Spring Review: What we learned about Florida
OPPONENT: Florida
WHERE: EverBank Stadium, Jacksonville, Fla.
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 2
TIME: 3:30 p.m.
TV: ABC
Introduction
This will be the next to last game in Jacksonville between Georgia and Florida as EverBank Stadium is being renovated for two seasons.
The Bulldogs and Gators have yet to determine where they’ll play in 2026 and 2027. But while that will be a story for another day, there will be no shortage of storylines when the two longtime rivals meet on the first Saturday in November.
For one, former Gator Trevor Etienne now plays for Georgia and is expected to be the starter for the Bulldogs.
Expect plenty of game-week stories about that.
That will not be all.
When new Georgia quarterback Jaden Rashada sued Florida head coach Billy Napier over claims that he was defrauded of millions of dollars from an NIL deal, it assured even more gasoline was going to be thrown on the rivalry that’s already one of the fiercest in college sports.
Offense: What we learned
...The only thing we know for sure about Florida and its offense this fall is that quarterback Gratham Mertz is back for another year as a starter.
After struggling at Wisconsin, his former school, Mertz threw for 2,093 yards and 20 touchdowns with just three picks as a Gator last season.
…But who will he throw to? Gone is wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, now in the NFL, and what receivers the Gators have returning are primarily young. Florida is very high on sophomore Trey Wilson III, but otherwise, there are questions.
…Florida believes returning running back Montrell Johnson Jr. could be a 1,000-yard rusher. Johnson rushed for 817 yards and five touchdowns while catching 30 passes for 236 yards and a touchdown.
…There are also some questions with the offensive line. Florida returns three starters, but after giving up 39 sacks (11th in the SEC), do not be surprised to see a lot of shuffling up front.
Defense: What we learned
…New faces will need to step up. Florida returns just two of its top seven tacklers from a season ago.
… Gators coaches believe Sharif Denson and Aaron Gates at star could be two players who will make noise. Denson intercepted Mertz in Florida’s spring game. The pick was of note considering Mertz only threw three last year.
…Florida hopes its defensive showing against the run in April’s Orange and Blue game was a sign of things to come. Last season, opponents averaged 155 yards rushing against the Gators. In the spring game, Florida’s defense only allowed 82.
…The Gators’ 22 sacks last year were 12th in the SEC. Florida hopes new defensive line coach Gerald Chatman (Tulane) can improve on that.
…One defensive transfer to watch is graduate transfer Joey Slackman from Penn. Slackman was the 2023 Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year after playing the three-tech, making 50 tackles, including 12 for lost yardage.
Special Teams: What we learned
…Napier made several changes within his coaching staff in the offseason. One was the hiring of Joe Houston from the New England Patriots to help.
…Kicker Trey Smack converted 17 of 21 field goals as a freshman but missed one at the end of regulation that cost the Gators a win at Arkansas.
…Punter Jeremy Crawshaw averaged 48.9 yards per kick. However, he struggled with consistency placing punts inside the 20-yard line of opponents.
Summary
There is pressure on Napier to get the Gators pointed back toward the winning trail after finishing 5-7 last year.
The schedule will not help.
Florida opens its season at home against Miami, before starting conference play at home against Texas A&M.
A road game at Tennessee on Oct. 12 will be huge before the season gets interesting with four straight games against Georgia (Jacksonville), Texas (Austin), LSU (Gainesville), and Ole Miss (Gainesville) all before closing out at Florida State.