This is Big Game week, and like everybody else in the Gator Nation, I’m completely psyched about seeing what’s going to happen in Tuscaloosa, Ala. on Saturday night.
Can Florida beat Alabama?
Unless these Gators can answer that question “yes,” then it can’t happen.
Personally I think they’ve got a legitimate shot. Even though I have the utmost respect for Nick Saban, his program and his players—and appreciate the fact they are justifiably big favorites—we’ve seen enough to know that the ‘Bama defense is vulnerable. (Ryan Mallet – Arkansas vs. Alabama)
On the offense side of the ball, what must be done is that the Gators have to continue with their weekly improvement and then go out and execute what I expect will be another sound and savvy Urban Meyer game plan.
This all has to come together under less than ideal conditions, on the road with over 100,000 fans jammed in Bryant-Denny Stadium, but I’ve seen enough these last two Saturdays to make me believe Johnny Brantley and the offense are up to the task.
Johnny came into his own against Kentucky, passing for 250 yards. It may have gotten overshadowed by a teammate who scored six times, Trey Burton, but Brantley’s teammates have complete confidence in their quarterback and his continued growth keeps showing up every weekend.
The Saturday before, Johnny proved he could manage the game on the road in a hostile environment in Knoxville. This is all part of the process I talked about last week – the process the coaches have put in place for the offense to keep improving.
Now don’t get the idea that I’m predicting a Gator victory –- I’m not in the predicting business – but somebody asked me this week if I thought Urban Meyer’s team had a chance and said “yes.” Then they asked me what the offense had to do in order for that to happen.
First off it’s going to take an outstanding effort by the offensive line, which has to step up and hit the ‘Bama defense in the mouth. It all starts there and if that happens, then the Gator running game has a shot of getting off the mark.
I have no doubt the Tide will come after Johnny, so the blitzes have to be handled. To cut it down, Jeff Demps, Emmanuel Moody and Mike Gillislee have to run the ball. And Johnny has to get the quick outs to Deonte Thompson, Carl Moore and Andre Debose – plus screens to Jeff Demps.
With his size, Moore can make big catches over the middle and take the hits and he’s become a go-to guy.
I was really glad to see Debose get off to a good start vs. Kentucky because now he’s going to feel more comfortable with the ball in his hands and I think they’re bringing him along nicely.
What bodes well for Coach Meyer is that Johnny is very efficient with the ball and doesn’t make poor throws or dumb turnovers, because they would be a death knell for Florida. He finally had his streak stopped at 140 passes without an interception, which was very impressive.
Once the running game is established, then Johnny can go to the play-action pass and that opens up the passing lanes. And as we saw in the Alabama-Arkansas game, Mallett had a great of success throwing the ball at the Tide.
Alabama has been known to play man coverage with safeties on the hash marks and corners in the face of the receivers. That means they think their athletes can beat your athletes – and no doubt, they’ve got some good ones.
However, what I like about the Gator arsenal is that they have so many different types of receivers who can hurt you in different places – Thompson deep, Moore over the middle, Debose on the quick out, Demps on the swing, Omarius Hines on the shovel – and I haven’t even brought up Jordan Reed and Trey Burton. And I’m still waiting to see Stephen Alli and Quinton Dunbar make the field.
If you think back to the Dallas Cowboys when they had Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin and Emmitt Smith – they also had a variety of different receivers. Alvin Harper didn’t do anything but run go routes and posts. Irvin caught hitches and digs and shallow crossing routes. Jay Novacek caught corner routes and stuff over the middle. They complimented each other very well.
So you see, these Gators have some weapons of their own. And I can assure you Tide defensive coordinator Kirby Smart is staying up nights trying to figure out what to do about his defense in the red zone. He’s got a whole night’s film study to do just on the six touchdowns Burton scored!
Florida can match up with talent against Alabama. The team that wins the game is doing to be the one that executes, gives maximum effort and doesn’t make mistakes. I know this Gator team has grown. Now I’m anxious to see if they have grown up.
(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.)