UF Football Problems - Recurring, Intermittent or Neither?

[EuroGator]

The Missouri game was a terrible, Murphy's Law, whatever-could-go-wrong,-did-go-wrong kind of loss. I was wondering how many of the problems with the Gator football team have had are or were recurring problems and how many seem like "uniquely" occurring issues. For instance, the blown coverages we saw against Bama haven't been nearly as prevalent in any other game. I know there have been a few, but there haven't been many. On the other hand, Jeff's decision making is a recurring problem. (Last night when he ran out of bounds behind the line of scrimmage instead of throwing it away, I was deflated.)

That led me to think about WM's tenure at UF and wonder if he and the other coaches are more often frustrated that they can't seem to correct "known issues" or if they feel like they're playing Whack-A-Mole, where they see issues pop up, work to correct them, only to have new, unforeseen issues arise. If you were the head coach or if WM called you up tomorrow, what would you tell him are the problems that you see and what is their nature - recurring or not? (What is the opposite of recurring anyway?)

Examples:
Recurring
Jeff Driskel's passing decisions are consistently unacceptable
dropped passes (this season especially)

Intermittent
run blocking insufficient
blown coverages on long passes

Singular (more or less)
kick coverage
punt coverage

 

[rogdochar]

Recurring: losing

 

[NavetG8r]

The Missouri game was a terrible, Murphy's Law, whatever-could-go-wrong,-did-go-wrong kind of loss.

Can't argue with this. After 4 years of recurring and intermittent problems it all lies at Muchamp's feet. It's his job to recruit and develop players capable of carrying out his plan to win. He's shown intermittent (see what I did there?) ability to do this. His plan for success has always been to play elite defense and special teams and do just enough on offense to win games by 3 points. This formula leaves very little wiggle room when mistakes are made. So when 17-22 year old student athletes make mistakes, like they will, it leads to losses because his way leaves little to no chance to recover from those mistakes.

Yes, last night was one of those Murphy's law type games, but when you keep losing close game after close game to teams you have no business being in a close game with in the first place, a game like last night will break the will of both the players and fans.

 

[EuroGator]

Can't argue with this. After 4 years of recurring and intermittent problems it all lies at Muchamp's feet. It's his job to recruit and develop players capable of carrying out his plan to win. He's shown intermittent (see what I did there?) ability to do this. His plan for success has always been to play elite defense and special teams and do just enough on offense to win games by 3 points. This formula leaves very little wiggle room when mistakes are made. So when 17-22 year old student athletes make mistakes, like they will, it leads to losses because his way leaves little to no chance to recover from those mistakes.

Yes, last night was one of those Murphy's law type games, but when you keep losing close game after close game to teams you have no business being in a close game with in the first place, a game like last night will break the will of both the players and fans.

I can't argue with that.

I think it's his tendency / habit / training to play to minimize risk more than it is go win. But like you say, I think these young men (really anyone, we're human right?) are going to make mistakes. When you try to minimize risk to an extreme that that becomes becomes the aim, then you have a problem. I would have predicted that he would have been too emotional and not cerebral enough for the job, but I now think he's too "calculating" and not willing to "go with his gut" enough. Take Driskel for example. Everyone sees that Driskel just doesn't have "it." ...at least not this year. His passes seem less accurate than ever. However, JD knows more and can understand more than the Treon. While others see all of this, he seems to "go with the numbers" and not with his gut.

 

[T REX]

Losing 10 of your last 13 games is recurring. Muschamp is one problem. Foley's decision making is another. Not sure Foley is up to the task anymore.

 

[Munk]

You still haven't made up your mind on Muschamp, have you Jeremy?

 

[NavetG8r]

I think it's his tendency / habit / training to play to minimize risk more than it is go win. But like you say, I think these young men (really anyone, we're human right?) are going to make mistakes. When you try to minimize risk to an extreme that that becomes becomes the aim, then you have a problem.

That's a very good point. If you coach your team to put so much emphasis on not making mistakes, they can't play loose and have fun.

 

[I Have No Friends :(]

Minimizing risk is what defensive coaches do. I hope we go for offense with the next hire.

 

[NoGaGator]

Muschamp is a decent guy.

His problem is that he thinks everyone is, or should be, wired like he is. He is a very driven person. He is very determined (hard-headed). He has a big ego and thinks that "big boy" football - pro-style, downhill running, is the only way to manly play.

He expects everyone to be like him or else you're not one of his guys.

In short he is a caveman, incapable of adaptation. I've not once read an article about him where he's reached out to a player showing any flexibility. I' ve not once read an article where he's trying to get his team to relax and have some fun, getting away from the grind.

He just keeps on trying to grind away because that's all he knows. Many around him aren't quite wired that way and have now tuned him out.

Time to go, Will.

 

[EuroGator]

Muschamp is a decent guy.

His problem is that he thinks everyone is, or should be, wired like he is. He is a very driven person. He is very determined (hard-headed). He has a big ego and thinks that "big boy" football - pro-style, downhill running, is the only way to manly play.

He expects everyone to be like him or else you're not one of his guys.

In short he is a caveman, incapable of adaptation. I've not once read an article about him where he's reached out to a player showing any flexibility. I' ve not once read an article where he's trying to get his team to relax and have some fun, getting away from the grind.

He just keeps on trying to grind away because that's all he knows. Many around him aren't quite wired that way and have now tuned him out.

Time to go, Will.

I agree that he's a decent guy. I'd say he's probably one of the better guys in the coaching world - from what I can tell. As for him not knowing how to relax or have fun, I do remember him canceling practice and taking the team to play paintball and another time he took them to a movie.

 

[T REX]

Good guy? Decent guy? The guy is a raving lunatic on the sidelines. What constitutes good or decent? He threw a bunch of players under the bus yesterday. That's not decent to me. I haven't a clue if he's a good person or not. Taking the team to a movie? So what? He got in a fight with a fan...that's not decent no matter what they say. He left Driskel in way too long. How is that a "good" person? Jeff was already humiliated.

Unless you see him interact on a day to day basis...complete conjecture.

 

[gardnerwebbgator]

Dunce is UGA scum. Nothing more, nothing less. Can his ass.

 

[soflagator]

Good guy? Decent guy? The guy is a raving lunatic on the sidelines. What constitutes good or decent? He threw a bunch of players under the bus yesterday. That's not decent to me. I haven't a clue if he's a good person or not. Taking the team to a movie? So what? He got in a fight with a fan...that's not decent no matter what they say. He left Driskel in way too long. How is that a "good" person? Jeff was already humiliated.

Unless you see him interact on a day to day basis...complete conjecture.

Yeah. When I watched/heard him say "goddamn you" to Cody Riggs last year, he officially lost the "good guy" title. Couple that with generally being an arrogant jerk in media settings, and yelling at a fan for basically calling a spade a spade, and yeah it's official that he's a prick.