Spotlight #1: Furman CB Ryan Steed
Spotlight #2: Furman QB Chris Forcier
1st quarter
11:55: Steed makes a tackle after Jeff Demps made two guy miss on a short catch.
8:31: Forcier leads a touchdown drive on the game’s opening series for Furman, but don’t give him too much credit. The drive featured good runs on all 6 plays, no passes.
7:30: Forcier with his first throw, dumps off on a roll out, a little inaccurate, but taken in stride for a first down and a solid gain.
5:48: Forcier hits an open receiver over the middle for a 30 yard gain and touchdown.
5:37: Chris Rainey draws pass interference.
5:23: John Brantley shows an NFL caliber arm on a pretty deep ball against tight coverage.
4:27: Rainey with a great block on a blitzing linebacker, good pickup and instincts to go to other side of pocket to pick up the blitz, allows Brantley to throw another touchdown.
3:38: Forcier with a nice throw over the middle to the tight end against tight coverage for a first.
2:26: Forcier finds a receiver for another first down, good read and decision making.
2:01: Passing touchdown by Furman, but not Forcier, by a receiver on a trick play after a pitch.
0:36: Brantley with a bad decision, almost picked.
2nd quarter
14:53: Forcier rolls out, nothing happening open downfield, scampers out of bounds after a small gain.
14:32: Forcier can’t convert 3rd and 4 on a quarterback draw.
11:51: Steed helps in coverage on tight end, Jordan Reed, who is having a great game, still a completion. Steed gets tackle after.
9:58: Forcier dumps it short for a few.
9:05: Forcier with a good throw to the outside from the opposite hash, could have been a bit more accurate, ball not quite perfect in stride, good play by defense to stop them short of the sticks on 3rd down.
8:03: Forcier throws a dart on the run for a solid gain downfield, right on the money 15+ yards or so. 7-7 so far.
7:35: Forcier almost makes a great deep completion on the run, throws a good ball under pressure, gives receiver a chance at a play, tough, but catchable ball, dropped deep.
6:48: Forcier had nothing open downfield, help a bit too long, takes a sack on 3rd down, puts out of field goal range. Jaye Howard in on a combined sack.
5:50: Brantley with another NFL caliber throw, accurate deep against Steed, DeBose makes good play after the catch to take it to the house, 80 yards, a quick strike. Good throw by Brantley, but better play by DeBose to catch it against tight coverage. DeBose has also burned Dre Kirkpatrick and Morris Claiborne for long touchdowns this year. The speedy sophomore has a great future.
4:09: Forcier throws medium over the middle, just a little high, catchable, but tough, needs to be a little bit more accurate on a short to intermediate throw. Furman still picks up 5 on an off sides penalty.
3:52: Forcier on a designed run, or at least what looks like one, nothing happening, he should stop running.
3:08: Brantley with another great deep throw, this one on Ryan Steed again for a 26 yard touchdown. The last touchdown play was more on the receiver, this one was all Brantley and his arm.
2:55: Forcier inaccurate on a pass in the flat. Leaves it high, receiver can’t catch it.
2:10: Forcier incomplete on a shovel pass on 3rd down, don’t get the decision on 3rd and 10.
1:55: Steed eventually makes the open field tackle, but not after a huge gain on the ground by Rainey.
0:46: Sneed thrown on in the end zone, inaccurate, receiver only able to get one hand on it.
3rd quarter
14:46: Forcier complete short for a few.
11:57: Forcier scrambles for a few after play action.
10:22: Forcier just overthrows guy in the end zone, still put it in the only place possible where the defensive back couldn’t get it.
10:04: Forcier throws short of sticks on 3rd down and goal, can’t convert after catch.
7:59: Sneed forces the ball carrier out of bounds.
7:34: Sneed gets a tackle on the outside.
6:05: Forcier with another good throw on the run against sideline, good job by receiver keeping feet in bounds.
5:07: Forcier can’t convert 3rd and 1 on a naked bootleg, Furman gets first down anyway on Howard off sides.
4:36: Forcier throws with a hand in his space, inaccurate downfield.
4:17: Forcier with a poor gain on a quarterback carry.
4:00: Forcier throws on 3rd and 16 short to a guy with no chance to convert.
1:17: Forcier overthrows receiver on sideline, seems to be leaving too many balls high.
0:56: Brantley with another good deep throw to Andre DeBose for another quick strike touchdown, not on Sneed this time.
4th quarter
12:54: Forcier throws a pick six.
12:05: Forcier picks up a few on a scramble, not enough to convert 2nd and 6.
10:49: Forcier incomplete deep.
9:52: Forcier complete over the middle, receiver does well after catch over the middle.
7:33: Forcier incomplete on the run on 3rd and 19.
5:56: Forcier can’t quite complete an intermediate pass, tough catch for receiver, could have been caught, but needs to make a more accurate throw.
5:11: Forcier scrambles, buys time, completes a pass on the run, great play by the receiver on the sideline.
4:39: Forcier hangs in pocket, goes through progressions, find an open receiver.
4:05: Forcier with another pick six, just an inaccurate short throw. Terrible.
3:48: Forcier taken out of game down 54-32.
0:00: The game featured two fringe draftable quarterbacks, Furman’s Chris Forcier and Florida’s John Brantley. Forcier started out great in this one, completing his first 7 passes and leading small school Furman to a 22-7 early lead over heavily favored Florida. He displayed a good arm, but was supported by a good running game early, but once Florida’s offense woke up, Forcier started to struggle finishing 14 of 26 for 166 yards, 1 touchdown, and 2 pick sixes.
Forcier was a heavily recruited player out of High School and part of a good football family, but transferred to Furman because he wasn’t being played at UCLA. He had a great senior season in which he completed 64.1% of his passes for 9.8 YPA, 23 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions. This was his game to display himself as a potential draftable prospect to pro scouts and I don’t think he did so. He had some nice throws, but struggled once he started facing some adversity. He also displayed poor accuracy on short to intermediate passes, even on some that were completed. He left a lot of balls high and displayed poor pocket presence, taking a sack that knocked them out of field goal range and throwing way short of the sticks on several separate third and longs. I don’t think he can be drafted.
Brantley, on the other hand, had a much better game completing 16 of 28 of 329 for 4 touchdowns and no picks, showing great deep accuracy and arm strength all game. Based on this game tape, I’d say he’s worth a late round flier, but you have to remember this was just Furman. During an injury riddled senior season, Brantley completed 60.0% of his passes for an average of 8.5 YPA and 11 touchdowns to 7 interceptions. As a junior, his first year as a starter, he was worse, completing 60.8% of his passes for 6.3 YPA and 9 touchdowns to 10 interceptions. He might not be worth a draft pick either, but he was better than Forcier.
Brantley did do a good job of throwing on one of the tape non-FBS cornerbacks, Furman’s Ryan Steed. Steed, a potential mid rounder or even day 2 pick, had a showcase game against Florida here, but allowed 2 touchdowns and 3 catches. One of the passes was over the middle on Florida’s sophomore tight end Jordan Reed, who finished with 4 catches for 56 yards and a score. On the first touchdown, he had good coverage on Andre DeBose, but DeBose, who also burned Kirkpatrick and Claiborne for long touchdowns, made a great play on the ball and broke free for a 80 yard touchdown. On the 2nd touchdown, he was just beat deep. The 5-11 186 pounder did not impress me and will need a good pre-draft season to go any higher than the late rounds.
Forcier was supported by a good running game, which is why this game was so close, even closer until two late Forcier pick sixes. Furman ran for 233 yards and 2 scores on 45 yards, despite Forcier rushing for just 2 yards on 8 carries, including the one sack. Forcier is not fleet of foot, but ran too often. Florida’s run defense couldn’t stop small school Furman’s, which looks bad on Florida defensive tackle Jaye Howard, the top senior on Florida’s defense. Howard has not impressed me in any of his games and though he did get on a combined sack in this one, he looks like a late rounder to me as 4-3 nose tackle. The 6-3 305 pounder had 65 tackles, 10 for loss, and 5.5 sacks on the season.