Chompin' at the Bit - Vol. 13

Week 11 Recap

LSU's QB getttig ROCKED by LB Vosean Joseph at the goal line

A-T-L HEAUX!!! I hoped and prayed that the Gators would pull it out in Baton Rouge and they did just that! UF beat LSU on the road 16-10 in a gutsy performance. Anyone that has ever been around me during a Gator game knows my go-to phrase is, "Let's Goooooooo!!!!!!", and you know I let off a few during/after that game. UF left everything they had out there on the field and walked out as SEC East Champions for back-to-back years. With all of the drama and buildup to this game, this is definitely my favorite Gators win in the last 7-8 years. This team showed so much grit and determination during that LSU game, you can't help but smile when you think about what they just did. With the key guys that we were missing and how they kept LSU's run game in-check was nothing short of amazing. It's always great to be a Florida Gator, but Saturday I was a little more proud than I have been in a long time. It is so hard being patient, but I know that Coach Mac has this program headed back to the promise land.

How about my guy Jordan Scarlett!? That guy is a 'DOG' as my boys would say! Keep feeding him and he will only get stronger! He has clearly separated himself as 'The Guy' in the running back rotation, backed by Lamical Perine. I am glad that Mac has listened to my suggestions :) And how about Tyrie Cleveland!? He and Callaway are going to be too trill next year. I know for a fact they are going to come out slinging it next year so it should be fun to watch. As I have said countless times, there is so much young talent on this team it is hard not to get excited for the future and when they struggle it is frustrating because I know what they are capable of doing. Heck of a win in the bayou, fellas!

Week 12 Recap 

The FSU game.... I can't take watching any more of the offensive struggles due to the lack of a competent quarterback. I'm hurt... I'm sick of losing. I'm sick of losing to FSU even more so. I hate giving any credit whatsoever to FSU, but Dalvin Cook is the truth. Still salty about him not being a Gator so that is the last you will hear me mention anything about him being raw. "IF" we had a QB, that game would have turned out a lot different. But so would the other 3 loses we have had to them recently as well.... What a disappointing way to end the regular season, just as I thought we were starting to show signs of life after LSU.

This will be my last blog of the regular season. It is hard to believe that the season came and went so fast, but I am ready to put this season in rice and get to 2017. Definitely not optimistic about playing Alabama in the SEC Championship, but I will be in Atlanta to cheer on the ol' Gators. I saw the point spread was at 24, but I was thinking that was a little low. As I said last year, "I'm just happy to be here." I appreciate everyone who was with me on this rollercoaster of a season. Be on the lookout for more Gator posts from me! Pray that we get this QB situation fixed in the offseason and that we see some points in 2017.

As always... Go Gators!

Chompin' at the Bit - Vol. 12

Week 10 Recap

Photo Credit: gatorcountry.com

I apologize for my hiatus last week, but let's just put that whole game against Arkansas in rice... That was embarrassing. Luckily, the Gators rebounded in moderately impressive fashion against South Carolina this past weekend. The offense moved the ball pretty good with QB Austin Appleby, but left a solid 25 points on the field. The game should have easily been 45-7 UF (Actual score: 20-7). Red-zone struggles continue to plague an offense that is desperate for points. Turnovers killed awesome drives by the offense against South Carolina, yet with stellar defensive play and a nice running day from Jordan Scarlett we were able to pull out another win. I was really impressed with the way our young guys played, along with vets WR Ahmad Fullwood and DB Marcel Harris. The two aforementioned Seniors played their best games as Gators in my opinion. The offensive line played a really solid game as well. I think Martez Ivey should be the starting LT going forward. The line seemed to gel well with him at tackle so hopefully they keep him there.

Side-note: We really have a kicking game. Arguably the best punter in America in Johnny Townsend and then you have Eddy drilling 55 yarders!!! What a turnaround from that crap we saw the last few years. Now if we can just get the QBs up to par like this and we really will be working with something..

Week 11 Preview

'One Call Away' Callaway doggin' LSU last year - Photo Cred: miamiherald.com

LSU... Lord, I pray we beat the brakes off of them this weekend. In Baton Rouge. No, not in Gainesville as originally planned, but in Louisiana because the LSU administration wanted to cry and pout like heauxs about them losing a home game as if we wouldn't be losing TWO. As much as I despise FSU and how much that game means to me, I think I am at the point where if I had to pick one game to win left THIS season, I would rather UF win this weekend. I lost every ounce of respect I had for LSU this year, so all that SEC brethren love is out of the window. They're dead to me. With all that being said, I am worried lol... I feel like UF has a chance to win for sure, but with all of the injuries to key players over the past few weeks it will take a pissed-off, focused, well-executed effort on BOTH sides of the ball from a lot of unproven players.

Obviously the offense has to score if we hope to have a chance at winning this game. We can't afford to go three-and-out or commit any turnovers, or this game will be over quickly and we will be sitting there with the crying Jordan face. The offense has to give the defense time to breathe, because you can bet LSU is going to try and run it down our throats. If we don't stop the run game and force them to throw, that's the ballgame. This game will be a true test for our young linebackers. Lowkey, I am crying internally thinking about not having Jarrad Davis and Alex Anzalone this weekend against Fournette and Guice. You have to think the game plan would be to load the box and trust the secondary to show who the real DBU is, right?

Prediction: I hope I'm wrong... LSU 24, UF 13 :'( 

Chompin' at the Bit - Vol. 11

Week 8 Recap

RB Jordan Scarlett finished with 93 yards and a TD - Photo Cred: gatorcountry.com

For Gator fans, Saturday would be what you call a "Perfect Saturday", when all of your rivals take Ls. The Gators emerged out of Jax with the win over the Pups 24-10 behind a suffocating defensive performance. The D held UGA to 164 total yards (21 rushing)... That's ridiculous lol.. UGA's best, and really only, productive plays came off of broken coverages after the pocket had collapsed and their QB scrambled around and made a play. You would think that DB Duke Dawson and LB Jarrad Davis should get the game ball for their performances. Dawson played unbelievable considering how much he was targeted and made some huge plays that ended up sealing the game. Nothing can be said about how gutsy of a game JD played. That man is a BEAST. You can't help but to root for a guy like him. He is truly the heart and soul of that team too.

To say our offense isn't the prettiest is an understatement, but they are doing enough to get by for now, so I really can't complain too much when we are sitting at 6-1 and #11 in the Playoff rankings. My boy Scarlett proved that he can tote the load for us at running back, carrying it for a career-high 26 times. He and Perine are going to be a problem as that O-line continues to develop and improve. I will say that they did play a lot better than they had in past games, so my fingers are crossed that each week they continue trending upward. TE C'yontai Lewis played a heck of a game for us in the passing game, coming down with a huge catch on the sideline that was the play of the game in my opinion. After that play, it seemed as if the momentum was in the Gators favor the rest of the game. He also converted a huge 3rd down for a 19 yard TD, which helped put our first points on the board. After that, it was murder she wrote. 3 straight at The World's Largest Cocktail Party for the Gators! 21-6 vs UGA since I have been alive, I might add :)

Sidenote: For everyone I ran into in Jax, it was good to see you all! Glad to see and hear about everyone doing big things post-grad. Go Gators!

Week 9 Preview

And so the gauntlet begins... starting with the Arkansas Razorbacks this week on the road in Fayetteville. This will definitely be a challenge for our boys and they better come ready to play. Arkansas always plays super physical and has the size to match up with us, but IF we play how we are supposed to, our speed and talent should prevail. I really do not see how Arkansas QB Austin Allen will have time to throw considering how much pressure he has been under (who is also coming back off of a knee injury). Auburn and Alabama's defenses had a field day with Arkansas, so with Jarrad Davis back at linebacker along with a somewhat healthy D-line, I can't see how they are going to run on us either. As Kirby Smart said last week, "it's hard to win a game when they make you zero dimensional". I expect the defense to show up like they always do and if we can manage to put a few points on the board, we should be fine. I just want to see UF come out and make a statement early. Stone them on defense and put some points up, then put your foot on their throat and blow them out like Auburn did. The Gator Nation is waiting for that type of dominant outburst.

Prediction: UF 27, Arkansas 10 (7-1, 5-1 SEC)