September Superlatives

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Please Read: Welcome to the new-look Inside the Gators

• Florida Football 3-2-1: How will Lagway be utilized going forward
• Grading the two-deep offensive depth chart
• Recruit Reaction: I loved the tight end play
• OTM: Is there a path to a fourth year
• Ranking UF’s commits from least to most likely to jump ship
• What names are on your Coaching Hot Board

Inside the Gators staffers Luke Adragna, Benjamin McLeish, Lance Williams, and Mark Wheeler take an in-depth look at Florida football during the first bye week of the season. Here are our superlatives, a prediction on whether UF can steal a win in October, and Billy Napier‘s chances of making it out of the month as the Gators’ head coach

SEPTEMBER SUPERLATIVES

What player has been the biggest surprise?

Adragna: Receiver Aiden Mizell. Mizell hasn’t necessarily taken that next step yet, but his speed and athleticism has shown in certain moments this season. Considering the haul of transfer wide receivers this offseason, I didn’t expect him to play a significant role this year. However, Mizell has looked flashy at times and could be a valuable asset for this program moving forward.

McLeish: Receiver Aidan Mizell. I wasn’t sure how much the redshirt freshman would see the field this year as the likely WR5. But with injuries to Tre Wilson and Kahleil Jackson, Mizell has proved he deserves snaps in this offense. He had a 65-yard touchdown against Mississippi State that was wiped away by a questionable penalty, but he still finished the day with five catches for 36 yards. If Wilson remains injured, Mizell will be a reliable WR3.

Williams: Freshman running back Jadan Baugh has been a surprise for the Gators. In addition to being second on the team in rushing yards at 98, Baugh has proven to be an excellent returner. Baugh leads the SEC in yards per kickoff attempt at 30.0.

Wheeler: After recording but four tackles in 12 appearances last year, sophomore linebacker Jaden Robinson already has 16 tackles in four games this season. The statistics don’t tell the whole story though. Though UF has two standout starters, they’ve trusted Robinson enough to put him out there early, and in critical situations.

What player has been the biggest disappointment?

Adragna: Florida’s defense has been abysmal this season and their tackling, which Billy Napier insisted had improved during the offseason, has been among the worst in college football. Safety DJ Douglas has struggled immensely and already has 10 missed tackles. No one else on Florida’s team has more than four.

McLeish: Defensive lineman Tyreak Sapp. Florida’s defensive line was supposed to be a strength of this team. Instead, it is one of the Gators’ weakest units. Sapp was supposed to be an anchor on the line and was expected to help pressure on opposing quarterbacks. While he leads the team with two sacks, the fact that no other player has more than one sack and the team only has eight sacks as a whole says more about his production. He has not been able to consistently generate pressure, and it has allowed for opposing offenses to dominate the Gators’ defense.

Williams: True freshman defensive lineman LJ McCray’s usage through four games is disappointing. A consensus five-star recruit playing just 57 total snaps has been underwhelming.

Wheeler: You could call out anyone along the defensive line and I wouldn’t argue with you. However, when it comes to the Gator Nation, I believe they were expecting more out of these three sixth year safety transfers. Why, I don’t know. When a player gets to a sixth year, that’s a a pretty strong indicator that in most cases, he doesn’t have NFL type of talent. The three transfer safeties – Asa Turner, Trikweze Bridges, and DJ Douglas – might have brought experience at the position, but it’s hard to see that they’ve elevated the talent level.

Who has been the best (or most surprising) offseason addition?

Adragna: It shouldn’t have come as a surprise, but former Arizona State wide receiver Elijhah Badger has been a valuable asset for the Gators offense. Badger tallied nearly 1600 yards and 10 touchdowns across his last two seasons with the Sun Devils. Through the first four games of the year, he has grabbed 14 receptions for 305 receiving yards and a touchdown.

McLeish: The real answer is Elijhah Badger. But since I also think he is the offensive MVP, I will give a shout out to Chimere Dike. Besides Badger, Dike has been the most consistent receiver with Tre Wilson injured the last two weeks. He has been a solid deep threat and has an especially good connection with Graham Mertz, who was his former teammate at Wisconsin.

Williams: Arizona State transfer Elijhah Badger has excelled for Florida. Through four games, the fifth-year wide receiver is fourth in the SEC in receiving yards at 305 receiving yards.

Wheeler: I was tempted to go with Grayson Howard, but I’m singling him out a little later on. I don’t care what his high school ranking was (No. 2 overall in the nation) or how bad Mississippi State is defensive, no one could reasonably expect a true freshman, in his fourth college football game, to go a perfect 7-for-7 (on the road nonetheless). He had a slight bump in the road against Texas A&M, but DJ Lagway has been all anyone could have expected and more.

Who has been the worst (or most disappointing) offseason addition?

Adragna: Former five-star defensive back Cormani McClain still hasn’t seen the field since transferring to Florida during the offseason. Napier played every single healthy cornerback against Mississippi State besides McClain, so it’s safe to assume something more than football is going on behind closed doors.

McLeish: Defensive lineman Joey Slackman. While Slackman had to undergo knee surgery and will be out for an undisclosed time, he was incredibly underwhelming in the two games he played. Against Miami and Texas A&M, Slackman had two total tackles. That is it. He may have been fighting an injury in those games, but Slackman was supposed to be a key piece of the defensive line. The senior will unlikely be able to make an impact in a Gators’ uniform.

Williams: Defensive lineman Joey Slackman has yet to make a significant impact as a Gator. The 2023 Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year has played in just two games, collecting two total tackles.

Wheeler: I’ll admit it, when it came to Ron Roberts, I drank the Kool-Aid. I thought he was the missing piece to Florida’s defensive puzzle. I thought he would be the grown-up in the room and add some stability to that side of the ball. You go back to his time as the Defensive Coordinator at Louisana, Baylor, and even last year at Auburn, there were some damn good years, and even the off years were nowhere near as bad as the start to this season. It’s fallen apart for him here at UF, and watching what happened against a lesser opponent such as MSU, there’s no reason to believe that there is hope on the horizon.

Who has been the Offensive MVP to Date?

Adragna: No one on offense has impressed more so far in a single game than quarterback DJ Lagway’s 456-yard performance against Samford. So, I think the most consistent, valuable producer for this offense so far has been Elijhah Badger. He’s found the ability to get open in each of Florida’s contests and has the most receptions and yards on the team.

McLeish: Receiver Elijhah Badger. Badger is the leading receiver for the Gators and has been one of the lone consistent bright spots for the offense. He averages over 21 yards per catch and has been both Graham Mertz’s and DJ Lagway’s favorite deep threat this season. In a season filled with inconsistencies, Badger has been the most dependable Gator.

Williams: Receiver Elijhah Badger is the offensive MVP through four games. Badger has held together the receiving room with 2023 All-SEC freshman Tre Wilson sidelined for the last two games. Through four games, Badger has a team-leading 14 catches for 305 yards and a touchdown.

Wheeler: Because you can see the numbers (and big plays), the tendency is to go with a skill position player when making a pick like this. However, out of every player on the offensive side of the ball, no one has been better game in and game out than center Jake Slaughter. Also, his being steady as a rock allows true freshman DJ Lagway an understated security blanket when he is in the game, still getting his feet wet. The offensive line overall might be terrible, but where would it be without Dan Mullen holdovers Slaughter and Austin Barber?

Who has been the Defensive MVP to Date?

Adragna: Cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. has been fantastic after deciding to return during the offseason. Marshall was once projected to be a potential first-round pick and didn’t live up to those expectations last season. However, the corner has been shut down this season and has only surrendered five receptions and logged three pass break ups.

McLeish: Linebacker Shemar James. It’s hard to pick a player to highlight on a defense that is averaging 34 points allowed per game against FBS opponents. But as the leader of the defense, James has done his part. He has the only interception for the Gators this season, and he is one of the team’s best tacklers.

Williams: Linebacker Grayson Howard has been instrumental for the Gators defense. Howard’s 20 total tackles lead the team, and his 77.1 PFF grade ranks 33rd in FBS. The South Carolina transfer also had a critical fumble recovery in the fourth quarter against Mississippi State, preserving the Gators’ two-score lead.

Wheeler: Give Jason Marshall Jr. credit for his outstanding season to date. His turnaround actually began late last season when he started coming around after the slow start. However, Linebacker Grayson Howard brings a mobile, physical presence to the defense that it lacks without him on the field.

The Best Position to Date?

Adragna: Florida’s wide receiver room is brimming with talent even considering the injury to Tre Wilson III. Transfer wideouts Elijhah Badger and Chimere Dike have been valuable additions to Florida’s offensive scheme and fit well with Napier’s play-calling.

McLeish: Wide Receiver. Most people predicted the Gators would have a deep wide receiver room, but I’m surprised the position has been so productive with the absences of Tre Wilson and Kahleil Jackson. Elijhah Badger and Chimere Dike have lived up to their expectations, and Aidan Mizell and Marcus Burke have shown flashes of greatness. With Wilson coming back soon, this will be one of the best wide receiver rooms in the SEC.

Williams: Wide receivers have been a strength for the Gators through four games. 278.5 receiving yards per game is good for sixth in the SEC.

Wheeler: Both quarterback and receiver rooms deserve consideration, but I’m going to go a bit out of the box and give a shout-out to the players who play in the box. While the defense as a whole has underperformed, give Shemar James, Grayson Howard, RJ Moten, and Jaden Robinson credit for being the best two-deep unit on that side of the ball.

The Worst Position to Date?

Adragna: The Gators’ defensive line is easily one of the worst in the Southeastern Conference. Florida has five sacks so far, and four of them came against Samford,an FCS team. I didn’t expect the defensive line to improve much compared to last season, and if anything, it has taken a step back.

McLeish: Offensive line. While the defensive could arguably be put here, I think the o-line has been the most detrimental position for the Gators’ success this year. They haven’t allowed that many sacks, but they simply don’t give the quarterbacks enough time to throw. And the running game is being held back by their inability to open up holes. The Gators’ offense would look completely different if they had a strong line.

Williams: Florida’s offensive line has struggled in 2024. Gators’ quarterbacks have been sacked five times and the team has a bottom-five rushing attack in the SEC.

Wheeler: I was going to go with the tight ends to prove a point, that UF isn’t talented enough at the position to justify such a high percentage of 12 personnel groupings. However, that’s low-hanging fruit. Instead, I’ll go with the safeties. While the cornerbacks, outside of Ja’Keem Jackson, have been solid, the safeties have been incredibly bad. If they aren’t blowing a coverage, they are shying away from contact.

What is the best bet for a win in October (out of UCF, TN, and UK)?

Adragna: Florida has its best chance of earning a win against Kentucky. I believe Central Florida’s ground game, which ranks No. 1 in the country, will be too difficult for Florida to overcome, and the Knights will stay in control of the game despite playing on the road. There is little to no shot the Gators take down Tennessee on the road.

McLeish: UCF. While you could argue that Kentucky is a worse team right now, I still think the Wildcats will be a more formidable foe than the Knights, who haven’t played any strong competition yet. Kentucky has dominated the Gators in the Billy Napier era and they will have a stronger defense than UCF. And it would take a miracle for this team to defeat No. 5 Tennessee, with the game being at Neyland Stadium.

Williams: Kentucky is Florida’s most likely win in October. Undefeated Tennessee looks like a legitimate playoff team and UCF has the best rushing attack in college football. Florida’s defense has struggled, but Kentucky has the lowest-scoring offense in the conference.

Wheeler: To show you how far Florida has fallen, in any other year, under any other staff, though upsets in the series have happened, you just naturally believe that given its advantages, Florida is a shoo-in to be the favorite against Central Florida. However, this isn’t any other year or any other staff. This is a Florida team that can’t stop the run to save its life. Next weekend they face one of the most prolific running attacks in college football. Anything can happen, but that looks like a loss. Tennessee is on the road, and UF doesn’t have the defense to slow them down much less stop them. That leaves Kentucky at home. Who knows what you are going to get from UK from week to week. They looked like a bottom dweller against South Carolina and then came back to give Georgia all it could handle. Florida is certainly no Georgia, and sadly enough, doesn’t even look to be on South Carolina’s level. On one hand the game is in the Swamp. On the other, if UF is 2-4 at that point, are the players going to start mailing it in?

Does Billy Napier make it out of October as the Florida Head Coach?

Adragna: Yes. The Gators will not fire Billy Napier unless Florida gets blown out by Kentucky. I believe the UAA will let this season ride out and make a decision at the end of the year.

McLeish: Yes. And I’m not saying this because I think Napier should be the coach going forward for the Gators. If Napier is fired in October, who will be the head coach for the rest of the season? There is practically no head coaching experience on the Gators’ coaching staff. In order to prevent a possible 2-10 or 3-9 season, it is best for the Gators to hold onto Napier for now.

Williams: Gators head coach Billy Napier will still be employed through October. Firing Napier does not solve any of the team’s issues in 2024.

Wheeler: A loss to UCF, whether it be by a point or a blowout, should bring the end to the Billy Napier era. However, I believe that the fact that they didn’t make a move after being embarrassed by Miami and Texas A&M is a sign that they would prefer not to make a move until later in the season, or perhaps after the season. However, if UF were to go 0-3 this month, and with a bye coming up between the Kentucky game to end the month and the Georgia game to kick off November, that might be the sweet spot.

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