Bits & Pieces: Florida vs. Michigan

cover2

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I guess the most appropriate way to begin this inaugural post-game synopsis of the 2017 season is with this...Same song, third verse. Where the offense is concerned especially. I saw nothing much to make me feel like we are going to move up the offensive rankings this season. Sure it was a higher-ranked Michigan and we don't normally start with an opponent this strong or on the road, and there were all those suspensions. As the late Dennis Hopper's character in the cult classic Blue Velvet might say..."F**k that s**t!" I've about had enough excuses at this point. It was pretty clear who the best-prepared team was, if not the strongest and most disciplined. The year is still very young, however, and there is the possibility (couldn't bring myself to type "likelihood") that we will improve greatly. We'll get better, but the question in a lot of minds has to be "how much" and "will it be enough?" Time will tell.

Anyhow, here's some thoughts with this disclaimer: it's going to be brutally honest on my part, but after this showing to start year three of Mac's tenure, I think that's only fair. Here goes...

*I was led to believe that the offensive line was greatly improved and even described as a "strength of the team." Holy crap! If this is true, we're doomed! Seriously, they looked to be overpowered by the Michigan front and should be graded "F" on both run blocking and pass pro. Certainly, some of the play calls on some particular down and distances didn't help, but they were simply awful in a game of this magnitude, even if it's early. Just showing up won't get it done. You've got to compete. Not 100% certain about the position coach, but he's starting out with a deficit. A lot to work on and correct. Not the start we expected from this previously much maligned group.

*Franks won't make Freshman All-America, but I can't say he was terrible considering the play in front of him. Made a nice long throw (actually had a little time) and a couple of nice scrambles. Threw the ball away to prevent a loss. Some mistakes, like the fumble on a third and four scramble. Tried to bounce it, when staying vertical would most likely gotten the first down, and fumbled trying to stretch for the sticks. Rookie trying to do too much. Tough position given that it was obvious we weren't going to muster much of a running threat. Zaire, in my view, wasn't much better. Led us to a couple of first downs and completed two or three nice passes. The question I'm left with is was it worth the risk of killing your young, first time starting QB's confidence by yanking him while the game was still in reach for a guy who arguably did no more? I'm not a Zaire hater, but I don't know that the move was fair to either, nor did it give us a better chance to win.

*Defense was pretty good in spots. I have greater confidence in the ground they can gain moving forward. They are ok now, but there are some glaring issues that can be seen. First, we might have missed more tackles than we made. Second, our DEs immediately fall inside when the QB opens away, making us susceptible to the counter and cut-backs. Third, we are under-sized across the front. Speed is not an advantage if you can't get off of blocks. Fourth, LBs seemed to get cut off or false key and step up on runs and get lost in the wad. They've got to be free to pursue laterally. Fifth, DBs probably need to play more man under and either ditch or be coached-up better on other coverages like the quarters that resulted in a long TD over the top. They can also be better in run support. In fact, I'd say they'll have to be. Shannon, I believe, is going to have to figure both some run and pass blitzes to help his unit out, especially when we get into the conference schedule. We got very little pressure on the QB rushing four and put the secondary/LBs in a bind. On the few occasions we looped the DE inside, we had some success in getting a little pressure. I also think he needs to stress being fundamentally sound and disciplined, especially where tackling and assignments are concerned. This is on the coaches and what they are expecting and demanding from the players. We won't be as good with this group without greater attention to this detail, in my opinion. Pick six's were a bright spot and our best offense, however.

*Special Teams were ok. Punter was our game MVP. Lot of missed tackles by coverage and the fumble can't be tolerated. Eddy, you can't miss like you did and when you did.

Based on what we've been told, along with what we've seen previously, I'm inclined to call Mr. Hand, the teacher from Fast Times at Ridgemont High to talk to the coaching staff. His only question should be "What's wrong with you people? Are you all on dope?! I don't think what they are seeing at practice is objectively translating to what they are expecting in performance against a good team, especially where the offense is concerned.

No, I'm not ready to cancel Christmas, but we've got a ways to go. All I can say is get it done. I'm getting impatient :mad: !

Go Gators :chomp:
 
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AugustaGator

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I guess the most appropriate way to begin this inaugural post-game synopsis of the 2017 season is with this...Same song, third verse. Where the offense is concerned especially. I saw nothing much to make me feel like we are going to move up the offensive rankings this season. Sure it was a higher-ranked Michigan and we don't normally start with an opponent this strong or on the road, and there were all those suspensions. As the late Dennis Hopper's character in the cult classic Blue Velvet might say..."F**k that s**t!" I've about had enough excuses at this point. It was pretty clear who the best-prepared team was, if not the strongest and most disciplined. The year is still very young, however, and there is the possibility (couldn't bring myself to type "likelihood") that we will improve greatly. We'll get better, but the question in a lot of minds has to be "how much" and "will it be enough?" Time will tell.

Anyhow, here's some thoughts with this disclaimer: it's going to be brutally honest on my part, but after this showing to start year three of Mac's tenure, I think that's only fair. Here goes...

*I was led to believe that the offense was greatly improved and even described as a "strength of the team." Holy crap! If this is true, we're doomed! Seriously, they looked to be overpowered by the Michigan front and should be graded "F" on both run blocking and pass pro. Certainly, some of the play calls on some particular down and distances didn't help, but they were simply awful in a game of this magnitude, even if it's early. Just showing up won't get it done. You've got to compete. Not 100% certain about the position coach, but he's starting out with a deficit. A lot to work on and correct. Not the start we expected from this previously much maligned group.

*Franks won't make Freshman All-America, but I can't say he was terrible considering the play in front of him. Made a nice long throw (actually had a little time) and a couple of nice scrambles. Threw the ball away to prevent a loss. Some mistakes, like the fumble on a third and four scramble. Tried to bounce it, when staying vertical would most likely gotten the first down, and fumbled trying to stretch for the sticks. Rookie trying to do too much. Tough position given that it was obvious we weren't going to muster much of a running threat. Zaire, in my view, wasn't much better. Led us to a couple of first downs and completed two or three nice passes. The question I'm left with is was it worth the risk of killing your young, first time starting QB's confidence by yanking him while the game was still in reach for a guy who arguably did no more? I'm not a Zaire hater, but I don't know that the move was fair to either, nor did it give us a better chance to win.

*Defense was pretty good in spots. I have greater confidence in the ground they can gain moving forward. They are ok now, but there are some glaring issues that can be seen. First, we might have missed more tackles than we made. Second, our DEs immediately fall inside when the QB opens away, making us susceptible to the counter and cut-backs. Third, we are under-sized across the front. Speed is not an advantage if you can't get off of blocks. Fourth, LBs seemed to get cut off or false key and step up on runs and get lost in the wad. They've got to be free to pursue laterally. Fifth, DBs probably need to play more man under and either ditch or be coached-up better on other coverages like the quarters that resulted in a long TD over the top. They can also be better in run support. In fact, I'd say they'll have to be. Shannon, I believe, is going to have to figure both some run and pass blitzes to help his unit out, especially when we get into the conference schedule. We got very little pressure on the QB rushing four and put the secondary/LBs in a bind. On the few occasions we looped the DE inside, we had some success in getting a little pressure. I also think he needs to stress being fundamentally sound and disciplined, especially where tackling and assignments are concerned. This is on the coaches and what they are expecting and demanding from the players. We won't be as good with this group without greater attention to this detail,in my opinion. Pick six' we're a bright spot and our best offense, however.

*Special Teams were ok. Punter was our game MVP. Lot of missed tackles by coverage and the fumble can't be tolerated. Eddy, you can't miss like you did and when you did.

Based on what we've been told, along with what we've seen previously, I'm inclined to call Mr. Hand, the teacher from Fast Times at Ridgemont High to talk to the coaching staff. His only question should be "What's wrong with you people? Are you all on dope?! I don't think what they are seeing at practice is objectively translating to what they are expecting in performance against a good team, especially where the offense is concerned.

No, I'm not ready to cancel Christmas, but we've got a ways to go. All I can say is get it done. I'm getting impatient :mad: !

Go Gators :chomp:
You were too nice. Not prepared and no options.
 

Gator Fever

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Yep the team looked pretty bad. I really think KY may have a chance to break the streak if they can score a little on us. This team looks worse than the 2015 team that almost lost at KY.
 

NVGator

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Spot on. From my POV, and it's valid because I'm a coach of my son's 4-6 year old flag football team, we sucked in almost all areas.
 

T REX

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Thanks cover, but I did not think the defense was very good at all. Shannon did not call a very good game. Giving up 500 yds is pathetic.

We were dominated in every phase of the game.

Mac is Harbaugh's b!tch.
 

AugustaGator

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Not drinking yet :dunno:
Nah, you are just a positive person overall.

I'd like to hear where you thought we were prepared for the 1st game, and where we positioned ourselves to exploit any strengths we may have?
 

RocketCityGator

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Nah, you are just a positive person overall.

I'd like to hear where you thought we were prepared for the 1st game, and where we positioned ourselves to exploit any strengths we may have?

The Sound of Silence. Chirp...Chirp...
 

G8trwood

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Nailed it!
Offense, no line and not much fire or consistency . We will not run the ball without TE, extra lineman or creative running plays. Slants..

Defense, missed tackles and forgetting their assignment. On many of the inside DE moves, the tackles were way to slow getting to their new gap. And as you said, LB and SS getting mixed up scrum.

In general we seemed slow, undisciplined and soft/weak. A few bright spots to be sure, but overall I'm too deflated to even be angry.

Go Gators
 

GatorJB

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Excellent summary as always. I also felt bad for Franks. He had some freshmen mistakes, but I thought he threw the ball well considering how terrible the O-line played.

Michigan also had great coverage on our WRs. Some of those incomplete passes would have been big play completions against lesser teams. Play calling did Franks no favors either. Why does Nuss hate the slant so much?
 

ChiefGator

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Great evaluation as usual. I might add that there were no adjustments on even side of the ball for UF, but great adjustments for UM. That is totally on the coaching staff. On defense you could have anticipated the adjustments that would be made and at least made an attempt to counter them.

The defense once again got tired and LB play cost us many times as well as less than sterling tackling.

I don't know how much you can put this on coaching and how much on not having good enough players. I bet with their staff we might have won.
 

revgator

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Here's the thing about bad coaching.

Let's say I run pizza hut. I make a good pizza. But I have a guy who learned how to make pizza from me and starts his own pizza using better ingredients to make a better pizza. We now have to compete for our customers making the best pizza we can.

But also in town is a run down pizza joint, who employs pot and meth junkies to make pizza. They use old cheese, don't have a recipe, and have no consistent standards.

What would happen to the pizza hut if they hired the guy from the run down pizza shop to manage their pizza huts? His bad management would infect every employee. Employees that used to be able to make high quality pizza hut pizzas would now make crummy pizza because of the standards set by the run down pizza manager. Just getting rid of the run down pizza manager doesn't eliminate the bad training and culture. You have too recreate standards, training, and culture.

This has been chump and mac. This is why brissett just got picked up by an NFL team, why Treon looks better, why Driskel looked better after leaving bad coaching.

Bad coaching actually destroys talent.

Mac has proven his inability to identify, and coach talent. He eliminates talent. Which is deadly when you can only get 3 star talent to begin with.
 

jdh5484

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They ran wide on our D. They were faster than us running wide. That's some scary ****.

The O-line got man handled. This is year 3.

Was it me, or did our entire team look small compared to Michigan ?

giphy.gif
 

cover2

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Thanks cover, but I did not think the defense was very good at all. Shannon did not call a very good game. Giving up 500 yds is pathetic.

We were dominated in every phase of the game.

Mac is Harbaugh's b!tch.
My pleasure (I think ;)). No disagreement really about the overall play by D, but I think they were as stated good "in spots." Bordering on a moral victory, holding Michigan to the field goal attempts in the second half, bent but didn't break, kept the game within reach *with a competent offense* and they took advantage of a couple of QB mistakes on the pick six's. Shannon can't remain as vanilla as he seems to want to be. His front seven isn't nearly strong enough to afford that luxury.

Yep, we were dominated. The Michigan players wore work shirts; we wore...gimp masks :dunno:

Nah, you are just a positive person overall.

I'd like to hear where you thought we were prepared for the 1st game, and where we positioned ourselves to exploit any strengths we may have?
Poorly and our only appreciable strength visible in this game was the punter. We won't know about offensive strengths until the OL plays much, much better. Defensively, our poor pass rush negated our strength, or at least the better position group on that side. Our weaknesses mask any potential strengths right now.
 
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PaterLacerta

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I know it's the first game of the season but it it looks like the same old clueless product sans the defense. (And that ain't saying anything about the defense which, as predicted, is not at the level it was.) The lines were beaten on both sides of the ball. If you're not physically prepared to go, what's happening in the offseason?
 

kepler

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There's a hint of positivity in there. Personally I don't have any. I forgot they did not make strides on offense after an entire offseason, it's not gonna happen now.
 

MJMGator

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The only fair assessment is that we did not belong in a game like this. We were embarrassed (again) on national television because we have one of the worst offenses in CFB. Mac should be put on notice tomorrow...either fix the offense or pack your bags.
 

TN G8tr

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Cover as always you are spot on. Perhaps a tad bit too kind. Here is the thing that I cannot grasp. As a coach you MUST adjust to what the defense is doing, period. After just getting back to hotel after watching that shyt show I ask over and over........

Would a TE and FB be too much to ask for? On almost every snap Meatchicken had 8 or 9 guys at time in the box. They looked as if they were running a traditional 5-3 and bringing the Safety up. LB were gap blitzing on every play. When we have a size advantage why not line up under center, give 22, 24, 20 a FB and cram it down their throat. 5 guys cannot block 8-9 at a time. This where Nuss is off the reservation and I am ready to let Mac be eaten by the wolves. This is simply an issue of the Offense we have is totally inept and not suited for the personnel we have. If they were to leave Mac and Nuss at the airport, I would not shed a tear.
 

Jbossgator8

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Yeah its the same crap product on the field. Why WASTE the money to even go????
 

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