Bits & Pieces: Florida vs. Kentucky

[oxrageous]

On the road...be my guest

So you have no issue looking at websites, posting here over and over again, but when it comes to simply copying and pasting a link, you're "on the road". If you're "on the road", you shouldn't have so much time to keep posting this morning.

 

[oxrageous]

Here's the link - I'll actually attempt to be useful:

Billy Napier Postgame 9-10-22

floridagators.com

 

[Detroitgator]

You mean like on AR on the first play of the game?

 

[Gator By Marriage]

Nice write up as always C2. I only have a couple things to add as most errbody else hit the highlights (and lowlights).

In addition to the odd 4th down calls in the 4th q, I didn’t like going for two in the second q. It worked, so it looked like the right call, but I hate chasing points that early in a game. And enough on the wr screens already. They just aren’t working.

The issues AR had have pretty much been touched on by everyone, but I found it troubling that he still seemed down when we had a 16-7 lead. For me the game turned on his first pick. It was a bad throw - and a helluva pic by a d-lineman - at a time when one would have thought his confidence was on the upswing. Instead of going in the locker room up 9 (or even 12 or 16), we go in up 2 with a QB with his confidence trending downward.

After reading his postgame comments, I confess to being worried. It’s nice that he’s an honest and candid young man, but as the team’s theoretical leader that’s not a good admission to make. Better to have kept that to himself. CBN and the staff have their work cut out for them.

 

[Bernardo de la Paz]

On offense we ran 31 plays for 91 yards in the second half. We had the ball 6 times with only 5 first downs on drives ending on 2 punts, a pick 6, 2 turnovers on downs, and the clock expiring.

Probably the worst half of football we've played offensively since McElstain.

 

[Bernardo de la Paz]

we go in up 2

Up 3 actually since they muffed the snap on the PAT

 

[Gator By Marriage]

Up 3 actually since they muffed the snap on the PAT

Oops. Forgot about that. Their kicking game was horrendous.

 

[secgator]

 

[RiverRat]

Gator win this game if AR hits his open receivers, he did not see the field well or throw well most of the night and even missed a guy streaking down the sideline 10 yards behind the D when he threw underneath.
Stoops gave the rest of the SEC a recipe on how to beat Fl. Billy can coach them into to correct schemes but the Bottom line is players have to execute.

 

[NavetG8r]

Yup. Looks identical to me...except AR was completely stationary, not rolling out like Levis was.

 

[Double Gator Dad]

AR reminded me of Simone Biles in the most recent summer Olympics. Best athlete in the competition, but couldn't handle the pressure of being the best.

So AR should be fielding gobs of requests for appearances and Subway commercials now. Right?

Seriously, he was awful but he didn’t quit like Simone Biles so he can’t be a hero like her.

 

[NavetG8r]

I can't lie. I was fooled into thinking this was a much improved team based on week 1. Maybe they are and this loss will get them, and especially AR more focused. AR really was bad. His decision making was awful. If it wasn't for how tall he is I'd have thought EJ snuck back on the field with a stolen #15 jersey. He needs to learn to ignore the noise and keep his head in the games or it'll be a long year. Losing to Ky always leaves me feeling like we suck. I can't help it. It's Ky. They suck! I don't care how great a coach Stoops is. They don't have the same kind of talent as UF. We should NEVER lose to Ky!

 

[TN G8tr]

Cover as usual the honest truth this am. Waited a bit to post today after last night's game.

You hit everything spot on. Also want to hit on AR and how he played last night. Never that I can remember a UF QB with that type of demeanor. It was like someone told him so very bad news. Something definitely in his head and it snowballed.

I will own it about how we looked. It appears that we were hoping this team was ahead of schedule and after last night it is looking like what we all have been told and thought. A 7-5, 8-4 (if fortunate) is what UF is at present. Some point we have to move on from the inept and incompetency we've had in the last coaching debacles. But it is the realistic hole we have to climb out of. And Napier knows hence this is not an overnight fix. Until he is able to get us some quality depth and get the Freshman coached up, it may take a bit. But I did like what I saw in Boone, damn can he bring the heat. Part of a formula to beat UF now is contain our O, stick with your gameplan and try to gas the D due to lack of depth.

I still like what we have in Napier. We don't have a hole to climb out of....it is more closer to a sink hole and he's going to have to plug it. At this point still think he is a guy that can do it. I also think that recruits still will respond to this staff and see that they can have some immediate PT coming here and be an impact.

Have a week of preparation and to get ready for a USF team, Reality bites at times. But this team fortunately has a good chance to rebound before heading up here to take on the Viles. I know this team has some Grit....just how much, we'll know next Saturday.

 

[Double Gator Dad]

Great Comments, as always. That being said, let's put this into a broader perspective. I don't want to hear how Mark Stoops has been building his program for 10 years, as stated in one of these message board topics. I don't want to hear how it's a new coaching staff and they need time. Blah Blah Blah! Understand this...They are still Kentucky, and if the ball was round, we may have some inner solace that we kept it close with them for the past several games. But this isn't basketball, its football....Florida Football! There is no, ZERO, excuses for loosing to Kentucky 3 out of the last 4 games. One at home! Let us be real here. I'm reading some praises to the "D"....OK, I get it. At least they are in position to make plays now...At least were not throwing shoes.... Really, is that what we've come to. Vandy-esq expectations. Kentucky, last night, was down to their 3rd string RB. They should have struggled on Offense. So grade to Defense-C, AT BEST. Offensively, a total TURD Show. Sitting next to a 90year old guy claiming that he could probably complete 75% of the throws AR clearly just missed, is numbing to the soul. Why, because he was probably statistically underserving himself. We are boring on Offense and can only underscore that with how totally bad the play selection and clock management is handled in times of urgency. So grade to Offense- C- (Pick six, no passing TD in 2 games...Never mind F)
On a brighter note...I thought The Pride of the Sunshine looked Outstanding. So grade to the band- B (it would be an A+ if they would finish a fight song/cheer at least once before cutting it off. If you don't have time to get in the entire " Jaws, Go Gators" before the next play...wait till the after the next play)
The Crowd...We were top notch again, electric, we did our part. I do however wonder why we announce a sell out, and the same 6k seats sit empty in the North Upper Deck. So grade to the fans- A+ Grade to the ticket office for accuracy in accounting- C-
That is all. It's clearly still "Great to Be a Florida Gator" today, however a tad bit disappointing too.

FTR,
We’ve lost 3 of the last 5 not 3 of the last 4.
UF won in 2019 and 2020.

 

[Cozumel Gator]

Sigh. This guy is constantly reminding us he's perpetually sitting back in his chair (drink in hand) on a beach in Cozumel. We all hate you, my friend.

Ox we have kept your bedroom ready for your visit, but you are too busy banning people on your website!!

 

[Cozumel Gator]

Coz, I listened to WRUF and can’t remember verbatim, but the tone was like he’d lost a loved one, monotone and morose. I’m sure he was flatly embarrassed by his performance in front of the NFL guys, but as a leader he’s got to stand in the breach, rise above the loss and give the fans something to hold on to. That didn’t happen, at least not on the after game broadcast.

thank you

 

[NVAGATOR86]

Great game summary again Cover. I agree 100 percent on the leadership issue.
Not sure how much was as Saban says, the "rat poison" fed to AR and the team by the talking heads, or his early poor performance.
Probably both, and as the team leader he failed the test. It is really tough to believe that we had turned the corner, and then find out that we aren't even peeking around the edge. No excuses to lose at home to a just ok UK team without their best player on offense. But we need leadership from the QB position.
The UK QB was just as hyped, and his performance was average at best. The big difference was the leadership persona he displayed, especially on the sidelines with his teammates. Night and day from the hang dog look we got from AR.
Leadership is needed on this team and let's hope number 51 is healthy enough to suit up.
For AR he needs to man up and use his frustrations to motivate himself and lead the offense by his actions.
There are no other options, and if he wants to be the man he needs to show it.

 

[MJMGator]

It really was a great game by the defense.

They allowed 2 touchdowns and 2 field goals.

The first TD was a 55 yard "catch" where the ball hit the ground.

The second TD UK got the ball on the 6 after a pick and still might have ended with a field goal if it weren't for the bogus roughing.

The first field goal was UK's only real sustained drive, 11 plays for 69 yards.

The third TD was a pick 6 and obviously the defense had nothing to do with it.

The second field goal we turned it over on downs on our own 24.

I felt like the defense “survived” the 1st half. They absolutely picked us apart with their TEs. They were wide open just like against the Utes. We had 3 timely sacks (one resulting in an interception) on 3 separate drives that really saved our bacon. I got the feeling we were fortunate to not be down at halftime. That said, props to our defense for actually getting those timely sacks.

 

[Egor's Assistant]

It would be easy to post a picture of a carriage followed by a pumpkin to denote the contrast in performance from Game 1 with tonight’s loss. But frankly I don’t think anyone‘s in the mood.

 

[Himey]

No one believed we were winning any championships this year with this squad. We did hope to be excited about the future again with grit, passion, and flashes of brilliance from AR so that at least the perception and mood of this team is changing for the better going forward.

I believe Napier gives us that change in perception that is so greatly needed with a program lost in the desert for over 12 years. The best parallel I can think of is Kirby Smart in his first year as coach for UGA inheriting a team that had better talent than UF’s. They lost a lot of games and often looked inept and badly coached. Smart knew that he had to build a program by growing the staff and out recruiting the other programs each year. That model clearly has paid dividends for UGA but it took time and patience.

The Kentucky game changes nothing for me and I still believe we’re fortunate to have Napier as our coach. His true success will come only after he’s had time to restructure the program and beef up recruiting for a couple of years. I’m not saying anything we don’t already know…. Just asking that we keep things in perspective this year.