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Tennessee Review / Kentucky Preview

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

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

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

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

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

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

 Prediction – Florida 34 Kentucky 13

UAB Review / Tennessee Preview

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Prediction – Florida 31    Tennessee 21

FAU Review / UAB Preview

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

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

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

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

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

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

Prediction – UF 38 UAB 17

FAU Preview

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12Time for a fresh start across the board for the 2011 Florida Gators.  It starts with new Head Coach Will Muschamp, an almost completely new staff, and (hopefully) better coaching and play on the field this season.

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

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

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

Prediction  – UF 41        FAU 13

2011 Season Preview

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Will MuschampNew Staff

Welcome Coach Will Muschamp……now go out and win the SEC.  LOL – and not far off from the unrealistic expectations of many Gator fans no matter the situation.  Coach Muschamp has an excellent resume and experience in the SEC, which is vital.  Understanding the weekly grind of the SEC season will benefit him in the long run.  Charlie Weis comes aboard as the new Offensive Coordinator – a shocker to most following college football, and an exceptional coup for Muschamp.  He knows that Weis will eventually develop an effective offense with time and recruiting his own guys.  Frank Verducci comes from the NFL as Offensive Line Coach, and will have his hands full with an inexperienced, but talented bunch.  Dan Quinn comes from the NFL as well to Gainesville as the new Defensive Coordinator.  He has experience coaching with Muschamp at Miami, and should be able to implement the schemes that the Head Coach wants to utilize.  Travaris Robinson is the new Secondary Coach, and comes to Florida with playing experience in the SEC and a lot of energy the kids are already enjoying.  Former Gator Aubrey Hill returns as Wide Receiver coach and has earned praise from his guys during practice.  Finally, former All-American and Pro Bowler Bryant Young helps out with the Defensive Line, a great role model for young players.

Given the short amount of time Muschamp had to assemble his staff, you have to say he’s exceeded expectations and pulled some real surprises to re-energize the program.

Offense

The biggest off-season job will be re-building the confidence of this group of players, starting with the QB.  John Brantley played poorly in 2010 – injuries or not.  The incredible addition by subtraction of losing the Dazzler as OC and replacing him with Weis can’t be overstated.  It will be a pleasure to watch a real coordinator take the reins and actually game plan and adjust during the games as well.

Brantley is the guy, no matter the reservations of Gator Nation.  His confidence had to be shattered, and Weis will earn a lot of his salary if he can make JB4 a functional SEC QB.  A real concern is the lack of experience behind him — redshirt freshman Tyler Murphy and true freshmen Jeff Driskell and Jacoby Brisset are the candidates.  Murphy seems to be the #2 guy heading into the opener, but if JB4 struggles, it’s a crapshoot as to who emerges to build for 2012.

There is still a lot of talent and speed at RB, starting with the return of seniors Jeff Demps and Chris Rainey.  Either Mike Gillislee or Mack Brown have to become the pounder between the tackles, while Trey Burton will get a lot of snaps as an H-back-type player.  He’s the most versatile of the bunch, and I believe Weis will spotlight him this season.

There is plenty of talent at WR, but talk about underachieving.  Coach Hill has his work cut out for him to get this group to play at a SEC level.  Deonte Thompson has one last chance to fulfill his promise.  Frankie Hammond, Jr. and Quinton Dunbar could be the top 2 guys this fall and have a lot of promise.  Weis has to figure out a way to use Omarius Hines more (probably some FB and TE plays as well as at WR), and Andre Debose can be a huge threat with some coaching.

Tight end is a mess going into the fall.  Jordan Reed is a fine runner and can catch, but is too small to be an effective in-line blocker.  Freshman A.C. Leonard was pushing for immediate playing time, but will miss the first month due to injury which will set him back.  Gerald Christian is the only other viable option, and played sparingly last year.  Definitely the weakest offensive group.  Weis must compensate with his formations and play-calling to work around this shortcoming.

Finally, the OL, while inexperienced, could be the dark horse unit that elevates the Gator offense to a competitive level.  If the health of Matt Patchan holds up, the OT rotation of Chaz Green, Xavier Nixon, and Patchan could be one of the league’s best.  Jon Halapio, Ian Silberman, and James Wilson are a solid group at OG.  I’m encouraged at the progress of Jonotthan Harrison at C, and Nick Alajajian and Dan Wenger provide depth at both C and OG.  Coach Verducci has the material to field a solid unit with some effective coaching.

Defense

This is where Will Muschamp can make an immediate and direct impact, and having Dan Quinn as Coordinator should reap benefits.

The Defensive Line is the strength of the entire team, and must take the lead all season for any real success.  Great depth and talent inside with Jaye Howard, Omar Hunter, and Sharrif Floyd ready to wreak havoc……possibly a top 10 unit nationally.  Leon Orr and Dominique Easley can contribute some snaps as well without a lot of dropoff.  Defensive End has some talent, but it has not shown on the field yet.  Ron Powell is a potential all-SEC player at the Buck position, but after that it’s a mystery.  It’s now or never for William Green, with a bunch of unknowns in Kedric Johnson, Earl Okine, and freshmen Lynden Trail and Tevin Westbrook.  Physically a solid group, but it has to translate to production on the field.  Perhaps some of the DTs slide outside in 3-4 alignments.

At Linebacker, it’s top-heavy with Jon Bostic and Jelani Jenkins, followed by an inexperienced group.  Lerentee McCray has to take the lead at starting OLB.  Some depth has to develop quickly between Michael Taylor, Graham Stewart, Darrin Kitchens, and the enigmatic Dee Finley.  Any injuries here could prove disastrous.  Poor recruiting by DJ Durkin and the former staff has to be addressed immediately starting with the 2012 class.

The Cornerback position has the most frightening depth chart on the roster.  Jeremy Brown can be a solid SEC CB if healthy, but opposite him it’s anyone’s guess as to who steps up to the challenge.  Cody Riggs is undersized but tough, Moses Jenkins is fine as a Special teams player, but simply isn’t SEC-level, and Jaylon Watkins is unproven.  Freshmen Pop Saunders and Louchiez Purifoy have a great chance for early playing time, but will struggle while learning.  A scary unit to watch this fall……the front seven has to carry a lot of weight to offset deficiencies here.

At Safety, there is some quality depth returning.  Matt Elam and Josh Evans saw plenty of action in 2010 and are the starters.  Freshmen Josh Shaw, Chris Johnson and Valdez Showers will get plenty of opportunity, and have shown well so far in practice.  Again, not the depth chart you want in an SEC contender, but better than the CB position.

Special Teams

Caleb Sturgis received a medical redshirt and returns as the PK.  He’s solid, but has a lot to prove this fall.  The huge of loss of punter Chas Henry will hopefully be filled somewhat with freshman Kyle Christy, but a freshman punter is always a risky thing……probably some growing pains this fall that hopefully don’t lead directly to a loss.  He has a lot of promise, but simply needs time and experience (which unfortunately he’ll get from game one).

The lack of scholarship players (Florida enters 2011 with 70 out of a possible 85) means starters and second-teamers have to step in.  This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but some unexpected injuries really could have a domino effect on the starting units.

Schedule

FAU – Lots of excitement for the opener, and FAU will feel some of the wrath of a disappointing 2010 season for the Gators.  The mantra – no injuries.  WIN

UAB – The Blazers have given some big-time schools major headaches the past few years, but have lost almost all of that talent, and will get worn down at the Swamp.  Again, the mantra is – no injuries.  WIN

Tennessee – Once again, people are deluded by a decent finish for the Vols, but their recruiting has struggled for years now, and the interior lines are inexperienced and extremely thin.  I’m not buying in to any worried Gator fans just yet.  WIN

@Kentucky – This could be a challenge as the first SEC road game with a new staff and a lot of new starters, and the Mildcats are desperate to end their 24-game losing streak to Florida.  Since this one is on the road, it could be close for a half, but the Gators are simply too much across the board.  WIN

Alabama – Now the real season begins.  Bama is loaded on defense, and will ride a strong running game while breaking in a new QB and WRs.  I’d like to pick the upset, but I think Saban’s defense is too much for Weis and Brantley to exploit in a transition year for the offense.  LOSS

@LSU – An extremely tough road game, made even tougher after an emotional effort the previous week.  Despite the edge overall in coaching, the Gators are still too young to bounce back in this kind of environment.  LOSS

@Auburn – No rest for the weary, as another historically tough road trip to the Plains comes along.  The Tigers are re-building, but strange things always go wrong to the Gators (usually bad officiating) there.  However, I think Florida splits it’s tough October stretch of games.  I just may have the sequence of wins and losses wrong.  WIN

Georgia (Jacksonville) – After a much-needed week off, the annual trip to Jax comes up for a hugely important game for both schools.  Can the Gator’s run continue with another new coach?  Can Muschamp, as a former Puppy player, continue their misery?  Just another way to torture their fan base.  WIN

Vanderbilt – Finally, the Gators are back home.  And they’ll need it after the grind of a killer stretch of games.  Maybe not the spread you would normally expect, but Florida should win this one comfortably.  WIN

@South Carolina – A chance to perhaps ruin the Pariah’s season awaits at Columbia.  Many are expecting this to be Spurrier’s best team ever at USCeast, but can they handle having the target on their chest all season, something they have never had to endure before?  I think the SEC grind catches up to the Gators in this road game.  LOSS

Furman – Another breather and chance to rest up and get healthy before a huge in-state rivalry game.  WIN

Florida St. –  The hype machine is in full swing in Taliban City.  “They’re back!”  Really?  Really??  The Criminoles will come in with probably a gaudy record against a cupcake schedule, but the Gators are embarrassed about how they quit last year, and will get their revenge.  It could be an ugly, emotional game.  WIN

Predictions

The Gators can beat any opponent on this year’s schedule. However, the consistent quality of opponents I believe will catch up to Florida down the line.  The Gators face Tennessee in September, followed by an October stretch of Alabama, LSU, Auburn, and Georgia (after an off-week).  Plus a trip to Columbia to end the SEC regular season.  I think the Gators find a way to split the 4 October games, and it’s difficult to say which ones will be wins and losses.  After that, the grind will wear down a thin depth chart, resulting in a loss at South Carolina.  There are still too many unanswered questions with the inexperienced O-Line and lack of depth at DE, LB, and especially in the secondary to allow me to predict 2 losses or less. An almost complete turnover in the coaching staff with new schemes (a huge change on offense) will challenge even an experienced roster.  If this team can get to 9 wins in a transition year, that will be a significant accomplishment.  This is an optimistic prediction, as 7-8 wins is entirely possible.

9-3 overall; 5-3 SEC

Heeeeeeeere come the Gators!

Jones-Pew, Hater

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Maurice Jones-Drew calls out Chicago Bears quarterback & slanders Urban Meyer in the process.  Maurice, please “think” before you open your mouth or tweet… do you even have a clue of  who makes up over half of your fan base? 

“Said Jones-Drew: “Hey I think the urban meyer rule is effect right now… When the going gets tough……..QUIT.”