Courtesy SAM_5582 via Flickr.
Let me start by saying that I really wanted Will Muschamp to succeed as the head football coach at the university of Florida. That probably seems silly to a lot of people because most fans would want any newly hired coach to be successful. However, Muschamp wasn’t exactly the “homerun hire” many expected athletic director Jeremy Foley to make after Urban Meyer’s exit. As a fan of hard-nosed defense, I was excited to see what Muschamp could do with the type of talent available in the Sunshine State. The 2012 season showed a glimpse of exactly what Muschamp’s defenses are capable of. Unfortunately, it’s the other side of the ball that’s probably going to do him in.
Muschamp inherited a roster that included incumbent starter John Brantley, and brought in new recruits Jeff Driskel and Jacoby Brissett. The Gators did finish 2011 with a winning record and a bowl win over Ohio State, but they were ranked 105th in total offense. The passing offense managed to average just 185.7 yards per game while the rush offense averaged 143 yards per game.
The anemic passing game carried over to 2012, which saw Florida average just 146.3 yards per game through the air. Thankfully, the rush offense averaged 187.69 yards, and the defense finished at, or near, the top of many statistical categories.
The 2013 season was mostly lost due to a rash of injuries on both sides of the ball. Though, that loss to FCS Georgia Southern certainly hasn’t helped Muschamp’s cause.
Now, we’re three games into the 2014 season, and Muschamp’s seat is hotter than ever. The offense looked more than capable against an overmatched Eastern Michigan team. Then it took a while to get going against a Kentucky team that may or may not be much better than last year. Versus Alabama? The offense put up 200 total yards, 93 through the air and 107 on the ground. What started out as a promising 2014 has deteriorated into a quarterback controversy and a defense that looks like it might be the worst Muschamp has ever fielded.
So can Muschamp calm a restless fanbase and cool the smoldering inferno he currently sits upon?