Everyone is ragging and complaining about the Florida offense after another sporadic performance in the loss to Ole Miss on Saturday. But to me, the biggest concern right now isn’t the offense, it’s the defense.
Let’s face it, the defense, especially in the secondary, was not seriously tested in the first three games. Hawaii, Miami and Tennessee simply didn’t have much in the way of a down-field passing game. Ole Miss did with quarterback Jevan Snead and some speedy receivers, and the Gators failed the test.
It looked just like one of those four losses from last season. The Gators scored 30 points, but it wasn’t enough because the defense gave up way too many big plays.
Meyer said Monday that the defense gave up 170 yards on only four plays. That’s really unacceptable.
Good defenses don’t give up 86-yard touchdown passes late in the fourth quarter with the game tied on a blown coverage by the free safety.
They don’t miss 11 tackles, three or four of them coming on the Rebels’ 40-yard touchdown run in third quarter.
They don’t have zero pressure coming from the tackle positions.
I know, I know, the offense put the defense in terrible positions throughout the game, with six Ole Miss drives starting on UF’s side of midfield. But those big plays, especially that game-winning touchdown pass, could be an ominous sign for the rest of the season.
Any team with a quarterback who can throw the ball down field is going
to give the Gators fits. That’s pretty much the same as it was a year
ago.
