A Failed Year

I was going to do a post regarding the embarrassment witnessed in the Swamp this past Saturday (personally witnessed, in my case). Defensively, South Carolina looked as if they had tapped Addazio’s headset and knew the plays as soon as they were called. It would seem difficult to be entirely predictable when you have 3 quarterbacks, but we seem to have accomplished the task. We allowed South Carolina’s defense to dictate our offensive play calling entirely, which is not acceptable. Sure, the “beauty” of the read-option spread is taking what the defense allows, but we seem to have evolved that to its ultimate limits – allowing the defense to restrict our play calling.

By, after Saturday, why limit myself to just one miserable game? The entire season is a failure.

It seems impossible to remember, but the Gators were the Coaches’ Poll preseason number 3. We had experienced playmakers, and an offensive line comprised almost entirely of upper classmen.

This team has managed to go 6-4 (so far), but look at the difference between the teams defeated and the teams defeated by –

Florida Wins (6 games)

Cumulative record of teams defeated: 29-32
SEC Record of teams defeated: 7-21
Best record of a team defeated: USF (6-3)
Average NCAA Scoring Defense Rank of team defeated: 61.6

No team beaten by Florida is currently ranked in any poll.

Florida Losses (4 games)

Current Records and BCS Rankings:

Alabama 8-2 (11th)
LSU 9-1 (5th)
Mississippi State 7-3 (21st)
South Carolina 7-3 (17th)

Cumulative SEC record of teams lost to: 18-9
Average NCAA Scoring Defense Rank of team defeated by: 15

Arguably the best team the Gators have beaten this year is South Florida. We have been beaten by every decent team we faced.

A look at our standings in the NCAA statistical categories is perhaps even more revealing. First, our defense –

Scoring Defense – 35th ranked, 21.2 ppg.

The trick about scoring defense is it includes points on turnovers and special teams. While 35th in the nation isn’t too appalling, our defense is actually better than that, as shown by –

Total Defense – 11th ranked, 302.8 ypg.

The defense isn’t the problem.

Now, look at our offense –

Scoring Offense – 50th ranked, 29.6 ppg.

This includes points scored by our defense and special teams. Once again, the total stat is more revealing –

Total Offense – 84th ranked, 346.3 ypg.

Let me put 84th ranked in context for you – that’s one rank better than Louisiana Lafayette. Even Tennessee is ranked 73rd overall.

Now let’s look at the components –

Rushing Offense – 70th ranked, 146.4 ypg
Passing Offense – 76th ranked, 199.5 ypg
Passing Efficiency Offense – 92nd ranked

Our passing offense is just better than FAU’s (198.6 ypg). But the real tale here is Passing Efficiency. Good teams excel at this stat. We are ranked between 1-9 Eastern Michigan, and 4-5 Rutgers, at 91st and 93rd, respectively.

As I’ve written before, passing yardage isn’t that important to overall success, but Passing Efficiency is. Auburn, for example, is ranked behind us in Passing Offense (79th, with 197.3 ypg) but 2nd nationally in Passing Efficiency. In other words, they throw efficiently and mistake free when they throw. We don’t.

One more stat – Florida ranks 80th nationally in Time of Possession (29:15). This is a direct condemnation of our inefficient offense, and it’s amazing our defense has held up as well as it has.

Was there going to be offensive slippage in 2010 with the loss of Tim Tebow? Of course. Should have been this offense?

No damned way.

FSU now looms as our “bowl game” (and believe me, I’m not taking App State for granted). Beyond that there is nothing to play for.

Now is the time for change.