Time to Figure It Out Offensively

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.

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.

Next Three Games Can Be Special for Tebow

Tim Tebow has a chance to make a statistical statement over the next three games. The Gators will be facing the three worst defenses in the SEC when the match up against Arkansas, Mississippi State and Georgia. If there was ever a time where Tebow could put up some touchdowns, it’s right now.

Tebow is already just one touchdown run away from tying Herschel Walkers SEC record for career rushing touchdowns. Breaking the record will add another line to his already impressive football resume and will most certainly boost his Heisman chances.

But it’s time the wide receivers and Tebow get on the same page. No more dropped passes.  Riley Cooper and Aaron Hernandez have shown glimpses of greatness, but we still wait to see who will emerge as the go-to receiver.

Throwing the ball has always been the knock on Tebow throughout his career. He’s too slow in getting the ball off. He’s doesn’t throw an accurate ball. For Tebow, if he wants his second Heisman Tropy, he’ll have to prove his critics wrong again. Start connecting on your pass plays and the Heisman speculation can end.

Remember, it’s about the best college football player – not the best quarterback. Tim Tebow exemplifies what the Heisman Trophy represents. He will go down as one of the greatest college football players of all time. Tebow should embrace these next three games and put the speculation to rest.

Striving for that Perfect Season

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Undefeated. Perfection. 12-0. Call it what you want, but know that it has been the goal of Tim Tebow and Brandon Spikes entering this season. Meyer turned down the dial on such talk, but it’s the largest elephant in the room that no one is talking about. You’ll hear the company line, “Our goal is to make it to Atlanta and play for an SEC Championship.”

At a time where the SEC is widely considered the best conference in football, the goal of winning an SEC Championship ultimately means you’ll probably get a shot at the National Championship as well. Alabama or Florida could lose a game late, win the SEC Championship, and still make it into the Rose Bowl. You have Florida and LSU to thank for that. The SEC, having won the last three BCS Championships, has all but guaranteed a one-loss SEC team making it into the game over one-loss teams from weaker conferences.

So do you think Tebow and Spikes would be disappointed if they lost a regular season game, but still played for a National Championship? I actually think they would. Tebow and Spikes have been there before and won it all. They have accomplished most everything a college player could ask for…except that perfect season.

You know Tebow is a man of his word. How could he not be after the way the team performed following the infamous “Promise” speech? I can’t bet against Tebow until he’s been proven wrong and you shouldn’t either. But if Tebow doesn’t end up playing much Saturday against LSU, he’ll have to rely on Spikes and the rest of his team to keep that goal alive. Something tells me Spikes is just as driven. Should make for an interesting night in Baton Rouge.