Florida Will Defeat Lsu Again in 2017

Florida vs. LSU score, takeaways: Major changes needed as Gators once more go embarrassed past Tigers

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It appeared every bit if the Florida Gators had turned a corner under caput coach Dan Mullen. Florida had started 29-half-dozen under Mullen with consecutive victories in New Year's Six bowl games, and it was in the midst of a record-setting offensive season on the style to the SEC Championship Game against Alabama for a shot at the College Football Playoff. And and so, out of nowhere, the 6th-ranked Gators shockingly lost at dwelling, 37-34, to the unranked and undermanned LSU Tigers thanks to three turnovers, a thrown shoe and an overall weak effort.

Sans the shoe, the consequence Saturday at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was eerily like. No. 20 Florida lost 49-42 to LSU thanks to iv interceptions and one of the worst defensive performances in program history. The Gators fell to 4-3 (2-3 SEC) on the season and are not only 4-half-dozen overall since that 2020 LSU game only 2-six against Power Five opponents.

If that on its own does not tell you that wholesale changes are needed throughout this Florida football program, perhaps goose egg will. The Gators saw each of their quarterbacks throw ii picks Saturday, the 2nd for redshirt freshman Anthony Richardson marring an otherwise breakout operation.

Florida was likewise beat at its own game on the ground with its third-ranked rushing set on completely silenced by an LSU defense missing vi starters, including both defensive ends and both cornerbacks.

Where do the Gators go from hither? Permit'southward take a wait at what went down Saturday during Florida's embarrassing loss at LSU, against which it has fallen over 9 of the terminal 12 meetings.

1. Time has come for Todd Grantham: We start with a reminder that the Gators defence has actually improved massively from last season. Granted, there was nowhere to go simply upward, however it is however necessary to country that off the summit. Florida was ranked ninth nationally in scoring defense force and 30th in total defence entering the Sat'southward game. Then all of a sudden, the dam bankrupt every bit LSU absolutely gashed the visitors on the basis with power runs and the aforementioned counter play over and over again. The event was one of the worst defensive performances against the run in program history.

LSU running dorsum Tyrion Davis-Price rumbled for 287 yards rushing, which not merely set a Tigers programme record only is the virtually the Gators have always surrendered to a single player. The homo who previously held that distinction? Higher and Pro Football Hall of Famer Herschel Walker.  Florida's defense had allowed 321 yards rushing over the final four games before giving up 327 yards to LSU on Saturday. The fact that it initially struggled is not the effect; rather, information technology's that the Gators never adjusted.

And that is squarely on defensive coordinator Todd Grantham. LSU entered the game averaging 83.3 yards rushing per game, tertiary-worst in the nation (127th); in other words, the Tigers were 4 times (!) more than successful running the ball against the Gators than every other squad they've played, combined.

LSU's 49 points were the most it has ever scored in 67 meetings against Florida, and the 91-point concluding full was the largest in series history.

Davis-Price's 287 yards came with three touchdowns, including a 40-chiliad breakaway. He was the bong cow with 36 carries, and LSU put the game away late in the fourth quarter by running nine times correct through the teeth of UF's defense on a 10-play touchdown drive, scoring with a passing play on fourth-and-goal at the i for the concluding points of the game. The Tigers also had runs of 21 and 25 yards on a touchdown drive to open the fourth quarter.

Grantham had no answers, and Mullen was non apt to criticize him later on the game, largely refusing to accost whether he would consider removing Grantham from his post past noting that he would be evaluating things as ever afterwards the game and during the bye calendar week. Mullen's disability to provide honest perspective afterward games is maddening, merely information technology'southward also not indicative that no changes are coming.

There was perhaps no greater indictment of the defensive scheme than answers provided past inferior linebacker Mohamoud Diabate, who sat in front of reporters after the game. Asked if he was confident in Grantham's defensive schemes, Diabate said, "I'one thousand confident in my teammates' ability to play hard." He later on said the defense "made the adjustments we were given to brand" and did what it was told. "When the full general asks me to shoot, I shoot. I don't inquire questions," he said, according to Gator Territory's Nick de la Torre.

Calling for coaches to exist fired is largely unnecessary as it is neither the fans nor the media who make such decisions; withal, it is important to bespeak out when a coach's job functioning has reached a crisis indicate. That's what Grantham has reached. Florida cannot move forward with him calling the defense, and Mullen volition be actively putting his job at risk by keeping Grantham in charge of the defense.

Some may say Mullen'southward task is already at take chances. That's unlikely barring a complete collapse down the stretch. Non only did Mullen just sign a contract extension, he's close with the athletic director, and his early success with the Gators — complete offensive turnaround, included — is undoubted. Just this is a potential turning point for him and Florida. Either he smartens up and realizes changes must be made on defense — forth with other facets of the plan not suitable for a post-game story, namely recruiting — or it will be Mullen himself on the hot seat entering the 2022 season.

2. Time has come for a new QB1: There was a lot of bad football game played by the Gators on Saturday, and the quarterbacks deserve their heaping share of arraign for putting their team in massive deficits time and over again. Richardson and redshirt junior Emory Jones combined to throw four interceptions, though information technology was the two from Jones that hurt the most.

The offset came with LSU already leading vii-6 in the second quarter as Jones threw brusk of redshirt sophomore wide receiver Trent Whittemore; the Tigers picked the ball off on a tip drill and returned it 54 yards, scoring from 28 yards out on the next play. It was LSU'due south first turnover in three games, and Whittemore did non return after beingness injured on the turnover.

On the next offensive play, Richardson threw an interception that LSU immediately converted into points, spotting the hosts a 21-6 lead with 21 unanswered points in 8:38 of game clock. Information technology was the first time UF threw interceptions on sequent plays since 2011.

Florida airtight the kickoff half stiff — more on that in a moment — and had a risk to tie the game on the opening serial of the second half. Instead, Jones threw a 37-yard pick six to put the Tigers ahead 28-xiii. It was his ninth interception of the season (compared to nine passing touchdowns), giving him the second-almost nationally backside a Marshall quarterback who has thrown 100 more than passes insufficiently. Jones' nine interceptions are the near in a full flavor for a Florida quarterback since Jeff Driskel in 2010, and Jones has only played seven games.

Richardson's second interception, a terrible sky-loftier throw off his back human foot under pressure that should never take been attempted, came on the Gators' concluding offensive series and cost them an opportunity to tie the game. That marred what was otherwise an exemplary performance from Richardson, who entered in relief of Jones later the latter's option six to beginning the 2d half.

Still, Richardson led Florida on four straight touchdown drives of 75, 75, 65 and 75 yards. The Gators' 22-point 3rd quarter, including a two-signal conversion, was its highest-scoring quarter of the flavour. he completed 10 of nineteen passes for 167 yards with three touchdowns passing plus i rushing, a ii-betoken conversion and 37 more than yards on the ground. The starting time interception could exist forgiven; the last 1 was unacceptable.

Jones had his moments, too. Most notably, he led a five-play, 77-1000 touchdown drive with but 29 seconds left in the beginning half. Information technology was capped past a 42-grand Hail Mary touchdown to redshirt junior WR Justin Shorter (six receptions, 113 yards, two TD). Jones besides reentered for a play during Richardson's last scoring drive to convert an impressive 18-one thousand pass to Shorter on third-and-16. Richardson injured his finger and sabbatum out for a play.

Despite all of that, Richardson outplayed Jones again. Non only due to the turnovers simply only considering of his patience in the pocket (most of the time) and playmaking ability. Richardson had massive gains with his arm and legs. He was simply more dynamic. It'due south clear that either quarterback is going to make mistakes; at this betoken, it's up to Mullen to realize he needs to go with the i that can also brand more game-changing plays in 2021 and assistance the team have a stride forward in 2022.

3. Time has come for Mullen to change: Like the beginning takeaway, let's start with the positives, the changes Mullen actually made Saturday. At times, he decided to be aggressive offensively, including opening the play book one time Richardson entered the game. About notable was Mullen's decision to call timeouts and force the ball down the field to finish the commencement half. That resulted in seven points for Florida with an opportunity to double upward after half.

Maddeningly, it was exactly why Mullen was so harshly criticized for non doing the same thing with a shorter field and nearly v times as much game clock at Kentucky a couple weeks ago. In fact, his decision to force the outcome Saturday fabricated that call even worse.

It too came after Mullen's lack of aggressiveness direct bit the Gators in their collective ass over the first 29:31. Florida opened the game with three direct drives starting at the UF 41-yard-line or better. The Gators held the Tigers to 25 yards on their kickoff xi plays, and the 2020 Florida team probably would have led 21-0 at the terminate of the showtime quarter.

Instead, Mullen ran and ran and ran … right into LSU's easily. UF wound upwards with six points (due to a missed extra bespeak) on those three possessions. The first and third possession resulted in a combined 4 yards gained. The Tigers put together a solid game plan focused on selling out to terminate the run, forcing the Gators out of their comfort zone offensively. Florida, which entered as the tertiary-best rushing criminal offense in the nation, only finished with 138 yards on the footing — just 66 of which came from running backs.

Lacking success on the footing fabricated Mullen uncomfortable, and his dedication to the run put Florida in a tough spot as it was unable to take reward of the aforementioned field position. It also led to an over-reliance on the pass beyond the two ensuing series, both of which ended with interceptions.

At that place were bright spots in his play calling, though. Whittemore had a fantastic 22-chiliad throw-back laissez passer to Jones in the first quarter. Richardson ran a double imitation play for a 27-yard laissez passer to senior running back Dameon Pierce, who scored two more touchdowns on 79 total yards for the 24-hour interval. Richardson also hit redshirt senior tight end Kemore Hazard (64 yards) on a few unique plays, and an end-around for redshirt junior Jacob Copeland (53 yards, TD) resulted in a 19-yard gain.

Did Mullen pull plays out of the volume he was saving for Georgia? Perchance. Does that excuse Florida being so vanilla at points throughout the season given these plays were in its arsenal? Non at all, especially equally a two-loss team. Mullen is besides expert historically equally an offensive coach to be so conservative.

And by the way, when we talk near Mullen irresolute, it's non simply what he does on the field. His I-can-practise-no-wrong personality has become deadening to outsiders, and perhaps even worse, information technology's not accurate. Information technology'due south ane thing when a double-decker like Nick Saban asks for the benefit of the doubtfulness. Mullen deserved that after those showtime 35 games. He certainly does not after the final 10.

iv. Odds and ends: Redshirt senior WR Jordan Pouncey blocked a punt in the first quarter, the first for Florida in 26 games spanning 2 years … graduate kicker Jace Christmann had an extra bespeak blocked; it'due south the second fourth dimension the Gators have missed ane this flavour … Florida is 4-6 in its last 10 games, two-half dozen confronting Ability V opponents … the Gators brutal to 33-32-3 best against the Tigers with a 17-eighteen mark in Billy Rouge … LSU has now defeated UF in nine of the concluding 12 meetings since 2010 and four of the final v in Death Valley … under Mullen, Florida is at present 24-5 when scoring first, seven-9 when being outrushed, 6-7 in games decided by ten points or less and 25-five against unranked opponents … the Gators accept scored 24+ points in 32 of their concluding 36 games … UF has not committed a punishment in the final five quarters … Florida has scored in 417 consecutive games, an NCAA record

5. What it means: Changes are necessary. Not just in terms of leadership on both the defensive and offensive ends merely full sail throughout the entire programme. Mullen promised to reestablish "The Gator Standard" upon joining the plan, and he did exactly that through the first 35 games. Simply there'due south no questioning that Florida has slid massively over the last x. There are some, for lack of a meliorate term, excusable losses in there — namely the two confronting Alabama — but the 2 defeats against LSU are nonsensical, and the penalty-ridden functioning at Kentucky was nonsensical.

Perhaps nigh maddening is this: Every time the Gators fix 1 thing, something else falls apart. As noted in the "odds and ends" higher up, Florida has not suffered a punishment through five quarters — at that place were 0 penalty yards in this LSU game. Yet, its previously stiff defence force completely fell apart. The passing game got going with Richardson and some tremendous protection from the offensive line, yet the running game was not-existent.

6. What'due south next? Florida enters a cheerio week looking to regroup ahead of its annual rivalry game with No. 1 Georgia on Sat, Oct. 30. The game will air live at iii:xxx p.one thousand. ET on CBS. The Gators ended a three-game losing streak to the Bulldogs last season but limp into this year's meeting as they look to avoid their worst loss in the series since 2017.

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Source: https://www.onlygators.com/10/16/2021/florida-vs-lsu-score-takeaways-major-changes-needed-as-gators-again-get-embarrassed-by-tigers/

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