Bye Week Happenings: Eyes on the Competition

With the Gators off with a well needed bye. GatorBait travels to Orlando.

By Loren Meadows, GatorBaitMedia.com, Football Analyst

FBC Mortgage Stadium, Orlando, Florida (GatorBait Photo)

-ORLANDO

The Florida Gators spent a relatively quiet off week certainly taking a long look at personnel and priorities. While the offense has been improved the Florida defense has been historically poor missing over 20 tackles in the win against Mississippi State. Florida ranks last in the SEC in total defense surrendering 425.5 yards per game and has been inconsistent in its first four outings. Defensively there have been bright spots. Linebackers Shemar James and Pup Howard have been solid while Jason Marshall Jr. and Trikweze Bridges have played well on the back end. Marshall is rated at the top of the list in man coverage according to Pro Football Focus and he seems to have overcome the confidence issues that plagued his up and down junior season. Bridges, who played well last weekend in Starkville totaling 10 tackles and a pass breakup.

The most glaring issue on defense and maybe the entire Florida team has been the play or lack thereof of the defensive line. While struggling as whole Florida has been extremely poor against the run. The defensive line has spent much of their four contest in the laps of the linebackers putting the likes of Howard and James in peril. Not a good sign when the next opponent currently lead the NCAA in rushing. The University of Central Florida will arrive in Gainesville with its running game under its arm and possibly beaming with confidence depending on what happens later this afternoon. Central Florida welcomes one of college football's most intriguing team to the Bounce House, the Colorado Buffaloes led by NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders. The Buffaloes feature one of the nation's most explosive players Travis Hunter and possible number one pick quarterback Shedeur Sanders. Despite the star power of the Buffaloes, Central Florida is a 12-point favorite at home. That is probably due to Central Florida having some star power of their own in Arkansas transfer KJ Jefferson at quarterback and running back RJ Harvey. Harvey is third in the nation in rushing, while Jefferson leads the high paced attack. Harvey's 149 rushing yards per game is an indication of what the Gators may face next week and hopefully something Napier and staff focused on as they reassessed the roster, rotations, and schemes this week.

GatorBaitMedia.com will be on location at the Central Florida-Colorado game and will report what we see from the Gators next opponent. Central Florida continues to be a consistent up and coming program and is posied to make their mark the next two weeks against high profile oppenents. The Gators continue to be the dominant brand in the state if not the southeaast and will not take kindly to little brother walking on their grass despite what happens in Orlando today. Coach Napier and his staff will most certainly be tuned in and they should be.