Alligator Online

Can we put the ball washing on hold for a couple of weeks?

With the win over Tennessee, Urban Meyer is already being heralded as the second coming of Steve Spurrier.

This is ridiculous.

The man has coached the Gators for all of three games this season, not nearly enough time to make any definitive judgment. As coach of the Gators, Meyer has now won exactly one more big game than I have.

You know who else won a big game against Tennessee early in his first season as Gator coach? Ron Zook.

I'm not saying Urban Meyer isn't a great coach. My point here is that we just don't know yet.

The Gators won on Saturday because their defense was incredible. Who can say if that was due to outstanding coaching or simply a highly talented group of players? Who can say they'll be this good on the road against LSU? No one can.

That's why I want everyone to slow down a bit before deciding Urban Meyer is the best thing since sliced bread (or Fun N' Gun, for that matter).

The sports journalism establishment has a horrible tendency to give coaches too much credit after wins and too much blame after losses.

For instance, in the euphoria after Saturday's win, a columnist from this very paper called Meyer names like "The Urbinator" and "Mr. Destiny."

Why? I wouldn't call him those names even if everything that happened in the game were directly due to his influence.

The Gator offense, for the most part, looked terrible. I credit the Tennessee defenders for that, but Meyer was the man calling the shots, and his play-calling was so conservative, I could have sworn the Gators hired Dave Wannstedt.

Except for the misdirection play that netted the Gators their only touchdown, the offense could not have been more basic. Every run was straight up the middle, every pass attempt was to the same tired hook routes. I was screaming during an entire quarter for the Gators to try a slant (which they eventually did, for a 20-yard gain), or a play-action pass (they didn't even attempt one.) They managed only a pair of field goals the two times they were given outstanding field position.

But just as I don't give Meyer all the credit for the defense, I don't give him all the blame for the offense either.

I think the defense was incredible mostly because they have incredible players.

Similarly, I think the offense was poor because it's run by a poor quarterback.

That's right, I think Chris Leak is a bad player.

I'm not questioning his arm strength or his tools. Instead, I think he makes terrible decisions. He doesn't know when to throw the ball away. That, coupled with a weak offensive line, means he is always getting sacked. He focuses on one receiver, which makes his passes infinitely easier to defend. He can run, but he rarely does, and even then he never goes for the extra yard. He can throw on the run, but the Gators never roll him out.

Honestly, I wish Josh Portis was starting.

Again, if we give the coach all the credit or blame, then Leak's shortcomings are Meyer's fault. And I don't think that's fair either.

I think Urban Meyer, and his spread offense, will ultimately succeed.

But to deify him after three games? Please.

Andrew Meyer is a journalism sophomore.