Initial Thoughts: Game 9 - Vanderbilt

The Florida Gators defeat the Vanderbilt Commodores by the score of 55-14.

Jordan Reed for starting quarterback!! Wait...no. Wait...Now I'm not sure. Wait...Yes. No?!?!?!? Probably not. I don't know. But he just might be the future. Probably never should have "adjusted" positions.

Two blocked punts (both by Chris Rainey), an explosion of everything Gator related that we (the fans) have been looking forward to all season long, finally...finally came to fruition.

Total domination in every aspect of the game. Special Teams, offense and defense. Covered in Gator orange and blue. The turnovers were also controlled by the orange and blue. Talk about your all-time complete games!

Body bag game!!! In a game in which the second and third strings got some playing time starting in mid-way through the 3rd quarter........

Offense:

Everything seemed to be clicking as the Gators rolled out 481 yards of offense and scored 6 touchdowns on the offensive side of the ball. It seemed like everyone came to play today, especially Frankie Hammond Jr. who made plenty of nice moves on his 39 yard touchdown reception in the 2nd quarter.  But then again, who didn't score in the second quarter? The towel-boy? The get-back coach?

The QB play was solid, aside from a few iffy decisions made by John Brantley in which the Gators were lucky the ball was not intercepted.  John Brantley finished 11 of 18 for 157 yards and 2 TD's. Jordan Reed even played at the QB position attempting 11 completions out of 19 attempts for 1 TD (a 31 yard pass to Deonte Thompson) in his first action at the QB position in his career. He also threw an INT as the game was way out of hand.

The RB play was solid as well.  The return of Mike Gillislee was greatly anticipated and proved to be exactly what the Gators needed.  Though his numbers weren't all that great 9 carries for 57 yards with 2 TD's.  Gillislee's best run was his 43 yard scamper in which tackles were broken and a cut back inside the 10 was needed for the touchdown.  Chris Rainey, Emmanuel Moody, Trey Burton and Jordan Reed combined for 38 carries for 168 yards with a TD (Reed).  Jordan Reed had some runs that reminded the fans of one Tim Tebow. I'm thinking Jordan Reed (though it is a very small sample size) looks like to be the most comfortable person in the backfield at the quarterback position.

The WR play was fantastic.  Players moving around, creating blocks, wide open spaces, and it seemed like every single player caught a touchdown pass for the first time since Danny Wuerffel was back their slinging passes. RB/WR Chris Rainey played the "Percy Position" to perfection as he amassed 4 catches for 75 yards and a TD. Deonte Thompson finished with 2 catches for 39 yards and 1 TD. Frankie Hammond Jr. got in the fun with 3 catches for 49 yards and 1 TD as well. Carl Moore saw action early, tailed off a bit but still managed to finish with 4 catches for 32 yards.

Justin Williams, Solomon Patton and Stephen Alli get in some playing time. Justin Williams nearly broke through for a touchdown on a 29 yard reception, in which he needed 30.

Defense:

FUUUUUUMMMMMBBBBLLLLLLLLE! The Gators carried that tune to two fumbles, one which was returned 45 yards for a touchdown. Lerentee McCray caused the first one in which Terron Sanders picked up and ran 45 yards untouched down the field for a touchdown.  Ahmad Black caused the second one which was challenged by Urban Meyer to reverse the decision on the field as "down" before the ball came loose. Ahmad Black caused a third one (his second) but the Gators were unable to recover the ball.

A.J. Jones, Brandon Hicks, Duke Lemmens and Justin Trattou added sacks before the half.

The Gators defense decided to hit people in such a way that this game could be compared to the "Body Bag" game played between the Washington Redskins and the Philadelphia Eagles on November 12, 1990.  The Eagles knocked eight Redskins out of the game including two quarterbacks.  Just substitute the RB's for QB's in that analogy and you've got something.  

Just after half-time the Gators defense had allowed the Vanderbilt offense a grand total of 70 yards. The only statistical categories that the Vanderbilt offense and special teams led at the half was the time of possession, kickoff return yardage and punt yardage.

Seemed like a day in which the LB's and DB's didn't have to do much as the Vanderbilt offense was dominated by the Gators front four, dropped passes and execution issues by the Vanderbilt offense. Very quiet day overall for the LB's and especially the DB's. Though FS Josh Evans did drop a sure interception, but more than made up for it as the sophomore caught a tipped pass and returned it 36 yards.

Special Teams:

Two blocked punts (both by Chris Rainey) was the good. Kickoff coverage was the very good (but tailed off as the game wore on). Punt coverage was the great. That is, if the punt was allowed to be let go. Vanderbilt blocks an extra point and a punt (which lead to their first points) and that was the bad.

Solomon Patton returned one of the blocked punts for a touchdown.

Apparently, the Commodores thought that there was a rule in which nearly every single kickoff had to be dropped upon the first catch. That must have happened 6 times.

Overall:

The OL still has some issues and the offense still clanks along at certain points. Oh and Jordan Reed is like Tim Tebow only faster. Write that down and take a picture of that comment if you wish. 

In all kinds of weather....

The Gators play for the SEC East and the right to go to Atlanta for the SEC Championship Game next Saturday as they take on the South Carolina Gamecocks at 7:15pm on either ESPN or ESPN2.

Go Gators!