- Jun 12, 2014
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Founding Member
Holy cow! Can you believe it?! This was certainly one for the books and seemed to have a little bit of everything. More twists and turns and rises and falls than the Pacific Coast Highway. I can't remember alternately cursing and thanking the good Lord as much as I did tonight. I must admit to having a few cold ones at the Mexican joint with my wife and daughter prior to the game, anticipating the need for what I knew would be a tough one in Lexington. Little did I know that tequila would have been a better choice.
There was a point that a second consecutive loss to the Cats looked almost inevitable. We were getting our sh!t pushed in on both lines of scrimmage, we weren't tackling well, the secondary couldn't cover a (prostitute) with a bedsheet, etc. Then Frank's went down on a failed 4th down play and Trask trotted out with the 'ones' on the next series (somewhere, maybe in a cheap motel in Tiajuana, Law was breaking the seal on a jug of the best local hootch; a gallon of Zima would not even start to take the edge off of what he was feeling). In the back of my mind, I could hear Bill Murray saying something about a "Cinderella Story." Could it be? Nah...well, maybe, but...and then I'll be damned if it wasn't!
This is one of those once a generation type games. The Danny to Doering game against these same Kentucky Wildcats comes to mind. Now the question becomes can we use this as a catalyst to shore up our deficiencies, mature and get better faster, and actually be a factor in the top of the conference question? The emotion of the moment answer would be a resounding "hell yeah," but the sober and analytical answer would be to pump the breaks and realize that until our many problems are corrected, we'll have a very difficult time against the better teams and little to no chance against the best. Sorry if it seems like I can't enjoy a win. I'm really happy, ecstatic really, that we pulled it out and one thing we have shown, a "never say die" spirit (which is extremely valuable), emerged. But looking at it from a coaching point of view, we have deficiencies that will eventually get us if we can't grow out of or correct them. The OL problem is most prominent. So let's look at some particulars (and I'm surely going to talk about the good as well):
*It was tough to see Franks go down with the dislocated ankle that has ended his season. As critical as I've been, I have been impressed by the difference in his attitude last game and in this one that was on display. Lots of energy, but under control. He was resembling a leader. Even more impressive is the loyalty his teammates have for him. I think he's always had the "it" that a coach wants from his QB, but just didn't quite know how to use it and I think it affected him physically as well as mentally, the two being tied together. Wishing him a speedy and complete recovery.
*Trask. What a feel good story. Kid showed a lot of moxie that most thought there was no way he had it. Still, there were some that seemed to know he did. Before we get too carried away, it just one game. But he has now taken that step and taken it successfully. Now he's just got to grow with the role from week to week. Proud for him and proud for the Gators. I'm a fan.
*The OL. We could do a whole article on them alone, but I'll restrict it to some things I watched for. The broken record is that we once again couldn't get a push. With only a few late exceptions, the ground game was a failure. We got overpowered, couldn't maintain our assignments, and were slow to the point of attack too often. To the latter point, our RG was a step slow on a G block and log of the play side LB and instead wound up shoving the backer into our back for an easy stop. On another, our LT never got within three yards of the DB on a lateral block for a sweep. Two things keep these assignments from being carried out: being too slow or not putting forth the necessary effort. I think consistency in the latter might be an issue along with an overall lack of strength among the personnel. If lack of quality depth is also a factor, the corrections can fall somewhere between harder than hell and impossible. We've got some pretty stout D fronts still in front of us. We should be seeing some improvement by now, but there's not nearly enough thus far. And by the way, it isn't just a TE problem.
*David Reese had a helluva game. He played with a lot of passion and a lot of grit. I think I heard he was upward of 15 stops. Only problem is that there isn't but one of him. Hope he stays healthy. He's the king bolt.
*The secondary was poor overall, not tackling very well nor covering consistently. Marco Wilson got toasted tonight, but there were others who didn't shine either. The fact that we are small doesn't help against the longer, bigger receivers. The interceptions were good and the last one critical, but this bunch has got to get better and more consistent quickly. When we get neutralized up front, lack of experience and skill gets easily exposed. I think Elam is off to a good start, however. I'm sure there's more, but it's hard to see on a night like tonight when a second string guy lights you up a bit.
*Our receivers are pretty damn good. And there's a bunch of them. Freddy Swain made some great catches to go along with Jefferson, Grimes, Hammond, and others. And how about Pitts? Now if he can just block a little.
*I'd still like to see Perine run behind his pads a little more. He's going to have to until something changes with the OL.
*I thought us failing on the 4th down play (and losing Franks) might have been the game's biggest play, but it turns out that Stoops' decision to try the same took that honor. His D had been killing us, why risk giving us some juice (and throwing their's away)?
*McPherson had a rare miss, but thankfully we were able to overcome it. Not sure if the Kentucky kicker will be able to easily get over his push. One of the game's vagaries.
We were very fortunate tonight and as mentioned before, it ought to give us some fire, especially as we come back home for a date with the Vols. It should also serve as yet another reminder that we are not a whole team, far from it in fact. The "never say die" spirit might win us a couple more down the way, but by itself, LSU, UGA, and AU will beat us. Maybe even UT and Mizzou. We have simply got to have more consistent play top to bottom and find a way to be stronger on the line of scrimmage (we were different on the DL without Zuniga). There's no choice. Mullen's got to find a way.
Go Gators!
There was a point that a second consecutive loss to the Cats looked almost inevitable. We were getting our sh!t pushed in on both lines of scrimmage, we weren't tackling well, the secondary couldn't cover a (prostitute) with a bedsheet, etc. Then Frank's went down on a failed 4th down play and Trask trotted out with the 'ones' on the next series (somewhere, maybe in a cheap motel in Tiajuana, Law was breaking the seal on a jug of the best local hootch; a gallon of Zima would not even start to take the edge off of what he was feeling). In the back of my mind, I could hear Bill Murray saying something about a "Cinderella Story." Could it be? Nah...well, maybe, but...and then I'll be damned if it wasn't!
This is one of those once a generation type games. The Danny to Doering game against these same Kentucky Wildcats comes to mind. Now the question becomes can we use this as a catalyst to shore up our deficiencies, mature and get better faster, and actually be a factor in the top of the conference question? The emotion of the moment answer would be a resounding "hell yeah," but the sober and analytical answer would be to pump the breaks and realize that until our many problems are corrected, we'll have a very difficult time against the better teams and little to no chance against the best. Sorry if it seems like I can't enjoy a win. I'm really happy, ecstatic really, that we pulled it out and one thing we have shown, a "never say die" spirit (which is extremely valuable), emerged. But looking at it from a coaching point of view, we have deficiencies that will eventually get us if we can't grow out of or correct them. The OL problem is most prominent. So let's look at some particulars (and I'm surely going to talk about the good as well):
*It was tough to see Franks go down with the dislocated ankle that has ended his season. As critical as I've been, I have been impressed by the difference in his attitude last game and in this one that was on display. Lots of energy, but under control. He was resembling a leader. Even more impressive is the loyalty his teammates have for him. I think he's always had the "it" that a coach wants from his QB, but just didn't quite know how to use it and I think it affected him physically as well as mentally, the two being tied together. Wishing him a speedy and complete recovery.
*Trask. What a feel good story. Kid showed a lot of moxie that most thought there was no way he had it. Still, there were some that seemed to know he did. Before we get too carried away, it just one game. But he has now taken that step and taken it successfully. Now he's just got to grow with the role from week to week. Proud for him and proud for the Gators. I'm a fan.
*The OL. We could do a whole article on them alone, but I'll restrict it to some things I watched for. The broken record is that we once again couldn't get a push. With only a few late exceptions, the ground game was a failure. We got overpowered, couldn't maintain our assignments, and were slow to the point of attack too often. To the latter point, our RG was a step slow on a G block and log of the play side LB and instead wound up shoving the backer into our back for an easy stop. On another, our LT never got within three yards of the DB on a lateral block for a sweep. Two things keep these assignments from being carried out: being too slow or not putting forth the necessary effort. I think consistency in the latter might be an issue along with an overall lack of strength among the personnel. If lack of quality depth is also a factor, the corrections can fall somewhere between harder than hell and impossible. We've got some pretty stout D fronts still in front of us. We should be seeing some improvement by now, but there's not nearly enough thus far. And by the way, it isn't just a TE problem.
*David Reese had a helluva game. He played with a lot of passion and a lot of grit. I think I heard he was upward of 15 stops. Only problem is that there isn't but one of him. Hope he stays healthy. He's the king bolt.
*The secondary was poor overall, not tackling very well nor covering consistently. Marco Wilson got toasted tonight, but there were others who didn't shine either. The fact that we are small doesn't help against the longer, bigger receivers. The interceptions were good and the last one critical, but this bunch has got to get better and more consistent quickly. When we get neutralized up front, lack of experience and skill gets easily exposed. I think Elam is off to a good start, however. I'm sure there's more, but it's hard to see on a night like tonight when a second string guy lights you up a bit.
*Our receivers are pretty damn good. And there's a bunch of them. Freddy Swain made some great catches to go along with Jefferson, Grimes, Hammond, and others. And how about Pitts? Now if he can just block a little.
*I'd still like to see Perine run behind his pads a little more. He's going to have to until something changes with the OL.
*I thought us failing on the 4th down play (and losing Franks) might have been the game's biggest play, but it turns out that Stoops' decision to try the same took that honor. His D had been killing us, why risk giving us some juice (and throwing their's away)?
*McPherson had a rare miss, but thankfully we were able to overcome it. Not sure if the Kentucky kicker will be able to easily get over his push. One of the game's vagaries.
We were very fortunate tonight and as mentioned before, it ought to give us some fire, especially as we come back home for a date with the Vols. It should also serve as yet another reminder that we are not a whole team, far from it in fact. The "never say die" spirit might win us a couple more down the way, but by itself, LSU, UGA, and AU will beat us. Maybe even UT and Mizzou. We have simply got to have more consistent play top to bottom and find a way to be stronger on the line of scrimmage (we were different on the DL without Zuniga). There's no choice. Mullen's got to find a way.
Go Gators!
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Good stuff.
