For just the third time this season, Alabama will enter a game less than a three-touchdown favorite.
The SEC title game against Florida is 10-2 against the Crimson Tide’s 8-2 Gators team, with Heisman contenders at quarterback (Kyle Tresk), the country’s top two playmakers (tight end Kyle Pitts and wide receiver Cadarius Tony) and a crime Is the No. 2 in the SEC in scoring.
But does Florida really have a chance to beat the tide? Will the game be too competitive?
To get a better feel, AL.com spoke to coaches and team officials around the SEC. Here are their thoughts on the game to go with some other interesting knots going into the match.
Florida isn’t very confident from the perspective of SEC coaching, especially after the Gators ’loss of 37- .4 home at the Gators’ Saturday L-3 LSU.
This was the fourth time this year that at least 35 points have been devoted to the Florida defense. Now, the Gators are preparing to tackle Alabama offense that ranks first among the Power Five teams in scoring.
Recruitment has beaten its top 10 opponents by an average margin of 50-17 and defeated the two teams that won Florida – Texas A&M and LSU – by a combined total of 107-41.
“Bama by 21,” said an SEC coordinator.
“I think Bama will get out of it,” said the SEC’s abusive coach.
“I don’t see it real close,” said a senior official of the SEC team.
An NFL scout said Bama could beat them 20 or more. “Florida’s offensive line is no better than the real, real average and defensive line. DB is just fine. LSU scored 37 runs on them. Bama would easily come to the 40s. “
“Alabama will kill Florida,” said one SEC defensive coach. “There is no question. End of conversation. ”
Only a couple of coaches and team officials who spoke to JOAL.com believe the game could be competitive, too.
“Losing Florida can help in a way,” said the SEC’s defensive coach. “They became humble. Know that they have a lot of work to do. His preparations for Bama should have a very competitive and motivated team this week. “
“I think the game is closer than people think,” said another SEC defensive coach. “Florida comes out and is inspired. Pitts did not play (vs. LSU), which was huge. I also don’t think they were ready to play. They were sleeping in the first part. They are good. L.S.U. Everyone who came out played with consideration. In addition, it is L.S.U. The crime is different from QB’s Max Johnson’s Kid. It is and will be really good. ”
Florida Passing Game vs. Alabama Defense Improvement
It would be Trask, who finished first nationally in passing yards and touchdowns, against the Alabama defense led by Pete Golding, who conceded combined points against Ole Miss and Georgia, then allowed just 8.8 points in six games. .
The SEC’s defensive coach said Florida would not see any benefit in defending Bama’s offense, but would find a way to get the ball to Pitts, Tony and Grimes. “Even shorter. May be the best group of receivers Bama has given. Saban will try to take the pits away. They might be able to double it. Could try to double it and Tony. Grimes will have to win his one-on-one. Also, as they did against UGA, pass coverage is back-matched against Bama’s linebackers. “
“They spread it out and defend you every inch,” said another SEC defensive coach. “Mullen is a really good coach. It looked so beautiful on Saturday (in front of LSU). “
However, when asked about the Florida offense, another SEC assistant coach joked.
“You mean No. 1 (Tony) and No. 84 (Pitts)?” He replied. “Good players. Not good enough yet. “
Even that coach doesn’t seem to be as high on the track as the others around the conference.
“Take chances,” he said. “Elections will throw.”
Seven against Alabama offensive line vs. Florida
Numerous SEC head coaches have referred to Alabama’s offensive line as one of the best they have ever seen. That would make it a tough match for the Gators ’next seven. Florida ranks first in sacks in the SEC (3.1 per game), Gators run 45 nationally in defense and No. 1 in the SEC. Ranked in
“Florida’s offensive line and defensive line will be destroyed by Alabama,” said the aforementioned NFL scout.
“The Florida linebacker is probably their biggest weakness,” said an official from the SEC team. “(Cornback C) Kair Elam, (Cornback C) Marco Wilson and (defensive end) Brenton Cox are the people who considered us the best. Everyone else is pretty average. “
“Seven out of seven isn’t very good,” the SEC’s offensive coach said of Florida. “Athletic in the back, though. Safety is good players. ”
Florida Secondary vs. Alabama Wide Receivers
One SEC defensive assistant coach summed this up with Alabama offense, “You need to make them third and long term and Jones will have to force him to throw someone other than 6 (Devonta Smith), 8 (John Matchie) and 22. Private Harris).
Rather, it is easier said than done.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if Florida scored on them and moved the ball,” the SEC’s offensive coach said. “They’re good enough to commit a crime. But Bama is so good at committing a crime that it’s like watching a video game.”
The game will feature three top contenders for the Heisman Trophy: Smith, Jones and Tresc.
While media figures continue to focus more on quarterbacks as Heisman’s favorite, the coaches around the conference have a different view.
AL.com asked 18 coaches and team officials around the SEC: If you had to vote on Heisman today, who would you vote for?
15 out of 18 people voted for Smith.
Two of the other votes went to Trask. One Jones went.
The SEC’s offensive coach said that if a person can actually observe that child play in person and believe that there is a better player than him in the country, he is a living idiot. “He can do all this. Easily. ”
“Simply put, the best team in the country is the best team in the country,” said a CEC defensive coach. “They are dominated by losing the most explosive player in the country, Waddell. And it’s valuable in special teams with a 10-0 record. ”
Another defensive coach at the SEC said, hands down, the most explosive and dynamic football player of all time in college ledge football. “He is on the country’s number one ranked team which is full of other weapons. Yet he finds a way to give us a wow every week. This guy calls home whenever he touches the ball. “
“If they hadn’t lost, I would have said Tresc,” added a different coach.
– Jones may have put himself in to win the Heisman but he continues to establish himself as a potential first-round draft pick. “I can say that he is the first relative with others who have recently been drafted,” said one scout.
– Harris is now also in that first round conversation, he improved his share last season after getting mostly third-fourth to fourth round type grades. The senior leads the country with 22 racing touchdowns. “The Nazis have been inspiring this year,” says one scout. “Late. 1. then 2. no.”
– Cornback K Josh Jobe will be one of the underclassmen deciding at the end of the season. The feeling is that it will be worse than the initial day 3 draft pick if it turns out to be pro. “Job should stay next year, but he’s played better this year,” said one scout. “The work is going on. It’s probably the fourth right now. Can move up. “
– Dry feedback has not been excellent on the Crimson Tide inside linebacker Dylan Moses. Prior to suffering a knee injury in the summer of 2019, Musa was seen as a potential first-round draft pick in 2020 and would have had a good chance of making the first two rounds of this year’s draft even after missing all of last season. However, the current belief in the scouting world is that it can fall on the 3rd day of the draft. “He is the third best,” said one scout. “More could be the fourth or fifth.”
Pitts, Tresc, Tony, Grimes and Cox are the top prospects for Florida, according to Scout. While Tresk entered the year with mostly late-round grades, the current estimate is higher in the second to fourth rounds. “Passing through a large pocket with a strong arm and an accurate hand when it can bounce off a platform and throw off its platform,” said one scout. “Not great when it comes to scheduling or moving. Tony, Grimes and tight ends make him better than he really is. A little stiff and mechanical as an athlete. His lower body is not explosive. Runs the figure well. Not nearly as good when the script is not closed. “In addition to Pitts and Tresc, those other three – Tony, Grimes and Cox – are also seen as top three or four round players.
Matt Zenitz is a senior SEC football reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter mzenitz.
