A few thoughts to jump start your Wednesday morning: Through six games, Graham Mertz has completed 140 of 175 passes for 1,474 yards and nine touchdowns. He’s been picked off twice, both on passes his own receiver deflected. He is second nationally at 80 percent. A year ago Anthony Richardson completed 53.8 percent. Mertz averages 8.4 per attempt, which is also superior to Richardson’s 7.8. Fans and critics alike complain that Mertz rarely throws anything more than a 10-12-yard pass and rarely launches anything deep. At some point, they say, opponents like Georgia are going to squeeze the life out of the Florida passing game because it’s way too conservative. Is the criticism fair? Is Mertz simply taking what the defenses are giving him? Is he simply obeying orders from the sideline by throwing safe passes that avoid turnovers and move the chains? A better question: Is Graham Mertz getting rid of the ball in a hurry because Florida’s offensive line is struggling to protect him? He’s been sacked 15 times and has taken way too many hits. One of them against Vanderbilt forced him to leave the game for a handful of plays, but he returned to finish out the game. The answer might be a combination of all of the above. He has been taking what defenses give him and even with defenses stacked and in close proximity, he’s delivered accurate passes that do indeed move the chains. It’s not explosive football, which fans want, but it occupies the clock and moves the football. Billy Napier despises turnovers so that’s part of the equation, but until the Vanderbilt game, Napier really didn’t have most of the pieces to his offensive puzzle in place. What Napier and Mertz had at their disposal were Montrell Johnson and Treyaun Webb in a running game that gained 215 yards. He also had Tre Wilson available for the first time since the first half of the Tennessee game to give him that horizontal, make-you-miss, Kadarius Toney type, and Arlis Boardingham, who had the best game a tight end at UF has had against a Division I opponent since Kyle Pitts in 2020. Boardingham is a serious threat in the middle of the field, which has been missing all season. Now throw in Ricky Pearsall, a legitimate threat whether it’s deep, the mid-routes or the dinks that require some make-you-miss, and Florida may have found its answers in the passing game. Saturday afternoon against South Carolina in Columbia, the Gators will be going against the worst pass defense in the SEC. The Gamecocks have been gouged for 301.4 yards per game. There are holes in that defense to be found. With a more complete complement of skill weapons at his disposal, this is a game that Mertz should have plenty of opportunities to fling it down the field. UF women’s golf: Filler, Gators win Tar Heel Invitational Maise Filler got her first collegiate tournament win Tuesday when she shot a 3-under par 69 to lead the Gators to the team title at the Tar Heel Invitational in Chapel Hill. Filler’s 3-day total of 203 was 13-under par. The Gators finished the tournament at -16, a full eight shots ahead of second place Auburn. UF men’s golf: Gators finish fourth at Williams Cup The Gators shot a 291 as a team Tuesday to move up four places, finishing fourth at the Williams Cup in Wilmington, North Carolina. Tyler Wilkes shot a 6-under par 66 Tuesday to finish third individually with a three-day total of 2-under, 214. SEC football No. 11 Alabama (5-1, 3-0 SEC): Alabama is currently averaging 143.67 yards per game rushing, 3.73 per carry. If that pace continues, this will be the worst ground game of the entire Nick Saban era. Arkansas (2-4, 0-2 SEC): Arkansas fans are unhappy that here it is year four of the Sam Pittman era and yet the Razorbacks are still struggling. They’ve taken to Twitter to call for Pittman to be fired because he hired Dan Enos as the offensive coordinator and he won’t fire offensive line coach Cody Kennedy. Auburn (3-2, 0-2 SEC): Evaluating Saturday opponent LSU, Hugh Freeze said, “There’s not a weakness in that offense. I think their offense is the most explosive I’ve seen in a long, long time.” No. 1 Georgia (6-0, 3-0 SEC): Speaking of NIL and buying players, Kirby Smart said, “Everybody’s sort of buying players or buying recruits. They’re doing it. Other schools are doing it. It’s all about whoever can execute on Saturdays. It’s not about money, it’s about execution at the end of the day. You can buy whatever you want, but if they can’t execute what are you buying for?” No. 24 Kentucky (5-1, 2-1 SEC): On his Monday radio show, Mark Stoops encouraged boosters to raise more NIL money if they want the Wildcats to be as good as Georgia. Stoops said, “I can promise you in Georgia, they bought some pretty good players. You’re allowed to these days.” No. 22 LSU (4-2, 2-1 SEC): Try this one on. Brian Kelly says “there is some light at the end of the tunnel for our defense.” LSU currently ranks dead last in the SEC and 124th nationally. Mississippi State (3-3, 0-3 SEC): Just how bad is the Mississippi State pass defense? The last four quarterbacks the Bulldogs have faced have completed 85 of their 99 pass attempts. Missouri (5-1, 1-1 SEC): The Tigers will travel to Kentucky Saturday and one of the two teams will depart with a 2-game losing streak, knocked out of the chase to finish second in the SEC East behind Georgia. “We’re both 5-1 coming off of losses,” said head coach Eli Drinkwitz. “There’s going to be plenty involved in the game.” No. 13 Ole Miss (5-1, 1-1 SEC): Quarterback Jaxson Dart played much of last Saturday’s win over Arkansas with a banged up leg, prompting wide receiver Jordan Watkins to say, “He was banged up the whole game. Dart is a tough guy and he was able to play through it.” South Carolina (2-3, 1-2 SEC): South Carolina’s defense, next to last in the Southeastern Conference and 121st nationally, will probably turn to freshmen against Florida in an attempt to turn things around. The Gamecocks have six true freshmen averaging 16 snaps per game, but that number could increase starting Saturday. No. 19 Tennessee (4-1, 1-1 SEC): Josh Heupel says Joe Milton is morphing from “just a talented player into a true quarterback.” Milton has thrown for 1,164 yards (7.3 per attempt) with nine touchdowns and three interceptions. Texas A&M (4-2, 2-1 SEC): Regarding the Aggies’ two losses this season, head coach Jimbo Fisher said Monday, “I blame myself. We have to prepare them better and get them ready to play better. You know what’s funny? I have kids tell me, ‘Coach, it’s my fault. It’s not going to happen again.’ No, it’s not your fault. You tried and there’s caring in there. As long as there is caring and love for each other you’re going to play hard and do what you have to do.” Vanderbilt (2-5, 0-3 SEC): Cornerback BJ Anderson is definitely out for Saturday’s game with Georgia. Safety DeRicky Wright is doubtful. Corner Martel Hight and offensive lineman Grayson Morgan are listed as questionable. Countdown to Firing Day: October 11, 2023 Extinct Species List Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern: Interim David Braun is a surprising 3-3 and there are three possible wins remaining on the schedule. If he gets the Wildcats bowl eligible, he will be the no-brainer guy to replace Fitzgerald. Mel Tucker, Michigan State: Apparently, they would love to hire Duke head coach Mike Elko, who will be a hot property. Since they were able to can Tucker with cause, they have a lot of money to offer. If Elko says no, attention might turn to former NFL head coach Pat Shurmur and Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi. On Life Support Butch Jones, Arkansas State: Losing to Troy 37-3 was an ice bath after a 3-game win streak. There are three wins on the remaining schedule which will save the people who write the checks the $1.5 million it would take to fire him. Tom Allen, Indiana: Last time out, Maryland whomped the Whose Yours 44-17. This week they get No. 2 Michigan. A 2-8 record seems imminent but there is that $20,400,000 buyout. Danny Gonzales, New Mexico: The Lobos put the fear of God in Mountain West front runner Wyoming last week, but they eventually lost. New Mexico is 2-3. Will they keep him if he gets to four wins? Dana Holgerson, Houston: Holgorsen’s 2-3 and chances are the Cougars get pounded by West Virginia this week, which just happens to be his former job. Buzzards are circling even with a $14 million buyout. Tony Elliott, Virginia: The Fighting Cadavers struggled but beat D1AA Bill and Mary last week. Now they get a bye week before a six-game gauntlet that includes four ranked teams starting October 21 with North Carolina on the road. Elliott is now 2-16 since taking the job but he has a $19 million buyout. Endangered Species List Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M: The Aggies lost to Alabama but it was tight. If they lose to Tennessee in Dollywood USA this week, the seat will be red hot. A $77,562,000 buyout would require about 10 phone calls max to raise the cash. Jeff Hafley, Boston College: BC is 3-3 after nudging Army last week. The next four games (Georgia Tech, UConn, Syracuse and Virginia Tech) could yield three wins and bowl eligibility. That will get another year. Dino Babers, Syracuse: Hopes were high when the Orange were 4-0. They’re 4-2 now and the last disaster was a 40-7 thrashing at the hands of North Carolina. The Orange get Florida State in Tallahassee this week. Ken Wilson, Nevada: The Wolfpack is 0-5 with arch-rival UNLV on the agenda. down for the count against UNLV this week. A 2-10 record would be remarkable. That’s how bad Nevada is. The buyout is $1 million. Dave Aranda, Baylor: One foot is out the door. After that incredible fourth quarter rally for a win at UCF, Da Bears were train wrecked by 25 before the home folks by Texas Tech. Baylor is 2-4 but the remaining schedule could result in four wins, bowl eligibility and a saved job. Brady Hoke, San Diego State: Four straight losses have the boosters thinking a new coach would look good in this spiffy new stadium. Can the boosters raise Hoke’s nearly $5 million buyout? It’s one thing to want a coach gone, something totally different to have the cash to buy him out. Mike Bloomgren, Rice: Losing to UConn didn’t help the cause, but there are still winnable games on the schedule. A 6-6 record means one more year. Mario Cristobal, Miami: The brain fart he had against Georgia Tech will prove costly if Miami misses out on the ACC Championship Game because of an avoidable loss. Why didn’t Mario ask his QB to take a knee and run out the clock? It’s enough that Miami fans are asking if this is the right guy to lead the program. ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: Four things that have me up late and thinking on a Tuesday night: 1. If Southern Cal whacks Notre Dame in South Bend this weekend, it will be the third loss of the season with a roadie to Clemson still on the schedule. Will Irish fans start calling for Marcus Freeman’s head or will they be patient? If the Irish win, however, Southern Cal’s national championship hopes balloon will burst and it could cost Caleb Williams a back-to-back Heisman. 2. There was all this hype about Joe Milton before the season, some “experts” saying he’s going to make scouts think he’s another Anthony Richardson. Really? Have you seen anything of the sort? 3. Oregon and Washington duke it out Saturday afternoon for supremacy of the Pac-12. The winner will emerge as a favorite to make the College Football Playoff field. The winning quarterback – Oregon’s Bo Nix and Washington’s Michael Penix – could win the Heisman. 4. Speaking of Bo Nix and Michael Penix, how is it that Bo Nix is so good in Oregon when he was so inconsistent at Auburn? How is it that Michael Penix of Tampa never got an offer from Florida in 2018? He signed with Indiana. Florida signed Jalon Jones, who never played a snap at UF but wound up at Charlotte three stops later.

On Tuesday afternoon, Florida Gators men's basketball had their final open practice until the season begins. The practice facility was joined by the voice of the Gators, Sean Kelley, who even served as a referee during the scrimmage portion of practice. A lot of new faces will be seen in the orange and blue on the court this year, and it was easy to notice the impact the newcomers will have. Here are a few takeaways from Todd Golden’s final open practice before the season tips off, which included a scrimmage session. Fast practice, fast pace of play. After watching the guys go through their practice routine, it was easy to figure out the pace Golden wants them to play. From the opening whistle to the last, outside of water breaks, everyone was running all over the court, including coaches. After getting the initial lay-up lines, three-man weaves, and passing drills, Golden gathered the troops at the center of the court to set some goals for the scrimmaging portion of practice. With different personnel this year and more size, it gives Golden the ability to be more creative on both the offensive and defensive sides. Zyon Pullin, a transfer from UC Riverside, and Walter Clayton Jr., a transfer from Iona, were some of the main ball handlers for the Gators and commanded the offense well. Golden was harping about pushing the ball down the court and getting the ball in the hands of playmakers. One of Golden’s more animated moments of the day is when sophomore guard Denzel Aberdeen took a rebound coast-to-coast for a lay-up. Golden praised him for being able to create his own offense and pointed out there’s no need to get into the offense when you can continue to do stuff like that. Riley Kugel is STILL that guy. Hands down, the best player on the court Tuesday was Riley Kugel. Kugel was instant offense for his team during the scrimmage and was the highest-scoring player among both teams during the time period. A future NBA talent, Kugel and Golden seemed to be talking to his star after each play, trying to find takeaways from his perspective. Look for Kugel to have another big year for the Gators in a less stressful fashion. Outside of Kugel and Colin Castleton, Florida had minimal offensive production. With the addition of other offensive weapons, it will take pressure off of Kugel and allow the offense to flow smoothly. Size is not a problem. Todd Golden and his staff recognized the problem this offseason and were able to acquire size in comparison to last season’s roster. Florida landed one of the top shot blockers in the country in the transfer portal, Micah Handlogten, from Marshall. Just a sophomore, Handlogten is a 7'1" problem for any guard trying to get a shot off in the paint. On top of that, he also converted two and-ones during the scrimmage along with a blocked shot. Another big-time transfer the Gators landed was Seton Hall forward Tyrese Samuel. Samuel, at 6'10", is a graduate senior who started all 33 games last year, averaging 11.0 points and 4.3 rebounds. His athleticism and the way he moves for how big he is are something that stood out during the practice portion. Look for both of these transfer players to be big-time players for the Gators in the paint this year. The next time we will get a chance to see this team will be November 2, 2023, in the O’Dome for the Orange and Blue game. Their season begins November 6, 2023, when Florida hosts Loyola Maryland.

Thoughts of the Day: 10.10.23

“The mountain doesn’t say you are black, you are white, you are weak, you are strong. It’s one rule for everybody. If you give up, you die.” -- Nirmal Purja Halfway through season two as Florida’s head football coach, Billy Napier finds himself nowhere near the summit of the mountain he’s climbing to restore the Gators to Southeastern Conference and national prominence. “I think there’s some clouds, and I can’t see the top of the mountain yet,” Napier said at his Monday morning press conference. “That’s what I would tell you.” This mountain is rather steep, and its origins date back to 2011, long before Napier was hired. The fingerprints of Will Muschamp, Jim McElwain and Dan Mullen are prominent in transforming Florida football from the perennial powerhouse it was into the program Napier inherited in December of 2021. The Gators went 6-7 in 2021 and in his first year on the job, Napier duplicated that mark. It will take two more wins this season just to equal the win totals of the last two years, three to show tangible evidence of progress. Heading into Saturday’s game with South Carolina (2-3, 1-2 SEC) in Columbia, the Gators (4-2, 2-1 SEC) have already surpassed the low expectations of Stewart Mandel, The Athletic’s editor-in-chief of college football. Mandel predicted a 3-9 season with a 1-7 record in SEC play. Las Vegas oddsmakers and the staff at Athlon predicted 5-7, so a Saturday win would assure at least matching that total. From 1990-2010, the Florida Gators went 210-57-1, the best record of any college football team in the country. The Gators won three national championships and eight Southeastern Conference titles. From 2011-21, the Gators went 87-52, which is tied for 27th best in the country. Napier is currently 10-9 in his season-and-a-half in charge. Napier understands fully well that Florida football didn’t begin a descent into mediocrity overnight, that it took years of neglect to get where the Gators are today. Not all of it had to do with hiring the wrong coach, although that’s the easiest place to point a finger. Muschamp had no previous coaching experience so much of his four years on the job was spent learning how to juggle the coaching aspects with fund-raising and administrative demands. With the advantage of perhaps a couple years coaching at a Bowling Green followed by a couple of years at a pre-Pac-12 Utah, things might have turned out differently. McElwain was a bad fit from the moment he compared playing quarterback at the University of Florida to his dog Clarabelle. Fans never understood how it is a coach making more than $4 million a year couldn’t get his teeth whitened. He had everybody fooled the first couple of years at UF, but when nearly all the defensive talent left behind by Muschamp found its way to the NFL, McElwain was a goner. He cooked his own goose when he lied about death threats to his family. Nobody could ever question Dan Mullen’s ability to call plays or design an offense that could put points on the board. Mullen’s problem had everything to do with recruiting and choosing to remain loyal to defensive coordinator Third-and-Grantham. Fish in the fridge start to stink after three days and must be tossed. Three years into Grantham and Mullen should have encouraged him to take the Cincinnati Bengals job when it was offered. Facilities were an issue, too. Muschamp complained that he hesitated to bring recruits to Florida’s practice fields because they were so rundown he was always fearful that someone would get seriously hurt while a prospective Gator was watching. McElwain got the indoor practice facility he asked for, but that was delayed because some genius didn’t include end zones and bathrooms in the original design. Mullen constantly groused that training facilities were in the South End Zone of The Swamp, what seems like an overnight hike from the practice field. The Heavener Center opened up almost a year after Mullen lost his job. There were other issues, all of which piled onto each other to make a mountain that Napier must scale. Fans want success now. They point to the Band-Aid fixes through wholesale use of the transfer portal at other schools, but Napier’s plan is use the transfer portal sparingly to address positions of immediate need while building a foundation through exceptional recruiting of high school kids. Florida’s current recruiting class is ranked No. 4 by both 247Sports and On3. It is entirely possible the final class ranking could be higher. The problems and issues Napier inherited weren’t overnight in the making, nor will they be erased overnight. “I think it's important that we understand that growth, improvement, development, is not a one-day event,” Napier said Monday. “I think ultimately for the individual players, staff members that we have, for us as a team, you just don't get to the top of a mountain in one day. You've got to climb the mountain. “And I think there's important things to remember while we do that. It's going to require a tremendous amount of work. I think that you've got to stretch yourself. You've got to get uncomfortable. It's going to be harder than you thought it was going to be. There's going to be some uncomfortable days.” The uncomfortable days are here because the Florida job is probably harder than Napier thought it might be. While it’s true that Napier had Louisiana transformed from Sun Belt mediocrity into championship caliber in a single season, it’s worth noting that through his first 19 games on the job the Ragin Cajuns were 11-8. Through his first 19 games at UF, Napier is 10-9. Louisiana went from 7-7 in year one to 11-3 in year two. For the Gators to get to 11 wins in year two, they’re going to have to go on a rather impressive run against an SEC schedule that’s infinitely tougher than the Sun Belt schedule of 2019. In 2022, the Gators could have won nine or ten games, but they finished 6-6 due to their penchant for self-inflicted wounds. Through six games this season, the Gators have lost two games decisively but both losses were marred by way too many self-inflicted wounds. The Gators could have very well beaten Utah without all the penalties and mental mistakes. Maybe they wouldn’t have beaten Kentucky, but at least the game would have been much more competitive. The Gators beat Vanderbilt, 38-14, Saturday to bounce back from that hosing at the hands of Kentucky the week before. It was a good win, but Napier made it a point Monday to emphasize the need to grow past their error prone ways. “We showed signs of life Saturday in certain parts of our team,” Napier said. “I do think it's important that we understand that even though we got a good result, there are some areas where we need to improve, whether that's communication, fundamentals, decision-making, a lack of discipline at times when it comes to penalties.” Napier has yet to use youth as an excuse, but so many of Florida’s on-the-field problems can be traced to the inexperience of kids who are required to play on a roster that has seen 42 players transfer out since Napier arrived. When the Gators played Kentucky, the Wildcats had 10 senior starters, which is more seniors than there are on the entire Florida roster. In a couple of weeks the Gators will play No. 1 Georgia in Jacksonville. Georgia has 19 upperclassmen on its first unit offense and defense. Critics moan and groan about an offense that lacks explosiveness, that the passing game is too much dink and dunk, and that the offense is way too predictable. There have been calls for Napier to give up play calling, but the offense against Vanderbilt had a different look in so many ways than the one just the game before. That’s because Napier had at his disposal freshman Tre Wilson, who has that Kadarius Toney make-you-miss quality, and redshirt freshman tight end Arlis Boardingham, whose ability to catch the ball in the middle of the field can help eliminate the extra safety in the box. Wilson caught eight passes for 64 yards, scoring on a 19-yard jet sweep. Boardingham caught eight passes for 99 yards and two TDs. The two of them added a new dynamic to the UF offense, a sign of growth and adapting the offense to the available personnel. That is another sign of progress. In the second half of the season, expect more of what will be perceived as new wrinkles, both on offense or defense. Chances are, the new wrinkles will be nothing more than things practiced for months, only now Napier can put the right players on the field to implement them. “We have to practice what we know works, tweak and adapt and evolve in the areas where we know we need to do that,” Napier said. Napier has a plan and a purpose in everything he does. He is a relentless note-taker whether it’s on the field, during meetings or watching film. He always has a way to measure progress. Through six games, the Gators have made progress, but the goal is long term, to get the program to a point where it can compete with anyone and sustain success. Once again, this is not an overnight process. “I think it's important to keep perspective here relative to what all goes into the challenge,” Napier said. “I think we have to keep that mindset. Rain, sleet or snow, we have to keep building. Somebody's got to wake up and do the work every day. And we're going to be relentless in how we do that.” Napier still sees the clouds that hide the summit of the mountain, but the climb goes on. For some schools, even in the Southeastern Conference, winning seven or eight games and going to a bowl every year is a sure sign of success. That might work at some schools, but at Florida just going to a bowl game every year will get you fired. Napier isn’t willing to settle for good. He intends for the Gators to climb much higher than that. “Look, we have to understand that it's easy to get about halfway up, easy to get about three-quarters of the way up,” Napier said. “A lot of people do that, but the ability to kind of put your blinders on – the air gets thinner, becomes more challenging, the terrain, the temperature. So, all these little small things that are happening right in front of us, those are the things we have to focus on.”

Following Florida's 38-14 win against Vanderbilt on Saturday, Arlis Boardingham and Princely Umanmielen both took home weekly honors as a result of their performances in the win. Boardingham, a redshirt freshman, put together his best career outing en route to earning SEC Co-Freshman of the Week honors. The tight end caught seven passes for 99 yards and two touchdowns. It was the first glimpse at what could be the Gators' next great pass-catching tight end. Entering week six, Florida had just 16 receptions across all of the tight ends, but Boardingham became one of Graham Mertz's main targets on Saturday and demonstrated his ability to make plays as a route-runner. For Boardingham, Saturday marked the fifth consecutive game in which he has caught at least one pass, however it was his first game with more than two receptions. He entered the week with just six receptions for 51 yards and a score. After scoring his first career touchdown against Charlotte, Boardingham has now proven he could play an important role in the Florida passing offense. He joins Princely Umanmielen who was named the East-West Shrine Bowl Defensive Breakout Player of the Week following his performance against Vandy. Boardingham and Umanmielen should be very pleased with their week six performances but now look ahead to South Carolina as the Florida football program looks for their first road win of the season.

GAINESVILLE, Fla., Oct. 9, 2023 — Florida EDGE Princely Umanmielen has been named the East-West Shrine Bowl Defensive Breakout Player of the Week, following the Gators' Week 6 contest against Vanderbilt. According to data from Pro Football Focus, Umanmielen has tallied 10 tackles, two sacks, eight quarterback hits and 15 quarterback hurries over the course of the 2023 season. Four of those quarterback hurries were registered in the Week 6 match-up against Vanderbilt. The Manor, Texas, native has distinguished himself in the area of pass rushing, earning a Pro Football Focus grade of 90.3. Among Division I EDGE defenders, Umanmielen currently ranks fifth nationally in pass rush grade. In terms of overall performance, Umanmielen holds the highest Pro Football Focus grade of any Florida defender who has taken more than 25 snaps this season, with a grade of 81.5. The junior player is expected to continue his season as the Florida Gators prepare for an away game against the South Carolina Gamecocks in Columbia, South Carolina, scheduled for Oct. 14.

Florida dodged a bullet when QB Graham Mertz left the game with injury Saturday.

A few thoughts to jump start your Monday morning:

Florida wipes the dirt off and conquers the Commodores with balance and defense. By LOREN MATTHEWS Football Analyst GatorBaitMedia Florida had an interesting week in the aftermath of getting its teeth kicked in by Kentucky last week. Questions swirled about the future of the Florida offense and what could be done to fix what many thought was an anemic attack with very little imagination or big play ability. The Florida defense, after showing improvement in the first month of the season, was dominated in a way very few Florida defenses had experienced even with the pitfalls of the past two seasons. Thankfully the Vanderbilt elixir was prescribed by the Southeastern Conference and in most cases that is an opportunity for any team to either take the ship in for a few repairs or get the ship turned in the right direction. For the Gators , in many ways this would be an opportunity for both and with Homecoming festivities as the back drop the Gators needed a sound performance. What We Thought: The Gators would be chomping at the bit to get back on the field as soon as possible to erase the lingering thoughts of their last performance. Based upon recent criticisms and self-reflection the Gator offense would look to find creative ways to spread the ball around to its playmakers while looking to reestablish the physical run game that has been their calling card over the past two seasons. Quarterback Graham Mertz would continue to play efficient football and with the return of Eugene Wilson III the horizontal passing game that the Gators have used to complement the run game would flourish. Defensively the Gators would enter Saturday’s game with far more than a chip on its shoulder as the last outing of record left very little to be pleased with. Regardless of the opponent, a defensive unit that had been one of the best in the conference through four games would be aiming for much better than what it presented last week. Graham Mertz (15) and freshman running back Treyaun Webb (20 (Chris Spears photo) What We Got: The Vanderbilt elixir was just what the Gators needed. Florida used a balanced offensive attack to score 38 points and gain almost 500 yards. Despite the absence of Kingsley Eguakun, Austin Barber, and Trevor Etienne the Gators still managed to run for 7.2 yards per carry while Graham Mertz continued his efficient play throwing for 254 yards and completing 30 of 36 passes. While the absence of Trevor Etienne was concerning, freshman wide receiver Eugene Wilson III added a different tenor to the offense with the ability to create mismatches on the perimeter and effect the tempo of the Gators offense. Wilson caught eight passes for 64 yards and touchdown and his ability to make people miss on the perimeter gave the Gators another weapon on the outside to complement the consistency of Ricky Pearsall Jr. The Gator defense made good use of their opportunity to build themselves back up with a solid performance as well. After being wrecked for over 300 rushing yards last week the Gators held Vanderbilt to only 64 rushing yards on 19 attempts. While the defense allowed two passing touchdowns, the unit came up big on three fourth down attempts which Head Coach Billy Napier and staff count as turnovers as well. The Skinny: Regardless of the opponent any opportunity to go out and get better is key for any football team. The Florida Gators were able to develop a plan and execute it despite the absence of some of its key players. That success speaks to the attention that Coach Napier and staff have devoted to the development of depth at key positions on both sides of the ball. With a retooled offensive line the Gators managed to play one of its most balanced games of the season. Defensively, Austin Armstrong’s defense continues to exhibit the passion that has allowed the unit to remain one of the seasons most positive developments. What is concerning is that the Florida Gators seems to play a different brand of football within the confides of Ben Hill Griffin stadium than they do away from it. A looming road test against a rested South Carolina team will certainly be the topic of conversation over the next six days. Coincidentally, it is those six days that could dictate whether the Gators are successful when they arrive in Columbia. When examined in its totality a win against Vanderbilt is usually a given for most football teams in the SEC. For the Gators however, it was a win that allowed them to lick the mental and physical wounds of a previous loss and focus on continued improvement heading into a pivotal road trip. With the Gators away from Gainesville for the next four weeks, Coach Napier and staff will be tasked with finding a way to put this team in the bag and unfold it in some of the conferences most high-pressure environments. Final Score: Florida Gators 38 Vanderbilt Commodores 14 (Prediction Florida 28 Vanderbilt 14)

Nobody should get carried away. It was, after all, Vanderbilt, and it was Homecoming at The Swamp. If you made the other 13 schools in the Southeastern Conference pick the one school you’d choose for your Homecoming opponent, there’s no question Vanderbilt would be the unanimous choice.

Florida football fans haven't seen success in a particular game from a tight end since the Kyle-to-Kyle era when Kyle Pitts would Terrorize opposing defenses and coaches. Arlis Boardingham gave Florida fans a blast from the past on Saturday with his performance. A drop early in the game is the first thing Boardingham brought up even after his career day. However, this early misstep turned out to be the lowest point for Boardingham that night. By the end, the 6-foot-3, 240-pound California native had an outstanding performance, finishing with seven receptions for 99 yards and two touchdowns, all career highs. Boardingham's success wasn't primarily from being a downfield target. He gained most of his yards after the catch, displaying agility in the open field. A lot of Graham Mertz's completions have come on motions and rollouts getting playmakers into open-field situations. Head coach Billy Napier talked about Boardingham and how versatile he can be as a pass-catcher: "Arlis Boardingham really showed the growth that we've been seeing. That guy is very capable – he's a mismatch type player. Made some really unique plays today." While Boardingham's athletic abilities were evident, he insisted on crediting the coaching staff and quarterback Graham Mertz for his performance. He emphasized trust in his teammates and extensive practice to be prepared for the game. "I feel like it's just trusting coaching. Trusting my O-Line, making sure that I know that they're gonna protect me," Boardingham said. "Trusting Graham, knowing that if I'm open he will give me the ball. And, just like I said, going back to the fundamentals in practice, after practice, getting that extra work in, just making sure I'm prepared." Boardingham acknowledged that his dedication to development since arriving in Gainesville was crucial for his current position. Despite his potential as an athlete, Boardingham had much to learn about the position, being relatively unfamiliar with it. Additionally, an upper-body injury in his freshman season limited his in-game experience, putting him behind in his development. Napier explained the challenges Boardingham faced: "He's a kid who hasn't played tight end, so he's a receiver, linebacker. He's a track athlete... There's a ton to learn in there. He's a smart kid, but it's almost like playing quarterback to some degree. There's a mental part that I can't tell you -- it's challenging. You can't overlook that." To consistently see the field, Boardingham needed to excel not only as a pass-catcher but also as a blocker. He understood that mastering all the necessary skills would take time. Napier emphasized the newness of the position for Boardingham: "There's a set of fundamentals you have to learn at tight end. It's not like he had any background in that before he showed up, so it was all new... So mentally learning the system and fundamentally the physical component, all of that was new. It's turned out to be a good evaluation." Looking ahead, Napier believes that Boardingham's addition was a pivotal move for the team, and he anticipates even greater contributions in the future. With weapons on the outside such as Tre Wilson and Ricky Pearsall along with the duo of Trevor Etienne and Montrell Johnson, this will open up opportunities for Boardingham to capitalize more when defenses are focused on those dynamic guys. Reflecting on Boardingham's performance, Mertz noted, "That's just how we think. We're always – in this game, you've got to have a growth mindset. Complacency kills, and you've got to look at where you can improve. I thought Arlis had a great week."

After taking a 21-7 lead into the locker room, the Florida Gators finished business in The Swamp to take down Vanderbilt, 38-14.