Truth Takes: Miz Zou

[FireFoley]

Lets see. Play #9 at their place and its senior day. We have injuries all over the lines. They should have killed us. Freshmen playing 26 graduating seniors. With a minute to go we are winning. He makes clutch long fourth down pass so super kicker wins it. Im amazed our team didnt give up and the young fellas did as welll as they did. Shows me character all over the field and coaching has something to do with that. We are just two playes from having to more wins. These FR are getting great experience. Killer instinct FFS you have to have some depth and experience to finally get to that point. I think playing as hard with so much adversity is a killer instinct. Our boys didnt quit.

And coaching has something to do with why we have such droughts and debacles every single game, game after game, possession after possession both sides of the ball. The youth "argument" is for losers. Every single team plays young players every single week. This is game 11 after hundreds of practices and these kids play ball year round. Perhaps if Billy Taggert could manage a game and Joe Lee Dunn the THIRD knew what sticks D was, we might have won those said games. What ifs are for losers, the reality is what you can control.

 

[Gatormac2112]

Baffling to me is not running the ball or using Etienne in the first half when both were primed for a big second half. Run defense is not Missouri's forte.

Other than the fact that Missouri had the nations 20th ranked run defense going into the game, I totally agree with you

 

[Gator98MD]

corch when we have a losing record next year too, are we still going to excuse it with the young players and lack of experience ? At some point , like Nike says , just do it . Just win

 

[oxrageous]

What percentage of coaches, when they have a chance to take a lead with a FG and a raw backup QB in the game, aggressively try and score a TD? 1%? 5? I know the defense sucks but Brown has a tendency to chuck it to the other team. To me, there's plenty to criticize Billy about, but that isn't one of the things. If I'm in his situation I probably play for the 3 as well. Had we turned it over there going for a score, the knives would have been out for Billy for taking a dumb chance when he had an easy 3 for the lead.

The defense makes a stop on 4th and 17 and the game is over.

 

[GatorTruth133]

Everyone watching knew that you don't play for a field goal, leaving them 1:30+, with our defense, and their kicker. But Mizzo knew his tendencies.

This conservative, lack of killer instinct, "scared money", etc. approach to game management won't change with Karl hiring a new staff. It's who he is.

And for anyone paying attention, he's now Karl and / or Sunbelt Billy to me.

The amount of people on Twitter saying “99% of coaches” don’t try for that first down and try to get that FG are astounding.

 

[oxrageous]

He goes for it on a 4th down with 11 minutes left. Gutsy or dumb call? But we got it so hero.

Exactly. How many coaches go for it that deep in their territory at that point?

 

[jdh5484]

corch when we have a losing record next year too, are we still going to excuse it with the young players and lack of experience ? At some point , like Nike says , just do it . Just win

The winning/losing for 2024 starts on ESD and the upcoming portal window. And off season staff changes.

 

[Gatormac2112]

I think there are just people who would find fault with the conservative call as it played out or the aggressive play had the freshman QB turned the ball over trying to get the TD. They would complain either way.

It’s either he’s scared money or crazy for going for it in that scenario and doesn’t understand football

 

[oxrageous]

The amount of people on Twitter saying “99% of coaches” don’t try for that first down and try to get that FG are astounding.

I think it's more like 95%. If Mertz is in there, I can see the argument a lot better.

 

[cover2]

Really good review. Key point to me was “Our defense is bad, but when they get stops offense needs to score.” We are consistently inconsistent in so many areas. The youth that makes up this team has not aged well. That speaks, to me at least, as not being forced to grow up under the leadership of the staff. At some point theres got to be less hand-holding and more tough love, foot up the @ss, and “your momma ain’t here!“

 

[Gatormac2112]

Really good review. Key point to me was “Our defense is bad, but when they get stops offense needs to score.” We are consistently inconsistent in so many areas. The youth that makes up this team has not aged well. That speaks, to me at least, as not being forced to grow up under the leadership of the staff. At some point theres got to be less hand-holding and more tough love, foot up the @ss, and “your momma ain’t here!“

I just don’t see Billy being the tough love, kick you in the pants kinda coach. He needs to be though.

I will say he got in players faces a little more in this game

 

[FireFoley]

What percentage of coaches, when they have a chance to take a lead with a FG and a raw backup QB in the game, aggressively try and score a TD? 1%? 5? I know the defense sucks but Brown has a tendency to chuck it to the other team. To me, there's plenty to criticize Billy about, but that isn't one of the things. If I'm in his situation I probably play for the 3 as well. Had we turned it over there going for a score, the knives would have been out for Billy for taking a dumb chance when he had an easy 3 for the lead.

The defense makes a stop on 4th and 17 and the game is over.

No disagreement, but I think the best case was to press the D with at least the thought of a Zone read play and pull the ball at least once on one of the last 3 plays. And at the very least you have to scream at every player "For SHYT sakes, do NOT go out of bounds". It may not have mattered but if you are playing for the FG which is fine, you have to drain the opponent of any possible ammo. During the last drive I brought up the possibility of the Goose Malzahn Zone Read "pop" pass, which I think would have been wide open, but knew we would not run it. And I do not think it is even in the play book. Be that as it may the way they were managing the game has to be done with perfect precision which it was not by leaving them with a TO. And defensively well that was just Gator Football at its finest. I often say it does not matter the players, it does not matter the coaches, it is the jersey.

 

[Gatormac2112]

No disagreement, but I think the best case was to press the D with at least the thought of a Zone read play and pull the ball at least once on one of the last 3 plays. And at the very least you have to scream at every player "For SHYT sakes, do NOT go out of bounds". It may not have mattered but if you are playing for the FG which is fine, you have to drain the opponent of any possible ammo. During the last drive I brought up the possibility of the Goose Malzahn Zone Read "pop" pass, which I think would have been wide open, but knew we would not run it. And I do not think it is even in the play book. Be that as it may the way they were managing the game has to be done with perfect precision which it was not by leaving them with a TO. And defensively well that was just Gator Football at its finest. I often say it does not matter the players, it does not matter the coaches, it is the jersey.

I agree, even if playing conservative he could have been more creative if not just having wide splits and giving Brown the option to run where there’s grass. Don’t shrink the field horizontally, widen it. And yes, for Gods sake stay in bounds

 

[GatorTruth133]

Lets see. Play #9 at their place and its senior day. We have injuries all over the lines. They should have killed us. Freshmen playing 26 graduating seniors. With a minute to go we are winning. He makes clutch long fourth down pass so super kicker wins it. Im amazed our team didnt give up and the young fellas did as welll as they did. Shows me character all over the field and coaching has something to do with that. We are just two playes from having to more wins. These FR are getting great experience. Killer instinct FFS you have to have some depth and experience to finally get to that point. I think playing as hard with so much adversity is a killer instinct. Our boys didnt quit.

Our boys didn’t quit against Bama ‘21 and you sang Mullen’s praises then too.

Yes, you can have a killer instinct with a young team on offense. It’s called RUNNING THE SAME STYLE THAT GOT YOU THERE. Not shrinking like a turtle into its shell. No one is asking for anything ridiculous. Literally, just run what you moved the ball up and down the field every single drive of the second half. We had a stupid fumble, but outside of that Mizzou wasn’t stopping us. Basically, in the 2nd half, we could only stop ourselves. First via fumble, second by being afraid to call it like we had. Brown running for 6 ypc, ETN on non-stretch plays, pop passes to Wilson, misdirection, end around to Pearsall, etc. but I digress using actual examples.

And 2 plays from 2 wins, definitely, but let’s lo play this game both ways if we are playing close calls. We are also a missed tackle from another loss (Boardingham on 4th and 11 at Carolina). We are also a botched snap (USF), inexplicable bad pass by Rising and/or AR 4th down Magic (Utah), and flu outbreak (aTm) from 3 losses last year. I hate playing that game.

 

[AuggieDosta]

What percentage of coaches, when they have a chance to take a lead with a FG and a raw backup QB in the game, aggressively try and score a TD? 1%? 5? I know the defense sucks but Brown has a tendency to chuck it to the other team. To me, there's plenty to criticize Billy about, but that isn't one of the things. If I'm in his situation I probably play for the 3 as well. Had we turned it over there going for a score, the knives would have been out for Billy for taking a dumb chance when he had an easy 3 for the lead.

The defense makes a stop on 4th and 17 and the game is over.

What do you think we're the percentages that Mizzou would convert 4th and 17...and yet, they still called up a play that was designed for 18 yards.

THAT is "scared money don't make money".

In golf, or basketball, and life, you don't make any of the shots you don't take.

 

[MooseSmack]

What percentage of coaches, when they have a chance to take a lead with a FG and a raw backup QB in the game, aggressively try and score a TD? 1%? 5? I know the defense sucks but Brown has a tendency to chuck it to the other team. To me, there's plenty to criticize Billy about, but that isn't one of the things. If I'm in his situation I probably play for the 3 as well. Had we turned it over there going for a score, the knives would have been out for Billy for taking a dumb chance when he had an easy 3 for the lead.

The defense makes a stop on 4th and 17 and the game is over.

I agree but they didn’t make the stop on 4th and 17. They haven’t made those stops in a lot of games this year. Knowing your defense is totally unreliable. Knowing that your opponent has a killer kicker. Knowing you are running out of outs to get to a bowl. You need to hammer down and try to score a touchdown. You control the clock that way. When you opponent knows your timid. Betting that you will run the ball gives him the upper hand. Then we run out of bounds. Let not mention stopping the clock letting them save a timeout. Sometimes playing it safe is a great way to lose. I call it the prevent offense.

 

[GatorTruth133]

I think it's more like 95%. If Mertz is in there, I can see the argument a lot better.

As I’ve said, you can try to get one more 1st down. Also, just run the offense you have ran very successfully the entire second half.

 

[RocketCityGator]

The amount of people on Twitter saying “99% of coaches” don’t try for that first down and try to get that FG are astounding.

If we had a defense. Maybe? Or as you pointed out , if we had not been moving the ball. Maybe? But looking at the football situation, playing for the field goal was dumb.

 

[Zambo]

Lets see. Play #9 at their place and its senior day. We have injuries all over the lines. They should have killed us. Freshmen playing 26 graduating seniors. With a minute to go we are winning. He makes clutch long fourth down pass so super kicker wins it. Im amazed our team didnt give up and the young fellas did as welll as they did. Shows me character all over the field and coaching has something to do with that. We are just two playes from having to more wins. These FR are getting great experience. Killer instinct FFS you have to have some depth and experience to finally get to that point. I think playing as hard with so much adversity is a killer instinct. Our boys didnt quit.

This is the sheer genius of Billy Ball. Lower everyone's expectations so far down into the depths of despair that even when we have a big win slip right through our fingers, nobody is upset about it because we are supposed to lose anyway.

 

[RocketCityGator]

What percentage of coaches, when they have a chance to take a lead with a FG and a raw backup QB in the game, aggressively try and score a TD? 1%? 5? I know the defense sucks but Brown has a tendency to chuck it to the other team. To me, there's plenty to criticize Billy about, but that isn't one of the things. If I'm in his situation I probably play for the 3 as well. Had we turned it over there going for a score, the knives would have been out for Billy for taking a dumb chance when he had an easy 3 for the lead.

The defense makes a stop on 4th and 17 and the game is over.

This argument makes no sense. Barring a turnover, if you fail to pick up the first down, you still can kick the FG.