Last 10 Things: Florida Gators vs. LSU Tigers

10 final things about Florida’s matchup with LSU.

1. Jacoby Brissett or Jeff Driskel? Tyler Murphy or Trey Burton? It’ll be one of the first two, but all four could see action. The Gators may try to run Burton out of the wildcat. They may even throw Murphy in there at one point, but it’s up to one or both of the true freshmen to step up in this one.

2. Jarrett Lee doesn’t throw interceptions anymore, which clearly means the world is much worse off than we thought. If Florida can turn Lee into his old self, things look up for the Gators. If they can’t, well, moving right along…

3. Does the run game win out again? The key to the Florida/Alabama matchup was whichever team could run and stop the run. With inexperienced quarterbacks on one side and an average one on the other, will the run game rule again?

4. If it is the run game, the Gators need everything they can get out of Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps. Every last little bit. The big play has to be present.

5. Staying with that topic for one more thought: to get everything they can out of Rainey and Demps, the offensive line needs to get dirty from the first snap. Consistency must be there. For 60 minutes, the line has to be a unit. Yes, all 60. Whether on the field or not, the line needs to become one unit. Not five individual players, but one cohesive unit playing together to open lanes, block downfield, and keep the quarterback(s) upright.

6. The tight ends could be critical. You always hear about a great tight end is vital for an inexperienced quarterback. The TE can save the QB as an additional blocker or as a dump-off option in the passing game. The Florida tight ends need to be on their game against LSU and help the quarterbacks as much as they can.

7. Pressure, pressure, pressure. Florida benefitted from increased pressure by the defensive line against Kentucky and Tennessee. Against Alabama, it disappeared and was obviously a weakness. When facing LSU, the line needs to get to the quarterback. When Lee does drop back to throw, the line needs to force him into bad decisions. He has that DNA somewhere deep inside of him; the line needs to break it out.

8. Tackling, tackling, tackling. Trent Richardson is a great running back. The Gators made him look greater (?) by allowing him to bounce off of contact and drag defenders for additional yards. Florida’s linebackers are good, or at least they can be. They have to bring ball carriers down when they first hit them and they have to drive them backwards.

9. Angles, angles, angles. When Richardson was able to get to the secondary level of the defense, he continued to gain yards because of bad angles taken by the defensive backs. The DBs were running to where he was and not where he was going to be. Because of that he was able to double some of his gains with ease. The Florida defensive backs know how to play the run; they just have to do so.

10. As fans, we’re allowed to be nervous. I’ll admit that I’m nervous before every single game. It doesn’t matter the opponent, my nerves get to me whether it’s a little or a lot. This week, it’s a lot, but I’m allowed that feeling as a fan. The players aren’t. They can’t go into this game worried about what could happen. They have to be confident of their ability and ready for LSU from the opening kickoff.

For more on the matchup: a quick look, a Florida hero, a LSU hero, a recruiting story from the past, the full preview, and numbers, numbers, numbers.