Bits & Pieces: Florida vs. Tennssee

[G8trwood]

Great post C2, I switched to bourbon and grilled steaks last night to distract myself..

First smash every phone with a twitter account

If you are going to play man bump n run, you need to get to the qb. And Dbs need to stay with their man...dont know what was up with all the lost footing.

Calloway, really.. Nuff said

For only having two real backers, they play well and a LOT of minutes.

Running backs looked good. Thompson starts too slow for short yardage sweeps and scarlet runs tough inside. Once again Cronk can catch.

Blocking, well...needs to be simple straight ahead so we dont get confused. Leave two backs in every play? Lack of mobility or seasoning.

Play calling you said it all. The continued flatness is exasperating, do we meditate at halftime?

The biggest let down to me was a lack of heart by many and looking like wooped dogs with plenty of time left. You could see momentum changing at the end of the first half and boy did it. I thought TN could have had 3 first half scores without the drops.

No sighn of toughness and grit as a combined team and coaches. Are we Gators or not. Biggest turnaround since the 28-0 halftime at FSU years ago.

I need aspirin and coffee now. Go Gators

 

[NoGaGator]

I could've sworn that they brought Muschamp back to coach the 2nd half!

Right after the INT in early 2nd half, UF has 3rd and less than one. With a 6'4" - 240 lb QB they line up shotgun and pitch it wide getting stuffed! Should've just lined up snapping to Appleby with him getting it straight ahead. It was a really telling play.

Nussmeier needs to get back up to the coaches box to call the game. Maybe he can at least see other team stuffing the box.

It sure did look like they knew UF's play-calling. They were getting to point of attack before UF was. They totally had the screen passes that worked in 1st half snuffed out.

Totally collective meltdown by everyone associated with the team. Hope the loudmouths now STFU and just play.

 

[MatthewM.]

We have one of the worst coaching staffs/recruiters in the SEC. What more is there to say?

 

[RocketCityGator]

The onside kick was done by Jorge Powell.

That's what I was thinking.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

We have one of the worst coaching staffs/recruiters in the SEC. What more is there to say?

Yeah, its pretty much a given that they are among the worst recruiters. Yesterday makes it clear we will probably never be better than mediocre under these conservative playing-not-to-lose coaches.

 

[EyeDocGator]

The onside kick was done by Jorge Powell.

It was a piss poor excuse for an onsides kick. Powell should not kick unless Eddy gets injured. By using you backup kicker you telegraph your onside kick intentions (in case TN couldn't figure it out). Eddy has been on campus since January. There has been plenty of time to learn and practice onside kick technique. Having very talented players stagnate with mediocre coaching is depressing.

 

[EyeDocGator]

Speaking about Eddy. Has anyone thought to teach him how to tackle without getting injured? That's a useful skill he may need some day. Of course, so is not making fair catches inside the 5. So, nevermind.

 

[Bernardo de la Paz]

It was a piss poor excuse for an onsides kick. Powell should not kick unless Eddy gets injured. By using you backup kicker you telegraph your onside kick intentions (in case TN couldn't figure it out). Eddy has been on campus since January. There has been plenty of time to learn and practice onside kick technique. Having very talented players stagnate with mediocre coaching is depressing.

Yeah it was awful. Given that this is the first year Eddy has played at any level this may be something that he hasn't spent any time with and that's why they went with Powell.

But if that's his one job, Powell ought to be f'ing spectacular at it.

 

[GatorJ]

I'll add this about the on-side kick...I wasn't in favor of it at the time in the game. Thought with two time outs we should have started them on the 25 and played for the 3-and-out (and I'm not just parroting Danielson). Even though we were reeling defensively, you'd think a little momentum/confidence/ want to should have been recaptured and we could have forced a punt and a shorter field. Bad trade for a poor on-side try that resulted in a big, fat sh!t sandwich from the Game Over Deli. Like Zambo, Law, and others have commented, it looked like we hadn't even practiced it. Eddie's kick was with the topspin needed to induce the crazy high bounce, but it was not nearly at a sharp enough angle. Many teams will kick to their sideline and have coach or designated personnel as a target for the kicker. You can't completely overload the side you are kicking to anymore, but most will will use the faster, stronger LB-types to clear out the other team's good hands guys with one of our own coming behind to recover either the bounce or a bobble. If that was our plan...well, it never had a chance.

Special teams is about having 11 on each one with want-to. They have to be precise and efficient and give 100% effort with what they are trying to accomplish, whether it be block/return, kick cover/onside, etc. We are not efficient and that is glaring right now. Calloway's goofs on the fair catches, to me, reek of not enough coaching on that aspect. I know he's a threat to take one back anytime, but he can't be a threat to f**k up the fair catches inside the 10.

Some of you guys will get a big chuckle at this, but when I was early in my coaching career, I learned that spec teams were to be a phase of equal importance to offense and defense. We had pre-practice Monday through Wednesday for the kickers and returners and everybody else learned a lane assignment and practiced coverage. We then spent at least thirty minutes on all of the kick and coverage units and the Thursday walk-through was mostly spec teams with practiced substitutions. It was a strength of our teams and we had a great punt returner a couple of years who was very sure handed. We walled a lot of punts and he usually got good yardage on the returns, but he was also very efficient with the fair catches. Back then when the punt warranted it, he'd put his heels on the 10 and never touch one over his head. If he saw that one was going behind him, he would quickly step up a couple of yards while waving for the fair catch and more often than not the cover team would slow up and surround him. He'd even complete the fake with a phony catch, elbows in. I can't tell you how many balls trickled harmlessly into the end zone. That kid was Kirby Smart! I know the punt-to-pin game has changed somewhat, but I'm not crazy about our approach, especially as ours looks more like an after thought. Again, the whole phase looks in need of new energy and schematic overhaul.

Urban Meyer did the same thing. Special Teams received his special attention. They ate first at team meals. Talented freshmen didn't all redshirt. They fought like hell to get a spot on special teams and make their mark. They blocked kicks and punts and had excellent return and coverage formations.

I have no idea what the hell Mac and company is doing.

 

[Durty South Swamp]

Well Meyer's a good coach so....

 

[GMDGator]

Urban Meyer did the same thing. Special Teams received his special attention. They ate first at team meals. Talented freshmen didn't all redshirt. They fought like hell to get a spot on special teams and make their mark. They blocked kicks and punts and had excellent return and coverage formations.

I have no idea what the hell Mac and company is doing.

I can answer what butters is doing... nothing! Special teams are an afterthought.

 

[GatorJ]

UT learning and stealing our signals/signs and our coaches' failure to notice and prevent that from happening, in the first place, by being proactive on that front and the lack of Cleveland's involvement really bothered me, as well as all of the above. That looked like a bunch of disorganized, dysfunctional and overly confident coaches, in my opinion. I have seldom seen such a failure by a group that should be at the top of their game, not only individually, but, collectively.

I refuse to use it as an excuse for the loss (the coaches own it 100%); yet, I am anxious to do some film study to see just how much UT relie d on their ability to pick off our communications, halfway thru the second quarter and on. What do you guys think? A friend, who was at the game, behind the UT bench, texted me and said that UT was intercepting our communications and even lip-reading to learn what our coaches were telling our players. There's a reason some of the most successful coaches go to great lengths to cover their mouths when they talk and change forms of communication for each game. If UT managed to use this as a means of defeating us, it really doesn'the reflect well on the coaching staff. I'mean going to compare some things to earlier games and last season, to see if I can establish any obvious habits/practices. Any advice from you resident experts would be appreciated. I have to have something to do, instead of lie here taking up space.

Don'the throw in the towel just yet guys. Hopefully, this will be a good thing - one that will serve us well as the year progresses. As noted above, to quit is to fail and I consider it sacrificing one's soul, for the sake of avoiding the pain and strange of overcoming an obstacle. I'd rather die fighting, than live without seeing my footprints behind me.

I'm really glad to see you back.

 

[Since65]

Interesting that I've not read one word of criticism directed at the new DB coach, Torrian Gray. The back side of the defense looked worse yesterday than I can remember at any time last year yet no one has said anything to this point about the new guy. Is it because he is allegedly a great recruiter? Or is there some other reason?

If anyone underachieved yesterday, from the standpoint of looking confused or outcoached, it was the DB's. Danielson pointed out the scheme changes UT made, like putting a wide receiver in the backfield on the long touchdown play. He also mentioned Tabor being overly aggressive on the TD where he slipped...trying to jump the route on a 1st and 10 with a big lead...no need to be that aggressive in that setting. There were other examples.

It's one thing if you make UT drive the field, using 10 or 12 plays and lots of clock to score. Instead, most of their 38 point outburst seemed to come on big plays with receivers running wide open, repeatedly. I would think some of that has to fall on Gray in addition to Collins.

 

[cover2]

The onside kick was done by Jorge Powell.

Thanks for the correction, Bernie. I missed that one. Probably seeing red at that time.

I hate that I'm agreeable on the point made about not really knowing what the coaching staff, read as Mac, is doing, but it's hard not to after that second half. Might not be the case, but I think a lot of us are thinking they were expecting to just show up and weren't prepared for getting punched in the mouth by an opponent they figured they'd left for dead after the first. Yesterday, and it pains me to say this, Butch > Mac and with that his 10-0 start last season lies buried under a mound of questions.

 

[T REX]

Thanks for the correction, Bernie. I missed that one. Probably seeing red at that time.

I hate that I'm agreeable on the point made about not really knowing what the coaching staff, read as Mac, is doing, but it's hard not to after that second half. Might not be the case, but I think a lot of us are thinking they were expecting to just show up and weren't prepared for getting punched in the mouth by an opponent they figured they'd left for dead after the first. Yesterday, and it pains me to say this, Butch > Mac and with that his 10-0 start last season lies buried under a mound of questions.

10-0? He lost to LSU.

 

[cover2]

Interesting that I've not read one word of criticism directed at the new DB coach, Torrian Gray. The back side of the defense looked worse yesterday than I can remember at any time last year yet no one has said anything to this point about the new guy. Is it because he is allegedly a great recruiter? Or is there some other reason?

If anyone underachieved yesterday, from the standpoint of looking confused or outcoached, it was the DB's. Danielson pointed out the scheme changes UT made, like putting a wide receiver in the backfield on the long touchdown play. He also mentioned Tabor being overly aggressive on the TD where he slipped...trying to jump the route on a 1st and 10 with a big lead...no need to be that aggressive in that setting. There were other examples.

It's one thing if you make UT drive the field, using 10 or 12 plays and lots of clock to score. Instead, most of their 38 point outburst seemed to come on big plays with receivers running wide open, repeatedly. I would think some of that has to fall on Gray in addition to Collins.

I made a reference to it but didn't expound. But it is a concern. Swag, bravado, DBU and all that is great, but when you crap your pants in game 4 against a rival for the east crown and your toughest opponent to date, it might belie either overconfidence or an arrogance or a lack of understanding that the SEC is a special place where big talk doesn't make a big man (you listening Quincy and crew? Torian? Collins? Mac?). Walking the walk was a issuing component. We'll see soon enough how quick and adept our learners and their teachers are.

 

[cover2]

10-0? He lost to LSU.

Should have said 10 wins. Typing faster than my mind could follow. Thanks for the catch.

 

[T REX]

Should have said 10 wins. Typing faster than my mind could follow. Thanks for the catch.

Ten wins and a trip to ATL. He peaked in year one. Kinda sad.

 

[Yankeetown]

(1) We need to move the OC back to the upstairs box. I'm prepared to call that an experiment that failed. There's reasons why almost all OC's operate from upstairs.

* better view of the defense, and faster recognition
* much easier access to all of the cheatsheets and info
* easier to keep running stats on what's working, and refer to that
* isolated from distractions, so can better focus on the task at hand

(2) If the scripted plays work well, make up 25 or 50 scripts of 20 plays apiece. Give each of them descriptive labels, for what we're trying to do/exploit, or what defensive situation/s they're designed to handle.

For fast-play stretches, could even tell the QB "run Script 12 unless/until we send in something different."

 

[Since65]

I also wonder about the impact of Tyler Jordan's injury. Johnson doesn't appear to be able to handle right tackle and it seemed he missed some plays at right guard as well yesterday. Clearly, the Oline is an unstable group and losing a starter and having to shuffle guys can cause some ineffectiveness.