It's Coming Down To it: Are we Cracking Up or Coming Together?!!

[DRU2012]

Actually, the headline here says it all: do I really have to elaborate? Everything seemed to be building in a steadily positive manner over the course of the spring and summer, then it all has gone strangely bent and confusing the last few weeks once we hit August and the (so called) "homestretch".
Since this has ALSO been the case in my personal life, I'm finding it hard to distinguish between the two: to what extent are things really going "off the rails" for our team now, of all times, and to what degree is it merely my own perceptions filtered through a series of personal disasters that has colored these impressions...
So I'm asking y'all for a "reality check": How bad do you think things are going for us as a team right now, if at all? How worried should we (ok, should "I") be?

 

[Escambia94]

I have to agree. It seemed to be building up strong for the Gators with recruiting, strength and conditioning, and injuries until the last few weeks. Now the headlines point to a repeat of last year or minimal improvement.

 

[robdog]

Yeah I am not to excited after reading some of the headlines. But we are going to know for sure in a matter of weeks! I am still hoping for the best, but with the latest news stories, I am getting more and more worried...

 

[totenkopf13]

Damn! I'm trying to stay positive, but there is something familiar in the air.

 

[Swamp Person]

Bright side of things.

#1- Charlie Weis is gone. Brent Pease - Under Pease's direction, Boise State tied for 10th nationally in total offense, averaging 481.31 yards per game.He's worked with both QB's and Recievers. So I'm (HOPING) He is bringing more to our offense. Side note: I was there for for the practice Saturday. The QB's looked pretty good and honestly they looked equal. DRU Ole Brickhands caught a few that shouldn't of been caught. So I am looking for more out of our offense.

#2- Mike Gillisee 5'-11" 209 and Mack Brown 5'-11" 214 were getting some size and I seen these two working close with each other. I talked with Brown after practice he told me he like the new OC and was Very excited about this season.

#3- Defense looked pretty sharp. They got some good pressure and got a few picks off of some good thrown balls. Not over or under thrown good thrown stuff.

All in All I'm in hopes our Defense matured and our Offense has a new Coach that will use our strong points instead of the run it up the middle with undersized runners and not leave us 3rd and long with everyone knowing were throwing.

Just my two cents.

Better then anything else It's just about time to see.....

 

[Leakfan12]

I thought that Brickhands (aka Denote Thompson) is in the NFL (granted not for long)?

 

[DRU2012]

At least it's good to see the hardcore GE regulars returning to the fold, as I hoped would be the case as Game One approached...welcome back, y'all. As for this season, a month ago I was becoming more and more certain of at least a 2-game improvement in the win-column this year--and an all around more exciting and less-frustrating--more balanced--performance across-the-board...Now I just don't know, and I get that "familiar feeling" E- and Totenkopf refer to, of confusion, disarray and "rats deserting the sinking ship while the band plays on" that characterized last season. I hope to hell I'm wrong, and more than that, I better BE wrong, 'cause I doubt there's enough "patience and understanding" out there in Gatorland to wait out another year like '10 and '11--never mind who or what is really to blame (which is a whole discussion unto itself: first, we'd have to know exactly what is really going ON with this program--and the only reliable clue we're gonna get to that it seems will be in the on-field product...It's not as if we've gotten much news, truth or insight from the program and its staff the last few years, no matter WHO'S been in charge: every piece of bad news hits us out-of-the-blue, no warning and no explanation--often counter to what we were being told up until that point, and a lot of the time what explanations ARE given are conflicting ones that appear to purposefully muddy the waters, further confusing things--like this whole Driskel-injury business, a perfect example. I totally support Muschamp and his staff, but even I am getting thoroughly sick of this approach).

 

[Swamp Person]

I thought that Brickhands (aka Denote Thompson) is in the NFL (granted not for long)?

Your right But I got disgusted with Debose myself and he took the torch (name). I'm hoping he steps it up a notch.....

 

[Swamp Person]

The funny thing with Driskel he was throwing good stuff acting the norm. practice. Even slight contact???? Who knows yet. But yes its wearing thin. Very thin.

 

[Escambia94]

I am okay with Driskel or Brissett, but I hope we can keep both. "Everybody" is saying that whichever QB loses the starting role will transfer, but I can think of plenty of times when the Gators kept two quality QBs on the same roster without one transferring. With Pease's multiple offense, I can foresee a time when the Gators would want to go with one QB for certain situations, and another QB for others. In 1997, this tactic helped the Gators beat the Noles.

 

[Swamp Person]

They both looked sharp to me. I'm with you keep both.....

 

[bandwagongatorfan]

I hate to say it, but Urban Meyer is what made us great. Muschamp is good, but Meyer is great.

 

[Swamp Person]

Meyer is Meyer. Yes I think he done a great job but I think it's hard to judge a coach that is in only the beginning of his second season. Kind of premature to (me). I think our OC was a big problem along with QB injury ,Replacements were raw rookies playing teams of the highest level. I don't know if any one could of done anything with the problems they were facing. I think the Defense was just young dumb and full of ***. Trying to be something they weren't.

Like I said above I'm hoping we've matured as a team. But with our luck we do got new coaches that have been put in place unexpected. So were hoping the players gelled together but now worried about a new staff .lol GO FIGURE....

P.S.
It's good to be back.....

 

[Leakfan12]

Thanks to Meyer, I have a new favorite Big Ten. Every team TOSU faces.

 

[Swamp Person]

Thanks to Meyer, I have a new favorite Big Ten. Every team TOSU faces.

I'm with you.

 

[Escambia94]

I have gotten over Urban Meyer, but we should respect that he gave us two SEC championships and a pair of national championships in 6 (or is it 5-1/2?) years of service. The national championships make him eligible for the Ring of Honor in a couple years. ...and for that, I thank you! Now he is now Gator Bait!

 

[DRU2012]

Sorry--but (1 ) Meyer was NOT "why we were great": he WAS a good coach with a hot hand and a great staff of assistants, and they AND us, the right team with the right personnel--I mean, Tebow plus a killer D, come ON--hooked up at the right place and time, but (2) that's over now, and like E-, I'm OVER him, and then some--I don't even care enough to be mad at him anymore...I believe he'll never have that kind of success again, but we WILL, eventually, one way or another.
Now, among all the things that are a big fat confusing concern right NOW, the continued depletion at receiver, both TE and WR, present and future, is getting ridiculous--as of the latest injury (to Thompson, @ TE, who has to be reoperated on an injury from highschool), we're down to 3 untested guys there, none of whom have played a down at this level yet...and it ain't looking any better at WR, unless Pittman and at least one other underachiever comes through after all--and as SP points out, it's hard to count on Debose coming thru'...he's only brilliant when there's nothing on the line.

 

[DRU2012]

Oh, one other thing: I have been told "off record" (from within the team) that during this latest period, during which Driskel has "a bruised bone in his shoulder", that Brisset clearly has had EVERY opportunity to seize the starting job at QB--and hasn't done so, in fact has been pretty unspectacular in scrimmage...while Jacoby IS de facto "ahead" just based on health alone, if Jeff gets healthy soon enough he could easily take it back--in fact, based on Brisset's apparent failure to rise to the occasion, the coaches are now really HOPING that Driskel, who was starting to pull ahead before the injury, really DOES come through and TAKE it now. The feeling is they both have their share of technical skills, as advertised, but only Driskel may have the heart Pease wants in his QB.
(Of course, if they're STILL BS'ing us about the seriousness of the injury, then this is all just another smoke-screen of disinformation, for God-knows what reason, as if Gator-fans are somehow "the enemy" that must be kept in the dark, and again, we'll all find out pretty soon once the season gets under way...)

 

[Escambia94]

Lately the Gator coaches have been forcing a rift between our beloved team and the fans. I am not sure if it is because modern fans are too nosy and spoiled, or because they had an incident with opposing fans posting practices and injury reports to opposing blogs, or YouTube, or whatever. Either way, it is starting to split the Gator fanbase a bit, as shown in the empty seats in the stadium and decline in popularity. The coach-speak does not make it any better.

If I were not sure which QB were capable of winning the starting position, I would name one the starter but still split the reps. There is a nice article out there that talks about Mike Leach's practices at Texas Tech. His Air Raid Offense was so complicated that he made all four of his start-able QBs take snaps AT THE SAME TIME. He had an ingenius method where he had four banks of receivers, centers, and QBs running the same drill at the same time, but QB #1 would throw to WR #1 running a deep post, QB #2 would throw to WR #2 running a crossing pattern, QB #3 would throw to WR #3 running a hitch, and QB #4 would throw to WR #4 running a wheel...and then they would rotate. That is 4 times as many reps for all 4 QBs, or twice as many reps if they had just split the drill into starter and #2. The neat thing would be that all four WRs would be running at the same time simulating 4 reads. Each QB would still read the other 3 WRs, but only throw to his designated "read". Imagine if the Gators did that with Brissett, Driskel, Murphy, and Mornhinweg.

 

[miltongator]

Actually, the headline here says it all: do I really have to elaborate? Everything seemed to be building in a steadily positive manner over the course of the spring and summer, then it all has gone strangely bent and confusing the last few weeks once we hit August and the (so called) "homestretch".
Since this has ALSO been the case in my personal life, I'm finding it hard to distinguish between the two: to what extent are things really going "off the rails" for our team now, of all times, and to what degree is it merely my own perceptions filtered through a series of personal disasters that has colored these impressions...
So I'm asking y'all for a "reality check": How bad do you think things are going for us as a team right now, if at all? How worried should we (ok, should "I") be?

Is anyone else having that "queasy" feeling that seems to have permeated my thoughts about the upcoming season? Maybe it's just the flu. I'm gonna take 2 aspirin and pass the NyQuil please.