Will Harris is here to take the chaos out of Florida's secondary

A few thoughts to jump start your Wednesday morning:

If this were the days of the wild, wild west, then Will Harris would be the hired gun, paid to bring order to an out of control town. This is football, but the concept is the same for Florida’s first year secondary coach. Will Harris is here to restore order to a chaotic situation.

Harris knew what he was getting into when he came to UF from the NFL Los Angeles Chargers. He saw the film, knew all about the blown coverages, missed tackles and the many explosive plays the secondary has given up the past two seasons. He knew what the numbers say: 35 touchdown passes allowed, just 12 interceptions.

When it comes to fixing Florida’s problems on the back line of the defense, Harris doesn’t waste words.

“I’ll paint a picture for you,” Harris said Tuesday after the Gators finished practicing. “You go and look at it, and let’s be real you guys saw the games, we just talked about it – we  got to fix the tackling, point blank, period. That’s the emphasis for me and the rest of our staff, just make sure we get that fixed, especially in the back end we talked about that a lot.

“Then just protecting the deep part of the field. When I talk to my guys there’s two things I talk about, we got to protect Gator Nation. It’s your job, my job and everybody’s job. That’s how we protect it, is make sure we have a back stop. So those are the two most significant things I saw that needed to get fixed. And like I said, at the end of the day, it just comes back to the communication part of it. I feel like our communication once we get that back on track everything will be fine.”

The Gators are 11-14 the last two seasons. Consecutive losing records aren’t solely the fault of the secondary, but too many whiffed tackles and too many opposing wide running free as banshees without a Gator anywhere close is disturbing.

Harris played collegiately for Pete Carroll at Southern Cal and after several coaching whistlestops, fully arrived when his Washington secondary in 2021 led the nation, allowing just 142.3 passing yards per game. That unit hit hard, didn’t miss tackles and rarely allowed a receiver to get past the back line.

The same principles that worked so well at Washington will work here at Florida where there is no shortage of talent. Despite finishing lower third of the SEC in pass defense the last two seasons, there was talent but mostly young and inexperienced. Most of the kids have a year of experience under their belts and they’re supplemented by three talented transfers at safety in Asa Turner (from Washington), Trikweze Bridges (from Oregon) and DJ Douglas (from Tulane).

“A lot talent, that’s the biggest thing,” Harris said. “I was telling Coach (Billy) Napier, this might be one of the most talented groups I’ve had, just as far as height and length and speed. That’s what Napier always says, which is true. I feel like the guys that we have with the experience. If you just look at it, J (Jason) Marshall has 1,910 snaps, that’s a lot of snaps. And so you just look at the experience that he has, and obviously when you go down the line with Asa (Turner) and Trikweze (Bridges) and DJ (Douglas) with the experience they have, and then having the guys that played last year as far as young guys, Ja (Ja’keem Jackson), we talk about Bryce (Thornton) and Jordan (Castell), I’m saying I think just having those guys understand, hey, coming together and bringing all that with our experience.”

Talent, more experience are nice starting blocks. Then there is the third and equally important element of communication.

“I always say we build connections, that’s what it’s about,” Harris said. “It’s about connections and relationships. That’s when people run through walls for each other …  Like I said, once we’re all on the same page, we’re all good. If not, you all know what that turns into - and that’s a touchdown. So that’s kind of one of the biggest things that I’m bringing with these guys is understanding, hey, communication breeds understanding. We all have to be on the same page.”

UF BASKETBALL: Great expectations for Gators next season

The confetti in Glendale, Arizona was still falling on national champ UConn when the first early predictions for next season started coming out. A year ago, Todd Golden and the Florida Gators weren’t even a blip on the radar. Next season the Gators won’t be sneaking up on anyone as they’re in the early top 25s for ESPN, CBS Sports and The Athletic.

ESPN: 1. Duke; 2. Gonzaga; 3. Kansas; 4. UConn; 5. Iowa State; 6. Purdue; 7. Houston; 8. Arizona; 9. Tennessee; 10. Baylor; 11. Marquette; 12. Alabama; 13. FLORIDA; 14. BYU; 15. North Carolina; 16. Saint Mary’s; 17. Miami; 18. Auburn; 19. UCLA; 20. Maryland; 21. Rutgers; 22. Dayton; 23. Kentucky; 24. Wisconsin; 25.  Cincinnati

CBS Sports: 1. Houston; 2. North Carolina; 3. Iowa State; 4. Kansas; 5. Duke; 6. UConn; 7. Gonzaga; 8. Auburn; 9. Purdue; 10. Alabama; 11. Creighton; 12. Arizona; 13. BYU; 14. Saint Mary’s; 15. Texas A&M; 16. Tennessee; 17. Marquette; 18. Clemson; 19. Baylor; 20. Miami; 21. Wisconsin; 22. Seton Hall; 23. Rutgers; 24. Texas; 25. FLORIDA

The Athletic: 1. Duke; 2. Gonzaga; 3. Houston; 4. Iowa State; 5. UConn; 6. Alabama; 7. Kansas; 8. Tennessee; 9. North Carolina; 10. Auburn; 11. Arizona; 12. Purdue; 13. BYU; 14. Marquette; 15. Baylor; 16. Rutgers; 17. Saint Mary’s; 18. Miami; 19. FLORIDA; 20. Maryland; 21. Texas; 22. Michigan State; 23. San Diego State; 24. Creighton; 25. Kentucky

UF BASEBALL: FSU run-rules Gators, 19-4

Tuesday night in Tallahassee started well for the Gators (17-15). Cade Kurland led off with his eighth homer of the year and Jac Caglianone followed with his 18th. That was the high point of the night. Florida State came back with six in the bottom of the first and another five in the second. It was 17-3 after four innings and when the carnage was over, the Seminoles had a 7-inning, 19-4, run rule win that gave them a sweep of their annual series with the Gators.

Florida returns to Southeastern Conference play Friday when South Carolina comes to Condron Family Ballpark for a 3-game weekend series.

UF SOFTBALL: Gators move up in all four polls

Following their dramatic series win over LSU, the Gators moved up in all four polls once again, ranking as high as No. 7 with D1Softball. The Gators, who won only 38 games all of last year, go for their 35th win tonight at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium when South Florida comes to town.

D1Softball top 25: 1. Texas 31-6; 2. Oklahoma 35-3; 3. Stanford 31-6; 4. Oklahoma State 33-6; 5. Duke 33-3; 6. Tennessee 30-6; 7. FLORIDA 34-6; 8. LSU 31-6; 9. Georgia 31-8; 10. Washington 26-7; 11. Arkansas 28-10; 12. UCLA 22-9; 13. Texas A&M 31-8; 14. Virginia Tech 28-9-1; 15. Mississippi State 28-10; 16. Missouri 30-10; 17. Alabama 29-10; 18. Florida State 28-10; 19. Clemson 27-11; 20. Texas State 32-9; 21. Boston University 29-4; 22. Northwestern 22-8; 23. Arizona 24-12-1; 24. Louisiana ; 25. Oregon 22-13

Softball America top 25: 1. Duke 33-3; 2. Oklahoma 35-3; 3. Oklahoma State 33-6; 4. Texas 31-6; 5. Tennessee 30-6; 6. Stanford 31-6; 7. LSU 31-6; 8. FLORIDA 34-6; 9. Georgia 31-8; 10. Texas A&M 31-8; 11. Mississippi State 28-10; 12. Washington 26-7; 13. Arkansas 28-10; 14. UCLA 22-9; 15. Alabama 29-8; 16. Virginia Tech 28-9-1; 17. Louisiana 27-13; 18. Missouri 30-10; 19. Texas State 32-9; 20. Florida State 28-10; 21. Northwestern 22-8; 22. Penn State 28-8; 23. Kansas 25-12-1; 24. Virginia 26-11; 25. Clemson 27-11

USA Today/NFCA top 25: 1. Oklahoma 35-3; 2. Texas 31-6; 3. Duke 33-3; 4. Tennessee 30-6; 5. Oklahoma State 33-6; 6. LSU 31-6; 7. Georgia 31-8; 8. Stanford 31-6; 9. FLORIDA 34-6; 10. Washington 26-7; 11. Texas A&M 31-8; 12. (TIE) Alabama 29-8 and UCLA 22-9; 14. Missouri 30-10; 15. Virginia Tech 28-9-1; 16. Mississippi State 28-10; 17. Arkansas 28-10; 18. Florida State 28-10; 19. Clemson 27-11; 20. California 29-11; 21. Arizona 24-12-1; 22. Oregon 22-13; 23. South Carolina 28-12; 24. Boston University 29-4; 25. Texas State 32-9

ESPN/USA Softball top 25:1. Texas 31-6; 2. Oklahoma 35-3; 3. Duke 33-3; 4. Tennessee 30-6; 5. Oklahoma State 33-6; 6. LSU 31-6; 7. Stanford 31-6; 8. Georgia 31-8; 9. FLORIDA 34-6; 10. Washington 26-7; 11. UCLA 22-9; 12. Texas A&M 31-8; 13 Alabama 29-8; 14. Arkansas 28-10; 15. Missouri 30-10; 16. Virginia Tech 28-9-1; 17. Mississippi State 28-10; 18. Florida State 18-10; 19. Clemson 27-11; 20. Oregon 22-13; 21. Louisiana 27-13; 22. Texas State 32-9; 23. California 19-11; 24. Baylor; 25. (TIE) Arizona 24-12-1 and South Carolina 28-12

UF TRACK AND FIELD: Gators No. 2 in men’s poll

USTFCCA men’s top 25: 1. Texas A&M; 2. FLORIDA; 3. South Florida; 4. LSU; 5. Alabama; 6. Texas Tech; 7. Southern California; 8. Mississippi State; 9. Auburn; 10. Texas; 11. Georgia; 12. Virginia; 13. Arizona State; 14. Virginia Tech; 15. California; 16. Ole Miss; 17. Kentucky; 18. Washington; 19. BYU; 20. South Carolina; 21. Arizona; 22. Minnesota; 23. Kansas; 24. Penn State; 25. Montana State

USTFCCA women’s top 25: 1. Texas A&M; 2. LSU; 3. South Carolina; 4. Nebraska; 5. Texas Tech; 6. Oregon; 7. Ole Miss; 8. Arkansas; 9. BYU; 10. Texas; 11. Georgia; 12. FLORIDA; 13. TCU; 14. Southern California; 15. Tennessee; 16. UCF; 17. UTEP; 18. UCLA; 19. Baylor; 20. California; 21. Duke; 22. Virginia; 23. Notre Dame; 24. Penn; 25. Houston

UF LACROSSE: Gators move up to No. 9

IWLCA top 25: 1. Northwestern 11-2; 2. Syracuse 11-3; 3. Boston College 12-2; 4. Maryland 10-3; 5. Notre Dame 11-2; 6. Michigan 13-1; 7. Loyola 11-1; 8. Johns Hopkins 10-3; 9. FLORIDA 12-2; 10. Yale 10-1; 11. Virginia 11-3; 12. Penn 8-3; 13. Denver 9-3; 14. James Madison 10-3; 15. Stony Brook 10-2; 16. North Carolina 8-5; 17. Princeton 7-3; 18. Stanford 8-3; 19. Southern California 10-3; 20. Colorado 8-4; 21. Navy 10-3; 22. Harvard 8-2; 23. Fairfield 11-1; 24. Penn State 7-6; 25. Duke 9-6

UF WOMEN’S TENNIS: Gators remain No. 13

ITA women’s top 25: 1. Oklahoma State 23-0; 2. Michigan 19-3; 3. Stanford 16-2; 4. North Carolina 17-3; 5. Virginia 18-3; 6. Georgia 15-4; 7. Pepperdine 11-5; 8. Texas 17-4; 9. California 14-4; 10. Southern California 16-6; 11. Texas A&M 18-6; 12. North Carolina State 17-7; 13. FLORIDA 14-7; 14. Auburn 14-8; 15. UCLA 14-4; 16. Ohio State 13-6; 17. Tennessee 15-6; 18. South Carolina 16-5; 19. Miami 9-5; 20. Oklahoma 14-5; 21. Duke 13-7; 22. San Diego 12-5; 23. Florida State 14-6; 24. Georgia Tech 12-7; 25. Wisconsin 16-2

UF MEN’S TENNIS: Gators crack top 25

ITA men’s top 25: 1. Ohio State; 2. TCU; 3. Virginia; 4. Texas; 5. Kentucky; 6. Tennessee; 7. Wake Forest; 8. Arizona; 9. Oklahoma; 10. Columbia; 11. Texas A&M; 12. Mississippi State; 13. Harvard; 14. Duke; 15. San Diego; 16. North Carolina State; 17. Florida State; 18. Michigan State; 19. Stanford; 20. Arizona State; 21. South Carolina; 22. Alabama; 23. North Carolina; 24. Princeton; 25. FLORIDA 11-9

UF MEN’S GOLF: Gators win Calusa Cup

The Gators won their sixth tournament of the season Tuesday, taking the Calusa Cup in Naples by six strokes over runner-up Purdue. Top ten finishes were posted by Jack Turner (-4) who took second and Matthew Kress (+1), who finished eighth.

Team leaderboard: 1. FLORIDA -3; 2. Purdue +3; 3. Wake Forest +5; 4. Georgia Tech +19; 5. Georgia +20; 6. Miami (OH) +26; 7. Iowa (+28); 8. Nebraska (+48).

ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: John Calipari’s exit from Kentucky is official now. He will make more than $8 million a year at Arkansas with incentives that will push the total well beyond $12 million. Additionally, more than $5 million of NIL money is being made available.

Meanwhile, back at Kentucky. Billy Donovan has told Kentucky thanks for calling, but no. Danny Hurley said don’t even call. Nate Oats nipped any idea he would leave Alabama in the bud as well.   

Apparently, the lure of Kentucky has Baylor coach Scott Drew intrigued. Multiple sources say Drew and Kentucky are engaged in serious discussions. Drew has rebuilt Baylor from scorched earth into a national power. He won the 2021 NCAA title and probably would have won it the previous year except the season was cancelled because of COVID.

Whether it’s Scott Drew or anyone else, the new UK coach will have to understand one thing clearly: Until you’ve won four national championships at Kentucky, you’re just another coach.