Why the Cocktail Party could be a competitive game

Listen, I know what happened last year.  You know what happened last year.  Georgia knows what happened last year.  Florida knows what happened last year.

“I’m sure they’ll look at the film from a year ago and see what happened,” Richt said. “There was enough success to take a look. Same quarterback. The game plan worked pretty good.”

Florida ran the ball on 60 of 66 offensive plays.

It wasn’t too complicated, Gators receiver Brandon Powell told reporters Monday.

“Last year we ran like two plays the whole game and they worked,” he said. “Two power plays and they worked the whole game.”

The obvious retort to which is that was last year.

Again, I don’t know what will be in the heads of those wearing red this Saturday, but statistically speaking there’s a pretty solid case that can be made for Georgia showing up.

Take a look at yards per play against SEC teams, for starters.  Georgia, with Lambert, Schottenheimer and whomever else you want to point accusatory fingers at, is second in the conference at 6.05 ypp.  The resurgent Gator offense is twelfth.  Florida is averaging under five yards per snap.

Ah, you say, but the defense… that’s where they have them.

Not so fast, bruh.  Defensive yards per play in SEC games?  Georgia ranks ahead of Florida there, too, although it’s much closer.

So where to find the reason Florida seems to have it more together?  Welp, take a look at turnover margin in conference games.  The Gators top the SEC, at +8.  By comparison, Georgia is a mere +1.  The difference is that Florida’s offense has done a better job of protecting the ball than has Georgia’s.

The other area that really favors Florida is red zone touchdown conversions.  The Gators punch it in at better than a 70% clip when they get inside the opponent’s 20-yard line.  Georgia converts at barely more than half that rate.

Can Georgia do a decent job of keeping Florida between the twenties?  Can the Dawgs protect the ball?  If so, there’s no reason to think they can’t make a game of it.

Attrition in the Second Chance U recruiting pool

The defense never rests in Gainesville and Knoxville.

“That’s a big loss to the team.”

If I’m reading this story correctly, Florida could potentially start the 2015 season with only one offensive lineman in its two-deep who’s ever started a collegiate game.

I think I’ve said this before, but if I were in contention to start at quarterback for Florida this season, I don’t know how urgently I’d feel the need for that.  Either that, or I’d better have the best peripheral vision on the planet.  And some legs.

Tuesday morning buffet

A little of this, a little of that…

• This is awkward.
• A.J. Turman’s good spring is getting him some attention.
• Florida is now down to six healthy scholarship linemen for the final three spring practices, including the spring game Saturday.  Maybe Boom can make another crack about McElwain’s dog.
• You don’t like how Georgia’s spring scrimmages have gone?  Check out Missouri’s.
• Speaking of scrimmages, it sounds like Auburn’s got a ways to go to meet it eight bombs a game goal.
• The Pac-12 ponders furthering its academic mission by going into competition with the likes of IMG.
• Seth Emerson looks down the stretch of Georgia’s spring practice.

If you prick Will Muschamp, does he not bleed?

Sounds like Boom isn’t taking kindly to Jim McElwain’s suggestion that the offensive line cupboard was left a little bare.

Muschamp said he was unaware of McElwain’s comments, but Auburn’s defensive coordinator offered a strong rebuttal.

“He said he could coach a dog and win,” Muschamp said. “Heck, (does he) like the dog better than his players?”

Riiight.  Quoting the guy sounds totally unaware.

It’s a damned shame Auburn and Florida don’t face off this year.