Post-Game Discussion: Florida at Utah

Its not even a "take", there were multiple times where the defense was scrambling to get into position right before the snap. Third straight DC where we had the same issue.

 

We had 1 TD and maybe 2 balls thrown into the end zone all game. Terrible third and fourth down conversions. Utah sold out to stop the run. He had empty yards.

Not saying he was bad. He was as expected. Just mediocre.

 

I'm not sure if Mertz is mediocre or if the scheme is mediocre. However, we only marched 33 yards in 4 minutes with the game on the line. Yikes

 

I don’t believe the lack of balls thrown into the end zone was his fault or the fault of the play calling. Same with 3rd and 4th conversions.
Empty yards with a porous offensive line.

 

Losing isn't really the problem, it's HOW we lost.

It's mostly the same things we complained last season. Confusing/inconsistent playcalling, atrocious special teams, backbreaking penalties etc. The only difference from last year is instead of the defense being a complete sieve, the OL now is.

If that stuff can't get fixed over the course of 8 months during the offseason, what makes us think that's going to get changed now?

 

Yeah, he was fine. That's what is depressing. What did we all want to see coming into this game? Mertz solid, D improvement. What did we get? Mertz solid, D improved. Yet, we are down 24-3 in the fourth... Why? I would argue mostly self inflicted wounds. That is a continuing problem whether people want to shrug it off or not.

 

What were your expectations? Mertz wasn’t the solo reason we lost or anything, but then again the INT was on him (and he’s been prone to INT’s in his career), he was late on what could have been that 2 minute drill TD (got hit as he threw, a split second quicker read and that’s a walk-in TD), and several sacks were more on him than the OL. So… for such an experienced guy his performance wasn’t compelling. Beat expectations? I’d say no way to that. He wasn’t a disaster, I have no doubt he gave us the best chance to to win. But that’s more an indictment of the roster and QB room.

Maybe the guy could be a competent game manager, but our overall offense likely isn’t good enough to just rely on a game management QB. Unfortunately it is what it is. Hopefully he isn’t asked to throw 40 times too many times, because mostly that will result in L’s, and if he keeps getting hit that many times you wonder if he can stay healthy.

 

8 Gator defenders on the field for the last FG attempt. Poor line play both sides. 10 Gator defenders for an earlier play that mattered. Pitiful special teams play. Coaches need to run steps Monday. All 40 of them. Sorry if repeats. Just got back to the hotel and haven’t read past this post yet. I will defend my earlier assertion that this was almost like a rivalry game to the Utes. Set an all time attendance record and we are an OOC team. They were loud for only 53K.

 

Weird that opposing teams can get their post-game press conferences posted so quickly, yet UF continues to struggle. Gap in the "army".

 

That int was not on Mertz. He waits 1/2 second longer it’s a sack. Ricky being a vet guy needed to see the blitz coming and know it’s going to be hot. His pass hit Ricky in the neck. Had Ricky caught it everyone would say it was a great play

 

We had no speed advantage that was evident, and outweighing them 30 or 40 pounds per lineman was meaningless.

 

What is the hurry, won't be anything of substance anyways.

 

Mertz was better than I thought. But it’s his like 40th start. He’s not going to win us games. Mertz isn’t good enough to bail out coaching staffs that put out 8 guys on the field for a key field goal.

 

...

 

Probably a combination of both. A mediocre QB + a stale, antiquated offensive scheme is a surefire way to look pathetic on offense. I don't really blame Mertz, the stats and game tape showed us that he has been mediocre his entire college career, so that is the status quo with him. He's a game-manager who should be asked to protect the football, make smart, safe throws on 3rd down and hand off the running backs all game long. He's not the type of QB who should ever be asked to throw 40+ times per game. Utah knew this and executed their defensive game plan to grab a quick, early lead make him do just that, kudos to them.

Now the fun part begins where we see if our coaching staff is able to earn their paychecks and make offensive adjustments for the remaining games.

 

Yeah, he could have took the sack and we don’t give up an int, I agree. At the same time, I don’t think it was a super high risk throw and it was a catchable ball that resulted in an unlucky bounce off our receiver.
That’s what I liked most.. he throws a catchable ball with touch when needed and I don’t think there was another throw the entire game that was in jeopardy of being picked off. I’ll take it

 

We had at least one play with three WR on two defenders and motioned out of the obvious advantage.

 

If correctables never get corrected, when do they get redefined as a feature?

 

This was Game 1

 

Hence the ? at the end. Was being sarcastic, but I am actually asking the question, what is the timeline?