An SEC Scouting Report From a Coach Who Knows
Mississippi State Coach Dan Mullen played both No. 1 Florida and No. 2 Alabama this season and served as the Gators’ offensive coordinator in their 31-20 victory over the Crimson Tide last year. Few have the depth of Mullen’s perspective on the teams, who will play Saturday in the SEC championship game. Mullen talked to Pete Thamel.
It’s going to be a defensive game. Even though the teams play defense differently, they are well-coached and avoid mistakes, and their players compete with great fundamentals.
The Gators use their speed and blitz a lot, putting their cornerbacks on islands and playing one on one. The Crimson Tide, on the other hand, does it with size, beating you up front to stop the run. That forces you into passing situations that you don’t want to be in.
Florida and Alabama have contrasting styles on offense as well, with Florida going for the big play and Alabama grinding it out with the run.
When we played Florida, we wanted to make Tim Tebow run the ball and have to beat us. We wanted to make them drive the length of the field. Against Alabama it was the opposite: we wanted to force them into making big plays.
We were a little more successful against Florida. Against Alabama, in 54 plays of the game they had 240 yards. In four plays they had 220. So even though we stuffed them, they still hit the big play, and that was the reason they won, 31-3. Against Florida, we succeeded in making it drive the length of the field and we created some turnovers. But we still fell short, 29-19.
In the end, the game will come down to Florida’s edge at quarterback. Tebow has big-game experience and can make plays in the fourth quarter. It’s not that his Alabama counterpart, Greg McElroy, can’t; McElroy, after all, did it last week with a late touchdown drive to beat Auburn. But Tebow has done it in big games over and over, experience that McElroy cannot match.
I envision a close game and a defensive battle. Florida’s defense is better than last season’s unit; it is more seasoned and has gained confidence. Even when you know what they’re going to do, they do it so well. That’s why they’re better this year: they execute at a higher level than last year. Alabama is another year into its program under Nick Saban. Everything has been building a certain way, throughout the off-season.
I have no idea what the score is going to be, but I think it’ll be a 7-point game.
Dan Mullen, the football coach at Mississippi State, played Florida and Alabama this season and served as Florida’s offensive coordinator in its 31-20 victory over Alabama last year.
Mississippi State Coach Dan Mullen played both No. 1 Florida and No. 2 Alabama this season and served as the Gators’ offensive coordinator in their 31-20 victory over the Crimson Tide last year. Few have the depth of Mullen’s perspective on the teams, who will play Saturday in the SEC championship game. Mullen talked to Pete Thamel.
It’s going to be a defensive game. Even though the teams play defense differently, they are well-coached and avoid mistakes, and their players compete with great fundamentals.
The Gators use their speed and blitz a lot, putting their cornerbacks on islands and playing one on one. The Crimson Tide, on the other hand, does it with size, beating you up front to stop the run. That forces you into passing situations that you don’t want to be in.
Florida and Alabama have contrasting styles on offense as well, with Florida going for the big play and Alabama grinding it out with the run.
When we played Florida, we wanted to make Tim Tebow run the ball and have to beat us. We wanted to make them drive the length of the field. Against Alabama it was the opposite: we wanted to force them into making big plays.
We were a little more successful against Florida. Against Alabama, in 54 plays of the game they had 240 yards. In four plays they had 220. So even though we stuffed them, they still hit the big play, and that was the reason they won, 31-3. Against Florida, we succeeded in making it drive the length of the field and we created some turnovers. But we still fell short, 29-19.
In the end, the game will come down to Florida’s edge at quarterback. Tebow has big-game experience and can make plays in the fourth quarter. It’s not that his Alabama counterpart, Greg McElroy, can’t; McElroy, after all, did it last week with a late touchdown drive to beat Auburn. But Tebow has done it in big games over and over, experience that McElroy cannot match.
I envision a close game and a defensive battle. Florida’s defense is better than last season’s unit; it is more seasoned and has gained confidence. Even when you know what they’re going to do, they do it so well. That’s why they’re better this year: they execute at a higher level than last year. Alabama is another year into its program under Nick Saban. Everything has been building a certain way, throughout the off-season.
I have no idea what the score is going to be, but I think it’ll be a 7-point game.
Dan Mullen, the football coach at Mississippi State, played Florida and Alabama this season and served as Florida’s offensive coordinator in its 31-20 victory over Alabama last year.
Source: New York Times
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