ABC Graphic Miami returns 12 starters from that 7-6 team, so bringing back a lot of experience cannot be the roadmap for such prognostications .   By CARLTON REESE   The line reads Miami minus 2.5. Not in the Orange Bowl, not in that parking lot they call Hard Rock Stadium, but in The Swamp – and so it begs the question: “When did the Miami Hurricanes morph into this road menace that is expected to win at Florida?” For Gators coach Billy Napier, such a spread must sound sweeter than Karen Carpenter – the “experts” are disrespecting his boys and, better yet, have no idea who his boys are. Something about that silly innocuous “U” on the helmet that still conjures up images of Michael Irvin or Ed Reed, ghosts with no bearing on the ‘Canes of 2024 except in stirring up some nostalgic optimism more Pollyanna and less Hermione Granger.   So how are we to interpret this? UM head coach Mario Cristobal, like Napier, enters his third season at the helm of a shipwreck. The first two seasons, the only thing Cristobal achieved beyond Napier is a Pinstripe Bowl loss to Rutgers, a team whose most impressive moment came against Wagner College. The recruiting classes have been strong, at least if you ask Rivals -- national rankings of 34, 8 and 5 the last three cycles, respectively. In that time frame, Napier’s classes ranked 18, 13 and 15. But what happened between last season and Saturday’s season-opener that somehow makes people forget those four losses in the last five games, including an abject lemon at N.C. State? According to certain metrics, Miami returns 12 starters from that 7-6 team, so bringing back a lot of experience cannot be the roadmap for such prognostications. The pollsters put Miami in the top 20 of the country, so what is it? Quite simply, it comes down to Cam Ward, the transfer quarterback most assume elevates the Hurricanes roster to the next level. Ward put up some gaudy numbers in two seasons at Washington State after tossing 47 touchdowns with over 4,600 yards passing in 2021 at Incarnate Word. There is no disputing this young man’s talent, but let us remember these numbers came against a buffet of Pac-12 and Southland Conference competition. The numbers, though, may mean less than the four years experience as a starting QB. Like the Hurricanes of last season, Ward also lost four of his last five games (seven of the last eight, to be precise). On the other side of the field is Florida, which returns 14 starters (again, choose your metric), a more promising number than offered by Miami. The Gators also have a transfer QB who has a year under his belt with his current team, a pretty significant fact when talking signal-callers. By any accounting measure, this should be a Florida team that garners much more respect than is being delivered – sort of the anti-Canes, if you will. The focus on Miami’s transfer QB has wrought laurels upon Cristobal and the prospects of 2024 while the focus on a certain Florida transfer seems to have the opposite effect. Because Trevor Etienne will now be running for the Georgia Bulldogs, the Gators see themselves in a net-negative situation in terms of transfer personnel. For Gator fans who climbed out onto the ledge when they first heard the news of Etienne’s departure, let us set minds at ease. With the ball in his hands, Etienne is a force, a downhill runner that can make defenses look bad. When the ball is not in his hands, Etienne is a liability that creates an 11-on-10 advantage for the defense. If his number is not called on 60 percent of the plays in which he is on the field, that’s 60 percent of the time Etienne hurts his team more than he helps. Yes, maybe that means he can’t block, and also means he is a terrible route runner. Perhaps he develops these talents at Georgia, but personally I am quite comfortable with Kirby Smart exhausting precious time chasing such windmills. So, climb off the ledge – Etienne’s departure may be a net benefit in the long run with the current stable of young backs next to Montrell Johnson, a beast in his own right who possesses more intangibles than Etienne could dream. Ward in at Miami and Etienne out at Florida seems to be the only relevant equation used by “experts” to dissect this matchup, as if the 40 other spots on the field somehow carry little weight. For the Canes, as many as 10 immediate transfers are likely to start Saturday against Florida, and this seems like a lot. By contrast, Florida is looking at around five immediate transfers starting. To some, the number of transfer starters is a sign of plugging up holes and regarded as a positive sign for the team. But how many is too many? Is it a team of mercenaries a program desires? Those Hessians camped out on the other side of the Delaware may be talented, but also ripe for the picking of a savvy general – the same can be said for college football. Just how much true devotion is there among the transfers? Do they bleed orange and blue or green the same as those who signed out of high school and hung around the system for years? When adversity strikes, just how invested will these transfer players be? A team loaded with such players may be more likely to mail it in under dire circumstances, lacking the same devotion and fortitude as the long-timers. Just a thought. In this respect, Florida has a bit of an edge. All of Florida’s immediate starting transfers played their entire careers at one school – by contrast, three of Miami’s immediate starting transfers are transients in the truest sense of the word with Coral Gables being their third stop. This includes the QB Ward. Making too much of it? Team Mercenary in Tallahassee was on full display last weekend in Dublin, Ireland and how did that turn out? Again, just a thought. Such intangibles are not taken into consideration when the analytics are fed into the computer and as such Miami has quite an appeal. But this isn’t Strat-O-Matic or Rotisserie League football played with cards and game pieces; this is flesh and blood and desire and devotion and emotion and all those things that make college football unpredictable from a numbers standpoint. Would you rather have the quarterback who threw just three interceptions the year before and is embarking on his second season with the current staff or the quarterback starting all over for the third time with a new set of coaches and receivers where the learning curve will no doubt play a factor? You know the answer to that one. And there you have it: Miami is the darling of the bookies and favored to win at Florida. Napier has them right where he wants them.

By Dr. PETE INDELICATO Former Florida Gator Team Physician Up until recently, ankle sprains were considered “mild, moderate or severe.” However, as our knowledge of the biomechanics of the ankle improved, it became obvious that a specific set of ligaments immediately above the ankle joint were critical for proper ankle function.  When these ligaments were torn, usually as a result of a violent twist of the ankle, a “high ankle sprain” resulted.    Unlike injuries to the ligaments on either side of the ankle, when the ligaments above the ankle ( syndesmotic ligaments) are torn, they often require surgery to optimize the best outcome, both short and long term. In the old days, we just called them “severe” ankle sprains.  Today, the surgery usually consists of placing extremely strong sutures to reinforce these ligaments, thus allowing a rapid return of function. They can be placed through very small incisions, thus allowing a relatively aggressive rehabilitation program.   The more common ankle sprains are still best treated with ice, compression and elevation.  Sometimes, a walking boot is recommended to obviate the need of crutches. Irrespective of severity of the injury, a qualified athletic trainer and/or physical therapist specializing in sports medicine should be part of the health care team guiding the injured athlete to a full recovery.  One of the most high profile cases we had at Florida was the high ankle sprain of All-American Percy Harvin, star of our national championship team, who scored 32 touchdowns on 194 rushes and 133 catches. His high sprain lingered a bit and took away some of his ability to cut. One wonders what his stats might have been without that high ankle sprain.

Florida’s retooled offensive line will be put to the test against an improved Miami front seven. By Loren Meadows, GatorBaitMedia.com , Football Analyst As the Gators prepare for the arrival of the Miami Hurricanes Saturday, the talk for the next six days will mainly center on three things: Quarterback Graham Mertz, Miami quarterback Cam Ward and the health of the SEC’s leading returning rusher, Montrell Johnson. Mertz , threw 20 touchdowns against three interceptions a year ago, has been scrutinized nonetheless for his inability to create big plays through the air. Ward, the Washington State transfer, is said by some to have been brilliant in fall camp and scrimmages, but will be facing a Florida defense that is looking to make a statement. Johnson underwent a small surgical procedure on his knee early in camp and the question remains whether he can practice or even be ready to play in the season opener.   Florida has reshaped its offensive line in an effort to reduce the 29 sacks that were surrendered in 2029. The starting five looks to be Austin Barber at left tackle, Knijeah Harris at left guard, Jake Slaughter at center, Damien George Jr. at right guard, and San Diego State transfer Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson at right tackle. This unit, if healthy, brings a ton of experience and size to the table. Miami counters with what some believe to be the best defensive line in the ACC. Sophomore defensive end Rueben Bain was the ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year as a freshman and is joined by Akheem Mesidor, CJ Clark and Marley Cook from the transfer portal. If the next step in the evolution of Graham Mertz is more explosive downfield plays, then the matchup between 2022 freshman All-American Barber and Bain could be the key to give Mertz the time he needs.  Florida offensive line (GatorBait photo)   The Miami offensive line is said to be top-notch with freshman All-American Francis Mauioga and senior Jalen Rivers at right and left tackle,respectively. The offensive line has some depth but the second unit features several unproven players. The Gators will throw a number of different players at Miami with diverse skill sets. Florida has up to eight bodies that have the ability to make an impact and make life hard on Mauioga and Rivers. Justus Boone is healthy, happy and leaner at end while sophomore TJ Searcy has the speed and power to create chaos.  Inside Cam Jackson, Caleb Banks, and Desmond Watson should rotate during most games, with versatile ends Tyreak Sapp and Kelby Collins who can rush the passer and play tackle on passing downs. When it is all said in done, the player who could announce himself to the college football world is freshman LJ McCray who looks the part of a third year guy with the skills to match. Defensive Tackle Desmond Watson (Chris Spears photo)   While battle in the trenches can be aided by the running backs, tight ends, and linebackers, the war of the mammoths should be fun to watch. Both teams will look to impose their will on one another and whoever buckles first could be the deciding factor in what should be a close football game. Much has been made about the potential of both offenses to provide firepower but if the fuse isn’t lit up front there will certainly be some duds from both teams on Saturday.

“ It's hard to imagine that from 1990-2010 Florida had the best record in all of college football – 210-57-1.” The word that comes to mind immediately when contemplating Florida’s season opener with 19th-ranked Miami at The Swamp Saturday afternoon (3:30 p.m., ABC) is perceptions. Someone will win. Someone will lose. Either way perceptions are likely to change.   In some quarters, this is being billed as the single most important season opener of the 2024 college football season although it might be difficult to beat Georgia Tech turning game one of Florida State’s jilted lover tour into modern day version of the Hindenburg disaster. It wasn’t the end of the world when the Seminoles crashed and burned in Dublin but half their wiggle room for the expanded College Football Playoff disintegrated on a soccer pitch. If they run the table on the remaining 11 games they’ll get in and have a chance to avenge last year when they were stood up at the altar by folks who thought they weren’t good enough for the playoff without Jordan Travis. They can even get in with a 10-2 record. Three? Well, they say Charlotte in December is lovely when you’re getting ready for the Duke’s Mayo Bowl.   The Gators are the longest of shots to make the 2024 College Football Playoff. They have a murderer’s row of a schedule that begins Saturday afternoon with a Miami team surfing the same hype wave Florida State rode into Dublin. After three consecutive losing seasons, the perception is the Gators are on the verge of plummeting into the abyss that is filled with teams who dream of a trip to the Music City Bowl.   It's hard to imagine that from 1990-2010 Florida had the best record in all of college football – 210-57-1 with eight Southeastern Conference championships and three national championships. From 1990-2001 the Gators never failed to win at least nine games (9 three times; 10 six times; 11 once; 12 twice).   Since the 2011 season, the Gators are 98-66, the 39th-best record in college football. From 1980 through 2012, the Gators didn’t record a single losing season. Since 2013, they’ve gone belly up five times including the last three (6-7 in 2021, 6-7 in 2022, 5-7 in 2023).   Napier is 11-14 in his two years at the helm. The national perception is a coach fighting for his life, not all that far from buying a house on Lake Oconee where he can spend his buyout money commiserating among other coaches who bought the bullet after failing to perform to high expectations.   In the past two seasons, the Gators are a handful of plays from a 19-6 record. Considering 12 of the 25 games have been against nationally ranked teams (2-10 record overall; 2-2 at home, 0-5 road and 0-3 neutral site; 1-4 against top 10 teams). If the Gators were 19-6 the last two years, expectations for the 2024 season would be a top ten finish and contention for one of the 12 slots in the expanded College Football Playoff.   At 11-14, however, and facing a brutal schedule that includes eight games against teams ranked in the preseason Associated Press top 25 expectations are divided. Half the experts think Napier will do no better than 6-6 with the Florida administration giving him the axe. The other half prays for seven wins that will send ripples of hope through the Gator Nation while making a statement that Florida football is on its way back.   Even with the schedule, a 7-win season is more than achievable. This is the deepest, most experienced and most talented team Napier has had. Counting the transfers, the Gators have 524 collective starts, more than double what they had a year ago. Seven wins won’t make anyone think the bad years are in the rearview mirror but they will send a clear message that the Good Ship Gator has patched up the leaks and is no longer in danger of capsizing.   An 8-win season, while a monumental task, isn’t completely beyond the realm of possibility. To get to eight the Gators will have to avoid a rash of injuries, particularly to key people, while catching a couple of those breaks that so successfully avoided them in 2021 and 2022. It might also involve a stroke of luck, such as one of the more highly touted teams on the schedule hitting the skids the Saturday before they play the Gators.   Eight wins will certainly make a lot of believers out of Napier doubters. Billy is 51-26 in his head coaching career which includes 40-12 in four years at Louisiana where he won the Sun Belt West three times and the league title in 2021. The doubters say that Napier at Florida is proof that the Peter Principle works, that he was at his height of competence when he was coaching in the Sun Belt and now he is one step beyond his capability.   So, here we have Billy Napier at 11-14, perceived to be coaching for his job if he doesn’t post a winning record. Down at Miami, we have Mario Cristobal, who was the offensive line coach at Alabama from 2013-16 when Napier was coaching the Crimson Tide wide receivers. Cristobal is 12-13 in his two seasons in Coral Gables (1-5 against ranked teams overall; 0-4 on the road; 0-3 against top 10 teams). Prior to Miami, Cristobal was 62-60 in 11 years as the head coach at Florida International (27-47) and Oregon (35-13). At Oregon he won the 2019 Pac-12 title and repeated in 2020 in the Covid-shortened (7 games) season.   In many respects, Miami is a mirror image of the Gators. The Hurricanes won their first of five national championships in 1983. From 1983 until they joined the ACC in 2004, Miami had the best record in college football at 212-42. Since 2004, the Hurricanes are 148-103. When they joined the ACC, just three years removed from their last national championship, the Hurricanes were expected to form a 1-2 punch with Florida State that would dominate college football. It hasn’t happened, in large part because Miami has yet to win an ACC championship, much less make it to the conference championship game. Napier is Florida’s sixth football coach since Steve Spurrier retired in 2001. Mario Cristobal is also the sixth Miami coach since Butch Davis left Miami for the NFL in 2000. Cristobal played collegiately at Miami as did Randy Shannon and Mark Richt, who neither one could restore Miami to its previous glory years.   Yet, the perception is that Cristobal is the one who will turn things around and make Miami relevant on a consistent basis once again. The Hurricanes are coming off a 7-6 season in which they played only two ranked teams (and lost) then lost to Rutgers in the Pinstripe Bowl. Miami had a good defense a year ago (24th nationally) but an inconsistent offense turned the ball over way too many times (22) and there were far too many penalties (79).   Cristobal dipped heavily into the transfer portal (247Sports ranked Miami’s transfer class No. 7; Florida was No. 5) where he picked up quarterback Cam Ward (Washington State) and running back Damien Martinez (Oregon State) to juice up the offense. The defense was bolstered by tackle Simeon Barrow (Michigan State), EDGE Tyler Baron (Tennessee) and safety Mishael Powell (Washington).   Adding the transfers has added to the perception that Miami will improve at least three wins more than a season ago, challenge for the Atlantic Coast Conference championship and make the College Football playoff either as the ACC champ or at-large. The schedule, which Phil Steele ranks No. 43 in the nation, is so favorable that it’s difficult to imagine the Hurricanes not getting to 10 wins. In ACC play, the Hurricanes don’t play Clemson, play Virginia Tech and Florida State at home and their only tough road game is at Louisville. Florida is the only difficult game among their non-conference schedule (Florida A&M, Ball State and at South Florida).   If Miami wins 10 including the elusive ACC title, the perception will be that Mario Cristobal has restored Miami, but it’s entirely possible the wins will be misleading. Miami is likely to be a team that would be fortunate to go 8-4 against an SEC schedule, but fortunately for the Hurricanes, they have a schedule that should get them into the playoff.   At 10 wins, Miami will be perceived as a good team and Mario Cristobal an outstanding football coach. But what if Miami goes 9-3 or 8-4 and neither sniffs the playoff or the ACC championship? And what if he starts the season with a loss to the Gators in Gainesville? Will Mario Cristobal’s job be on the line if he loses three or four games? Will Miami’s fickle fan base turn on him if he doesn’t deliver the goods?   If Cristobal has one real advantage over Billy Napier it is that he’s a Hurricane through and through. He grew up in Miami, played football at Miami, worked as an assistant coach for the Hurricanes and now he’s the head coach. Win or lose, nothing will change the perception that Mario Cristobal would sacrifice body parts to restore Miami to its previous glory days.   Billy Napier doesn’t have that advantage. He’s from small town Georgia and played his college football at D1AA Furman. He coached for Dabo and Nick and with Kirby Smart at Alabama. He had no connections to UF prior to succeeding Dan Mullen in December of 2021. He’s not particularly outgoing and doesn’t wow the fan base with his sense of humor or charisma.    When it comes to perceptions, the only way he’s going to change things is to win a lot of football games. Winning seven or eight games in 2024 would be a sigh of relief among most Gator rans but it’s not going to change perceptions. That might make fans happy at Kentucky where fans think a bowl trip to Memphis or Nashville is a pleasant diversion from what is truly important – basketball. At Florida, fans expect championships and for the Gators to win their first championship since the 2008 team won both the SEC and national titles, it will take a miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead proportions.   Napier truly believes the Florida program is on a path that will bring back the championships. He is confident that it will happen here sooner but the fan base and media alike want proof. All he can do is change perceptions one game at a time by winning a lot more than he loses.

Billy Napier took to the mic Monday for his first real press conference and talked confidently about the talent on his squad for the Miami game and how it’s “It's really critical that we take advantage of all of our time here.” FROM UAA TRANSCRIPTS (We are) Excited about season tickets being sold out. I think it's a big deal. Obviously, this home opener is sold out. Our Gator fans continue to impress. We're looking forward to the season. We're excited about our opportunity. Our opponent this week, we're very familiar with. Obviously, it's in our state. We have familiarity. Their head coach and I worked together for four years in the past. They have a very talented roster. You do your homework about the recruiting classes, and certainly the players they've added to their team in the portal. So, this presents a great challenge, one that I would like to say we've been preparing for going all the way back to January. This is an opportunity for our team to start telling their story relative to 2024, to put on display some of the intangibles that we've developed over time through a lot of hard work. I do think in these types of games emotion will not be needed. Energy, we won't be lacking for that. I think the key here is that we execute. I think execution will be key. I think it's important that between now and the game that all of our decisions reflect kind of our vision for who we want to be, what type of outcome that we want Saturday. I think it's important, there's one way to develop confidence, and I think that's how we prepare. It's really critical that we take advantage of all of our time here. We have some self-discipline throughout the week as we get ready for the opener. What questions do he we have here? Q.   Where do you think this team has made its most progress? BILL NAPIER: I think our football has improved. I think we have a formula that we kind of subscribe to. I think that we've improved taking care of the ball, creating takeaways. I think our fundamentals have improved. I think we have better awareness and knowledge relative to situational football. I do think that we've gotten to a point where I think we can play fast. Our height, length and speed can be a factor in the game. Be aggressive in how we play. I think we're in good condition. I think our team has gotten into football condition. Hopefully that creates opportunities for us to finish, whether that's finish plays, finish possessions or finish the game. Ultimately, I think all parts of our team we've improved. Q.   You mentioned your time with Mario. What was he like as a colleague? BILL NAPIER: I had tremendous respect. Very passionate. I think he took pride, tremendous pride, in his role. I love his family. Just a great human being. We were in the trenches on offense. We were in the trenches together in recruiting. There's certainly a relationship there. It's an added element to the game, to some degree. Q.   With Bain in the seven front... BILL NAPIER: I think they've got a whole group of front seven players that can create issues for you. Bain, yeah, I think he's just really unique. Loose-hipped, twitchy power. He's instinctive. I think he played as a rookie, he was physically ready. Comes from a great program there at Central. Had a good fundamental base. He was able to get there midyear and be a factor as a freshman. We anticipate him even being better in year two. That will certainly be one of the key matchups of the game, to go along with several other players up front. Q.   Cam Ward, what do you see on film? His story, how inspirational is that? BILL NAPIER: I like I've been watching Cam Ward forever (smiling). No, I think he's obviously been very productive. You look at the yards, the touchdowns, the completion percentage, multiple stops. I do think that his ability to extend the play is a part of the game, will be a key factor in the game. But he's got arm talent. They've got a great group of skill, an incredible group of linemen to protect. The tight end group has athleticism and size. They have a really good surrounding cast to go along with a guy who is a very accomplished quarterback. Heck, even as a transfer, they got him picked to be the pre-season player of the year in the ACC. Obviously highly regarded. Q.   When you look back over your career, home openers, knowing what your team can do, the confidence level, have you been surprised after the games how your team played either positively or negatively? What is your confidence in this team? BILL NAPIER: I think experience matters in openers. I think if you've got a crew that lacks experience, sitting there in the locker room, this is their first opportunity and time, I think sometimes that may not bode well. We've got a veteran group for the most part. We're playing at home, which will be a comfort level there. But yeah, I think you try to keep the staff, you have more time to prepare, so making sure that it's simple enough so that your guys can go play with confidence and play fast, communicate well, and try to eliminate some of those errors. I think you can have a little bit too much offense and defense and special teams in the plan, if you're not careful. Q.   The sense of urgency in Graham in fall camp going into year two... BILL NAPIER: He had a couple really impressive practices before we took a break Sunday. I thought he was really sharp Friday, Saturday, all throughout practice. You can sense, he came back for a reason. He's excited about this opportunity. Q.   Last time we spoke to you, you mentioned some competition still on the offensive line. Where do things stand in that unit and how have they progressed? BILL NAPIER: I still have confidence in that group. I think it's a group where there's competition, there's depth. I think a lot of those, the combination of players that you'll see, will reflect what we observe I think throughout each week. Yeah, I think we've added a couple portal players, and I think we've developed some of the high school players that were on our team. We're looking forward to that group playing well Saturday. Q.   You mentioned earlier about self-discipline. How is that translated into getting your team focused and ready? Are you seeing the focus that hasn't been there in the past? BILL NAPIER: Yeah, I think the key is the routine, right? I think you get into the season, you only have a certain amount of time, right? How you use your time Saturday to Sunday, with an opener you have a little bit of a trial run, we've been through a couple practices, but you want to get them in a little bit of a rhythm that they can repeat each week. Let's not forget, these guys are taking 12 to 15 credits on campus, too. The students are back. They've got a lot on their plate. I think that's where we've tried to talk about the importance of having self-discipline. What you do with your time, your commitment to sleep, hydration, nutrition, your film study routine. We try to map that out for the players. It's one of the things we've done over the last week to get them ready. Q.   What have you seen out of Jason Marshall and how much more of a vocal leader is he? BILL NAPIER: I think Jason has taken a step forward as a leader. I'm proud of him. I think he's been more vocal. I think his practice habits have improved. I think Coach Harris has been good for Jason. I also joke with him all the time, it's a contract year for him (smiling). He's back. I think he came back for a reason, not only to leave a better legacy at UF, but to increase value at the same time. Q.   What do these new coaching hires do for fall camp that you didn't see in the past? BILL NAPIER: I think it's even more than fall camp, just starting from the beginning. I think we've improved as a result of those. I think as a leader, you quickly realize, regardless of what level football, it's critical that you surround yourself with capable people, competent people that have character. I think this group has made a difference. I think we'll prove that this fall. Q.   You do a good job of teaching your teams about the history. Who did you bring in to teach on Miami? How did that go? BILL NAPIER: Nothing to talk publicly about (smiling). I mean, ultimately for me, we understand. I think that's one of the things about this group of players, is that I think they've got pretty good awareness. I think they've got some experience, and they understand the magnitude of the game, not only just for the season as a whole, but also it being an in-state opponent. Look, our opponent this week is highly regarded. They're ranked in both polls. They've got several all-American, all-conference players. I think ultimately they're picked to make the playoffs. They're picked to win their conference, right? I don't think we're lacking in regard to respect for the opponent. Q.   We saw on the Georgia Tech game, Haynes King was doing this all game with the helmet communication. That was in a neutral site. How much do you expect the Swamp to impact Cam? BILL NAPIER: Yeah, look, I mean, Gator Nation is going to be on full display Saturday. Look, we're not taking on this challenge just as a team. We're going to have 93,000 of our dearest friends out there, right? It's critical. We talk about as a football team we want to create a nightmare for the opponent. This is one of the most iconic venues in all of sport. I would anticipate it will be pretty special in their Saturday. Q.   How is the running back situation shaping up? BILL NAPIER: Good, yeah. We got a good group. I think you'll see several of those guys throughout the season. Right now there's a ton of competition. Q.   So much emphasis has been placed on this game as a tone setter for the whole season. Do you think maybe too much? Is it tough keeping it in perspective? BILL NAPIER: Well, you see a little bit of that after week zero. I think they all matter. We're playing in a different era of college football, right? As you get into the meat of the schedule, dependent on your status, I think you're alive for a lot longer maybe than you were in the past relative to the playoff. I think there's a little bit of an NFL feel to it in regards to keep playing, stand up and fight one more round. You got to continue to try to be at your best each week, knowing that we have a schedule that we could play ourselves right into the middle of that thing. I think it's a little bit different era in that regard. I think in the old model maybe you would say that. Q.   How has Aidan Mizell progressed? BILL NAPIER: I've been very impressed with Aidan. I think he's one of the players that probably improved the most from year one to year two. In particular, just the skill level, the route running, the releases, the top of the route, the detail there. Then the hands, his ball skills. He's made some very impressive, challenging catches the last couple days. I think he brings a speed element to our team that we need. We're hopeful that he can make an impact. Q.   The speed element, how much better equipped do you feel you are in that regard? BILL NAPIER: Yeah, I think our team speed has increased. I think we've improved the roster in that regard. Also I think our off-season program has proved to be beneficial in that regard. It's time for us to go play. I mean, I'm excited to watch this group play. I think the key is that we channel the urgency that we feel, right? I think you start watching a handful of games this past weekend, it becomes real to the players. I think execution will fuel the outcome of the emotion we want. We have to make disciplines, we have to make decisions that reflect our vision, then we need to have self-discipline in how we approach the week. I think good preparation breeds confidence. You want to have a confident team in the opener. Ultimately if we do the work the right way this week, we have a chance to do that. Q.   Right tackle, any separation there? BILL NAPIER: I think we have a ton of competition. I mean, I think there's very few on our team. I've got confidence. There's four tackles on our team that I think we could put out there and play in a game right now. Got to remember that Austin and Kam were both out in spring, so Devin and Brandon played the majority of the time. They're very familiar with the offense and have had a ton of reps. I think those two additions have proved to be beneficial. Then you get a healthy Barber, healthy Waites. Then the two freshmen are going to be good players with time, Caden and Fletcher. Q.   Do you go into an opener trying to play as many guys as you can, all the backups in, to see what they do? BILL NAPIER: We're going to try to win the game (smiling). But yeah, I mean, I think you got to the play the long game a little bit. I think especially if you have rookie players who you know have the physical ability that maybe just need to get their feet wet, maybe their role increases as the season goes if they prove that they can handle it. I think we have some of that on our team. I mean, it's critical. Teams continue to get better throughout the season if you do it right, individual players get better. This team has competitive depth, right? You're going to see each week there may be slight changes in the depth that we play one to one, two to one, three to one, what role do they have on special teams, which is a huge part of the game. It's one of the values of having a veteran team, there's more competition and there's more competitive depth. I think that will prove to be beneficial for the Gators. Q.   How does DJ fit into what you're talking about? BILL NAPIER: Yeah, I think DJ is in that category. DJ, as he gains more experience, I think all the things that we do will mean more to him. I think it's one thing to sit around and talk about it. It's another thing to experience it. You kind of frame your preparation a little bit different going forward. All the things that young players go through, he's in the middle of that. Q.   Did you realize this is the start of your 20th college football season as a coach? BILL NAPIER: 20 years. Q.   Did you know that? BILL NAPIER: I did. Q.   You talked about the story of this team. What is the story of Billy Napier? Can you put in perspective what this season means to you? BILL NAPIER: I mean, look, I'm going to coach until I can't coach anymore, right? I'm 20 into hopefully a couple more rounds. For me, it's about our players, it's about this staff. That's the cool thing about football. I can remember growing up as the son of a high school coach. When the season's over and the playoffs are finished, the state champion holds the trophy up, we're back to zero and zero. There's a new team in the weight room, on the practice field. Then you have the same ambition and the same goals, right? The gratitude of coaching is taking that group of people and trying to get the most out of 'em, right? This year's no different than any year in the past. This game is the start of the story of the 2024 Gators. Q.   Is this game a little weightier in some ways? BILL NAPIER: Yeah, I think you feel that way obviously the way you're asking that question (smiling). Q.   I wonder what you think about it. BILL NAPIER: Look, at this place, they all matter. There's no question about it. I'd like to think that we take tremendous pride in representing the place. It doesn't matter who you play. I think there's got to be some type of internal standard relative to how you represent. You’re a steward of your opportunities, right? I think we've got a great group of young men and a staff that's worked hard, and we're excited about representing the University of Florida this year. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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Consider Graham Mertz a man on a mission. After a season in which he completed 72.9 percent of his passes with 20 touchdowns and only three interceptions, he certainly would have gotten a chance to play his wares in the National Football League, but he chose to come back for one more fling at the University of Florida.   "Obviously, you grow up your whole life playing this game wanting to go to the NFL, and I had the choice between the two," Mertz said back in December. "And I think in the end being able to come back and be with this team for another year – I mean, I care about this place so much. Them taking the step and making the choice and getting me here, it was everything for me. I feel like I owe this place everything I got. I feel like I've said that a couple times up here, but I truly mean that. So, once I looked at all the options and kind of weighed everything out, just like I said in my post, unfinished business. I think that's kind of the theme for me. A lot of stuff left on the table, and I want to win."   This is year six in a college football career that began as a redshirt freshman at Wisconsin back in 2019. He was Wisconsin’s starting QB from 2020-2022, compiling a 19-13 record, 6-6 on the road and 1-5 against ranked teams. Last year at Florida, Mertz was 5-6, 1-4 on the road and 1-3 against ranked teams. At Wisconsin, he completed 59.5 percent of his passes for 5,405 yards (7.0 per attempt) and 38 touchdowns (26 picks). At Florida in 2023, the numbers were significantly better even though he played behind a porous offensive line (sacked 33 times) with only one consistent downfield receiving threat (Ricky Pearsall). Mertz threw for 2,903 yards, averaging 8.1 per attempt. The combined career totals for Mertz are 24-19 as a starter, 7-10 on the road, 2-8 against ranked teams. He has completed 63.7 percent of his passes for 8,308 yards (7.3 per attempt) and 58 touchdowns (29 interceptions). He has scored 12 rushing touchdowns.   Mertz spent a week during the summer at the Manning Passing Academy where he left a super impression on Archie, Peyton and Eli for his ability to make all the throws but to grasp concepts as well as read defenses. He arrived back in Gainesville ready to have the kind of season he envisioned when he was a 5-star recruit and the nation’s No. 4 quarterback in 2019.   Mertz is surrounded by better overall talent, especially at the skill positions than he’s had in five previous collegiate seasons. If the Gators can give Mertz the protection he needs and the defense can come through with a few stops to give him extra plays every game, then UF will have a chance to break a 3-year losing record and Mertz could wins up among the top quarterbacks in the Southeastern Conference.   It's a 12-week regular season that includes 11 games against Division I competition and eight against SEC opponents. Here are the 12 quarterbacks Mertz will go head-to-head with in 2024:   1. Cam Ward, Miami: A record-setting D1AA QB at Incarnate Word, he spent the last two years at Washington State where he was 12-13 as a starter, 0-7 against ranked teams, 4-7 on the road. Ward threw for 6,968 yards (7.1 per attempt) and 48 touchdowns with 16 interceptions. Sacked 84 times the last two seasons, either Ward is an immobile statue in the pocket or victim of a lousy offensive line the last two years. In two years at Incarnate Word he threw for 6,908 yards and 71 touchdowns (14 interceptions).   2. Quincy Crittenden: It is entirely possible HBC Chris Hatcher will go with a two QB system. Crittenden is a fourth year junior who has completed 43-72 passes for 474 yards and four touchdowns in a backup role. He is a dual threat guy who has run for 142 yards and two TDs.      3. Conner Weigman, Texas A&M: Everybody keeps touting him as a superstar in the making but he can’t stay healthy. In two seasons with the Aggies he’s missed nine games due to injury. In the nine games he actually played in, Weigman threw for 1.875 yards (7.5 per attempt) and 16 touchdowns with only two interceptions. In 39 rushing attempts, he gained 160 yards and scored two touchdowns. He is 1-0 all time against top 25 opponents, 0-2 on the road. He was a 5-star out of high school and the No. 4  quarterback in the country when he was part of the Aggie recruiting class that a lot of experts said was as great as any in history. More than half those recruits have transferred out.   4. Blake Shapen, Mississippi State: A transfer from Baylor, Shapen has completed 63.7 of his passes for 5,574 yards (7.4 per attempt) and 36 TDs (13 picks) in three seasons. He was 11-13 as a starter, 1-4 against ranked teams and 7-5 on the road. He has run for 184 yards on 164 attempts, good for six touchdowns. A 3-star 2020 recruit, Shapen was the No. 46 quarterback in the country.   5. KJ Jefferson, UCF: A transfer from Arkansas, Jefferson’s only road win in his career (1-8 record) is against Florida last season when he threw for 255 yards and two touchdowns while running for 92 and another score. He’s 20-17 career as a starter, 0-9 against ranked teams. He has completed 65.1 percent of his passes in his career for 7,911 passing yards (8.2 per attempt) good for 67 touchdowns with 18 interceptions. As a runner he has 1,876 career yards for 21 touchdowns.  Jefferson was a 4-star recruit in 2019, the 16th-ranked quarterback in the country.   6. Nico Iamaleava, Tennessee: He lost his redshirt against 24th-ranked Iowa in the Citrus Bowl when Joe Milton III opted out of the game. In his only start he threw for 151 yards and a TD while running for 27 yards on 15 carries, good for three touchdowns. In the five games he played, Iamaleava completed 28-45 passes for 314 yards (7.0 per attempt) and two touchdowns while running for 71 yards and three TDs. He was a 5-star recruit out of high school in California, the 3rd-ranked quarterback in the country.   7. Brock Vandagriff, Kentucky: A former 5-star recruit who spent three years at Georgia where he had zero starts. Playing in 13 games, Vandagriff completed 12-21 passes for 165 yards (7.9 per attempt) and two touchdowns while running for 46 yards on six attempts. Out of high school, Vandagriff was the No. 4 ranked quarterback recruit in the country.   8. Carson Beck, Georgia: A 5th-year senior, Beck was 13-1 as a starter in 2023, 4-1 against ranked teams and 4-0 on the road. For his career, Beck has completed 71.2 percent of his passes for 4,427 yards (9.3 per attempt) and 30 touchdowns (8 interceptions). He has run for 174 yards and four touchdowns. Beck is considered the frontrunner for the 2024 Heisman Trophy. Beck was a 4-star recruit in 2020, the 16th-ranked quarterback in the country.   9. Quinn Ewers, Texas: Ewers is a 4th-year junior who spent his freshman year at Ohio State. In two years as the starter at Texas, he is 16-6 as a starter, 3-5 against ranked teams and 5-3 on the road. Ewers was a 5-star recruit prior to skipping his senior season in high school to early enroll at Ohio State. He has completed 64.3 percent of his passes for 5,656 yards (8.2 yards per attempt) and 37 touchdowns (12 picks). He has missed five games due to injuries (2 in 2022, 3 in 2023).   10. Garrett Nussmeier, LSU: In his only career start against Wisconsin in the Reliaquest Bowl, Nussmeier completed 31-45 passes for 395 yards and three touchdowns. He is a 4th-year junior who has completed 58.9 percent of his passes for 1,720 yards (7.9 per attempt) and 11 touchdowns (seven interceptions). His rushing totals are -58 yards for one touchdown. Nussmeier was a 4-star quarterback as a recruit, the 11th-ranked quarterback in the country.   11. Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss: Dart began his career at Southern Cal where he was a 4-star recruit and the No. 7 quarterback in the country. A 4th-year senior, Dart is 20-10 as a starter, 7-5 on the road and 3-6 against ranked teams. He has completed 63.4 percent of his passes in his career, good for 7,691 yards (8.5 per attempt) and 52 touchdowns (21 interceptions). He has run for 1,046 yards and 11 touchdowns. Dart is coming off an 11-2 season in which he threw for 3,364 yards (9.4 yards per attempt) for 23 touchdowns (5 interceptions).   12. DJ Uiagalelei, Florida State: FSU is Uiagalelei’s third school. He began his career at Clemson where he was 22-7 as a starter, 7-4 on the road and 2-6 against ranked teams. A year ago at Oregon State he was 8-5 as a starter with a 3-3 record on the road and 0-4 against ranked teams. For his career he’s 30-12 as a starter, 10-7 on the road, 2-10 against ranked teams. Formerly a 5-star recruit who was the No. 2 quarterback in the 2020 class, Uiagalelei has completed 59.1 percent of his passes for 8,319 yards (7.1 per attempt) and 57 touchdowns (24 interceptions). A year ago at Oregon State he completed 57.1 percent of his passes for 2,638 yards (8.4 per attempt) and 21 touchdowns (7 interceptions). He has run for 1,132 yards and 21 touchdowns in his career.

You can catch all the action at the Plaza of the Americas between the Smathers Library and the University Auditorium.

For the Florida defense to show improvement it will take a big year from Shemar James (UAA Photo) Four fewer first downs and seven fewer points per game. It may not sound like much, but over the course of a college football season it’s huge.   Four fewer first downs per game could mean as much as a 12-play swing – 12 fewer plays for the defense and 12 plays in which the offense could put a scoring drive together. Less wear and tear for the defense, more wear and tear the offense inflicts on the opposing defense. If the average play lasts 30 seconds, then four fewer first downs could be as much as a six minute advantage.   Another way to think of it is a potential 14-point swing, seven fewer points allowed by the defense and possibly seven points scored by the offense.   Last season the Florida Gators finished 11th in the Southeastern Conference in total defense. The Gators gave up 382.3 yards and 27.6 points per game, which was actually a significant improvement over 2022 when the Gators allowed 411 yards and 28.8 points per game.   Four fewer first downs per game means a minimum of 40 fewer yards. At 342 yards per game the Gators would have finished sixth in the SEC in 2023, eighth in 2022. Seven fewer points and the Gators would have finished fourth in scoring defense a year ago, fifth in 2023.   With just the modest improvement of four first downs and seven points per game, the Gators could have won 10 games in 2022, perhaps nine in 2022. If the Gators are 19-6 the last two seasons instead of 11-14, you can bet the ranch the Las Vegas over/under for UF wins in 2024 would be significantly higher than 5.5 and nobody would be talking as if Billy Napier sits on a very hot seat.   It’s worth bringing up four first downs and seven points per game because that’s how much Ron Roberts improved the Auburn defense a year ago. Former coach Bryan Harsin left such a mess that the Tigers were predicted to finish among the SEC bottom feeders but Hugh Freeze put Roberts in charge of the defense and the results were quite impressive. Auburn went 6-6 and was a play away from beating Georgia (finished 13-1, ranked fourth), Ole Miss (finished 11-2, ranked ninth) and Alabama (12-2, ranked fifth).   When the Gators went through significant turnover in the defensive coaching staff after the 2023 season, Napier turned to Roberts to be the difference maker. Napier’s defensive coordinator at Louisiana in 2018-19, Roberts improved the Cajuns by 64 yards and 15 points per game in year two, or from 97th nationally to 47th. Louisiana went from 7-7 in year one to 11-3 in year two.   Roberts left for Baylor after the 2019 season, but the Cajuns improved to 10-1 in 2020 and 13-1 in 2021.   “As a head coach I would tell you when we’ve won games, we’ve been good on defense,” Napier said Monday evening. “I think if you look at years two, three and four at Louisiana we were 25th, 18th, and 11th in the country on defense.”   Offense hasn’t been the problem the last two seasons and it certainly won’t be in 2024. The Gators have scored enough points to win most of their games the last two years. They have the personnel to light up the scoreboard this year. Only one quarterback in the nation has more experience than Graham Mertz (43 career starts), whose 72.9 percent completions ranked third nationally in 2023. The Gators have one of the more talented stables of running backs in the country led by Montrell Johnson, who has more career rushing yards (2,496) than any back in the SEC. A year ago, Ricky Pearsall was UF’s only deep threat until November when Tre Wilson had mastered the playbook. Wilson knows the playbook now and he should be one of the nation’s most exciting playmakers. There is no shortage of speed either because the Gators can send multiple receivers vertical every single play.   With that kind of offensive potential, the Gators need only modest improvement defensively to win seven or eight games in 2024. That’s where Roberts and his creeper defense becomes the key element for improvement. The basic concept of the creeper is to bring the blitz from so many different angles and with so many different people that opposing quarterbacks start seeing ghosts. Just ask Lane Kiffin, whose quarterbacks were sacked 10 times by Roberts blitzers in the 2021 Sugar Bowl. They still haven’t figured out where the blitz is coming from. To make the creeper work for the Gators, Napier brought in defensive line coach Gerald Chatman from Tulane and secondary coach Will Harris from the Los Angeles Chargers. The holdovers are co-DC Austin Armstrong, who doesn’t get enough credit for improving the defense in 2023, and former Gator and Pro Bowl linebacker Mike Peterson.   Here is what Roberts and the new staff will be charged with improving: Yards per rush allowed: 4.84 (111th nationally) Yards per pass attempt allowed: 8.3 (119th nationally) Yards per play allowed: 6.44 (122nd nationally) Interceptions: 3 (dead last nationally) Fumbles recovered: 4 (110th nationally) Sacks: 22 (101st nationally) Turnovers forced: 7 (dead last nationally)   With Chatman playing such a significant role in the Tulane defense, the Green Wave had 36 sacks (27 by the D-line), allowed 3.55 per rush and only 6.8 per pass attempt. When Harris coached the secondary at Washington in 2021, the Huskies allowed only 142.9 yards per game and 5.1 per pass attempt.   For the last two years, the Gators have ranked among the most inexperienced defenses in the country and it has shown on the field. For 2024, the Gators have significantly upgraded the talent while adding much more experience. The Gators go into the 2024 season with a combined 238 starts among their defenders.   In Florida’s two scrimmages in August, the Gators have looked much better than at any time in either of Napier’s first two preseasons. Last Saturday’s scrimmage saw turnovers and pressure on the quarterback. Communication has been better and it’s obvious that there is more depth.   With the Gators starting game prep for the season opener with Miami today, the focus will shift to getting each room on the defensive side ready to go for August 31.   “Now it’s about the attention to detail, it’s about the urgency, and it’s about being able to do your job consistently,” Napier said. “Can you have the self discipline to show up and prepare the right way when the game plan changes and the opponent changes? One week at a time I think your ability to take the information, to study the opponent, and then get yourself ready to prepare when it matters, and to do that week in and week out. I do think we have more experience, more competitive depth, and I think the coaches have done a good job.”   On paper, the Gators should be much improved, but for this team to have more than a break-even season, the improvement only has to be modest. Just the improvement Ron Roberts brought to Auburn last year would mean the Gators have a shot at an eight-win season.   Four fewer first downs allowed and seven fewer points allowed each game might be enough to turn the Gators into one of the nation’s most improved teams.   Defensive personnel   Linemen Joey Slackman (20 starts, 29 games) Desmond Watson (10 starts, 28 games) Cam Jackson (24 starts, 45 games) Caleb Banks (11 starts, 18 games) Jamari Lyons (1 start, 15 games): Injured, out for the season Kelby Collins (12 games) Freshmen, redshirts with ZERO experience: Michael Boireau, D’Antre Robinson   EDGE (10) Ja’Markis Weston (37 games) Justus Boone (2 starts, 15 games) George Gumbs Jr. (7 starts, 24 games) Quincy Ivory (10 games) Tyreak Sapp (11 starts, 24 games) Jack Pyburn (1 start, 16 games) Kamran James (12 games) TJ Searcy (12 games) Freshmen, transfers with ZERO experience: LJ McCray, Brien Taylor Jr.     Linebackers (9) Derek Wingo (3 starts, 46 games) RJ Moten (16 starts, 36 games) Shemar James (12 starts, 21 games) Grayson Howard (11 games) Deuce Spurlock II (5 games) Jaden Robinson (1 start, 12 games) Freshmen with ZERO experience: Myles Graham, Aaron Chiles   Corners Jason Marshall Jr. (32 starts, 38 games) Devin Moore (12 games) Sharif Denson (12 games) Ja’Keem Jackson (11 games) Cormani McClain (4 starts, 9 games) Dijon Johnson (12 games) Freshmen with ZERO experience: Jameer Grimsley, Teddy Foster   Safeties Asa Turner (28 starts, 44 games) Trikweze Bridges (17 starts, 39 games) DJ Douglas (13 starts, 38 games) Jordan Castell (11 starts, 12 games) Bryce Thornton (4 starts, 11 games) Aaron Gates (4 games) Freshmen with ZERO experience: Gregory Smith III, Josiah Davis

Season three of the Billy Napier era begins in 11 days when the Gators play host to 19th-ranked Miami at The Swamp. It is well documented that this will be the most experienced team Napier has put on the field. Players who have spoken after practice say this is also the closest team of the past three years, a team full of caring teammates who have embraced the idea of being a better teammate.   “It's one of the best things about this team is the trust level, the respect level,” Napier said Monday evening. “There's a certain loyalty that I think we finally have here, where there's an expectation that you're going to do your best for your teammate.”     Trust and respect are cornerstones of any relationship, but especially when you’re talking the relationship between 120 football players, a coaching staff and an army of support. Great teams have it but you don't just flip a switch and have it. It takes awhile to build a culture. In this case, two-plus years to get to a point where there is experience and good leadership.   Back in the spring and now during August camp Napier has spoken of the leadership that he gets from quarterback Graham Mertz, who has 43 career starts, 32 at Wisconsin and 11 at Florida. He is seeing it in veterans on the offensive line such as Jake Slaughter and Austin Barber, in the backfield from Montrell Johnson, and over on defense from Joey Slackman, Shemar James, Justus Boone, Tyreak Sapp and Asa Turner.   Trust, respect, leadership and experience are why Napier sounds more confident heading into this season opener than he did in either the 2022 or 2023 seasons.   “I think it goes back to kind of what we've been talking about,” Napier said Monday evening. “It's one thing to train and practice for a battle that you have no idea what the battle is going to be like. As a competitor, like, I played football, maybe I played somewhere else. Maybe I played in high school and I'm training hard and I'm practicing. I'm trying to do what my coach is telling me, but when I run out there, I have no clue what that's really going to be like.   “I think we have more players on this team that have been between the lines. They played in the critical moments; they know how to prepare Sunday to Saturday to get ready for a game; and they won't be as anxious or uncertain about what it really will be like when they get out there. Don't get me wrong, we have a handful of those that will have to contribute to our team, but I do think that we'll be able to grow and develop those guys as the season goes. So, yeah, I think just the experience factor really matters when you start talking about getting ready for an opener. I think there's part of me that would say that that's important.”   Here is more of what Napier had to say Monday:   THE SCRIMMAGE “You know, the scrimmage went well, we were able to get a ton of work. I think we played about 160 plays total, counting offense, defense and kicking game. I thought the defense was much better, less mental errors. I think the run fits were polished up and better. Think that we did a good job playing red zone defense, and we got some takeaways. I think we cleaned up the penalties on offense, but we did have a few penalties on defense to work on. I do think offensively we had a good day on first down. You know, overall, much cleaner, and I thought we were much more efficient. We got out of their injury-free for the most part, we did have a few typical injuries, but overall what we’ve talked about showed up. I think now going forward the details are really important, the urgency’s really important. It’s very evident that there’s great competition, we definitely have more depth than we’ve ever had, and it’s a long season, right? We will need everybody, we’re going to need every single person. I think it’s important that we embrace our role and we work hard to earn more, depth is critical in this league and certainly with the schedule that we have.”   THE OFFENSIVE LINE “I think that we have more depth, there’s more competition. We definitely have a two-deep that we have confidence in, but there is competition. I think there’ll be, a lot of, what’s the ratio of plays: Is it 1-to-1, is it 2-to-1, and then who’s the next best inside player, who’s the next best tackle? And then a lot of that will be determined I would say week-to-week, you know, but I do think I feel really confident. In particular the pass protection has been much better. We need to continue to work on developing some of our younger players, you know, we still have some very talented players that are very inexperienced that need every rep they can get. So, yeah, we’ve got a good healthy rotation there and feel good about that group.”    ON COMMUNICATION “I think it's one thing to communicate in a practice setting. We talk about communicating early, loud and often, and then clearly and concisely with confidence. That's the way we would describe it. Interesting dynamic as we do these walk-throughs all through training camp, and we actually do crowd noise during the walkthroughs, so there's some verbal communication that has to take place. But there's also a lot of non-verbal in this game, so when you ask that question, I immediately think about some of these walk-throughs, where up front, in the secondary, on third down in that place we call The Swamp it's hard to hear your guy sitting right beside you, much less the corner, the safety, the nickel, all being on the same page. So, I think it's one of the challenges, and we try to replicate that for the players in training camp.”   MONTRELL JOHNSON AND THE OTHER RUNNING BACKS "Montrell is doing fantastic. He's been able to do a few things. We expect him to be able to participate in practice, whether that's modified and at some point full speed, but we'll give you an update. Obviously we're getting ready to turn the page into game week, but we'll give you updates per the timeline up until the game. But we have confidence that Montrell's doing great and feel good about his return. I do think that the four other kids have had fantastic training camps. It is extremely competitive; like I couldn't tell you who's running out there next right now. Now I know Treyaun Webb has game experience, and I trust him – he’s by far the best protector. He's tough, he's durable, he's smart, but also standing back there behind it, and I'm watching Jadan Baugh and Ja'Kobi (Jackson) and KD (Daniels) in these two scrimmages, we feel good about that room. They're young, they're inexperienced. It’s important for those players to understand that they have to play without the ball. When it's third down and you're checking your way out and that corner comes from off the outside receiver to the boundary, you've got to have good eye discipline. Those are some of the lessons that we've learned the last couple of weeks, so those guys will be ready to go when it comes time.”   MORE ON THE RUNNING BACKS “History is the best indicator of the future so those guys get banged up, right, we know that. I think we're going to need every single one of them and I think our ability to practice and develop our team is key too. You need a stable of backs. It's about doing their job consistently for the inexperienced players. How you play without the ball is as critical if not more critical. A lot of the important downs in the football game, you may not have the ball. You may be protecting the quarterback, and these guys are going to play on special teams. Some of them are really good special teams players. That's a good room. Coach (Jabar) Juluke continues to produce. That's just what he does. I don't think we're going to have to worry about the running backs. Those guys are always ready to play.”   WIDE RECEIVER INJURIES “Lower body injury for Baby J (Ja’Quavion Fraziars). Andy Jean is the other player that has a lower body injury that will probably take a little bit of time, and then Tank (Hawkins) I think is day to day. We will see where he’s at, but nothing long term for Tank. I think Baby J and Andy are to be determined.”   PROGRESS OF THE DEFENSE “I see flashes of what I would expect. I think we have high expectations for how we want to play defense around here. As a head coach I would tell you when we’ve won games, we’ve been good on defense. I think if you look at year two, three and four at Louisiana we were 25th, 18th, and 11th in the country on defense. We want to play complementary ball. We understand looking at Championship football teams, power five football, power four football now, you’ve got to be good on defense, so we’ve got high expectations for how we want to play, and I do think that we’ve made a bunch of progress. The games are here, it won’t be long until we get a chance to go out there and prove it. Our ability to do that consistently is the key, and I think Coach (Ron) Roberts, Coach (Austin) Armstrong, Coach (Will) Harris, Coach (Gerald) Chatman, Coach (Mike) Peterson and that entire group will tell you the same thing. Now it’s about the attention to detail, it’s about the urgency, and it’s about being able to do your job consistently. Can you have the self discipline to show up and prepare the right way when the game plan changes and the opponent changes? One week at a time I think your ability to take the information, to study the opponent, and then get yourself ready to prepare when it matters, and to do that week in and week out. I do think we have more experience, more competitive depth, and I think the coaches have done a good job.”

Take note that changes are being made right up to the final week of fall practice. Like this announcement at Florida: