Go Gators!

[dcluley98]

That penalty on 4th and 34 was awful. 

But a W is a W. 

[spenser1058]

ESPN notes Gators vs. The U was their highest rated college football game since 2016 - woohoo!

https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/florida-football/espn-announces-big-time-ratings-for-week-0s-florida-miami-contest/

From Saturday Down South 

[dcluley98]

It was a good game and everything you want from a matchup. And good for Orlando. 

Also, by good game, I don't mean well-played, hahaha. Good as in exciting and fairly well matched-up with either team being able to win. 

Edited August 25, 2019 by dcluley98

[jrs2]

What a nutty game that refused to end.

Here's my takeaway:  UF has a very good pass rush- the LU transfer, Greenard, was a key player- what a difference; made the other guys that much more effective.  Dawg fans hate that Grantham is such a success at UF.  In the words of Spurrier twisted on it's side:  if it ain't the coach, maybe it's the players-- I just made that up.  Please...use!

Also, UF's WR's are throwing good blocks and holding them.  They made Miami WR's look like amateurs (technically they are b/c it's college football)

Franks- good and bad.  I expected such a performance b/c of the OL issues.  He missed open guys and threw to covered guys.  At one point I felt like he would only try to throw to Perine or Toney.  UM's pressure was getting to him. He threw a couple of picks- but, as Mullen said, he threw a pick but bounced right back with good passes.

Toney- Tony Toni Tone has done it aGAIN!

Perine- we need a backup RB to emerge and fast; the fumbled handoff to Malik Davis was a shocker and let the air out of the tires when UF could've gone up by yet another score.  

WR's on punt coverage- stellar move

Mullen's off season strength and conditioning-- I saw it ala blocking by the WR's- and OL- I have to give the OL some credit though; they did have to contend with Quartman & Co, UM's Bermuda Triangle.

UM's QB is good...already.  He was able to evade pass rushers and hit targets fairly well amidst a pass rush that sacked him 10 times.  Now, I know that UM's tackles were FR's, but, on a couple of those sacks, UF's pass rushers got by UM RB's and/or FB's to get to him.  Grantham's game plan was good.  Let's just say I could "feel" the difference between the 2018 Gators and this 2019 squad.  Mullen was not BS'ing about their off-season conditioning program.

UF committed so many penalties and tried to hand the game to UM.  UF also caused so many fumbles and was only able to recover just one of them.

When it was 20-17 UM, I thought for sure UM would score on that drive.  They missed the FG attempt miraculously and we kept them out of the end zone.

Mullen & Grantham is a lethal combination I think.

The defensive line are game alphas.  I just wish the OL was the same.  Do the Pouncey's have any nephews? 

 

[Dale]

Gator fans talking about Camping World Stadium like it’s a third world dump.

[jrs2]

Gators:

Special Teams:  they kicked touchbacks preventing kickoff returns, picked up a Miami fumble on a punt, faked a punt successfully, and made a FG, and Miami missed 1 of 3 FG's.

A+

Defense: 

Defensive line: 10 sacks: a sack to end the game.  Miami offense committed many Holding penalties, many false starts, and Illegal Substitution penalties. 

A+

Secondary: several pass interference calls committed and unnecessary roughness calls; inability to wrap up ball carriers. broke up several passes including in the end zone.

B

Offense:

Rushing - weak; 2 rushing TD's. maybe 50-60yds; Perine is very good; backup fumbled handoff 

C-

Passing- 2 INT's; 1 passing TD;  over 250yds; 2 big plays

C+

Overall-17 pts from long drives; 7 pts from short field

C

TEAM OVERALL:   

So, we probably did not have a running game because Miami's trio of good LB's were very good + we lost 4 of 5 starters on the OL from last year. 

Our CB's and/or Safeties probably committed the interference penalties because they thought the WR's would've caught those balls.  They are otherwise very talented.  Whether Miami's QB was a senior or a redshirt freshman, he was fairly accurate the entire game, so they did what they could.

Franks: he threw that pick which was very ugly.  But, he kept his poise throughout the game even after he screwed up.  Unlike what McElroy stated, he did show maturity.

Wide receiver corps: Hammond, Toney, and Jefferson are the names I recalled.  Maybe Grimes too.  not that many catches.

Prognosis.  It was the opening game against a team hell bent on beating UF.  Miami hates UF.  But this helps the Gatprs for several reasons:  it was neutral site; it was an opponent driven to beat them; in state rival; there is a scrub game next, in two weeks before they play at Kentucky.  So, UF got hit hard, survived, scored 24 pts in a season opener, and as Mullen stated has a chance to clean things up.  I think UF is very good but needs to tweak a few things.  I think they can and will.  They should win at least 10 regular season games this year.  Miami is better than people think.  It was the perfect test to jump start UF for the season.  

The biggest problems for UF this season are Mizzou on the road with Bryant as QB; UGA; Auburn with Patrick Nix' son, Bo, at the helm, and at LSU.  UF should win all of it's home games, including Auburn, but Auburn is a serious threat.  UF is an underdog to UGA and that might help them.  LSU is always tough; but UF always plays LSU tough.

UF's defense is capable of putting UF in a good position to dominate it's opponents, including LSU and UGA and Mizzou, but that won't be enough.  Franks has to excel because opposing teams will challenge UF to beat them with a downfield passing attack.

[dcluley98]

I'm concerned about the offensive line, but that wasn't necessarily a cupcake defense they went against. Hope they get better throughout the year as they get more experience together. 

[AmIReal]

1 hour ago, jrs2 said:

Gators:

Special Teams:  they kicked touchbacks preventing kickoff returns, picked up a Miami fumble on a punt, faked a punt successfully, and made a FG, and Miami missed 1 of 3 FG's.

A+

Defense: 

Defensive line: 10 sacks: a sack to end the game.  Miami offense committed many Holding penalties, many false starts, and Illegal Substitution penalties. 

A+

Secondary: several pass interference calls committed and unnecessary roughness calls; inability to wrap up ball carriers. broke up several passes including in the end zone.

B

Offense:

Rushing - weak; 2 rushing TD's. maybe 50-60yds; Perine is very good; backup fumbled handoff 

C-

Passing- 2 INT's; 1 passing TD;  over 250yds; 2 big plays

C+

Overall-17 pts from long drives; 7 pts from short field

C

TEAM OVERALL:   

So, we probably did not have a running game because Miami's trio of good LB's were very good + we lost 4 of 5 starters on the OL from last year. 

Our CB's and/or Safeties probably committed the interference penalties because they thought the WR's would've caught those balls.  They are otherwise very talented.  Whether Miami's QB was a senior or a redshirt freshman, he was fairly accurate the entire game, so they did what they could.

Franks: he threw that pick which was very ugly.  But, he kept his poise throughout the game even after he screwed up.  Unlike what McElroy stated, he did show maturity.

Wide receiver corps: Hammond, Toney, and Jefferson are the names I recalled.  Maybe Grimes too.  not that many catches.

Prognosis.  It was the opening game against a team hell bent on beating UF.  Miami hates UF.  But this helps the Gatprs for several reasons:  it was neutral site; it was an opponent driven to beat them; in state rival; there is a scrub game next, in two weeks before they play at Kentucky.  So, UF got hit hard, survived, scored 24 pts in a season opener, and as Mullen stated has a chance to clean things up.  I think UF is very good but needs to tweak a few things.  I think they can and will.  They should win at least 10 regular season games this year.  Miami is better than people think.  It was the perfect test to jump start UF for the season.  

The biggest problems for UF this season are Mizzou on the road with Bryant as QB; UGA; Auburn with Patrick Nix' son, Bo, at the helm, and at LSU.  UF should win all of it's home games, including Auburn, but Auburn is a serious threat.  UF is an underdog to UGA and that might help them.  LSU is always tough; but UF always plays LSU tough.

UF's defense is capable of putting UF in a good position to dominate it's opponents, including LSU and UGA and Mizzou, but that won't be enough.  Franks has to excel because opposing teams will challenge UF to beat them with a downfield passing attack.

Good observations though I give the D-secondary a C at best. Those interference and late hit calls were so unnecessary and kept UM in the game.

I don't want to be too harsh on Franks, but I'd also give him a C at best. He had 2 incredible passes mixed in with several of bad decisions.

[Dale]

Quick take: DLine saved us. Secondary spectacularly undisciplined, uncanny number of missed tackles and a maddening inability to recover fumbles.

[jrs2]

On 8/27/2019 at 8:58 PM, Dale said:

Quick take: DLine saved us. Secondary spectacularly undisciplined, uncanny number of missed tackles and a maddening inability to recover fumbles.

I couldn't believe how many fumbles there were.  I equally couldn't believe how UF couldn't recover most any of them...and they still won.  DL...

On 8/27/2019 at 8:54 PM, AmIReal said:

Good observations though I give the D-secondary a C at best. Those interference and late hit calls were so unnecessary and kept UM in the game.

I don't want to be too harsh on Franks, but I'd also give him a C at best. He had 2 incredible passes mixed in with several of bad decisions.

yeah, the D secondary was getting beat so they reacted with penalties.  unfortunately they didn't realize where they were on the field during some of those pass interferences.  maybe the coaches told them to do so thinking the DL would eventually bail them out.

[jrs2]

The gators have more or less always had a solid defense.   It's the offense or lack of that's been the issue. 

Tebow in 2006 insured that the offense would most always convert 3rd and 4th downs.  otherwise, their offense was the same as in 2005.

under Muschamp, the offense sucked even in 2012.  they had to run the "heavy set" formation with an extra lineman so that Gillislee could get positive yardage.

Driskel got hurt in 2013.  Brantley got hurt in 2011.  Grier got suspended in 2015.  Del Rio got hurt in 2016 and 2017.  Treon transferred after the 2015 season.  Zaumbrecher turned Grossman from a Heisman finalist in 2001 to a has bin in 2002.   Ingle Martin got a concussion in 2003.  Newton left after 2008.  Mullen left after 2008 and so did Harvin.

Leak was healthy in 2003, 04, 05, and 06.  Tebow was healthy in 06, 07, 08, 09 (sans the blindside rom Kentucky).  Driskell was healthy in 2012.  Franks was healthy in 2018 and 2017 and 2019 so far.

 Anyway, my point is that when we had healthy starting QB's, UF has been lethal.  I'll give Franks a pass for the Miami game because I believe Miami is much better than people think.  It was only a 7 point spread anyway and the Gators didn't cover; but they won by 4 after giving the game away half a dozen times in the 4th quarter.

My prognosis:  we have a stellar pass rush; Toney and Perine are awesome; our special teams are awesome.  if Franks with a smattering of Emory Jones and/or Trask can manage the offense and hit the open man regularly, then UF can really kick it into high gear.

[jrs2]

the other thing is that in the Miami game I noticed that the UF WR's did a pretty good job of holding their blocks.  that is huge.  I remember way too many times over the past 10-15 years how our WR's couldn't hold their blocks and our RB's or Harvin or Rainey or Demps or other end around ball carriers would just get tackled.

every time a WR holds his block the ball carrier gets at least another 3-4 yards and hence that much closer to a 1st down... then the drive stays alive...then the offense scores...then the opposing defense gets tired...then the offense scores again (see UF under Spurrier).  

Mullen said something valid the other day:  that back in 2005 they said the Spread wouldn't work in the SEC...but now it's even in the NFL.  It was hard to practice to defend against it back then, but now, there are so many teams that run it, it's easier to prepare for it, so you have to be innovative.

Based on this, I think UF is in a great situation because Mullen is a great offensive mind.  But, this is also why the defense has to also be stellar to create turnovers and good field position.  if the defense is great, the offense doesn't have to be.  If it is a Top 30 offense, I think that's all you need.  Back under Muschamp and MacElwain, the Gator offenses ranked in the 100's.  How pathetic was that?

[dcluley98]

The 2006 Gator Defensive front 4 was one of the greatest ever in the history of college football, but you can't say we've never had a good offense. 

The 2008 offense absolutely destroyed opponents. Percy Harvin was Nearly unstobbable, and then there was Tebow. . . but it's the Gators, so we only got Nearly unstoppable and ended up with a Promise and a couple of Trophies afterward. 

Edited September 6, 2019 by dcluley98

[spenser1058]

Go Gators?

https://www.firstcoastnews.com/amp/article/news/politics/gov-ron-desantis-to-make-major-announcement-at-university-of-florida-on-monday/77-49614cb5-2d34-415d-a279-d49e4f038f33

From First Coast News

[dcluley98]

The University of Florida is now ranked #7 Public University in the nation in US News and World Report's annual ranking. 

GO GATORS! 

https://www.alligator.org/news/uf-rises-to-no-public-university-in-country/article_a6515c54-d302-11e9-8096-3389d981185b.html

[AmIReal]

2 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

Go Gators?

https://www.firstcoastnews.com/amp/article/news/politics/gov-ron-desantis-to-make-major-announcement-at-university-of-florida-on-monday/77-49614cb5-2d34-415d-a279-d49e4f038f33

From First Coast News

This is truly amazing. A decade back they set out to become top 10, which they did continue to climb higher. Congrats are well deserved.

[AmIReal]

And the Noles are the highest riser in the rankings and moved into top 20!

https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2019/09/09/fsu-supercedes-top-25-lands-no-18-spot-u-s-news-and-world-report-best-colleges-2020-guide/2236595001/

 

[spenser1058]

27 minutes ago, AmIReal said:

And the Noles are the highest riser in the rankings and moved into top 20!

https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2019/09/09/fsu-supercedes-top-25-lands-no-18-spot-u-s-news-and-world-report-best-colleges-2020-guide/2236595001/

 

Which is fascinating given they beat an FCS team by 17 points less than UCF did the week before (UT Martin is arguably even more of a nothingburger than FAMU) and we actually dropped a spot then. Nope, no SEC bias there!

Sorry for the non-sequitur. I was posting in two places at once and mixed them up. D’ohhhhh!

Edited September 9, 2019 by spenser1058

[dcluley98]

Pretty sure this is not about the football teams. 

[spenser1058]

1 minute ago, dcluley98 said:

Pretty sure this is not about the football teams. 

True, I assume the guv has other things on his mind.

Meanwhile, the Knights’ women’s soccer team beat the Gators 2-0. I guess they won’t want to play us in soccer anymore, either.

[spenser1058]

Not to take away from UF’s academic accomplishments (which they’ve worked hard on for decades even as the Legislature keeps shortchanging education to support things like roads to nowhere), but, the US News and World Report tanking of colleges, just as their BEST lists for hospitals, are often inaccurate and full of game-playing, influence peddling and a pretty complete misunderstanding of their use by the general public.

A Forbes columnist and former university president lays out the case for why that is/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaeltnietzel/2019/09/09/us-news-releases-its-annual-college-ranking-heres-whats-wrong-with-it/amp/

[jrs2]

On 9/6/2019 at 3:30 PM, dcluley98 said:

The 2006 Gator Defensive front 4 was one of the greatest ever in the history of college football, but you can't say we've never had a good offense. 

The 2008 offense absolutely destroyed opponents. Percy Harvin was Nearly unstobbable, and then there was Tebow. . . but it's the Gators, so we only got Nearly unstoppable and ended up with a Promise and a couple of Trophies afterward. 

what I mean is that the Gators have been lethal when their offenses have been great, regardless of how great their defenses have been.  

For example: 

1984:  9-1-1, ranked No.3 AP/ No.1 NYT.  Offense: great.  Defense: great.

1988: 7-5: Offense: sucked. Defense: great

1989: 7-5: Offense: sucked; Defense: great

1990: 9-2, No.13:  Offense: great; Defense: great

[jrs2]

Franks' completion percentage is pretty high nationally.

Toney has a shoulder thingy

Elam did well in replacing CJ...he'll need to step it up against Stoops' Cats.

UF really needs to win that game.  

[jrs2]

so...we got Kentucky on Saturday...

[AmIReal]

34 minutes ago, jrs2 said:

so...we got Kentucky on Saturday...

UF should have this. Not that I'd underestimate UK, but if UF plays well they have so much more talent. The secondary is not going to be tested like week 1, but if they are they better play better. Which Franks shows up...?

UCF should get a hard fought win.

FSU, I'm not so sure.