The Advocate: LSU to go 9-3, "Bama’s biggest obstacle is Bama"

Big thing about the loss at Fla I think was that was the first week with 3 of our OL out. We play them later in the year, when the new OL jelled, maybe a different story.

And may be my purple colored glasses, but only a bama fan would find that beating UofSC a bigger deal than beating LSU

 

I think you are on to something here. That and no one is going to underestimate Johnny Football. Odds are, he keeps running around like that, someone's going to square him up. If Tebow can get his bell rung, Manziel sure can, he's a hell of a lot smaller than Tebow.

 

Last year, when I'd see him sailing across the field, I'd often think of how nasty it would be if some safety or LB caught a good angle on him. That dude can absolutely fly, but that will only make it that much more violent when somebody catches him like that.

 

No doubt, he's shifty, and hard to get a solid shot on, but law of averages............

I don't want to see him get injured, but I wouldn't mind seeing someone making him start to think twice

 

Two different things in my eyes. I tried to explain that. I can't look at that Florida game and say they honestly beat LSU. That was a case of LSU losing (or let's call it beating themselves.)

Thinking back about that game...

I recall the second half field goal and remember that started as 1st and goal at what, the six yard line? I remember it was 2nd and less than four (3.5 lets call it) and I was shocked Miles didn't go for it on fourth down. I remember how the offensive line was taking hits on the injury front as well. But still, age and experience was on the side of LSU that night in the trenches.

The first FG? That was a 1st down situation that started in the red zone if I recall correctly. I can't recall which receiver it was but do recall thinking it was a bad route ran. 3rd and long but he didn't run his route to the marker? This play I'm having a hard time remembering.

I recall a lot of passing attempts in the second half but specifically remember a fumble deep in UF territory. Again, shooting themselves in the feet.

Now, the reason I said that about UofSC? I recall UF just thumping them. 30+ point margin of victory. Now, that said, was that loss largely due to their loss the week before? I recall a bunch of turnovers for UofSC that day.

 

on the 2012 Coaches All-SEC team, Alabama was #1 with 8 total members, Florida was #2 with 7 total members

both Florida and Bama won close games vs. LSU... other than LSU, let's look at what ranked teams Bama beat last year, and what ranked teams Florida beat:

Florida
#5/#5 Texas A&M W 20-17 (at Texas A&M)
#7/#8 South Carolina W 44-11
#8/#10 Florida State W 37-26 (at Florida State)

Alabama
#3/#4 Notre Dame W 42-14 (in Miami)
#4/#5 Georgia W 32-28 (SECCG)
#24/#26 Michigan, 8-5 record 41-14 (at Cowboy Stadium)

so Florida has the better collection of skins on the wall

also, look at the best defenses in the SEC last season:
#1/1 Bama
#5/5 Florida
#8/12 LSU
#11/13 South Carolina
#15/19 Vanderbilt
#18/32 Georgia

now let's look at how may Top 40 offenses the Florida D had to face compared to how many Top 40 offenses the Bama D had to face:

Florida D
#3/4 aTm
#10/19 Florida State
#18/22 Tennessee
#18/22 Georgia
#24/29 ULL

Bama D
#3/4 aTm
#18/22 Tennessee
#18/22 Georgia

as noted by Russ Mitchell of CFN/Scout.com:

The SEC Worst of 2012
Yes, Bama’s defense. Again, it's not that Bama's defense is bad, but with great power comes great responsibility, and the 2012 Tide defense was hardly impressive in go time. Alabama benefited from a soft schedule (by SEC standards), only playing three teams in the top 10 (LSU, TAMU & UGA). Against these, Bama’s defense surrendered 1,247 yards - an average of more than 400 yards per. By comparison, in its top three games last year (LSU, Arkansas & LSU), Bama’s defense surrendered just north of 500 total yards. But it’s deeper than that. Three freshman had spectacular days running over Saban/Smart’s charges (TAMU’s Johnny Manziel, LSU’s Jeremy Hill and UGA’s Todd Gurley); that’s not supposed to happen. The Capstone was unable to find a bonafide pass rusher and its defensive backs looked far too susceptible in big games. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, against good teams Bama’s defense struggled with takeaways. The casual observer will point to Bama’s turnover margin ranking as 12th best in the land. However, do your homework: against the aforementioned three top opponents, Alabama struggled with just one takeaway to seven turnovers of its own.

compare that to Florida: against LSU, TAMU & UGA, the Florida D held them to 807 yards (average of 269 yards)

finally, look at all the talent Florida had last season:

Florida Offense
RB Mike Gillislee -- went in the 5th Round, First Team All-SEC (Coaches)
OT Chaz Green -- projected to go as high as 2nd Round in 2014 Draft
TE Jordan Reed -- went in the 3rd Round, 2nd Team All-SEC (Coaches)

Florida Special Teams
K Caleb Sturgis -- went in the 5th Round, 2012 All-American (TSN), 2011 All-American (ESPN), First Team All-SEC (Coaches)
P Kyle Christy -- 2012 All-American (Scout), First Team All-SEC (Coaches)

Florida defense
DT Sharrif Floyd -- went in the 1st Round -- 2012 All-American (TSN), First Team All-SEC (Coaches)
DT Dominique Easley -- projected to go 2nd Round, 2014 Draft (#3 rated-DT in SEC for 2014 Draft)
LB Jonathan Bostic -- went in the 2nd Round -- 2nd Team All-SEC (Coaches)
LB Jelani Jenkins -- went in the 4th Round
S Matt Elam -- went in the 1st Round -- 2012 All-American (AP, TSN, CBS, Scout, SI), First Team All-SEC (Coaches)
S Josh Evans -- went in the 6th Round
CB Loucheiz Purifoy -- projected to go 1st Round in 2014 Draft (#1 rated-CB in SEC for 2014 Draft)
CB Marcus Roberson -- projected to go 1st-2nd Round in 2014 Draft (#2 rated-CB in SEC for 2014 Draft)


too bad it didn't happen

 

You could say the same about the Bama game. We lost that one, too.

 

Owned.

 

I see an opinion voiced by Russ Mitchell of CFN. I see a list of names representing talented players who were on Florida's roster.
I see you've quoted my post—two actually.

Then I see a comparison between Florida and Bama and I'm left wondering...why? What does this have to do with the conversation (specifically the two posts you've quoted?)

Do you have an opinion? If so, what was it? The only thing I see here is a comment at the bottom, "too bad it didn't happen."

Yes, that would have been a fun game to watch.

If you want a comparison between how the two teams fared in 2012 common opponents are a good place to start. Using a team like FSU or ULL and trying to draw a comparison versus Michigan?

Florida gets A&M early and holds them to less yards and points than Bama. Florida gets UT early and allows them more than Bama. Am I supposed to assume that UT was a better team early in the year than they were at the mid-point? A&M were better later on in the season?

Georgia, who struggled with UF but won, lost to Bama in the SECCG. So, what am I supposed to draw from that comparison?

In the end I'm still left wondering about what was your intent and objective here? Mainly, because it's not clear what point you were trying to make.

 

The emporer has no clothes, Aunt Frank.