Are we better than last years team at this point?

[maheo30]

QB - Better overall. But, I think Trask is killing the run game. There's a reason we can run the ball with EJ but not with Trask. Mullen is running the same run scheme but with a QB the defense does not respect when it comes to running the ball.

RB - About the same.

WR - More experience but with the addition of Pitts and Copeland

O-line - Worse than last year. I'll go back to point 1. They seem to be much better run blocking for EJ than with Trask. Why is that? I'm of the opinion that some of the run troubles are on Mullen, not just a terrible o-line. By the way, Ethan White came in in the 2nd half and things improved.

D-line - much better than last year as we are more physical. I think the loss of Moon has helped us. I wish Conliffe hadn't gotten hurt.

LBs - Must improved with Miller as he can actually cover. Above average in run defense. Having Burney makes us so much faster.

Secondary - Worse due to the star position and the loss of CGJ. I think CJ has had a solid year, but his draft status has been hurt. Some draftniks have him falling into the third round. He most assuredly won't go 1st round.

Overall, this team is better for one reason, they weren't coming off the Mac debacle. Last year's team had no identity and no confidence. This year's team knows they are good. Last year's team utterly folded after the UGly loss. This year's team was looking to send a message as Mullen said.

 

[Double Gator Dad]

Fair question. I would have to say we aren't quite as good as last year based primarily on OL play. Secondarily, defensive issues that include injuries, lack of talent, depth and development, and inexperience have hurt when it counted. You might throw schematic concerns in there as well. Still, I would consider the D good, but not elite by far.

This is my take as well. QB play is clearly better but the OL issues more than offset any advantage
On defense the first 11 are as good but the second 11 aren’t close
I heard the announcer say that we’re going to be great on defense next year due to all the youth we’re playing this year which means he hasn’t looked at our roster at all

 

[Gator Fever]

Well we are able to use our talented WR group now this year unlike last season when we had a good running game leading the way.

The problem next season I think will be a talent dropoff on defense and WR while the running game may improve I doubt its even a decent running game again from the RBs with the blocking they will have again.

 

[Gatorphan]

I don’t think we are quite as good. However, I think Coach Dan has done a better job this year considering how awful the o-line is.

 

[G8trwood]

Really waiting to see next year. A concern is that some of our most lauded coach’s position players are, well, meh. So they don’t have their guys, cool. But at some point you ant to see player growth. Without Greenard’s addition, what would the D have been?

 

[Gator Fever]

O-line - Worse than last year. I'll go back to point 1. They seem to be much better run blocking for EJ than with Trask. Why is that? I'm of the opinion that some of the run troubles are on Mullen, not just a terrible o-line. By the way, Ethan White came in in the 2nd half and things improved.

I would say they are just terrible blocking for the RBs. They cant even just line up and run on an FCS team until its in the 2nd half later in the game. Watching last year's group on tape compared to this O line is really eye opening with how much worse this group is run blocking.

 

[YLGator]

Kind of a soft no for me. Don't think we're any worse either. Feels like we're just treading water, which was my biggest concern with Mullen from the beginning. We had more highs and lows last year (UK, Mizzu, Miss State, LSU), this year has had one strong win against Auburn and then losses to the big boys and taking care of business against the weak sisters. Kind of a blah season. The bright spot has clearly been Trask, but even that has been tempered with Dan's insistence on pulling him repeatedly for EJ in critical times. Not sure what to expect next year, can't say I'm all that enthused though based on these first two years on the filed and the pedestrian recruiting to date.

 

[bayou gator]

Seems like most of us have the same opinion: no.

The only aspect of this team that has truly improved is the passing game, and that is all because of Trask. And that should be very concerning for all of us, because if not for an injury to Franks, there is nothing that should lead anyone to believe Mullen would have ever made a change at QB. And I think our record would be much, much worse with Franks.

 

[CU-UF]

I would say slightly better. If anything as some have already mentioned, the culture seems better, the ability to focus on games for the most part has been improved. We have won the games we were supposed to win and won one that probably was considered a toss-up (Auburn). The losses while disappointing were more on the competitive side no Kentucky or Mizzou head-scratchers like the previous year.

I also agree that recruiting needs to be more definitive, ie none of this last minute sign a few to eek into top 10. Hopeful with the new facility becoming a reality starting next year it helps.

Also now needs to target on getting over the bulldog hump, because until further notice the east goes through GA.

 

[Gator Fever]

Seems like most of us have the same opinion: no.

The only aspect of this team that has truly improved is the passing game, and that is all because of Trask. And that should be very concerning for all of us, because if not for an injury to Franks, there is nothing that should lead anyone to believe Mullen would have ever made a change at QB. And I think our record would be much, much worse with Franks.

Yep we lose to KY and SC I think with Franks with how that SC game played out.

 

[YLGator]

Yep we lose to KY and SC I think with Franks with how that SC game played out.

Also doubt we beat Auburn if Franks is the QB

 

[bayou gator]

Yep we lose to KY and SC I think with Franks with how that SC game played out.

I agree. And I don't think we score 24 points against Auburn with Franks, either.

 

[ThreatMatrix]

2018
Total Defense 20
Total Offense 22
2019
Total defense 13
Total Offense 62

We've pitched 3 shutouts and haven't lost to two SEC bottom dwellers.Who needs a run game?
So better regular season record but we could get exposed in the bowl game depending on who we get.
I'll take Utah, Minnesota, Baylor all day.

 

[SeabeeGator]

2018
Total Defense 20
Total Offense 22
2019
Total defense 13
Total Offense 62

We've pitched 3 shutouts and haven't lost to two SEC bottom dwellers.Who needs a run game?
So better regular season record but we could get exposed in the bowl game depending on who we get.
I'll take Utah, Minnesota, Baylor all day.

About the same in advanced stats from last season but the Mizzou win, FSU game, and bowl game aren’t part of the stats yet. FSU and bowl game really propped up our advanced stats last year - Michigan especially (which was a bit deceiving as they were missing some talented guys but the stats still treated them like they were elite).

2019 COLLEGE FOOTBALL F+ RATINGS | Football Outsiders

 

[T REX]

Maybe slightly better...maybe slightly worse? I think it is negligible either way. If we looked at a graph since Mullen took over, you'd see basically a flat line since USC last year with some slight dips. He's a decent coach. We've gotten decent results for the most part. We went safe and that's what we should expect.

 

[NavetG8r]

Everything's already been pretty much covered. Passing game much improved thanks to Trask, but no run game to speak of means overall we're no better on offense. Defense has been solid against the teams we should beat, and less than impressive against the teams with more talent than us (duh). OLine hasn't really improved at all that I can tell. That's scary to me for next year's implications. Perine has been used more in the passing game because we can't run behind our terrible OLine. Who in the backfield can catch as well as Perine for next year?

Basically I feel like Mullen has done about all anyone could reasonably expect from the talent he has to work with. Questionable offensive play calls aside I mean... It really comes down to recruiting. If we don't bring in more talent, we'll continue to beat the teams we should and lose to the teams with more talent than us. Mullen is good enough to keep that trend going. Will he makes the necessary changes to lift our talent level so we can start beating the UGAs/LSUs/Bamas of the SEC? I don't know, but I hope so. I kinda like the dude now. Didn't at first. But he's won me over with the way he quickly turned things around and got the brand respected again.

 

[OllieGator]

About the same in advanced stats from last season but the Mizzou win, FSU game, and bowl game aren’t part of the stats yet. FSU and bowl game really propped up our advanced stats last year - Michigan especially (which was a bit deceiving as they were missing some talented guys but the stats still treated them like they were elite).

2019 COLLEGE FOOTBALL F+ RATINGS | Football Outsiders

How is UCF ranked 10th in this rating?

 

[ThreatMatrix]

How is UCF ranked 10th in this rating?

Sort it by conference. These stupid things rank by competition. You could put a HS team in there and have it come up 10th.

 

[t-gator]

I'm in the camp that we're definitely better this year. The defense is better. And now that trask is behind center, we can move the ball against anybody. We went toe to toe with the soon to be national champs. And on a neutral field with a couple players back healthy on defense it may have been a different outcome. Heck, if Grantham calls his normal game against uga were 11-1 and headed to Atlanta.
I personally think everyone is only remembering the Michigan win from last year in which their whole team sat out. I'm guessing the guys that are saying we're better forgot about beatdown freakin Missouri and Kentucky gave us.

 

[SeabeeGator]

How is UCF ranked 10th in this rating?

Definitely a weird outlier but I’m guessing it has to do with their offense.