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In the Aftermath of Victory

DRU2012

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...and STUNNING, CLUTCH Victory, at that--albeit at various points an unlikely, then impressively RALLYING one:
There are so many points, positive AND negative, hopeful AND worrisome, and then some in both directions, that are to me made, analyzed and learned from in the days and weeks ahead...
For example, right up top is this one:
While Dan Mullen may well BE the EXACT right Coach for us (I certainly think so), the one we in particular were fortunate to get, as has been the growing certainty among most Gator Faithful as the season has progressed, the same can NOT necessarily be said for Grantham, the Defensive Coordinator. Whereas I myself was a strong supporter who felt (and SAID) we were lucky to get him, hoped we'd KEEP him for awhile before he took some inevitable HEAD Coaching job eventually based on the way our defense was playing first third or so of the season, I'm not the ONLY person who no longer necessarily feels that way: Grantham has shown an inflexibility, even stubborness of approach and philosophy (both the kiss of DEATH in the SEC) in the way he sets up, runs and uniformly continues to CALL his defensive signals out there--the same calls in the same situations again and again and again...ALL with predictably deteriating patterns of outcome against top notch offensive minds who see, note and react accordingly. Where we started OUT with one of the best "take away"-stats in the league first few games, that all dried up as the SEC portion of our schedule moved in and on--until by the LAST 3 games, no Florida squad had allowed 31 points per game in a row, as we had, since 1917! Until they FINALLY came up with that INT on SC's last drive chance, we were back in this one DESPITE our Defensive play. I didn't think we could WIN that way, depending on the OFFENSE to keep pace, eventually take over and OUTPLAY THEIRS, basically outscore their 31 points!
That has GOT to change--meaning that Grantham HIMSELF will have to learn and become COMFORTABLE with "change", show HE can do it. Even the BEST keep learning, changing as necessary in pursuit of "perfection", impossible as that is to actually atain. You cannot WIN at this level without flexible adaptivity--something he can learn from his Head Coach, if he can and is willing...If neither, then best the Coach (and all of us) find out here and now the next few games to finish the season; otherwise, it MAY be time to look for an upgrade THERE, too.
As I say, I would have said differently 3 or 4 games in, but reality and experience have a way of cutting to the bone, stripping away illusion: The truth will out.
We welcome all YOUR observations and suggestions as to everything y'all see that need to be changed, at least "IMPROVED UPON" as the season moves towards its end: All the things we can already see and/or begin to suspect and believe we can find out for SURE about in these last few games.
It's as much about maximizing our opportunities to improve even further and FASTER POST-season and into NEXT year. If we indeed wanna be among the elite, annually competing for Championships once more, that's how we have to THINK.
 

DRU2012

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As for what's left THIS season, well, the remaining competition is not exactly "formidable". Idaho at home will be a "nice break" IF we simply take the game seriously, show the Vandals the respect they deserve as a bunch of guys who have already spent most of a long season practicing each day, trying their damnedest, going on the road and generally WORKING HARD JUST LIKE US...But the talent differential is so great that it would damn near take MacEllwaine-coached inattention to team emotion and detail to yield a mind set likely to produce a loss there...FSU still has the talent--but appear to have by now gone so far down the "let's get this done and OUTTA here"-road, the one that OUR guys turned AWAY from late in the 3rd qtr of today's game, that even with pride and familiarity as factors possibly reawakening their competitive drives, even at THEIR place I think we may have the edge--makes the game EVEN, at worst...Just started watching enough of their game against the Irish here that I ALMOST find myself ROOTING for 'em as bumbling underdogs; That has as much to do with my despising their opponent this time as anything else, ALWAYS wanting to see the IRISH lose, but though it seems this 'Nole team is "TRYING to try", the results are lean enough that they are already starting to bow out before they fully WEAR out, looks like to me.
Frankly, when I think about it, it actually PISSES ME OFF that they couldn't manage to raise their game to at least CHALLENGE this overhyped/overRATED Notre Dame team...ANOTHER team failing to give them a true test. This 'Nole squad deserves no sympathy--and certainly no "pass" T-Day long weekend.
LIKE to see 'em hung out to dry: if EVER there were a chance for Franks to look good in a passing game carefully crafted to his restricted skill set--in other words, in tricky, unexpected plays and ways among our powerful running game.
If we WERE to get outta the regular season with just the 3 losses, one of the "High Profile Also-Ran Bowls" against another high-visibility team would likely be in the offing--and that in turn can only HELP our raised profile and resulting recruiting success...WHICH, if/when you're not yet back to regular elite status and annual playoff berths, will be what most and best helps you GET there.
With today's win, then, that "required" win-out is still in play, and our next-level improvement along with it.
 

Escambia94

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This victory was also the final divorce settlement for Will Muschamp.

The Gators have six fifth-year seniors who signed with Florida before Muschamp's final season in 2014, and this was their final SEC game as Gators. Florida also has one more payment to Muschamp to fulfill his severance, a $787,500 deposit later this month. That will complete his $6.3 million buyout.

Here are the Muschamp recruits left on the roster.
  1. 9 Dre Massey WR 5-9 189 R-Sr. Greenville, S.C. / Mauldin
  2. 45 R.J. Raymond ATH 6-2 249 R-Sr. Atlantic Beach, Fla. / Fletcher (2014 walk-on)
  3. 53 Kavaris Harkless OL 6-4 305 R-Sr. Jacksonville, Fla. / Trinity Christian Academy
  4. 54 Khairi Clark DL 6-1 311 R-Sr. Hollywood, Fla. / Chaminade-Madonna
  5. 80 C'yontai Lewis TE 6-4 233 R-Sr. Eutaw, Ala. / Kingwood Christian
  6. 82 Moral Stephens TE 6-4 247 R-Sr. Perry, Fla. / Taylor County
  7. 98 Jorge Powell K 5-9 174 R-Sr. Coral Gables, Fla. / Belen Jesuit Prep (2014 walk-on)
 
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DRU2012

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That last is interesting from start to finish: Ya gotta wonder at the complex subtleties
and emotional swirls and eddies underlying all that happened, as a result.
I don't despise Muschamp, though: I sure as HELL don't care to see us LOSE to him, EVER--But I understand he was a Gainesville boy who WANTED VERY BADLY to WIN there, but just wasn't anything like ready. Don't believe he has the temperment for Head Coach at Florida even now...But the lower impatience, pressure and expectations in Columbia seem to have suited him, allowed him to settle down and in, lower his anger levels and better work with his young charges.
Fortunately for THEM--'Cause after stinkin' UP the joint for 3 quarters, we suddenly and FINALLY woke up (from our long sleep after being knocked OUT by Georgia; UK appears to be in the middle of something similar...How do those Bulldogs MANAGE that, btw???)--and if that had happened to US when Will was the Coach, he woulda been pulling guys' arms off and biting chunks out of their heads and asses on the sidelines out there! Remember?
Now, gotta turn to this whole matter of Franks, his reaction to the various shots being taken at him publicly in various ways:
I LIKED his cool, water-off-a-duck's ass "thumbs up" online in response to Luke del Rio's pregame tweet about how "If Coach Mullen actually starts Franks against South Carolina, I truly believe he will be in danger of losing support of the fan base..."
First of all, Luke should KNOW better: He's been there, and saying THAT, making the POLITICS of the situation the issue is pretty low, unfair, and really, BESIDE THE POINT: If you don't think we can WIN with him in there, fine, you are welcome to exercise your right-to-an-opinion--I don't know if it's exactly the "high road" in his position, but THAT'S at least a fair claim...IF it's what you truly believe.
Given all that, AND Filipe's difficulties, rocky road of late and thin skin, his reaction to it there was actually the more measured and mature. Now, his actions and REactions in dealing with the crowd in the SWAMP out there today was a little more complicated--not to mention questionable, in the long run: Their boos were a direct reaction and comment on his very real inaccuracy out there again--they were frustrated, but they WEREN'T WRONG about it. Only their patience and generosity of spirit could be questioned--and though I wouldn't have joined in, I sure as HELL understood it and AGREED with the "verdict thus far" at that point: BEST way to ANSWER it was to DO BETTER, then generously ACCEPT their inevitably fickle applause if/when you turn things around RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEM ALL.
They're FANS! That's what they DO--and winning them back , thru your improvement and SUCCESS, is the ONLY thing YOU can really DO about it. I am happy and relieved he DIDN'T LET IT GET TO HIM, that he found a way to do what he could, recover and WIN THE GAME...BUT BTW: Franks almost certainly WOULDN'T have started without Trask's unfortunate innury in practice, and HE DIDN'T do a whole lot to make or prove them WRONG about what the boos were essentially loud shorthand for:
"Hey Fillipe--WTF is WRONG WITH YOU, MAN? You didn't GET here missing open guys over and over with that cannon arm! Why CAN'T you settle down and hit 'em at LEAST better than half the time? What major malfunction in your HEAD has you missing them long something close to 80% of the time, when it COUNTS???"
I doubt trying to embarrass him publicly will HELP CHANGE IT, so doubt THAT'S a good idea--'cause I just wanna see us win...but all that "sturm und drang" in confronting the crowd, by now cheering his gutsy, hard running and leadership, ain't necessarily the way to go either...On the other hand, though, that very same "gutsy toughness" and "leadership", along with his proud and fearless willingness to confront it directly, is itself something to admire and find hope in--especially considering the situation once Trask went down mid-week. We can only hope that he can find some confident PEACE going on from here, that THAT helps him try and do all that will be required and asked of him now with poise and grace, thru to the end of the season...
...And hope like HELL Jones or SOMEONE displaces him as the STARTING QUARTERBACK AT UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA by the start of the 2019 one!
 

DRU2012

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BTW: After everything, with our comeback win and Ohio State's lackluster, but ultimately workaday decision yesterday now making them a more likely Sugar Bowl participant, latest "talk" now projects a push to match us up against UCF in the FIESTA Bowl: a good high-profile (as in "featured alone on national network TV in primetime") game that would SEEM TO enhance recruiting recognition and chances for success there.
However, given all the unpredictable emotional features and factors playing INTO such a matchup, I for one am not so enthusistic about our guys shouldering the burden of SEC honor--and EVERY OTHER "MAJOR CONFERENCE'S" teams' and players' hope and expectation that we will defend the pride, skill and INTEGRITY of our generally presumed "FAR superior schedules"--To go out there and not just win but "BURY those candy-assed upstarts and their pinball-level competition!"
In other words, IF that comes to pass the pressure will be on US. To assert their claim to being qualified and deserving to be there, all USF has to do is keep it close in WHICHEVER Bowl they are invited to...but they WON'T just "show up"--you can COUNT on that. They will come with a crowd of supporters, and we would no doubt have to at least withstand an early high-flying, walking-on-air assault from their wide-open, very competent offense. Grantham will damn well have to have his unit ready, hitting hard and true from the start.
BUT: I'm getting WAY ahead of myself, of course...In fact, I actually began a long analysis of how we might approach such a match-up--then caught myself, deleted the coupla sentences I began it with (yeah, I got that far--sorry), and instead cut to this: Let's beat Idaho, then (ALWAYS a "make-or-break Big One" ) FSU, then see what happens. We are still "taking small steps", learning to finish, after all.
I am (after how I felt and what we were ALL going through by mid-3rd qtr Saturday) now relievedly (along with our team and its Coaches) just focusing on the tangible hurdles and challenges ahead, hoping we can meet them and keep learning, growing, improving. For now, gotta stick with that and let the rest unfold, come to us.
After a great start, middle-season stumble-into-freefall near-collapse, then thanks to an overall "snap-OUT-of-it" TEAM-produced roaring-late-comeback of a victory, we find ourselves with control of our own not-so-bad-at-ALL "destiny" of a potentially decent finish--more than it seemed we had ANY right or chance to expect even going INTO yesterday's game.
But we still have to "FINISH".
One of the biggest, most valuable, and often DIFFICULT lessons to learn. OR DO.
 

DRU2012

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I'm happy that they beat Muschamp.
You see the end of the game, Lf?
Coach Dan called off the dogs inside the 5 with over a minite left: He isn't about "style points" or running up the score, they were outta times out, so we went to the victory formation...and the Gamecocks proceeded to have a temper tantrum! They crowded the line, knocked the center into Franks TWICE on successive plays as time ran out...
Now, I'm not saying Musschamp TOLD his guys to do that--he didn't HAVE to. It was predictable, though--maybe inevitable:
If some teams are a reflection of their Coach, well, Muschamp IS still an "angry guy":
It was worse when he coached in Gainesville, his hometown where he just couldn't seem to get things turned around, but he appears to have settled down, found a more comfortable, less-stressful home at South Carolina. I understand if HE wanted this one every bit as much as we did, but the fact his TEAM just COULDN'T HANDLE the realization that they had just been caught, passed and BURIED by a down Gator team they had dominated for 3 quarters goes back on HIM: Look, Coach, you WANNA see your guys still with fight at the end of a close, painful loss--but there's a point where your lack of self-control (a major problem when you were OUR Coach, one that played a large part in your failure here, btw) is STILL being reflected ON THE FIELD, in your team's play.
As it was here: It may not have directly affected the outcome (more a reaction to it, at least that bit at the end), but it is still a feature of you and yours--which I suppose is fine with US, 'cause we'll be getting BETTER while Y'ALL will be getting angrier, and we'll be beating you by larger and larger margins in the years ahead!
 

DRU2012

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Sadly no, I was working. I think the last I checked the score was 31-21.
Oooo...That was in the middle of the ongoing "sinking feeling we're gonna lose this one--BADLY"-period--that had started early and only got worse for 3 quarters, by the way.
...Making the way this Gator team seemed to come alive and come back--like they really WERE waking up after a long, drugged out 2 and 3/4 game sleep after being slipped something early in the Georgia game ("HEY! We're in the middle of the SOUTH CAROLINA game! At HOME! Against a WILL MUSCHAMP team!!!"), all the more satisfying. I'd say watch the game replay if you get the chance, except that those first three quarters WERE so painful to endure...Of course, at the time we had no idea (certainly no guarantee) that this would change, turn out ok--and it was the very depths we seemed to have fallen to, extended that long and far, that MADE the last quarter or so that memorable. Such an enormous RELIEF!
"THAT'S who we are! THAT is what has changed here. There's where we are headed, who we are GOING to be."
By the time we finally had the lead (our first of the game), got that last first down deep into their redzone, and went into the aforementioned Victory Formation, everything had changed.
Now we just have to see this team FINISH, beat two teams it has the talent (even banged up as we are), drive, coaching and yes, state of mind and emotion to beat, go to a big "show-off" Bowl, then on to recruiting and everything still to be changed and accomplished in the spring and beyond...Still important work to be done, but everything we could have hoped to gain coming INTO this season is still out there, right in front of us, to be taken.
Almost slipped through our fingers there over the last few weeks, but I THINK we caught ourselves JUST in time.
Sure am glad ex-Coach Will was on the OTHER sidelines this time! Lol
 

Escambia94

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This victory was a lot of smoke and mirrors, with a little bit of Muschamp's influence. Without a passing game it was hard to get going the first three quarters. Once the running game started working, the Gators were back in the game. The total offense is ranked about #50. The passing offense is about #80. The rushing offense is about #35. For reference, the FSU total defense is a mirror image, with their strength also being rush defense ranked around #35 or so.
 

DRU2012

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This victory was a lot of smoke and mirrors, with a little bit of Muschamp's influence. Without a passing game it was hard to get going the first three quarters. Once the running game started working, the Gators were back in the game. The total offense is ranked about #50. The passing offense is about #80. The rushing offense is about #35. For reference, the FSU total defense is a mirror image, with their strength also being rush defense ranked around #35 or so.
Doesn't seem to bode well, does it? Would appear to put us about EVEN with a pretty damn poor edition of our cross-state rival: It's at their place this year, but I do think we have the coaching edge.
But it shouldn't, WOULDN'T be anything LIKE that close in any even-handed analysis if it weren't for what has become a tired but for now still inescapable dilemma: We clearly have a serious weakness at QB, but due to circumstances that have only narrowed our options, are stuck with our "best option for the moment", Franks, for another game at the very least. There is no use in reviewing all the flaws in his game, nor in all the reasons we are stuck with him now...
But maybe it is time to consider the "end game" vis a vis when it will be the "right time" to replace Franks, how (and with WHOM) exactly that replacement will unfold.
It is a safe enough "exercise": It's not as if our musings will actually have any impact on "real" events, obviously.
But I am beginning to wonder: What IS "the plan" here.? We must assume Mullen & Co. HAVE one. They damn well BETTER. Granted, as noted, they have been limited, in fact progressively restricted by ongoing events (Trask's untimely injury was a huge complication: So much for anything like a "smooth and orderly transition").
But what now? More than ever and in every way, we are now forced to deal with this question (and therefore everything that it involves and all consequences and repercussions in turn entailed) game by game. As far as replacing Franks, our only remaining alternative is freshman Jones, and HE not available as starter until next week against FSU. Let's take Mullen at his word on this--they are determined to preserve his redshirt if possible, and the Coach has gone as far as to say that regardless, if Jones were to start we could all safely assume it was "for good".
So Franks will start this week. He is so inconsistent throwing long, and/or generally with "touch" or "finesse" when that is required on ANY throw, as to be completely unreliable. Now, even a mediocre quarteback who is practicing daily (let alone a starting QB at a ranked SEC team...GEEZ! What loser Coaches we've been victimizrd by, for it to come to THIS!) might have a "good day" where he is MAKING those throws, or, at the very least, SHOULD hit such throws from time to time...But in calling such plays, that is all we are countimg on at this point. Pretty bleak. In fact so much so it is hard to see or understand how Mullen can look to him after this season.
We have seen (and continue to see) his limits. Mullen must replace him, and all the rest about him going into the spring still the presumed starter is ridiculous. Mullen's hiring, not to mention his own skills, underlying instincts and philosophy all BEGIN with the quarterback and the offense. He recognized the situation, thought he could develop Franks well enough to see the offense grow with that devopment--and though it hasn't been pretty, that's how it's gone, more or less. But the limited potential there has been reached: Franks' "growth" has plateaued. We HAVE to get at least one more decent game out of him, hopefully TWO. Keeping him in there after this season is to surrender another YEAR to our process of "reemergence"!
No, Mullen will begin to groom Jones for the future--and if possible I think will TRY to bring in one of the several proven and highly-talented senior QBs whom the latest libralized rules governing such things will be making available--all the MORE reason why keeping Jones' redshirt intact may have been and continues to seem so important.
But that STILL leaves right now. If not for the point made above, Idaho this Saturday might have been the ideal time to get Jones some ingame experience with the first team offense--but forget that now.
FOR now, we are a running team that will use an inventive short passing game, plus opportunistic defense and special teams to win two winnable games. That is the likely plan--and one not beyond even our Franks-led offense. But that qualification is the damning one. We cannot win consistently if our quarterback cannot consistently THROW with any accuracy. Mullen is a flexible and well-rounded Head Coach whose talents are turning out to go far beyond merely improving the offense, but he can't develop and evolve the kind of offense we to a great extent HIRED him for with such a quarterback, either.
Franks HAS improved, but not enough, and he seems to have plateaued. But for now we are more or less STUCK with him, and that, along with Franks' apparent thin skin (another factor in what seems more and more as much a "HEAD" problem as any issue with his actual physical skills), is the very reason Mullen has had to support him so strongly, seemingly to the point of ignoring any possible alternative. I get it.
So we do the best we can with the situation at hand. Given everything, IF we can get through the regular season with a 9-and-3 record it should be said that our Coach will have done a masterful job. But I see little reason he would knowingly and intentionally continue in this fashion. Once the season is over I believe he will make EVERY EFFORT, pursue all options and exploit any opportunity to improve us in every way (skill, experience and depth) at the quarteback position.
 

Escambia94

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@DRU2012 I honestly think the Gators are not that far ahead of the Criminoles in terms of talent, speed, and athleticism. The difference this whole season has been coaching. The Gators will be their own worst enemy if their heads are not in the game against Idaho, FSU, and the bowl opponent.

Feleipe Franks might play better when he is angry, but however he gets there, he needs to be performing at a higher level than he has been. His statistics are the product of Mullen's coaching, so Franks will need to grow into those statistics just as his coaches believe he can.
 

DRU2012

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@DRU2012 I honestly think the Gators are not that far ahead of the Criminoles in terms of talent, speed, and athleticism. The difference this whole season has been coaching. The Gators will be their own worst enemy if their heads are not in the game against Idaho, FSU, and the bowl opponent.

Feleipe Franks might play better when he is angry, but however he gets there, he needs to be performing at a higher level than he has been. His statistics are the product of Mullen's coaching, so Franks will need to grow into those statistics just as his coaches believe he can.
Perhaps it was lost in my as usual larger, LONGER development of the whole issue of Franks' inadequacies, and Mullen's interests and oversight in developing our team, but I pretty well said the same thing above--agree with you entirely:
We're pretty close to "even" overall with FSU right now, talentwise--but as I note, though the game's at their place, WE have the coaching edge.
Coach Mullen knows our obvious weaknesses at this point, ESPECIALLY at QB--and will find ways of limiting them, maybe even anticipate their efforts to exploit them and turn that back on them.
But of course my larger point is that this can't go on. We have got to leave the whole obvious bottleneck behind: Turn the page on this whole "constant compromise offense". I can't watch an NCAA game at any level of competition these days without suspecting that at least ONE of the competing quarterbacks is more competent than ours, and so often find myself considering how much better WE would be with him, and by extension ANY NUMBER of college quarterbacks out there, as OUR QB, rather than the strangely "partial-talented headcase" WE have ended up STUCK with.
 

DRU2012

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I mean, far too often, the bad things that happen, the mistakes that are made by Franks are UNFORCED. All too often, everything works but his arm. And it isn't as if it isn't a strong arm: He's got a cannon, as they say...LITERALLY so. It is just about as accurate as a 19th century piece, with a load of black powder. Too bad it isn't a large stationary stone wall but a single, running man he is trying to hit.
 

Escambia94

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I honestly believe McDeathThreats and NussBomb ruined Franks' development. Mullen might continue his development into next year, and he might do better. If Emory Jones does not pack on 15 pounds of muscle, Mullen might be tempted to start Franks next year. Maybe Jones will shine in his two games of the redshirt year and in the 45 practices between now and the Miami game, and maybe convince Mullen to start him at 198 pounds. For now we have to assume Mullen likes his QBs to weigh in at 215 pounds in order to survive contact with SEC defenders.
 

DRU2012

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I honestly believe McDeathThreats and NussBomb ruined Franks' development. Mullen might continue his development into next year, and he might do better. If Emory Jones does not pack on 15 pounds of muscle, Mullen might be tempted to start Franks next year. Maybe Jones will shine in his two games of the redshirt year and in the 45 practices between now and the Miami game, and maybe convince Mullen to start him at 198 pounds. For now we have to assume Mullen likes his QBs to weigh in at 215 pounds in order to survive contact with SEC defenders.
Mmmmmm, I'm gonna have to disaggree on this point, my friend--at least the part about Franks further potential and utility for OUR continued improvement. By now I think the changes and resulting preconditions necessary to move Mullens to stay THAT course are too numerous and extreme to make it likely. It is at best a "longshot MAYBE"...He's GOT to make a move, do better than THAT.
BUT while we are on the subject, do you not think a Coach like Mullen is in the habit of taking a long and hard look at the phenotypical evidense in a prospective recruit's parents and family if/when he meets them, trying to guage the genetic signs of how a young man's progenitors have physically developed, filled out as adults? In cases where he DIDN'T recruit them, I'm guessing he follows up on all that in any way he can...In the specific case of Franks, that's not where the problem is: Yes, he is big, tough and acceptably mobile--albeit in a gangly, ungainly sort of way--but the accompanying impression of awkward overall coordination may well be what manifests as a fatal lack of touch and/or accuracy in his actual throws. Mullen has tried to "fix" him, and together they have taken some big strides, but SOMETHING is completely missing there.
No, as I have noted elsewhere, it has more and more occurred to me (and surely many others) that there will be an inordinate number of experienced, high calibre quarterbacks (some even already well-proven at other programs, in competition with and against challenging rivals and opponents) who will be available the coming off-season with at least one more year of eligibility, thanks to varied situations and changed rules.
One way or another, Mullen will have the opportunity to at least CONSIDER going after one of these--which is where the extra focus (bordering at times of late seemingly on obsessive) on keeping Jones' redshirt intact for another year: He knows that it is POSSIBLE that the extra year may serve Jones, Mullen and our whole program very nicely, giving young Emory another year to fill out, gain valuable experience in and knowledge of our system and playbook, the complete package--and if he turns out to be all he seems he MIGHT be, not have to be rushed in before he is ready--would potentially still have THREE years of eligibility left by the time he was able to fully step in as a budding star in 2120, his redshirt sophmore year. And, WITH that theoretical "high profile senior transfer-in" ensconsed at the helm of our offense next season, meanwhile Jones, Mullen and the whole program would be poised to gain all the benefits of THAT player's talent, skill and drive to impress pro-scouts with any kind of real success with US next season.
I have more and more begun to suspect that this is Mullen's "Plan A", at this point.
There are other possibilities, and maybe I'm wrong--but continuing to bank on Franks does NOT strike me as likely high on that list of "Mullen's possible plans"...not even Plan C or D.
 

DRU2012

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WAY "Aftermath...":
Watching the game replay (from late-3rd qtr on), and the two things I DO see from Franks of course is that (1) He does now have command of his team AND running them through those parts of the offense that he CAN execute efficiently, if not the full range of skills required by the WHOLE playbook, and (2) "Playing angry" suits his game: I think he began to OVERplay that attitude he brought into this one, but overall it had him running the various series and packages with a sharp and snapping efficiency that clearly played well with his guys (and they WERE "his guys" out there more and more as this one went on). That took time, effort and a season's worth of communication between he and Mullen to arrive at--and I understand its value (you can see it ON THE FIELD), and may be the one thing that keeps him in there--at least til SOMEONE with the skills and clear upside (Jones? A senior transfer?) that make replacing him with someone who has yet to go THROUGH that process still a no-brainer.
(...And rewatching this end-of-game, Gators-in-Victory Formation sequence, I am AGAIN struck by how much of a "crybaby temper tantrum" it all smacks of: Will Muschamp and his team were all but HANDED this game by a still-sinking Gator team that remained somnolent thru most of 3 quarters: With a 17 point lead well into the 2nd half, they played the last quarter-plus as if WAITING for us to "come get 'em"...Their only real "fight" emerged after-the-fact, trying to hurt somebody once the damage was already done. Neither performance or outcome the conscious intent, perhaps, but in the end BOTH can be judged a reflection of their COACH'S character, I'm afraid.)
 

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