Making a Case for the Florida Gators from SEC Media Days

For the first time in a long time, Dan Mullen will not be on the center stage here at Media Days. I’m sure my friend Kyle Tucker is not happy with that. Anyway, Happy Wednesday from the ATL. This is our third day together thanks to our good friends at Morgan & Morgan. For over thirty years, Morgan & Morgan has helped hundreds of thousands of deserving clients recover over 13 billion dollars. Wow. That’s a lot of money. With over 800 attorneys in offices in Kentucky, Florida, New York, and across America, Morgan & Morgan’s army of lawyers are ready to fight for you to get you the compensation you deserve. Morgan & Morgan will fight for you and best of all, hiring them is 100% free unless they win. For a free consultation, call DIAL POUND (#) LAW – That’s POUND L-A-W or 5-2-9 on your cell phone — 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Back to Mullen. The former Gator head coach reached the SEC Championship Game in 2020 before abruptly being shown the door in 2021. His astounding plunge brought on the hiring of former Louisiana head coach Billy Napier. Napier studied under Dabo Swinney and Nick Saban which gave him the preferred background for leading a program in the Southeastern Conference. He enjoyed tremendous success at Louisiana including a 13-1 slate last season. But, things are a tad bit more difficult in America’s premier football league so, we’ll see. 

Case For

A “case for” and a “case against” could be utilized when describing quarterback Anthony Richardson. The redshirt sophomore is as physically gifted as any QB in the league but has battled injuries and inconsistency issues. The 6’4, 240-pounder averaged over eight yards per snap last season and has shown glimpses of elite playmaking traits. He’ll be asked to run the option under Napier which could lead to positional growth in his third season in Gainesville. Richardson has been ranked in the Top-10 of more than a few 2023 NFL Draft projections. That’s placing a great deal of expectation from a small sample size but also speaks to his special skills. Depth behind Richardson is somewhat concerning. Former Ohio State QB Jack Miller III was brought in and was praised for his performance during spring practice. 

Billy Napier is said to be exceptionally organized. The Florida AD stepped up to hire an astonishing amount of support staff members in order to speed up the rebrand. Napier wins football games. This is proven by his 40-12 overall record as a head coach. But, so did Mullen. Instate recruiting is now a priority and should have always been so. But, it may take a few years to see the benefits of the new emphasis. Additionally, the Gators seemed to lack focus, discipline, and motivation under Mullen towards the end of his run. That won’t be the case with the new regime. Napier isn’t flashy nor did he win the press conference. He’s a steady program builder and organizer which is exactly what UF needed. I like the hire and respect Napier. 

Case Against

A giant “Help Wanted” sign should atop the Swamp. This especially applies to the offensive skill group. 6’6, 238-pound senor Justin Shorter and 6’3, 195-pound sophomore Xzavier Henderson return but depth at receiver is undeveloped. Running back is another point of minor concern. However, there is talent in that room. Louisiana transfer Montrell Johnson could potentially become the team’s top ball carrier and is a physical, downhill runner. Lorenzo Lingard and Nay’Quan Wright will also factor in Napier’s rush-heavy attack. 

Florida’s lack of physicality on the offensive side of the football will be a demanding, year-one fix. Napier brought two players over from Louisiana that may help with installing a more physical culture. Running back Montrell Johnson (838-yards, 12-TDs) and guard O’Cyrus Torrence are familiar with the new leader’s system and demands. The 6’5, 335-pound Torrence has garnered Preseason All-American consideration. 

Florida gave up 27 points a game last season. Again, that number was surprising given the amount of talent in the huddle. As seen above, culture change is an essential issue for the new head coach. Napier’s first month of the season could be interesting. The Gators host Utah and Kentucky before going on the road to Tennessee to end September. All three opponents can put a lot of points and will be a test for Napier’s defense. That’s not exactly easing into the new office. 

Florida has never lacked defensive talent. The Gators had an execution, motivation, and toughness deficiency a year ago. That led to embarrassing performances under the departed coordinator Todd Grantham. Sean Spencer and Patrick Toney were named co-coordinators and will run a 3-3-5 scheme. Linebackers Ventrell Miller and Brenton Cox Jr. (8.5 sacks in 2021) along with safety Trey Dean III will lead the UF defense. Defensive tackle Gervon Dexter has the size and traits to become an early-round pick. 

Verdict 

It seemed as if Napier was mentioned for almost every opening in the SEC for several seasons. He finally landed a chair at the dinner table. He has a daunting task ahead of him. His roster is evolving and could even be different than what is projected here in Atlanta when the Gators host Utah. Quarterback Anthony Richardson is special and is a touchdown waiting to happen. The signal caller will be surrounded by new faces and some old ones that were highly unreliable in 2021. There’s a whole lot of new in Gainesville which brings on uncertainty and excitement for the Gators. How long with the honeymoon last even if there was one? We’ll see. Much like every other program in the SEC, patience is not a shared virtue amongst fan bases. 

Kentucky beat Florida 20-13 last season. The Gators went on to finish the season 3-5. A coaching change ensued and brought on a new set of expectations for the Gator faithful. A demanding schedule awaits. The ceiling for this team is 8-4 or 7-5. Napier going over .500 in year one could be considered a success which may fall short of expectation for the Gator Nation. 

What Does All This Mean for Kentucky?

The Cats go to Florida on September 10. This week two matchup is vital for both programs. There will be a great deal on the line for the Cats. A road win would all but assure a 4-0 start and an early leg up on East foes. For Georgia to matter in November, Kentucky has to beat Florida in September. 

Head Coach’s Best Quotes 

Q. What did you learn from watching your dad’s career, how he interacted with his players and staff, specifically how he continued to coach throughout his illness?

BILLY NAPIER: “You’re trying to get me here today. Dad showed I think sometimes when adversity strikes, you can choose character or you can choose to compromise, right? Dad did an unbelievable job. Every day he chose character. He relied on his foundation, which was his faith. He was a great example to a lot of people. Even to this day, it’s impacting me and a lot of other people, too. So thanks for the question.”

Q. With the players you inherited and the guys you brought in, where do you feel like your talent level is? Do you feel it’s realistic you could compete for the East title this year? Talk about how close you and Kirby are, now you’re obviously at two programs that don’t like each other very much. Does that change y’all’s relationship?

BILLY NAPIER: “Well, I mean, I think a lot of the things that you discussed earlier there are to be determined. I talked about it earlier. I like our football team. I like how they’ve embraced the work. I think they love to compete. I think they’re tough. I think we do have a little bit of an edge. I think there’s a sense that there’s respect to be earned, if that makes sense. I just like the look in the eye that I see. We’ve got some veteran players that I think have done a really good job, and then we’ve got a lot of work to do as a coaching staff. I do like the group we brought in. 

But year one, new staff, new place, new group of players, new roster, I mean, we’re a work in progress. I would tell you this: Every team in the country’s got its own set of issues and problems, right? We’re all working through that. That’s exactly where we’re at. But as far as competing with Kirby, heck, man, I’ve got nothing but respect for Kirby.”

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