LSU Review / Missouri Preview

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

……the 2014 Florida-LSU game.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Prediction:  Florida 24        Missouri 23

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Prediction:  Florida 20        LSU 17

It’s been a long off week, as fans and media have been relentless in their criticism of the coaches and players after getting run off the field in the second half at Alabama.  Losing the way it happened really left a sour taste in the jaws of Gator Nation.  That being said, the timing actually was best for the team to refocus and get back to fundamentals in practice, with all that needs to be worked on.  If reports from insiders are true, at least some of the problems and criticisms will be answered this week, as change is in the wind at multiple roster spots, especially the sieve that has been the secondary and the underachieving play at QB.

Tennessee surprisingly stayed close to Georgia throughout their game last week, which leaves some doubt as to the ability of each of those teams.  On offense, Justin Worley looks to have improved at QB, and has a group of good WRs with nice size, including Marquez North, Pig Howard, and Josh Smith, which will prove to be a challenge to the revamped Florida secondary both physically and schematically.  Still, stopping the running game comes first, which makes pass defense that much easier when the opponent is in obvious passing situations.  Freshman Jalen Hurd is a big back similar to Alabama’s Derrick Henry, and must be shut down.  The rotation at DT for the Gators  has been OK, but at this point it’s obvious that Darius Cummings, Leon Orr, and Jonathan Bullard simply aren’t elite DL, and rarely make significant plays.  Younger players such as Caleb Brantley and Gerald Willis have already shown the ability to make some plays, and likely will see more time starting this week.  The Florida defense will face a Tennessee O-Line that replaced all of it’s starters from last year.  Despite their seemingly good performance at Georgia, I feel the Gators can dictate the LOS and get pressure on the QB without having to resort to extensive blitzing.  If that happens, then it could be another brutal day for them.  Dante Fowler has been very good off the edge, and Alex McCalister is starting to show flashes.  The revamped secondary should have freshmen Quincy Wilson and Jalen Tabor seeing more time at CB opposite VH3 – this should allow Brian Poole to move back to the slot, where he is more effective.  Duke Dawson will get his chance at safety, where Jabari Gorman and Marcus Maye have really struggled.  Keanu Neal, while doing a great job of generating turnovers,  has been burned too many times peeking into the backfield and biting on head fakes – he needs to improve in this area immediately.  The linebacker play has been spotty as well – decent against the run, but poor in coverage.  Jarrad Davis hopefully is healthy enough to go, while Michael Taylor and Tank Morrison simply have to play better, or risk seeing the bench in favor of inexperienced guys like Matt Rolin and Alex Anzalone.  The recruiting at this spot the past 3-4  years in terms of talent and quality depth has suffered, and is being reflected in the performance of this unit.

Overall, DC DJ Durkin, Secondary Coach Travaris Robinson, and Muschamp may have to simplify the schemes just to get players in the proper positions, which limits the amount of blitz and cover packages and makes it an easier day for the Vol offense.

Now, on to the offense, which has it’s own set of serious concerns.  Jeff Driskel will be under tremendous pressure to improve his performance, and may face a quick hook if his accuracy doesn’t improve and he isn’t able to extend drives if forced into obvious passing situations.  I wonder if OC Kurt Roper will decide to go with more running plays to try and take advantage of a weak Vol front seven, including even more zone read keeps for Driskel.  Matt Jones and Kelvin Taylor may be relied upon heavily to pound away and hopefully lessen the need to rely on Driskel’s passing.  The long-term problem with this strategy is that it really takes away from the Spread concepts that Roper prefers to stretch the field.  I do expect to see Treon Harris get some meaningful snaps this week, both to develop him under live game conditions, but also as the starter if Driskel continues to struggle.  The O-Line is tasked with taking charge of this game, and the WRs, while improved as a unit overall, have to make the simple catches and avoid the critical drops seen too often so far this season.  Quinton Dunbar has regressed this season to date, while no other WR has stepped up to help Demarcus Robinson, who will continue to see double-teams until others start making an impact.  Ahmad Fulwood and Latroy Pittman need to play better or go sit on the bench.  Andre Debose apparently can’t be relied upon to run routes consistently or catch the ball with regularity, but is still being underutilized on sweeps to stretch the defense horizontally.  There is one area that could be exploited, and that is using the RBs more in the passing game, which potentially could help Driskel relax while actually doing some damage to Tennessee.  Jones is a very good receiver, and even Taylor and Valdez Showers have shown they can be effective.

I’m sure it’s been a very tough week for the entire team and staff to listen to all the negativity.  Will the coaches rein everything in and go conservative, or let it rip and hopefully see the players not play too tight and actually have some fun?  Here’s hoping that the players find their way and respond to a very tough mental challenge.  A loss to the Inbreds would really turn up the heat on Will Muschamp and possibly expedite Jeremy Foley’s “evaluation” of his coaching.

Prediction – Florida 27      Tennessee 23

1 step forward……2 steps back

What a strange (and ultimately disappointing) game.  Tied in the 3rd quarter due to a Gator team that was more opportunistic than good, the outcome never really seemed to be in doubt.

Might as well get the negatives out of the way first, because they were so glaring.  The secondary play, especially the coverage (or lack of) by the safeties, is inexcusable.  Inexperience is one thing, but the blown assignments and poor discipline are shocking at this level of competition.  Will Muschamp and Travaris Robinson are great secondary coaches that have recruited and developed a ton of quality players that have succeeded in the SEC and NFL.  But the performance the past 2 games is unacceptable, and has to be corrected – now.  Perhaps simplifying the schemes and playing more zone coverage is a temporary solution (even though I’m sure Muschamp and Robinson would hate to do it).  Keanu Neal is a great physical talent, and has already shown big-play capability, but jumping the simplest of QB or WR head fakes doesn’t cut it at this level – he has to play smarter.  Jabari Gorman simply looks too slow.  Marcus Maye has caused a few turnovers, but really hasn’t shown improvement in coverage yet from last season.  The coaches have to find a way to stop the bleeding and coach these guys up.  At CB, Brian Poole isn’t a cover guy – he’s a good rotation player, but doesn’t seem to possess the quickness needed when forced into man coverage.  VH3 also had some bad moments, but a stud WR like Amari Cooper will make some plays every game.  I’m more concerned with his Achilles strain, and that the staff kept putting him back in the game late – he’s too valuable to be physically abused that way.

It may be a good idea for either DJ Durkin or Robinson to move into the coach’s booth to better see the field, and perhaps help get the secondary lined up more quickly and properly.  Something has to be done to help these young guys get it together.

Now, for the QB play – or lack thereof.  Jeff Driskel actually had decent protection and the occasional running game to allow him time to make reads in the passing game and also execute the zone read.  But it didn’t happen……again.  He is simply too inaccurate with his throws, and made some mistakes in the running game, including his terrible handoff to Matt Jones which killed a scoring opportunity after a Bama turnover in the 2nd quarter.  His best 2 plays were his TD pass to Valdez Showers to tie the game at 7 in the 1st quarter, then his run on the QB draw to tie the game again at 21 early in the 3rd quarter.  But simply too little, and too infrequent.  There doesn’t seem to be any adjustment during the play that he can make – it’s the first read or something bad happens.

The offense never established any consistency, mainly due to the bad performance by Driskel.  The O-Line actually looked decent, establishing some running lanes usually and giving Driskel a pocket and time to throw.  Sadly, he squandered their play with an erratic throwing day that wasted some quality scoring opportunities that could have made this a 4th quarter game.  Yes, there were some egregious drops by Andre Debose and Quinton Dunbar (again), but still there were far too many overthrows and slow reads that missed some open receivers that could have extended drives.  The fact that this is Driskel’s 3rd OC in 4 years does not excuse continued poor throwing and reads.  Is it time to give Treon Harris a real shot at significant playing time?  Perhaps – at a minimum he needs to get 3-4 series starting at Tennessee.  The Gators have an off week in which to come to grips with the QB play and give Harris reps with the first team in practice.  Matt Jones ran hard, and the fumble on the exchange from Driskel was the QB’s fault, putting the ball on Jones’ hip.  When Driskel starts making mistakes in the running game, it’s painfully obvious he is not playing relaxed and with confidence.

The defense again had multiple busts in coverage, allowing Bama to complete some ridiculously easy long TD throws, and never really rising up on 3rd down to get off the field.  Florida allowed a team record-high 645 yards – that cannot happen to a Head Coach that hangs his hat on tough defense and great secondary play.  Muschamp and Robinson have 2 weeks to simplify things and find 2 safeties that will not overpursue and actually keep WRs in front of them.  The run defense held up well until the last 20 minutes, when they were gassed and Bama could rotate their stable or big RBs and control the game.

I do want to point out what could have been the real backbreaker of the entire game, and I point the finger squarely at the defensive staff. In the 3rd quarter, with a 3rd and 23 play, it was painfully obvious that a screen play was likely to be dialed up by Bama.  Sure enough, they called it, and Derrick Henry was allowed to run almost untouched to the 3-yard line, leading to the go-ahead score.  That cannot happen with the quality of this staff – and it shouldn’t happen again this season.

Despite the obvious bad plays, there are some things I saw that were encouraging. The O-Line play, even with the loss of Trenton Brown, was adequate.  The D-Line wasn’t pushed around until they tired late.  Kyle Christy seems to have rediscovered his punting touch of 2012.  The kick coverage was very good, and even Austin Hardin made some solid, deep kickoffs.

Wow – there is a LOT to work on.  The timing of this off-week is great for the staff and players to go back to basics, and also to seriously evaluate the play at key positions and possibly put in some new guys and see if they can spark the offense and defense.  The howling from the anti-Muschamp “fans” has started anew, which doesn’t help anything right now – the players, coaches, or recruiting efforts.  I know my criticisms this week are pretty pointed, but I’m not immediately giving up on 2014 just yet.  October is a huge month for this year and possibly the future of the program.  All 3 games are winnable, starting with the biggest game of the season (as I stated in my season preview) at Tennessee.  It’s a tough task to try and get things back on track, with all of the pressure on the staff and players.  Somehow Muschamp has to look inward and do what’s best for the team and it’s chances for success going forward, and that starts with some personnel decisions.

See you next week with my preview of the Tennessee game.  Go Gators!

As expected, it was a beatdown from start to finish as the Gators finally were able to play a game, and took out their frustrations on hapless EMU.  I’m sure it was cathartic in some ways for the players, coaches, and fans to see a new product on the field and start to bury the memories of 2013.

The new offense of Kurt Roper was on display, and compared to the Brent Pease disaster it looked like Steve Spurrier vs. Lynn Amedee (for you Gator fans going back to the late 1980s – it wasn’t called ‘The Amedeeville Horror for nothing).  Lots of quick throws, mostly horizontal routes to spread the field, but enough deep shots to keep the secondary honest and not have to watch 9 defenders crowding the box anymore.  Jeff Driskel looked OK in his first action in almost a year, hitting more than 10 different receivers.  Yes, the Gators have WRs, and they have to love the fact that they can finally show off some of their skills.  Quinton Dunbar still seems to be Driskel’s go-to guy, but Demarcus Robinson flashed some of the big-play ability that was expected when he signed with Florida.  Kelvin Taylor and Matt Jones had enough touches in the running game to make some big plays, and it looks like there’s finally an OC that will get Jones involved in the passing game, to show off his receiving ability and also give the defense another option to worry about.  Driskel still stares down his primary receiver occasionally, and that’s going bite him in the ass against better opponents down the road unless he improves.

The O-Line looked better, but there were still too many times Driskel was pressured, especially troubling against an outmanned opponent.  The poor OL recruiting of the past 3 years is evident.  Chaz Green looked good in his return from season-ending shoulder surgery that wiped out all of 2013.  He will be needed in the Tackle rotation more than ever, as DJ Humphries did not look especially impressive and is hurt (again), this time with a high ankle sprain.  The Guard rotation did not impress.  Trip Thurman simply isn’t a SEC-caliber player, and Tyler Moore looked tentative coming back from a bad elbow injury that ended his season early last year.  Max Garcia did a nice job at Center – the Gators are very fortunate he transferred into the program last year.  It looks like young guys like tackles David Sharpe and Rod Johnson will get a lot of snaps early, and while it may cause some offensive struggles early this year, it will pay dividends in the future.  The ability level of future OL recruits simply has to improve.

The defense never was challenged, and the coaching staff was able to play nearly the entire roster.  A lot of younger players were able to get  a lot of action, and the future bodes well for the Gator defense.  Gerald Willis, Caleb Brantley, and Joey Ivie add a lot to a D-Line anchored by Dante Fowler, Jonathan Bullard, and Leon Orr.  Quincy Wilson, Keanu Neal, and Duke Dawson all made plays in the secondary, including Dawson’s pick six.  They will be relied upon all season, as opponents will rarely challenge Vernon Hargreaves.  Not a lot more to say here, as EMU was completely outmatched.

The SEC slate begins this week with the Kentucky Wildcats coming to the Swamp trying to end a 27-game losing streak to Florida.  Mike Stoops thinks he is raising the profile of a weak program with supposedly better recruiting.  The Mildcats are talking proud about their new offense, and also looking to last year’s Gator meltdown against Vanderbilt for hope.  Well, they are gonna get a reality check when they see the Gator defense unleashed Saturday night.  Kentucky has a new QB in Patrick Towles, who is a vast improvement over recent offerings, and their scheme is much more wide-open then previous seasons, featuring more spread concepts.  However, unless they unveil a rushing attack led by Nebraska transfer Braylon Heard and Towles that exploits Florida’s weakness against a power running game, they will realize quickly that the Gator pass rush and secondary play are superior.

I’m not sure if Roper will revel many (if any) new wrinkles yet on offense, as Florida should be able to move the ball with success running the base offense.  I am focusing on improvement across the board after the first game, especially by the O-Line.  This unit has to get it’s act together, as the schedule will toughen quickly.  I think the running game will be featured more, as the EMU game was little more than glorified scrimmage that allowed a lot of work on the passing game.  It’s rare that an unbalanced offense has any sustained success in the SEC, and Muschamp knows this.  The defense needs to continue to develop quality depth by rotating in the younger players, and pressure Towles early and often to disrupt his rhythm.  If he tries to run the ball 20+ times like last week, I don’t think he’ll make it through the entire game.

The loss of the Idaho game due to weather really hurt the offense, and they have to accelerate their development this week with a very tough road trip to Alabama coming up next.

Prediction:  Florida 31      Kentucky 14

For the first time since Hurricane Francis postponed the 2004 opener, a Gator football game was postponed due to weather, which means one less week to gain valuable reps for the offense implementing a new system. That also means one less week to prepare for the start of the SEC season in 2 weeks against Kentucky, and then a big road trip to Alabama.

It’s really a shame for all involved that this happened. What I don’t understand is why starting the game was even attempted, just to waive everyone off the field moments after.
The 2014 season kicks off (again) with Eastern Michigan traveling to the Swamp for a large paycheck and a beatdown.
Most of the attention of Gator Nation will be given to the performance of the offense, which was simply wretched last season. New OC Kurt Roper has a healthy Jeff Driskel back to lead his version of the spread offense, which should play much better to Driskel’s strengths, and those of most of the offensive players.
It’s time to spread the ball around to finally let the WRs show their abilities – a lineup of Robinson, Dunbar, Fulwood, and Debose is pretty good. Mix in the zone scheme running game with Taylor and Jones to wear down an undermanned Idaho team. The rebuilt and hopefully improved O-Line should take advantage of the opportunity to start the process of developing chemistry. This is a great opportunity to work out some kinks with the base offense, and begin the process of rebuilding the confidence of this group. Idaho’s defense was terrible last year, giving up over 46 points a game – no reason not to approach that number this week.
The EMU offense should not prove very challenging to the Gator defense, as they are overmatched physically and in skill level. Hopefully the Florida offense is providing an early and expanding lead, providing the defense the opportunity to rest the starters after halftime and allow for a lot of guys to gain experience and develop depth. Plenty of young guys will get their chance to prove they belong in the rotation this week and next at various positions, especially on the D-Line and in the secondary.
This should be a glorified scrimmage before the SEC season begins. As always, the mantra for these games is, “no injuries!”
Well, that had to be the easiest article to put together, ever!

Prediction: Florida 41 Eastern Michigan 10

The 2014 season kicks off with the Idaho Vandals traveling to the Swamp for a large paycheck and a beatdown.

Most of the attention of Gator Nation will be given to the performance of the offense, which was simply wretched last season. New OC Kurt Roper has a healthy Jeff Driskel back to lead his version of the spread offense, which should play much better to Driskel’s strengths, and those of most of the offensive players.

It’s time to spread the ball around to finally let the WRs show their abilities – a lineup of Robinson, Dunbar, Fulwood, and Debose is pretty good. Mix in the zone scheme running game with Taylor and Jones to wear down an undermanned Idaho team. The rebuilt and hopefully improved O-Line should take advantage of the opportunity to start the process of developing chemistry. This is a great opportunity to work out some kinks with the base offense, and begin the process of rebuilding the confidence of this group. Idaho’s defense was terrible last year, giving up over 46 points a game – no reason not to approach that number this week.

The Idaho offense should not prove very challenging to the Gator defense, as they are over matched physically and in skill level. Hopefully the Florida offense is providing an early and expanding lead, providing the defense the opportunity to rest the starters after halftime and allow for a lot of guys to gain experience and develop depth. Plenty of young guys will get their chance to prove they belong in the rotation this week and next at various positions, especially on the D-Line and in the secondary.

This should be the first of two glorified scrimmages before the SEC season begins. As always, the mantra for these games is, “no injuries!”

Prediction: Florida 41 Idaho 10

The upcoming 2014 season will be a harbinger of the immediate future of Florida football. Along with the anticipation that comes with the start to a new season, there is as much angst as hope as the dark cloud of a dismal 2013 still hangs over the program. It’s likely a make-or-break season for Will Muschamp, as he is under intense pressure to turn the win-loss record around and establish positive momentum going forward. Part of the hope of a turnaround is pinned on the hire of new Offensive Coordinator Kurt Roper and Offensive Line coach Mike Summers. They are tasked with implementing a new philosophy based more on a Spread scheme, and even more importantly rebuilding the confidence of a unit shattered by injury, ineffectiveness, and bad coaching. Fair or not, the fate of this staff rests on a very fast learning curve for a bunch of kids that have been dealt a largely bad hand during their Gator careers to date. Jeremy Foley is a very smart AD, and has mostly ignored the noise from disgruntled Boosters and fans, given the extreme circumstances surrounding last season. Forces both inside and outside of the program have been working to tear down Muschamp and the team. While no one can be sure what would constitute enough of a turnaround for Foley to grant Muschamp another season, common sense dictates that, barring another rash of key injuries, an improved offense and perhaps a minimum of 8 wins are required.

Offense

This side of the ball will determine the success (or failure) of the 2014 season, and the future of Muschamp as Head Coach. That’s a lot of pressure to perform under, especially installing a new offense. Roper comes in highly thought of as a QB coach and playcaller, but may not have the luxury of easing in to his new role.

The abysmal 2013 performance led to the worst season since Charley Pell’s initial campaign in 1979 (the Visor’s freshman year at UF). Injuries ravaged every unit, while the ineptitude of OC Brent Pease and OL coach Tim Davis as coaches and recruiters led to their deserved firing. Physical injuries can heal, but can Roper and Summers rebuild the damaged confidence of the returning players? Already, the early returns out of spring practice and fall camp indicate that this offense will be far better suited to the abilities and strengths of QB Jeff Driskel and the skill position players, and will employ a blocking scheme much easier to pick up and implement.

Driskel is back and healthy again, and could thrive in the new offense. He will be asked to make quicker reads, which has not been his strong suit to date – Coach Roper can make a huge difference here. Driskel will still be allowed to run occasionally, and he is a premier threat when used this way effectively. The most interesting off-season battle will be to see which freshman will the backup role – Treon Harris or Will Grier. Both are highly-ranked recruits and bring a lot of promise to the position. Harris is the son of a coach, and played in a similar offense at Miami Northwestern against the best competition in the state while winning a championship. He is also an effective runner, which I feel gives him an advantage right now because of this background. Grier is a very accurate passer and has decent running ability, plus he had the advantage of enrolling early and getting to participate in spring practice. He has stated he wants to redshirt – I hope the performance of Driskel and Harris allow it.

The biggest question mark is the O-Line. At the Tackle positions, returning a healthy Chaz Green at RT is a huge bonus, as that allows Tyler Moore to slide inside back to OG, his natural position. DJ Humphries has to improve at LT – JUCO transfer Drew Savary, and freshmen David Sharpe and Rod Johnson will push for playing time and could provide some quality depth at both slots. Joining Moore in the Guard rotation will be Trenton Brown, Cam Dillard, and Trip Thurman – the performance of this position should markedly improve. Moore is a natural guard, and Brown really came on late in the season as he gained experience and got in shape. The hardest spot to fill will be at Center, as the loss of Jonathan Harrison will be felt. Max Garcia did well in the spring and during fall camp, and will provide senior leadership, with Dillard as the backup. Losing that much experience of making the blocking checks at the LOS hurts though, especially installing a new offense. A lot is riding on Garcia’s speed in picking up the new calls. Coach Summers has some quality material to work with, and hopefully gets this unit to perform much closer to it’s potential.

Running back should be in the capable hands of Kelvin Taylor as the starter. He showed flashes of being a solid SEC RB as a freshman, and will be backed up by Matt Jones, Mack Brown, and Adam Lane. Jones may finally get to show off his receiving skills to help with the passing game, which will help lighten his ball-carrying load as he has struggled with injuries. Brown is a senior and has plenty of experience, and redshirt freshman Lane has drawn physical comparisons to Maurice Jones-Drew and Ray Rice. The performance of this group should be solid.

Now comes the mystery group that is the WR corps. After being underutilized in 2012 and ignored in 2013, no one is quite sure what this unit will contribute this season. Quinton Dunbar is the leader, and physically plays the part of a SEC WR – now is his time to shine. Demarcus Robinson came in hugely hyped in 2013 as a freshman, but poor work habits and some dumb off the field behavior wasted his first season. Off-season reports indicate he has his mind right now and worked hard – he has all the physical tools to be an all-SEC performer someday, but it has to start now. There is plenty of untapped potential among Ahmad Fulwood, Andre Debose, and Latroy Pittman. Some of the freshmen will get a chance early for playing time, led by the promising CJ Worton. Roper’s offense should be a godsend for these guys, and their playmaking abilities may surprise the SEC this year. An interesting development is the promotion of Chris Leak to WR coach – can he transition his QB skills to this group in reading coverage, route running, and blocking schemes?

The TE position has been completely revamped due to injury and scheme change. Of most importance is the transfer in from Virginia of Jake McGee, a quality player who was a 2-year starter – he inherits the starting role and could thrive in this offense. Colin Thompson has left the program, and freshmen C’yontai Lewis and DeAndre Goolsby could get immediate playing time. Both have some raw physical skills, but can they develop quickly enough to provide receiving depth? Coach Roper’s offense flexes out the TE in the ‘B’ position quite often, relying less on in-line blocking and more on stretching the defense down the seams. This scheme alone should help open up the offense in general, make Driskel’s life easier, and force defenses to actually guard the entire field instead of loading up the box with no passing threat to worry about.

Defense

This unit is Coach Muschamp’s calling card. They performed very well early in 2013, but eventually wore down both physically and mentally as the offense sucked the life out the entire program. Injuries struck at many key positions here as well, but there was also locker room infighting as the defenders became frustrated with the offensive meltdown, and this damaged team chemistry. Even with the loss of star DL Dominique Easley, and experienced CBs Marcus Roberson and Luchiez Purifoy, there is a lot of quality material returning to again have a solid SEC-level defense. The hope is that the defense isn’t relied upon so heavily in 2014 and stays much fresher.

The D-Line will be an interesting mix of different levels of experience, and has the chance to play more closely to that of a SEC-level unit again given better health. Dante Fowler is the leader, and should be an all-SEC candidate at DE. The rotation at the other DE/Buck position is a question mark. Alex McCalister and Bryan Cox have little experience, and Freshmen Gerald Willis and Taven Bryan come in as highly-regarded prospects, but the SEC is hard on young guys. Fowler must stay healthy, and some of the DTs such as Jon Bullard may need to play some outside to shore up this group. The situation at Tackle is much better. Bullard, Leon Orr and Darius Cummings return, and there is a lot of young talent to provide depth between Khairi Clark, Caleb Brantley, Jay-nard Bostwick, and Joey Ivie. Bullard is the top player, but needs to up his level of consistency and intensity. New DL Coach Brad Lawing has an excellent reputation of developing linemen and has enough talent within this group to make it an effective unit, but some of the young guys have to prove they can quickly adapt to the SEC.

The LB corps has a lot to prove this season, as their play fell off markedly last year and was, quite frankly, sub-par. There is plenty of experience with Michael Taylor, Neiron Ball, and Antonio Morrison returning, but their performance left much to be desired. Jarran Reed looks to be the breakout start in the middle. Alex Anzalone and Matt Rolin have promise, but have not proven they can stay healthy. Daniel McMillian has the physical tools, but hasn’t put it together mentally. Morrison has the best chance to bounce back, but Tank needs to get his mind right and focus on playing hard every snap. This group was pushed around last year, and don’t appear to be capable of playing SEC run defense. Decent in pass coverage, but with a very good secondary behind them, they may be tested early and often by the quality teams to see if they can slow down the running game. Overall, this unit looks average at best, and I can see a lot of 4-2-5 looks to try and get the best players on the field, and mask a deficiency.

The secondary has the potential to be strong again despite losses to the NFL, but few positions are settled as there is a lack of 1st-team experience. It all starts with Vernon Hargreaves III, who will challenge for SEC and national honors at CB. Right now it appears there will be a revolving door at the other CB post until 1 or 2 guys separate themselves from among the group of Brian Poole and true freshmen Duke Dawson and Jalen Tabor. Plenty of talent, but short on experience – an injury to Hargreaves could prove problematic. At safety, there will be a lot of quality competition between Marcus Maye, Marcell Harris, and Keanu Neal, with Jabari Gorman likely backing up both positions. This is a physical group that will be stout against the run, but their coverage skills are in question until they prove it on the field in a tight game.

Defensive Coordinator DJ Durkin and DB Coach Travaris Robinson should be able to mold a solid overall defense by the end of the season, but there could be some shortcomings in the LB and inexperience in the secondary that require some scheming around until a few guys prove they are ready for SEC football.

Special Teams

All phases of the kicking and the return game took a huge step back in 2013. The loss of confidence in the entire group from the coaching staff was alarming, and every spot is an open competition right now.

Punter Kyle Christy completely lost his way, and Austin Hardin and a cast of thousands couldn’t remotely approach the level of departed PK Caleb Sturgis. Christy has to return to 2012 form or will be benched for good in favor of Johnny Townsend, who filled in adequately last season. The same goes for Hardin, who will be challenged by Frankie Velez for PK duties through fall camp and into the start of the season. Coach Muschamp has no time to coddle this group given the stakes of the upcoming season.

The return game was anemic last season as well, as there simply were no playmakers available to try and provide decent field position. Hopefully Hargreaves won’t be called upon as the PR, even though he really looks the part and has the ‘it’ factor – he is simply too valuable as the best CB on the roster. It may fall upon one of the freshmen to fill this role in 2014 – there are some exciting prospects such as Alvin Bailey that could get their chance early. At KR, an intriguing prospect is the return of Andre Debose. He has been one of the most dangerous KRs in the country, and could be play a huge role is helping the offense with improved field position, and possibly influencing the outcome of a few games with some big returns.

Schedule and Outlook

Only recently has the excitement level for Gator football begun to come back this summer. Everyone was disillusioned after the abject failure that was 2013, and here’s hoping for an entirely fresh start across the board. Florida opens with 3 straight home games where the confidence of the team can be slowly rebuilt, and the new offense can get valuable reps in before the schedule toughens.

Idaho – Win
Time to establish a new identity for the offense and use this as an advanced scrimmage; stay healthy (please)!

Eastern Michigan – Win
Continue to build the confidence of the offense and get the reps more up to SEC-level speed; again, stay healthy (please)!

Kentucky – Win
SEC opener at the Swamp; a chance to better gauge the development of the offense, and settle on rotations on both offense and defense.

@Alabama – Loss
Despite the doomsayers, the Gators have enough talent to stand strong against the Tide, who will be breaking in a new QB. The real test will be to the confidence of the offense in the new system against a quality SEC opponent, and how well it can execute in a hostile environment. I think for now that the lack of depth and the unknown capability to respond to adversity on the road against an established program will lead to a loss, but can also be a building block to the key part of the schedule coming up. The Tide running game is based on brute power, and Florida’s front seven has not proven it can stand up for a full game against that type of attack.

Open Date (first of 2) This comes at a good time, in advance of perhaps the most important game of the season in terms of development of a winning attitude and confidence

@Tennessee – Win
Florida will travel to Knoxville to play the inbreds of Tennessee. The Vols are sick of being the Gators’ whipping boy since 2005, and are talking a big game right now for a program that been irrelevant for years. It will be interesting to see how Florida responds to a second straight SEC road game, as Tennessee is sure to throw everything into winning this game. A second straight loss here could seriously damage any physical and emotional progress from September, and start the howling (again) for Muschamp to be fired. This is simply a huge game for the Florida program.

LSU – Loss
Next up is a return to the Swamp to face LSU. The Tigers lost a lot of talent and leadership to graduation, and may still be deciding on a permanent starter at QB. They again will have a talented roster, but this is a winnable game for the Gators if they play smart football. They don’t have the firepower on offense yet to overcome turnovers or a slew of mental mistakes. Stopping the Tiger rushing attack is the key to this game, and I’m not sure if the Gator front seven is good enough yet to do it.

Missouri (Homecoming) –Win
The Tigers come to Gainesville, and this will be as much a mental test for Florida as physical, as the Gators will be coming off of 3 emotional battles, and can’t afford a letdown. The Tigers were deluded by a historically weak East Division in 2013 and seem to think that playing in the SEC is no big deal – it’s time for the league to remind them of their standing.

Open Date

Georgia – Loss
It’s on to the final stretch, starting with Georgia in Jacksonville. Everyone knows Muschamp is 0-3 vs. his alma mater, and he’ll be under intense pressure to reverse this disturbing trend. Even with the tremendous struggles on offense for most of his tenure as Head Coach, the Gators have had the chance to win this game in the 4th quarter each of the last 3 seasons. Can Florida get over the mental hurdle and finish? Sometimes the hardest thing to do is get over that hurdle

@Vanderbilt – Win
Next up is a trip to Nashville. Vandy broke their 26-game losing streak to Florida last season – in the Swamp no less, a real blemish on Muschamp’s resume. Payback will be in order, as the Gators will put the Commodores back in their place.

South Carolina – Win
Florida returns home to face what appears to be the preseason favorite in the SEC East, South Carolina. Everyone who has read my column for the last 10 years knows that I have no desire to “help” Steve Spurrier win the East “if it can’t be Florida”. That line of thinking is crap – all he has done is try to beat the Gators on the field and in recruiting, so I could care less what he did as a player and coach at UF. Florida needs to beat his brains in if at all possible, to help re-assert it’s dominance in the series. Despite the Gamecocks’ recent success, I’m of the opinion that they will take a step back this season, and this game is there for the taking with a loud Swamp crowd supporting the Gators.

Eastern Kentucky – Win
The final home game is next as EKU comes to the Swamp for a nice paycheck and a beatdown – no Georgia Southern flashbacks here. The Colonels will suffer the wrath caused by last season’s GSU meltdown.

@Florida St. – Loss
Finally, it’s off to Taliban City to face the Criminoles and the King Crab. No matter how much hate there is for F$U, it’s always tough to stay emotionally ready after the grind of the SEC schedule, especially when this game is on the road. F$U is talking proud about how they are ”back”, just as they were when they dominated a garbage conference in the 1990s to pump up their record as they played 1 or 2 tough games annually. After all these years, the ACC still stinks. In all likelihood they will have waltzed to another bloated record against minimal opposition, and have plenty of weeks to game plan for the Gators. Muschamp’s struggles have infinitely helped F$U recruiting in-state the past few years, and the Gators will be an underdog in this game. I’m just not sure the offense, no matter how well it may progress as the season plays out, will be ready to carry the load it will need to.

Overall Record 8-4
SEC Record 5-3

There is so much riding on the results of 2014, unfairly or not, for Will Muschamp and the entire program. The perception of the Gator program is one of skepticism, from knowledgeable observers to recruits. Basically everyone outside of the players and coaches is in wait-and-see mode. A good season that shows offensive progress can lead to a great offseason and recruiting class, and help permanently turn the corner for a positive future. More struggles, whether they are due to injuries or with learning the offense, and change will be in the wind again, leading to a handful more of seasons lost trying another rebuilding effort. No pressure……

It’s that time again……HEEEEEEEEERE COME THE GATORS!!!