Official Game Thread, Week 3: Florida Gators 48 vs Colorado State Rams 10 9/15/2018

[DRU2012]

UP TO D again now--injuries and all, gotta keep 'em pinned down there, win the position game now.
Aw, back to the "death by small cuts" here.
Remember, they were down ONE POINT LESS to Arkansas last week and came back to win it in the 4th... Our frontline D is sidelined, doing it esentially with ALL backups, but somehow have to stop a team that "KNOWS" it can do it.
But here's the thing: Our guys have only to believe and PROVE (to everyone, starting with THEMSELVES) that they are BETTER THAN ARKANSAS.
(I LOVE them having added Tom Petty to the 'tween-3rd-and-4th repetoire, btw)

 

[DRU2012]

Flag on play.. May be taken away.
DAMN--freshman screwed up.

 

[DRU2012]

10 out ofb11 guys on thD came up HUGE--But that's how it is when you have to play freshman backups. Sigh...

 

[DRU2012]

No use dwelling on it: D just needs some rest!

 

[DRU2012]

They, that beat up, tired and STRESSED Gator D HAS managedcto hold on, get its main job done--and btw: time's awastin'..
And YES!!! THIS ONE COUNTS!

 

[DRU2012]

OK--many qs answered here so far today (thankyou Freddy Swain, "...to the HOUSE!"). Not ALL positively, and some have reymturned, new ones posed...BUT:
It just seems that we are starting to see some things we HAVEN'T seen from Gator teams of late.

 

[DRU2012]

BEST move might have been Chauncy Gardner's NON-block early in that run back.

 

[awebbf5]

Next week in Knoxville will not be easy.

 

[DRU2012]

We are FEEDING off our Special Teams once more today, like we once did.

 

[awebbf5]

Well it could be worse, we could be as bad as Arkansas.

 

[DRU2012]

Next week in Knoxville will not be easy.

Of COURSE not. But after today I'm not QUITE as pessimistic: I mean, the VOLS aren't exactly world-beaters. Neither are WE, though: It'll be a game. The offense will HAVE to take positive strides the coming week... And I'll be highly interested in our prospects for getting guys back on defense: 10 out of 11 OUT now, it's basically our 2nd-string starting at this point. Only frontline player is fortunately one of our best and MOST experienced, Chauncy Gardner--who can and does set the defense, calling the signals out there.

 

[DRU2012]

(LSU going for a fg to beat the Auburn Tigers over in that one: It's Good!
Man, aside from the Tide, it's all wide open in the SEC: Practically NO "weak sisters", either. There was already widespread acknowledgement of that, the Conference's "re-ascendance"
(Trask in, hands off to freshman RB Pierce, who breaks free for nearly 70 yards and a TD: That running game IS "paying off late" as anticipated--Think it mighta made a diff in LAST week's action/outcome?)

 

[Leakfan12]

Well it could be worse, we could be as bad as Arkansas.

or FSU

 

[DRU2012]

This CSU squad STILL working hard, sticking with the plan and trying to attack. They are well-coached, for sure, Bobo's got their attention and respect. They are still driving, determined to take it in.
This was no "push over", despite tge final score. Our special teams, making "special plays" at special TIMES, was the difference.
Franks still not dazzling by ANY MEANS.
But though our Head Coach will do EVERYTHING HE CAN to build his poise, growth and maturity, he isn't bs'ing when he talks about having, EXPECTING all that to happen. He's got no one further ahead at this point, you gotta figure, and so far that process goes on in practice---but I suspect if/when whatever progress is ongoing begins to satisfactorily intersect with standard of expectation amobg the "alternatives", and injury or sustained "regression" appears to compromise ongoing development and promise in his chosen starter at QB, Coach will pull the trigger. From what I hear, that angry dressing down of Franks onfield early was neither unprecedented nor new. Whatever uncertainties he has about his starter, I figure even as Mullens tries to bring his current go-to guy along, he's looking to his alternatives, "just in case".

 

[DRU2012]

or FSU

@awebbf5, @Leakfan12,
You're BOTH right--but it's funny, too.
Both schools tried to fill their Coaching hole with seemingly kneejerk fool-themselves quickfixes...Will be interesting how long either lasts, especially with Taggert out in the Panhandle...

 

[Leakfan12]

http://www.tampabay.com/sports/flor...-colorado-state-to-win-jim-mcelwainless-bowl/

 

[DRU2012]

Well, boys, I almost "hate to say it", but I THINK we got a pretty good shot at Rocky Top...It depends on a lot "yet to be seen and determined": Mainly how each emerges from game and practices health-wise, progress in the respective squads' growth, discipline, maturity and cohesion, and in our case at least WHICH Gator TEAM (poised and confident or chaotic and mistake-prone) shows UP.
ANOTHER week ahead where I'll feel good for now, but get more and more uptight as drawbacks surface, build and multiply, until approach of kickoff--by which time I'm seeing all the dangers, pitfalls and bringdowns. This "slowly getting better" bs is gonna drive me NUTS. It ain't no FUN!

 

[DRU2012]

...and finally, what can we take from the aftermath of all we saw out there today?
For ourselves and the SEC, anyone else besides me think LSU is eminently beatable? When ever before did "any given SATURDAY" express the general matchup potential for ANY 2 TEAMS in the SEC the rest of the way?
Except for Alabama, of course: Among everyone else OUT there, only they appear truly "UNBEATABLE". Wisconsin loses to BYU, for goodness sake. Hell, Vandy SHOULD have beaten Notre Dame, Ohio State should have lost, and so on. Each one likely WILL in the this already strange season:
I believe every ONE of these, and the rest who'll be seen for "pretenders", will likely fall before this season is over.
This may well be "The Year of Transition" NOT just for us, but for the whole still-aborning "college football playoff system"--It may take SEVERAL such "Years" to reach its eventual, self-sustaining level, one that all can accept and operate fairly within: There'll be more teams involved, ultimately, but do not worry: The arguments will not be settled, will not stop. If anything, they will widen, intensify--Interest will crescendo, reach new heights. With the recruiting cycle, spring ball and summer camps, NCAA College Football will be a year-round sport (in FACT, not just in my head LOL).

 

[Escambia94]

I think it is still a little early to draw any conclusions about this team's identity and its future. Here is what we know:

• The offensive line needs to establish itself early in the game, and be consistent.
• The quarterback is going to be Feleipe Franks until he plays himself out of the position, and we saw in this game that missing 4 straight passes is not enough to get fired. For our sanity as fans, we should accept that Franks is our quarterback. He is improving.
• The running backs are a mixed bag. Jordan Scarlett can run, but cannot catch or block. Lamical Perine, Dameon Pierce, and Malik Davis can do it all to some degree, but do not run as hard as Scarlett. Pierce runs the hardest, but does not find the holes as well as Scarlett.
• The wide receivers seem to be fine as long as Franks can get the ball to them.
• The tight ends are still a mystery.
• The defensive line should be a strong point with Sal Sunseri as the position coach and with decent athletes there. This unit is okay, but they need to fix a few things before they can match up against top SEC teams.
• The secondary did a great job at containing a dangerous passing attack, but with injuries plaguing this unit we should worry about their performance against aerial attacks from Missouri, Georgia, and maybe resurgent FSU.
• The linebackers are still a weakness, even though CSU's lack of a running game made it hard to assess their improvement.
• Play calling is hard to gauge due to players missing assignments.
• Overall discipline is good for the most part. 8 penalties for 75 yards is good compared to last year.

 

[Escambia94]

Final statistics:
Colorado State Rams 10, Florida Gators 48
Plays 83 44
1st Downs 22 14
3rd down efficiency 8-20 3-8
4th down efficiency 2-5 0-0
Total Yards 310 341
Passing 240 119
Comp-Att 23-41 8-15
Yards per pass 5.9 7.9
Interceptions thrown 0 1
Rushing 70 222
Rushing Attempts 42 29
Yards per rush 1.7 7.7
Penalties 6-33 8-75
Turnovers 3 1
Fumbles lost 3 0
Interceptions thrown 0 1
Possession 38:33 21:27