Postgame Analysis: Florida Gators (2-0, 0-0) v. Campbell Camels (2-1, 0-0)

Special teams are special again at Florida as Vernell Brown III excites the crowd on ab business as usual kind of night for the Gators.

By Loren Meadows GatorBaitMedia.com Football Analyst, Host of The Gator Lowdown with Loren Meadows

Time for Baugh and Philo to take this show on the road (Chris Spears photo)

What We Thought: The Florida Gators defensive unite was taken to task last week by Coach John Sumrall for a lack than stellar effort that saw FAU gain over 400 yards of total offense and more than 20 first downs. Based upon that scolding the Gators would be a more motivated bunch and look to shut the door early with tighter coverage on the Cambell receivers and immense pressure on quarterback Kamden Sixkiller to keep Campbell under duress the entire game on the way to a dominate performance.

Offensively, the Gators would look to build on a dominating performance with another basic but efficient display and build on the explosive plays that were created in Week 1. Aaron Philo would continue his mastery of the offense by spreading the ball to his bevy of weapons. Jaden Baugh would find the endzone early and often and allow the deep running back room to get more carries than last week while Dallas Wilson would show up in a big way.

What We Got: The defense seemed to miss the opening bell as for the second week in a row the opposing offense found moving the ball fairly easy to begin the game. On the opening play, Kamden Sixkiller hit Stevie Kinner on a fade route for 24 yards over corner Ben Hanks. This would begin a drive that culminated with a Campbell field goal and though it was their only score of the game Sumrall was visibly concerned. The defense would settle in to hold the Campbell offense scoreless for the rest of the game but the lack of energy to begin games has been noted.

Despite the slow start the Gators would go ahead to stay scoring 10 unanswered points early on solid drives by the offense and then the defense would settle in and bring on the fireworks. At practices Sumrall has put an emphasis on special teams to the point where the entire team watches a member of the special teams attempt to block a punt establishing that this team will look to change the game with those units. With that in mind, it was no surprise that on the second Campbell punt of the game the Gators lined up to go for the block they have tirelessly made a priority. The Gators would narrowly miss the block but the fireworks that returner Vernell Brown III would provide clearly made up for the near miss. The sophomore return man eluded initial tacklers and then weaved his way back to the middle of the field with a high-five escort from Bailey Stockton for a 64 yard punt return TD, the first by the Gators since Kadarious Toney took one to the house against Kentucky in 2020. For the Florida Gators this was a refreshing change for a program that has limped on special teams for half a decade.

On the next Campbell drive the Gators would again force a punt and Brown again showed why Sumrall has noted the hire of Special Teams Coordinator Jonathan Gallante as one of his most important. Brown would go 70 yards untouched for his second punt return of the game and the first two punt return touchdown since Jaquez Green in 1996. Brown would add a 14-yard TD reception while Jaden Baugh (2TD’s) and Dallas Wilson would find the endzone as well to cap off another solid performance with by the Florida offense.

The Skinny: I think most would agree that the Florida offense has a number of talented options at every position for Buster Faulkner to design and scheme the most elaborate plays for. Falkner also has the right guy to execute that scheme with efficiency while cherishing the football. The special teams have been as good as expected as well. Perfect on field goals and the aforementioned punt returns. The question is can the Gators become the defense that their fiery head coach wants and the kind if unit that you need with the conference schedule looming. Sumrall tells it like it is, ask a football question, get a football answer, and up to this point the football has been solid but not good enough. The next six days will be possibly the most important in Sumrall’s coaching career and for his young but talented team. The trip to Auburn will act as a litmus test of where these programs are and will go in the near future. What you can respect about Sumrall is he makes no secret that the first two opponents were not what lies ahead, and the performances of the first two weeks are good enough.

The thing is you can say it but it has to get corrected. As Sumrall has stated the rotations may shrink as some players  have proven the coaches right and wrong about playing time. What makes you great is not how you design it but how it is put into practice. Florida may have not played their best ball but this team looks to be equipped to find a way to win even when one unit does not have their best stuff.

Final Score: Florida 52 Campbell 3 (Prediction Florida 63 Campbell 0)