Although, Spurrier is not the coach, there is one thing that I would take from his team's defensive playbook at UF when they played UT with Manning as the QB - the motto was to hit Manning on every single down. Watson looks a lot bigger and stronger now, but the defense needs to hit him and hit him hard and as often as possible and until the whistle stops blowing. If that means safety blitzes to get pile drive him into the ground then so be it. Make the hits clean and if possible, hit him with more than one guy. If he has not been touched by the end of the 1st quarter and is not in fear of his life, they will do what they want and the score will be unpredictable, but they need to figure out how to hit Watson with the house (same goes for hitting the RB and WRs) - clean solid hard hits. I was highly disappointed last year that we simply were not hitting the QB in the game - how could they have come into the game last year (with a gimpy QB) without a gameplan to hit the QB hard and often. Also, if the WRs are coming across the middle on short slant passes, the LBs need to make them pay.
The hits have to be on caliber with Swearinger and Isiah Johnson hits - if the defense has solid in their chest and driving tackles, we could have a chance - otherwise?? Heck - I would even take a couple of 15 yd penalties to push the limit.
Personally, I think you are looking at a new and reinvigorated team right now - now of course that could change if they get curb stomped a couple of times between now and the CU game. I am not sure what happened to the UM team this past weekend against CU. With as much talent that UM supposedly has, there is no excuse for losing by that score - no wonder the coach was fired - I personally believe the team stopped playing for him.
