Florida Gators Offense is a Punchline During Spring Game

Spring games are best served as a way to create a little offseason excitement surrounding your program. It’s the perfect opportunity for head coaches to scheme up big plays to get a fanbase excited about what’s to come. Billy Napier did the exact opposite for Florida football fans during Thursday night’s Orange-Blue Game.

Napier was brought to Gainesville after his predecessor struggled to recruit like a top 10 program. The early returns have been pretty solid, with one exception at the most important position, quarterback. Florida was unable to convince Anthony Richardson to return for another season. Then a NIL disaster unfolded in the public eye as Jaden Rashada ultimately decided not to enroll this spring.

Billy Napier hit the portal and secured a commitment from Wisconsin’s Graham Mertz. It was an underwhelming addition for most Florida fans. Thursday’s spring game only amplified the criticism for the Gators’ signal callers.

In the fourth quarter of the scrimmage the core was 7-7. The Gators Online message board community spent most of the night fuming, or coping by laughing at their inept offense. Even Lane Kiffin got a kick out of it.

🔥🔥 ⁦@FloridaGators⁩ pic.twitter.com/F8waijGD6j

— Lane Kiffin (@Lane_Kiffin) April 14, 2023

Mertz finished the night 18-of-29 (62.1%) for 244 yards and one touchdown. One of his best drives was stalled by a turnover. The Gators’ other quarterback did not fare much better. Jack Miller completed 10-of-20 passes (50%) for 144 yards and a score. He led the final drive that set up a game-winning field goal, giving the Orange a 10-7 victory.

Headlines around the Sunshine State were not kind to the Gators’ “ugly spring game.” One outlet is already calling for Napier to find another quarterback in the upcoming transfer portal window.

Difficult Schedule Forecasts Gloomy Outlook for Florida Football

Florida is starting the season behind the 8-ball. They open the season with a road trip against a Top 25 Utah team. Two weeks later Tennessee is coming to town. They could be a .500 team when they make the trip to Kroger Field on the last weekend of September. It doesn’t get any easier down the stretch with a road trip to LSU and a season finale against Florida State, a team many believe will win the ACC.

Don’t be surprised to see Florida picked to finish near the bottom of the SEC East at SEC Media Days. Billy Napier needed an exciting spring game to restore some confidence among the rabid Florida fanbase. Instead, Gators dug themselves into a deeper hole.