Don't Discount The Gators: 8 Reasons Why The Gators Surprise In Tuscaloosa

It's the eve of one of college football's biggest regular season contests, a pairing of goliaths between Florida and Alabama, two teams that have combined to win two out of the last three national championships. The pairing also showcases indisputably the best two coaches in all of college football in Urban Meyer and Nick Saban. After each exchanging devastating blows to their national championship hopes while fulfilling their own championship aspirations respectively in 2008 and 2009 the two teams take the field Saturday in a widely anticipated regular season grudge match and perhaps a preview to another de facto national semifinal in the SEC championship game. This year's matchup features a role reversal of sorts from 2009 when the gators were the favorites and defending national champions. This year the defending national championship defending Crimson Tide enter the matchup with all the hype and fanfare and the added burden of expectations. Gone from both teams are some of college football's best, Tim Tebow, Rolando McClain, Brandon Spikes, Terrance Cody, Joe Haden, and Javier Arenas to name only a few. Incoming is an influx of elite talent and some question marks from each side. 

However, for all the anticipation leading into this game the national media have curiously written off a hungry and vengeful Florida gators team, a team equally talented and coached from both sides of the ball. While the Crimson Tide’s respect is well deserved with their proven offense, the lack of respect afforded to a dangerous Florida team is puzzling. The following are reasons the gators will surprise and take the matchup. 

Motivation/Intensity

Carlos Dunlap's careless DUI was a mere symptom of the general arrogant attitude among the gator starters that week

There’s no way to sugarcoat it. The gators were embarrassed last year. They showed a complete lack of focus in the the week heading up to the game and a hint of arrogance. The Dunlap DUI incident was only a symptom of that prevailing arrogance among a roster of starters filled with NFL talent. Reportedly, gator players were out as late as the Thursday night before the SECCG partying late into the night. Alabama reportedly had self-imposed curfews at 7pm for the whole week. The gators were arrogant and bought into into their own hype and their NFL futures and Alabama simply wanted it more and it showed . One huge thing people discount in the 2009 matchup is that Alabama played their whole season to get revenge on the gators. Saban even admitted he saved some new plays/looks all season specifically for the SEC championship game. To start the game Alabama used the running game as a decoy and came out in a spread five wide formation, something they didn’t show all year. McElroy gained confidence and the running game controlled the game. Thriving off the off balanced gator defense  caused by the Alabama running game,  McElroy went on to have the best game of his career, a performance that he has yet to duplicate. 

Why this will play a role in the game’s outcome: 

This year the roles are reversed. The gators lack of intensity and drive compared to Alabama hindered their play out of the gate last year. That will not be the slightest issue this year. Alabama is getting all the hype and Florida has been largely written off and disrespected.  This year’s gator players have been working their tails off in closed practices with this game on their mind. Don't be surpised if Meyer has been saving more than a few looks of his own that he has been saving for this game

Vast improvement at defensive tackle from the SEC championship game

Look for big DT Omar Hunter to plug holes and hold his own against the Alabama offensive line

 You are not going to beat Alabama if you can’t stop the run, plain and simple. The battle has to be won or at least neutralized at the line of scrimmage and one thing heavily overlooked coming into last years game was the fact that the gators were decimated at defensive tackle. The gators had starter Lawerence Marsh chronically injured and barely playing in the game. Key backup Brandon Antwine was out for the season. Not to mention defensive end Carlos Dunlap was suspended with a DUI, starting outside linebacker A.J. Jones was out for the season, and middle linebacker Brandon Spikes was hobbling all game on an ankle injury.   

Why it will be different this year:

The gators are loaded at defensive tackle in comparison to the injury cluttered mess going into last year’s SEC championship game. Omar Hunter, a five-star recruit and reshirt sophmore who was not ready last year, exploded this spring and fall and won a starting job. Jaye Howard also successfully converted from defensive end and has excelled this season.  Jaye Howard brings great push and pressure up the middle and Omar Hunter is a huge run stuffer. Both won starting roles and bring a much improved presence at defensive tackle. Lawerence Marsh and Terron Sanders are both healthy and are very high quality backups as well as a now healthy Brandon Antwine. The gators also have Shariff Floyd (#4 ranked recruit in the country), the best freshman Florida has ever had at defensive tackle earning signifcant playing time and providing quality depth. The gator's are now 6 deep at defensive tackle, a far cry from last year. 

Tackling

Expect to see a lot less arm tackles against Alabama Saturday night.

This seems very simple and obvious, but the gator tackling in last years game was horrible. This year’s gator players and coaches have recalled and stated 20 missed tackles in that game. While Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson are going to break their tackles due to their strength and power, the number was ridiculous and simply unacceptable. 

Why it will be different this year: 

The gators have been working on tackling all this week and likely beyond that into the summer and fall. They have seen the film and are highly motivated to right last year’s disaster. The intensity and focus has not been lacking this year in this area. 

Gameplanning

Nick Saban and the Alabama coaches will have a lot less film to go off of this time around

Going into last year’s SEC championship game Saban had been dissecting two-three full years of film on the gator offense led under Tebow. The Alabama coaching staff also had plenty of film on Charlie Strong’s defense. 

Why this will be a factor: 

Alabama has very little film to go off of on this gator offense and defense. Brantley is a new starter at qb and the gator coaching staff has kept the offense bland and conservative for most of the games while breaking him at QB. Cardinals defensive backs coach Teryl Austin is the new DC replacing Charlie Strong bringing a slightly different style, mixing in a lot of well disguised blitzes. Florida, however, has more than adequate amounts of film to go off of on Alabama’s offense and defensive tendencies. 

Alabama’s secondary and pass rush

John Brantley has the ability to exploit Alabama's weakness in the seconday

Alabama’s inexperienced secondary is the weakpoint of the defense and the Alabama team. Last game Arkansas revealed an offensive  blueprint in attacking Alabama’s secondary through the air with a lot of success until Ryan Mallet helped relinquish the lead at the end of the game with some ill advised throws and bad decisions. Alabama has also failed to generate a consistent pass rush. Marcell Dareus, Alabama’s best defensive end, struggled all of last game with an ankle injury and is considered questionable for this game. 

Why it will play a role:  

The gators have a very good pure passer in John Brantley. They also have a seasoned offensive line that is largely considered to be one of the best in the country that will give Brantley time to dissect the Alabama defense in the pocket. While Brantley is not as proven as Mallet, Brantley has a cannon of his own and is more mobile and accurate on short throws. Brantley a very nice core of  wide receivers to throw to in Deonte Thompson, Carl Moore, Omarius Hines, and Andre Debose. If Brantley has proven anything thus far, it is that he generally makes good decisions and won’t make the same ill advised throws that killed Ryan Mallet and the Arkansas team. 

The Florida Secondary

Safeties Ahmad Black (pictured) & Will Hill along with cornerbacks Janoris Jenkins and Jeremy Brown form one of the best secondaries in the nation

Florida has one of the best, if not the best secondary in the country leading the nation in interceptions (12). Star and #1 corner Janoris Jenkins will be trusted to limit Julio Jones and has had success doing that in past matchups. Ahmad Black is one of the best safeties in the nation and ballhawk and solid tackler.

Why it will play a role: 

The secondary will gives the coaches the neccessary confidence to stack the line and limit the running game. Greg McElroy asked to be a game manager in the Alabama offense and thrives mostly due to the effective screen passes and playaction. If Florida is able to get ahead late and force Alabama to throw the ball without the threat of the run, Alabama will be in trouble as the ballhawking Florida secondary has the ability eat McElroy alive off of crippling turnovers. 

Lessons Learned/Adjustments made in the running game

Look for the gators to not shy away from using the speed of Demps and other playmakers on the outside.

The myth among Alabama fans is that Florida is not capable of running on Alabama’s defense. This is might have been the case last year **up the middle** of the defense against Terrence Cody. However, Florida in that game averaged 9 yards per carry on outside runs in the 2009 game. The gators also had success in 2008 in outside runs as well. Steve Addazio and the coaches, however, went away from it and panicked and left the game largely in Tebow’s hands. No longer there is the crutch of Tebow (which actually is a good thing in this small case) and the wall of Mount Cody.

Why this will play a role: 

The loss of Terrence Cody hurts the Tide up the middle and will allow the gators to have some success running the ball up the middle. The coaches after watching film on last year’s game will not abandon the outside runs and sweeps. 

Chas Henry

Chas Henry is a valuable weapon for field position for Urban Meyer and the gators

Why he will play a role: 

The battle for field position will be huge in this game and Henry is the best punter in all of college football. His presence should force Alabama to make longer drives down the length of the field for scores when the Florida offense is stopped. 

Prediction

Expect nothing less than a closely contested game between these two teams.  

The gators come out firing early on offense with a balanced attack with some new wrinkles. The gators successfully commit enough to limit Alabama's running game and the secondary, on an island, steps just enough to prevent big plays. Alabama is forced to throw late in the game and a pick by Ahmad Black seals the impressive road win. 

Florida 31   Alabama 28