clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Know Your Enemy: Q&A with Alligator Army

#1 loss at Kyle Field this season
#1 loss at Kyle Field this season

We had the opportunity to sit down1 with Alligator Army's HGIC Andy Hutchins to ask hard-hitting questions about the big game. This will be a weekly feature here, and we're looking forward to getting cozy with all of these new opponents who won't poop on our buses.2

1exchange emails; 2 they will

How many Florida QBs will be on the field during the first snap on Saturday? How short is Driskel's leash?

Just the one, Wuerffel willing. I think Driskel's got the reins until which point Florida trails 35-0 in the second quarter, in which case the Gators should probably just leave.

Our strength is O-line and yours is D-line. How do you see the battle in the trenches playing out?

Before last weekend, I would have said that Florida D-line's talent up front was a bit too much to handle. But Bowling Green showed how easy it is to neutralize a pass rush with draws and quick passes, and that's Kevin Sumlin's bread and butter, right? The burden of stopping the A&M passing attack may fall on Florida's secondary, and given how green that secondary still is, WELP, GULP.

Do you think what we saw against Bowling Green was purposefully vanilla or is your offense just chronically vanilla?

I think some of it was purposefully vanilla, but I think Florida's got a really strong vanilla, too. If Will Muschamp gets out of Brent Pease's way, I think that vanilla, running Mike Gillislee, sets up a passing game that's a bit more Neapolitan. Put it this way: I don't think Florida's coaching staff can honestly believe their best chance to win, week in and week out, is to minimize Andre Debose's contributions.

I hear you're coming to the game, so what are your tailgating plans? What have you heard about Aggieland?

I have none, other than following my friends! And I have heard College Station is kiiinda boring, but I don't know how much I trust Tourism Director Will Muschamp. What do you recommend?

What's your impression of Muschamp so far and what does he need to do to keep or win your confidence this season?

I like Muschamp, who has struck me as a mix of Eric Taylor and (increasingly) Nick Saban. I think the eight-win bar is Muschamp's target height (and I think Florida clears it, still), but I'm in a shrinking group that is fully on board with what Muschamp is doing.

What's your preferred brand of jorts?

I DON'T OWN JORTS.

Who are Florida's Top 3-5 NFL prospects?

Sharrif Floyd, Jon Bostic, Jelani Jenkins, and Matt Elam. Floyd's the bear up front; Bostic and Jenkins are smart linebackers who are not physically overpowering; Elam's a rock made of muscle at safety who everyone is expecting to be a heat-seeking missile at some point.

What Texas A&M players are you looking forward to seeing?

The bad ones! I really do want to see Johnny Manziel, who I wanted to go to Oregon, and Trey Williams. I want to see Christine Michael, but I don't want to see him running far or fast.

Jenn Brown or Erin Andrews?

Sara Sidner.

Billboards notwithstanding, what's the discussion like for Gators making the trip to College Station?

Mostly nervous laughter, the kind that gets infectious when heading into surgery.

What's your score prediction?

Florida 27, Texas A&M 24. Really.