Skip to Content, Navigation, or Footer.
We inform. You decide.
Thursday, March 28, 2024

InstaGraham: Amanda Butler feeling the heat while Gators struggle

<p>Amanda Butler stares down the court during Florida's loss to No. 1 South Carolina on Monday in the O'Connell Center.</p>

Amanda Butler stares down the court during Florida's loss to No. 1 South Carolina on Monday in the O'Connell Center.

It’s time to move on.

Immediately following Florida’s 77-42 loss to No. 1 South Carolina at home on Monday, coach Amanda Butler said that the Gators would have difficulty putting the loss behind them.

That Florida would have to just move on to the next game and try not to think about the lashing the team had just received.

I’m not sure if that’s going to work.

Not this year.

Butler wants to be the coach of the Florida Gators.

That much abundantly clear. She has passion, and she wants success for the University of Florida.

But she’s just not a very good offensive coach, and that’s obviously a huge factor of basketball.

The defense, dubbed Hector in the offseason for how hectic the team envisioned it being, has been serviceable with the under-equipped players that Florida has.

To put it bluntly, Florida’s guards are small and undersized.

Size differential carries greater significance in women’s basketball than men’s, due to the lesser degree of athleticism present in the sport.

It doesn’t matter if you have the best court vision if you can’t see over opposing players, and there’s plenty of evidence to back that up.

Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox

Carlie Needles is regarded as the vocal leader of the Gators. She urges all players into a huddle during any stoppage in play, doing anything she can to motivate her teammates.

It’s a great sign of camaraderie, and it shows Needles cares about motivating her teammates, the teammates that have become her family.

But Needles has disappeared during significant portions of games at times this season.

Several people I’ve spoken to around the program think she’s lost some of her confidence, especially in her shot.

But who can blame her? The team doesn’t run an offense that benefits her style of play.

Needles is at her best when she can run the floor and get out in transition, and the Gators have been unable to beat their opponents down the court in Southeastern Conference games and get easy buckets.

Teams are simply too fast or bigger than them, or they’ve scouted Florida and know they score easiest on the run.

Butler doesn’t want to focus on the team’s offensive issues in practice. She insists on focusing on defense, because she knows how well Florida plays in transition when the team forces a turnover and beats its opponent down the court.

She’s moved on from focusing on offense. I don’t know Butler or what she’s thinking, but I think she understands the futility of the offense.

Butler is realizing it’s a lack of personnel — Florida isn’t as talented as most of the SEC. This season is a lost one for the Gators and hopefully a learning experience for the underclassmen.

While there are still 10 regular season games remaining, it’s all but over barring an unforeseen turnaround.

Amanda Butler has been coach of the Florida Gators for eight seasons now. I know she wants to continue leading the program.

But Florida may decide that it’s time to move on from Butler before the Gators can move on from the losses.

Follow Graham Hall on Twitter @Graham311

Amanda Butler stares down the court during Florida's loss to No. 1 South Carolina on Monday in the O'Connell Center.

Support your local paper
Donate Today
The Independent Florida Alligator has been independent of the university since 1971, your donation today could help #SaveStudentNewsrooms. Please consider giving today.

Powered by SNworks Solutions by The State News
All Content © 2024 The Independent Florida Alligator and Campus Communications, Inc.