- Jun 12, 2014
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It's just the beginning of the 4th quarter and I'm starting this thread! To say that I'm not feeling very confident right now is an understatement (and as I typed this, we let Francois escape the pocket and convert on 3rd and 7)! And just now we let the FB dive and score on what should have been a 1 yard 1st down conversion attempt. As bad as I hate to say this, we are at the stage with F$U, a heated in-state rival who has been kicking our @ss on the field and with the top Florida prospects in recruiting, where we think we can beat them and they know they can beat us. Started with Muschamp in 2013 and continues with Mac, who has yet to score a TD against them in the two games he has faced them (and won't barring a fluke at the end of the game). And like that, there's the fluke! Fumble on the punt return and Marcel scoops and scores (I need to keep bitching, I guess)! Still, it'd be nice if the O could put one across the line (didn't happen, unfortunately). Well, a TD pass just erased the defensive score. And a few minutes later at 00:00 the scoreboard reads 31-13 F$U. I'm sick of this trend.
But enough of my piss off screed. Here's some thoughts and my impressions of what I saw:
I'm sorry if this offends, but I just think we are seeing Mac at his best right now. Hope I'm wrong and maybe my frustrations from the Muschamp era are influencing my perceptions, but we've been doing the same thing offensively over and over this year and have beat the weak sisters, but save LSU, the better teams on the schedule, all both of them, have kicked our @ss. We are what we consistently do. The one thing I am pleased with is that we have begun playing with more passion of late, so maybe there is hope for improvements in other areas? I can only hope.
I'll be praying for a miracle against the Tide, so until next Saturday...Go Gators! Heal up and show up.
*edit - I thought all along that the D would have to play nearly flawless and the plan, which was no shocker, was to somehow keep Cook bottled up than on the loose and keep a lot of pressure on Francois. As it turned out, we didn't do either well enough to overcome what I expected our offense to provide (despite the nice yet unfulfilled opening drive).
But enough of my piss off screed. Here's some thoughts and my impressions of what I saw:
- I thought it was a big mistake to forsake the FG on the first drive. Many will say Mac wanted to make a statement and put them on their heels with the TD. Well, the statement I got was "I don't think we can win this one without a TD here!" So, instead of getting something out of it, we give them the confidence of recovering from a great drive and keeping us out of the end zone and off of the scoreboard. Maddening. And while I'm at it, with 1st and goal at the 7, why was there no Scarlett in for that series to at least make the only rush attempt?
- Brantley had a good game as did some of his mates on the DL. But the LB's, as good as they played last week, Reese especially, were invisible for the most part tonight. Khylan either runs himself out of plays on false keys or he gets blocked and stays blocked. Little wonder we held Cook to 96 yards in the 1st half!
- Appleby wasn't extremely accurate tonight, but the OL didn't slow the rush down very consistently and looked to take some steps backward tonight. There were at least three passes over the top that should have been converted, but save the one that Callaway might could have hauled in, he wasn't really close. His turnovers didn't help matters. He's a good kid and better than LDR, but right about now, those facts and a buck will get you a coke. It is imperative that we get a difference maker at that position very quickly. Otherwise, it'll be same song, different verse next year and possibly beyond.
- The TD pass to Rudolph should have been an easy break up at worst and maybe a pick. But the Safety on the left hash looked like he jumped the guy up the seam and let Rudolph cross his face wide open. Our kid made this error while the ball was in the air. He obviously didn't have an eye on the QB. To his credit, he did have an "Oh sh!t" reaction, but too late to recover.
- Somebody needs to apologize to Ed Zaunbrecker. The dink and dunk passing reached new heights this evening. But why should I be surprised? It looked like another harem-scare 'em offensive game plan. I know we had a lot of injuries to deal with, but hell, it's been that way for two years now. The thing everybody needs to understand is that yes, Nuss isn't very good, but Mac's signing off on this sh!t. And another thought is that we look like from an offensive standpoint we are preparing for Idaho, Montana, or whoever it was that Mac faced at Colorado State. F$U ain't great, but their personnel is better than we seem to give them credit for while planning.
- On the bright side, Marcel Harris looks like the light has come on. He made several big plays and save the super soft coverage on the wheel to cook that converted a 3rd and long, he was pretty solid otherwise. Gardener played pretty decent for a frosh as well.
- Just heard where we were 0-12 on 3rd down conversions
- Our TE's are about as bad blocking as I've ever seen. Why the hell we even attempt to run off tackle behind them is ridiculous. One instance was on a Scarlett run where he was across the LOS and Goolsby just stopped blocking and let his guy keep what looked like a long run held to 3 yards. We are an A/B gap rush team with an occasional stretch or sweep...to the weak side. We'd be better off running 3 receivers with a FB.
- Jimbo's halftime interview showed him happy and smiling and praising Cook's efforts. He knew he had this one in his back pocket. Right now, he owns Mac and the rest of us I suppose. The result tonight did nothing but ensure they get who they want from the best in-state recruits and we get the leftovers. Another "State Championship" as well (my aching @ss).
- I almost joined Kev in the crow eating thread. Glad now I didn't. Oh I'll still eat a plate full, but I'm inviting Mac to eat one with me, especially after his remark about the fans that haven't been real pleased with our offensive performances despite 8 wins. I just don't think he gets the importance of his role as the face of Gator Nation...at all. Maybe I'm wrong and I hope so, but right now, I'm having a hard time seeing us being any better than we are at this juncture. I'm happy that we've won the East two years in a row, but sooner or later, some of the teams on this side of the SEC are gonna get better, and if we aren't one of them, well, you know where we'll be. I think he and the staff have done well picking some mid-level recruits that are becoming good players, but unless he finds a way to get more of the top-level guys, I think we'll struggle to push through the envelope we currently find ourselves in.
I'm sorry if this offends, but I just think we are seeing Mac at his best right now. Hope I'm wrong and maybe my frustrations from the Muschamp era are influencing my perceptions, but we've been doing the same thing offensively over and over this year and have beat the weak sisters, but save LSU, the better teams on the schedule, all both of them, have kicked our @ss. We are what we consistently do. The one thing I am pleased with is that we have begun playing with more passion of late, so maybe there is hope for improvements in other areas? I can only hope.
I'll be praying for a miracle against the Tide, so until next Saturday...Go Gators! Heal up and show up.
*edit - I thought all along that the D would have to play nearly flawless and the plan, which was no shocker, was to somehow keep Cook bottled up than on the loose and keep a lot of pressure on Francois. As it turned out, we didn't do either well enough to overcome what I expected our offense to provide (despite the nice yet unfulfilled opening drive).
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