Texas A&M expects Gators to spice up “vanilla” game plan
Brent Pease’s profanity laced tirade in the coaching box last weekend brought a little levity to the week of the Gators’ SEC opener.
Meeting with the media on Tuesday, Pease said his mother, Dorothy, was none too pleased to see her boy caught on camera by ESPN dropping F-bombs with impunity at one point of Florida’s lackluster win over Bowling Green.
Meanwhile, Texas A&M – Saturday’s opponent – is more concerned with what it did not see during the Gators’ 27-14, a topic that kicks off Wednesday’s talking points.
1. The handcuffs are about come off in College Station.
The Gators have been coy about how much of Pease’s offense they ran during the opener. Pressed for specifics on Tuesday, senior guard James Wilson said, “No comment.”
Over in Texas, A&M coaches and players were not placing any stock in Pease’s game plan during the opener. Coach Kevin Sumlin called it “extremely vanilla,” adding it was pointless to evaluate anything about the Gators offense other than its talent level.
During six seasons at Boise State, Pease helped coach some of the nation’s most innovative and productive offenses. Against Bowling Green, the Gators ran the ball two-thirds of the time, took few shots down field and showed little imagination.
A&M safety Steve Terrell said he’s been watching tape of the Broncos’ high-scoring offense since last week. “Whatever most coordinators do at their last stop, they bring with them,” he said.
Everyone will be watching to see what Pease does given more playcalling latitude this weekend. The key will be whether he has the players – beginning with QB Jeff Driskel in his first college start – to make it work.
2. Gator Nation ready to gang up on Urban Meyer.
Columnist Mike Bianchi writes in Wednesday’s Sentinel that Gators fans will root like never before for UCF, which travels this weekend to Ohio State to face Meyer and the Buckeyes. Check it out here … the column contains some strong comments.
Meyer made one of them, when Bianchi asked if he understood why fans are upset with him for leaving the Gators in the lurch. “Your facts are, not surprisingly, incorrect,” Meyer said. “I didn’t leave a school for another school. … I love Florida and will always love Florida. … I’m always going to be a Gator and I’m not going to let a few people try to hurt that.”
While most fan resent Meyer’s faux retirement, drama-filled departure and soft, quick landing in Columbus, some will give him the benefit of the doubt because of the two national titles and 22 straight wins on his watch.
Either way, no Florida fan is going to enjoy seeing the Buckeyes – 18-point favorites coming off a 46-point win – return to prominence with Meyer in charge.
3. Billboard comes down quickly.
In less than a day, a controversial billboard message taunting the Gators has been removed. The damage might already be done to SEC newcomer Texas A&M.
A&M officials said it did not authorize the message, though it is not the first time this has happened. Florida Today noted that A&M fans placed a billboard in Austin last month declaring the area “SEC Country,” drawing the ire of UT fans.
This time, the message touted A&M as, “The Best Academics and Cleanest Program in the SEC. WHOOP!”
By late Tuesday, the message was removed due to possible copyright infringment, according to the Gainesville Sun. The intrusion on their home turf is likely to rile Gators fan for awhile.
Good thing for A&M it is in the SEC West and will not visit Gainesville for years to come.
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