Bits & Pieces: Florida vs. Tennessee

cover2

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Despite the Vols being impotent, hapless, inept, etc., there was a lot to like about the state of preparedness that our Gators brought to the game. The D had a pretty good night, pretty much dominating the line of scrimmage. Secondary was efficient and the LB's made some plays. Turnovers were great to see. Tackling was decidedly better and the intensity looked to be what is expected in a SEC road matchup with one of your big rivals. The offense took advantage of the turnovers and some good field position opportunities. Franks made some nice throws and with a couple exceptions looked to better handle the pressure of the position. We looked to have gained a little something even though UT isn't very good. But it was a conference win, one you were supposed to even though there were probably some among us that had reservations. Bigger games upcoming, but a little confidence and momentum can't hurt. Time for some quick reviews and comments:

*Scarlett looked a little more like the pre-suspension Scarlett. Ran a little tougher. Good if he can regain earlier form and effectiveness. Wish we hadn't lost Davis, but we are good in the backfield.

*Brad Stewart had a coming out party. Better in coverage with a pick and made some good plays as a run stopper. Maybe a harbinger of good things to come with this young position group? Growing up on the run is a requirement for a lot of our younger players for this season and those ahead.

*Defensive front played both strong and quick. Several tackles for loss and a lot of pressure on the QB. Zuniga, Polite, Slaton all had some good plays. When we can both control the LOS and rush the passer effectively, it makes it easier for the LBs to clean up and the secondary to cover with little reason to peek.

*Even though Coach Mullen said Pierce earned more carries, he didn't get his until the second half. But what a great first run. Nice subtle cut inside off his lead block for a long TD run. Kid's gonna be a good one as long as he stays healthy and straight. But you knew that already, didn't you? More please.

*I was ready to fire Cleveland after his drop, but he made up for it with a nice TD catch. Wasn't the easiest catch to make either. Guy seems to like stickin' it to the Vols. Who among us doesn't?

*OL had to play a little better, didn't they? We got a better push against their DL and were able to generate some yards on the ground. A couple of protection breakdowns, but Franks had time for the most part. Still work to be done and we've got better teams ahead, so I'm not going to jump up and down too much.

*Freddy Swain...my man! I've bragged on him and he keeps delivering. Initially liked the depth that he added to the receiving corps, but he's looking like a budding star. Heard Lee say that he has already equaled his previous career TD total with three receiving this year already. Keep growing young man.

*The early onside kick by UT...you convert and you're fearless. You don't and you're desperate. Desperate it is. Perine did a good job of fielding on that play. Pruitt's got his work cut out for him, but there's a reason he was a late round draft pick. Who am I kidding? More like signing a free agent contract. Still got a SEC gig I guess.

*Anybody send a congratulatory text to Willie T. up in Tally? Finally got a signature victory. My Nole in-laws are already crying about the possibility of ending a 40 streak of winning seasons and likely not making a bowl. Karma is the proverbial female dog.

Of course our enthusiasm has to be tempered somewhat, but there is something to be enthusiastic about as previously mentioned. As bad as we hated to lose to UK, and they are a better team than they have been with a decisive win over MissSt, we have been able to move some beyond it, which must be done. If we can take the positives of this game into the next, we'll have a chance. You have to think that our confidence has to have grown some, important for a young squad who had to have had some doubts after UK and the way the prior season played out. But when you get down to it, that was an expectation that Coach Mullen had placed upon him when hired. F' the psychologists, this is still a man's game even if it doesn't always look like it. I'll take a blow out win over a limping opponent rather than one that was a little too close for comfort against the same. Next game needs to be another step in the right direction. Go Gators!

:chomp:
 

cover2

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The playcalling has been atrocious. Toney, Cleveland and Grimes need to get the ball. Can we also start Damien pierce please?
Maybe if it gets better we can score more than 47 :)

I'd like to see Pierce get more meaningful carries. Start? Probably not as long as Scarlett performs like tonight and Perine is solid. I'll take more carries earlier in games. Toney got some good touches and Cleveland had a nice grab for a TD. A lot of coaches might have cut his plays after his early drop. Hell, all the receivers need more targets, but when you have a bunch of good ones and Franks is the QB and still trying to grow, you don't always get what you want or maybe what was called?
 

Tunaboat

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Our O is still shaky, Franks is still Franks but our D stood up tonight and punched the Vols in the nose early and they never recovered. The TV announcers kept saying it was all due to the turnovers as if those were just bad luck for TN, but you make your own luck. The Gators took it away from TN time after time. Gators were clearly the better team in Neyland tonight and everybody that watched the game knows it. Big, important game for both teams tonight and we took it BIG on the road. Congrats to Mullen and the Gators! Very, very nice blowout win over the Vols is always welcome in any year. In this "throwaway year" we're headed in the right direction.
 

Gatordiddy

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Despite the Vols being impotent, hapless, inept, etc., there was a lot to like about the state of preparedness that our Gators brought to the game. The D had a pretty good night, pretty much dominating the line of scrimmage. Secondary was efficient and the LB's made some plays. Turnovers were great to see. Tackling was decidedly better and the intensity looked to be what is expected in a SEC road matchup with one of your big rivals. The offense took advantage of the turnovers and some good field position opportunities. Franks made some nice throws and with a couple exceptions looked to better handle the pressure of the position. We looked to have gained a little something even though UT isn't very good. But it was a conference win, one you were supposed to even though there were probably some among us that had reservations. Bigger games upcoming, but a little confidence and momentum can't hurt. Time for some quick reviews and comments:

*Scarlett looked a little more like the pre-suspension Scarlett. Ran a little tougher. Good if he can regain earlier form and effectiveness. Wish we hadn't lost Davis, but we are good in the backfield.

*Brad Stewart had a coming out party. Better in coverage with a pick and made some good plays as a run stopper. Maybe a harbinger of good things to come with this young position group? Growing up on the run is a requirement for a lot of our younger players for this season and those ahead.

*Defensive front played both strong and quick. Several tackles for loss and a lot of pressure on the QB. Zuniga, Polite, Slaton all had some good plays. When we can both control the LOS and rush the passer effectively, it makes it easier for the LBs to clean up and the secondary to cover with little reason to peek.

*Even though Coach Mullen said Pierce earned more carries, he didn't get his until the second half. But what a great first run. Nice subtle cut inside off his lead block for a long TD run. Kid's gonna be a good one as long as he stays healthy and straight. But you knew that already, didn't you? More please.

*I was ready to fire Cleveland after his drop, but he made up for it with a nice TD catch. Wasn't the easiest catch to make either. Guy seems to like stickin' it to the Vols. Who among us doesn't?

*OL had to play a little better, didn't they? We got a better push against their DL and were able to generate some yards on the ground. A couple of protection breakdowns, but Franks had time for the most part. Still work to be done and we've got better teams ahead, so I'm not going to jump up and down too much.

*Freddy Swain...my man! I've bragged on him and he keeps delivering. Initially liked the depth that he added to the receiving corps, but he's looking like a budding star. Heard Lee say that he has already equaled his previous career TD total with three receiving this year already. Keep growing young man.

*The early onside kick by UT...you convert and you're fearless. You don't and you're desperate. Desperate it is. Perine did a good job of fielding on that play. Pruitt's got his work cut out for him, but there's a reason he was a late round draft pick. Who am I kidding? More like signing a free agent contract. Still got a SEC gig I guess.

*Anybody send a congratulatory text to Willie T. up in Tally? Finally got a signature victory. My Nole in-laws are already crying about the possibility of ending a 40 streak of winning seasons and likely not making a bowl. Karma is the proverbial female dog.

Of course our enthusiasm has to be tempered somewhat, but there is something to be enthusiastic about as previously mentioned. As bad as we hated to lose to UK, and they are a better team than they have been with a decisive win over MissSt, we have been able to move some beyond it, which must be done. If we can take the positives of this game into the next, we'll have a chance. You have to think that our confidence has to have grown some, important for a young squad who had to have had some doubts after UK and the way the prior season played out. But when you get down to it, that was an expectation that Coach Mullen had placed upon him when hired. F' the psychologists, this is still a man's game even if it doesn't always look like it. I'll take a blow out win over a limping opponent rather than one that was a little too close for comfort against the same. Next game needs to be another step in the right direction. Go Gators!

:chomp:

Spot on C2 - thanks for the post.

I thought Shuler also stepped up and played very well tonight.
 

rogdochar

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As long as Mullen schemes in those bumbling, stumbling plays for our opponents' gameplan, we can have these dominating wins. Somehow Franks did couple with UT to produce a most confusing game.
... Aaand sooo, we wait more to discover if Franks is a leader, to discover if this team has an identity.?
Towards clarifying the confusion : What particular players did make a statement possibly that we're not junk =
= those Kentucky players. Clear yet ??
 

Frozen Gator

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I wonder if we need to provide Dean some help, especially against a team with a great receiver, Debo Samuel and others come to mind.
 
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oxking

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The playcalling has been atrocious. Toney, Cleveland and Grimes need to get the ball. Can we also start Damien pierce please?
It's hard for me to tell whether it's the play calling or Franks' inexperience and ineptitude. Maybe it's both. I will say that Dan is slow getting the ball into Toney's hands and Grimes had to wait until Trask got in the game to catch his first pass. One thing is for sure though. It was a big improvement for this team to cash in on the mistakes. It's been awhile since we've seen that. Who wouldathunk that it would be this team to break the scoring record at TN.
 

oxking

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I wonder if we need to provide some help, especially against a team with a great receiver, Debo Samuel and others come to mind.
Well, I think we need to move Henderson around to cover their best. He is a bulldog if I've ever seen one. I think Dean is also going to be great with a little more playing time under his belt.
 

oxking

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We’re back baby! Like Gruden’s Raiders.
Talk about overrated. Gruden. Lucked into a super bowl win with that wimpy Dungy's players, then did nothing. He should have taken the TN job. Actually, he should have proven his intelligence by keeping his Monday Night gig.
 

g8tr72

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VERY marked improvement in our physicality and intensity over last week and last year's team.

Gotta keep grinding.
 

Musclepug

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Thankyou sir, very insightful. I asked on another thread.....what happened to van jefferson? No touches. Did i miss something?
 

FireFoley

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Good read C2, and any win on road is a good one, regardless of how the game flows. Tinerc is totally inept and I will stick with my prediction that the loser of this game will go winless in SEC competition. With that said I have to ask C2, are you concerned that we could not get a first down in the 3rd Qu against a team that had quit? If you can't run against UToothless in that situation, how can you move that front 4 of MSU? Yes UK ran on MSU but UK has a better o-line than UF, a better running QB and a better #1 RB.

You mentioned the secondary was solid, but do you have any concerns that our CB's seem to play with extremely poor fundamentals often in man coverage?
 

cover2

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Good read C2, and any win on road is a good one, regardless of how the game flows. Tinerc is totally inept and I will stick with my prediction that the loser of this game will go winless in SEC competition. With that said I have to ask C2, are you concerned that we could not get a first down in the 3rd Qu against a team that had quit? If you can't run against UToothless in that situation, how can you move that front 4 of MSU? Yes UK ran on MSU but UK has a better o-line than UF, a better running QB and a better #1 RB.

You mentioned the secondary was solid, but do you have any concerns that our CB's seem to play with extremely poor fundamentals often in man coverage?
Thanks Fire. I think it's always a concern when you struggle with third down conversions, especially against a challenged team like UT. I have to think that even though we got some better play from the OL, they maybe were a little too content in that stanza. But then inconsistency has been a big problem for a while. A problem that graduation, better and continued development of the underclass men, and recruitment will have to take care of. It remains to be seen just how much better this group will ever be, but Hevesy has got to keep pressing onward. They're all we've got. Ideally, some of the young ones maybe step up as we move through the schedule. Injuries likely will require that to happen. We'll have to watch and see. You are right about MissSt's front four. They will be a big test and reveal how much we progress from this point.

As for the secondary, there's always going to be concerns from game to game with as many young ones as we have playing significantly. Right now Henderson is our best CB in my opinion. He's been great in several instances and solid otherwise for the most part. His technique wasn't his best on the interference call late in the game as he never turned to find the ball and tackled the receiver just before the ball arrived. He's shown us he's better than that, so that was probably a "we've got this one in the bag" mental lapse. Good safeties can help our young corners out. Ours are growing, but they're young too and prone to mistakes. Their gaffs unfortunately are pretty easy to see and usually result in big gains or TDs. Chauncey seems to have grown up and is playing pretty decent now, though I wish he didn't run his mouth quite so much. Dean should be a good one and the kid that we lost earlier should be as well. Stewart stepped forward last night. There's hope and promise with this group. Just got to get the training wheels off and the more they play and get coached up, that will happen.
 

TN G8tr

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Nailed it as usual Cover.

The biggest spot for me last night was David Reese II. That was a totally different defensive unit last night with him inserted into the game. Glad CC was back, but he is one IMO that needs relentless play on EVERY play. Reese II is the one that brought that and appears the true leader of that D.

Confidence will go a long way. These guys need to prep that way for the Trip to Starkeville. Cowbell has given UF fits over the years. But I know that my year is set......We beat Tennessee, AGAIN!
 

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