Upon Further Review, Maybe The Gator Defense Wasn’t So ‘Atrocious’
Chris Spears Photo
Campbell runs an offense in the same mold as FAU — lots of plays, ball out fast — so don’t be surprised if the stat sheet looks similar by the final whistle. Don’t panic over it.
By Eddie Gilley
While Campbell arrived at the Swamp on Saturday, and Auburn was hosting Southern Miss, awaiting Florida next Saturday at Jordan-Hare — the Gators’ first trip there since 2011.
Before we get to what’s ahead, the outrage over the defense in last week’s 66-21 win over Florida Atlantic deserves a second look, because the numbers tell a calmer story than the reaction did.
Imagine the volume of that scrutiny if the FAU Owls had connected on their opening play, a double pass with the downfield receiver open by 30 yards. It fell harmlessly incomplete, saved by hustling linebackers — and maybe the defensive back who blew the coverage in the first place.
The actual numbers: Florida allowed 25 first downs, 120 rushing yards on 37 carries, 276 passing yards on 53 attempts, and three touchdowns. FAU ran 90 plays for 396 total yards, converted 11 of 22 third downs and 4 of 7 fourth downs, and punted just three times. The defense answered with two interceptions and a fumble recovery.
Context matters. FAU returned its coaching staff and starting quarterback from a team that averaged 29.5 points and 444.7 yards per game a year ago — over 340 passing yards and 2.3 touchdown throws a game, plus 104.5 rushing yards and 24.7 first downs.
Measured against that baseline, the defense actually improved in every category except yards allowed on the ground. An experienced quarterback and a staff with a full offseason to prepare made for a stiff opener against new coaches and new faces — hardly a fair measuring stick on its own.
That doesn’t mean there’s nothing to fix. The corners played so far off that FAU’s receivers looked wide open on out routes all night, as if every wideout was the next Ja’Marr Chase. But at least backs weren’t trailing receivers by three yards the way they did too often last season.
The pass rush didn’t pile up sacks, but that’s partly because FAU let the ball go the instant its quarterback’s back foot hit the ground. Steve Spurrier used to say there’s no excuse for getting sacked if you throw on time — and FAU threw on time all night, even against tight coverage.
Linebacker play by UF was the clearest sign of progress. Myles Graham led the team in tackles, not a safety, as was too often the case last season.
The new scheme squeezed the run game back to the middle of the field, right into the lane Graham and Aaron Chiles now own.
Which brings us to Campbell and beyond.
The real evaluation starts next week at Auburn, where this defense opens SEC play on the road for the first time in this series since 2011.
Jon Sumrall’s mantra is going 1-0 every week, and that goes for the defense too — only the next game matters. If FAU struggles against the rest of its schedule the way its stats suggest it should, this outing will look even better in hindsight. And if the defense plays like a group of beasts in Jordan-Hare, nobody will remember week one’s raw numbers at all. Give this group a few more weeks before deciding whether it’s average, good, or great.
A closer look shows FAU averaged 5.2 yards per pass and 3.25 yards per carry. No offense with those kind of numbers should be considered successful. Our DBs played too far off but kept the Owls receivers in front of them. Our main failure was allowing FAU first downs instead of forcing punts. You’re right, Eddie. Our defense wasn’t all that bad. Certainly improvements must be made — and will!
It’s s toss up which I like better, Sumrall’s “I want to go 1-0 every week,” or Urban’s “The best thing about being 1-0 is the chance to go 2-0.”