Thoughts of the Day: August 20, 2021

A few thoughts to jump start your Friday morning:

THREE OBSERVATIONS FOR UF IN 2021 As Florida breaks camp and classes begin on Monday, things are about to normalize for the 2021 football season. The next week will be the single most critical week of the preseason since game week preparation for the opener with Florida Atlantic begins August 30. As the clock ticks down toward the game with FAU, here are three observations for the Gators for 2021:

(1) This will be the most creative Dan Mullen has been as a play caller since 2008: A year ago, everything was geared to throwing the football. Mullen had a quarterback (Kyle Trask) who could move within the pocket to find clear throwing lanes and could deliver the football with astounding accuracy to a three-headed monster of receivers in Kyle Pitts, Kadarius Toney and Trevon Grimes. The emphasis shifts back to balance this year, but it will not curtail the potential to put up big numbers because of the versatility of quarterbacks Emory Jones and Anthony Richardson. You knew what Trask was going to do. You don’t know what Mullen has cooked up for Jones and Richardson who can run and throw quite well. Add to that five backs who can run and catch, talented receivers that are being sold short and an offensive line that might wind up far better than anyone expects and Mullen has options like he hasn’t had in a long, long time.

(2) Grantham knows how predictable he’s become, so the UF defense will evolve: There is that old saying that is you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always be what you’ve always been. Todd Grantham has to understand that he’s quite fortunate to still have a job after last year’s defensive disaster. He’s working with better personnel this year but that won’t matter if it’s back to “Third and Grantham.” Either Grantham evolves and stops doing what he’s always done or else he will be looking for a new job next year. There aren’t a lot of $2 million a year coordinator jobs out there. Therefore, expect Grantham to shake things up.

(3) Three games will probably determine if the Gators make it back to Atlanta: It’s a 12-game schedule and the Gators will be favored to win nine of them. For the moment at least, the Gators are underdogs in these three games – Alabama (September 18); at LSU (October 16) and Georgia (October 30 in Jacksonville). If the Gators were to win all three, it’s almost certain they would win the SEC East, but they probably win the division if they win two out of three as long as one of the three is Georgia. Georgia will probably arrive in Jacksonville unbeaten in SEC play, so a Florida win would give the Gators the tiebreaker even if UF were to lose to either Alabama or LSU.

QUOTES FROM UF PLAYERS/COACHES AS AUGUST CAMP COMES TO AN END

O-LINE COACH JOHN HEVESY The explosive potential of the offense: “We were explosive last year just throwing the ball. I think this year it’s being able to run the ball, being able to run the quarterback, being able to throw the ball. I think you watch the development of the quarterbacks and throwing the ball and the receivers and watch them during camp … you’re seeing it’s not just going to be a run the ball, run the ball. I think they’re doing a great job throwing the ball. To me when they’re running the ball it’s just an added bonus what the defense has to stop. They’ve got to stop more than just the passing game, where last year you see a lot of drop eight and those things. Now it’s okay, you can drop eight, but here comes the running backs, here comes the quarterbacks. You can pack it in the box, they can throw the ball and make big plays. I think it’s going to keep everybody up front and every skill position just doing our job and making plays.”

How Kingsley Eguakun has become a factor at center: “Last year you saw him … I’d really say midway through the season you started seeing it. Then I think really during spring practice – had a great spring practice – and you saw the leadership role now at that position him being at center, commanding both sides, you know, the left side, the right side, putting everything together. You really saw the maturity in him come out, I think, during the summer … watched him, the leadership he did in the weight room, on the field with all the drills they do, and you’ve seen it so far in camp. I think that he’s got to continue in that path. He’s still got maturing to go, but I think he’s made a great jump in just his maturity on the field on top of the fundamentals and doing things as a unit more than as an individual.”

LEFT TACKLE RICHARD GOURAIGE How the 52-46 loss to Alabama in the 2020 SEC Championship Game serves as motivation: “Coach always comes to, like, team meetings and talks about, ‘We lost by six, lost by six!’ The critical details and stuff like that is, like he says, man it comes down to the details and we come in every day of camp and trying to increase everything …”

How the O-line has to step up so that the running game will be successful: “Coach really instilled in us that we need to run the ball more and stuff like that. And so, every day of camp, we’ve been pounding that rock … really. So, he’s just really installed because our whole offense changed since Emory [Jones] and Anthony [Richardson] came and stuff like that, and we just have to step up as a unit and just be more dominant.”

Offensive linemen holding each other accountable: “We just look at every day at practice trying to get better, trying to increase our game and how we can be better individuals and hold each other to a higher standard. That’s it really. We just try to help each other the best way we can but we can’t look down the future too much.”

Left guard Ethan White transforming from 400 pounds when he arrived to 319 now: “Ethan really bought into the system and really wanted to change his weight and everything, his diet and everything. Now look at him. He looks phenomenal. He’s moving great. He has great feet. I can remember him walking on campus and like, ‘Who is this guy?’ And now he’s natural, you know what I mean?”

RUNNING BACK MALIK DAVIS On his expectations for Florida’s five running backs: “I expect big things. I expect us to be able to run the ball, catch the ball, protect the quarterback. I think all of us can do all of that all around. I think we’re bringing a lot to the table.”

Impressions of quarterback Emory Jones: “With Emory, I think one of the most impressive things I’ve seen is his ability to extend plays. Last year we had Kyle [Trask] and he was more of a pocket quarterback, and Emory, like you say, he can run a little more, so that’s impressive, just seeing him escape the pocket and create a big play.”

How Jones running helps the running backs: “I definitely think it will create larger holes, some bigger passes, just because he’s such a threat. When you’ve got a mobile quarterback, it opens up doors for a lot of opportunities for other guys on the field.”

OVER, UNDER, AROUND AND THROUGH THE SEC Alabama: Redshirt freshman quarterback Bryce Young says one of the reasons Alabama appealed to him when he was a 5-star recruit out of Southern California was the level of expectations. “There obviously are expectations,” Young said in a Zoom interview Thursday, “but regardless of what happened in high school are any past experiences I’ve had, coming to ‘Bama is where you come for pressure and come for expectations. Everyone here when they signed on the dotted line and decided to come here, we knew it was going to come with expectations.”

Arkansas: HBC Sam Pittman says that defensive coordinator Barry Odom turned down more money elsewhere to remain at Arkansas … Speaking to the media Thursday, Odom said about his defense, “They’re hungry to be good and they’re hungry to have success.”

Auburn: Tight end Luke Deal says quarterbacks Bo Nix and LSU transfer TJ Finley “have really kind of bred success with each other … They really bring out the best in each other.”

Georgia: “We’re beat up a little bit with some injuries,” Kirby Smart said Thursday. “We don’t have all our guys out there. We’ve got a lot of guys injured all around but I think this time of year everybody does” … With Warren Ericson sidelined with a broken snapping hand, Sedric Van Pran has taken over as the starting center. Ericson has been working out at guard.

Kentucky: Six Kentucky football players have been arrested and charged with burglary – second team offensive guard Reuben (RJ) Adams, running back Robert (JuTahn) McClain, second team cornerback Andru Phillips, wide receiver Earnest Sanders IV, first team safety DeVito (Vito) Tisdale and defensive back Joel Williams. Tisdale, who is the starter at nickel, has also been charged with wanton endangerment … Joey Gatewood, formerly of Auburn and more recently Kentucky, is transferring to UCF.

LSU: Coach O expects Myles Brennan to return sometime during the season. “He’s just getting now where he’s coming back around,” Coach O said about his injured quarterback. “Obviously, it was emotional. I think they’re going to try and put the pads on him as soon as they can. Maybe start throwing the ball, I don’t know, a month or something but I’m not in a hurry. I’m not going to rush it. I want him to be ready. I was told he could come back some time this season, as early as midseason, as late as open date, Alabama, something around there. None of that’s definite.”

Mississippi State: SEC Network analyst and former Gator All-American Chris Doering took exception to Paul Finebaum’s criticism of Mike Leach in which he claims Leach doesn’t interact well with the community. Doering responded, “All that matters, especially in the SEC, is that you win football games. He’s [Leach] a guy who hasn’t ever shown interest in being a guy that goes out and puts himself in front of the program. Go ahead and look at [former MSU head coach] Joe Moorhead. Joe Moorhead I thought did a good job of trying to ingratiate himself into the community in Starkville and it didn’t matter because he didn’t win football games. In any situation, all you have to do is win football games. You can be the weirdest recluse of all time and if you win football games they’re going to like you.”

Missouri: Shawn Robinson, who transferred to Missouri from TCU to play quarterback in 2020, is transitioning to safety.

Ole Miss: From Twitter, Ole Miss HBC Lane Kiffin sounded off on quarterback Matt Corral, saying, “I don’t want to rat poison him but he’s done a great job from a leadership standpoint. And from an offensive standpoint, the guy’s accuracy is, I think I said, ‘insane,’ today, some of the throws that were made … it was at one point like a video game where there’s not an inaccurate throw.” Corral completed 70.9 percent of his passes last season.

South Carolina: The foot injury suffered by starting quarterback Luke Doty has been re-evaluated as a sprain. His status for the season opener with Eastern Illinois has been elevated to questionable.

Tennessee: Quarterback Brian Mauer, who hasn’t practiced since last Thursday, announced that he’s entering the NCAA transfer portal.

Texas A&M: The Aggies have landed a commitment from Swedish tight end Theodor Ohrstrom, who is 6-6, 245. He had an offer from Alabama but his finalists were the Aggies, LSU and Ohio State. Vanderbilt: Incumbent Ken Seals and Mike Wright remain locked in a battle for the starting quarterback job.

ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: In an interview with Mark Schlabach of ESPN, when asked about expanding the College Football Playoff to 12 teams, Nick Saban said, “I don’t like the fact that the [Group of 5] conference want their conference champions to be in the playoff. I coached at Toledo and we were conference champions. We sure as hell didn’t have any business playing Florida. That’s not the best teams. The other argument is are we getting the four best teams now? Is there somebody not getting in that could win?” Whether it’s the four best teams or not, the current CFP has become predictable and boring, unlike the NCAA Basketball Tournament which thrives because every year some unknown pulls off a stunning upset. The threat of upsets by some unknown make the tournament exciting even if we know the eventual champ is going to come from one of the power leagues. And, with 95 percent of the schools in Division I needing more cash, expanding the playoff to include the 65 teams from the non-power leagues is a necessity. Nick may not like it, but he isn’t going to get his way this time.