gators have a “very good gameplan” for Hooker…..

Oh Yeah, well we have an exceptionally good game plan to counter act their mere very good game plan
 
Idk this will be interesting.. Florida as a team is always dirty (everyone knows this).,, but Napier doesn’t roll like that.. this culture clash is going to be interesting to see
That’s true. I’m not sure how I feel about Napier there. He seems like he wants to do things right but that’s a culture down there that’s been pretty criminal.
 
Friend in Florida says they think two spy’s on Hooker will win because we don’t have a runnung game.
 
TL/DR is TL/DR?: Florida will blitz hooker a lot with a bunch of different looks, and will play well in the first half but ultimately they won't be able to keep it up for a whole game.

TL/DR?: On paper and on film, I firmly believe Tennessee is the better team and should win this game. I expect Florida to be run heavy on offense, at least to start the game, and bring lots of disguised blitz packages to confuse/overwhelm Tennessee's o-line with the hope of keeping Hooker to progress past his first read. I just don't see that working out for them all game.

But this is a rivalry in college football and anything can happen--as we all know all too well. Barring mental errors/turnovers on our part and barring Richardson playing out of his mind, Florida cannot be Tennessee. Not saying they won't, just that if they both play the way they have played thus far this season, Tennessee should win. If you don't agree with that (regardless of who you cheer for), then frankly I think you are intellectually dishonest.

Now if you'd like to actually read why I believe this before agreeing or disagreeing and enjoy rationale and civil discussion, I encourage you to read the following and let me know what you think. If not and you just want to yell--meet me outside.

--

Here's what I expect out of Florida... but what do I know?

Defensive game plan:
* 7+ yard situations on 1st and 2nd down: 6 in the box with 5 in coverage and take away short and middle passes--primarily across the middle--possibly with a spy on Hooker if they feel he's going to get creative with his legs.
* less than 7-4 yard situations on 1st and 2nd down: bring 7 in the box with with 4 in coverage using the 4th to either double up on whichever receiver is hot or to spy and/or blitz from the corner/safety position--if they are able to stop the run with 7 then I would expect them to try 6 in the box and see if they can stop the run with one less man and add a guy in coverage
* less than 4 yards on any down: i expect a similar approach to the previous category but possibly adding more into the box with man-to-man press coverage and see if you DBs can be on island (frankly I don't think UF has any corner good enough to be on an island with Hyatt, McCoy, White, Calloway (when he's back), or Tillman, so, good luck with that but you gotta do what you gotta do sometimes)

I expect lots of blitzes, particularly ones to set up Cox who is their best, and possible their only legitimate, pass rush threat. I think this means a lot of the game is going to be critical to the offense that whichever tackle is going to be responsible for blocking Cox based on whichever side of the line he lines up must play a great game. If they can play even well enough to let Hooker get through just 2 reads, then I don't see this defense being good enough to hang with Tennessee's offense for the whole game, though, I expect they will look good in the first half and play it close.

Offensive game plan:
Florida seems to be decent at running the ball and we don't seem particularly great at it based on the small sample size of snaps we have against legitimate competition--they are averaging only 80 something yards given up on the ground, but they gave up 180 something to Pitt which was frankly the only team that could have dreamed with competing with them that they have faced thus far. I know a lot has been said about the coverage not being the best, but for reasons I'll get to in a moment, I'm not as concerned about that. We cannot let Florida get their run game clicking. If we give up 150+ on the ground, I think that's going to give them a little more comfort in taking some shots in the air and gives Florida their best chance of winning.

Now let's talk about IR (INThony Richardson). Is he an amazing athlete with superb physique for the position--100%. No arguing with that. Is he a good QB? Not yet but he has a HUGE ceiling with the right development. But ceilings don't win games--it's what you do on the field. Right now, outside of the Utah game, Richardson has just plain not looked like that good of a passer. And even then he still didn't throw a touchdown against Utah and a lot of his best playmaking was with his legs (10+ yds a carry and 3 TDs). Now I'm not going to harp on the 0 TD/4 INT stat it's good for jokes and a laugh, but it doesn't necessarily translate to bad QB--he could be an amazing passer and never miss a throw and have 500 yards and not a single TD if he receiver gets tackled on the 1 every time and then the RB or QB runs it in. Not likely, but possible. What I'm more concerned about is that 53% completion percentage and the fact that the numbers are skewed up because of how he played against Utah. But we didn't see that same Richardson against Kentucky (a game which Florida was given a higher percent chance of winning than the Utah game by ESPN). Instead he took a step back--well, okay, that's to be expected because Kentucky (even if someone you don't want to admit it) is a good football team and frankly I think would be Utah. So, Kentucky is a loss with poor QB play being one of the driving factors. At this point you say to yourself, okay, well he's young and inexperienced and that was a big game and coming off the high and attention of being called a Heisman candidate after the traditional week 1 overreaction--makes sense that he takes a step back against better competition, but that's okay, we've got a tune up game against USF where he can get back and rhythm before UT, but that's not what happened. If anything, he looked worse. And don't even give me that crap about how USF is an underdog and they are going to give UF their best shot. I don't give a ****--they were favored by more than 20 points and nearly lost to a non P5 team that is mediocre at best (getting blasted by BYU in their opener in their own stadium) and Florida almost lost in what they would have you believe is the hardest place to play--The Swamp(ass). Now you're telling me that when he goes into Neyland Cathedral (Tennessee football is religious to me) with 100k+ fans from a hated rival thirsty for blood screaming the whole time in his first ever real road start, and he's going to come out and look like the Heisman candidate that apparently everyone saw in week 1? I don't buy it. It could happen, but I highly doubt that. Especially if Florida can't get their run game going, either with him or one of the RBs. Now as to his running--he's good, but right now it looks to me like those legs are not 100% (watch when he got his ankle rolled up by Kentucky and hasn't been quite as shifty since). He's not a pocket passer--he's a run first QB that sometimes can throw well and sometimes can't and currently can't and didn't particularly look to be in the best head space in his time with the media this week. I think Florida is going to have to get the run game established to even have a prayer and right now Richardson isn't running his best (though admittedly not his best is still better than A LOT of people). If Florida can't do that, then I don't see how Florida can score more than 19 points, especially against a defense that, while not the best, has shown improvement every week and had demonstrated on tape that they can step up when it really matters.

Now this is all what I think SHOULD happen, but not necessarily what I think WILL happen. Too many crazy things happen every year in college football, particularly this year and particular in this rivalry over the past 20 years--though hopefully this year they go in our favor. Nothing is off the table as to the crazy **** that COULD happen--I'm talking about what SHOULD happen based on my observations from game film and reading stats.

With all of that said, I expect something in the 8-12 point victory margin range for Tennessee--something like UT: 27 UF: 19, with any potential scoring above that favoring Tennessee.

If you've read this far, then THANK YOU. I appreciate it and would love to know your thoughts so that I can reconsider my position accordingly after weighing the merits of your argument.

Now... I'm not a betting man, but if I were... I would take Tennessee to cover, but take the under. But you do you--make your own betting decisions. We (I think) are all legally adults, even if we (particularly me) don't always act like it, and if you're not then you're not betting anyway so STFU.
 
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Fun fact, UF is one of, I believe, three teams in the NCAA without a passing touchdown. If I were them, I would be more concerened about putting points on the board and keeping pace with UT vice trying to stop Hooker. Avg. 25pts a game isn't going to cut it.
 
Friend in Florida says they think two spy’s on Hooker will win because we don’t have a runnung game.

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