I have watched the gators play nearly 60 years now, some ups and lots of downs. Now last years D was bad, but at some point in the season it just seemed as if they quit. But I have to say my vote is that this years D is as ugly as it gets. We are at the bottom or nearly the bottom of all D stats. Can anyone remember a team scoring 6 consecutive TDs against a uf team? I can't. Can you recall any past uf D that couldn't force or hardly couldn't force a punt? I'd be interested to know if there was a UF D that was worse than this one.
I started watching the Gators in the mid 1950s as a kid. Got deep into it in 1960 when some guys who my older sister knew in high school went to play football at UF. I listened to all the games on my transistor radio and went to several a year as a kid, then by train as a teen and onward. The 0-10-1 team had a better defense than the 2022 team. 1979 had no QB, no OL and little depth. But some of defenders could play defense. The probation decimated teams of Galen Hall had little depth and lacked QBs (after Kerwin Bell) but had some quality on defense which kept them close in many games. The worst defense that Spurrier had was 1992. We lost to UT 45-3. We gave up 30 to Miss St and lost. But it was not as bad as this team. The 2005 Urban Year 1 was ok on offense, and ok on defense. However the 2007 team had no DTs (Javier and McMillen and Wife were the players there). Tebow had to roll it up himself to win games, but the defense was just so-so. The 2007 defense with the same players would have us at 7-0 right now. Yep, that's what I think I strongly believe this is the worst defense in the SEC, worst in the top 100 teams, and the worst in my memory of UF football. Think of these: We made a < avg SEC in J Daniels look like a Heisman finalist. Lsu got 8 of 11 3rd down conversions and went for it on 4th down 3 x, getting 2, so they technically converted 10 of 11 !!!!! In the last 3 games we have forced how many punts? 3? If it is 3rd and 6 or more the odds of the opponent converting it to first down vs UF is now at about 90%. Maybe 95%. We have one DT in Dexter who is not doing much. One LBer who can stuff run but cant cover RB out of backfield. One DB named Marshall who has done what. Jaydon Hill goes from SEC player of week vs Mizz to the guy that was torched repeatedly vs lsu. I cant take this crap any more.
I do think it is fair to compare our "rankings" against other 2022 teams, but I don't think it is fair to compare against teams from 60 years ago. The rules have just been systematically tweaked to favor offenses for a long time. 2022 defenses play in handcuffs.
Not making excuses for our defense: it’s definitely bad, especially on third down. But it seems to me that the offenses are just ahead of the defenses right now. Every team not named Georgia struggles most most weeks. I remember a few years ago a lot of us were making fun of the Big 12 because of the high scoring shootouts every week. Maybe they were ahead of the curve.
Our 1992 defense gave up 31 to Tennessee and the 30 points to miss state was in a game Shane Matthew's threw 5 interceptions. 45 to 3 was 1990. It's not in the conversation for worst defenses. Fsu lit us up with special teams and offense under Charlie ward and tamarack vanover but the rest of the year the problem was offense
As much we hated Grantham last year (and rightly so) Grantham defense last season was 34.1% on third down, this defense has given up 54.1% on third down this season which i believe its last in division 1 college football college football (FBS)
I was at that 45-3 loss to slUT and the D was not as bad as the score indicated. 10-3 at half and they ran the 2nd half KO back for a TD, then late, SOS was going for it on 4th down deep on our side and gave them short fields, twice I think.
Trey Dean is always out of position. Always. He looks completely lost out there. After his breakout two-interception performance the week before, Jaydon Hill was downright abysmal against LSU, giving up multiple third down conversions. Those were the guys that really stood out. In a bad way.
I just heard on the radio that the 2020 defense was statistically our worst ever, but this year's defense is on pace to be even worse.
This defense may set a record for miss tackle, they can't defend the pass. its badly coached, with this defense they don't win even at Vandy.
I so could relate to your thoughts and pain! I thought this team could go far if the defense could do their part and the offense could execute. I'm reminded that this year's projection was that the Gators might, at best, win seven games. Let's hope it's that good!!!