Bits & Pieces: Florida vs. Louisiana State

deuce

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1. Injuries and the lack of quality depth are just too much to overcome against a quality opponent.

2. The execution of the play called is directly related to #1.

3. Home field advantage is real and shouldn't be ignored.

4. No coach is perfect, they all make mistakes.

5. A football season is a marathon not a dash.

6. Against all odds, we were ahead until midway in the 3rd. Quarter. With everything that went wrong, that's amazing.

7. Losing always hurts, that's life.

8. I'm still a Gator!
 

G8trwood

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Found an offense at some point when CDM knew he was in a shootout! Trask looked really good on the intermediate timing routes. Not as good on long balls. Trask is slow and the knee hampers him. Showed grit and determination. For the most part innovative on the play calling with the qualifier that he thinks he has an OL. Their huge DT crushed our OL all night without the need for support from the backers, we wasted a number of downs there which puts KT in a bad position. Mullen puts EJ in too often the puts KT back in to bail him out on 3rd down. Seem to see a pattern with KT interceptions as something bad happened on the play before. Whether the play was blown up or he was subbed back in to bail out. We could have had several more interceptions. It did feel good not to have 3rd and 9 seem like a big deal, unfortunately 3rd and 1 still is.

Perine had some tough runs and two great catches. He did miss a few blitzes near the end. Or the O line whiff was so bad it looked like a blitz :( I think we don’t see many sweep type plays because we would have to go underneath the DE who is upfield.......
Pitts, Jefferson, Grimes... well played. If copeland could block.... Hope Jefferson is okay.

The D..... well with G&Z not 100% we lose edge setting and speed to run the play down. The line was just blown up and the LB looked lost or were hesitant due to Burrows burning them early. Recruiting, recruiting, recruiting.....no real backers or DT really hurts. Tackling, nuff said. The DB were what we knew they were and LSU kept them off balance.

both lines were completely manhandled, and yet ;) , we were in the game until late. We knew it had to be mistake free and score every possession. We didn’t. I don’t fault Forsythe on the hold because it was probably a strip without it. For getting blown up again, well, ..

one hell of a game, I had hope there for a while. The team certainly did not quit. LSU just had depth and athletes we did not. Lines and running back.

Go Gators, time to lower the boom on Coach boom
 

Gatorraid81

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Too early to say this. This team is low on talent and recruiting is in the toilet, so I don't see how the future looks that bright.

Looks like your coming around, last week you had us in the playoffs. Glad you finally realized what we are.
 

oxrageous

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Looks like your coming around, last week you had us in the playoffs. Glad you finally realized what we are.
I definitely realize it now. It's just a shame we have our best QB since Tebow and our best passer since Grossman, and it's all going to go to waste.
 

cover2

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@FireFoley you make some good points about some of the play calls. But to me our biggest offensive problems boil down to a weak OL and our inability to run it when we need to run it (e.g. the 4th and inches INT you reference and I'll add to it the final option play). Regardless of how the offenses of the day have become so heavily identifiable with high speed passing games and throwing it all over the yard, an inability to generate a push gets your @ss beat. We saw that in spades.

As for Grantham, I think against LSU's high octane O under Burrow's command, it was a matter of pick your poison with our roster. I believe his plan was probably dictated by our inconsistent safeties and the absence/limited availability of Greenard and Zuniga. Trying to generate pressure from LB and corner blitzes puts the sateties into man coverage and they aren't very good in this role. Heck, they're not great playing off the hash. All that notwithstanding, I'm not crazy about rotating them as much as we do. In a nutshell, he was able to keep it close enough that our O had a chance to win it...until they didn't. It's a very debatable point, but I believe if we'd gambled more, LSU would have hung 50+ and passed for over 400 against us. Their second half defensive adjustments, allowing us only one score on the opening possession and nothing thereafter even though we threatened, was a huge part of sealing the deal.

Last night, the fable of the tortoise and the hare was rewritten. The hare never slowed down, lolly gagged, or took too many breaks. They ran at full speed all the way to the finish. In the end, the tortoise, who was methodical and pretty consistent, just couldn't keep up. We've got to recruit more rabbits.
 
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Circle City Gator

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Instead of giving me dislikes, perhaps tell me how my statement was anything but a fact?

Because recruiting isn't over, and this is the kind of game, and season, that helps. Kids look and see a defense that flies all over the place, but needs more stars, then they look in the mirror and see the solution. They look at the offense and know it could be great with a few more offensive lineman, and know they'll get a chance to play for a team that is in the mix. It's hard to recruit when you're losing or looking boring, but it gets a lot easier when you're winning big games, or even getting in them on the main show on Saturday nights.

We could have Sportscenter in Jax again on November 2. Tell me another game that day with the same interest. Three times in a season? That helps recruiting. And even though we lost last night, I did't see anything to convince me we don't have a 50-50 shot at beating UGA and ending up in the SEC Championship Game.

So no, your opinion is not a fact. Some people might be surprised to hear that. I hope you're not.
 

oxrageous

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Because recruiting isn't over, and this is the kind of game, and season, that helps. Kids look and see a defense that flies all over the place, but needs more stars, then they look in the mirror and see the solution. They look at the offense and know it could be great with a few more offensive lineman, and know they'll get a chance to play for a team that is in the mix. It's hard to recruit when you're losing or looking boring, but it gets a lot easier when you're winning big games, or even getting in them on the main show on Saturday nights.

We could have Sportscenter in Jax again on November 2. Tell me another game that day with the same interest. Three times in a season? That helps recruiting. And even though we lost last night, I did't see anything to convince me we don't have a 50-50 shot at beating UGA and ending up in the SEC Championship Game.

So no, your opinion is not a fact. Some people might be surprised to hear that. I hope you're not.
I admire your optimism. We've been playing the "I'm-sure-recruits-will-come-because-of-instant-playing-time" for at least 5 years now.

As for recruits seeing us on TV, I'm not so sure that's a good thing anymore. Mullen is so hell-bent on the option he's suffocating a tremendous passer. It's not a good look to be that stubborn. Why the hell would an elite WR want to come to UF?

Unless Mullen unleashes Trask, this team isn't going to Atlanta. Trask is our only hope.
 

Circle City Gator

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@FireFoley As for Grantham, I think against LSU's high octane O under Burrow's command, it was a matter of pick your poison with our roster. I believe his plan was probably dictated by our inconsistent safeties and the absence/limited availability of Greenard and Zuniga. Trying to generate pressure from LB and corner blitzes puts the sateties into man coverage and they aren't very good in this role. Heck, they're not great playing off the hash. All that notwithstanding, I'm not crazy about rotating them as much as we do. In a nutshell, he was able to keep it close enough that our O had a chance to win it...until they didn't. It's a very debatable point, but I believe if we'd gambled more, LSU would have hung 50+ and passed for over 400 against us. They're second half defensive adjustments, allowing us only one score on the opening possession and nothing thereafter even though we threatened, was a huge part of sealing the deal.

Last night, the fable of the tortoise and the hare was rewritten. The hare never slowed down, lolly gagged, or took too many breaks. They ran at full speed all the way to the finish. In the end, the tortoise, who was methodical and pretty consistent, just couldn't keep up. We've got to recruit more rabbits.

Yup. We're suffering from a lack of talent, something Zuniga and Greenard covered that up by being individually amazing. Take them out of the mix and it's just 3stars vs. 5stars. Not just that, but it's 3stars who, until the new coaching staff showed up, didn't get bigger or stronger and didn't learn how to block, tackle, play correct angles, play within a game plan, or, frankly, play football at all. They were just slightly older high school football players vs. the SEC.
 

Circle City Gator

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I admire your optimism. We've been playing the "I'm-sure-recruits-will-come-because-of-instant-playing-time" for at least 5 years now.

As for recruits seeing us on TV, I'm not so sure that's a good thing anymore. Mullen is so hell-bent on the option he's suffocating a tremendous passer. It's not a good look to be that stubborn. Why the hell would an elite WR want to come to UF?

Unless Mullen unleashes Trask, this team isn't going to Atlanta. Trask is our only hope.

Probably true, but if I'm Mullen, I also know Trask has been a china doll his whole time here. I'm also liking what I see from EJ, though he's nowhere near ready to play full time. So Mullen can (a) play Trask or nothing, and if he goes down the season is over, or (b) play Trask most of the time, but get EJ in enough that he's not frozen and wide-eyed when needed. Given that we all assumed we were a year or two away, (b) made the most sense until we beat Auburn or until USC beat UGA.
 

MertzJay26

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What was Grantham’s gameplan? Rush 3-4 max with basically no blitzes, and play soft coverage while giving up the middle of the field? Not sure how that was going to work. Rather take a chance and play press coverage.

Then again, maybe I’m wrong and need to rewatch the game
 

NVAGATOR86

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Great summary C2.
When you looked at our schedule before the season and checked off wins and losses most including me, would say that we are right where we thought we would be. I told all my Gator pals and gals that we could beat any SEC opponent on our schedule, or could lose to any SEC opponent on our schedule. (maybe not 2019 Vandy)
LSU was a better team and we were not winning that game. We did screw the pooch on the interception late, but even if we get even, who thinks we were going to stop Burrow. Losing our big boys hurt our D but what hurt more was the soft play from our DB'S. No man on man coverage? CDM said after the game that he was concerned about stopping the run. Well guess what the Cocks and Will are going to do next week. Especially with a 3rd string QB. Get ready for a replay of our 2014 UGA game when we pounded the ball 60 times, and gained over 400 yards rushing. I hope not but when the Cocks see the video of last nights game they will figure it out quickly. This is not the end of the season, but if we can't figure out how to stop the run we may well see the end next week in Cock Land.
 

oxrageous

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Probably true, but if I'm Mullen, I also know Trask has been a china doll his whole time here. I'm also liking what I see from EJ, though he's nowhere near ready to play full time. So Mullen can (a) play Trask or nothing, and if he goes down the season is over, or (b) play Trask most of the time, but get EJ in enough that he's not frozen and wide-eyed when needed. Given that we all assumed we were a year or two away, (b) made the most sense until we beat Auburn or until USC beat UGA.
Trask was only supposed to be a temporary stopgap for Jones. However, he's shown he has so much potential that him coming back next year suddenly has real meaning, IF he's allowed to be a real QB in this offense. For that to happen, Mullen would have to build his offense around him, something that he simply isn't going to do. In Mullen's mind, his offense is in neutral when Trask is back there because he can't run like Michael Vick. This is just who we hired, a spread-option-or-nothing coach.

If Mullen views Jones as the QB next season, and I think he does, he needs to bench Trask altogether and play Emory the rest of the year. Trask can then transfer somewhere and light it up his final year.
 

G8trwood

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Not a fan of Grantham, but when your D is slow and undersized and your two “motors” are hurt......LSU 2’s were better than our starting DL. Burrow is legit and killed us if we ran or blitzed. Sucked, but we all knew the weaknesses, LSU was just good enough to exploit them all.
Go back and look at our interceptions for the year and count good plays vs errant throws.
 

Gatorraid81

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I admire your optimism. We've been playing the "I'm-sure-recruits-will-come-because-of-instant-playing-time" for at least 5 years now.

As for recruits seeing us on TV, I'm not so sure that's a good thing anymore. Mullen is so hell-bent on the option he's suffocating a tremendous passer. It's not a good look to be that stubborn. Why the hell would an elite WR want to come to UF?

Unless Mullen unleashes Trask, this team isn't going to Atlanta. Trask is our only hope.

I honestly don't care about getting to Atlanta again with a team that has no chance to beat another Bama team or maybe even this LSU team again. Just kick the Noles asses and finish with a top 10 recruiting class. Dawgs will regroup and beat us in Jax and we'll lay our usual yearly egg against Missouri. Y'all better just hope we can win the other three.
 

Swamp Donkey

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I admire your optimism. We've been playing the "I'm-sure-recruits-will-come-because-of-instant-playing-time" for at least 5 years now.
.
Kids want to win championships.

Vandy always has playing time. This is neber worked.

Plus Mullins is a guy with a reputation for playing the seniors regardless.
 

TN G8tr

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Cover probably one of the best and most brutally honest reviews you've had. A few takeaways are that we have to get some really "BIG" Nasties on both sides of the line of scrimmage. That depth IMO took Grantham out of any plan he had to put pressure on Burrow. And the OL, well we beat that horse to death. We're still somewhat digging out of a recruiting hole but if those two areas are addressed you can see UF in a very different light. Still a lot to play for not only for wins, but for recruiting those Big uns as well.
 

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