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  • Grading the Gators: South Carolina

    Grading the Gators: South Carolina

    Photo by James Gilbert | Getty Images

    Well, another disappointing day for the Florida Gators. Once again absolutely whipped on the road by a team struggling on offense all year. It’s another bad loss in a now recent string of them for the Dan Mullen regime dating back to 2020. Here’s my evaluation of how the Gators played on against the Gamecocks.

    Offense: D

    You know, the offense looked pretty good toward the beginning of the game. Emory Jones was efficient to start and even hit some deep shots as it looked the Gators would have to keep pace in a shootout. Then Florida went punt, punt and scoop-and-score to end the first half as the Gamecocks had a 30-10 lead. Then the offense came out of the half and punted and gave it up on downs the first two possessions. They did score the next drive followed by an awful interception by Jones. That’s not exactly the work of a high-powered offense. Not to mention Florida’s complete lack of running game. The ground attack’s been on the decline the last few weeks and it finally bottomed out wirh 82 yards on 26 carries. Only six of which went to the game’s leading rusher in Dameon Pierce. And for another week, the offensive line struggled to get a push on the line of scrimmage. This time against a Gamecock defense that averaged 168 rushing yards allowed per game prior to kickoff. And the most disappointing part? Dan Mullen’s squad even lost in his favorite category: the yardage battle. Florida’s first true loss of the season.

    Defense: F

    Another bad performance on the road against a struggling offense. As pointed out in my pregame prediction, the Gamecocks averaged the second-lowest numbers in total offense and points per game. South Carolina had 316 yards of offense and 30 points (23 offensive) by halftime. It finished with 459 including 284 rushing on 42 carries. That’s 6.8 yards a carry for those keeping score at home. And unfortunately the Gators were gashed multiple times on the same counter play LSU ran ad nauseum in the Tigers’ win. Not only that but the man running the offense was a third stringer and former FCS QB in Jason Brown. He didn’t exactly tear it up but not also didn’t jeopardize his team. He went 14-for-24 for 175 yards and two TDs. Florida couldn’t force a single turnover against the new signal caller in his first FBS start a week after forcing three turnovers against Georgia. Not only that but the secondary had several leaks in including a man left all by his lonesome in the middle of the endzone in Josh Vann for a TD. Brenton Cox Jr. did have a somewhat good night as he posted a TFL and two pass breakups but only two solo tackles.

    Special Teams: B

    This unit was solid this week despite the result. Chris Howard, back in the starting kicker role, made his lone field goal attempt of the night. Meanwhile Jeremy Crawshaw and the Gators punt team didn’t allow any punt returns while the Aussie punted five times with one over fifty yards and two downed inside the 20 with both coming on a short punting field. The Gators did allow just two kick returns for an average of 23 yards but couldn’t really do much in the return game on both KO and punts. Xzavier Henderson had some struggles in that respect as his lone punt return lost four yards and his only kick return went 14. But it certainly didn’t cost Florida the game like in other weeks.

    Conclusion:

    I told myself after the Georgia game, “This team is not good. It’s mediocre. Which might as well make it bad.” Now, in my eyes, it’s just plain bad. Problems keep showing up on this team. Some with consistency and some here or there. But it is always something with Florida in 2021. And that comes from coaching. Much like the LSU game, the Gators shouldn’t have struggled against this Carolina team on paper. But they did on the field. That falls on the coaching staff to solve problems, motivate players and find ways to win. Florida had one of the easiest remaining schedules in the country coming into this game. But now, after this performance, don’t be surprised if a disappointing showing comes up a few more times these next three weeks. It’s not even a given Florida will leave the other Columbia (Missouri) with a win.

  • Florida vs South Carolina Takeaways

    Florida vs South Carolina Takeaways

    Photo by David Rosenblum | Getty Images

    The Florida Gators dropped a 40-17 contest at Columbia, SC on Saturday. It was an ugly loss that wasn’t as close as the lopsided score indicates.

    Here are a few of my takeaways:

    1. Defense: Yet again the Florida defense reared its ugly head. Somehow, graduate transfer QB (from St. Francis, PA) Jason Brown looked calm and cool in his first start with the Gamecocks, finishing 14-24, 175 yards and two touchdowns and no turnovers. Additionally, the Gators gave up 284 yards on the ground and allowed two Carolina backs to go over the century mark.
    2. Run the ball, Dan. Typically, a teams first 15 or so plays are scripted and rehearsed serval times in the lead up to a game. Oftentimes, it centers on the strengths of the quarterback or exploiting a matchup. Florida entered with one of the top rushing games in the nation and was facing the SEC’s second worst run defense. So, what do the Gators do to open the game? 10 straight passing plays. Make it make sense! Dameon Pierce averaged 6.5 yards a carry (mostly in the second half) but only got six carries. Malik Davis only gained 17 yards, but the playcalling was questionable, at best. A solid run game will open things up across the field for whoever is at QB.
    3. Turnovers. Another week another loss in the turnover margin. The Gators moved to -9 in turnover margin for the year and it’s one of the biggest reason for this team’s struggles, offensively. USC took a 30-10 lead into half after a scoop and score by the Gamecocks defense. In the fourth quarter, trailing big, Emory threw an interception, but the damage was done by that point.
    4. Going Bowling? Can you believe we are now questioning whether this team will be bowl eligible? It seems like just a few weeks ago the Gators were 3-1 and having just blown out Tennessee and narrowly losing to Alabama. Yet, here we are. Florida must win two of the final three and that’s not an easy task. A (near) guarantee win will come against Samford on Saturday, but a road trip to Missouri and a home date against a Florida State team trending up are daunting at this point.
    5. Coaching. How can we not talk about what’s happening? It’s what everyone is talking about on social media. Dan Mullen doesn’t appear to want to be here and this is wildly reminiscent of the final weeks of Jim McElwain’s time in Gainesville. His playcalling has been bland and many of the issues we are seeing stems directly from his inability to recruit top prospects. How does that change? I don’t know, but how this team finishes the regular season will be telling. It’s hard to argue with fans that want Mullen to be fired based on where this program is as another down year could really send the program into a spiral. Much aligned defensive coordinator will not be on the sidelines next year and there is no clear candidate to take over the defense, he will likely ride out the rest of the year, for better or worse.

    …

    What are some of your big takeaways from the disaster in Brice – Williams?

  • Gators Embarrassed in South Carolina Rout

    Gators Embarrassed in South Carolina Rout

    Team falls to below .500 after the road loss

    Photo by David Rosenblum | Getty Images

    After a brutal beatdown by the hands of the Georgia Bulldogs, Florida head coach Dan Mullen skipped the post-game playing of the UF Alma Mater.

    Mullen gave a very short press conference on Monday with dismissive answers which started a media circus around the coach “checking out” after the team earned its fourth loss of the season.

    Now it all seems too real.

    On Saturday afternoon, the Gators drove up to Columbia, South Carolina to challenge the Gamecocks in what should’ve been a blowout. Florida entered the game as a 20.5 point favorite but South Carolina flipped the script and crushed UF, 40-17.

    The loss is Florida’s third in a row. 

    Redshirt junior Emory Jones started under center for Florida and Mullen’s offensive air raid was in full effect. Jones attempted to connect on 30 passes but only 15 found the hands of his receivers like Jacob Copeland. 

    Running back Dameon Pierce was only given the rock six times but averaged more than six yards a carry while teammate Malik Davis only gained 17 yards on the same amount of carries.

    But the offense wasn’t the overbearing issue that caused destruction for the Gators. The weakness on Saturday was Florida’s defense, led by defensive coordinator Todd Grantham.

    South Carolina running backs Kevin Harris and Zaquandre Wright had zero issues penetrating the trenches and combined for 139 yards on 29 attempts. 

    Even the South Carolina wide receivers combined to embarrass the Florida secondary, especially during the Josh Vann touchdown in the second quarter. Vann was alone in the end zone with no defender within 20 yards of him.

    From the offense to the defense, the team’s lack of emotion is very noticeable on the field. Mullen seems to have the blinders on as well after failing to notice the UF band, Pride of the Sunshine, for a second week in a row.

    Mullen ignored the Alma Mater playing last week versus UGA and said in this week’s post-game that he had no idea the Florida band was in Columbia despite walking between them for the pre-game Gator Walk.

    With every loss, Mullen’s relationship with the Florida faithful is rotting but Florida returns to Gainesville next week in hopes to redeem the loss when they take on Samford. The kickoff is scheduled for noon from the Swamp and will broadcast to SEC Network+.

  • WBB: Gators Rout Flagler College in Exhibition Game

    WBB: Gators Rout Flagler College in Exhibition Game

    Gators show off a renewed team chemistry in a huge win

    Photo by Brian Fox | ChompTalk

    Controversy or not, the Florida Gators women’s basketball season is underway and the team looks happy to be back on the court.

    The hardwood in Exactech Arena was shining on Friday night when the interim head coach Kelly Rae Finley and the Gators welcomed Flagler College for an exhibition matchup. The game was one-sided from the opening tip and the Gators showed a lot of promise beating Flagler by a 101-56 score.

    The first half was dominated by the Gators who carried a 51-30 lead going into the break and the team found a burst in the third quarter to drive a 21-0 run. 

    UF freshman Alberte Rimdal made a flashing debut going 4-6 and putting 19 total points on the floor. The Denmark native found a sweet spot in the corners to let it fly and lit up the paint with impressive finishes at the net. Rimdal came off the bench in both halves but outgunned everyone on the court

    The Wyche sisters, freshmen Tatyana and Taliyah, were perfect from the field combining to go 8-8. Taliyah was the more dominant of the two, especially in the paint, finding the net seven times.

    Senior guard Zippy Broughton got the start and dominated the paint to compile 16 points in four quarters. Broughton found a teammate to tally an assist and went one-for-one at the free throw line. 

    A renewed team chemistry was displayed throughout the game on the court and on the Florida bench. After every three-pointer or powerful block, the bench would be the first to celebrate and cheer on their teammates. Broughton says the team’s relationship is only getting stronger. 

    “The team chemistry is always improving,” Broughton said. “In practice, Kelly’s always trying to mix it up and see who gels together the best.”

    The only bright light for the Saints was senior guard Jazina Mathis who penetrated the Florida defense to place 13 points on the board despite going 2-12 from the floor. Most of Mathis’ baskets were earned from the foul line. 

    Florida’s season opener will be back at the O’Dome on Tuesday afternoon. The Gators will host Georgia State and the game will be broadcast on SEC Network+.

  • VB: Gators Take Down No. 22 Lady Vols in Four Sets

    VB: Gators Take Down No. 22 Lady Vols in Four Sets

    Photo by Brian Fox | ChompTalk

    After dropping the first set to Tennessee by three points, Florida bounced back and won the next three sets to record its fourth consecutive win and its eighth in the last nine matches.

    The Gators improve to 8-3 at home this season and 9-2 in conference play — tied for second in the SEC with Mississippi State.

    Team Stats

    The Lady Vols hit .484 in the first set, but Florida held Tennessee under .140 in each of the final three sets. The Gators dominated the fourth set in which they hit .481 and held Tennessee to just .083. Florida landed at least 15 kills in every set and limited its errors to only two in both the opening and closing sets.

    Individual Standouts

    Florida outside hitter T’ara Ceasar served all five of the team’s aces — ties her career high — and landed a season-high 25 kills. Outside hitter Thayer Hall and setter Marlie Monserez recorded their fourth and eight double-doubles this season respectively. Hall landed landed 10 kills and added 12 digs, while Monserez tallied 48 assists and 17 digs.

    Redshirt senior middle blocker Lauren Forte notched 11 kills at a .409 clip and assisted five blocks. Sophomore libero Elli McKissock recorded a career-high nine assists and added 26 digs — her fifth game with 20+ digs since the start of SEC play.

    Box Score

    No. 22 Tennessee: 25-17-23-16

    No. 23 Florida: 22-25-25-25

    Individual Stat Leaders

    Aces

    • Ceasar: 5

    Kills

    • Ceasar: 25
    • Forte: 11
    • Hall: 10

    Assists

    • Monserez: 48
    • McKissock: 9
    • Hall: 2

    Digs

    • McKissock: 26
    • Monserez: 17
    • Hall: 12

    Blocks

    • Forte: 5
    • Beason/Dooley: 4

    Next Up

    The Gators will get a weeklong hiatus until they hit the road to face Arkansas in Fayetteville in a two-match series. The first match is scheduled for Nov. 12 and will start at 8 p.m.

  • Staff Predictions: Florida vs South Carolina

    Staff Predictions: Florida vs South Carolina

    Following an ugly showing in Jacksonville against Georgia, the Gators will travel to Columbia, SC for a game against Shane Beamer’s Gamecocks.

    South Carolina is also 4-4 on the season, but their last two wins came against Vanderbilt (21-30) and Troy (23-14). Even Vegas thinks this game should reach blowout territory as Florida is a 18-point favorite.

    The following are our staff’s predictions for the Florida – South Carolina showdown:

    Brian Fox:

    For many reasons, this game shouldn’t be close. The talent gap is significant in Florida’s favor, yet I worry about the mental state of this program and their ability to win on the road in Columbia, at night, no less. Dan Mullen didn’t allow his players or assistants to speak to the media to focus on the details following the humiliating loss to Georgia. One thing I’ll be looking for is former Gators DB coach Torian Gray’s secondary at South Carolina. They are opportunistic at creating turnovers led by Jaylan Foster, who leads the NCAA in interceptions (but it was his fault the UF defense was awful last year, right, Dan?). The Gamecocks only allow 177 yards in the air, but struggle in stopping the ground game. Hopefully, Mullen has read the scouting report and we see a big dose of Dameon Pierce, otherwise it could be a long night in South Carolina. Florida, 31-10.

    Jake Hitt:

    At this rate, this team is incredibly untrustworthy anywhere outside of Gainesville when it comes to winning games. Turnovers are a big reason. Florida’s quarterbacks account for slightly more touchdowns than turnovers through these eight games. Protecting the ball is more important than ever if the Gators want to win these last four regular season games and especially because SCAR is tied for first in the conference with 11 interceptions including three for touchdowns. Plus it’s second in the SEC with six fumble recoveries. Florida still runs the ball at a high clip (242 a game) and South Carolina allows the fourth-most rushing yards at 168 per game. The Gamecocks are also next-to-last in total offense and scoring offense at 328 yards and just under 21 points per game. Not to mention there are questions at QB due to injuries. So, obviously that sets up for a possible career day by the South Carolina offense at night in Columbia. All that said, the Gators win a wild one in the Palmetto State. Florida, 38-35.

    Jesse Richardson:

    This should be a win right? I’ll keep my glass half full even though Mullen shut the team away from any media and seems to be checking out on this season. But if Mullen checks back in Saturday and calls his offense to expectations, like I think he will, then the Florida run game will bulldoze through a weak South Carolina defense. The Gamecocks give up 4.4 yards a carry and 168 yards a game to opposing running backs. UF running back Dameon Pierce was able to burst through the UGA defense for 7.7 yards a carry and it wouldn’t be surprising if he bursts through South Carolina for a few chunk plays. Gators will win but not by a lot. Florida, 31-24.

    Rachel Slay:

    Florida seems to be bent on giving its fans the most turbulent ride possible this season. On paper, this week’s matchup against South Carolina should, emphasis on should, be a cakewalk for the now 4-4 Gators. Yes, the Gamecocks are also 4-4, but they have only faced one of the two SEC powerhouses in Georgia. And despite a half successful season thus far, the wins are meager at best. For example, the Gamecocks beat Vanderbilt (2-7) by one point… Need I say more? Vision gets blurry when you consider that in its last four games, the Florida defense allowed 78.25 more rushing yards per game than in its first four. Now, South Carolina doesn’t bear a reputation of being “RBU” by any means, but such a downward trend in Florida’s ability to stop the run can’t help but raise an eyebrow. On the other hand, Florida averages more points, 32.3 per game, when it ventures outside the Swamp, compared to 30.2 points playing at home – an unexpected stat given a 1-2 record on the road. Regardless, Florida continues to find a way to stifle its own success, so this one could be closer than Gator fans would like. Florida, 31-24.

    …

    Florida and South Carolina will kick off from the Williams – Brice Stadium at 7:30 PM on Saturday. The game will be broadcast live on SEC Network.

  • VB: Red-Hot Gators Look to Extend Winning Streak at Home Thursday Against Tennessee

    VB: Red-Hot Gators Look to Extend Winning Streak at Home Thursday Against Tennessee

    Photo by Brian Fox | ChompTalk

    Florida defeated Missouri in straight sets on the road last Saturday — its third consecutive sweep victory.

    After the win, senior setter Marlie Monserez said she believes the Gators are hitting their stride as they continue to get healthy entering the final month of the season.

    “We have a small roster this year,” Monserez said. “We’re still pretty deep having only 13 people, and having everyone healthy is really great.”

    The Gators have won seven of their last eight matches, which includes a whopping six sweeps. Following the win over last-place Mizzou, Florida’s conference record improved to 8-2 — tied with Mississippi State for second place in the SEC.

    Gators Welcome Lady Vols

    The Gators return to the O’Connell Center Thursday where they’ll host third-place Tennessee (8-3) in a ranked match. In this week’s AVCA Coaches Poll, Florida is ranked No. 23 and Tennessee is No. 22.

    The Lady Volunteers travel to the Sunshine State on a two-game losing skid after being swept by LSU and No. 5 Kentucky.

    Florida and Tennessee stack up virtually evenly on paper in terms of team statistics this season. As far as individual talent, Florida boasted four players — Monserez, middle blocker Lauren Forte, and outside hitters T’ara Ceasar and Thayer Hall — on the Preseason All-SEC Team, while Tennessee received no recognition. Nevertheless, the Lady Vols use a balanced attack and currently boast a numerically deeper roster than Florida.

    The Gators are 49-8 against Tennessee under head coach Mary Wise and have won nine of the last 10 meetings. Thursday’s match is scheduled for 7 p.m. and will air on SEC Network+.

  • The Gridiron Growl Podcast: Georgia Recap

    The Gridiron Growl Podcast: Georgia Recap

    Check out the latest episode of The Gridiron Growl Podcast as Mark McLeod and Jake Hitt recap the 2021 edition of The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.

    While the blowout loss was bad enough, Georgia head coach Kirby Smart provided Dan Mullen another L in his post-game media session. Hear that and more on this week’s episode of The Gridiron Growl Podcast.

    Click play on the following audio player to listen to this week’s episode of The Gridiron Growl Podcast:

    You can also follow The Gridiron Growl Podcast on the following platforms:

  • SOC: Gators Looking to Advance in SEC Tournament

    SOC: Gators Looking to Advance in SEC Tournament

    Photo by Brian Fox | ChompTalk

    After a thrilling victory in penalties over Vanderbilt, Florida is rewarded with a contest against the second seed in the SEC and 12th in the nation, Tennessee.

    Florida faced Tennessee on the road in early October and was defeated 0-2. Claudia Dipasupil and Jordan Fusco each scored a goal for Tennessee in that match.

    Tennessee dominated the Gators in their previous meeting from start to finish, taking 25 shots and 14 corner kicks, both the most the Gators allowed all season.

    Shaye Seyffart and Alexa Goldberg were the Gators’ few bright spots in that match. Seyffart took four of the Gators six shots and Goldberg held strong with six saves, despite all the pressure allowed.

    Look for both of them to make an impact again in Tuesday’s match in order for the Gators to keep up with the Volunteers. Kit Loferski will also continue to be a factor coming off a crucial game-tying strike that created the own goal in the first round of the tournament.

    The Volunteers have stars all over the pitch including Mckenzie George, the senior forward who made the All-SEC first team, three All-SEC second team players, and three SEC-All freshman team players. 

    Controlling the pace of the match and maintaining possession will be vital to the Gators hopes to advance further in the tournament.

    The Gators and Tennessee will kick off at 1 p.m. eastern in Orange Beach. The match can be streamed on SEC Network.

  • Grading the Gators: Georgia

    Grading the Gators: Georgia

    Photo by James Gilbert | Getty Images

    Florida fans were privy to the struggles of Dan Mullen’s squad and its head coach’s areas of concern. The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail put that on a national stage for all to see. It’s only resulted in creating a more chaotic scenario for the football program. The Gators seemed poised to hang in there with the nation’s top-ranked squad. But the Bulldogs ended up too much for Florida. Let’s look at how they fared.

    Offense: C-

    Everyone knew Florida was slated for an uphill battle against the No. 1 defense in the land. Except that hill was more like Everest. Florida at times moved the ball on the Bulldogs but came nowhere near punching it in. Florida was 0-for-2 in the redzone until the Gators scored with about two minutes or so left in the game. A touchdown drive led by Emory Jones who filled in for injured starter Anthony Richardson. Meanwhile, Richardson looked exactly like a freshman when was in Saturday. He held the ball too long, was late on throws and accounted for all three of Florida’s turnovers including Nakobe Dean’s pick six. He was also inefficient running the ball too with under 30 yards rushing on 10+ carries. Dameon Pierce led all rushers with 69 yards on nine carries. He was a hot hand who should’ve received more opportunity. Still finished with more total yards than Georgia so who’s the real winner here?

    https://twitter.com/247Sports/status/1454556149592772610?s=20

    Defense: B

    If you ask me, the Gator defense was the bright spot for Florida. Before that flurry of turnovers by the Gator offense, it was a 3-0 ballgame and Rashad Torrence II just picked off Stetson Bennett to get Florida the ball back. In fact, the Gator defense forced three straight scoreless Georgia possessions to start the game. It did have some problems, though. Like Kearis Jackson blowing by Torrence on Bennett’s 36-yard strike to him for a touchdown or the pass rush’s inability to get Bennett down for more than one sack. But Torrence did have a whale of a day. He tied for the team lead in total and solo tackles with eight and five, respectively. Plus, he had two interceptions and fumble recovery. A fumble caused by Jeremiah Moon. It might’ve relinquished 27 points but about 14 of those were due to Georgia getting the ball well into Gator territory.

    Special Teams: D

    The kicking saga continues for Florida. Jace Christmann had a rough day for Florida. He missed two kicks on Saturday, one from 51 and another from 23. The special teams unit didn’t really have much after that. Jeremy Crawshaw punted three times at over 40 yards a punt. While the Gators did just about nothing in the return game, neither did Georgia as only one of Crawshaw’s punts was returned. Overall, a dismal day for Florida special teams.

    Conclusion:

    Almost nobody expected Florida to win this game, but the loss stings a little bit more knowing Florida was playing a quite competitive game for about the first 27 minutes. However, it was also because of the disparity between Florida and Georgia that this game got out of hand. Like many said so far, it’s a microcosm of where the Gators are. Slipping farther and farther away from the elites of college football when it seemed poised to turn the corner.