FREE EARL
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This is a circulating email. There seems to be some truth to it, but take it with a grain of salt.
The rumor about this being a year during which Meyer was supposed to be a care-taker of the program while UF looked for a new HC was started by a high-money UGA booster. There has been no search, although contingency plans were developed after the resignation last year, and there is always a "list" that Foley has.
There are a bunch of coaches that would jump at the chance to take over UF's relatively stocked roster. Still there is not a great deal of concern that this eventuality will occur at this time. My understanding is that the Easley transfer rumor is bogus.
It is true that Loeffler largely called the passing plays in the Sugar Bowl game, as the bowl preparation period was used to put in a new playcalling system at UF that distributed duties between offensive coaches and many more of Loeffler-type plays were ok'd for that game, especially since film study had shown that UF could pass fairly easily on Cincy's slower secondary. It was decided to go in this direction to give Tebow a chance to show his passing skills on a national stage, since his stats had suffered that year due to protective schemes put in place for his injury. Meyer had little involvement in the preparation for the game except advising Addazio here and there. Another reason for Loefflers increased role was to remove some of the coordinating burden from Addazio, as he was effectively the head coach during the game. It was used as a showcase for the distribution of duties as it was already known that Meyer's role would have to be reduced across the board. Loeffler is disgusted with the route running and general performance that Azzanni has gotten out of his WR's and has told him so.
The whole team feels snakebit and lacks confidence right now, and there is little leadership on the team at this time. Most of it is coming from Burton. Pouncey is going to remain at center, as it is thought it is too late to make a change and that Robey is "not there." Addazio has commented that Pouncey has been slow off the line and missing assignments due to his challenges with snapping the ball right. But it is thought that Robey would get his "lunch eaten" and that is why we have not seen him, as well as Meyer simply wanting the senior veteran out there at the OL's most mentally challenging position.
Meyer considers the new playcalling system an abject failure, and going forward the responsibility will fall to a single individual. It was reported to me that this will be Addazio. This is due not so much to Addazio's overall value, as it is to the fact that Meyer feels that the only way to cure the run game ills are to run more of the single wing offense to keep LB's from "sitting down" in the short middle, clogging up run seams and jamming up underneath routes. Meyer is more comfortable with running the Veer and option game right now, as he feels that Burton has turned the corner in terms of his reads. Expect Burton's role to be increased significantly. Brantley will still start.
Meyer understands the constraints that Brantley has had to work under, but also wants to see him cut down on the errant throws, on the "edginess" in the pocket, and be more of a vocal leader when on the sidelines. Burton is more "his kind of kid" with his fire and passion. Nevertheless, Meyer understand that Brantley doesn't have that personality, but feels it is something the team needs. The team is not split along QB lines and there is no QB controversy. It is not thought that either QB can get the job done without the other, and the team recognizes this.
Background: the blocking schemes in the passing game this year are different. They were tweaked in the offseason to be more "man" in principle, and the OL has not picked them up well. Close analysis of the blocking will show that we moved away from our zone "stacking" concept to a man principle and this is resulting in breakdowns in blitz pickups.
Meyer knows that we do not have the personnel to run either the option/veer offense or the I-Form/Shotgun Spread. He feels we will have to continue to run something of a hybrid. But as playmakers return to the offense (Demps, Rainey) results should improve.
Background: there have been heated arguments in the game planning sessions between Loeffler (who does not want to be looking for a job next year) and Addazio on the reasons for the offensive breakdowns and the solution. Addazio's solution has been to simplify and simplify further in an attempt to tweak better execution out of the team. This simplification has caused UF to be highly unimaginative in playcalling on those plays where DAZ is calling them. Meyer knows we are going to the well too often on certain plays, but we don't execute on others, and the offensive coaches (all) are gun shy.
Thompson's touches are going to decrease in favor or Moore, Hines, and Hammond. While Meyer does not consider the interception Thompson's fault, per se, Thompson is thought to be running very poor routes right now.
It is incorrect that it is strictly a run/pass split between Daz and Loeffler. It is more a formation/scheme split, and this structure has caused some of our offensive schizophrenia. We are literally running two different schemes due to the limitations of our QB's
Durkin will not have Special Teams coordination for the remainder of the year. He'll run the guys out there, etc. But Meyer will take over coaching ST's beginning this week. He's been harshly criticized by Urban for the lack of production from the Kickoff coverage team, as well as the ineffectiveness of the punt block unit.
Coach recognizes that he has delegated too much responsibility, but feels in a bind because his doctors have told him to reduce the stress and workload. He knows he's got to find a better balance, yet have more involvement. The delegation scheme is not working, especially on ST.
The likelihood is that D.J. Durkin will not be here next season, and Austin is on thin ice, due to the awful performance of the linebacking and safety corps. The observation was made in a team meeting that UF's linebackers appear to have regressed from last year, and that is not expected with experienced players such as Jones. UF's run blitzes are being telegraphed, and Durkin has done little to correct the issue with technique sessions with the players. The timing and design of the run blitzing scheme is considered shoddy and rudimentary, but it cannot be revamped this year.
I'm told that UF is going to move to playing a more conventional defense and try to reply more on its native athleticism. UF has been running some fairly exotic schemes to make up for perceived deficiencies at DE, and the solution is to simply get UF's young athletes "out there." And play defense more straight up.
Meyer is livid that Austin did not pull UF out of its 4-2 look when it became obvious that Miss State's game plan was to run the ball straight at us and deflate the football.
Meyer views UF's hybrid 4/5-2 system as a failure and was particularly pointed in his criticism of defensive substitution patterns where Austin uses an "inside-out" scheme that places DE's on the interior. This is not an issue except that his substitutions allowed for UF to very often have a "speed" package on the interior on obvious run downs, or when deep in UF's territory.
Meyer understands that UF is lacking athleticism in the DE position, and Powell is going to play more and more, in order to get some sheer speed on the field. UF's DE corps is only thought of as "adequate" in keeping containment and defending the run, and the anemic pass rush that has forced the use of overt and constant blitzing is going to be addressed by trying to get more of UF's young athleticism on the field in the form of Powell.
FWIW, I was told that the likelihood is that NEITHER Addazio or Loeffler is OC next year, and that Meyer wants to return to his bread and butter, running a spread option offense. He will try to accommodate Brantley as much as possible in this transition, and feels that with the "multiples" in place, Brantley can play a modified Alex Smith role, but expect Burton (who is thought to to have an "it" factor in instincts and decision making) to only see his role increase, not decrease.
Meyer is pointing to injuries/suspensions at the skill positions and on special teams as the chief reasons for our losses, though he knows that the entire team needed to have played vastly better. He says that if we had a trio of Demps, Debose, and Rainey available all season we would probably be 6-1 or undefeated. As it stands, he considers Gillislee, and Burton our only real playmakers who are available in the all important run-slot game.
Meyer regrets the diminishing of the slot game due to schematic changes and injury, and is hoping we get healthy soon at RB and slot. Meyer remarked that the line blocks well when able to rely on their old assignments in the single wing offense, as they are more instinctive. Our OL issues are thought to be timing and assigment related in the passing and shotgun running game. They change depending on which QB is in. They were thought to be better protection schemes for Brantley, but we can't execute them. Nevertheless, we are not expected to imporove much on the OL due to the scheme changes implemented in what I will call the "Brantley offense." These OL scheme changes are not able to be adequately coached by DAZ. Still it is recognized that he has had too much on his plate, and the performance of the OL has been pointed to as among our chief issues, in addition to skill player injuries. This is just my opinion, but I believe that more of the chalk talk is going to be directed to the OL in-between series, and that Loeffler, Azzanni, and White are going to be more involved in discussions with the skill players.
Meyer feels he was not able to take his time with all his hires, and felt pressure to make decisions faster than he would have liked in some cases. Our huge staff turnover, and the working relationship between the coaches is said to be a sore spot. If we lose more games there will be a house-cleaning in certain areas. McCarney, Heater, and Drayton are safe. Everyone else is being evaluated. Meyer is not going to sacrifice the program or his career for Addazio.
