shemar james – Syndication Server

Florida defenders Shemar James and Tyreak Sapp talk rivalry game win

Florida linebacker Shemar James and edge defender Tyreak Sapp discuss the win over Florida State on Saturday.

Florida’s defense dominated for all four quarters against Florida State on Saturday, leading the Gators to a 31-11 victory over the Seminoles.

The defense finished the game with eight sacks, 14 tackles for loss and five recovered fumbles (eight forced). Linebacker [autotag]Shemar James[/autotag] led the team with seven total tackles (four solo) and forced one of the fumbles, while defensive lineman [autotag]Tyreak Sapp[/autotag] had five total tackles (three solo), a sack, two tackles for loss and a forced fumble.

Both James and Sapp are veteran leaders on the defense and spoke to the media after the win. Here’s everything they said.

On Seminole head prop after the win

Sapp: “I got it from a fan probably about like 30 seconds left in the game. Probably not even 30 seconds. Probably like 50 seconds left in the game I got it from a fan and I was like, oh yeah. I anticipated somebody having something like that. I didn’t know whether it was going to be like the spear. I was going to hold the spear or somebody go something rare like the head. I loved it.

How did the win feel for you?

“Oh, man, this is like a relief off my back. Going two years losing to these guys — which is a great group of guys they put together, they find ways to put a team together — and you know it’s always going to be a challenge. It’s a rivalry game. We don’t like them and they don’t like us. So for the last two years, this has been sitting on us sitting on me and Shemar, especially because we were here to see it. It was just great.

“It was great to go out there and just see the work that we’ve been putting in and everything that we’ve been through all season. This is like one of the best ways to end it on this.

James: “That’s how I feel, happy, so happy. Like he said, two losses in a row to these guys. It was great to get that bad taste out of our mouths, coming into their house and get the dub.”

On dominance in the backfield

Sapp: “It felt great. That’s what we preach every week. We’ve got to kind of like be the big brothers of the team because we the defense. So we got to lead the boys to battle and we got to go out there and set the tone no matter what.

“How ever many ways we can get DJ the ball, that’s what we do.”

James on strip fumble

James: “It felt great, for myself, for the team. It was just a big turning point in the game. Any big play on defense, getting the ball back to the offense. I almost ran the ball back to the end zone. The ref gave me a couple choice words, but it was good… I had to make sure we got it back. ”

On Florida State fumbling eight times

James: “We practice that in our takeover circuit throughout the week. I mean, we expect that. That’s kind of our standard to get the ball, get it back to our offense. We wanted to score on defense, but we unfortunately couldn’t do that. But it’s coming.

On post-game scuffle

Sapp: “Coach (Napier) addressed that in the locker room after the game, so it wasn’t too much. He said what he had to say about it, but it is what it is. That happened.”

James: “It’s not us.”

On developing a more complicated pass rush scheme

James: “Just guys being comfortable in the defense. Coach (Ron) Roberts and Coach (Austin) Armstrong, they kind of draw things up. They kind of get the quarterback looking this way and a person is coming from the other way or kind of disguising different coverages just to get to the quarterback.

“I think it’s just guys that got that confidence back and that can disguise very well. We hit a lot tonight.”

On three-game win streak to end the season

Sapp: “It’s gratifying, but like it’s always great to know that we earned it. We earned the right to win those games. I always tell my guys we don’t deserve anything. We earned everything that we have and everything that we get. Nobody gives us anything.

“Because when people play the Florida Gators, they’re going to put their best foot forward and they’re going to try to destroy us just because of who we are, and we accept that challenge. Week in and week out, day in and day out, and we take that personally. We go ahead and we go to work, and no matter what happens out down that field, we always come back together as brothers.

Are you a man on a mission (8 tackles in three games)?

Sapp: “I feel like I’ve always been a man on a mission, but it’s just progression and getting better throughout the year. Understand the things I need to work on, watching more film and just getting together with the guys because this game is all about chemistry.

“Throughout these past few weeks, we spent so much time together. Not just on the field, after practice and in the locker room, but off the field. We come to each other’s houses, we go out to dinner with each other. It’s just that camaraderie and us just gelling together more.

At what point did the defense start believing in itself?

Sapp: “I wouldn’t be able to tell you the exact point in time, but I just tell you we all had to look each other in the eye and tell each other that we were going to make things change. And that was it because our word is probably one of the most important things and it means a lot to each other.

“So when we tell each other we trust you and we going to do everything that that we can in our power to turn things around, we took that personally and we went to work and you see what you get.”

When did you find out about victory cigars?

Sapp: “Right after the game, right?”

James: “Yeah. Right after. Surprise.”

Sapp: “Some of our media staff and the EQ staff, they were passing them out. It was a surprise, but, you know, we were lit.

Have you ever done that?

Sapp: “Nah. I’ve never had that. Shoot, Shemar, we started playing together. I was a redshirt freshman when he got here, so we were both in. That was our first year playing and we haven’t had it. From then, we haven’t had this much success to the point we had a victory cigar.”

What was is like in the locker room?

James: “Smoky. Choking and coughing. But it was great.”

On Jack Pyburn recording his first sack of year

Sapp: “We use him in a plethora of ways, and he’s one of those guys that we love to have out there when we’re trying to stop the run. But Jack has improved over the year with his pass rushing. He’s come a long way from when he was a young kid, and to now to see how he’s grown, especially like me, I’ve actually seen him grow and I’ve seen him get better.

“It’s exciting to me to see him go get a sack, to see him get all these tackles. It’s just a blessing. The kid works hard and he actually loves the game. He loves his team.”

On recruiting and retaining players

Sapp: “I think it’s always going to be like involvement, as much as involvement as they allow us to have. But I think that just keeping this team together and just like the future, the future is going to be bright for the school.”

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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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DJ Lagway leads trio of Gators who earned SEC weekly honors vs. LSU

A trio of Florida Gators, headlined by true freshman quarterback DJ Lagway, earned SEC Player of the Week honors after beating LSU.

The Southeastern Conference office honored three Florida Gators with Players of the Week awards after a 27-16 upset win against LSU on Saturday.

True freshman quarterback [autotag]DJ Lagway[/autotag] got the nod for Freshman of the Week, linebacker [autotag]Shemar James[/autotag] was named a Co-Defensive Player of the Week and kicker [autotag]Trey Smack[/autotag] was named a Co-Special Teams Player of the Week.

Lagway led the offense to a 27-point outburst, including two scoring drives in the final quarter of the contest. He completed 13 of 26 passes for 226 yards and a touchdown, finding senior Elijhah Badger six times for 131 yards and the score.

Lagway’s final connection with Badger, a 36-yard gain that involved him stepping up in the pocket to evade two defenders and throwing while on the run, set up the go-ahead touchdown run from Ja’Kobi Jackson, and he found Hayden Hansen for 19 yards just before Jadan Baugh broke a 55-yard score to put the game away.

James led all defenders with 11 total tackles (five solo), two sacks and two pass breakups, all of which are career highs. He is the only defender to record two sacks against LSU this season and led the defense to a 7-sack performance against a Tigers offensive line that had only allowed six all year.

Smack hit two long field goals to keep Florida within reach of LSU. The first came in the second quarter from 49 yards out to take a 10-7 lead, and the second set a new career-long at 55 yards to tie the game at 13. He was perfect on three point-after-touchdown attempts, bringing his season total to 34 of 34.

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Five key factors in Florida football’s dominant victory over LSU

Offense, defense and special teams helped the Gators come up with a much-needed victory at home against the LSU Tigers.

Florida football (5-5, 3-4 SEC) defeated the No. 21 LSU Tigers (6 – 4, 3-3 SEC) by a score of 27-16.

Quarterback DJ Lagway started for the Gators after missing last week’s game due to a left hamstring injury and threw for 226 yards and a touchdown in his return. Freshman running back Jadan Baugh exploded for a 55-yard touchdown run with five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter to ultimately seal the game.

With help from the defense to seal the game, despite their shakiness on third down stops, the Gators came up with a huge win to keep their bowl-eligibility hopes alive. Florida just needs a win against either Ole Miss next week or the Florida State Seminoles to make a bowl game this season.

Here are five key factors from today’s game.

Defense starts with a bang

Florida’s defense started out the game strong. On LSU’s opening drive, the Tigers moved the ball toward midfield and were faced with a 4th-and-1 situation.

LSU decided to go for it and ran a play toward the outside that was immediately shut down by Dijon Johnson which made the Swamp deafening.

Unfortunately for the Gators’ offense, they were forced to punt because they committed two consecutive penalties to start out their drive. So the great field position went to waste.

Gators bite first

Florida started their second offensive drive on their own 20-yard line and Lagway got away with an almost sure interception on his first attempt. The ball hit the LSU defender right in the hands but he couldn’t make the catch.

A couple of plays later, Lagway completed a 34-yard pass to receiver Chimere Dike that put the Gators at midfield. Then, running back Ja’Kobi Jackson had a big run for 20 yards that placed Florida right outside the red zone.

To cap off the drive, Lagway threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to receiver Elijhah Badger who was in one-on-one coverage that gave the Gators an early 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter.

Defensive woes on third downs

Florida had a tough time defending the Tigers on their third down attempts.

Over the course of the game, LSU was 13-for-24 on third downs and converted four of them on their fourth possession alone which resulted in a 14-play, 84-yard drive that ended in a game-tying touchdown in the second quarter.

The third-down defensive struggles allowed the Tigers to construct lengthy drives which also allowed them to dominate the time of possession. LSU had the ball for 41:43 compared to Florida’s time of possession of 18:17.

LSU was 8-for-12 on third downs in the first half and it wasn’t like the majority of them were short distances either. A lot of these conversions were on 3rd-and-long situations. But luckily toward the end of the game, Florida’s defense was able to dial in when it mattered most and slowed down those third-down conversions.

Plenty of sacks to go around

The Gators’ defense was all over Garrett Nussmeier throughout the game, especially in the second half.

Florida had a total of seven sacks and it wasn’t just from a couple of players. The sacks were spread out among multiple Gators defenders.

Linebacker Shemar James had two while defensive tackle Caleb Banks, EDGE T.J. Searcy, EDGE George Gumbs Jr. and EDGE Kamran James each came up with a sack.

It was certainly refreshing to see the Gators pass rush being as effective as they were today and it’ll be interesting to see if they can carry it over next week against a high-powered Ole Miss offense.

Special Teams delivered for the Gators

Florida’s offense struggled to find ways to get in the end zone today, but thanks to their fantastic play from junior kicker Trey Smack who kicked 2-for-2 that included a career-long field goal of 55 yards.

And let’s not forget about senior punter Jeremy Crawshaw who had all four of his punts inside the 20-yard line. In a game where field position was critical, the Gators special teams unit played a big part in their victory today.

Up next for the Gators

The Gators play their final home game of the season against the Ole Miss Rebels on Saturday, Nov. 23. Kickoff is set for noon ET and will be broadcast on ABC.

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Pair of Gators open up about Florida football’s Week 11 loss at Texas

Florida football’s Chimere Dike and Shemar James talk to the media after the Gators’ loss at the Texas Longhorns on Saturday afternoon.

The Texas Longhorns successfully defended their home field on Saturday from the Florida Gators, 49-17, as the two schools faced each other for the first time in 84 years. The loss kept the Orange and Blue winless in all four meetings on the college football gridiron against the Burnt Orange.

There was little doubt which team was the better one, but despite a roster decimated by injuries, [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag]’s boys still left everything on the field. Nonetheless, it was not nearly enough to upset one of the top programs in the nation and left Florida 4-5 overall with just a 2-4 mark in SEC play.

Following the Week 11 affair, wide receiver [autotag]Chimere Dike[/autotag] and linebacker [autotag]Shemar James[/autotag] spoke with the media, offering their takes on what transpired that afternoon.

Failing to capitalize on takeaways chances early

Shemar James: “We definitely took a blow on the defensive side of the ball, things weren’t going our way. Kind of like self-inflicted wounds. We preached on that saying, ‘If you give a good team an inch they’ll take a mile.’ We gotta clean that up on our side of the ball and we probably could have came out with a win.”

Defensive frustrations after weeks of improvement

James: “It’s the game of football. You can be on high and before you know it, it’s a roller coaster game, so, we just got to get back in the film room and get better.”

What 2nd-half effort says about Florida

Chimere Dike: “Yeah, this team has obviously been through loads of adversity, I’m proud of the guys for going out there and battling in the second half, a lot of teams would have gave up, but at the same time we gotta execute better, we gotta improve.

“At the end of the day, we didn’t take care of what we needed to, like you said we had self-inflicted wounds, and when you play a team like Texas you can’t do that.”

Did week of prep help Aidan Warner?

Dike: “I think anytime you’re a young player, when you’re able to have game reps against a really good football team, it’s one of those things you can learn from. He came out there and competed for four quarters, and I know he’s going to continue to get better and take steps forward.”

Florida’s failures in red zone

Dike: “Yeah, I mean, I think when you have red zone trips — especially on the road against a good team, you know, down some bodies — I think it’s important to capitalize and we didn’t. I think that was the story of the first half. Those are things you need to cash in on.”

Opinions on Aidan Warner’s performance

Dike: “I think Aidan did a really good job. I think there was a lot of guys who could have done things better around him, myself included. When you have a young quarterback like that you have to help him as much as you can. I think he competed for four quarters, I think he threw some really good balls.

“When you looked at him he never looked like he was gonna give up or was out of it, so I’m proud of him, proud of the way he competed.”

Did he think DJ Lagway would play?

Dike: “I knew DJ was going to do everything he could to get on the field, he was progressing throughout the week. That kid loves competing, he loves the University of Florida.

“He wanted to be out there, but it just was the best thing for us that he wasn’t. I’m looking forward to him continuing to take strides and get healthy.”

Frustration with injuries, rotation, depth

James: “It’s frustrating a little bit, but that’s the game of football. It’s a tough game. Guys will get banged up. But it really just comes down to capitalizing.

“We got to come up with the right mentality. We got some really good two’s and three’s that came in the game and played pretty well. It just came down to being ready for the moment and executing.”

On Myles Graham’s development

James: “He’s getting better each and every week from the first week to this week. He’s been improving, taking good strides. Getting things right and communicating. I expect that from Myles.”

On staying together to finish the season strong

James: “Like you said, stay together. Staying together, that’s what will get us over this hump and get some wins at the end of the year.”

On how much the injuries contributed

Dike: “Yeah, we were down, but like he said, it’s a next-man-up mentality. Regardless of how many people were out, we didn’t execute to our ability. We didn’t take advantage of the opportunities we had.

“Obviously, it’s tough kind of being down, but hopefully we can get guys back healthy and guys continue to come back, but at the end of the day, we didn’t take care of what we needed to. We can’t really make any excuses.”

On Chimere Dike being underrated

Dike: “I’ve played a lot of college football. I was confident coming to the SEC. I have great coaches around me, teammates that believe in me, and I just try to go out there and play as hard as I can.

“It’s an honor to play for the University of Florida. It’s a dream come true for me. So, just every day I try go out there and work as hard as I can.”

Reacting to announcement keeping Napier

Dike: “Yeah, I love Coach Napier. He’s the reason why I came here. Obviously my relationship with Graham, just getting to sit down and talk to him.

“He’s wanting to build a program. I have full belief in him, and it’s unwavering. Today was obviously tough, but our team’s going in the right direction. With all the young guys with an opportunity to improve, and excited to see him in the future.”

James: “I’ve been here since the beginning with Coach Napier. He actually recruited me, so I was excited to see that letter. It was kind of a relief to know that he’ll have another year, you know, so we can develop under him as well.

“I’m just excited for Coach Napier.”

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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3 Florida players to watch ahead of Texas A&M’s Week 3 matchup

Here are three Florida players to watch ahead of Saturday’s matchup

Texas A&M (1-1) will take on the Florida Gators (1-1) in the swamp on Saturday afternoon. This is the first SEC matchup for both programs this season, and the Aggies enter the game with a conference road losing streak dating back to the 2021 season.

As the game nears, Thursday’s news that Texas A&M starting quarterback Conner Weigman is now questionable to play in the game has thrown a wrench in the Aggie lineup, as the injury report also included starting cornerback Tyreek Chappell and safety Trey Jones, who is now listed as out.

Nevertheless, two teams will take the field on Saturday, and one team will come out victorious, so to prepare you for what to expect from the Florida Gators, here are three players to watch ahead of the critical matchup.

RB Montrell Johnson Jr.

Senior running back Motrell Johnson Jr. brings experience and a hard-nosed running style that could spell trouble for the Aggie run defense, currently ranked 109th in the country. Possessing above-average vision and speed, Johnson could get hot if A&M fails to shut him down early.

LB Shemar James

James entered his junior season as one of Florida’s more productive defenders, amassing 55 tackles and one sack last season, and currently leads the Gators in tackles (9) in two games. Texas A&M OC Collin Klein will look to establish the run early after racking up 333 rushing yards last weekend, while Conner Weigman or Marcel Reed pre-snap to avoid him wrecking the play.

QB DJ Lagway

Florida head coach Billy Napier will introduce a two-quarterback system on Saturday, featuring veteran signal-caller Graham Mertz and freshman phenom DJ Lagway. Last weekend, Mertz missed the game due to a concussion, while Lagway made his first career start, throwing for an impressive 458 yards and three touchdowns. While Mertz provides a steady hand, Lagway may be too skilled not to earn more snaps against an Aggie secondary that is now missing two starters.

Texas A&M will travel to Gainsville to take on the Florida Gators on Saturday, Sept. 14 at 2:30 p.m. CT. The game will air on ABC.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.

Three takeaways from Florida’s embarrassing loss to Miami

Things went from bad to worse quickly for the Florida Gators against the Miami Hurricanes on Saturday. Year 3 of the Billy Napier era begins with a loss.

This year was supposed to be different, but Florida’s 41-17 loss against Miami on Saturday has morale at an all-time low in Gainesville.

[autotag]Montrell Johnson Jr[/autotag].’s 71-yard touchdown in the second quarter was the only bright spot of the contest and was the last time Florida came within a score of its in-state rival.

The defense struggled after repeating several of the same mistakes we saw from them a year ago, and a [autotag]Graham Mertz[/autotag]-led offense appeared unable to manufacture anything positive until he got hurt.

Mertz’s injury might have brought the only silver lining of the day, though. No one expected the [autotag]DJ Lagway[/autotag] era to begin so early, but the true freshman led the Gators to its only score of the second half.

Too many missed opportunities in the first half

Things got ugly fast after halftime, but Florida wasn’t that far from holding a lead through the first 30 minutes of action.

A pair of roughing-the-passer penalties accelerated/extended Miami drives and directly led to a pair of touchdowns. The first came from Justus Boone on a third-down play that would have forced a punt from the Hurricanes. Instead, Miami quarterback Cam Ward found Cam McCormick to break a 0-0 tie.

The other roughing the passer penalty came in the second quarter on a DJ Douglas blitz that he couldn’t slow down on. Granted, that was on first down, so it didn’t directly lead to a touchdown, but it certainly accelerated Miami’s path to a two-score lead.

On offense, Graham Mertz struggled to connect on deep passes, completing just one of seven attempts from beyond 15 yards. Two notable overthrows in the direction of [autotag]Elijhah Badger[/autotag] stand out, in particular. If Mertz is healthy enough to return, he’ll need to refine his connection with the Arizona State transfer. The concepts aren’t the problem; it’s execution.

The defense is already banged up

Despite allowing Miami to put up over 500 yards of total offense, this Florida defense looks better than last year’s, or at least more talented. However, injuries are already an issue, both in the trenches and in the secondary.

[autotag]Devin Moore[/autotag], who has enough talent to be a shutdown cornerback in the SEC, left the game in the first half and didn’t return. Cam Ward targeted his backup, [autotag]Ja’Keem Jackson[/autotag], who doesn’t appear ready to be an every-down player quite yet.

[autotag]Asa Turner[/autotag] also went down with what looked like a non-contact injury to his lower body. Turner grabbed his hamstring walking off the field, but replays of the injury show a clear jerk in his knee. An ACL injury would devastate Florida’s secondary, and remove a veteran leader from the position room.

Those two injuries help explain Miami’s 385 passing yards and three scores through the air.

There’s also the front seven to worry about, although it seems to be the defensive line that struggled more than the edge guys and linebackers. [autotag]Shemar James[/autotag] reeled in a tipped pass for an interception at a crucial moment before things got out of hand, and [autotag]Grayson Howard[/autotag] had a nice wrap-up tackle in a one-on-one situation. Miami didn’t put up crazy rushing numbers, either — 148 yards and two touchdowns on 33 carries.

Florida’s pass rush was non-existent, however. Ward and his receivers had all the time in the world to break coverage, and Florida’s lone sack ([autotag]Tyreak Sapp[/autotag]) came because Ward held the ball too long. The Gators face too tough of a schedule to win without getting penetration up front. And they certainly can’t afford to commit penalties when the pass rush does work.

Miami’s offense ran up and down Steve Spurrier Field at will on Saturday. Imagine what Georgia, Tennessee and Texas are going to do away from Gainesville if this kind of play keeps up from Florida.

Hover over the panic button, but don’t press it

A three-score loss after two straight losing seasons is typically enough for an SEC fan base to turn on its coach and athletic director. Half of Gator Nation is already there, but the other half is still hoping that this was just the Week 1 jitters.

Florida’s in for a long season if things don’t change, but the Mertz injury might have forced Billy Napier’s hand in the best way. DJ Lagway is the future of this program, and getting him on the field now against the toughest schedule he’ll see as a Gator is a good thing.

Lagway only attempted six passes over three drives, one of which was an interception, but there’s no denying the tone shift that came when stepped on the field. Lagway looks like an SEC quarterback, even if he makes the mistakes a true freshman should. He leads the drive with intent, and he’s a legitimate dual threat, unlike Mertz.

Former Florida wide receiver [autotag]Jacob Copeland[/autotag] commented on social media that Lagway showed shades of [autotag]Anthony Richardson[/autotag] in his first appearance in the Orange and Blue after seeing Lagway rip a 16-yard run. If Lagway gets significant playing time moving forward, this is a completely different Florida offense.

That’s not to say Graham Mertz shouldn’t return if he’s healthy enough, but rather to suggest a complete lean into a two-quarterback system. It’s worked for Florida in the past (Leak-Tebow). Why not try it again?

It would be malpractice not to mention Montrell Johnson Jr. again in this section. He ran for 106 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries after missing most of fall camp with a knee injury that required minor surgery. His 71-yarder provided the bulk of those yards, but he was effective throughout the game. Florida needs to lean on him more moving forward if he can handle the workload.

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Florida Football 2024 Position Preview: Linebackers

Taking a look at who’s leading the Gators linebacker unit for this upcoming season.

The next group of players we’ll take a look at on Gators Wire’s positions preview series are the linebackers.

Florida has some talented linebackers for this upcoming 2024 season with a mix of new and returning names. Although Scooby Williams, who played in all 12 games last season at linebacker for the Gators, transferred in the offseason to Texas A&M, Florida won’t have a problem filling that hole.

Shemar James is expected to be the leader of this Florida defense while first-year Gator Grayson “Pup” Howard will be lined up next to him as the other starting linebacker.

Head coach Billy Napier did an excellent job in bringing in some very talented linebackers this past offseason and this is one of those position groups that is very deep for the Gators.

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

Starter: No. 6 Shemar James (Jr.)

Year	GP	Solo	AST	TOT	TFL-YDS	Sacks-YDS	INT	PD	FF
2022	13	18	29	47	2-9	2-9	0	0	1
2023	8	24	31	55	5.5-13	1-7	0	0	0
Total	21	42	60	102	7.5-22	3-16	0	0	1

James is coming into his third and most important season at Florida. Looked at as the focal point of the defense, James will be in charge of listening in on what the coach on the sideline is saying through the new coach-to-player helmet communication system.

Last season, James started the first eight games before missing the final four due to a knee injury. In 2022, James won Freshman All-SEC honors after finishing the season with 47 total tackles in 13 games.

James’ biggest strength at linebacker is his pass coverage, as he was graded at 75.2 out of 100 in that category according to Pro Football Focus. His biggest weakness is his pass rush and he’ll be looking to improve that area of his game this season.

Starter: No. 10 Grayson “Pup” Howard (So.)

Howard comes in as a transfer from South Carolina and is expected to start as the other linebacker alongside James.

Last season with the Gamecocks, Howard appeared in 11 games and logged 19 tackles (10 solo), a tackle-for-loss and a forced fumble.

Howard attended Andrew Jackson High School in Jacksonville, Florida where he was ranked as the 42nd-best player in the state, the 15th-best outside linebacker and No. 177 on the ESPN300.

Although Howard doesn’t have the biggest sample size from last season, he has really impressed in camp and has made a strong push for that other starting linebacker spot.

Backups: No. 5 Myles Graham (Fr.), No. 15 Derek Wingo (Sr.), No. 29 Jaden Robinson (So.)

Myles Graham, although a freshman, is a very talented linebacker that the Gators were able to acquire.

Graham, a local product, went to F. W. Buchholz High School in Gainesville and was ranked as a five-star recruit by Rivals as well as the third-best player in his position group.

Derek Wingo is a fifth-year senior who’s the veteran of this group. Wingo logged 17 tackles and 2.5 sacks last season with the Gators.

Jaden Robinson is going into his second season with Florida and was rated as a former four-star recruit out of high school by Rivals and 247Sports. Robinson’s role will likely increase this season as he was primarily used for special teams last year.

Reserves: No. 16 R.J. Moten (Sr.), No. 22 Deuce Spurlock II (R-So.), No. 8 Aaron Chiles (Fr.)

R.J. Moten is going into his second season at Florida after transferring over from Michigan after the 2022 season. Moten has the experience and is a solid piece that the Gators have for depth.

Deuce Spurlock II is another guy who Florida will have for depth. Like Moten, Spurlock is playing in his second season with the Gators. He played in three games last season, all on special teams.

Aaron Chiles is a freshman who was ranked a four-star recruit by 247Sports, ESPN, On3 and Rivals. Chiles went to Our Lady of Good Counsel High School in Olney, Maryland. Chiles was also ranked as the No. 1 prospect in the state of Maryland by Rivals.

Walk-Ons: No. 50 Jake Xeller (Fr.), No. 42 Matthew Kade (Fr.), No. 47 Justin Pelic (R-Sr.)

Jake Xeller went to Herndon (Virginia) and earned back-to-back all-district honors in his junior and senior years. He joined the Gators as a walk-on this past spring.

Matthew Kade attended Bucholz High School in Gainesville and recorded 90 tackles, 18.0 tackles-for-loss, five sacks, two forced fumbles, one interception and a blocked punt his senior year. Kade walked on to Florida during the summer.

Justin Pelic is coming into his sixth season with Florida after joining the team as a walk-on during the summer of 2019.

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Florida linebacker named to Bednarik Award Preseason Watch List

Florida Gators linebacker Shemar James looks to make an impact this season after being awarded a spot on the Chuck Bednarik Award Preseason Watch List.

Florida football junior linebacker Shemar James was given a spot on the Bednarik Award Preseason Watch List — an award that honors college football’s defensive player of the year.

James was all over the field for the Gators defense last season. The Mobile, Alabama, native led the team in tackles (55.0) before missing the last four games due to a knee injury.

The linebacker is looking for a bounce-back season as he enters his third year with the Gators.

The Bednarik Award is named after linebacker and center Chuck “Concrete Charlie” Bednarik who played at the University of Pennsylvania as an All-American and later became a multiple-year All-Pro player for the Philadelphia Eagles. A member of both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame, Bednarik was the last NFL player to play both offense and defense full-time.

Semifinalists for the award will be announced on Nov. 12 and the three finalists on Nov. 26. The winner is set to be announced on Dec. 12 during The Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN.

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Gators linebacker at SEC media days names 4 teammates to watch

Shemar James thinks everyone needs to keep an eye on these four fellow defensive players in 2024.

SEC media days have come and gone, and the past week has offered many delicious morsels to help tide the nation’s appetite until the start of the college football season at the end of August.

One story of interest for fans of the Florida Gators comes from junior linebacker [autotag]Shemar James[/autotag], who was one of three players along with head coach [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] to represent the Orange and Blue in Dallas, Texas.

He had some encouraging words about his team’s secondary this fall, naming four members of the secondary when asked if there are any defenders on his side of the ball that people do not know about yet.

“[autotag]Gregory Smith[/autotag], a freshman that came in, [autotag]Jameer Grimsley[/autotag], another freshman,” James offered first.

“[autotag]DJ Douglas[/autotag]…” he followed. “Got [autotag]Trikweze Bridges[/autotag], a transfer from Oregon. Those are some names that we have in the household right now that I believe are going to make a big splash this year.”

Gators four who will ‘make a big splash’

Smith was a four-star recruit and ranked No. 319 overall and No. 13 at the athlete position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at No. 262 overall and 19 at safety nationally in the 2024 cycle.

Grimsley was a top-100 transfer after enrolling early with the Alabama Crimson Tide but departed after the retirement of Nick Saban.

Douglas finished the 2023 campaign at Tulane with 54 tackles (39 solo), three interceptions, two pass breakups and a tackle-for-loss over 13 games with 12 starts at safety.

Bridges played cornerback and nickel at Oregon but switched to safety by coming to Gainesville. His peak came in 2022 when he started all 13 games, amassing 49 tackles (including a tackle for a loss), three interceptions and a forced fumble at cornerback that season.

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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