Tag: JaKobi Jackson

Three instant takeaways from Florida’s blowout win over FSU

It wasn’t the most efficient night for Florida’s offense, but a stout defensive performance led the Gators to an easy victory of Florida State.

Florida capped off its regular season with a third-straight win Saturday night, a 31-11 victory over the Florida State Seminoles that was never truly in doubt.

If there was a game that Florida could afford to be sloppy in this season, it was this one. [autotag]DJ Lagway[/autotag] started off the game slow and his receivers didn’t help him out too much, either. Fortunately, the running backs came up big, combining for 223 yards and two touchdowns on 35 carries. It’s only the second time this year that Florida has gone over 200 yards rushing, with Montrell Johnson Jr. battling injuries for much of the year.

The defense also continued its dominant run through November by bulldozing through Florida State’s offensive line and getting to the quarterback eight times. The Seminoles fumbled seven times and never had a shot with that kind of turnover margin.

PLANT THE FLAG!

Fumblerooski

Okay, the fumblerooski is a trick play and FSU certainly did not have many tricks in their bag against Florida, but it’s fun to say and the Gators forced eight fumbles on the night, recovering five.

Florida’s defensive front started off the year rough, but that unit has been the key over the past month. Creating pressure against a true freshman quarterback who likes to take off is a tried and true recipe for manifesting havoc, and that’s exactly what happened Saturday night.

Eight sacks, 14 tackles for loss and just one touchdown allowed. What a night for the defense.

Shout out to long snapper [autotag]Rocco Underwood[/autotag] for getting downfield and recovering a muffed punt on special teams, too.

Lagway a bit off, RBs clean up

This was not DJ Lagway’s best game, but the Gators didn’t need it to be to get the win. Getting [autotag]Montrell Johnson Jr[/autotag]. back has been huge, and both [autotag]Jadan Baugh[/autotag] and [autotag]Ja’Kobi Jackson[/autotag] are still doing just fine.

It’s only right for the guy who came over with Billy Napier and returned for his senior year despite being a draft prospect to get the lion’s share of important carries, and Johnson made the most of his 10 against Florida State with 99 yards, including a 65-yard touchdown to put the game out of reach in the fourth quarter.

In fact, Johnson ran so well that Napier could afford to spread the love and get Baugh and Jackson 10 or more carries. Baugh ran it enough late to creep up to 81 yards and led the room with 11 carries. All three rushers finished the night with more than five yards per carry — Johnson at 9.9, Baugh at 7.4 and Jackson at 5.1.

The running backs room in Gainesville is loaded with talent, and everyone but Johnson will be back next season.

Not the best night for Florida receivers

Florida’s passing attack suffered throughout the game, but it’s not all on the quarterback. Yes, Lagway was a bit off, but the bulk of the incompletions tonight can be put on the receivers. Several players dropped balls that hit their hands, and that can’t happen in a rivalry game.

Lagway’s lone interception is a result of a miscommunication by the receivers, too. Veteran guys like [autotag]Elijhah Badger[/autotag], [autotag]Chimere Dike[/autotag] and even Marcus Burke are supposed to make things easier for a true freshman, but Lagway didn’t get much help from them.

Badger and Dike get a pass because they’ve been solid for most of the season, though. It was just a rough night for that group.

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Instant takeaways from Florida’s massive upset win over No. 9 OIe Miss

All aboard the Lane Train… right out of Gainesville. This is Billy Napier’s town, and his Gators delivered a massive upset against Ole Miss Saturday to prove it.

For a second consecutive week, the Florida Gators have upset a ranked opponent in The Swamp. The Orange and Blue took down the No. 9 Ole Miss Rebels, 24-17, to improve their record to 6-5 and secure bowl eligibility.

[autotag]DJ Lagway[/autotag] didn’t need to be the hero, but he still made some incredible throws, including two touchdown passes. The winning score came with senior running back [autotag]Montrell Johnson Jr[/autotag]. under center, though. Johnson lined up in the wildcat formation, faked a handoff and ran nine yards to his right into the endzone.

The remaining 7 minutes and 40 seconds of the contest was thrilling and proved that a depleted Gators secondary was still enough to stop one of the top quarterbacks in the country. Ole Miss signal-caller Jaxson Dart threw two interceptions — both secured by safety Bryce Thornton — to squash the Rebels’ chances to make the College Football Playoff.

The victory is, without a doubt, the best win of the [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] era and perhaps the best win since Kyle Trask was leading the glory year under Dan Mullen.

Florida is back!

The Billy Napier era has been filled with disappointment and uneasiness, but no longer is the future dim for the Florida Gators. The emergence of [autotag]DJ Lagway[/autotag] and the miraculous improvement of the defensive, at various levels, over the course of the season provides a path for Napier to not only stay on board for another season but perhaps thrive in Gainesville.

Lagway is a Heisman candidate moving forward, and he hasn’t even played with a fully healthy Eugene Wilson III. Replacing veteran receivers like [autotag]Elijhah Badger[/autotag] and [autotag]Chimere Dike[/autotag] won’t be easy, but there’s going to be a lot of interest from the big names in the transfer portal.

On defense, Gerald Chatman has transformed the line. [autotag]Caleb Banks[/autotag] looks like a future high-round pick, [autotag]Tyreak Sapp[/autotag] is dominating on the edge and [autotag]Cam Jackson[/autotag] is the anchor up front that Florida has needed all year. The pressure created, especially once Ole Miss center Reece McIntyre went down, forced Dart to make mistakes and an underestimated Gators secondary came up big in the waning minutes of the fourth quarter.

It’s hard not to be excited about what this team can do moving forward, and the dark cloud that’s hung over The Swamp for the past three years seems to be finally fading.

Great day for the RBs

Coming into this matchup, Ole Miss had the second-best run defense in the country. The Rebels allowed just 79.9 rushing yards per game and held opposing running backs to just 2.23 yards per carry.

Napier and his staff didn’t care about any of those numbers, though. The game plan was to run the ball early and often, and it worked like a charm. Florida’s three-headed monster in the backfield totaled a combined 174 yards on 39 carries, averaging 4.46 yards per carry — double the season average allowed by Ole Miss.

Johnson was the primary back in this one, rushing for 107 yards and the wildcat touchdown on 18 attempts, but Baugh flashed his talents with 46 yards on 13 rushes. [autotag]Ja’Kobi Jackson[/autotag], Florida’s JUCO gem, added 21 yards on eight carries.

Baugh and Jackson will be back next year to lead Florida’s running backs room, and Johnson will likely turn to pro now that he’s out of eligibility.

It’s been an injury-riddled year for Johnson, who had minor knee surgery during the preseason and missed a few games as the quarterback transition from Graham Mertz to Lagway took place, but he came back at the perfect time. Florida doesn’t win this game without him.

‘Next man up’ mentality prevails

Florida has dealt with a number of injuries this season and came into this game down its top three cornerbacks, a starting linebacker and safety. But that doesn’t matter when the entire team is repeating the line “next man up” at every opportunity in front of the media.

Banks is the breakout star over the last two weeks. He looks like an NFL-ready defensive lineman at times and racked up 2.5 sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss against Ole Miss. Sapp is the heart and soul of the front seven, and [autotag]Shemar James[/autotag] is another leader at the second level of the defense.

Thornton’s two interceptions were the most timely turnovers of the year for Florida, and the secondary has been held together by Trikweze Bridges’ position versatility as he moves from safety to cornerback.

[autotag]Sharif Denson[/autotag] deserves praise for delivering hit after hit, many of which came against runners in the open field, and [autotag]Jordan Castell[/autotag] is finally playing like he did during his freshman year — talk about a big hit to start the game.

This defense could have folded weeks, if not months, ago, but they didn’t. Austin Armstrong, Napier and Ron Roberts all deserve praise for keeping these guys focused through a tremendous amount of adversity throughout the season.

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Three instant takeaways from Florida’s shellacking at Texas in Week 11

It was not a pretty performance for the Orange and Blue on Saturday. Here are three instant takeaways from the running of the Longhorns over the Gators.

The Florida Gators and Texas Longhorns faced off for the first time on the college football field in 80s years in Week 11. On a sunny Saturday in Austin, the Burnt Orange scorched the Orange and Blue, 49-17, as [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag]’s team had no answer for the home squad on either side of the ball.

The Gators struggled to contain the ‘Horns starting from the opening kickoff but miraculously held them to a missed field goal to keep things tied. Florida would punt on the next possession; Texas converted a fouth-and-one on its own 24-yard-line following that punt, leading to the game’s first score

Then things started to get out of hand.

Florida fumbled the ball at the end of the first quarter while Steve Sarkisian’s crew stepped on the gas; they would score on the next two possessions while UF missed a field goal from UT’s 12-yard line. After that, the rout was on.

Looking back at the spanking the Gators received from the Longhorns, there is a trio of particular points to note in the immediate aftermath.

Florida never had a chance

From the very first play, Texas controlled the tempo on offense and shrugged off the Gators out in the open field. That hiccup in the red zone turned out to be an outlier as the Longhorns did not leave many points off the board afterward.

The best chance Florida had to get back into this game came in Texas’ first two possessions of the second quarter which resulted in punts. After that, the Longhorns scored four straight TDs extending into the opening of the second half.

Florida, on the other hand, did not score until 7:03 in the third quarter; that field 23-yard-filed goal extended UF’s nation-leading streak of games without being shut out. So at least there is that.

Jaden Baugh is an absolute baller

On a roster that is missing dynamic playmakers like DJ Lagway and Eugene Wilson III, running back Jaden Baugh has emerged as a player with that dog in him. The true freshman was a bruiser on the ground even when things were looking dire — even taking a couple of snaps in the wildcat formation.

Additionally, he seemingly got stronger as the game went on leading up to his third-quarter touchdown in which he dragged several defenders over the goal line, giving the Gators something to feel good about.

Florida certainly misses Montrell Johnson’s work-horse reps, but Baugh’s multifaceted talents in the backfield and beyond cannot be understated. Heck, he also serves as the primary kick returner. What a guy.

Baugh’s day was over a play into the fourth quarter, but he still ran for 19 yards for 88 yards and a touchdown — good for a 4.6 yards-per-carry average. He also caught a pass for a seven-yard gain on one targeted throw.

Special mention to fellow running back [autotag]Ja’Kobi Jackson[/autotag], who amassed even bigger numbers than Baugh but was responsible for the early fumble that led to Texas’ second score. He finished with as many attempts as his backfield companion but managed to earn 116 yards (6.1 per) and a touchdown while also catching a pass for 13 yards.

Aidan Warner ain’t it at quarterback

With all due respect for the young redshirt freshman, Aidan Warner just does not have the chops to compete in the SEC. Of course, only in a disaster would one start a third-string walk-on quarterback and few people foresaw the voracious injury bug that has plagued the Swamp.

Well, Florida is in the midst of a roster disaster and there is seemingly little the coaching staff can do about it. One has to trust Napier and Co.’s judgment when evaluating him and transfer Clay Millen, but either way, when you include the attrition sustained at other skill positions, the Gators are in dire straits.

Napier did try the wildcat as mentioned above but it is going to take more than high school gimmick plays to earn two more wins this fall. Rushing Lagway back onto the field is a terrible idea, but something has to be figured out under center.

Next up for Florida

The Gators return to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium to host the LSU Tigers in college football’s Week 12. The Southeastern Conference matchup will kick off at 3:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on ABC.

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Billy Napier talks defense, DJ Lagway, injuries after loss to Georgia

Billy Napier praised his team’s effort after falling to Georgia on Saturday and provided a brief update on DJ Lagway’s injury.

Like most of Gator Nation, [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] struggled to explain the countless injuries suffered by Florida ahead of and throughout the rivalry game against Georgia on Saturday, but the Gators head coach remained adamant that he was proud of his team and the effort they put forth in the 34-20 loss.

“I’m extremely proud of our team,” Napier opened his post-game press conference. “I think throughout this entire year, the character of this group has shown up. I think it’s a tough group, and I do think that I’m proud of the way they competed in the game today, the effort in which they played and the pride and way in which they took in representing Florida and competing.”

Napier said the goal was to put a “fanatical effort on the field,” and to push back against the challenging moments that were bound to come in a game of this magnitude.

“We wanted to ramp up the intensity,” he said. “We wanted to play with better effort. We wanted to out-finish, out-compete, out-hustle, out-physical and we knew that there would be poise and composure needed. …We felt like we understood the mission, and we felt like we had the men to do it.”

There’s no doubt that Florida put together a strong effort in the first half. After all, they entered the break leading Georgia by a touchdown. It’s the culmination of weeks of hard practice and a strong belief in the coaching staff from the players.

“Unity is powerful, and I do think in the last couple of weeks, this group has started to believe that they can play with anybody and beat anybody,” he said. “Obviously, there’s a bunch of football here that could be done better. I was proud of a lot of the players that stepped up.

“We went into the game, with some injuries. We had some injuries throughout the game, but I do think the players who had opportunities really stepped up and did a great job for the team.

“So, I’m proud of our team. I’m proud to be associated with that group in there. Obviously, we came up a little bit short today, but I do think the game kind of went the way we wanted it to. We made it ugly at times. We had our team in position at times to win the game.”

DJ Lagway injury update

Of course, the most impactful injury is the one suffered by true freshman quarterback [autotag]DJ Lagway[/autotag] in the second quarter. Lagway was helped off the field and onto a trainer’s cart. He returned from the locker room in the second half with a brace on his left leg and supported by crutches.

“It’s soft tissue,” Napier said on the injury. “We’ll have more for you next week.”

Lagway will undergo an MRI tomorrow to find out more on the injury.

Napier added that he believed the plan was working until Lagway went down. Even after the injury, the offense did some good things but was clearly at a disadvantage with a third-stringer running the show.

“Hats off to [autotag]Aidan Warner[/autotag],” he said. “We’re talking about a guy who didn’t go through spring practice. Really did a lot of two-spot work in training camp, won the job at some point in training camp and then two weeks ago started taking real reps with the second unit. …Obviously, he made some plays, made a handful of mistakes. They’re really a good group on defense.”

Florida’s offense wasn’t completely inept with Warner under center. The Gators tied it up with him at quarterback, albeit mostly on the back of [autotag]Ja’Kobi Jackson[/autotag] running the ball. The late turnover was a costly mistake, but one that might be expected from a player with such little experience.

Napier also discussed limiting the quarterback’s freedom to scramble now that the Gators have lost two quarterbacks to injury. Warner and his backup, [autotag]Clay Millen[/autotag], play a more pro-style at quarterback, which should make that adjustment easier.

Depth is a plus for Florida

Although the game seemed to slip away from Florida after the injury, similar to the way the Tennessee game went after Graham Mertz went down with a significant injury, Napier refused to indulge in any “snake-bitten” rhetoric.

“I don’t believe in that,” he said. “There’s always been injuries in this game. Every team in the country has injuries. One thing I can say is that we built a roster that has some competitive depth, and that’s proved to be beneficial.”

Napier pointed out the depth on the team, all the way down to the walk-ons. Having so much talent means practice is competitive, and it’s one of the reasons Florida’s been able to stick with the next-man-up mentality.

Napier praises defensive effort

While the offense struggled following Lagway’s injury, the defense held firm for most of the night. After holding Georgia to six points in the first half, Florida shifted to more of a bend-don’t-break strategy in the second. Until Warner’s interception, the Gators remained in the game for most of the night.

It’s the fourth contest in a row where the defense has impressed, and Napier was sure to praise that unit.

“For the first time since I’ve been head coach here, we showed up. We believe we can beat that team, and I think ultimately that belief is probably the most powerful and the final value relative to what we teach. You’ve got to have integrity. You’ve got to be together. You’ve got to have discipline. You’ve got to have effort and toughness.

“If you do all those things consistently, then the product starts to look the way it should look, and there’s a level of belief that comes with that. I think we’ve gotten to that point.”

Specifically, Napier praised the efforts of Cormani McClain and Trikweze Bridges with all of the injuries in the secondary. He also gave a nod to the three interceptions forced by the defense in the first half.

“We affected the quarterback, he said. “We made it sloppy. Made it ugly. We limited the explosive plays. We made them go the distance and were able to get some takeaways. We obviously need to capitalize on some of those short fields, but hats off to our defensive staff. They had a great plan and the players executed that plan.”

Special teams disaster

When asked specifically about the botched field goal attempt in the third quarter, Napier had this to say:

“(That was) one of many plays where maybe a player had an opportunity to make a play and he didn’t necessarily do it right. It never comes down to just one play. We probably played 180 plays out there today, and there were multiple opportunities for us to get it done. Special teams are a team effort, and on that play, we did not execute.”

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Breaking down PFF grades for Florida’s run game against Kentucky

Jadan Baugh ran for five touchdowns in Florida’s win over Kentucky, but what does Pro Football Focus have to say about the Gators run game?

Florida’s big win over Kentucky last weekend was dominant in every way, but it’s the run game that is responsible for all five touchdowns scored by the offense.

True freshmen [autotag]Jadan Baugh[/autotag] and [autotag]DJ Lagway[/autotag] can both run well, which is one of the main reasons Kentucky’s typically stout defense struggled so much. Lagway could run the option at will after establishing the long ball, and the Wildcats didn’t have enough guys in the box to stop it.

The future of the program seems to be in the hands of these two young men, but let’s not forget about the run blockers. Here’s what Pro Football Focus had to say about Florida’s run game on Saturday.

A refresher course on PFF grades can be found at the bottom of this article.

Ball Carriers

Player Total Snaps Carries Offense Run Fumble Run Blocking YDS TD Missed Tackles Forced
Jadan Baugh 37 22 78.6 77.3 77.4 60.0 106 5 2
Ja’Kobi Jackson 17 9 60.9 62.2 72.5 60.0 44 0 1
Cameron Carroll 4 3 52.3 53.9 67.3 — 1 0 0
DJ Lagway (QB) 53 7 83.5 68.9 69.1 60.0 57 0 1

True freshman [autotag]Jadan Baugh[/autotag] stole the show in DJ Lagway’s first SEC start, tying a school record with five touchdowns on the evening. Big throws from Lagway set up several of those scores, but crossing the goalline five times in one night is still an impressive feat.

Baugh earned the top run and fumble grades on the night and finished fifth overall on offense. If you’re wondering why Baugh didn’t finish with a higher grade, a higher elusiveness rating (20.7) might be the culprit. He forced a pair of missed tackles and broke three rushes for 10 or more yards, though.

Baugh performed well running to all sides of the field, but he put up the bulk of his yards hitting the gap between the center and right guard. On four carries to the middle-right, Baugh went for 53 yards, including a chunker for 27 and 18 yards after contact.

The right side (off the right tackle and right end) is a bit of a weak spot. Baugh only gained 13 yards on nine carries to that side of the field. However, three of his touchdowns came between those two gaps.

[autotag]Ja’Kobi Jackson[/autotag] acted as Florida’s No. 2 and his downhill running paid off to the tune of 44 yards on nine carries. However, both his overall and run grades came up short of the 65.0 threshold we look for.

Jackson forced two missed tackles and had a long of 11 yards, but it’s his elusiveness rating (91.4) that stands out the most. That’s well above Baugh’s number despite being on the field for a limited time.

[autotag]Cam Carroll[/autotag] rounds out the running back room for Florida. Carroll suffered a season-ending injury in fall camp last year and never saw the field after transferring from Tulane. Billy Napier let him go out there for the final drive of the game and get three carries.

It doesn’t matter what his numbers were. Seeing Carroll back on the field is the kind of feel-good story you love to see in a blowout win.

Of course, [autotag]DJ Lagway[/autotag] ran the ball a few times too, and Florida fans should expect to see him scramble far more often than Graham Mertz did as the starter. Lagway went for 57 yards on seven carries (8.1 yards per carry), and he finished the game with the second-best run grade of the bunch.

One forced missed tackle and a 25-yard gain are the highlights, but remember that Lagway has to play it safe with little depth behind him.

Run Blocking

Twenty-four of the 25 offensive players for Florida earned a run-blocking grade, so we’ll stick to the offensive linemen and tight ends on the chart below. If a wide receiver had an exceptional day blocking, it will be noted in the final portion of this section.

Player Total Snaps Run Snaps Run Blocking Snaps Offense Run Blocking Zone Gap
Austin Barber 53 33 33 65.1 58.4 59.2 58.1
Jake Slaughter 53 33 33 75.8 70.5 69.8 64.9
Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson 53 33 33 61.3 56.3 56.4 58.0
Hayden Hansen (TE) 44 29 29 65.5 70.4 68.1 67.7
Knijeah Harris 39 23 23 50.7 49.6 52.4 52.5
Arlis Boardingham (TE) 32 22 22 54.4 57.9 53.1 65.5
Damieon George Jr. 35 20 20 59.8 57.3 67.0 48.8
Bryce Lovett 25 19 19 63.0 60.7 57.2 65.1
Kamryn Waites 19 14 14 64.4 62.9 64.4 59.1
Caden Jones 5 4 4 52.2 53.1 60.0 53.3
Christian Williams 5 4 4 48.5 59.0 59.9 59.5
Hayden Clem 5 4 4 65.1 65.9 63.7 60.1
Scott Isacks III (TE) 5 4 4 57.2 57.8 59.0 58.8

Left Tackle

[autotag]Austin Barber[/autotag] held down the left tackle position for most of the game, but he didn’t put up great numbers as a run blocker. A strong pass-blocking performance helped balance out his overall grade, which is typical of Barber through eight weeks. The highest run-blocking grade he’s posted this season is just above 70.0 and most are in the low-60s.

There’s no great cause for concern here, but it should be noted that Barber has come up short of the 60.0 threshold two weeks in a row. He’s also been a bit hobbled, so the bye week should do him good.

Left Guard

[autotag]Knijeah Harris[/autotag] and [autotag]Kamryn Waites[/autotag] both fell short of the 65.0 threshold we look for, but Harris’ sub-50 mark is concerning. He’s finished with a run-blocking grade below 60 several times this year, but this is his first time dipping below 50.

Waites has been far more consistent, and it might be time to make him the starter there.

Center

[autotag]Jake Slaughter[/autotag] is better at pass blocking than run blocking, but he still put a respectable grade this week. He’s one of four Gators to finish with a run-blocking grade above 70.0 this week, and it’s the first time he’s crossed that threshold since the Samford game.

Hayden Clem got the final drive of the game at center and also had some solid numbers. Slaughter should be headed to the NFL this offseason. Perhaps Clem is a viable option to replace him. We still need to see him play more, though.

Right Guard

[autotag]Damieon George Jr[/autotag]. and [autotag]Bryce Lovett[/autotag] share snaps at right guard, and it’s for a good reason. George is better on zone runs, and Lovett is better on gap runs. It’s impossible to switch them out at will, but Baugh did well running up the middle-right, so there’s no reason to fix something that isn’t broken. Neither reached our 65.0 threshold, though.

Christian Williams got the final drive of the game and put up average numbers. Remember, 60.0 is sort of a baseline for these graders, and Williams was within 1.0 of that figure on just four plays.

Right Tackle

[autotag]Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson[/autotag] has been solid since taking over at right tackle, but a sub-60 run-blocking grade isn’t much to write home about. Florida struggled to get anything going to that side of the line, so it makes sense to see his numbers take a dip.

Caden Jones got the final drive of the game at right tackle. He performed at a replacement level, but it was only for four plays.

Tight Ends

[autotag]Hayden Hansen[/autotag] didn’t do much in the passing game, but he was a strong run blocker for Florida on Saturday. He’s one of those four players to finish with a run-blocking grade above 70, which helped on some of those goallines rushes for touchdowns to the right side.

[autotag]Arlis Boardingham[/autotag] didn’t have as good of a day, but it should be noted that he cleared the 65.0 threshold on gap runs. He’s more of a pass-catching tight end, so it’s good to see him finish strong in at least one blocking grade.

Scott Isacks III played the final drive of the game, similar to the backup linemen, but it was another sub-60 performance in limited action.

Wide Receivers

The two highest run-blocking grades on the team came from receivers.

Aidan Mizell, a speedster, led the way with a 79.5 over eight plays as a blocker, and Chimere Dike trails him closely with a 77.2 over 19 snaps. Neither had standout performances as receivers, so it’s a positive to see them impacting the game in other ways.

Understanding PFF grades

The grading scale ranges from minus-2 to plus-2 with increments of 0.5, and players are given a grade on every play they are on the field for. A zero grade means a player did his job, while the two ends of the scale represent extreme success or failure — think red zone interception at the end of a game or a game-winning touchdown pass when applying it to quarterbacks.

There’s a level of subjectivity to it, but each grade is reviewed at least once. Once all plus-minus grades are in, the numbers are converted to a 0-100 scale to easily compare players. There are some loosely defined tiers within the system — 90-100 is elite, 85-89 is Pro Bowl level for NFL players, 70 to 84 is a starter and 60-69 is a backup. Anything 59 and below is considered a replaceable talent.

Since we’re looking at college athletes with a system designed for the pros, we will consider anything above 65.0 as a solid performance.

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Breaking down PFF grades for Florida’s run game against UCF

Florida’s running game didn’t light it up against UCF, but PFF still believes this was the Gators’ best rushing performance since Week 2 vs. Samford.

Florida’s run game against UCF was far from perfect, but Pro Football Focus gave the Gators their highest run grade (68.1) since facing Samford (69.3) in Week 2.

Coming into the season, the rushing attack was thought to be Florida’s biggest strength, but the loss of Trevor Etienne has proved costly for the Orange and Blue. We can’t forget that lead back Montrell Johnson Jr. underwent minor knee surgery during fall camp.

It was a good bounce-back week for Johnson and the guys behind him following the bye. Let’s take a look at what Pro Football Focus had to say about the running backs and offensive line in Week 6.

Check out our breakdown of Florida’s passing game against UCF using PFF grades, too.

Running backs

Florida utilized a trio of running backs this week — [autotag]Montrell Johnson Jr[/autotag]. started the game and played 40 snaps, followed by true freshman [autotag]Jadan Baugh[/autotag] with 21 snaps and JUCO transfer [autotag]Ja’Kobi Jackson[/autotag] rounds out the list with six snaps.

The carries were split a bit differently, with Johnson getting 10 attempts, Baugh getting nine and Jackson getting three.

Johnson ran for 54 yards (5.4 per attempt) and a touchdown, earning a 69.6 overall grade and a 68.7 grade on run plays. Although neither of those figures led the rushing corps, Johnson was the most sure-handed rusher for Florida with a 73.4 fumble grade.

What’s most impressive about Johnson’s performance is that he gained 45 of his 54 yards after contact, forcing three missed tackles and breaking off a long run for 34 yards. However, any smart football fan will quickly point out that the bulk run saved him from an otherwise unseemly outing.

Johnson tried hitting all the holes, but he did most of his damage in the gap between the center and right guard.

Baugh put up the highest overall grade (73.5) and run grade (73.4) in the position room, but he only managed 30 yards on nine carries (3.3 yards per attempt). However, it’s the six forced missed tackles that stand out when going over his numbers. Baugh is proving to be an elusive back for Florida and could be the No. 1 instead of Treyaun Webb next season.

He likes going up the middle, hitting the gap on either side of the center, but he was most effective of the left end against UCF.

Jackson doesn’t get a ton of opportunities, but he always seems to do a lot when he gets on the field. In Week 6, Jackson ran for 25 yards on three carries (8.3 yards per attempt), and he scored a touchdown.

A chunk play for 19 yards accounts for the bulk of Jackson’s yards, but it’s still impressive to see him break those kinds of plays when he knows he’s only getting a handful of opportunities each game. Jackson earned a 65.2 overall grade and a 64.8 rushing grade this week.

Wide receiver Tank Hawkins also got a run in this week, going for four yards and earning a 57.9 run grade.

Quarterbacks

Florida’s quarterbacks tend to run a few times a game, be it a scramble or a designed run. Those designed runs usually go to DJ Lagway, but Graham Mertz had six carries this week, and only two of them were on scrambles.

Mertz ran for six yards on as many attempts, and Lagway went for 11 yards on three carries. Neither put up a strong run grade — 56.6 for Mertz and 53.3 for Lagway.

Mertz made the most of his scrambles, going for seven yards on two carries, but his keepers didn’t go as well — minus-5 yards over three carries. Mertz needs to make the right decision on those option plays a bit more often, based on these numbers.

Lagway is best when he scrambles (five yards on one carry) but his designed runs yield positive results as well (six yards on two carries). Keeping the true freshman healthy is paramount this season. Expect Lagway to run a bit more often when he’s fully in control of the offense next year.

Run Blocking

As usual, Gators Wire will discuss the offensive line from left to right. Remember, this analysis is mostly focused on run plays; however, we will provide overall grades as well to keep the bigger picture in mind.

Left Tackle

[autotag]Austin Barber[/autotag] delivered his best run-blocking performance of the year against UCF, posting a 70.8 grade over all 29 run plays Florida ran. Barber was more effective on gap runs (74.1) compared to zone runs (63.3).

The Gators never hit the left tackle in Week 6, but Barber was surely a factor on the five plays that went all the way out to the left end (beyond the tight end). Not coincidentally, Florida’s highest average came off the left end (7.4 yards per attempt).

Left Guard

[autotag]Knijeah Harris[/autotag] got the start for Florida at left guard, with Bryce Lovett as his backup.

Harris was excellent against the pass rush this week (85.1), but he struggled a bit more on run plays (63.2). He posted the lowest run-blocking grade among the five starters, but there’s a reason he stays out there. Harris was solid on zone runs (68.8) but struggled on gap plays (54.1).

Lovett only saw the field for seven run plays, and his numbers were terrible. A 43.8 run-blocking grade is almost half the 81.1 pass-blocking grade he put up, which explains why Harris is getting 30 more snaps a game. It also provides an explanation for Lovett’s brutal 48.7 overall grade on offense.

Florida rushers only hit the gap between the left tackle and left guard twice for one yard. The middle left gap (between the left guard and center) yielded better results (12 yards on four carries), but still isn’t the best option.

Center

[autotag]Jake Slaughter[/autotag] earned a 66.0 run-blocking grade against UCF — 69.1 on gap runs and 61.1 on zone plays. He ranked fourth overall on the team this week and third among offensive linemen. It’s his second-worst performance of the year as a run blocker, but he’s still incredibly solid overall.

We already talked about Slaughter helping to make runs to the middle-left effective, but it’s on the right side where he made the bigger difference. Florida rushers ran for 54 yards on eight runs between Slaughter and the right guard. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Right Guard

[autotag]Damieon George Jr[/autotag]. didn’t have the best day as a pass-blocker, but he was solid on run plays at right guard for Florida. George took the majority of the run plays (22) in front of Kamryn Waites (7) and earned the higher run-blocking grade (65.3). George was better on zone plays (68.0) than gap plays (58.1).

Waites only saw the field for zone runs, posting a 62.5 run-blocking grade.

Despite some pedestrian grades from PFF, Florida’s right guard tandem deserves some credit for the 58 yards gained off the middle-right gap. However, Florida rushers gained zero yards on two attempts to the gap between the right guard and right tackle.

Right Tackle

[autotag]Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson[/autotag] was Florida’s best offensive lineman against UCF, earning team-high grades all-around — 85.4 as a pass blocker and 74.3 as a run blocker. His 75.1 overall grade is second only to Graham Mertz throughout the entire offense.

Crenshaw-Dickson posted strong grades on both zone plays (72.5) and gap plays (67.5). Florida rushers ran off the right tackle just three times for eight yards, but that could be a weakside-strongside issue.

Tight Ends/Receivers

Florida runs a lot of two-tight-end sets, which means Arlis Boardingham and Hayden Hansen are asked to block quite often. Neither performed well as run blockers, posting grades of 52.3 and 55.2, respectively.

Hansen was decent on zone runs (64.1), but that’s not a big enough silver lining to save him.

Receivers aren’t expected to do much as run blockers, but Chimere Dike deserves a shoutout for his 74.1 run-blocking grade against UCF. He led the team on zone plays (77.2) and finished second overall behind BCD.

Understanding PFF grades

The grading scale ranges from minus-2 to plus-2 with increments of 0.5, and players are given a grade on every play they are on the field for. A zero grade means a player did his job, while the two ends of the scale represent extreme success or failure — think red zone interception at the end of a game or a game-winning touchdown pass when applying it to quarterbacks.

There’s a level of subjectivity to it, but each grade is reviewed at least once. Once all plus-minus grades are in, the numbers are converted to a 0-100 scale to easily compare players. There are some loosely defined tiers within the system — 90-100 is elite, 85-89 is Pro Bowl level for NFL players, 70 to 84 is a starter and 60-69 is a backup. Anything 59 and below is considered a replaceable talent.

Since we’re looking at college athletes with a system designed for the pros, we will consider anything above 65.0 as a solid performance.

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Florida players get overall boost in EA College Football 25

After five weeks of college football, EA Sports has updated several players’ overall ratings, including these four Florida Gators.

Four Florida Gators received ratings boosts in the latest title update for EA College Football 25 — center [autotag]Jake Slaughter[/autotag] (88), quarterback [autotag]DJ Lagway[/autotag] (81), running back [autotag]Ja’Kobi Jackson[/autotag] (75), and wide receiver [autotag]TJ Abrams[/autotag] (70).

Slaughter is the only every-down player for Florida on that list. He’s played all but 13 of Florida’s 249 offensive snaps this season and is the top-ranked pass-blocking center in the country, according to Pro Football Focus.

The fourth-year center is the anchor of Florida’s offensive line, so it’s not too surprising to see him increase his overall rating in the video game by one. Cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. remains the only Gator with a higher overall.

Despite being a true freshman, Lagway’s might be the most famous name on this list. A former five-star recruit, Lagway was thrust into a starting role in Week 2 against Samford with Graham Mertz recovering from a concussion. He’s now splitting time under center with Mertz, taking every third drive two weeks ago against Mississippi State.

But it’s the one game Lagway started that has his overall up one rating point to an 81. He threw for 456 yards against Samford, setting both a program record among freshman and the national high through five weeks of the 2024 season. The memorable performance may have come against an FCS team, but no one is holding that against Lagway.

Junior college transfer Ja’Kobi Jackson is the biggest mover on Florida’s roster, jumping up 11 spot to a 75 overall rating. Jackson has only seen the field for 12 snaps, but he’s made the most of his 11 attempts by rushing for 68 yards (6.2 yards per carry) and two touchdowns.

His overall rating on PFF (77.3) is the highest of any Gators running back as is his 76.1 grade on run plays. Ball security plays a big role for Jackson. Only Treyaun Webb has ran the ball (21 attempts) more without fumbling.

Last on the list is another true freshman, wide receiver TJ Abrams, who has played just 13 snaps. He reeled in his only target of the season, gaining three yards on the play, but this promotion is mostly because he’s getting playing time as a true freshman.

EA likely pegged him as a non-factor in his first year with Florida, but seeing the field has forced the developers to give him a bump from his initial 68 overall rating.

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Graham Mertz leads Florida football to big win at Mississippi State

Gators connect on the offensive side of the ball as they get a much-needed road win at Mississippi State.

Florida football (2-2, 1-1 SEC) defeated the Mississippi State Bulldogs (1-3, 0-1 SEC) on the road by a score of 45-28 in what seemed like a must-win game for [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] and his Gators.

The cowbells in Starkville, Mississippi, were quieted almost immediately as Florida lit up the scoreboard with ease.

The Gators had 503 total yards of offense and it was a nice balance between the passing and rushing attack. Florida had 277 yards passing and 226 yards rushing.

Napier continued to utilize both Graham Mertz and DJ Lagway at the quarterback position and they each played well.

Mertz was 19-for-21 passing for 201 yards and three touchdowns while Lagway threw for 76 yards while completing all seven of his passes.

Both Florida quarterbacks were virtually perfect in the first half, combining for just one incompletion. Mertz was 15-for-16 throw the air with 147 yards and three touchdowns while Lagway was 4-for-4 for 49 yards passing.

The Gators got the scoring started thanks to a 3-yard touchdown throw from Mertz to tight end Arlis Boardingham. It was Boardingham’s first touchdown reception of the season.

Mississippi State would answer right back as the Bulldogs’ senior running back Davon Booth rushed up the middle at the goal line for a touchdown.

But Florida did a good job in not letting that score rattle them, as the offense picked apart Mississippi State’s defense all game long.

The Gators scored touchdowns on three straight drives to end the first half.

Mertz threw a 20-yard touchdown to receiver Marcus Burke and a 35-yard touchdown to tight end Hayden Hansen that gave Mertz three passing touchdowns in the first half.

Ja’Kobi Jackson ran in for a 10-yard touchdown to give Florida a season-high 28 points in the first half.

Mertz was able to keep the scoring going in the second half as he sneaked in the end zone for his fourth touchdown of the afternoon.

It was, for the most part, smooth sailing on the Gators’ offensive side of the ball but the defense was a bit shaky.

The Gators’ defense has to be better, especially with stopping the run.

Florida allowed Mississippi State to have 240 yards on the ground. A lot of that has to do with poor tackling which is inexcusable with this type of team at this point in the season.

The Gators still have some things to clean up on the defensive side of the ball and the coaching staff will have plenty to review with a bye week coming up.

Up next for the Gators

The Gators will be out of action for Week 5 due to their bye week. Florida’s next opponent will be the UCF Knights on Oct. 5. The time is yet to be determined.

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Billy Napier impressed with depth in running back room

Florida is waiting for its starting running back, Montrell Johnson Jr., to return from minor surgery, but the rest of the room is stepping up.

As Florida starting running back [autotag]Montrell Johnson Jr[/autotag]. continues to recover from minor knee surgery, the rest of the position room is thriving.

Head coach [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] spoke to the media on Monday, following the team’s final scrimmage of the fall and provided an update on Johnson.

“Montrell is doing fantastic,” Napier said. “He’s been able to do a few things. We expect him to be able to participate in practice, whether that’s modified and at some point full speed, but we’ll give you an update.”

While it’s good news that Johnson is close to returning to the field, Napier’s comments came less than two weeks out from the season opener against Miami on Aug. 31. There is a growing concern among the fanbase that Johnson might not be ready for what feels like a must-win game, but confidence is growing when it comes to rest of the position room.

“We have confidence that Montrell’s doing great and feel good about his return. I do think that the four other kids have had fantastic training camps. It is extremely competitive. I couldn’t tell you who’s running out there next right now.”

Most are expecting sophomore Treyaun Webb to step in Johnson’s place, but true freshmen [autotag]Jadan Baugh[/autotag] and [autotag]KD Daniels[/autotag], as well as JUCO transfer [autotag]Ja’Kobi Jackson[/autotag], are standing out.

“Webb has game experience, and I trust him,” he said. “He’s by far the best protector. He’s tough, he’s durable, he’s smart, but also standing back there behind it, and I’m watching Jadan Baugh and Ja’Kobi and KD in these two scrimmages, we feel good about that room.”

Napier says experience matters. Running back is about more than just finding holes and hitting the open field. Playing without the ball is half the position, and Webb’s pass protection gives him the leg up.

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Gators add JUCO RB through transfer portal

Florida has almost filled out its 2023 football roster, but Billy Napier is still adding the final pieces of the puzzle together.

The Florida Gators added junior college running back [autotag]JaKobi Jackson[/autotag] from the transfer portal on Thursday.

Jackson played his first three years of college football at Coahoma Community College (Clarksdale, Mississippi). He totaled 1,390 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns on 276 carries over 20 games in three seasons. He also reeled in 14 receptions for 115 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

Florida’s running back room isn’t exactly starving for new talent, but Billy Napier wouldn’t add another scholarship back without seeing some sort of role for him. Montrell Johnson Jr. and Trevor Etienne should take most of the carries, and freshman Treyaun Webb and Tulane transfer Cam Carroll are expected to battle for the third-string spot.

Jackson could see a decent amount of time on special teams this year at Florida. It will be hard for him to break into the running back rotation, but there is a chance.

Before Jackson decided on Florida, he committed to Charleston Southern. He’ll have two years of college eligibility remaining. Florida briefly looked at Houston running back Alton McCaskill and hosted him on an official visit during the first week of May, but he ended up committing to Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes, leaving Florida to move on to Jackson.

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