GREAT INSIDE INFORMATION FROM ONE OF THE SCOUT.COM GUYS

It's been almost two months and now it is time for another Hollywood Bob's Private Screening. We will talk a great deal about this team and just what I think and am hearing is going on with the way they are currently playing. We will touch on some players that we haven't heard about, some that aren't getting on the field. We will of course give Bob's view on recruiting which is heating up.
As we move through this screening there are three main things I would like to discuss. First, the play of the team as it stands right now. Second, a look at some of the guys that aren't getting onto the field, some ideas of what is going on behind the scenes with the freshmen red shirting for this squad and a few others. Last, a look at recruiting where the Gators have been slow to garner commitments lately, but with about ten left to get, a lot of big time prospects are trying to jump in the boat.

I feel like I need to lead off the discussion of this Gator team and the day it is playing with my synopsis of the Arkansas game. We will get into the defense, which didn't have it's best game, but I have to start on offense.
I provided for you earlier in the week a look at the 1st down play calling along with a break down of the five-wide formations that were run in the game. I honestly went into those believing that they were not going to look pretty at all. What I came away with from both was that while they weren't glowing endorsements of the offense, they certainly weren't as bad as what I thought and what most people thought. They certainly can be better, you know that, I know that, and most importantly the staff and team knows that.
On first downs I noted that they used a good mixture of pass and run, much more than they had done through the first five games. They were pretty successful on first down. On the five wide formations, there were some big tendencies there, but again, they were relatively close to 50% success rate in the five wide set, so it wasn't terrible, but certainly below their standards they have set.
One tendency in the five wide that has to get corrected or looked at is the fact that of Tim Tebow's 12 sacks this season he has taken this year, nine have come from the five-wide formation. I will go back to my theory that a quarterback should never get sacked in the five wide UNLESS there is a defender that comes free up the middle or there is a bad snap that the quarterback has to deal with.
What I have come to learn is that there are some schematic issues involved and it sounds like offensive coordinator Steve Addazio and company is going to work to correct as much as they can and change some things up. Addazio has to be a little coy about it, but he touched on it yesterday.
“(It was ) a combination all over the place,” Addazio told the media Tuesday about all the pressure and sacks that Tebow has endured. “ We have a good front and we have to make sure we take care of the little things. It was something schematic. Sometimes in empty they can bring five, but they can bait you in one spot and they can come one plus in another spot.”
“Sometimes we work at trying to cover that and we can't. You wish it was just (one thing) and just change (the one thing). In empty it is the goal of the defense to work on bringing that one-plus guy.
The Gators were just out schemed at times. Where as LSU just played straight up and tried to beat the Gators up front, Arkansas used slant rushed and all kinds of gimmicks to get to the backfield and it caused some headaches. Most of it was just a hair off from actually working and watching the film actually showed that.
Defenses are trying to be tricky up front and Arkansas was successful. This is how the offensive linemen graded out well and still allowed six sacks. They followed their assignments and the staff realizes that they need to change things up front.
“There are little things, some are five-man, some six-man protections,” Addazio said. “We can't say this guy is wrong because they had a walk up guy that is a sift and bailed, then he came. There are a lot of little things going on. I think it's all centered on each of the little things you see we need to do a little better. It starts with the front, goes to the backs, to the receivers, goes to the quarterback and then to me...right here (pointing to himself)."
Given the choice, Florida wants a one on one battle between their linemen and defenders, Florida has to have some of the most powerful and dominating linemen in the country and would beat most linemen head to head.
The second tendency that was big time in the Arkansas game is that on every third and long (3rd and 6 or more), the Gators were in a five wide formation. That is eight out of eight chances. They didn't do the same in the LSU game, so it isn't a multi game tendency, still by the fifth or sixth one you are giving your opponents an advantage because they know the personnel you are going to trot onto the field and also what formation you are going to be in to run a play. That I imagine won't happen again.

The Gators actually put themselves in bad down and distances because of bad plays on second downs. The myth here is that Florida continuously ran dive plays into eight and nine men in the box. That just didn't happen. I re-watched the game and the Gator offense ran up the middle with the backs just eight times in the game. On six of those times there were six or fewer in the box. On one of the two with more than six, Demps hit the outside and scored on his ten yard touchdown.
As a matter of fact, Addazio cleared the air that the runs in the middle are not straight Dive plays, but Tebow has a read of when to hand off,. Keep or pitch to someone else.
“Our play isn't a dive play, it is an option play,” he said. “It can be a two way or a three way option. We were heavy run going into that game and that is why the play action pass was so incredibly wide open. We were pleased with that and I thought it worked out well for us. We didn't run the ball as much as previous weeks but we threw it more.”
“We are creative with the running game, we were the number one rushing team in America (going in), I would say we were pretty creative. We balanced out this past week. There were a lot less run calls.”
“There were a mixture of runs. There were different tracked plays, stretches, middle zones, tight zones. It may not have looked that way to you, but that is what they were. There were different zone plays and that is what we are a zone running team. There was a lot of variety in there.”
I think all of this needs to be taken in by everyone and soaked in. Watching the game over again, looking at a play by play and it's many parts, can really help. Over and over again this staff was accused of not making adjustments. Well, if you look at the drive chart on the box score, the offense went missed field goal, punt, fumble, fumble, fumble, field goal, field goal, punt, fumble touchdown, punt, touchdown, field goal. The Gators were 0-5 scoring on their first five possessions with three turnovers, then scored on five of their last eight series including to touchdowns and a field goal in their final four drives.
What this game showed was the determination of this team to fight through the adversity.
“I am fired up about the resolve and demeanor of our football team,” Addazio said. “We had four turnovers and two inside the red zone and just kept battling. In that last drive, there was a strong will. A year ago (against Ole Miss) we didn't have that. We had a will on this team to go win that game. We were moving the ball in that game and just self destructing a lot of times. It wasn't always perfect, but we were moving the ball. There was frustration but confidence that we were going to move the ball and win the game.”
“You give your team a lot of credit for their grit, toughness, and determination...that is the sign of a good football team. However, you can't go out and put yourself in that position and again and expect to win games week in and week out.”
In the end what we have from Addazio and Meyer earlier in the week is the admittance that they need to change up scheme wise. Without blurting that out to everyone and their sister so teams can account for it, I think they are probably going to start using more protection. Protecting Tebow will change from this point.
“I don't like the fact that there are a lot of sacks for a lot of reasons, but fundamentally I am a line coach and it bothers me,” Addazio said. “I don't like seeing that and protection is very important to me.”
Addazio also made a brief statement that they are going to alter the Banzai package and really try to up tempo instead of just getting lined up on the field and looking over for a play call that takes a great deal of time.
“We need to get some tempo going,” he said. “We have to do some other things, some up tempo things and not stand there and watch it so much.”
On defense the issues were more mental than physical. The most troubling thing to me were the broken tackles and missed tackles. That just can't happen to this defense. I am not sure why it did, but I know that Charlie Strong was really pissed and embarrassed about this right after the game.
The mental things were kind of a fluke. On the long touchdown strike, that was simply Ahmad Black failing to understand he was in a cover-2 and had the deep hash on the play. It looked like Janoris was covering the guy but he is supposed to cover the short flat and then the outside and Black has the inside. Black was playing up and never went to his zone area of the field. He simply does not make those errors very often.
Jenkins was to blame on the hitch and go. Poor Janoris got caught trying to steal signals and thought it was a straight hitch and bit. It was a well designed and elaborate scheme and they knew just when to do it. Janoris was very pissed at himself after the game.
Okay, I am done with what I saw and the changes we should see in the offense from the Arkansas game, let's talk ab little bit about personnel.
First thing is first and the play or lack there of from Emmanuel Moody. They aren't willing to say it, but Moody had something else happen to keep him from getting carries, not just his play on the field.
Whether that is bad practice habits or off the field habits, something has caused there to be a breach in his playing time. If anything Kudos should go to Meyer and company for sticking to their guns and not throwing the kid under the bus.
Having said that, I hear it is time. I heard it first hand and we should see it this week. According to Addazio, he wants it too.
“We are fired up about how Emmanuel Moody is playing right now,” he said. “He is running hard and taking care of that ball and he looks good right now. There is no decision or action holding him back right now. We have three talented backs and it is hard to get them all touches. Anyone of them can go (the distance) anytime they touch the ball. Moody is so darn powerful and quick.”
This should happen this week.
At receiver, you are just going to have to wait to get new bodies on the field. The staff and I both believe that Nelson, Deonte, and James are better RIGHT NOW, than the trio of TJ Lawrence, Frankie Hammond, and Omarius Hines. If they believe this and still are having a tough time getting the previous guys touches, how is it going to be different getting the new guys touches.
Basically, Thompson, Nelson, and James haven't even had a chance to do their thing yet.
They fix this by not getting sacked and getting good protection up front and being able to pass the ball more instead of scrambling. Given what Addazio said above, these are the basic things they are working on the most.
On the offensive line the issue has become left tackle. Carl Johnson is decent, but the Florida offense puts a premium on offensive line and being able to handle certain duties. Johnson is a bear at guard and evidently the best they have at left tackle as well. In order to spread the wealth on the line, Addazio moved Mike Pouncey to the left side to help stabilize that side. A lot have questioned the move, but they have moved guys around a lot to get their best unit on the field.
“We aren't doing it just to do it,” Addazio said of the move. “We moved Mike Pouncey because we wanted another veteran guy on the left side of the line. Other than that it should stay the same,unless we get injuries.”
I keep hearing that Xavier Nixon is doing well. If he continues to pick up the offense at a fast pace, I could see him really helping here. They also like David Young a great deal. Don't be shocked if a healthy Sam Robey can allow moving a Pouncey way outside to tackle also. Quicker feet and very powerful also go a long way in a zone blocking offensive tackle.
The defensive line will get better when Jaye Howard is healthy. He is the play making presence in the middle when healthy and will also play the nose in the Joker package (three man line) when the Gators want more pass rush, since Trattou is out. Lemmens gets that duty right now and look for Earl Okine to possibly get some reps in there. If Howard is not healthy Omar Hunter will back up Lemmens in the Joker package.
It is crazy,but Lawrence Marsh's injury is nothing more than a very bad high ankle sprain unless there is some hidden break they can't find somewhere. He is just going to have to wait it out and get healthy.
The Gators really aren't getting anything out of Troy Epps or Edwin Herbert and I wouldn't expect anything from either.
One guy you will hear a lot about starting next year is Gary Brown. He has really reshaped his body since he has arrived and is doing very well. What is going to make Brown so great is his versatility inside as he is a 300 pounder that is a play maker and so he can play both the three technique and the nose. The trio of Brown, Howard, and Hunter will be sick in two years.
I expect Spikes to play this week, but you never know with a groin injury. I was told by one great source that Jelani Jenkins was back at practice on Sunday and he should be able to go this Saturday. Jenkins isn't ready mentally to get on the field yet, but physically he is as good as any of the smaller linebackers on the team.
By the way, the linebacker playing the best right now is AJ Jones. He is flying around everywhere and making plays. One enigma to me is Bostic on the sideline given how much Spikes has been out, but if these were 40 point wins Bostic would have played a lot already.
I talked about the corner play earlier. Not much more to add here except that Adrian Bushell may not miss a beat next year if Joe Haden decides to leave like I expect he will. The staff loves Bushell and he practices at a very high level. With Wondy and Markihe graduating, he will get a ton of time.
Dee Finley is quietly making a name for himself on the practice field also. He will stick at safety, but is waiting his turn. I expect Dorian Munroe back no later than the Georgia game from his meniscus injury.
Tomorrow we will go deep into recruiting and it should be a fun read...