With Mertz Injured, Florida Gators Pass the Torch to Rising Stars

Thoughts of the Day

by Franz Beard

https://www.gatorbaitmedia.com

DJ Lagway (2) hands off to Jadan Baugh (Gator Bait Photo by Noah Lantor)

A few thoughts to jump start your Monday morning:..

“Life is like a dogsled race. If you ain’t the lead dog, the scenery never changes.” – Lewis Grizzard

There was a time and not all that long ago when the Florida Gators were the lead dog when it came to Southeastern Conference football. No longer and the view isn’t changing.

What happened Saturday night in Knoxville is just the latest episode in this unending monotony of blown chances and missed opportunities, compounded now by injuries to quarterback Graham Mertz and Montrell Johnson Jr. suffered on the same drive in the third quarter. Oh, how the Gators could have used them in the last 22 minutes of Saturday night’s 23-17 overtime loss to Tennessee.

Mertz, it seems, might be done for the year although we haven’t had a full diagnosis of the injury that sidelined him after he had thrown a beautiful touchdown pass to Arlis Boardingham to give the Gators a 10-0 lead in the third quarter. On the sidelines in street clothes late in the fourth quarter, teammates were almost tearful in their greetings of this marvelous team leader. Despite Florida’s poor record, this is Mertz’s team. You can’t blame him for all that has gone wrong in the season and a half he’s been with us. With Mertz we got far more than we bargained for when he transferred in from Wisconsin. If you believe some of the stuff that was written about him back then, he was nothing more than a consolation prize. He’s proven far more than that and made idiots of some of these so-called experts whose entire understanding of the game stems from hours playing Madden on TV.

Montrell Johnson’s injury may not be as severe as the one suffered by Mertz. His appeared to be an ankle, although if it’s a high sprain it could linger for weeks. Montrell was having his best game of the season when he went down after a 20-yard run on what’s known as a hip-drop tackle, banned in the NFL because of player safety issues, but still legal in the college game.

The injuries to Mertz and Johnson are severe blows to a team whose next five games – Kentucky, No. 5 Georgia, No. 1 Texas, No. 8 LSU and No. 18 Ole Miss – are a gauntlet no team in the country would be comfortable facing. With those two gone, the torch has been passed to the kids. DJ Lagway takes over as the No. 1 quarterback with Jadan Baugh and Ja’Kobi Jackson sharing the carries at running back. With Treyaun Webb’s injury status up in the air, the Gators may have to burn the redshirt on freshman K.D. Daniels, who has played in two games with three carries.

While the kids feel their way into more prominent roles in the offense, the Gators will need the defense to continue playing with the same efficiency that has stifled the last two opponents. In the win over UCF and Saturday’s loss to Tennessee, the Gators have allowed only one sustained touchdown drive.

In the first four games of the season, the Gators allowed 109 points and 1,702 yards of offense. In the last two the Gators have allowed 585 yards and 26 points.

For the view to change for the Gators in the second half of the season, the kids on offense will be required to grow up in a hurry while the defense continues on an upward trend. Getting to a break even season might be asking a miracle of Jonah being swallowed by a whale proportions, but it’s not impossible. Stranger things have happened.

Associated Press top 25: 1. Texas 6-0; 2. Oregon 6-0; 3. Penn State 6-0; 4. Ohio State 5-1; 5. Georgia 5-1; 6. Miami 6-0; 7. Alabama 5-1; 8. LSU 5-1; 9. Iowa State 6-0; 10. Clemson 5-1; 11. Tennessee 5-1; 12. Notre Dame 5-1; 13. BYU 6-0; 14. Texas A&M 5-1; 15. Boise State 5-1; 16. Indiana 6-0; 17. Kansas State 5-1; 18. Ole Miss 5-2; 19. Missouri 5-1; 20. Pittsburgh 6-0; 21. SMU 5-1; 22. Illinois 5-1; 23. Army 6-0; 24. Michigan 4-2; 25. Navy 5-0

AFCA Coaches top 25: 1. Texas 6-0; 2. Oregon 6-0; 3. Penn State 6-0; 4. Georgia 5-1; 5. Ohio State 5-1; 6. Miami 6-0; 7. Alabama 5-1; 8. LSU 5-1; 9. Clemson 5-1; 10. Tennessee 5-1; 11. Notre Dame 5-1; 12. Iowa State 6-0; 13. BYU 6-0; 14. Texas A&M 5-1; 15. Ole Miss 5-2; 16. Missouri  5-1; 17. Kansas State 5-1; 18. Indiana 6-0; 19. Boise State 5-1; 20. Pittsburgh 6-0; 21. Illinois 5-1; 22. Michigan 4-2; 23. SMU 5-1; 24. Army 6-0; 25. Nebraska 5-1

SEC FOOTBALL

No. 7 Alabama (5-1, 2-1 SEC): After Alabama’s last two games, Paul Finebaum says, “I can’t believe we’re talking about them as a playoff team.” … Jalen Milroe’s Heisman chances probably went rock bottom when he threw two critical interceptions and had an intentional grounding in the end zone which resulted in a safety against South Carolina. Saturday: at No. 11 Tennessee (5-1, 2-1 SEC)

Arkansas (4-2, 2-1 SEC): Quarterback Taylen Green, injured in the Razorbacks’ win over Tennessee, is questionable for LSU. Saturday: No. 8 LSU (5-1, 2-0 SEC)

Auburn (2-4, 0-3 SEC): The Tigers have lost 15 turnovers in six games, six fumbles and nine interceptions, worst in the SEC. Saturday: at No. 19 Missouri (5-1, 1-1 SEC)

No. 5 Georgia (5-1, 3-1 SEC): Carson Beck threw for 458 yards and three touchdowns, but he was picked off twice by Mississippi State … The Georgia defense gave up 31 points and 306 passing yards. Saturday: at No. 1 Texas (6-0, 2-0 SEC)

Kentucky (3-3, 1-3 SEC): The Wildcats gave the ball away twice and couldn’t get Vanderbilt off the field in their 20-13 loss. Vanderbilt had a 34:35-25:25 advantage in time of possession. Saturday: at FLORIDA (3-3, 1-2 SEC)

No. 8 LSU (5-1, 2-0 SEC): Garrett Nussmeier’s touchdown pass to Kyren Lacy on LSU’s first play of overtime gave the Tigers a 29-26 win over Ole Miss. Nussmeier threw for 336 yards and three touchdowns, his fifth game this season with more than 300 passing yards. Saturday: at Arkansas (4-2, 2-1 SEC)

Mississippi State (1-5, 0-3 SEC): Freshman QB Michael Van Buren had his best game against Georgia, throwing for 306 yards and three touchdowns. Saturday: No. 14 Texas A&M (5-1, 3-0 SEC)

No. 19 Missouri (5-1, 1-1 SEC): Missouri walloped Massachusetts in Amherst before a crowd of 16,102. The final six games of the regular season are all against SEC opponents. Saturday: Auburn (2-4, 0-3 SEC)

Oklahoma (4-2, 1-2 SEC): The Sooners haven’t much in the way of offense. Against Texas they gained 89 yards on the ground in 39 carries and threw for only 143. Saturday: South Carolina (3-3, 1-3 SEC)

No. 18 Ole Miss (5-2, 1-2 SEC): The Rebels will have to run the table the rest of the way to have a shot at the College Football Playoff. Saturday: Open

South Carolina (3-3, 1-3 SEC): The Gamecocks missed a chance to tie the game with Alabama on a 2-point conversion, then after recovering the onside kick, couldn’t move the ball in close enough for a chance at a game-winning field goal.  Saturday: at Oklahoma (4-2, 1-2 SEC)

No. 11 Tennessee (5-1, 2-1 SEC): The Vols beat Florida in overtime despite being held for less than 350 yards of offense for the third consecutive game. Saturday: No. 7 Alabama (5-1, 2-1 SEC)

No. 1 Texas (6-0, 2-0 SEC): Quintrevion Wisner ran for 118 yards and a TD to lead the Longhorns past Oklahoma in their tuneup for their showdown with Georgia in Austin. Quinn Ewers, back in the lineup after missing two games with an oblique injury, threw for 199 yards and a TD. Saturday: No. 5 Georgia (5-1, 3-1 SEC)

No. 14 Texas A&M (5-1, 3-0 SEC): Joel Klatt of Fox Sports says a Texas-Texas A&M rematch in the SEC Championship Game seems the most likely scenario. Saturday: at Mississippi State (1-5, 0-3 SEC)

Vanderbilt (4-2, 2-1 SEC): Despite being outgained 322-288, Vanderbilt won its second straight SEC game over Kentucky in Lexington. Diego Pavia threw for two touchdowns and ran for an additional 53 yards to lead the Commodores. Saturday: Ball State (2-4)

AROUND THE STATE

Florida Atlantic (2-4, 0-2 American): The Owls gave up a TD in the final minute to fall to North Texas 41-37 despite Cam Fancher’s 351 passing yards and three TDPs.  Next week: at UT-San Antonio (2-4, 0-2 American)

Florida International (2-4, 1-1 Conference USA): The Panthers couldn’t stop the run in their loss to Liberty, allowing 281 yards on the ground. Wednesday: at UTEP (0-6, 0-3 Conference USA)

Florida State (1-5, 1-4 ACC): The Seminoles are dead last in the ACC in total offense, averaging just 273.5 yards per game. They have yet to gain at least 300 yards in a single game. Friday: at Duke (5-1, 1-1 ACC)

No. 6 Miami (6-0, 2-0 ACC): The Hurricanes lead the ACC in both total offense (583.8 yards per game) and total defense (282.5 yards per game). Saturday: at Louisville (4-2, 2-1 ACC)

South Florida (2-4, 0-2 American): Only 3,365 attended the Bulls’ 21-3 loss to Memphis which was moved from Tampa to Orlando’s Camping World Stadium because of Hurricane Milton. Saturday: UAB (1-5, 0-3 American)

UCF (3-3, 1-2 Big 12): UCF benched KJ Jefferson and went with true freshman QB EJ Colson in their loss to Cincinnati. Colson threw for 201 yards and a TD and didn’t turn the ball over. Saturday: at No. 9 Iowa State (6-0, 3-0 Big 12)

ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: It is homecoming week at the University of Florida when alumni and friends from all over the country descend on Gainesville for a reunion that will be capped by the Gators (3-3, 1-2 SEC) squaring off with Kentucky (3-3, 1-3 SEC) Saturday evening (7:45 p.m., SEC Network). This year will be a bit different than previous homecoming weekends in the past 40 years because the University of Florida has finally done the right thing and will honor the 1984 Gators.

It is shameful how this team has been treated by UF. That 1984 team went 9-1-1, winning its last eight games all with a redshirt freshman walk-on quarterback (Kerwin Bell) and an interim coach (Galen Hall), who took over after Charley Pell was dismissed after game three due to NCAA violations that included the heinous crime of buying Dale Dorminey a Sprite and a pack of Juicy Fruit at the Gainesville airport. The Gators won the SEC championship on the field although the Southeastern Conference, led by Georgia and Tennessee, voted to strip UF of the championship. The Gators were so good at the end of the year that the New York Times awarded Florida its 1984 national championship trophy. The Times, to its credit, has never asked for the trophy to be returned.

NCAA probation kept the Gators from being declared national champs by the Associated Press. BYU was selected national champs because the Cougars were the only undefeated team in the country. BYU played a 6-5 Michigan team in the Holiday Bowl pre-Christmas. Florida would have wiped any floor in the country with BYU or any other team.

That was 40 years ago. In the years since, it has been disgraceful that the 1984 team has been treated like pariahs by the University of Florida athletic administration. Giving these guys a weekend in which their on the field accomplishments are honored won’t make up for many years of treating them like outcasts, but it’s a start toward reconciliation.

Now the University of Florida should do the right thing by restoring Vernon Maxwell’s basketball scoring records. UF recognizes only Vernon’s freshman and sophomore seasons but wiped his junior and senior seasons off the books. Vernon scored 2,450 points in four years, but only his points from his freshman and sophomore seasons count because he took money from an agent. Taking the money was wrong. Denying him his scoring record invalidates the accomplishments of teammates.