October Superlatives

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

• Former Florida Player Feedback: 10 Observations
• Recruit Reaction: I thought the atmosphere was electric
• Parental Perspective: Florida Football Commits Parental RoundTable
• September Superlatives
• 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 second bye week of the season. Here are our October Superlatives, a prediction on whether UF can pull an upset in November, and Billy Napier‘s chances of making it out of the month as the Gators’ head coach

OCTOBER SUPERLATIVES

What player was the biggest surprise in October?

Adragna: It might be recency bias, but I don’t think anyone expected true freshman running back Jaden Baugh to fill in the shoes of Montrell Johnson Jr. as well as he did versus Kentucky. His five-touchdown outing against the Wildcats is the defining performance of the month and could be of the season. Baugh has solidified himself as second on the depth chart ahead of Treyaun Webb and Ja’Kobi Jackson.

McLeish: Transfer receiver Chimere Dike. In October, Dike was the Gators’ leading receiver, putting up 231 yards and a touchdown. He also has proven to be a valuable punt returner. He’s one of the main reasons the Gators took Tennessee to overtime, and he continues to be one of the most reliable targets in the Gators’ offense.

Williams: Freshman Jadan Baugh has been an excellent addition to Florida’s running back room. With Montrell Johnson Jr. sidelined with an injury against Kentucky, Baugh tallied 106 rushing yards and an astonishing five touchdowns.

Wheeler: His play up to this point at Florida hasn’t exactly been top-notch, so it wouldn’t take much to call the recent play of Damieon George Jr. a pleasant surprise, but it has been. I think he has shown improvement over the course of the season and played his best game as a Gator last week against Kentucky. Now, there are some big challenges ahead in November, but he has something to build upon.

What player was the biggest disappointment in October?

Adragna: Florida sophomore wideout Eugene Wilson III hasn’t exceeded expectations like many thought he would in his second season. I truly believed that he would be All-SEC caliber in his second year, but Wilson doesn’t seem on track to do so. I understand he missed a few games from a knee injury and probably still isn’t 100 percent, but Wilson’s been absent at times throughout contests.

McLeish: Kicker Trey Smack. He hasn’t been awful by any means, but while most of the Gators’ team has improved in the month of October. He’s missed two kicks this month and the miss against Tennessee essentially ended the game for Florida.

Williams: Quarterback Graham Mertz suffering a season-ending torn ACL is the biggest disappointment this season for Florida. It’s unfortunate to see the veteran quarterback’s college career end with an injury.

Wheeler: Maybe because I was expecting so much more out of him that getting just ‘okay’ type of performances comes off as a disappointment, but Shemar James had only seven solo tackles in three games in the month of October and no ‘impact’ plays (TFL, sacks, FF, FR, INT, PBU). These last couple of games it feels like Jaden Robinson has surpassed him. James played better in September. Maybe he can rebound in November.

Who was October’s best (or most surprising) offseason addition?

Adragna: I think the most surprising has been Chimere Dike. Although Elijah Badger stunned in the last contest, Dike has been a valuable asset in special teams and on offense. Dike caught what should’ve been the game-winning touchdown in Tennessee, but Billy Napier elected to settle for an extra point.

McLeish: Quarterback DJ Lagway. He wouldn’t be my answer if Graham Mertz didn’t tear his ACL. But Lagway will be the Gators’ starter for the rest of the way, and he proved against Kentucky that he is capable of winning games right now.

Williams: Running back Jadan Baugh has been Florida’s best offensive addition. He has blown away his former (247 Sports) three-star status.

Wheeler: Last month I had Ron Roberts as my most disappointing offseason addition, so it’s only fair that I single him out for the turnaround the defense saw in October. Okay, I am going to concede that these weren’t exactly three high end offenses (especially UCF and UK), but the move to the box, where based on his experience, he probably has a better eye for making adjustments, has worked wonders. What we saw in October is more along the lines of what we expected when he was hired.

Who was October’s worst (or most disappointing) offseason addition?

Adragna: I think the worst offseason addition so far has been DJ Douglas. Douglas had the most missed tackles on the team last month and has been the worst member of Florida’s questionable safety unit. He hasn’t played in the last two games, which is understandable based on his prior performances.

McLeish: Defensive lineman Joey Slackman. Yes, Slackman missed multiple games due to injury in September, but
the Penn transfer has made little impact when he’s been on the field, only recording one tackle this month.

Williams: Penn transfer Joey Slackman has been underwhelming for Florida. The defensive tackle has played in just three games and collected just three tackles. Slackman may be struggling to apply pressure against SEC opponents compared to those in the Ivy League.

Wheeler: As the person who puts these content items together, I am at a bit of a disadvantage because there are times when my answer, as well as reasoning, are already taken, so I have to go in another direction. This is one of those times. However, I’m going to follow suit. Yes, he has been injured, but considering the fanfare he came in with and the focus on him coming out of camp, Joey Slackman has been underwhelming to put it kindly. At first, I questioned if he would be effective going against much better competition, but then after seeing him at practice, I was impressed with his suddenness for his size. Now, I’m back in the camp of questioning if he can be effective against SEC quality linemen.

Who was October’s Offensive MVP?

Adragna: There’s no doubt that Chimere Dike was the most valuable player for the Gators in October. The Wisconsin transfer led Florida’s receiving units in yards and caught a touchdown against UCF and Tennessee.

McLeish: Receiver Chimere Dike. Players like DJ Lagway, Jadan Baugh, and Elijhah Badger had more impressive performances in the Kentucky game, but Dike’s consistency has been unmatched this month. He’s finished every game with over 65 yards.

Williams: Wide receiver Chimere Dike was a reliable source of offense in October. In three games, Dike caught ten balls for 231 yards and one touchdown. Along with his utility in the passing game, the veteran has done a good job returning punts.

Wheeler: I’m going to go off the grid here a little and go with right tackle Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson. There were a couple of line breakdowns against Tennessee and Kentucky, but overall the offensive line in general, and Crenshaw-Dickson in particular, did a great job in keeping a clean pocket against two of the better defensive lines Florida will face.

Who was October’s Defensive MVP?

Adragna: Defensive end George Gumbs Jr. has played out of his mind at times. The junior defensive lineman had two sacks last month and a pass deflection while constantly adding pressure to the opposing team’s quarterbacks.

McLeish: Safety Trikweze Bridges. The Oregon transfer has been a welcome addition to the Florida secondary. He was all over the field against Kentucky, notching an interception, a forced fumble and 11 tackles.

Williams: Defensive end Jack Pyburn has been everywhere on the field for Florida. The junior has been flying around, picking up twenty tackles during October.

Wheeler: Pyburn was going to be my pick because it can’t be a coincidence that the level of intensity on defense picked up when he started playing. However, instead, I’ll go with cornerback Jason Marshall Jr., who is playing as well as any defensive back in the nation. At no point during the UCF, Tennessee, or Kentucky games did it feel as if any of the opposing quarterbacks got in a groove against UF’s secondary, and Marshall Jr. is a big reason why.

October’s Best Position?

Adragna: The best position has easily been the wide receiver unit. In each game, someone has stepped up. It goes to show quarterback DJ Lagway has several mouths to feed, and with his arm talent, the Gators might fare well at times against their tough opponents throughout the next month.

McLeish: Florida’s wide receivers. The three-headed monster of Tre Wilson, Elijhah Badger, and Chimere Dike continues to come through, even against strong defenses. DJ Lagway seems to have good chemistry with all three players and consistently connected on the deep ball against Kentucky.

Williams: Even without sophomore Tre Wilson for three games, Florida’s receiving room has been exceptional in 2024. Chimere Dike and Elijhah Badger each have over 400 receiving yards in their first season with the Gators.

Wheeler: Florida’s cornerbacks have continued to impress. Other than Jason Marshall Jr. falling for the flea-flicker (and it looked like he thought he had safety help) against Kentucky, the cornerbacks had a terrific month. After a so-so 2023 (though he did come on late in the season) Marshall Jr. has been a star this year. Devin Moore and Dijon Johnson have all played well. Then, the highlight of the UK game might have been Cormani McClain‘s play.

October’s Worst Position?

Adragna: Every unit has massively stepped up over the last month. However, one of them has to be selected. So, I’ll go with the tight-end unit. The main tight ends in Florida’s offense, Hayden Hansen and Arlis Boardingham, have been non-factors at times. Boardingham had a decent game against Tennessee, logging three receptions for 40 yards and a touchdown. However, the Gators’ offense doesn’t necessitate the tight ends, so for that reason, they’re on the top of the chopping block.

McLeish: Offensive Line. I hate putting them here because I think they’ve tremendously improved since week 1. But I still think it’s the weakest group without much star power. They’ve allowed five sacks in the last two games.

Williams: While Florida’s offensive line has improved throughout the season, there is still more to be desired. The team is bottom five in the SEC in rushing attack, and the unit didn’t provide much time for either quarterback against Tennessee.

Wheeler: At this point, it feels like there is little hope for Florida’s safeties to show much this season. Though Bryce Thornton has had his moments, if you take away Trikweze Bridges, the unit might be considered one of the worst in the nation. Asa Turner missed the entire month of October, but seeing how he played against Miami, is that really a bad thing? DJ Douglas and Jordan Castell struggle in coverage and tackling. That tells you all you need to know about the position.

What is the best bet to pull an upset in November (out of UGA, TX, LSU, and Ole Miss)?

Adragna: Ole Miss. Lane Kiffin’s offense hasn’t looked nearly as potent as it did last year, and Napier will have something to prove against the coach so many Florida fans want him replaced by.

McLeish: Ole Miss. I also think LSU is a winnable game, but the Rebels are underachieving this season. If Kentucky beat them in Oxford, Florida can definitely beat them in Gainesville.

Williams: Besides FSU, the Gators’ best shot of a win going forward is against Ole Miss. Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart puts up video game stats against teams like Furman but struggles against SEC opponents.

Wheeler: Ole Miss is the obvious choice, but since I’m going last here, and I’ve seen everyone else’s replies, I’m going to go my own way, and for the sake of being a little different, go with Texas. The Longhorns are currently ranked No. 5 in large part to a favorable schedule, which saw them lose to the only top-end team (Georgia) they’ve played. It will be interesting to see what they do at Vanderbilt this weekend.

Does Billy Napier do enough in November to earn another season?

Adragna: Yes. As I said in the September Superlatives, I think Napier will survive the rest of the season barring a string of blowout losses, which doesn’t seem likely considering the defense’s massive improvement since the bye week.

McLeish: Yes. I think Napier will finish an even 6-6 in the regular season, with wins over FSU and either LSU or Ole Miss. A win in the bowl game would give the Gators their first winning record since 2020. Regardless of what the fans or I want, I think this would earn Billy another season to prove himself with DJ Lagway as his starting quarterback.

Williams: If Florida makes a bowl game, I think Billy Napier will be head coach in 2025. He has shown improvement throughout the season and quarterback DJ Lagway’s long-term outlook could be enough reason to keep the coaching staff.

Wheeler: The word ‘earn’ means something different to each of us. If Florida finishes with five or fewer wins, no, Napier hasn’t earned the right to return. That however doesn’t mean that he won’t. If Florida gets to six wins, with a bowl berth, he will certainly be retained – and we will be stuck in no man’s land for yet another season where recruiting will be an uphill battle and it’s hard to imagine many big money donors willing to throw even more money toward NIL when it has proven to be a failed experiment to this point. Now, if Florida wins seven-plus games, then a 2025 return is a given with a little more breathing room.

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