Florida's motivation to win

#1
Shocker0

Shocker0

Yes
Joined
Sep 27, 2008
Messages
2,517
Likes
2,457
#1
So after reading several articles and Twitter pages of UF players, it's clear to me that their motivation coming into this weekend is to show the "media" that they are the true #1 team in the East.

McElwain has surely convinced them that the media is disrespecting them after they won the SEC East last year and the media picked them to finish third this year I believe.

Just something I noticed when checking things out. I think it's a good way for them to try to be as motivated as we are going into it since they've won 11 straight against us. I hope we finally shut them up, though. And hopefully they will be trying so hard to "dominate" us, that they end up making mistakes in the process.
 
#2
#2
Shocker0 said:
So after reading several articles and Twitter pages of UF players, it's clear to me that their motivation coming into this weekend is to show the "media" that they are the true #1 team in the East.

McElwain has surely convinced them that the media is disrespecting them after they won the SEC East last year and the media picked them to finish third this year I believe.

Just something I noticed when checking things out. I think it's a good way for them to try to be as motivated as we are going into it since they've won 11 straight against us. I hope we finally shut them up, though. And hopefully they will be trying so hard to "dominate" us, that they end up making mistakes in the process.
Click to expand...

Keep in mind, they are the defending SEC east champs, but spent the entire Summer getting totally overlooked by most in favor of UT, then Georgia. The offense figured to be significantly improved, the defense as good as always, yet nobody really gave them much of a chance to do anything. I think the players are looking to earn some respect.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 4 people
#3
#3
Shocker0 said:
So after reading several articles and Twitter pages of UF players, it's clear to me that their motivation coming into this weekend is to show the "media" that they are the true #1 team in the East.

McElwain has surely convinced them that the media is disrespecting them after they won the SEC East last year and the media picked them to finish third this year I believe.

Just something I noticed when checking things out. I think it's a good way for them to try to be as motivated as we are going into it since they've won 11 straight against us. I hope we finally shut them up, though. And hopefully they will be trying so hard to "dominate" us, that they end up making mistakes in the process.
Click to expand...

That's what I was reading as well.
They can talk all they want but at the end of the day it gets settled on the field and I hope we show up and play like we are capable of playing.
 
#4
#4
RowdyRetile said:
Keep in mind, they are the defending SEC east champs, but spent the entire Summer getting totally overlooked by most in favor of UT, then Georgia. The offense figured to be significantly improved, the defense as good as always, yet nobody really gave them much of a chance to do anything. I think the players are looking to earn some respect.
Click to expand...

Well win or lose I hope we make them earn every inch.
 
#5
#5
For example, Luke Del Rio has a tweet pinned to his page from July showing a pic of a TV screen that shows Tennessee with the highest chance to win the SEC East this year, with Georgia second. It's obvious they are using that disrespect as their motivation for this season and I feel they believe this game is definitely the biggest of the season for them to prove the media wrong. Therefore, they will probably be just as motivated as we are. It will come down to which team makes the least mistakes in the hostile environment. Glad we got them at home.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 people
#7
#7
Well, that Michigan beat down in the bowl game probably has something to with the "media" putting them at 3rd...
 
  • Like
Reactions: 11 people
#8
#8
Shocker0 said:
For example, Luke Del Rio has a tweet pinned to his page from July showing a pic of a TV screen that shows Tennessee with the highest chance to win the SEC East this year, with Georgia second. It's obvious they are using that disrespect as their motivation for this season and I feel they believe this game is definitely the biggest of the season for them to prove the media wrong. Therefore, they will probably be just as motivated as we are. It will come down to which team makes the least mistakes in the hostile environment. Glad we got them at home.
Click to expand...

Exactly. And Mac really taps in to this sentiment. He's made numerous remarks this week and previously regarding UF's inability to tackle Dobbs last year. Even yesterday he said, paraphrasing, we didn't tackle that guy not one single time. He speaks of how confident UT should be based on last year's game, and continuously challenges this defense to tackle better, which is scary because this defense has been off-the-charts good at tackling so far this year.

This game is going to be so fun to watch.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
#10
#10
I didn't take it as a shot at Florida so much as just respect for what UT had returning this season.
 
#11
#11
They started out a 10 point dog to a team they've beaten 11 years in a row that didn't beat Appy State or Ohio by that margin.

Needless to say that beyond all the preseason stuff, they feel a tad disrespected
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 people
#12
#12
FEARinSEC said:
Well, that Michigan beat down in the bowl game probably has something to with the "media" putting them at 3rd...
Click to expand...

True, but whatever the reason, it's added up to Florida feeling overlooked and disrespected in favor of two teams they beat last year, in Georgia's case, beat them handily.

How many times have you seen a team that has won 11 straight in a series come in to a game as the team with something to prove? Even the opening line, what was it, Vols -9.5?

I credit McElwain for somehow turning Florida in to the team with something to prove in this game.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
#13
#13
Lane Train 4 said:
I didn't take it as a shot at Florida so much as just respect for what UT had returning this season.
Click to expand...

UT returned the same guys who lost 28-27 to Florida last year, right? A UT team that lost to a Florida team that was 3 games in to having an entirely new coaching staff, with entirely new systems, and a QB making his third career start. Florida lost VH3 on defense and John Bullard, but anyone who wanted to actually look, could clearly see that UF would replace them with great players.

So with both teams returning pretty much the same players, and UF with decidedly more continuity in year 2 under Mac, why was UT so overwhelmingly the favorite in the SECe?
 
#14
#14
99gator said:
They started out a 10 point dog to a team they've beaten 11 years in a row that didn't beat Appy State or Ohio by that margin.

Needless to say that beyond all the preseason stuff, they feel a tad disrespected
Click to expand...

I don't blame them, I'd feel the same way.

That said, fuggum, bunch of crybabies.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 people
#15
#15
99gator said:
They started out a 10 point dog to a team they've beaten 11 years in a row that didn't beat Appy State or Ohio by that margin.

Needless to say that beyond all the preseason stuff, they feel a tad disrespected
Click to expand...

If the roles were reversed, this place would be going nuts about disrespect. Heck we do anyway.
 
#16
#16
FEARinSEC said:
Well, that Michigan beat down in the bowl game probably has something to with the "media" putting them at 3rd...
Click to expand...

Yea but beyond the Michigan game, their last 4 games in 2015 included a single win in overtime against Florida Atlantic and then three losses in a row to FSU, bama and Michigan in games that were not even close...in those games the D eventually just gave up because they had no offense...

I think a key for us this week how well our D can get them off the field in 3 plays each time they have the ball...those defensive players will lose heart if their brothers on O can't move the ball...especially in the second half if we can get a two score lead (9 points)...
 
#17
#17
At the end of the day it doesn't matter who got disrespected, who hasn't won in over a decade and heard about 12 months for ever year. It boils down to football. Can you play it better than the other guy. The "racket" blows over when the game starts.
 
#18
#18
RowdyRetile said:
UT returned the same guys who lost 28-27 to Florida last year, right? A UT team that lost to a Florida team that was 3 games in to having an entirely new coaching staff, with entirely new systems, and a QB making his third career start. Florida lost VH3 on defense and John Bullard, but anyone who wanted to actually look, could clearly see that UF would replace them with great players.

So with both teams returning pretty much the same players, and UF with decidedly more continuity in year 2 under Mac, why was UT so overwhelmingly the favorite in the SECe?
Click to expand...

You will find out on Saturday
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
#19
#19
RowdyRetile said:
UT returned the same guys who lost 28-27 to Florida last year, right? A UT team that lost to a Florida team that was 3 games in to having an entirely new coaching staff, with entirely new systems, and a QB making his third career start. Florida lost VH3 on defense and John Bullard, but anyone who wanted to actually look, could clearly see that UF would replace them with great players.

So with both teams returning pretty much the same players, and UF with decidedly more continuity in year 2 under Mac, why was UT so overwhelmingly the favorite in the SECe?
Click to expand...

I think you make some good points here. The difference is that once your QB got busted for drugs, you really struggled down the stretch. Meanwhile, UT finished on a 6-game winning streak and a big bowl win.

Florida finished 1-3 last season, with the lone win coming against Florida Atlantic in overtime. Lost to Michigan by 5 TDs. Scored 2 points vs. FSU.

Not sure that UT was chosen because they'd be a juggernaut, but because UF really struggled late in the season. Offensively and defensively. Granted, the back of your schedule was brutal and ours was against much lower competition.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 people
#20
#20
RowdyRetile said:
UT returned the same guys who lost 28-27 to Florida last year, right? A UT team that lost to a Florida team that was 3 games in to having an entirely new coaching staff, with entirely new systems, and a QB making his third career start. Florida lost VH3 on defense and John Bullard, but anyone who wanted to actually look, could clearly see that UF would replace them with great players.

So with both teams returning pretty much the same players, and UF with decidedly more continuity in year 2 under Mac, why was UT so overwhelmingly the favorite in the SECe?
Click to expand...

The Gators had 7 players drafted off last year's team and 3 more who signed as free agents - six defensive players and four offensive plays...plus of course, Grier is gone...so really you guys lost about a third of your starters...we had zero players drafted and four sign as free agents. We lost out two safeties, an OL and a WR...so we return a team that rushed for over 200 yards in the swamp and generated over 400 yards offense...
 
Last edited:
#22
#22
Another motivating factor for Florida is that should they beat us, they will move up in the polls. Accompany that with a UGA loss to Ole Piss and Michigan State beating Wisconsin and suddenly Florida is in the top # 10.
 
#23
#23
The truth of the matter is that Florida plays for Titles. Whether it's division titles, conference title or national titles.

Vols play to be bowl eligible then a game better than year before then a decent bowl then hopefully a bowl win

The priorities of the programs are polar opposite
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 people
#24
#24
IF UT's players cannot gain FAR more motivation from the disrespect they've suffered through the years and from the Gators this year.... then they have no heart.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 people
#25
#25
There's pressure in keeping a streak alive. Remember Kentucky and the energy we devoted to winning again and again every year. These gators are very, very unlikely to win the SEC, so with a bit of irony, this game (disregarding the streak) is more important to them than us. They have, last year being an exception, been unusually pretty rotten the last few years. This game gives them a meaning, to otherwise championshipless mediocre football. That's why it's so important, it's probably the only big game they actually have a chance in. That's why so much smack talk, they know they are going to get smacked around going forward. Hopefully this process begins Saturday.
 
Last edited:
New posts
You must log in or register to reply here.
Advertisement



Back
Top