Are we better than last years team at this point?

[AugustaGator]

We haven’t been curb stomped by an inferior team at home, so I say we’re a better team than last year. We still have major flaws, though.

And expected flaws at that.

 

[GatorJB]

To answer the thread title...nope. Our passing game is better, running game is ass. Defensive backfield has taken steps back. DL has shown flashes, but has also been absolutely wrecked at times. UK, Carolina, Mizzou, Vandy have all been worse. LSU improved, UGA stayed about the same. Looking at performance versus how opponents have trended, I can't say we are better, just taking advantage of a more favorable schedule with a much better passing attack.

Yep. The team overall is worse this year, but improved QB play and a weaker schedule makes them look better. Another question that could be asked is how much better would the team have been last year if Trask was healthy and started?

 

[MJMGator]

Yep. The team overall is worse this year, but improved QB play and a weaker schedule makes them look better. Another question that could be asked is how much better would the team have been last year if Trask was healthy and started?

I don’t think the schedule is any weaker. Auburn is solid. LSU is light years better than last year. Dwags about the same. Voles better. Missouri is slightly worse. UK is horrid now, but we didn’t play them when they had to resort to a WR at QB. Miami is better than our opener last year, as well.

 

[Durty South Swamp]

I don’t think the schedule is any weaker. Auburn is solid. LSU is light years better than last year. Dwags about the same. Voles better. Missouri is slightly worse. UK is horrid now, but we didn’t play them when they had to resort to a WR at QB. Miami is better than our opener last year, as well.

dwags were way better last year. Both mizzo and ky were ranked, ky ended at 12. Scar was better. UT the same, but swapping aub for fail state was an upgrade and Miami was tougher than a cupcake even tho Miami is trash. Overall I still think it's a weaker schedule due to the east teams.

 

[SeabeeGator]

dwags were way better last year. Both mizzo and ky were ranked, ky ended at 12. Scar was better. UT the same, but swapping aub for fail state was an upgrade and Miami was tougher than a cupcake even tho Miami is trash. Overall I still think it's a weaker schedule due to the east teams.

I prefer to look at it like this:

2018: we lost to 2 teams we should not have (UK/MIZZOU) and 1 we should have (UGA). We beat 1 team we should have lost to (LSU). We won 1 game that was a coin flip (MSU). If you want to dive deeper, we won 2 sloppy games that easily could have been losses (VU, USC), beat a coaching handicapped team (FSU), and won a bowl game over an undermanned team (UM). Still, outperformed almost all expectations.

2019: we lost to 2 teams we should have (LSU/UGA). We won 1 game that was a coin flip (Aub). Diving deeper, we have won 2 games we could have lost (UM/UK) and won 2 sloppy games (USC/MIZZOU). Everything else, from both seasons, were expected blowouts. This season, judging by preseason threads, is on track or exceeding expectations via record but haven’t taken a leap in the “eye” test, at least not consistently.

Guess what I’m getting at is that I don’t think we’ve improved dramatically but also don’t think schedule strength has really changed, much. We played about 2 teams that should beat us, 1-2 that are coin flips, and the rest should be wins - no matter how good they are relative to each other.

 

[Egor's Assistant]

I

Hopefully we can score a good NY6 bowl game against someone other than Michigan, win that and close recruiting out strong.

On an inevitable collision coarse with the MeatChicken. Must improve enough to face OSUx again someday.

 

[Hurrig8r]

I think the answer to the question is quite subjective.
2018 we were just so excited not to suck, we were happy with what had transpired...No longer in the 100's on Offense... and a 10 win season
2019 we are thrilled with the emergence of a passing game, horrified by the running game (or lack there of). Additionally, we were legitimately in the conversation for the SEC Championship Game late into the season.
As I see it, we just moved some loses around and made our season look better longer term. We had some big time wins, but failed to take the next step.
I was not a fan of the Mullen hire...I was all in on Frost bringing his fake trophy with him to put in our trophy case next to our real ones. Maybe add another real one with him. But that didn't happen. I think we made out on the deal.
That being said, Mullen wasn't hired to get us deep in the conversation of winning the East...If that were the case someone go get the paint and re-paint those SEC East Champ markers back up in the stadium that Butters was so proud of. Mullen was brought here to win the East as a simple expectation.
I'll give Mullen the benefit of the doubt that the team is on the right track. The leash is not long though. I'm not walking this dog down the same and never ending road forever, and being satisfied that there is a sign that says your almost there....
Go Gators

 

[Swamp Donkey]

. We beat 1 team we should have lost to (LSU).

Why? bc their coach, as dumb as he is, adapted his offense, became an attacker instead of a clock milker, and recruits?

Why is LSU better other than Ogre out performing Mullinz in every way so far.

 

[GatorKen714]

We're better than last year. We played 90% of the season with the second string QB and probably 2 thirds of the season without our best D line men on the field together. The run game and blocking scheme was setup to have some QB RPO stuff but that died with FF getting hurt. All things considered if some of this had happened last year where'd we have been. If Trask is back next year I'd expect a little more of a pro-set offense like we did in 2006 with Chris Leak.

 

[SeabeeGator]

Why? bc their coach, as dumb as he is, adapted his offense, became an attacker instead of a clock milker, and recruits?

Why is LSU better other than Ogre out performing Mullinz in every way so far.

Because they were and are more talented. More talented teams win 82.6% of the time.

 

[TheDouglas78]

Why? bc their coach, as dumb as he is, adapted his offense, became an attacker instead of a clock milker, and recruits?

Why is LSU better other than Ogre out performing Mullinz in every way so far.

Ogre was smart enough to swallow his pride and hire coordinators smarter than him. With the talent they are always going to get at LSU, they needed smarter people around Orge.

 

[Durty South Swamp]

I prefer to look at it like this:

2018: we lost to 2 teams we should not have (UK/MIZZOU) and 1 we should have (UGA). We beat 1 team we should have lost to (LSU). We won 1 game that was a coin flip (MSU). If you want to dive deeper, we won 2 sloppy games that easily could have been losses (VU, USC), beat a coaching handicapped team (FSU), and won a bowl game over an undermanned team (UM). Still, outperformed almost all expectations.

2019: we lost to 2 teams we should have (LSU/UGA). We won 1 game that was a coin flip (Aub). Diving deeper, we have won 2 games we could have lost (UM/UK) and won 2 sloppy games (USC/MIZZOU). Everything else, from both seasons, were expected blowouts. This season, judging by preseason threads, is on track or exceeding expectations via record but haven’t taken a leap in the “eye” test, at least not consistently.

Guess what I’m getting at is that I don’t think we’ve improved dramatically but also don’t think schedule strength has really changed, much. We played about 2 teams that should beat us, 1-2 that are coin flips, and the rest should be wins - no matter how good they are relative to each other.

KY and mizzo ended the season ranked last year, ky getting a major bowl and winning as well as finishing above us in the east (we tied them for 2nd but they owned the breaker because they beat us). This year they are both not only unranked, but also both have losing records. Im not debating that for each we COULD have lost. Thats certainly true. But your argument is more of a comparison between what we didnt do last year (win) and what we did do this year (win). And while we did beat them this time, neither team is in anyway shape or form even half as good as they were last year so its not as if that W means we are better. And yet, you said we could have lost to them... could have lost to two teams, each with losing records; but i digress. At any rate, I could flip your argument around and say we were clearly better last year because we beat LSU but this year we lost. I doubt you'd buy that argument tho b/c its BS; LSU is a different team. It's also BS when you apply it towards this year.

 

[oxrageous]

If Trask is back next year I'd expect a little more of a pro-set offense like we did in 2006 with Chris Leak.

We despised the 2006 offense. I hope you're wrong.

 

[SeabeeGator]

KY and mizzo ended the season ranked last year, ky getting a major bowl and winning as well as finishing above us in the east (we tied them for 2nd but they owned the breaker because they beat us). This year they are both not only unranked, but also both have losing records. Im not debating that for each we COULD have lost. Thats certainly true. But your argument is more of a comparison between what we didnt do last year (win) and what we did do this year (win). And while we did beat them this time, neither team is in anyway shape or form even half as good as they were last year so its not as if that W means we are better. And yet, you said we could have lost to them... could have lost to two teams, each with losing records; but i digress. At any rate, I could flip your argument around and say we were clearly better last year because we beat LSU but this year we lost. I doubt you'd buy that argument tho b/c its BS; LSU is a different team. It's also BS when you apply it towards this year.

I’m looking at it from the talent perspective. @ThreatMatrix did a nice break down and 82% of the time the more talented team wins. Pretty compelling.

Regarding Kentucky, I think you’d agree that the outcome this year is much different if Trask was the qb the whole game. We’re a better team after the injury. That’s on Mullen for not recognizing it but no less true. And I don’t think there was any way we lose to Mizzou this year - not a pretty game but they weren’t moving against the defense. It’s a Grantham truism - our defense is unstoppable against bad offenses. It’s the good ones he never stops.

 

[-THE DUDE-]

Franks has the luxury of a run game because he was a threat to run. Trask doesn’t because he isn’t.

We couldn’t run this year with Franks in either. The Oline is the problem. Bottom line is if Franks was still starting we’d have 3-4 losses easily.

I know everyone wants a quick fix but the oline is gonna take time. Everyone should be happy with our record the last 2 years after what we went through. Years 3-5 for Mullen are gonna show whether he’s the long term answer.

 

[Durty South Swamp]

I’m looking at it from the talent perspective.

ok.

Regarding Kentucky, I think you’d agree that the outcome this year is much different if Trask was the qb the whole game. We’re a better team after the injury. That’s on Mullen for not recognizing it but no less true.

Agree, no doubt.

And I don’t think there was any way we lose to Mizzou this year - not a pretty game but they weren’t moving against the defense. It’s a Grantham truism - our defense is unstoppable against bad offenses. It’s the good ones he never stops.

Again, agree.

I'm just failing to see how any of what you just stated has any bearing on the discussion or the original point. As you just stated we won against both, and fat todd only wins against bad offense. That's a big part of why we won this year, and lost last year. It's not simply because we are just better. They are just really bad this year and were both pretty good last year. Defensively I honestly dont see how anyone can say this years team is better than last years, even if pure percentages show an improvement. The east was a much better division last year. Even dwags were a lot better b/c they had a legitimate offense. Probably a large reason why the seasonal defensive numbers are the way they are. Despite the star player injuries last year, I think the secondary was much better - they werent great but aside from mcwilliams and safeties it wasnt facepalm city dang near every game. We still have the safety issue, but turns out those star players we got back were all bark, no bite. Our pass rush was also much more consistent, even against better teams. Our offense was much more balanced and we could run and pass block pretty well. Pure passing game is a huge improvement, but run game is horrific compared to last year. STs are still dreadful.

We can go on and on but doubtful either of us changes our minds. I see a team that improved by 1 win but largely because 2 losses last year to solid teams turned into what should be easy wins as both teams are garbage, losing record level garbage. It's depressing thinking we almost lost to one of them and struggled to do much against the other considering how bad they are. Outside of pure wins/losses all we can do is compare group performance from last to this which is what I noted above. Overall I think last year's team was better and was also peaking at this point in the season whereas this year we seem to be plateauing but fortunate that the teeth of schedule is behind us. Maybe they know this and put it on cruise control because we were playing our best during the meat of the schedule (aside from the dwags). Even if that's true though it still is an indication of issues. If this years team played last years team Id take last years by 10.

 

[Gator-Don]

I really hate the epic fails with our gadget plays. They look like they were staged in a football comedy. I recall similar results from last season but rather than reduce or eliminate them due to ineptness they continue with these momentum killers.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

We despised the 2006 offense. I hope you're wrong.

It was ok once Mullinz ffinally adapted.

He has always struggled with what to do with a passing quarterback and the nice set of receivers. the really frustrating part is that he CAN do it. not every coach can. some guys just don't know how to call a passing game, how to attack certain defensive backs. Dan can do it but every time he has a little bit of success he feels like the next series he's got to go back to the option ball to see if that'll work this time.

 

[Durty South Swamp]

It was ok once Mullinz ffinally adapted.

He has always struggled with what to do with a passing quarterback and the nice set of receivers. the really frustrating part is that he CAN do it. not every coach can. some guys just don't know how to call a passing game, how to attack certain defensive backs. Dan can do it but every time he has a little bit of success he feels like the next series he's got to go back to the option ball to see if that'll work this time.

yup. he's just stuck on that option ball crapola that only works when you have a big fast QB who can make guys miss and/or knock them back. every time i see trask on a designed run i die a little inside.

 

[SeabeeGator]

@Durty South Swamp Kentucky is playing a WR at QB - that’s a huge reason why they look worse. Even that Troy transfer we played makes them much better. Last year, they didn’t deal with injuries to their best players. Same with Mizzou - they looked a lot better before Bryant got injured.

My opinion, to be clear, is that I don’t see a discernible difference overall between the teams. You speak to peaking last year but seem to dismiss how bad we were before the second half of the usc game. And we didn’t beat anyone of substance at the end of the season, just felt good to finally beat the noles and defenseless Michigan.