1. The Florida Gators defense was exposed without Alex Anzalone
If you were watching the game at home, you might have thought that Quincy Wilson was just a student who won some kind of lottery to win a chance to play for the Florida Gators. The announcers continued to point out that Vernon Hargreaves wasn’t playing in the game, yet, as the game wore on, East Carolina gave up trying to pass outside of the hash marks. Wilson, Jalen Tabor and Brian Poole did a fine job limiting the ECU passing game but the Pirates were able to take advantage of the middle of the field.
Alex Anzalone is Florida’s most athletic and best cover linebacker. Once he left the game in the second quarter with a shoulder injury ECU started attacking the middle of the field with slants and passes to tight ends.
Anzalone had shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum in March of 2013 (his freshman season) and without him the Gators will need Antonio Morrison and Jarrad Davis to step up in a big way. Davis did his part on Saturday, leading the team with 10 tackles (7 solo) but more will be put on his plate is Anzalone misses time.
2. Will Grier missed an opportunity to take the starting quarterback job.
Grier earned his first start this week against the team his father played college football for, very cool story.
Grier started the game off well completing 4-of-5 pass attempts for 98 yards and a touchdown — a phantom offensive pass interference call negated another passing score. Grier played the first series of the second quarter, completing two more passes before Treon Harris came into the game.
Florida’s offense completely stalled when Harris entered the game in the second quarter. Harris completed all of his pass attempts in the second quarter but indecisiveness on his part in the red zone led to Florida attempting — and missing — two field goals.
Grier was given a chance to start the second half. Florida received the ball to start the third quarter and Grier was able to pick up a first down on a 19-yard scramble, but couldn’t get things going as the drive stalled after just six plays.
Florida’s next drive lasted one play. Grier threw a fastball to Alvin Bailey on a crossing route. The ball bounced off of Bailey’s hands into the waiting arms of Bobby Fulp. ECU scored a touchdown one play later.
Grier and the offense bounced back due almost exclusively to Demarcus Robinson making something out of nothing on quick screen passes. Robinson caught four passes for 44 yards and a touchdown on the drive.
Grier’s two incompletions on Florida’s next drive led to a quick three-and-out and following a Jalen Tabor pick six, Harris was inserted back into the game.
Grier started the game with the hot hand, but never was able to regain that momentum after halftime. He had a chance to take the starting job by the horns and end the quarterback battle but he didn’t.
Florida’s quarterback carousel continues spinning.
3. Jordan Cronkrite might be the best running back on the team
All offseason the talk was about Kelvin Taylor stepping up into the feature back role and freshman running back Jordan Scarlett (yes, I am guilty of this) but Jordan Cronkrite may be the best running back on the roster right now.
Cronkrite was billed as the shifty scat back to the more physical running of Taylor and Scarlett but Cronkrite has run like a bat out of hell and has been delivering punishment more than he has received it.
On the season Cronkrite has rushed the ball 14 times for 71 yards (5.07 per carry) and a touchdown. On Saturday against ECU he carried the ball nine times for 47 yards.
Cronkrite has a no-nonsense running style. There is no dancing, no indecision, nothing cute. He points his pads forward, plants his foot and accelerates through the hole even when the Florida offensive line is getting pushed back into him.
4. Kicking and penalties continue to be issues
Austin Hardin missed two field goals, which really cost Florida in the football game. Hardin’s accuracy issues have been well documented and missing kicks early is no going to help his confidence moving forward. The Gators don’t have another scholarship kicker on the roster but Jim McElwain’s “we lost special teams” comment after the ECU game doesn’t bode well for Hardin.
12 penalties for 105 yards.
The Gators collected enough penalty flags to create an alternate yellow uniform, if the team chooses to go that route. McElwain was beside himself after the game thinking and talking about the penalties and I’d expect the team to hear about it all week.
5. DeAndre Goolsby is going to make a living running wheel routes
I don’t know what it is but I’m pretty sure there isn’t a single college team in the country that defends the wheel route effectively or consistently. Brandon Powell had a nice leaping catch on the route and DeAndre Goolsby caught passes from both quarterbacks running the wheel route.
It ain’t rocket science. You have a player in Goolsby who is a mismatch for linebackers and the wheel route is simple and effective.
Expect the Gators to continue to abuse the route with Goolsby, who has found a niche in the offense, one that will get him a lot of yards and touchdowns down the line.
I think Taylor is playing with the wisdom that it is a long season, and while he is unquestionably running hard, I believe that he feels there are scores to settle with some SEC teams and an ACC team later in the year.
A couple of things…
Jordan Cronkite is our best running back. I think KT is a good back and is a great change of pace, but he is no every down back. After his celebration ignorance I would take the opp to start Cronkite. Scarlett is a hard runner, but has yet to make anything happen. He runs well behind his pads, but shows no sign as of yet of any explosion.
How do we not have another kicker? Austin Hardin has always struggled, since he missed the extra point in the UA game to going 4-12, till now. At this point you have to know what you have with him and only blame ourselves. I don’t mean to be personal, but if I watch him comb his hair again, I may ship him a conair hair kit myself. As it is, we’ve just lost our confidence in our kicking game, which is HUGE! Again, though, why do we not have another scholarship kicker?
And just as an extra point… You are correct, Will Grier had an opportunity and completely blew it! I personally (which obviously means nothing), think Grier gives us a better chance to win, which means we might have to live with a bad series here and there as he matures. My point is that when he’s good, he’s really good. Harris is an absolute baller, but he’s mostly relying on athleticism and pure grit to play the position. I’m fine with rolling Harris in for a series here and there to change the dynamic, but we should move forward with Grier.
10-4
With the movement on the depth chart expect to see both Jordan’s get some extra work early before Taylor mixes back into the regular rotation against Kentucky.