The Match Up...

[tclowers23]

If you've seen him play at all you would know those comments are delusional. Tebow is as big and probably as strong as any LB you've got. And with any room at all, a D-lineman won't touch him, that I can promise. I would like to see Tebow go up against one of your safeties...that would be funny

Give me a break. Florida fans...

 

[givensme]

Tebow runs one play. Fake the handoff pretend to throw and run up the middle. Don't think that is going to work against any SEC defense. The Cal offense is closer to what Florida does on offense so if you want to make a comparison of how our defense will play judge it off the Cal game. The triple option is the most potent offense in football history but we don't have the gritty rb's, fb's and qb's to really run it anymore. Give AF credit for what they did against our defense because they ran that offense the whole game with one offensive penalty.. They had to rely on 2 offensive penalties to stop us in that game. Stat sheets tell us that this game is going to be decided by 4 or less points which will probably come true but I think if there is going to be a blow out then it will be Tennessee running up the score because we have supposedly already lost without even playing this game. I even heard from one source that Florida thinks that they can shut us out and take our lunch at the same time.

 

[bigdaddy]

I am just about ready to skip friday and move on to saturday. My nerves are killing me and the anticipation is causing me lack of sleep. Can gameday get here any faster. This game has the potential to be one of the best ever. I hope it lives up to the expectations. I have just about puked three times today from the game day build up, I can't imagine how it feels for the boys in the game.

 

[Freak]

I have just about puked three times today from the game day build up, I can't imagine how it feels for the boys in the game.

:lolabove:

 

[lindyvol]

As scary as Florida's defense seems, I do think that one can take some solace in knowing what the Vol offense did against Cal's "D." While Cal's defense may have been over-hyped, there seems little doubt that their front four is one of the best in the nation. Here's to hoping that the offensive line can keep it up...

 

[therickbol]

You absolutely cannot base a judgement about our defense on the Air Force game. The obvious reason most people would agree with is that the formation and style of offense is very unusual and hurts a defense that has good speed and great pursuit (that is exactly the strength of our defense). Players spent most of the game "overthinking" and lining up in the wrong places and blowing assignments. Our defense had to be counter-intuitive. But, the other side of the coin is that not only did Air Force run such an unusual offense but they did it with AMAZING effectiveness and efficiency. Saying that in another way, lining up UF's defense in that same game and the result would have been very similar.

Now our defense gets back to facing a formation and offense that we are familiar with and had success against. Our defense can go back to using a scheme that utilizes speed and tremendous pursuit. We can now just pin our ears back and go after the QB. The OL of Florida will not be good enough to open running holes or stop our pass rush (my opinion). But, there will be some plays where Leak has time to throw and they will have some success on those plays. For the whole of the ball game though Leak will be running away from rushers and you will see our defense is more like the defense that played against Cal and not Air Force. Our DL will be even quicker now with McBride moving inside, Ayers and Mitchell coming on at DE, and Fisher coming into the mix at DE. Should be great back and forth contest. If no team committs grave errors (penalties and TO's) then it is a toss up and see the slight edge going to the team playing at home with 106,000+ very loud energetic fans.

 

[therickbol]

I disagree...I think this is a game where UF might start to make believers out of those who say the spread can't work in the SEC.

I think with Harvin and Caldwell we have the "football speed" (sorry but Chad Jackson may run a 4.3 on a track but he wasn't that fast around the end) to really do some damage with the inside handoffs, end arounds, etc.

I don't think it's going to be an every drive type of playcall, but certainly within the first two drives you'll see at least one, and if we have success with it, your front 7 will esentially be neutralized and you'll have to rely on safety help and for your corners to really step up.

We will run for more than 100yds, but at least 30-40% will come not from RBs, but from WRs.

I also believe Tebow will be more of a factor. If he comes in early and can either gain some yards on the ground or get a couple of completions it will cause some long term problems for your D as well.

So far your views about the game are that (1) Tebow is bigger and stronger than SEC LB's, and (2) WR's will have more rushing hards than RB's for Florida. I dont mean to criticize your opinions but I find those to be ridiculous. Do this for me, find me the last game that the leading rusher for Florida was a WR? And, I dont understand why Florida fans think they have this amazing speed advantage against our defense. Its just straight ficition. Wade and Morley in the secondary can run with ANY Florida WR. Mayo, Mitchell, McCoy, and Karl are the fastest LB's in the SEC. Do they not understand that UT defense is recongized by its "speed" of play. The "overall" advantage they might have in speed is certainly not significant enough to have a huge impact on the game. I think our speed advantage on the DL against Florida OL will have a much bigger impact than any slight speed advantage Florida has in overall speed at WR.

 

[jakez4ut]

You absolutely cannot base a judgement about our defense on the Air Force game. The obvious reason most people would agree with is that the formation and style of offense is very unusual and hurts a defense that has good speed and great pursuit (that is exactly the strength of our defense). Players spent most of the game "overthinking" and lining up in the wrong places and blowing assignments. Our defense had to be counter-intuitive. But, the other side of the coin is that not only did Air Force run such an unusual offense but they did it with AMAZING effectiveness and efficiency. Saying that in another way, lining up UF's defense in that same game and the result would have been very similar.

quote]
that's what worried me...i'm not taking anything away from the difference in scheme etc..that AF presented us...i fully expected them to give us trouble because of it and our speed on defense.

I didn't expect to only force one punt in the 2nd half...that's all i'm saying.

I do think our D will play better Saturday night, for all the reasons you stated....