Butters future suddenly looking brighter

[T REX]

a defense that may take a small step back, but won't fall off a cliff.

May? Come on. What's a small step back? top 30? 40?

 

[Tunaboat]

Nice Love Boat clip. I forgot how many good-looking sluts were on that thing.

 

[Gator2222]

May? Come on. What's a small step back? top 30? 40?

I haven't thought of it from a ranking standpoint. I was simply talking about overall performance.

Obviously, injuries happen and can instantly change any unit's performance. However, injuries simply can't be predicted other than we will definitely have some. Given that, we return a lot of experience and talent in the secondary. We will probably need to start a freshman at one corner position and that is never a good thing. I think one of the new comers (hopefully Wilson) will step in and perform well enough. I think the young linebackers show a lot of promise. If they can improve their gap control they can be a team strength. The defensive line shouldn't drop off too much, especially if Slaton is as good as advertised.

Scoring defense is the stat that truly matters. Last year we gave up 16.8 points per game. I think this year we will be no worse than 22 - 24 points per game.

Is that unreasonable?

 

[T REX]

I haven't thought of it from a ranking standpoint. I was simply talking about overall performance.

Obviously, injuries happen and can instantly change any unit's performance. However, injuries simply can't be predicted other than we will definitely have some. Given that, we return a lot of experience and talent in the secondary. We will probably need to start a freshman at one corner position and that is never a good thing. I think one of the new comers (hopefully Wilson) will step in and perform well enough. I think the young linebackers show a lot of promise. If they can improve their gap control they can be a team strength. The defensive line shouldn't drop off too much, especially if Slaton is as good as advertised.

Scoring defense is the stat that truly matters. Last year we gave up 16.8 points per game. I think this year we will be no worse than 22 - 24 points per game.

Is that unreasonable?

http://www.espn.com/college-footbal...otal/position/defense/sort/totalPointsPerGame

This says 17.9 - giving up an extra TD a game seems like more than a small step back but that's just me.

 

[Gator2222]

http://www.espn.com/college-footbal...otal/position/defense/sort/totalPointsPerGame

This says 17.9 - giving up an extra TD a game seems like more than a small step back but that's just me.

Again, difference in outlook. God willing we finally get a QB under center that can deliver the ball and 6 points won't seem as much.

 

[MJMGator]

I haven't thought of it from a ranking standpoint. I was simply talking about overall performance.

Obviously, injuries happen and can instantly change any unit's performance. However, injuries simply can't be predicted other than we will definitely have some. Given that, we return a lot of experience and talent in the secondary. We will probably need to start a freshman at one corner position and that is never a good thing. I think one of the new comers (hopefully Wilson) will step in and perform well enough. I think the young linebackers show a lot of promise. If they can improve their gap control they can be a team strength. The defensive line shouldn't drop off too much, especially if Slaton is as good as advertised.

Scoring defense is the stat that truly matters. Last year we gave up 16.8 points per game. I think this year we will be no worse than 22 - 24 points per game.

Is that unreasonable?

If we give up 22-24 a game then we'll have a 5-7 to 7-5 record. Mac's offense can't outscore that. We averaged 23.2 his first year and 23.9 his second.

 

[Gator2222]

http://www.espn.com/college-footbal...otal/position/defense/sort/totalPointsPerGame

This says 17.9 - giving up an extra TD a game seems like more than a small step back but that's just me.

By the way, this is where I got the 16.8.

http://www.ncaa.com/stats/football/fbs/current/team/28

I bet the NCAA stats count the bowl game and the ESPN stats don't. I can't think of any other reason for the discrepancy.

 

[Gator2222]

If we give up 22-24 a game then we'll have a 5-7 to 7-5 record. Mac's offense can't outscore that. We averaged 23.2 his first year and 23.9 his second.

I'm optimistic this season we will finally field an offense that can score. Hopefully, Franks or Trask can deliver the ball.

 

[MJMGator]

I'm optimistic this season we will finally field an offense that can score. Hopefully, Franks or Trask can deliver the ball.

What gives you reason for the optimism? Our choices at QB will be more LDR or one of two redshirt freshman that have never take a snap in a college game. Not to mention the same OC that has coached us to two triple digit offensive rankings. I see no reason to believe it will be any bettter.

 

[Gator2222]

What gives you reason for the optimism? Our choices at QB will be more LDR or one of two redshirt freshman that have never take a snap in a college game. Not to mention the same OC that has coached us to two triple digit offensive rankings. I see no reason to believe it will be any bettter.

I see an improving offensive line with more talent on the way. We have WR's running open every game. Massey will be back and we are adding two more talented players. The RB's have another year of experience and will be running behind an improved line. The QB position has more talent than at any point in Mac's tenure at Florida. Mac is 11-1 in the Swamp and most of our challenging games will be played in Gainesville.

I honestly don't see many reasons not to be optimistic. I'm sure we will disagree on that point though.

No way to tell which of us is reading the tea leaves correctly till the games are played. I know that we are both hoping I'm right.

 

[MJMGator]

I see an improving offensive line with more talent on the way. We have WR's running open every game. Massey will be back and we are adding two more talented players. The RB's have another year of experience and will be running behind an improved line. The QB position has more talent than at any point in Mac's tenure at Florida. Mac is 11-1 in the Swamp and most of our challenging games will be played in Gainesville.

I honestly don't see many reasons not to be optimistic. I'm sure we will disagree on that point though.

No way to tell which of us is reading the tea leaves correctly till the games are played. I know that we are both hoping I'm right.

How can you say the OL will be improved? It could be better or it could be worse.
We have more talent at QB? We have the same talent we had last year minus Appleby.
Wishful thinking and nothing more. I fully expect more of the same with a less talented defense. Any rationale person would IMO.

 

[Gator2222]

How can you say the OL will be improved? It could be better or it could be worse.
We have more talent at QB? We have the same talent we had last year minus Appleby.
Wishful thinking and nothing more. I fully expect more of the same with a less talented defense. Any rationale person would IMO.

LOL, you're absolutely right in that the OL may be better and it may be worse. I was just giving my opinion and not claiming to be a psychic.

With the QB talent again you're technically correct. We do have the same talent minus Applebee. However, Franks and Trask were redshirting and were not going to see the field. I was basing my opinion on the fact that this season we have more talent that may actually get in a game.

That's funny, I've always been accused of being too rational.

 

[oxrageous]

That's funny, I've always been accused of being too rational.

I don't consider completely ignoring reality to be rational. Our season hinges almost completely on Frask. If they fail, it's going to be another dumpster fire of a season.

Prepare yourself.

 

[crosscreekcooter]

I don't consider completely ignoring reality to be rational. Our season hinges almost completely on Frask. If they fail, it's going to be another dumpster fire of a season.

Prepare yourself.

In what universe. There is no way MacButter starts Franks or Trask over Del Taco.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

, I've always been accused of being too rational.

Lulz. Link? Ive never heard anyone call you anything but the delusional king of pumpers.

Maybe Coach thinks you are rational. But that is coach.

 

[t-gator]

I haven't thought of it from a ranking standpoint. I was simply talking about overall performance.

Obviously, injuries happen and can instantly change any unit's performance. However, injuries simply can't be predicted other than we will definitely have some. Given that, we return a lot of experience and talent in the secondary. We will probably need to start a freshman at one corner position and that is never a good thing. I think one of the new comers (hopefully Wilson) will step in and perform well enough. I think the young linebackers show a lot of promise. If they can improve their gap control they can be a team strength. The defensive line shouldn't drop off too much, especially if Slaton is as good as advertised.

Scoring defense is the stat that truly matters. Last year we gave up 16.8 points per game. I think this year we will be no worse than 22 - 24 points per game.

Is that unreasonable?

I think when you lose possibly four 1st round picks on the defensive side of the ball, you should expect a pretty big drop off. Losing gray was another big blow. The job he did with harris,Washington and Dawson was nothing like I've seen as far improvement goes from a position group. We have a very inexperienced db coach coaching a somewhat young group of DB's. We're gonna be forced to play freshmen at defensive tackle. I agree that Mac has done a good job bringing up the body count at O-line and the talent at the receiver position is better. This defense is going to be in trouble next year and our offense is gonna have to score. I haven't seen hardly anything that makes me believe mac and nuss are capable of winning high scoring games. How many have we won because of our offense since they've been here? This is a serious question. Do you consider gene chizik a good coach?

 

[Durty South Swamp]

I don't think anyone is trying to have it both ways.

I think this is how most of us non-negators feel.

We were a raging dumpster fire. Mac put out the fire and has us heading the right direction, but we aren't quite there yet. We can win the games we are supposed to win and a few that we aren't. However, we aren't quite back to the point that we can beat the cream of the crop. Mac is putting the pieces in place that will get us there. Many of us think we are a QB away. Whether that QB is currently on the roster remains to be seen.

That doesn't mean we think losing is OK. That also doesn't mean we think being blown out is acceptable. Yes, we know recruiting needs to improve.

However, some of us see an improving OL with more talent on the way, talented skill position players with WR's running open every game and a defense that may take a small step back, but won't fall off a cliff.

Winning without good QB play is the exception. Mac has been that exception. It seems to me that when he does get a QB the whole thing will take off.

Your posts are always full of ifs and whens which is no different than a coach talking about a kid's potential. I've got no issue with optimism but lets call it what it is, hope not reality. The fact that we have some receivers get open during a game doesn't really knock me over either; even cupcakes can say that when playing great teams.

 

[MJMGator]

Your posts are always full of ifs and whens which is no different than a coach talking about a kid's potential. I've got no issue with optimism but lets call it what it is, hope not reality. The fact that we have some receivers get open during a game doesn't really knock me over either; even cupcakes can say that when playing great teams.

There's a reason our receivers are always open...because teams know they don't have to respect the passing game and can focus on stopping the run. If we ever find a QB that can make a read and a throw, we'll see defenses playing us much differently.

 

[LighthouseGator]

Our season hinges almost completely on Frask. If they fail, it's going to be another dumpster fire of a season.

Prepare yourself.

I disagree here. In order to win the East again why can't our running game be the focal point of the offense with timely throws mixed in? We're returning a now-seasoned, big oline line and two bruising, talented backs. Those backs enjoyed modest success last year despite having the worst YPC before 1st contact in the SEC (that stat was posted somewhere on the board recently) behind a still-gelling line. I fully expect that to improve and be the strength of the offense, and I think that's what Mac is thinking when he says he wants the Oline to have more fire and be more aggressive. If so, you get Frask working with more reasonable down-and-distances on a consistent basis setting them up for success, better play action opportunities on the outside with AC and Cleveland over the top, and less time that your younger, depth-challenged defense has to be on the field.

Plus, it's not like the rest of the East, or the SEC for that matter is throwing up Air Raid-style offensive numbers. The reality is that the QB play league-wide is horrific. It's also worth pointing out that a strong running game and timely throws is exactly how Mac ran his offense at Bama under Saban.

I'm not saying I like it, but it is what it is, and given the composition of our team going into next year, especially the dynamic of young, inexperienced qbs, veteran oline and rbs, and depth-challenged D, that is how I see our identity next year. Hopefully by the end of the year Frask has his sea legs under him and the offense can open up.

I don't know that this will be a successful strategy and enough to win the East and beyond (though it could be), but I'm not sure Mac has a choice unless Frask is way better than the tea leaves currently suggest.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

I disagree here. In order to win the East again why can't our running game be the focal point of the offense

Because every team in the SEC is built to stop the run...and is a sieve vs the pass. Every team except TAM is trying to develop one of those monster run games.