Which Gator surprised you this year?

Gator Fever

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Clayton on the downside. Jefferson also. I would list the 2 new receivers that were hyped so much but its not their fault Franks is the QB and has a hard time completing passes that travel beyond the line of scrimmage.

All the players on the O line have played better than I thought they would.
 

GatorStud

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ME
I haven’t thrown anything at the walls or TV and I know the good Lord is pleased that my profanity is way down this season.
 

Swamp Donkey

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I agree with this. His tackling is vastly better this year than last and tackling as I remember was the big complaint with him last year.
He was hurt all year with a bad shoulder injury.
 

maheo30

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On offense: Fred Johnson, Nick Buchanan

I think this staff has both players playing above their talent level. Buchanan has been surprising.

On defense: Polite

The guy went from a player who wouldn't even get a combine invite to a 1st or 2nd round pick in the NFL draft. Talk about surprising.
 

Swamp Donkey

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Did you find that out post season? I remember lots of complaining about him from various people and never saw during the season any discussion of a shoulder issue.
I discussed it all year. He came out of camp with it. He played bc we were short on safety/nickels and we would have been forced to play some crap like Stiner instead.

Groupthink around here is scrong though.
 

diehardg8r

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For me it's been Scarlett. After last years debacle he found a way to get back on track and have a really nice year. Not easy mentally to get re-focused after that.
 

Gator-Don

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Pleasant surprise and unpleasant surprise.

My pleasant surprise is Krull and Kyle Pitts. My unpleasant is Clayton.

Franks has surprised me more times than I can count - sometimes good, sometimes...

The team and organization has surprised me the most and in a positive way. I like what's going on so far.
 

78

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Franks by a wide margin. His numbers are way improved over a year ago and now he's running with reckless abandon. Yeah, he's got lots of work to do on his pocket awareness, but you're blind to the truth if you don't see the improvement. Hats off to him and Mullen.

Polite on defense. Kid is amazing considering his slight build.
 

Daryl

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The OL performed past my expectations. Scarlett also bounced back well and is a friggan beast once he gets rolling. Id love for him to return but I doubt it happens.
The defense did well considering it was year one of a new scheme, especially losing secondary studs. Our DEs can change a game on any play.
 

Thick&ThinG8r

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Perine has had the type year I expected from him last year. He seemed slow and out of shape. He has been our best back since the first game, and has forced Scarlet to step up his game which I believe he has.
I can't imagine the type of year Frank's would be having without those two guys.
 

GatorTom85

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Mar 22, 2016
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Evan McPherson and Tommy Townshend just because of who they had to replace and the productivity level they've produced in spite of the large shoes they had to fill. Given that McPherson is just a freshman, this year has been especially amazing for him! Townshend's play this year has also definitely honored his brother's legacy though I am hoping he can get his general feistiness a bit more under control going forward. Multiple late hit penalties called on your punter is not a good trend to continue.

I think you can even make a case that the transition between last year and this year was so seamless that the kicking game overall hasn't gotten all that much attention relative to other areas of the team because there was no real change in production in that area of the game which is the only one where we actually excelled last year. (I even remember one game this year (Tennessee?) where the announcer kept referring to Tommy as though Johnny hadn't graduated and been drafted by the Raiders. :) )
 

NOLAGATOR

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Mullen was a surprise

But so was EJ...much improved

I'm pumping the Sunshine.

Even Coach Dan's pressers are more enjoyable.

Think 60 points...not since 2009
 

78

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As bereft of talent as we are at certain positions, Mullen never had this many skilled-position tools in the woodshed at Mississippi State.

The plays are there. We just gotta make them, esp from the quarterback position. We need a playmaker there, not a caretaker. Franks is the latter.
 

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