lawgator1
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I don't agree with that at all. Florida only had 1 WR with over 400 yards last season. We had major O-line issues that limited the passing game and we still had more 400+ yard receivers. Calling Florida's WR corps "best in the nation" is huge exaggeration. Alabama has at least 4 WRs that are probably top 25 in the country --- all on the same team. It's not even a close competition between you all and Bama (or us and Bama for that matter).
Walter Football says we have the #6 and #16 NFL draft prospects at WR. You all have the #15 and #17 prospects.
Dan Mullen is an offensive genius who's gotten the most of that unit, but on a talent level:
Jennings / Callaway / Palmer > Jefferson / Grimes / Swain
WRs are the least of our troubles. Having enough time to get the ball to them and having an O-line that can run block are much bigger issues. It's actually a minor miracle that our passing production was similar to your all's, in spite of having the vastly inferior offense.
Not knocking your all's WRs. It's one of the better units in the SEC; but acting like it's world's better than ours (even though the stats don't support that idea) or that it's "best in the nation" is some extreme homerism.
UF's problems on offensive production have been three-fold, and all of them related to one another:
1) an underperforming offensive line; 2) a QB who despite physical ability has not translated into a passing offense; and 3) lack of a consistent offensive identity.
# 1 we are replacing lots of players. Now, some of those replaced were highly touted in the recruiting rankings, but they just did not pan out and the NFL draft reflects that. I am not predicting huge improvement there, yet, but I do think its coming. I also think that the lack of consistency there last year and immediately prior leaves lots of room for us to be better.
# 2 is what it is. Franks has shown only flashes of ability as a throwing QB. And by that I am not referring to his arm strength or anything of the like. Its his mental and football IQ development which I have questioned. Those around the program insist that in Mullen's second year that Franks now "gets it." That he has improved and is more mature and can be patient, in command, and therefore a better passer. We'll see. I want to believe that.
#3 is where Mullen excels. It is why he now our coach. Despite a decade or so of outstanding defensive performance, we have not been competitive in the W-L department and so the red alert was for offensive improvement. Mullen represents that. His real strength is taking what he has and molding the offense around that, rather than taking too long to find players that fit what he wants to do.