Some statistics from the game compared to the season:
Florida averaged 25.58 points per game during the regular season, but only scored 24 against tOSU...14 by special teams.
Florida averaged 334.17 yards per game during the regular season, but only had 263 against tOSU.
Florida averaged 144 yards per game on the ground during the regular season, with a 4.01 YPC, but only managed 131 yards rushing with a YPC of 3.4 in the bowl game.
Florida averaged 190 yards passing per game, YPA of 7.51 and INT% of 3.95%. Against tOSU we only had 132 passing, but a YPA of 8.3, and and INT% of 6.25% as we were outgunned by a mediocre freshman.
Did Brian White earn the OC job?
First, in answer to your direct Q, E-:
"Hell, NO!!!"
Your stats only flesh out and explain exactly the impression I got of that offensive performance as I watched it--as we ALL got watching it, judging by a quick review of our comments above in-game: With almost a month to prepare, all he managed to come up with was a warmed-over version of Weis' ill-conceived and stubbornly-conservative offense that ranked near the bottom of the whole NATION'S offenses (something like 104th?). I'll say this only once more: all it would have taken for us to have won 9-10 games this past season was an AVERAGE offense, something worthy of maybe a ranking in the low 30s or so in that list--mediocrity, basically, and Weis couldn't even manage THAT. If White really wanted the job, you'd think he'd have gone for some kind of improvement, a few wrinkles and imagination at LEAST? As someone pointed out during the game, and has been repeated since, Brian White wants to stay on here "and would be happy to do so in his present capacity"...well, that's about all he's (barely) made a case for. "NEXT!"
On that note and moving on, I'm not sure WHAT to make of some of the names being thrown out there for the OC job. Personally, I'm no more enamored of Schottenheimer being considered than I am Shula. I'd rather see one of these younger up-and-comers making a lateral move from successful big-time programs; I'm not so sure some of the REALLY young guys also being talked about, ones from WAY smaller programs are the way to go either--they probably just aren't quite ready, need a stint as assistants at a big time program (like ours) FIRST, otherwise just too much of a risk, now. Coach Muschamp HAS to get this right--for our sake AND for his own, at this point. I figure he's got two more years to get us into the SEC/National Championship mix/discussion once more--even "pretty good" won't get it done by 2013.
In other words, he would do well to be a little more daring than he was with that Weis-hire, get someone who is both hungry AND has enough experience at this level to take it all in stride, has a vision of his own as to what he wants to achieve on offense--and is in it for the long haul, will stay and see it through. We need imagination AND stability.
Finally, I just wanted to comment on the bowl season in general thus far, especially the "big" BCS games: Is this a WACK collection of match-ups, or what?!! I mean, even the one that looked OK going in, No.3 vs. No.4 (Fiesta? They've already all blurred together in my memory) turned out to PROVE that the all-SEC Rematch/BCS Championship was the right way to go--NEITHER of those teams could play ANY defense! The rest have been just pathetic, mostly clumsy bad games--No. 11 vs No.13, No.15 vs. No.23, etc.: what IS this crap? The worst of it was that NONE of the teams I've watched here have impressed me in the SLIGHTEST. Bad as the Gators were this year, I am now more sure than ever that with better "luck" injury-wise and a committed OC with some brains and some balls, even THIS Gator squad could have done some damage this past season--at least compared to the collection of mediocrities that have been paraded by us this past week or so. Hell, the only two teams that really BEAT us (instead of us beating ourselves, as we did in all the other losses) are playing for that BCS Championship next Monday.
What do Y'ALL think? Am I so far off base here?