I disagree. That is but one part but does not make or break the spread. The spread is dicated on misdirection and BLOCKING. The qb must make the correct read quickly and accurately. In this case, Brantley is not. As I mentioned earlier, he is about half a second slow and that is making all the difference.
I think it is a trust issue. I think the lack of protection, adequate blocking, and the inability to run the ball is making him second guess himself, thus the hesitation. I think he has trust in his receivers, but not in his O-line. The shovel pass has not been seen since game 2 (where it didn't work due to blocking), the dive play doesn't work (due to blocking) so the defense doesn't respect it, and the pocket is collapsing before the downfield routes open up (due to blockgin) so he has to go short constantly. It is not fluid, it is not mechanical, it is not crisp or sharp looking at all. It is herky jerky and I feel myself holding my breath every snap. Even I don't trust the O-line. The one good thing is we don't give up many sacks, but that has more to do with Brantley hitting underneath passes or ducking and scrambling. How many times were balls batted away cause the D-lineman was 2 yards from the QB? There rarely is a sustained pocket. So back to the original statement, there is no spread offense without trust in the O-line... ________________________________ From: Jay Cicone <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Mon, October 4, 2010 11:38:42 AM Subject: RE: [gatortalk] Is Zook back? The spread offense is nothing without a running QB threat. Period. From:[email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of willieg8r Sent: Monday, October 04, 2010 11:28 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [gatortalk] Is Zook back? ..... "This business about changing your scheme to match your personnel is fine when you first take over a program and have little say as to who is there. Five or six years down the line however you should be recruiting players that fits the style you like to play."..... While I didn't read them all - there are just way too many pre & postgame posts and opinions to comment on them all, this is one comment that seems to sum the present situation up better that most I did read. IMO the cunumdrum created by recruiting players that don't fit the offense you want to play explains why the Gators will find themselves watching the SECCG and NC on TV this year. Cam Newton was recruited to be Tebow's replacement in the Urban Meyer offense. In as much as Brantley does not fit in the Meyer style offense, my guess is the only reason Brantley was recruited was out of respect for his family's Gator legacy but without any real intention/plan/expectation that he [Brantley] would ever be a starting Gator QB. A bad "life choice" by Newton changed all that. Had things gone according to what I believe was the "Urban Renewal Plan" for LAT - Life After Tebow, at this juncture, Burton would be the QB backing up and the next in line to replace Cam Newton and Brantley would still be on the sideline with clip board in hand taking notes - ala Noah Brandise to name just one of many that have filled that role over the years. ________________________________ -- GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 National Football Champions | Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us-- GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 National Football Champions | Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us -- GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 National Football Champions | Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us
