The argument I keep hearing is we have better talent than UGA and Auburn, what evidence would show that, other than opinion...
I have no idea if we have better talent than those 2 teams and I follow recruiting as closely as anyone. The one thing I will say with some degree of certainty is we have less talent now than we did at the end of the 2009 season. The one piece of evidence I use is comparing what we had then with now, yesterday I watched the Steeler/Patriot game, I saw Maurkice Pouncy and Marcus Gilbert starting on the OL for the Steelers, I watched Aaron Hernandez and Brandon Spikes starting for the Patriots, then I looked at the UF/UGA replay and saw Jonathan Harrison, Matt Patchan, Jordon Reed, and Jon Bostic as replacements. To me that's a drop off of Grand Canyon proportions. I could go further, the other Pouncey is starting for the Dolphins, that makes 2 1st round and 1 2nd round NFL starter gone since 2009, does anyone seriously believe we have anywhere near that level of talent as replacements ?? For some reason and I have no idea why, penalties for 20 years or more have been an issue at UF, SOS, Meyer, and now Muschamp have been coaches but the problem still exists. IMO, one of the best ways to get some progress on this issue is to have a stacked roster and replace the guilty players with someone nearly as talented...IOW's use the BENCH as much as possible to motivate. Right now we simply do not have quality reserves at all positions. Finally on the DB criticism, I agree the two UGA TD passes are inexcusable, but two things. One is how many on this list thought Anthone Lott who at one time was referred to as "ANTOAST" would turn into an All-SEC DB and starter on a National Title team ?? The point being we have young players who I think are talented but like Lott are showing rookie mistakes that only time and experience can correct. Another reason I'm not bent out of shape over the DB play, is how different would those plays have turned out if Janoris Jenkins was playing, he could have locked down one WR and we could have doubled the other, might have made difference. The point is, one of Meyer's weaknesses was off the field issues, nearly every Gator Fan wanted to turn that image around, Muschamp did that he kicked Jenkins off the team to the detriment of the current season in some way, very few teams can kick off team their best DB and possible 1st round NFL draft pick and not suffer some degree of consequence. Just my .02 cents. Stephen Manuel -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Kirkley.net Sent: Monday, October 31, 2011 10:07 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [gatortalk] My Two Cents.....PLUS! Joseph, You should post more often. I will leave the dig at 'entitled' and 'bandwagon' fans alone as that will not end up being constructive. And while I have made no secret of the fact that I didn't feel this was a good hire, you won't find any post of mine calling for Coach Dawg to be fired. We will all live and die by Jeremy's hire for the next three years at least. My rants are all about the lack of progress this team is making. Yes, we are short on scholarship players, yes we have had some unfortunate injuries, but neither of those things cause poor play calling, coaching DBs to not turn and look for the ball or plain old mental penalties. These and more, are all things that a good coaching staff would be working on and by 8 games into the season you would be seeing progress. I haven't seen any progress these last two games, in fact it looks like we are getting worse. And as far as having players recruited for the spread, that is bit of bunk. The players we recruited were also recruited by LSU, Bama, F$U and others. So it isn't like these are 'spread' players, they are football players. It is the coaches job to make us as competitive as can be and I am not seeing that happening. I fully expected to lose to Bama and LSU, just not by four TDs. We have better talent than Auburn or UGA, but lost. If this were a new hire in any other profession, you would be looking at this person critically and trying to figure out how to manage them to success, but ignoring the flaws isn't going to lead to a championship team. What I am hoping for the last third of the season, is to one, become bowl eligible, two, see a significant decrease in penalties and three, put our players in a position to be successful using the talent they have, not the talent you wish they had. With that, I will Helen Rule myself. Ken K MNGator On Oct 31, 2011, at 4:06 AM, Joseph <[email protected]> wrote: > While I don't post here often,I do follow what is posted.I have many > "face-to-face" discussions about the Gators,and after reading recent > posts,it's time for me to be "heard" from. > I've been a Gator fan for 41 of my 48 years---my Dad started me as a > fan as soon as I could talk,but I really began following the football > team around 7 years of age.I try to keep up with all the Gators.Guys > and Gals.From the Bass fishing to hockey,I'm pulling for the Orange > and Blue! > But let's "talk" football...... > Some of you state that you aren't an "entitled" Gator fan,but you sure > sound like one!What's wrong??Can't handle a few "bumps" in the > road??Are you a "BANDWAGON" fan??Coach Muschamp is in his first year > at UF and some of you are ready to show him the door!Granted,the team > is playing poorly and we've been handed our butts in several games > this year.We rise,we fall.It's happened BEFORE!Let's hope it won't > happen too often in the future!Don't be like some fans north of the > border('Bama/Auburn) who don't have Christmas because their team lost > to the other..... > I "officially" began my Gator years with Doug Dickey(he doesn't list > EVER having been at UF on his resume!)Then it was Charlie Pell(0-10-1 > ring a bell??);Galen Hall(probation);Gary Darnell(3-4 and Freedom Bowl > fiasco);Steve Spurrier(the Choke at Doak);Ron Zook(6 losses at the > Swamp;couldn't beat Miami);Charlie Strong(Peach Bowl loss);Urban > Meyer(0-2 against Auburn;2 Nat.Championships;QUIT,came back;"MAILED > IN" his last year of coaching).It's not like EVERY game went our way > during their coaching stints!We went through "growing pains" then,and > we're going through them now.Coach Muschamp has several handicaps to > overcome--injuries and transfers to name two.Nine have left since he > hired on;not to mention that Meyer didn't exactly leave alot of > depth,either.We only have 72 players on scholarship!Coach Muschamp is > installing a more pro style offense/defense,so it will take time to > get the right players to run them.Let's see what the team looks like a > couple of recruiting classes from now. > I'm not by any means giving Coach Muschamp a pass----there are plenty > of problems right now.I believe that Weiss is not using all the > available weapons on offense and is predictable on occasion---when was > the last time Trey Burton threw the ball from the "Wildcat?"Teams KNOW > he'll run.Ol' Charlie seems a tad slow to adapt the game plan within > the game.Seeing the game from the coaches box may help,but he's got to > speed up the play calling.We spend too much time going backwards!The > line can't power block;no power backs.(Gillislee is hurt)No running > game.No experience backing up John Brantley--we found out just how > "green" our freshman really are!The defense can't stop the run,and our > secondary is small compared to other teams wideouts.Special teams are > a work in progress--LOUSY vs. Auburn;pretty good against the > 'Bullpuppies.' Inexperience across the board on BOTH sides of the > ball;injuries;penalties;poor play....a certain recipe for a bad > season.Can Coach Muschamp right the ship??Time will tell.... > The Gators win,sometimes they lose.I get mad;I grumble.I get > euphoric;I rejoice.That's the nature of the game.Some of you have > already written Coach Muschamp off after 8 games.Many of you cite his > lack of head coaching experience;saying he shouldn't be doing OJT here > at Florida.Fact is,ANY coach coming here is a first timer(at Florida) > and undergoes OJT.Florida is a special job.There isn't one like it.The > Gator Nation,the SEC,the available talent make it so.Not to mention > that we had a football coach CHANGE the ENTIRE SEC's way of playing > the game(Spurrier).Another who CHANGED the offensive philosophy at > QB(Meyer).Meyer also recruited the GREATEST Gator of them all...Tim > Tebow.AD Foley went and got someone who WANTED to be here.Coach > Muschamp will stay for a long time---unless he just can't get the job > done(same with ANY program).Coach Muschamp has the same problem as Ron > Zook had---he's following a Gator legend.The difference is that Zook > was abrasive to the Gator Nation and actually "ran" good players off > or didn't play them.(Ingle Martin,Ciatrick Fason,et al) The Gators > enjoyed success under Spurrier and Zook took us to mediocrity.Meyer > restored us to the limelight.So far,the Gators are . > 500 under Coach Muschamp.He's identified the problems and is trying to > get them fixed.He's taken responsibility----he is the head coach,after > all.He's got the drive,desire,fire,and will.Let's wait and see how > that translates towards wins and losses.Eight games by no means a > season make! > If you feel you can't wait for things to get better,I suggest you buy > copies of the Gators championship seasons and watch them year > round.I'll be whooping and hollering with THESE Gators win,lose,or > draw.I'll give Coach Muschamp his due--praise for winning;criticism > for losing.WHEN he gets the Gators back up again,I'll applaud and say > "way to go,Coach!"IF he can't get the job done,I'll be the first to > point him to the door marked "EXIT." > > -- > 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
