the bad memories of 2011.
Prediction: Florida 23 Texas A&M 20
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Mike Gillislee had a career-high 148 yards rushing and two touchdowns, helping No. 23 Florida beat Bowling Green 27-14 Saturday.
The performance was far from perfect for the Gators, who struggled part of the game on offense and failed to generate much pressure on defense. Still, it was enough for Florida to win its 23rd consecutive opener. The streak is the second longest in the nation behind Nebraska (27). more…
Year 2 begins for Will Muschamp at Florida with a box of chocolates on offense and a seasoned defense.
Brent Pease does not have to perform a complete re-building job, as part of the direction from the head coach was to keep as much terminology as possible from the previous year. However, he has to be more creative with his schemes and motion, and find a way to maximize a mixed-bag of unknown and misused talent trying to run it’s 3rd offense in 3 years.
Both Jacoby Brissett and Jeff Driskel will play, as neither has separated himself from the other yet. I am looking for which QB executes in the passing game better – which guy reads the defense properly and, more importantly, quickly and in rhythm with his receivers. Florida should be able to overpower Bowling Green on the ground, but can a second RB earn the trust of the coaches behind Mike Gillislee? Can any of the WRs develop chemistry with the QBs and be a clutch player? Is there any deep threat after Andre Debose? Can any of the TEs behind Jordan Reed block in the running game at all or become a legitimate receiving threat? As I said in the season preview……many more questions than answers right now……I’m not sure I’m going to like the first few chocolates out of the 2012 box just yet.
The strength of the 2012 Gators is their defense. It appears that some quality depth has been established in the LB and secondary units, after leaning heavily on the defensive line last season. It’s time for the back seven to become playmakers and help the offense out. The rotation in the DL looks solid even with Dominique Easley a question mark coming back from knee surgery. Sharrif Floyd is poised for a breakout year. Tank Morrison and Michael Taylor will get a lot of snaps to prove they can contribute at LB behind Jon Bostic, Jelani Jenkins, and Lerentee McCray. The CB position gets a huge boost with the return of two guys from injury – Marcus Roberson and Jeremy Brown (again), even if they still have some rust after their injuries and missing spring practice. Jabari Gorman looked great throughout the spring and will get a lot of snaps. The biggest worry is at safety – no consistent performer returns after Matt Elam, with inexperience behind Josh Evans and Pop Saunders, neither of whom stood out last season. Lots of young players, including true freshmen, will get a long look early this year.
BGSU might hang around for 1-2 quarters on emotion and adrenaline, but Florida outclasses the Falcons across the board. There is no second cupcake in the new schedule format – it’s time to sharpen up the performance right away before a dangerous SEC opener on the road at Texas A&M.
The mantra for the opener is, as always, NO INJURIES.
Prediction – UF 38 BGSU 10
Year 2 of Will Muschamp’s tenure begins with a lot of unanswered questions about the offense and lingering angst over the 2011 season. Gone is the underachieving John Brantley at QB, replaced by 2 true sophomores in Jacoby Brissett and Jeff Driskel. I believe the coaching staff has benefited from “addition by subtraction”. Gone is the overhyped Charlie Weis, who did a terrible job of developing QB talent and never adjusted to the skill set of his players. He’s replaced by Brent Pease, who comes from Boise St. with a lot to prove as to how he can game plan against the big boys of the SEC. Former OL coach Frank Verducci came to Florida as Weis’ favored guy, and he simply stunk at both developing players and recruiting. He’s replaced by Tim Davis, who has had success at Utah and previously under Pete Carroll at USC – anything is an upgrade from Verducci. WR coach Aubrey Hill, while a former Gator who played for the Pariah, never seemed to get much out of his players at Florida or previously at scUM, where he was caught up in the Nevin Shapiro recruiting scandal. He’s replaced by former graduate assistant Bush Hamdan, who gets a huge step up in pay grade and is trusted by Pease from their days at Boise St., but, again, will that translate to success in the SEC or in recruiting?
The defense and special teams are largely intact, and again will be relied upon to carry the weight of any possible expectations beyond another mediocre season. Until the offense (and the new OC, OL, and WR coaches) can show they can game plan and put their current talent in the best position to succeed, it could be a rocky start in September and throughout the entire year, trying to overcome growing pains of the young QBs.
Coach Muschamp knows the wolves will start to howl if 2012 leads to only 6-7 wins, but he seems to have the mental makeup and recruiting prowess to continue to re-build the foundation of the program that was decimated during the last 2 seasons under Urban Meyer’s leadership. Patience (something in short supply with Gator fans and in the SEC) will again need to be practiced as Florida continues is climb back to elite status.
Offense
This is the unit that will determine how many wins the Gators have this season. It all starts at QB with the 2 sophomores and the new OC, OL, and QB coach. Nether QB was really developed in 2011, and Pease had a lot of work to do in the spring getting these guys ready to not just learn a new offense, but to simply execute the fundamentals better. It seems both will play early in the season to see if one finally separates himself as the starter. Brissett seems to have the inside track after fall practice, but Driskel is the superior athlete and runner – can he learn and execute in the passing game?
More questions abound at running back, where senior Mike Gillislee finally gets his chance to shine, after 3 seasons in the doghouse of previous coaches. Can he carry the load as a workhorse? Can he protect the football? There are a lot of candidates to share the workload including Mack Brown, freshman Matt Jones, Trey Burton, and FB Hunter Joyer. Again, a decent amount of talent with a variety of skill sets, but can Pease utilize each of these guys to their best in helping the offense succeed? I do forsee more short throws to the RBs to help the young QBs gain confidence and help the offense keep the chains moving.
The same theme holds at the wide receiver position. Frankie Hammond, Andre Debose, and Quinton Dunbar have all shown occasional flashes of big-play ability, but there’s no consistency. Freshman Latroy Pittman made a strong impression in the spring and will get on the field early this fall. After that it’s a crapshoot with limited bodies and talent……a disappointing and unnecessary situation at a school like Florida.
The tight end position is one that Pease used to great effect at Boise St., but again there’s a mixed-bag of talent and experience he has to cobble together into a serviceable unit. Jordan Reed is the leader and best playmaker, but not a power blocker in the running game. Omarius Hines is a tough runner with the ball, but lacks elite speed or strength as a blocker. Freshman Colin Thompson was slated to play this fall, as the only player with outstanding size and strength, but will likely be redshirted this fall after a series of ankle injuries. Freshman Kent Taylor will get those snaps instead, but since he lacks the blocking strength of Thompson, he will likely be flexed out in the slot in the passing game, which will make it easier for defenses to diagnose the play. Former DE Tevon Westbrook will be forced to play some this fall, but needs time to develop a new skill set. And then there’s the all-purpose Trey Burton again……he’ll see snaps at RB TE, H-back, and QB this fall. He is one of the few reliable red-zone threats.
What Pease will bring to the table is much more pre-snap motion by the skill position players to help dictate the defensive scheme and coverage and simplify the reads for the QB and WRs……but can they execute this against quality defenses and learn to “play fast” and not think too much about their assignments? The best I can see out of this unit in 2012 is improved time of possession and more success in the red zone (it can’t get worse than in 2011), but it’s definitely not ready to be a consistent force in the SEC right now. There is still a shocking lack in numbers of big-time playmakers that Gator offenses in the past have been loaded with. They should be able to help the defense get more rest and be put in less unfavorable situations than last year, though.
Defense
Year 2 under Dan Quinn should show continued improvement for a unit that, while ranked in the top 10 nationally in yards allowed, was exposed against quality OL. The nucleus of another quality unit returns with DL Dominique Easley, Omar Hunter, Sharrif Floyd, and Leon Orr forming a solid 2-deep rotation at DT, Jon Bostic, Jelani Jenkins, and Lerentee McCray at LB, and Matt Elam and Marcus Roberson in the secondary. There is now decent quality depth with S Pop Saunders, CB Jabari Gorman, DE Earl Okine, and LB Michael Taylor.
What could make this an elite unit this fall is the addition of new talent. JUCO transfer Damien Jacobs at DT and an excellent freshman class at all positions will see a lot of snaps early and often this fall. Jacobs is important, as Easley is returning from a torn ACL suffered in the F$U game in late November. It may be a while for him to get back to the level of play he’s accustomed to. Freshmen Dante Fowler and Jonathan Bullard are all ready physically to get some snaps in SEC play, but need all the reps they can get in practice.
Freshman Antonio Morrison certainly looked the part of a SEC LB in the spring game. Another unexpected bonus is the return of LB Neiron Ball from a life- and career-threatening vascular disorder that sidelined him for all of 2011. S Josh Evans and CB Jaylon Watkins will play often this fall. Jeremy Brown could be a real sleeper at CB, if he finally returns to health after a myriad of injuries during his college career to date; he could assume the starting role opposite Roberson if he gets well. Other candidates for early playing time are freshman S Rhaheim Ledbetter and redshirt CB Louchez Purifoy. Finally, no one is sure of how much Ronald Powell might play this fall. Personally. I am of the strong opinion that the staff should redshirt him, because coming back after only 6 months from a torn ACL is extremely risky physically, let alone the mental hurdle to push through to play at 100% again. The staff continues to say it is more likely to happen than not, but I want the kid to have the proper time to get back to complete health – physically and mentally.
There should be enough talent and depth on the defensive roster to allow Quinn and the other defensive coaches to take more chances and play more aggressive schemes than last season. It remains to be seen if the DL can stand up better against a power running game. The LBs and DBs have to become better playmakers this fall and generate more turnovers to help out an offense that may struggle at times in 2012.
Special Teams
Florida has the luxury of returning one of the best placekickers in the country in senior Caleb Sturgis, with promising freshman Austin Harden coming aboard. The coverage teams were excellent in 2011 and that should continue. Andre Debose is a dangerous KO return man (if healthy), but 1 or 2 reliable punt returners must be found. There is enough skill talent now to find them, but they could be inexperienced, which can be an unnerving thing. The only soft spot is at punter, where Kyle Christy was truly underwhelming last year after coming in with a lot of hype. Field position again will be a key to success for Florida this year as they try to develop a consistent offense.
It will be interesting to see how the new kickoff rule of kicking from the 35 yard line potentially limits the number of returns, and if that negates some of the country’s most dangerous returners, including Debose. Perhaps many coaches will be happy to let the opponent start at the 25 instead of the 20 after a touchback, asking their kickers to simply kick off through the end zone for a touchback. The NCAA legislated this to limit violent collisions and serious head injuries on returns, but it could remove an exciting element of the game. I’m not certain this rule won’t get changed again in the future.
Schedule/Predictions
After working out some kinks and shaking off the rust at home against Bowling Green to start the season, the Gators are thrown right into the grinder in game 2 at Texas A&M. The Aggies will be sky-high to show the SEC they belong right away. It will be interesting to see if the A&M players are too hyped up and make a lot of mistakes, but any road game in the SEC, especially until either of Brissett or Driskel show they can lead an effective attack, is dicey. If the Gators lose this one, it could seriously affect their chance the following week at Tennessee, even with a weak Vol defense and little depth on both sides of the Tennessee line of scrimmage. Mental toughness would be sorely tested early on. Kentucky comes to the Swamp for game 4, which should be one of the few easy SEC games for Florida.
After an off week, it’s 8 straight games to finish out the regular season, started by a showdown in Gainesville against defending SEC Champion LSU, which will be the first real barometer (barring injuries) of how the Gators stack up against the SEC’s best. There will be a lot of pressure on the coaches and players to measure up after last year’s beatdown administered by the Tigers. A road trip to Vanderbilt follows, which could be a possible trap game after a tough game against LSU, with South Carolina and the Pariah coming to the Swamp the following week. Again, a test of the maturity of the players to focus each week on the opponent in front of them. The conference schedule continues with the annual trip to Jacksonville to try and avenge last year’s disappointing loss to Georgia, a game that Muschamp knows means a lot to his job security down the line, followed by the other SEC newcomer, Missouri, visiting the Swamp. The Tigers have a lot of weapons on offense, and this game could be very tough after the grind of a full SEC schedule wears down a team physically and mentally.
The end of the season is a strange one, with 2 cupcakes coming to Florida, Louisiana and Jacksonville St., before traveling to Taliban City to try and stop a sickening 2 game losing streak to Florida St. The Gators will have 3 weeks to evaluate themselves after the SEC schedule ends very early, and to prepare an attempt to put the Criminoles back in their place in the rivalry.
Overall, the rhythm of the past 20 seasons and how the schedule is set up has changed drastically for 2012. There are some serious challenges facing this year’s team as they fight to regain respect both in the SEC and nationally. Because of the uncertainty across the board on offense, especially at QB, I can’t see more than 8 wins this year, with 6 or 7 as more of a possibility then 9 or 10. The early 2-game stretch on the road at Texas A&M and Tennessee could be rough if the QBs struggle, and if the unthinkable happens and the Gators lose both games, then it’s going to be a real tough season, even if the offense does develop and improve as the season rolls on. I believe the defense has the talent and depth to rise up and carry the team to a surprise win or two, but the offense could just as easily throw 1 or 2 games away in return. If Florida had the talent and experience it had on the roster from 2005-2009, this would be a 10 win or more season without question, but that isn’t the case……yet.
8-4 overall (5-3 SEC East)
SHATTERED
Pretty much all that had been built and accomplished from 2005-2009 has been torn down and broken by the putrid performance that capped off the 2011 regular season.
As if the 2010 season wasn’t painful enough, watching the Gators stumble through Urban Meyer’s last year, the 2011 season shows just how badly broken the program is. Poor recruiting, coaching staff turnover, attitude problems from some players, and, frankly, some bad coaching, have the Gators now as a mediocre team searching for a new direction and leadership.
That performance by the offense in the Swamp against a middling F$U team was shockingly bad. As I had said in my game preview, perhaps the best thing Florida had going for itself was Dumbo Fisher and EJ Manuel, and they (under)performed exactly as expected, giving the Gators plenty of opportunity to win. But John Brantley lost what little favor he had curried through an injury-marred season by looking like a freshman QB. 3 horrific interceptions, all telegraphed, leading to the first 14 F$U points on very short fields, and the last requiring the defense to (again) bail out the offense. After the injury that knocked him out of the game, Jacoby Brissett was thrown in, and his 4th quarter pick-six ended any hope for a comeback. It’s was a sad display of QB play, even beyond the so-so game-planning by Coach Weis.
Another desultory performance by the OL, allowing the Criminoles to control the LOS, and not generating any semblance of a running game or consistent pass protection. The few highlights were a handful of runs by Chris Rainey and some nice downfield catches by AC Leonard. After Brantley went out with a concussion, the offense became completely inept with Jacoby Brissett at QB……and that falls at the feet of Coach Weis. There’s simply no reason not to have a decent plan ready for either Brissett or Jeff Driskel by the end of the season as a contingency – a direct failure by Weis.
The Gator defense played 11 vs. 22 all night, and stood up admirably until the end. Matt Elam was a beast all game, making plays all over the field – he has become the leader of the defense, if not the entire team. The DL made plays as well, even after Dominique Easley’s knee injury took him out of the game. The F$U offense did not generate one legitimate drive, and was fortunate to get the 14 points they did. Despite what had to be a disheartening sight in watch the offense suck the life out of the Swamp crowd, they came back on the field time and again with little rest and played like men. It became painfully obvious even before halftime that the Criminoles were going to pay it safe on offense, letting the Gators self-destruct instead.
Less than 100 freakin’ yards allowed at home – and a loss. That’s all you really need to know about how far Florida has fallen.
Now the Florida program is left with more questions than answers. Is Will Muschamp really the right guy? Does he have the right staff in place? How will recruiting be affected by a second straight bad season? How much more player attrition takes place? The Gators are essentially operating on a self-imposed probationary scholarship level right now with the lack of talent on top of players leaving the program. There is opportunity for immediate playing time at almost every position for recruits, but can this staff close the deal with the studs left out there? Has Florida lost it’s juice?
What is obvious is that it will take 2-3 years of outstanding recruiting along with some much-needed coaching staff continuity to get Florida back to a title-contending level. Sadly, all of the advantages gained from a great run are now seemingly lost an abrupt fashion that is stunning in it’s swiftness and completeness.
Hopefully the bowl practices will allow for some changes to be made in both personnel and coaching that can be the first building blocks for 2012. The Gator Nation is terribly impatient after the bar had been set consistently so high, and it’s doubtful many have the patience it will take to see if Coach Muschamp can turn things around. I’m sure that Jeremy Foley understands the mess left behind by Meyer that has been revealed……but even that may not be enough for Will to last through his first contract due to internal pressures.
Another winter of discontent……but it’s still great to be a Florida Gator! Happy Holidays, and see you in 2012.