***OFFICIAL GAME THREAD: UF vs Alabama***

[URGatorBait]

Keep your head in the sand if you want. Are you telling me that he's gonna hang around and sit behind EJ this season and next?

No, he's going to play and eventually take the job from EJ

I don't really care how you respond to this.

 

[ThreatMatrix]

EJ throws better on the run. When he has time he starts to think instead of act. That's probably something he can learn to do better. And Mullen doesn't care if it takes this year and next year and next, damn it, he's gonna teach him how. ;)

 

[Frozen Gator]

Yeah Bama usually gains ground with the recruits when they are seen hoisting actual trophies, not moral victory ones.

Agreed, but I am grasping at any straw I can.

 

[Marine1]

There were multiple reasons as to why we lost the game. Emory not being overly successful throwing the ball, throwing a pick that led to 7 points, the failed 2 point conversion, the BS calls against us in Bama's favor, or the missed extra point. In my mind, the single biggest reason we lost was because we started the game 21-3. It's difficult to dig yourself out of that hole against any team, much less Alabama. To successfully climb out of that hole we were going to have to be absolutely perfect on both side of the ball, which we're not capable of doing. We have to act faster on offense and defense against these teams to have a chance. The big positive was our OL opening up holes for Pierce and Davis. Against a team like Alabama, that was really impressive.

There is no excuse to have a record worse than 11-1 or 10-2 this year with our remaining games. Georgia has a great defense, but they look average at best to me on offense.

I agree there are several things we can point to but nothing stronger than the horrendous start which was due to atrocious tackling. It was a good sign that we settled down and began getting stops. But inconsistent tackling has been a long term issue and even predates Grantham. We just don’t fundamentally wrap up ball carriers. It’s maddening.

 

[EuroGator]

There is no such thing as a damn moral victory. Nearly every one of you called Saban the absolute best coach in the game and Alabama the best team in the nation…..and predicted a crushing defeat.

You got 2 out of 3 right. He is and they are…..but we fought like hell and we are better than you thought. In fact many will believe that we would have won with AR. So just how good do you really believe we are? With Mullen….with Grantham….we are suddenly the best team in the country once we put AR out there? There are millions of posts here that say we can’t win or recruit. Yet we recruited AR and had he played we would have beat the best team in country.

We battled hard and came up short to the better team against the better coach. But we got better I think. We have the best young QB in the country coming back next week. EJ settled down considerably and the defense stepped up.

Lots to look forward to but many are blowing a gasket because EJ didn’t convert a 1st and 76 with 4 seconds left against a team you predicted would crush us.

 

[Frozen Gator]

I agree there are several things we can point to but nothing stronger than the horrendous start which was due to atrocious tackling. It was a good sign that we settled down and began getting stops. But inconsistent tackling has been a long term issue and even predates Grantham. We just don’t fundamentally wrap up ball carriers. It’s maddening.

Was it tackling or poor positioning on the field allowing for bad angles?

 

[Marine1]

He didn't very chipper on the sidelines. I expect he'll transfer. Discontent is already setting in.He's gonna have to sit all year. Jones damn sure ain't leaving early. He'll transfer and I don't blame the kid.

AR will never transfer. He will compete. It’s taking longer than it should but he will eventually be the starter and won’t look back. We’ve seen this movie before.

 

[t-gator]

AR will never transfer. He will compete. It’s taking longer than it should but he will eventually be the starter and won’t look back. We’ve seen this movie before.

If there's an injury. But outside of that I can't remember Mullen ever switching qb's mid season unless a qb got hurt

 

[Marine1]

Was it tackling or poor positioning on the field allowing for bad angles?

Probably some of both. But we have years of dropping shoulders and going for the big hit rather than wrapping up. We overpursue frequently and whiff altogether.

 

[UFHealthGator]

There are millions of posts here that say we can’t win or recruit. Yet we recruited AR and had he played we would have beat the best team in country.

AR recruited himself. The guy is from freaking Gainesville. We tried hard NOT to recruit him and flirted with a loser who is not even a starter in a $hitty QB room in Athens and he decomitted. I mean if we had lost AR in recruiting it would have been a criminal offense.

Mullen is just freaking lucky to have him. Zero credit there. Now lets hope he can keep him.

 

[EuroGator]

If there's an injury. But outside of that I can't remember Mullen ever switching qb's mid season unless a qb got hurt

I would love for a reporter to ask him about that in a press conference. Perhaps start with asking, "Can you discuss your thoughts and criteria regarding when to assure a starting QB that his job is not in jeopardy and when to allow competition to motivate and determine a different player should become the QB1?"

Then follow that up with, "Are there times when you recall making a change at QB based on merit and not injury?"

 

[EuroGator]

For all of the talk of moral victories, I want to say this. I won't say I feel better losing close, but I feel much worse getting crushed. I hate to lose at all, but I hate to lose by 32 more than I hate to lose by 2.

 

[rogdochar]

IMO, AR stays. He's performing in his hometown with all his long-time family and friends rooting him on. From that, he must be indelibly a Gator. I am wondering if his teammates resent that DM did not give AR his chance to lift the team with his "can't miss" playstyle.? Will Mullen handle or mishandle these QB splits going forward.? All his players are watching and they know what will promote a successful winning season.

 

[EuroGator]

It's hard not to focus in on that interception, followed by the missed extra point and missed 2-point conversion.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

UGA is the only team on the schedule that should really challenge us. There is ZERO reason or excuse to lose to any other team on this pathetic schedule.

Exactly.

 

[Gatorraid81]

I don't think Bama gained any ground on the recruits attending the game. Maybe we can pick up a few of the highly rated ones.

Bama will take any recruit they want, and Mullen will get the scraps, like always.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

But inconsistent tackling has been a long term issue and even predates Grantham.

It predates Dwagtham, but it is the second bullet on his resume, after third and Grantham.

Third bullet point: ridiculous blitzes (often delayed, from players 15 yards away) that have no chance of working.

 

[Ancient Reptile]

WE WON!!!!

DAN IS A MORAL VICTORY CHAMPION!!

Keep this cr@p up and someone might re-post all the silly things you said leading up to the game.

 

[rogdochar]

The way these Gators play with AR at QB will have a tendency to pull future recruits away from plodding teams to the explosive fun that uniquely will exist here with our AR-led Gators. AR stat results will magnetize Gainesville as a recruit destination. National sports pundits will babble incessantly about AR as a potential Heisman candidate. Recruits will know what's brewing at UF. I predict AR will stiff-arm Mullen's maladroit QB decisions and get maximum playing time in front of the cameras such that Mullen cannot suffocate him. ??

 

[Marine1]

He didn't very chipper on the sidelines. I expect he'll transfer. Discontent is already setting in.He's gonna have to sit all year. Jones damn sure ain't leaving early. He'll transfer and I don't blame the kid.