I really think we would have won if Tom Petty hadn't painted the endzones orange while wearing a white helmet and listening to rap music.
So that was fun! It looks as if the November collapse I warned about last week might be starting. I had a bad feeling from the moment I woke up yesterday until I sat in my seat and the stadium was still about 40% empty at kickoff. Mullen is right to be calling out the fans for not showing up, that was pathetic. If your team has been garbage for this long, and they're finally having a really good year while being in line for a major bowl, you get your ass to the stadium and support them. It was amazing the difference in atmosphere from four weeks ago to yesterday. I realize that was LSU and this was Missouri, but there was still a lot to play for before 4:00 pm yesterday.
Onto the one they call Feleipe Franks. I don't really have anything to say on him that hasn't probably already been said on this board in the last 12-16 hours. He had another awful game in which he couldn't hit the side of a barn if he was standing inside of it. And to make matters worse, when he came out in the 2nd half and actually delivered a strike to Jefferson on 1st down, Jefferson dropped it. I don't know if that would have made a difference in the game or Franks' performance, but if your QB is struggling with accuracy that badly, at least catch the ones that hit you square in the hands to boost his confidence.
It was nice to see Trask come in and have a good TD drive and get the crowd excited a bit. I don't think he's the long term answer by any stretch, but there's no reason he shouldn't start against SCar next week. I'm assuming one of Emory Jones' remaining two games of eligibility will be used next week, unless we're just saving him for FSU and the bowl game, or worse yet, Idaho. Trask at least showed he could hit some rhythm throws and move the ball down the field, but as long as the five guys we have dressed up as offensive linemen for Halloween are standing in front of him, it's going to be a struggle.
Defensively, what I was worried about in the game thread happened. They started gashing us with that spread running attack early, and that opened up the passing game starting around the 2nd quarter. I've seen them do it so many times. You don't think they'll be able to run the ball that well, but they always have solid RBs, and they split the WRs way out wide to get the defense stretched out, and run them right up the middle when all they have to do is make one guy miss and it's a huge gain. Once they start making you worry about that, it's like shooting fish in a barrel. Trey Dean had another BAD game. I think he's talented and could come along eventually, but man he's taking his lumps this year.
As a defense, we've now gone two full games without forcing a turnover, and the only one we forced against Vandy was their last drive in desperation time. We also haven't been able to get any real pressure on the QB the last two games. Coaches have lots of film on us now, and they know the way to beat our defense is the quick passing game (and by largely avoiding CJ Henderson). It was also another infuriatingly frustrating effort by our guys on 3rd down. Chew on this one. In our six wins, our defensive 3rd down percentage is 30.1% (28-93). In our three losses, it's 62.2% (28-45)!!! The theme of defensive practice this week should be
get your asses off the field. I know the offense has been terrible the last two weeks, but when you can't get yourself off the field when you're constantly facing 3rd and long, it doesn't make matters any better. I don't know if it's scheme, the blitzes we're calling/not calling, or just a lack of talent in the secondary to defend 3rd and long passes, but it's maddening.
So having said all that, we find ourselves in the same predicament as last week. Florida football has had a real rocky history of falling apart in November since Tebow left, and at some point it has to end. If I'm Dan Mullen, I gotta find any way I can to motivate these guys for a noon start next week. We're still looking at a possible 9-3 record (my predicition before the season) with a 5-3 record in conference and a road win over our in-state rivals. My first step would be to start Trask to light a fire under our guys. If the locker room is as salty as the rumors are saying, that's the only option at QB next week. Then maybe call a few gadget plays early on to try to get on top in the 1st quarter instead of playing from behind yet again. Take a few risks on 4th and short, get the ball in Toney's hands, just do ANYTHING to break away from this funk we've been in.
And if you're a fan who hasn't been to a game in a while, or is maybe thinking about skipping next week, I ask you to reconsider. If you're salty about Mullen calling out the fans, realize it was a well-deserved pot shot he took. If the guy at the top wants a full stadium, then by God give it to him. He's been asking for it since his speaking tour over the summer. Turning Gator football around is going to be a group effort. They feed off of us and the energy we bring. If you don't believe that, just watch the LSU game again. The Swamp was the most feared stadium in the country for years, and there's no reason it can't be again. But it takes people showing up and putting their asses in a seat for that to happen. It's a noon game, you can probably get tickets cheap, so come out and have an afternoon of cheering the O&B on before going home and enjoying the rest of your day at home.
Until next week.
