Days after having surgery on his shoulder, five-star defensive end CeCe Jefferson was back in The Swamp to watch Florida take on LSU.
It was a game he couldn’t miss.
“This one was good, man,” Jefferson said. “You know there is still a lot of work to be done with the Gators and LSU. Both teams came out hard, but one team made less mistakes and it showed at the end.”
Outside of the coverage breakdown on third-and-long late in the game, Florida’s defense played well in the 30-27 loss to the Tigers. Jefferson commended the performance and feels the players’ frustrations in dealing with Florida’s struggling offense.
“The defense is great and everyone seemed to be enjoying the game and playing for each other,” Jefferson said. “It’s kind of like my school where we go out and fight on defense and give the offense what they need and they don’t give you what you need in return. Nobody likes to play in that system, but I think the defense was lights out.”
Jefferson, who will make his decision on signing day, has now attended all four home games this year and plans to return to Gainesville again this fall.
The 6-foot-2, 245-pounder from Glen Saint Mary Baker County said the UF coaches are not concerned about his season-ending injury (torn labrum).
“They are still going to come after me hard,” Jefferson said. “I’m still a top guy on their list.”
Related: Weather delay doesn’t damper Jefferson’s UF trip
[youtube VL6o0lvq0Q4 580]
While the secondary did a good job except for the busted play, you have to remember LSU is not that good at passing. Against the run they did poorly at times with the line getting beat and the LB on the left out of position to make the play. That got our best DB hurt as well. So no the defense while it played hard, was on the field too long, was not lights out.
Actually the defense and special teams did play lights out. If the offense (QB) can stop the turnovers, wr easily win the game. But what else is new – defense has never been our problem under Muschamp.
Let’s go Treon!
DEFENSE is the bright spot, they are often put in very bad positions because of the offense. They are very young and play with MUCH HEART, sure they make mistakes but most are because they have not been coached up and they are thrown in the fire without proper preparation. Remember ” We gotta get that fixed” thats always Muschamps solution. Well, it hasn’t been “FIXED”, so who is responsible for 3rd and 25 with not time out and a man is WIDE open behind the secondary, your LAST line of defense? That’s not all on those young DB’s, those kids play their A..es off, but they do make mistakes. We got our best cover corner hurt because he has to come up like a safety and make plays that out LB’s should be making. GO GATORS!!!!
Even with all the brainfarts, the Gators were in a position to win because DeBose and #11 played their hearts out. First and goal on the two, and Roper dials up three runs into a mass of humanity- a pile of sumos? How dumb is that? You get paid six figures to come up with that mess? We settle for 3 instead of six. We get the TD and Birdbrain isn’t throwing an Int in the last 50 seconds- he’s taking a knee in the victory formation.
Florida’s defense hasn’t been great since 2012. They never stop anyone when it’s needed. It was a constant refrain last year. The defense always caved when it came to crunch time. Last year’s team also beat Kentucky and Tennessee, so the jury is still out on whether the Gators are a better team this year. LSU was the same as Georgia Southern last year, you knew their quarterback was not a threat throwing the ball, but they still ran it down the Gator’s throats. Forget about stats, they are for losers anyway. When you get to the heart of the matter, and that is making plays to win games, the Gators defense doesn’t get it done unless the other team is Kentucky or Tennessee. I know UF is favored by a touchdown over Missouri. I also know Missouri was horrible against Georgia and was shut out. But, I can’t feel confident about this defense. Mauk will feel confident. He lit UF up last year in his first start. I’m very wary. How many games was UF favored in last year and still lost?
As far as Jefferson is concerned, I have him as a lock to Florida regardless of how the season goes down. I mean, where else is he going to go? He’s been a Gator forever and I can’t see a guy that practically camps out in Gainesville going to FSU. No. I think he’s coming, Muschamp fired or not.
Greg Hawkins you must not have watched the game because it wasn’t three straight runs. It was a great 3rd down call where Jeff had a run/pass option and he hit the TE right in the hands for a sure TD. Only problem was, that TE would be 4th string at best on any other sec school. So you have to look at why was this guy on the field when we had the top two TE out of highschool sign with us just three years ago? Transfer and injury. Maybe the coaching staff should have bent over backwards and tried to make the transfer (Kent Taylor) happy, but can you really count on those kind of guys when you need them. Muschamp doesn’t think so and that’s why we have a lot of talent that doesn’t play every week.
Every time a Gator TE transferred out the Gator fans said naw we don’t need him.. Well you said it four times on 4 different players. It is amazing how much stuff comes back and bites the Gator in the azz. What a pitiful fan base. You can’t even get behind your coach and QB .
James Fisher….
Tell that to the over 90,000 screaming fan base in THE SWAMP Saturday night. But one thing is for sure, the Florida Gators have a head coach that will not play and will suspend a QB that is being investigated for sexual assault, and especially one that also steals shellfish from Publix and screams out sexual insults from a campus table about his sister and women in general. I will take Will Muschamp and Jeff Driskel over Jimbo Fisher and the famous immature jerk that plays QB for Free Shellfish U. What is a pitiful fan base is one that ignores all of that and cheers and supports such actions by the head coach and the QB of the team.
Greg Hawkins…..
The first two plays set up the third play perfectly, which was a run/pass option play. Roper’s call was so horrible that about three receivers were wide open in the end zone when the LSU defense came up to stop Driskel on the run. But, of course, Roper is really dumb and not worth those six figures because he should have known that Westbrook would drop the ball, standing their wide open. But, in addition, he should have known that Driskel could not throw to ball accurately to him, instead throwing the ball behind the wide open Westbrook. Still, Westbrook should have caught the ball. There was nothing wrong with the play calls. In fact, the first two calls set up the third play perfectly. The execution of the play….simply catching a wide open pass…..was not perfect.
“there wide open”….in that last post.
Pretty sad that a HS recruit notices the offensive deficiencies better than muschamp. j fisher, hard to support a coach and qb who aren’t getting it done after 3+ years, but thanks for trolling anyway. Glad to know Gator Nation is living rent-free in that small frontal lobe of yours. You guys figure out a way to use FL taxpayer money for your qb’s legal fees, yet?
“But what else is new – defense has never been our problem under Muschamp.” (Savage Gator)
Yeah, that is for sure. We bottled up mighty Georgia Southern last year and Alabama only had 650+ aganist us this year. And we held an offensively challenged LSU team to only 30. The future is so birght with Muschamp it is a wonder why every 5 star defensive player would not want to play at UF…………..
The program needs a different kind of fix (compared to what we’ve gained off the field) and it hasn’t happened…it hasn’t come close to happening – therefore change is inevitable. Despite being admittedly attached to JD, YOU’VE GOT TO KNOW despite his athletic abilities, his play is lacking in a major way…and if you don’t – well that would be uncivilized for ANY coach or even average fan. The only reason I can see that you would continue with JD as we have (including naming him the starter for this week) is you have not prepared your other QBs (btw the game plan we saw against LSU is the TREON package) – and if we have AGAIN failed to prepare other QBs to take over instead opting to use ground and pound as our 2nd/3rd QB – AGAIN…now that is just plain unacceptable. Hopefully Jeremy has prepared his backup and is ready to make the switch before season ends…its the honorable thing to do. LUV UF!
I’m only surprised that all of the football genius types here are not making millions as college football coaches, instead of just giving away their TOP quality advice here on a newspaper message board….. ;~)
(yeah-yeah, my butt/opinions smells the same as everyone else’s.
Find some prespective and then get a grip……
Perspective, yes, persepctive. Muschamp makes millions for mediocrity…..Hence, My perspective he should not be head coach at UF…………
And now your Top Quality Opinions will join all of the many others, right where they belong, in the round file…. ;~) Thanks once again, all input is always given all of the attention that it truly deserves… :~))
PS – Have you put your resume’ in with Foley yet? lol
My resume would have the same Head Caoching experience that Muschamp had when he was hired. The difference here is that my ego does not get in my way of saying I am not qualified to be a head coach. Obviously Muschamp cannot say that….
Okay muddler, is going 1-5 against UGA and FSU acceptable to you? What if it gets to 2-6 or 1-7? Are we supposed to just sit back and clap for the horrid play on the field. You know, you are not the only person to go and watch football at Florida Field for a long time now…
lol, I’m proud of living as long as I have. The slow/stupid die young where I come from. And I’m a decorated combat veteran, how about you? Wondering how you’re still here btw….. lol!
Next year, Will’s team will be entirely recruited and coached by him and his chosen staff. Only a total meltdown would get him fired IF I was making the decision. Foley has said that he will judge it at the end of this season and I’m good with that.
Speaking of egos, Muschamp is a proven football coach while having been hired and worked for some of the very best. You are a proven NOTHING when it comes to a career at coaching football, but your ego still lets you believe that you know more than those who are actually doing it.
Those that can teach.
Those that can’t publish.
Those that can do neither Administer and/or criticize.
A decorated combat veteran, I commend you sir. But you know nothing about me or my service do you. I am not discussing personal things about you or me. This is strictly about football, but should you choose to go there we certainly can. Perhaps you would see that you may have put your foot in your mouth on that one.
It is interesting that you chose to say Muschamp is a proven football coach. One of my main points exactly. He is not a proven HEAD football coach……………