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They're going to improve, and if Tennessee doesn't bring their A-Game to Gainesville they will lose.

If Tennessee doesn't bring their A-game against UTSA, USC, UK, Mizzou, TAMU, et. al. --

they will lose.  

We knew that UF would set the tone for the rest of the season.  Tone officially set.  6-6 or worse is a REAL possibility.

I think we can do 8-4.  A top 25 regular season finish is still possible.  Yes, with Joe at QB.  If you concede Bama and UGA -- I don't, you never know -- that means we can only lose one more to the rest of the batch.

Suddenly, that's a tall order.  Doesn't look particularly likely.  But it CAN be done.  There's a lot of talent on this roster.  We ain't top 5, ain't gonna win the conference, ain't gonna make the playoffs.  The pressure's off.  Let's just go out and freekin' PLAY, man.  Play hard.  Play loose.  Have fun. 

Joe -- for the luvva Mike -- put a little more AIR under those long throws (an homage to Mike Gottdfried.  Him and Ron Franklin -- second only to John Ward himself.  Those were the days...).  PLEASE. 

You had Keyton all alone on the second series.  Missed him by five yards.  It was ten back in '21; an improvement... but still.

And you had Squirrel with a step and a half on the final drive:  just. out. of. reach.

We'll never know how accurate another end zone pass was on the same drive, cuz their guy WAS PULLING ON OUR GUY'S JERSEY for about five or ten yards.  RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE FREEKIN' REF.

Sumbich. 

Joe Milton could overthrow a government.

Man -- you got it.
I turned that game off after his INT.  I've reached the age where I just ain't got time fo' dat.  I had it on record -- if we somehow came back and won (unlikely), I could watch it, zip through the half-hour woke commercial breaks, and save myself the dyspepsia.
I kept monitoring the score.  Ugh.
Finally turned it back on with 5 left.  Down by the final score.  Two TDs, we win.  Not out of the question.
The first damn play I saw, when I turned it on, was UF 4th and 1 at their 35.  We jump offside.
So.  Damn. Typical.
No way in hell they were gonna run a play.  They set us up: we fell for it.
That's some smart football, huh?
We stopped 'em, though.  Get the ball back.  Good field position.  Three to play (penalty cost us 2 crucial minutes). 
Joe moves us downfield like a champ.  Good passes, well placed.  Get into scoring position -- misses squirrel by a foot.  Two other crappy throws.  And an uncalled PI.
Ugh.
Joe.
You know what's going to happen, right?  Maybe they put Nico in at some point, maybe not.
But somebody's gonna take a chance on Joe in the pros.  Either 6th round, or FA.
He's seduced two coaches with that arm.  That frame.  "That is the making of a GREAT QB."
Some pro team is gonna put him on the roster, see if they can polish the diamond.
Ain't gonna happen.
"Joe -- here is a quarter.  Go call your mother, and tell her you'll never be a quarterback."

Fyi...Milton threw 34 passes and had 2 overstrows but its sometimes rather difficult to be accurate when 
3-4 defenders hanging on you.
Not making excuses for Milton, he had a bad game . I thought his game management was worse than his passing accuracy.
but Milton was not the only one with a bad game,   the offensive line, the defensive backs and the entire defenfense in the first half and the coaching was the worst in the Haup Era. We threw almost zero passes vertical until the game was out of reach , this with the strongest arm in the universe.
So if we're going to fire the QB for a bad game are we also going to fire the coaches, the offensive line, the defensive first team and the coaching staff?

Fyi...Milton threw 34 passes and had 2 overstrows but its sometimes rather difficult to be accurate when
3-4 defenders hanging on you.
Not making excuses for Milton, he had a bad game . I thought his game management was worse than his passing accuracy.
but Milton was not the only one with a bad game,  the offensive line, the defensive backs and the entire defenfense in the first half and the coaching was the worst in the Haup Era. We threw almost zero passes vertical until the game was out of reach , this with the strongest arm in the universe.
So if we're going to fire the QB for a bad game are we also going to fire the coaches, the offensive line, the defensive first team and the coaching staff?

We got us a ticklish little situation here.
I agree with those that point out:  Hooker played behind Mays and Wright.
So did Joe last year -- and he looked pretty good when he did.  He hasn't had that luxury this year.
Joe came out that first series and looked PERFECT.  They floundered their first series.  We looked like we were playing Mizzou or UK last year on ours.  I thought "here we go.  A 3 or 4 TD beatdown of 'em, in the Swamp.  Just what the doctor ordered."
But oh, that overthrow of Keyton on the next series, as I recall...
What a difference that might've made.  Why, Joe?  Why throw it 70, when 60's a TD?
Look -- Joe didn't lose that game.  
But he sure didn't win it, either.
I think we got to ride Joe a little further.  But the ticklish part is:  how far?
You throw Nico in behind a weak line, you can destroy his confidence.  He's our franchise.  That's not a good idea. 
But if Joe continues to struggle, and Nico sits -- hello, transfer portal?

We need Joe to do better.  We need Mays back.  Cuz I'm telling you -- one of these days, Joe's gonna have one of those games.  In a zone.  Unconscious.  Putting the ball where it needs to go.  Toting the rock for a 40-yard ride, when the play calls for it.

I just hope it's not against Vandy.  Needs to happen sooner.  Next week wouldn't be too soon.

Good post. I agree with most. The only thing I might add is the coaches see these guys practice every day and if they thought Nico gave them the best chance to win  then he would be starting.
The only reason Nico would start now would be if the coaches concede the season and start grooming Nico for next year.

Yep.  Heard that one before.  Joe must be one hell of a star in practice.

Cause if an injury didn't force Hooker into the game, Heupel may not be the apple of every Vol fans eye right now.

Basically -- Heupel isn't infallible, and has already chosen the wrong QB to start once, and he just may be doing it again --- with the same bum.