I already can hear it... "Mertz threw for over 300 yards!" And it netted us 11 points. Really should have been 3 because that was an incomplete pass on 4th down. We aren't going to be successful with Mertz throwing from behind all game. Need to RUN THE DAMN BALL! Montrell had 3 carries smh. What the hell is that? How many 2nd down sacks did we have that turned into 3rd and longs? Napier out here coaching like he went and got Sam Hartman or Hudson Card in the portal.
Mertz looked slow and indecisive... that has to change. Where's that 2 minute offense...or the hurry-up offense? He was slow as molasses... Coaching slow... gives you game-time slow.
That team was not properly prepared to play - plain and simple. I like Billy, but jeez Louise! As an aside, I don’t care how far that Aussie punter can kick as long as he continues to shank every 4th or 5th punt.
OL needs a lot of work. Napier play calling, urgency and clock management are unacceptable. Upside, defense overall looked better. More pressure needed but solid start. Wilson looks electric on offense. Mertz with a bit more time is just fine. Not elite sure.
Why did Florida stop running the ball with Montrel Johnson? I did not think that Florida would throw the ball as much as they did. M.Johnson 3/6 yards T.Etiiene 7/25 yards Mertz: 31/44 333 yards 1 TD 1 Int
I want to talk about Napier’s in-game coaching. Not about bis CEO skills, or the relationships he builds, or how he recruits, or how he carries himself. He is paid millions of dollars to COACH football. I see absolutely nothing in his playcalling that isn’t pedestrian. I see no halftime adjustments. I don’t see him making marginal players better and squeezing every possible ounce of production from them. I don’t see him scheming to beat a superior opponent. I don’t see player discipline, sound fundamentals, or anyone playing above their talent level. I saw absolutely no difference between tonight and the Las Vegas Bowl. None. He changed the roster supposedly for the better. Why then can we not play better? Not even talking about winning, just not looking like hot garbage. 14 games in and I cannot tell what our identity is on offense or defense. The program isn’t in a constant state of flux, it’s in a constant state of inertia. If a coach is going to make it, at some point you have to start playing good football, even if a superior team beats you. 14 games into his tenure and we have yet to approach average football. Flashes of talent followed by bonehead decisions is not good football.
I think Mertz will get better as the season goes on. Of course that will dépend on the OL getting better as well.
We really shot ourselves in the foot to night. This was a game we could have won with better coaching and when I say coaching it was the discipline aspects that killed us the most. I do not think we could of run on Utah tonight, because our Oline looked terrible. Mertz, I give a grade of a C. He was under a lot of pressure. He had a huge mistake with the clock early in the game. The defense is going to be solid this year, not great, but not what it has been.
Did he call the timeout to call Doug Nussmeyer for that 4th down play? And that was the primary play not the check down. As long as BN makes the offensive calls we are at best a six win team…and for god sake special teams needs addressed immediately
I just don’t like the design of the offense, it’s rudimentary, all the motion is nonsense, it looks like something Furman would run. I love Billy, he’s not all that as a OC though, nor is anyone else on the staff. This was a chit show, imho.
We have to get plays in faster in the 2 minute offense and we needs some plays that don’t include motion. Way too much wasted time pre-snap in the short clock situations.
Usually when people say there were a few plays that made the difference they’re exaggerating, but we were really a few plays (penalties) away from making this a real contest or even being ahead by a couple possessions. All that said, this one stings because Utah didn’t look all that invincible and the second half stats show that. Utah played mediocre and FL managed to find a way to play worse.
I’m looking for a silver lining. Mertz surprised me. He completed 70% of his passes. His one interception hit his best receiver who failed to turn around on time. Mertz was the bright spot on offense. No running game and the OL false starts while giving up sacks like Tee Martin is behind them was the offensive issue. I would not have predicted that our running game would be a liability after last year. Did the loss of the starting center make that much of a difference? Defense held Utah to 270 yards at home and less points than last year. The game appeared snake bit in the timing of issues that led to the loss. Hopefully they feel this loss and use it to clean up the errors.
In the last 6 or 7 minutes we looked slow and lethargic... was it the altitude? Or have we NOT practiced the hurry-up offense at all?
