Former Player Feedback: 10 Observations
Former Florida linebacker Johnny Rutledge shares 10 observations from the Gators' 28-27 win over Kentucky.
1) It would be great if we didn’t know his name
I had to think long and hard to remember the names of our punters during my four years at the University of Florida. Johnny Townsend put on a punting exhibition and is a certified weapon. Having said that, I’d love to see him stay on the sideline more, maybe only see him two to three times per ball game. He averaged 52.2 yards on five attempts, for the year Townsend has 16 punts (5.3 punts per game) averaging 50.8 per punt. By these numbers alone he would be the second best punter in the NFL behind Oakland’s Marquette King whose averaging 54.0 yards per punt on only six attempts in two games. Johnny I love your talent, but I’d like to see less of it. Then I’ll be excited when social media post the “Here’s Johnny” memes.
2) Wide receiver screens galore
When you have a young quarterback, like we do, the easiest way to settle him down is to throw screens. The screen can be an effective play when you catch the defense off guard with it. The more you use them, the less effective they become. On Saturday the wide receiver screen pass was our favorite play. Kentucky caught on to it early in the game. After the second possession I know a screen would be dialed up at some point and time. If you’re going to run screens mix it up and screen to the backs and tight ends. Eventually you have to take the training wheels off and toss the ball around.
3) Pick a quarterback and stick with him
In football every position on the field makes substitutions except the offensive line and quarterback position. When a substitution is made at either of these positions it generally means someone isn’t performing well. Our substitution came at the quarterback position, before I give my observation lets look at the numbers first, Feleipe Franks started the game verses Kentucky he was 7/12 for 85 yards passing with 1 touchdown pass. Luke Del Rio came in, in relief and was 9/14 for 74 yards passing with 1 touchdown and 1 interception. When looking at Franks this week I’ve only seen him throw the screen, slant and one deep ball attempt. I’ve yet to see him throw a dig, post, curl, out or a comeback, you know the routes that define if you can play the position or not. Eventually you have to see if he can play the position, the only way to find out is to actually do it. When Del Rio entered the game it seemed as if he had the entire playbook at his disposal and wasn’t relegated to screen passes. My only question that I have about Del Rio and I could be absolutely wrong - but I’ve played with sons of NFL coaches before they already have NFL jobs lined up and waiting after their time at UF is over. Is his heart really into being a starting collegiate quarterback or do you go with the future in Franks? Pick one and stick with him!
4) You can’t play well looking over your shoulder
Quarterbacks have to be handled differently, unless it’s said in the meeting room “Franks if you struggle we’re coming in with a relief pitcher to save to day.” If that’s the understanding then I’m fine with the quarterback shuffle, but If that’s not the case and Franks is constantly having to look over his shoulder after he makes a mistake - this type of coaching can kill a player’s confidence going forward. I remember being named a starter going into my sophomore year, Coach Jim Collins told me “You are our guy, growing pains and all you are the starting outside linebacker.” Those words give me confidence that if I made a mistake I’m still in the game. That allowed me to play the game freely. My thing is, if Franks is your guy let him play the game without worrying about being pulled. The downside to pulling him, if I’m a recruit and I see that he isn’t allowed to grow into the position - I’m looking at other schools that will allow me to grow as a player.
5) Name Malik Davis the starter now
I know he’s a freshman, but get this young guy into the starting lineup now. Malik Davis is the type of back that can run between the tackles and create match-up problems in the passing game. Davis rushed for 93 yards on 21 carries (4.42 yard average), in the passing game he only had 1 catch for 11 yards. Take away four of those wide receiver screens and give those opportunities to Davis in the passing game.
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6) Tyrie Cleveland should not return kickoffs!
Name the only Gator wide receiver that is able to run the entire route tree in a game? I can and his name is Tyrie Cleveland – which is why you don’t put your No. 1 receiver in that situation. Simply put, he should not be in the return game at all. Can you imagine losing him on a hard hit on one of the returns he makes to the 20-yard line? If he goes down returning kicks, we have a bunch a small slot receiver types that pose no threat in the red zone and won’t be as effective lining up on the outside. Give the return duties to Brandon Powell, Dre Massey and Kadarius Toney. I repeat Tyrie Cleveland should not return kickoffs.
7) What is our offensive identity?
I’ve seen three games and I can’t tell you who we are offensively. One moment we’re spreading teams out running zone plays with our bigger backs the next we have two tight ends running power plays with the smaller backs. If we are going to feature two tight end formations could we at least make the defense nervous by throwing to them down the seams, running crossing routes or tight end screens similar to what Tennessee used against us. Not to mention Franks and Del Rio have two totally different skill sets which means the offense is going to two identities depending on who’s at quarterback. Usually by the third game offenses tend to find their identity, they begin to get into a rhythm because they know what they can do and what they have trouble doing. We better find our stride it gets tougher than Kentucky going forward.
8) Losing Vosean Joseph hurt
I understand why the targeting rule is in place, but defining targeting in college football is like trying to define a catch in the NFL. There’s too many gray areas and the letter of the law seems to change from week to week. Losing Vosean Joseph against Kentucky hurt an already thin University of Florida linebacker core. Joseph is our most athletic linebacker and is perfectly suited to play against today’s spread offenses. After Joseph’s ejection, David Reese and Cristian Garcia struggled in space verses the pass. Right now we don’t have the depth or experience to make any changes.
9) Gator Defense- Jekyll and Hyde
At times we looked dialed in and ready to play then at times we looked young and inexperienced. It’s hard to put my finger on it with this group, we got stops when we needed them on Saturday. Other than Stephen Johnson, every Kentucky ballcarrier average over 4 yards per rush. Setting the defensive edge in the run game is a problem at times with this defense. Our defensive lineman played well but we need more consistent play from this unit in weeks to come. Yes Reese posted 8 tackles and a .5 sack, Garcia 4 tackles, Joseph 3 and Jeremiah Moon 1 tackle. However, sometimes it’s not the amount of tackles that are made that matters but how many game changing plays are made during the course of a game. This unit has to step up their play in upcoming games. The Gator secondary blew some coverages in the red zone early in the game that lead to touchdowns. Although they played better in the forth quarter the Gator secondary continues to be plagued by missed tackles. The schedule only gets tougher from here the Gator defense is going to have to improve it’s play and consistency going forward.
10) We won “but” why does it feel like a loss
Our guys fought hard for the entire game and found a way to pull out the victory with a 28-27 win over Kentucky but……. The word “But” is used in the English vernacular to cancel out with was previously said for example “I love you but” you know what’s coming after the “But” can’t be good. Kentucky gave us the game on a silver platter we didn’t take it. I may have no college coaching experience on my resume but even I wouldn’t leave players uncovered and open for not one but two Gator touchdowns. It was Kentucky’s mistakes that gave the game away, did we capitalize on their mistakes? Yes “but” we did nothing to take the game away from them. In the football vernacular this is called an ugly win. I’ll take a Gator win over a Gator loss any day but let’s call this what it is - a gift. Thanks Kentucky.
Johnny Rutledge is a six year NFL veteran, ALL-SEC linebacker at the University of Florida, scholar, coach, and youth mentor. During his playing days and in retirement, Rutledge has made it his mission to support early childhood literacy. Johnny created the Grant's Sports Adventures book series as way to teach readers the value of fatherhood, athletics and life lessons.
Click on the photo below to learn more about his book.
Book: Math and Football can be found at https://www.grantssportsadventures.com/
Social Media
Twitter @JRut58
IG @GrantsSportsAdventures
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