Orange!
Boo!
Florida’s loss to LSU on Saturday will be memorable for many reasons, but I’ll remember it as the night Gators fans decided they were fed up with the 2010 squad’s offense.
For the first time in five years of watching games in The Swamp, I heard the UF faithful boo their own team.
This wasn’t the leave-Tebow-in booing of the 2006 Kentucky game, this was thousands of fans voicing their displeasure four times during the Gators’ 80-yard, go-ahead touchdown drive in the fourth quarter.
A dump pass to Emmanuel Moody in the flat and three runs up the middle were all followed by jeers. Some of those on Moody’s catch were undoubtedly “Moos,” but there was no confusing the reaction to the next play.
Wildcat quarterback Trey Burton took the snap and ran for two yards, and catcalls came raining down from many of the 90,721 fans in attendance.
I have little doubt as to whom they were meant for, and it wasn’t Burton.
Plenty of excuses can be made for Florida’s underwhelming offense, but the simple fact remains that the Gators’ attack is lacking bite.
Ranked 76th in rushing, 87th in passing and 96th in total offense, UF isn’t even a shadow of its former self, and last year’s offense left something to be desired as well.
The common denominator in these two seasons is offensive coordinator Steve Addazio, who took over when Dan Mullen left to be Mississippi State’s head coach. Mullen will be back Saturday, and Addazio can’t afford to be shown up by his former boss.
Struggles in 2009 could be overlooked because the Gators kept winning, but this year they’ve mostly pulled out victories in spite of the offense. Slow starts against Miami (Ohio), South Florida and Tennessee were embarrassing, but the past two weeks have been a heightened display of futility.
UF managed just six points at Alabama. And despite putting up 29 against the Tigers, 21 came via a kickoff return and touchdown drives of 16 and 17 yards.
For those reasons, fans should have booed.
Football is entertainment. Fandom makes it more personal than that, but the bottom line is that every week fans pay a lot of money for tickets, parking and food. And they shouldn’t settle for their team underachieving.
Second-guessing a coach’s play-calling can be a tricky business, but Addazio has been at the helm long enough for fans to form an opinion.
They made their thoughts clear Saturday night, booing Addazio for the plays that have become his stereotype — runs up the middle.
And when Carl Moore ripped off a 51-yard catch-and-run, Andre Debose came in motion to take a handoff around the left side and Omarius Hines took a reverse pitch, the crowd roared.
Those plays were creative and fun to watch. And with the caveat of a penalty on Hines’ run, they worked.
Florida has deserved cheers since Meyer arrived in 2005. But in between the adulation, fans have the right to be honest with their teams.
They should boo because the offense is dull. Boo because everyone from the hot dog vendor to the SunSports commentator knew that fake field goal was coming, yet the Gators didn’t.
Boo — and cheer — when it’s warranted, because it’s the only way to communicate.
