Football notes: Gators lament missed chances, Brissett's progress, other tidbits
Monday, November 14, 2011 | Football, Scott Carter
Gators coach Will Muschamp will hold his regular Monday press conference later this morning.
I will Tweet real-time updates if you on Twitter. You can follow @GatorZoneScott for my updates.
Meanwhile, here are some talking points that he touched on in the wake of Saturday's loss to South Carolina.
--Missed opportunities once again played a key role in Florida's 17-12 loss to the Gamecocks.
The Gators scored only one touchdown on three trips in the red zone, a trend that has played out in the Gators' last three losses.
“In close games like this, one or two plays were missed opportunities to get the W,'' Gators quarterback John Brantley said.
“We've got to cash in our opportunities in the red zone,'' Muschamp said.
--Back-up quarterback Jacoby Brissett, a true freshman who started two games earlier this season when Brantley was hurt, is making progress.
Brissett is being used in a goal-line package and had a 2-yard run on a roll out for Florida's only touchdown Saturday. He also got out of trouble to nearly make a play on a two-point conversion pass attempt but the play failed.
“He's a guy who's got a lot of composure on that play,'' Muschamp said of Brissett. “He kept the play alive there on the two-point play. It was an interception but they covered it well. They had a nice call for it. I thought he did a nice job of at least keeping the play alive to give it a chance.
“The guy makes very good decisions on the field given the opportunities he's had.''
Brissett on his scoring run: “I just felt like I wouldn't be able to get a pass off so I just tried to put my head in and just try to get a score,'' he said in a postgame locker room interview for Muschamp's weekly Sunday TV show.
--Junior defensive back Josh Evans had the best game of his career Saturday, recording a career-high 11 tackles and making a nice tackle to force the Gamecocks to settle for a field goal deep in Gators' territory.
Evans' previous career high was five tackles against Georgia on Oct. 29.
“Josh is a physical player. He does a nice job tackling and running our defense,'' Muschamp said on his TV show. “We're real proud of his performance.''
--Freshman safety Pop Saunders recorded the first interception of his career Saturday, picking off Gamecocks quarterback Connor Shaw in the first quarter.
The turnover led to a Caleb Sturgis field goal and 3-0 lead for the Gators.
“It was a great play. He anticipated the route,'' Muschamp said.
“I saw the quarterback rolling and he was still looking at his backside to his favorite target. I just started creeping up and picked it off,'' Saunders told GatorVision in the locker room after the game.
--Brantley finished 13 of 21 for 119 yards. He didn't throw a touchdown or interception but lost a fumble early in the game on one of three sacks by the Gamecocks.
Brantley has faced constant pressure this season and has been sacked 10 times in the last three games. While he is not as mobile as Brissett, the Gators are relying on Brantley's grasp of the offense and leadership skills to help finish the season on an upswing as he continues to improve from an ankle injury that cost him two games.
“He took some hits,'' Muschamp said. “We've got to do a better job of protecting him. I'm glad he's my quarterback. He hangs in there.
“That's where we are. John gives us the best opportunity to win.''
--A few leftover notes from Saturday's game: Sturgis is now 19-for-21 on the season and has at least one field goal in all nine games he has appeared; Sturgis now has 43 career field goals, tying him for second on the school's all-time list behind Jeff Chandler (67) … Junior LB Jon Bostic finished with 12 tackles, one shy of his career high at LSU … Freshman TE A.C. Leonard had two catches Saturday; he entered the game with only one catch on the season … Sophomore safety Matt Elam recorded his first sack of the season in an eight-tackle performance … The Gators allowed a season-low 84 yards passing.
