Pigskin flashback: FSU at Florida, 11/26/05

[78]

I'm posting this as much for the message as the memory.

Meyer and Mullen's first year in G'ville. Ballhawking defense (Mincey esp), tremendous ST play and timely throws by Leak. Turnovers led the way as much as anything. A convincing 34-7 win.

Are we putting too much emphasis on Mullen's offense and maybe not enough on Grantham's defense and improved ST play to get us through transition?

BOXSCORE

 

[soflagator]

Great game to be at. A few things that stand out from the recap...

Few people have ever thrown a better looking pass than Leak. Really miss those days.

The step on their throat mentality exhibited after the turnover in the 4th is something we've really lacked. Two straight failed HC's failed to understand that mindset. Will be nice to get that back.

Is it me, or did every one of Wynn's runs look exactly the same? His entire career seems like just one play again and again. It's bizarre.

And yes, I think you're correct regarding the defense and special teams impact of the new staff. That 2005 defense was markedly more talented than what we'll be seeing this year. But there were some serious holes as well that were mitigated by Mattison and Strong. Guys like Herring, Brown and Lewis weren't SEC caliber players, imo. But the combination of scheme and pressure up front was a huge help. I think Grantham, while not my favorite, is creative enough to find some things that hide some of our deficiencies.

ST's speaks for itself. They could be coached by Pee Wee Herman and it would probably look like an upgrade from the last few years.

 

[78]

Chad Jackson was a tremendous go-to receiver.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

Are we putting too much emphasis on Mullen's offense and maybe not enough on Grantham's defense and improved ST play to get us through transition?

Clearly.

Meyer is the best ST coordinator in history and I have trouble thinking of who is second. Perhaps the guy from Va Tech.

We never won with offense in the Meyer years and Mullen is a mediocre at best coordinator.

Hopefully we can find some defense and STs especially the next two years because we are going to need it.

 

[gatordad3]

Avery Atkins looked like a future superstar as a freshman in this game till he ran into personal issues that later led to his death.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

Chad Jackson was a tremendous go-to receiver.

Zook left a helluva an offense.

Any of those starting receivers would be our best today.

 

[78]

Clearly.

Meyer is the best ST coordinator in history and I have trouble thinking of who is second. Perhaps the guy from Va Tech.

We never won with offense in the Meyer years and Mullen is a mediocre at best coordinator.

Hopefully we can find some defense and STs especially the next two years because we are going to need it.

Gotta partially disagree. The defense was young and relatively untested in '07, and it showed. We only won games that season BECAUSE of the offense, but the statline deserved a big asterisk for Tebow and Harvin.

We pulled it all together the following year and the result was the best Florida team of all-time and arguably a top-five contender among all programs.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

Gotta partially disagree. The defense was young and relatively untested in '07, and it showed. We only won games that season BECAUSE of the offense, but the statline deserved a big asterisk for Tebow and Harvin.

I agree... and yet it was a 4 loss season.

I'd be quite happen to see the play style of the 2007 offense. I don't know where that went.

 

[gatordad3]

Just imagine if Ciatrick Fason returned for his final season. Meyer seemed to look forward to having C4 in his backfield till he told Meyer he needed to support his wife (?) and child(ren) by declaring for draft, which reminds me of Emmitt deciding to not play for Spurrier in what would have been his senior season.

 

[T REX]

Zooker left a lot of talent for an all-time great coach in Meyer.

 

[78]

I agree... and yet it was a 4 loss season.

I'd be quite happen to see the play style of the 2007 offense. I don't know where that went.

I personally felt it was too oriented toward Tebow-Harvin. The development of Hernandez, Murphy and Cooper combined with the addition of freshmen Demps and Rainey made ours a much more diverse and dangerous offense.

 

[Concrete Helmet]

Look it's nice to take a stroll down memory lane and pretend that we will be like one of those glory year teams.........However here are some cold hard reality checks...
1.This will be the LEAST talented defensive team I have seen in all my years of being a Gator fan(early 80's)
2. We just lost our 2 best ST players in Eddie and the punter.....Yay......we're not going to be better in ST's.....forget it.
3. Mullen is NOT urban 2.0......He doesn't even know how to take advantage of our 2 strongest position groups, Oline and RB's.
4. 18th ranked recruiting classes ARE NOT going to provide the type of impactful freshmen who can lift a downtrodden program to a 9 or 10 win season......
5. Get ready for a 6-6 Special and pray the pumpers are right when they keep saying we were waiting til next year to get all the good recruits.....

 

[GatorCatsi]

Look it's nice to take a stroll down memory lane and pretend that we will be like one of those glory year teams.........However here are some cold hard reality checks...
1.This will be the LEAST talented defensive team I have seen in all my years of being a Gator fan(early 80's)
2. We just lost our 2 best ST players in Eddie and the punter.....Yay......we're not going to be better in ST's.....forget it.
3. Mullen is NOT urban 2.0......He doesn't even know how to take advantage of our 2 strongest position groups, Oline and RB's.
4. 18th ranked recruiting classes ARE NOT going to provide the type of impactful freshmen who can lift a downtrodden program to a 9 or 10 win season......
5. Get ready for a 6-6 Special and pray the pumpers are right when they keep saying we were waiting til next year to get all the good recruits.....

Man, I'd love to throw this in your face come next December.

Not counting on it, though.

 

[78]

Look it's nice to take a stroll down memory lane and pretend that we will be like one of those glory year teams.........However here are some cold hard reality checks...
1.This will be the LEAST talented defensive team I have seen in all my years of being a Gator fan(early 80's)
2. We just lost our 2 best ST players in Eddie and the punter.....Yay......we're not going to be better in ST's.....forget it.
3. Mullen is NOT urban 2.0......He doesn't even know how to take advantage of our 2 strongest position groups, Oline and RB's.
4. 18th ranked recruiting classes ARE NOT going to provide the type of impactful freshmen who can lift a downtrodden program to a 9 or 10 win season......
5. Get ready for a 6-6 Special and pray the pumpers are right when they keep saying we were waiting til next year to get all the good recruits.....

Don't be a stick in the mud, Crete. No one said this was gonna be Meyer V. 2. My point was it shouldn't be all about the offense.

 

[Concrete Helmet]

I'm not saying Mullen won't bring us some decent football teams down the line......I just have a hard time seeing us better than a .500 team next year.

 

[Concrete Helmet]

Man, I'd love to throw this in your face come next December.

I'd let every member on this board sling the poo at me if it meant we would be a top 10 team next year. I just think we're at a spot where the climb is going to take a few years not a few months......

 

[78]

I'd let every member on this board sling the poo at me if it meant we would be a top 10 team next year. I just think we're at a spot where the climb is going to take a few years not a few months......

Define poo.

 

[oxrageous]

5. Get ready for a 6-6 Special and pray the pumpers are right when they keep saying we were waiting til next year to get all the good recruits.....

Again, you’re an utter fool if you are unhappy with Mullen’s transition class.

We’ll win at least 8 games next year and could certainly be more if we have even average QB play.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

I don't think Crete will ever recover from the best coach in the SEC West getting fired after posting a nearly 500 record.

He has a point if you think about it. Slick Willie Urkel got promoted for having a losing record.

 

[BMF]

Crete is right on losing the two specialists....but we get Townsend's brother as a replacement and the #1 Kicker recruit in the country.

Also, ST's is much more than Kicking and Punting. It's K & P coverage....it's K & P returns....and it's K & P blocking. If those 3 areas are improved and the two other areas (punt average and kicking - points, percentage) are slightly off from last year it's still a win.

It was so bad under Nord it HAS to get better! (although I heard that about Muschamp's offense when Butters came on board....and we know how that went)

The football God's have to be ready to smile on the Gators sooner or later....