Handing Out Midterm Grades for Florida Football
The Florida football team has reached the halfway mark of the regular season with a 2-4 record.
With half the season in the rearview mirror, it’s a perfect time to take a moment to review. In this progress report, grades are given for five aspects of Florida’s results: offense, defense, special teams, coaching and fanbase.
Offense: F
The Florida offense has been nothing but disappointing this season.
An “F” might be harsh, but when looking at the preseason expectations, it’s a complete 180. Quarterback DJ Lagway was given Heisman Trophy shouts and the offensive line was said to be one of the best in the country. At skill positions, Jadan Baugh was set up to become a top running back and the depth in the wide receiver room meant the sky was the limit for the offense.
Instead, Lagway has struggled to throw downfield and the offensive line with two All-Americans has looked average at best. Since Week 1, the Gators have only put up 20 or more points once.
Freshmen receivers Dallas Wilson and Vernell Brown III have brought a spark, but the veteran pass catchers have also been disappointing.
The offense that was supposed to be the strong point of this team has instead been the reason the Gators, 1-2 in the SEC, can’t win games.
Defense: A-
If the defense had not been a top-25 unit through the first half of the season, there would be little to nothing to harp on this year.
Sophomore linebacker Myles Graham has been the best player on the team and the leader defensively. The secondary has also been solid most of the year despite long term injuries to both Aaron Gates and Dijon Johnson.
The unit has kept two of three games against top-five opponents close enough to give the offense a chance, even though it didn’t break 20 points in any of the games.
The quarterback pressure has not developed as expected. The team has only nine sacks, six coming in the Texas game. That means only three sacks across the other five games, including against FCS program LIU.
The defense finally struggled against Texas A&M, probably fatigued by the limited depth from injuries. It was the first time it couldn’t keep the game in striking distance late.
Special Teams: B+
Special teams have been a bright spot for Florida this year.
Kicker Trey Smack continues to perform. He hasn’t missed a kick since the opening weekend massacre of LIU at home (where he missed three). He hasn’t really been tested much, still without a 50+-yard attempt in a game that mattered. He did hit a 56-yarder in Week 1.
Tommy Doman has also been a solid add at punter after losing Jeremy Crawshaw to the NFL. He has averaged a decent 44.6 yards per punt.
In the return game, VB3 has been great. Being able to switch the field on punt and kick returns has allowed the limited Gators offense to get points on the board a few times this season.
Similarly, the punt block against Texas that resulted in a safety, adds the “+.” The play by Taylor Spierto was a major point in that win to prove special teams can make a difference in big games.
Coaching: D
To be clear, this would definitely be an F if coaching only meant Billy Napier.
Napier seems to struggle playing from any point in the game other than the opening drive. With the lead or at a deficit, he fails to make adjustments that make a difference.
Whether it’s abandoning the run or calling a screen pass behind the line of scrimmage on third-and-long, the offensive playcalling has been questionable all year. Yes, some execution issues have been apparent with the players, which Napier continues to bank on as his excuse, but he is the playcaller. He has refused to give up those duties and has dug himself a hole as a result.
Now with the hottest seat in college football and a continuing list of coaching fires across the country, he has to do a lot to prove he still deserves the job.
Defensive coordinator Ron Roberts has been solid this year. The defense has been stout evidenced by the A- grade. Roberts has been a big part in that. Even with major injuries across the secondary and defensive line, he has found ways to keep the Gators in close games by stopping the run and forcing three-and-outs. His performance this year brings the average up to measly “D” on the progress report.
Fans: A
It’s hard to give anything other than an A for a fanbase that has sold out 15 straight home games in one of the least successful eras of its history.
The Gator fans continue to show up for the team in The Swamp, making it one of the hardest places to play in college football. The win against Texas was a prime example. Even with the Longhorn fans traveling well, the hostile environment was important in shaking the confidence of an inexperienced quarterback in Arch Manning.
The fans have proved they will stick with the team even if they are calling for Napier’s head most of the time. They have been the biggest weapon for the team this year. It’s disappointing they don’t get the results they deserve for their support.
Overall: D
It is a fair grade for the overall team performance.
The season is pretty much over at the halfway point. The Gators are really only playing the rest of the season for a chance at a bowl game and to beat the remaining rivals on the schedule. The standard for Florida has lowered over the past four years or so and it feels like there is a lot to do before the Gators waste the talented roster they have available.
Maybe the poor marks will give the Gators a wake-up call to improve before the report card comes out at the end of the year. Straight As are already out the window, but can they salvage grades they can bring home to satisfy UF Athletic Director Scott Stricklin’s expectations?
The second half of the season starts with the homecoming game Saturday against Mississippi State (4-2, 0-2 SEC).
Coverage on WRUF 98.1-FM/850-AM 103.4 HD-2 begins at 1:15 p.m.
Category: College Football, Feature Sports News, Football, Gators Football, SEC
