Gators Make History on Defense ... But Not in Good Way
Sunday, September 21, 2014 | Football, Chris Harry
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- The statistics were mind-blowing in their one-sidedness.
In its 42-21 victory, No. 3 Alabama out-gained Florida in total yards 645-200 at Bryant-Denny Stadium, with the 445-yard difference the 10th-largest such discrepancy in school history.
That history began in 1892 and in the 122 years since, Saturday's win also marked the first time in 1,200-plus games the Crimson Tide had a 400-yard passer, 200-yard receiver and 100-yard rusher in the same game.
And those aforementioned 645 yards not only were the fourth-most gained by an Alabama team, but also the most ever given up by the Gators in a game -- 16 more than that cool night in the desert when Nebraska trampled a great Steve Spurrier team in the Fiesta Bowl to claim the 1995 national title.
For Alabama, those were gaudy numbers.
For Florida, they were dispiriting ones.
“Part of the game,” shrugged sophomore linebacker Jarrad Davis.
For the second straight game. Last week, Kentucky cranked out 450 yards before the Gators survived for a triple-overtime win at home. Make that nearly 1,100 yards in two weeks and a handful of plays where receivers looked virtually ignored running through the UF secondary.
Those one-play drives of 87 yards and 79 yards were huge momentum swings for Alabama; and major head-scratchers for UF's defensive players and coaches.
“We have an open week, which comes at a good time for us,” said Coach Will Muschamp, whose team is idle next Saturday and plays at Tennessee Oct. 4 in a crucial Southeastern Conference East Division game. “We need to make some adjustments defensively with what we do moving forward.”
That's concerning, considering the Gators coaches spent last week addressing blown coverages and miscommunication in the secondary following Kentucky.
On the 87-yard touchdown, tailback Kenyan Drake ran past linebacker Antonio Morrison and saw nothing but space on the back end, as safety Keanu Neal bit on a double move. On the 79-yarder, wideout Amari Cooper was virtually uncovered running all alone into the deep middle of the field.
“We get in coverage and we've got to adjust and communicate it to each other,” said Neal, part of a defense that did force four turnovers -- three of which were converted to touchdowns, including his 47-yard fumble return -- but wore down as the game went on allowing Alabama to seize control. “And when they motion, we've got to know what to go to and we didn't communicate that well today."
Last week, one of the topical subjects in the defensive meeting room was “eye control,” as in knowing where the ball is at all times and not losing sight of your man in coverage. That was a problem against Kentucky and, according to Davis, again against Alabama.
“With a team like this -- or any team you play -- you have to be technically sound,” Davis said. “You have to work on your technique every time you touch the field. If you don't do that, you're going to be exploited and going to get hurt.”
As if they didn't have proof of that against the Wildcats, they have more now.
“It's a lack of execution,” Muschamp said. “That goes back on me.”
And that means back to the drawing board.
