Pat Dooley’s Grades: Florida vs LSU

OFFENSE D+

FIRST HALF: The 77-yard drive at the end of the half and the Hail Mary allowed Florida to outgain LSU in the first half. Up to then, it was not good. Florida rushed for 35 yards against a team that could not stop the running game the week before. The two picks on consecutive plays set the Tigers up twice.

SECOND HALF: The interception thrown by Emory Jones for a pick-six took away the momentum of the end of the half and also sent him to the bench. Anthony Richardson then led four straight touchdown drives, but his decision to throw the ball up for grabs with the game on the line was brutal.

FOR THE GAME: How can anyone give a D to an offense that was 12 yards short of 500 for the game? Because the four interceptions – two each – were killers. Florida was forced to throw the ball since its running backs only managed 66 yards, and while there were a lot of good things that happened there were too many bad ones.

 

DEFENSE F-

FIRST HALF: As poorly as Florida’s defense played, it could have been a lot worse. Yes, they had to defend a pair of short fields after the interceptions, but they also were fortunate that 145 yards of LSU offense – including a touchdown – were called back because of penalties.

SECOND HALF: And as badly as the Gators played in the first half, they were worse in the second half. Tyrion Davis-Price set a school record with 287 rushing yards and it was basically the same play over and over. The Gators managed to tie the game twice, but each time the defense could not stop LSU.

FOR THE GAME: You give up 49 points and you are going to lose. It was a pathetic performance by a defense that just pitched a shutout the week before and was playing a team that lost its best receiver to injury. It will be difficult for Dan Mullen to defend his defensive coordinator after this game.

 

SPECIAL TEAMS C

FIRST HALF: A blocked punt! A blocked punt? We didn’t know it was possible. But Jordan Pouncey did it when LSU’s personal protectors chose to ignore him. That was good, but a blocked extra point was not.

SECOND HALF: On a windy day, there wasn’t a lot going on with special teams, but the 28-yard return on the kickoff at 42-42 was not a good way to start that defensive possession.

FOR THE GAME: Let’s face it – after all the screaming about making something happen on special teams, the one thing that did happen for Florida was kind of a fluke. Do we give UF special teams credit for a two-point conversion? Nah. Not in the mood.

 

OVERALL F

At the same end of the field in the same all orange uniforms, this time Florida couldn’t repeat what it did five years ago. But that one-yard touchdown pass was not where Florida lost the game. And now, what? You’re playing for a chance to spoil Georgia’s season. That’s about it. This team is not what I thought it was.