Florida vs. LSU: 5 First Half Observations for the Gators

Florida is not looking too hot on the road against LSU today. Once John Brantley went down last week, their chances took a big hit. But there was still hope in Gainesville that the slate of young QBs could step up and get the job done. 

Jacoby Brissett has gotten the majority of snaps so far and has looked OK, but not spectacular—and certainly not good enough to beat this LSU defense.

Here are five observations for the Gators from the first half:

1. The Secondary is Struggling

LSU QB Jarrett Lee's stats aren't terrific so far, but he's getting plenty of chances with open receivers down field. The first score of the game was on a pinpoint strike from Lee. On that play, the Florida secondary was burned by a simple post route, and it wasn't even close.

They really need to step it up and shut down the passing game. They aren't stopping the run that well either, so they need to take it one step at a time and start with stepping up the pass defense if they want to mount a comeback.

2. Not Stacking the Box

The running backs for the Tigers have just had a field day so far, running for over 100 yards in the first quarter alone. When there's an obvious running down, the Gators really need to stack the box and get a stop. If they don't, it's going to be a long day.

LSU has the ability to just pound the ball on the ground all afternoon, and that will open up the passing game for big plays. If Florida wants to get back into this thing, they need to attack the receivers in coverage and key on the run game when it's called for.

3. Good Protection

There is one thing Florida is doing right. Brissett has been pretty well-protected. At least, he hasn't had to fear for his life yet. The offensive line is doing a good enough job of protecting the pocket against that ferocious Tiger D.

Unfortunately, they may be focusing too much on creating that pocket. The running game hasn't taken off as it should have. With weapons like Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps in the backfield, they need to open more holes and allow them to make a big play.

4. Keep Running

On the bright side, they have continued to give the ball to Rainey and Demps, and it's starting to pay off. The defense is cracking a little bit, and you can see the backs getting more room to run. It will take a whole lot more than that to get Florida back in the game, but at least they are making head way.

If one of the two feature backs can bust off a big touchdown run, it will do wonders for the Gators' confidence. Momentum is huge in a conference road game like this, so a highlight play would be perfect for them in the second half. Start hot and who knows? Maybe they make it close!

5. Let the QB Go

I'm interested to see what Brissett can do when they just let him go. His first deep pass was actually really terrible. It was picked off, and vastly overthrown. But, he's got a big arm and I want to see what he can do with it.

Unless the Gators start to make things interesting at the start of the second half, there really is no harm in letting him air it out a little bit. They would have nothing to lose at that point. I'm not saying they should give in to a loss, but a new strategy wouldn't hurt.