Eli Drinkwitz evaluates his defense's first half performance vs Florida

Missouri has held Florida‘s offense to three points at halftime. Other than a pick-six for the Gators, it’s been mostly Tigers in The Swamp through 30 minutes, though we’re knotted at 10 a piece at the break.

Head coach Eli Drinkwitz discussed his defense’s strong stands against a team who many believed would have one of the most high-powered offenses in the SEC in 2022.

“Our defense is playing their butt off,” Drinkwitz said at halftime. “We dug ourselves out of a hole right there. We just have got to settle in during the second half, come out start faster on both special teams and offense. We have to take care of the football.”

The story of the first half for Florida has been the lack of total offense. Quarterback Anthony Richardson has combined for 41 all-purpose yards. With 59 total yards of offense to its credit at halftime, the Gators offensive unit’s woes seem to be beyond halftime adjustments.

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Florida has been just as impressive on the defensive side of the ball, too. Completing a goal-line stand in the first half’s final minute and a pick-six from Jaydon Hill to end the first quarter, the Florida Gators would be in rough shape without their defensive unit’s playmaking abilities.

The same can be said about Missouri, too. The Tigers have under 200 offensive yards despite winning the possession battle 21-9 – meaning the defensive battle is likely to continue into the second half.

Billy Napier calls Missouri ‘no easy out’ in the SEC

Florida has the misfortune – or pleasure, depending on your perspective – of playing a 2-3 Missouri team one game removed from nearly upsetting former No. 1 Georgia at home. 

Eventually falling 26-22 to the Bulldogs, Missouri’s moral victory isn’t enough for the hungry Tigers, and they’re looking to get their win back in The Swamp at Florida this Saturday. Head coach Billy Napier warned the media ahead of this weekend’s matchup, noting that Missouri’s near season-shifting upset has served as a reminder that anything can happen in the SEC.

“You’ve got to be ready to play every week,” Napier said Wednesday. “There are no easy outs here. Each team in our league, they’ve got their own set of problems [they present], everybody’s working hard to come up with solutions. They’re trying to put the best product they can’t out there each week. The matchups are different every week. Not only personnel wise, but also schematically, so no easy outs in the SEC. It’s going to be a challenge every time and certainly this past week was a great example of that.”