Garnet And Black Attack: An SB Nation Community

Navigation: Jump to content areas:


Pro Quality. Fan Perspective.
Login-facebook
Click Here :: Absolut NFL Weekend Buffet, Week 15: It's Time To Pray

Across Enemy Lines: Q & A with Alligator Army

I got together with the editor of the fine SBN Gators blog Alligator Army to discuss this weekend's game. I'm sure you'll enjoy reading his answers to my questions. Many thanks to him for participating.

1. It's life after Tebow for the Gators--discuss.

The problem is that Florida fans can’t move past Tebow when the coaching staff can’t move past Tebow either. As has been demonstrated with John Brantley, Urban Meyer and Steve Addazio are unable or refused to design an offense around a pocket passer. Mercifully, they no longer make Brantley run the option, instead using Jordan Reed and Trey Burton to do that. Plus, Brantley is blitzed on nearly every down, since Addazio cannot come up with a blitz pick-up package. Florida is finally moving the ball in exchange for giving up on Brantley being a long-term solution at quarterback. You will see three quarterbacks on Saturday and for the remainder of Florida’s season.

2. Carolina's Achilles Heel, especially since the Kentucky game, has been an atrocious pass defense. Will the Gators be able to take advantage after having struggled to throw the ball for most of the season?

Probably not. Everyone has passed against Alabama, but not Florida. Against Georgia, UF stuck with the running game, despite that being UGA’s strength. UF’s biggest problems on offense are that Brantley is not accurate, the line cannot protect him, and UF cannot figure out a way to feature a receiver. In a better system, Carl Moore and Omarius Hines would be All-SEC. Under Florida’s 2010 offense, they are edge blockers who have to catch a pass on 3rd and 7. The Gators could hit some big plays, but don’t expect a consistent passing attack, no matter who the Gators’ quarterback is.

Star-divide

3. A lot of folks believed that the Gators defense would suffer due to the loss of Charlie Strong, but it's generally been OK this year. How do you feel that Strong's departure has affected Florida?

It has had zero impact. Florida’s problems with youth and a smaller front seven were expected. Teryl Austin is similar to Strong in using multiple looks and locking up the opponent’s best receiver. I really don’t think Strong could have done better because the greatest coach in the world can’t fix youth and undersized players. Florida will keep taking two steps forward and one step back on defense, no matter who was coordinator this season.

4. Name one Carolina player who you'd love to have on the Gators' roster and discuss why.

Marcus Lattimore is the closest my generation will get to Bo Jackson or Herschel Walker, but Alshon Jeffrey is my pick. To have an All-American receiver, who almost never gets locked up, is a huge advantage. You can stack the box and stop a back. But a receiver can hide in the formation and get open on every play. Plus, he is a deep threat because of his speed and size. Guys who are 6-foot-4 should not run like he does.

Tweet Comment 7 comments  |  0 recs  | 

Do you like this story?

More from Garnet And Black Attack

THE DAILY FEED // 12.19.2010

Dec 2010 by Gamecock Man - 0 comments

Marcus Lattimore Named CBSSports.com Freshman of the Year

Dec 2010 by Gamecock Man - 6 comments

SEC Championship Game Post-Game: Auburn Dominates Carolina

Dec 2010 by Gamecock Man - 25 comments

The Daily Feed // 12.03.10

Dec 2010 by The Feathered Warrior - 4 comments

Comments

Display:

I don't possibly see how Florida will not go right after our pass defense.

I don’t care what they’ve done so far this season, our secondary is too juicy of a target not to exploit time and time again. They aren’t just some unit who is designated as the weakness of our team, and thus should be a part of our opponents’ gameplans. They are virtually non-existent. Most plays they may as well not even be on the field. I envision whatever Florida quarterback going deep time and time again.

stuff 'bout stuff.

by silver82blade on Nov 10, 2025 6:10 PM EST reply actions  

This is actually one thing that makes me feel somewhat confident about this game.

If there’s any coach in the league who won’t scrap his usual approach and attack our weakness, it’s Urban Meyer. This guy’s approach is to run the spread option or bust. He knows nothing else. He may try to pass on us a little more, but he’s wary of committing to the passing game, especially with his current QB situation. I expect we’ll see what we always see from Florida—a strong running game and a few attempts to break a long one through the air.

Garnet and Black Attack: A Blog By and For Gamecocks Fans.

by Gamecock Man on Nov 10, 2025 6:53 PM EST up reply actions  

Have to disagree - our coaches do prefer to run, obviously, but UF threw more times than it ran against Kentucky, Bama and Miss St, while the numbers were fairly balanced against Miami (OH), USF and LSU. And in the three games in which the run was heavily emphasised, UF rang up massive yardage in the hurry-up against both UGA and Vandy.

by peachy rex on Nov 11, 2025 12:20 AM EST up reply actions  

Interesting.

I’ll keep this in mind.

I seem to remember the UF had most of its success against Kentucky on the ground? Maybe I’m misremembering how things went down.

Garnet and Black Attack: A Blog By and For Gamecocks Fans.

by Gamecock Man on Nov 11, 2025 9:14 AM EST up reply actions  

Not exactly right

While short 3 yard passes and screens (which is basically all UF runs this year) certainly qualifiy as pass plays, it will do nothing to exploit USC’s weak secondary.

The problems with UF’s downfield passing game this season is whenever Brantley drops back, he has 3 defenders collapsing on him before any deep routes can be run. Adding Burton doesn’t do much to surprise the defense, because he will run it himself 80% of the time and hand off the other 20%. Jordan Reed is a different element though - he can pass a little, run it, or scramble for big gains. Our 3 headed QB is much tougher to defend than the 2 headed one.

by skigator93 on Nov 11, 2025 11:55 AM EST up reply actions  

Peachy's right

UF was slightly more successful through the air than on the ground against Kentucky (36 pass plays, avg. 8.1 ypp, against 33 rushs, avg. 5.5 ypr) — a fact belied by Burton’s 5 rushing TDs, but they were all virtual goal line scampers right? The difference is somewhat negligible, as it’s easier to accumulate pass yards than rush yards. All in all, Florida did what they wanted with Kentucky. Kinda like we did for two quarters.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Champagne for my real friends and real pain for my sham friends." - Tom Waits

by Gamecock'n'Balls on Nov 11, 2025 10:00 AM EST reply actions  

The biggest problem with the passing game for UF is the almost total lack of YAC - in every game I’ve been able to watch, Brantley has been able to get the ball to the receiver an acceptable percentage of the time, but the receiver has almost always been immediately tackled. To an amateur observer (ie, me) it looks like Brantley habitually throws high - the receiver has to pause and reach for the ball, and then he gets smacked before he can get going again. In an offence like UF’s, predicated on getting fast guys in space and turning them loose, this is a major issue… and it could be one way in which having Reed throw more would be a significant improvement.

(And yeah, Burton’s scores against Kentucky were all from point-blank range - his 50-yarder against UGA was a real bolt from the blue.)

by peachy rex on Nov 11, 2025 2:43 PM EST reply actions  

Comments For This Post Are Closed


User Tools

Welcome to the SB Nation blog about South Carolina Gamecocks.

The Absolut Bloody Hour CountdownClick Here

::

Enjoy with ABSOLUT Responsibility®

FanPosts

Community blog posts and discussion.

Recent FanPosts

34968_677590062134_21311701_39025755_2244243_n_small
Dear Free-marketeers: How much of your company's corporate profits do you see?
Uscgamecocks_small
Bowl Open Thread
6061-1_1__small
SB Nation College Bowl Pick Em' December 18th Recap
6061-1_1__small
SB Nation College Bowl Pick Em'
Avatar_67471_small
What's More Important?
34968_677590062134_21311701_39025755_2244243_n_small
Thougts from ATl
Dscn2426_small
Awful Announcing
Here's to a good game ...
Small
Beat Auburn.
Spur_avatar_rivals_small
Of Clemson and culture shifts

+ New FanPost All FanPosts >

NCAA Football -- FanHouse

  • Tulsa Lives Up to Hurricane Nickname, Blows Out Hawaii 62-35 in Hawaii Bowl
  • Hawaii vs Tulsa: Sheraton Hawaii Bowl
  • Five-Step Drop: So Long, JoePa?
  • Brady Hoke's Coaching Profile on Rise as San Diego State Thumps Navy

SBNation.com Recent Stories

+1 updates

Hawaii Bowl, Hawaii Vs. Tulsa: Golden Hurricane Wrecks Warriors, 62-35

Photo +12 updates

Poinsettia Bowl, Navy Vs. San Diego State: Aztecs Emerge Victorious In Soggy San Diego, 35-14

COLUMBUS OH - NOVEMBER 13:  Quarterback Terrelle Pryor #2 of the Ohio State Buckeyes looks for running room as Stephon Morris #12 of the Penn State Nittany Lions defends at Ohio Stadium on November 13 2010 in Columbus Ohio.  (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) +6 updates

Terrelle Pryor Among Five Ohio State Football Players Suspended For First Five Games Next Season

More from SBNation.com >


Managers

Gabalogo2_small cocknfire

Uscgamecocks_small Gamecock Man

Authors

Sir_big_spur_small The Feathered Warrior

Images_small GwinnettGamecock

Forevertothee_small Skulls and Spurs