For the Gators to Improve, it Starts in the Trenches

Center Jake Slaughter ( 66) was one of the few O-line bright spots for the Gators against Miami (Photo by Chris Spears)

A few thoughts to jump start your Wednesday morning:

“Football is blocking and tackling. Everything else is mythology.” – Vince Lombardi

Against Miami, the big guys in the trenches didn’t get the job done. Other than left tackle Austin Barber and center Jake Slaughter, Florida’s offensive line had a day to forget. Over on the defensive side of the ball, the linemen neither stuffed the run nor put any pressure on Miami QB Cam Ward.

Fingers can be pointed in a lot of directions when it comes to Florida’s 41-17 loss to the now 12th-ranked Hurricanes, but the place to start is up front where games are won and lost in the Southeastern Conference. Miami isn’t an SEC foe, but the Hurricanes played like one on both sides of the line of scrimmage.

Barber, who graded out at 73.2 percent overall, was at the Heavener Center along with most of his offensive line teammates Sunday studying film, trying to figure out what went wrong.

“This is the most guys I've seen in the building wanting to get better,” Barber said Monday.  “Coming in, watching the film, learn from what we did wrong, look at what we did right, take the things into next week. I think there's a lot of guys here that care and want to win. I just saw so many guys, the passion. It's not what we wanted, but we have to get better and move forward.”

Barber and Slaughter will definitely be in the starting lineup when the Gators play Samford Saturday (7 p.m., ESPN+) but the rest of the O-line could see a shakeup. It’s highly unlikely that Kamryn Waites will start given his 0.0 grade on pass blocking against The U. He could be replaced by Devon Manuel or Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson. Right guard Damien George Jr. graded well as a pass blocker but struggled on running plays. Left guard Knijeah Harris graded poorly both in pass and run blocking. Bryce Lovett and Roderick Kearney could start or at least get plenty of reps Saturday as the Gators try to solve the O-line puzzle prior to SEC play starting in two weeks against the Aggies.

On the D-line, nobody graded well as a pass rusher (UF only sacked Ward one time), but Joey Slackman and Dez Watson graded above 70 percent overall. Cam Jackson and Caleb Banks were both below 61 percent. Tyreak Sapp graded 76 percent off the edge including 68 percent as a pass rusher.

If the Gators are unable to block Samford and get pressure on the Samford QB, then we know not only is there a huge problem but likely it will be a very long season.

Associated Press top 25: 1. Georgia 1-0; 2. Ohio State 1-0; 3. Texas 1-0; 4. Alabama 1-0; 5. Notre Dame 1-0; 6. Ole Miss 1-0; 7. Oregon 1-0; 8. Penn State 1-0; 9. Missouri 1-0; 10. Michigan 1-0; 11. Utah 1-0; 12. Miami. 1-0; 13. Southern California; 14. Tennessee 1-0; 15. Oklahoma 1-0; 17. Kansas State 1-0; 18. LSU 0-1; 19. Kansas 1-0; 20. Arizona 1-0; 21. Iowa 1-0; 22. Louisville 1-0; 23. Georgia Tech 2-0; 24. North Carolina State 1-0; 25. Clemson 0-1

AFCA Coaches top 25: 1. Georgia 1-0; 2. Ohio State 1-0; 3. Texas 1-0; 4. Alabama 1-0; 5. Ole Miss 1-0; 6. Oregon 1-0; 8. Notre Dame 1-0; 9. Michigan 1-0; 10. Missouri 1-0; 11. Utah 1-0; 12. Tennessee 1-0; 13. Oklahoma 1-0; 14. Southern California 1-0; 15. Miami 1-0; 16. Kansas State 1-0; 17. Oklahoma State 1-0; 18. Arizona 1-0; 19. LSU 0-; 20. Kansas 1-0; 21. Iowa 1-0; 22. Clemson 0-1; 23. North Carolina State 1-0; 24. Louisville; 25. Washington 1-0

THIS WEEK’S PLAYOFF PREDICTOR

SEC

Contenders: Georgia, Texas, Alabama, Ole Miss, Missouri

Pretenders: Tennessee, Kentucky, LSU

Everybody thinks Georgia can win it all but the Bulldogs have to go to Alabama, Texas and Ole Miss. Texas has the fastest team in the country and a quarterback in Quinn Ewers who knows how to win on the road in tough places (Alabama). Just because Nick Saban retired doesn’t mean Alabama is going anywhere anytime soon. Kalen DeBoer is 105-12 in his coaching career and he has a stud QB in Jalen Milroe. Lane Kiffin finally has a defense to go with perhaps the most offensive talent in the country. QB Jaxson Dart can throw to the best collection of wide receiver talent in the country. Alabama’s off the schedule and the Rebels get Georgia in Oxford. Missouri has the easiest schedule in the SEC and firepower to score on anyone with QB Brady Cook throwing to outstanding wide receivers led by Luther Buren III.

Prediction: Five SEC teams make the playoff prompting screams of outrage from the Big Ten and ACC.  

BIG TEN

Contenders: Ohio State, Penn State, Southern California, Oregon

Pretenders: Michigan, Iowa, Washington, Nebraska

Ohio State may have the most talent of any team in the country. Everybody talks about the offense but the Buckeyes have the studs on defense, particularly nose tackle Tyliek Williams. He’s scary good. Penn State has the defense and a schedule that screams 10 wins as long as Drew Allar remembers to throw the ball to people wearing the same color shirt he’s wearing. Southern Cal QB Miller Moss might end up the Big Ten Player of the Year. This is supposed to be a rebuilding year, but Lincoln Riley has a better team, not better individuals.

Prediction: Ohio State wins the league. Penn State and Southern Cal make the playoff while Oregon disappoints by losing three games, failing to make the playoff.

BIG 12

Contenders: Utah, Oklahoma State, Kansas, Kansas State, Arizona

Pretenders: West Virginia, Iowa State, Texas Tech, UCF

With the ACC looking so weak, the Big 12 is looking like a 2-big league. Utah, because of quarterback Cam Rising and a typical Kyle Whittingham defense that gets after people should get one of the bids. Oklahoma State quarterback Alan Bowman is in his seventh year of college football while playing for his third team, but if he can avoid big mistakes while letting running back Ollie Gordon carry the offense, the Cowboys should be very good. Kansas has the best quarterback you’ve never heard of in Jalon Daniels. K-State is going to grind people into a pulp with the running game and it’s everybody out for a pass at Arizona.

Prediction: Utah wins the league title while Lance Leipold guides Kansas into the playoff as the second team from the Big 12.

ACC

Contenders: Miami, Louisville, SMU, Clemson

Pretenders: North Carolina State, North Carolina, Pittsburgh, Georgia Tech

Miami asserted itself as the team to beat the way the Hurricanes turned the Gators into their personal whipping boys. The Hurricanes have the QB in Cam Ward and enormous talent on both lines of scrimmage. The only tough game remaining on the schedule is at Louisville next month. Louisville has a world class defense and a QB in Tyler Shough who is prone to completing passes to the other team. The Cardinals play Notre Dame, SMU, Miami and Clemson. Clemson’s offense is way too erratic but the defense gets after people. SMU has the QB in Preston Stone, one of the best tight ends in the country in RJ Maryland and a defense that puts enormous pressure on quarterbacks.

Prediction: Miami finally wins the ACC, SMU pulls a shocker and makes the playoff as an at-large. Only two bids for the ACC.

MOUNTAIN WEST

Contenders: UNLV, Boise State, Fresno State

Pretenders: Air Force, San Diego State, San Jose State

Barry Odom is going to use this season to get an HBC job in a power conference. UNLV can win with defense while the offense catches up. Boise State has the offense and the league’s best running back in Ashton Jearton, but a rotten defense that will get torched Saturday by Oregon. Fresno State could have beaten Michigan in the Big House. If Jeff Tedford can find a running game, the Bulldogs could win the league.

Prediction: UNLV wins 10 games but can’t crack the playoff.

AMERICAN

Contenders: Memphis, Tulane, UT-San Antonio

Pretenders: East Carolina, South Florida, Army

Memphis has an unstoppable pass-catch combo in QB Seth Henigan and WR Roc Taylor. The Tigers will score points, but can they stop anybody. If they beat FSU in Tallahassee Saturday, they’re for real. Tulane lost its coach to Houston but Joe Sumrall brought the Troy offensive scheme with him and the Green Wave won’t miss a beat, especially with the league’s best offensive line. UTSA will go as far as QB Owen McCown and running backs Kevorian Barnes and Robert Henry will take them.

Prediction: Memphis wins the league and gets an at-large bid to the playoff.

SUN BELT

Contenders: Appalachian State, James Madison, Texas State

Pretenders: Coastal Carolina, Louisiana, Marshall

Appalachian State has the league’s best player in QB Joey Aguilar, the best wide receiver in Kaedin Robinson and the best offensive line. The Happy Appys could beat Clemson Saturday. James Madison lost its coach, quarterback and a slew of good players, but the Dukes have a future star in QB Alonza Barnett III. Former James Madison QB Jordan McCloud has found a new home at Texas State where he can rely on running back Ismail Mahdi and WR Joey Hobert to put a lot of points on the scoreboard.

Prediction: Appalachian State wins the league and gets a good bowl game.

MAC

Contenders:  Toledo, Northern Illinois

Pretenders: Miami, Bowling Green, Central Michigan

Miami probably has the best team in the league, but opens the season consecutively with Northwestern (13-6 loss), Cincinnati and Notre Dame. The Red Hawks can win the league with three non-conference losses but can’t get in the playoff. Toledo has the best pass-catch combo in Florida kids Tucker Gleason (Tampa, QB) and Jerjuan Newton (St. Petersburg, WR) and only one paycheck game. Northern Illinois has the best running back you’ve never heard of in Antario Brown. The Huskies have two paycheck games. If anyone can crack the top 25 it’s Toledo.  

Prediction: Miami wins the league. No playoff.

CONFERENCE USA

Contenders: Liberty

Pretenders: Everybody else in the league

In Kaidon Salter, Jamey Chadwell has a quarterback probably 90 percent of the teams in Division I would kill to have running their offense. If the Flames are to win the conference and finish the highest ranked Group of Five team, then Salter has to play lights out, stay healthy and get the ball in the hands of Quinton Cooley on a regular basis.

INDEPENDENTS

Contender: Notre Dame

If the Irish can’t win 11 games with their pansy schedule then Marcus Freeman needs to be sent packing. Notre Dame has the defense and if QB Riley Leonard can stay healthy they have the triggerman to score enough points to win every game. Ten wins will get the Irish in the playoff, but they should win 11 and they have a very good chance to run the table.

Prediction: Notre Dame runs the table.

ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: Isn’t it interesting that after an offseason of threats and lawsuits against the Atlantic Coast Conference, both Florida State and Clemson are looking like spoiled brats who have been ordered to bend over and hold their ankles while 15 of their fraternity brothers line up to smack them with one-inch thick oak paddle?

Florida State is 0-2, having lost both games to teams it was favored to win by 10 or more points. Clemson is 0-1 after a 34-3 bludgeoning by Georgia. Dabo is fortunate that Kirby Smart was intent on getting as many players in the game as possible, otherwise it could have been much, much worse.

FSU and Clemson seem to believe that if they can simply extricate themselves from the clutches of the ACC that they will be welcomed with open arms to either the Southeastern Conference or Big Ten. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth and the way their seasons have begun, their already no way and no how chances of moving on up have settled with the single cell life forms on the bottom of the ocean.

Nice try, though. Did someone say, “Thank you sir! May I have another?”