Bits & Pieces: Florida vs. Louisiana State

[cover2]

Dong...Dong...Dong...
No, not the intro to Hell's Bells (though I think I might have used that phrase a time or two in the second half), but more like the clock striking midnight for Cinderella. Probably not the correct analogy, but I think it's safe to say that the clock did strike midnight on good fortune shining on us. The carriage we rode out of BHG after UT and from Lexington suddenly turned into a Yugo with a burnt valve and a couple of flat tires. Suddenly the momentum from the Vandy win that many hoped would carry us a while was nowhere to be found against an LSU team that was floundering. They were coming off a loss to Troy, for goodness sakes, their staff was infighting, and Ed O was under the gun from fans and the administration alike. By that token, Mac may have secretly helped us by providing a signature turning point that might help save Orgeron's job. But he's 1-0 against the Mac Attack, so all bets are off for next year.

Certainly there were factors beyond Mac's control that had an impact. Losing Cleveland, our only receiver it seems that can get separation, hurt the passing game. Eddy's miss was big and it looks like there might have been some problems with the hold, but the sad fact is that the O didn't piss a drop after that point. You can't win if you don't score anymore. Not sure of the stats, as I haven't looked, but we got gashed in the second half some. The first half, we couldn't stop Jet Sweep. Their rush hurt us, obviously. So next we entertain another struggling team, but who has an offensive pulse. Said Mr. Bill on Saturday Night Live..."Oh No!" Interesting to see how we'll fare after this performance. Let's talk some specifics...

*We had a few good defensive moments. Zuniga made a few good plays, as did Sherit. Hats off to Chauncey! He answered the critics, myself being one, as he should with better tackling. Keep it up, but no smug Twitter, please! Unfortunately, there were more bad things that went on on that side of the ball. Did I mention the early inability to stop the Jet Sweep? The ends hurt us on a couple of those by getting upfield and allowing the ball carrier a one-on-one with our LB, who was a step slow or, like Vosean on one sweep who was unblocked but never picked up the handoff and stood flat-footed as the back blew by him. He did a nice pirouette after the fact, however. He still is inconsistent on play diagnoses. He's young, but he's got to grow a little quicker. Later on, we were giving up lanes inside the tackles and had some misses that helped solidify LSU's rush. Consistency, thy name is not Florida Defense.

*Offesively, Frank's was able to make a few nice throws. Just not enough of them, to overstate the obvious. Perine had a couple of good runs and scored our two TDs, but someone please answer this for me: to me, Davis is our best back, so why does Perine get the bulk of the carries (or at least it looked like that without benefit of the stat line)? Head-scratcher. Toney had some good moments, just not enough, though that might be attributable to his ankle. If so, what happened to retaping and letting his nuts continue to drop? Play calls looked to be same song, different verse, but what else is new? Young receivers seem to consistently get stuck on defenders (no separation) or are imprecise on routes. LSU was not a vaunted D. What a lot of us have feared caught up to us. Question is, do we use this as a reason to change things or will it be same ol' same ol'? Two years and five games say the latter. Prove us wrong, dammit!

*Special Teams? Missed PAT is on everyone's mind. Did see a couple of good punt coverages, so maybe Mac's onto something. Personally, I still like to see Townsend boom a 60 yarder, hang time be damned. A good team has a group of want-to's out there who take pride in covering the long ones, so I guess we do what we have to to maximize the "talent" of that group. Hell, I'm nitpicking, I guess. We have much bigger issues.

*I coached a bunch of ball at the lower levels. I feel disengenuous questioning college coaches, but I consider myself to be a student of the game and I know there are many principals that are tried and true at all levels of football and as such, I just can't wrap my mind around Mac's thinking, game and clock management, and his penchant for often playing not to lose. The time outs toward the end of the game were puzzling to me as was the play sequence on our last possession. Nuss gets the lion's share of the blame and he deserves a lot, but Mac signs off on it and he has a headset that would allow him to both hear and override any call. But I don't think we see that happening. He was supposed to be beyond merely capable in that phase, but we don't see it, not with much consistency anyway. Also, the time out after lining up to go on 4th down and then punting made little sense. I'm sure LSU lined up in something that challenged the play call, but if you scouted them, you should know what looks you'll likely get in most formations and down and distances. Didn't hurt us, I guess, but didn't speak positively to our preparation and plan for such a situation. 4th down efficiency stayed high, so I guess that's a positive? I'll stop now before feelings are hurt any more than they have been already.

*My son read me a funny (sic) Tweet after the game concerning our big recruiting weekend...something to the effect of "at least they (the recruits) could see we need help!"

*A big lack of fortune was Duke's pick being ruled a completed pass. Lost a possible momentum swing.

*Mentioned Chauncey's improved tackling, but Washington took over the role of Rooster to the LSU runner's semi. It's hurtful to see our guys either get trucked or whiff so often. Part of me believes Shannon knows he's got a lot of liabilities in the personnel he must play and even though I don't completely agree with his approach, I respect to an extent what he's trying to do. Didn't expect to get shoved around as much as we did today. Failures among all three D groups is a killer when your O is neutered for a good part of the second half, particularly late in the game.

So what happens now? Do we nut up and let TAMU leave feeling better about themselves? Hope not. I'll always expect us to come back fighting and get back on the road and out of the ditch we ran in today. Surely, the secondary will be more strongly tested than today and they haven't exactly been stalwart this season. Time for many things to be clicking on both sides, but no indicators after today that it will be a given. This team and staff have to be one game at a time. Lack of attention to detail has to do a 180. Expecting better, especially with the Dawgs looming as the East team to beat. Hell, who am I kidding? They'll beat the crap out of us if things don't change. But that's a discussion for another day. Take care of business next week. Then we'll worry about who's next. Go Gators!

P/S Dameon Pierce didn't play Friday night due to a hamstring injury suffered just before the half in the previous game. His Bearcats defeated The team from Warner Robbins where the UGA starting QB played. Incidentally, his younger brother is this year's QB, but not quite the same player. Hopefully Dameon heals and gets back after a bye week upcoming.

 

[FireFoley]

C2, I really have no more to say about Butters. I was done on that first series, when on 4th down and 2 yards to go, on your own 40yd. line, no sane coach is going to go for it there, so why would you burn a timeout and then go ahead and punt. Just punt the damn ball and try to flip the field. it does not matter that losing that timeout did not haunt us, it is the process by which Butters goes about his managing of the game or lack thereof. Fourth game in a row he has made a colossal, moronic mistake in simple game management.

 

[BMF]

C2, Texas A&M ain't a "struggling team". They're actually on fire. They just lost to the best team in the country tonight....and are going to laugh all week long watching our tape.

Otherwise, great write up...ares usual.

 

[cover2]

C2, I really have no more to say about Butters. I was done on that first series, when on 4th down and 2 yards to go, on your own 40yd. line, no sane coach is going to go for it there, so why would you burn a timeout and then go ahead and punt. Just punt the damn ball and try to flip the field. it does not matter that losing that timeout did not haunt us, it is the process by which Butters goes about his managing of the game or lack thereof. Fourth game in a row he has made a colossal, moronic mistake in simple game management.

Can't disagree. As stated, I can't get any feel at all for Mac's thought processes. My gut tells me to think he doesn't prepare well. Our last possession with the length of the field to go and the TO's essentially burned up, you'd think there would be not only a sense of urgency, but also a better designed two minute offense. We didn't seem to have much sense of urgency or a viable plan at that time.

 

[cover2]

C2, Texas A&M ain't a "struggling team". They're actually on fire. They just lost to the best team in the country tonight....and are going to laugh all week long watching our tape.

Otherwise, great write up...ares usual.

Yeah, was referring to earlier issues and wasn't clear. They got better against USCe and did some good things against Bama. They should be confident next week and rightfully so. I fear for our secondary. Thanks for compliment!

 

[Tunaboat]

Nice writeup as always Cover. We beat them last year in their house with an inferior team. They beat us in our house this year with an inferior team. Both teams have inferior coaches. Neither will be worth a damn to anybody at the end of the season, next season, or until they both get fired, which will happen to both within 24 months.

 

[Swamped Gator]

So let me get this straight. Coach Mac yells at Davis for scoring a TD late in the Vandy game but isn't smart enough to let LSU score a TD late in this game?? LSU would have gone up by 8 and we would have saved all the time on the clock. Guys, our coach is clueless....

 

[FireFoley]

Yeah, was referring to earlier issues and wasn't clear. They got better against USCe and did some good things against Bama. They should be confident next week and rightfully so. I fear for our secondary. Thanks for compliment!

C2, Butters never has a plan. hell even Ogre had a plan today which was Jet sweep the living hell out of us b/c our LB's are awful in space and slow as molasses.

Speaking of A&M and our secondary, it could be ugly. I never ever want to see any player get injured on any team, and I hope to goodness Nick Washington is okay, but I beg to let this be the last we see of Washington as a safety ever again. I am fine with letting the true frosh play and get beaten. I am sick an tired of watching Washington and his NON- pass covering ability. He has played 4 years and gotten worse each year.

 

[FireFoley]

So let me get this straight. Coach Mac yells at Davis for scoring a TD late in the Vandy game but isn't smart enough to let LSU score a TD late in this game?? LSU would have gone up by 8 and we would have saved all the time on the clock. Guys, our coach is clueless....

yes we know. And as the old saying goes: "You Can't Fix STUPID"

 

[Gatorup!]

Disappointing effort in that victory was always within reach, yet Gators kept pushing it away instead of grasping it. A stop by the D deep in LSU territory that would flip the field never seemed to happen and the O never found any consistency. Franks made some nice plays, but doesn't seem to be getting much help from his receivers. We did see more Toney and that worked some but it got to be predictable in how they were using him. Agree with the above about Davis not being in the game more. The guy is a threat to break a long one every time he touches the ball.

Suspensions and injuries are hurting the Gators, but so is the play calling and the lack of execution at clutch times. How lame is defensive offsides? Many will say Mac's luck was bound to run out but IMO it's more he let his team get outplayed by handicapping his players with poor coaching.

 

[Since65]

Cover,
I am curious as to your take on Franks ? I know they have kept the training wheels on him for the most part so perhaps we haven't seen enough to make a legitimate assessment.

I just don't see much pizazz from him. The proverbial it Factor. Bruce Arians has a book out in which he talks a lot about what makes great quarterbacks. He says the great ones have exceptional leadership ability, they are leaders of men. I don't see Frank coming across that way in the huddle or on the sidelines, etc. Perhaps its his youth. Other than the ability to throw the ball a long distance I don't see much in the way of Four Star qualities.

What think you?

 

[T REX]

I just don't think it would be a good idea to let that frustration lead to head coaching change discussions. If people want to talk about Nuss's playcalling, fine... or the overall lack of adjustments by both Shannon and Nuss, fine. But people specifically should not say that we should start over with a new coaching staff given the circumstances. Recruiting is improving. The buyout would be insane, the likelihood in landing anybody who'd be guaranteed to do better is low. Calling for firing Mac is a move based from frustration, not a good logical move.

 

[cover2]

Cover,
I am curious as to your take on Franks ? I know they have kept the training wheels on him for the most part so perhaps we haven't seen enough to make a legitimate assessment.

I just don't see much pizazz from him. The proverbial it Factor. Bruce Arians has a book out in which he talks a lot about what makes great quarterbacks. He says the great ones have exceptional leadership ability, they are leaders of men. I don't see Frank coming across that way in the huddle or on the sidelines, etc. Perhaps its his youth. Other than the ability to throw the ball a long distance I don't see much in the way of Four Star qualities.

What think you?

Athletically he has what it takes, but the book on him was that he would require a lot of coaching on the finer points of being a successful QB, not the least of which was reading route progressions and instinctively knowing what most likely will be open on the pre-snap reads. This part of the game is still too fast for him. Rumor is that he didn't prepare himself as well as he should have in the off season and this could well be a big part of why he is not as complete a QB as he should be in year two. I think he has an upside, but it is not as quick to appear as consistently as we need. Our young receivers don't help him much, either IMO. I think part of the plan offensively is to rely on the run and give him a lot of simple pass plays to execute (WR and RB screens, to name a couple). A point was made that we often don't do well on 2nd down in terms of getting us a third and short, which ratchets up the pressure on his still forming football brain. But he's the horse we've got to ride. Zaire ain't the answer. I think there's got to be more the coaches should be able to do in terms of his development and in the game plan, but position group inconsistencies and puzzling personnel and play sequencing decisions only compound matters IMO.

 

[cover2]

I just don't think it would be a good idea to let that frustration lead to head coaching change discussions. If people want to talk about Nuss's playcalling, fine... or the overall lack of adjustments by both Shannon and Nuss, fine. But people specifically should not say that we should start over with a new coaching staff given the circumstances. Recruiting is improving. The buyout would be insane, the likelihood in landing anybody who'd be guaranteed to do better is low. Calling for firing Mac is a move based from frustration, not a good logical move.

I agree Rex. But the guy's got himself in this position due to both recruitment and an inconsistent and often impotent offensive scheme. The fact that the D is far less than what we have had doesn't help things. We desperately need continuity from the HBC, but Mac isn't exactly engendering confidence that he will provide that.

 

[GatorStud]

I'm not as technically sound about the game as others, but beat it to death or not, it's the OC in harmony with his position group coaching. There's no method to his madness. I mean it feels like just guessing, our talent seems poorly substituted during critical/momentum runs, not composing an attack on enemy weakness... just spin the limited imagination play wheel. So, we're quick to stall out and Nuss doesn't know how to get our team out of trouble and back on the rails, most Saturday's.

The D, I could almost cry. The pendulum swings and cuts us again. Muschamp masturbating over his D to the neglect of the O, and now, Mac is out chasing his shadow on O while our once vaunted D looks kind of small and too gentile. Youth abounds and about a half dozen <ahem!> studs, but our D needs more headhunters and wrecking balls.

Pretty disappointed in the showing after a week of practice, and after all, it was the corn dogs. I mean it was a descent fight as always, but we could of taken this one with the right leadership vibe and mission. I'm sure a squad worth of players absent/suspended plays into it, but there are weapons to use. Nuss plays them like dealing cards instead of attacking mismatches, playing the hot hand until stopped, choreography for the lord's sake Nuss. Back to our D, recruiting emphasis is an equal partner to your trial efforts Mac.

Finally, when listening to Mac's coach speak and body language, it does not exude confidence and authority. Among kids, this is not usually a formula for achieving above and beyond moments. It's starting to get a little too paternal and the kids don't listen anymore for me. So, I'm in the cut Mac (and presumably Nuss) from the active roster.

Go Gators!

 

[GatorStud]

I just don't think it would be a good idea to let that frustration lead to head coaching change discussions. If people want to talk about Nuss's playcalling, fine... or the overall lack of adjustments by both Shannon and Nuss, fine. But people specifically should not say that we should start over with a new coaching staff given the circumstances. Recruiting is improving. The buyout would be insane, the likelihood in landing anybody who'd be guaranteed to do better is low. Calling for firing Mac is a move based from frustration, not a good logical move.

Put the cocktail, bong, pipe or straw down and back away from the table is that really you Rex. The thought took me by surprise. Yeah, the set back in recruiting + relationship building at risk, but I don't know if this leadership group can coach said increase talent cohesively. We are in a conundrum.

 

[Chomper]

And now for the bad news: the easy part of the SEC schedule is over. (With the possible exception of Missouri. And we all remember what Missouri did to Muschamp's Gators). UGa is going to kill us.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

I just don't think it would be a good idea to let that frustration lead to head coaching change discussions.

The pvssy afraid of offense isnt Nusschump, it is Butters. Nusschump is a product of Butters incompetence.

 

[Tunaboat]

We are in Butters Hell until we fire him. Every year will be an extension of the descending trip into hell that we are now on. Mac is all about that, he cannot process the game real-time on the sidelines and makes the most stupid decisions that I can remember any coach making.

 

[stephenPE]

There are no words to assuage the feelings on Sunday morning after a loss. There is no magic phrase to ease the pissedoffness. It is what it is. Our team is a shell of a complete team. We have talent but injuries and suspensions has gutted it. We also have players that do not quit.............

the bycchh is back..........(I even got the orange and blue in there)