So many people have made so much about the offense not making enough big plays that they overlook some of the big ones elsewhere.
Defense and special teams are making the difference these days for the Florida Gators as we saw last week with two more interceptions and the Omarius Hines run on the fake punt. That makes 10 picks, best in the nation.
I loved the way the defensive staff incorporated a little more pass rush into the game and shut down one of the SEC’s best runners in Tauren Poole. Holding Tennessee two a net 29 yards rushing was an amazing job.
The call on the fake punt was brilliant, but, then, that’s Urban for you: Eight times he has done it, eight times he has made it.
Even though it was a big win in Tennessee and the defense came together to shut down the Vols’ running game, there really is no time to celebrate.
Kentucky will provide a stress test with Randall Cobb, Derrick Locke and Mike Hartline as the driving force behind the Wildcats’ high-powered offense, ranked 12th in the nation.
Cobb may be the most versatile player in the country, as he proved against Western Kentucky. How many players have caught a touchdown pass, thrown a touchdown pass and scored on a 50-yard punt return in the same game like Cobb did? By the way, he also returns kickoffs.
So Florida must identify where No. 18 is at all times.
Locke, as we have seen in past years, is not only a speedy running back (356 yards rushing) and solid receiver, but is the team’s leading scorer with five touchdowns (3 rushing, 2 passing). The Gator defense will have to stay in the proper gaps and not over pursue to keep Locke in check, at the same time careful not to let him get loose on a quick out or screen pass.
The improvement of Hartline has been one reason for Kentucky’s early success. The senior quarterback’s ball security has been excellent and he has yet to produce a turnover. However, he has thrown some shaky passes that were almost picked off, and as he peers downfield for receivers La’Rod King and Chris Matthews, I look for the Gator ballhawking secondary to pick off yet another pass or two.
What will be most interesting is how Kentucky comes out offensively and if Joker Phillips elects to be daring in his calls, because for the last two years the Wildcats have fallen behind badly in the first quarter. Phillips is in his first year as head coach, but he has retained offensive coordinator Randy Sanders and defensive coordinator Steve Brown – both held over from Rich Brooks’ staff.
Like Florida, Phillips has ramped up his strength and conditioning and made practices more physical. He put in something called “Operation Win,” which has worked well in his first three games – he’s undefeated. Let’s put it in perspective by mentioning who he has beaten, however – Louisville, Western Kentucky and Akron.
As for the Gators, I am impressed with the improvement of young players like Ronald Powell and Shariff Floyd, but even more so by the performances of Jelani Jenkins and Jon Bostic. If we replayed that Tennessee game, we’d remember just how crucial the end zone interception of Simms’ pass was by Bostic because it was a momentum killer.
One interesting aspect of the secondary will be to see if Will Hill has sharpened up is game, because clearly missing the first two games left him a little rusty last week. Like Jeremy Brown when he intercepted a pass last week against Kentucky after getting beat early, Hill needs to redeem himself this week.
One asset I expect to see for the Gators is their team speed, especially at linebacker, and they’ll need it against Locke and Cobb.
They all know this part, because Urban and his staff have drilled it into their heads: They cannot get caught peeking ahead to Alabama. Just a few minutes after the win over Tennessee, Coach Meyer emphasized: “We’ve got to find a way to beat Kentucky!”
Funny thing is that the Gators are favored by two touchdowns, but clearly not in Urban’s book.
I’m not privy to Gator game plan and people have asked me what kind of defense Teryl Austin and Chuck Heater will put together for Kentucky. My guess is that they will resort a lot to the 3-3-5, or what Charlie Strong used to call the “Joker.”
Hey, that’s pretty fitting – the Joker for Joker!