Never mind the three-man front Florida's desperate defensive coaches are considering using against Vanderbilt this Saturday. With the Gators down to three healthy tackles after getting rocked for six touchdowns by previously mediocre Georgia, the best defense Greg Mattison, Charlie Strong and Chuck Heater can dial up isn't a 3-3-5, a 3-4-4 or a 3-2-6.
It's 9-1-1.
As in, somebody call for help. The Florida defense has fallen, and it can't get up.
This should not come as a complete surprise. No defense could withstand the loss of all-world free safety Reggie Nelson, who had the most dominant season for any Florida defender since Wilber Marshall 23 years earlier, and not feel any pain. That pain turned into agony with the departure of indefatigable pass rusher Jarvis Moss, four other big-time contributors on the defensive line, three-year starting linebackers Brandon Siler and Earl Everett and cornerback Ryan Smith, the SEC leader in interceptions.
Throw in UF's depth-shy recruiting class in 2004 under Ron Zook and its lackluster group in 2005 as Urban Meyer arrived late, and the drop-off figured to be dramatic.
The Gators needed to get fortunate to avoid a defensive breakdown. Instead, they have not gotten any breaks at all.
They needed one of their true freshmen to beat the odds and be ready to play right away up front. Instead, touted tackle John Brown struggled to qualify academically, missed summer school and had no shot by the time he arrived. Justin Trattou, Torrey Davis, Duke Lemmens and Carlos Dunlap have been little more than warm bodies, combining for 13 tackles through six SEC games.
The starters needed to stay healthy. Instead, cornerback Markihe Anderson suffered a knee injury before the season opener, tweaked it again after returning against Tennessee and has been less than 100 percent the rest of the way. Tackle Javier Estopinan, UF's best run defender, tore his left anterior cruciate ligament in the first half against Georgia and is gone for the year. True freshman safety Major Wright, UF's best hitter, was limited to kick coverage against the Bulldogs after breaking his thumb a week earlier. Not coincidentally, running back Knowshon Moreno ran all over the Gators.
Sophomore linebackers Brandon Spikes and Dustin Doe needed to play like veterans even though they were first-year starters. Spikes has, but Doe is struggling despite ranking second on the team in tackles.
If Wright is cleared, Florida might be starting three true freshmen against Vanderbilt this Saturday – cornerback Joe Haden, Wright and Davis – four true sophomores – Spikes, Doe, end Jermaine Cunningham and cornerback Wondy Pierre-Louis – and redshirt freshman linebacker Dustin Doe.
That is no one's formula for a sound defense, which is why UF's numbers are miserable. The Gators rank ninth in the SEC in total defense, ninth in scoring defense, last in pass efficiency defense and 10th in third-down conversion defense.
Ole Miss quarterback Seth Adams threw for 302 yards and two touchdowns against Florida. In his last three starts, he threw seven interceptions. He did not even reach 100 passing yards against Arkansas and Auburn before getting benched for Brent Schaeffer.
LSU running back Jacob Hester looked like the second coming of Earl Campbell on a few plays against Florida, rushing for a career-high 106 yards. He had 111 yards combined in the Tigers' next two games against Kentucky and Auburn.
Kentucky quarterback Andre Woodson threw for 415 yards and five touchdowns against Florida. His numbers dipped to 230 yards and two touchdowns a week later against Mississippi State.
Georgia has scored six touchdowns on SEC opponents with winning records only twice in coach Mark Richt's seven seasons – against LSU in 2004 and Florida last Saturday.
Vanderbilt wide receiver Earl Bennett has been ineffective against good SEC defenses, catching nine passes for 86 yards against Auburn, Georgia and South Carolina in his slow march to the top of the league's records. Even with the Commodores' unsteady quarterback situation, he is almost certain to surpass those totals in one afternoon against Florida's secondary.
Florida is on pace to give up the third-most yards in school history, with opponents averaging 358.8 game. The only years when the Gators gave up more were 1992 (368.9) and 2003 (367.5).
The goal on defense is to survive the rest of the season and thrive again next year, when most of UF's starters will be upperclassmen with experience.
Until then, the coaches have to employ any means necessary to keep the Gators afloat. Moving Mike Pouncey to defensive tackle this week was a good start. If he can provide any presence in the middle, he will be a plus. Experimenting with a three-man line is a smart idea, too.
Florida's defensive problems are personnel driven, but the coaches have to consider system changes anyway. Nothing they tried worked in the last four games, so they have to keep looking.
Emergencies call for radical solutions.
time to panic
time to panic
Eh, all that shit's correctable.