A bunker can serve as a comforting source of protection in battle.
However, for the Gators, it has been a perplexing nightmare.
No. 18 Florida (14-5, 7-3 Southeastern Conference) has lost two of its last three games, due in large part to the fact it has been playing from behind.
Florida has trailed 1-0 against six conference opponents: Auburn, Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi State, Tennessee and LSU, and has lost to the latter three. The Gators surrendered goals in the first five minutes to the Razorbacks, Volunteers and Bulldogs.
The early leads have allowed the opposition to play a more conservative defensive style known as a bunker, in which teams drop as many as nine or 10 players into their box to give Florida little room to operate.
Because the Gators' offense relies on efficient ball movement through quick passes, the box-clogging bunker got them out of their offensive rhythm.
While UF tied the games against Auburn and Alabama quickly enough to avoid facing the defensive formation, it could not score after Mississippi State and LSU got on the board.
“It's usually a game that you just kind of have to slog out a little bit,” Florida coach Becky Burleigh said. “Our team really loves playing the way we are playing, and when we can’t do that the way we like, it becomes more of an emotional stressor.”
Players timing runs correctly to get through gaps in the bunker is integral to penetrating the defense, Burleigh said. As the runs are being made, the Gators have to do a good job of getting the ball to the outside and playing services into the box.
“If we use our width, that’s a great way for us to get the ball into the box,” said Gators sophomore outside back Maggie Rodgers. “As long as we have organized runs in the box and our serves are quality, it should be pretty easy to beat a bunker.”
Junior McKenzie Barney said the Gators can get through a bunker by having good movement on and off the ball and focusing on setting up teammates. The key for the Gators is not getting too frustrated when the opposition drops everyone back.
“You have to get over that,” Barney said. “The quicker we do that and say to ourselves, ‘We know how to break this down,’ is the quicker we can get goals in and make sure we can secure a victory.”
Burleigh agreed that it is a problem that Florida has to work through, and she said the coaches have to do their part.
“The key for us as coaches is to get us to a place where regardless of what the other team does we’re able to break them down,” Burleigh said. “This isn’t a problem that is going to go away.”
