Bleacher Report - Articles by Trey Jones

Florida-FSU: Seven Numbers that Spear the Seminoles This Weekend

Trey Jones — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 11:35:05 -0500

Things couldn't be any more different for Urban Meyer's Florida Gators and Bobby Bowden's FSU Seminoles this Thanksgiving weekend.

For Florida, it's the last regular season step to a perfect record—for FSU it's the end of a season rife with disappointment and controversy.

The Seminoles' fall from grace has made “FSU Week” a bit less spectacular than in the past, but with the fate of a legendary head coach in the balance and with the last home appearance of several Gator greats, this match will definitely create a few sparks.

Spears and arrows may be flying, but these seven missiles will definitely find their mark against the Noles...

493

Number of yards FSU’s opposition has outrushed the Seminoles this season.

Being in “the red” may be something of a mantra for FSU head coach Bobby Bowden and his Seminoles, but not when it shows up as a deficit in a primary team statistic.

Bowden’s Noles have had a tough time stopping opponents from moving the ball on the ground this year. At the end of 11 games, Mickey Andrew’s boys own the 105th best rushing defense.

Thanksgiving in Tallahassee may be brief for the Seminole coaching staff since they must plan to meet Tim Tebow and the 15th best offense in the nation.

3.25

The average yardage gained on returned Gator punts.

One of the bright spots for the Seminoles this year has been the punt returns of Greg Reid. This season, Reid has snagged 19 punts and amassed 350 yards for an 18.4 average per return. Reid has also been a rock on kickoff return duty.

Florida has only punted the ball 28 times this year, and Chas Henry and the rest of the Gators' third-ranked unit have only allowed four returns for a total of 13 yards.

Reid won’t be only waving to his friends in the stands on Saturday...

The difference in touchdown passes between Gator reserve quarterback John Brantley (seven TDs) and E.J. Manuel (one TD).

Manuel stepped into the lion’s den when he had to replace injured starting quarterback Christian Ponder prior to the Seminoles' game against Wake Forest.

In his two games as a starter, Manuel has posted an amazing completion percentage (over 60 percent), but he has only tossed one touchdown pass and has thrown four interceptions.

Gator defensive captain Brandon Spikes will want his last game in the Swamp to leave an impression on Gator fans, his teammates, pro scouts, and Manuel’s statistics.

The ranking spread between the Gators' last opponent, Florida International (118th total defense), and this week’s victim, Florida State (106th total defense).

Last week, Meyer and his Gators blistered the Golden Panthers for over 580 yards of offense and 62 points. Mario Cristobal’s unit put up a valiant fight but was completely overwhelmed by the talent, speed, and game plan of the Gators.

This week, Bowden may have less of a talent gap to overcome than FIU, but his defense is completely void of the killer instinct and the tactical brilliance that trademarked Seminole squads in years past.

It is entirely possible that Brantley could post better passing numbers coming off the bench in mop-up duty than Manuel could muster all afternoon.

One

The last chance Bobby Bowden and his Seminoles have to impress supporters and end the regular season on a high note.

Earlier this season, things actually looked promising for FSU after they traveled to Cougartown, Utah and defeated seventh-ranked BYU 54-28.

Since then, it’s been a completely different story.

Bowden, his staff, and his team have all come under fire for underperforming and not living up to FSU football standards. The controversy regarding Bowden’s future has made each game a litmus test for his future as head coach.

Unfortunately for Bowden and the FSU faithful, the Seminoles will need much more than nostalgia, pride, and emotion to overcome an opponent hell-bent on ending the regular season undefeated and building momentum for a showdown with Alabama in Atlanta.

The number of additional opponents the Gators faced this season.

As if going 11-0 wasn’t hard enough this year, Meyer and his Gators also had to contend with these foes that didn’t start out on the published schedule...

* Early team chatter regarding an undefeated season

* The flu

* Tebow’s concussion

* Strength of schedule criticism

* Offensive production issues and concerns

* Spikes and his on-field shenanigans

* Coaching change rumors

Winning easy is, well, easy...this season, however, the Gators have found that simply winning is hard enough and winning big is even harder.

These days, the Gators take nothing for granted, and that fact alone should worry Bowden and his Seminoles the most.

The number of games left to be played at the Swamp for this year’s crop of Gator graduating seniors and other players opting to leave early for the NFL.

Emotions will be running high for Tebow, Spikes, Riley Cooper, Aaron Hernandez, and too many other Gators to mention as they play their last game in Gainesville.

This season has been a roller coaster ride for Meyer and his Gators, and it will all come to a head in the Swamp this Saturday afternoon.

As if things couldn’t get any worse for Bowden...

Florida V South Carolina: Gators Lay Seven Numbers On the Gamecocks

Trey Jones — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:15:55 -0500

Mid November is here, and for Gator and Gamecock fans alike it means only one thing—it’s time for Florida’s Urban Meyer and South Carolina’s Ol’ Ball Coach to square off, and take part in an end of season battle once again.

Gamecock head coach Steve Spurrier may be playing the role of spoiler this year, but Meyer is out to build momentum leading up to Atlanta and prove, once again, that his Gators deserve top honors.

And what better way is there to shore up the confidence of his Gator squad, and impress voters, than to crack these seven eggs and scramble up a huge Gamecock omelet.

Zero

The number of college football defenses that have allowed fewer touchdowns than Florida this season.

In nine games this season, Florida coordinator Charlie Strong’s second ranked Gator defense has only allowed opponents to score six touchdowns.

That’s considerably less than one per game.

South Carolina has struggled against strong defenses this year, and Saturday the Gamecocks will face their toughest test yet.

53 Percent

Percentage of total Gator receiving yards gained last week against Vanderbilt attributable to Gator tight end Arron Hernandez.

Hernandez was Tebow’s most frequent and productive target last week when the tight end hauled in seven tosses for 120 yards—half of which was earned on one outstanding 64 yard catch and run play.

If the success Florida’s passing attack had against Georgia is fleeting the Gators can take comfort in knowing that offensive coordinator Steve Addazio has the good sense to make sure Tebow is seeing more of his tight end.

This spells double trouble for South Carolina since Hernandez can block as good as he can catch!

The total number of points South Carolina has scored in their last four games.

That averages out to 11.25 points per contest.

This figure is not surprising since the Gamecocks rushed for fewer than 66 yards in each of their losses to Alabama, Tennessee, and Arkansas.

Defense has been the headline grabber for Spurrier’s Gamecocks this season, but even an NFL squad would find it hard to complement an offense producing fewer than 12 points a game.

Two Inches

The height advantage Gator wideouts Riley Cooper and Deonte Thompson should have if covered by Gamecock corners C.C. Whitlock and Stephon Gilmore.

Florida quarterback, and Heisman hopeful, Tim Tebow has had some difficulty this season throwing, or not throwing, to his wideouts when in tight coverage.

Against South Carolina though, Cooper and Thompson should be able use their height to an advantage to neutralize any smothering coverage coming off the line. This advantage should make each an easier target for Tebow when running post, stutter, or crossing routes.

Should Spurrier attempt to counter this advantage by pulling the corners off the line a few yards then the Gator running game benefits from the resulting soft flanks.

123:51

Minutes of play since the Florida Gators last committed a turnover.

Poised to score and with only 3:51 left on the clock, Tim Tebow threw an interception that Mississippi State’s Johnathan Banks ran back the length of the field for a touchdown.

Since that moment, Meyer’s Gators have not fumbled the ball away, or thrown another pick.

It’s bad luck to talk about trend reversals, but it does look like Meyer’s boys have finally learned to hang onto the ball this season. That’s bad news for Spurrier since his Gamecocks would gladly accept any handouts this Saturday!

Number of tackles (both solo and assisted) Gator reserve linebacker Dustin Doe was involved in against Vanderbilt last week.

To fill the gap created by a missing Brandon Spikes, who was serving his one game suspension against Vandy, Strong shuffled his linebacker corps a bit. Strong moved WLB Ryan Stamper to MLB and filled the WLB slot with reserve senior letter winner Doe.

Vandy attempted to exploit this lineup change, but Doe stepped up and reminded everyone that Gator defensive reserves could be starting for most any team in the nation.

South Carolina will be the next target on Strong’s list…and Charlie is still is looking for that elusive shutout.

One

Lucky breaks for Urban Meyer in the SEC recruiting war.

Early in the morning of Nov. 12th Pahokee, Florida native Nu’Keese Richardson and two others were arrested in suspicion of armed robbery outside a convenience store in Tennessee.

Richardson was the star south Florida recruit Volunteer head coach Lane Kiffin bragged about stealing out from under Meyer’s nose earlier this year.

The Gator Nation owes Kiffin a debt of thanks for keeping this alleged troublemaker and the ensuing stories/distractions away from Gainesville this week.

Florida vs. Alabama: Will It Be the Gators or Tide In 2014?

Trey Jones — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 03:51:11 -0500

Take a look at Urban Meyer’s Florida Gators and Nick Saban’s Alabama Crimson Tide and what do you see today?

You find two very talented programs heading back to Atlanta to do battle in the SEC Championship Game, and, should each complete the regular season undefeated, could determine the front runner in the quest for the crystal ball in Pasadena.

Now take a moment and focus your attention a bit further down the road for each team.

Don’t allow yourself to be distracted by either’s current offensive woes, recruiting controversies, officiating nods, or behavior issues. More importantly, don’t be distracted by the fact that it’s very possible that one, or both, of these teams may find completing the season undefeated more of a challenge than previously thought.

Rather, use your imagination to envision what each program will look like in the future—after the 2009 regular season, past Atlanta, and hopefully beyond playing in Pasadena.

Go a bit further down this foggy road and ask yourself this question, “Which of these two programs is better poised to be successful over the next few years?”

That’s right… which of these two teams will be leading the pack and which will follow in three, five, or even 10 years from now?

It’s an interesting question because Alabama and Florida both have the potential to become the standard bearer in the SEC for the foreseeable future just as easily as they could become a conference also-ran.

And it’s a question with an answer once you examine several key factors and their influence on each team’s future.

5 —Player Celebrities

For the Gator Nation, accepting the fact that the Tim Tebow era is almost at an end is a very sobering thought.

Tebow and Meyer will go down in history as one of the most successful coach/player relationships in college football history. And as successful as this relationship has been, it also comes with a price.

Florida's success has been defined by Tebow, and to many potential recruits a Gator team without “Super Tim” will fail to reach championship heights again soon. The impact, although subtle, has affected Florida recruiting within the five star community and has allowed other SEC teams to bridge the gap of talent that made the 2008 Gator squad so unique.

Moving forward in the short term, Alabama, perceived as a team on the rise, suffers not from a cult of personality, but actually benefits from Florida’s. This is more than ironic since Gator merchandise sales have skyrocketed since Tebow began manning the helm in 2007.

1-3 Year Advantage—Alabama

3-5 Year Advantage—None

4 —Program History

The Bear Bryant formula for success is simple—recruit the very best talent you can to field a extraordinary rushing attack, and complement it with a competent passing game, smothering defense, excellent special teams, and a deep bench.

Gene Stallings subscribed to this theory and won a national championship.

Alabama is very fortunate that this formula defines “Tide Football,” and that its' latest practitioner, Saban, embraces it wholeheartedly since he used a similar strategy at LSU to win a national championship.

Florida, on the other hand, has no such identity.

Steve Spurrier put Florida on the map with his high octane Fun and Gun while Meyer has reclaimed Gator glory with spread and spread hybrid offenses.

As successful as Alabama has been when they play “Bama Ball,” Florida has displayed similar success when taking advantage of the latest in college football tactics and strategies.

Under current leadership, Alabama may be more consistent and Florida may be more cyclical but both teams will continue to challenge equally. Put the variable, coaching changes, into play and both programs could also suffer equally.

Looking forward, Florida and Alabama represent the ends of the spectrum when it comes to winning with “tradition”. Both have been successful when practicing their honored approaches to football and have suffered when they’ve strayed.

1-3 Year Advantage—None

3-5 Year Advantage—None

3 —Recruiting Bases

It’s simple, if you want to win the SEC championship you must win the recruiting war.

Both Alabama and Florida have made recruiting a top priority—and with good reason since there’s hardly a football program in Division 1 that doesn’t have a player from Georgia, Florida, or Alabama on its’ roster.

Part of the rebuilding mission for each coach was to repair or improve recruitment efforts in their own backyards, while expanding talent acquisition programs into new areas.

Top honors go to Saban for strengthening his hold on the tri-state talent while the blue ribbon goes to Meyer for reaching out to new areas such as Texas, California, North Carolina, and New England.

Although each has had considerable success refilling the stables, Saban has been pulling ahead when recruiting classes are measured head to head.

This trend can be attributed to a number of factors, some mentioned above, but there is another issue that separates these two programs.

The State of Florida now houses seven major college football programs each fighting for their share of home grown talent. Even with Miami rebuilding and FSU in a state of flux, the turf wars for recruits is difficult on the best of days.

Include in the mix the desire of every SEC school, and many more in other conferences that spend time exploring opportunities in the Sunshine State, and Meyer needs a full time contact management software consultant on staff just to keep the names straight.

Florida will find that in-state recruiting will only become more difficult as the lesser programs such as UCF, FIU, and FAU mature. Alabama will also see an annual invasion of cherry pickers but will have more success keeping recruits at home since Auburn is the only major program jockeying for top local talent.

Moving forward, Alabama, regardless of who is coaching, will have fewer obstacles when working to land top players. Florida will only see things get more competitive at home.

1-3 Year Advantage—Alabama

3-5 Year Advantage—Alabama

2 —Program Flexibility

There are two types…

First, Florida has shattered the myth that only a personality with direct ties to the university can succeed as head coach of the Gators.

As simple as it sounds, it means that future Florida coaching hires will be decided more on performance rather than program familiarity. Alabama has done the same with Saban but his tenure as LSU head coach made his hire an exception rather than the rule.

Second, Meyer, in his fifth year at Florida, is surviving his first major assistant coaching change. With Dan Mullen no longer calling the plays, Steve Addazio has taken over offensive coordinator duties and has done so with mixed reviews.

Addazio is struggling to find the magic of 2008, but he’s undefeated and calling the plays for the top ranked team in the nation. The Gator Nation may be grumbling but Addazio has done a good enough job to keep a check out of the loss column.

Saban is only into his third year at Alabama, and he and his staff are still working to field a team that can win a conference championship. Unless competency issues arise, it will be unlikely that the Alabama staff will feel the effects of major shuffling.

Florida may be venerable in the short term but the flexibility inherent in the Florida program will pay benefits further down the road.

1-3 Year Advantage—Alabama

3-5 Year Advantage—Florida

1 —Coaching

By far, coaching is the most influential factor when examining which program will be successful in the next few years and beyond.

Meyer, at 45 years old, is the most successful and accomplished head coach of his generation. His resume screams imagination, success, advancement, competence, attention to detail, dedication, and ambition.

But many wonder if Meyer, who is in his fifth year at Florida, might be thinking about his next challenge. Could he really want to coach at Florida for the next six years? Or will he feel the need to rescue one more major program before deciding where to cash his reputation in for a vacation home and a golf membership.

Sure, the real challenge would be to see Meyer sit tight and rebuild the Gators after the departure of Tebow, Brandon Spikes, and several other key players, but the college football world is too jaded by untimely departures to simply assume that that will be the case.

Despite Meyer’s summer announcement that he is not interested in coaching at Notre Dame, and his most recent 6-year contract extension many, especially several top recruits, are wary of a surprise announcement coming out of Gainesville this January or perhaps the next.

Saban, a man lucky to see a successful return to the college ranks after toying with the tribulations of career advancement a few years earlier, states that Alabama is where he expects to hang his hat until he’s asked to leave.

Saban may be sincere in his desire to stay in Tuscaloosa, but he will need to sit a bit longer to completely hush the critics of the circumstances of his prior moves. Regardless, this issue is nothing compared to the cloud hanging over the debate regarding Meyer’s tenure at Florida.

Too make the plot even thicker, there are several major programs that are or will be in need of an A list coach in the very near future. Notre Dame, FSU, and Michigan top this list, but Penn State, Ohio State, UCLA, and Miami could rear their heads too.

Each is a tempting challenge for a head coach that may potentially be attracted by a welcoming crowd and fresh venue. Unfortunately for Florida, it does appear that Meyer would be more attentive to such wooing rather than Saban.

1-3 Year Advantage—Alabama

3-5 Year Advantage—Alabama

Who Wins In 2014?

So, once the factors have been considered, and sprinkled with a healthy dose of salt, it appears that Alabama, not Florida, will be the more successful of the two programs as we move into the next decade.

Meyer is a winner, but the perception of his ambition will cost him in the short term. Should Meyer stay or go, the Gators will continue to feel a talent squeeze not seen since Texas in the days of the old Southwest Conference.

In addition, Florida’s fortunes are tied to its’ personalities, not its’ culture; and this places a burden on long term stability as well.

On the other hand, Alabama may suffer from having a very defined football identity, but this same identity will offer a continuum, that bridges head coaching changes, for years to come.

But until the time comes for a change, Saban has goals to meet and nothing promotes success like aiming for the stars. Meyer is certainly accomplished but he's in championship repeat mode while Saban is determined to win his first ring with Alabama.

Overall:

1-3 Year Advantage—Alabama

3-5 Year Advantage—Alabama

So You Call Yourself a Florida Gator Fan?: Well, Chomp on This Trivia Quiz

Trey Jones — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:40:31 -0500

Is the news surrounding Brandon Spikes is growing old? Is the upcoming game with Vandy not sparking your interest? Are you catching yourself thinking ahead to seeing the Ol’ Ball Coach tossing his visor? If so, then test your knowledge of Gator lore by tackling these ten questions... If anything, you'll pass a few minutes and maybe learn something completely useless!

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Florida vs. Vandy: Gators Launch Seven Numbers that Sink the Commodores

Trey Jones — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:12:45 -0500

For Urban Meyer and the Florida Gators “Vandy Week” has never been a big blip on the rivalry radar.

Sandwiched between the controversy surrounding Brandon Spikes’ on-field payback and a visit next weekend to see the Old Ball Coach, the game with the Commodores seems lost at sea.

But Meyer and his Gators have something to prove on Saturday…that they are whole once again and are ready to charge, not stumble, into Atlanta for a meeting with the Tide.

And charge they will, especially if these numbers resemble torpedoes aimed at the Commodores…

Games in a row that the Gator defense held the key offensive star of that week’s opponent to a subpar performance.

Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett, MSU running back/receiver Anthony Dixon, and Georgia wideout A.J. Green all found the going difficult when facing Brandon Spikes, Joe Haden and the rest of the Gator defensive squad.

This week, Vandy return specialist Warren Norman brings his true freshman enthusiasm to the Swamp as he attempts to better is record of three kickoffs returned for touchdowns. His 1526 all-purpose yards are also tops for the Commodores.

Meyer and Strong have a great deal of experience neutralizing impact players. Norman, as with his predecessors, will find himself the star object of Gator defense and special team attention.

Second

The Gators’ second best effort balancing rushing and passing first downs.

Against the Bulldogs, Florida posted 9 passing and 11 rushing first downs. Only the effort against the Razorbacks came closer to half for each.

Urban Meyer’s attempt to retool the offense worked. One of the most impressive improvements was the decrease in average third down yardage attempts.

Vandy can no longer expect Florida to be one dimensional when they have the ball. Meyer’s alterations have finally returned the element of surprise and unpredictability to the Gator offense.

49.3 Percent

Percentage of total points (to date) Vanderbilt has earned in their non-conference wins over Western Carolina and Rice.

Vandy looked like last year’s squad when tagging the Catamounts and Owls for 81 total points.

But the Nashville Nightmares from last season are long gone. In SEC play this year, Vandy has had to scratch and claw for every one of the 39 points they’ve earned in five matches—resulting in a dismal 7.8 points per game average.

The wheels have come off the Commodore cart and the spare was left at home…

109

The difference in time of possession rankings between Florida and Vanderbilt.

This year, Vandy ranks dead last in time of possession with an average of 25:59. Florida ranks 11^th with an average of 32:32.

That translates into a potential swing of 6:33 for Florida. Plenty of time for one long stall or three quick strike Gator drives.

It keeps getting worse for the Commodores…

The total number of Gator players who rushed and/or caught a pass against Georgia.

Meyer got it right in Jacksonville.

After repeated subpar performances by the Florida offense, Meyer and coordinator Steve Addazio put together a game plan that took the pressure off of Tim Tebow and spread the ball around in an unpredictable fashion.

The star of the game was the passing attack. With play calling finally designed to take advantage of defensive formations, Tebow finally looked comfortable throwing the ball.

There is still room for improvement within the Gator offense but the performance against Georgia was a huge step forward. It’s been a while coming but a genuine look of confidence and excitement could be seen on the faces of Tebow and his fellow teammates responsible for moving the chains.

Games since the Gators last held an opponent scoreless.

Vandy’s offensive woes took another hit this week when it was announced that starting quarterback Larry Smith will miss the rest of the season due to a hamstring injury.

Redshirt senior Mackenzi Adams, co-hero of Vandy’s 2008 squad, will take over quarterback duties but will be without the offensive line that helped the Commodores get to and win the Music City Bowl last year.

But Gator defensive coordinator Charlie Strong would love nothing more than to add one more feather in his cap by putting a clean sheet in the record books this season. Unfortunately for Vandy, recent trends for both teams indicate that a shutout is more likely than not…

No. 1

The end of season ranking of the last University of Florida team that went 8-0 in the regular season.

In 1996, Danny Wuerffel led the Gators to a regular season record of 10-0 before losing to FSU in Tallahassee. The stars were in alignment over the next two weeks and the Gators found themselves back in the national title hunt after a win over Alabama in the SEC Championship Game.

This season, the Gator’s have overcome a few more opponents than appeared on the schedule.

Meyer turned a big corner for his team this week by righting the wrongs with the offense and dealing with Spikes in a way that has endeared himself to his players.

It’s been said before but the only thing that can stop the Gators now is themselves…

Urban Meyer's Eye-Gouge Punishment: Brandon Spikes Wins Over Gator Image

Trey Jones — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:16:05 -0500

When Florida’s Urban Meyer called a meeting with Brandon Spikes to review the issues surrounding the “eye gouge seen around the world,” few outside the Gator community expected anything less than the worst for the defensive captain.

From the outside looking in, it appeared that Spikes had two strikes going against him as he walked into Meyer’s office.

Yes, two strikes, since Spikes not only blatantly attempted to gouge the eyes out of Georgia’s Washuan Ealey, but he did so without caring that he was on national television.

For those that know Meyer, it’s hard to determine which offense is worse—Spike’s attack on Washuan or the incident’s impact on the image Meyer has so carefully crafted for himself and his Gators.

But immediately after this meeting, the college football world was caught off guard when it was announced that Spikes would only serve a half-game suspension for his behavior.

A half game against Vanderbilt.

As Spikes made his public apology and accepted his “punishment,” word of Meyer’s controversial decision put the Gator football program squarely in the middle of the debate over on-field behavior.

And being in the middle of that debate is certainly NOT where Meyer expects to find his Gators.

The buzz generated also called into question Spike’s character, Meyer’s motives, and the moral compass of the Florida squad.

So, what happened? What made Meyer, the grand master of manipulating team image, decide to risk everything he had created by slapping Spikes on the wrist?

The answer is simple.

Meyer chose his team over his team’s image.

Exactly what transpired during the Monday morning meeting between Meyer and Spikes has not been made public but it makes perfect sense that the two had a very frank discussion about the events leading up to the incident.

Spikes, perhaps citing examples of foul play on part of the Bulldogs, may have explained that his patience had run dry and the heat of the game compelled him to dish it out just like it had been served to himself and his teammates.

A valid assumption since Tim Tebow himself has confirmed that the Dawgs were not entirely innocent Saturday and that tempers were short on both sides of the line.

But regardless of the details, Meyer has indirectly acknowledged that there were extenuating circumstances influencing the incident when he suspended Spikes for only half of the Vandy game.

In the end, Meyer chose not to succumb to the demands of others for a more stringent punishment for Spikes. Rather than make an example out of his captain, Meyer punished as he saw fit and in the process proved to his players that he is more than willing to take some heat on behalf of his team.

Did the punishment fit the act? Many, including this author, say no.

Spikes should have been served a punishment a bit more severe and the NCAA may flirt with using this as an excuse to execute postgame misconduct video reviews.

But...

With all the controversies, illnesses, injuries, performance issues, and now behavior issues that have stung Florida this season, the last thing the Gator’s needed to see was their coach sacrificing a team leader in order to protect his own future marketability.

On Monday, the only thing Meyer sacrificed was himself.

It was the perfect gift for an undefeated yet doubt-ridden team searching for unity and focus before seasons end.

Florida Gators: For Urban Meyer and Tim Tebow Corner Coverage Is Kryptonite

Trey Jones — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:51:49 -0400

Sure, Urban Meyer’s spread offense with Tim Tebow has outscored every team this year, but the harsh reality is that opposing defenses have figured out how to slow this season's version of the Gator spread.

Review the offensive performance of the Gators over the last three years and you will find one key factor that separates the 2009 squad from the rest…

Opposition cornerbacks are no longer padding the flanks.

In the previous two seasons, Gator wideouts earned soft corner coverage off the line due in part to the frequent success of the 20-plus yard passing game. For the most part, opposing defenses chose to guard against the long ball even at the expense of containing sweeps and wide options.

This season, Gator opponents face a very limited long passing threat and their cornerbacks are now crowding the line—and are doing so with terribly effective results.

Here’s how tight corner coverage impacts Florida and what Meyer, Steve Addazio, and Tebow need to do to remove this threat and put the “Mighty” back into the Gator offense.

Corner Problem One:

First, tighter coverage puts the corners much closer to the line and this impacts how Gator sweeps and options develop.

The growing trend finds that Chris Rainey, Jeffrey Demps, and Tim Tebow are meeting the opposition sooner on sweeps resulting in an early cut up-field or more effort moving laterally.

Remedy:

It’s simple…if you want to get a corner to back off the line you must give him a reason to do so.

First, Meyer and his offensive coordinator Steve Addazio should call a simple deep burn route at least once a drive. Even if Tebow is instructed to overthrow the receiver, the impact this will have on the defense will be well worth the effort.

If anything, the Gators have to keep the defensive backfield honest. Who knows, Tebow may actually connect on a few of these then the defenses would have no choice but to play a bit safer.

Corner Problem Two:

Tight coverage of the Gator wideouts is wrecking the currently employed short passing game.

Tebow is not finding many early open targets and is often found waiting for plays to develop—sometimes with disastrous results.

The Gator wideouts are attempting to execute designed routes that rely on speed and moves to create openings downfield. Meyer is executing a passing attack based on talent alone and the results have not been positive.

Remedy:

Florida needs to embrace a different version of a short passing game.

The successful use of five-to-15 yard timing routes will generate much needed passing yardage and also help push the corners back as well. Play action speed slants would also give the Gator offense a boost and help corral the linebackers.

Nothing spells trouble for a sticky corner like a well timed down and out especially if the receiver is Riley Cooper and the pass is thrown a bit wide.

Timing routes penalize defenders that play too close or too aggressively. Meyer needs to make these passes and quick slants, a staple for the passing game.

Corner Problem Three:

Opposing safeties are having a much greater impact on the game now that the corners are bottling things up for the Gators.

In the past, safeties that faced the Gators had one job… stand deep, wait for the play to develop, then try to help stop it.

This year, they face no deep passing threat and are inching closer to the play zone. A review of statistics shows that safeties are assisting on tackles much closer to the line of scrimmage than ever before.

It also means that they feel confident enough to play risky. The Gators are seeing safeties breaking on passes sooner and covering runs as they develop in the backfield with little regard for the consequences of committing early.

The remedy:

The Gators have to use Brandon James more.

Deonte Thompson is back but he’s marked. Cooper is competent but doesn’t influence the defense with his presence. Put James into the mix and you have three speed threats that will result in a defense no longer willing to gamble on tight early coverage.

Seeing James line up in the wideout position, or in motion, also carries the threat of a run option. If he helps freeze the linebackers by his presence then pursuit on the flanks has been slowed.

Corner Problem Four:

Coverage sacks.

Tight corner coverage is also contributing to making life miserable in, and out of, the pocket for Tebow.

When “dropping back” to pass, Tebow often finds that every one of his receivers is covered off the line. He cannot even check off and dump the ball short since the crowding makes any pass extremely vulnerable.

To make matters worse, Tebow’s reluctance to throw a ball away and his determination to find an open target make him an easy target once the traditional “five-plus-one” offensive line front gets overwhelmed.

Hurried tosses, running out of the pocket, poor throws off balance, interceptions, and fumbles ensue.

The remedy:

The solutions already mentioned above will do wonders to make the pocket a better place for Tebow but there is one other thing Meyer can do to immediately improve the situation…the use of a fullback.

Meyer has a few of them and they all know how to block AND power rush.

Sure, including a fullback in the lineup removes one element of speed from the play, but with as little progress the passing game is currently making this sacrifice is welcome.

The gig is up for the Gator offense on predictable passing plays. Opponents are blitzing more frequently and with practically every position available. Until the offense burns the corners back off the line Tebow could use an honor guard in the pocket.

If Gator opponents are squeezing the line with success every game it would be silly not to expect Georgia to do so with similar results. It should be obvious to Meyer that steps like these are needed not only to protect Tebow and get his offense more productive but to create some positive momentum for the home stretch of the season.

Florida-Georgia: Nine Numbers That Add Up to Party Time for the Gators

Trey Jones — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:43:41 -0400

Florida’s Urban Meyer may be plotting, and Georgia’s Mark Richt may be hopping, but most of us are dusting off our plastic party sets as we prepare for the event formerly known as “The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party”

The Gators will be sipping on Swamp wine and enjoying Bulldog hors d'oeuvres should these numbers add up like ice cubes in a well-stocked cooler...

Two-thirds

The fraction of total yardage Georgia has gained in the air this season.

Since the Bulldogs have rushed for less than 800 yards this season, it seems better to simply throw early—and often!

Gator defensive coordinator Charlie Strong loves it when teams try to throw the ball against his squad. Usually, when they do, it results in a stalled drive or an interception, and a very short break for the opposition's defense to rest.

Minus 32

Georgia’s third quarter scoring margin.

Statistically, Georgia loses games in the third quarter by being outscored 35 to 67.

On the flip side, the Gators have outscored opponents 53-9 and controlled the clock for more than half the period.

Georgia may be able to hang with Florida for a half, but the first 10 minutes of the third quarter will seal the deal for the Gators.

One

Confession by Urban Meyer.

After the hair-pulling game against Mississippi State, Meyer took full responsibility for the woes plaguing his offense and Heisman candidate quarterback Tim Tebow.

Realizing that a square peg no longer fits into a round spread hole, Meyer all but promised to make a few significant changes to his offensive game plans.

These changes will return an element of unpredictability to the Gator offense and also turn loose key skill players that have been cooling their heels in anticipation of such a move.

43 Percent

The contribution Bulldog wideout A.J. Green has made to Georgia’s reception yardage totals.

Of the 1,587 yards Georgia has earned in the air, Green has hauled in 682 of them.

The Gator D knows who the Bulldog playmakers are, and stats like this one serve to paint a huge target on Green’s jersey. In SEC play, Strong’s unit has done a very credible job of containing top offensive threats.

11.8

The difference in the average gross distance between Georgia’s punts and those of Florida’s opponents.

Gator punt return specialist Brandon James has been hamstrung since Florida’s opposition has learned to counter his speed by kicking the ball five to eight yards short to allow for better field coverage.

The impact on James’s performance has been significant: Shorter punts with longer hang times leave him few options beyond calling a fair catch or diving for a few yards.

If Georgia wants to blast away with the nation’s best punt average, then let them! James is looking for the seven- or eight-yard window that comes with a boomer...this may be his best special teams performance to date!

0.5

The half yard that separates the carry average between Georgia’s top and Florida’s fourth best rusher.

Using a 30-carry minimum, Georgia’s best rusher, Richard Samuel, averages 4.4 yards per carry.

Florida’s fourth best rusher, Tebow, averages 3.9 yards per carry—chilling to learn since Jeffrey Demps’ average is 7.9, Chris Rainey’s average is 6.9, and Emmanuel Moody’s average is 8.4.

A Few Dog Bones and Gator Tails...

Seven

Wins in a row by Florida needed to finally get the Gators above the .500 mark for this series.

The Gator Nation was under the impression that reaching this milestone was a priority for former head coach Steve Spurrier before considering a new employer. He left, but Gator dominance has not.... Here’s hoping the game in 2015 finally gets the Dawg off the Gator's back.

About 7,000

The seating difference between the Georgia Dome (approx. 75,000 seats) and Jacksonville Municipal Stadium (approx. 82,000 seats).

Georgia has tried for years to get this game moved out of “Jax” and into Atlanta. Why? They claim they don’t want to fly the 300 or so miles south to a neutral field. Right...

University of Florida and Jacksonville Municipal Stadium officials nipped this complaint in the bud when they simply proved that the larger seating capacity of JMS provided greater revenue opportunities.

In the SEC, money still rules!

The effect changing the name of this game has had on alcohol consumption issues.

The only thing positive about not calling this game "World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party” are the smirks made by the talking heads when attempting to call this match the “Florida-Georgia/Georgia-Florida game.”

Cheers!

Creature vs. Creature: A Gator's Take on a Bulldog Beating in Jacksonville

Trey Jones — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 01:03:03 -0400

Florida Feature Columnist Trey Jones clinks cocktail glasses with Georgia Feature Columnist Isaac Scheidt and offers his slant on what it will take for the Gators to come out on top in Jacksonville.

Isaac's excellent thoughts on this party can be found here.

First, let’s state the obvious—even though the Florida/Georgia game has lost a bit of national luster over the last 18 years or so, it’s still the premier grudge-fest for both of these teams.

Sure, Florida State, Georgia Tech, and Auburn boil the blood of the Gators and the Bulldogs but nothing really compares to the hype, hatred, and pageantry of what was formerly known as “The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party”.

This season there’s much more at stake than just bragging rights.

For the Gators, winning cleanly over head coach Mark Richt and his Georgia Bulldogs is a necessity if they want to keep their lead in the SEC east and top BCS ranking intact.

Richt’s Bulldogs, tagged with two conference losses already, find themselves once again in the all too familiar role of spoiler.

But there are greater implications at work here.

Florida is preparing to undergo one of the most drastic losses in leadership and talent ever seen in the SEC. A win over Georgia is crucial when attempting to gain the attention of much needed four and five star high school talent in the tri-state area.

For Georgia, another loss to Florida is not only a battlefield defeat in the recruiting war but also a blow to the perception of Bulldog coaching competence.

This contest has never favored the desperate. Florida may be looking for improvement and playing ugly but they are undefeated and winning games with grit. Georgia, hopes dashed with midseason losses and an offensive identity crisis of their own, could find themselves seduced into creating a game day strategy of hope.

For Georgia “GD” doesn’t mean Go Dawgs it means Gator Defense.

Five games into the SEC schedule and Florida defensive coordinator Charlie Strong and his Gator squad have accepted the fact that there can be no margin for error this season.

Now tasked with supporting an offense with significant production and turnover issues, Strong’s defense has stepped up to the challenge and successfully kept opponents out of the end zone and off the field.

On Saturday, Georgia will face a top ranked defense that allows fewer than 230 total yards and less than 11 points per game. The Dawgs, owners of the 103^rd ranked rushing attack, face the prospect of having to force a passing game in front of one of the fastest defensive backfields in the nation.

This weekend, should Georgia find that airing the ball is the only option, the Gator defense might do more than just contain the Dawgs, they may even take some pressure off the offense by putting a few points on the board themselves - with or without Brandon Spikes.

Is there a silver lining around this Gator shaped cloud? Sure, the Bulldogs are in possession of the top ranked punting unit in the nation…

Even when Tim Tebow scores points for the opposition the Gators still win.

Tebow had one of his worst outings as a Gator quarterback last Saturday when playing against a very motivated and prepared Mississippi State team. But by force of will, Tebow shook off two interceptions, three sacks, and multiple hurries to rush for 88 yards and a score.

Frustrated and very much out of sorts for most of the game, Tebow showed how much he has matured as a player and kept his cool while continuing to lead his offense on the field.

Now that Meyer has promised to address issues that have been impacting Tebow’s performance, look for the leading Gator rusher to see more crossing routes, a fullback for pocket protection, and a power formation or two for short yardage gains.

Against Georgia, Tebow will return to doing what he does best – lead the team with confidence and excitement, blow over corners on power sweeps, draw 8 in the box on 3^rd and shorts, and pass accurately when given time in the pocket to throw.

Something new this way comes – at Georgia’s expense…

Immediately after the “Defectory” over Mississippi State, Meyer confessed that he was personally responsible for creating the game plans and calling the plays that resulted in very “un-Gatorlike” third down and red zone performance.

This acknowledgment is huge news since it suggests that Meyer will finally toss a few older pages out of the playbook and start coming up with imaginative ways to use his trusted AND underused skill players.

Although it’s a stretch to think that the Power I will become the new look for Florida, it’s not unconceivable to expect to see a few new Gator plays or formations—especially in the red zone.

This change in attitude will spell big trouble for Richt since he has been preparing the Bulldogs to face an opponent obsessed with making an offensive strategy work. Now that Meyer has cracked open the door to change the most desired element in college football, unpredictability, will return to the Gator offense.

For Georgia, the spirit of Lindsey will be fleeting at best…

In past years, seeing the Gators ride into Jacksonville with a solid SEC record and a high national ranking was nothing short of a bad omen.

However, things have changed over the last 18 years and the Bulldog juju that had been hanging over Florida has now settled over Athens.

Richt and his Bulldogs will play hard this Saturday but no amount of passion or pep will overcome Meyer, his mission to improve his offense, and Strong’s defense.

The final toast?

Florida 31 Georgia 17

Florida vs Mississippi State: Urban Meyer's Confession Sparks Hope

Trey Jones — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 15:59:14 -0400

For the third time in as many games, Urban Meyer and his Florida Gators conspired to keep television audiences glued to their sets.

By morphing a potential “style” win over the Mississippi State Bulldogs into yet another stumble to the finish, Meyer, offensive coordinator Steve Addazio, and the Gator offensive squad worked hard to confuse pollsters and spike the collective blood pressure of the Gator Nation.

After the “wakeup” call with the Razorbacks last weekend, the Gators were expected to travel west to Starkville and overwhelm Mississippi State with their sure footed rushing game, a revitalized passing attack, and a renewed focus on fundamentals.

Ironically, the confidence in the expected play of the offense was so high only the injuries plaguing defensive coordinator Charlie Strong’s starting lineup were of concern.

But within three minutes of play against Mississippi State, the Florida defense had quieted those concerns by forcing their first turnover.

But the Gator offense was back to slogging it in the red zone and missing field goals. Tim Tebow, among others, was starting to look frustrated.

A missed extra point, two Tebow interceptions run back for touchdowns, repeated red zone stalls, and 57 minutes later, the Gators celebrated their first night win in Starkville in decades.

But Meyer was definitely not celebrating.

Tebow wasn’t celebrating much either.

In media interviews on the field and at the post game press conference, Meyer, looking more like his Gators had lost the match, startled witnesses by being painfully frank and truthful with his responses to questions.

His comments, confessions actually, finally addressed specific issues pertaining to the performance of the Gator offense.

What Meyer did was accept personal responsibility for the Gator’s recent lack of red zone production, the season long underperforming passing game, and the on-field struggles of quarterback Tim Tebow.

What Meyer didn’t do is blame offensive coordinator Steve Addazio, his staff, his players, illness, or injury for the point scoring woes facing this undefeated and top ranked team.

At first glance, Meyers’ comments could be seen as just another post game ramble by a head coach with nothing to lose and everything to gain by being self effacing and humble.

But to followers of the Meyer press machine, his words spoke volumes.

Meyer’s confessions pertaining to his faulty coaching, play calling, and player assessments, leave the door wide open for wholesale changes within the preparation and execution of the Gator offense.

The master of the spread offense isn’t preparing us for changes in key personnel, rather expect Meyer to make changes in how these playmakers will be used.

And the timing couldn’t be better. Although Meyer has chosen to blame himself for his stalling offense, another issue is the fact that opponents are finally learning how to frustrate a spread offense. Calling Tebow’s number over twenty times a game to spark production is not the solution.

Meyer has no choice but to explore less familiar ways to move the ball.

Over the past seven games, Meyer has shown us a few plays that reflect the spirit and imagination that terrified defenses last season. Wideout Riley Cooper performing a power sweep for 14 yards in early season play, and Chris Rainey rushing from the I formation for a score against the Bulldogs are just two examples.

It’s time to see if the preseason rumors were true regarding the situational use of Brandon James, John Brantley, and David Nelson. It’s also time for Gator opponents to be surprised by the play calling instead of smiling because they anticipated it!

The Florida stable is loaded with talent that can be incorporated into most any play scheme, and Meyer has the IQ within the coaching staff to draw up the plays and perfect their execution.

Florida is 7-0, but a years’ worth of luck has already been consumed. Meyer’s offense has done the job, barely, but at the expense of Tebow’s mojo.

For Meyer and his Gators, necessity has become the mother of offensive innovation!

SMU Football: Note to June Jones—Peruna IS NOT the Problem

Trey Jones — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:12:39 -0400

There’s an adage that comes to mind when we hear that SMU head coach June Jones, with help from the Pickens family, has put into motion plans to alter the mascot traditions of SMU…

“A good team can make a mascot look great—but a great mascot can’t help a poor team play better.”

SMU is fortunate to have a coach of Jones’s caliber and SMU loyalists are excited that this may be the first step in creating a football program that achieves a higher level of on-field success while maintaining exceptional academic standards.

But SMU is equally fortunate to have as its mascot a series of Shetland ponies, consecutively named Peruna, that have been the lead and the pride of SMU activities and athletics for decades.

Jones’ attempts to toy with the traditions of SMU’s current mascot, Peruna VIII, by introducing an actual mustang as a “co-mascot” seem only to telegraph his desire to do away with 75 years of beloved and iconic traditions.

Some would rather see Jones spend his time working with his quarterback.

What Jones really should do with Peruna is make him look cool by associating him with a more successful football program!

Sure, Rome wasn’t built in a day and recreating a winning tradition for a college football team does take time…But many college programs take great pride in their “interesting” mascots and do so because of uniqueness, tradition, time, and some history of success.

Want some examples?

Just look at Ohio State’s mascot Brutus Buckeye or the Duck of Oregon.

How about the Hoosiers of Indiana? Maybe a handful of people know what a Hoosier is but Bobby Knight and his basketball program made whatever those things are the envy of hoops fans everywhere.

Even Nebraska made a Cornhusker look very intimidating just as Maryland, sometimes anyway, made a turtle look tough.

So, here’s hoping that coach Jones sees the value in SMU’s Peruna traditions and rethinks his strategy to alter the perception of Mustang athletics by putting this Shetland out to pasture.

Florida Gators: Midterm Report and Primer Review!

Trey Jones — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:12:03 -0400

Late October is finally here and that means midterm reports are due for Urban Meyer and his top ranked Florida Gators! Although undefeated and ranked first in the BCS, the subject matter covered in the first half of this term proved more difficult, bizzare, and commical than the Gators expected. Anticipating that the second half of the term will offer as many surprises as the first, here's a quick review of subject matter that may be in play as they continue their quest. So grab your pencils, notebooks, and student id’s – it’s primer time!

Begin Slideshow

Creature vs. Creature: Defending Florida's Schedule Strength

Trey Jones — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:08:26 -0400

Florida Gator Feature Columnist Trey Jones goes head to head with Boise State Feature Columnist Lace Banachek in a war of words over numbers.

Lace Banachek’s thoughts on these issues can be found here:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/276588-creature-v-creature-boise-state-sos-ranked-higher-than-florida

A funny thing has happened on Florida’s path to repeat as conference and national champions this year… people have begun to notice that undefeated Boise State of the WAC has a higher Strength of Schedule ranking than the Gators.

That’s right, according to the BCS, the fourth-ranked Boise State Broncos have played the 38th toughest schedule so far this season and the top-ranked Florida Gators are in possession of the 46th.

This revelation is seen by some as the foundation of an argument that Boise should be ranked higher than the Gator’s in the BCS.

That’s big news if you’re a Broncos fan, supporter of the WAC, or label yourself as a BCS conspiracy theorist.

But it barely raises an eyebrow if you’re a member of the Gator Nation or a loyalist of the SEC.

Why’s that?

Before we get into the details of that answer, let’s first congratulate the Boise State Broncos for finally improving their SOS numbers.

Over the past several years, the Broncos have blistered college football with the following SOS rankings: 94th in 2008, 113 in 2007, and 90th in 2006.

With the 38th toughest schedule so far this year, the college football world welcomes Boise State to the realm of “above average” schedule strength.

This year, Florida is taking a breather with an SOS ranking of 46. After successfully completing three seasons with SOS rankings in the top 10, the Gators finally earned a hall pass.

And since we’re on the subject, has anybody stopped to realize that an “easy” schedule for the Gators is only eight points below the “toughest” schedule the Bronco’s have played in years?

Interesting.

But, let’s get back to why Florida’s SOS should be of no concern to Boise State, the BCS, or anybody else this year.

First, regardless of how “down” the SEC is playing this season, SEC top contenders have proven themselves more than capable of successfully challenging for the national crown.

Since the creation of the BCS in 1998, the SEC is undefeated in national championship play. No other conference can post a 5-0 record when playing for BCS top honors.

This year, Alabama and Florida are paving the way for the SEC with the eventual conference champion a very likely invitee to the title game. Even if either of these teams stumble, as LSU and Florida have done in the past, the winning reputation of past SEC champions is enough to earn high rankings and a shot at the crystal ball.

Honestly, Florida shouldn’t care how high they are ranked as long as they make it to the SEC championship game. Should things work out and the Gators face the Tide in Atlanta, the winner will defiantly earn an invitation to Pasadena.

Second, there is an argument that Florida’s SOS is artificially low.

Yes, Florida has a spectacularly fluffy non-conference schedule but its conference opponents, Kentucky and Arkansas, have already faced, and lost, to two top teams. This adds four losses overall which dings SOS rankings.

Conference fratricide could be playing an early factor. But, by season’s end, things will get sorted out within the SEC and the teams Florida has played could end up providing stronger contributions to SOS calculations.

Third, by year’s end, Boise State’s higher SOS ranking really means nothing when you consider that the SEC, ACC, and Big 12 all play conference championship games.

Boise State may end the season with a top 20 SOS, but that pales in comparison to Florida winning the SEC east then defeating a very highly ranked representative from the SEC West. Or most any other conference champion game winner for that matter.

To make things even more convoluted, Florida could actually end up with a higher SOS than Boise State with a win in that 13th game.

Finally, perception still rules in the BCS.

As good of a team as the Broncos might be, they are hamstrung when it comes to impressing voters at the end of the season.

As illogical as it might appear, the BCS unconsciously funnels teams into the national championship game that have proven that they belong.

The Big Ten, by virtue of Ohio State losing big two years in a row, is currently a BCS outcast while the SEC, the golden child, can do no wrong.

The Big 12 is on the bubble. The PAC 10 and ACC are waiting in the wings.

To most of those who vote, the WAC and Mountain West still are looking up but not quite there yet.

What does this have to do with SOS rankings? In a world seen through the translucent eyes of the BCS, Boise State’s current SOS and ranking actually mean very little when compared to what the SEC has already accomplished.

Is this Unfair? Perhaps so. Is this true? Absolutely.

Florida-Mississippi State: 10 Numbers That Spell Gator Relief vs. the Bulldogs

Trey Jones — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 11:01:16 -0400

The pig roast that Florida head coach Urban Meyer and his Gators had planned for homecoming didn’t turn out as expected.

Last weekend the visiting Arkansas Razorbacks gave Florida all they could handle, and the result was a huge case of indigestion for the Gators, a headache for the pollsters, and hope for the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

Since the meal that Meyer and his Gators were hoping to serve turned out to be “offensive” here are 10 antacids that hopefully will settle things down before Florida’s road trip to Starkville.

Warning: If problems persist after playing the Bulldogs please immediately contact your health-care provider.

Minus-Four

The turnover margin of the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

Florida gets to try to improve its own dismal turnover margin (minus-two) by playing a team that has given up the ball more than they have.

Here’s hoping that the Gators trade a bit of speed for a two-armed ball wrap once they encounter Bulldog traffic.

Two

The number of criticisms that have been successfully addressed by this year’s Florida Gators.

As ugly as the Gators’ perfect season has looked at times, some very important milestones have been achieved.

For starters, this year’s Gator squad finally won a game against LSU at night in Baton Rouge.

Florida also came from behind in the fourth quarter to beat Arkansas on a last second field goal.

The Gators are learning how to win under difficult circumstances. A night game in Starkville against the Bulldogs no longer conjures up memories of upsets or the sound of cowbells.

The number of potential Gator points robbed by red zone turnovers last week.

Add a dropped touchdown pass and a botched field goal and the number jumps to 24 missed points.

That’s the second highest total of potentially missed points for the Gators in the Meyer era.

Florida rarely fails to move forward after a bad game. With a week’s worth of practice focusing on the fundamentals, the Gators' Saturday night contest against Mississippi State should be no exception.

One

The number of former Gators assistant coaches who are now head coaches at Mississippi State.

When Dan Mullen traded in his seat in the booth for a top spot on the sideline, he brought to Starkville a lot more than just his family and a trailer full of furnishings.

He brought the spread offense.

But, as everybody knows, the first year working with the spread is usually a tough one. Mullen has done a competent job of getting his inherited Bulldog squad to buy into his vision, but the road has been rocky.

It will get even rockier Saturday night.

One Again!

The number of college football defensive coordinators who get to prepare for a game against his former offensive coordinator in Starkville this weekend.

Florida defensive coordinator Charlie Strong is looking to make a point.

The nation’s top defensive squad looked less than stellar against the Razorbacks, and Strong is eager for his unit to return to top form.

Missed tackles and blown coverage assignments against the Hogs also made this week’s practice a study in fundamentals.

Charlie will make a point with his refocused squad, a familiar offensive scheme, and better talent.

45.2

The average number of penalty yards for the Gators each game.

This is about half of the average penalty yards Florida racked up per game last year.

Now that the offense is not blowing opponents away it’s good to know that about 40 yards per game will be saved simply by playing clean. Fewer mistakes also means that the Gators are successful in getting plays and audibles relayed to the huddle quickly and efficiently.

Bottom line? Crowd noise, a point of pride with the fans of the maroon and white, may be less of a factor for the Gators this year.

The difference in passing touchdowns between the Gators and the Bulldogs.

With all the concerns surrounding the Florida passing game, Meyer can feel a bit better knowing that Mississippi State has had a harder time finding the end zone in the air than the Gators.

For the record, Florida has 12 scoring strikes and MSU only six.

Should the running game for each team resemble the smash-fest in Gainesville last week, Meyer knows that his passing attack should be more successful than what the Bulldogs can muster.

Perhaps this might be the breakout game for the Gator wideouts.

37 and 30

Bulldog Anthony Dixon’s percentage contribution to offensive touchdowns (seven rushing) and total offense (116 yards per game).

Mullen’s best weapon is also the key to a Gator victory.

Regardless of the issues with the Gator defense last week, the Gator defensive unit has a good track record of keying on top opponent playmakers.

This week, with a healthy Brandon Spikes back in the lineup, the Gators should be able to contain Dixon and force the Bulldogs into a less effective alternative game plan.

Zero

Room for tolerance within the Florida Gator football team.

Florida’s “effort” against the Razorbacks should have evoked the same response as losing to Ole Miss did last year.

Although we are not hearing any remaining season promises from Tebow, we are hearing stern remarks from Meyer.

Nobody is happy with the progress of the season, and the illusion of superiority associated with an undefeated record has vanished without a trace.

Cockiness first turned into shock and now shock has turned to anger.

And in the SEC, a bit of anger is a good thing.

Florida Gators vs. Arkansas Razorbacks: Gator Miracle, Mulligan, or Omen?

Trey Jones — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 10:14:59 -0400

The look on the face of injured Florida linebacker and defensive captain, Brandon Spikes, spoke volumes.

Confined to the sideline with a game ending groin pull, Spikes was biting his lip as he looked at the replay of Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett’s 75 yard scoring pass that gave the Hogs in the lead with less than 10 minutes to go in the fourth quarter.

Among other things, his look personified the statistical Achilles tendon for the Gators—that they rarely win games when they are behind in the fourth quarter.

To the Gator Nation, it looked as if yet another upstart team from the SEC west was going to derail Florida’s hope of a perfect season.

But in the end, the last nine minutes to be more precise, the Gator offensive line finally figured out how to crack the stacked Arkansas front.

With some well timed aid from the officiating staff, Tim Tebow, Jeffrey Demps, and the rest of the Florida offense assembled two mistake free drives.

A Demps rushing touchdown with 7:27 remaining and a Caleb Sturgis field goal with nine seconds left on the clock sealed the victory for the Gators in what could be described as Florida’s most amateurish outing in years.

As players, coaches, pundits, and fans scratch their heads in relief, or disbelief, the question remains…was this game a miracle, mulligan, or omen of things to come for the top-ranked Gators?

The Case for a Miracle

Miracle is actually too strong of a word to use—the term “gift” seems more appropriate here.

In a game where there were three missed field goals, over 100 yards in penalties, four fumbles, two touchdown passes over 70 yards, and dozens of missed tackles there’s a strong case that the college football gods intervened on the home team’s behalf.

And it looked like they did so at the 51 minute mark for the Gators.

Up until then, neither team performed as expected. The Gators looked cursed and the Razorbacks looked determined.

It was with nine minutes left that everything changed. Florida looked like a championship team again and Arkansas finally looked frustrated.

Maybe the great prognosticator in the sky, sitting in a golden recliner with a universal function remote, decided that it would be best to keep hopes in Florida alive for one more week.

Perhaps this is the year that the Florida Gators will go undefeated…regardless if they want to or not!

The Case for a Mulligan

Maybe Florida’s performance against Arkansas was nothing more than one giant brain hiccup.

If you look at the record books you will find that almost every team that won a national championship in college football had at least one “scare” on the schedule.

A regular season game that was so close it took a great last minute play to win or was influenced by a huge mistake or a timely call by the officials.

Think of Florida blocking a South Carolina field goal in 2006, the Gators missing a field goal in overtime against Tennessee in 1998, or Nebraska’s overtime win against Missouri in 1997.

And there are plenty more.

With a 12 game regular schedule it’s hard to stay focused week end and week out especially when your quarterback is a celebrity, your competition has it out for you, and your offense is being criticized.

And on top of all that, The Gators have a history of underwhelming an SEC west opponent in the middle of the season anyway so why should this year be any different.

Maybe the fact that they did pull of a victory against the upstart Razorbacks instead of collapsing when behind is proof that this team has the mojo to complete the season undefeated.

Or maybe it would be best to simply hit the “do-over” button and start preparing for the Bulldogs.

The Case for an Omen of Things to Come

Was Saturday a bad day for the Gators or is this a sign of the direction the team is headed…

A review of the game stats shows that neither team had anything close to a good day on the field.

For Arkansas, this game boiled down to a number of “what-ifs.”

For Florida, this game could be best summarized by “what where we thinking.”

Of all the issues concerning the performance of the Gator offense, defense, and special team squads on Saturday, four are most disturbing since they could indicate a trend in future play.

First, even thought Arkansas brought a great defensive plan to the Swamp, it took the Gator offense over three quarters to figure it out.

Florida’s offensive line was challenged on most every play and the blocking of the wide outs, at times, looked less than Gator-like.

The bad news is that even though the Gators finally overcame this defensive effort the Hogs showed the rest of the SEC how to stop Florida’s rushing game—even if for only three quarters.

Second, Charlie Strong’s defense looked great at times but they also had huge problems with tackling technique and coverage assignments.

Yes, the pressure put on Hog quarterback Ryan Mallett was instrumental in preventing him from accurately throwing to several wide open receivers. However, the mere fact that the Gator defensive backfield allowed so many open opportunities showed that a competent passing game may be a real threat in future contests.

This game also confirmed that Spike’s defensive presence on the field is every bit as important as Tebow’s on the offense.

Third, turnover margin is a key benchmark in any championship team and right now the Gators are failing in that category.

Against Arkansas, the Florida offense coughed up the ball four times and the Gator defense didn’t force a single turnover.

So far this season, Florida is -2 on the year in turnovers.

Meyer needs to tighten the belt when it comes to training his offense to hold on to the ball. He can’t rely on luck and his defense to cover the mistakes of his ball carriers.

Fourth, you can’t drop passes in the SEC.

If you take the Kentucky game out of the figures Florida’s winning SEC margin is less than ten points.

For the Gators, scoring is no longer a tool used to impress voters it’s a means to survival.

Against Arkansas, the Gator wide out corps looked brilliant on occasion but lackluster at times too.

Meyer needs his receivers to be perceived as a threat on every down. That means that they have to execute their routes perfectly and hold on to as many balls as humanly possible.

It sounds simple but the Gator route runners are, at times, making it look hard.

Florida absolutely needs a deep passing game to survive the balance of the season. Deonte Thompson’s 77 yard touchdown reception against Arkansas is similar to what the Gators need to each week.

Florida vs. Arkansas: Ryan Mallett's Michigan Education Won't Pass Swamp Test

Trey Jones — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 11:20:59 -0400

As Florida head coach Urban Meyer prepares his Gators for a homecoming showdown with the Arkansas Razorbacks this Saturday, two questions are being asked:

First, how well will the Gators perform in their first test against a prolific passing offense?

Second, does Meyer remember that starting Hog signal-caller Ryan Mallett was wearing blue and maize when Michigan defeated Florida in the 2008 Capital One Bowl?

Since every Gator defensive starter has returned from last year’s squad, the first question can be answered simply by recalling the national championship game against Oklahoma.

Prior to meeting Meyer and his Gators, Heisman winner and Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford led the Sooners to a 12-1 record by racking up about 500 yards of offense per game.

The stats were impressive. Bradford was passing for well over 350 yards with the Sooner backfield rushing for the balance.

Even in a loss to Texas, Oklahoma still accumulated over 400 yards of offense and 35 points.

But in the national championship game, Florida defensive coordinator Charlie Strong prepared his Gator defense brilliantly. Oklahoma was held to its lowest yardage and scoring totals all year, and the Gators walked away with the crystal trophy in a 24-14 slugfest.

The Gator defense that day was a deadly combination of outstanding talent and peerless game day preparation.

The bad news for Arkansas is that this season's Gator defense is even better, and the Hog offense is nowhere near as potent as Oklahoma's was a year ago.

Sure, the Razorbacks have posted some impressive numbers and love to test defenses by opening up the entire field with a competent passing game. But as exciting as it might be, the Flying Pig aerial attack has a few issues.

To begin with, Hog quarterback Mallett is a more traditional drop back passer. Known more for his arm than his legs, Mallett has led the Razorbacks to a 3-2 record by keeping his nerve in the pocket.

Mallett has nerve because he is used to working behind large offensive lines. In 2007, when Mallett was called upon to replace the injured Chad Henne in only his second game as a Wolverine, he had Jake Long, future offensive tackle top draft pick, looking out for him.

Now with the Hogs, Mallett sits behind the largest line the Gators have faced all season.

The Hogs field one of the biggest lines in the SEC but also one of the slowest, and that spells big trouble for Mallett and head coach Bobby Petrino.

Mallett, as talented as he may be, will be feeling the heat of the spit when he can’t find anybody to throw to and his line fails to cover its blocking zones. Without any real escape speed, Mallett will either force a pass, get caught looking for his check-off tight end, or will simply throw the ball away.

It could be a frustrating outing for Mallett since Florida’s SEC opponents are averaging less than 11 completions per game for fewer than 125 yards.

To make it even worse, the Gator defense is allowing less than 100 yards on the ground. That’s barely enough to keep the linebackers looking for a rush.

Combine all this with yet another statistical possibility, that Arkansas might only have the ball for about 25 minutes, and things could get very bleak for the Hogs.

For Arkansas, it could be a replay of the Alabama game when, against a very talented Tide defense, Mallett completed only 12 of 35 passes for 160 yards, a touchdown, and a pick.

And three sacks.

Petrino and Hog fans may hope Mallett posts better numbers against the Gators, but the real stats say he shouldn’t count on it.

Oh, and the whole losing to Michigan in the Outback Bowl thing?

Well, making life miserable for Mallett and his fellow Hogs on Saturday may not be the same as paying back the Wolverines for an embarrassing postseason loss… but for Meyer and his elephant-like memory it will have to do until Florida gets a chance to meet Michigan on the field.

Florida-Arkansas: Seven Numbers That Could Roast the Hogs

Trey Jones — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 21:18:49 -0400

The Florida Gators invite the Arkansas Razorbacks and their high powered aerial attack to help celebrate homecoming in Gainesville Saturday afternoon.

Here are seven numbers that didn’t appear on the Hog’s invitation to the Swamp.

9,782

The number of days it’s been since the Arkansas Razorbacks defeated the Florida Gators.

In Houston, Texas, on New Year’s Eve, 1982, Lou Holtz led his Razorbacks to a come-from-behind win over Charlie Pell’s Gators in the Bluebonnet Bowl.

Ironically, the Gators were known for an electric passing attack that season.

Florida has defeated Arkansas in every regular season and SEC championship game since.

The number of down linemen used in Florida defensive coordinator Charlie Strong’s “Joker” formation.

Florida’s 3-3-5 quasi prevent formation places all three Gator safeties on the field at the same time. Combine this with the normal complement of corners and coverage linebackers and opposing quarterbacks get caught looking for openings.

On the line, when showing three down linemen and three floating linebackers the Gator defense makes picking up blocking assignments a nightmare for the opposition.

When employed against LSU, the Joker caught up with Tiger quarterback Jordan Jefferson and sacked him twice in the fourth quarter.

Given Arkansas’ love of the pass, look for Hog signal caller Ryan Mallett to meet a similar fate.

.211

The difference in yards between a 4.3 wide out and 4.4 defensive back when running your basic post pattern—after all things have been considered on a football field.

This fraction of a yard translates into about eight inches—just enough room to get a palm beyond the reach of a covering corner.

Accurate published 40-yard speed times are a myth in the SEC, but a review of the performance of the Hog secondary shows that speed may be an issue when attempting to cover a few of the faster Gator wide outs.

Against the Arkansas secondary, Brandon James, Riley Cooper, and Deonte Thompson all have the speed and the moves to present Tim Tebow with the open target he’s been looking for to ensure the safe delivery of the ball.

It’s ironic that the Gators could have their very best passing game against a team that lives by the same.

The total number of points allowed by the Gator defense in the second half this season by SEC opponents.

Arkansas has racked up almost 40 points a game, but not when they played against a stout Alabama defense incorporating NFL quality size and speed.

The Tide held Arkansas to one touchdown.

The bad news for Arkansas is that Florida’s defense is every bit as good, if not better, than the Tide’s.

With an anemic rushing game, Arkansas will find themselves’ stymied on the ground. Desperate, the Hogs will employ a high risk passing game that will play right into the hands of the Gator defense.

Arkansas’ successful third down completion percentage.

Arkansas is only 18-of-63 on third down attempts this season for a very anemic 29 percent completion rate.

Stats are not readily available on the circumstances of those third down attempts but the numbers indicate that a hefty percentage required more than four yards.

That does not bode well for the Hogs when facing a Gator defense that loves third and long.

The percentage of total offensive yards gained, first downs, and touchdowns that are attributed to the Arkansas passing game.

Two thirds of everything they do is in the air.

The Hog aerial attack is the bread and butter for this high scoring offense. It could be said that they live and die by the pass. But rushing numbers tell a different tale.

Arkansas finds success throwing the ball when they combine it with a successful rushing game. When the running get’s tough, like it did against Georgia and Alabama, the entire Hog offense suffers.

This year, Florida’s SEC opponents are averaging fewer than 90 yards on the ground per game. The Hogs averaged fewer than 70 yards in each of their losses.

The average number of minutes the Gator defense is on the field in the second half against SEC opponents.

Tebow and the Gator offense love to work the clock in the second half. The strategy is simple…your opposition can’t catch up to you if their offense is sitting on the bench.

This might not be a concern for a passing team like Arkansas, but it should be.

The Hogs defense has proven to be a bit leaky this year. Show the Gators any weakness on the rushing front and most any offensive possession can be turned into a multi-minute drive on the ground.

The Hogs might find themselves playing against the Gators, the crowd, and the clock this Saturday.

Florida Gators Bust the LSU Tigers, and Two Myths As Well

Trey Jones — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 13:13:07 -0400

Florida’s win over the LSU Tigers did more than just cement the Gators top spot in the polls; it put to test two myths that have been dogging the Blue and Orange all season…

Myth No. 1– Florida, with Tim Tebow at the helm, can’t win close games… especially on the road.

An interesting thing has happened over the last seven games for the Gators (that’s five this season and the SEC championship and national championship games last season).

They won four of these games by 11 points or less.

They also won three of them on the road.

For the most part, Florida’s matches with Alabama, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and most recently LSU resembled bar fights rather than blitzkriegs. That’s not great news if you’re used to blowouts, but it’s excellent news if you’re interested in seeing your team mature.

Sure, the Gator offense is lackluster this year but instead of panicking over the lack of a big play passing game Meyer and his crew have hunkered down and built a winning strategy focusing on rushing, ball control, and wicked defense.

Tebow has bought into this methodology and contributes by executing his runs in a predetermined fashion instead of in an egocentric urge to overcome.

He’s learned to win with his team instead of winning for his team.

The result is that the Gators now know how to play a full 60 minute game.

They’re also learning how to win ugly.

Myth No. 2 – The offense is the star of the 2009 squad.

It’s time to say it and to say it loud...

The Gator offense is but a shadow of what it was last year and there’s not much Urban Meyer can or will do about it.

All due respect to the offensive players and the coaches of the top ranked college football team in the nation, but scoring points has become a challenge for the Gators this year against SEC teams.

Gator squads have been defined by their offensive brilliance in the past. This season what identity the offense has beyond Tebow is an association with issues concerning a very suspect passing game.

Yes, Florida’s rushing is superior. Jeffrey Demps, Chris Rainey, and Emmanuel Moody have done an outstanding job of running with the ball—and thank goodness, too! If it weren’t for them, Meyer would have to force a more balanced rush/pass attack and that would lead to disaster.

The issues surrounding the passing game have also influenced the play of Tebow. His role this year more closely resembles that of 2007 when he was tasked with practically shouldering the offensive load with his ground presence.

Gone is the 2008 version that confidently executed deep throws to open threats like Percy Harvin and Louis Murphy.

So, with the offense a bit less than mighty, the Gators have been winning games by keeping the other team from getting into the end zone.

The star of this year’s squad is Charlie Strong and his defense.

The Gators have only played one ranked opponent this year, but still, Charlie and his squad have only allowed three touchdowns in five games.

More stats could be rattled off, but it’s unnecessary to do so. Charlie and the Big Blue Wrecking Crew have done all that has been asked of Meyer and the Gator Nation.

The Gator defense has kept teams out of the end zone, turned red zone threats into field goals, and stuffed the opposition’s drives on crucial third and fourth quarter surges.

In other words, everything needed to allow the offense the time and opportunity to find the end zone without the pressure of playing from behind.

It’s not a stretch to say that the defense has been winning the close games this year for the Gators.

Continued defensive dominance will be THE key to the Gators repeating as conference and national champions.

Period.

Florida vs. LSU: Three QB Questions Gators Need Answered Before Kickoff

Trey Jones — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 13:35:54 -0400

Questions...Florida head coach Urban Meyer has been peppered with them this week as he prepares his Gators for an evening match with the LSU Tigers.

Obviously, the status of Tim Tebow is first on everyone’s mind.

But assuming that Saint Timothy does not start, what then?

The answers to these three questions will determine just how successful first time starter John Brantley, and the Florida Gators, will be on Saturday night.

Who will block for first time starting quarterback John Brantley?

More specifically, who will block for him in the Gator offensive backfield?

Assuming that Brantley does get the nod over his still questionably fit mentor, it’s hard to imagine Meyer asking the rookie drop back passer to run the spread offense just as Tim Tebow would.

Meyer and Gator offensive coordinator Steve Addazio are working overtime to ensure that Brantley continues to grow more confident with the playbook every day. However, elements of Tebow’s game plan such as power forward rushes and keeper sweeps may be replaced with deep drop or quick release passing plays.

Making the newcomer more exposed to a very motivated LSU pass rush.

Now, Meyer isn’t going to let Brantley hang to dry in the pocket. Who will be there protecting his blind side is a very important question.

Emmanuel Moody is the power running back flavor of the month but his blocking skills are not on par with those of a traditional fullback. Besides, with Tebow out, Moody’s role as a muscle rusher will command all of his attention.

Since overtaxing his rushing rotation won’t be an option, Meyer may include a new face or two into the Gator backfield to provide additional bulk between Brantley and the Tiger defensive line.

Rick Burgess, T.J. Pridemore, and Steven Wilks are all Gator fullbacks that have the strength and the size to meet any member of the Tiger line head on.

Whether or not they have the speed needed to deflect a corner rush remains to be seen.

But experience, or lack of, is also a factor for these big men. Meyer may just have to roll the dice and put his faith into two new faces in his offensive backfield.

Who will Brantley throw to?

With questions still remaining concerning the effectiveness of the Gator wideout corps one issue still lingers—who will Brantley throw to on Saturday?

Each weekend sports pundits dissect the Gator passing game, or lack thereof, and predict that successful changes will be made for the following week. However, significant improvement has not been witness which leaves us to wonder where the problem lies.

This year, regardless of the root of the problem, Tebow just isn’t seeing receivers as open as Harvin and others were last season.

As diminished as the receiver corps has been due to injury and illness, it’s no wonder Meyer has not attempted to force the passing game. To do so would have probably resulted in a 30-40 percent completion rate with more interceptions and a much lower yards-after-catch percentage.

However, there is one Florida receiver that has the speed, the experience, and the fear factor required to become the receiving playmaker on Saturday...

Brandon James.

He’s been in every game for the Gators but not as much as the passing attack needs him to be. Against LSU, Meyer and Addazio need to use James as a starting receiver for Brantley even if he’s a decoy to earn double coverage and safety shadows.

It’s been said three times before but this could very well be the defining game of James’ non-special team’s career.

This will also be a breakout game for tight end Aaron Hernandez who will probably be asked to run block/release routes as a safety outlet.

Assuming that Brantley has difficulty finding other open receivers it’s safe to say that Hernandez, wandering in the flats, will be the recipient of many short tosses.

His role on difficult third-down passing situations may be the key factor in this game.

Brantley can certainly relay plays from the sideline but can he read them from the huddle?

Brantley has plenty of experience working with each member of the offensive coaching staff when it comes to relaying plays and audibles to Tebow on the field.

But sending plays in is a lot different than reading them, and understanding them, from the huddle.

Brantley’s toughest test will be to get the play from the sideline, review the Tiger defense, then look for the audible signs and relay that information. He will have to do all this in front of over 80,000 screaming fans and 11 rabid defenders.

Hopefully for the Gators, Addazio has been shadowing Brantley all week and doing nothing but talking to him in sideline sign language.

This will be the first real test of the playfield maturity of Brantley. His decisions, more than his actions, will be the most important aspect of this game.

If Brantley keeps his cool, uses his timeouts carefully, and safely bails on busted plays then the Gators will survive the night.

If he doesn’t then the evening will be a long one for Florida and the Tigers will deaux it to the Gators in Baton Rouge once again.

Florida State Seminoles: The Ballad of Bobby Bowden

Trey Jones — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 01:15:49 -0400

Come and listen to a story about a coach named Bob

An ex-Mountaineer who collects a lot of sod

Down in Tallahassee he made his claim to fame

But lately things are sour and some kinda think he’s lame

Seminoles they are, Former champs, Hard times

Well, over 30 years ago when Bobby came to town

The 'Noles gathered up and he took a look around

Satisfied not with the way they played their ball

He took them under wing and prepped them for the fall

Tallahassee’s the place, Burt Reynolds, Doak Campbell

Five and six was the record but the 'Noles were looking good

Bobby wanted more—that was clearly understood

Whipping up on Florida now 10-2 with ease

The scent of tangerine was hanging heavy in the breeze

Winning records, Gator beatings, Bowl bound

Moving to the '80s—Bobby’s stock is on the rise

As an independent he says “Try us on for size”

Deion’s flashing gold and his smile’s from ear to ear

But the shiny crystal ball never really venture’s near

Road trip bound they head, Flashy pants, Prime Time

Entering the '90s and ol Bobby’s on a roll

The 'Noles are running hot and his opposition’s cold

Miami sees it differently they do not sit still you see

Wide Right–one and two-bring lots of misery

Narrow uprights they are, Gerry Thomas, Dan Mowrey

The ACC’s now home and the schedule’s settled down

Trips to Duke and Clemson make the Carolina’s frown

Now against the Huskers Bobby finally takes his shot

A missed Nebraska field goal gives the Seminoles top spot

Family business it is, Terry the Tiger, Charlie Ward

The time keeps a marching on—the Bowden Bowl is born

Bobby’s wife is wincing hard when Tommy B is torn.

A winter trip to New Orleans with Weinke in command

Equals one more trophy on the shelf—the legend now in hand

Geaux 'Noles they say, Vick gets ripped, A new millennium

The future should look brighter but the clouds begin to form

A promotion from within the staff and some now feel forlorn

The loses start to pile up fast—nepotism is to blame

A Seminole uprising soon begins and boosters now take aim

Wide Right three it is, Wide Left too, Zook wins at Doak

Baby Bowden has to leave in shame but Jimbo comes to town

Papa B is hurting bad but a smile swaps out a frown

Happy times they do not last the losses stay the same

It’s getting pretty ugly now that Jeffery’s not to blame

Gators they growl, 7-6, Rhodes scholar

Again the 'Noles are starting slow—some want to say goodbye

To Bobby Bowden and his staff who once were ranked so high

Harsh rumors, innuendo—the words are cutting deep

Wounded is the coach whose job he fights to keep

2-3's the record, Booster noise, Boston College

Is it really time to say farewell to Bobby and his brood

Opinions greatly differ but there is a changing mood

Loyalty is not a word you hear from those who shout

Others only see the past—no way they toss him out

“Job’s safe for now," Pa Joe speaks, Jimbo steams

You’re all invited back again to argue vocally

Unless of course you needn’t and show humility

A lesson learned from all this mess would be the way to stop

So remember coaches, don’t get canned, just quit when you're on top

Tim Tebow or Not, Here are Nine Numbers That Don't Add Up for the LSU Tigers

Trey Jones — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 02:03:42 -0400

Florida head coach Urban Meyer may just have upped the ante in a high stakes game of pre-kickoff poker with his announcement Tuesday that Tim Tebow dressed and participated in practice drills.

As welcome as this news is for the Florida faithful, it still seems unlikely that a decision on who will start at quarterback for the Gators will be made anytime soon.

But the Gator Nation can find some comfort in knowing that regardless of who takes the snaps on Saturday, there are at least nine numbers that, when totaled, point to a rare Florida victory in Baton Rouge.

The number of new cases of the flu announced by the Florida Gators since the Kentucky game.

Remember the flu? It was the really big Florida story before Tebow’s concussion.

It’s ironic that the disease seems to have vanished along with the story.

With little or no mention of the flu by Florida officials over the past week, it appears that healthy recoveries were made by all—and efforts to contain the illness were successful.

7.3

LSU’s margin of victory over SEC opponents.

Compared to Florida’s 22-point margin, this may be the Tigers' biggest worry. Regardless of who is going to lead the Gators offensively, there is too much horsepower to prevent them from finding the end zone.

Mistakes will be made, drives will be stalled, and turnovers will occur, but in the end Florida’s rushing game will have more success turning opportunities into points.

The number of Gators who have reached the end zone.

Tebow and running back Jeffrey Demps account for nine TDs, but the remaining 13 scores are spread amongst nine other members of the offense and special team squads.

LSU has been less successful spreading the wealth. Take away the one interception return for a score, and only six Tigers have visited the end zone.

Tiger wide out Brandon LaFell accounts for five TD receptions, clearly marking him as the key LSU playmaker—and easy Gator defensive target.

The number of sacks allowed by LSU this season.

Six in the Georgia game alone.

The Gators have allowed Tebow to be buried seven times (in one fewer game), but the difference is still significant.

LSU appears especially vulnerable in third and long situations and when attempting to play catch-up. Charlie Strong and his defense can start to make life miserable for the Tigers if they can hold them to three or fewer yards on first down.

14*

The number of days John Brantley has worn the cap of starter for the Gators.

Should Meyer continue to cautiously guide his Heisman hopeful back into the offensive fold, Brantley will continue to act, prepare, and practice as the starting Gator quarterback.

If there ever was a scenario where a backup was given the very best circumstances to prepare prior to his first start, then this is it.

The percentage of red zone appearances that resulted in touchdowns for the Tigers.

Urban Meyer's offense slaps the opposition for TDs 67 percent of the time.

With a potentially questionable Tebow or rookie starter Brantley taking snaps, the impact on creating scoring opportunities may be limited due to a more conservative game plan. Against the Tigers, Meyer and his Gators will need to take advantage of every scoring opportunity they can.

Tebow or Brantley may not be expected to bull the ball over the center for short yardage scores, but Emmanuel Moody will see this as an opportunity to shine. His 10-yard-per-carry average may take a hit, but his muscle runs between the tackles will be key to keeping the Tiger defense grounded.

44 Again!

The difference in weight between the Gator offensive line (325 lbs. average) and the Tiger defensive line (281 lbs. average).

Conversely, the Gator defensive line (285 lbs. average) is only 14 lbs. lighter than the LSU offensive line (299 lbs. average).

The Gators pride themselves on having one of the largest and quickest offensive lines in the nation. So far, the rushing totals for Florida back this claim up significantly.

On the other side of the ball, the Gator defensive line has done a very credible job of tying up the holes between the tackles and allowing the linebacker corps to be more aggressive with play anticipation and coverage assignments.

The other Florida players on the field regardless of who starts as quarterback.

Make no mistake about it—if Brantley gets the nod for Saturday’s game with the Tigers, every player on the Florida squad will know that a personal best will be needed to ensure a victory.

Every back, every receiver, and every lineman will be aware that each play needs at least a yard-and-a-half extra to make up for the 67 yards a healthy Tebow averages per game.

Same goes if Tebow joins the huddle at less than 100 percent.

This will be the Gator game where the team carries the QB instead of the other way around.

Tebow on the sideline.

Love him or hate him, there is no better motivator in college football than Tebow.

His cheerleading antics have been adored, ignored, and ridiculed, but ask any Gator player, and he will tell you that emotionally, as Tebow goes, so does the team.

Tebow’s force of personality results in his teammates playing up to their potential—and often beyond.

If he can’t be in the game, he certainly will make his presence felt on the sideline.

Tim Tebow's Concussion Recovery: No News Is Not Good News

Trey Jones — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 09:38:38 -0400

Reporting on the concussion recovery status of star Florida Gator quarterback Tim Tebow is kind of like trying to go out to brunch on a Sunday afternoon at the only open joint in town.

To begin with, the wait is insufferable.

Standing in line, you find yourself sandwiched between the well to do church goers, the emotionally spent college football crowd, and the NFL fans eager to find a quick cure for hard partying of the previous night.

Once seated you find that the menu contains only one tasteless and unsatisfying entree—“Tim continues to rest and recover. He also undergoes daily testing and we continue to monitor the resolution of his symptoms.”

You eat your bland meal while scanning the faces of the other patrons—hoping to catch a hint of emotion that betrays some element of original thought. You search for anything to help you present this information in a new and interesting light.

But you see none.

You leave feeling empty, cheated, and frustrated. You don’t even want to tip the wait staff.

Such is the world of attempting to report on a sports story when there isn’t much story to report.

The University of Florida has done a credible job in sharing information pertaining to the recovery of Tebow. As frustrating as it is, UF officials have shared only what they truly know and want to share—that Tebow is recovering and that his health is monitored daily.

This week in Gainesville, less is more.

Yes, rumors abound regarding Tebow’s sensitivity to light, his headaches, and his dizziness but that is all expected when you recover from a strong concussion. It’s also expected that he may actually feel a bit worse rather than better as his recovery progresses.

Concussions take time to heal, especially for first timers, and that is a difficult concept to put into a press release or announcement.

But there is something that isn’t being said that speaks volumes.

Knowing Florida head coach Urban Meyer’s love of information control one can wonder if there is an alternative motive behind this trickle of information.

Perhaps the man who owns the ultimate college football poker face is headed to the table against LSU with a load of chips and a pair of fives in his hand.

What we’re not hearing are reports that Tebow is progressing rapidly and that he is taking part in light workouts and passing drills.

We are also not hearing that the Gator football staff expects Tebow to play or start the LSU game this Saturday.

Comments on the offense are on hold with the exception of reports that backup quarterback John Brantley is working hard to prepare for the Tigers.

If one was to guess, that guess might be that Meyer and his staff are drawing near to deciding that Tebow will not be fit to play against LSU. Perhaps that decision has already been made, but not announced simply to keep LSU from focusing on preparing for Brantley.

Who knows?

The end result is that unless something truly tragic befalls Saint Tim, and that is highly unlikely, we will continue to be told that Tebow is recovering well.

Come Thursday or Friday night the veil will be lifted and an announcement will be made. It will be the major story of the day and will preoccupy the college football community until kickoff in Baton Rouge Saturday night.

Today’s money is that John Brantley will get his first start and Tebow will not dress for the game.

A Heisman hopeful is grounded and a new star attempts to shine.

The speculation continues…

Tim Tebow's Concussion May Not be a Headache for Upcoming Florida-LSU Game

Trey Jones — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 13:05:57 -0400

As the media shock waves generated by Tim Tebow’s concussion begin to subside attention is slowly returning to what the Florida Gators must do to defeat the LSU Tigers in Baton Rouge on Oct. 10.

Regardless of who starts for the Gators at quarterback, the blinding flash of the obvious for Florida head coach Urban Meyer is to create a game plan that simply puts more points on the scoreboard than LSU.

Should Florida find that Tebow is either unfit to play, or only fit to play in a limited fashion, the Gator Nation should take comfort in remembering the old adage that offense wins games but defense wins championships.

The new adage is that a championship defense should be able to shoulder its team in an hour of need.

The daily reports coming out of Gainesville regarding Tebow’s recovery are promising but Meyer is keeping the college football world, especially the LSU coaching staff, guessing as to what events must transpire prior to deciding on a starting quarterback.

Chances are that Meyer and his staff will not make an announcement regarding Tebow’s fitness until game day next week or at the earliest a day or two before.

As distressing as this appears this really should not be a cause of concern for the Gator Nation.

Why’s that?

Far from the blinding glare of the media spotlight focusing on Tebow’s health and the health of the Gator offense you will find Florida’s Defensive Coordinator Charlie Strong and his unit quietly perfecting their trade.

No matter who is the signal caller for the Gators in Baton Rouge, the Florida offense will score points. How many is the big question. Enter a wounded Tebow or a first start for John Brantley and chances are the point total will resemble the output against Tennessee.

The safe bet is 24 points.

With at least two Florida turnovers—probably three.

This is where Strong and the Florida defensive unit come into play…

In games against Tennessee and Kentucky, Brandon Spikes and the rest of the Big Blue Wrecking Crew surrendered only 20 points, gave up five plays over 10 yards, and forced 12 punts.

The Gator defense has also picked off four passes, racked up three sacks, and held these two teams to 8-of-28 on third-down conversions.

So, when considering the issues with the Florida offense, Strong and his unit will have five goals for the LSU game.

First, the Gator defense should make getting the ball back into the hands of the offense priority number one.

If Tebow is not 100 percent, or if Brantley is fighting off the jitters, then mistakes or lost opportunities will require more offensive series than in earlier games for point production.

The Gator defense can steal the show if they are successful in racking up as many three-and-outs as possible. The best scenario would be to force the LSU passing game by creating third-and-long situations.

Second, Spikes and his peers must continue to limit big plays.

Nothing changes the momentum of a team or the crowd like a 30-yard pass or a 20-yard rush. Strong has done a tremendous job of frustrating offenses by bending with the short game but coming up solid against long gains.

Yes, LSU’s offense will be the most complete seen so far but the Tiger talent and predicted game plan match up nicely with what the Gators will put on the field.

Third, the Big Blue Wrecking Crew must be responsible for winning the war of turnovers.

Florida will turn the ball over against LSU but the Gator D must do everything possible to negate those turnovers by creating a few of their own.

Since forcing fumbles does not seem to bode well for the Gators this season they should continue to take advantage of the strengths found in their secondary. Perhaps this will be the real debut of the Joker scheme or something even more sinister.

Fourth, the Gator defense must have their best Red-Zone day ever.

It’s impractical to think that LSU won’t have some success moving the ball but what happens in the Red Zone will define this game.

Since a low scoring game is expected, every touchdown opportunity needs to be thwarted and trumped down to a field goal try.

Strong’s unit has performed brilliantly this season in the Red Zone so they should be perfectly primed for the touch line game of LSU.

Fifth, it’s up to the defense to make sure the Gators never play catch-up.

This is how the defense can really take the pressure off of the offense. Keeping the Tigers out of the end zone, at least early in the game, will do wonders to settle the offense down and make any new faces feel more confident.

Besides, the last thing any team wants to do is play from behind in a night game in Tiger Stadium.

So, while the nation follows the recovery of Tebow and the Gator offense prepares to potentially have to play without its’ Heisman candidate, the staff of this team, the Gator defense, will continue to quietly prepare to shoulder the load in Baton Rouge.

Urban Meyer, Lane Kiffin, and Mike Silve Walk into The Bar...

Trey Jones — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 14:37:48 -0400

SEC commissioner Mike Silve hosts a clandestine meeting with Florida’s Urban Meyer and Tennessee’s Lane Kiffin at The Bar in Coral Gables, Fla...

SILVE: Have a seat, boys. Before we begin, let’s go over your cover stories...

KIFFIN: Wait a second, who picked this place? We’re smack in the middle of Hurricane country for crying out loud. Randy Shannon’s got his posse covering every corner around here. They spot us and we’re good as toast.

SILVE: Quit your bellyaching, Lane. Neither one of you can recruit worth a squat south of Okeechobee...it’s like you’re invisible here. Besides, I saw Butch Davis at the airport and that’ll keep the Miami fellas busy for a day or two.

MEYER: Who needs Miami when you’ve got Lakeland in your back pocket! Lakeland RULES!

KIFFIN: Or Pahokee! Pahokee ROCKS!

SILVE: SHUT UP, the both of you! Now put down the menus and tell me your cover stories.

KIFFIN: I’m supposed to be wasting my time trying to convince that Bradenton, Florida uberdude Jonathan Dowling that he would rather spend a few years in Knoxville than Gainesville. See, I told you I wouldn’t forget. Dad reminded me!

MEYER: I told everybody I was going to check out a kicker in Jamaica. I couldn’t remember to tell them Mexico so I blurted out the first thing that came to my mind.

SILVE: You told them you where checking out a kicker in JAMAICA???

KIFFIN: What’s so bad about that? They play a lot of kickball in South America.

MEYER: Jeremy Foley caught me at the door and asked me where I was headed. I had just come back from checking on Tebow so I couldn’t use that excuse. I told him I was making a quick trip to check on a place kicker and that I would be back later tonight. That’s when he asked me for a ride to the airport...I panicked and told him I couldn’t since I was driving to Jamaica.

SILVE: You told Foley you were driving to JAMAICA!!!

MEYER: Brain hiccup...sorry.

KIFFIN: Jamaica? You’re recruiting in Jamaica? I didn’t see anything about Jamaica on the NCAA recruiting test.

MEYER: Lane, Don’t make me stare at you!

SILVE: For the second time, CLOSE YOUR TRAPS!

MEYER/KIFFIN: Sorry...

SILVE: Now, do you boy’s know why I called this meeting?

MEYER/KIFFIN: Yes.

SILVE: And you know how I feel about what the two of you have done.

MEYER/KIFFIN: Yes.

SILVE: Then let me say it one more time...Never, never, NEVER go off the script.

MEYER: But, I was...

SILVE: Oh no, no excuses—from either of you! Yes, I can see you Lane so quit trying to hide behind your menu. Urban, your “No comment, no comment” remark to the press after Lane tossed the flu excuse back at you was unacceptable.

MEYER: But I was...

SILVE: Hush! No excuses, Urban. We had the momentum rolling until you killed it with that statement. Now we have to start all over. Here, take these packets. Inside you’ll find everything you need for the next few months.

KIFFIN: Wow, this is a lot more stuff than the last time we met.

MEYER: Hey, there’s a DVD in here! Is this that cool SEC bloopers thing you’ve been working on? The one Nick Saban said that he might have to get his lawyer involved if you released it?

SILVE: Uh, no. Saban and I have come to a...uh...an understanding.

KIFFIN: Yeah, I heard that you’re in a movie too! That’s cool! I wish I was in a movie...

SILVE: Uh...forget all about that, boys and let’s get back to our packets. Lane, why don’t you help us start by finding the paper titled “October Scripts” and read the first sentence aloud.

KIFFIN: Found it, here it goes, “Here are the approved topics for use in continuing the media’s perception of ill will between the head coaches of the University of Florida and the University of Tennessee...”

SILVE: Skip down a bit, Lane.

KIFFIN: “Topics for use in the month of October must include, but are not limited to the following: 1) comments initiated by Lane Kiffin regarding Urban Meyer’s receding hair line 2) Comments initiated by Urban Meyer suggesting that Mad Cow disease is affecting his team’s performance 3) Comments initiated by Lane Kiffin suggesting that real winners lose games 4) Comments initiated by Urban Meyer pertaining to color schemes..."

MEYER: You’re kidding me… you’re going to bring my hair into this?

SILVE: Drama knows no pain, Urban. Let’s get back to the video for a moment. Since I noticed that neither of you look totally comfortable smack talking each other in front of the cameras I found something that would help.

KIFFIN: You mean there’s a book or something on how to smack talk for the cameras?

SILVE: Not a book but a video!

MEYER/KIFFIN: Oh gawd...

SILVE: Listen up boys, my dear friend, Susan Lucci, has prepared a video compilation of her very best smack talking scenes from her role as Erica Kane on All My Children. This is an invaluable resource and I think the both of you should model yourselves after her...in a fashion.

KIFFIN: You want us to become better smack talkers by watching a soap opera video?

SILVE: Not just any video, Lane, a very special compilation made by a personal role model of mine for over 30 years.

MEYER: That answers a few questions. By the way, if you’re going the video route why didn’t you just give us the complete DVD set of Married with Children? Al and Peg Bundy would have worked fine for us...

KIFFIN: I bet Urban would put dibs on Al Bundy too...I do NOT want to be Peg Bundy...

SILVE: Boys, enough of that. Erica Kane is the queen of lean mean. Watch the video and learn from this genius. I’ll be keeping an eye on both of you to make sure her moves are done correctly.

KIFFIN: Uh ho, what’s this...

MEYER: What? Let me see...

KIFFIN: What’s this on October’s schedule, commissioner? You have an event listed here and it’s not a game!

SILVE: That’s my big surprise!

MEYER: You’re right, Lane, this is no game...what’s Raw Live?

SILVE: Ah boys, you’re going to thank me one day! You see, Linda McMahon of the WWE called me this morning. She’s got a great idea that I think we should move forward with.

KIFFIN: What are you doing talking to the wraslin’ folks?

SILVE: You see fellas, college football is missing out on capturing the 12- to 18-year-old angry young male demographic. If we host a WWE wraslin’ match but incorporate elements of SEC football then we win all around!

MEYER: I don’t like where this is going. Nobody in this conference is going to parade around in day-glow tights...

SILVE: But the best part is this...our cage match won’t include any players or coaches from any SEC team!

KIFFIN: I’m not following this.

MEYER: I don’t think we want to, Lane.

SILVE: Boys, we are going to make history by hosting the very first WWE Cage match featuring Hot Wives from the SEC! We’ll start with your wives first! If we’re lucky we can get on the WWE Raw Live schedule for the next event in Columbus, Georgia on the 17th of October!

KIFFIN: SNAP! We’re off that week! Uh, hold on...wait a minute...did you say my wife?

MEYER: I can’t, she’ll kill me besides that’s Homecoming! The Hogs are coming to town.

SILVE: Hose yourself down, Urban, you don’t even have TV for that game yet...besides, we were going to make this the feature event of the SEC East. The wheels have been greased now that Linda has your women already on board. Why, they’re shopping together for outfits as we speak!

MEYER: Do we have a choice in any of this?

KIFFIN: Did my Dad put you up to this? I know my father in law didn’t...

SILVE: Quit whining, guys. This is going to take the SEC to new heights. The Big 12 will never catch us now.

MEYER: Don’t tell me you learned all this at Dartmouth.

SILVE: Shut up, both of you and grow a pair. Now, lunch is on me...provided you order from the special’s menu. If you want something other than water you’re buying it yourself.

KIFFIN: I have to know, did my Dad tell you to do this to me?

SILVE: Everybody DUCK!!!

MEYER/KIFFIN: WHAT?!

SILVE: Tuberville just walked in with John Swofford, so keep your heads down and be quiet!

FLUrida Gators: Is Tim Tebow on the Sick List?

Trey Jones — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 15:11:31 -0400

The news was better contained than the illness…

As stories emerged this morning regarding Tim Tebow, Riley Cooper, and Major Wright’s quarantine flight to Lexington speculation has soared regarding the impact, if any, this will have tonight’s game against Kentucky.

University of Florida officials have not confirmed that the flu is the reason these Gators were separated from the rest of the team but additional charter flights are not booked for a case of the sniffles or a common cold.

Read between the lines, especially the very few lines you get from Gainesville, and it’s probably a good bet that this issue is worse than we are being led to believe.

If Tebow is sick with the flu what does this mean for the Gators as they prepare for tonight’s kickoff against the Wildcats?

Specifically, what impact might an ill Tebow have on an already shaky passing game?

Will he be healthy enough to mule the offensive load with his rushing if called upon to do so?

Unfortunately, we know as much as Urban Meyer wants Kentucky Head Coach Rich Brooks to know…

Regardless how ill, chances are that Tebow will start the game – he won’t be 100 percent but fit enough to play.

Meyer and Addazio will protect Tebow by limiting his rushing and keeping him out of the pocket as much as possible. However, the smart money says to look for at least one deep pass early in an attempt to persuade the Wildcats that Tebow’s pre-game isolation was just precautionary.

The bulk of the game will see a rotation of every healthy running back left in the Gator stable. Chris Rainey, Jeffery Demps, and Emmanuel Moody will provide the bulk of the carries but look for Brandon James to provide some unexpected spark by executing wideout sweeps or off tackle slants.

Beyond the token long ball, Meyer may attempt to keep the box less crowed by calling wide screens and simple out routes.

Who Tebow throws to will remain a mystery since the flu has already claimed several members of the receiver corps apparently including Cooper. If healthy, look for tight end Aaron Herandez and wideout Deonte Thompson to help spread the field.

We might even see John Brantley take the snap on second and long situations.

The Gator line will have their hands full with a Kentucky defense instructed to apply as much pressure on Tebow as possible.

Should the Wildcats sense that the long ball isn’t an option they will crowd the line and cover the off tackle lanes. The success of the running game will then depend on the ability of the Gator wideouts to lead the sweeps and block the corners and OLB’s.

Charlie Strong’s defense will have one mission… keep the score down and get the ball back in the hands of the offense as soon as possible.

What was supposed to be a no-brainer has now become the most important game yet played for the Gators.

Winning for image is no longer a concern for the Gators… they simply have to find a way to win.

Florida-Kentucky: Seven Things the Gators Don't Want to See in Lexington

Trey Jones — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 17:21:53 -0400

When the Florida Gators pour forth from Commonwealth Stadium and onto the field Saturday, they will meet Rich Brooks’ Kentucky Wildcats in a match that will mark the return of this long-standing SEC contest to early season play.

But even though the Gators and Wildcats have met every year since 1948, and Florida currently owns a 22 game winning streak over Kentucky, this matchup has evolved into something of an afterthought.

Particularly since the Gators' schedule has Kentucky sandwiched between high-profile matchups with Tennessee and LSU.

One doesn’t have to search far to see that comments regarding Urban Meyer’s showdown with Tennessee’s Lane Kiffin are still making headlines. To make things worse, news is already being made regarding the Gators' road trip to Baton Rouge which is over two weeks away.

Even the news pertaining to the Kentucky game is more focused on Florida’s offensive ills—both figuratively and literally—and angled toward how Meyer and his staff will correct these problems in time for more important tasks down the road.

To many, the Kentucky game is getting lost in the fog…

Sure, there’s plenty of reason to become a bit complacent over Kentucky. There have been numerous Florida blowouts both in the Swamp and at Commonwealth Stadium in the past. But every few years the Wildcats, playing at home at night and in ugly weather, put up a tremendous fight leaving the Gators feeling lucky to have escaped with a win.

This year, Kentucky’s Rich Brooks and his defensive coordinator, Steve Brown would love nothing more than to drag this game out of the basement and make some noise in an attempt to unseat the top ranked Gators while putting to rest one of the longest losing streaks in the nation.

With all this in mind, here are the seven things that Urban Meyer, the Gators, and the Gator Nation do not want to see this weekend.

Rain

Regardless of what has come out of Gainesville or been printed over the last week, there are issues that need to be addressed regarding the Gators' passing attack.

Rest assured, Meyer and his staff have been working overtime this week to return this element of the offense from stepchild to its rightful place as an equal contributor of Meyer's spread option.

But getting the Gators' offense back on track will be even more difficult if the clouds gather and the drops start to fall in Lexington. Combine that with a game under the lights, and cooler temps, and you have one heck of an environment to try and get things going again.

Crowd Noise

Commonwealth Stadium, home of the Kentucky Wildcats, is not known for being a particularly loud or intimidating venue, but this will be Florida’s first road test.

Over the last three games, the Gator offense has shown remarkable improvement when relaying plays and signal changes from the booth to the huddle. However perfect this practice has been tuned at home, the real test comes when you are in a hostile environment.

Florida needs to put the crowd to bed early. If they don’t, then they face having to work with a revamped offense, potentially in the rain, and in front of 60,000 fans smelling blood.

Any More Players in the Infirmary

Brandon Spikes and Deonte Thompson are listed as probable due to field injuries. They join at least ten other Gators who are on the flu sick list.

Lane Kiffin may have scoffed at the thought of the flu impacting a team like Florida but anyone who has suffered from the flu, "Swine" or any other, knows that this is no laughing matter.

Although the few who came down early are showing signs of a strong recovery, preparation time was missed during Florida’s most important practice week since the season started.

Expect more news on this front regardless.

A Game Plan Similar To That Used Against Tennessee

As much criticism as Meyer and his Gators have received over the confusing display of offense last week, the bottom line is that they won the game.

However, winning in Lexington depends on moving the ball quickly, scoring early, and forcing the Wildcats to play catch-up.

This can be accomplished with a return to a very balanced running/passing game. The aerial attack needs to be present even if Tebow has to chuck the ball into the stands once per drive.

If there isn’t any sign of passing life, then the Gator offense will fail to push the corners off the wideouts and keep the safeties honest.

The Gators would rather not have to slug it out on the ground a second week in a row.

The Back of Derrick Locke’s Jersey

Kentucky’s Derrick Locke ran a kickoff back 100 yards and scored a touchdown in last week’s derby against Louisville. His score was the difference in winning the game for the Wildcats.

Florida’s special teams are excellent but Kentucky has found someone with the speed and power to be truly called a return specialist.

The Gators cannot afford to take kickoff and punt coverage for granted. They have to focus on covering lane assignments and containing the return—even if it means avoiding over-runs.

Brandon James on the Sideline

If illness and performance issues are the root of the offensive woes for the Gators, then it’s time to see Brandon James double, or triple his touches this Saturday.

Tebow was tasked with carrying the ball over 20 times against Tennessee and the Gators cannot afford to expose him this much every game. His use as a ball carrier should be rare enough to warrant attention while not becoming predictable.

Brandon has the speed and the hands to translate 15-20 plays into big yards and several points. This could be a defining game for this future NFL’er.

Tebow looking Somber or Angry

Last week’s performance from the Heisman hopeful was gutsy and raw but a bit clumsy and ugly too.

When Tebow gets frustrated he tucks the ball, lowers his head, and plows forward. Just like what happened against the Volunteers. But his demeanor after his errors last week seemed to affect the rest of the team.

Against Kentucky, Meyer has to keep Tebow focused and positive. Tebow needs solid play-calling from the bench, proper execution on the part of his mates, and good personal decision making.

Tebow got his first taste of real pressure this season against Tennessee last weekend, and it showed. Against Kentucky, he needs to get his non-up-the-gut mojo back and return to being the quarterback that passed, handed off, and rushed for a national championship last year.

Florida Gator Football: First Three Weeks Report Card

Trey Jones — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 18:35:56 -0400

With three out of twelve regular season games in the book, it’s time to release the Florida Gator First Quarter Report Card.

Math

The numbers the Gators have posted in the three games they have played are somewhat impressive but they also tell a tale…

The quizzes against Charleston Southern and Troy gave Meyer and his Gators two opportunities to rehearse, post huge numbers, and get timing and assignment issues nailed down but how well this prepared them for Tennessee remains questionable.

When the Gators had the ball against the Vols, it seemed as if the entire playbook was dumbed down and Tebow was tasked as being the mule for the team. How different this was from what was expected.

Was Tennessee really that good on defense or is Florida’s weakness at the wideout position worse than previously thought?

Meyer attempted to address this issue in a roundabout fashion by claiming that the flu had weakened his roster and that he played to win, not crush, Tennessee. There is no reason to disbelieve his claim of illness but what is distressing is that the entire offense, from the booth to the huddle, appeared to be playing as conservatively as possible.

Is this yet another ploy by Meyer to keep hidden what he wants to show later in the season or is this an eerie repeat of last year when it took a loss to Ole Miss to really light the fire of the squad.

Grade – B-

Too many unanswered questions makes the Kentucky game all that more interesting.

Grammar

In Gainesville, silence is golden.

Once Tennessee’s Lane Kiffin started stirring up the pot in February with a variety of poorly thought out comments mostly aimed at Florida, Urban Meyer focused his laser beam stare on the mouths of his Gator players and all but sealed them shut prior to the start of the season.

No Gator player or assistant coach would be allowed to participate in a war of words with an opponent—even with Tennessee.

Even public comments made by Tim Tebow, and a few other Gator players, regarding making an undefeated season a team goal resulted in some muzzling by Meyer.

With as much media attention as the Gators get, it is impressive, actually kinda scary when you think about it, that the Gator players behave as well as they do in front of the cameras and microphones.

Grade – B+

Meyer has his team on a very tight leash and they behave well. This grade would have been an A if there was some sort of torrid, tabloid issue to deal with…but until Tebow is videotaped at a gentlemen’s club we’ll just have to stick to Meyer’s remarks about flu casualties resulting in yet another bothersome comment from Kiffin.

Geography

Florida has taken a lot of flak over the past several years for not being more aggressive when scheduling non-conference opponents and this year is certainly no different.

Early season games hosted at the Swamp against Charleston Southern and a weak Troy fared poorly in comparison with Alabama playing Virginia Tech, Georgia traveling to Oklahoma State, and Tennessee hosting UCLA.

Specifically, the arguments seem to be centered on the Gators reluctance to travel outside the state of Florida, let alone the SEC region, to challenge an opponent in a rival conference that doesn’t share a similar geographic footprint.

Matter of fact, the last time Florida traveled out of the SEC region to play a viable regular season, non-conference game was in 1991 when Spurrier and the Gators headed north to New York and were routed by the Orangemen of Syracuse.

Yes, there is a counter argument that the Gators play a tough SEC schedule, regardless of the rotation, and close the season with a monster game against FSU. Proponents of Florida’s schedule practices also state that Miami is now back on a skip rotation as are several other of the Division 1 Florida schools.

But this argument, as sound as it may be, is being overshadowed by a growing desire, on part of the college football community, to see the Gators prove a bit more mettle by packing their bags and heading into unfamiliar territory early in the season.

Grade – D+

Florida does play a tough conference schedule and closes with FSU but the remaining 3 games on the schedule (two played early) certainly don’t do much to inspire the Gator Nation—or the rest of college football.

Social Studies

Florida opened the 2009 season with a revised chain of offensive command which finds Steve Addazio as the offensive coordinator and Vance Bedford as quarterbacks coach. Big shoes to fill now that Dan Mullen has gone off to Starkville.

For these coaches, early season games are key when it comes to ironing out the play calling chain of command and smoothing out the communication lines from the booth to the huddle.

How important is this? Over the last several seasons the Gators have been leaders in the league with regard to delay of game, false start, illegal procedure, and illegal formation penalties.

The Gators were fortunate that their high octane offense could burn through the excessive penalty yardage last year but now it could be cause for concern since issues have cropped up regarding the passing game.

Each game this season has seen improvement in offensive communication and coordination. Penalties are down and drives are not being stalled.

Grade - A

Replacing Dan Mullen was no easy task but the new faces in the booth and on the sidelines have done a very credible job of keeping mistakes to a minimum. Some say that this is a reflection of a lack of aggressiveness in the offense but anytime you keep a penalty from occurring you’re in the positive.

Physical Education

Charlie Strong’s defense has allowed only 22 points in three games this season. They need to continue to own the playground.

Sure, this figure doesn’t have the same umph once you remember the issues facing the Gator opponents this September, but the fact remains that Charlie’s squad did their job and they did it very, very well.

A more balanced review of the defense will come when the Gators travel to play Kentucky in Lexington but until then the Florida faithful can take pleasure in knowing that even when Tennessee had to live or die on a possession running game, Spikes and crew bent but didn’t break.

Again, with concerns hovering over the ability of the Gators to truly construct a dynamic passing attack the success of the season may fall on how well the Florida defense keeps opponents out of the end zone and off of the field as quickly as possible.

Grade – A+

Bonus points for completing the task with minimal direction!

The entire defensive team needs to realize, quickly, that they will have to carry a greater load that they did last year. Forcing turnovers, three and outs, and few big plays are mandatory components of the Gator D game plan.

Participation in Duck and Cover Drills

Mandatory participation not required… yet.

The sky isn’t falling but rehearsals may be included into the schedule should a lack of deep passing production prevent bombs from falling on opponents.

Plays Well With Others

Surprisingly well!

Florida did little to ruffle the already frustrated feathers of Charleston Southern and Troy —the Gators acted respectful and did little to overplay the situation.

Against Tennessee, the Gators showed remarkable restraint on the field—amazing.

The same can’t be said for fans on either side of that game. Leave it to us to keep those fires burning…

Florida Gators: Urban Meyer Replacing Percy Harvin With Cooper James

Trey Jones — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 01:55:49 -0400

Question: How does Urban Meyer, Florida Gators head coach and two time national champion, replace his star big play maker and first round NFL draft pick, Percy Harvin?

Answer: You don’t. At least not with one player…

With two overwhelming victories in the books, many of the Gator faithful have shaken off what few preseason jitters may have been lingering as a result of all the self effacing comments coming out of Gainesville this offseason.

Well, "self effacing" may not have been the best choice of words. Better to just say that Meyer did not respond kindly to any act of self, or team, promotion coming from team members or staff.

But even though Florida thoroughly pasted Charleston Southern and Troy questions remain regarding the surprise factor of the offense especially when looking down the road to the Gator’s SEC opponents.

Yes, Demps and Rainey have provided plenty of fireworks running out of the backfield for the Gators this year. What is missing though, is the third element of the speed portion of the ground game—a five-to-ten touch rocket with the ability to turn and burn off the tackles.

Someone who opposing defenses feared even more than a tandem of blistering backs and a Heisman quarterback. A player whose mere presence on the field altered the perception of the opposing defense.

Percy Harvin.

Throughout the first two games of the season it became apparent that Urban Meyer’s stable of speedsters didn’t contain "the next" Percy Harvin. Plenty of Gator running backs had opportunities to carry the ball but none showed the acceleration, speed, maneuverability, and reliability needed to fill a very flashy pair of cleats.

But what was discovered over the last two weeks was something very unique and potentially quite dangerous.

The combination of Riley Cooper and Brandon James.

Against Charleston Southern, Cooper established himself as a sure-handed receiving threat whose size and strength were something of a departure from traditional Florida wideouts. Five catches and 105 yards later it looked as if Tim Tebow had found his new favorite target.

Taking on Troy, Cooper not only duplicated his catch total from the previous week but also hauled one in for a touchdown. He also scored high points for his blocking, and his decoy routes were executed well enough to freeze the safeties and Velcro the corners.

But Coopers’ most interesting, and least expected, contribution came when he executed his one and only right side sweep for 14 yards and a first down. His speed didn’t blind anybody but his size and power did.

Brandon James finally got his kickoff return for a touchdown against Charleston Southern and had one run for 25 yards. As impressive as this was it overshadowed some flaws in his game, but these issues seemed to be corrected by the time he took to the field against Troy.

Against the Trojans, James had four rushes and two receptions for a total of 64 yards and a touchdown. Not bad for a special teams guru looking to find his backfield mojo.

Separately, the contributions of Cooper and James seem, well, ordinary. But an examination of the Troy game showed that Meyer may have a plan for these two. This plan won’t mimic the performance of Percy Harvin but will be just as productive yet remarkably different in style.

Meyer offered only hints but it looks as if Cooper will continue to be Tebow’s go-to receiver on gut passing plays. This is very important because of the potential influence on opposing defenses. Combine this with Cooper’s new contribution of successfully running power sweeps and you have multiplied the threat by two.

Cooper’s draw as a power sweeper will also match his size against the smaller/speedier corners now used in the SEC. This new wrinkle could prove very advantageous to the Gators.

Add Brandon James to the mix by continuing to use him selectively for rushes and deep routes and you have a play breaker available for use under the most optimum conditions.

The bottom line is this…Meyer has found a way to get the ball into the hands of two key playmakers to help fill the gap created by a departed Harvin without taxing Demps and Rainey further.

Not only does this arrangement fill the Harvin void but it has the added benefit of confounding defenses even further by utilizing the talents of two players.

The really good news is that this plan does not just replace speed with speed—it adds an element of power beyond the tackles, and that’s something Florida’s opponents haven’t seen coming from the Gators in a long time.

Florida vs. Troy—Much Ado About...the Trojans?

Trey Jones — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 01:33:57 -0400

Urban Meyer and the Florida Gators take to the Swamp Saturday and face the Troy Trojans in what has become yet another polarizing game for those opposed to premier college football teams loading pre-conference schedules with lesser opponents.

It would be interesting to hear from Oklahoma or Georgia on this issue...

But when you really think about it, the Troy Trojans are the perfect early September opponent for the Gators—or any SEC team for that matter.

Why’s that?

Well, for starters, if you plotted the home towns of the Trojan players on a map you would find that the ripe recruiting grounds of Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and Florida are well represented. No surprise since Troy is located in what could be called the epicenter of that area.

What is surprising is how information on the football talent from this area makes the rounds. As competitive as college football recruiting has become, it’s a sure bet that some, if not most, of the current Trojan players popped up on SEC recruitment radars at one time or another.

Smart coaches love to play against players they know. In the case of Troy, Urban Meyer won’t be preparing to teach a lesson to a recruit that chose a rival team, rather he will be creating a game plan to take advantage of the weaknesses of the players he, and other SEC coaches, opted not to include in their programs.

Cruel? Not if your receiver corps needs a confidence boost and your star quarterback wants to perfect his new throwing motion.

Speed is another reason why Troy makes a great early season opponent.

If the Gators are serious about running the table and repeating as SEC/national champions they must perfect the timing of their spread option rushes and passing routes—AT SPEED. In other words, they need to face an opponent that comes as close to an SEC defense as possible.

Yes, a loss to Bowling Green has tempered the wow factor of the Trojans but they can still field a team with plenty of quickness at the skill positions.

Urban Meyer and the rest of the Gator offensive staff need to see if Tebow’s revised passing motion telegraphs any hints to quick footed defensive backs. Charleston Southern did not have the speed at the corners or at the safety positions to provide any real feedback regarding this concern, so a test against Troy is a must.

Playing Troy also includes the benefit of facing a defensive unit sophisticated enough to show a variety of competently executed defensive fronts.

Again, a bit more of a stretch since the loss to Bowling Green, but Troy has a history of preparing well for key games and you can bet that the Trojans will throw everything at the Gators—and will do so early and often.

Not only will these fronts challenge the Gator offense on the field but it will also test to see if the Florida sideline has improved its’ signal calling and audible relay systems.

Against Charleston Southern, the Gators saw at least two drives stall due to false starts and signaling. An ominous start since Florida ranked near the bottom of the league in penalty yardage last year.

Snap count discipline and play relay issues must be improved before the Tennessee game and absolutely perfected prior to the LSU game. The Trojans give Meyer four more quarters to get it right.

Troy also offers Charlie Strong another opportunity to show us nothing beyond what will win the game against the Trojans. Strong’s squad will face faster wideouts, more powerful linemen, and a more creative game plan from Troy which should translate into 14 or more points.

However, this will be a small concession on part of Strong when his ultimate goal will be to keep SEC opponents guessing up until game time.

Yes, regardless of the flak, facing the Trojans in the Swamp is the perfect senario for the Gators this weekend.

Naysayers certainly may express an opposing point of view but in light of the goals the Gators have set for themselves this year, the benefits of this arrangement significantly outweigh the liabilities.

Florida-Charleston Southern: What We Learned and What We Didn't

Trey Jones — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 21:58:40 -0400

After a day of eyebrow-raising scores and reports, the Florida Gators poured onto the turf at the Swamp on Saturday night fully expecting to return a sense of normalcy to what might be described as one of college football’s most bizarre opening weekends.

By kickoff time in Gainesville, college football fans had already heard of Iowa escaping with their lives (twice!) against Northern Iowa, Syracuse taking Minnesota into OT, Navy’s botched two-pointer against Ohio State, and UMass almost putting it to Kansas State.

Yes, the stars certainly seemed in alignment for scares and upsets Saturday—but Charleston Southern was on the menu at the Swamp and all the tarot-card readers and 1-800 psychics couldn’t have willed anything other than a Gator victory.

And what a big victory it was: 62-3.

But what can you learn from a season opener like this? More importantly, what didn’t we learn? No disrespect intended to Charleston Southern, but a traditional game analysis of Florida’s blowout over the Bucs would tell us little beyond the obvious.

But there was something interesting to learn from this matchup and a “reading between the lines” approach to reviewing the game shows Urban Meyer is a very patient, cunning, and mischievous head coach.

The first thing we learned is the 2009 version of Urban Meyer’s spread option is alive and well. What was surprising was how quickly Rainey and Demps began their quest for top honors in the backfield next to Tebow. Is this a case of intra-squad competition by design? Perhaps, since nothing could please the Gator coaching staff—and the Gator Nation—more that to see these two cut, slash, and burn defenses in an attempt to one-up each other.

Everybody wearing Blue and Orange wins in that type of contest and the second round begins against Troy.

The offensive play and audible relay systems, an area of preseason concern due to coaching changes, did stumble on occasion and add to the penalty yardage totals but didn’t appear to be suffering beyond repair. However, the real test of this process will come when the Gators take to the road and visit Kentucky in Lexington later this month.

We also learned that Urban Meyer—as well as the entire offensive coaching staff—was very eager to allow Tim Tebow an opportunity to practice his revised passing motion. Tebow’s subtle yet noticeable incorporation of a sweep arm release looked a little mechanical, but produced several very impressive long balls and timing dumps.

He also looked very, very comfortable. It was hard to determine if the Bucs defense could translate Tebow’s motion into a jump on a receiver routes, but we will know more when the speedier defensive backs of Troy come to town.

Brandon James, the Gator special teams “uber-athelete” finally broke a kickoff return, flag free, for a touchdown. This overshadowed a less-than-spectacular start to his role as a potential member of the offensive backfield speed rotation. This is actually good news since the Gators will now benefit from Brandon—now identified as an actual human being—working and practicing even harder to perfect his offensive backfield game.

The Florida offensive line and wideouts performed well but didn’t show anything beyond what was needed to win the game. The line, quick and fluid, looked aggressive and competent when executing vanilla blocking schemes. The receiver corps, hungry and arrogant, shook off the rust and began to soften their hands.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize that Meyer and his staff are keeping a lot hidden under the rug, especially since the line already has one guard questionable for next week’s game and the playbook has hardly been touched. Look for fireworks come the LSU game!

Finally, John Brantley looked like...what Meyer wanted us to see John Brantley look like. Brantley performed a perfectly scripted backup game plan that included snaps with both offensive fronts and a variety of backs and receivers.

However, in light of the loss of Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford to a shoulder sprain, it reminds every coach that movement in the quarterback depth chart is only one play away. It’s a stretch, but expect to see Brantley on a looser leash come the fourth quarter against Troy.

Defensively, the Gators flexed more muscle than they needed to, but perhaps it was done on purpose. Charlie Strong looked as if Urban Meyer was giving him carte blanche to make as strong an impression as possible. This is not to say everything was shown—that's certainly not the case.

But Florida had to make a very strong statement that the same defense responsible for smotherinig Oklahoma was back and even better than last year.

Gator fans will have to wait at least one more week to see if the rumors of making under-center plays and new formations a cornerstone of the offense are true. But if Meyer is true to his nature, the most exciting—and damaging—components of any new schemes will be reserved for SEC opponents.

Against Charleston Southern, Urban Meyer showed only what he wanted to. If we learned anything on Saturday from the Gators, it’s there is a time and a place for everything.