It wasn't always pretty, but when Florida's offense finally got in rhythm, Arkansas had not answer for it. After three quarters of sputtering and penalty-plagued football, Florida's offense found a groove and exploded for 21 points in the fourth quarter of yesterday's game. The three scoring drives were for 80, 83, and 73 yards, and the Gators made big play after big play down the stretch, including plays of 75, 48, 21, 20, and 19 yards during the three drives. The most encouraging part of this? Percy Harvin had little to do with it. Instead, the Gators spread the ball around all game; Tim Tebow completed passes to eight different receivers, with Louis Murphy leading the way with 5 receptions for 70 yards. Harvin, by contrast, had a modest game; after a tremendous 264 total yard performance last week, he finished with 6 carries for 37 yards and 3 catches for 37 more. He did have a 21 yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter, but his biggest role yesterday was that of a decoy. Given the struggles Florida has had offensively, it was nice to see them play so seamlessly during the fourth quarter.
Defensively, the Gators bent but did not break; one area where the defense has obviously improved is in fourth down play. Whereas last year's unit struggled mightily in getting the offense off the field, Arkansas went for fourth downs twice during the first quarter, only to be turned away both times. The first one was foiled when Carlos Dunlap sacked Casey Dick, and the second resulted in Ahmad Black tackling Arkansas tight end DJ Williams two yards short of the first down marker. The Gators also racked up four sacks during the game. Despite the good, though, the defense still struggled for much of the game; Casey Dick passed for over 260 yards, and Michael Smith ran for 133 more and a touchdown. Penalties, and some big plays by Florida's defense, however, prevented the Razorbacks from scoring for much of the game, as they only put up seven points despite 361 yards of offense. The secondary played a big role in that, as Joe Haden and Major Wright both recorded eleven tackles--with Haden adding an interception as well-- and Janoris Jenkins adding two key pass breakups early in the game. Ahmad Black may be the unsung hero of yesterday's game, however, as he had six tackles, stopped a key fourth down opportunity, and blocked a field goal attempt.
So what's the final verdict on this game? Hard to say, really. One can't argue with 514 yards of offense and 38 points, can he? My only quibble is that I wish the Gator offense would get in rhythm earlier. Spreading the ball around is a great thing, and Florida did this early and often, but they simply have to work on the penalties. Hopefully, Chris Rainey and Jeffrey Demps will have a chance to make an impact early against LSU. Defensively, Florida couldn't generate a consistent pass rush and could not stop Arkansas from moving the ball between the 20s; however, the defense stiffened when the Razorbacks hit the red zone, holding them to seven points. It shows that the unit has a long way to go, but is getting better with each game.
Props on Offense:
- Jeffrey Demps, for 102 rushing yards and two TDs on just 7 carries
- Chris Rainey, for 103 yards rushing and one TD on just 10 carries
- Louis Murphy, for 70 receiving yards on 5 catches
- Tim Tebow, for going 17-26 for 217 yards and 2 TDs (though his streak of consecutive passes without an interception ended at 204)
Props on Defense:
- Joe Haden and Major Wright, for recording 11 tackles apiece
- Ahmad Black, for racking up 6 tackles and a blocked field goal
- Janoris Jenkins, for starting and breaking up two passes
- Brandon Hicks, for starting in place of Dustin Doe and recording 6 tackles
- Brandon James, for recovering a fumbled punt return and having yet another kickoff returned for a TD called back due to holding
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