The Florida Gators: AAA Team to the NFL?

When we have to count on AR having a great passing day we suffer, because it actually takes away what we are strongest at, which is the running game. Also, when we run well it takes a gread deal of pressure off of the defense since our offensive TOP is the defense's greatest weapon.

 

Here's the deal, if Napier wins people will love him. If he starts losing? The opposite will be true. His paychecks are secure when he's winning more than losing... players be damned, because they are getting paid now, and they can transfer to wherever they want to go. He either feeds his family in Gainesville of he finds another job.

 

What you’re leaving out is that Vanderbilt sold out to stop the run believing we couldn’t throw against them to win. Their coach said as much and he was right.

The missing ingredient was Richardson’s refusal to run. Etienne and MJ were ineffective at 2.2 and 2.9 YPC. Richardson, when he actually ran averaged 6.2 YPC. If he had done more of that it would have opened up other parts of our offense.

 

YAHTZEEEEEEE!!!!!

 

Am I the only one here who has taken a step back and looked at our offense’s limitations (Vandy forcing us to win with our passing) and asking themselves why are people claiming AR is going pro and may be a 1st rounder? Something has to give here. When a school like Vandy successfully game plans on the theory that UF doesn’t have a QB that can beat them……. Well…..shucks….

 

Vandy had a horrible run defense, so we chose to pass. That kind of thinking cost Ron Zook his job the year we played Miss. State and they had, I don't remember which, the worst run defense of pass defense in the country and we attacked the strongest part of the defense because Zook was going to trick them. He was fired the next day.

 

I like the kid, but have never been as enamored with his potential or current skill level as so many are. I don't think he's NFL talent. In fact, I think Felipe Franks potential for the NFL was greater than AR's. He didn't start playing QB until, I believe, his junior year in high school and wasn't coached and developed to be a true QB. His coaching consisted of telling him to drop back to pass and if no one is open then run. That worked against high schoolers but doesn't and never will in college or pro.

 

how many quick outside runs did we try vs bubbleless screens?

you take what the other team gives you, but you also scheme to utilize your strengths

 

Meyer did the same thing for Tebow against Cincinnati in the Sugar Bowl.

What Billy did yesterday was inexcusable.

 

Looked to me they set the edge pretty well forcing our RBs back into the middle where they filled the gaps and got penetration.

 

Yes, Napier should have called more runs for AR since he refused to do it on his own but it doesn’t change the fact Etienne went for 2.2 YPC yesterday and Montrell was only marginally better. More RB carries wouldn't have solved our issue yesterday until AR broke them out of their defensive game plan.

 

The problem was injuries to our best receiver, and being down one other starter. That game plan was fine when we are completely healthy at receiver, which we were not. That lack of foresight in the passing game seemed like a recipe for disaster from the beginning.

That team was one of the worst running defenses in the nation, and we are/were one of the best at running the ball. So tell us what you think about the plan to pass the ball more. Did you think it was the right plan or should you have focused on healthy dose of running? We had two healthy running backs. And we had limited experienced healthy receivers, yet we decided to passed the ball? That was not winning football.

 

UGA runs a 12 personnel all the time, and it works well for them. I wish we'd get more creative with our running schemes, set pieces.

 

If we ran it the bulk of the time we would have lost by much worse.

The first half, when the game was close, our run/pass split was about 50/50. The passing game was good but the running game was actually in the negative.

The second half we were down big and had to score. In fact we had to score fast. So we passed, and passed effectively.

The run/pass split was fine. If anything CBN screwed up by sticking with the run too long (or not having AR run).

 

Define works? Their offense is solid and underperforms their talent level. You do NOT want to emulate their offense.

UGA is a defense story.

If UGAs defense was a similar as their offense you’d have a 3-4 loss team.

 

I've refrained from posting much if anything during or since the game but this is exactly what came to mind and it is a bit concerning. I'll continue to keep my thoughts to myself in part because of increasing apathy and in part because the only thing that will tell us anything is time. Time will answer a lot of questions like was AR the problem or was it the scheme, is Napier flexible enough to adapt to perceived flaws with staff and game strategy, will the recruiting class hold up in the face of such concerns particularly Wilson and other receiver commits, etc etc