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Billy Napier on the good, the bad and the ugly from Gators in Week 1

On3 imageby:Zach Abolverdi•09/06/22•

ZachAbolverdi

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Courtney Culbreath | UAA Photo

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The Gators opened their 2022 season with an upset thriller over No. 7 Utah, overcoming an early turnover and eight lead changes. After evaluating the tape, first-year coach Florida coach Billy Napier said Monday that his team was fortunate to win the game.

Napier was pleased with the intangibles and mental toughness of his players, but admits the film was sloppy.

“The great thing is the effort was there, the physicality was there, the toughness was there, the passion,” he said. “I thought we saw some leadership emerge. But overall, lots of areas on our team where we need to improve. So, I think we’ve got a little bit of the best of both worlds here.

“I think we’ve got some momentum. But we also have a team that is very self-aware. I think we’ve got a smart group. I think they understand good football. They watched the tape. They know that they can do better. … A lot of good, a lot of bad, some ugly. We’ve got work to do here. But it’s good to be 1-0. We’re excited about getting back and starting SEC play here.”

Florida opens conference play on Saturday with another 7 p.m. game in The Swamp against Kentucky, which defeated Miami of Ohio last weekend, 37-13. Napier added that he really believes the Gators will improve from Week 1 to Week 2.

Following his opening statement Monday, Napier was asked to expand on the best thing he saw from his team against the Utes and the most glaring issue.

“That’s a long conversation there,” he quipped. “I just want to see more precision, more detail in how we play across the board. The good thing that I observed is the chemistry and morale of the team. Together this is a team, right? We stuck together — ups, downs, we responded. I think that’s probably the compliment I would give the team.

“They played hard in the game. Like anybody that watched that film or watched that game on TV would say, ‘Hey, the Gators played hard, man.’ They competed. That’s what I’m proud of. The football, we got work to do. So, without getting too specific there, that’s what I would say.”

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