Gator Country brings you a new podcast as we continue to break down the Florida Gators game vs LSU on Saturday and we’re joined by Ross Dellenger of The Advocate.
Andrew Spivey and Nick de la Torre ask Dellenger about the state of LSU after the coaching change, plus get his keys to the game.
Andrew and Nick also give you the latest news on the injuries, plus break down what the Gators must do on offense on Saturday.
TRANSCRIPT:
Andrew: What’s up, Gator Country? Your man, Andrew Spivey, back. Nicholas de la Torre. Nicholas, it’s Wednesday. We’re going to have a positive podcast today. Been a little on the negative side. We’re going to have a positive podcast today. We’re going to be joined by our good buddy out in N’awlins, Mr. Ross Dellenger. Baseball guy like us.
Nick: Is he a baseball guy? My buddy, Chandler Rome, did baseball for them, but he definitely loves baseball. It’s hard to be around Baton Rouge and be around the LSU athletic program without liking baseball.
Andrew: He’s done baseball forever, until last year, right?
Nick: He did. He did do baseball. Chandler took over last year. Chandler’s since moved on. He’s covering McNeese State now. Ross, that’s how I first found out about the deli cam. He takes his binoculars and takes his phone, and if you position it just right, you can kind of get a picture on your phone through binoculars. I tried to do a couple weeks ago.
Andrew: You’re not talented enough for all that.
Nick: I still have to work on it.
Andrew: That’s some David Bowie stuff.
Nick: It’s a work in progress.
Andrew: There you go. He’s a baseball guy. I thought you were making me lose my mind, but he is a baseball guy. Getting to cover LSU this year. We’ll talk to him about this Ed Orgeron thing. Nick, it’s kind of a weird thing, kind of like the Will Muschamp firing in the middle of the year as well. It was something that I think the players knew was coming for LSU, and something the players knew was coming at Florida. You saw those guys come out in Florida, the Florida State game, and it looked like they were just flat wore out. That’s kind of where I’m wondering is things going to go with LSU? Are they going to come in after that emotional high of last week and be tired, or are they going to still be able to feed off that energy? I don’t even think Ross can answer that question, because I think it’s a question we won’t find out till Saturday at noon.
Nick: I think it’s a situation like Florida. This isn’t a game that you have to manually find ways to get up to. You know what I’m saying? You don’t have to get up for this game. You just get up for it.
Andrew: I think you misunderstood what I was saying. I was saying, Florida fed off that Will Muschamp firing a little bit and was talking up how they were going to play for Will. That’s why LSU did last week against Missouri. They were like, we’re going to play for Les. We’re going to be hyped for Orgeron. That’s what I was saying. LSU didn’t get new players. They just played with a different intensity last week. That’s what I’m saying. They’re going to come in this week. They’re going to say the same old thing, but did the newness wear off? That’s what I was getting into, not the being jacked for the game. You don’t have a pulse if you’re not jacked for this football game.
Nick: That’s true. To me, then you’re looking at, so you’re saying did we empty the tank last week from an emotion standpoint, and what do we have left coming for this week?
Andrew: Right. That’s what I’m saying. Is it we played for him last week, cool. You know what I’m saying? I go back to, you and I talked about this when Will was fired at Florida going into that Florida State game. We were like, Florida will go into this game and play hard, because of it being Will’s last game. We saw it at the beginning of the game. Towards the end of the game they were just flat. You could tell they were just exhausted almost, and didn’t finish. That’s what I was saying with Les. They’re going to talk that talk, and they are.
Let’s move real quick. Some Gators got some injuries. Jordan Sherit and Joey Ivie are out this week. Ivie has been out with the finger. Sherit’s out with his knee being scoped. I was told a couple weeks. I would say probably by Georgia week he’s back. Caleb Brantley has that broken finger, and he’s sick. He’ll play. Chris Thompson, back with the hamstring injury. Who knows with him? Alex Anzalone with the hand. Coach Mac said he’ll play. David Sharpe with the shoulder. He said he’ll see if he is able to go. I was told he practiced late yesterday. Didn’t practice at the beginning, but practiced late. Tyler Jordan with the eye is back, and Del Rio is going to practice this week with the knee.
Nick: I would be surprised if Luke Del Rio is not starting this Saturday.
Andrew: Me too. From everything you and I were told, had it been LSU last week, he probably plays.
Nick: Yeah.
Andrew: Let’s just be honest with you. It looked like in the Tennessee game he could have played, if there wasn’t fear that he would get hit the wrong way and it get worse.
Nick: That’s the thing. Could you have gone last week? Yeah. You never want to say one game is more important than the other, if you’re a football coach, but I’m not a football coach, and this game is more important than last week. If we put Luke in against Vanderbilt, and something happens, is he then out for LSU, Missouri, Georgia? You start to have to make those decisions of, can we beat Vanderbilt with Austin Appleby, and will that help us get Luke Del Rio back a little bit healthier?
Andrew: That’s what I’m saying. I think, had it been LSU last week, he probably plays. A little bit of injury news in Baton Rouge, and we’re going to talk to Ross here in just a second about this. They’re losing two offensive line. Toby Weathersby and Will Clapp, their starting right tackle and center, is out this week. Fournette still questionable. Didn’t practice on Monday, and also their starting defensive end, Frank Herron, did not practice and is in a walking boot. Maybe the JV team playing on the lines this week for both teams.
Nick: To me, I would be more concerned about Florida, or I am more concerned about Florida, because LSU’s already played two weeks without what’s his name, the tackle.
Andrew: Weathersby.
Nick: Has already played two weeks without Weathersby, and they’ve played a partial game without Clapp.
Andrew: Right.
Nick: It’s never good, though, to lose two offensive linemen before a game like this.
Andrew: That’s what I was going to say. I had people say, “They ran all over Missouri.” Let’s think about our opponent, Missouri. Let’s think about that. Florida’s going to miss Sherit. They’re going to miss Ivie. Sure. They’re still not dealing with Caleb Brantley, CeCe, those guys. It’s not good. Then what happens if their backup tackle or the backup center loses a helmet? Their third string guy is now playing. That’s there.
Nick: Are you advocating for Florida’s defensive linemen to rip off LSU’s offensive linemen’s helmets?
Andrew: I’m just saying.
Nick: Are you advocating for that?
Andrew: Sure. You know what I’m saying? It’s one of those things where we always talk about the what ifs. We talked about the what ifs with Del Rio, if he loses a shoe or he loses his helmet. It was going to be Appleby instead of Trask. I’m saying the what ifs. That is the what ifs of what happens.
One more thing before we move to Ross. There is the hurricane out there, and it’s coming. Looks like it’s going to be a rainmaker for Florida on Friday. Little breaking news here on the Twitter universe, it looks like the Gators and LSU are meeting to discuss this. We’re taping this, and it looks like soon they’re going to be meeting to discuss this. I don’t think it will hamper the game. It will be a little wet, but as far as game day it looks like it should be okay.
Nick: I feel like I’m sort of desensitized to hurricanes. I grew up in south Florida. Hurricanes are just, it’s just another thing for me. You just deal with it. They’re going to happen. You figure it out. To me, people are freaking out about a hurricane, and to me it’s just a hurricane. It’s not going to be here on Saturday. It’s going to be here on Friday. To me, it doesn’t really affect anything in the game, from all the models that I’m looking at. The real big issue is how it’s going to affect traveling. LSU was supposed to fly in on Friday.
Andrew: Yeah.
Nick: Not going to be able to fly into Gainesville on Friday. I can tell you that.
Andrew: For real. Maybe coming in on Thursday. Nick, let’s go talk to Ross. We’ll talk to Ross. Get his thoughts on some things, and, of course, we’ll break down what he says, and probably laugh at a couple things he says as well. Nick, let’s go to Mr. Ross Dellenger.
Nick: Now we’re joined by Ross Dellenger from The Advocate. Nobody covers LSU like Ross does. Welcome to the show. I guess we should say, good luck getting to Gainesville this week.
Ross: I know. I’m supposed to fly into Tampa Friday night, or late afternoon. Gosh, that doesn’t look good right now.
Nick: Andrew and I were talking about in the intro. I’m from south Florida, so people ask me about hurricanes, and to me it’s just you deal with it. You put your shutters up, and you stay inside, and you figure it out. Especially with the way Matthew looks, Saturday during the game it shouldn’t be bad. Maybe some residual rain, but it really is going to affect traveling. LSU is supposed to fly in on Friday. You’re not flying into Gainesville on Friday. I can tell you that. It’ll be interesting to see what the SEC, the SEC Network, and what the two schools come up with as far as a kickoff time or traveling schedules. You have to consider fans and all things like that, but it’s just never a slow day on either the LSU or Gainesville, Gator beat.
Ross: No. It’s not. I can use a slow week after last week. It’s just been nonstop.
Nick: We’ll get into that. We’ve talked to some of the Florida players, and people were joking with me on Twitter that it seems like Florida has guys who have been on campus for 10 years. We’ve had the opportunity to ask a couple of the guys what was it like when Will Muschamp was fired? That was the coach that you came to play for. What was it like after that? It seemed like LSU last week at least was playing for two coaches. They’re playing for Les Miles, because that’s the person they committed to, the one that they came to LSU for, but everyone seems to love Coach O, from the media to fans to players. So maybe you’re playing for Les, and you’re playing for Coach O. You want him to have an opportunity to maybe get that head coaching job. What was the sense around the program and around the players last week heading into the game, and then after the game?
Ross: I mean, it was a weird week. It really was. There was an attachment, obviously, that a lot of LSU players had to Les Miles, especially on offense, and especially guys like his fullbacks and his offensive linemen, guys that Les worked with mostly. So there’s that group that was pretty, I think there were some players upset. I think that a few of them didn’t think Les should have been fired, but I think other players, specifically on the defensive side of the ball, were certainly frustrated by LSU’s offense. I’m sure they really kind of enjoyed a breath of fresh air there with the change offensively.
You had so many emotions. Sunday a lot of players were kind of down, and there was so much anxiety about what to expect. Then after the game Saturday it was like everything was fine and great and wonderful after such a big win over Missouri. The range of emotions were incredible to see in players. I still think a lot of players, obviously, respect Les Miles, but I think a lot of players, especially on defense, realized that something probably had to happen. Some shift had to be made, some changes, and certainly the administration obviously felt the same way.
Andrew: Let me ask you this, Ross. Nick and I were talking about this as well. Florida played off the emotion of Will Muschamp a little bit, but then towards the end of the Florida State game it just looked like they were dead tired. They were beat. I guess, is that something that maybe is a concern? Like you just said, the emotion of last week had to take a toll on the guys. Traveling to Gainesville, they’re going to be up for it, then maybe the emotion runs out a little bit.
Ross: Orgeron was actually, he was on local radio this morning here, and he was asked about that. How you keep the energy like LSU had for that game Saturday, how you keep that up for another week going forward. It’s certainly not going to be easy. Orgeron obviously is a fiery guy. He’s high energy. He’s a guy that I think tries to match the energy of like a 19, 20 year old player, and you can see that in practice. He’s running with the guys. He’s stretching with them and all that stuff. I think certainly having a coach like that will help keep players up and keep the energy level up. There’s no doubt about that. It’s one of those things that just is. It’s just hard to do when you have such an emotional game.
It’s kind of like LSU’s games with Alabama the last few years. It’s such an emotional high, and you get so high from that game, that the next week you’re not feeling great. We’ve seen LSU the last two years, after the Alabama game, play Arkansas and just get absolutely whipped, 17-0, and I think last year 31-17 or something like that. Maybe it’s comparable a little bit, obviously didn’t get beat up like they would against Alabama, like they did last week against Missouri. That was a totally different game. Alabama’s so physical. In a way, the energy level, it’s kind of comparable. It’ll be interesting to see how they can follow that up.
Nick: It’s interesting to see if maybe you emptied the emotional bucket last week, and to come back. We were talking about Florida, how they’ve kind of shown up and gotten punched in the mouth by UMass, North Texas, and Vanderbilt, but came out strong early against Kentucky and against Tennessee. Kind of how Florida’s been playing down to opponents, playing up to opponents. I don’t think, if you’re on LSU or Florida, and you can’t get up for this game, from the opening kick, you might want to consider playing backgammon or chess. This might not be the sport for you. One of my favorite things about Florida/LSU is that historically, traditionally, it’s old school football. Tighten that chin strap, you’re going to be hearing pads up in the press box where we are. It’s just a slobber knocker kind of game. I think both teams will get up. I don’t really think LSU will have a hard time getting up for this game, even after all things considered.
Ross: You got to think, because of the rivalry between the two teams, that’s something obviously talked about this week here is the rivalry these guys have, because of that, obviously, you like to think they can get up for it, and they’d be ready. I know there’s a lot of guys on LSU’s team. I bet a dozen of them, maybe more, who chose LSU over Florida in their recruiting battle. It’s like one and two basically, and I bet that’s the same over there on Florida’s team. These guys go back and forth in recruiting, and there’s just, I don’t know if I want to say hate, but there’s no love lost there between the players. We saw that the last couple years.
Andrew: Jamal Adams is the target for LSU. Ross, I wanted to ask you this. It was a question that I had told Nick that I wanted to ask you, because it kind of seemed like there was a little bit of both. Did Orgeron maybe shrink the offensive game plan some to maybe take out some things, or did he just throw in a bunch of new wrinkles? It kind of looked like there might have been a little bit of both, but I wanted to ask you that.
Ross: He did a lot of things, but all of them to a small degree. First of all, what he changed that probably needs to be noted first is practice schedule. Les Miles is an old school coach, obviously, Bo Schembechler guy, Michigan. Run the ball, I formation, practice your players five hours a day, grind them. Hitting hard at every practice. He was just that kind of guy. Orgeron I think came in probably and saw the team the last year or two, because he joined before last season, and saw that the team probably wasn’t as fresh for games as they should be. That probably was because they were practicing a lot during the week. So he trimmed this practice schedule down. He really just cut the length down, and he’s made practices shorter. Maybe more up tempo and quicker, but shorter. That was one, and players did say they felt fresher late in that game against Missouri then they had in previous games. That’s one thing. That’s a big thing that he did, and something players enjoyed.
Offensively, he put Steve Ensminger in charge of the offense, obviously Cam Cameron was fired with Les Miles. So Steve Ensminger was in charge of the offense, and he’s been a coordinator a lot of places. They brought in a lot of plays, similar plays that they ran under Cam, but I think they simplified the plays a little bit, and they simplified the play call, getting the play in. They were able to get it in a little earlier, and just everything was kind of simple from a communication standpoint. I don’t know if Cam and Les, I don’t know how difficult things were, but it does appear when you talk to players and talk to Orgeron that things were a little more complicated with the play calls and the plays, and complicated on the quarterback, a little more maybe intricate on the quarterback. Cam’s system is NFL style system, so you’ve got to have a college quarterback out there trying to learn that. They just simplified things. Then they did add in some wrinkles, specifically with formations, to spread out the defense and get defenders out of the box so they could run the ball. Boy, it did work.
Andrew: That’s kind of what I was thinking as well. Last thing before we kind of get you out of here. I guess, what are the key matchups in this game that you’re looking for? If Florida wins, what will it be because, and vice versa, if LSU wins, it’ll be because?
Ross: Right. A key for me, obviously, always is the offensive and defensive lines, especially in a game where you have so many great skill players, and I think the skill positions probably are matched up pretty even across the board. You kind of look at the lines, and specifically LSU’s offensive line, which is really banged up, against Florida’s defensive line, which I know is really banged up as well. It’ll be really interesting to see that matchup. Can LSU move maybe some backups or reserve guys or banged up guys on Florida’s defensive line to create some holes like they did against Missouri and run the ball? If LSU can have success in doing that and run the ball, they’ll win the game, I think. If they struggle in that category, I can’t see them winning the game on the arm of Danny Etling.
Andrew: That was my next thing. You look at the injury front for LSU. Do you expect Frank Herron and Fournette to play?
Ross: Frank Herron we’re not sure about. We didn’t even really know he was hurt until interviews. He walked into the football facility in a boot, and we had just had Ed Orgeron’s press conference just before that. We didn’t ask Orgeron about it. We didn’t get to ask him about it. I don’t know about Frank Herron’s status. He didn’t practice yesterday. We’ll be at practice at 5:00 today and see if he’s out there. That might tell us a lot. I’m unsure about him. He plays probably a third of the snaps. He’s listed as a backup, but he’s kind of a rotating defensive end. I would say he plays about a third of LSU’s snaps. Him and Davon Godchaux kind of rotate there at end.
As far as Leonard Fournette, it’s a guessing game. It almost seems like it’s 50/50 or so right now. I’m just kind of guessing there. He didn’t practice yesterday. Orgeron told ESPN on Sunday that he would expect Leonard to play, but then Orgeron kind of backtracked on that Monday and said that he’s day by day, or day to day. So I guess that’s where it is. It’s kind of up in the air with him.
Nick: Florida’s defensive line, if you look at the guy’s they’re missing, they’re more ends, pass rushers, but I think we can’t forget to mention Caleb Brantley, who left the game last week with a cast on his hand covering his ring and pinkie finger. That’s going to affect everything inside out, and as you know, that’s where it all starts. Caleb Brantley, and then Joey Ivie, who will miss the game, these are guys that have at times this year commanded double teams, which has opened up stuff for Alex Anzalone and Jarrad Davis.
I really feel like Florida can struggle. They’re deep at end, but those guys at end aren’t going to be the one stopping Guice or stopping Fournette if he plays. To me, it’s LSU is going to run the ball, not going to make any mistake about that, and I’m really concerned about Florida’s depth on the defensive line being able to stop that. They haven’t stopped anyone on the ground the past two weeks, and that’s a bad Vanderbilt team that rushed for 144 against them.
Ross: I didn’t realize Vanderbilt had ran for that much. LSU is kind of on a roll here, putting up 418 rushing yards against what a lot of people say is at least a decent Missouri defense. So that was a statement, and it was kind of a breakout there for Guice too. He is a crazy athlete. At a lot of SEC schools I think he’d probably be the starting running back. He has got some serious moves and vision as well. He enters this game with a lot of confidence. That’s probably a scary thing for Florida, because he’s a dangerous guy.
Nick: Right. Let’s get into prediction time. Hopefully your prediction isn’t that we’ll play this game in Baton Rouge like South Carolina and LSU did in 2015. Prediction time. Where do you see this game going? Does LSU come in and give Coach O his second win?
Ross: I haven’t decided. I really haven’t. It’s so hard to predict this one. It would be much easier, I think, if the game were in Baton Rouge. I would lean toward picking LSU, but on the road with this team, just so many unknowns. I certainly don’t expect a blowout either way. You expect a tight ballgame that comes down to the very end. That’s what I’m expecting.
Andrew: Definitely. Ross, we appreciate it. Tell everyone real quick where they can find you on the web and follow your coverage this week.
Ross: You can find me on Twitter, @RossDellenger, and go to TheAdvocate.com.
Andrew: Awesome. We appreciate it. We will see you on Saturday, even if you have to walk to Gainesville.
Ross: That’s right.
Andrew: Ross, we appreciate it so much. We’ll see you on Saturday.
Ross: See ya’ll.
Nick: Thank you.
Andrew: Nick, that was pretty good with Ross. Bringing that there. I will say this. I think that you’re a little bit, you’re not taking in how much of an emotional team this is for LSU. They should get up for this game. I still think that there could be a letdown just of energy. Not that this team won’t be ready to go, but you’re talking about a team that has played their guts out last week against Missouri. Went through a coaching change, this, that, and the other. I don’t think it will be a big factor, but I think it will be a factor.
Nick: It could be. I’m not dismissing it totally. I just think that this is the game that you get up for. LSU probably has, they have Alabama circled, and they probably have Arkansas circled, just because Arkansas’s handed it to them two years in a row, but then they have Florida circled.
Andrew: I don’t think it’s that. Coming out is not going to be an issue. It’s going to be about finishing. Do they have enough at the end to go? That’s where I’m at. I always worry about that when a team comes out and just plays so hard, comes out so emotionally invested in a team. That’s what I worry about with that.
Let’s talk. We talked to him, and his key was LSU running the ball. I kind of disagree with him a little bit, because I feel like we all know LSU is going to run the ball in the game. I feel like it’s a situation where it’s almost like last year. Does Etling do the things that Brandon Harris did? That’s take advantage of Florida playing man. I think that, in my opinion, will be kind of where this game is. Does Etling take advantage of it or not?
Nick: It might be can he or not.
Andrew: That’s true.
Nick: More so of is he allowed to.
Andrew: You know what I’m saying? I don’t think it’s going to be decided on if they can run the ball. They’re going to run the ball.
Nick: Make no mistake about it. LSU is going to run the ball. I don’t care if Lane Kiffin’s their head coach. LSU is going to run the football.
Andrew: They’re going to run the ball.
Nick: Florida could be 100,000% healthy, and LSU is going to run the football.
Andrew: Right. That’s what I’m saying. I don’t think it’s that. I think it’s a question of can they throw the ball? I mean, it’s a thing where they are going to go man, just like they did against Tennessee. Dobbs made them pay for it. Can Etling make them pay for it? We’ll see.
Nick: It was kind of like last year. Brandon Harris, you say, if LSU’s going to beat us, it’s going to be because of Brandon Harris. Brandon Harris hit you for a couple big ones. Does Etling have that? He’s taking over for Harris, so I don’t know. Florida’s defense is aggressive, and they are because they can be. Some teams have been able to take advantage of that.
Andrew: Here’s my thing too, with Brandon Harris last year. I think you can make the argument that he did that in the first half, and he didn’t in the second half, and that’s why Florida came back and were tied at one point.
Nick: Right. Some of those plays were just, Vernon Hargreaves getting beat a little bit, which was not something, you never go into a game and say, I think Vernon Hargreaves is suspect in this one.
Andrew: Right. What was it? A double pass to…
Nick: Double moves, those are the things. LSU has so much talent at wide receiver. They really do. I know they don’t feature that, but they really have a ton of talent. I think you’d agree with me. Those guys they have, those are talented guys.
Andrew: Malachi Dupre’s there best receiver.
Nick: Yeah. It’s just not the way that their offense is set up, to feature those guys. They’re not going to throw for 400 yards a game.
Andrew: I will say this. I feel like, I know Guice did well last week, but if you’re LSU, you have to want the superstar in Fournette playing. You have to feel much better if Fournette’s playing in the game. I mean, that’s kind of an understatement, but if you’re LSU you can’t say, “Guice did well last week, so we don’t really need Fournette.” You want Fournette playing in this football game.
Nick: You want Fournette playing in the spring game. You want him playing in the two hand touch game in the parking lot of the dorms. If you are playing something that resembles football, you want Fournette. If you’re playing that doesn’t really resemble football, but it’s athletic, if you’re doing anything athletic, you want Fournette on your team.
Andrew: If you’re playing basketball you’re probably sitting here thinking, “You can sit out, because I don’t want you hurting your ankle.”
Nick: I’ll take him. He can play on my team.
Andrew: He can play on my team all day long. I mean, if he wants to come right now and go wrestle the fraternity guys up in Gainesville, I’m sure they would be more than welcome to finish injuring Fournette.
Nick: Andrew. I think it’s an interesting point, and we’ll retouch it on Friday, about LSU and their energy and stuff like that. Interesting point. You might be selling me a little bit.
Andrew: It’s the same thing with Florida. I said I was going to be positive, and I am. I’m not going to hit on this more than this one second right here, but it’s the same question for Florida. Can they play for two halves? It’s the same question I have for Florida that I have for LSU. Does the energy of the Kentucky came out or the energy of the first half of the Tennessee game out, or does the second half energy of the Tennessee game come out? You would think, I know it’s a noon kickoff, but I think the Swamp will still be pretty good. So they should feed off of that. We’ll see. Still a lot of question marks for me. I don’t want to hit on it again, because I feel like I’m just continuing to beat on a dead horn.
Nick: Let’s move on then to quarterbacks.
Andrew: I think it’s a thing where we can talk about Appleby playing quarterback. I know you wrote the click bait story, and I’m going to call you out on it, because that’s what I do. Austin Appleby can say whatever he wants to. He’s a super nice guy, a super nice player, whatever you want to say, but he’s not a quarterback in the SEC. I think Del Rio crawls and plays quarterback this week. I think he could literally have to be having one hand propping himself up on the ground and throwing the ball, and he would play.
Nick: Yeah. I don’t see, unless somebody rolls into Del Rio during practice, and I assure you that Florida will take every step and precaution to make sure that Luke Del Rio does not get touched this week in practice.
Andrew: That person may be going home, whoever hits him.
Nick: A defensive lineman, or an offensive lineman, rolls up into Del Rio’s knee this week in practice, we’ll know, because we’ll get the Luke’s out for this week, and so-and-so has left the team. He just decided to transfer. You’ll get the, it’s a mutual break up. I don’t see it. Austin, Austin Del Rio, how about that?
Andrew: Oh, God.
Nick: Austin, how about that, Austin Appleby is handling this whole situation. He knows. Austin Appleby knows he’s going back to the bench as soon as Luke Del Rio is healthy enough to play, and he’s handling it with class. I think that’s important, because both of those guys, Florida’s had a bad history of locker rooms getting split after quarterback battles. You look back at Jacobi and, what’s his name? Jeff Driskel. There has been a history at Florida of quarterback battle, team gets split. I’m a Jacobi guy. I’m a Jeff guy. Maybe even before the season started, people were split on Treon Harris and Will Grier, before the 2015 season. That changed, but before the season it was split.
Austin Appleby and Luke Del Rio are both mature enough, and Appleby being the backup has to be more mature about it, to not let that affect the rest of the team, to not let that leave the quarterback room. No matter what you think of Austin Appleby, as a football player, as a quarterback, I think you need to appreciate the way he’s handling it and making sure that him being the backup isn’t affecting anybody else on the team.
Andrew: I see that point, but at the same time it’s like, that’s nice, but it’s football. Let’s not throw him a pity party, Nick. Let’s say like it is, and that is he’s the backup quarterback, and it is what it is. Florida cannot win this football game with Austin Appleby playing quarterback. It is what it is. He can’t. I had someone on the message board say, “Well, you can’t blame this all on him.” Then who the hell do you blame it on?
Nick: You blamed it on a couple offensive linemen.
Andrew: Yeah. I blamed it on both of them. Bad. This is tough. I wanted to talk about this, but I don’t know. I don’t know any other way to say this, except for just to come out and say it like it is. David Sharpe is questionable this week, Nick. I am wondering if it might be time to see him slide inside to take care of that shoulder a little bit more. I don’t know. I really, really to a third degree, want to see what Martez can do at guard. I just do. There’s just no other way to say it. I don’t want nobody to be hurt, because that’s retarded. I don’t wish anybody being hurt, but I really want to see what Ivey can do. I do realize with a bum shoulder you don’t want to be playing guard, because then you’ve got to go up against the big men inside. I just don’t know. I do want to see what Ivey can do at tackle.
Nick: It gets to the point where you just kind of look and say, “I’ve seen enough of this, so let’s try literally anything else.”
Andrew: Yeah. I mean, this is Martez’ natural position. He does struggle against, he struggles some in the running game, but he struggles more in the passing game against the bull rush. You’re not going to see that a ton at defensive end, because most of those guys are speed rushers who are just going to throw a move at you. I just want to see it. I want to see what Ivey can do at guard. He may suck, I mean at tackle. He may suck at tackle too. If he does, cool. I just want to see what he can do at tackle. There’s a reason Mac and those guys keep working him at tackle. He must not be too bad.
Nick: You need to see what you’re going to get. You need to have some kind of idea, because when you get into this situation you don’t want it to be the first time he’s ever played in tackle.
Andrew: Right. Exactly. I want to see it.
Nick: It’s like what I said, right? I said two weeks ago, what happens when Tyler Jordan comes back? He’s one of your best five. You’re not going to change that right side, so what happens?
Andrew: You are changing your right side, Fred got benched.
Nick: Who?
Andrew: Fred Johnson got benched.
Nick: Who’s benching Fred? He’s playing right guard.
Andrew: No. He got benched in the game against Vanderbilt.
Nick: That’s an in game adjustment. I would say that he’s starting at right guard. If Florida’s making a move, it’s taking Sharpe out, putting Ivey at left tackle, Jordan at left guard. Dillard stays at center, and then that right side stays the same.
Andrew: Yeah. I’m with you.
Nick: That’s what I’m saying. I’m saying you’re not changing the right side. You did in the game, because you’re getting beat in this game. To me, you’re not changing the right side. I asked Jim McElwain, “What is the move when he comes back?” I got a non-answer, and now you’re seeing it. Now you’re seeing what the move is. You’ve got to find the weak link and take him out, so you have your best five.
Andrew: Your weak link is David Sharpe. It is what it is. I know some people are going to throw stats. He hasn’t been beat as much as others. Yeah, he has. He really has. He has not done well this season at all. For a guy who has aspirations of leaving early to go to the NFL, he’s in the wrong sport. If he thinks he’s going early in the NFL draft this year. It is what it is. He’s your weak link right now on your offensive line. That’s over a freshman in Jawaan.
Nick: I wonder if we’re setting up Jawaan for failure. We keep doing this with these freshmen offensive linemen that play well. Then they come in with these crazy expectations, and they’re never met.
Andrew: At the end of the day, and here’s the thing too. I loved Mac coming out and saying, “I’m sick of the youth card at offensive line,” because me personally I’m sick of the youth card at the offensive line.
Nick: There is one guy that can fit into that, and he’s playing your best right now.
Andrew: Right.
Nick: The only one that you could throw a youth card in is Jawaan Taylor, and he’s your best guy. You’re not even using that. You don’t need an excuse for him.
Andrew: Exactly. I don’t know. To me, Nick, I told you this on Monday after the press conference, and I said, “It seems like a different Mac about this offensive line.” It almost seems like he’s just straight pissed off about it. It seems like he’s over it, I guess would be the best word to say, that he’s over the excuses, and that he’s, quite frankly, ready to do something about it. That may be moving Ivey to left tackle. It just, I think he’s over it. I really do. I think he’s over it. I’m glad he is.
Nick: Here is a question from me then.
Andrew: Okay.
Nick: They didn’t throw the ball to Apopka when he was playing left tackle.
Andrew: Who?
Nick: Martez Ivey. They didn’t throw the ball there. Are you concerned about him in pass protection at left tackle?
Andrew: I think that’s something we have to see, but it’s like I just said to you, and that is there is a difference between playing tackle and guard, because even as a guard in a run offense that Apopka ran, you’re not facing the big boy at defensive tackle who’s going to bull rush you, or who is going to try to be more stronger than you. Even in a Apopka run game, you got a defensive end who’s trying to go to your outside. That’s what I said.
I saw the comment, and I know where you’re coming from, because I saw the comment on Twitter. That, “He ran in a run style offense.” Sure he did. First of all, they run more of an option offense there, so they’re trying to set the edge, speed rush, there. It’s not about a bull rush. It’s about an athletic defensive end, and that’s where Martez struggles. He doesn’t struggle against speed. He struggles when that defensive tackles comes up, pops him between the chest, and just drives him back and throws him down. That’s where Martez struggles, not against the speed guy. Sorry I got hot, but I just felt like some idiotic questions need idiotic answers.
Nick: LSU has those speed guys on the edge.
Andrew: Right.
Nick: So what you’re saying is you would feel confident based on what you’ve seen from him, from Martez, that he can handle the speed more so than he can handle the 300 pound guy playing defensive tackle, nose tackle, that’s going to shove his head into Martez’ chest and push him backwards.
Andrew: Exactly. I do feel like that. Now, here’s the thing. Has he faced speed like he’s about to see this week? No.
Nick: No.
Andrew: Does he struggle this week against that? Maybe.
Nick: Wait and see.
Andrew: Is he going to struggle as much as he’s going to struggle against that bull rush? I wouldn’t doubt it, because he’s not doing well against the bull rush. Martez is one of your more athletic offensive linemen, more than he is your strong offensive lineman. I think that’s where, I even think that he and David might be the opposite guys. I think David does better when someone comes up and tries to pop him in the chest then than he does when somebody tries to go around him.
Nick: You’re saying they’ve got that whole deal mixed up.
Andrew: I mean, I can’t say that, because if they did surely they would have gotten that, but right now, in season, that’s what it looks like. Now, we’re not in practice. We don’t get to see offensive line drills. So I don’t know. The thing that I am, and I will call this out to every offensive lineman, is this. If you don’t bust your ass, and you don’t become a man when it comes to hitting the guy in front of you, take some damn pride in it. Yes, you may blow your assignment, but if you take pride in beating that guy in front of you, you should win that more often than you lose that. Right now I’m not seeing the pride factor.
Nick, I’ve told you now for three days, something is bothering me with that offensive line from a leadership standpoint. I’m ready to see the leadership stand up. I’m ready to see some intensity in that room, and the thing about it is it’s not starting with Mike Summers, because Mike Summers isn’t that kind of energetic kind of guy. It’s got to start from somewhere else. The root of the problem is the energy and the intensity in that room, and it needs to change Saturday at noon when they play LSU.
Nick: I got you hot.
Andrew: Yes, you did. You very well did, because it’s something that is just, Nick, I mean, have I not told you now for three days that that’s bothering me?
Nick: Yeah. I know how to push your buttons.
Andrew: Exactly. Nick, we’re running out of time here. Tell the people where they can find us. We’ll be back Friday with our predictions, and some more breakdown. Some good stuff.
Nick: Got some good buy or sell for you this week.
Andrew: Okay. Continue to follow along this week, because we’ll have some updates on the weather, recruiting updates, all that good stuff. Nick, tell where they can find us. We’ll get out of here, and see everyone Friday.
Nick: Amateur meteorologist, Nick de la Torre, coming at you live on GatorCountry.com. Also, follow us on Facebook, @GatorCountry. On Twitter, @GatorCountry. On Instagram, @TheGatorCountry. iTunes for the podcast. Apologize for what happened on Monday. That was an iTunes error. Kind of just had to wait. I got 30 different podcast updates, including ours, late on Monday morning, but it was up on the site. As always, two spots you can listen to this podcast, on iTunes and on GatorCountry.com. Follow me on Twitter, @NickdelaTorreGC. He’s @AndrewSpiveyGC. Looking forward to Friday’s podcast and Saturday’s game. Noon kickoff means I’ll be out on the town after the game. God bless.
Andrew: Tons of recruiting updates coming as well. Hopefully the weather gets out of here so we can have a good recruiting weekend. As always, we appreciate it. Follow along. Join us if you’re not a member of Gator Country. Chomp, chomp, and go Braves.
Nick: You stay classy, Gator Country.