What about the execution of the Gator offense? We're all for it
MIAMI – Billy Napier’s offense isn’t fooling anyone. Maybe it’s not supposed to. That’s the only logical conclusion after the Gators pulled an oh-fer on third down against 4th-ranked Miami Saturday night at Hard Rock Stadium.
Hear me out on this one.
Vince Lombardi had the smallest, most simplistic playbook in all of football during the glory years of the Green Bay Packers. His power sweep was legendary. Everybody in the civilized world knew exactly what was coming but nobody could stop it.
It was all about execution Lombardi would explain.
In the early years of the Tampa Bay Bucs, John McKay’s offense didn’t fool anyone. After one frustrating game at the Big Sombrero, the stadium that preceded RayJay in Tampa, McKay was asked about the execution of his offense.
“I’m in favor of it” was McKay’s reply.
So here we are four games into Florida’s 2025 football season and Billy Napier has an offense that isn’t fooling anyone. Exhibit A is the third down stats from the Gators’ 26-7 loss to Miami. The Gators went 0-for-13. You don’t win football games when you can’t convert third downs into first downs and keep the chains moving.
There is no mystery to what the Gators are attempting to do. It’s obvious that Napier has Vince Lombardi allusions but he’s living in a John McKay reality. Billy thinks that sooner or later the Gators are going to execute the plays in his very simplistic playbook. In Billy-think, it doesn’t matter that everyone in the ball yard and whoever is watching on television knows what’s coming. Just execute and everything will be all right.
The reality is the Gators don’t execute and the offense seems hellbent on taking ineptitude to brand new levels.
If there is one play that defines how bad it was, it’s third-and-1 at the Florida 27 with a little more than 12 minutes to go in the game against Miami. The Gators had all the momentum at that point. Despite a first half offensive performance that evoked memories of the 1979 debacle with Alabama or even farther back, the 9-0 loss to Georgia Tech in the first game of the 1963 season.
Florida’s offense in those two games was dog’s butt ugly. But, there in the third quarter the Gators found inspiration, drove the ball 80 yards in 11 plays for a touchdown that got them within six of the Hurricanes at 13-7. An interception by Cormani McClain gave the Gators the ball back but they came up inches short on a fourth-and-4 at the Miami 34.
The defense rose to the occasion with a three-and-out. After a Miami punt the Gators ran Jadan Baugh on consecutive plays that pushed the pile and moved the ball nine yards to the Florida 27.
Third-and-1. When the Gators broke the huddle, everybody in the ball yard and those watching in Timbuktu knew Baugh was going to get the football once again. Not only did Baugh get the football but Miami defenders overwhelmed the Florida offensive line and stuffed him.
Third-and-1 became fourth-and-2.
Billy tried to channel his inner Lombardi. It didn’t work.
Now it’s time for Billy to channel his inner John McKay. This offense isn’t working. It’s a two-fold problem. It’s so simple that everybody in the world knows what’s coming but the Gators either lack the personnel, the coaching or a combination of both to just line up and execute a play that results in a first down.
There is only one solution. Rather than strive for offensive execution that gets first downs when everyone knows what’s coming, try execution. As in, execute this offense. Grab everybody’s playbook, throw it in a pile in the O-Dome parking lot and hold a book burning. Invite the public to come watch.
Perhaps if they see the old offense go up in flames they will give Napier a little bit of slack. Perhaps, but don’t count on it.
In his post game remarks, Napier said, “We're going to go back to the drawing board, and I think the open date's coming at a good time there. We've got to evaluate everything we're doing on that side of the ball."
It’s a little late for that but given the ineptitude we’ve seen the last two weeks, better late than never. What is there to lose?
Napier is no dummy. He knows it isn’t working.
"We've got to generate some points,” he said. “We've got to get more first downs. We've got to find some rhythm on offense. That's the bottom line.”
Everything he says is true, but he’s leaving out one important factor in turning things around. Who’s going to call the plays?
Even if there is wholesale change that brings about a new scheme complete with mystery and imagination it’s difficult to foresee anything major changing unless someone new calls the plays. It’s like that old southern saying: You can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig.
Will we get lipstick on the pig during the open date ahead of the close encounter with the Texas Longhorns on September 27 or something brand new? Something brand new is desperately needed.
The head coach has to see it. Is he willing to actually do something about it?
SEC FOOTBALL
No. 3 LSU (4-0, 1-0 SEC) 56, Southeastern Louisiana (2-2) 10: The Tigers had their best offensive output of the season even if it was against a D1AA team. Garrett Nussmeier threw for 273 yards and three touchdowns and Michael Van Buren threw for 122 yards and one TD. Ju’Juan Johnson ran for 43 yards and two touchdowns as part of a 135-yard rushing attack. The LSU defense gave up only 204 yards while finishing with four sacks.
No. 8 Texas (3-1) 55, Sam Houston (0-4) 0: The Texas defense allowed only 113 yards and recorded five sacks in their first shutout of the season. Arch Manning had his best game of the year, hitting 18-21 passes for 309 yards and three touchdowns while running for two more touchdowns Texas finished the day with 607 yards of offense.
No. 11 Oklahoma (4-0, 1-0 SEC) 24, Auburn (3-1, 0-1 SEC) 17: Hugh Freeze should be absolutely livid with the SEC officiating crew that allowed an illegal pass that resulted in an Oklahoma touchdown in the second quarter. OU wide receiver Isaac Sategna acted like he was leaving the field when he stopped next to the sideline prior to the snap. Left completely unguarded, Sategna caught a 24-yard touchdown pass from John Mateer. Take that TD off the board and it’s a completely different ball game. Oklahoma did finish with 10 sacks on the day including one of Auburn QB Jackson Arnold for a safety with 1:06 left in the game to seal the deal. Mateer ran for a TD and Tate Sandell kicked three field goals for the Sooners. Auburn’s defense held Oklahoma to 303 total yards, just 32 on the ground.
No. 13 Ole Miss (4-0, 2-0 SEC) 45, Tulane (3-1) 10: Trinidad Chambliss threw for 307 yards (two touchdowns) and ran for 112 as the Rebels improved to 4-0. Ole Miss piled up 548 yards of offense while going 6-6 in red zone opportunities. The Ole Miss defense held Tulane to 282 yards of offense
No. 15 Tennessee (3-1, 0-1 SEC) 56, UAB (2-2) 24: Joey Aguilar threw for 218 yards and three first half touchdowns as Tennessee bounced back from its loss to Georgia with an easy win over UAB. The Vols rang up 510 yards of offense. Concerning for HBC Josh Heupel is the defense, which allowed former Gator Jalen Kitna to throw for 364 yards.
No. 20 Vanderbilt (4-0) 70, Georgia State (2-2) 21: The Commodores ran for 286, yards and eight touchdowns, plus threw for another 349. Diego Pavia threw for 286 yards and one TD, ran for 82 and another. Vanderbilt racked up 635 yards of offense and scored nine offensive touchdowns. The Commodores other score came on a blocked punt.
No. 23 Missouri (4-0, 1-0 SEC) 29, South Carolina (2-2, 0-2 SEC) 20: Missouri rallied to score 11 fourth quarter points to pull away from South Carolina. Missouri pounded out 285 yards on the ground with Ahmad Hardy running for 138 and a touchdown and Jamal Roberts going for 76 including a 16-yard run for the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Beau Pribula also ran for 72 yards in addition to throwing for 171 and a TD. LaNorris Sellers threw for 302 yards and two touchdowns for the Gamecocks but he was sacked five times by the Missouri defense. South Carolina finished the game with -9 yards of offense.
Memphis (4-0) 32, Arkansas (2-2, 0-1 SEC) 31: Arkansas was driving for the game winning score when Mike Washington fumbled at the Memphis nine with 1:14 remaining in the game. Memphis, which rallied from a 31-20 deficit, scored the game winning touchdown on a 61-yard run by Sutton Smith with 4:51 left in the game. Arkansas QB Taylen Green, the national leader in total offense, threw for 325 yards and ran for 53.
Mississippi State (4-0) 38, Northern Illinois (2-2) 10: Led by Fluff Bothwell, who ran for 101 yards, Mississippi State went ground and pound to bushwhack Northern Illinois. The Bulldogs punished the visiting Huskies for 292 yards, complemented by an efficient passing game behind Blake Shapen, who threw for 160 yards and a TD.
NEXT SATURDAY
No. 3 LSU (4-0, 1-0 SEC) at No. 13 Ole Miss (4-0, 2-0 SEC)
No. 14 Alabama (2-1) at No. 5 Georgia (3-0, 1-0 SEC)
No. 22 Auburn (3-1, 0-1 SEC) at No. 10 Texas A&M (3-0)
No. 15 Tennessee (3-1, 0-1 SEC) at Mississippi State (4-0)
Utah State (3-1) at No. 20 Vanderbilt (4-0)
UMass (0-3) at No. 23 Missouri (4-0, 1-0 SEC)
No. 24 Notre Dame (1-2) at Arkansas (2-2, 0-1 SEC)
Kentucky (2-1, 0-1 SEC) at South Carolina (2-2, 0-2 SEC)
Napiers offensive philosophy matches the true definition of insanity, Keep doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result!!
Coach Napier, leaves little doubt that he believes 'HE'S' not the Problem, his play calling is so simple, even A Cave Man could do it ! He could turn the Play Valling over to Spurrier JR & he could get the HBC, to help generate game plans but chances are he won't!
Strickland needs to give him that option and IF Nape refuses, its down the road he goes, the sooner the better !!!!!!!!!!
Not sure Billy Napier actually can get out of his own way. Meantime, every loss on the field is a double hit, another “L” on the Won-Lost ledger and the loss of an opportunity to turn things around. Now Billy’s down to only eight scheduled games to reverse this demise, six against Top 15 teams. The coach who now has an 0-12 record on the road versus ranked teams and only four wins against them at home seems unlikely to pull off successful outcomes from here on. Can Florida even knock off unranked Mississippi State or Kentucky?