For a third consecutive week, the Florida Gators defense let the team down with an inexcusable performance.
In the first week, it was Ole Miss’ ability to hit big, chunk plays that led to scores. A week ago South Carolina slowly and methodically marched down the field converting on third and fourth downs to extend drives and score. As an encore, the defense decided to put those two performances in a bowl and mix it together.
Texas A&M totaled 543 yards, converted 12-of-15 third downs, averaged 7.3 yards-per-play, held on to the ball for 34:37, and ran 74 plays to Florida’s 56. The Gators scored 38 points and didn’t win the football game.
“No excuse,” senior defensive lineman Jeremiah Moon said after the game. “Kyle (Trask) put the defense in the best situation, all we had to do is get off the field on third downs and just, just run to the ball. And we didn’t do that today. So I say it was on defense today. Offense gonna keep doing the thing. They carrying us right now, so we got to step up, that’s all it is.”
There are so many issues on the defensive side of the ball it’s hard to even pick one where to start. Florida didn’t generate a pass rush, the training staff might not even need to wash Kellen Mond’s jersey before their next game. Florida’s secondary was massacred, Caleb Chapman beat Marco Wilson to the tune of 9 catches for 151 yards and two touchdowns, including a 51-yard bomb. Missed tackles, missed assignments. All of it.
Dan Mullen is a loyal coach and person. He’s stuck up for Todd Grantham and his defensive staff but there needs to change.
“We’re going to reevaluate a lot of things defensively, where we’re at right now. We’re going to evaluate some things with our personnel, where we’re at,” Mullen said after the game. “Our ability to make plays, make sure we have all the right guys at the right position to put us in position to be able to make the plays we need to to get off the field. We can’t give up 13 of 15 conversions in a day and expect to win any game.”
Florida’s inability to get off the field is staggering. The Gators are allowing opponents to convert on 61% of their attempts on third and fourth downs this season.
Florida’s offense is exceptional and they have the ability to take the Gators to Atlanta but the defense is doing such a poor job of getting off the field that the Gators’ offense isn’t getting opportunities. Florida ran just 56 offensive plays on Saturday and are averaging just 61 plays a game this season. Their opponents are averaging 78 plays a game.
“Every week we have third-down periods and we have third down day,” linebacker James Houston said. “So we practice third-down situations every week, that’s something that is always on the game plan every week: what they can do on third and long or third and short or third and medium. We just didn’t execute today.”
Is it scheme? Is it personnel? Is it play calling? Is it just Todd Grantham, as has become the popular opinion.
In the past seasons, there have been valid reasons or, at the very least, excuses that didn’t make you feel dirty after a loss. Losing to Kentucky was a new coach, a new scheme, early in the season. Losing to LSU and Georgia in 2019 was washed away with, “well, the talent gap the previous staff left is closing now.” This loss doesn’t get that treatment. This isn’t an exceptional Texas A&M team. They barely beat Vanderbilt and were blown out by Alabama a week ago.
Florida will face an LSU Tiger team that is reeling off of its own loss to Missouri on Saturday. They’ll need to take a long look inward, but their head football coach needs to look in the mirror and make some big decisions about his defensive staff and how they’re coaching and teaching.
“You’ve got to get over this one quick and get ready to go again next week,” Mullen said. “We’ll get over this one. We’ll get that corrected on the flight home tonight, get a lot of things done tonight, get on to LSU and move forward to that game now.”