Gators vs Cats 2014

[Gatorbait25]

This topic deserves its own thread in a lot of ways.

My weariness of Chimp began in the '12 season. The Texas A&M victory was nice, but it was before A&M got heated up. The FSU game was one of the better games I've watched from any UF team. Outside of that, the victories were all pretty ugly. The two losses were nightmarish. Still I figured a spring practice under the same OC and a second year under the same offensive system would be the cure.

I was appalled during the Toledo game. That's when the warning signs went from mild to flashing yellow. A couple sides to that Toledo game. If anybody remembers, Chimp was a complete azz in the post-game conference. He basically acted like he was the second coming of Spurrier. That did not sit well with me.

A second side came from the midday tailgate on AM 850. At the time, I was splitting time between Gainesville and St. Augustine, so I heard a lot of Gainesville/Jacksonville sports radio. Jeff Cardozo and Adam Schick were discussing the game, and got into a heated argument. Shick basically said that the Gators were not in a position to play it safe against Toledo and hold back. 1). They needed reps/practice and 2). Muschamp needed to finally blow one of these scrubs out of the water for the fans. Cardozo scolded Schick to no end basically saying he was a greedy fan and overreacting. It got pretty heated. I was definitely in Schick's camp. Then came the Miami debacle. That was it for me. Memories of Georgia the prior year came flooding back. We needed to pound Miami. I could see in year three that there was going to be no offensive improvement under Chimp. The only possible hope was that the blame could rest on Driskel's shoulders. Well we know what happened to him in the next game and the rest is miserable, miserable history.

Went to a Gator club meeting after that Miami game. When the speaker took questions, I asked what the chances were that chimp would get fired. "Zero" was the response, and he was right obviously. He asked me who I would hire at that point. I think that's such a b.s. question. It's not my job to know that. Pure deflection from the speaker who didn't want to get off the bandwagon yet. So I told him Bill Belicheck and the crowd laughed in approval.

Good post. From the moment he was hired I never felt he would ever lead us to any kind of championship. 2013 Miami was the game that finally sealed the deal for me. So many head scratchers in the game. Purifoy blocks an early punt resulting in an easy score for the offense.Then of course the nonsensical going for two instead of tying it at 7. Obviously the rest of the season only got worse, and of course confirmed my conclusion from post game Miami 2013.

 

[oxrageous]

[video=youtube;jM_pvsvGDmE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jM_pvsvGDmE&index=7&list=FLCMtABJo_-RG2mTiyGCqxbw[/video]

 

[itsgr82bag8r]

I don't want to hex us but a lot of talking heads seem to think the KY streak will end this year...

They've been saying that for the last 2 decades........

 

[itsgr82bag8r]

Originally posted by itsgr82bag8r View Post

Rookie !

Story of our lives these last few years. Get a team down, but instead of grabbing them by the neck & finishing them, we let them go.

 

[TLB]

Story of our lives these last few years. Get a team down, but instead of grabbing them by the neck & finishing them, we say "just kidding" and hand them the win.

FIFY

 

[rogdochar]

They say a leopard can't change his spots …. well that one changes his spots.

 

[soflagator]

Good post. From the moment he was hired I never felt he would ever lead us to any kind of championship. 2013 Miami was the game that finally sealed the deal for me.

This describes me perfectly. The opening presser left me thinking we were in for some bad years under him. Too many of the coaching cliches, way too many "ok?" or "a'right", all delivered in an arrogant and noticeably stubborn tone. I'll always hope for the best, and had to eat some crow in 2012 as we pulled out some critical wins, but that 2013 miami game basically sealed it for me. I definitely didn't see 4-8, but to me even the 2011 record was a bad sign of things to come.

Back on topic, I was at the game and didn't catch the replays until the next day. But the debate I remember raging on here was regarding his facial expressions. The "Coach 9's" of the world tried to dismiss it as part of their excuse making. But I've never seen a coach visibly as shaken as WM was that night. He absolutely knew he was toast if we lost and it was all over his face. I also think that night turned him against the fans. It was pretty obvious that it was likely a "when" not "if" question on his firing, and it seems like he showed that the rest of the year. Even the ut win, he was happier about pissing off the crowd than escaping with a win for his program. I really think he shut down that night against Uk and never came back.

 

[dubster1]

I've never seen a coach visibly as shaken as WM was that night

after watching it again you're right he was just spent and realized he was in over his head.

 

[Gatorbait25]

This describes me perfectly. The opening presser left me thinking we were in for some bad years under him. Too many of the coaching cliches, way too many "ok?" or "a'right", all delivered in an arrogant and noticeably stubborn tone. I'll always hope for the best, and had to eat some crow in 2012 as we pulled out some critical wins, but that 2013 miami game basically sealed it for me. I definitely didn't see 4-8, but to me even the 2011 record was a bad sign of things to come.

Back on topic, I was at the game and didn't catch the replays until the next day. But the debate I remember raging on here was regarding his facial expressions. The "Coach 9's" of the world tried to dismiss it as part of their excuse making. But I've never seen a coach visibly as shaken as WM was that night. He absolutely knew he was toast if we lost and it was all over his face. I also think that night turned him against the fans. It was pretty obvious that it was likely a "when" not "if" question on his firing, and it seems like he showed that the rest of the year. Even the ut win, he was happier about pissing off the crowd than escaping with a win for his program. I really think he shut down that night against Uk and never came back.

There was a number of firing offenses in the 13' season. Obviously the two that come to mind are the blowout homecoming loss against Franklin, and the home game following
that one that ended in misery on a late November afternoon. That said many still gave him the benefit of the doubt going into 14' . The writing was on the wall for over a year with regard to our future.
You've made points that we were a year too late, and I wholeheartedly agree. Hopefully we see continuity here offensively under Mcelwain. I suspect he won't recruit players designed for a pro-style system, and then change his mind heading into year four with play-calling that doesn't fit the personnel.

 

[ATXGator]

While the DBs did get better after the Alabama game there is no excuse for the way they played in the UK and Bama games. These guys were not true freshman. Yes, they were young, but they had been through practices and our D Coordinators had not changed. There was a lack of communication on the field and it cost us. The real problem is as "good" as they were later in the year they still gave up big plays in big situations (LSU) that cost us games. If the D plays better we possibly beat both USC and LSU.

 

[Durty South Swamp]

While the DBs did get better after the Alabama game there is no excuse for the way they played in the UK and Bama games. These guys were not true freshman. Yes, they were young, but they had been through practices and our D Coordinators had not changed. There was a lack of communication on the field and it cost us. The real problem is as "good" as they were later in the year they still gave up big plays in big situations (LSU) that cost us games. If the D plays better we possibly beat both USC and LSU.

Exact same thing could be said about the offense, or special teams for that matter. If any of them did anything at all we could have won, sadly the entire team shat the bed in darn near every game the entire season.

 

[itsgr82bag8r]

Originally posted by ATXGator View Post
While the DBs did get better after the Alabama game there is no excuse for the way they played in the UK and Bama games. These guys were not true freshman. Yes, they were young, but they had been through practices and our D Coordinators had not changed. There was a lack of communication on the field and it cost us. The real problem is as "good" as they were later in the year they still gave up big plays in big situations (LSU) that cost us games. If the D plays better we possibly beat both USC and LSU.



Exact same thing could be said about the offense, or special teams for that matter. If any of them did anything at all we could have won, sadly the entire team shat the bed in darn near every game the entire season.

Adam Lane syndrome.

 

[Requiem121110]

There is no such thing as a bad win. There is a sobering effect when you realize that the players and coaches have been spewing nonsense, to the point of fans actually believing it. Hargreaves telling us that Driskel was the best quarterback in America and Muschamp constantly saying that UF was a very good football team are a couple that come to mind. After the Kentucky game, it was clear that all of that was bull. Still, any win is enjoyable unless it's such a bad game that it's hard to watch, the last two Tennessee games come to mind. I can't understand the mentality of the poster who recommended watching the FSU game instead, because it doesn't matter how well you played if you lose.You don't play to compile statistics, you play to win. As Lombardi said, that is the only thing that matters. .

 

[ATXGator]

There is no such thing as a bad win. There is a sobering effect when you realize that the players and coaches have been spewing nonsense, to the point of fans actually believing it. Hargreaves telling us that Driskel was the best quarterback in America and Muschamp constantly saying that UF was a very good football team are a couple that come to mind. After the Kentucky game, it was clear that all of that was bull. Still, any win is enjoyable unless it's such a bad game that it's hard to watch, the last two Tennessee games come to mind. I can't understand the mentality of the poster who recommended watching the FSU game instead, because it doesn't matter how well you played if you lose.You don't play to compile statistics, you play to win. As Lombardi said, that is the only thing that matters. .

[video=youtube;b5-iJUuPWis]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5-iJUuPWis[/video]

 

[ATXGator]

Exact same thing could be said about the offense, or special teams for that matter. If any of them did anything at all we could have won, sadly the entire team shat the bed in darn near every game the entire season.

Nope... the offense didn't improve during the season and either did special teams.

 

[Captain Sasquatch]

Went back and watched a lot of the 2nd half of this game on YouTube today. Completely forgot about D-Rob slipping and the DB dropping the pick right into his arms for about a 30 yard gain. Also forgot about the UK receiver dropping the pass right into Keanu Neal's arms late in the game. Also forgot the UK kicker's double bend FG from 50 yards that glanced in off the upright. What a bizarre game.

 

[TN G8tr]

No Kidding. Was there for that game. It was one of the weirdest games I've seen. I just chalked it up to the Football Gods trying to help us $#itcan Mustank. But you're right. If you didn't know any better someone was sitting in a Buffalo Wild Wings with one of those buttons at the bar.

 

[WobbleGator]

If the D plays better we possibly beat both USC and LSU.

And would still have WM as our coach. So be happy the D didn't play better.

 

[WobbleGator]

Went back and watched a lot of the 2nd half of this game on YouTube today. Completely forgot about D-Rob slipping and the DB dropping the pick right into his arms for about a 30 yard gain. Also forgot about the UK receiver dropping the pass right into Keanu Neal's arms late in the game. Also forgot the UK kicker's double bend FG from 50 yards that glanced in off the upright. What a bizarre game.

We also dropped a few easy INTs. VH3 dropped one that would have been a pick 6. Weird ass game for sure.

 

[Captain Sasquatch]

We also dropped a few easy INTs. VH3 dropped one that would have been a pick 6. Weird ass game for sure.

Yep, forgot about that, as well. And it was right before UK's first touchdown.