The beat writer who covers Florida football for the Gainesville Sun offered this week that the TD bomb on Sat. from Franks to Cleveland is the greatest play in Florida history. Of course throughout time there have been several competing plays like the blocked kick vs. Sou Car in 2006 to keep UF in the national title chase which they ultimately won , etc. etc. but I agree it may have been the most electric... athletic single game winning play I can remember watching UF football. But.... it was no accident.... no miracle: https://twitter.com/18franks/status/888456868707930112/video/1 Practice makes perfect!
Yeah that was a perfect pass by Franks and a failure by the Tenn defense to get deep enough to prevent the only thing that could beat them.
I have often told my sons that these guys on TV earning millions to play music, golf, football you name it didn't just get up one day and state that they are ready to show their talents and make famous plays to eventually earn those millions etc. These people recognize they have a talent and then they diligently work their asses off and practice and practice until it's no fun anymore. After all that work is put in is when you see them on the field or on the course or in the arena doing great things.
the problem on the play is that the CB released the deep WR to the safety to come up and cover the guy in the flat. I wonder if the memory of Florida's last second 63 yard play with Calloway was still fresh in his memory? That was a pass underneath in which Calloway scampered the distance to beat Tennessee at the gun. Either way, it's still an inexcusable mistake to make. That WR never should have been released to the safety, who I thought did a damn good job to get back across the field and contest the throw as best he could. If the CB stays with his man, that allows the safety to roll over soft into coverage looking for that deep ball. Instead, he was instantly put in man coverage and was forced to take a bad angle trying to catch up. Those coaches have a lot of explaining to do.
We have a field goal kicker who can kick field goals over 50 yards. From what I have read Tennessee thought the Gators would throw a pass to get into position to win the game with a field goal. After botching the time out I am not sure there would have even been time on the clock to kick the field goal if we had gone that route.
I remember playing safety in high school (we played a 3 deep zone) and my coach telling me " Rogers, don't ever let a receiver get behind you". Different scheme I know but it would apply here.
The time out not being used was a definite botch. But I do appreciate the precision and practice as exhibited by Franks And Cleveland when I watch the link I provided. It's very similar looking to what actually went down.