Florida Gators: Keys To The Season, Top Game, Top Transfer, Fun Stats
Florida Gators: Key To The 2022 Offense
Stop with the interceptions.
Of course, the most important thing is getting the new system implemented and making sure the timing is down to take what the coaching staff did at Louisiana and crank it up at a whole other level with better talent. But all the good things this O can do will crash if the turnovers don’t stop.
How many interceptions did Louisiana give away last year over 14 games? 4, and just one in the last eight games. How many interceptions did Florida give away against LSU? 4.
Those four picks were a killer in the 49-42 loss to the Tigers, and the 18 interceptions overall were awful – even if they didn’t contribute to most of the losses. Overall, though, Florida failed to win the turnover margin against anyone but Samford.
Florida Gators: Key To The 2022 Defense
The run defense has to be better.
Who’s up first in the Billy Napier era? Utah and its big, tough, nasty offensive line and ground attack.
There aren’t a slew of top-shelf ground games on the schedule, but that didn’t seem to matter too much last during last year’s run with LSU going off for 321 yards – the Tiger O didn’t get past 170 against anyone else – and South Carolina cranking up 284.
The defense will be better, and there’s too much talent to not shut down a few ground games to a dead stop, but there can’t be any more of those games when the Gators get gouged.
It’s more about the yards per carry allowed. Florida was 0-5 when giving up 4.5 yards or more per pop, and it’s 0-7 in those games going back to the end of 2021.
Florida Gators: Key Player To The 2022 Season
QB Anthony Richardson, Soph.
Go ahead and name any one of a few defensive players, or maybe WR Justin Shorter, or someone on the O line, but for the first year of the new regime to be special, Richardson has to be as good as the growing hype.
Florida couldn’t get its quarterback situation right. Emory Jones led the team in passing, but he threw too many picks. Richardson was amazing early on running, but he wasn’t consistent enough as a passer.
The size, the arm, and the skills are there, and there’s no question who the quarterback is. No pressure, but the O falls on him.
Florida Gators: Key Transfer
RB Montrell Johnson, Soph.
Did you notice that Elijah Mitchell guy for San Francisco last year? He was great for Louisiana before taking his style to the NFL.
Trey Ragas didn’t catch on, but he ran for over 3,500 yards and scored 38 times for the Ragin’ Cajuns.
Montrell Johnson ran for 838 yards and 12 touchdowns in the rotation, and now he should be the lead back in the mix of several good runners in the Gator backfield.
Florida Key Game To The 2022 Season
Kentucky, Sept. 10
There was a generation of Gator fans that didn’t know what it was like to lose to Kentucky.
The 2018 season turned out to be great – going 10-3 with a dominant Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl win over Michigan – but Dan Mullen didn’t exactly make the base happy when Florida lost to UK for the first time since 1986. Florida got the groove back with two straight wins, only to lose to the Cats last year.
The fans are going to give Billy Napier a little bit of time to get everything right, but beat Kentucky in the SEC opener, and follow it up with a win at Tennessee in the next conference game, and everything will seem like it’s on the right track.
Florida Gators: 2021 Fun Stats
– Penalties: Florida 104 for 918 yards – Opponents 67 for 611 yards
– 2nd Quarter Scoring: Opponents 115 – Florida 81
– Sacks: Florida 37 for 197 yards – Opponents 14 for 80 yards
O, D Breakdown | Season Prediction, What Will Happen
Florida Top 10 Players | Florida Schedule & Analysis