Well, OK, I admit to a weird kind of "double image" for this one. I feel pretty good about us winning--but I still have no real "feel" for HOW well we'll perform overall.
First, let's be glad THIS season we actually HAD a true "opening home tune-up", let alone that we already seemed to begin to get fully untracked and working towards hitting our stride in every area that needed/needs to be addressed. We KNOW how things can be totally thrown off by losing that 1st week to weather--as LSU and a few others are learning/ABOUT to learn...and it lasts more than a game, too. Who ever thought a lightning strike "8 miles from the stadium" would affect the first third or so of a team's season?
Well, not our prob this year. This game itself, matter of fact, strikes me as a kind of microcosm of everything going on with and for us the first month or so: Lotta things to settle and work on--and only time, reps, action and good fortune (as in avoiding serious injuries this year) will determine how it turns out. All in all, I "EXPECT" us to win this in front of another raucous crowd at home, but how strongly? I KNOW we can't, shouldn't expect another out'n'out "avalanche of scoring" from our offense in this one, not like last week, anyway...Probably should be more than content if we can manage bout 35: Yeah, reason tells me that about a 35-17 win should more than satisfy all of us.
'Course, "reason" aside, would like to see our D really begin to tighten up and our O continue it's "fun time".
(Btw, I've mentioned this elsewhere, but now that he/it's gone, the contrast of team-looseness, how we're clearly having FUN out there, no longer worried constantly bout The Glare from the sidelines, what it meant, and how absolutely TIGHT the whole team felt, acted and therefore PLAYED because of it, well, now that it's gone, replaced by its effective opposite on the sidelines and in the locker room...Hey, no getting around it: You don't GET your best results outta college kids that way. Don't "GET" as many of the best of 'em in the first place, either, now that we consider it, look back and over all the actual results on AND off the field...I'll even now go so far as to say it is limiting our now former-coach's otherwise doubtless talents as an ASSISTANT coach with the D on his new team. They'll get that straightened out, tho', I'm sure...one way or another, he will have it "impressed upon him" that he's JUST "an assistant" now, despite his high pay...Frankly, the longer that DOESN'T happen the happier/more amused and content I'LL be--but enough of all THAT "petty sour grapes" on the subject from me--It'll only matter if it somehow helps US beat them, come the time).
So, back to THIS one:
I already picked what I think is a not TOO "optimistic LOGICAL outcome"-- but here's how the rabid-Gator-inside-of-me would pick it, if I let him outta his cage here for a sec:
42-10...QB q's still not "settled" (unless you consider a season-long "2-headed monster" situation any kind of "settling"), O-line still thin but getting it done, Taylor running for 150+ yds, and scoring from D and special teams this time out. See? This is why I don't usually let him mix with the public: He just isn't LOGICAL (but, from time to time, he IS "right"--and it's BEAUTIFUL!
GO GATORS! Eat 'em UP!
First, let's be glad THIS season we actually HAD a true "opening home tune-up", let alone that we already seemed to begin to get fully untracked and working towards hitting our stride in every area that needed/needs to be addressed. We KNOW how things can be totally thrown off by losing that 1st week to weather--as LSU and a few others are learning/ABOUT to learn...and it lasts more than a game, too. Who ever thought a lightning strike "8 miles from the stadium" would affect the first third or so of a team's season?
Well, not our prob this year. This game itself, matter of fact, strikes me as a kind of microcosm of everything going on with and for us the first month or so: Lotta things to settle and work on--and only time, reps, action and good fortune (as in avoiding serious injuries this year) will determine how it turns out. All in all, I "EXPECT" us to win this in front of another raucous crowd at home, but how strongly? I KNOW we can't, shouldn't expect another out'n'out "avalanche of scoring" from our offense in this one, not like last week, anyway...Probably should be more than content if we can manage bout 35: Yeah, reason tells me that about a 35-17 win should more than satisfy all of us.
'Course, "reason" aside, would like to see our D really begin to tighten up and our O continue it's "fun time".
(Btw, I've mentioned this elsewhere, but now that he/it's gone, the contrast of team-looseness, how we're clearly having FUN out there, no longer worried constantly bout The Glare from the sidelines, what it meant, and how absolutely TIGHT the whole team felt, acted and therefore PLAYED because of it, well, now that it's gone, replaced by its effective opposite on the sidelines and in the locker room...Hey, no getting around it: You don't GET your best results outta college kids that way. Don't "GET" as many of the best of 'em in the first place, either, now that we consider it, look back and over all the actual results on AND off the field...I'll even now go so far as to say it is limiting our now former-coach's otherwise doubtless talents as an ASSISTANT coach with the D on his new team. They'll get that straightened out, tho', I'm sure...one way or another, he will have it "impressed upon him" that he's JUST "an assistant" now, despite his high pay...Frankly, the longer that DOESN'T happen the happier/more amused and content I'LL be--but enough of all THAT "petty sour grapes" on the subject from me--It'll only matter if it somehow helps US beat them, come the time).
So, back to THIS one:
I already picked what I think is a not TOO "optimistic LOGICAL outcome"-- but here's how the rabid-Gator-inside-of-me would pick it, if I let him outta his cage here for a sec:
42-10...QB q's still not "settled" (unless you consider a season-long "2-headed monster" situation any kind of "settling"), O-line still thin but getting it done, Taylor running for 150+ yds, and scoring from D and special teams this time out. See? This is why I don't usually let him mix with the public: He just isn't LOGICAL (but, from time to time, he IS "right"--and it's BEAUTIFUL!
GO GATORS! Eat 'em UP!
