The numbers don't lie about the Florida Gators' defense

A few thoughts to jump start your Tuesday morning

The text came in even before the sun rose Monday morning. It read, “You trash the defense, but what about Napier and the offense! It sucks, too.”

So a little research was done and the results might surprise you. In Billy Napier’s first season at UF, the Gators averaged 424.1 yards, 29.5 points per game, 64.5 plays and 6.58 yards per game. Opponents averaged 411 yards, 28.8 points, 69.5 plays and 6.57 yards per play. Year two, the Gators averaged 409.1 yards, 28.4 points, 59.3 plays and 6.05 yards per play while opponents had 382.3 yards, 27.6 points, 67.5 plays and 6.44 yards per play. Four games into 2024, the Gators are averaging 31.8 points and 424.3 yards while opponents are averaging 425.5 yards, 27.3 points, 74.5 plays and 5.69 yards per play.

The defensive numbers are atrocious. The last time the Gators had an exceptional defense was 2019 when they finished second in the SEC, allowing 15.5 points, 304.8 yards, 4.9 yards per play and 62.2 plays per game. That defense finished ninth nationally in total defense, eighth against the run and fifth in sacks.

What does this have to do with the offense? Plenty. Florida’s offense has been eighth or better in the SEC since Napier arrived. Not bad but it could be much better with more plays. Consider what a 10 percent reduction in opponents’ plays and yards per game would mean for the offense. More yards, more time of possession and chances are, more points per game.

The numbers tell quite a story. It really is about the defense. Despite the issues on the offensive line, the offense has done its part.

UF VOLLEYBALL: STUCKY, ROE EARN SEC HONORS

What a difference getting an All-American setter back means for Mary Wise and the 15th-ranked Florida Gators (9-2), who begin Southeastern Conference play Thursday night in Norman against unranked Oklahoma (6-2). Alexis Stucky, back from an ACL injury that perhaps cost the Gators a chance to make the 2023 Final Four, started her first game of the 2024 season Sunday against non-conference Buffalo. The numbers: 32 assists, eight digs, three kills, two blocks and an ace. For that she was named SEC Setter of the Week. Middle blocker Alec Rothe, who hit .559 in three matches last week with 10 kills against FSU, was selected SEC Freshman of the Week.

SEC FOOTBALL

No. 4 Alabama (3-0, 0-0 SEC): When describing Georgia quarterback Carson Beck, who the Crimson Tide will face Saturday, defensive coordinator Kane Wommack said, “As good as it comes in college football right now. Incredibly efficient with his decision making.” Saturday: No. 2 Georgia (3-0, 1-0 SEC)

Arkansas (3-1, 1-0 SEC): Backup running back Rashad Dubinion has been suspended indefinitely for a violation of team rules. In three games in which he’s played this year, Dubinion had three carries for 15 yards. For his career, Dubinion has 568 rushing yards. Saturday: No. 24 Texas A&M (3-1, 1-0 SEC) in Arlington Texas

Auburn (2-2, 0-1 SEC): Addressing the Tigers’ loss to Arkansas, HBC Hugh Freeze said, “I love Sam Pittman. I hope he wins the rest of his games, but the hard truth is if we played them nine more times, we beat them nine times.” Five turnovers might have had something to do with Auburn’s loss. Saturday: No. 21 Oklahoma (3-1, 0-1 SEC)

No. 2 Georgia (3-0, 1-0 SEC): To prep for their game against Alabama in Tuscaloosa Saturday, which will be played before a packed house of more than 100,000 at Bryant-Denny Stadium, Georgia is playing “Sweet Home Alabama” during practice. Saturday: at No. 4 Alabama (3-0, 0-0 SEC)

Kentucky (2-2, 0-2 SEC): While the Ole Miss offense gets so much attention, the defense is the best in the nation against the run (34.5 yards per game, 1.11 yards per carry) and tied for first with Texas in scoring defense (5.5 points per game). The Rebels are ranked 12th nationally in total defense. Saturday: at No. 6 Ole Miss (4-0, 0-0 SEC)

No. 14 LSU (3-1, 1-0 SEC): Even though best player Harold Perkins is done for the year with a torn ACL, HBC Brian Kelly says the defense is “not going to fall apart or lose our identity. You feel bad for the individual more than anything else. He’s a great player but it takes all 11 players. The Tigers have the No. 14 defense in the Southeastern Conference … Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier was selected SEC co-Offensive Player of the Week for his performance against UCLA. Nussmeier threw for 352 yards and three TDs. Bradyn Swinson, who had two sacks, was named SEC co-Defensive Lineman of the Week. Saturday: South Alabama (2-2)

Mississippi State (1-3, 0-1 SEC): Injured running back Kevone Lee will miss several weeks. He’s being replaced in the starting lineup by Davon Booth, who has run for 133 yards and two touchdowns this season. Lee has gained 140 yards and scored a TD. Saturday: at No. 1 Texas (4-0)

No. 11 Missouri (4-0, 1-0 SEC): HBC Eli Drinkwitz said Monday, “We’re 4-0, so we’re as good as we can record-wise, but nowhere near as good as we can be playing-wise … Running back Nate Noel, who ran for 199 yards in the win over Vanderbilt, was named SEC co-Offensive Player of the Week. Saturday: Open

No. 21 Oklahoma (3-1, 0-1 SEC):  Quarterback Jackson Arnold will remain benched Saturday against Auburn. Getting the start will be true freshman Michael Hawkins Jr., who came off the bench to complete 11-18 passes for 132 yards and a TD in the Sooners’ loss to Tennessee. Saturday: at Auburn (2-2, 0-1 SEC)

No. 6 Ole Miss (4-0, 0-0 SEC): The Rebels are the first team in Southeastern Conference history to post four consecutive games with more than 600 yards of offense. The Rebels lead the country in total offense (670.8 per game) and scoring (55 points per game) …  Wide receiver Tre Harris was named Reese Senior Bowl co-Offensive Player of the Week after catching 11 passes for 225 yards and two TDs against Georgia Southern. Saturday: Kentucky (2-2, 0-2 SEC)

South Carolina (3-1, 1-1 SEC): Saturday: Open

No. 5 Tennessee (4-0, 1-0 SEC): Placekicker Max Gilbert, who made all three of his field goal attempts against Oklahoma, was named SEC Special Teams Player of the Week. Joshua Josephs, who forced two fumbles and recovered one against Oklahoma, was named SEC co-Defensive Lineman of the Week. Quarterback Nico Iamaleava was named SEC Freshman of the Week for throwing for 194 yards and a TD. Saturday: Open

No. 1 Texas (4-0, 0-0 SEC): Quinn Ewers is day-to-day, so it’s likely Arch Manning will get the start Saturday against Mississippi State … Texas has been established as a 38.5-point favorite against Mississippi State. Saturday: Mississippi State (1-3, 0-1 SEC)

No. 24 Texas A&M (3-1, 1-0 SEC): Injured quarterback (shoulder) Conner Weigman will be a gametime decision Saturday when the Aggies face Arkansas. Texas A&M is 2-0 with redshirt freshman Marcel Reed starting. Saturday: Arkansas (3-1, 1-0 SEC) in Arlington Texas

Vanderbilt (3-1, 0-1 SEC): Vanderbilt ranks 12th in the SEC in total defense, 14th in total offense … The Commodores and No. 4 Alabama will kickoff at 4:15 p.m. on October 5, a game broadcast on the SEC Network. Saturday: Open

COUNTDOWN TO FIRING DAY: WEEK THREE

On Life Support

Billy Napier, Florida: The win over Mississippi State bought him two weeks, but what happens on October 5 when UCF comes to town. The Knights have the best running game in the country and the Gators couldn't even stop Mississippi State's ground game that came into the game averaging 97 yards per. Patience is wearing thin. The next loss has the feel of the last straw.

Stan Drayton, Temple: The Owls got a win – big shock! – over Utah State but there may be one more winnable game on the schedule. Stan is a great running backs coach and a terrific recruiter. He’s at a dead end job at Shirley Temple.

Sonnie Cumbie, Louisiana Tech: The Bulldogs are 1-3 with four winnable games in a row. Break even will save his job so that means 5-3 the rest of the way.

Joe Moorehead, Akron: The Zips were clocked by South Carolina in a paycheck game. It’s MAC teams the rest of the way. Four wins would double last year’s total but that might be a pipe dream.

Will Hall, Southern Miss: The Eagles got hosed by Jacksonville State Saturday. They are 1-3, their three losses by a combined 94 points. Hard times in Hattiesburg. Three wins would be an accomplishment. Buzzards are circling.

Mike Bloomgren, Rice: The Owls are 1-3, their only win over D1AA Texas Southern. They have low standards for football at Rice. Bloomgren survives with four or five wins, but that’s going to be difficult. He desperately needs at win against Charlotte.

Endangered Species List

Hugh Freeze, Auburn: They aren’t going to fire him this year unless he has a truly atrocious loss, but he will be on one of the shorter leashes imaginable next year. He banked all his chips on being able to transform Payton Thorne into a decent QB and he’s what he’s always been, which is good against bad teams, bad against good ones.

Dave Aranda, Baylor: Baylor is 2-2 and of the eight remaining games on the schedule, four seem winnable and four very losable. After Colorado beat him on a ridiculous Hail Mary Saturday the Welcome Wagon isn’t stopping by the Aranda household in Wacky Waco.

Sam Pittman, Arkansas: The Razorbacks are 3-1 and feeling good about themselves. They get the Aggies this week at Jerry’s World. A win would save Pittman. A loss and the money people start grousing again.

Mike Houston, East Carolina: The Pirates have lost their last two to even the record at 2-2. There are five winnable games still on the schedule. They won’t be happy with 7-5 in Greenville, but they won’t fire him.

Clay Helton, Georgia Southern: The bad news is the Eagles were blown out by Ole Miss. The good news is that’s the only paycheck game remaining on the schedule. It’s all Sun Belt all the way and a 5-3 record the rest of the way is do-able. At 7-5 Clay is untouchable.   

Jim McElwain, Central Michigan: The Chips did a stunner by pulling out a win over Ball State so they’re 2-2 right now. San Diego State is this week. No reason for optimism over that one.

Don Brown, UMass: UMass won’t do a reverse run of the table! The Minutemen beat D1AA Central Connecticut State, famous because it’s the alma mater of Steve Addazio. UMass is 1-3 and there isn’t another winnable game until Wagner the last Saturday of October. They have no money for football at UMass and Brown works cheap.

Jim Mora Jr., UConn: He got a big win against Florida Atlantic to even the record at 2-2. He gets Buffalo at home this week followed by Shirley Temple. If he can win these two games, there is a good chance the Huskies will make a bowl game. Whodathunkit?

ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: When South Florida, Memphis, Tulane and UT-San Antonio announced they will remain in the American Athletic Conference, the Pac-12 immediately announced Utah State will leave the Mountain West to join its expanding league. The Pac-12 now has seven teams for the 2026 football season – Washington State, Oregon State, Boise State, San Diego State, Colorado State and Utah State.

The Pac-12 has to add one more team to maintain its status with the NCAA. UNLV was prepared to commit to the Mountain West, but with Utah State electing to leave for the Pac-12, it will reconsider its options. UNLV could be joined in the new league by Nevada, San Jose State, Wyoming, New Mexico and/or Air Force. Air Force is a prime target of the American, which already has Army and Navy in the league.

Essentially, what we have is one league cannibalizing another. While the Pac-12 is certain to survive, what will happen with the Mountain West? The MWC could be left with only one or two teams unless it, in turn, expands to add schools from Conference USA such as UTEP, New Mexico State and other stragglers. Another possibility would be the Mountain West goes after some of the big name schools from the D1AA Big Sky and Missouri Valley Football conferences such as Montana, Montana State, Eastern Washington, Sacramento State, South Dakota State, North Dakota State and Northern Arizona.

Whatever happens isn’t going to be pretty. The worst thing about all this expansion is the ending of great rivalries. Unless a national championship is approved for the Group of Five leagues, college football is going to see athletic departments outside the power conferences go belly up.