Gasping Gators
No longer a denizen of Gainesville this was my first and last game of the season – indeed this was only the second time I saw the Clemson Tigers Gators after watching the Bama game on tv. As such my impressions may be a little off as someone may have had a good or bad game.
QB: I heard quite a bit about John Brantley (12) before the game – very little of it positive. Most of it was about he lacks pocket presence. I don’t know that I believe that – I’m not sure that he’s being put into a position to do well. Brantley is a pocket passer, not a runner/option guy – but that is what he is trying to do (more on this later). He also isn’t exactly working with a great supporting cast – especially not on the offensive line (ditto). Overall he just looked like a guy (not horrible considering everything he is facing).
GRADE: C+
RB: I thought I saw Jeff Demps (2) on the field at the start of the game, but may be mistaken. That left Emmanuel Moody (21) and Mike Gillslee (23) to hand the load. Neither looked special: both broke a few good runs, but were average overall and did not add anything dynamic in the passing game. Gillslee looked a little more natural as a runner, Moody will be forgotten as soon as he walks out the door. The team needs a player who can make people miss – now that he is back on the team Chris “Deaxter (think about it)” Rainey (3) might worth moving back to RB (and don’t tell me about Demps, he is fast, but doesn’t juke guys) as he has shown some shiftiness in the past. To be fair the O-line was hardly helping them out. There was a fullback that the internet told me is named Steven Wilks (42) was on the field, but did not do much of note.
GRADE: C I debated making this higher because of the O-line, but they looked average.
HB: I am going to call Trey Burton (8) an H-Back so I can give him his own section. At this point he reminds me of a puppy growing into his body - not quite in control of his movements. Right now he is trying to do it all with athletic ability in spot plays and it isn’t that impressive. Despite all the excitement in the stands when he got his hands on the ball he didn’t make any splash plays. Also maybe Meyer could experiment with having him attempt a few passes. I know the well-worn jump pass did not work in Tuscaloosa but this offense is pretty limited, making opponents have to worry about another wrinkle can only help.
GRADE: C
WR: I never thought I would see day when Carl Moore (9) was the main weapon in an offense. He had the only two big offensive plays we had all game and as such is the player of the game. He was also basically a one man receiving corps because at this point I am willing to admit I was wrong about Deonte Thompson (6), who just hasn’t panned out. If Andre Debose (4) even had a pass directed at him I missed it.
GRADE: Moore A-, everyone else D
TE: Jordan Reed (11) came to UF as a quarterback and converted. I’m not sure what the coaching staff saw, but I didn’t see it. He is an average receiver with very limited blocking ability. Then again save when they lived up Omarius Hines (82) (who also hasn’t developed) he was the only tight end I saw, so maybe what they saw was a lack of options.
GRADE: F
OL: I would say horrendous, but that is not entirely fair. The line started out left to right Marcus Gilbert (76), Carl Johnson (57), Mike Pouncey (55), John Halapio (67), and Maurice Hurt (74). They were not playing well, but they were not terrible. Then Halapio apparently got hurt (I did not see it, but he never came back into the game) and the dam burst. Xavier Nixon (73) came in at right tackle and they moved Hurt down. Last year Nixon played as a freshman (true freshman I believe) and did not look ready. This year he has been hurt and not playing – which has not improved his game. Also somehow Mo Hurt, who started at guard some last year, forgot how to play the position because one he slid over he could not slow anyone down either. I don’t want to say it was all Nixon’s fault – Pouncey was shaky too (although I did not get to see one of these bouncy snaps I have been hearing about) – but I don’t understand why Meyer did not try replacing him for as bad as the line was (I don’t know who – James Wilson (66) started several games last year, I’ve never seen Sam Robey (50) on the field, but he has gotten good press and even if he is a center you could try him at guard. I’m guessing Matt Patchan (71) is hurt again?) Johnson and Gilbert looked good by comparison, but in truth they were beat several times too. After Halapio went down Brantley simply had no time. Any type of deep pass holding the ball in the pocket was literally out of the question (this is why I went easier on Brantely).
GRADE: F
ST: Andre Debose’s (4) TD return reheartened a fading team and crowd and gave us a chance to win. The coverage team recovered a muff (although the Tiger just dropped it, it was not an earned turnover). Chas Henry (17) continues to put well. I can’t especially blame him for missing a field goal given that he is a punter. On the other hand I can ask given the fact he has been erratic why the coaching staff hasn’t tried someone else. There are a bunch of them listed on the roster – including that #97 guy who does kickoffs (internet says he is freshman Brad Phillips). Of course the special teams also let LSU get the first down on a fake field goal were their reaction was so slow the kicker was able to pick up the lateral on a bounce and still convert. However as bad as that play was overall the special teams were a strength.
GRADE: A-
DL: There was minimal passrush and LSU was constantly able to crack them for yards – if not huge chunks. Why is Jaye Howard (6) starting? I don’t see it – he never makes plays and is constantly pushed around. Meanwhile Terron Sanders (92) rides the pine. He is the best runstopper on the team. When he was in the Tigers were not able to consistently push inside, although Sanders gets little passrush. Omar Hunter (99) is the other DT starter. He makes plays – the few times we got good penetration it was usually him. He’s up and down, getting blocked out of the play several times, but as a sophomore really playing for the first time there is potential there. Lawerence Marsh (90) also played some, but he seems to have taken a step back. As has Justin Trattou (94). There were two the better linemen last year, but were just average this game. I noticed big name freshmen recruits DT Dominique Easley (58) and DE Ronnie Powell (7) were on the field - but that was all I noticed. Not a real worry, I could have said something similar about Omar Hunter last year. Freshmen usually take time.
GRADE: C-/D+ Name a big play someone made on the line.
LB: Jelani Jenkins (43) had an interception, but it was not a great play – he was just sitting in the zone and had the ball come right to him. He appears to have replaced Brandon Hicks (40) outside. Hicks was on the field, but also did not look as sharp as he once did. John Bostic (52) played a fair amount, but the only play I noticed him was when he overran a tackle. Duke Lemmens (44), listed as a DE, seemed to be playing up a fair amount, but he was quiet. The only linebacker who looked good was AJ Jones (16).
GRADE: C+ To be fair while the Tigers were running well, they were 4-5 runs, not big bursts – that means the linebackers were doing their job in tackling at the second level.
DB: A two headed monster of two washouts went a combined 16 of 24 (67% completion) for 224 yards and 2 TDs. Yes there was no passrush, but that was not an impressive display by the secondary by any means. Ahmad Black (35) was his normal quiet, heady, sure tackling self, but the other safety, Will Hill (10) did not do anything special and was knocked over in the running game a few times. True freshman and would be Seminole Matt Elam (22) was on the field a little and looked as though he knew what he was doing in coverage, he was in position. Janoris Jenkins (1) still looked pretty solid, but he was beaten over the middle a few times (once for a TD when the could drag a receiver down and a second where he dragged one down right before the game winning TD play). But he looked outstanding compared to Jeremy Brown (8). He was bad, there is no denying that – LSU was targeting him by the end of the game. The coaching staff could have made more adjustments to help him more, but he failed too. They were running inside out coverage on the game ending touch we were running inside out coverage, but Brown let the receiver get outside.
GRADE: D-
Coaching: Here is where I am going to have to lay a fair amount of the blame. Watching this game it reminded me of they first season with tickets in 2005. The quarterback wears number 12, and he’s a pocket passer who simply isn’t suited to be a spread option quarterback. And Urban Meyer is so wedded to his system that he refuses to adjust his system. It was this way with Chris Leak, after his first season even Meyer publicly admitted he had done poorly tweeking his system to match the talents of his personnel – ’06 he gave up on the shovel pass and ran a more traditional offense. In The Savior he had the perfect fit for this offense. Now he doesn’t. Honestly I’m not sure why he recruited Brantley if he wanted an option style QB. Meyer has never been great with in game adjustments. For example if your offensive line is a sieve maybe you should bring in an extra blocker huh? No I am sure you are going to say our TE is a converted QB and our fullback is a non-entity (you could make a comment about recruiting, but you should recruit for you system. On the other hand you can argue that maybe you should recruit to have more flexibility). Fair enough - but the blocking was so bad they would have been better throwing another lineman out there (helps run blocking too).
But the bigger issue to me is that we miss Charlie Strong (who has already has led Louisville to as many wins as they had last year). How many defensive players did I mention as having taken a step back? Strong’s defense’s carried us for years, Teryl Austin let Brown get abused in a way Strong never would have. And when was the last time we blew a lead with three minutes to go? How about locking up Jenkins on their #1 receiver (Terrence Toliver – 80)? The offensive play calling was uninspired as well – those predictable runs into the line are even less effective without a two hundred forty pound quarterback. They also earned a chorus of boos. Those grumblings have always been there, but success covered for a so-so system.
GRADE: D Despite everything they led late in the fourth quarter.
Football 101: Inside out coverage is when a corner and safety combine to double cover a receiver. On the game losing touchdown Brown lined up over the receiver with the safety Hill helping inside. Brown’s job is to push the receiver inside and make sure he stays between the receiver and the sideline so the QB can’t throw outside because the CB is there and can’t toss it inside because the SF is there. In this case though Brown let the receiver get outside.
Bottom line: The talent on the roster has declined. That’s really it. Name me a true star on offense. Undersized Demps? Burton? Debose? It’s going to take some time to develop a more dangerous offense.
QB: I heard quite a bit about John Brantley (12) before the game – very little of it positive. Most of it was about he lacks pocket presence. I don’t know that I believe that – I’m not sure that he’s being put into a position to do well. Brantley is a pocket passer, not a runner/option guy – but that is what he is trying to do (more on this later). He also isn’t exactly working with a great supporting cast – especially not on the offensive line (ditto). Overall he just looked like a guy (not horrible considering everything he is facing).
GRADE: C+
RB: I thought I saw Jeff Demps (2) on the field at the start of the game, but may be mistaken. That left Emmanuel Moody (21) and Mike Gillslee (23) to hand the load. Neither looked special: both broke a few good runs, but were average overall and did not add anything dynamic in the passing game. Gillslee looked a little more natural as a runner, Moody will be forgotten as soon as he walks out the door. The team needs a player who can make people miss – now that he is back on the team Chris “Deaxter (think about it)” Rainey (3) might worth moving back to RB (and don’t tell me about Demps, he is fast, but doesn’t juke guys) as he has shown some shiftiness in the past. To be fair the O-line was hardly helping them out. There was a fullback that the internet told me is named Steven Wilks (42) was on the field, but did not do much of note.
GRADE: C I debated making this higher because of the O-line, but they looked average.
HB: I am going to call Trey Burton (8) an H-Back so I can give him his own section. At this point he reminds me of a puppy growing into his body - not quite in control of his movements. Right now he is trying to do it all with athletic ability in spot plays and it isn’t that impressive. Despite all the excitement in the stands when he got his hands on the ball he didn’t make any splash plays. Also maybe Meyer could experiment with having him attempt a few passes. I know the well-worn jump pass did not work in Tuscaloosa but this offense is pretty limited, making opponents have to worry about another wrinkle can only help.
GRADE: C
WR: I never thought I would see day when Carl Moore (9) was the main weapon in an offense. He had the only two big offensive plays we had all game and as such is the player of the game. He was also basically a one man receiving corps because at this point I am willing to admit I was wrong about Deonte Thompson (6), who just hasn’t panned out. If Andre Debose (4) even had a pass directed at him I missed it.
GRADE: Moore A-, everyone else D
TE: Jordan Reed (11) came to UF as a quarterback and converted. I’m not sure what the coaching staff saw, but I didn’t see it. He is an average receiver with very limited blocking ability. Then again save when they lived up Omarius Hines (82) (who also hasn’t developed) he was the only tight end I saw, so maybe what they saw was a lack of options.
GRADE: F
OL: I would say horrendous, but that is not entirely fair. The line started out left to right Marcus Gilbert (76), Carl Johnson (57), Mike Pouncey (55), John Halapio (67), and Maurice Hurt (74). They were not playing well, but they were not terrible. Then Halapio apparently got hurt (I did not see it, but he never came back into the game) and the dam burst. Xavier Nixon (73) came in at right tackle and they moved Hurt down. Last year Nixon played as a freshman (true freshman I believe) and did not look ready. This year he has been hurt and not playing – which has not improved his game. Also somehow Mo Hurt, who started at guard some last year, forgot how to play the position because one he slid over he could not slow anyone down either. I don’t want to say it was all Nixon’s fault – Pouncey was shaky too (although I did not get to see one of these bouncy snaps I have been hearing about) – but I don’t understand why Meyer did not try replacing him for as bad as the line was (I don’t know who – James Wilson (66) started several games last year, I’ve never seen Sam Robey (50) on the field, but he has gotten good press and even if he is a center you could try him at guard. I’m guessing Matt Patchan (71) is hurt again?) Johnson and Gilbert looked good by comparison, but in truth they were beat several times too. After Halapio went down Brantley simply had no time. Any type of deep pass holding the ball in the pocket was literally out of the question (this is why I went easier on Brantely).
GRADE: F
ST: Andre Debose’s (4) TD return reheartened a fading team and crowd and gave us a chance to win. The coverage team recovered a muff (although the Tiger just dropped it, it was not an earned turnover). Chas Henry (17) continues to put well. I can’t especially blame him for missing a field goal given that he is a punter. On the other hand I can ask given the fact he has been erratic why the coaching staff hasn’t tried someone else. There are a bunch of them listed on the roster – including that #97 guy who does kickoffs (internet says he is freshman Brad Phillips). Of course the special teams also let LSU get the first down on a fake field goal were their reaction was so slow the kicker was able to pick up the lateral on a bounce and still convert. However as bad as that play was overall the special teams were a strength.
GRADE: A-
DL: There was minimal passrush and LSU was constantly able to crack them for yards – if not huge chunks. Why is Jaye Howard (6) starting? I don’t see it – he never makes plays and is constantly pushed around. Meanwhile Terron Sanders (92) rides the pine. He is the best runstopper on the team. When he was in the Tigers were not able to consistently push inside, although Sanders gets little passrush. Omar Hunter (99) is the other DT starter. He makes plays – the few times we got good penetration it was usually him. He’s up and down, getting blocked out of the play several times, but as a sophomore really playing for the first time there is potential there. Lawerence Marsh (90) also played some, but he seems to have taken a step back. As has Justin Trattou (94). There were two the better linemen last year, but were just average this game. I noticed big name freshmen recruits DT Dominique Easley (58) and DE Ronnie Powell (7) were on the field - but that was all I noticed. Not a real worry, I could have said something similar about Omar Hunter last year. Freshmen usually take time.
GRADE: C-/D+ Name a big play someone made on the line.
LB: Jelani Jenkins (43) had an interception, but it was not a great play – he was just sitting in the zone and had the ball come right to him. He appears to have replaced Brandon Hicks (40) outside. Hicks was on the field, but also did not look as sharp as he once did. John Bostic (52) played a fair amount, but the only play I noticed him was when he overran a tackle. Duke Lemmens (44), listed as a DE, seemed to be playing up a fair amount, but he was quiet. The only linebacker who looked good was AJ Jones (16).
GRADE: C+ To be fair while the Tigers were running well, they were 4-5 runs, not big bursts – that means the linebackers were doing their job in tackling at the second level.
DB: A two headed monster of two washouts went a combined 16 of 24 (67% completion) for 224 yards and 2 TDs. Yes there was no passrush, but that was not an impressive display by the secondary by any means. Ahmad Black (35) was his normal quiet, heady, sure tackling self, but the other safety, Will Hill (10) did not do anything special and was knocked over in the running game a few times. True freshman and would be Seminole Matt Elam (22) was on the field a little and looked as though he knew what he was doing in coverage, he was in position. Janoris Jenkins (1) still looked pretty solid, but he was beaten over the middle a few times (once for a TD when the could drag a receiver down and a second where he dragged one down right before the game winning TD play). But he looked outstanding compared to Jeremy Brown (8). He was bad, there is no denying that – LSU was targeting him by the end of the game. The coaching staff could have made more adjustments to help him more, but he failed too. They were running inside out coverage on the game ending touch we were running inside out coverage, but Brown let the receiver get outside.
GRADE: D-
Coaching: Here is where I am going to have to lay a fair amount of the blame. Watching this game it reminded me of they first season with tickets in 2005. The quarterback wears number 12, and he’s a pocket passer who simply isn’t suited to be a spread option quarterback. And Urban Meyer is so wedded to his system that he refuses to adjust his system. It was this way with Chris Leak, after his first season even Meyer publicly admitted he had done poorly tweeking his system to match the talents of his personnel – ’06 he gave up on the shovel pass and ran a more traditional offense. In The Savior he had the perfect fit for this offense. Now he doesn’t. Honestly I’m not sure why he recruited Brantley if he wanted an option style QB. Meyer has never been great with in game adjustments. For example if your offensive line is a sieve maybe you should bring in an extra blocker huh? No I am sure you are going to say our TE is a converted QB and our fullback is a non-entity (you could make a comment about recruiting, but you should recruit for you system. On the other hand you can argue that maybe you should recruit to have more flexibility). Fair enough - but the blocking was so bad they would have been better throwing another lineman out there (helps run blocking too).
But the bigger issue to me is that we miss Charlie Strong (who has already has led Louisville to as many wins as they had last year). How many defensive players did I mention as having taken a step back? Strong’s defense’s carried us for years, Teryl Austin let Brown get abused in a way Strong never would have. And when was the last time we blew a lead with three minutes to go? How about locking up Jenkins on their #1 receiver (Terrence Toliver – 80)? The offensive play calling was uninspired as well – those predictable runs into the line are even less effective without a two hundred forty pound quarterback. They also earned a chorus of boos. Those grumblings have always been there, but success covered for a so-so system.
GRADE: D Despite everything they led late in the fourth quarter.
Football 101: Inside out coverage is when a corner and safety combine to double cover a receiver. On the game losing touchdown Brown lined up over the receiver with the safety Hill helping inside. Brown’s job is to push the receiver inside and make sure he stays between the receiver and the sideline so the QB can’t throw outside because the CB is there and can’t toss it inside because the SF is there. In this case though Brown let the receiver get outside.
Bottom line: The talent on the roster has declined. That’s really it. Name me a true star on offense. Undersized Demps? Burton? Debose? It’s going to take some time to develop a more dangerous offense.
posted by El Breto @ 11:43 PM
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