Midweek breakdown for Florida Gators vs. Kentucky: Podcast

GatorCountry brings you a new podcast as we continue to breakdown the Florida Gators vs. Kentucky game on Saturday in Lexington.

Andrew Spivey and Nick de la Torre breakdown what Kentucky does well on offense and how its defense is doing against the running game.

Andrew and Nick also explain how they think Florida should go about attacking Kentucky on offense.

TRANSCRIPT:

Andrew:                 What’s up, Gator Country? Your man, Andrew Spivey, here with Nicholas de la Torre. Nicholas, Wednesday before Kentucky, and just another year. What are we at in the streak now? 50, 60? What’s the streak now?

Nick:                         I believe that’s 30, the number you’re looking for there.

Andrew:                 It was. It just does seem like forever. It was the year I was born is the last time they lost. I mean, technically you and I have really never seen a Florida loss.

Nick:                         Never. Three decades. I can’t imagine what it’s like to be a Kentucky fan.

Andrew:                 If you’re a Kentucky fan, do you even watch this game? I say this laughing, but not laughing. I mean, what do you say? What do you say to this? I mean, three decades.

Nick:                         UF all time is 28-4 in Lexington.

Andrew:                 Oh my gosh.

Nick:                         Kentucky have only beaten Florida four times at home in 32 tries.

Andrew:                 Yeah. Will say this though, Nick, and people continue to laugh at your boy over here, but this is a better Kentucky football team. Now, am I going to pick Kentucky? No. Is Florida better than Kentucky? Yes. All that good stuff. I’m just saying, I think this is a better Kentucky football team.

Nick:                         Defense is good.

Andrew:                 I love their quarterback.

Nick:                         Okay. We’ll get to the quarterback. You’ve got to look at who they’ve played. Southern Miss, Eastern Kentucky, trash and trash. Then boom, boom. Gave 17, 15, and then 13. It’s almost interesting that they play their best opponent and give up their least amount, almost like the defense focused in. It’s the #1 rushing defense in the SEC right now, giving up 57 yards a game. Jim McElwain said it Monday, “When you can’t run, and your defense doesn’t let a team run, now you’re one dimensional, and you can’t ever allow that to happen.”

Andrew:                 Yeah. That’s when you start to have problems. That’s when the defensive lines pins their ears back and just says, “Okay, we’re coming to get you.” Like I said, I think this is a better Kentucky football team. Am I just wrong about it? Probably. Who knows? I do. I think this is a better team that has some better players.

Nick:                         I think the biggest thing about the defense is some of those guys, those interior linemen, are really starting to show up now. Those young guy, those crazy classes that Stoops got in first couple years. You’re like, how do you get these four stars? Yeah.

Andrew:                 The big, fat Matty Young kid. Kentucky is #3 in the country in rush defense, behind only Duke and Utah. 57 yards per game given up. Not bad for Kentucky. It’s a good team. Just going through the stats here. Vandy only giving up 4.3 points per game. Wow. You go, Vandy.

Nick:                         That’s a team next week that Florida needs to worry about, to be honest with you. I don’t think Jim McElwain’s scored more than 17 points against Vanderbilt in two games. It’s a tough team that plays Florida close, but that’s important next week. We’ve got Kentucky this week.

Concerned about the quarterback, Stephen Johnson, who is completing a bunch of passes. I think he’s completed about 62% right now, and he can run. They’re not asking to do it a ton, but one of those kind of when he takes off, you got to be worried.

Andrew:                 Yeah. Does he worry me as a passer? Not really. I mean, only getting 180 yards per game passing, so no, but he’s just one of those guys that, and this is what Florida, and even Saban talks about, you get these quarterback that can keep plays alive. If you’re in specialty, or you’re in your nickel package, and you’re going man, one guy misses, watch out. That’s a big game. It’s something you have to plan for.

I’ll be honest. Going into this game, that’s what worries me is Stephen Johnson, just because of the fact of him getting outside the pocket against a guy like David Reese or even Chauncey and making them miss, and then going for the big play. Marco, CJ, those young guys, and I say Marco and CJ, they’re both very, very good players. Again, I think Marco’s smart, but don’t let your eyes … even if your guy is covered, you got the guy covered, make sure you keep your eyes on this quarterback.

Nick:                         Yeah. That’s another thing too, not just hurting you with his feet, but extending the play. Not just being outside the pocket, not taking off his running, but you’re asking cornerbacks or maybe poor Jeremiah Moon to cover that tight end for seven seconds. Good luck.

Andrew:                 When you think about that, you’re like, “Man, that could be something to watch, for sure.” Like I said, you go into this game thinking, having keys, and that’s the key in my opinion is how do Florida’s defense keep him contained? That’s something we’ll see.

Nick:                         I think the biggest part of it is going to be linebackers, and it’s an issue. It’s linebackers and eye control, and that’s something they’ve struggled with before. They’re very aggressive. It’s like I said, Michigan used Florida’s aggressiveness against them. You’re asking a lot of young players, stay gap sound, stay true to your assignment, and maybe even have somebody spying on Johnson throughout the game.

Andrew:                 What concerns me, Nick, and maybe it’ll concern you, but what concerns me is the pool, is the zone reads in the pool. Florida has done an atrocious job of keeping containment on the edge. Jachai Polite, even Jabari, they’ve done a terrible job of keeping it contained on the outside. That concerns me, because of a pool and go, pool and go.

Nick:                         Why? Explain to people why that is, and why is Florida bad at it?

Andrew:                 I think it’s kind of what you said, to start off with why they’re bad at it, they’re aggressive. Jachai and Jabari, those are young guys that just, “Let’s go get to the quarterback, or let’s attack the ball carrier,” instead of playing assignment ball. Sometimes that works out good. For instance, in the game on Saturday against Tennessee, Jachai jumped the snap real quick and ended up rushing the passer, and it was a great play. Had it sent something that came his way quickly, he probably gets blown by.

What I mean when I say that is each defensive end on the weak side has to keep control. On the strong side, you got a guy like Jordan Sherit. His deal is to rush the passer, usually have an outside linebacker or a nickel back there that’s going to set the edge. On the weak side, you have a defensive end who says, “Nothing can get outside of me, because I have no help.”

In the Michigan game, big time Jachai and Jabari were rushing inside immediately. That’s how the draws and stuff like that were getting bouncing outside. When they bounce outside, guess what? There is nobody out there. If you keep them inside, you’re flushing them to the linebackers. That’s what they’ve got to do a good job here of keeping Johnson inside of the pocket to where when he does do the zone read he’s having to cut it up and go into the linebackers there, not get into the outside where he’s one on one with a cornerback, or with nobody.

Nick:                         Who are you most concerned about keeping that contained?

Andrew:                 Jachai.

Nick:                         Jachai. I feel like Sherit’s fine. Cece does a good job of it.

Andrew:                 They’re usually on the strong side as well, to where they’re able to go ahead and go, because you got that nickel, or you got that outside linebacker in Moon, who’s got contain over there.

Nick:                         It’s a big question. It’s just kind of a lot of …

Andrew:                 You’re playing a true spread team.

Nick:                         Yeah. Is it almost just maturity? Just maturity to say, “I might not make this play, but I’m going to force it back inside by standing in the spot where Randy Shannon or Chris Rumph told me to stand. Do I want to make the play? Yeah. Is it the only play for me to make, to turn the quarterback back inside? That might be it.”

Andrew:                 You could get a situation then where Sterling—not Sterling, Stephen decides, “Okay. I’m going to try to outrun Jachai.” Guess what? He runs right into Jachai, or runs right into the defensive end. Then you have a big tackle for loss there. You hear this all the time, especially with the triple option team, and that is you have to play assignment football. When you play the spread team, it’s very key to play assignment football. Jalen Hurts last year, and, Nick, you may know this right off the top of the hand, he got some explosive runs outside of the box, because of that. He was able to break contain, get out there and go.

That’s something, even when he’s rushing the passer, not just on the zone reads and that kind of stuff, but when you’re rushing the passers, a guy like Jabari and Sherit then, or Cece then, they’ve got to make sure that they don’t get flushed inside too much to where he’s able to escape the pocket one way or the other. You almost have to collapse the pocket and let your defensive tackles get the sacks, or you get the sacks by collapsing the pocket. You just can’t run up field hoping to get it, because at the end of the day, sometimes the offensive tackles do allow that guy to run right past you, because then the quarterback’s able to step up. Boom. He’s outside, gone.

Nick:                         I think Kentucky actually has some athletes around him as well, which maybe hasn’t been the case.

Andrew:                 Yeah. That’s something, when you look at a guy like Benny Snell. What a name. Benny Snell. Benny Snell, Jr. Run the ball, Benny! 71 carries, 272 yards. Not great, but average speed guy there. I will say this, Nick, and maybe this is just me being a homer. I don’t know. I don’t think the receiving core is a good as it has been.

Nick:                         It’s an older group. You got junior CJ Conrad, who leads the team with 161 yards, and is the only guy that’s caught touchdowns, and then three senior wide receivers really that lead the way, Garrett Johnson, Blake Bone, and Charles Walker.

Andrew:                 You know, last year you had the guy, Ryan Timmons. That was a guy that did really well for them. You had speed guys. You had Jojo Kemp. You had those speed guys that were around them that was kind of able to break things out and make things happen, more of those speed guys. Granted, Garrett Johnson’s a very, very good football player, but I just don’t think that that’s there. I think the DBs should be fine. I don’t worry about the DBs there, and I don’t really worry about the rushing game for them as much as I worry about quarterback play. Don’t let the quarterback beat you. Agree?

Nick:                         What do you think about the job Stoops has done? Of course, McElwain, as he is, is very complementary of coaches he goes up against on a week to week basis. He was even complementary of your buddy Butch before that game. What do you think of the job that Stoops has done?

Kentucky’s not an easy place to get kids to come to, kind of almost like a Vanderbilt, without the same kind of academic requirements. Vanderbilt’s almost basically an Ivy League school. It’s a fanbase that is kind of eh about football. If they’re really good, which they never really are, I think the fanbase would pay attention, but it’s a basketball school. He’s facing an uphill battle just going to Kentucky and trying to build a football program to begin with, and that’s where he had to start.

Andrew:                 I think he’s done a good job. Like you said, you think about the recruiting area he’s in. He’s got to beat Ohio State for guys. I mean, they’re 45 minutes from Ohio. They got to beat Ohio State for the big name guys. Here’s the thing too, Ohio’s not loaded with 20, 50, whatever.

Nick:                         Not just going into Ohio to beat them for Ohio kids, trying to keep kids from Kentucky. If there’s a kid in Kentucky that is a four or five star, trying to keep him away from going to Ohio or Michigan or Penn State.

Andrew:                 Yeah. Or Notre Dame. Notre Dame’s right there as well. You got to think about that. You got to think about on average there’s probably 10 kids in Ohio that are major five conference players, maybe 15. You’re going to split that with Ohio State. You also got to think about Michigan’s right there. You got Notre Dame right there. You got Penn State close by. You got all those little schools right there close by.

I would say I think Stoops has done a good job of building it, and I think he’s built it the way he had to build it. That is …

Nick:                         He’s slow.

Andrew:                 Slow, but he built it with just getting some fast guys to go in there and run the spread. I tell this to people all the time, Nick, and maybe you don’t agree with this, but the easiest way for any football team to compete is just go get some playmakers, run the spread offense, and throw it 100 times a game. Don’t try to run it at people, just throw it all day.

Nick:                         Unless you’re going to run and be super proficient running that triple option, which teams don’t see a lot. Unless you’re going to be super proficient at that, then I would agree with you that that’s probably the best way. Kentucky’s won 10 of their last 13 games, including beating Louisville on the road, South Carolina, Missouri, and Southern Miss. Really good job he’s done with the program. I just don’t it see it. I think the undefeated season comes to an end.

Andrew:                 I 100% agree. 100%. Here’s the thing I was looking at, Nick, and that is you look at their defense, and the rushing game is there. They’ve given up just 171 yards rushing all year. They’ve given up more passing yards. Let me do this math real quick. They’ve had 77 completions out of 120. 65%, almost 65% completion percentage against them. If you’re Florida going into this game, you’re thinking, “We’re not running the ball very well. Feleipe just had a big game.” You think you can go into this game here and do okay passing the ball against Kentucky.

Kentucky does have five sacks on the year. That’s in three games though. You go into this game thinking, “Okay. We should be able to beat them through the air.” Beat them through the air. Get them weak there, and then try to run the ball there. I think they can do things with Feleipe in this game and make this game a good offensive showing.

Nick:                         But do they? They’re treating him, as Chris Rumph would say, “Feleipe Franks is eating at the kid’s table.”

Andrew:                 I agree. Completely.

Nick:                         They’re treating him with white gloves, proceed with caution. Waiting for them to open it up. Maybe this is the week, when you look at this secondary, and you look at this Kentucky team. Then again, you’re talking about a road game.

Andrew:                 It’s not loud.

Nick:                         Kentucky, it was a little loud the last time I was there, but it’s not like, the way that stadium’s constructed, it’s not like a Florida loud.

Andrew:                 Yeah. Think about it, Nick. They’re going to have what?

Nick:                         Listen, man, you know how delusional fans can be. I’m sure Kentucky, starting 3-0, looking at Florida, who’s only played two games, wasn’t impressive against Tennessee. Got blown out of the water against Michigan. I’m sure there’s a bunch of Kentucky fans, if not most of them, that think this is the year.

Andrew:                 I don’t agree. I mean, I don’t disagree with that. I’m just saying, this is not going to Tennessee. This is not going to LSU. This is not going to Texas A&M or somewhere that’s going to be loud like that. Is it going to have some noise? Sure, but it’s an open stadium, this, that, and the other. Feleipe, there’s no excuse for Feleipe not to go in there and attack this team. I mean, I’m telling you. I just told you 65% of the completion percentage. Go in there and let Feleipe get going. I mean, let’s face it, Nick, does Kentucky have any dude out there that can cover Kadarius, or any dude out there that can cover Tyrie?

Nick:                         Probably not.

Andrew:                 Exactly.

Nick:                         Probably not.

Andrew:                 Exactly. Go out there and do your thing. Here’s the thing. Guess what? Kentucky’s big up front. They’re man-eaters up front. They got some hosses at tackle. Guess what? Flip the ball to Malik outside. Malik, not Mark. Malik.

Nick:                         Really quick, wanted to point something out. I talked to a bunch of people yesterday, and I think they got, on our message board, they’re getting the Vanderbilt and Kentucky games mixed up. This is a 7:30 kick this week.

Andrew:                 Okay. Yeah.

Nick:                         People kept saying, “It’s a noon game this week.” I’m like, “What? No. It’s 7:30.”

Andrew:                 Yeah. Again, you go into this game, 7:30.

Nick:                         People are going to be ripping it up. That’s a long time to drink.

Andrew:                 Maybe. Maybe that’ll be. We’ll see. Again, Florida matches up well here. When I say this is a better Kentucky team, I’m not trying to fool anyone. Florida’s still the better team here. I’m just saying that, while Kentucky’s usually downright shitty, this isn’t a downright shitty team. This is a team that could keep things close for a little bit.

Nick:                         I would say that, yes, Florida matches up well, but this might be one of the only teams Florida plays all year where their kicker might just be as good as Eddy. Austin MacGinnis is a great kicker, senior. He’s six of seven on the year. He’s not going to miss an extra point. If we’re talking about close games or what happens if the game comes down to a field goal, you might want to have the ball last.

Andrew:                 Yeah. If Florida’s in that problem, yeah. Again, going into this game, still say air it out. You’ll be all right. Let’s play off of the confidence that you got from last week. Go into this game. I mean, why not? Why not go into this game and let Feleipe air it out a little bit and get confidence even more? You look at this game, and I know Vandy’s better. Don’t get me wrong.

Go into these next two games. Get your confidence up. Go into that LSU game, and I know LSU just got slobber knockered by Mississippi State, but they’re still going to be a tough opponent for you. Go into these two games and let Feleipe get confidence. Run your offense. Don’t be scared to run your offense. Run your offense like you have a veteran quarterback now.

Nick:                         I would say this is more of your week to do it. We talked about that Kentucky line, and them being great stopping the run. They’re not really getting pressure as far as the passing game. I think this is your week to do it. Next week, I think you’re going to see those kid gloves come back out, which I think is even more of a reason. Let him go and do it this week, because we already know we’re going to be super conservative next week, because that’s what they do.

Andrew:                 They shouldn’t.

Nick:                         They’re conservative against that Vanderbilt team. They have been for two years now.

Andrew:                 Yeah.

Nick:                         It just leads to unfun football.

Andrew:                 How do you see this game going about then? How do you see Florida attacking them?

Nick:                         I think it’s tough, because I don’t think Florida runs the ball on this team. Florida’s offensive line has gotten no push against two defensive lines, and I don’t think they’re going to get a push and be able to run the ball here. Like you said, attack the perimeter, because those guys, they’re a front. Matty lived down there. Those guys, you’re not going to run the ball between the tackles against this Kentucky team. You got to find other ways to do it. I agree that you can’t get one dimensional, so they have to try to run and do some things there.

You’ve got to attack this passing defense. They’re giving up almost 300 yards a game through the air. You got to allow Feleipe to throw. I need to see more of those quick hooks, those quick 2-yard hook routes to Toney, stand passes, slant. I thought the slant was illegal until last week. You need to see some stuff like that. Take some shots down field, but you don’t need to turn into a Georgia Tech passing offense, where every pass is a streak down the field, but I’d like to see Feleipe throw the ball 25, 30 times.

Andrew:                 Here’s the thing. There’s a difference of being Georgia Tech, where you just hum it down field every time, and then there’s a difference of—I say this, and I’m a Falcons fan. I don’t have any problems saying that. I’m not comparing this to the Falcons offense. I mean, you have Julio Jones, best player in probably the NFL. There’s a difference in humming it down the field every time, and then there’s a difference of run your routes, and if Dre Massey’s open on the 25-yard dig route, hit him. Don’t be scared to hit the deep route.

That’s what, I guess, what I’m trying to say, and that is take what the defense gives you. Run your offense. Run the offense that you want to run. Don’t run a conservative offense. Take the kid gloves off of Feleipe, and let’s see what he’s got. Here’s the deal. You can throw a couple interceptions in this game and still win this game. Agree or disagree?

Nick:                         I agree with that fully. This is a Kentucky team that you can get away with making a couple mistakes.

Andrew:                 Okay.

Nick:                         They’re not a team that, if Florida played Alabama, you literally have to play a perfect game. Have to play a perfect game. I don’t see that being the case against this Kentucky team, because you have such an advantage at the skill positions that you can make up for mistakes.

Andrew:                 Right. Exactly. Again, just go in and play your game. Couple things real quick. Tyrie Cleveland was named the Earl Campbell Player of the Week.

Nick:                         Watch list.

Andrew:                 No. Player of the Week this week for the catch against Tennessee and all that good stuff. Also, CJ Henderson, Freshman of the Week this week. Big honor for CJ, because this is a freshman class here at Florida that’s pretty good, or not Florida, SEC.

Nick:                         Yeah. At Florida. Both are right. Both ways you say it are right. That’s a little housekeeping there. I wonder what Kentucky is looking like recruiting wise this week, and how they would even manage that. Do you want recruits to come and see a Florida game? I can’t imagine what that stadium would be like if they beat Florida.

Andrew:                 I mean, you’re going to bring in recruits. They’re going to treat this game just like they’re going to treat, just like Florida would treat the LSU game. I mean, they’re going to bring them in, because here’s the deal. There’s going to be some guys and want to look at Florida, but guess what? You get them on your campus. Guess what? They have to talk to your guys. That’s a big thing for them to go in and have that. I’ll have anybody of note that comes to Florida, or that visits, that is on Florida’s recruiting list.

Another quick housekeeping note. The Week 3 College Football Player of the Week was Duke Dawson this week. Just came across my screen.

Nick:                         I saw. Just came out while we were recording this. He’s been playing well. It’s another example of what Mac will say to his guys about look what Bryan Poole did. Look what Bryan Poole, Marcus Maye, who else came back? Can’t think of them off the top of my head right now. Look what they did by coming back for their senior year. Duke right now is making himself some money.

Andrew:                 Yeah. That’s big. He did say, come out and said he was going to play this week, contrary to what Mac said.

Nick:                         Okay. Question. Are you worried that this has happened twice now where guys are clearly on Twitter while Mac’s at the podium, and immediately like tweeting against what he’s saying?

Andrew:                 No. I think there’s a difference. What he said against Goolsby I think was Goolsby, get your shit in gear, bud. This is a concussion thing with Duke. Does Duke feel good right now? Probably. As you and I both know, concussions are different. He’s got to go through every protocol in America nowadays, because everybody’s suing everybody. I think it’s a different case.

I think with Goolsby it was him calling Goolsby out. He obviously got through to Goolsby, because Goolsby practiced last week. With Duke, I think it’s more of we don’t know where Duke is. Duke probably failed the concussion test on Saturday and Sunday, and I don’t know about Monday yet, or Tuesday. We’re taping this on Tuesday. I don’t see it as a big deal that time.

Nick:                         Okay.

Andrew:                 Do you agree that there’s a difference in the two?

Nick:                         I agree one was more probably a wakeup call, and the other one was he might be hurt.

Andrew:                 Okay. Couple things real quick, leading into our next segment here. Zach and I’s recruiting just is not going to happen. Time just doesn’t do it. Nick, we’re going to have a little recruiting time right here real quick, just recapping last week.

Nick, as you and I talked about, what an atmosphere for those guys to come in and be a part of. They all left happy. They all left talking about it, going to school talking about, tweeting about it, all that stuff. The notes that are key here was linebacker Richard Jibunor. He comes in and has a great visit. Florida was looking on the outside of Auburn and Tennessee. Now they’re right there in the mix. He says he might make an early decision now. That’s good for Florida. Florida’s looking for that next linebacker with Reese, and hopefully to get Tindall. Tindall and Jibunor are really good friends, so that’s a good one.

The other notes are Patrick Surtain, the big five-star DB comes in, and what a game for him to come in and see. He now says that everyone’s even. It looked like LSU was going to be the team to beat. That’s where his dad was from. Dad goes down there and plays for the Saints forever and all that good stuff. Doesn’t play for the Saints. Plays for Tulane. He played for Tulane, and then he went to Mississippi. He’s got family in New Orleans. LSU looks to be kind of falling out, so it’s LSU, Florida, and Florida State there. That was a good one. Nick, could you think of a better game to showcase your DBs to a five-star DB?

Nick:                         I mean, come on. I might overthink it and say, “Well, crap, these kids are freshmen. I’m never going to play,” or you can take it as, “Man, these coaches are telling me I can come in and play right away. I know that they told that to these freshmen, and look at them. They’re starting. They’re playing 50, 60 snaps a game.”

Andrew:                 Exactly. Another big one was William Barnes. I mean, there’s nothing else to say.

Nick:                         Listen, listen. You’ve got to get the top offensive lineman from the state of Florida. You just have to start doing that and pulling those guys in regularly. You’ve got to make a change on the offensive line. You have to get better. That starts by getting the best players.

Andrew:                 Yeah. I mean, Florida’s in great shape there. The big offensive lineman that came in was Trey Hill out of Georgia. Georgia and Clemson and Auburn are kind of the teams that look the best there, but Florida really did a really good job this weekend with him. I mean, if you’re an offensive lineman, you’re licking your chops there. He had a good visit.

Key of notes of the commits, Tyquon Thornton, the big receiver out of Booker T, now says he’s shutting it down and locking it in with Florida. He kind of crapped on Miami a little bit by saying their atmosphere was nothing compared to this atmosphere. Randy Russell also says now only one official visit, which that’s nothing new. He was always planning that.

The other guy that kind of crapped on Miami a little bit was Mark Pope, the receiver committed to them. He said, “Best atmosphere I’ve ever been at was at Florida,” and he said, “Miami is just Miami.” Not a ringing endorsement, Nick.

Nick:                         That’s not what you want to hear if you’re a Miami fan.

Andrew:                 Yeah, or if you’re a Miami coach.

Nick:                         There’s no way Miami can combat that.

Andrew:                 No.

Nick:                         It’s not something they can change. They are very loud and proud on Twitter.

Andrew:                 But they don’t show up.

Nick:                         They don’t show up. It’s a stadium that’s an hour away from campus.

Andrew:                 Yeah. You can’t. It was a really good weekend. The Vandy game will be just kind of whatever. It’s a noon kick. It’ll be kind of whatever. You’ll have a few guys come in, but nobody big. Then you turn around with LSU and A&M. I know people are going to say, “LSU’s not that good.” LSU still draws people. Don’t worry. That’s going to be a packed game. Everybody and their brother’s going to be there. Then you turn around with the A&M game, and they’re going to hype that game up as well. Then you have Florida State.

You’re going to have plenty of games this year that just are full, and it was a good start for Florida to get all those guys in. I mean, they had 11 of their commits were in town. Just really good by them to have everyone in. Again, what a weekend.

Nick:                         What is Vanderbilt weekend? Why would you not want to bring people in? Do you agree with the coaches’ philosophy of bringing people in later? Waiting till the FSU game, or waiting till later on in the week.

Andrew:                 I think it’s, with the Vandy game, first of all, it’s a noon kick. I mean, kids just aren’t getting excited. They’re not coming for that game. They’re not getting excited for that game. Then, with LSU, they’re going to get excited for that. FSU. The thing with FSU is you’re going to get some kids that really had no interest in Florida that end up coming up there, just because they like Florida State. Then once you get them on campus, get them in front of your staff, around your commits, and in your stadium, maybe you turn the kid. Especially a 2019 kid, maybe you turn a kid that is thinking about Florida State. Maybe you turn a kid’s attention, and we get him back on campus even more.

I’m going to say this name, and he turned out to be nothing for Florida, but Daniel McMillian, he was all Florida State, and then visited Florida for that game and ends up committing to Florida a couple months later. You got to remember that.

Nick:                         Getting back to this game, I have some connections for you.

Andrew:                 Okay.

Nick:                         Your buddy, Greg Nord, played Kentucky, and Garrett Stephens. Kentucky, as you can imagine, has a crap of players from the state of Florida on its roster, 14. Florida has a player from the state of Kentucky. Garrett Stephens.

Andrew:                 Yeah.

Nick:                         Who’s been playing. He went to Xavier there in Louisville.

Andrew:                 I was thinking to myself, when you said Garrett Stephens. I was like, “That’s the guy that blocked the punt against Michigan.”

Nick:                         Yeah.

Andrew:                 That’s interesting. Good note there, my friend. Florida doesn’t recruit Kentucky very much, even though Nord likes to go up there and go fishing when he’s supposed to be recruiting.

Nick:                         Sure there’s a good fishing hole down there, somewhere he can find. Before we get out of here, I want to ask you three things that you need to see this week.

Andrew:                 Feleipe Franks. Feleipe Franks. Feleipe Franks. I know you’re going to say you can’t do that.

Nick:                         You can’t do that.

Andrew:                 Let me explain, Nick. I want to see Feleipe Franks get confidence. Okay. I’ll say Feleipe Franks. Feleipe Franks. Offensive line. I want to see the offensive line continue to get a little better. I did think they got a little better last week. I want to see them continue to get a little better this week. Then I want to see Feleipe come out and air it out, man. I want to see him air it out. I want to see them show him they have confidence in him. I want them to.

Nick:                         You make a lot of sense there, Spivey.

Andrew:                 Go ahead. Give me your three.

Nick:                         You make a lot of sense there, Spivey. I like that one. I want to see the defense show up for 4th quarters. I want to see them get off the field on 3rd down. I want to see them keep contain and not let Stephens run all over them. Then I want to see that get it to list again, Malik Davis, Kadarius Toney. Get Dre Massey involved.

Andrew:                 Wait, you want to see it two weeks in a row?

Nick:                         Yeah. Two weeks in a row.

Andrew:                 We’ll see. We finally got it once, and now you’re getting greedy and want it two weeks in a row.

Nick:                         Yeah. I want it two weeks in a row.

Andrew:                 Get greedy. Eat, my friend. Eat.

Nick:                         Eat. Greedy. Yeah. Maybe a fourth thing, offensive line step up.

Andrew:                 Yeah. Exactly. All right, we’ll get out of here. We’ll see everyone on Friday with some good old predictions. Time to kick Nick’s ass again this week in some game picks. Nick, tell the people where they’ll find us. We’ll get out. We’ll see everyone on Friday. Remember, if you haven’t joined yet, hit us up. We’ll give you a coupon code, get you in, and we’ll see you on Friday.

Nick:                         www.GatorCountry.com for all your Florida Gator news. You can find the podcast there in audio and transcript form. You can also find the podcast on iTunes. Subscribe, never miss an episode. On social media, you can follow us, @GatorCountry on Facebook and Twitter. I’m @NickdelaTorreGC. He is @AndrewSpiveyGC.

Andrew:                 There you go. Hit us up. Give us a like on iTunes. Maybe give us a rating. Tell us if we’re doing good. If we’re doing bad, keep it to yourself. Send it to Butch. He needs some more garbage over there. Guys, we appreciate it so much. Thanks for listening, and we’ll see you on Friday. As always, go Braves. Chomp, chomp. Butch, sorry you still suck. Love that trashcan, buddy.

Nick:                         You stay classy, Gator Country.

Andrew Spivey
Andrew always knew he wanted to be involved with sports in some capacity. He began by coaching high school football for six years before deciding to pursue a career in journalism. While coaching, he was a part of two state semifinal teams in the state of Alabama. Given his past coaching experience, he figured covering recruiting would be a perfect fit. He began his career as an intern for Rivals.com, covering University of Florida football recruiting. After interning with Rivals for six months, he joined the Gator Country family as a recruiting analyst. Andrew enjoys spending his free time on the golf course and watching his beloved Atlanta Braves. Follow him on Twitter at @AndrewSpiveyGC.