For whatever reason UF can not fix its penalty problems, new players, new coaches- same result. Year after year after year- for the most part. Most of us who post here see every Florida game and yes UF commits penalties and they get flagged for it- every time.  UF opponents...hard to say as I will admit I have a bias toward the Orange and Blue.  Bias is everywhere either intentional or not, referees are human and they are effected by perception, home crowds, the score, whatever. 

Players are emotional, players look for an edge- whatever they can get away with. As a Gator maybe you can't get away with very much.  As an opponent of the Gators maybe you can get away with a little more and a little more. Until you get to the point in the game where you hit a returner after the play and knock him out of the game.  Or you dive at a QBs knee while he is throwing.  If you can mock the Gator chomp is it a stretch to mock the rules of the game?

UF has played three teams this season and they have largely out manned their opponents. They have dominated games except in getting called for penalties.  Despite a physical advantage apparently the Gators have had to result to penalties. It defies logic on some levels.  The inferior team does not need to hold, or interfer to stay in the game.  The dominant team is making most of the mistakes.

So far in 2016 UF ranks #114 in penalties.  UF oppnents are ranked #116 in the fewest penalties called against them.

The margin between penalties called on UF and penalties called on their opponents if the 14th highest in college football.  The margin in the penalty yardage if the 3rd highest.

Same as it ever was...

Since SEC refs call most of the Gator games in a season, apparently in their eys UF is a bigger "thug" school than almost anybody- worse than FSU, worse than Miami.

Conference darlings Alabama and Tennessee are apparently very good at following the rules of the game.

SEC refs also appear to be on high alert whenever Florida plays...

When UF plays suddenly SEC games get called like a PAC 12 game, when Bama plays its like the teams run the triple option.

LDR's injury is a blow to the Gators it will effect the offense.  How much IDK.  But LDR was not a game breaking QB- he is not the prime reason UF is 3-0.  I don't think he was going to win games for UF on his own.  Appleby needs to be better than a replacement level QB but he will probably not be asked to win games either.  UF QB play has still be pretty average, despite a light schedule...

UF is winning games because the defense does not give up plays and UF has mostly protected the football...

Since 1990, UF is 3-0 for the 19th time (27 seasons total). In the prevoius 18 UF has averaged 10.36 wins per season.  Winning the 4th game to go 4-0 doesn't change much as far as projected wins, but losing the 4th game to fall to 3-1 lowers the average season win total to 8.43. 

UF has been 4-0 seventeen times, and 3-1 seven times.   When UF gets to 5-0 (11 times) or 6-0 (6 times) they are on average an 11 win team.

Here is an unscientific chart...

		13	-		13.00
		12	-	12.50	12.60
		11	-	12.50	12.25	11.00
		10	-	12.33	11.50	10.50	10.00	10.00
		9	-	12.33	10.54	9.86	9.00	9.00
		8	-	12.33	10.54	9.50	8.60	8.33	8.00
WINS		7	-	12.00	10.54	9.33	8.50	7.50	7.33	7.00
		6	-	11.83	10.46	9.33	8.25	7.33	7.00	7.00
		5	-	11.05	10.14	9.00	8.00	7.00	7.00
		4	-	10.21	8.82	7.43	7.00	6.00	4.00	4.00	4.00	4.00
		3	-	10.36	8.43	7.75	7.50
		2	-	10.17	7.71	8.50
		1	-	9.60	7.20	9.00
		0	-	9.60
				-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
				0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
							LOSSES

By the way, Champ is the only Gator coach since 1990 to have a Gator team at 4-5, 5-5, 4-6, 6-6, 7-6, 4-7 and 4-8.

Zook was never ever 2-0 in any of his three years.