Cowbells ring.
Are you listening, Dan Mullen?
I’m sure after nine years of coaching at Mississippi State you’re more than capable of tuning out the echoes of metal clanking metal at Davis Wade Stadium.
But the question is will your Florida players be able to ignore the sharp notes of over 60,000 frenzied Bulldogs fans? And – an even more pressing query – will they be able to deal with the reality that the opposing players know exactly what you’re running on both sides of the football?
“Unfortunately they’re going to have comfort going against the scheme,” you said. “We’re a little bit different this year than we were last year, but overall there’s still a lot of similarities, so that gives their players (Mississippi State) on the field an advantage.”
Of course you’ve got a trick or two up your sleeves. MSU is expecting that. But the only way the Gators will defeat this Mississippi State team is having their athletes win their matchups in all three phases even though the home side knows what’s coming.
You said you changed up the terminology. You can do that all you want, but the reality of the situation is that your players are still acclimating to your schemes, while the Bulldogs are seasoned veterans in your system.
They’re going to recognize formations immediately, and they’ll probably even call out plays at the line of scrimmage.
Feleipe Franks has only played four games for you. What’s going to happen when he realizes middle linebacker Errol Thompson is more experienced with your offense than he is? If Franks cracks, it’s game over. But if he’s confident, it’s game on.
You’ve emphasized special teams. The Gators are going to need to win the field position battle by playing perfectly on every possession-changing down, and they’ll probably have to come away with a block, a long return or at least force a missed field goal or two in order to tilt the scales in their favor.
You’ve preached physicality to your team. It’s going to need a Hulk-like performance from every player in order to leave Starkville with a win.
You’ve had problems stopping the run. Thankfully, David Reese and CeCe Jefferson are back, and Adam Shuler had a breakout performance against Tennessee. Yet, the combination of an elusive quarterback in Terry Wilson and bruising ball carrier in Benny Snell were deadly when Kentucky came to The Swamp.
Now you have to go on the road and face a quarterback in Nick Fitzgerald that averages six attempts per game (16.67) more than Wilson and over than 35 yards per game greater than the UK dual threat. MSU tailback Kylin Hill also averages a chunky 8.53 yards per carry and is backed up by an experienced runner in Aeris Williams, who topped 1,100 yards under your tutelage a season ago.
Oh yeah, and Fitzgerald also throws the ball at a much higher clip (180.7 yards per game to Wilson’s 115.8), and Wilson was still able to expose your defense with the deep ball.
But I’m sure your familiar with these truths. I’m sure you know your team will need to play perfect football in order to give you a homecoming win.
“We have to get a lot more consistent in our performance instead of relying on as many big plays on both sides of the ball as we did last week,” you said.
Good luck executing. This game will be an excellent gauge of seeing how consistent and physical your team is.
Mark Stine is a sports writer. Follow him on Twitter @mstinejr or contact him at mstine@alligator.org.
