jordan castell – Syndication Server

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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Gators DB calls for ‘all hands on deck’ approach in wake of defensive injuries

Florida’s defense has impressed over the past month. Gators defensive back Trikweze Bridges spoke to the media about the many changes made over the past five weeks.

Florida defensive back [autotag]Trikweze Bridges[/autotag]’ versatility has been on full display over the past few weeks, and with several injuries hitting the secondary this week he was asked to step into a new role.

During a second-half drive that saw three Florida defensive backs come up slow with injuries, Bridges moved from safety to cornerback.

“When I seen [autotag]Dijon Johnson[/autotag], when he was coming off the sideline, I knew then that’s when I was going to have to step up,” Bridges said. “We already had talked about it at the beginning of the season and just like this week if anything would happen. I’m the emergency corner.”

Bridges made his first start for Florida against Tennessee three weeks ago, replacing [autotag]DJ Douglas[/autotag] as the starting safety opposite of [autotag]Jordan Castell[/autotag]. He hasn’t spent much time practicing as a corner, but he’s told coaches all season that he can play wherever they need him in the secondary. The plan is to focus a bit more on corner in the following week.

“I wanted to focus on the things to do at safety (in practice),” he said. “Being a safety, you know what everybody’s doing … there have been times where I go to corner and do some drills with them to keep my technique clean and stuff like that. So, I’ll be doing a lot of that this week coming up to be ready to play safety and corner and just be ready where they need me.”

For Bridges, being asked to move positions is a sign of trust from the coaching staff and something he feels could help come draft time.

“If they need me at corner, that is where I’ll be playing,” he said. “I’m glad that the coaches are able to trust me to be able to play that position and be here to contribute and help the team out. I always told them I can play corner, I can play safety, wherever you can put me. That’s good for me. You know what I’m saying? Being able to show my versatility off and I’ll be ready to do that.”

The defense is coming together

Florida forced Georgia quarterback Carson Beck, a player that has been mentioned as a potential first-round pick, to throw three interceptions in the first half on Saturday.

“I feel like in the first half we did what we were supposed to do,” Bridges said. “We went out there and executed, and we had a lot of turnovers. We just kept going at it, kept going at it, and I think that Georgia was not prepared or ready for us to do that. But at the end of the day, that’s our mentality every week, week in and week out. We just got to go out and dominate.”

Things got a bit more difficult once DJ Lagway went down, but the defense put pressure on itself to help out third-string quarterback Aidan Warner.

“We had to just turn it up and run a notch and just keep executing because we have to give him the opportunity to warm up and get in his mode and his game and just be ready to play. I was on the sidelines saying let’s go on defense as well. So, our mindset was just let’s turn it up a notch and keep going.”

Should Lagway miss more games moving forward, Bridges knows the defense will have to stick to the game plan and execute things perfectly to take the pressure off Warner.

“It’s going to take a lot of communication as a group, and it’s going to take a lot of film, doing a lot of things together and really just get those guys in the mindset to be ready to play and be ready for your name to be called. No matter what situation we’re in, everybody has to be ready. All hands on deck.”

There’s a newfound confidence among the defense following four straight games of success. Bridges’ move into the starting lineup matches up with the efficiency adjustment, so it’s safe to say he’s one of the leaders of that unit.

“We always we always felt like (we could compete with any team). We just had to clean things up at the beginning of the season. We just kept going, kept going and believed in ourselves and blocked the outside noise and whatnot. All we’re doing is just keep going every day. Every week, we try to show up and show out. Because we know what we can do and we wasn’t surprised what we did today. That’s something that we want to put out for you guys to see, and that’s what we will continue to do.”

Depth players such as Cormani McClain have also stepped up in the wake of injuries. Bridges is taking it upon himself to encourage McClain moving forward, knowing the difference a bit of confidence can make.

“I was excited to see him make a lot of plays today. A few good tackles. I was pumped up for him. Pretty good in coverage, and when I see him again, I’m just going to talk to him and say keep going, keep doing your thing and keep that confidence up. Because when you have confidence like that, you can’t be stopped.”

Still, one or two players don’t make all the difference. Getting all 11 players on the same page is paramount if Florida is going to keep up this high level of play.

“We still have to show up as a team, and that’s is the main goal. We trust in everybody on the team. We trust in Aidan. So, as a defense, it’s our job to get him harder looks (in practice), give him a lot of pressure and stuff so he can be ready for next week.”

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Five key factors behind Florida football’s loss against Georgia

Here are the five key factors in Florida’s injury-filled loss in Jacksonville against Georgia in Week 10.

Florida football suffered a devastating loss to the Georgia Bulldogs, losing by a score of 34-20 and handing their rivals a fourth-straight victory over the Gators.

Injuries were the name of the game on Florida’s side of the ball, as quarterback DJ Lagway suffered a left hamstring injury in the second quarter that Billy Napier labeled as “pretty significant”.

The Gators also suffered a multitude of injuries in their secondary, but despite all of this, the defense was able to hold their ground.

Although it might seem like a tough loss for Florida, this team is not the same team that was shown in Week 1. The Gators have absolutely no quit.

The Gators are talented but unfortunately, there were just too many obstacles that they had to overcome in this game.

Here are five key factors from today’s game on Florida’s end.

Bend but don’t break

On their second possession of the game, Georgia started on their own 12-yard line. The Bulldogs were marching down the field comfortably and made it all the way to the Florida’s 5-yard line.

It looked like a sure-fire touchdown for Georgia but the Gators held their ground and didn’t give up on the drive. Great coverage in the secondary contributed to the Bulldogs failing to get in to the end zone.

Georgia was forced to kick a 23-yard field goal and take an early 3-0 lead, but the Florida defense held their ground to start things off in the game.

Gators score first touchdown

Florida was the first team to get the ball in the end zone thanks to a pinpoint pass by Lagway to catch receiver Aidan Mizell in stride for a 43-yard touchdown.

Mizell was able to run by Georgia’s secondary and get in the end zone with ease.

It all started thanks to an interception by Devin Moore to get the Gators started at midfield.

Florida took a 7-3 lead with 13:42 to go in the second quarter.

Florida wins the turnover battle

Florida’s secondary was able to deceive Georgia quarterback Carson Beck and force him to make inaccurate throws and multiple interceptions.

Moore was able to intercept Beck in the beginning of the second quarter that led to a Gators touchdown score.

Then on the next Georgia offensive drive, Aaron Gates came up with an interception that led to a 32-yard Florida field goal that extended the lead to 10-3.

Jack Pyburn was able to haul in Beck’s third interception of the game in the third quarter.

Lagway carted off in the second quarter

Florida was playing well on both sides of the ball but all of a sudden, you can feel the momentum shift in favor of the Bulldogs after a brutal loss at quarterback for the Gators.

Lagway appeared to have injured his left hamstring with five minutes to go in the first half. He was moving around in the pocket and took an awkward fall, grabbing onto his hamstring on the way down.

The freshman was on the ground but couldn’t get up, prompting medical personnel to bring the cart onto the field. The team surrounded Lagway as he got lifted onto the back of the cart and was driven straight into the locker room.

Redshirt freshman Aidan Warner took over at quarterback for the Gators.

Gators get hit hard with the injury bug

Lagway is the headline for a multitude of injuries that Florida dealt with in the game.

Heading into halftime, Moore was helped off the field after what appeared to be a lower leg injury. Moore, who had an interception against Beck in the first half, was playing a great game. The defensive back did not return to the game and was seen on crutches.

Midway through the third quarter, the Gators endured a nightmare of a drive, as three of their defensive backs got hurt. Jordan Castell, Dijon Johnson and Sharif Denson had to get helped off the sideline due to injuries. Castell was able to return on the same drive but it’s just been an extremely unlucky season for Florida in terms of injuries.

What’s next for the Gators?

Florida will go on the road and face the Texas Longhorns in Austin, Texas on Saturday, Nov. 9. Kickoff is set for noon ET and will be broadcast on ABC.

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Florida Football 2024 Position Preview: Safety/STAR

The Gators brought in a few experienced players to bolster the safeties room, but returner Jordan Castell should lead the group.

Wrapping up the defensive side of Gators Wire’s position preview series are the safeties.

Defensive backs coach Will Harris is in charge of this group, too, which is comprised of a mix of new and returning talent. Leading the group is sophomore Jordan Castell, who showed great promise as a true freshman. Behind Castell, is a trio of talented transfers that should shore up the position room.

We’re including Florida’s nickelback position, the star, here as well. Some of the star guys could play corner too since it’s a hybrid position of sorts.

Let’s take a look at every cornerback on Florida’s roster. Check out Gators Wire’s other position previews for the 2024 season below.

Starting Free Safety: No. 14 Jordan Castell (So.)

Defensive Stats:

Year	GP	SOLO	AST	TOT	TFL	SACKS	INT	PD
2023	12	30	30	60	1.5-11	0-0	1	4

[autotag]Jordan Castell[/autotag] was Florida’s best defensive back in 2023. Pro Football Focus gave him a 75.6 overall defensive grade, and he didn’t have a true weak spot in his game. Florida coaches expect Castell to take a step forward in 2024, too, as he physically matures and enters the season with more than 650 snaps under his belt.

“He’s just a different place right now,” Napier said. “He’s playing faster. He’s got a better comprehension of the system. He’s communicating better. You see him barking out calls.

“I think he would probably tell you that the veteran safeties that we’ve added to the team have made him a better player. Number one, they do it the right way — their work ethic, their attention to detail, the way they approach their business.”

Don’t let his 68.8% completion rate against fool you. Castell thrives in Cover 3 situations and can completely take a team’s top option out of the game. He’s the kind of guy opposing quarterbacks will see on one side field and target the other.

Starting Strong Safety: No. 20 Asa Turner (R-Sr.)

Defensive Stats (at Washington):

Year	GP	SOLO	AST	TOT	TFL	SACKS	INT	PD
2019	12	16	3	19	2-3	0-0	1	1
2020	4	9	8	17	0-0	0-0	1	2
2021	10	22	12	34	2-3	0-0	2	2
2022	10	33	19	52	1-3	0-0	2	3
2023	7	16	10	26	2-5	0-0	0	0
Total	43	96	52	148	7-14	0-0	6	8

[autotag]Asa Turner[/autotag] was the heartbeat of Washington’s defense last year, even though he missed most of the season recovering from injury. Pro Football Focus gave him a 72.4 overall defensive grade, but he’s not the same all-around safety that Castell is.

Turner is a strong tackler, often scoring in the 80s on PFF in that category. He’s good in coverage but can struggle against the run at times. He played a lot of free safety at Washington, but a move to strong safety could be best for him in the SEC.

There shouldn’t be any concerns about Turner’s ability to perform entering his sixth season at the college level, either. He wasn’t phased out or fighting with the coaching staff. It was simply time for a change of scenery.

“I needed a change,” Turner said. “I had been at Washington for the past five years, been doing the same routine, living in the same apartment, seeing the same people, driving the same car. I probably felt it was time for a change, and I wanted to go out with a bang this sixth year.”

Starting STAR: No. 0 Sharif Denson (So.) or No. 13 Aaron Gates (So.)

A pair of second-year Gators are standing out at the star position heading into Week 1 of the college season.

Sharif Denson:

Year	GP	SOLO	AST	TOT	TFL	SACKS	INT	PD
2023	12	3	4	7	0.5-2	0-0	0	0

[autotag]Sharif Denson[/autotag] played in all 12 games for Florida a season ago, both in a special teams role and as a reserve defensive back. He only saw the field for 49 snaps, but now he’s competing for a starting role. Pro Football Focus graded him the highest against the run (81.9), but he wasn’t a strong tackler (48.4). More snaps means more responsibility, but he’ll be able to share the load with Gates.

[autotag]Aaron Gates[/autotag] only played one snap on defense last year en route to a redshirt, but he’s right in the thick of the competition for a starting spot this year.

“Very competitive at the star position. He’s (Gates) in the thick of it here,” Florida head coach Billy Napier said Wednesday. “It was great for him to get four games of experience. He played a little bit on special teams. Aaron’s a young player. This is his first shot, his first go-round, and he’s right in the middle. Every day for him is critical.”

Backups: No. 7 Trikweze Bridges, No. 12 DJ Douglas (R-Sr.) and No. 18 Bryce Thornton (So.)

DJ Douglas (at Tulane):

Year	GP	SOLO	AST	TOT	TFL	SACKS	INT	PD
2021	10	3	2	5	0-0	0-0	0	0
2022	13	16	3	19	0-0	0-0	1	2
2023	13	39	15	54	1-1	0-0	3	5
Total	36	58	20	78	1-1	0-0	4	7

[autotag]DJ Douglas[/autotag] was a consistent contributor for Tulane over the past three years, so it’s a bit odd to see him enter the 2024 campaign as a potential backup. Douglas figures to be the primary backup to both Castell and Turner, and he could even work his way into a starting job.

In a perfect world, he’s an elite depth option that Florida can bring in off the sidelines once fatigue sets in. He’s also an option at the star position.

Trikweze Bridges (at Oregon):

Year	GP	SOLO	AST	TOT	TFL	SACKS	INT	PD
2020	6	2	0	2	0-0	0-0	0	0
2021	14	17	9	26	1-2	0-0	1	2
2022	13	30	19	49	1-2	0-0	3	8
2023	13	7	9	16	0.5-1	0-0	0	3
Total	47	56	37	93	2.5-5	0-0	4	13

[autotag]Trikweze Bridges[/autotag] is another transfer (from Oregon) who has a ton of experience. Bridges can play anywhere in the secondary, which should get him on the field a good amount at Florida. His best fit might be the star position, and a lack of experience at the position could provide the open door he’s looking for.

Bryce Thornton:

Year	GP	SOLO	AST	TOT	TFL	SACKS	INT	PD
2023	12	19	15	34	3.5-21	0.5-7	0	1

Did we mention there’s some depth in Florida’s secondary? [autotag]Bryce Thornton[/autotag] appeared in all 12 games for the Gators last season, including four starts, but he remains a backup thanks to an influx of talent in the position room.

Thornton offers a unique skill set to the room, though. He has a penchant for getting to ball carriers behind the line of scrimmage, at least more so than your average defensive back. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Thornton enter the game in short-yardage and goalline situations as an extra blitzer.

Freshmen: No. 23 Josiah Davis (Fr.) and No. 30 Gregory Smith III (Fr.)

Florida welcomes two first-year safeties to the position room this year, [autotag]Josiah Davis[/autotag] and [autotag]Gregory Smith III[/autotag].

Smith was a four-star recruit out of high school but he might not see the field any sooner than Davis. Florida has depth at both safety positions, which could bury Smith in Year 1. Davis, on the other hand, might be a better fit at the star position. The hierarchy is less clear there than at the two safety positions, so a door could be opened.

Look for both to redshirt this season barring an injury to one of the guys ahead of them on the depth chart.

Walk-Ons: No. 31 Ahman Covington (R-Fr.), No.32 Cahron Rackley (R-Jr.), No. 39 Brayden Slade (R-Fr.), No. 43 Alfonzo Allen Jr. (Jr.) and No. 46 Ethan Wilson (R-Sr.)

Florida has five walk-on safeties on its roster heading into the fall.

Redshirt junior Cahron Rackley is the most tenured of the group, entering his fourth season with the Gators. The former Miami Palmetto defensive back walked on to the team in the spring of 2021 and made his first appearance last season during the win over McNeese.

Ahman Covington, Brayden Slade and Ethan Wilson are entering their second year with the program. Wilson is a redshirt senior, which might get him on the field sooner than the others, but the two redshirt freshmen are both preferred walk-ons. The PWO tag usually means there’s a chance to earn a scholarship.

Finally, there’s former Baylor reserve Alfonzo Allen Jr. He appeared in all 25 games for the Bears over the past two seasons, primarily in a special teams role. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him as a regular in the third phase of the game for Florida.

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Jordan Castell enters Year 2 with Florida in a ‘different place’

Jordan Castell was one of the more impressive freshmen for Florida in 2023. Billy Napier expects him to reach a new level in 2024.

Florida’s safety corps looks a bit different than it did a year ago, but returning sophomore [autotag]Jordan Castell[/autotag] stands out as he approaches his second season in the Swamp.

Castell is the projected starting free safety heading into 2024 after starting 11 of 12 games a season ago. Washington transfer Asa Turner will play alongside him in strong safety while teaching him to be a position-room leader.

Florida head coach Billy Napier said on Wednesday that he liked the progression he’s seen from the former West Orange High defensive back.

“He’s just a different place right now,” Napier said. “He’s playing faster. He’s got a better comprehension of the system. He’s communicating better. You see him barking out calls.

While Castell has made several improvements off the field, he’s continued to improve on the field as well. He’s still learning the nuances of the safety position after spending time at cornerback in is high school years. One year of SEC ball should have accelerated the process, but the athletic ability has always been there for Castell.

“Jordan is unique,” Napier said. “He’s 6-2, he’s 205 pounds. He’s got corner coverage ability. He’s a bright player too, so I think it’s been natural that move for him. He’s got ball skills. He can make plays on the ball.”

Transfer impacting entire position room

It’s not just Castell who is benefitting from the new guys in town. In addition to Turner, there’s Tulane transfer DJ Douglas, who is expected to play a strong role in the rotation (possibly at STAR), and Oregon transfer Trikweze Bridges in the mix.

With five more scholarship safeties on the roster, there’s a deep competition going on for those second and third-string reps.

“We’ve got depth there,” Napier said. “I think that causes everybody to raise their level of play. The veteran example to go along with the competition, I think it’s made that whole group better.”

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Gators add 3rd 2026 football commitment from Central Florida safety

Gators football scored their 3rd coup of the 2026 cycle this week by adding 3-star safety Devin Jackson.

Billy Napier and Co. scored their third coup of the 2026 cycle this week with the addition of three-star safety [autotag]Devin Jackson[/autotag] out of Orlando (Florida) First Academy.

The 6-foot-1.5-inch, 195-pound defensive back earned an offer from Florida early on while still at Winter Garden (Florida) West Orange — the program he spent his first two years of high school with — and was able to attend every Gators home game in 2024 thanks to his proximity to Gainesville. He has since shifted over to an Orlando area private school for his junior campaign.

Jackson was on campus Wednesday to check in on Florida’s first fall practice ahead of the upcoming season and apparently what he saw was enough for him to give the Gators his verbal commitment.

pic.twitter.com/fK65PqWB9b

— Devin (Djack) Jackson (@DevinJackson010) August 1, 2024

On his relationship with Will Harris

“He’s someone I have a good relationship with,” Jackson told Swamp247 earlier in the year during one of their first meetings. “He’s really energetic and he likes what I can do on the field.”

What Jackson likes about Florida

“I like that it’s close to home, so it’s not hard to get there and back,” Jackson noted. “I love the facilities and how much love the fan base shows. They are live and electric. I liked how the coaches were around me and how they made me feel like I was at home.”

Connection to current Gators team

Jackson is connected to a pair of current Gators from Central Florida in [autotag]Ja’Keem Jackson[/autotag] and [autotag]Jordan Castell[/autotag]. The former is his cousin while the latter played for the Gators commit’s previous high school in Winter Garden.

“They said if I keep getting better than the rest of recruiting and football all takes care of itself. I really look up to those boys. I see wha they are doing, and I want to be great just like them.”

Jackson’s sophomore stats

At West Orange during his sophomore season, Jackson amassed 58 tackles — 27 solo and 31 assisted — while averaging 6.4 tackles per game and recording one tackle for a loss over nine appearances. He also defended a pair of passes and recovered a fumble during the 2023-24 campaign, according to MaxPreps.

Recruiting Summary

Jackson is ranked No. 388 overall and No. 33 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 327 and 28, respectively.

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Gators, Billy Napier among those under most pressure to win in 2024

Unsurprisingly, the heat is on Billy Napier and the Gators this fall.

The Gator Nation has been damned to a doldrums of three-straight losing seasons this decade — the first time that has happened since the 1940s — and the current outlook is not looking too promising.

Florida football enters the 2024 campaign with possibly the hardest strength of schedule in the nation and the prognostications are calling for a .500 finish to the regular season… at best. The fact of the matter is that it will take a minor miracle for the Orange and Blue to win six games this fall, but they play the matchups on the field not on paper.

Pro Football Focus college football analyst Mitch Kaiser published a list of five collegiate programs under the most pressure, which was headlined by the denizens of the Swamp.

Billy Napier on the hot seat

“There might not be a head coach on a hotter seat than [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag],” Kaiser begins.

“Whether expectations have been fair or not, Napier’s teams haven’t lived up to their preseason hype in his first two years at Florida. The Gators have gone 11-14 in his tenure and finished with a disappointing 0.067 EPA per play in 2023, which ranked 41st in the country.”

Florida’s strength of schedule

“The 2024 season will present an incredible challenge for the Gators, who may have the hardest schedule in college football, going through the normal SEC gauntlet in addition to facing Miami, UCF and Florida State. Winning six games could be a significant challenge.”

PFF has Florida’s strength of schedule ranked second-hardest in the nation and expects it to finish with a 5-7 record.

Graham Mertz and the Florida offense

“Florida has the talent to exceed expectations, though, with quarterback [autotag]Graham Mertz[/autotag] coming back after a breakout season (77.9 PFF passing grade). [autotag]Montrell Johnson Jr[/autotag]. and [autotag]Eugene Wilson III[/autotag], both of whom earned 80.0-plus PFF overall grades, are two top weapons looking to build on big years, as well.”

Gators’ improvements on defense

“Defensively, the Gators will need improvements out of cornerstone secondary pieces [autotag]Jordan Castell[/autotag] and [autotag]Jason Marshall Jr[/autotag]. Each recorded three pass breakups in 2023, which leads all returning defenders on the roster.

“If Napier can develop his players the same way he did at Louisiana, he will undoubtedly bring Florida back to relevance before long.”

Florida’s 2024 season opener

The Florida and the Miami Hurricanes open their schedule on Aug. 31 in Gainesville, Florida. Kickoff time is slated for 3:30 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on ABC Sports.

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Gators rising sophomore among SEC’s highest-graded returning safeties

Jordan Castell is poised to make some noise in the SEC for the Gators this coming fall.

The defensive corps overall left a lot to be desired in 2023 for the Florida football program but there were certainly a few diamonds in the rough that had their moments.

The Gators will be counting on these talented student-athletes to take their skills to the next level in 2024 as the Orange and Blue seeks to snap a three-season losing streak. One of those players is rising sophomore safety [autotag]Jordan Castell[/autotag], who had a standout freshman campaign last fall.

According to PFF, the defensive back is the ninth-highest-graded returning safety in the SEC this year.

Castell started in 11 of the 12 games he appeared in last season, leading the team with 660 defensive snaps en route to a PFF grade of 75.6 — which ranked fifth among FBS true freshmen at his position. He led the team in total tackles (60) as well as solo tackles (30), while adding 1.5 tackles for a loss, three pass breakups and an interception.

The safety out of Winter Garden (Florida) West Orange earned Freshman All-SEC and All-American honors from ESPN and CFN for his efforts

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Eight Gators on Phil Steele’s 2024 Preseason All-SEC Teams

Florida returns several of the conference’s best players, including these eight who made the Phil Steele Preseason All-SEC Teams.

The Florida Gators regularly produce some of the best talent in the SEC, so it isn’t surprising to see eight UF players named to Phil Steele’s Preseason All-American Teams

A pair of seniors — running back [autotag]Montrell Johnson Jr[/autotag]. and punter [autotag]Jeremy Crawshaw[/autotag] — made the first team.

Johnson transferred from Lousiana, following head coach [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] and has been the main man in Florida’s backfield since. He’s passed the 800-yard mark on the ground in both of his seasons in Gainesville and scored 15 rushing touchdowns as a Gator. Crawshaw is one of the nation’s premier legs and is among the punters Florida has ever rostered.

Senior cornerback [autotag]Jason Marshall Jr[/autotag]. and junior inside linebacker [autotag]Shemar James[/autotag] join long-snapper [autotag]Rocco Underwood[/autotag] on Steel’s All-SEC Second Team.

A former five-star recruit, Marshall has yet to live up to expectations at the college level, but he’s considered a top draft prospect and will be tested as such. James is a bit more proven, but he’s coming off a serious knee injury that could change how he plays.

Left tackle and leader of Florida offensive line [autotag]Austin Barber[/autotag] joins kicker [autotag]Trey Smack[/autotag] on the Third Team.

Barber also missed time with an injury last season, but he’s the anchor in the trenches for the Gators. He’ll have some help from the transfer portal this season, but look for him to play the same role up front for UF. Smack took over the starting kicker role for [autotag]Adam Mihalek[/autotag] in 2023. He made all 29 extra points he attempted and made 17 of 21 field goals, including a pair of 50-plus-yarders.

Rounding out the list is sophomore safety [autotag]Jordan Castell[/autotag] on the Fourth Team. Pro Football Focus ranked him fifth among freshman safeties who played at least 20% of his team’s snaps.

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Quartet of Florida football freshmen earn All-SEC honors

These four Gators represent the future of Florida football.

The Southeastern Conference announced its Freshman All-SEC team on Thursday afternoon, which included four Florida football players.

Wide receiver [autotag]Eugene Wilson[/autotag], edge defenders [autotag]Kelby Collins[/autotag] and [autotag]TJ Searcy[/autotag], and safety [autotag]Jordan Castell[/autotag] were among the listed names, giving the Gators a quartet of first-year standouts for the first time since 2012.

The All-SEC team was decided upon by the conference’s coaches.

Wilson, who is the most explosive athlete on the list, finished the season with 61 catches for 538 yards — both of which were second on the team to senior wideout Ricky Pearsall — along with a team-high six touchdowns through the air.

He also set the Florida single-game freshman record with 11 receptions against then-No. 1 Georgia in Jacksonville at the end of October. Wilson also earned the Shaun Alexander National Freshman of the Week award after the Arkansas game.

Collins recorded 23 total tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and sacks, four quarterback hurries, a pass breakup and a forced fumble in 12 games as a freshman in Gainesville. His presence on the defensive line was key at times for a corps that suffered a great deal of attrition.

Similarly, Searcy also added depth to the D-line making a dozen appearances himself. He finished the fall with 26 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, two quarterback hurries and a forced fumble.

Finally, Castell broke out early in his Gators tenure, emerging as starting-level talent for the team during preseason practice and providing much-needed talent in a disappointing defensive backfield.

He appeared in all 12 games with 11 starts and was Pro Football Focus’ highest-rated run defender among qualified players. Castell was named SEC Freshman of the Week and Shaun Alexander award after the Gators’ Week 3 victory against then-No. 11 Tennessee.

The Gator Nation will have to wait until the Orange and Blue game to see the team back in action. That intrasquad exhibition will take place inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium sometime this coming spring with a date and time yet to be announced.

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