Bits & Pieces: Florida vs Missouri

[gardnerwebbgator]

Wait...which one

I fixed it. 78 nailed it.

 

[Zambo]

I'm not talking about his tactics, I'm asking for him to define a strategy! Does the mission at UF include striving for championship caliber football or not?

What exactly is he supposed to say? Hey everybody, we aren't really focusing on championships right now? I mean you understand that whether a championship is the most important thing on planet earth or whether its the farthest thing from his mind, Sasse isn't going to say anything different or define any other strategy.

 

[Joegator96]

What exactly is he supposed to say? Hey everybody, we aren't really focusing on championships right now? I mean you understand that whether a championship is the most important thing on planet earth or whether its the farthest thing from his mind, Sasse isn't going to say anything different or define any other strategy.

Sorry Zambo, you apparently do not understand the role of a President, CEO or any high level executive, I am not going to debate with you. So, If you are correct that "Sasse isn't going to say anything different or define any other strategy" then he would be the wrong choice to lead the State's flagship U, like it is apparent by all the comments from Gator Nation that BN is the wrong choice to head the football program.

 

[soflagator]

Not sure where this belongs, but Mertz going down and unable to finish the season makes the 9th time in 14 seasons post-Tebow that we’ve not finished the season with the same starting QB that we started with. And technically, two of those 5 “good” seasons(‘12 and ‘18) still had benching and/or injuries for at least one game. For a program that had so much continuity from 1990-2009, that’s absurdly bad.

 

[Zambo]

Sorry Zambo, you apparently do not understand the role of a President, CEO or any high level executive, I am not going to debate with you. So, If you are correct that "Sasse isn't going to say anything different or define any other strategy" then he would be the wrong choice to lead the State's flagship U, like it is apparent by all the comments from Gator Nation that BN is the wrong choice to head the football program.

Well I'm always willing to learn.

 

[MertzJay26]

As an old John Wayne movie buff, the heart-breaking if not really unsurprising conclusion of our Gators’ 33-31 last second loss to Missouri brought to mind the ending of “Big Jake” and a line uttered by villain John Fain (Richard Boone) to Big Jake McCandles (John Wayne) where upon he told him “You came close, Mister, but no cigar!” I can’t tell you how that line resonated for several hours until sleep finally overtook. Ironically, in the movie, Big Jake got the last laugh as Fain and his band of outlaws were killed, Big Jake’s kidnapped grandson rescued, and he and his other two sons rode for home as heroes once again. Sadly in Columbia, Billy and Co. we’re no metaphors for Big Jake and the rest of the McCandles and our “movie” ended abruptly with the “Close, but no Cigar” Field Goal with 5 seconds remaining. The loss leaves us spinning at 5-6, more questions still than answers, and a remaining home game with the undefeated Noles of F$U and the chance of finishing 6-6 with guaranteed bowl eligibility. Good gosh, how our once expected standards have fallen!

Billy has been widely panned by our fans and much of the media for his coaching foibles and the deficiencies that are and continue to be on display weekly, and deservedly so. Last night, in cruel fashion, we played well enough in spurts to take the lead with 01:36 remaining in the game. Still a lot of time left for the Tigers with a timeout in their pocket. But the defense found something and held Mizzou on three downs and forced a timeout at 4th and 17. Could this be the turning point that Billy, his staff, the players, and the fans, as skeptical and cynical as we have become, had been looking for? NO! NO CIGAR! Bracketed by not two, but by four Gator DBs, one in front, one behind, and two on either side, QB Brady Cook launched a strike to top receiver Luther Burden, who made the catch, without contest from any of the four nearby DBs mind you, beyond the sticks. First Down! The rest became our all too familiar history of late. Hope was vanquished yet again. And the final sight that sticks was of the pudgy Tiger Kicker waddling off of the field, doing the Chomp in a most mocking fashion.

To add to our misery, QB Graham Mertz, who in my opinion has been a bright spot and defied the wails of many when he was the best that Billy could bring to Gainesville from the portal, was lost for the remainder of the game (and maybe the season, haven’t heard an injury report yet). Mertz showed a lot of heart by getting behind his pads to convert a third down as the pocket collapsed, but banging up his collar bone and exiting to the locker room in the process. Thrown into the fray, Max Brown, looked shakey in spots, fumbling once that led to a Tiger score and struggling on a couple of mesh points on run plays that disrupted the timing, one critically on the last FG drive that led to Etienne going out of bounds and preserving a Mizzou time out that they would use to set up the 4th and 17 conversion that led to the winning FG. But Brown steadied enough to throw a couple of nice completions and run for two first downs. At this stage, his legs are better than his arm. And I really thought that on our last drive that even though Billy was following the cook book and playing for the go-ahead FG with the clock winding down, I couldn’t help but feel like our defense, despite playing better in spurts, would have a better chance with less time left (if possible) and maybe a lead larger than the margin a FG would provide. Thus, my hope was that instead of the final three handoffs to Etienne, at some point in the sequence, Brown would at least pull it once and maybe find a crease and the opportunity to convert a first down and take us well inside a minute remaining AND cause Mizzou to use that final timeout that ultimately helped them. Or heck, maybe even score a TD? But safety was the plan. And it almost worked. Almost.

Instead, we find ourself in another movie metaphorically speaking. It’s “Ground Hog Day” yet again and this miserable loop continues. Hope, even if just a glimmer, is still hanging around though, as the Seminoles will be without their QB and leader Jordan Travis, who suffered a terrible ankle injury and will surely miss our regular season matchup in the Swamp. Their defense is pretty stout, however, and if we’re without Mertz and our weak OL plays at what is their consistent season level, the odds even at home will not be in our favor. Likewise with the Defense, again even though they played well in spurts, still gave up 500 total yds, 261 rushing and 239 passing, and folded on the final drive to surrender the lead and the game and gave up the aforementioned 4th and 17. “Abysmal“ has been used to describe that unit, and it is unfortunately accurate. Seeing Burden make the uncontested conversion catch amid our four defenders, who seemingly waited on somebody else to step up and make a play, was truly abysmal. Ground Hog Day…again.

Maybe we find enough next week to make a game of it. We’re at home, last chance to avoid a losing regular season record (even though 6-6 is well below Gator standards) and guarantee a bowl, and Lord knows we need the practice, though I feel like it needs to be maybe more focused than what we’ve been doing up to this point so far! But all of this might be a moot point. By this I mean that Billy has a couple of critical jobs to do between the conclusion of this season and the next: first, he’s got to knock it out of the park in the portal, especially where OL, LBs, and DL are concerned. Hell, let’s extend that to include a couple of seasoned DBs; and second, he’s got to find a way to keep his recruiting class from leaking at best or disintegrating at worst. Finding a way against F$U might be critical in regard to number two. Sadly at this point, it likely will take an odds-defying performance and that has not been our forte! But there’s still a game, so there’s still a chance. I’ve got my cigar on standby, just in case. Go Gators! Dammit! Go Gators!

Little “spoiler alert” would be nice if you’re going to ruin movie plots. Had “Big Jake” lined up to watch with the family today and now our afternoon is ruined, kids are balling their eyes out and my wife just left me.

Thanks, @cover2

 

[Tunaboat]

Sasse is busy dealing with woke professors right now and can’t focus on sports.
He’s been on campus for six months and he’s already despised by the faculty so hopefully he won’t mind making enemies in the athletics department as well just not yet.

Sounds like the right man for the job!

 

[ted]

The kid’s been more Gator in one season than most would’ve imagined! Lot of guts, great leader, has done the #15 proud.

This very true, just imagine if he had an average OL to play behind this season.

 

[cover2]

Little “spoiler alert” would be nice if you’re going to ruin movie plots. Had “Big Jake” lined up to watch with the family today and now our afternoon is ruined, kids are balling their eyes out and my wife just left me.

Thanks, @cover2

Sorry man At this point, take Ox’s advice…prostitute(s). If that doesn’t work

 

[Tunaboat]

Thanks Cover, great writeup as usual on this game that was right there for the taking, and...
The sight of our 4 defenders just standing there, all within a quick reach to break up the pass that would have won it for us...
These blunders were not imaginable during the golden years of Gator football
It's like a bad song stuck in my head

 

[jdh5484]

Stricklin maybe....but is Sasse too green in the position to know to make that call yet?

Napier was never not getting 3 years though. All I'm saying is accept your fate at least into the start of next season

I believe "they" are looking for a new AD. May not be this or next year. I think Sasse and Bullgators will make a change. Have to find the right "guy or gal".

BN puts up or shuts up next year. Uga game.

 

[jdh5484]

Well I'm always willing to learn.

 

[Gator By Marriage]

Thanks @cover2 for another great write up

@Zambo great point about the two critical plays. I thought the same thing watching it live. I know it’s tough to want to trust a back up QB who hasn’t played a lot to try to do too much in the red zone with a chip shot FG attempt on your pocket, but those last three plays were way too conservative. We either needed another 1st down or a TD. (So much for the whole “scared money” thing.) We’ve definitely covered the whole 4th & 17 play ad nauseam, but I’ll just add that I’d wager none of us here had any doubt Mizzou would convert.

I hate seeing Mertz’s season end this way. With Travis out, I thought maybe we had a chance against the clowns. We’ll see I guess.

FWIW - I was impressed with how we fought until the end. Whatever else we think about the program right now, the players clearly haven’t given up.

 

[AuggieDosta]

Two plays with the opportunity to coach up your guys and make a difference.

Play number one: Its 3rd and 11 on our last series. Mizzou has called a timeout so we have the chance to talk about our 3rd down play and get everyone on the same page. You have 2 options really, you can simply play it safe and burn as much clock as possible (understandable with a backup QB in the game and the 3 points fairly well assured), OR you can try to get a first down, which would surely entail a pass or a qb run or something besides a simple running play. Utter coaching failure ensues as we opt to do NEITHER! A simple running play, again...after a timeout...almost turns into disaster before ETN even gets the ball as he and Brown aren't on the same page. Then, ETN, with zero chance to get the first down, runs out of bounds and gifts Mizzou a timeout. Womp womp.

Play number two: 4th and 17. Mizzou uses the gift timeout to regroup and get their team on the same page so they can execute what turns out to be the game winning play, while we use the timeout to basically make sure nobody in our secondary knows WTF they are supposed to do.

Yes, if you look at the wasted timeout as a simple math problem, it didn't make a difference. But its more than simple math, because forcing Mizzou to run back to the line after an incompletion on 3rd down and simply call a 4th and 17 play in the huddle and hope nobody screws up or freaks out is a completely different deal than taking a few minutes to hash it all out before snapping the ball on the penultimate play of the game. But even before that play, when you get the ball with 90 seconds left on your own 25 yard line, having that timeout available is a huge difference maker in the type plays you can call, or for example the patience a qb can have in the pocket with the knowledge that a sack isn't necessarily a death blow to your chances.

I honestly can't remember being so damn angry at the end of a football game. Maybe the last time was when we gave up that last second touchdown pass to the clowns all those years ago. I know we have a bunch of very young guys playing everywhere so some discombobulation is to be expected. But this is a friggin circus. I want our coaches to get everybody on the same page and its been two years and I haven't seen it yet.

I gave you a like for the proper use of "penultimate".

 

[Double Gator Dad]

I'm not talking about his tactics, I'm asking for him to define a strategy! Does the mission at UF include striving for championship caliber football or not? If he can't create a full fledged strategic plan, including athletics as well as academics in his first year then we have the wrong person calling those signals too! Woke professor? Let's get real DGD, come on!

I am real.

If you think that a brand new school president with an aggressive and unpopular (on campus) academic agenda has time to focus on athletics right now I am afraid that you need to get real.

I wish he would step in and make changes tomorrow but I am realistic enough to realize that it won’t happen yet.

Relax, it will be okay.

 

[URGatorBait]

I believe "they" are looking for a new AD. May not be this or next year. I think Sasse and Bullgators will make a change. Have to find the right "guy or gal".

BN puts up or shuts up next year. Uga game.

Fuch georgia

 

[OcalaGator83]

I believe "they" are looking for a new AD. May not be this or next year. I think Sasse and Bullgators will make a change. Have to find the right "guy or gal".

BN puts up or shuts up next year. Uga game.

I know Law believed, before his posting duties on this site were relieved, that Stricklin had used up his nine lives on hiring Mullen and the women's whatever scandal. Not sure what to believe, I mean you can see how it should cost somebody a job but, he's still here.

 

[Double Gator Dad]

I know Law believed, before his posting duties on this site were relieved, that Stricklin had used up his nine lives on hiring Mullen and the women's whatever scandal. Not sure what to believe, I mean you can see how it should cost somebody a job but, he's still here.

One would think that making one, possibly two, bad football hires along with two embarrassing coach issues on the women’s side would be enough to remove an AD however his predecessor had THREE bad football hires and Mike White and he’s still on the payroll so nothing is certain at UF anymore.

 

[deuce]

Well I'm always willing to learn.

Zambo, you know more than most the requirements of Leadership.

Joe96 comes across as a know it all.

Semper Fi!

 

[deuce]

Thanks @cover2 for another great write up

@Zambo great point about the two critical plays. I thought the same thing watching it live. I know it’s tough to want to trust a back up QB who hasn’t played a lot to try to do too much in the red zone with a chip shot FG attempt on your pocket, but those last three plays were way too conservative. We either needed another 1st down or a TD. (So much for the whole “scared money” thing.) We’ve definitely covered the whole 4th & 17 play ad nauseam, but I’ll just add that I’d wager none of us here had any doubt Mizzou would convert.

I hate seeing Mertz’s season end this way. With Travis out, I thought maybe we had a chance against the clowns. We’ll see I guess.

FWIW - I was impressed with how we fought until the end. Whatever else we think about the program right now, the players clearly haven’t given up.

The Defense raised the White Flag, again.....