As Expected Florida Gators Rally Around Steve Addazio
It is to be expected really. In the college football world, players are usually kept quiet when it comes to certain aspects of the program. You do not call out a teammate. You avoid placing blame on others. You come to the rescue of your coaches if they are criticized for a lack of production. So when Florida players come out after the loss to LSU and defend offensive coordinator Steve Addazio it should come as no shock.
It should also mean very little.
Not to diminish the players’ feelings toward their offensive coach and not to call them liars, but they are doing what they should do. You keep issues behind closed doors. They are not for the public eye. If there are problems, they are usually apparent on all levels, but as a team you come together to downplay those issues and focus on the task at hand, the next opponent.
Every single Gator may very well support Addazio and his offense. They may believe in him and truly accept other issues as the cause of Florida’s inconsistencies on offense, but we are not all in the same boat. Yes, Urban Meyer trusted Addazio enough to make him the offensive coordinator when Dan Mullen left for Mississippi State. Yes, the players are the ones not executing on the field. But as the leader of the offense, it is ultimately up to Addazio to make the necessary adjustments and take responsibility for the production or lack thereof. And that is where the problem lies.
There are a few reasons why Gator fans and the media are concerned and they all center on change. We have now reached the halfway point of the regular season. There is not a single individual out there who is surprised at where Florida currently sits. If you watched the offense last season (erasing the victory over Cincinnati from your mind), you could have predicted a slow start out of the gate in 2010. If you analyzed the first few outings this season, you could have guessed the Gators would still be struggling. But what shocks you is the inability to adapt. The lack of desire to change.
Sports require adaptation. In baseball, if your pitching rotation proves ineffective, you do not stick with it for 162 games. In golf, if you have consistent problems with your pitching wedge, you keep it in your bag. In basketball, if you do not have the athletes to play man-to-man defense, you take a turn at zone. Football is no different. An ineffective player is benched as quickly as he was named the starter. One game’s hero is the next game’s backup. And this is why the blame currently centers on Addazio.
It is true that in many instances this year the Florida offense has moved the ball down the field only to see a drive stall for a number of reasons. It is also true that some plays have blown up because of a lack of execution on part of the players. But there have also been a number of interesting lineup decision and questionable play calls that illustrate that, for lack of a better way to put it, Addazio is being stubborn.
The most notable and discussed has been the up-and-down play of offensive lineman Mike Pouncey. A great player and leader, Pouncey was one of the players to defend his coordinator. And he should. But he is also one of the players affected the most by Addazio’s decisions. It is Pouncey’s future in question as he continues to be used at a position that is not his best. That is no knock on Pouncey, but a knock on the man who has refused to make a change for the betterment of both the team and the individual. The offensive line has struggled as much as or more than any other unit this season. Injuries have forced Meyer and Addazio to shuffle the lineup numerous times per game, but one decision remains set in stone – Pouncey at center. Right guards have come and go this season and that just so happens to be the position Pouncey was an All-American at in 2009. With back-to-back defeats, it might just be time to make the move, but it seems as if that will never happen.
The play calling has also been debated because of that same word, change. John Brantley is a different quarterback than Tim Tebow who is a different quarterback than Chris Leak. In another year or so, we will be saying Trey Burton and Jeff Driskel are different quarterbacks as well. Regardless, Brantley continues to be used in ways that do not cater to his strengths. Because of an unwillingness to alter the offense to fit the current roster, it stalls in certain situations. Brantley and the option. Burton coming in to run a play the defense saw coming back when #15 ran it. Take your pick. The lack of variety is why we are having this discussion in the first place and the reason Addazio will continue to receive the blame from fans and media alike.
Very few actually have a problem with Addazio the man. He is a respectable individual and a well-liked coach. He can be a valuable part of the Florida staff and his players should support him. But he has one fatal flaw. One that has also affected Meyer at times as well. He is not evolving. He seems determined to make it work the only way he knows how.
After two straight losses, the need for change appears to be painfully apparent. Whether it is Addazio, Meyer, or even athletic director Jeremy Foley, someone needs to swallow their pride and adjust. Publically, the players will continue to support their coaches and leaders. Now those leaders need to give the players the tools to allow them to adapt and succeed on the field.