Theater of Operations, Florida Vs. Alabama: Reviewing The Gators' Run Defense
by FlaGators on Oct 3, 2011 10:15 AM EDT
in Florida Football Analysis
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If you were to ask even the most casual of football fans, they would tell you that running the football successfully is imperative if you're trying to win. In Saturday's match-up between the Florida Gators and the Alabama Crimson Tide, only one team ran the ball effectively. And no, that team wasn't Florida.
The Crimson Tide ran the ball 43 times for 226 yards. The Gators, on the other hand, rushed for 15 yards on 29 carries. 15 yards! That type of success, if you want to call it that, isn't going to beat Furman, let alone one of the top two or three teams in the country.
The Gators did have an edge when it came to passing the football (more on that tomorrow), but it clearly wasn't enough.
Play No. 1: Trent Richardson's five-yard touchdown run:
(Photo courtesy of CBS Sports)
The Gators have four defenders near the goal line that are ready for this play. They know it is coming. There is no excuse for allowing Richardson into the end zone.
(Photo courtesy of CBS Sports)
The fun thing is, all four of the Gator defenders in position to make a play a second ago take horrible angles right after the handoff.
(Photo courtesy of CBS Sports)
Count 'em. I see three Gator defenders in on the play, all with a chance to tackle Richardson on the three-yard line. I'm sure there is a Gator player underneath the pile.
(Photo courtesy of CBS Sports)
But nobody does.
I would highlight the holding I see by the Alabama offensive line, but to keep hammering home a point like that is tiresome after a while. Also, making a screen capture of such a moment is rather difficult from CBS videos. But here is the video; you can judge for yourself. Focus in on where the hole is made.
Play No. 2: Trent Richardson's 36-yard touchdown run:
(Photo courtesy of CBS Sports)
A simple draw play from the shotgun formation is apparently too much for the Gators defense to handle.
(Photo courtesy of CBS Sports)
Look at the size of the hole. Again.
(Photo courtesy of CBS Sports)
Florida safety Josh Evans takes what is probably the worst angle of all time. Okay, maybe not of all time, but at least the worst in recent memory. (Ed.: Since Kyle Jackson, maybe?)
In case you're wondering, yes, Trent Richardson did, in fact, take it the rest of the way for a touchdown.
Play No. 3: Eddie Lacy's 20-yard touchdown run:
(Photo courtesy of CBS Sports)
Three for the trifecta, right? Why not?
(Photo courtesy of CBS Sports)
Hey, look, another massive hole (yellow square) for an Alabama running back to run through. Also pictured is Josh Evans (yellow circle), who has taken yet another horrible angle.
(Photo courtesy of CBS Sports)
Near the end of the Lacy run, Cody Riggs... well, I'm not saying, I'm just saying. Decide for yourself.
Alabama probably could have won the game just as easily without committing a few uncalled fouls along the way. The Gators surely committed a few of their own (shame on Jon Bostic, by the way), but the Gators' fouls didn't appear to impact the scoring all that much.
Truth be told, Alabama probably didn't even need an offensive line at all. That is how poorly the Gators played. It was as if they were the Kentucky Wildcats and Alabama was Florida. We all remember how that went. Good times.
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i honestly don't know why
florida fans insist that alabama holds. it’s been a constant complaint for years but pretty much exclusively to y’all. and when florida starts losing they din gets louder. if there was any truth to this accusation you would think we’d see more flags when we play OOC games and bowls but it just doesn’t happen. and folks like charlie weiss and will muschamp would be certain to point it out if they saw it and felt it was a problem.
the only way this is arguable is if you are also insisting there is a vast conspiracy by the SEC to keep the refs from calling this against one team. and that’s something that i’d expect from a finebaum caller, not a sb nation blog.
so if you are going to keep belaboring this point. produce the evidence. my suspicion is that you’ve just got an unclear grasp on what the rule is and what techniques are used these days to keep within it.
Remember the Rose Bowl: The Story of the Alabama Crimson Tide & the Grandaddy of Them All
by kleph on Oct 3, 2011 10:29 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
I did produce the evidence. Watch the video in the post, watch the guy I’ve said to watch…and it is clear as day.
Look, I understand that holding goes on, on virtually every play. But not nearly as blatantly as Alabama seems to do it. I didn’t have this complaint in 2008 or 2009. Or 2005 or 2006. Just 2010 (but not as much) and this year.
I said that they would have won the game without offensive lineman, so in that respect, I’m saying Alabama destroyed us. Which was obvious. But they didn’t have to resort to pop warner tactics to do so.
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I'm sorry but you're just whining
you can keep coming back to this but it just makes you sound petty and pathetic
you have a great university and a great football tradition – time for you guys to stop blaming the phantom holding calls you guys feel you deserve and start looking at your defensive and offensive line because RIGHT NOW they’re just not good enough to win at the championship level and it is just that simple
you’re Florida – you’ll get the recruits and start winning big games soon but don’t go pointing fingers and crying about what the refs didn’t call when you lose a game
People who live in glass houses should not hang out with Charles Barkley.
by Wallacewade04 on Oct 3, 2011 11:02 AM EDT up reply actions
They are speed with no size apparently
It amazes me that some fans tend to think that there isn’t holding calls, it goes both ways, this is a non issue, it was apparent to me in the 2009 SEC championship game, but again non story, just my opinion.
This is an area I expect Muschamp to address through recruiting, bigger players, that are still fast, but maybe not as fast. You know you got problems when your linebackers look like wide receivers and your d lineman look like the other team’s linebackers.
Cheeseburger Charlie: Everyone just relax, all right? Believe me, if there's one thing Charlie Weis knows, it's quarter-pounders, I mean quarterbacks.
Coach Boom: I don't know, Cheesey.
Cheeseburger Charlie: Guess what, I do. I know that one day Brantley is gonna to get picked in the top of a draft, and there's going to be flutes playing and trombones and flowers and garlands of fresh herbs. And we will dance till the sun rises. And then his children will form a family band. And they will tour the countryside and those who doubted won't be invited.
Aside from the “whining” and the other related stuff, if you’d have read my post instead of just the comments, you’d have realized that I said exactly what you are saying.
You don’t agree with my assessment…It probably isn’t the first time, and it probably won’t be the last. Different fan-bases see things differently all the time. It happens. All I’m doing is pointing out where I thought the officials missed some holding calls…
What’s the problem with that?
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no problem
sorry if I overreacted
People who live in glass houses should not hang out with Charles Barkley.
by Wallacewade04 on Oct 3, 2011 11:46 AM EDT up reply actions
It’s all good.
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as i mentioned in a post before...did you notice the UF holding calls that weren't called?
Probably not cause fans dont see their own mistakes. I had to rewatch the game nearly twice to see the TWO holding calls that weren’t called. My eyes typically focused on the RB or QB.
Our point is this. You can say that they didn’t call a few holding calls on us but we can say the same for you. I would actually rather the refs not call holding on every play (which they could). I also seriously doubt that a few extra holding calls changes the outcome at all…
Follow on twitter @thelyell
re-watch the play where Bama was finally called for holding
There are 2 more holds on that very same play.
As far as I am concerned, Bama is the best team in the nation. If the refs aren’t calling holding calls against you, you are virtually unstoppable. It’s going to be very frustrating for you though if you happen to draw a crew that is throwing the flags for holding one game…..just saying. Frustrated players do silly things – like take swings at other players. I’m just guessing that Bostic was pretty frustrated at repeatedly being held with no flags.
This is in no way an excuse – Bama controlled the game on both sides of the ball and is clearly the better team. The score could have definitely been worse.
This exactly.
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you're seeing holding cause you want to.
Are the players being pulled to the ground or are the being stood up and not allowed to move left or right? Cause as a guy who played O-line thats what you are taught to do. Hit your man, grab him underneath his breast pad and keep your arms in. Control his movement and as soon as the RB passes you let go. If you lose position and the defensive player you have to let go…You can’t tackle him or pull him down.
Take the off tackle play on the 1st or 2nd drive where Trent runs to the bama sideline and gets about 8-9 yards. The TE is blocking driving the UF defender to the sideline probably expecting Trent to cut off his back hip. Trent however decides to go to the outside. As soon as Trent passes the TE lets go. It may look like a hold but it isn’t. Its actually a good no call because it could easily go both ways..
Holding is in the eyes of the heholder..hence why it could but isn’t called every play.
Follow on twitter @thelyell
I’m not saying that Bama’s OL was doing anything they weren’t taught or doing something they shouldn’t have done. By all means if the refs aren’t calling holds then you should hold on every play. the UF OL should have been holding much more since they weren’t successful blocking the Bama defensive front.
What I was seeing was more hooking around the arm than an inside grip under the pads which is nearly impossible to detect.
Oh I don’t think it changes the outcome either, as I’ve said. But I think the score is a little closer and thus the game plays differently. But no, I don’t think Florida wins it.
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Let's not focus on the holding the calls
it wasn’t the point of the post in the first place.
DRISKEL: Brantley! Brantley! Speak to me! Brave, brave Brantley, you shall not have died in vain!
BRANTLEY: Uh, I'm-- I'm not quite dead.
DRISKEL: Well, you shall not have been mortally wounded in vain!
BRANTLEY: I-- I-- I think I c-- I could pull through.
DRISKEL: Oh, I see.
BRANTLEY: Actually, I think I'm all right to come with you--
DRISKEL: No, no, sweet Brantley! Stay here! I will send help as soon as I have accomplished a daring and heroic rescue in my own particular...[sigh]
BRANTLEY: Idiom?
DRISKEL: Idiom!
i understand but this point has been made by FlaGators a ton
and we are just trying to show that it just isn’t so.
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And you're not doing a very good job of it...
Move on, Gump…
You may not like what I have to say...but somebody has to say it...
youre such a nice guy.
im so glad you added such insight to this discussion…
Follow on twitter @thelyell
Thanks, Buddy...
Wish I could say the same for you…
You may not like what I have to say...but somebody has to say it...
by gatorhippy on Oct 5, 2011 3:42 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
It is kind of like that BCS National Championship game in which Florida played Ohio State.
On the opening kickoff, Reggie Nelson was held. Big time. Which is the only reason why Ted Ginn returned it for a touchdown. But nobody, ever said anything. Ever. Just because nobody within the game says anything, doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.
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I point that out all the time to BUckeye fans that say the only reason they lost was because Ginn got hurt…
You may not like what I have to say...but somebody has to say it...
Yeah, that doesn’t even make sense. A team doesn’t lose because of a WR.
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Well...
We are talking about Buckeye fans…
You may not like what I have to say...but somebody has to say it...
Not only that, but anyone who saw the game......
would clearly see that Bama got the short end of the stick when it came to the zebra’s calls. To the tone of 7 points on a clear fumble that was supposedly whistled dead by a side judge while the head ref threw the bean bag on top of the play. And then mysteriously called a timeout against Florida? The competition between our two schools has been great over the years with much respect between the two programs. Yet, over the last few years all we hear is how our O-line holds on every play against Florida. Sour grapes.
Florida will continue to struggle against good defenses as long as it has no running game and Urban made sure you didnt have one. Thats why more teams are moving away from the spread, including yours. The spread is only successful if the perfect guy is at QB, i.e Tebow and Newton. But that caliber of talent is in very short supply.
Brantley was on top of the ball with his arms covering it. That is clear as day. It also goes on like that for two seconds before the ball is ripped out of there. That is also as clear as day.
And a referee did blow a whistle on the play. You can hear it. And you can see it happening.
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Brantley's arms never cradled the ball and the head ref was letting the play continue..
and he was right there on top of the play. It’s a non-issue but please don’t act as if the ref’s were turning a blind eye to leverage the game in our favor. It goes both ways.
That’s not what I saw. I saw him clearly on top of the ball, with an arm (on the side of the ball) inward.
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if there wasn't a whistle...
isn’t it strange that none of the players (including Bama’s) were exactly killing themselves to get to a loose ball. Even the guy who scooped it up hesitated 9 times.
Yup.
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It did look like his side was down on top of it. While it should have been reviewed a little closer, I sincerely wish that this was a turnover+6 so that the next play would have never happened.
Books for Bama students: My E-Cubby - UA
You and me both, man.
We could have lost 45-24 or something!
by Andy Hutchins on Oct 3, 2011 9:59 PM EDT up reply actions
Again, you have to have possession of the ball.
Laying on or near does not rule you in possession. Thats why the head zebra, that was standing over the play, never whistled it dead.
Except...
When your knee is down before the ball is out…
Which is how it happened…
You may not like what I have to say...but somebody has to say it...
This, I can except. IF his knee was down.
Either way, they blew the call to hell and back, no matter which way it was ruled.
Yeah…that wasn’t a very strong crew last Saturday…
If they were footie refs I’d be demanding they all be assessed…
You may not like what I have to say...but somebody has to say it...
by gatorhippy on Oct 5, 2011 4:09 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Seriously
you calling that play a bummer, how about the a-holes in the booth robbing Florida of a momentum building 2nd touchdown, it’s like they can’t help but review every Florida touchdown almost. (I’d like to quickly set up my special teams first.)
but really in all seriousness, Brantley is lying on the ball while lying on the ground, anyone with common sense realizes that makes the play dead right there, the fact that your d-lineman pulls his leg out from under Brantley and moves the ball in the process does not make it suddenly live again. I thought that time out was bogus too, and how you guys didn’t have to burn a timeout or replace your punter when he fakes injury in a open to interpretation roughing the kicker call, I don’t know how that was allowed to happen, anyone the trainers have to come see is not allowed to be on the field on the next play unless there is a change of possession, timeout, or beginning of a new quarter.
But nonetheless you guys owned us, simple as that.
Cheeseburger Charlie: Everyone just relax, all right? Believe me, if there's one thing Charlie Weis knows, it's quarter-pounders, I mean quarterbacks.
Coach Boom: I don't know, Cheesey.
Cheeseburger Charlie: Guess what, I do. I know that one day Brantley is gonna to get picked in the top of a draft, and there's going to be flutes playing and trombones and flowers and garlands of fresh herbs. And we will dance till the sun rises. And then his children will form a family band. And they will tour the countryside and those who doubted won't be invited.
I wondered about the punter injury as well.
I was miffed on that one. All in all, this was not a great SEC referee crew. Lokked sloppy and indiscisive. Another good example was the Maze catch on the sideline. Side judge rules it OOB and the field judge rules inbounds. Both seemed very adament about the call but I guess thats what the replay booth is for.
This we can agree on. The crew of officials would be better served officiating a Ole Miss-Vandy or Kentucky-Mississippi State game, than a big game in prime time. They were all of the place in terms of like you said, indecisiveness, sloppy…in all facets of the game and to both teams.
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Yeah
I think they definitely could have done better overall, they looked lost some times. Almost tentative.
I think the main issue with allowing the head judge to reign supreme on that play is that two other officials blew the play dead, you can see the disbelief in the players eyes, all of them. it’s actually kind of comical.
Cheeseburger Charlie: Everyone just relax, all right? Believe me, if there's one thing Charlie Weis knows, it's quarter-pounders, I mean quarterbacks.
Coach Boom: I don't know, Cheesey.
Cheeseburger Charlie: Guess what, I do. I know that one day Brantley is gonna to get picked in the top of a draft, and there's going to be flutes playing and trombones and flowers and garlands of fresh herbs. And we will dance till the sun rises. And then his children will form a family band. And they will tour the countryside and those who doubted won't be invited.
Robbing Florida??????????
The touchdown reversal was an obvious call. Please don’t tell me you thought that was a catch.
As far as the Punter and no time-out… Your guy ran into the punter’s plant leg and knocked him down. That is roughing whether or not the punter is hurt. I don’t understand why the punter was allowed to stay in (without a time-out), but I don’t think that play made a difference in the game at all.
fumble was covered by Brantley
it’s not like we needed the momentum on the play anyway and it didn’t cost us anything in the long run so no use in us getting mad over it
People who live in glass houses should not hang out with Charles Barkley.
by Wallacewade04 on Oct 3, 2011 11:05 AM EDT up reply actions
Atleast Dre Kickpatrick didn’t try to decapitate poor Jeff Demps 10 yards out of bounds. Hmmm picking on little demps. Thats what pos’s like kirkpatrick do. Why do I not see him trying that shit on someone like Brandon Spikes? Probably because Spikes would spear him into next week and rip out his eyeballs. Flagators I rented us that monster truck whenever your ready ;)
Keep giving Debose the ball!!
by Gators1 on Oct 3, 2011 11:53 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Haha!
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???
People who live in glass houses should not hang out with Charles Barkley.
by Wallacewade04 on Oct 3, 2011 11:59 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Now that is hilarious. I’ll be thinking of this picture all day now. ’Rec for you.
Editor at Alligator Army - The Florida Gators Blog
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yeah i literally watched that play 10 times.
The Demps momentum is taking him out of bounds and Dre picks him up IN BOUNDS and does slam him when the two are out of bounds…But since the play started in bounds you cant call a flag that ends out of bounds…Had Demps been well out of bounds (and he wasn’t) when Dre picked him up, i would say throw the flag but thats not what happened.
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It depends. I’m okay with there not being a flag on that play, but it wouldn’t have surprised me if there was. Mostly because when a player is slammed out of bounds, football has gotten to the point where a flag is expected.
But if it was a continuation of the play, like in the Demps case, that’s tough to throw a flag in my opinion. But again, it wouldn’t have surprised me to see a flag. I thought it was an “iffy no call” at first. But after watching it 3-4 times, I’m okay with the decision to not throw a flag.
Editor at Alligator Army - The Florida Gators Blog
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football is a game of inches...
one second later that thats a 15 yard penalty…
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Agree 100%.
Editor at Alligator Army - The Florida Gators Blog
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I haven’t had a chance to re-watch it, and only was able to go off of watching it live in full speed. If you had the chance to re-watch it, and you think it was clean and didn’t deserve a flag, then I am sure I would feel the same way, I just have no way of re-watching it, unless it’s online somewhere?
- Jeff Driskel lover
Yeah, I don’t know if it is on the SEC Digital Network or not. But it is close. It was one of those either way type of calls. But if it was a tick later, flag for sure.
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The Florida Gators - The most despised team in all of college football - Which is fantastic.
Breakfast with the Gators...
Sunsports…8:30 am…every Sunday after a game…
You may not like what I have to say...but somebody has to say it...
Bah...
I forgot that you live in Tennersee though…prolly can’t get it up there unless you have sat TV…
You may not like what I have to say...but somebody has to say it...
Not that it means anything...
…but I don’t even remember this play from being there. I don’t think it was booed, didn’t notice it as it happened, etc. (I was completely sober.) TV is a very different angle on things.
by Andy Hutchins on Oct 3, 2011 10:00 PM EDT up reply actions
I don’t remember it being booed. Then again…yeah. I don’t remember.
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No...
He didn’t lay a hand on Demps until he was out of bounds…
You may not like what I have to say...but somebody has to say it...
They (Kirkpatrick and Spikes) both play defense.
So….yeah.
Audemus jura nostra defendere
Every day we make it, we'll make it the best we can.
by animalcracker on Oct 3, 2011 2:14 PM EDT up reply actions
I was just using an example that he wouldn’t do that to someone his own size. If you wan’t to get “technical” which you do then how about Tim Tebow? Does that work for you?
- Jeff Driskel lover
I'd love to see Dre vs. Tebow.
Dre isn’t dirty. He plays hard, has excellent closing speed, and brings the wood when he hits. The one thing I haven’t seen him do is wrap up, so Timmy might could exploit that.
Brandon Spikes was an excellent college player who has one indisputable example of dirty play.
Audemus jura nostra defendere
Every day we make it, we'll make it the best we can.
by animalcracker on Oct 3, 2011 6:04 PM EDT up reply actions
I’d imagine that the Dre vs Tebow thing would have been exactly like the Eric Berry vs Tebow collisions over the years. One advantage for Tebow, and two were they both collided and just fell. Neither really went forward or backwards on any of them.
Editor at Alligator Army - The Florida Gators Blog
The Florida Gators - The most despised team in all of college football - Which is fantastic.
It just seemed odd to you because it's called a tackle. You havent seen one of those in quite some time.
Why call a kid a pos? Its a physical game. Maybe little Demps needs to stick to track.
I like drivin' in my truck.
If we’re going to complain about SEC officials, the most blatant are the ones that cover any Auburn game of the past two seasons.
Is this something we can agree on? The team that most consistently gets bad calls that go their way is AU.
Books for Bama students: My E-Cubby - UA
I’ve noticed that yes. But not to that extent that y’all have I’m sure. Mostly because I haven’t watched as many Auburn games as y’all. But that is to be expected.
Editor at Alligator Army - The Florida Gators Blog
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That's a fair assesment
someone at AU is paying off the SEC, what with Cammy Cam and all, jk.
DRISKEL: Brantley! Brantley! Speak to me! Brave, brave Brantley, you shall not have died in vain!
BRANTLEY: Uh, I'm-- I'm not quite dead.
DRISKEL: Well, you shall not have been mortally wounded in vain!
BRANTLEY: I-- I-- I think I c-- I could pull through.
DRISKEL: Oh, I see.
BRANTLEY: Actually, I think I'm all right to come with you--
DRISKEL: No, no, sweet Brantley! Stay here! I will send help as soon as I have accomplished a daring and heroic rescue in my own particular...[sigh]
BRANTLEY: Idiom?
DRISKEL: Idiom!
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