You can tell the football season has begun, as the angst from the fans is already in full effect.  Based on the performance by the Gators against the Falcons, some of it is warranted.

The offense was extremely vanilla as expected, with emphasis on the running game despite 8- and 9-man fronts, to give Texas A&M as little as possible to scout on film.  Even so, there were a lot of missed assignments by the O-Line, especially in short-yardage situations, that were inexcusable from a veteran line.  Mike Gillislee looks like a solid no. 1 at RB, but there is no established backup or rotation yet.

The passing game was painful to watch, with dropped passes by the WRs and both missed reads and bad throws by both QBs.

Based on getting the majority of the snaps from the 2^nd quarter on, Jeff Driskel appears to be the starter going into College Station next week.  He is definitely the better runner between he and Brissett, and I’m hopeful the staff allows him to utilize this against the Aggies, as he’s going to be pressured all afternoon.  It was interesting to see that Brissett had minimal snaps and passing attempts before sitting, leading me to believe that Coach Pease had made some decisions even before fall practice had ended.

The WR performance is hard to gauge right now with the inefficient QB play, but there were drops and missed assignments that were obvious.  This group has to establish some consistency and a vertical threat the next 2 weeks.  I’m sure the conservative game plan had something to do with it……then again, maybe I’m not so sure.

The TEs will be relied upon heavily it appears early this season while the QB play (hopefully) improves.  Reed and Burton (out of the H-Back position) were open all game, and are playmakers that the QBs have to take advantage of until they are more comfortable in the new offense and can establish a downfield passing threat to back defenses off of the LOS.

What unexpectedly has me worried is the so-so performance of the defense.  Perhaps the preseason hype for this unit was off base, as the D-Line failed to get consistent penetration most of the game, and the LBs looked painfully reminiscent of last year’s group in its inability to fill the gaps against a pretty simple run scheme.  The DE play will again struggle this season, but there is hope for the future in the performance of Dante Fowler and Jonathan Bullard, who will get on-the-job training against the SEC as true freshmen.

The secondary’s pass coverage was pretty good, but the quick slants were not adjusted to most of the game, and the tackling was horrendous.  Too much reaching and grabbing, and not enough form tackling……worse than anything I saw in 2011.  Some young guys like Jaylen Watkins and Jabari Gorman got extended snaps, because Louchiez Purifoy was beaten all day in coverage and couldn’t tackle anyone.  Even Matt Elam played a little lazy – hopefully he’s back to last season’s level of play as the competition ramps up, but that was a disappointing effort from one of the team leaders.

Someone in the DT rotation has to step up his play to match that of Sharrif Floyd.  Between Hunter, Orr, and Jacobs, there should be enough ability to play off the attention Floyd will get and to start making plays of their own consistently.  Everyone got a huge scare when Easley went down with a tweak to his surgically-repaired knee.  I still maintain he has been rushed back too soon, and I’m concerned he will not get back to his former level of play until 2013……unless he gets injured again first.  His former aggressiveness could be missed all season.

Now it’s on to the start of the SEC season, as Florida travels to Texas A&M with the pressure of not just an inconsistent offense to improve, but facing a program and team extremely motivated to prove it’s worth to the SEC by winning its first conference game and announcing its arrival as an opponent to be reckoned with.

Complicating matters for the Gators is the arrival of a new staff in College Station, as Kevin Sumlin brings his pass-heavy spread attack over from a successful run at Houston.  He will have the advantage of scheming up a game plan that likely will have twists that the Florida staff will not see on any Houston game film that is tailored to his new players.  However, part of that advantage is hopefully offset by the Aggies having to start a freshman QB, and having their first game against Louisiana Tech postponed by Hurricane Isaac.  That should affect their timing and perhaps limit their efficiency, while also causing some mistakes – whether those are penalties or, better yet, turnovers.

Texas A&M does have most of its O-Line return from last year, led by 2 tackles that could be in the first 2 rounds of the NFL Draft after the season.  Solid OL play can offset a lot of other issues, and the Gator DL must elevate its play and disrupt the rhythm of the quick passing game that Sumlin employs.

The Aggie defense is led by a strong LB corps that will be coming after the Gator QBs all day long, and forcing the Florida offense to prove it can make plays down the field before they play a more honest scheme.  They will have the home crowd advantage and will attempt to dictate the tempo.  If the Gators can find some balance between the run and pass, though, they can take advantage of a young secondary and D-Line and control the flow of the game.

Kyle Field will be rocking, and a likely record crowd will be there to see this historic game, including the Visor.  The 12^th Man will be in force for Aggies, trying to bring home a first SEC win.  It is tremendously hard to predict how the game will unfold, as both teams have so many questions to answer in terms of both the performance of its players, and also the coaching staffs.

Will Texas A&M’s players actually come out too hyped, and make a lot of early mistakes that help Florida grab an early lead?  Will their young QB be inaccurate or become rattled if the Gator defense comes with pressure and new looks?  Can Florida shake off a mediocre effort in week 1 and start to silence the doubters and critics?  Will Jeff Driskel be the guy to grab the starting QB job for good and elevate the play of the entire offense?  Can the Gator WRs finally make some big plays downfield to take the pressure off the running game?

I am expecting Coach Pease and the Gator offensive coaching staff to unveil some wrinkles in the passing game that allow Driskel to roll out of the pocket and allow a pass/run option to pressure the Aggie LBs and secondary.  I have to believe that Dan Quinn and Coach Muschamp have some schemes ready to confuse the young QB and force some mistakes.  The Gator defense has to play aggressively and close off the short, quick throws – sitting back and waiting is a bad plan vs. this passing attack.

It’s time for Florida to play with pride for itself and the entire SEC by stepping up with a big-time road win to start the conference season and work on erasing the bad memories of 2011.

Prediction:  Florida 23              Texas A&M 20

Year 2 begins for Will Muschamp at Florida with a box of chocolates on offense and a seasoned defense.

Brent Pease does not have to perform a complete re-building job, as part of the direction from the head coach was to keep as much terminology as possible from the previous year.  However, he has to be more creative with his schemes and motion, and find a way to maximize a mixed-bag of unknown and misused talent trying to run it’s 3rd offense in 3 years.

Both Jacoby Brissett and Jeff Driskel will play, as neither has separated himself from the other yet. I am looking for which QB executes in the passing game better – which guy reads the defense properly and, more importantly, quickly and in rhythm with his receivers.  Florida should be able to overpower Bowling Green on the ground, but can a second RB earn the trust of the coaches behind Mike Gillislee?  Can any of the WRs develop chemistry with the QBs and be a clutch player?  Is there any deep threat after Andre Debose?  Can any of the TEs behind Jordan Reed block in the running game at all or become a legitimate receiving threat?  As I said in the season preview……many more questions than answers right now……I’m not sure I’m going to like the first few chocolates out of the 2012 box just yet.

The strength of the 2012 Gators is their defense.  It appears that some quality depth has been established in the LB and secondary units, after leaning heavily on the defensive line last season.  It’s time for the back seven to become playmakers and help the offense out.  The rotation in the DL looks solid even with Dominique Easley a question mark coming back from knee surgery. Sharrif Floyd is poised for a breakout year.  Tank Morrison and Michael Taylor will get a lot of snaps to prove they can contribute at LB behind Jon Bostic, Jelani Jenkins, and Lerentee McCray.  The CB position gets a huge boost with the return of two guys from injury – Marcus Roberson and Jeremy Brown (again), even if they still have some rust after their injuries and missing spring practice.  Jabari Gorman looked great throughout the spring and will get a lot of snaps.  The biggest worry is at safety – no consistent performer returns after Matt Elam, with inexperience behind Josh Evans and Pop Saunders, neither of whom stood out last season.  Lots of young players, including true freshmen, will get a long look early this year.

BGSU might hang around for 1-2 quarters on emotion and adrenaline, but Florida outclasses the Falcons across the board. There is no second cupcake in the new schedule format – it’s time to sharpen up the performance right away before a dangerous SEC opener on the road at Texas A&M.

The mantra for the opener is, as always, NO INJURIES.

Prediction – UF 38    BGSU 10

SHATTERED

Pretty much all that had been built and accomplished from 2005-2009 has been torn down and broken by the putrid performance that capped off the 2011 regular season.

As if the 2010 season wasn’t painful enough, watching the Gators stumble through Urban Meyer’s last year, the 2011 season shows just how badly broken the program is. Poor recruiting, coaching staff turnover, attitude problems from some players, and, frankly, some bad coaching, have the Gators now as a mediocre team searching for a new direction and leadership.

That performance by the offense in the Swamp against a middling F$U team was shockingly bad. As I had said in my game preview, perhaps the best thing Florida had going for itself was Dumbo Fisher and EJ Manuel, and they (under)performed exactly as expected, giving the Gators plenty of opportunity to win. But John Brantley lost what little favor he had curried through an injury-marred season by looking like a freshman QB. 3 horrific interceptions, all telegraphed, leading to the first 14 F$U points on very short fields, and the last requiring the defense to (again) bail out the offense.  After the injury that knocked him out of the game, Jacoby Brissett was thrown in, and his 4th quarter pick-six ended any hope for a comeback. It’s was a sad display of QB play, even beyond the so-so game-planning by Coach Weis.

Another desultory performance by the OL, allowing the Criminoles to control the LOS, and not generating any semblance of a running game or consistent pass protection. The few highlights were a handful of runs by Chris Rainey and some nice downfield catches by AC Leonard. After Brantley went out with a concussion, the offense became completely inept with Jacoby Brissett at QB……and that falls at the feet of Coach Weis. There’s simply no reason not to have a decent plan ready for either Brissett or Jeff Driskel by the end of the season as a contingency – a direct failure by Weis.

The Gator defense played 11 vs. 22 all night, and stood up admirably until the end. Matt Elam was a beast all game, making plays all over the field – he has become the leader of the defense, if not the entire team. The DL made plays as well, even after Dominique Easley’s knee injury took him out of the game. The F$U offense did not generate one legitimate drive, and was fortunate to get the 14 points they did. Despite what had to be a disheartening sight in watch the offense suck the life out of the Swamp crowd, they came back on the field time and again with little rest and played like men.  It became painfully obvious even before halftime that the Criminoles were going to pay it safe on offense, letting the Gators self-destruct instead.

Less than 100 freakin’ yards allowed at home – and a loss.  That’s all you really need to know about how far Florida has fallen.

Now the Florida program is left with more questions than answers. Is Will Muschamp really the right guy? Does he have the right staff in place? How will recruiting be affected by a second straight bad season? How much more player attrition takes place? The Gators are essentially operating on a self-imposed probationary scholarship level right now with the lack of talent on top of players leaving the program. There is opportunity for immediate playing time at almost every position for recruits, but can this staff close the deal with the studs left out there? Has Florida lost it’s juice?

What is obvious is that it will take 2-3 years of outstanding recruiting along with some much-needed coaching staff continuity to get Florida back to a title-contending level. Sadly, all of the advantages gained from a great run are now seemingly lost an abrupt fashion that is stunning in it’s swiftness and completeness.

Hopefully the bowl practices will allow for some changes to be made in both personnel and coaching that can be the first building blocks for 2012. The Gator Nation is terribly impatient after the bar had been set consistently so high, and it’s doubtful many have the patience it will take to see if Coach Muschamp can turn things around.  I’m sure that Jeremy Foley understands the mess left behind by Meyer that has been revealed……but even that may not be enough for Will to last through his first contract due to internal pressures.

Another winter of discontent……but it’s still great to be a Florida Gator!  Happy Holidays, and see you in 2012.

In keeping with how the season has played out, the Gators did everything they didn’t want to do in getting a sloppy, uninspired win over Furman.

The defense was sleepwalking throughout the first half, digging a 15-point hole early that required most of the starters on both sides of the ball to play into the 4th quarter to ensure the win. The offense was able to score on a multitude of big plays, mostly through the air, which was to be expected. What wasn’t expected was the sporadic running game, where poor blocking led to more short gains than should have ever happened. I give the defense some credit for pulling together after the rough start, mostly due to the fact that the Paladins came out with an entirely new offensive scheme not shown all year. Smart by them, but once Florida made their adjustments after the 1st quarter, they simply out-manned Furman the rest of the game, outscoring them 47-10. Forcier, who transferred from UCLA, is a solid QB that could play on a lot of FBS teams.

On the injury front, a few key players were dinged up as well. Jordan Reed’s ankle injury did not look good, while Matt Elam’s shoulder should be OK this week. John Brantley continues to limp around, and Chris Rainey has a bad ankle as well. The loss of Marcus Roberson in the secondary will be painfully obvious this week. LB Lerentee McCray and OT Chaz Green have been sorely missed recently – unless they are immobilized this week, they need to at least provide some quality snaps. Suck it up, rub some dirt on it, or, more likely, get a pain shot and get your ass in there, young man.

The season mercifully ends this Saturday against F$U. After all the preseason claims of being “back”, the Criminoles are “back” – back to another 4 or more loss season, and once again little factor in the Almost Competitive Conference. They have no excuses, except for continued mediocre OL play, an overrated QB, and the imagined genius of Dumbo Fisher, who still hasn’t put together a potent offense, going back to his underachieving L$U offenses in the mid-2000s.

Sadly, the F$U front seven on defense has outperformed Florida’s group in 2011. DE Jenkins is a tough pass rusher, and their LB corps is very good – light years ahead of the Gator contingent. Nigel Bradham is excellent, but still is as dirty as they come. Their secondary is the weakness, but, can Florida’s OL give Brantley time to expose them? Lemarcus Joyner is a stud at FS, but the rest of that group strikes fear in no one. Their team speed is again very good, and will be tough for the Gators to consistently overcome, given their lack of a power running game. Coach Weis is up against it with his current roster – he’s going to have to develop a scheme that will keep the F$U defense off-balance and make them think (always a challenge for them) instead of just reacting. Just as Reed was finally showing development at TE, he could be no factor this week. A.C. Leonard may have to rise to the challenge – Brantley did target him more last week than all year. All the skill guys have to show up and contribute. Andre Debose has to make a few big plays downfield, and should command respect and enough attention from the F$U secondary to hopefully help the other WRs find some open space. someone out the remaining WRs – Deonte Thompson, Frankie Hammond, or Quinton Dunbar, have to help keep the F$U defense honest and prevent them from crowding the box. Jeff Demps and Rainey need to rip off a few big runs, and perhaps Trey Burton and Hunter Joyer will finally get a few more touches inside the tackles. We may see a little more Wildcat in short yardage this week. It’s all hands on deck for the Gator offense. But unless the OL plays well, it could get ugly.

The Florida DL has to get penetration on it’s own without relying on blitzes to pressure the QB. E J. Manuel scares no one – despite his mobility, he is an inaccurate passer downfield and looks tentative when having to read defenses. The defensive game plan in general may look very similar to what they employed for Georgia – concede the run, and concentrate on the short and intermediate routes. This actually plays to the strength of Jon Bostic and Jelani Jenkins at LB. Despite the loss of Roberson, I think Coach Muschamp and Coach Quinn can devise some coverage looks that will confuse Manuel.  The secondary has to find some playmakers – Elam can’t do it all by himself, and Jaylen Watkins is still very inexperienced, despite his recent improvement.  Maybe Pop Saunders gets another pick this week – he still gets out of position, but definitely has ball skills.  F$U’s running game is nothing special, their OL is almost as mediocre as Florida’s, and they have no consistent WR threat that the Gators can’t handle in man coverage. The Criminoles will attempt the occasional deep pass that Josh Evans or Josh Shaw must stay in position for.

Special teams are about equal. Greg Reid, despite being a punk, is a dangerous punt returner. Hopkins is a decent FG kicker, but will be coming in off of choking a win away last week against Virginia. FSU’s kick coverage unit is average, but Florida’s KO return game has been dynamite all year. Here’s hoping that the Gators do maximum damage with hopefully only a few attempts. If the Criminoles are smart (risky proposition), they will do what many teams have done recently – kick shorter to the up backs. At least Florida has countered that strategy by moving Debose up.  Kyle Christy has been shaky at punter, but Caleb Sturgis has had a great season on FGs – the game could hinge on him at the end.

Can the Gators pull together after all of the adversity and troubles throughout the season to put together one complete game from all units? Certainly pride has to be on the line, and not just after the debacle in Taliban City last year. Florida can atone for at least some of it’s self-inflicted woes with a win over it’s rival. This is a huge game for recruiting momentum for the Gators, as the staff has put together a solid class so far that will add 10-12 more players before NSD 2012. There is immediate playing time available next year at a multitude of positions for any freshman that takes advantage of the opportunity. Urban Meyer said it himself after last year’s loss to F$U – “We have to hit the recruiting trail hard to build things back up”. That’s a fact that many fans simply have forgotten – the fruits of which were borne out in 2011 and, unfortunately, will still be seen in 2012 as well. It will take 2-3 years of solid recruiting classes to stockpile the roster back to 85 quality athletes that can compete for championships.

It’s a shame that the Gators are so far down in talent and depth that they are a home underdog to Florida St.  The Swamp will be alive early, but ultimately it will be up to the players to keep the crowd in the game to the finish  I think Florida has one final big push in them. The defense has had enough sand kicked in it’s face to last a career – Jaye Howard, Sharriff Floyd, Omar Hunter, and Dominique Easley need to fight back now.  The incredibly overrated Dumbo Fisher could also be a great equalizer.  If the game were in Taliban City, Florida loses by 14-21 points.  At a neutral site, Florida loses by 7-10 points.  At the Swamp?  Ugh – this hurts……

Prediction  – Florida $t. 24        Florida 20

Same as it ever was……

This nightmare season continues to be a broken record, as the Gators find ways to lose, not win, against a ranked opponent. This year’s team is simply not good enough to overcome turnovers, stupid penalties, mental breakdowns at critical times, and a lack of SEC talent on the OL and at DE. The Gamecocks are nothing special, which makes it even more frustrating to watch Florida let another win slip away.

The Gators are a bad football team right now.

On offense, the Pistol formation seems to be the best bet to help Brantley’s effectiveness. The running game was actually pretty good, as Chris Rainey had a big day. However, it was puzzling that neither Burton or Joyer got a chance to pound the ball near the goal line, and no Wildcat formation was used in short yardage situations. The inability to score TDs in the red zone is just another indicator of a bad team. The passing game was only good mostly for short, quick throws, as the OL continues to be a sieve. Jordan Reed is showing some progress at TE, but the lack of pass protection negates any real chance of deep passes, making Debose a non-factor. Another poor game from Nixon, and Wenger needs to be benched. What a mess.

Again, I am having some difficulty understanding some of the personnel packages Coach Weis is choosing to use. He does not seem to have definitized the roles of Burton, Joyer, Leonard, and some of the WRs like Dunbar and Hammond. I like bringing in Brissett to take snaps under center in short yardage and near the goal line, but the seeming lack of play-action passes, bootlegs, and running play variations may simply be an admission of poor OL play that seemingly can’t be overcome. Stunning.

The defense once again played well enough to get a win. After struggling to stop the QB runs the entire first half (bad coaching/preparation by Quinn), they controlled the second half except for one long pass to set up the last FG by Carolina. The one huge failure was not stopping the Gamecocks from basically running out the clock at the end, as a dumb penalty by Easley allowed the drive to continue. The poor play of the LBs continues, as no one seems to fill the holes to consistently stop the run, and they can’t seem to shed blockers. There were some nice short-yardage stops, but then the collapse in the 4th quarter when Carolina was simply playing keep-away. The secondary did a solid job controlling Alshon Jeffrey and the short passes to the RBs. Overall a solid effort, but because of the struggles of the offense, this isn’t enough.

There is almost a sense of knowing that good teams see that they just have to play it safe and conservative, and wait for the Gators to make the mistake that will lose the game. It’s a sad state of affairs right now, but it’s going to take another 2 years to re-build the talent base and establish the kind of style this staff wants. Patience is not the staple of most fan bases – especially in the SEC. The frustration among the players must be a difficult thing for the coaches to address each week.

The hits just keep on coming for Florida. Marcus Roberson is out for the rest of the regular season with a neck injury, which is a huge loss for the F$U game. Easley is banged up, and Brantley is still playing on one leg. Hopefully JB4 sits this week and heals up for F$U. Brissett and Driskel can handle Furman with little problem, and get some more reps for the future. The only concern about playing Furman is……NO MORE INJURIES. The Gators need to just muddle through this game, clear the bench, and start preparations now for Florida St. It’s hard to fathom that it will take a win against Furman to become bowl-eligible.

Prediction Florida 38 Furman 10

Florida got a much-needed win against Vanderbilt, and maybe found a few things on both offense and defense that could make a difference for the rest of 2011.

That was one of the best Vandy teams in recent memory that came into the Swamp Saturday, and the fact that the Gators dominated until midway through the 3rd quarter was good to see. The Commodores had already taken Georgia and Arkansas to the wire earlier this year, so Gator fans shouldn’t be too concerned about the close final score.

On offense, it looks like the Pistol formation may be the best way to help Brantley out with his limited mobility, and it seemed to be the most effective scheme for both the OL and RBs. Demps came up with a huge effort with Rainey out, and Joyer showed he can be an effective blocking back and can get some tough yards in the red zone. Even the passing game looked a little more settled, with a handful of WRs getting involved, and actually some completions in the middle of the field, which have been sorely lacking all season.

The Gator defense did a good job through 3 quarters containing an very good QB in Jordan Rodgers, who may be a top 3 SEC QB this year. The only disappointing performance came in the 4th quarter, as the defense started to lay back in pass coverage and allowed Vandy to find some rhythm and start moving the ball. The safety play other than Elam continues to struggle, as Pop Saunders again gave up a big TD pass. Unfortunately, there’s no help on the horizon the rest of this season, and somehow Coach Robinson has to get something out of this position. Michael Taylor looked pretty good in his first start at LB, and should be a major contributor from here on out. Roberson was solid at CB again, and Jaylen Watkins continues to improve now that he’s getting more snaps at the other CB spot.

It’s on to Columbia this week to face the Gamecocks and the Pariah. There would be a lot of satisfaction to gain in ruining what hopes they have left to win the East.

The USCeast defense has a solid DL, led by Melvin Ingram and Jadeveon Clowney. The LBs are adequate, but their secondary is beat up right now and has been torched most of the year. The usual formula for winning in the SEC, especially on the road, is to establish a good running game. However, since the Gators have struggled most of the year generating long drives, it may be time to simply air it out deep and often to try and make enough big plays to negate that need, and to loosen up the defense to perhaps create some running opportunities. I expect Andre Debose to get some chances all day to break a long play, and hope to see more crossing routes by the other WRs like Frankie Hammond or TE Jordan Reed. Weis will probably continue to use the Pistol formation to give Brantley and the OL it’s best chance of success. It will be interesting to see if Robey gets more snaps at C, with Harrison sliding over to G and Wenger going to the bench. The bad snaps have hindered the timing of the offense lately, and Wenger simply isn’t good enough. The left side of the OL with Chaz Green out has been a mess – perhaps he plays some this week, because Xavier Nixon has regressed to the point where he needs help on almost every pass play, and isn’t strong enough to be an effective run blocker.

The Gamecock offense looks like it will have Connor Shaw at QB, after he left last week’s game at Arkansas with what looked like a possible concussion. The Pariah will pull out all the stops in this one, and I expect a lot of passing early, especially with Marcus Lattimore out for the season with a knee injury. Brandon Wilds could get some carries, but Shaw actually likes to run as well, and the Gator LBs need to perhaps spy him to try and prevent the QB runs that hurt them the past 2 games. The Gator DL should be able to at least get a draw, so it once again will fall on the LBs and DBs to make some big plays if Florida wants to have a chance of winning. WR Alshon Jeffery is still a tough matchup for anyone due to his size, so expect Roberson to get that assignment all afternoon, with perhaps some safety help rolling to that side occasionally. That leaves the rest of the inexperienced DBs to stop Ace Sanders and the other WRs. USCeast does an effective job of utilizing the RBs in the passing game, so the Florida LBs have to rise to the occasion – Bostic and Jenkins will be busy all day.

The Gators really do have the personnel to win this game, even with some shortcomings in the secondary. However, most road games in the SEC are tough, and until this current group proves it, I can’t see a win in Columbia. We may have to see that smirking face of the Pariah for another year after this game……yeesh.

Prediction – S. Carolina 27 Florida 17