Gators Survive; Noles Dead Ahead

cover2

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Coaches sometimes talk about their teams overlooking presumably overmatched opponents despite every effort they make to get them to focus as if they were playing a better team or rival. Hundreds of David and Goliath outcomes through the history off sports have resulted. One colleague described it as being "the fear of starting the game with the lights off and then being unable to find the switch in the dark!" That was almost our fate today. The light flickered until Treon hit McGee, who made a nifty move, for the game winner. Of course, it went pitch black again on the PAT. Luckily, Brian Poole had enough light and opened his eyes to make the final play for the win (because he didn't see shti the play before!).

We survived. That's about the best that can be said IMO. Mac can say that this team finds a way to win, and I'll agree with him with regard to previous games, but not today. With the help of a 2 win opponent, we found a way to not lose. Is there a difference? I think so. In this game we had so many opportunities to shake off the slow start and run away and hide in the 2nd half, but each time we found a way to let them back in. We didn't make the plays we had to make early on. Thank goodness we made the last one of the game. If there is a bit of a silver lining, historically we have been knocked back into consciousness after games like this and played well.

Anyhow, enough mullygrubbing. Here are a few observations:

*To overstate the obvious, the OL was about 1500 lbs of horse manure today. Why this group of all our position groups thought they could just show up and dominate is beyond me. They were physically whipped for all but what seemed like a handful of plays. They all need to kiss KT's @ss or buy him a steak. Probably Treon, too.

*Been reading about Demarcus Robinson's likely entry into the draft. He'll probably get snagged, but a pro would have hung onto the one he dropped, erasing a TD.

*Without a wide angle view, it's hard to tell from the TV, but I can't believe that FAU had us completely covered on all the roll outs where Treon was either sacked, ran out of bounds, turned it over, or threw it away. I thought I saw a couple of guys open (McGee for one) on a couple of these. Andre Ware was right about his internal clock and it's obvious that his vision narrows greatly when flushed. I thought we were going to have a chance to win at the end until he missed an open Powell on the 3rd down play. Thankfully he hit the one we needed in OT.

*Austin Hardin (shakes head). Misses one off the left goal post. Misses the next wide right (over correction?). Has the PAT in OT blocked. Let the Dentist kick.

*I have lost no faith in Coach Mac and love to hear his comments and pressers. But I cringed a little when he earlier described FAU as probably having a roster full of guys who wanted to be Gators! In reality, the bulletin board material wasn't nearly the factor that our obvious overlooking them was, but when we barely won in OT, it made us and Mac look like "Ned and the Third Reader."

There were some positives today (KT, Callaway's return and TD catch, Poole's final play, Bullard not being injured and out, etc.) and thankfully they were enough. The first principal I worked for many years ago told me that sometimes we are forced to learn lessons through our @ss when our head fails to do so! Hoping this is the case as those lessons (maybe because of the embarrassment) last a while. We'll know if that's so these next couple of weeks. Noles dead ahead. Go Gators!
 

GatorStud

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The agony of winning... there was little 'want to' in our O-line... always enjoy your take Cover. Go Gators!
 

Bernardo de la Paz

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I thought Jarrad Davis had a great game too.

Can't believe Hardin missed both short field goals, but the blocked PAT was on the OL. The guy who blocked it ran right between the long snapper and the left guard completely untouched.
 

Swamp Donkey

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/*To overstate the obvious, the OL was about 1500 lbs of horse manure today. Why this group of all our position groups thought they could just show up and dominate is beyond me. They were physically whipped for all but what seemed like a handful of plays. They all need to kiss KT's @ss or buy him a steak. Probably Treon, too.
:popcorn:
 

Doopree

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For me, there's been a sense of "waiting for the real team to show up". After these past few games, it's apparent that this low level of play is not an abiration but really who we are.

It's an embarrassment to watch this team play and it will continue to do so until we can stock the roster with SEC talent.
 

Zambo

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Watch it again.
I've watched it several times. The guy came thru just left of the center, barely jumped, and blocked it with his elbow. All of Hardin's kicks are ridiculously low and rarely get more than ten feet over the crossbar and this one was no different.
 

Bernardo de la Paz

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I've watched it several times. The guy came thru just left of the center, barely jumped, and blocked it with his elbow. All of Hardin's kicks are ridiculously low and rarely get more than ten feet over the crossbar and this one was no different.

It's hard to see where the ball hits him on that video, but it looks to me like it hits him in the hands. I just know he shouldn't be behind the center.
block.png
 

Zambo

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I'm just glad he blocked it because it probably would have hurt like hell if it would've hit our center in the back of the head.
 

Zambo

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BTW, watch Bama's kicker, he'll be kicking another PAT any second now. The damn ball goes nearly over the top of the uprights even on a PAT.
 

Chomper

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For me, there's been a sense of "waiting for the real team to show up". After these past few games, it's apparent that this low level of play is not an abiration but really who we are.

It's an embarrassment to watch this team play and it will continue to do so until we can stock the roster with SEC talent.

We definitely need SEC-level talent on Offense. But the D is very much SEC-quality and fun to watch. But in today's score-happy CFB world, teams that win with D don't get nearly the respect they deserve.
 

gatorfan81

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I just wonder if this team is hanging there hat on "Hey we won the east so no matter what happens we have overachieved" Do they not understand they win the next two games I don't care if it's by one point or 50 they will be in the playoffs.
 

NavetG8r

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I just wonder if this team is hanging there hat on "Hey we won the east so no matter what happens we have overachieved" Do they not understand they win the next two games I don't care if it's by one point or 50 they will be in the playoffs.
Yeah, no. That's not really true anymore since there are less than 4 undefeated power 5 teams left. The eye test will mean more and more as we get closer to the 4 team selection date.
 

Instigator

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We got the Noles right where we want them. Overconfident and coming to the swamp. All the press will be against the Gators. We still have the better coach and team. I actually do think we have played vanilla purposely and coach will have some new looks for the Noles. Our online was MUCH better without Ivey and I think we throw lots underneath and hit a few big ones - plus a couple of good gashing runs. Our defense will frustrate the hell out of FSU and will lead to multiple turnovers. It will be close but we will win!!!

Sorry for the sunshine pumping - but I just spent a load of money on tickets last week and refuse to believe it is as bad as it seems
 

Bernardo de la Paz

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BTW, watch Bama's kicker, he'll be kicking another PAT any second now. The damn ball goes nearly over the top of the uprights even on a PAT.
Well that's great for bama's kicker. Our kicker is Austin Hardin and he kicks it low like that pretty much every time. And some of them even go in. It always helps when the offensive line does their job and blocks the other team, which they did not do on this play.
 

Gatordiddy

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uh...the guy who blocked it never left his feet... watch it again.
His vertical leap of "on his tip toes" was enough to knock it down with no penetration.
watch number 8 just to the right of the center (the center's left) at :30 - it hits him in the left hand.
Austin needs to finesse those a bit more with some elevation and leave the lower elevation kicks to longer distances.
 

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