As much as Urban Meyer tries to play up FIU, it is still just FIU.
The Panthers will be completely overmatched when they step onto Florida Field to face the Gators. There is no reason for Meyer or anyone else to pretend otherwise.
That doesn’t mean the Gators can’t get anything out of the game.
First off, this is a good opportunity for players to get healthy before the final stretch of the season.
Any Gator who is listed as questionable should not play. There is no reason to risk injuring those players any further with the Southeastern Conference Championship Game looming.
This game can also be a chance to get some of the younger players more game experience.
Once the game is out of reach, it is time to start pulling the starters.
Even if the starters get an early exit from the game, they can still get something out of their short time on the field, especially the offensive players.
Everybody knows the Gators can run the ball as well as any other offense in the nation.
Everybody knows Tim Tebow can still run the ball effectively.
But it is going to be the 11th game of the season and the Gators’ passing game is still a work in a progress.
The receivers have dropped balls, failed to turn short passes into big gains and looked like they were on a different page than Tebow.
Tebow just has not looked comfortable throwing to any other receiving option then Riley Cooper or Aaron Hernandez, and none of the other options have done enough in their few chances to warrant more touches.
The Gators can’t rely on just Cooper and Hernandez to produce in the passing game.
Tebow needs to be able to throw to other receiveing options when those two are being blanketed by defenses or are having an off night.
FIU can serve as a test dummy for UF’s offense.
The Gators can work on building trust in games between Tebow and some of the other receivers like Deonte Thompson, David Nelson and Omarius Hines.
All three have shown glimpses either this season or last of being a receiving threat for the Gators.
They have not been even close to doing it on a consistent basis though, making it tough for Tebow to feel comfortable throwing to them when it counts in big games.
Against FIU, Tebow can give them a chance. Throw that deep fade to them, let them try and turn a 10-yard route into a 50-yard play, but the Gators need to develop them as trustworthy options for future games.
There is no reason to rely on Cooper and Hernandez in a cupcake game like the one Saturday.
If Tebow still chooses to throw to those two, then he definitely will not feel comfortable throwing it to the others against FSU or Alabama.
It can only help the Gators to try to fix some of the kinks against FIU because even if they struggle to pull away with the different game plan, they will not be in a danger of losing the game.
It’s understandable to not want to test the receivers out during conference games, but this is the chance to do it.
If they can’t do it against FIU, the Gators can go back to what they know they do well.
But it can’t hurt to try. After all, it is just FIU.
