Let me guess: All of you are wondering what’s wrong with the offense and when it’s going to be fixed.
Everybody’s got an opinion and I’m sure the coaches’ email boxes are full of suggestions from well-meaning fans, so I’m not going add to it or to dwell on it too much. But there are a few points to be made.
Like everybody else I’m curious as to why the moving parts aren’t meshing, despite some good performances. But as a coach myself, I tend to want to not just fix what’s broken, but also to highlight some of the good things.
Carl Moore, for instance, has done everything asked of him and has become the go-to receiver, as he showed last week by hauling in that 51-yarder.
I loved the sprint/option pass that Johnny Brantley threw to Frankie Hammond Jr. against LSU for the two-point conversion to put Florida ahead, 29-26. He had some mustard on that ball and it made me wonder why that play wouldn’t work in the red zone when the Gators need a touchdown. Of course, Johnny wouldn’t be in the game under those circumstances because of the Wildcat formation.
After all, it was an impressive drive to take the lead late in the game—the Gators ran it seven straight times, with Mike Gillislee scoring—and I thought it would turn out a one of the most exciting finishes ever in The Swamp. Instead, a fake field goal did the Gators in and the fade route was nicely done by Terrence Toliver and Jarrett Lee for the winning touchdown. Otherwise we’d be talking about the comeback by Florida instead of offensive woes.
I have no doubt this offense can, and, will, get better. However, we are not accustomed to seeing this kinds of numbers associated with Florida football nationally:
87th in passing yards
76th in rushing
47th in scoring
96th in total offense
How can that be changed?
Having Andre Debose step up against LSU was huge and, as Coach Meyer said, the 88-yard punt return he made to get the Gators back in the game was “electric.” How to get more big passing game plays out of him and others as well as special teams is crucial to the future success, quite obviously.
With Debose beginning to find his rhythm, plus the return of a familiar face this week, things might begin to turn around. Jeff Demps, who expected to play, is sorely needed in this offense.
And though he can’t play this week, Chris Rainey will be a welcomed addition, and just in the nick of time.
We missed Rainey because of his versatility – and because his speed keeps the defenses honest. Remember, he’s not only the starter in the slot, but the star punt returner. There are a number of ways to get the ball in his hands and change the game. And right now they could also use his help at tailback, where injuries have taken a toll.
The coaches have to create ways to get the ball to those guys some space. Rainey is not a true receiver yet and Debose is still young and doesn’t know how to run his routes right every time. So they’ve got to be creative by doing some motion – lining up in a tight formation, bringing everybody in, and trying to outflank them with the quick outs. Something to create mismatches.
I promise you this: There is no linebacker in the SEC who wants to be one-on-one with Andre Debose or Chris Rainey.
Or, as the Gators did against Kentucky, spread out wide and run Trey Burton. That seems to have worked well. Overall, though, the running game has been lacking and opponents are blitzing Johnny on every passing down.
I’ll say this, they are moving the ball. There’s nothing spectacularly wrong. I guess you just have to outscore the other person.
One key point, however: No matter what offense you have in your mind, if you don’t have the personnel to run it, you can’t run it.
You look at a team like the Patriots. They have a great system. They can go out and find a 12-year guy who everybody thinks is over the hill and plug him in there – get the team back on track.
Coach Meyer doesn’t have that option. He has to recruit them, develop them and get them SEC-ready. He’s playing a lot of young people this year and paying a price for it. They may catch up here pretty quick, but the transition period is the tough part.
However, if they’re going to play young people and allow them to make mistakes, at least let them have fun. Right now I wonder of some of them are going out there and over thinking things.
Meanwhile, you have to run the offense that fits your personnel. And that’s what Coach Meyer is trying to do.
Plans to run the “I” formation were scrapped because of an inexperienced tight end and lack of depth at fullback. Meanwhile, the defenses are picking up on keys. When Coach (Steve) Addazio brings in a lineman in the backfield to block on short yardage, the defense sells out on the run.
Florida hasn’t been all that successful moving the ball on first and second down, therefore it puts Brantley in a difficult spot with so many third- and fourth-and-longs. And I’m surprised as the success rate he’s had picking up so many of them because the defense is stacked against him.
Let me say a word about Johnny. First, this full disclosure: Everybody knows I work with Johnny’s dad and have been a friend of the family’s for a long time, so I root for him. But my comment has nothing to do with that.
I dare say he is leaving it all out there on the field and his performances have been pretty good, despite painful injuries. I love how he has stayed behind the team and not allowed anybody to create divisions from the inside or outside. This young man is a marvelous talent and has a bright future, but he needs encouragement, too.
He waited a lot time for this moment and now that it’s here, he plans to make the most of it. Remember, though, he sat the bench in a lot of games when maybe he could have been learning better by taking some snaps on the field when games were already out of reach. But he kept his mouth shut and never complained about his “Chris Leak role” – meaning that he leaves the field once the team gets close to the goal.
Despite injured ribs and the heavy pressure from the defense, he has he has averaged nearly 200 yards a game passing this season, with very few deep balls – the one to Moore was the longest. If Gator fans will just be patient and wait until some of these younger receivers begin catch on, they will be repaid by seeing one of the best passers in the game.
I can’t wait until we can see the day when Johnny can drop back and fling it with some assurances that the protection will hold up and the guy on the other end is going to be where he’s suppose to be, then make the catch.
(Reidel Anthony, voted among the 50 greatest Gators players of all time, was a consensus All-American in 1996 when Florida won the national championship. He was the 16th pick in the NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Bucs and now coaches receivers at Trinity Catholic in Ocala.)