Grading the Florida Gators at Alabama game

Each week following a Florida Gators game, ONLY GATORS Get Out Alive grades the team position-by-position based on each unit’s performance. This week, we decided to change things up a bit when looking at how the Gators fared against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the fifth game of the 2010-11 season, which took place at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, AL.

OFFENSE: D
Florida scored six points on Saturday via the kicking game with the offense failing to post a single touchdown for only the second time under head coach Urban Meyer. In fact, the Gators’ output was the team’s lowest total since Meyer’s first game in Tuscaloosa five years ago. After Florida came out of the gates hot with four first downs, 74 yards gained and an opportunity score from the goal line on their first offensive possession, the offense stalled only posting a total of 27 yards the remainder of the first half. Just like they started the game, the Gators began the second half with gusto, posting a 69-yard drive that resulted in a field goal. Truth be told, the second half as a whole showed better execution with Florida running 38 offensive plays for 222 total yards (vs. 28 for 101 yards in the first half). But worse than the unit’s first half production was its propensity for turnovers with redshirt junior quarterback John Brantley throwing two interceptions (one returned for a TD), freshman QB Trey Burton tossing one on a jump pass and redshirt senior running back Emmanuel Moody fumbling a hand-off in the red zone.

DEFENSE: C
The defense got off to a rough start on Saturday, allowing Alabama to score three touchdowns and a field goal on its first four offensive possessions. After holding the Crimson Tide to an opening drive field goal after they drove 68 yards in 10 plays, the Gators let them put together back-to-back touchdown drives and allowed a third after Brantley’s first interception. Once that barrage ended, Florida only allowed Alabama 31 total yards on their next four possessions (including a kneel down to end the first half). In fact, the Gators only gave up three first downs in the second half, two of which came on the Crimson Tide’s final possession. QB Greg McElroy was held to 84 yards passing, Heisman Trophy winning RB Mark Ingram only gained 47 yards on 12 carries and RB Tony Richardson ran 10 times for 63 yards because of one 30-yard burst.

SPECIAL TEAMS: C+
Meyer loves special teams and we here at OGGOA love special teams. So when a guy like senior punter/kicker Chas Henry puts on a performance like he did last Saturday, it is our desire to give the unit an “A+” and go “on to the next one.” Unfortunately his career-long 75-yard punt, 62.3 yards per punt average and two made field goals were simply bright spots on a unit that showed a major flaw. Alabama WR Julio Jones‘ 41-yard punt return put a black eye on Florida’s special teams, a unit that had not allowed a single punt return yard in 20 of 22 previous games before giving some up in each of its last four contests.

COACHING: D+
Unlike last season, one thing that has stands out this year in regards to the Gators’ coaching staff is its ability to make halftime adjustments. On both offense and defense Florida drastically improved after the half though offensive coordinator Steve Addazio’s unit was still unable to cross the goal line. The first half was filled with errors on both sides of the ball; the offense started strong but was deflated after Burton’s interception and the defense just did not seem able to stop a motivated Alabama offense. Though execution is primarily at fault for the team’s misfortunes, coaching and preparedness was obviously not at the level it needed to be going into the game.

PLAY CALLING / EXECUTION / TURNOVERS

Though turnovers, poor execution and red zone inefficiency were what troubled the Gators most on Saturday, the primary criticism coming out of the team’s atrocious outing was the offensive play calling. And while we agree with many of our readers that some of the decisions he made during the contest were ludicrous and in some instances dumbfounding, the vitriol being flung Addazio’s way is quite disturbing and distasteful.

The main point of contention in regard to Addazio is the offense’s continued use of the dive and option plays, both of which failed miserably against the Crimson Tide. As a whole the play calling appeared predictable, the goal line packages were formulaic and the end results were failed drives and an inability to put points on the board.

Is it time that Florida concentrate on moving the ball vertically, especially with the type of talent on the roster? Certainly. But as both Meyer and Addazio mentioned early this week, the dive and option are part of the offense. The key going forward is using those plays correctly and in moderation, something Addazio seems to be struggling with though he flat-out claims otherwise.

Now to the goal line jump pass on 4th down: Unacceptable. Meyer and Addazio each said separately that the play was scripted as part of the game plan, but considering it was obvious to everyone including the opposition’s coaches coupled with the fact that a freshman was executing it rather than a patient veteran like Tim Tebow, that play should not have even been a consideration at that point. The decision to go for the touchdown will not be debated here as that was Meyer’s call and would have looked genius if it worked. But using that particular play in that situation? Just plain stupid.

Play calling is important and there has been an obvious drop-off since Dan Mullen left to coach Mississippi State, but the most important factor when utilizing these plays is making sure they are executed correctly and result in positive offensive production. Considering the entire starting offensive line was banged up and practiced only a handful of plays as a unit going into the game, perhaps staying away from some of the more complicated blocking schemes would have been a smart adjustment to make.

Above all else, execution is to blame for the Gators’ poor showing on Saturday. Discuss the blandness of the dive and option plays all you want; they have worked and do work when executed correctly. Florida lost by 25 but either missed out on or gave up a total of 21 points due strictly to execution and turnovers, not play calling. The Gators turned the ball over inside the five twice on Burton’s interception and Moody’s fumble; Brantley’s pick-six on the other end accounted for the other major miscue.