Miami fans will call these excuses. But they are the simple facts. Last year we had 1st-year coaches completely revamping offense and defense, while Miami's coaches were well entrenched. And the Gators coaches endured an assault against them from Gator hators, "Gator" imposters, and misguided "Spurrier" Gators, adding extra pressure and anxiety to their jobs, to the point Zook's wife questioned if they were going to be "OK" thru the end of the season. All this in a season where he also lost his father. We had players who were still suffering from SOS hangover, apparently to the point of causing confusion and errors by ad-libbing to old Spurrier plays, and who probably never really bought into being Zook's Gators. We had one wideout who was deemed speedy enough to be the favorite target of the QB, who wound up locking on him wayyy to much as a result. Out of loyalty for his staying his senior year, we stuck to one powerful but not-too-speedy tailback. We had one weak Senior offensive guard who was often destroyed on plays, and very little OL depth overall. We had little depth and not much talent on defensive line, and some of those were already thinking more about the NFL, not buying into Thompson's defense. Last year we had depth and talent problems at linebacker, and a highly questionable overall defensive scheme. We had a QB attempting to be a punter (badly). And with ALL that against us, early in the season, in the third quarter against a seasoned, established Miami team that went on to play for the MNC, we were a scant three yards away from a TD that would have pulled us within 4 points, along with all the momentum and Swamp Magic that would have brought. Instead, we inexplicably call a pass play down there after running the ball so well, and Rex throws a pass into coverage that gets returned 97 yards the other way for a score. My point being, even with all that against us, we were THAT close to pulling within one score in the 3rd quarter against these same OH-SO-MIGHTY canes. THIS year, our head and offensive coaches are in their second year now, and our DC looks to have better schemes and better effort out of his players than last years. Miami lost THEIR all-world QB also, and we have at least ONE QB on our team who is as good or better than their replacement. Even though Gore is a great back, their running game has worsened with the loss of McGehee, while our situation with Carthon, Fason, Walker, and Wynn has improved (I think). We have added MUCH speed and talent to our wide reciever situation, and improved our depth along the OL, and maybe even the DL. We have a lot of potential speed and power at LB, even if it is young, more so than we had last year, though where they are at still remains to be seen. Our punting situation looks OVERWHELMINGLY better, and our entire kicking and special teams looks to be greatly improved. In short, while I see Miami's team as not quite what they were last year, I see our team as much improved. And regardless of last year's final score, our team had a very good chance of taking that game last year, until Grossman's unfortunate errant throw that went the other way. And yet I read so much weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth here from Gators who SHOULD expect us to go down there and kick ass, but instead say they see no chance of us winning! Even the uga POODLES show more spine than that before a Jax game! Here's what's going to happen. We are going to go down there and the Swamp Lizard is going to drag those slimy, filthy scUM down into the depths. They will be burbleing and screaming as the Gator destroys them as only an agile, hungry,hostile, fightin' Florida Gator can. They are going to find out what it is like to be torn and shredded by the jaws of the swamp monarch. And they will NEVER forget it.