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The new offense isn't working as well as Steve Spurrier's, but players and coaches are certain it will.
By ANTONYA ENGLISH, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times, published October 10, 2002
GAINESVILLE -- Florida coaches and players have been elusive when asked to explain the differences between the team's offensive strategy this season and last, when it led the nation in total offense.
The questions aren't about to go away, not after Saturday's offensive collapse in the 17-14 loss at Mississippi. Florida was scoreless in the second half. The Gators are No. 20 in the nation in total offense, averaging 431.5 yards. They're No. 15 in passing and No. 42 in scoring under new offensive coordinator Ed Zaunbrecher.
Backup quarterback Ingle Martin said changing offensive systems was like speaking Japanese all your life, then being asked to speak fluent English within three months.
Quarterback Rex Grossman would not specifically compare the two systems, but said: "Everything is different. It's different routes, different terminology, different concepts and different strategy. I can't really go into detail how it's different. It's just a different offense. It's similar routes, but a whole new offensive coordinator. You've just got to get accustomed to what they like to do and what routes, and how to attack those routes in a certain defense."
But there are specific differences in this season's offensive system and last season's, the most significant that Spurrier's system relied on the fear factor of the deep ball.
A comparison of the two offenses at the same point in the season: In last season's 44-15 win at LSU the Gators completed passes of 63, 34 and 28 yards. In Saturday's loss at Mississippi, Florida had one completion of more than 21.
Under Spurrier, Florida typically used the long ball to set up intermediate and short passes. Zaunbrecher tries to draw secondaries closer to the line of scrimmage with "dink" passes under 10 yards before attacking deep.
Coach Ron Zook said Florida might have become too predictable against Mississippi.
With the majority of Florida's intermediate passes going to the middle of the field, opposing defenses have focused on inside throws.
"Film," Mississippi defensive back Matt Grier said after the game. "If you play Florida, you'd be smart to study the film. ... They have a lot of tendencies by the way they line up."
Marshall quarterback Byron Leftwich, who rose as a Heisman Trophy candidate in Zaunbrecher's system, said it took him more than a year of watching Chad Pennington running it before the light came on for him.
"I'll tell you, it takes a while to learn," Leftwich said. "It's certainly not an easy offense to learn. He's (Grossman) going to have to put a lot of effort into it. It does take some time to get comfortable with it, but once he does I think they'll really like the offense."
Until Saturday's poor second half, the Gators thought they had it down pretty well.
"I thought we did have it clicking, and maybe that was my mistake," Grossman said. "I thought I was pretty comfortable in it and maybe relaxed a little bit. But going into the game Saturday, I was extremely confident with our offense and thought we were playing pretty well."
Zaunbrecher blamed lack of execution, not the system.
"There's nothing wrong with the offense, we've just got to play better," he said. "We did some things fairly well in the first half, and in the second half we didn't do some things. It's not so much things have to be adjusted, it's just doing them better. They've been working all year for us."
Like the old offense, the tight ends and fullbacks aren't prominent, although the tight ends have seen more action this season. Aaron Walker and Ben Troupe have combined for 15 catches for 249 yards, compared with 11 for 122 yards through six games last season.
"The last game they disappeared," Zook said. "We need to do some things to get them involved. ... Those are two guys we need to get involved in the offense and utilize their ability."
Zaunbrecher and Zook said they are confident Florida will learn from Saturday's mistakes and be better prepared when it hosts No. 18 LSU on Saturday.
"Up until the second half the other day, we've been on a pretty good incline and getting better and better," Zaunbrecher said. "It was between the ears more than not knowing what to do or anything like that.
"It was just the mental things that keep you from being successful. We have a bunch of guys who have played a lot of football and some who haven't played a lot, and sometimes that catches up with you."