Florida Gators: Post-spring stock report

With spring football in the rear view mirror, it’s time to fully embrace the Head Ball Coach’s “talkin’ season.” The transfer portal carousel is still spinning, so rosters aren’t totally finalized just yet, but we at least have a sense of foundation for each SEC program.  So let’s take a stock report of every team in the conference, examining their offense, defense and overall outlook heading into the 2022 season. Today we look at the Florida Gators.

FLORIDA OFFENSE — STOCK TBD

We’re breaking our own system here as Florida has way too many offensive unknowns right now to give it a firm grade one way or another exiting the spring.

Despite the program’s overall issues in 2021, the offense was still fairly formidable, even with all the turnovers (21 giveaways, third-most in the SEC). The Gators averaged 6.6 yards per play and were efficient running the football (conference-best 5.48 yards per carry). They finished No. 23 overall in ESPN Bill Connelly’s SP+ rankings. 

The Florida Gators must replace their top two tailbacks in Dameon Pierce and Malik Davis, both of whom were also integral in its passing attack, as well as No. 1 receiver Jacob Copeland, who transferred to Maryland. Starting quarterback Emory Jones is also out, though that may be net-positive for the Gators. 

If you take a glass half-full look at the overall unit entering 2022, Florida could be better on offense with bulldozing, wunderkind Anthony Richardson pull the strings all season. 

The 6-5, 237-pound redshirt sophomore is 0-1 as a QB1 but locked down the starting job this spring, and projects as the optimal dual-threat quarterback to operate Billy Napier’s run-heavy scheme. Florida’s first-year coach likes to implement the QB-run game and Richardson is the best weapon he’s had to work with at the position. The Gators are also deep at tailback, with former 5-stars Lorenzo Lingard (from Miami) and Demarkcus Bowman (from Clemson) competing for carries alongside Nay’Quan Wright, who might be the most complete ‘back on the roster, and Montrell Johnson, a transfer who joins Napier from Louisiana-Lafayette. 

At issue is what else surrounds Richardson and his bevy of runners. 

Some are higher than me on UF’s offensive line, as the Gators are somewhere from serviceable to promising depending on how you evaluate the group.  Florida is still mining the transfer portal for additional help at right tackle. O’Cyrus Torrence, another Louisiana-Lafayette transfer, is a major addition at guard but he can only play one spot. Richard Gouraige is an All-SEC talent but the rest of the unit doesn’t provide a ton of upside. 

Then there’s UF’s problems at receiver. Billy Napier wasn’t shy about Florida’s need for juice at the receiver spot. The Gators lack speed and explosiveness at the position. Justin Shorter and Xzavier Henderson are penciled in as starters, and Florida did beat out Auburn and Oregon for Arizona State transfer Ricky Pearsall, who should be a nice upgrade as an option in the slot or on the perimeter. Pearsall led the Sun Devils with 48 catches for 580 yards and four touchdowns last season.

FLORIDA DEFENSE — STOCK DOWN

The Florida Gators were middling on defense in 2021 (59th nationally in yards per play allowed), lost multiple key pieces off said unit (1st Round corner Kaiir Elam, three linebackers who transferred Mohamoud Diabate, Khris Bogle and Ty’Ron Hopper and top pass rusher Zachary Carter) and saw Billy Napier openly pine for more players at defensive tackle, inside linebacker and safety this spring. 

Not great!

On the interior, Gervon Dexter is a future early NFL Draft pick, but beyond the former 5-star prospect, Florida isn’t sure who is going to step up around him. Now, there’s some talent there, it’s simply untapped. Still, the Gators need multiple underclassmen to make a leap, helping improve a leaky run defense in 2021 (10th in the SEC). Perhaps massive nose tackle Desmond Waston can steal a few snaps. Florida is also still looking for portal help, hosting Arizona State transfer Jermayne Lole earlier this month but he landed at Louisville.

UF’s pass rush could — emphasis on could — be a strength with outside linebackers Brenton Cox Jr., Lloyd Summerall and Antwaun Powell-Ryland, but that’s only if the group lives up to their prior recruiting potential. Cox. Jr. is a former 5-star who routinely flashes and disappears within the same game, admitting this spring that he took off plays the last two seasons. Defensive end Princely Umanmielen is could provide some juice off the edge too after a strong spring.

At inside linebacker, Ventrell Miller and Amari Burney are both SEC veterans, but neither are top-of-the-league inside ‘backers. There is some very intriguing talent who could push for playing time though in former Top 100 prospects Scooby Williams and Shemar James.

The secondary is clearly the strength of Florida’s defense entering 2022, with a solid set of safeties (51 career starts between three guys) and a potential stud at corner in sophomore Jason Marshall. Who plays opposite the former 5-star prospect is a bit in question, but there’s options there including veteran Jaydon Hill, who missed all of last season with a torn ACL, Avery Helm and Georgia transfer Jalen Kimber. Although Florida’s defense was merely sufficient in 2021, the secondary actually dramatically improved in terms of passing defense efficiency (88th to 23rd nationally). They did only pick off nine passes though, a number they should exceed in 2022. 

2022 FLORIDA OVERALL OUTLOOK — STOCK DOWN (FOR NOW)

The future looks bright in Gainesville, as Billy Napier clearly has a plan — in recruiting, staffing, roster management and overall team identity. Better yet, Napier has the support and alignment from the athletics department to influential boosters. 

But culture, character and team chemistry don’t change instantly by simply trading office name plates. It takes time, and after a 6-7 season in 2021 — and nine losses in the program’s last 14 games — there look to be more more cloudy days in Gainesville.

Perhaps Florida can ride a ball-control offense and a defense with a simpler, sounder scheme to a seven or eight win season, giving Napier plenty of positive momentum heading into a big 2023 season. 

But there’s a stronger chance that a very difficult schedule — there’s no easing into 2022 for Napier as UF probably plays the toughest two games of any school in the nation to start the season by hosting Utah, a Top 10 team, and Kentucky — and a thin roster has the Gators needing to a claw their way to bowl eligibility. 

Napier doesn’t lack vision or strategy but his plan is going to need some time to take shape for the Florida Gators to return to SEC prominence.

On3’s SEC Stock Report Series:

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