FOUR BITS: SEC referees; no-huddle offense; Florida WRs in NFL; Kiffin can’t shut up

1 » The work of Southeastern Conference referees has been shaky at best this season, especially that of the crew who was responsible for horrible calls both in last week’s Florida Gators vs. Arkansas Razorbacks game and the previous week’s LSU Tigers vs. Georgia Bulldogs game. Stewart Mandel of Sports Illustrated contends that these calls are nothing for Arkansas fans or college football fans to be crying about. “Obviously, they were bad calls,” Mandel said. “You know what else they were? The type of bad calls that take place in almost every single football game. Egregious as they were, those calls did not cost Arkansas the game. They happened with nine minutes left. The Razorbacks still had their chance to kick a go-ahead field goal and/or stop the Gators’ own game-winning drive.” He’s right.

2 » The newly installed “Banzai” offensive package, taken in part from the Oklahoma Sooners‘ hurry-up offense, worked well for the Gators at the beginning of the season. As defenses have gotten tougher and more confusing, senior quarterback Tim Tebow has been taking audibles from offensive coordinator Steve Addazio on the sideline, slowing down the offense. Both Addazio and head coach Urban Meyer don’t want the offense to “stand there so long watching” and lose momentum in the process. Beginning again Saturday against the Mississippi State Bulldogs, expect Florida to employ a more rapid-fire approach, capitalizing on their talent, athleticism and conditioning.

3 » Good piece by Ben Volin of the Palm Beach Post who spoke with Oakland Raiders wide receiver Louis Murphy about his experience at Florida, how it prepared him for the NFL and how he feels about people criticizing the way the Gators develop players at his position. “Florida receivers are doing well, but in the back of my mind, it still stings,” Murphy said. “Coming out without the big talk – Florida receivers can’t do this and that. Just want to chance the perception of whatever happened in the past was in the past, and we’re a new era of receivers.”

4 » Two things we know for sure about Tennessee Volunteers head coach Lane Kiffin are that he is never at a loss for words and will use any opportunity available to take a shot at the Gators. These facts held true Tuesday as Kiffin, on his own, proclaimed the Alabama Crimson Tide the true No. 1 team in the nation. “I think one poll got it right,” Kiffin said. “If you watch football and pay attention, I don’t think there’s any doubt who the No. 1 team is. [Florida] will beat you at times but then a lot of times nobody’s open and the quarterback runs around, makes the play. [Alabama is] much more balanced.”