Sumrall on the Florida defense: "... improve or I'm going to lose my mind trying to help them.”

(Photo by Chris Spears)

by Franz Beard www.gatorbaitmedia.com

This is a get well week for the Florida defense, a chance to work out the kinks from week one while prepping for the nine-game gauntlet of SEC games. The Gators should dominate Campbell (2-0), which has a rather polished passing game and a legitimate dual threat quarterback in Kamden Sixkiller, but Jon Sumrall needs to see more focus than he saw last week against Florida Atlantic. Offensively, the Gators functioned at a very high level against FAU, but the defense gave up three touchdowns, too many yards and far too many third down conversions.

“I don't think it was an intent issue, it wasn't an effort issue, it wasn't a desire issue,” Sumrall explained earlier in the week. “It was simply, man, we're young or either, in my opinion, untrained on certain spots at certain times and so we have to coach better. Our players they gotta prepare in a manner that they can go activate it on the grass on game day. It wasn't all bad, but it damn sure wasn't all good either. Okay? And so there's a ton of growth that needs to happen with our football team.”

Growth is a priority this week. Better pass rush and pressure on the quarterback rank high on the priority list. In two games Sixkiller has thrown for 673 yards and three touchdowns while running for 114 yards and three more scores. He has a big arm and escapability so keeping him in the pocket is a must.

Tackling must improve and the Gators can’t have the corners playing nine yards off the line of scrimmage on third and short situations.

“I just think maybe we were a little too relaxed in our mindset to attention to detail at times,” Sumrall said. “Whether it was how to play a certain call, down-and-distance awareness, what the offensive split and spacing is telling me, you know, they got into condensed sets, we knew there was gonna be stick routes. Well, there's a couple times where they ran stick routes we’re like nowhere to be seen near the receiver. There's other times where you give some of that stuff up, there’s a give and take. You can't take everything away, but we do have to understand when to play more connected and more attached in coverage. And our guys are gonna improve. I promise you that. They're either going to improve or I'm going to lose my mind trying to help them.”

ELSEWHERE IN THE SEC

No. 12 Alabama (1-0): Starting right guard Michael Carroll is listed as doubtful for Saturday’s game at Kentucky where Alabama is a 10.5-point favorite. Saturday: at Kentucky (1-0), 3:30 p.m., ABC

Arkansas (1-0): Utah’s powerful running game (364 yards in the season opener) is a big reason why the Razorbacks are 12.5-point road underdogs. Saturday: at Utah (1-0), 10:15 p.m., ESPN

Auburn (1-0): Cleaning up the passing game is a priority this week. Against Baylor last week, Auburn gave up five sacks and QB Byrum Brown threw three interceptions. Auburn is a 32.5-point favorite over Southern Miss. Saturday: Southern Miss (1-0), 7:45 p.m., SEC Network

No. 2 Georgia (1-0): Linebacker Chase Linton (lower leg injury) is out Saturday and probably won’t be available for two more weeks. The Bulldogs are 41.5-point favorites. Saturday: Western Kentucky (0-1), 12:45 p.m., SEC Network

Kentucky (1-0): This is a hot ticket item in Lexington where the Big Blue Nation believes it has a chance to score an upset Saturday against Alabama. The Wildcats, who haven’t beaten Alabama since 1997, are a 10.5-point underdog. Saturday: No. 12 Alabama (1-0), 3:30 p.m., ABC

No. 8 LSU (1-0): Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavier Harris are not on the permanent LSU roster for the rest of the season. Both are weighing legal options that would allow them to play. LSU is a 35.5-point favorite to beat Louisiana Tech. Saturday: Louisiana Tech (1-0), 7:30 p.m., SEC Network+

Mississippi State (1-0): Little known fact ahead of Saturday’s road trip to Minnesota. Murray Warmath, the Minnesota coach who won the 1960 national championship, was the head coach at Mississippi State prior to taking the Minnesota job in 1954. Mississippi State is a surprising 1.5-point favorite to take down Minnesota in Minneapolis. Saturday: at Minnesota (1-0), 3:30 p.m., CBS

No. 23 Missouri (1-0): Missouri’s defense will have to find a way to bottle up Kansas quarterback Isaiah Taylor, who passed for 246 yards and ran for 49 in the Jayhawks season opener. The Tigers managed only one sack in their season opening win so Taylor’s mobility is a concern. Missouri is a 5.5-point favorite over Kansas. Friday: at Kansas (1-0), 8 p.m., Fox

No. 11 Oklahoma (1-0): A healthy John Mateer is one big reason Oklahoma is a 5-point favorite to beat Michigan in the Big House. Mateer, who battled through a broken hand injury last year, threw for three touchdowns while averaging 13.2 yards per attempt in the Sooner’s season opening win. Saturday: at Michigan (1-0), 12 noon, Fox

No. 9 Ole Miss (1-0): Saturday is nothing more than a tuneup for LSU on September 19. The goal is to make sure no one gets hurt against Charlotte, a game the Rebels are favored by 47.5 points. Saturday: Charlotte (0-1), 7:45 p.m., ESPN2

South Carolina (1-0): Left tackle Jaccarius Peak and EDGE Dylan Stewart, who missed the season opening win over Kent State, are listed as doubtful for Saturday against D1AA Towson. 2Saturday: Towson (0-2), 7 p.m., SEC Network+

No. 18 Tennessee (1-0): Look for the Vols to pound away on the ground against Georgia Tech. Tennessee ran for 329 yards in the season opener and will be going against a Georgia Tech defense that was very vulnerable against the run in its loss to Colorado. The Vols are solid 12.5-point favorites. Saturday: at Georgia Tech (0-1), 7 p.m., ESPN

No. 4 Texas (1-0): The task for defensive coordinator Will Muschamp is to neutralize the Ohio State passing combo of quarterback Julian Sayin and wide receiver Jeremiah Smith. Last Saturday, Sayin completed 84 percent of his passes for three touchdowns while Smith caught eight passes for 151 yards and two touchdowns. Texas is a 1.5-point favorite to take down the No. 1 ranked Buckeyes. Saturday: No. 1 Ohio State (1-0), 7:30 p.m., ABC

No. 10 Texas A&M (1-0): The Aggies, who gave up only 67 yards and four first downs in their season opener will have to contend with former Kentucky QB Cutter Boley, who last week lit up Morgan State for six touchdown passes. Texas A&M is a 14.5-point favorite to beat Arizona State. Saturday: Arizona State (1-0), 12 noon, ABC

Vanderbilt (1-0): There are calls for Vanderbilt to start true freshman Jared Curtis at QB after he went 7-9 passing coming off the bench in game one. The Commodores are favored by 20.5 points over Delaware.  Saturday: Delaware (1-0), 4:15 p.m., SEC Network

COUNTDOWN TO FIRING DAY: SEPTEMBER 10 EDITION

Extinct Species List

None so far

On Life Support

Mike Norvell, Florida State: Not only did he lose to SMU in game one, but the electricity went out at Doak Campbell Stadium. Boosters think Norvell and the athletic director need to go but where will they get the money they need to pink slip them?

Luke Fickell, Wisconsin: Losing 45-13 to Notre Dame on national television has the faithful ready to pull the plug. The next two games should be easy wins, then comes the Big Ten. The good news is no Ohio State, Indiana or Oregon. Seven wins or he’s a goner.

Dave Aranda, Baylor: He’s got the defense, but he’s tied the offense to DJ Lagway and that could do him in. The next two games should be easy wins (Prairie View A&M and Louisiana Tech) but then comes the Big 12 slate. He’s got to win seven games to survive.

Bill Belichick, North Carolina: The scandal involving GM Michael Lombardi has a lot of money people ready to pull the plug on Belichick. He gets an easy win this week but then gets Clemson, Notre Dame and Pitt on consecutive weekends.

Mike Locksley, Maryland: After consecutive 4-8 seasons and with a Big Ten schedule looming, Locks can’t afford to lose to UConn.

Derek Mason, Middle Tennessee: The Blue Raiders will be competitive this year, but can they get to six wins? If they can’t, Mason is a goner.

Dell McGee, Georgia State: If the Panthers go an hour north on I-75 and lose to Kennesaw State this weekend the calls to fire McGee will be deafening. Kennesaw State is in only its third year of Division I football.

Bill O’Brien, Boston College: If he loses to Rutgers he might not make it until Monday.

Greg Schiano, Rutgers: The athletic department debt is huge. They can’t afford to fire Schiano but they may have to because no one is going to come to the Rutgers games after losing to UMass.

Endangered Species List

Kalen DeBoer, Alabama: Everybody is talking as if Bama has solved its problems and will win big going forward. Perhaps they’re right, but a third straight 4-loss season might convince them otherwise.

Matt Rhule, Nebraska: The Huskers are going to start the season 3-0, but they better find at least five wins in the final nine or else his seat is going to be blowtorch hot.

Scott Satterfield, Cincinnati: The Bearcats are 1-0 and likely win Saturday. Good start but Satterfield needs six more wins after that.

Dabo Swinney, Clemson: It seems his sell-by date has expired. Because of what he’s done in the past he will get to pick the time and place of his departure, but he’s being urged to make it sooner, not later.

Dave Doren, North Carolina State: He’s on very shaky ground after the Wolfpack was manhandled by Virginia. They’re tired of mediocrity in Raleigh so he needs eight or more wins to satisfy the masses.