Time to Figure It Out Offensively
October 26, 2009 by Jason Curts
Filed under My 2 Bits
Defense wins championships. For the Florida Gators, that statement remains to be seen, but without a doubt – it’s certainly the reason they are still undefeated. Florida fans can thank the defense for wins over Tennessee, LSU, Arkansas and Mississippi St. Without their effort, three out of the four games are probably losses.
So what happens if the defensive side of the ball decides to have a bad day and not show up like its offensive counterpart? All these ugly performances are going to turn into losses, and Florida will get knocked back down to reality.
When do we get our offense back?
By now, I would have predicted the Florida offense would be clicking on all cylinders and racking up points with relative ease. Instead, the Gators look great driving down the field until they enter the red zone. Their play calling seizes up and all Florida can do is run it straight up the middle. In SEC wins over the Vols, Tigers, Razorbacks and Bulldogs, the Gators have scored just seven offensive touchdowns.
Tim Tebow is not the same player he was pre-concussion. His decision making seems to be suffering. I cannot believe that each time he steps back to pass, receivers are so covered that Tebow is forced to run. In fact, Deonte Thompson was open on at least two plays down the field Saturday night, and Tebow didn’t see him.
We keep hearing the Gators are waiting for another receiver to step up and help Cooper and Hernandez carry the load, but how can that happen if they aren’t getting the ball thrown their way? Thompson and David Nelson both seem like viable options, if ever given the chance.
Urban Meyer attributes some of the poor play to mentally not being able to live up to the pressure of being ranked at the top of the polls every week. As defending national champions, the coaching staff needed to do a better job preparing their players for the upcoming season and all the pressure that comes along with being ranked number one.
Two things can happen with the rest of the season. The Gator offense finally starts executing and the ball gets spread around to truly exhibit what this team is capable of. Or…Florida ends up playing against a team that doesn’t make a lot of mistakes, catches are made, fourth downs are converted and the Gators are left sitting on the sideline wondering what happened to their perfect season. Either way, it won’t get any easier. Every team Florida plays will want to knock them off their pedestal atop college football. Get it fixed Gators.
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About Jason: Jason Curts is a University of Florida graduate currently living in Charlotte, NC (aka ACC Hell) with his wife Christy. Please leave your column comments for Jason or feel free to email him questions or column ideas to jlcwritingservices@carolina.rr.com. More information about Jason can be found at www.jlcwritingservices.com. |
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Gator Nation Worthy?
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Certainly the coaching staff has seen that the plays are as predictable as clockwork in the red zone. The one time we lined Rainey in the I-formation, we scored with ease…probably because the defense thought it was a trick play. whether it is a combination of desgned plays or lingering head trauma, Tebow’s decision-making has been questionable at best. He’s never been the best at checking progression, but he now locks in on receivers, and either holds the ball way too long, or takes off immediately if the “A” option is covered on a pass. I’ve never in the past accused Tebow of bad decsion-making – his TD/INT ratio and productivity attest to his skills – but on at least four occasions Saturday his play was nothing short of bone-headed, to put it mildly.
Perhaps we’re relying too heavily on Tebow…after all, 20-25 carries per game is a heck of a lot to ask of a running back, much less a starting quarterback. The trio of Demps, Rainey and Moody (when he holds on to the ball) are just plain ol’ fun to watch. I’m hoping the coaches involve them more in the game plan than just HB dives. Otherwise, I fear we’re going to run Tebow out of gas at the end of the season…just when we need him most.
But thank you for giving credit where credit is due for this season. Thank god for our starting 12 on Defense (counting Spikes’ replacement). They have absolutely manhandled teams this year, and have been the main reason for every SEC victory this year.
Gator Nation Worthy?
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The defense will show up for every game. They always do. The defense is predicated on speed. And there’s an old baseball saying, “speed never goes into a slump”. We’ll be fine. It’s not time to panic.