Game Balls: Five standout players in the Florida Gators' spring game
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Following each Florida victory, Gators Online will hand out five game balls to UF’s top players from the game.
Here are the standout performers from the Orange & Blue Game.
RB Montrell Johnson Jr.
Johnson led all skill players on both teams with 87 yards of total offense Thursday. He carried the ball seven times for 36 yards, averaging 5.1 yards per carry with a long of 27.
Johnson also caught two passes for 51 yards on the final drive of the game, including a 38-yard reception, to set up the game-winning field by Trey Smack from 46 yards out.
QB Graham Mertz
Mertz received the start on Thursday with the first-time offense and completed 10 of 16 passes for 143 yards and a touchdown. He then took his turn with the second-team offense and outproduced Jack Miller with that unit, throwing for 101 yards on 8 of 13 passing.
Mertz finished with 244 yards on 18 of 29 with one TD and no interceptions.
“I think we both pushed each other,” Miller said of Mertz’s performance. “So, it was really cool just to see him playing good and really just trying to answer every single time they would go down for a drive.”
WR Ricky Pearsall
Pearsall led all receivers on both teams in receptions (four) and receiving yards (62). His best play was a 41-yard leaping catch on a deep ball from Mertz.
That play came on third-and-20 late in the second quarter and set up a 10-yard touchdown pass from Mertz to Kahleil Jackson to tie the game.
“Ricky right before halftime made a great catch on the sideline,” Mertz said.
LB Mannie Nunnery
With inside linebackers Derek Wingo and Teradja Mitchell sidelined, Nunnery played with the starting defense and filled the stat sheet. He registered five tackles, a sack, a pass breakup, a quarterback hurry and was one of only three defenders overall with two tackles for loss.
“I think we got really, really lucky with Manny Nunnery,” Gators inside linebackers coach Jay Bateman said. “He is a super athlete and a really, really bright football player. There’s a kid who can run, understands coverages and can play a lot of different positions. I’ve been really impressed with him.”
LB Deuce Spurlock
Spurlock lined up with the second-team defense at inside linebacker and led all UF defenders with a total of eight tackles on Thursday. He also registered a quarterback hurry.
“Spurlock had one of his better days,” Napier said after the game.
![Florida Gators wide receiver Eugene Wilson III (3) hauls in a pass while taking balls from a throwing machine during University of Florida Gators’ Spring football practice at Sanders Practice Fields in Gainesville, FL on Thursday, March 28, 2024. [Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun]](https://on3static.com/cdn-cgi/image/height=215,width=393,quality=90,fit=cover,gravity=0.5x0.5/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2024/08/01212103/Untitled-design-80.png)
