Another loss.  Another loss to the Puppies (3 straight).  2013 continues to spiral down into a season that no one will want to remember.

Right now, Florida is a team that is just good enough to lose respectably.  The zombie-like 1st half performance of the defense was an indictment of the entire coaching staff.  This unit is the one that Will Muschamp has hung his hat on since he arrived at Florida, and that was an abomination.  No fire, no energy, no pulse – they really were the Walking Dead.  The LBs are simply been exposed this year as undersized and quite frankly, not SEC-caliber.  Tank Morrison has not lived up to the hype all season, and was guilty of the blown coverage on Todd Gurley that led to the 2nd Puppy TD on the long pass play.  The D-Line was only marginally better, rarely pressuring the QB, and gashed for long runs early and late.  Speaking of Late, allowing Georgia to hold the ball the last 8 minutes of the game was unacceptable……talk about a symbolic end to a game that has reflected the season to date.  Even a great moment – the 4th-down stop early in the 4th quarter that gave Florida a chance to tie or take the lead was hampered by an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Neiron Ball for removing his helmet while on the field……WTF?!

While the second half performance of the offense showed signs of life and some new wrinkles in scheme, I’m not going to fall into the trap yet that they will build on that performance until I see it the rest of the season.  It was great to see a long pass completed early in the game, but not a single similar attempt was made after – there’s no good reason for that.  Tyler Murphy was allowed to start running some zone read plays again, but that didn’t really start until the 3rd quarter.  Kelvin Taylor had his most carries and yards in his young career in his first-ever start, and again showed flashes of future greatness.  Solomon Patton again had some nice receptions and a very good KO return, but also negated an easy FG opportunity in the 1st quarter with a stupid personal foul.

See a trend here?  “Something positive happened, but……”  It’s depressing at this point and sucks out any positive vibe from the fans.  Seeing the Gators pushed around for an entire half in a rivalry game is unacceptable.

It’s on to Homecoming against Vanderbilt.  The Commodores beat Georgia this year, but have been wildly up and down for most of the season.  WR Jordan Matthews will be a future NFL player and leads their offense.  The rest of the team is fairly average, but can rise up without much warning.  James Franklin continues to do a good job as Head Coach, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he finally jumps ship (I’m so clever) to a more prestigious job.

I was hoping to say that the Gator offense should be able to build upon it’s second half performance against Georgia, but that was before OT Tyler Moore suffered a broken arm falling off of a scooter during the week.  Now the OL is going to have a 3rd-teamer in the rotation, and possibly have to shuffle positions again.  What  freakin’ joke.  No continuity, no foundation to develop from as the season progresses……..just an utter fail.  Vandy’s defense is not as good as last year, and maybe the Gator OL can survive this latest crisis.  Perhaps Max Garcia will have to slide out from LG, but it looks like the redshirt may have to pulled off of a freshman now by default.  I think that Tyler Murphy will have to run the ball more on zone reads now, and again could be under pressure if he tries to stay in the pocket.  Which affects the passing game……and the running game……and possibly leaves the defense on the field longer……yeesh.  Something tells me the reins are pulled in again on offense instead of the other way around, and Muschamp tries to gut out a close win.

At least Joey Townsend has done well as the new punter, and Frankie Velez has been adequate as the new FG kicker.  The return game and coverage unit was solid again against UGA.  Perhaps this decides this week’s game.

Even die-hard fans are starting to wish this season would just end as soon as possible.  Just burn all the game film from 2013, and start fresh in 2014.  The Bataan Death March seemingly won’t end.  Of course, the staff and players still want to be bowl-eligible (I can’t believe I’m typing this) and gain the extra month of practice that affords.  Recruiting is definitely being affected now, as some guys long in the Gator camp are starting to look around.  Will Muschamp is feeling the heat and pressure of a lost season and how it affects the entire program……and his job status heading into 2014.  Injuries have conspired against him to ruin what could have been an 8-9 win season, but there are other forces at work out of his control.  There’s no way Jeremy Foley doesn’t allow him another full season to recover, but as I’ve said before, there are certain staff members on notice right now, and I’d be very surprised if there is no turnover in the existing staff after the season ends.  This has turned into the worst season of Gator Football since 1989, and it will take a tremendous mental effort to push through and try to finish strong.  I just don’t know if this offensive staff can coach the remaining guys up to that level, and if all of the negative crap that started even before the season can be overcome.

Another noon start for a mediocre matchup, and probably a LOT of empty seats and a disenchanted crowd.  Sounds like the perfect recipe for Vandy to end a losing streak to Florida that began in 1989……there’s that year again.  We’ll see how much fight and pride are left in this team starting now.

Prediction: Florida 23      Vanderbilt 17

The Walking Dead come to life this Saturday in Jacksonville right after Halloween, as both team limp in with disappointing records, disgruntled (to put it mildly) fan bases, one offense that’s DOA, and enough players shelved for the season with injuries that I would bet could field a competitive team.

After a week off, we’ll see right away if Will Muschamp backs up his comments about changing things across the board in order to jump start the offense and give the Gators a fair shot at winning.  Sadly, the team is only playing for pride going forward as any significant team goal will not be achieved.

Again, it all starts with the O-Line.  Hopefully some changes in position and/or players themselves allows Tyler Murphy and the passing game some shot at making enough plays to balance out the offense and actually score some points……a novel concept this season.  The week off should have allowed some guys the chance to heal some nagging injuries.  The main thing, though, is the scheme……have the coaches actually given the players a better chance at success?  Kelvin Taylor hopefully gets a full share of carries, and it sure as hell would be nice to take some chances down the field with some intermediate and deep throws, even if the WRs are covered……give them the chance to make a play on the ball.  What’s the worst that could happen?  Another turnover?  Another punt?  And what happened to the supposed throws to the RBs?  Screen passes?  UGA’s DEs are undersized, and can be pushed around – quit leaving the OTs exposed to pass rush specialists, help them with some TEs, and make something happen.

There’s nothing to lose now, and it’s time to be more aggressive and even start planning ahead for 2014.  Brent Pease is the Dead Man Walking right now……

The defense certainly had it’s pride wounded at Missouri with a combination of tiring of bailing out an inept offense and simply playing poorly.  Even with all of the injuries to the Puppy offensive skill players, their attack will challenge all levels of the field, and will require a great effort to slow then down enough to have a chance at winning.  If the pass rush would ever materialize, Aaron Murray has always shown the propensity for erratic throws and turnovers.  I expect a healthier Todd Gurley is gonna get a lot of carries to simply try and wear down the Gator defense as long as the game is not seriously in doubt for Georgia.  The Florida secondary should match up well with the Puppy WRs, and should have at least a few chances at interceptions.  It’s the run defense that worries me – it started to show cracks as far back as the Arkansas game, as the D-Line and LBs have been pushed around too easily.  In addition, all of the injuries to the UGA WRs have meant a lot more throws to the RBs and TEs – let’s hope the coaches plan for this and the LBs are ready.  I expect a lot of nickel and dime packages (not the Halloween or other side of the tracks kind of packages, kiddies), daring UGA to stay with the run.  I hope to see a lot of blitzing as well, both against the run and pass.

Florida may have an edge in special teams again this year.  It looks like the KO return game has stepped up with Solomon Patton.  Frankie Velez has been solid on FGs, and the coverage units have played well.  The Puppies have struggled in giving up big returns for a decade now, and that could swing things Florida’s way……the Gator offense needs all the help it can get right now.

At this point, I think Gator Nation just wants to see some changes – any changes – on offense to try and jump start things, and, while hating a 3rd straight loss to Georgia, would be OK with a competitive game.  How sad is that?

In the end, I see Georgia’s offense having too many possessions that will eventually lead to scoring opportunities later in the game.  Even with the Puppy defense struggling mightily this year, Florida doesn’t have the players and hasn’t shown the coaching capable of exploiting it the entire season to date.  It looks like the Resident Evil and Red Queen (Coach Helen Hunt of the Puppies) live on for a 3rd straight year……I sure hope I’m wrong.

Prediction:  Georgia 31        Florida 17

About the only good thing to come out the trip to Columbia was that the Visor has now attended games at each SEC venue.

Where to begin?

The offense is completely broken.  Every position area has problems.  Tyler Murphy played hurt with a bruised shoulder, and it was apparent on his missed TD throw in the 1st quarter to Burton, and some shaky passes the rest of the game.  He looked tentative and missed some open receivers by not simply pulling the trigger right away – you can see some reasons why he was the backup QB starting to come to light.  Kelvin Taylor showed some promise at RB, and looks like the lead ball carrier going forward.  The fact that he is still learning the playbook and can be a liability in pass protection is outweighed by his playmaking ability.  Mack Brown is an adequate backup, but won’t break off any long runs.  The WRs did not get open often to help Murphy unless it was on short, quick routes, but that leads to the continued crowding of the box by opposing defenses.  But it all comes down to……the (truly) Offensive Line……what a disaster.  This group as it’s constituted simply has failed.  It’s time to move some guys back to their natural positions and stop the square peg/round hole measures.  Tyler Moore either should play OG or sit.  Jon Halapio is just not 100% even though he has bravely soldiered on with his pectoral injury – maybe replace him with Moore.  DJ Humphries has disappointed at LT protecting the blindside – he simply is getting overpowered and lacks the weight needed for the position……maybe move him to RT, and let Max Garcia slide outside.  One sustained drive……unacceptable.  The entire passing game is suffering due to the crap OL play, but even when there is protection, the schemes, routes, and concepts appear weak and too simple to defend……another damning indictment of Pease.

As feared, the defense eventually cracked, and in a big way.  The inability to adjust to the runs to the left side of the Mizzou OL was particularly troubling.  The LB corps was exposed as too small and was pushed around.  Yes, the loss of Dominique Easley is being felt, but Leon Orr is simply a warm body out there, and Darious Cummings isn’t making any plays.  Dante Fowler had some flashes, but could be neutralized with additional blockers while the other defenders were handled – easily.  Jon Bullard is off-and-on, and lacks consistency – he needs to find a permanent home at either DE or DT.  Talk about a portent of things to come……Maty Mauk hits the first play for a long pass completion, and Cody Riggs gets himself tossed for targeting – inexcusable.  The DBs did an OK job on the short routes, but were burned on the corner and slant routes way too often.  Knowing the size of the Tiger WRs should have been an indicator of playing more inside technique – the staff gets a lot of blame for that.  Again, the lack of push from the DL on pass plays was evidenced, and allowed a QB making his freakin’ first-ever start look like an all-SEC player.

There is enough talent and good coaching on Defense to make adjustments to correct some of the problems, but this unit will continue to wear down and become disheartened if the Offense continues to fail.  And where’s the evidence that things will change, from players to schemes to coaching?  Brent Pease should be on immediate notice that he’s gonna get his ass run out of town quickly unless something different is tried – his tenure has been unimpressive.  Will Muschamp looked a little shaken for the first time in his career at Florida on his coach’s show.  He said the right things about change, but we’ll see if he follows through in 2 weeks.  Gator Nation is in an uproar, and for once it’s not all unwarranted.  The offensive staff has failed to date – even with personnel problems, it’s their job to give these kids the best chance of succeeding.  The rest of 2013 will lay the groundwork for 2014 and beyond.  The ineptitude of the Offense is going to affect recruiting, and that can spell the end to any coaching job.  Jeremy Foley won’t do anything rash unless absolutely warranted – Muschamp’s job is safe, but Pease and Tim Davis may have one foot out of the door.  Here’s the rub with coaching staff changes……Muschamp may eventually decide that these guys haven’t worked out, but how will that be perceived by potential new candidates and recruits?  That he’s a guy that has a quick trigger for coaches?  That he simply can’t identify a quality OC?  That he meddles in the offense no matter who the OC is?  Do recruits that play offense see this and choose to stay away?

It’s a sobering situation to have to get consoling words from Missouri fans of all people leaving the game.  The Offense has stunk for the majority of 3 years now.  Florida is just another team on the schedule, with fading national cache.  What should have been a SEC East Division there for the taking is a wasted opportunity.  How much damage is being done to the program?  You could se some arguing on the Gator sideline during the game, and how much longer until the infighting between Offense and Defense fractures the locker room?  It may have already started.

These are dicey times for Will Muschamp and Gator Football in general.  There is so much negativity swirling around the program right now it’s a challenge just to focus on helping the players and preparing for the next game.  Sadly, expectations are really low for the rest of 2013 – 5 or 6 losses are a real possibility.  I mentioned in my season preview that there was a good chance that this year’s record likely would fall behind 2012, but no one saw this abomination on Offense coming.  Some of the disappointment can be tempered by the staggering amount of season-ending injuries to key players across the board, but there are signs of cracks in the foundation of the program in coaching and player development (or lack thereof) on the offensive side of the ball that are troubling and that cannot be masked or ignored.

We’ll see if a nothing-to-lose attitude takes over, and whether a fresh start after a week off helps the team going forward.  It’s tragic to have it come to this for the Florida program.

I’ll be back next week with my preview of the Georgia game – it’s still great to be a Florida Gator, and especially not a mangy ‘ol Puppy.

Well, so much for playing fast and loose in Baton Rouge.  Despite the success of shortening the game and reducing the number of possessions that LSU’s offense had, the inability of the Gator offense to make big plays and execute in key moments led to a desultory loss.  This was painful to watch……how long before the defense starts pointing fingers at the offense and things get really dicey in the locker room?

The main reason for the failure of the offense to score a touchdown was the poor performance of the O-Line.  Even with the Tigers jamming 8-9 men at the LOS to stop the run, the Gators managed enough first downs and time-of possession to make this a winnable game.  But the pass blocking was horrid, never allowing Murphy the time to make some throws where the design of the play actually had something available.  This is year 2 under OL coach Tim Davis, and this unit still is not SEC-caliber.  Garcia and Harrison are by far the best 2 OL, while the rest are limited as run or pass blockers……the loss of Chaz Green at RT before the season even started is glaringly apparent now.  Not far behind in poor performance was the WR corps – too many times did a WR not read a blitz and adjust their route accordingly to a quick hitch, and let the ball either him them in the back or simply never see the pass coming.  The freshmen receivers were guilty of this a few times, but also Burton once, and that is inexcusable for someone with his experience.

By process of elimination, it looks like those who are a part of the “Free Kelvin Taylor” movement will get their wish, as he relieved Matt Jones – Jones is now out for the season with a torn meniscus.  Taylor ran well, but it is his lack of knowledge of the entire playbook and deficiencies in pass blocking show why the staff had been trying to hold him back for a redshirt – now that is no longer an option.  Brown ran well in spurts to move the chains, but can’t rip off large chunks of yardage.  Murphy never panicked despite heavy pressure and was able to scramble a few times to extend plays, but never really had the chance to take advantage of the few opportunities to make a game-changing completion.  He did overthrow a few open guys in the red zone, and that hurt as well – he looked like a guy running for his life with little experience, which had to be expected at some point.

The Gator defense was gashed all afternoon by the run.  LSU decided to use it’s size advantage, and exposed the front 7 as too small to stop an elite O-Line.  This was more than the loss of Easley at work – Orr, Jacobs, and Cummings were manhandled, and the LBs could not fill the gaps effectively, either.  The pass rush was almost non-existent, with Powell and Fowler no real factor.  It was surprising to see the lack of blitzes until later in the game, maybe underscoring the lack of trust in the coverage by the secondary……a puzzling scenario.  Just as disappointing were the lapses in pass coverage from Roberson and Purifoy, as each received his at least once-a-game PI penalty.  The real crusher, though, was allowing LSU to convert on 3rd-and-17 in the second quarter, eventually leading to a 14-3 Tiger lead.  Still, even with all of those negatives, only 17 points were allowed after LSU shut things down to see what the Gator offense could (or couldn’t) do, which should have given Florida the chance to win, but……

As bad as that loss was, Florida still has it’s destiny in it’s own hands as far as getting to Atlanta by winning the East.  This week’s game at Missouri is critical to not just keep that opportunity alive, but to start to repair the mental damage of 2 road losses this year.  Florida gets a huge break with Tiger QB James Franklin out for the season with a shoulder injury.  Head Coach Gary Pinkel has to go to backup Maty Mauk, who is an unknown factor, but playing at home always helps someone thrown into that circumstance.  Franklin’s running ability will be missed, but the Tigers still have a good running attack with 3 RBs over 300 yards for the season, and averaging 5.7 yards per carry.  Their WRs are big and strong, led by Dorial Green-Beckham and L’Damian Washington.  It will be another physical matchup for the Gator secondary, which has to play better this week and shut them down.  Missouri did Florida a huge favor in winning at Georgia, and the Gators must take advantage.  The real question (as usual) going in will be whether the offense can play at an effective SEC level and pull it’s own weight.  The Tiger defense has an excellent pass rusher in Michael Sam, but has inexperience in it’s back seven that can be exploited (at least by most teams).  Perhaps Taylor can break off some big runs to spark the offense..

Will Muschamp is a smart coach, and has to recognize how this offense is killing the team.  While no one knows for sure if he has a hand in the painful conservatism of the play-calling, it’s obvious that the offensive staff has to change things up in order to get better results.  The defense will continue to show cracks if it has to carry the team all season.  The wolves are starting to howl in the distance, and this could prove problematic if the rest of the season tanks and potentially affects recruiting.  Jeremy Foley will not make any rash decision, but will seriously evaluate things next year unless tangible progress is shown on the field.  Maybe changes will be made within the staff in the offseason if necessary…….but right now there is still a lot to play for in 2013, and the staff owes it to these players to put them in a better position to succeed.  This is now the biggest game of the year, and the coaches and players have to rise to the occasion.  It’s too late now to try and hold stuff back for the Georgia and South Carolina games – Florida needs a win this week.  The Gators haven’t won on the road against a decent opponent yet – here’s their chance to make something good happen.

Prediction:  Florida 20      Missouri 17

Florida put forth a solid performance in it’s 30-10 win over Arkansas at the Swamp Saturday night.  The defense continues to lead the way, allowing the offense the luxury of a few possessions to find a rhythm before effectively moving the ball.  The run defense, though, showed a few cracks, as the Razorbacks ran for 81 yards in the 1st quarter and took a 7-0 lead.  Alex Collins is a good back, and their fullback is effective as well, but the loss of Easley and an undersized LB corps was slightly exposed.  The coaching staff will have to figure out a way going forward to scheme ways to offset these shortcomings against the tough opponents coming up.

Tyler Murphy continues to perform efficiently at QB.  The passing game was opened up a little bit, as Arkansas (as expected) dared Florida to throw.  Some new corner and crossing routes were used to good effect, and Patton had a career game with his 2 long runs after the catch for TDs, taking advantage of some poor tackling.  The only real criticism is that Murphy has to learn to throw the ball away occasionally instead of taking a loss.  The running game struggled, but credit has to be given to the Hog D-Line, one of the better units in the SEC.  Of course, the game plan was to keep things safe mostly between the tackles as long as the game was close or in hand, but Florida won’t have that luxury against the better teams coming up.  Matt Jones still doesn’t look right, and while Mack Brown is solid, but has no real breakaway speed.  There were some holes that a game-breaking RB could have made some big runs through, but it looks like the Gators simply don’t have that big-play RB this year.

On defense, Florida controlled things after a shaky first quarter.  Coach Muschamp said after the game that some of Arkansas’ running success was due to poor gap discipline, but I’m still concerned that the interior of the line and LBs lack elite size and strength to control more physical opponents.  Fowler and Powell got good pressure against the pass, and Taylor seems like the most instinctive LB when shooting gaps to make tackles and in coverage.  Morrison has been pretty quiet at LB so far this season.  The secondary did it’s usual excellent job.  Purifoy turned the momentum of the game around with his pick-6 to give the Gators the lead for good, while the rest of the DBs did a good job of tackling.  However, the Razorback WRs did their QB no favors with at least a 6 drops.  The slant routes were effective, and Florida needs to shore up it’s technique against these immediately.

The (not so) special teams play by the kickers was brutal.  Christy and Hardin are a mess mentally right now.  They need to relax and get their minds right going forward, or will be on the bench.  If the personality of your team is ball-control offense and tough defense, this group can kill any good work by either.

HOUSE MONEY

The preseason is over, and it’s time for big-boy football starting this week at LSU.  Going in to this game with a backup QB who really hasn’t been tested by a quality opponent, and with the loss of the defensive leader, does not allow for much optimism.  However, it also takes some of the pressure off of the team, as expectations for an upset will be scaled back.  Unfortunately, it’s doubtful the Tigers will overlook the Gators, as they will have payback on their minds after the physical way they lost last year.  Based on performance to date, it would appear that there is little chance the Florida’s running game will control the clock and wear down the Tigers like it did last season.  But this has been a strange year for defense in the SEC, and LSU has uncharacteristically struggled this year, especially against the pass  The question is whether Florida can expose this weakness with it’s lack of playmakers.  Yes, Patton and Dunbar have made some big plays, but this is a step up in quality of opponent, despite their struggles so far……especially in a tough place to steal a road win.

LSU’s offense has been a revelation this season, with new Offensive Coordinator Cam Cameron reviving an attack that’s been mostly dormant for years.  Zach Mettenberger is suddenly a pro prospect at QB, with Jeremy Hill, Alfred Blue, and Kenny Hilliard all big and tough RBs.  The passing game is what has elevated their offense to one of the best in the country.  This will be strength vs. strength, and the Gator secondary has to prove it’s worth with tight coverage all day against quality WRs like Odell Beckham and Jarvis Landry.  It will be interesting to see how Florida’s run defense holds up, as Arkansas had some early success between the tackles.  This will by far be the toughest test to date for Florida’s defense, and we will see if it’s lofty statistical ranking is more a function of weak competition or of true ability.  The Tigers are averaging over 40 points a game, and there’s no way the Gators steal a win in Death Valley unless they hold LSU to around 24.

LSU’s defense has really struggled at times this year, especially against the pass.  Defensive Coordinator John Chavis has been in the SEC for over 20 years, and I have to believe that they will improve.  Unfortunately, I’m just not sure that Murphy, despite his poise and leadership, has the experience and confidence to really open things up and execute when opportunities present themselves on a consistent basis yet.  Brent Pease has to break tendencies across the board, starting with more passes on first down to keep the Tiger defense honest instead of stacking the LOS.  The RBs have to start to be utilized more in the passing game, and perhaps we’ll see some screen plays and more play-action passes.  The O-Line has to play it’s best game of the year to open some holes in the running game, but also in pass protection.  Arkansas presented a solid challenge with their D-Line, so perhaps that was good preparation for this week.  Of course, crowd noise will be a huge factor, and the OL has to show discipline in preventing procedure penalties.

Until Florida’s offense proves it’s worth against a good team, it’s all on the defense to keep things close until the 4th quarter.  The Gators have to win the turnover battle, and somehow keep the crowd out of the game by keeping the score close, and not allowing momentum to sweep them away.  Defense and special teams have to give the offense some short fields to work with, and it’s time to open up the playbook after a painfully conservative 5 games.  This is a huge step up in competition, and I’m sure the players are ready to elevate their game to the challenge.  Ultimately, I’m afraid the Gator offense with Murphy at QB still lacks the experience and playmaking ability to keep up with LSU’s offense.  I can see a few cracks showing in the Gator defense as the game wears on unless the offense rises to a level it hasn’t shown in a long time.  Again, the special teams play has to revert to something approaching 2012 form to make a tough job a little easier.  Right now, I think the Tigers pull away in the second half in what should be a very good game.

Going in to the meat of the schedule with a new QB and the loss of Easley may eventually prove problematic, but I feel it alleviates some of the expectations, and may allow the Gators to play fast and loose on Saturday.  Very few give Florida either a chance to win in Death Valley, or to go on and win the SEC East, so it’s time for the staff and players to play with house money and let it ride.  I hope it’s a fun ride the rest of the season no matter the wins and losses.

Prediction:  LSU 27          Florida 17

Florida earned a workmanlike 24-7 win over Kentucky, the 27th consecutive defeat of the Mildcats.  Given all of the drama surrounding the first month of the season, including the recent loss of Dominique Easley, that was a solid effort put forth in the Commonwealth, controlling the action for almost the entire game and getting the road win – always something to be appreciated in the SEC.

Tyler Murphy performed well in his first career start, especially on the road.  Yes, that wasn’t a quality opponent, but he continues to show poise and leadership, and the offense can feed off of that as things get more difficult going forward.  His 11-11 start passing was a pleasant surprise, even with the safe throws.  Matt Jones claims he is only now feeling close to game-ready, and he showed flashes of what was expected by the staff with a very good performance.  The O-Line did a good job overall, but still shows it is not as proficient in pass-blocking, which will become a serious problem as the level of opponent increases in difficulty……good thing Murphy is mobile.  The WRs (again) weren’t utilized as much as hoped, but I think after the fast start that Muschamp and Pease decided to shut things down to an extent to try and keep some things off the film for future games.

The defense was solid, after a slow start on the opening drive.  Muschamp said after the game that Kentucky used their off week to put in some new things that weren’t on film, but the staff and players did a nice job of adjusting and shutting things down for the most part after that.  The loss of Easley was seen right away, as the interior run defense wasn’t as sturdy as before, and that will have to be addressed right away.  Fowler and Bullard generated some occasional pass pressure, and the secondary wasn’t really challenged seriously.  VH3 continues to show out as a true freshman at CB, and is already starting to get some attention regionally and nationally – the kid is a baller.

Special Teams really weren’t on display other than kickoff coverage.  We’ll have to wait until this Saturday to see how Christy responds to his punting struggles, as he has to elevate his play to help the team out going forward.  Hardin did convert his only FG attempt with a solid kick from the left hash.  Maybe the staff will need to remember that for the future.

It’s back to the Swamp for a game with Arkansas – only an occasional SEC opponent for the Gators.  This is a step up in competition, and could turn out to be a real challenge.  The Razorbacks have an effective offense led by QB Brandon Allen, freshman RB Alex Collins (from Miami) who is averaging over 100 yards per game, and sophomore RB Jonathan Williams at over 90 yards per game.  New head coach Bret Bielema prefers a strong running game based on his tenure at Wisconsin, and this will be the first serious challenge to the D-Line without Easley.  The Hog passing game shouldn’t be overlooked, though, as WR Javontee Herndon played quite a bit in the passing game developed by the fired Bobby Petrino.  TE Hunter Henry is proving to be a serious target as well, and the RBs are utilized as receivers quite often (something Florida needs to expand upon).  This is going to be a test for the entire Florida defense to try and limit Arkansas’ effectiveness and ball-control capability, to allow the Gator offense to nurse Murphy along and not have to get out of it’s comfort zone to either play catch-up or get into a scoring contest.

Arkansas’ defense has struggled to date, and hopefully that continues another week.  Florida simply does not have dynamic playmaking ability this season, so it will have to continue to be consistent and remain turnover-free to be successful.  Like most opponents going forward, I expect the Razorbacks to crowd the box and dare Murphy to pass.  Perhaps we’ll start to see some throws to the RBs this week to change things up, and the WRs have to continue to improve upon defeating coverage to give Murphy a fair chance.  The passing game has to start to prove itself a threat to give the tough opponents coming up something to think about.

Gator Nation needs to show up in force to protect home-field advantage, as the meat of the SEC schedule begins.  It will be a grind from now until season’s end for this team, and they need all the support they can get.  Playing this game at home should help Murphy, and the crowd can help inspire the defense to elevate it’s game.  I fully expect this contest to not be decided until the 4th quarter.  The offense has to limit turnovers going forward, as it simply is not good enough to overcome falling too far behind and hasn’t proven it can sustain drives almost exclusively with the passing game.  Time for a hostile nighttime crowd at the Swamp to help deliver a win.

Prediction:  Florida 24      Arkansas 20