Saturday was supposed to be the day the Gators turned it all around.
After three months of strife left Florida at a disappointing 6-5, a matchup with FSU provided an opportunity for redemption.
Instead, the Gators (6-6, 3-5 Southeastern Conference) succumbed to the same problems that have plagued them throughout 2011, falling 21-7 to the Seminoles (7-4, 5-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) in The Swamp.
“I’m just extremely disappointed again today and in the season overall,” coach Will Muschamp said. “We’re a soft football team. That’s the bottom line.”
Playbooks Muschamp distributed before the season listed three goals on the cover. “Lead the Nation In: Effort, Toughness, Turnover Margin.”
With four interceptions and only one takeaway Saturday, the Gators turnover margin sits at -11, among the worst in the country.
“I told our guys we’re not a physically tough team and we’re not a mentally tough team,” Muschamp said. “I’ve been called a lot of things in my life, but soft’s not one of them. And we are.”
In part these struggles are due to depth, as the physical grind of a 12-game season takes a toll on offensive and defensive line rotations that only go seven deep, even when fully healthy.
Another factor is youth. Florida had only 11 scholarship seniors to honor on Saturday.
Also crippling the Gators is an inability to run the ball. UF gained just 54 yards on 33 carries against FSU.
“You can’t put your finger on one thing and say, ‘This is it,’” Muschamp said. “We’re doing all we can do. Doing all we can do with what we’ve got right now. We’ve got to find some better answers.”
The Gators have implemented the pistol, the I-formation, shotgun, two different wildcat packages and even some read-option plays, but none of it has worked. In Florida’s six losses it has averaged 61.8 yards per game on the ground.
At times senior quarterback John Brantley and the passing game have been able to cover up these faults, but Saturday it was a bigger part of the problem than the solution.
Gators passers represented the majority of the offense for both teams. They completed 14 of 29 passes for 130 yards and a touchdown, totals that were offset by four interceptions worth 130 return yards and a score for FSU.
Florida State needed just 95 yards of offense to rack up 21 points, as each of their scores came off of a turnover.
“When that happens, you can’t expect us to win,” junior defensive tackle Omar Hunter said. “You can’t win like that.”
After throwing just three interceptions in 209 attempts before Saturday, Brantley came unraveled against the Seminoles.
On the fourth play of UF’s second drive, Brantley took a third-down snap and immediately locked on to freshman wide receiver Quinton Dunbar to his right.
FSU cornerback Greg Reid quickly broke on the out route, jumping between Dunbar and the ball in time to secure the easy interception.
Just three passes later, Brantley faked a handoff, moved to his right and then looked down the field to his left, lofting a pass to Deonte Thompson.
By the time his fluttering toss reached it’s mark, four FSU defenders were in the area. Senior Mike Harris looked more like a punt returner than a defensive back as he hauled in the easy pick.
On Florida’s next drive Brantley again missed his target by a considerable margin, and Reid had another effortless turnover in his hands.
Before the first half was out, Florida State added injury to insult.
After Florida took possession at it’s own 18 with 1:49 left in the second quarter, Brantley took the snap, bought time, stepped up and delivered a strike to Dunbar on a post route, good for 21 yards. Just a moment after Brantley released the ball his head was crunched between the helmets of two FSU defenders, knocking him out of the game.
So ended Brantley’s final home appearance, a 9-of-15 performance for 104 yards and three interceptions.
“I hurt for him,” Muschamp said. “You don’t ever want to see anybody struggle to finish the game or not finish the game, especially if they’re a senior in their last game in The Swamp.”
Freshman Jacoby Brissett came on in relief but was no better, completing 4 of 13 passes for 27 yards, a touchdown and a fourth-quarter interception to senior Terrance Parks, who took it back 29 yards to extend Florida State’s lead to an insurmountable 21-0.
Brissett did all he could to provide a spark, but in the end he only added to UF’s struggles.
“I’m frustrated,” Muschamp said. “More than anybody sitting in that stadium.”
Contact Greg Luca at gluca@alligator.org.
