- Oct 5, 2017
- 2,315
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What a good home opener. We didn't start hot, but what else is new under Mullen? We definitely need to embrace this shutout. I know, it was UT-Martin, but this is also our first shut out since North Texas in 2016 and shut outs against even overmatched opponents are rare around here. As far as the game goes, plenty of good, some bad. Happy about what we saw.
Good short time at the tailgate with Phan and friends. I want to say that Phan makes a phenomenal chicken. Great food, worth a shoutout.
For what I'm sure is the first time, my dad's three sons sat together in the Swamp. And the first time since probably 2000/2001 we've all watched a game together so that was special. Why is that relevant? It's not, but I'm writing what I want. I guess on a night where the legacy of Two Bits was celebrated and Mullen talks about the generational stories of college football in his presser, (my older brother is 17 years older than me and 20 years older than my younger brother) is just worked. He talked about growing up in the 80's and watching Bell, Marshall and others that were before our time. He also talked about golfing with Spurrier and Tom "T-Bird" Shannon, the QB before Spurrier when working in Golf when he attended USF. Then went and talked to Shannon during the game. As his kids sat in the Student Section (and unlike the joke that was whatever BS block that had the first few rows between 38 and 40, showed up.
Offense
Lets get this out of the way. Mullen called this game very vanilla and played some players, like Perine, sparingly. The line needs to do better, but Mullen was quick to point out we ran for over 200 yards in his presser. We also only had one complete drive in the first quarter, lack of drives will lead to lack of points and yards. Once things got rolling, it looked good. With a game like this, there's not much to say. UT-Martin played the deep pass plenty allowing us to get some shorter throws for decent games though we did have a few home run balls.
Franks, the record holder for best completion percentage in a game by a UF QB:
Emory:
Defense
Same with offense, Grantham overall was very vanilla. No Stewart, Burney, or Taylor. Good for the cycling in of young guys we saw. Kimbrough was in by the second series. I think the plan was to play Hendo limited, unfortunately, that didn't work out well for him. He was in a boot outside of the stadium post game. Hopefully, we have a better prognosis today.
According to the in stadium announcer, Toney was making plays on defense. Yes, plays, plural.
Several fourth down stops that are at least good for building confidence. Good INT by Elam, Hill had a good break up in the second quarter. The defense pitched a shutout and did well.
Quick Hits:
On a good night honoring one of the greatest Gators, Florida shut out an overmatched opponent. Plenty of young guys saw snaps and many didn't have to wait until late in the second half to do it. Playcalling was what it was, but I'll expect more in Lexington on both sides of the ball. Easy, fun night in Gainesville. FSU nearly blows it, Tennessee and Miami are 0-2. It's a good season so far.
Go Gators!
Good short time at the tailgate with Phan and friends. I want to say that Phan makes a phenomenal chicken. Great food, worth a shoutout.
For what I'm sure is the first time, my dad's three sons sat together in the Swamp. And the first time since probably 2000/2001 we've all watched a game together so that was special. Why is that relevant? It's not, but I'm writing what I want. I guess on a night where the legacy of Two Bits was celebrated and Mullen talks about the generational stories of college football in his presser, (my older brother is 17 years older than me and 20 years older than my younger brother) is just worked. He talked about growing up in the 80's and watching Bell, Marshall and others that were before our time. He also talked about golfing with Spurrier and Tom "T-Bird" Shannon, the QB before Spurrier when working in Golf when he attended USF. Then went and talked to Shannon during the game. As his kids sat in the Student Section (and unlike the joke that was whatever BS block that had the first few rows between 38 and 40, showed up.
Offense
Lets get this out of the way. Mullen called this game very vanilla and played some players, like Perine, sparingly. The line needs to do better, but Mullen was quick to point out we ran for over 200 yards in his presser. We also only had one complete drive in the first quarter, lack of drives will lead to lack of points and yards. Once things got rolling, it looked good. With a game like this, there's not much to say. UT-Martin played the deep pass plenty allowing us to get some shorter throws for decent games though we did have a few home run balls.
Franks, the record holder for best completion percentage in a game by a UF QB:
- Short check down to Pitts for 5 yards. Franks looks down field, but I think this is one of the drop 8 that Mullen mentioned.
- Screen pass to Toney for 1. Poor blocking on the left lead to a reverse field ending in a 1 yard gain.
- Stop rout to Jefferson for a gain of 9.
- Screen to Toney for 6.
- Pass to Pitts for a loss of 2 yards. Great call and a good check down pass. Pitts just trips over his own two feet. If he doesn't, this could have been a TD. It would have been a first down at least.
- Franks checks down to Perine for 5. Couldn't tell on the broadcast, but I'm pretty sure live Franks had the left seam deep with two steps on the DB's, but still a good pick up.
- Dump to Cleveland that went for about 8. Set up 4th & 3, which we didn't get on a badly block QB power. The line double the end, allowing the linebacker to get through.
- Screen to Grimes for 5 and a first down.
- Deep Post to Jefferson for 69 yards and a TD. Great throw, this is a throw that we saw overthrown MANY times last season.
- Check down to Perine for 2 yards. There was nothing open downfield.
- Franks escapes pocket, finds Hammond for a first down.
- Tyrie Cleveland is quarantine for a 35 yard TD. Good touch by Franks.
- Slant to Jefferson for 7 yards.
- Underneath to Swain for a first down and out of bounds with 12 seconds left in the half.
- Slant to Grimes to not end the half...interesting play call. It appears that the playcall had a slant with blockers ahead, but nobody decided to take out the defender assigned to Grimes.
- Franks first incompletion throwing one up to the endzone at the end of the half.
- Franks avoids pressure, directs traffic, and finds Grimes for 9 yards.
- Well thrown ball to Grimes in the end zone. Pass Interference call so not included in stats.
- Franks thrown into traffic for his second and final incompletion. Pitts should have caught it though in my opinion. Hard? yea, but this is UF, a slow moving ball off of a tip should be caught.
- Grimes with a catch for 23 yards on an intermediate crossing route, hit in stride.
- Screen to Copeland for 8 yards.
- Out route to Cleveland for 9 and a first down.
- Quick 5 yard stop to Franks that goes for 9.
- Thrown on the sideline to Perine, but too far out. Holding negates the throw from stats.
- Swing to Perine for 8 yards.
- Slant to Grimes for 10 yards.
- Screen to Hammond for no gain.
- Screen to Hammond for 4 yards.
- Short route to Copeland for 6 yards.
- Slant to Copeland for a 9 yard TD.
- Awful throw on a slant that should have been picked, and possibly a pick 6.
- Terrific throw to Rick Wells on the sideline for 24 yards.
- Dump to Wright for 5 yards.
- Throw to Wells for 3 yards.
Emory:
- Screen to Hammond for 3 and a first down.
- Ball intercepted...j/k ball bounced.
- Throw to Wells over the middle, pass interference, negated from stats.
- Dangerous low throw that bounces in the end zone.
- Incomplete in a why are we still throwing situation.
Defense
Same with offense, Grantham overall was very vanilla. No Stewart, Burney, or Taylor. Good for the cycling in of young guys we saw. Kimbrough was in by the second series. I think the plan was to play Hendo limited, unfortunately, that didn't work out well for him. He was in a boot outside of the stadium post game. Hopefully, we have a better prognosis today.
According to the in stadium announcer, Toney was making plays on defense. Yes, plays, plural.
Several fourth down stops that are at least good for building confidence. Good INT by Elam, Hill had a good break up in the second quarter. The defense pitched a shutout and did well.
Quick Hits:
- Townsend with an All-American performance averaging 50 yards per punt.
- Stood outside the stadium with my brothers after the game talking and saw some players leaving, Greenard is a BEAST and I had to figure out who Ethan White was at first because he appeared so slim.
- Shout out to my friend Ernie Santo who went around the stadium doing a Two Bits deal last night.
- Bad day for kickers in upset attempts. First Army is a foot wide on a game winning field goal and the team blew it in OT. Then poor guy at ULM horribly missing an XP at FSU. We were streaming the game on my brother's phone after seeing ULM bringing the score closer and closer. At least BYU came back, right?
- What a meltdown by Scott Frost and Nebraska. At half, Sas and I were talking about how he took Colorado and was disappointed with the 17-0 score.
- Keep your ear out for what a dominant offense and defense Texas has as LSU will be hyped to the moon.
- Michigan will not be dropped for winning after Army missed the kick mentioned above.
- You have to feel for FSU, I don't think they have a Pat Dooley, Steve Russell, or Crucial who will defend that garbage as good football to the death (which means a significant portion of the fan base won't have the bs talking points and somehow be happy while the program burns as we saw during the last two coaching tenures). Alternatively, they won't get the annoyance of the "everything is fine" crowd.
- How good is Tulane?
- Watch UNC who beat a team I still see people lumping in as teams we could lose to in USCe (and not in a fluke type way) and Miami. Perhaps not being as injured this year and having Mack Brown could get them into the ACC Title game. How many teams currently are 2-0 with two power 5 victories?
- Luke Fickell continues to be victimized by the Buckeyes. Dude gets hired as interim in 2011 with no chance of becoming full time. Then when Meyer leaves they promote another person. Then he goes back as head coach of Cincy and they shut him out...wow.
- Coach Mac getting the job done for the Chippewas
- Les Miles madness continues, motivating his team with a loss to Coastal Carolina
On a good night honoring one of the greatest Gators, Florida shut out an overmatched opponent. Plenty of young guys saw snaps and many didn't have to wait until late in the second half to do it. Playcalling was what it was, but I'll expect more in Lexington on both sides of the ball. Easy, fun night in Gainesville. FSU nearly blows it, Tennessee and Miami are 0-2. It's a good season so far.
Go Gators!
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Thanks Truth, your breakdown on yardage per play helps a lot. The yardage on the screen and swings wasn’t near as bad as I perceived live. Maybe I just hate sideways ;)
