Upon Further Review I'm Backing Off Addazio

[The Zooker]

I'm going to have to ease up on Addazio. I actually sat down and analyzed the UT game tape while sober. And apparently Danny Wuerffel is right. We do see what we want to see. I was expecting to see the same basic packages and after multiple beers that's what I saw the first time around. But upon further review, the play calling was actually pretty good based on what UT was showing us and where some of their weaknesses are. There was variety with the I-formation, shotgun spread, play action, downfield plays. The problem was execution plain and simple. The snapping situation is bad. Brantley's accuracy isn't there. Blocking by the WR's isn't great. Brantley's passing numbers are low because he is checking down on his routes. He isn't comfortable going long. I also think there are some minor issues with the position coaches. The offensive coordinator calls the play. The position coaches put in the personnel. Drayton needs to put in the right RB for the right play and use less of Demps. He's already come out and said Demps needs a smaller load so I think that issue will be resolved. I believe Meyer is telling his position coaches what adjustments need to be made at half time. Then we come out and start executing and the offense looks better. The overall problem though is lack of leadership on offense. Brantley needs to quickly mature and get his act together. Pouncey needs to straighten out his snaps. Once that happens, we have a shot at beating Bama.

 

[The Zooker]

In other words, I'm going to drink less on game day.

 

[ShortBus]

if our offense keeps this up i'm gonna have to start drinking more on game day....

 

[The Zooker]

As far as the playcalling being heavily run oriented, that comes down to Brantley's fault as well. If he's not comfortable throwing the ball then the offensive coordinator is going to have to let the running backs carry it more. When Brantley is given a pass play he is checking off and overthrowing. He's nerves are getting the best of him. Meyer needs to bring in a good sport psychiatrist.

 

[kuz318]

i ve done it drunk and sober either way its annoying

 

[Escambia94]

So, what I gathered out of this thread after drinking a few beers is the following:
- Apparently there is something to be said about Tebow's "Rah rah. I'm the vocal leader of the team" being a GOOD thing. +1 for intangibles. Brantley, take note. You can't be too quiet just to prove you're not Tebow. LEAD THE TEAM. Lead the offense, and the execution will follow.
- Coaches need some coaching on how to coach as a team of coaches. Okay, let me put my beer down, because that made no sense. What I think I am trying to say is that our coaches need to find a more efficient way to get the right personnel in with all those plays. I guess this means someone found page 2 and 3 of the playbook. I did not realize that.
- Did we buy into the hype of Brantley being "a real QB"? Or, will he prove that he is the real deal?
- Wow. I miss Yuengling. It's next to impossible to find the stuff in Texas, but I am on business in DC. Yuengling: good for the soul, bad for forum posting.

 

[DRU2012]

I guess "leading" is another thing he'll have to "grow into". I'm realizing now that there were quite a few such cautionary hints Urban was throwing out there "between the lines" in the days and weeks leading up to the start of this season...

 

[CaliZona_Gator]

I still think we need more passing. Brantley hasn't been accurate, too strong/high on some balls, but that is a hell of a lot better than making bad reads and bad passes that result in interceptions. The coaches need to have confidence in him and the receivers.

Like I said, more passing. We ran the ball a lot. I don't necessarily like that. But we did see a lot of packages with an unbalanced line, or even 6 linemen in the game, which is cool. What do you all think about the extra linemen packages?

 

[The Zooker]

I still think we need more passing. Brantley hasn't been accurate, too strong/high on some balls, but that is a hell of a lot better than making bad reads and bad passes that result in interceptions. The coaches need to have confidence in him and the receivers.

Like I said, more passing. We ran the ball a lot. I don't necessarily like that. But we did see a lot of packages with an unbalanced line, or even 6 linemen in the game, which is cool. What do you all think about the extra linemen packages?

I think they are trying to ease him into passing more. He's not comfortable being the starting QB for UF right now. So for the time being they are just going to ask him to manage the game, make some third and long plays, and not throw any interceptions. When you think about it, it's a pretty good plan. Hopefully he'll get confidence and they can open the playbook up further. But they don't want to just throw him in the deep end. They want to let him play in the kiddy pool for awhile. We all saw what he can do in mop up duty and practice games. The kid was throwing lasers left and right. So his issues are obviously mental. Meyer and crew are trying to prevent him from becoming another Matthew Stafford. Stafford came in all hyped up, was thrown to the wolves early, started throwing INT's left and right and lost his confidence. The NFL still saw his potential but his college career was a flop. If Meyer can prevent that it will make him a much greater coach than Richt.

 

[O-town Gator]

So his issues are obviously mental.

BINGO. It's very easy to see that Brantley's nervous behind that O-line and doesn't really trust them that much. Once they can become more cohesive and execute the right way (Mike Pouncey included), and we get our injured players back into the rotation, everything else will fall into place - then we should start to see Brantley more poised and productive out there.

 

[Escambia94]

I think they are trying to ease him into passing more. He's not comfortable being the starting QB for UF right now. So for the time being they are just going to ask him to manage the game, make some third and long plays, and not throw any interceptions. When you think about it, it's a pretty good plan. Hopefully he'll get confidence and they can open the playbook up further. But they don't want to just throw him in the deep end. They want to let him play in the kiddy pool for awhile. We all saw what he can do in mop up duty and practice games. The kid was throwing lasers left and right. So his issues are obviously mental. Meyer and crew are trying to prevent him from becoming another Matthew Stafford. Stafford came in all hyped up, was thrown to the wolves early, started throwing INT's left and right and lost his confidence. The NFL still saw his potential but his college career was a flop. If Meyer can prevent that it will make him a much greater coach than Richt.

This makes too much sense to work, but I like it.

 

[The Zooker]

We're burning sacrifices in the backyard tomorrow to help ensure his mental strength. Mostly hot dogs and hamburgers.

 

[The Zooker]

Anybody notices the huge differences between Spurrier handling a situation like this one and the way Meyer is handling it? Spurrier would have thrown Brantley under the bus and put in Burton or Reed. Brantley would still be the starter next game but he wouldn't hesitate to pull him out if he wasn't performing. He would have lambasted him to the media as well. But Meyer goes about things much more delicately. He talks about the team being young and how maybe we just need to be a blue collar smash mouth running team, basically anything to take pressure off Brantley.

 

[GainesvillebornNraised]

i dont care what nobody says our offense should never be this bad we have to worry if were gonna look like Div-1 school in the first quarter that only practiced half the week


we need to play a full great game on offense for me to get off his back


i mean these recruits/anylysts whoever are watching us in the 1st quarter and think what the F is going on in gainesville that OC sucks something awful i aint goin there or ima drop them in the rankings a few more they still suck

 

[The Zooker]

i dont care what nobody says our offense should never be this bad we have to worry if were gonna look like Div-1 school in the first quarter that only practiced half the week


we need to play a full great game on offense for me to get off his back


i mean these recruits/anylysts whoever are watching us in the 1st quarter and think what the F is going on in gainesville that OC sucks something awful i aint goin there or ima drop them in the rankings a few more they still suck

The analysts are going after the coaches because the coaches are accepting blame rather than throwing their players under the bus. The problem is with execution and it starts with Pouncey and Brantley. Meyer will never get in front of a microphone and say this. He would never say that if Brantley had confidence he wouldn't check down to his short routes. He would never say that they'd call more passing plays if Brantley would actually pass the ball down the field with accuracy. Instead he is hoping that Brantley grows a pair and everyone will forget about these issues without there being any real drama. Meyer has been preaching better team execution this whole week to the media. If he's still playing his game with the media then that means our teams problems may be fixed. I'm thinking we are going to see a different team tomorrow. Winning at Neyland may have been the medicine that Johnny needed.

 

[DRU2012]

I hope you're right, 'cause they can get all of that fixed given time and practice--not to mention the psychological aspects you have noted.
It certainly fits with what Urban's been saying and what we've seen so far--up to a point. There seem to be some elements completely missing from the game-planning so far though, along with missing personnel, and it's clearly hampering this offense's explosiveness. If we begin to see more young receivers on the field and Brantley taking more shots down that field, I'll be more inclined to accept this approach. However, more of the cramped, sputtering conservatism we've seen so far will earn the coaching staff the frustrated criticism it deserves--and probably a bitter loss.

 

[The Zooker]

I told you so.