I’m the glass half full guy when it comes to Florida football. I tend to find the positive in every loss and look at what the Gators can learn from each mistake. This recap will not be like that. If you’re an always look on the bright side Florida fan who has no problem with the currently state of the offense, you may want to turn back now (or read anything anywhere written about the orange and blue recently).
If there is any positive to take from the Gators’ 33-29 loss to LSU, it’s that Florida somehow managed to be in the game until the very end. Talent will do that. Remember that as you read the rest of this article and any other Gator article out there. Florida has plenty of talent, more than enough to win each and every game they play. That’s part of what makes the last two weeks so frustrating.
What we saw on Saturday was a team that still doesn’t have an identity or even knows what that identity might be. An outsider might think John Brantley just isn’t what many expected him to be, but he isn’t being used to his strengths. How many more times will he be called on to run an option play? Some might say the offensive line is playing at an unacceptable level, but injuries and a lack of stability in its lineup haven’t allowed the unit to get into a rhythm. It’s anyone’s guess how many different rotations have been used this season. Others might look at the play calling and laugh. They should. There’s no better reaction to that aspect of the Florida offense. It’s either laughs or downright anger.
There are two distinct problems with the play calling. Two that seem to contradict each other so you’re going to have to bear with me as I get through them. One is simplicity and one is complication. Simplicity in that offensive coordinator Steve Addazio seems to have a handful (a VERY small handful) of plays that he sticks with. It’s almost as if his playbook was developed in Twitter; however many plays fit into 140 characters is how many he’ll call. No more. Situation and score don’t matter, Addazio calls what one can only guess he figures are his “safety” plays. The issue in that is that they aren’t working. Money plays work more often than not. In Addazio’s case, those plays are getting his quarterback killed, aren’t spreading the field, and tend to see the offense run out of steam when it gets close to the goal line.
The other problem is that despite a lack of variety in play calling, the plays being called are too complicated. When you have an offensive line that is struggling to stay healthy for even four straight quarters, you end up with numerous lineups and players trying to get used to one another, but never getting the chance to do so. In that case, blocking schemes need to stay fairly simple. With players moving from tackle to guard and back again consistently, complicated schemes end up with Brantley finding himself on the ground or running backs gaining a yard at a time. Some may say Brantley rarely makes a second read when dropping back to pass. I would argue he rarely has the time to do so. Six games in and there has yet to be an adjustment made to stop the pressure teams are getting in the backfield.
Although play variety is on the painfully simple side, those plays are too complicated for an offense in a state similar to how Florida’s is currently. Variety keeps defenses honest, but if plays take too long to develop that doesn’t matter one bit. In most circumstances, you would say “well then, change it and move on.” Good luck with that. Addazio and change are the worst of enemies. For some reason, he thinks that for the most part everything is fine and the Gators will triumph by sticking to the plan. I wish I could have that attitude and make what he makes. Addazio can go through his game routine, change nothing, collect his check, and be perfectly happy with the decisions he made or didn’t make. That was okay albeit frustrating when Florida was 4-0. Now the Gators are 4-2 and saw a team with less talent upset a team they lost by 25 to. I see a problem amplifying. Addazio sees no issue whatsoever.
On that note, there’s yet another reason why he should no longer be the Florida offensive coordinator. The offensive line needs help and Addazio can be the person to help them. He is a great offensive line coach. He is an awful offensive coordinator. I have no problem with him being part of the Gator coaching staff, but Urban Meyer has to see that Addazio is in the wrong position. It’s actually shocking that Meyer doesn’t. Unless he does behind closed doors. We can only hope.
In today’s game with all-world athletes at every position and teams playing a variety of defenses, an offensive coordinator must be innovative and willing to mix it up from time to time. Addazio is digging his own grave because he refuses to change. He’s the definition of playing to not lose when he should be playing to win. Playing to not lose only works when you don’t lose. Florida is past that point.
There are two questions that have to be asked: 1) why is he still in charge of the offense? And 2) what happened to adapting to the players you have? Both require changes and in this case changes would be good. Everyone says Tim Tebow was the perfect player for Meyer’s system. That could very well be true, but I’m staring at a framed Sports Illustrated hanging on the wall in my sports room. On the cover is Chris Leak, MVP, a crystal football, and the words National Champions.
Brantley has looked pedestrian, a ridiculous collection of talent along the offensive line can’t buy a block, and extremely good players are hidden. It’s not their fault. There’s someone to blame and we all can point a finger. The coaches need to take responsibility and not just sit back and hope the players step up come game time. You don’t keep calling the option with a non-option quarterback and just keep your fingers crossed that he’ll figure out how to make it work. Well, at least you wouldn’t think you do. Apparently I’m wrong about that though.
As a fan, I don’t always see what the coaches do. Meaning they know a lot more than I do. That’s pretty obvious. My football coaching resume includes one stop, a sorority flag team 12 years ago. I’m not a coach and never will be, but if I (and hundreds of thousands of other fans) can predict what the next play will be, don’t you think the defense can as well? If I know before the game starts that Trey Burton is going to be overused because of his performance against Kentucky, don’t you think they other team knows that? If I can see before the snap that it will be a run up the middle with Mike Pouncey left to block not one, but two defensive tackles, doesn’t the blitzing linebacker know the same thing?
The loss to Alabama wasn’t as bad as the final score would indicate. There were times when the Gators drove only to have turnovers or play calling ruin chances of a comeback. The fact that Florida was in the LSU game until the very end proves this team has the ability to win every game it plays. Then Addazio gets in the way. The Tide and Tigers beat the Gators, but the offensive coordinator did as well. It’s time to make a change. Not for the fans. Not for the media. Not for the guy writing his blog. For the players. They’re the ones that deserve more.