OK folks how 'bout it!

[E.T.]

... We have always had problems with teams that run up the middle.

This is a new D ... hope we can break that trend.

[swamprat]

King, I have a question for you. I understand that Pouncey and Brantley's problems were going on in camp. What's wrong with Sam Robey? Is he hurt? He actually had more game experience that Pouncey at center. Just wondering.

[bull2bull]

Despite the ints that saved the game for UF, Miami was able to throw for over 200yds vs UF defense. The biggest is that the Gatas had to keep all starters in all 4qtrs in that heat out of necessity while we pulled everyone by mid 3rd qtr. Look for a very gassed defense this Saturday in that same heat.

[Orlando Bull]

Since you summed up some of my thoughts that are X's and O's, I'll assume that you have read them, but I'll repeat for fun...

Thoughts on UF

RB - Demps is fast, but not able to shake a tackle. USF cannot let him get to the outside. Force him in, get and arm on him, and bring him down (get a shoulder on him, and maybe get the ball). The other RBs look similar, probably a little stronger, not as fast, similar to what we see in Victor Anderson, Deion Lewis, etc. in the Big East. Devine and Demps are similar and so far, Devine hasn't killed this team too bad (though he will get free for one run a game it seems).

WR - Wasn't impressed. Thompson is big and fast, but dropped a sure TD...in his defense, see QB...

QB - Brantley's arm looked a little weak to me, and he has a huge wind-up. DB's will have time to adjust to his pass if we are in a zone. They'll have 2-3 steps between the time he starts to wind up and the time he releases the ball. Our DL should get some batted balls at the line too. On the deep ball to Thompson, the ball should have gotten there quicker, he had to pull up, giving the DB time to catch up. Still has to be caught. I would watch Brantley's temper tantrums after plays like that too, leaders cant do that. The prayer he threw up late into triple coverage was ill advised. More athletic DBs would have picked it off, or at least batted it down.

Coaching - eventually, arrogance catches up. Why did UF go for every 4th down? I wouldn't be at all surprised to see a bad snap on a punt this week. You guys didn't take the opportunity to work on that. I don't get it, I am sure urban had his reasons, but it came off as bush league to me.

The good...UF's defense looked pretty solid, but, I think you had an injury that could hurt a little. Additionally, I have to think that our offense will be a bit better than Miami (OH). It will be a tough test for our offense because we are not going to out run you guys. I don't think you're going to out run us either though, so your offense will be dealing with the same things.

My thoughts on USF

Special Teams were suspect...at best. Hoping that skip was holding back our best punt returner, we can't muff the ball on punts. Missed a short FG, this has been an issue for years, but both kickers we have are capable. We had one bad snap on a punt where the punter downed it on the catch. This was after a procedure penalty on a punt to the 2 yard line, so it took away a great punt and gave them great field position. Kick coverage will need to be great to win this game, not sure if it looked "great" to me on Saturday.

DBs - we looked soft in the defensive backfield. We bit on a pump and go once that gave up a big play.

The good... I thought our offense looked solid for 90% of the game. Defense was quick except for 4-5 miscues.

Now, you wanted to talk X's  and O's...so, imagine for a minute that you are Tulsa and we are Toledo. You just watched both games from last Saturday. Do you think it would be an upset if we beat you? If you take out the mystique of you being the Florida Gators, we clearly were more prepared for our first game. Your competition was better for sure, but, if not for the name recognition, I think most people that watched both games would be very inclined to think that the Bulls at least have a good shot in this game.

You guys may blow us out, but I feel more confident after Saturday than I did before, and I do think that my team is going to come away with a win. If that makes me a bad person, so be it.

Welcome aboard, I am heading up next weekend and hope to have a great time. Would love to get a game in Tampa in the future, the only way we're going to get in the conversation with the best is to beat the best. Great game for USF to schedule, hope we can make some noise.

[Guest cgossage]

Our defense I heard is pretty deep.  When you have a 4-5 star recruit (Chandler from Northwestern) who is 4th on our depth chart...that is a good thing.   Our defense is probably our strength.    Our offense ..well we will find out.   The question continues to remain ever since AJ Love got injured, who will step up on wide receiver.    With Florida's offense, I still feel it had a lot to do with Dan Mullen leaving and also the fact Percy Harvin left.  I get a lot of heat from Gator's fans.  They thought I was some Tebow hater.  I was never a Tebow hater, I just got irritated that the rest of Florida's team didnt' get enough credit (Louis Murphy, Percy Harvin, Hernandez).    People made it seem Tebow did it by himself.  Percy Harvin was an insane receiver.  All Tebow had to do was throw a screen pass to Harvin..and after Harvin's first step..forget about it.  .. So I think it was a combination of those type of receivers leaving and Dan Mullen leaving.   Once they left, they put too much pressure on Tebow to win games by himself.   Well, since you said your O-line is coming back, well now..I'm worried.    I already was worried but I'm more worried now.  That was your strength coming back was the experience on O-line.  

[swamprat]

Despite the ints that saved the game for UF, Miami was able to throw for over 200yds vs UF defense. The biggest is that the Gatas had to keep all starters in all 4qtrs in that heat out of necessity while we pulled everyone by mid 3rd qtr. Look for a very gassed defense this Saturday in that same heat.

I wouldn't bet the bank using that as a cue. These guys are used to pulling two-a-days in this heat. I doubt that game will gas them to a point of advantage.

[E.T.]

... Why did UF go for every 4th down? I wouldn't be at all surprised to see a bad snap on a punt this week. You guys didn't take the opportunity to work on that. ...

Great Point !

[UFkingsof2006]

It depends on an individual's definition of an upset.  UF is favored to win and is playing at home.  Unless the visiting team is clearly superior, any victory by the visitor should be considered an upset.  The question is would it be a surprise.  In my opinion no; USF is more than capable. 

I didn't watch the Tulsa or Toledo games.  Caught glimpses of Arizona sticking it to Toledo but I don't even know who Tulsa played. 

I've heard that Pouncey and Brantley had problems in camp and then I heard they didn't.  I have no inside info there.  I do know Robey was hurt in Thursday's practice.  He dressed on Saturday but did not play.  Regardless of his experience at Center, Pouncey is the vocal leader of the OL.  If Meyer stuck with him I will trust his judgement. 

Seems to me like both teams' strength is the defense.  Creativity on offense will be key on Saturday, but I stil expect both OCs to play conservative at first and open the playbook according to what ensues.  USF's OC can always default to his safety valve which is Daniels scrambling.  UF needs to play contain on the outside and account for him on every play.  I'm not a DC and I don't strategize football formations.  It would seem like a good idea however to put a "spy" on Daniels during the first couple of series. 

[Orlando Bull]

It depends on an individual's definition of an upset.  UF is favored to win and is playing at home.  Unless the visiting team is clearly superior, any victory by the visitor should be considered an upset.  The question is would it be a surprise.  In my opinion no; USF is more than capable. 

I didn't watch the Tulsa or Toledo games.  Caught glimpses of Arizona sticking it to Toledo but I don't even know who Tulsa played. 

I've heard that Pouncey and Brantley had problems in camp and then I heard they didn't.  I have no inside info there.  I do know Robey was hurt in Thursday's practice.  He dressed on Saturday but did not play.  Regardless of his experience at Center, Pouncey is the vocal leader of the OL.  If Meyer stuck with him I will trust his judgement. 

Seems to me like both teams' strength is the defense.  Creativity on offense will be key on Saturday, but I stil expect both OCs to play conservative at first and open the playbook according to what ensues.  USF's OC can always default to his safety valve which is Daniels scrambling.  UF needs to play contain on the outside and account for him on every play.  I'm not a DC and I don't strategize football formations.  It would seem like a good idea however to put a "spy" on Daniels during the first couple of series. 

It's an analogy. Not literally Tulsa/Toledo. Just making the point that if you take away the name recognition of the Florida Gators and look at what they did last week, they were not impressive at all and should not be heavily favored in this game. But, since it is UF, people see it differently. Sorry, was trying to think of 2 obscure teams that no one cares about to use as an "example".

I expect both teams to improve, but UF's offense has further to go than us this week in my opinion. That said, everyone has bad days, so that could just be an anomaly for the rest of the season. A blip in the radar (metaphorical, we do not have an actual radar to track gator activity  ).

[UFkingsof2006]

Being favored is a tough concept to argue.  The only people who quantify the concept of being favored are oddsmakers, and they do it with the purpose of gambling, not football.  You can have the ESPN guys give you a black-and-white answer as to who wins the game, but none of them would quantify it. 

The line is 16.5 points.  Not a reflections of the teams' abilities or the outcome of the game, just a way to swindle the gullible into gambling. 

When the ball is kicked, UF's name recognition will not help them one bit.