FLORIDA FOOTBALL: FOOD FOR A MAN'S SOUL
Keep it simple, stupid
Watching the replay of Florida’s ugly win over Georgia — and particularly during Florida’s offensive series — one thought kept creeping into my head.
This shouldn’t be so difficult.
Florida schemes an incredibly complicated offense. An infinite number of formations, player subtitutions, formation-shifts at the line of scrimmage, a man-in-motion on nearly every play, quarterback checks… the list goes on.
There have been times this year when, even though Florida’s immediate objective is maddeningly simple — such as running out the clock during the waning moments of the LSU game, with the victory already in hand — the complexity of Meyer’s scheme has gotten the better of the Gators. The coaches’ obsession with run-pass balance, being unpredictable, and tricking the defense seems, at times, to cost the Gators more than they gain.
Coach Tommy Tuberville runs the alter-ego of Florida’s offense: a power-running attack backed up with a short passing game. In a playbook which can’t include more than a few dozen plays, subterfuge and trickery are seldom part of Auburn’s game. “We’re not going to fool anybody,” he said.
One has to wonder how productive Florida’s offense would be if they stopped trying to fool their opponent’s defensive coordinator, head coach, the TV commentators, and the national viewing audience, opting instead to simply put their playmakers on the field — and leave them there. Allow them to get into a rhythm. Pass out of fewer formations. Let your running back run. Limit the number of audibles. Use fewer wide receivers and provide more max-protection opportunities to the backfield. Identify your offense’s strengths and your opponent’s weaknesses, and choose plays which exploit both. Let your mobile quarterback pass and run. Let your drop-back passer drop back and, well, pass.
At the end of the day, it sounds a lot like a pro-style offense, doesn’t it? Think those NFL coaches know a thing or two about football?
I can’t help but wonder if Meyer’s basic offensive philosophies were founded when he coached teams which didn’t have the kind of athleticism, speed, strength, and depth that his squad at Florida now possesses. If you’re a Bowling Green, yes, you need to keep your opponents off-balance. If you’re a Utah, sure, you need a balanced attack and you need to spread the ball around.
But at Florida? With the best athletes in the country?
Well, it couldn’t hurt… if it worked. What seems to be happening instead, though, is that this tedious offense keeps finding ways to ensnare itself in drive-kiling penalties and missed assignments. Despite the nation’s best wide receivers and a number of playmakers in the backfield, protected by a stout offensive line, these kids can’t seem to move the ball.
Could it be because Florida’s skill players get more yards running to and from the sidelines than on the field with the clock running?
Could Florida’s average running attack improve with some simple I-formation sets, utilizing a lead blocker who simply blocks, and a running back who is given the opportunity to touch the ball 20 or more times during the game?
Is there any thought given to the concept of wearing down the opposing team’s defense by powering the ball up the middle and around the corner — not always on a shotgun misdirection or off-tackle handoff?
How about the four and five-wide receiver sets? It would seem the coaches are the only people watching the game that can’t recognize Chris Leak’s inability to choose from one downfield receiver or his check-down guy in the flat. Why send five when you only need two?
Clearly, something is wrong. And just as clearly, Meyer recognizes there’s a problem. “I haven’t felt this way about an offense in six years,” he said after his post-game press conference. Meyer is fortunate that while he works on the issues with his offense, the Gators are 7-1 and in the driver’s seat for an SEC Title berth.
So while the coaching staff burns the midnight oil trying to fix the offense, here’s a stunningly obvious revelation: maybe we’re making this whole darn “move the ball down the field” thing too complicated.
Can we try a little less trickery and a little more playmaking?
Can we simply run some plays and worry less about whether the opponent is caught off-guard and more about whether these kids can execute and make the play work?
These are college kids, not professional athletes. They don’t train all year long. They have classes. They take tests. They have social lives.
If we cut loose what seems to be the anchor dragging down the offense — the 500-page playbook — maybe, just maybe, we could start driving down the field and getting some points.
What do you think?
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8 Comments so far
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My thoughts exactly! After the game against Georgia, I commented to those I was watching it with that it seemed Florida’s problem is that they tried to play too “cute.”
By Pompano Gator on 10.29.06 8:15 pm
I also agree! This whole west coast style offense (marqueed by short horizontal passes) is limiting the talent on the field. The long ball was never expected and the Georgia secondary just kept on creeping closer and closer. The one time the long ball went down the middle, it was caught for a touchdown pass. Plays need to happen. This whole idea of receivers making big plays after the catch (before or at the line of scrimmage, mind you) is limiting Chris Leak’s ability to toss it far.
By Anonymous on 10.29.06 11:32 pm
I agree with you completely. There’s really no reason with UF’s athletes that we need to be even as complicated as the base offence in EA Sports’ NCAA ‘03. Seriously.
By dvg on 10.30.06 1:25 am
Offense. That was a typo. Damn.
By dvg on 10.30.06 1:28 am
Hmmmmm….
While I agree with most of that, G-Pil, I gotta point out what I feel Meyer is looking at…
Given the athletes that UF possesses compared to the personnel Meyer has had available at previous schools, what happens when it all starts to click and he gets , truly, all the personnel he needs to make it work?
A total effin’ offensive explosion…
We are still hampered by a young offensive line that is going to be in transition even over the next few years as the more athletic, quick footed recruits that will be more suitable to this style are brought in…
We still lack a true big time running back, hence the lack of carries at that position; especially late in the game. I have been impressed with the turn around shown by D-Wynn but he is no C-4 or Errict Rhett…
Harvin can’t carry the ball 20 times a game from the running back position; he just isn’t built for that type of punishment…
We need an Edgerrin James-type of back, monster RB that is quick off the block, possesses break away speed and has a demon-like desire to punish people and gain yards…
Something that Wynn doesn’t have…
The glaring problem I have seen the last two weeks has been on defense…
Our lack of ability to get AU off the field in a timely manner along with a “bend but don’t break” field goal fiesta and then giving up the two rushing TD’s to UGAly Saturday have me more worried…
JMHO…
By gatorhippy on 10.30.06 8:09 am
I have been thinking the same thing for two years. While Meyer’s offense has the potential to put up big yards and points, the speed of the SEC and complexity of the schemes seem to get us nowhere. Instead of beating teams the way we should be with all of the talent on our side of the ball, Meyer continues to run an offense that strives to be cute rather than effective. I am tired of watching us beat ourselves.
By segator on 10.30.06 8:09 am
I do agree that our players seem to still struggle with the offense. However, the reason it doesn’t seem to work as well as it did in Urban’s last year at Utah is because of the tremendous compromises that have had to be made to accomodate Chris Leak. I don’t honestly believe that Urban ever really expected Leak to fit into his offense, but there he is! He’s simply too good a pure passer to take off the field in favor of a Freshman. If Tebow were a red shirt sophomore with some quality time actually running the whole offensive scheme, he would be the guy. But he’s not. Tebow is the perfect guy to run the spread option, but he apparently just isn’t ready yet. So in the meanwhile, I guess, we’ll continue to run this hybrid offense and do the best we can. So far it’s worked pretty damn well. 7 and 1 , #4 BCS ain’t half bad. But it is hard to watch sometimes. The one thing I really don’t get is why we don’t chunk it down the field more often. It is true that most Safetys in our league are creeping up on us because we throw the long ball so seldom. With such a solid group of receivers and a quarterback who throws such a beautiful pass, I can’t really account for that. I do believe if Spurrier had this bunch he would be putting up 50+ a game. But then who am I to second guess the guy who’s making $2Mil?
By N.P. Thompson, Jr. on 10.30.06 10:35 am
it seems to me that far and away the biggest problem, one that would address issues on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball (though i think the D has been outstanding and won saturday’s game for us–both UGA TDs came after stupid turnovers by gator QBs):
PENALTIES.
i don’t care how well the offense clicks (and it has at times this year) or how dominant the D is–if you continually get spirit-sapping, momentum-changing, drive-killing penalties that have cost us points several times (see Brandon James) you’re going to have problems.
I think it has something to do with G-Pilot’s article about the overwhelming complexity of the offensive scheme on a bunch of kids with iffy attention spans, but it seems to be endemic to the entire team.
being DEAD LAST IN THE NATION in penalties has me thankful we’re where we are, as #7 above noted.
PS–Hetland sux
By ESMjr. on 10.30.06 12:53 pm
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