Florida Gators 27, Vanderbilt 3: Where are all the playmakers?

GAINESVILLE -- It probably wasn't the bloodletting that Florida Gators fans had hoped for but UF's 27-3 victory on Saturday against Vanderbilt was the Gators' second consecutive solid performance and, more importantly, UF's 19th straight victory.

We'll address some key points as they pop into our head...

1. Tim Tebow's Heisman Trophy campaign
What are his chances of winning the Heisman after Saturday's game? Tebow didn't play poorly but he certainly did not dominate Vanderbilt like he did in 2007 and 2008. Tebow completed 15 of 20 attempts on Saturday for 208 yards and a touchdown. The touchdown, an eight-yard throw to David Nelson, came off an initial tip by receiver Riley Cooper. Tebow also rushed for score, the 52nd rushing touchdown of his career.

Tebow accounted for five touchdowns in each of his previous two starts against Vanderbilt (2007 and 2008). Tebow's numbers are down. Can he still win the Heisman? I think he deserves the Heisman but many people are looking for reasons not to vote for Tebow and that might hurt him.

2. Where are all the big plays? Where are all the playmakers? (And don't be lame and tell me that Percy Harvin and Louis Murphy were on the Gators' sideline on Saturday.)
Ten games into the season and Florida is still searching for playmakers. Here's a stat that will blow your mind. Jeff Demps' 25-yard touchdown run on Saturday was his longest carry this season against an SEC opponent. A tight leads UF in receiving. Aaron Hernandez has 43 receptions through nine games after his seven receptions for 120 yards on Saturday. Deonte Thompson, where are you? Thompson had one reception for 16 yards on Saturday. When Florida wanted to throw downfield on Saturday, Tebow was sacked. Vanderbilt sacked Tebow four times.

3. Florida's defense is a dominant force. Playing without middle linebacker Brandon Spikes, Florida held Vandy to 199 yards of offense. Florida's defense entered Saturday's game ranked No.2 in the nation.

OK, that's it. I'm heading home. Until Sunday, talk amongst yourselves.

LIVE BLOG BELOW
Florida's bid for a shutout evaporated with 8:40 left in the third quarter when Vanderbilt's Ryan Fowler kicked a 32-yard field goal. Florida leads 13-3.

Halftime
It's halftime at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Time to break the news. Brandon Spikes appears to have shaved his smart-guy beard. We watched Spikes on the sidelines off and on during the first half and it appears Spikes has gone hairless. Probably penance for his eye gouge; like flogging or something. UF leads Vanderbilt 13-0 at halftime. 

Maurkice Pouncey injures right leg
Florida center Maurkice Pouncey left the game with 3:16 left in the first half with what appeared to be a right leg injury. Mike Pouncey moved to center and James Wilson entered the game at left guard. The play after Maurkice left the game: Tebow sacked for a 12-yard loss.

Louis Murphy in the house
Former Florida receiver Louis Murphy (Oakland Raiders) is in the house, too. Murphy is hanging out with Harvin on the sidelines near the Florida 25.

Tebow passes out of I-formation
The play every Florida Gators fan has been waiting to see just happened. That's right, Tebow threw out of the I-formation.

Florida took a 13-0 lead with 6:08 left to the play in the first half and the drive included a 16-yard pass to Deonte Thompson out of the I-formation. NFL here he comes! 

4th down conversion
Faced with 4th and 2 at the Vandy 26, UF elected to go for it and converted the gamble into a 26-yard touchdown run by Jeff Demps. It was a speed option play and Vanderbilt either didn't account for Demps or Demps was just too fast. UF 10, Vanderbilt 0; 12:43 in the 2nd Quarter.

Demps' 26-yard touchdown run was his longest carry during SEC play this season.

The touchdown drive was set up by an interception from UF linebacker Ryan Stamper. Stamper stepped in front of a Mackenzi Adams pass at the Vandy 34.

Meyer puts his foot down
The Banzai is back! The Banzai is back! Isn't everyone glad the Banzai is back!?!

The Florida Gators always look pretty herky-jerky in their no-huddle, speed-up-to-slow-down Banzai package. Still, they keep on using it. The Gators lead Vanderbilt 3-0 after a first quarter of Banzai. The Gators held the ball for over seven minutes during their second drive of the game but settled for a field goal when the drive stalled at the Vandy 10.

On third and 2, Florida called a bizarre triple-option play that sent Jeff Demps and Aaron Hernandez in motion and into the backfield. What ever it was, it didn't work. Tebow faked to the Hernandez and then kept the ball and ran into a pile at the 10. Florida coach Urban Meyer stomped his foot in disgust.

Percy Harvin on the sidelines
Percy Harvin in the house! Just spotted the Gators' former wide receiver on the sidelines. Will Harvin win NFL Rookie of the Year?

It's official, Florida vs. Alabama in the SEC championship game
Alabama clinched the Southeastern Conference Western Division on Saturday with its 24-15 victory against Louisiana State in Tuscaloosa, Ala. That means it's official: Florida vs. Alabama; Meyer vs. Saban; Tebow vs. Ingram on Dec.5 in Atlanta.

Blogging live from tonight's game ... Gators not dressed: Dorian Munroe, Gary Brown, T.J. Lawrence, Andre Debose, Kedric Johnson, Brandon Hicks, Edwin Herbert, Brandon Antwine, Brandon Spikes, Desmond Parks and Jeremy Brown. 

-jo-

Comments

[mit wobet]

HEY GOOBERS, there's a new new movie out based on your life at Florida and it's called 'MEN WHO LOOK AT GOATS'..

[mit wobet]

U'all know what Notre Dame losing today means. RIGHT.

[ReptilesRule]

Jo, we're gonna get KILLED running these stupid dive plays with Rainey against teams like South Carolina and Bama. Can you imagine the first time Mt. Cody gets ahold of one of our mini backs trying to run between the tackles?? If we make calls like this in the SECCG and execute this way, Bama will rip us a new one!! Yet the one time we run outside on a pitch to get our guys in space??...TOUCHDOWN Demps...Please help me to try and understand!!

[ReptilesRule]

Our O Line and Offensive Coordinator are pathetic!!

[Gator John in Pinecrest-LOVIN' IT!]

Tebow...throw the ball away!
Addazio....no dives with 170 lb. demps and rainey!
Please, for the love of God...get ride of the damn Banzia!

Happy to be 9-0 but hard to believe this is the best offense in the SEC......watching this offense is like watching a Farrari drive 15 MPH through a school zone...so much potential!

[Rico Nice]

Gator John in Pinecrest - your critique said it best! Way to put it... especially the line about the Ferrari!!!! Go Gators!

[mit wobet]

RURAL, NOTRE DAME's on line 1..

[U are who we thought U were]

Hey Randy, Grambling is on line two, something about a head coachi...uhh..nevermind...something about an assistant position.

[FZB]

I have a Big...Big dilemma ...

on one hand I have the "swamp lizards" coached by a car salesman, who is well known to stretch the truth a little bit to recruits....

and on the other I have coach "satan" who just lied to everybody on his way out of town when he coached the dolphins.....

they are both playing for the SEC crown .. ....sooo, who should I roof for???

[paul dee]

According to you jealous losers, Tim Tebow IS a linebacker. What's the use in endlessly whining about Urban "Liar"? Just makes U look bitter.

If Randy retired monday, and Urban expressed interest in UM on tuesday, U has-beens would have a contract ready on Wednesday.

Jealous losers.

[mit wobet]

He's not a linebacker Mr Dee, he's a fullback who can throw..

[Ufelony]

"I think he deserves the Heisman but many people are looking for reasons not to vote for Tebow and that might hurt him."

lol.....

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

take your blue and orange homer glasses off for a second..

tebow has 11 passing td's on the seaason and you think he should win the Hiesman, is you high man?

i dont want to hear aboout the rushing touchdowns either, when uribe pretty much lines up tebow in goal line and wild cats that thing in there every time. stat fluffer!!

[Ufelony]

florida's offense is been the same for the last three years. run tebow, run tebow, and then pass to percy harvin. look how different this offense looks with percy in the NFL. percy was the best player on the two MNC winning florida gator team. tebow has more running attempts this year then both of your running backs put together this year. last year percy ( a WR) had the most rushing attempts then any one on the team. brantley will be a star running the ball 155 times next year, imo. florida wont skip a beat. hahahaha yeah right....

[Ufelony]

"Where are all the big plays? Where are all the playmakers"?

goody

ay kehoe, where's the depth fool!

hahahaha clown.

[Ten games into the season and Florida is still searching for playmakers.]

we are really missing percy
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but, but, but we are the gators, we reload.

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Why did andre debose get hurt. he was the best player out of the stanford trio and dare i say, "the next percy."
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good luck on the "next percy" search.

Great depth, pig. wouldn't you agree.

[PowerHouse 3mnc's]

we are really missing percy
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but, but, but we are the gators, we reload.

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Why did andre debose get hurt. he was the best player out of the stanford trio and dare i say, "the next percy."
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good luck on the "next percy" search.

Great depth, pig. wouldn't you agree.

Posted by: Ten games into the season and Florida is still searching for playmakers. | November 08, 2009 at 01:29 PM

get off our blog, cane troll.

[Gator John in Pinecrest-LOVIN' IT!]

Rico Nice,

I feel like an ass complaining. I just yearn for them to rip a new one into one of these teams ala 56-6. But it never seems to come. It never came in 2006 until the NC game. So I will be more than happy with that. But man, I can see Dionte Thompson going 80 yards at least once a game!

[Swamp thing]

OMG,

We can't even blow out Vandy!