It's funny to say after a 21-7 loss to our in-state rival but that was one of the better games Florida played all year with one glaring exception... 4 interceptions!!
Only 4 penalties for 25 yards in the entire game. That's a big improvement over some of the midseason numbers. The defense looked amazing! The "other team" attempted 46 rushes for only 30 yards while passing for only 65 yards. Even though they were held under 100 total yards for the game, those 4 interceptions set up 21 points. The first scoring drive went for 20 yards. The second scoring drive went for 4 yards. The third score was an interception return for touchdown. And there you have it, 24 yards on offense and 21 points.
John Brantley had his worst game of the season, 3 interceptions in just under one half of work. After the second interception I thought we might see Brissett at some point. It turns out after the third interception, Brantley was injured and so Brissett did get snaps. The offensive line didn't open any running lanes and losing 2 linemen to injury during the game didn't help.
Florida's only score also came after a turnover, the only one the Gators were able to force. After middle linebacker Michael Taylor forced a fumble, the offense took over at the opponent's 21 yard line. First down saw a 15 yard pass interference penalty moved the ball to the 6 yard line where the Gators completed a 6 yard pass for a touchdown.
So all of the scoring for the day came after turnovers and the longest drive for points was 21 yards. Definitely a day dominated by the defenses. The difference was the turnovers. Bottom line: their defense outscored our defense.
I didn't hear it mentioned very often throughout the season but Florida was playing with only 72 players on scholarship, with a few of those being walk ons that earned scholarships this year. For those who don't know, 85 is the maximum allowed as well as the standard that most teams keep. With only 72 scholarship players, depth was an issue all year long. The team was also a young team with only 17 seniors and 17 juniors on scholarship. This needs to be a huge recruiting class with enough talent to push the current young guys who are starting. Whether or not the growing pains of the season will lead to lessons learned and more cohesive play won't be known until next year. I'm hopeful that this season is akin to 2007 when the Gators were coming off of a championship season with a very, very young team that was pushed around at times. After the growing pains of 2007, 2008 was a championship season and 2009 was nearly so. The bowl game will be interesting. There isn't a 6-6 team out there that Florida should not shut down defensively. On offense I'd like to see Brissett start the game so they can get a jumpstart on next season. That would be a slight to Brantley in his senior season however so maybe the freshman can play the second half.
Well, that was Florida football for 2011. I suspect Muschamp & Co. will need to win at least 8 games to keep the fans hopeful that this is moving in the right direction next year. I don't believe next year's schedules are finalized with the 2 new SEC members, Missouri and Texas A&M joining the conference. I suppose the good news is that Alabama should definitely be off of the schedule next year.
Just Joe
Showing posts with label 2011 Florida Gators. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2011 Florida Gators. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Florida Gators -- Week #12
I've always wondered what would happen if a far superior football team took the field against a random, far inferior football team without any preparation. Would the strategies and cohesiveness of the inferior team be able to overcome the superior skill level of the other team? Well, my question was answered in the first quarter of Florida's 54-32 win against FCS Furman.
Furman came out running the option with 2 receivers in the slot, which according to Coach Muschamp, they hadn't run a single play of the entire season. So there were the mighty Gators running around like chickens with their heads cut off. I would figure that in an auction game that they've never seen before, plenty of assignments on the outside would be missed but I wouldn't expect to see the middle of the defensive line look like Swiss cheese. The Paladins confounded the Gators and jumped out to a 15-0 lead. For the record, 2 of those points came on a bad snap for safety. Then after Florida seemed to settle in offensively to cut the lead to 15-7, Furman answered with their longest drive yet, 5 plays for 72 yards and a touchdown to regain a 15 point lead at the end of the first quarter.
The second-quarter looked a lot more like people were expecting. Of the 4 Furman drives in the quarter, 3 of them were 3-and-outs. The three Gators touchdown drives: 7 plays, 65 yards; 1 play, 80 yards; and 2 plays, 34 yards. Mix in a missed field goal attempt and a failed 2 point conversion and the gators led 27-22 at the half.
Third-quarter was a 10-10 stalemate. Both teams started out with field goal drives and then traded 3 punts. Then on a drive's first play, Brantley hit Andre Debose for a 64 yard touchdown. It was Brantley and Debose who had hooked up on the 80 yarder earlier. Not to be outdone, on Furman's first play on the next drive, a 77 yard run right through the defensive line. It was disappointing to see no defender be able to catch the Furman running back in time. It was also disappointing that the Gators were unable to pull away from this feisty team. End of the third, 37-32.
In the fourth quarter, the defense finally flexed some muscle. After an early field goal, the Gators scored on 2 "pick sixes." Although the second didn't come until only a few minutes were left, it came during a drive in which the lead could have been cut to one score.
Overall I give A LOT of credit to Furman. Having said that, it did seem as though Florida came out with little energy, perhaps looking forward to this week's showdown with FSU. In the first and third quarters it seemed as though the Gators were really trying to establish a running game. The offensive line was dominated in the run game as Florida managed just 124 yards the entire game. Take out Chris Rainey's 37 yard scamper and you're looking at under 90 yards! Take out the two interceptions for touchdowns and you're looking at a much closer game. Take out the explosive and somewhat flukish 80 yard and 64 yard touchdown passes and who knows what kind of game you have. (I consider those plays flukish because even though Florida has hit a few of them this year, you cannot count on making those plays every game.)
So a disappointing win if there is such a thing. They'll clearly have to play MUCH better to have any shot against FSU in the Swamp. If the Gators can get decent field position I would expect to see a vast array of trick plays as Charlie Weis empties out the playbook. 7-5 would look a heck of a lot better than 6-6. Go Gators!
Just Joe
Furman came out running the option with 2 receivers in the slot, which according to Coach Muschamp, they hadn't run a single play of the entire season. So there were the mighty Gators running around like chickens with their heads cut off. I would figure that in an auction game that they've never seen before, plenty of assignments on the outside would be missed but I wouldn't expect to see the middle of the defensive line look like Swiss cheese. The Paladins confounded the Gators and jumped out to a 15-0 lead. For the record, 2 of those points came on a bad snap for safety. Then after Florida seemed to settle in offensively to cut the lead to 15-7, Furman answered with their longest drive yet, 5 plays for 72 yards and a touchdown to regain a 15 point lead at the end of the first quarter.
The second-quarter looked a lot more like people were expecting. Of the 4 Furman drives in the quarter, 3 of them were 3-and-outs. The three Gators touchdown drives: 7 plays, 65 yards; 1 play, 80 yards; and 2 plays, 34 yards. Mix in a missed field goal attempt and a failed 2 point conversion and the gators led 27-22 at the half.
Third-quarter was a 10-10 stalemate. Both teams started out with field goal drives and then traded 3 punts. Then on a drive's first play, Brantley hit Andre Debose for a 64 yard touchdown. It was Brantley and Debose who had hooked up on the 80 yarder earlier. Not to be outdone, on Furman's first play on the next drive, a 77 yard run right through the defensive line. It was disappointing to see no defender be able to catch the Furman running back in time. It was also disappointing that the Gators were unable to pull away from this feisty team. End of the third, 37-32.
In the fourth quarter, the defense finally flexed some muscle. After an early field goal, the Gators scored on 2 "pick sixes." Although the second didn't come until only a few minutes were left, it came during a drive in which the lead could have been cut to one score.
Overall I give A LOT of credit to Furman. Having said that, it did seem as though Florida came out with little energy, perhaps looking forward to this week's showdown with FSU. In the first and third quarters it seemed as though the Gators were really trying to establish a running game. The offensive line was dominated in the run game as Florida managed just 124 yards the entire game. Take out Chris Rainey's 37 yard scamper and you're looking at under 90 yards! Take out the two interceptions for touchdowns and you're looking at a much closer game. Take out the explosive and somewhat flukish 80 yard and 64 yard touchdown passes and who knows what kind of game you have. (I consider those plays flukish because even though Florida has hit a few of them this year, you cannot count on making those plays every game.)
So a disappointing win if there is such a thing. They'll clearly have to play MUCH better to have any shot against FSU in the Swamp. If the Gators can get decent field position I would expect to see a vast array of trick plays as Charlie Weis empties out the playbook. 7-5 would look a heck of a lot better than 6-6. Go Gators!
Just Joe
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Florida Gators -- Week #11
*Heavy Sigh*
Defense played inconsistently well in allowing just 17 points.
As for the rest... see Week 1 thrue Week 10 wrapups; poor red zone offense, turnovers, fewer penalties but still at crucial times, etc.
*Heavy sigh*
Just Joe
Defense played inconsistently well in allowing just 17 points.
As for the rest... see Week 1 thrue Week 10 wrapups; poor red zone offense, turnovers, fewer penalties but still at crucial times, etc.
*Heavy sigh*
Just Joe
Friday, November 11, 2011
Florida Gators -- Week #10
So this will be a quick one to catch me up before tomorrow's game against South Carolina.
The first half against Vanderbilt really looked great. Offensively, defensively, nothing really seemed to be lacking. That probably explains the 17-0 halftime score. The worrisome part is the 26-21 final score.
In the Alabama game, the Gators had early leads of 7-0 and 10-7. Against Georgia, the Gators led at the half 17-10. Both of those games ended up as losses. I don't have the patience to go back and look at the diminished leads that occurred in victories but there is a definite trend I've noticed. The Gators start out strong and look well prepared. But as the games go on, opponents make adjustments that slow the Gators down offensively and and put them on their heels defensively. Unfortunately, the turnaround doesn't simply last a series or two. It seems the coaches do not make the necessary adjustments on the fly. It's quite disturbing and once again quite surprising coming from a staff with so much NFL experience.
Since South Carolina's future NFL running back is out this week, I'll give the Gators a slight chance, especially if they can jump out to an early lead and force the Gamecocks to have to throw often. If South Carolina did have Marcus Lattimore available, we would see a repeat of the Alabama and LSU games... the defensive line being pushed around with no one being able to tackle the big fast guy with the ball. I still expect to see that at times tomorrow, but as always, I'm hopeful.
Just Joe
The first half against Vanderbilt really looked great. Offensively, defensively, nothing really seemed to be lacking. That probably explains the 17-0 halftime score. The worrisome part is the 26-21 final score.
In the Alabama game, the Gators had early leads of 7-0 and 10-7. Against Georgia, the Gators led at the half 17-10. Both of those games ended up as losses. I don't have the patience to go back and look at the diminished leads that occurred in victories but there is a definite trend I've noticed. The Gators start out strong and look well prepared. But as the games go on, opponents make adjustments that slow the Gators down offensively and and put them on their heels defensively. Unfortunately, the turnaround doesn't simply last a series or two. It seems the coaches do not make the necessary adjustments on the fly. It's quite disturbing and once again quite surprising coming from a staff with so much NFL experience.
Since South Carolina's future NFL running back is out this week, I'll give the Gators a slight chance, especially if they can jump out to an early lead and force the Gamecocks to have to throw often. If South Carolina did have Marcus Lattimore available, we would see a repeat of the Alabama and LSU games... the defensive line being pushed around with no one being able to tackle the big fast guy with the ball. I still expect to see that at times tomorrow, but as always, I'm hopeful.
Just Joe
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Florida Gators -- Week #9
So obviously I'm way behind on posting my Gators wrapups but this was from the miserable 24-20 loss to the Georgia Bullsh-ts. (So much for nonbiased reporting.)
Still with the penalties!!! Even after a bye week, no improvement is shown! Of course, the bye week didn't seem to help in any aspect of the game. The defensive line got zero pressure on the quarterback unless sending extra defenders on the blitz. The offense of line pass blocking and run blocking was soooo inconsistent. And on the rare occasion that anyone was given time in the pocket, receivers could not get open. There were a grand total of 2 completions to wide receivers and one of those turned into a lost fumble! Knowing how frustrating it was to watch, I can only imagine how frustrating it must be to coach.
Speaking of the coaching, since I'm usually quick to point out when I disagree with a Muschamp game decision, I'll point out another... but this time Coach gets credit for making the right call. In the fourth quarter, down 24-20 with 8:06 left, there was a 4th & 2 at about the Georgia 42 yard line. My call was to go for it since we may not get that close again. Muschamp decided to punt. The punt was downed inside the 5 yard line and the defense forced a 3 and out. One terrible punt later and the Gators had the ball 1st & 10 at the Georgia 40 yard line. Great call by Coach "Boom!"
The only other notes I have are about the unbelievable kick returns the Gators pulled off. One kickoff return for a touchdown and another well into Georgia territory setting up a field goal. Jordan Reed showed up a bit which was nice to see... even though I jumped off his bandwagon last week. The lack of offensive rhythm was painful to see. It just seems like on every play there is someone who doesn't do his job and it ends up blowing up the whole play. On one place the center, then it's a dropped pass, then it is a bad pass, then it's a missed block... and so on. Seems like it would be way better to make all those mistakes on one play and then execute the next 10 perfectly.
Oh well. Now the Gators have to be a much improved Vanderbilt team in Nashville to have a realistic shot at bowl eligibility. I hope no one is taking them lightly because I know Vanderbilt knows they can win.
Just Joe
Still with the penalties!!! Even after a bye week, no improvement is shown! Of course, the bye week didn't seem to help in any aspect of the game. The defensive line got zero pressure on the quarterback unless sending extra defenders on the blitz. The offense of line pass blocking and run blocking was soooo inconsistent. And on the rare occasion that anyone was given time in the pocket, receivers could not get open. There were a grand total of 2 completions to wide receivers and one of those turned into a lost fumble! Knowing how frustrating it was to watch, I can only imagine how frustrating it must be to coach.
Speaking of the coaching, since I'm usually quick to point out when I disagree with a Muschamp game decision, I'll point out another... but this time Coach gets credit for making the right call. In the fourth quarter, down 24-20 with 8:06 left, there was a 4th & 2 at about the Georgia 42 yard line. My call was to go for it since we may not get that close again. Muschamp decided to punt. The punt was downed inside the 5 yard line and the defense forced a 3 and out. One terrible punt later and the Gators had the ball 1st & 10 at the Georgia 40 yard line. Great call by Coach "Boom!"
The only other notes I have are about the unbelievable kick returns the Gators pulled off. One kickoff return for a touchdown and another well into Georgia territory setting up a field goal. Jordan Reed showed up a bit which was nice to see... even though I jumped off his bandwagon last week. The lack of offensive rhythm was painful to see. It just seems like on every play there is someone who doesn't do his job and it ends up blowing up the whole play. On one place the center, then it's a dropped pass, then it is a bad pass, then it's a missed block... and so on. Seems like it would be way better to make all those mistakes on one play and then execute the next 10 perfectly.
Oh well. Now the Gators have to be a much improved Vanderbilt team in Nashville to have a realistic shot at bowl eligibility. I hope no one is taking them lightly because I know Vanderbilt knows they can win.
Just Joe
Monday, October 17, 2011
Florida Gators -- Week #7
That was bad. This week I'll quote my cousin who sent me a text: "Sucks to lose to a team that sucks..." I'll save the rest in case any of you have sensitive ears/eyes. I thought to win this game the Gators would have to be healthy. The Gators were far from healthy entering the game and are even worse off after the game. I do believe that with John Brantley at quarterback, the Gators could have won. But...
The offense was just pathetic. I would expect A LOT more from an offensive coordinator with the reputation Charlie Weis has. He used to score well into the 30s with Notre Dame and their talent never came close to matching what's on this team. I know he wasn't going against SEC defenses, but Auburn does not have a great defense. I nearly broke my ankle Saturday night jumping off of the "get Jordan Reed the ball" bandwagon. This was the first week I noticed a concerted effort to get him the ball. Unfortunately he dropped one pass in the end zone (tough catch but I'm sure he'd tell you he should've caught it), was overthrown on a flea flicker and he dropped another pass that may have been a touchdown though there were only four seconds left in the game. He also showed no field awareness when catching the ball near the sideline.
I don't have the roster in front of me, but are there any wide receivers on the team? Frankie Hammond caught a few and looked pretty good. Outside of that I can't remember any wide receivers making any plays or even being open.
And seriously, no one could catch an Auburn punt? I know those suckers were up there and the first Rainey muff may have been caused by interference but come on, catch the ball. I wasn't surprised that Rainey was in for the punt block on the last punt but I was surprised that Robert Clark was back to receive the punt. I would have strongly considered rushing 11 and not having anyone back.
The uncalled penalties were outrageous. I really think the Chris Rainey interference non-call could have gone either way. But not much later in the game there was as blatant a defensive holding as I've ever seen yet it was not called. Coincidentally (I think) it was a non-call against Chris Rainey. On a third-down on our third drive after two 3-and-outs, Jacoby Brisset strung together two first downs and was trying to hit Chris Rainey on a little screen that would have netted a first down. One of Auburn's defensive lineman just grabbed a jersey full of Rainey and didn't let go. There was another uncalled penalty later on, but my old mind doesn't remember the situation.
It was nice to see a new punter out there. Christy averaged about 46 yards per punt, which includes the shank job that he dropped. Silly mistake but I still think the Gators found a punter.
The defense played better but I have a sneaking suspicion a lot of that is due to playing a lesser team. Auburn dropped a lot of balls and committed a lot of penalties which helped out. The defensive line is still jumping offsides; one time leading to a free play for a touchdown. They are also still inconsistent against the run as there were several 8-15 yard running plays against them.
This'll be a nice week to have off and hopefully get healthy before the Cocktail Party. This is the game I think the Gators need to get to 7 wins.
I know I'm leaving plenty out. I usually forget stuff every week. I think Freud would call it a defense mechanism.
Just Joe
Monday, October 10, 2011
Florida Gators -- Week #6
Ouch, take 2.
Let’s start with the good. Jacoby Brisset. I thought he looked incredibly smooth out there. Not just for a true freshman starting his first game, but as an overall athlete all of his movements were so coordinated and fluid. I’m thinking there’s going to be quite a battle for the starting quarterback position come spring and next fall. His first interception came on a route that Jordan Reed gave up on and his second interception will hopefully be a learning experience; put the ball where your guy gets it or no one gets it. I thought it was kind of funny that we were running so much option. I know Charlie Weis had to plan with the athletes he had available but it still made me chuckle at the irony. The sad part is that it looked better than it did last year under Urban!
The other good that stood out to me was Dominique Easley. No newsflash here but he’ll be playing on Sundays. He is so fast off of the ball! He is regularly the first lineman making contact with the opposing lineman. Sometimes he is so fast he seems to be across the line of scrimmage before the ball is even snapped, but never mind that part for now.
On to the bad. The defensive line was once again exposed. The only way to keep from getting worn out over 4 quarters is to make third-down stops early on. With LSU coming out so jacked up with the home crowd behind them, those early stops just weren’t happening. The “Mad Hatter” made a nice call on the second play of the game going deep when the Gators were surely selling out after a first play 13 yard run. Of course, the call was made to look all the better when Pop Saunders blew his deep middle coverage.
I have to call out the coaching here a little bit. This will sound like second-guessing but I promise you these were my thoughts before the outcomes of the plays:
On our third possession, down 14-0 on 4th & 1. I loved the call to go for it even though it isn’t by the book. At the time it felt like 21-0 would not have felt any worse than 14-0. So no problems there. But later on in the same drive, faking the punt on 4th & 6 did not seem necessary. I felt we had controlled the ball for a few minutes by making a couple of first downs and that things were calming down (at least from a fan’s point of view). It doesn’t matter that Burton probably should’ve made it, it was definitely not the right call.
The other coaching call I questioned was after the LSU punt after our failed fake punt. LSU pinned the Gators back at the 8 yard line but there was a procedure penalty against LSU. My thought was to add the 5 yards to the kick and take the ball at the 13 yard line. The best thing that could have happened by making them kick again was a touchback which would have been a 7 yard gain. Instead, LSU gets another chance and the punter ends up calling his own number and runs the ball into the end zone (which was subsequently called back to around the 25 yard line). I can’t say I knew that was going to happen, but from the television angle behind the punter, you could clearly see the entire left side of the special teams open up. Even though I was watching the game by myself, I said, “Uh-Oh,” out loud as I saw both guys who were covering the left gunner just turn and take off.
Here’s something that I wasn’t sure about. How did LSU get the ball to start the second half AND get fourth-quarter wind? LSU won the toss and deferred until the second half. In the second half they chose to receive the ball, of course. That left the Gators to decide direction. Shouldn’t they have chosen to go against the wind in the third quarter in hopes of having the wind at their backs should a last-second field goal be necessary? Maybe they just didn’t want to kick off into the wind to start the half? LSU made the same choice in the first half (chose to kick off with the wind) so maybe I’m way off on that strategy?
Penalties! Enough with the penalties! Do all of those encroachment/offsides penalties reflect on the coaching staff or the players? Whoever’s discipline problem it is, fix that shit!
And finally, shouldn’t a major Division I program have a better punter than what the Gators have? Can Chas Henry grow a 'stache and re-enroll for four years?
Just Joe
Monday, October 3, 2011
Florida Gators -- Week #5
OUCH! Unfortunately, that 38-10 loss to Alabama went about as I expected. Actually, it ended up worse since John Brantley was lost due to injury late in the second quarter. Going in I said I would be happy if we hung with Alabama for three quarters. And even though Alabama threatened to pull away in the second quarter, a scoreless third quarter meant we indeed did hang with them for three quarters. In fact, if the Gators could have put up a score in the third quarter the whole feel of the game would have been different.
Where to begin? I loved the call to open the game. With Alabama sure to play up to take away speedsters Chris Rainey and Jeffrey Demps, throwing deep to loosen things up and let everyone know that that is in the arsenal was a good call, and the result didn't stink either! The entire first quarter Brantley was given all kinds of time by the offensive line. This led to the Gators moving the ball steadily but only coming away with 3 points after the opening play. Quarters 2 through 4 were a different story. Alabama switched to a zone defense which seemed to completely stump the offense. And at no point was the offensive line able to open up any running holes.
Defensively I thought it was important to get early 3 and outs to keep from being worn down later in the game. Instead, the "bend but don't break" defense became the "bend and break" defense. The young guys just couldn't hold up to the relentless onslaught of Alabama's offensive line. Those bulldozers just kept coming and proved that big and fast beats fast every time. It will be nice to see some size in the Gators offensive backfield next year with running back recruit Matt Jones who measures in at 6''3", 215 pounds. Hopefully he can do some damage the way Trent Richardson does for Alabama this year.
The defense did have some success in the third quarter but I thought the same thing that the announcer mentioned, Alabama looked like they let off the gas. It seemed like many of their running plays in the third quarter were simple and straight ahead. But once they began pulling linemen again in the running game, it was over.
I suppose it's a good thing that the backup quarterback Jeff Driskel received some playing time against this nearly-professional level defense since next week he'll have to face one for an entire game (and on the road no less).
The special teams were hot and cold. Mostly hot on returns and mostly cold on coverage. After receiving the kickoff after Alabama's first score, Jeffrey Demps was one missed Mike Gillislee block away from scoring a touchdown. 14-3 may have been a little more interesting than 10-3 (Florida scored a field goal on that drive).
On the bright side, this only counts as one loss. With South Carolina losing this week, the Gators are still tied for first in the East and still have a chance to get to Atlanta for the SEC championship game. A win at either #1 LSU next week or at Auburn the week after is a must. At full strength I would hope we could hang with LSU for three quarters as we did with Alabama. But with a freshman quarterback getting his first start on the road, all bets are off and I have no idea what to expect. Well, I have an idea but I will remain hopeful!
Just Joe
Where to begin? I loved the call to open the game. With Alabama sure to play up to take away speedsters Chris Rainey and Jeffrey Demps, throwing deep to loosen things up and let everyone know that that is in the arsenal was a good call, and the result didn't stink either! The entire first quarter Brantley was given all kinds of time by the offensive line. This led to the Gators moving the ball steadily but only coming away with 3 points after the opening play. Quarters 2 through 4 were a different story. Alabama switched to a zone defense which seemed to completely stump the offense. And at no point was the offensive line able to open up any running holes.
Defensively I thought it was important to get early 3 and outs to keep from being worn down later in the game. Instead, the "bend but don't break" defense became the "bend and break" defense. The young guys just couldn't hold up to the relentless onslaught of Alabama's offensive line. Those bulldozers just kept coming and proved that big and fast beats fast every time. It will be nice to see some size in the Gators offensive backfield next year with running back recruit Matt Jones who measures in at 6''3", 215 pounds. Hopefully he can do some damage the way Trent Richardson does for Alabama this year.
The defense did have some success in the third quarter but I thought the same thing that the announcer mentioned, Alabama looked like they let off the gas. It seemed like many of their running plays in the third quarter were simple and straight ahead. But once they began pulling linemen again in the running game, it was over.
I suppose it's a good thing that the backup quarterback Jeff Driskel received some playing time against this nearly-professional level defense since next week he'll have to face one for an entire game (and on the road no less).
The special teams were hot and cold. Mostly hot on returns and mostly cold on coverage. After receiving the kickoff after Alabama's first score, Jeffrey Demps was one missed Mike Gillislee block away from scoring a touchdown. 14-3 may have been a little more interesting than 10-3 (Florida scored a field goal on that drive).
On the bright side, this only counts as one loss. With South Carolina losing this week, the Gators are still tied for first in the East and still have a chance to get to Atlanta for the SEC championship game. A win at either #1 LSU next week or at Auburn the week after is a must. At full strength I would hope we could hang with LSU for three quarters as we did with Alabama. But with a freshman quarterback getting his first start on the road, all bets are off and I have no idea what to expect. Well, I have an idea but I will remain hopeful!
Just Joe
Monday, September 26, 2011
Florida Gators -- Week #4
Wow! And I'm not even talking about Samantha Steele. That 48-10 win at Kentucky was played as well as I thought I would see the Gators play all year!
Offensive line, solid. John Brantley, solid. Receivers, solid. Running backs, amazing!
Defensive line, although they disappeared for a short stints, better than "solid." Linebackers, solid. Secondary...*drumroll*... solid!
Special teams, solid.
With such a young team (only 34 juniors and seniors combined) playing their first road SEC game, I could not have been more impressed, especially with how the game started. Their first two drives began at their own 12 and 8 yard lines, respectively. Kentucky's crowd and defense were bringing it. But after punting twice, the Gators were able to force and recover a fumble on Kentucky's second possession. After that, it was like a Piranha feeding frenzy. First play after the fumble, 45 yard touchdown pass, followed by a three and out by Kentucky inside their own 10 yard line. After receiving the ball on their own 42 yard line, 4 Gator plays later, touchdown. Next Kentucky possession, interception returned to the Kentucky 28 yard line. 2 plays later, the Gators scored their third touchdown in 4:02 of game time (2:08 of possession time). The rout was on.
The only glaring negative for the team was turnovers. But even there was a silver lining. Two of the turnovers were made by freshman quarterback Jeff Driskel. After subbing in for Brantley when he left for a short time due to injury, Driskel lost a fumble while in the pocket which led to Kentucky's only touchdown. Driskel then threw an interception in his next series while the Gators were driving to put points on the board at the end of the first half. The silver lining? Well, first, I'm glad he was able to make those mistakes in a 31-3 game. Second, he came back in at the end of the third quarter and finished out the game, gaining valuable experience on the road against an SEC opponent.
I wouldn't say I'm looking forward to next week's game against Alabama, nor to the entire October schedule, but it might just be the wake-up call we need to keep from becoming TOO over confident. Of course, it could also be the first indicator that this year will be far more special than anyone thought was realistic!
Just Joe
Offensive line, solid. John Brantley, solid. Receivers, solid. Running backs, amazing!
Defensive line, although they disappeared for a short stints, better than "solid." Linebackers, solid. Secondary...*drumroll*... solid!
Special teams, solid.
With such a young team (only 34 juniors and seniors combined) playing their first road SEC game, I could not have been more impressed, especially with how the game started. Their first two drives began at their own 12 and 8 yard lines, respectively. Kentucky's crowd and defense were bringing it. But after punting twice, the Gators were able to force and recover a fumble on Kentucky's second possession. After that, it was like a Piranha feeding frenzy. First play after the fumble, 45 yard touchdown pass, followed by a three and out by Kentucky inside their own 10 yard line. After receiving the ball on their own 42 yard line, 4 Gator plays later, touchdown. Next Kentucky possession, interception returned to the Kentucky 28 yard line. 2 plays later, the Gators scored their third touchdown in 4:02 of game time (2:08 of possession time). The rout was on.
The only glaring negative for the team was turnovers. But even there was a silver lining. Two of the turnovers were made by freshman quarterback Jeff Driskel. After subbing in for Brantley when he left for a short time due to injury, Driskel lost a fumble while in the pocket which led to Kentucky's only touchdown. Driskel then threw an interception in his next series while the Gators were driving to put points on the board at the end of the first half. The silver lining? Well, first, I'm glad he was able to make those mistakes in a 31-3 game. Second, he came back in at the end of the third quarter and finished out the game, gaining valuable experience on the road against an SEC opponent.
I wouldn't say I'm looking forward to next week's game against Alabama, nor to the entire October schedule, but it might just be the wake-up call we need to keep from becoming TOO over confident. Of course, it could also be the first indicator that this year will be far more special than anyone thought was realistic!
Just Joe
Monday, September 19, 2011
Florida Gators -- Week #3
After a 33-23 victory in the Swamp over a game Tennessee team, a text I received from one of my Gator buddies sums up my feelings quite well, "Should've been by more but I'll take it!"
With 3 touchdowns and 4 field goals, the red zone/near red zone problems are still there, obviously. Way too many penalties! The freshman in the secondary were still freshmen after 2 games, go figure. And some questionable playcalling. Those are the only 4 gripes I can think of at the moment. The first two are pretty big complaints because they WILL cost the Gators victories over better teams. And although the secondary is young, the only way to improve is to play. Even with a promising season ahead, I'm already excited to see this defense for the next two years! As for the playcalling, it seemed like once it was 16-0, Charlie was more interested in showing off (reverse pass from the wildcat) than continuing what was successful. Of course, at that point he may have been feeling the pressure to score a touchdown after 1 touchdown and 3 field goals.
The offensive line looked stout, especially in the passing game. Sure there were a couple of sacks, but the rest of the plays Brantley stayed relatively clean. I'm not really sure I can say enough about Chris Rainey. I guess the most succinct thing I can say is he should be in the Heisman discussion. I know it's early and I know he splits time, but he does it all; over 100 yards rushing, over 100 yards receiving, returning punts and even blocking one this game (not to mention the blocked punt he returned for a touchdown). He definitely deserves consideration.
Special teams again looked great save one lousy punt from out of the end zone. Sturgis remains perfect on field goals and both coverage teams look superb.
All in all, I'll take that first SEC victory of the year!
Just Joe
PS The hardest part about writing about the Gators is not saying "we" and "us!"
With 3 touchdowns and 4 field goals, the red zone/near red zone problems are still there, obviously. Way too many penalties! The freshman in the secondary were still freshmen after 2 games, go figure. And some questionable playcalling. Those are the only 4 gripes I can think of at the moment. The first two are pretty big complaints because they WILL cost the Gators victories over better teams. And although the secondary is young, the only way to improve is to play. Even with a promising season ahead, I'm already excited to see this defense for the next two years! As for the playcalling, it seemed like once it was 16-0, Charlie was more interested in showing off (reverse pass from the wildcat) than continuing what was successful. Of course, at that point he may have been feeling the pressure to score a touchdown after 1 touchdown and 3 field goals.
The offensive line looked stout, especially in the passing game. Sure there were a couple of sacks, but the rest of the plays Brantley stayed relatively clean. I'm not really sure I can say enough about Chris Rainey. I guess the most succinct thing I can say is he should be in the Heisman discussion. I know it's early and I know he splits time, but he does it all; over 100 yards rushing, over 100 yards receiving, returning punts and even blocking one this game (not to mention the blocked punt he returned for a touchdown). He definitely deserves consideration.
Special teams again looked great save one lousy punt from out of the end zone. Sturgis remains perfect on field goals and both coverage teams look superb.
All in all, I'll take that first SEC victory of the year!
Just Joe
PS The hardest part about writing about the Gators is not saying "we" and "us!"
Monday, September 12, 2011
Florida Gators -- Week 2 Impression
Having watched this game on television, what made the biggest impression on me can be summed up in two words... Kristina Akra! Apparently she's a former Gator & Heat dancer. I'll leave the googling to the readers.
Okay, I know it's hard to complain after a 39-0 shutout, which is pretty close to the 41-3 score last week, but I definitely feel like the team took a step backwards. I would be feeling much better if this had been game #1.
The defense was exposed a little more this week against UAB. The Gators had a heckuva time staying on side in the first quarter. I would have expected that in week one but not this week. They were bailed out on two calls that likely saved 10 points: the first was a holding call on UAB's first drive that stalled them out near field goal range and the second was of course the touchdown that was called back for an illegal shift. I feel like overall the defensive line still got a good bit of pressure and did well to stop the run. The secondary... well, let's just say that the two starting freshman looked like two starting freshman. It'll be interesting to see the defensive line next week when tackle Shariff Floyd returns from his two-game suspension.
The offense... maybe they should pretend that they are only allowed to score a touchdown from 20 yards or more away. Three short field goals in the first half against this team really isn't acceptable. With the schedule coming up, it's hard enough getting into the red zone but when you get there you need 7s not 3s. Again, it didn't much matter in this game but I'm trying to apply this to future SEC games. 4-12 on third-down conversions was a big problem as well. I was very excited to see Trey Burton so involved this week. I know he was injured during the game last week but watching Mr. Do Everything in action is really special; from running the dive option to trucking over some poor DB who must've been exhausted from earlier trying to keep up with Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps. I love watching those guys run. Chris Rainey scares me a little because when he's spinning like a gyroscope the ball gets a little loose. Ironically enough, his fumble took place when he was carrying the ball high and tight. The offensive line kept Brantley pretty clean, except when he was blasted on the first play of the game (the flea flicker). It was cool to see Charlie Weis open up the playbook a little just to give Tennessee a few things to prepare for.
The special teams was again very good. Another huge runback to start the game, plenty of field goals and even a punt or two! The only thing that bothered me a little was none of UAB's 6 punts were returned; not even the 47 yarder. Pretty minor but it would be nice to save a few yards there.
Okay, that's all of my nitpicking for this week. Bring on Tennessee!
Just Joe
Okay, I know it's hard to complain after a 39-0 shutout, which is pretty close to the 41-3 score last week, but I definitely feel like the team took a step backwards. I would be feeling much better if this had been game #1.
The defense was exposed a little more this week against UAB. The Gators had a heckuva time staying on side in the first quarter. I would have expected that in week one but not this week. They were bailed out on two calls that likely saved 10 points: the first was a holding call on UAB's first drive that stalled them out near field goal range and the second was of course the touchdown that was called back for an illegal shift. I feel like overall the defensive line still got a good bit of pressure and did well to stop the run. The secondary... well, let's just say that the two starting freshman looked like two starting freshman. It'll be interesting to see the defensive line next week when tackle Shariff Floyd returns from his two-game suspension.
The offense... maybe they should pretend that they are only allowed to score a touchdown from 20 yards or more away. Three short field goals in the first half against this team really isn't acceptable. With the schedule coming up, it's hard enough getting into the red zone but when you get there you need 7s not 3s. Again, it didn't much matter in this game but I'm trying to apply this to future SEC games. 4-12 on third-down conversions was a big problem as well. I was very excited to see Trey Burton so involved this week. I know he was injured during the game last week but watching Mr. Do Everything in action is really special; from running the dive option to trucking over some poor DB who must've been exhausted from earlier trying to keep up with Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps. I love watching those guys run. Chris Rainey scares me a little because when he's spinning like a gyroscope the ball gets a little loose. Ironically enough, his fumble took place when he was carrying the ball high and tight. The offensive line kept Brantley pretty clean, except when he was blasted on the first play of the game (the flea flicker). It was cool to see Charlie Weis open up the playbook a little just to give Tennessee a few things to prepare for.
The special teams was again very good. Another huge runback to start the game, plenty of field goals and even a punt or two! The only thing that bothered me a little was none of UAB's 6 punts were returned; not even the 47 yarder. Pretty minor but it would be nice to save a few yards there.
Okay, that's all of my nitpicking for this week. Bring on Tennessee!
Just Joe
Monday, September 5, 2011
Florida Gators -- Week 1 Impression
After beating FAU 41-3 I've seen a good bit of optimism floating around the Gator Nation. I wouldn't say I'm here to throw cold water on anyone's celebrations but I do think that those celebrations should be tempered.
I think the Gators looked as good as anyone could hope for after all the changes from last year. My grades would probably be Bs for the offense and defense with a special teams A bringing the overall grade to a B+.
John Brantley showed quite an arm on several early throws; a very nice combination of velocity and touch that seemed to elude him last year. The problem was his bad throws were VERY bad! One interception was not his fault (I blame the linemen who whiffed on his cut block) but the other was in the end zone into triple coverage. Eesh! And he had two other throws in the first half that should've been picked off and would've been picked off against a better team!
It was nice to see the Gators come out running the ball though. They weren't between the tackles very often but the offensive line did about as good a job as you would hope for against an overmatched FAU team. They didn't blow anyone off the ball but they opened enough holes to let the speedy running backs get through. (By the way, if those announcers called Jeffrey Demps "the fastest player in college football" one more time I might have had to punch something... even if it IS true.) The receivers looked outstanding. Even Deonte Thompson was holding onto footballs!
The defense looked outstanding in the first half. The defensive line in particular shutdown the run and probably had more quarterback pressures than all of last year. And they did it without blitzing! Coming out for the second half however, the Gators seemed to be trying out some blitz packages. The odd bit to me was that the defensive line seemed to get more pressure rushing 4 guys than when they would blitz. Good news for the standard pass rush, bad news for the blitz. The defense was also helped out by several dropped passes and errant throws by the Owls' offense. A big-time team would have burned them a few times.
What I was most excited about was the special teams play! That was one of my biggest concerns. Urban Meyer certainly stressed the importance of special teams and had plenty of blocked kicks to prove it. But in the first game to return a blocked punt for a touchdown, very nice! On top of that a 50 yard field goal from Caleb Sturgis who has always had the leg strength but not the accuracy.
There is definitely work that needs to be done by the time SEC play rolls around in two weeks, but for a first showing, it definitely appears they are on the right track.
Just Joe
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Hey, Matthew. For some reason I'm not being able to leave comment responses so:
I agree with you. Auburn was the other game I considered for a possible win. But it is the third game of that West trilogy and it is on the road. We'll have to come out of those first two games healthy to have a chance. Of course, given the way Auburn played Saturday, I like our chances a lot more. Georgia too, for that matter.
I think the Gators looked as good as anyone could hope for after all the changes from last year. My grades would probably be Bs for the offense and defense with a special teams A bringing the overall grade to a B+.
John Brantley showed quite an arm on several early throws; a very nice combination of velocity and touch that seemed to elude him last year. The problem was his bad throws were VERY bad! One interception was not his fault (I blame the linemen who whiffed on his cut block) but the other was in the end zone into triple coverage. Eesh! And he had two other throws in the first half that should've been picked off and would've been picked off against a better team!
It was nice to see the Gators come out running the ball though. They weren't between the tackles very often but the offensive line did about as good a job as you would hope for against an overmatched FAU team. They didn't blow anyone off the ball but they opened enough holes to let the speedy running backs get through. (By the way, if those announcers called Jeffrey Demps "the fastest player in college football" one more time I might have had to punch something... even if it IS true.) The receivers looked outstanding. Even Deonte Thompson was holding onto footballs!
The defense looked outstanding in the first half. The defensive line in particular shutdown the run and probably had more quarterback pressures than all of last year. And they did it without blitzing! Coming out for the second half however, the Gators seemed to be trying out some blitz packages. The odd bit to me was that the defensive line seemed to get more pressure rushing 4 guys than when they would blitz. Good news for the standard pass rush, bad news for the blitz. The defense was also helped out by several dropped passes and errant throws by the Owls' offense. A big-time team would have burned them a few times.
What I was most excited about was the special teams play! That was one of my biggest concerns. Urban Meyer certainly stressed the importance of special teams and had plenty of blocked kicks to prove it. But in the first game to return a blocked punt for a touchdown, very nice! On top of that a 50 yard field goal from Caleb Sturgis who has always had the leg strength but not the accuracy.
There is definitely work that needs to be done by the time SEC play rolls around in two weeks, but for a first showing, it definitely appears they are on the right track.
Just Joe
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Hey, Matthew. For some reason I'm not being able to leave comment responses so:
I agree with you. Auburn was the other game I considered for a possible win. But it is the third game of that West trilogy and it is on the road. We'll have to come out of those first two games healthy to have a chance. Of course, given the way Auburn played Saturday, I like our chances a lot more. Georgia too, for that matter.
Friday, September 2, 2011
Florida Gators 2011 Prediction
It's that time of year... COLLEGE FOOTBALL!
This year's Florida Gators are a virtual blank slate. With a new head coach, offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator and several assistants, no one actually knows what to expect. We know what we are hoping for, 14-0 and the national championship, but that feels as likely to happen as during the Ron Zook years. My realistic outlook is FAR less encouraging.
Quarterback John Brantley will be in his second year as a starter after last year's debacle of trying to make a pure pocket passer into a spread quarterback. The boos from the home crowd certainly must have messed with his head. Will Brantley developed into the quarterback he was touted to be coming out of high school? I'd love to say yes because he's such a nice kid but last year he looked like a freshman -- even on straight drop back plays -- and this year he might as well be since he's learning a whole new offense. Watch out for freshman hotshot Jeff Driskel to get a decent bit of playing time when possible this year. I have read a lot of good things about him.
The offensive line has a few new starters which is never good. Except maybe in this case! Luckily they all had playing time last year so it's not completely new to them. The Gators are still in search of playmakers out wide. Will Chris Rainey and Jeffrey Demps be as explosive running behind a fullback?
Their strength should definitely be the defense, particularly the defensive line. The Gators are switching to a 3-4 base which I really like, provided they can stop the run with only three down linemen. In recent years stopping the run with four down linemen seemed challenging enough. But this is where I think Will Muschamp will flex his muscle. There is big-time talent on the defensive line and Muschamp will make this unit shine.
The schedule this year is absolutely brutal for the Florida Gators. Playing in the SEC is bad enough but their opponents from the West this year include Alabama, @LSU and @Auburn. Not only are those 3 of the last 4 BCS Champions but those games are played in 3 consecutive weeks. October will be rough. Luckily the fourth game in October is only against Georgia, our longest standing rival. All of a sudden the 3 cupcakes on our schedule will be necessary just to make 6-6 achievable. Unfortunately, yes, that is my prediction for this year's team, 6-6. 7-5 isn't out of the question but I'm not sure where the seventh victory would come. POSSIBLY Georgia? The other two games that look like losses right now are @South Carolina and vs. Florida State. Blecch! I just threw up in my mouth.
I'm sure plenty of people think I'm a pessimist but it would take a great team to get through that with only two losses. After watching the first game last season against Miami University, I predicted a five loss season based on the pathetic play of the offense of line. I was right last year but I certainly hope I'm way off this year... but in a good direction!
Just Joe
This year's Florida Gators are a virtual blank slate. With a new head coach, offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator and several assistants, no one actually knows what to expect. We know what we are hoping for, 14-0 and the national championship, but that feels as likely to happen as during the Ron Zook years. My realistic outlook is FAR less encouraging.
Quarterback John Brantley will be in his second year as a starter after last year's debacle of trying to make a pure pocket passer into a spread quarterback. The boos from the home crowd certainly must have messed with his head. Will Brantley developed into the quarterback he was touted to be coming out of high school? I'd love to say yes because he's such a nice kid but last year he looked like a freshman -- even on straight drop back plays -- and this year he might as well be since he's learning a whole new offense. Watch out for freshman hotshot Jeff Driskel to get a decent bit of playing time when possible this year. I have read a lot of good things about him.
The offensive line has a few new starters which is never good. Except maybe in this case! Luckily they all had playing time last year so it's not completely new to them. The Gators are still in search of playmakers out wide. Will Chris Rainey and Jeffrey Demps be as explosive running behind a fullback?
Their strength should definitely be the defense, particularly the defensive line. The Gators are switching to a 3-4 base which I really like, provided they can stop the run with only three down linemen. In recent years stopping the run with four down linemen seemed challenging enough. But this is where I think Will Muschamp will flex his muscle. There is big-time talent on the defensive line and Muschamp will make this unit shine.
The schedule this year is absolutely brutal for the Florida Gators. Playing in the SEC is bad enough but their opponents from the West this year include Alabama, @LSU and @Auburn. Not only are those 3 of the last 4 BCS Champions but those games are played in 3 consecutive weeks. October will be rough. Luckily the fourth game in October is only against Georgia, our longest standing rival. All of a sudden the 3 cupcakes on our schedule will be necessary just to make 6-6 achievable. Unfortunately, yes, that is my prediction for this year's team, 6-6. 7-5 isn't out of the question but I'm not sure where the seventh victory would come. POSSIBLY Georgia? The other two games that look like losses right now are @South Carolina and vs. Florida State. Blecch! I just threw up in my mouth.
I'm sure plenty of people think I'm a pessimist but it would take a great team to get through that with only two losses. After watching the first game last season against Miami University, I predicted a five loss season based on the pathetic play of the offense of line. I was right last year but I certainly hope I'm way off this year... but in a good direction!
Just Joe
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