Bits & Pieces: Florida vs Georgia

[oxrageous]

Come on now. Stop being deliberately obtuse. You saw all the posts leading up to the game. You mean to tell me that there weren’t quite a few posters here who took the bait after the USC comeback win and believed we would pull the upset? You know that happened. Hell, several openly admitted as much on the board after the game. Even some of the Gator sites bit and wrote articles about us finding our footing under Napier, turning the corner, etc.

GIG, I’ve been with this core group since 2007. There has never been a single year or game, ever, especially the rivals, where most people didn’t pick UF to win. Even in our most hideous years.

That’s what fans do. They pick their team to win. Even GatorTruth, who is really smart and generally rational, admitted that he never picks against his team.

 

[TN G8tr]

GIG, I’ve been with this core group since 2007. There has never been a single year or game, ever, especially the rivals, where most people didn’t pick UF to win. Even in our most hideous years.

That’s what fans do. They pick their team to win. Even GatorTruth, who is really smart and generally rational, admitted that he never picks against his team.

This.

Along with many that stated in one way or the other in the pick thread....
"can't pick UGAly"
"won't pick against UF"
"my head says this but my heart"

And on and on.

I even said if my prediction were to come true, UF would have to play a perfect game and UGAly play it's worst. I along with many know there are things that are going to have to be corrected with this team. But also, many of us since last year seeing with the roster turnover knew what we were looking at. Hence many saying this team could play better but have a worse record. Good point on @GatorTruth133 the guy is spot on and he even knows.

 

[GatorTruth133]

Even GatorTruth, who is really smart and generally rational, admitted that he never picks against his team.

I try to have integrity and part of that is admitting bias. I try to find ways we can win games. I believe upsets happen. I think most people were and do operate on hope.

 

[Durty South Swamp]

serious question - did anyone watch the game and feel like, despite the loss, that we are seeing improvement in various areas from last year or from the start of this year?

I said all along the last 2 weeks that we weren't going to win and losing meant nothing in terms of where we are and who napier is, but i said we should expect to see things that give us some hope or a glimmer into what may be on the horizon.

the first drive was very nice, but i saw nothing else. in fact i believe we played better and harder last year when georgia was a better team than they are now.
anyone feel differently?

 

[URGatorBait]

serious question - did anyone watch the game and feel like, despite the loss, that we are seeing improvement in various areas from last year or from the start of this year?

I said all along the last 2 weeks that we weren't going to win and losing meant nothing in terms of where we are and who napier is, but i said we should expect to see things that give us some hope or a glimmer into what may be on the horizon.

the first drive was very nice, but i saw nothing else. in fact i believe we played better and harder last year when georgia was a better team than they are now.
anyone feel differently?

Oddly enough, the score was virtually the same. (technically defense was 1 point better )

What I saw from a players aspect is they didn't quit. They had a whole lot of reasons to quit, and they would have under the last guy, but they didn't, they finished the game even when getting pounded.

 

[TN G8tr]

serious question - did anyone watch the game and feel like, despite the loss, that we are seeing improvement in various areas from last year or from the start of this year?

I said all along the last 2 weeks that we weren't going to win and losing meant nothing in terms of where we are and who napier is, but i said we should expect to see things that give us some hope or a glimmer into what may be on the horizon.

the first drive was very nice, but i saw nothing else. in fact i believe we played better and harder last year when georgia was a better team than they are now.
anyone feel differently?

Hey @Durty South Swamp it is a good question and I will give you my take on this. BUT, first off I fully believe that there are numerous things that this staff along with Billy still have to do. And we all have discussed those at length. So I won't fill the repsonse up with that.

Seriously nothing shocked me Saturday. I didn't get to watch it live but went back and watch the whole thing. Being an optimist and seeing everything so far and not just the game, yes I see progress and glimmers of change. I mentioned this as far back as Utah and Kentucky. This team with their youth has one big maturity problem. When they get smacked in the mouth, it is hard for them to put a finger in the crack of a dam and it busts loose. As this team gets seasoned, they will learn how to shrug that off. I think deep down the staff knows this and they know with a team like UGAly you have to take some chances as in reality they know it is an uphill battle to go with them toe to toe. The tougher the team the harder it is for them to respond. I also fully believe that our schemes are limited to the personnel. I do think they are trying and sometimes the 4th down calls as they went the other day. As much as it is hard for me to take anything from a BullDwag even Bowlcut knows why UF is where they're at and even hammered Mullen after the game Saturday, "he didn't recruit much" referring to his prediction Bowlcut would lose.

The biggest thing I like so far is this team does not seem to shyt the bed and keep fighting. Even more so Mertz. That kid had taken a beating and keeps coming back. We do have some pockets of effort or lack thereof (Kimber especially) but overall the team is fighting. We would have not seen this from a Mullen coached team. One other thing and I will leave it with this. I like the attitude of some of our players. Mertz, keeps fighting. Scooby, after getting hurt in pre-game, kept playing. Stuff like this hopefully will pay off and will help this team grow up.

Who knows how the rest of the season will go. But with this team it is not only just game to game and don't get ahead. They really need to be step by step.

 

[cover2]

The football fan in me thought that if we could somehow eliminate the self-induced errors, channel a little bit of momentum from a win and a lot of emotion because, well, it’s the Dawgs, that we could keep it close and maybe give ourselves a chance. Who wasn’t a little giddy after the opening drive and then holding UGA to a FG? Then on cue, they grab another gear and we simultaneously start imploding. And almost before you know it, we’ve gone from leading and competing at 7-3 to scoring twice in the 4th just to make it 43-20. Very disappointed overall, but upon reflection, Billy has shown us what to expect all season to this point.

I‘m realizing that as frustrating as the offensive strategy and execution is, what is happening on the other side of the ball might be the scariest part. It’s been detailed in several threads, but I’m repeating it here…we can’t generate a consistent pass rush, we are inconsistent against the run and frequently gashed off-tackle and lose contain, and our secondary, as the old saying goes, couldn’t cover a hooker with a bedspread and then loaf or give up on the play after a reception is made. Yet we keep trotting the same cast out, make the same calls and same mistakes, same poor effort on display, all after explaining that “we can coach/play better, we’ve got a good plan in place, we study the analytics, etc. and etc.

Sooner or later, you’ve got to call it what it is…Insanity! Because continually doing the same things over and over and expecting different results is just that. I really appreciate what Billy’s trying to do for the culture and the roster/talent through his recruiting and I don’t believe that we should be undefeated, UGA is that much better than us right now (though I felt we could have better competed), but Utah was winnable and a thrashing at the hands of UK never should have happened. Right now and maybe in the foreseeable future, we will have trouble keeping up with the opposition as long as we play D like we’re playing and accept the product we’re putting on the field. There’s a modicum of hope regarding Arky, but I hate to think how many points and yards LSU might put up, barring multiple arrests prior to the game. I really hope I’m proven wrong, but that’s how it feels in the current post mortem.

 

[Durty South Swamp]

@TN G8tr appreciate your perspective but im with @cover2 on this one. I watched the whole thing and I didn't really see kids competing hard but losing due to being inferior. i saw mistakes galore, a lot of selfish play starting with poor discipline and ending with lackadaisical effort, especially on defense. it appeared more to me that the team was going through the motions than giving their all.

we all are at confirmation bias at this point - you see positive b/c you think were in the right hands, i didnt because i dont, etc.
But it seems like every week we are looking for something that gives us a true indication, good or bad, of what the future holds and every week we are divided on whether we got it or what we got. feels like groundhog day. I get that napier has only been here 2 seasons, but damn, would be nice to see something to truly get us up after 15 miserable years in the cfb wilderness.

 

[soflagator]

@TN G8tr appreciate your perspective but im with @cover2 on this one. I watched the whole thing and I didn't really see kids competing hard but losing due to being inferior. i saw mistakes galore, a lot of selfish play starting with poor discipline and ending with lackadaisical effort, especially on defense. it appeared more to me that the team was going through the motions than giving their all.

we all are at confirmation bias at this point - you see positive b/c you think were in the right hands, i didnt because i dont, etc.
But it seems like every week we are looking for something that gives us a true indication, good or bad, of what the future holds and every week we are divided on whether we got it or what we got. feels like groundhog day. I get that napier has only been here 2 seasons, but damn, would be nice to see something to truly get us up after 15 miserable years in the cfb wilderness.

I think you summed it up well. We experienced a lot of divide during the 2005 season and found unity by finishing strong(outside of Usce). I think we really need a good finish to the year, with something for us all to hang our hats on. We outclass, Missouri and Arkansas, and get the noles at home. LSU Road game aside, I think those games are as close to must wins as we’ve ever had. Finish 8-4 and some bowl game we’ve actually heard of before, and we go into next year with momentum. That’s what I’m hoping for at this point.

 

[LongTooth]

The football fan in me thought that if we could somehow eliminate the self-induced errors, channel a little bit of momentum from a win and a lot of emotion because, well, it’s the Dawgs, that we could keep it close and maybe give ourselves a chance. Who wasn’t a little giddy after the opening drive and then holding UGA to a FG? Then on cue, they grab another gear and we simultaneously start imploding. And almost before you know it, we’ve gone from leading and competing at 7-3 to scoring twice in the 4th just to make it 43-20. Very disappointed overall, but upon reflection, Billy has shown us what to expect all season to this point.

I‘m realizing that as frustrating as the offensive strategy and execution is, what is happening on the other side of the ball might be the scariest part. It’s been detailed in several threads, but I’m repeating it here…we can’t generate a consistent pass rush, we are inconsistent against the run and frequently gashed off-tackle and lose contain, and our secondary, as the old saying goes, couldn’t cover a hooker with a bedspread and then loaf or give up on the play after a reception is made. Yet we keep trotting the same cast out, make the same calls and same mistakes, same poor effort on display, all after explaining that “we can coach/play better, we’ve got a good plan in place, we study the analytics, etc. and etc.

Sooner or later, you’ve got to call it what it is…Insanity! Because continually doing the same things over and over and expecting different results is just that. I really appreciate what Billy’s trying to do for the culture and the roster/talent through his recruiting and I don’t believe that we should be undefeated, UGA is that much better than us right now (though I felt we could have better competed), but Utah was winnable and a thrashing at the hands of UK never should have happened. Right now and maybe in the foreseeable future, we will have trouble keeping up with the opposition as long as we play D like we’re playing and accept the product we’re putting on the field. There’s a modicum of hope regarding Arky, but I hate to think how many points and yards LSU might put up, barring multiple arrests prior to the game. I really hope I’m proven wrong, but that’s how it feels in the current post mortem.

The front seven was supposed to generate pressure that would help out the young DBs.

That has not happened at all.

Marshall and Kimber need to have their reps replaced with other guys.

Strength and Conditioning are a complete failure and that bum should be fired.

I am losing hope that Billy will put his ego and the relationships he has with some of these staff members aside and do some SERIOUS house cleaning. He’s going to be just like the failures that preceded him who also stubbornly overestimated their coaching abilities and their staffs.

OL and DL coaches need to go. Raymond needs to be put on notice. Armstrong needs to be put on notice as he has proven to be only slightly better than trainwreck Toney. Hire a ST coach and get Chris Couch out of the state asap. What a cluster phuck he is.

Hire a new S and C coach. That dude is a joke based on how soft we look out there.

HIRE AN OC.

He’s not lighting any fires under anyone’s bum and if he doesn’t during the off-season he’s doomed.

 

[Ironhead]

@TN G8tr appreciate your perspective but im with @cover2 on this one. I watched the whole thing and I didn't really see kids competing hard but losing due to being inferior. i saw mistakes galore, a lot of selfish play starting with poor discipline and ending with lackadaisical effort, especially on defense. it appeared more to me that the team was going through the motions than giving their all.

we all are at confirmation bias at this point - you see positive b/c you think were in the right hands, i didnt because i dont, etc.
But it seems like every week we are looking for something that gives us a true indication, good or bad, of what the future holds and every week we are divided on whether we got it or what we got. feels like groundhog day. I get that napier has only been here 2 seasons, but damn, would be nice to see something to truly get us up after 15 miserable years in the cfb wilderness.

Yes and Yes, I agree completely.
In regards to "not quitting", Hell, If you never really "start" how the hell do you quit?

Team never believed they could win, Thats coaching.
Team wasn't prepared for the physicality Ga brought, Especially after the 4th down debacle. That's coaching.
Blocked Punt, That's coaching.

We can sit here and try to take some solace in the "They fought to the end mantra", but, the truth is, they never came to fight.
The team was never prepared and thought Ga was just going to lay down and wimper when it was 7-3
The only way we scored twice in the 4th quarter was because Ga lost their edge.

 

[Durty South Swamp]

We outclass, Missouri and Arkansas, and get the noles at home. LSU Road game aside, I think those games are as close to must wins as we’ve ever had.

I think you are dreaming if you want wins in most of those. Mizzy is a very good team and about 1 play away from being 8-0. That is gonna be a loss that isnt competitive or close. LSU on the road... yeesh. Probably similar to mizz. I'd like to think we could muster up enough at home in an end of season rivalry game to beat a team that has played a d2 schedule all year, but i have my doubts. Ark is probably the last team on the schedule that wont be a significant favorite.

I said after SC, that ark is probably the only W left on the schedule barring some unforeseen changes within the team. No changes so far. My prediction remains at this point.

 

[oxrageous]

I think you are dreaming if you want wins in most of those. Mizzy is a very good team and about 1 play away from being 8-0. That is gonna be a loss that isnt competitive or close. LSU on the road... yeesh. Probably similar to mizz. I'd like to think we could muster up enough at home in an end of season rivalry game to beat a team that has played a d2 schedule all year, but i have my doubts. Ark is probably the last team on the schedule that wont be a significant favorite.

I said after SC, that ark is probably the only W left on the schedule barring some unforeseen changes within the team. No changes so far. My prediction remains at this point.

I predict we win out, which cancels out your prediction.

 

[Durty South Swamp]

I predict we win out, which cancels out your prediction.

i certainly hope so.

 

[Egor's Assistant]

, and our secondary, as the old saying goes, couldn’t cover a hooker with a bedspread and then loaf or give up on the play after a reception is made.

So is the hooker dead in this scenario? Or the wife is coming home and you're trying to hide her? Please expound.

 

[Ironhead]

I hate to say it but, Mizzou is pretty good.
They have a stout D line, and they're physical.
Also, it's AT Mizzou. I can't see a win there.

Hoping to beat Arkansas.

If there is a God in Heaven, if there are any Galloping Ghosts Of Gators Past, If there are any witches that can conjure up the blood sweat and tears of Jarvis Williams, Louis Oliver and Wilber Marshall, so we can beat the damn noles, I would forever be in their debt.

Neighbor across the street has TWO freakin' Ga flags up and the neighbor beside me has his nole stuff displayed.
I'm dying here............

 

[cover2]

So is the hooker dead in this scenario? Or the wife is coming home and you're trying to hide her? Please expound.

Doesn’t matter either way, we’d still leave her open.

 

[Durty South Swamp]

I hate to say it but, Mizzou is pretty good.
They have a stout D line, and they're physical.
Also, it's AT Mizzou. I can't see a win there.

Hoping to beat Arkansas.

If there is a God in Heaven, if there are any Galloping Ghosts Of Gators Past, If there are any witches that can conjure up the blood sweat and tears of Jarvis Williams, Louis Oliver and Wilber Marshall, so we can beat the damn noles, I would forever be in their debt.

Neighbor across the street has TWO freakin' Ga flags up and the neighbor beside me has his nole stuff displayed.
I'm dying here............

move

 

[Durty South Swamp]

View attachment 63550

Doesn’t matter either way, we’d still leave her open.

cover is officially out of F's to give.

I love it

 

[TN G8tr]

@TN G8tr appreciate your perspective but im with @cover2 on this one. I watched the whole thing and I didn't really see kids competing hard but losing due to being inferior. i saw mistakes galore, a lot of selfish play starting with poor discipline and ending with lackadaisical effort, especially on defense. it appeared more to me that the team was going through the motions than giving their all.

we all are at confirmation bias at this point - you see positive b/c you think were in the right hands, i didnt because i dont, etc.
But it seems like every week we are looking for something that gives us a true indication, good or bad, of what the future holds and every week we are divided on whether we got it or what we got. feels like groundhog day. I get that napier has only been here 2 seasons, but damn, would be nice to see something to truly get us up after 15 miserable years in the cfb wilderness.

I get it and yes, you're correct on the effort part of it. And maybe it is more of hope than know. One thing's for sure we definitely are hoping for improvement and soon.