Weis talks Brantley, Wenger at Gator Gathering

By Adam Silverstein
July 22, 2011

Just a day after head coach Will Muschamp entertained the media at the 2011 SEC Media Days, Florida Gators offensive coordinator Charlie Weis filled in for him by participating in a Gator Gathering at the Marion County Gator Club.

During the event, Weis spoke about a number of topics but was most notably asked about the potential of redshirt senior quarterback John Brantley and the recent transfer of redshirt senior center Dan Wenger from Notre Dame.

After struggling one year ago, Brantley will be given the best chance possible to succeed, Weis said, because the goal is to develop the entire offense and not put all of the onus for success directly on his shoulders.

“When you put in a new offense, too much responsibility on any one player is not a very good philosophical idea,” Weis said, according to The Gainesville Sun. “The most important thing for me and the offensive staff is to figure out what we can do the best, and then just do a lot of that. Too many times in football people try to reinvent the wheel. What we have to do is develop a personality and find out what [Brantley] can do the best, and do that.”

The Super Bowl-winning offensive mind also reiterated that film of Brantley from last year has not done much to help his evaluation, even though he is confident in his ability to handle the offense and succeed long-term.

“It doesn’t help me very much because it’s so different from what I do,” Weis said. “[Brantley wasn’t] really in a true drop-back setting, so therefore I need to be able to compare apples to apples, not apples to oranges. […] In a pro-style offense, it’s more about whether you have all the physical tools to be able to run the offense – which he does. Then it’s mentally how do you handle it.”

Weis also spoke for the first time about Wenger, who joined the team in the summer and hopes to earn significant playing time considering his experience in Weis’s offense and as an player taught directly by new offensive line coach Frank Verducci at Notre Dame.

“He started a whole bunch of games for us at center and guard,” Weis said, according to GatorZone.com. “You want to talk about a bonus, a throw-in guy who has started about 30 games at center and guard? You can’t buy things like that. He’s really helped with those guys when we haven’t been able to be with them.”

Photo Credit: Unknown

10 Comments

  1. cline says:

    O-line play will define the upcoming season. Gotta give our QB time to hit some passes.

    I am ready for some football lets go gators!

  2. Alex says:

    My bet is that Weis calls a dive play on the first possession of the season, just to punk everyone.

  3. Brett says:

    I agree Brantley himself said he doesnt like being hit as the o line and defensive line go so will the rest of the team

  4. npgator says:

    Wenger could be a huge get if he stays healthy. I remeber him coming out of St. Thomas as a 5 star O- lineman that we wanted badly.

  5. aziatic41 says:

    I really hope Brantley can get it together this year. Last year he was one of the main reasons for our offensive struggles. Our o-line was bad but Brantley misfired on open wrs all year long. His confidence was very low and he seemed very confused in the pocket. Hopefully what Muschamp and Weis are saying about Brantley is true, maybe his confidence is improved and the pro-style offense is better suited for him. If Brantley struggles early, I would really like to see Muschamp pull the trigger and go with the more mobile physically talented young qbs in Murphy and Driskell. We can definitely win the SEC East if we get some strong play from the QB position.

  6. j. says:

    A Center to pick up blitz schems and keep the rest of the Oline in the right spot is priceless.
    Patchen healthy will go a long way to righting the ship for Brantley.
    Putting a Freshman Qb in against the D’s of the Sec may not the best descision.
    Even Tebow who was arguably one of the best College Qb’s ever wouldnt have had success as a freshman in this league.
    Ifs rb’s,ol’s,wr’s, do the job we’ll shock some people.

  7. scooterp says:

    aziatic – There never was a pocket for Brantley to throw from. I like what Weis said : “… find out what we do best, then just do alot of that.” Coach with the talent you have – not try to mold 79 players into something they’re not. Having said that, if Brantley can’t seem to get it together by the middle of game 2 – pull him and start building around one of the other 3 QBs.

  8. James says:

    I agree… Brantley was a problem regardless of protection. He throws balls too low. He must have more passes batted down last year of anyone I saw play. The only pass he could throw consistently was the RB Swing. I want him to do well because I love my Gators, I just hope that if he is much of the same by game 2 that Muschamp and Weis have the balls to yank him out… regardless of his family ties with the school. I’d be more than happy throwing away the season with Driskel getting reps than to lose it with Brantley again who’ll be gone after this season anyways.

    Looking back at how much they complain about him not fitting out system… WHY DID WE EVEN RECRUIT THIS GUY? I mean… I just don’t understand that. But like I said I want him to fit, and I want him to succeed.

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