Fresh start, big win coming

[News Bot]

Not to brag or anything, but I was looking back on last season the other day and noticed that I was perfect with my picks in Florida games in 2015. I went 13-0 in the regular season, correctly predicting the upset of Ole Miss and the three losses to LSU, Florida State and Alabama.



But, of course, I went and lost some of my credibility with my bold bowl prediction. I actually believed the offense-less Gators were going to beat Michigan in the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl. So wrong on that one. Just like that, perfect season gone.



So, I’m like the Gators. I ended 2015 badly and now am looking for better things with a fresh start this season. I think we’ll both do fine with this opener against UMass. It’s rebound time.



No disrespect to the Minutemen, but this is going to play out like an NFL exhibition game for the Gators. Luke Del Rio and the offense will have some early success, the defense will dominate and the Gators will alternate all kinds of players in and out throughout the game, with many young players seeing their first playing time. So the score is not going to soar to a ridiculous height for UF.



One aspect that’s going to be intriguing to watch is how the Gators use their tailbacks. Five are expected to play, so those guys are going to be rotating in and out, with the coaches checking to see if one gets the hot hand. I’m also looking forward to seeing how good the passing game will be with Del Rio, who knows where to go with the football and has a quick release, and a receiving corps that should be much more dynamic with a healthy Brandon Powell and the addition of Dre Massey to go along with Antonio Callaway.



The defense, of course, will rattle first-time starting quarterback Ross Comis and stuff tailback Marquis Young, who rushed for 100 yards against Notre Dame last season, but will find things a lot more difficult in this one.



Coming off that three-game losing streak to end last season, this is the opportunity to bury the memory of that finish and start moving forward in what could be a good season in year two under Jim McElwain.



Prediction: Florida 44, UMass 14.

The post Fresh start, big win coming appeared first on Robbies Playbook.

Source: GatorSports.com - Robbie's Playbook

 

[DRU2012]

This is a big "transitional" season bout to start for us: Clearly we're not "THERE" yet, still have to find and bring in a whole lot more talented young men all over the field to plug in...but it's gotta be time for a noticeable shift-to-the-attack throughout The Program: McElwaime's GOT to have some surprises and fun-new-stuff for the rest of the college football world (not to mention US) to feast our eyes and hearts on. Espec on offense. Yeah, I know the ol' "don't show anymore than you havta" that is the common wisdom this time o year--but really, why NOT?!! Lets find out what we got now--and if its anything truly promising, lets SEE it! The idea is to do what we do, line up and say, "Try n STOP us!". We"ll either turn out to HAVE it in the new guys here now--and they'll need sorting out AND game-experience DOING it, btw--or there'll be NEWER guys with still more n different skills in their place soon as poss. HAS to be that way now
"Future is NOW", and "now" means UMass. So hopefully we'll see some kind of unveilimg in the first half Sat--then hopefully a "calling off the dogs", and playing ball control and "what else we got?" rest of the way. I didn't say that's how this'll go--just HOPIN' on something like it. Truth is, I EXPECT us to show "uneven improvement" on offense, espec early on... But we'll probably have to work for EVERYTHING we get this season, even more so once we get to SEC play (like, next week?)...Hey, UK's gotta feel they "woulda shoulda coulda" broken that futility-streak LAST year, and KNOW they better get it done this time or no matter HOW much they'll be improving under that staff, they won't likely be matching OUR upward curve over the next few years...And Tennessee has great expectations, picked by the polls in the top-5 and all that--but we've had their number TOO of late, even during the just passing\past relative "down years" at UF...All the hype goes out the window if we beat em again that traditional "1st rivalry game of the year", 3rd wknd in Sept maybe about to become nationally relevant again?
And on from there. I admit--I just don't have a FEEL for this team or its potential this season yet. Nuthin' so far. Which makes this a gramd opportunity for pir Head Coach and his staff to "make a statement"--hit the field runnin' and don't look back.