Bits & Pieces: Florida vs. Michigan

[ChiefGator]

Thanks TN. Game one and as disgusting as it was, there remains a chance for improvement. We'll see. As for offensive adjustments, I've pretty much given up on them. You mentioned Michigan stacking the box in run situations. Adding a TE or FB might help if we are hell-bent on running against that, but I've wondered for the past two years and one game now why we don't have an audible prepared in these situations? For example, we had a 3rd and 3 against an 8 man box, lined up with 4 wide and tried to run it. We'd had no success against this all night. Seems to me that an audible to a pass to the hot route (3 covering 4) would be reasonable?

I seem to remember SOS going max protection and getting one receiver open. We never even try such and that is on the coaching staff and the HBC.

At this point, I really don't think the staff, Mac and Nuss in particular, can realistically assess how we match up with the opposition position by position during preparations and game-planning. A poster in another thread stated that Mac "looks at trash and sees treasure!" I am not inclined to disagree.

 

[ChiefGator]

First of all, I hope you're doing well, cover. I think about you and what you're going through, and I wish you continued progress.

As to the game, I found interest in your assessment of our defensive ends falling in on the rush, thus allowing Michigan to run wide, which they did with remarkable effectiveness. I thought the ends got great penetration all day while the tackles were marginalized, however, I think Michigan outschemed us by allowing our quick ends to commit, then blocking them inside. I saw it as great scheming by their OL coach.

And a lack of LBs with speed, range, and ability to shed blocks quickly.

 

[78]

And a lack of LBs with speed, range, and ability to shed blocks quickly.

Our backers are nowhere near as good as they were in previous years. We're going to give up some points this season.

 

[Gator-Don]

We looked like a Div II team compared to Michigan. I bet our typical cupcakes on the schedule are really excited.

 

[Captain Sasquatch]

All I could think of yesterday is the memes we used to post of FSU with five turnstiles as their offensive line.

 

[GatorJ]

Cover2, thanx for your insight.

Some questions and opinions:

1. Do you think the abysmal play of OL was due to Michigan being bigger/faster, poor play-calling, poor OL coaching, all of the above or what?
2. IMHO, Zaire was horrific. His ball security scrambiing is a fumble waiting to happen. Some of his throws were painful to watch. I understand he was intended as a change of pace but, good grief, three possessions worth of pace-changing was enough.
3. Going forward Franks needs to be given the reins. Let him work on overcoming his rookie mistakes. I thought his play had some bright spots considering the duress he was under.
4. Did we have any other catches by tight ends besides one late by Cyontai Lewis? Goolsby? The play-calling lacked imagination wrt to getting potential playmakers in space. Maybe easier said than done?
5. Duke Dawson a bright spot? Rest of secondary needs game experience.
6. DEs and outside LBs collapsing inside and losing contain is aggravating as h#ll. Until that is corrected the D will continue to get torched on cutbacks. They were bankrupt on money-downs giving up third and long first downs via the run.

Their OL DWARFED our DL.

Their DL was larger than our OL at some spots.

Play calling has sucked for 3 years. It isn't changing. Horizontal play calls about half of the play calls. No inside counter running plays. No draws to slow pass rushing. Only downfield passing game are 40 yard passes so we're always behind on down and distance. Shyttastic.

 

[ppinesgator]

A Blue Velvet and Fast Time at Ridgemont High reference in the same post? We need to meet for a beer, Cover2.

And your analysis was spot on, but you've spoiled us into expecting that.

 

[Captain Sasquatch]

The sequence in which this game changed though was our missed field goal, followed by their made field goal, followed by Mark Thompson's TD run being called back. That's a HUGE point swing right before half, and we didn't recover after that.

 

[G8trwood]

One thing should be clear, we might need all of our qbs to make it through the season. Going to be a lot of ice baths

 

[bayou gator]

Cover, you were far too nice in your breakdown.

I see no reason to believe that we will improve anytime soon. As usual, we are not even close to competing with the big boys of college football. Once again, we spent an offseason hoping for a look at something new and improved (Mac is an offensive guru... right?), yet we ended up getting our hearts crushed. I don't mind watching a game that is a loss, if the team is actually competitive, and the other team is just better than we are. But, now I am back to where I have been for the last few years: no desire to carve out 3+ hours of my day off to watch a group of UNPREPARED, UNDISCIPLINED, and OVERMATCHED kids get humiliated on a national stage. Mac should be charged with criminal fraud and neglect at this point.

The coaching sucked. Period. For me, that was a given, going into the game. I gave up on these coaches last year early in the season. Mac and his crew are not the answer, and I believe they will be fired by the end of the year.

However, I was hoping some of these young guys would have the talent to at least be able to make it competitive. Especially since Michigan was so young, as well. Wow... what I saw was pretty shocking. We were overmatched in every phase of the game, and it looked like we did not belong on the field with them for most of the game. Sherit and Franks showed a glimmer at times, but otherwise, we were just pathetic looking. And why in the hell did Franks only get 9 pass plays??? Zaire got 17...

Possibly worst of all: Michigan, a Big 10 team, had MUCH more team speed than we did. Think about that. We looked slow against them all day. And the strength difference was even greater. We looked incredibly weak. Do we have a weight program anymore, or did we do away with it to fund the indoor practice facility? I cannot remember the last time I saw a Gators team look so weak up the middle of the defense.

I am all out of hope, and out of patience. This staff and these players will continue to squeak by the bottom dwellers (I think... but would not bet on it), and will continue to be humiliated by the better teams. Same song, same verse, same $#!+

 

[cover2]

First of all, I hope you're doing well, cover. I think about you and what you're going through, and I wish you continued progress.

As to the game, I found interest in your assessment of our defensive ends falling in on the rush, thus allowing Michigan to run wide, which they did with remarkable effectiveness. I thought the ends got great penetration all day while the tackles were marginalized, however, I think Michigan outschemed us by allowing our quick ends to commit, then blocking them inside. I saw it as great scheming by their OL coach.

Thanks '78. I'm back working full time and energy is returning.

I certainly agree about the DTs. They got pushed around more than they held their own I believe. Watched T Bryan a bit. His lack of seasoning as a DT showed as he was pretty much baffled or manhandled for most of his snaps. We were simply dominated by both of their lines. Playside ends were alright. Sherit and CeCe had some moments with the rush. But again, their OL had their way with us. In terms of preparation, which you alluded to, it looked like they had scouted all of our practices this year as well as all the previous game films while we, on the other hand, looked like we might have had a glance at their O and D during warm-ups!

 

[divits]

Abridged version of a well written synopsis...

"Same sh!t, different year."

 

[GBHOR]

Long winded ways to say we suck

 

[Gatorbait25]

The sequence in which this game changed though was our missed field goal, followed by their made field goal, followed by Mark Thompson's TD run being called back. That's a HUGE point swing right before half, and we didn't recover after that.

Yep. The series after the blocked punt was about as tight and predictable as you can get . Dirty diaper Doug at his finest

 

[GatorJ]

Thanks '78. I'm back working full time and energy is returning.

I certainly agree about the DTs. They got pushed around more than they held their own I believe. Watched T Bryan a bit. His lack of seasoning as a DT showed as he was pretty much baffled or manhandled for most of his snaps. We were simply dominated by both of their lines. Playside ends were alright. Sherit and CeCe had some moments with the rush. But again, their OL had their way with us. In terms of preparation, which you alluded to, it looked like they had scouted all of our practices this year as well as all the previous game films while we, on the other hand, looked like we might have had a glance at their O and D during warm-ups!

I've always liked Taven Bryan. But you know what you have by the time the second year rolls around.

He's the 2017 version of Earl Okine. Looks like Tarzan – Plays like Jane.

 

[Sundaysunday]

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.

I don't think the defense looked bad, we had penetration into the back field however our tackling was abysmal. Way to many plays where they should have been stopped with a loss or no gain and after the missed tackle they went another 10+.

 

[MertzJay26]

I've always liked Taven Bryan. But you know what you have by the time the second year rolls around.

He's the 2017 version of Earl Okine. Looks like Tarzan – Plays like Jane.

Bryan was in the backfield a lot early, however I did notice him taking plays off again. If he had a better motor he'd be a stud, and yet...

 

[T REX]

I don't think the defense looked bad, we had penetration into the back field however our tackling was abysmal. Way to many plays where they should have been stopped with a loss or no gain and after the missed tackle they weant another 10+.

How many 3rd and longs was Shannon abused on? He's not an SEC quality DC, you'll see.

 

[GatorInGeorgia]

I don't think the defense looked bad, we had penetration into the back field however our tackling was abysmal. Way to many plays where they should have been stopped with a loss or no gain and after the missed tackle they weant another 10+.

Part of the problem is our incessant need to try and strip the ball rather than wrapping up and making the tackle for a loss. I don't know why this continues to happen but it does.

 

[GatorInGeorgia]

How many 3rd and longs was Shannon abused on? He's not an SEC quality DC, you'll see.

Shannon sucks! He's so overrated, it's ridiculous. Not a great recruiter, not a great coach, I don't know what he brings to the program.