Pease out, Davis gone

In an impromptu question and answer session with the media before the Florida State game, athletic director Jeremy pointed a finger towards Florida’s offense and said, “We’ve got to fix that side of the ball.” Head coach Will Muschamp wasted no time getting started on the repair job Sunday morning when he fired offensive coordinator Brent Pease, a move confirmed by multiple sources.

Sources have told Gator Country to expect a replacement for Pease to be picked sooner than later with a decision to come down in the next two weeks.

We have also been told from multiple sources that Tim Davis will not return as offensive line coach next season. The Gators finished ranked No. 12 in the SEC after allowing 27 sacks and Florida is looking to overhaul the offense in 2014.

Offensive ineptitude contributed heavily to a 4-8 season, Florida’s first losing mark since 1979’s 0-10-1 record, speculating that head coach Will Muschamp’s job was on the line. In speaking to the media Saturday, Foley confirmed that Muschamp will return but took note that the offense has to change for the better.

“I’m not being disrespectful to anybody, but you look at some of the games we’ve lost, we haven’t scored many points,” Foley said. “This year or last year or what have you, that has to get fixed. And that’s going to be Will’s responsibility as the head football coach. I’ll help him, support him, advise him, whatever have you. I will tell you if you ask him today, it’s his biggest concern. We’ve got to fix that side of the ball.”

“Fixing that side of the ball” apparently began with getting rid of the offensive coordinator.

Muschamp was under increased criticism after the Gators lost a shocking 26-20 decision to D1AA Georgia Southern, a game in which Florida managed fewer than 300 offensive yards. Muschamp sounded frustrated with the offense post game Georgia Southern and also at last week’s Monday media event.

“It becomes infectious,” Muschamp said of the offense. “It’s hard. When you give up 17 points you hope you score 17. That’s hard right now. And you can look at where we’ve rolled since about the middle of the season to this point, that’s what’s happened to us.”

The change on the offensive staff comes after the Gators finished with a 4-8 record and an offense ranked on the wrong side of the top 100 in the country for the third consecutive season — second under Pease.

Pease’s tenure at Florida brought more comparisons to the 0-10-1 season of 1979 and the almost equally futile year of 1988. The University of Florida’s offense has become a punch line and it was time for a change.

 

Update: The University of Florida confirmed that both Tim Davis and Brent Pease were let go.

I have a lot of respect for Coach Pease and Coach Davis,” Muschamp said in the release. “They are both good football coaches and even better people. There have been a lot of unfortunate circumstances this year, but that is part of the game sometimes. I want to thank each of them for their contributions to the program both on and off the field.”

Brent Pease also released a statement through the university.

I’m grateful for the opportunity to come to the University of Florida and work with a bunch of great coaches, administrative staff and players. I know we came up short of our ultimate goal, but I will carry on knowing I gained valuable friendships and relationships during my time here.”

Nick de la Torre
A South Florida native, Nick developed a passion for all things sports at a very young age. His love for baseball was solidified when he saw Al Leiter’s no-hitter for the Marlins live in May of 1996. He was able to play baseball in college but quickly realized there isn’t much of a market for short, slow outfielders that hit around the Mendoza line. Wanting to continue with sports in some capacity he studied journalism at the University of Central Florida. Nick got his first start in the business as an intern for a website covering all things related to the NFL draft before spending two seasons covering the Florida football team at Bleacher Report. That job led him to GatorCountry. When he isn’t covering Gator sports, Nick enjoys hitting way too many shots on the golf course, attempting to keep up with his favorite t.v. shows and watching the Heat, Dolphins and Marlins. Follow him on twitter @NickdelatorreGC

4 COMMENTS

  1. I just hope they fired the right guy! I get the O-line guy. Sorely needed. Pease, not so sure on him. There were times when he was brilliant. No one knows for sure if Muschamp micro-managed him for the last two years. Pease probably never worked with QB’s that can’t pass! And receivers that can’t get open and catch. (Obvious generalization here-but not far from the truth) Personally, I think Muschamp failed to recruit ‘needs’ players on offense. Wait, let me rephrase that, he hasn’t landed the ‘needs’ players on ‘O’. We need to be in the top 60 next year on offense. When over 100+ teams in the nation are better on offense…man, that’s some bad coaching or something. Bad Gatorade? Jack itch? Oh well, the damage is done I would assume a decent HS coach could do better next year, so we’re trending up…”Dear Lord, your embellency, we have fallen deep and seen the face of the debil, and sinners we are, but a little something for the effort, ya know, maybe next year?” I obviously have way too much time on my hands. Go Gators.

    • What about last year when it took a blocked punt to beat a team that should not have been on the field with us in the swamp. Not to mention Louisville destroyed us in the BCS game. Seems to me like some of this has been going on since last year and now all of the sudden its the O’s fault….be surprised to see anything better next year. Hopefully we can take out Idaho and E. Michigan before we get a real test in Kentucky ( laugh, laugh)…then Bama, LSU …2 out of the next three with a road Tenn game….we should know if we fired the right people by then…the way things are now, we could be 3-3 to start the season next year…not looking good …the injury excuse wont hold up next year….and by the way …I could care less what offense G southern runs they should never beat us in our own house …..PERIOD.

  2. If we’re 3/3 six games in next year… and Muschamp isn’t gone mid-season…I wonder what the big Boosters are saying about now? Thank God I’m not a booster right now. I’d like to in the future. But I’m a critical bastard now, if I was paying the big bucks currently, I’d be intolerable.