Yes, "reason"-- and will try to keep this short, straight and to-the-point too, "for a change" (in my case anyway).
Alright:
I assume that Mac is a very good Coach, hasn't lost any of the knowledge, skill and energy that brought him to our attention and here to replace "The Mistake and Failure That Was Muschamp" in the first place.
His greatest reputation rests on his known and proven area-of-expertise, the offense. HE hasn't fired or demoted Nussmeyer, hasn't denigrated him or even seemed to overrule him in any way so far, so we can only figure that though this may change in some way after the season (there is talk that Nussmeier is being approached backchannel for interest in HEAD coaching by some "mid-level" programs...and that UF powers-that-be in and out of the football program "are not obstructing" their access or "non-intrusive interest"), for now his offense, week to week gameplans and overall scheme this season has been with approval and support of our "imaginative and innovative offensive mind" of a Head Coach. Why?
The only answer that REASON dictates is, "Because Coach Mac agrees that given everything--personnel, injuries, schedule, etc--THIS APPROACH GIVES THIS TEAM ITS BEST CHOICE TO WIN."
That "approach" is stiltifying defense, stout special teams with reliable and long-legged kickers (even in EDDIE'S case, the problem seems with SHORT ones), and ball control on offense. That the last is sometimes a crapshoot is a matter of just not having even enough bodoes, let alone dominant ones, on the O-line...That, plus at present ONE "fairly-competent-when-fully-healthy" game-manager at QB (who was injured and tho still not fully "back" is still better at 85% than his "barely competent" back up), means somehow "shortening the game" on the strength of mostly-still-young and learning playmakers at RB and receiver.
And, except for the 2nd half against Tennessee, it has worked/is working:
Don't know about y'all, but I wanna laugh when I contemplate the possibility that somehow THIS Gator team may well be about to enter the (ultimately irrelevant, but still influential) AP "Top Ten"! Do YOU think that's a "TOP TEN" team on offense put there?
Our D? Lights out, one of the best in ANY league--when they aren't wearing down in the 4th qrtr from spending TOO much time onfield throughout, with little rest in between...
That's another factor dictating the current offense, of course: If/when it works as hoped, our D gets a rest even when our "mostly plodding" offense DOESN'T score. That's how the Georgia game went: Our current "best guy at QB" was still limited; our supposed best redzone RB left back home for disciplinary reasons, but (as a lot of us have said all along) the talented freshmen RBs, given more carries (especially Scarlette) found their groove and got stronger as the game wore on; the same thin, patchwork O-line played one of its better games so far, but their inherent limitations were and are gonna still be there regardless; young "playmakers" showed BOTH sides of their learning curves--only time and experience will cure the inconsistency and heighten the exciting positives, more use means less time, but the same above offensive limitations dictate an offense that SLOWS that development by giving them fewer opportunities.
But, by this logic, it's still the best way to maximize the team's chance to WIN.
Now, thing is, I don't think it's gonna give us many "wins" the rest of the way.
Without some imaginative gameplans tailored to not just our limitations but to exploit ones found specofically in each opponent, we'll be fortunate to win two of'em, South Carolina and FSU.
The Gamecocks are not the floundering team they started the season as...Our D gets tired too soon, they will outscore that moribund offense of ours. But we DO have tjat outstanding defense, and if we can just keep getting jealthier and all around "better", just a little each week, we cam beat them--we are more talented. FSU is somewhat reeling, they come to us this time, but lets face it: They ARE talented, it IS our cross-state rival, and we have to match talent AND intensity--and create some breaks, takeaways and/or quickstrike big plays, to stay ith them and ultimately win this one.
There's tje whole messed up deal we somehow got stuck with on Nov 19 against LSU. Of all the games to get a switch in home-to-away in--well, y'all KNOW how and why that took our best shot and flushed it. Just have to hope our boys, the whole squad, coaches too all hunker down, go nto it with that siege mentality and "take no prisoners". Sometimes anger, desperation and a feeling that you "been wronged and stand alone" can bring young men to new heights.
That leaves next week's game at Arkansas. Their latest performance notwithstanding, who thinks we can get in ny kind of "shoot out" and win against ANYONE, let alone the RAZORBACKS? So the "usual gameplan", or maybe some brilliant variation on it (if there is such a thing), will be on tap:
Shorten the game, keep them outta the endzone, win "field position" game, stay close, eke out lead and hold it at the end. It will not be pretty--and that's snapshot of "VICTORY". Don't even wanna think on what admittedly more likely "Gator loss on road" will look at--but t will have been a short trip to the season's "high water mark".
We're lookin' at THAT right now, I'm afraid. Sorry. So much for "reason".
Alright:
I assume that Mac is a very good Coach, hasn't lost any of the knowledge, skill and energy that brought him to our attention and here to replace "The Mistake and Failure That Was Muschamp" in the first place.
His greatest reputation rests on his known and proven area-of-expertise, the offense. HE hasn't fired or demoted Nussmeyer, hasn't denigrated him or even seemed to overrule him in any way so far, so we can only figure that though this may change in some way after the season (there is talk that Nussmeier is being approached backchannel for interest in HEAD coaching by some "mid-level" programs...and that UF powers-that-be in and out of the football program "are not obstructing" their access or "non-intrusive interest"), for now his offense, week to week gameplans and overall scheme this season has been with approval and support of our "imaginative and innovative offensive mind" of a Head Coach. Why?
The only answer that REASON dictates is, "Because Coach Mac agrees that given everything--personnel, injuries, schedule, etc--THIS APPROACH GIVES THIS TEAM ITS BEST CHOICE TO WIN."
That "approach" is stiltifying defense, stout special teams with reliable and long-legged kickers (even in EDDIE'S case, the problem seems with SHORT ones), and ball control on offense. That the last is sometimes a crapshoot is a matter of just not having even enough bodoes, let alone dominant ones, on the O-line...That, plus at present ONE "fairly-competent-when-fully-healthy" game-manager at QB (who was injured and tho still not fully "back" is still better at 85% than his "barely competent" back up), means somehow "shortening the game" on the strength of mostly-still-young and learning playmakers at RB and receiver.
And, except for the 2nd half against Tennessee, it has worked/is working:
Don't know about y'all, but I wanna laugh when I contemplate the possibility that somehow THIS Gator team may well be about to enter the (ultimately irrelevant, but still influential) AP "Top Ten"! Do YOU think that's a "TOP TEN" team on offense put there?
Our D? Lights out, one of the best in ANY league--when they aren't wearing down in the 4th qrtr from spending TOO much time onfield throughout, with little rest in between...
That's another factor dictating the current offense, of course: If/when it works as hoped, our D gets a rest even when our "mostly plodding" offense DOESN'T score. That's how the Georgia game went: Our current "best guy at QB" was still limited; our supposed best redzone RB left back home for disciplinary reasons, but (as a lot of us have said all along) the talented freshmen RBs, given more carries (especially Scarlette) found their groove and got stronger as the game wore on; the same thin, patchwork O-line played one of its better games so far, but their inherent limitations were and are gonna still be there regardless; young "playmakers" showed BOTH sides of their learning curves--only time and experience will cure the inconsistency and heighten the exciting positives, more use means less time, but the same above offensive limitations dictate an offense that SLOWS that development by giving them fewer opportunities.
But, by this logic, it's still the best way to maximize the team's chance to WIN.
Now, thing is, I don't think it's gonna give us many "wins" the rest of the way.
Without some imaginative gameplans tailored to not just our limitations but to exploit ones found specofically in each opponent, we'll be fortunate to win two of'em, South Carolina and FSU.
The Gamecocks are not the floundering team they started the season as...Our D gets tired too soon, they will outscore that moribund offense of ours. But we DO have tjat outstanding defense, and if we can just keep getting jealthier and all around "better", just a little each week, we cam beat them--we are more talented. FSU is somewhat reeling, they come to us this time, but lets face it: They ARE talented, it IS our cross-state rival, and we have to match talent AND intensity--and create some breaks, takeaways and/or quickstrike big plays, to stay ith them and ultimately win this one.
There's tje whole messed up deal we somehow got stuck with on Nov 19 against LSU. Of all the games to get a switch in home-to-away in--well, y'all KNOW how and why that took our best shot and flushed it. Just have to hope our boys, the whole squad, coaches too all hunker down, go nto it with that siege mentality and "take no prisoners". Sometimes anger, desperation and a feeling that you "been wronged and stand alone" can bring young men to new heights.
That leaves next week's game at Arkansas. Their latest performance notwithstanding, who thinks we can get in ny kind of "shoot out" and win against ANYONE, let alone the RAZORBACKS? So the "usual gameplan", or maybe some brilliant variation on it (if there is such a thing), will be on tap:
Shorten the game, keep them outta the endzone, win "field position" game, stay close, eke out lead and hold it at the end. It will not be pretty--and that's snapshot of "VICTORY". Don't even wanna think on what admittedly more likely "Gator loss on road" will look at--but t will have been a short trip to the season's "high water mark".
We're lookin' at THAT right now, I'm afraid. Sorry. So much for "reason".
