Was 2007 a historically bad defense by Florida standards?

Across the board scoring and passing yards were up in college football this season over last year. A return to old rules regarding the game clock and a new rule moving the kick off back five yards impacted the increase in scoring in 2007. For the Gators, Florida’s 2006 national championship team scored 416 points in 14 games and this year’s team scored 552 in 13 games. Florida’s scoring increased 32.69% on the season and 42.9% per game. This increase, however, doesn’t come close to what happened on the opponent’s side of the ball. The 2006 UF gave up 189 points in 14 games and this year the team gave up 331 points in 13 games. Opponent scoring increased 75.13% on the season and 88.59% per game.

Other numbers for the defense also paint a bleak picture. The 2007 Gators gave up one point for every 14.2 yards an opponent gained from the line of scrimmage. Of the 48 Gator teams since 1960 that number would rank them near the bottom at #45. The defense allowed 3.04 yards per rush which would rank a very modest 21 out of 48 past Gator teams. The 2007 team allowed more passing yards than any team since 1960, and they allowed 7.21 yards per pass attempt which would rank them 46 out of 48 Gator teams. Opponents were able to attempt 466 passes and were sacked only 29 times. UF defenders recovered 11 fumbles on the season and picked off only 11 passes (4 of the turnovers came in the bowl game). UF opponents scored on 85% of their trips into the red zone.

It should be noted that the Gator defense did not labor behind an ineffective offense. The 2007 Gators scored a point for every 10.77 yards they gained from the line of scrimmage. This figure is the best in UF history since 1960, better than any of the fun ‘n gun teams under Spurrier. UF averaged 5.3 yards per rush attempt which is the second highest average since 1960. The Gator offense had the 11th most passing yards in school history and the 6th most yards per pass attempt. The 2007 team scored the 3rd most points in UF history. The Gators turned the ball over only 15 times. UF scored on 85 of their 154 possessions (55.19%) and converted 53% of their third downs. UF’s special teams allowed only 22 yards in punt returns all season. There were no kicks returned for touchdowns and there were no punt blocks.

So despite being given for the most part favorable field position, playing with the lead or within a score, and rarely being put in a bad situation due to turnovers the defense still could not control the game except on rare occasions. In fact, there were a few instances where the defense’s short comings were exposed. With the Auburn game tied at 17-17 and 3:38 to go the Tigers took over from their own 39 yard line. The Tigers were able to put together a 10 play drive that ran out the clock and ended with Auburn kicking a game winning field goal. Against LSU the Tigers took over on their own 40 with 9:20 to go and trailing 21-24. LSU put together a 15 play 60 yard TD drive that took 8:11 off the clock. Against UGA the Gators trailed 30-35 and kicked off to the Bulldogs with 9:40 to play. UGA went on an 11 play 68 yard drive that took up 5:46 off the clock scoring a TD to put the game away. Against Michigan the Gators scored to take a 35-31 lead with 5:49 to play. The Gator defense surrendered the lead in 1:37 allowing the Wolverines to drive 67 yards in 4 plays. Of course the offense came up short in some key situations also in these games.

UF opponents scored on 59 of their 160 drives or 36.88%. In the SEC opponents scored on 38 of 94 drives or 40.43%. Of the 97 UF kick offs opponents were able to take the ball and drive for a score 31 times. UF opponents scored after 5 of the 6 UF offense interceptions, after 5 of the 9 lost fumbles and after 2 of the 5 missed FGs. UF opponents put together 46 drives that covered more than 50 yards or 28.75% of all opponent drives on the season. UF opponents put together 26 drives that lasted 10 plays or more or 16.25% of all the drives on the season.

As a point of comparison UF’s high powered offense scored on 52.17% of their SEC possessions (48-92), had 59 drives over 50 yards on the season (38.31%) and had 22 drives of 10 plays or more (14.29%).

UF should have had a huge field position advantage gained from its offense. The Gators averaged 7.1 yards per play, tops in the SEC by over half a yard per play. Going into the bowl game they averaged 462 yards per game which was again tops in the SEC and 14th in the nation. Entering the bowl game UF was #4 in the nation in scoring per game. In the SEC, only LSU had fewer turnovers lost during the regular season than the Gators (and UF had zero in the bowl game). UF was also 9th in the nation in net punting and 4th in punt return yards allowed. So how did the Gators give up so many points?

Why was it such a bad year for the defense? Was it because of youth and inexperience? UF had 6 true freshman or red-shirt freshmen start games on the defense; Haden 12 games at CB, Wright 7 games at FS, Pouncey 4 games at NG, Trattou 1 game at DT, Jones 9 games at LB, and Rickerson 2 games at CB.

Was it injuries? Players played banged up during the season but all teams have injury issues. For the Gators there were 4 or 5 injuries that effected the team. Markihe Anderson injured his knee in the pre-season and was clearly not the player the coaches hoped he would be to lock down one corner position. Anderson was able to get on the field at times and made two starts but for the year he had zero passes defended and made 1 INT along with 14 tackles. His injury rippled through the secondary as true freshman Joe Haden was forced to play right away. Although Haden accounted well for himself he was not ready to be an every down corner, 63 tackles, 1 INT, and 12 passes broken up. Pierre-Lewis was installed at the other corner when he probably would have been better suited as a nickel-back. Pierre-Lewis had 2 INT, 3 passes defended, and 30 tackles. Rickerson was forced into the lineup and he was clearly not ready to play except for a good showing during the FSU game. Tony Joiner held down the strong safety position for the year but he is steady player not a superstar, 64 tackles, 2 INT, 4 passes defended. Jackson began the year as the free safety but he was replaced by freshman Wright at the half way point. Jackson finished the year with 12 tackles, 0 INT and 1 pass defended. In only 7 starts and playing with a broken thumb Wright finished with 67 tackles, 1 INT, 2 passes defended and 4 forced fumbles.

To compare, last year’s secondary, which also benefited from better play from the front 7 had these numbers: Ryan Smith 54 tackles, 8 INT, 8 passes defended, Reggie Lewis 27 tackles, 4 INT, 6 passes defended, Joiner made 59 tackles 2 INT and 6 passes defended, and Reggie Nelson made 51 tackles, 6 INT, and 5 passes defended.

A second injury occurred to freshman Jerimy Finch (3 games 7 tackles and 1 INT) who was just starting to make an impact in the Tennessee game when he went down with a broken ankle. Its only speculation but I think Finch would have been in on a number of passing downs at LB or as a nickel back. If Finch had progressed to the same level as Wright did at free safety than UF could have had more flexibility in the secondary.

UF also had a number of injuries to interior defensive linemen. Javier Estopinan started the first 7 games but then went down to injury. For the season Brandon Antwine was able to only get on the field for only 4 games. By the end of the season UF was using a converted center- Pouncey, undersized true-freshmen DE-Trattou, true-freshman- T. Davis, and career backup L. Alford (first start in the Citrus Bowl) in the defensive interior line. Senior Clint McMillan started at one spot on the DL, but for the season recorded only 23 tackles, 1.5 TFL, and 0 sacks.

UF was also very thin at the linebacker position. Spikes and Doe held down two of the linebacker spots and Jones played when UF was not in a nickel defense. Spikes led UF in tackles and Doe was second (Jones finished 8th in tackles). Stamper contributed in the linebacker position but beyond that you would be hard pressed to find any other player making plays for UF at the linebacker position.

UF seemed to be severely handicapped by its lack of depth and lack of experience on the defensive side of the ball. More often than not UF played what appeared to be in a very soft zone with its corners. The goal (which I’m not saying did not make strategic sense) was to not allow the Gator corners to get burned deep. Without Nelson at FS from a year ago, UF could not afford to let their corners be exposed on the deep ball. Jackson did not bring the same skills to the table and Wright was an unknown until late in the season (even then he was still a true freshman). The strength of UF’s linebackers is their speed and the lateral movement to the ball. Spikes and Doe and to a lesser extent Jones had good years filling gaps and making plays in pursuit, especially since the DL was pushed back at times. I’m not convinced they were as good in the passing game and getting their proper drops in coverage. None of the linebackers showed promise as blitzers or being able to rush off the edge. Again this may have been a symptom of overall poor play from the d-line. I think it is the d-line that needs the most work. Again its not the players fault if as freshman they are tossed to the wolves. Trattou, Davis, Pouncey were all true freshman getting considerable snaps in the trenches of SEC games. Harvey who will more than likely be a first round pick based on his ability to rush the passer could not be turned lose to rush the edge (the best part of his game). Cunningham a converted DE again is a speed guy who can get to the QB, but also could be run at by teams with good personnel. Estopinan could hold his own in the trenches but has been injury plagued his entire career. McMillian would be much more effective in a rotation. SO-Sanders RFR- Marsh, Antwine, Hobbs and true freshman- Dunlap and Lemmings were just not ready to go for various reasons ranging from experience to injury (Brown and Howard were red shirted). How the program can get itself into a position where it has only 4 upper classman for the entire defensive line shows a recruiting failure. OF course the good news is that there are a number of players with potential to play the line for the next two years.