By: Franz Beard As good as Florida's defense was in the Gators' 34-3 win over Tennessee, Jonathan Greenard knows things can be better. "The crazy part is we're only scratching the surface of what we really can do,” says Greenard, a 6-3, 265-pound athletic freak of a grad transfer who came to Florida from Louisville where he was originally recruited by current UF defensive coordinator Todd Grantham. “Just with that happening, I'm excited about where we are right now. It's still somewhat early, midway through the season. It's not our best performance. We've got a lot of things to work on still.” The Tennessee win was Florida's most complete defensive effort of the season as the Gators held the Vols to zero touchdowns, 239 total yards (88 rushing, 251 passing), forced a fumble, picked off three passes and sacked the quarterbacks four times. Through four games, the Gators ranked 23rd nationally in total defense (285.3 yards per game) and 10th in scoring defense (11.0 points per game). The Gators are tied for the national lead in sacks with 20 (for 101 yards in losses) and they are tied for second in interceptions with seven. All this for a defense that has been missing critical players due to injuries and suspensions in all four games. Barring injuries in this week's game with D1AA Towson, the Gators will begin the murderer's row portion of their schedule (#7 Auburn, #4 LSU on the road and #3 Georgia in Jacksonville in the next four) as healthy as they've been all year. It might take a full complement of players at their physical peak for the Gators to continue their winning ways with a chance to equal or improve on last year's 10-3 record. One thing that seems certain is that for Florida to score 10 or more wins, the defense can't afford to rest. This has the feel of a season in which close encounters decided late by the defense will be the rule, not the exception. That the Gators seem destined to a year of living dangerously has everything to do with an offense that hasn't quite caught fire and has had to change starting quarterbacks due to a dislocated/fractured ankle suffered by incumbent Feleipe Franks. Kyle Trask has more than exceeded next man up expectations the way he's led the Gators to a fourth quarter comeback against Kentucky (19 straight points for a 29-21 win) and 293 passing yards in his first start since he was a high school freshman in the win over Tennessee. While it appears Trask has a very high ceiling and that the offense has the potential to become explosive with him making the throws, it is the Florida defense that is going to have to show up every ball game. If the defense can shut opponents down, it lowers the pressure on Trask to deliver. Even though it's only four games into the season, the way things have played out so far conjures up memories of a couple of other Florida seasons in which the offense never set the world on fire and the defense more often than not had to carry the day. Dan Mullen called the plays for the 2006 Gators who won the national championship with a 13-1 record. The Gators averaged 29.7 points and 396.1 yards per game that year, allowing 13.5 points and 255.4 yards per game. There were great escapes like the 21-20 win over Tennessee in Knoxville and the 17-16 win over South Carolina in Gainesville. In the win over the Vols, the Gators rallied for the go-ahead touchdown then got a game-saving interception from Reggie Nelson. The defense came up with two fourth quarter stops against South Carolina to force field goals, which the Gators blocked. The second field goal block was by Jarvis Moss on the last play of the game. The Gators won by six at Vanderbilt and by seven each in wins over Georgia and FSU. In Florida's 28-13 win over Alabama, Nelson ran back an interception 70 yards for a fourth quarter touchdown to seal the win. Florida's 2012 Gators were a goal line fumble against Georgia away from a possible unbeaten regular season. The Gators averaged 26.5 points and 334.4 yards per game while giving up 14.4 points and 287.5 yards. The great escape of that season was against Louisiana-Lafayette when the Gators blocked a punt that Jelani Jenkins returned 36 yards for a touchdown with two seconds remaining for a 27-20 win. The Gators won by three against Heisman winner Johnny Manziel and Texas A&M on the road and they pulled out a 14-6 win over LSU and a 14-7 win over Missouri. In the win over LSU, the Gators forced a fumble by Odell Beckham to seal that win and in the win over Missouri, the Gators had two interceptions in the final five minutes to preserve a victory. So if it seems the Gators have been down this road before, there is a very good reason. Can the Gators survive with an offense whose running game may not ever come around? Can they win just by throwing the ball and if required, can they put three or four touchdowns on the scoreboard late in the game? We have no way to know those answers in advance, but it seems clear at this point that the defense has to be prepared to carry the load. PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT Florida's 34-3 win over Tennessee wasn't just the most complete game turned in by the defense, but for the entire team in every phase. Mullen saw a good game coming in the way the Gators prepared for the Vols in practice. “I thought we played a lot better against Tennessee than we had in the previous weeks,” Mullen said at his Monday press conference. “That had a lot to do with because we practiced better. Our scout teams executed a little bit cleaner, the defense finished plays at practice a little bit better. Thought we did an amazing job of our Friday night and early Saturday morning … it was a quick turnaround and preparation going into the game, of guys really honing into their routine and getting ready to go perform on a Saturday. If we don't continue to take a step forward with that this week, it'll show. And it'll show not just this week, it'll show the next week and the week after that and the week after that as you continue to move forward.” Mullen is a firm believer that great teams are ones who focus in on the things they can control and that begins with practice. “What's important is, 'Am I getting better as a player?'” Mullen said. “And I don't want to downplay this week's game or next week's game, because if you ask me that question next week saying, 'You're a week off from another Top 10 matchup, this one on the road, is it harder to stay focused?' No, it's on our exact attention to detail and our development and our improvement from one day to the next of getting better. And that's what we can control and that's what we need to worry about. If we're worried about other things, we're worried about the wrong thing and we're not going to be able to accomplish the goals we have as a team."

We found out what we needed to know. Kyle Trask was ready for his first start, as reflected his box score: 20x28, 293 yards and two touchdowns. It was no fluke. He can run Dan Mullen’s offense. Run it really well. Maybe as well as Feleipe Franks. Maybe better. He has the arm strength, knowledge, leadership and poise. Here’s the only question from Gator fans for their new starting quarterback: What have you done for us lately, Kyle Trask? Now that Gator fans know he’s the real deal, they also want to know if he’s good enough to carry their team to the Promised Land. They want him to be Moses. And they want it now. Welcome to the world of starting quarterbacks at Florida. As Dan Mullen says, it’s different around here. Some cannibalistic Gator fans have been known to eat their young for breakfast. Ask the three statues: Steve Spurrier, Danny Wuerffel and Tim Tebow. Ask others who don’t have statues, even though they helped put trophies in the case – namely Shane Matthews and Chris Leak. The good news is that Trask looks unflappable so far. No moment is likely to ever going to be too big for him. In two games he has two W’s over SEC teams. He appears equal to any occasion, as proven when he came off the bench in Lexington and pitched his team to a fourth-quarter comeback victory with 19 points. But can he make the title run? Against Tennessee, Dan Mullen praised Trask’s calm demeanor and good decision-making. On his first drive as a starter, his passes were crisp, on time and thrown confidently. Because of his vision and room-service delivery, suddenly the whole middle of the field came into play. This bodes well in the future because Trask finds open receivers. He found 10 different ones in the Vols secondary. Can he help his team find 10 wins? They only need six more, but three of the next eight are currently Top Ten teams. Without question, Kyle Trask looks the part. Does he have the chops? *** If you like style points, you’re going to love watching the new No. 11 in a Gator uniform. Standing tall and purposeful in the pocket, no happy feet, surveying the secondary and the patterns of his talented receivers, always in rhythm -- even if he occasionally holds the ball a smidgen too long – and delivering it with the grace of a knockdown three-point shooter, dispatching the football into the bottom of their breadbaskets. In the trade it’s known as a “catchable ball,” which is how Steve Spurrier described Danny Wuerffel’s projectiles. It beholds the eyes of coaches and receivers of all ages. “Man, I want to catch one of those balls – they’re so pretty!,” Gator Radio Network broadcaster Lee McGriff blurted out on the air, after having watched the touchdown pass he feathered to Freddie Swain. Keep in mind, McGriff was a very good catcher of footballs in high school, college and pro ball and has been on the receiving end of some delicious connections. Watching Trask’s pitches makes him hungry for the touch of football again. McGriff has been a Trask admirer going back two years ago as began expressing his admiration – careful never to disrespect Mullen’s choice of Feleipe Franks as the starter. Pretty much all the things McGriff have been saying off the mic have come true. In just over two minutes against Tennessee, Trask posted his first touchdown with a 19-yard pass to Kyle Pitts in what may be henceforth known as the Kyle-to-Kyle connection. Even McGriff’s radio partner has even bought in. Right away, it became clear that the Florida offense didn’t seem to be struggling anymore as the timely passes of Trask garnered big chunks of yardage. "I don't know how to say this," admitted Mick Hubert, "but why does it seem so much easier?" To curb the enthusiasm just a little, we should offset the praise with a little reality. There are still plenty of things for Trask to work on. 1. Turnovers. Interceptions sometimes happen because receivers run wrong routes or the ball is tipped, etc. Also when I say he throws a “catchable ball,” remember it’s catchable by the other side, too. Mullen said the two interceptions don’t bother him that much -- but he can’t have the fumbles. Trask has to protect the ball. Steve Spurrier says a QB has to hang on the football with two hands. That wasn’t the case when Trask fumbled to Tennessee. 2. Trask is a very accurate passer, which is the apparent reason they allow him to throw more over the middle. He’s got to be cautious throwing too many high balls, however, because too-tall passes over the middle can be tipped and become Pick City. 3. Timing routes can be a beautiful thing, but the slightest margin of error can lead to a drastic outcome going the other way. 4. We admire quarterbacks who stand in the pocket courageously, willing to take the hit, however Trask has a tendency to hold the ball a little too long. 5. Up until now, opposing teams haven’t had film on Trask. The more games he plays the better body of work defensive coordinators have to study. In the SEC, those guys are good. Finally, in coming weeks the play-calling will have to mesh better with Trask’s skills, the rest of the offense has to keep improving – the bright light was Brett Heggie being named SEC offensive lineman of the week – and the tepid running game needs to perk up. The nuances of playing the position will be essential to becoming a more polished quarterback. “And decision making,” said Mullen. “’When I'm going to take a sack,‘ ‘I'm going to throw this away,’ ‘this play's not there so I'm not going to try to make something happen that's not there.’ All of those things are a lot of experience things so the more experience you get the better you're going to be.” If planning will make it happen, Mullen has the best quarterback eligible in college football right now. “You always want to be prepared but three of our next five games against top six teams, top seven teams in the country,” Mullen said. “I don't know many people have that sort of stretch going now. But that's part of being in the Southeastern Conference and that's what's fun to go play in. I think Kyle just needs to continue on the path that he's on. “Everybody has seen his preparation. He prepares the right way getting into a game and he's going to be ready for that moment. The biggest thing to build on is experience, him being out there in every situation – managing the clock, managing the play clock, making sure he's getting the right checks, being comfortable in how he's using cadence to his advantage, making sure he's got communication with the receivers and offensive line.” Big Boy Football is coming soon to a neighborhood near us soon. I think Kyle Trask is ready. Bring it.

A NO NONSENSE WIN IS NEEDED The oddsmakers in Las Vegas make 9th-ranked Florida (4-0, 2-0 SEC) a 28-1/2 point favorite against D1AA Towson (3-1) Saturday (4 p.m., SEC Network) at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Dan Mullen's not the least bit interested in the point spread, but he definitely needs the Gators to win this one by four or more touchdowns. A show of force Saturday probably isn't necessary from the standpoint of winning the game. Florida has way too much talent and as long as the Gators play with a reasonable amount of effort, they should win. But the Gators need more than reasonable effort. They need a game in which they flex their muscles and dominate on both sides of the ball. With 7th-ranked Auburn due in Gainesville a week from Saturday, Mullen needs his team to send a clear message that he's got a team capable of focusing in on the task at hand, no matter the caliber of the opponent. Through four games, the Gators have shown what they're capable of in spurts but they have yet to play anything close to a complete game. With six straight SEC opponents on the schedule after Saturday's game, the time is now to start playing with maximum effort on every play and in every phase of the game. A no nonsense win will send out the right kind of message to the rest of the SEC. The Sayer Says Sooth: The Tigers are averaging 40 points per game, but it's one thing to light up North Carolina Central, another thing altogether to move the football and score on a defense that is tied for the Division I lead in sacks (20) and second in interceptions (7). If your defense can't stop Villanova's offense (52 points, 574 yards including 295 on the ground, how do you expect to stop Florida's gifted wide receivers. Figure Kyle Trask will throw for 300 yards and four touchdowns and turn it over to Emory Jones, who we'll see taking shots downfield with his arm. I like it something like FLORIDA 52, Towson 13. DONTAY BASSETT CHAIR OF SEC MEN'S BASKETBALL LEADERSHIP COUNCIL At a recent meeting of the SEC Basketball Leadership Council in Birmingham, Florida forward Dontay Bassett was chosen chairman by his peers. This is Bassett's first year on the Leadership Council, replacing Kevarrius Hayes, who graduated. The leadership council is made up of one male and one female player from each of the Southeastern Conference's 14 schools. Kristina Moore is Florida's female representative. THE SEC SOOTHSAYER #2 Alabama (4-0, 1-0 SEC) 54, Ole Miss (2-2, 0-1 SEC) 10: The big question is can Tua throw for five touchdown passes for a third consecutive game? #7 Auburn (4-0, 1-0 SEC) 23, Mississippi State (3-1, 1-0 SEC) 21: Mississippi State is good enough to scare the bejabbers out of Auburn. Are the Bulldogs good enough to upset Auburn the week before the Tigers have to travel to Gainesville? #23 Texas A&M (2-2, 0-1 SEC) 45, Arkansas (2-2, 0-1 SEC) 17: The Aggies need to win this one by at least three touchdowns to calm the boosters, who are stressed out over the losses to Clemson and Auburn. South Carolina (1-3, 0-2 SEC) 24, Kentucky (2-2, 0-2 SEC) 20: Ryan Hilinski is healthy. Sawyer Smith is not. South Carolina will get this win because they have a healthy quarterback who has actually played. If Smith can't go, Kentucky will be down to a guy who was the fourth stringer when spring football ended back in April. Vanderbilt (0-3, 0-2 SEC) 35, Northern Illinois (1-2) 21: Finally, a game that Vandy is capable of winning and they should unless the Commodores are still in shell shock after the way Joe Burrow passed them silly last week. COUNTDOWN TO FIRING DAY: EDITION FIVE ON LIFE SUPPORT Phil Montgomery, Tulsa: He's 2-2 with an open date this week but that's followed up with consecutive games against (at) SMU, Navy, (at) Cincinnati, Memphis, (at) Tulane and UCF. If, as expected, he's 2-8 after that stretch, he might as well turn in a forwarding address so they can mail him his severance checks. Lovie Smith, Illinois: Lovie said his defense was making progress after the loss to Nebraska last week. Okay, you give up 42 points and you're making progress? Chris Ash, Rutgers: The Scarlet Knights are 1-2. There are two winnable games remaining on the schedule – Liberty and Illinois. Ash needs to be calling old buddies to see who may need a defensive coordinator next year. Jeremy Pruitt, Tennessee: Folks are saying if Pruitt is fired it will set the program back five years. Some other folks are saying if Pruitt is still the coach next year the program will be set back five years. Tennessee can't afford to fire him but when has something like fiscal responsibility ever stood in the way of an irrational decision that can be made in Knoxville? Bob Davie, New Mexico: The Bob Davie Farewell Tour begins Saturday when the Lobos travel to Liberty. New Mexico might win this game, but it won't help Davie's long term prospects. He's expected to “retire” for health reasons and take an administrative job in the athletic department. ENDANGERED SPECIES LIST Brent Brennan, San Jose State: He was On Life Support last week but then he did the unthinkable and beat an SEC team on the road. Okay, it was Arkansas so it wasn't like it was a real SEC team, but it still bought some time. Clay Helton, Southern Cal: Will the folks who make the decisions take into account that the Trojans are 3-1 with guys who were the third and fourth string quarterbacks just a month ago and the guy who led the win over Utah had thrown all of 19 passes in the four previous years? Randy Edsall, UConn: A bad coach with an even worse team, so UCF at the Bounce House on the Saturday following the first regular season loss in three years is not conducive to convincing people that it's only a matter of time before good things happen. Tony Sanchez, UNLV: The only win so far is over a bad D1AA team. Barring a miracle of changing the water into wine proportions, he's a goner. Matt Luke, Ole Miss: Saturday won't be pretty. The Rebels are playing Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Figure Bama will have the spread covered (38-1/2 points) by halftime, which is not going to help long term perceptions about Matt Luke. Mike Bobo, Colorado State: The Rams are giving up 40.3 points per game and things aren't going to get easier. Bobo is a very nice guy who's had a bad run of buzzard's luck keeping players healthy but he'll be gone, maybe before November. Justin Fuente, Virginia Tech: Folks up in the Old Dominion State are looking at Fuente adding former Northern Illinois/Minnesota HBC to his staff as a special assistant is a sign that desperation isn't far away. BEADS OF SWEAT FORMING Charlie Strong, South Florida: If the Bulls can win at home Saturday against unbeaten SMU – a game that is actually winnable – it will ease the pressure for at least a couple of weeks. Kilani Sitaki, BYU: The euphoria of the Southern Cal win was replaced by the frustration of a blowout loss to Washington. Anything less than 7-8 wins and he'll be sweating profusely. Steve Addazio, Boston College: Fortunately, he bounced back from that shocking loss to Kansas with a win over Rutgers, otherwise he would already be gone. Addazio has to wonder how much longer they'll be happy with 7-win seasons. Derek Mason, Vanderbilt: He will go to the Endangered Species List if he loses to Northern Illinois this week. SAVED BY THE BUYOUT Willie Taggart, Florida State: The ACC is so bad that Taggart might actually get the Seminoles to a bowl game. That doesn't mean he's actually a good football coach, however. Since there aren't enough bake sales in the world to raise the buyout money they'll need for their Free Willie campaign, they're stuck with him awhile. Chad Morris, Arkansas: He lost to San Jose State. At home. One of the multi-gozillionaire boosters might just write a check for $12.5 million. Chip Kelly, UCLA: How did Washington State throw for nine touchdown passes and still lose to UCLA? Was that a sign that the Chipster finally has figured out offense and the Bruins will win again? They better hope so. They can't afford the $9 million buyout. Will Muschamp, South Carolina: He got the dreaded vote of confidence from the athletic director this week. Ray Tanner does like Will and he also doesn't have $18.5 million, which he would need if he didn't like him. NCAA HAMMERS GEORGIA TECH BASKETBALL The NCAA dropped the hammer on Georgia Tech basketball Thursday, announcing that it has banned the Yellow Jackets from the 2019-20 post season. Additionally, the program was put on four years probation, lost one scholarship for each year of the four years, was forced to vacate wins, had recruiting restrictions placed on the coaching staff and was fined a yet to be revealed amount of money. One of the violations involved a former Georgia Tech assistant, who arranged for recruit Wendell Carter (he ended up going to Duke) to go to a booster's home (reportedly former Tech star and NBA player Jarrett Jack) and then on to a strip cub owned by a local NBA player. Carter and his host (Georgia Tech player) were each given $300 to spend at the strip club. The NCAA came down hard on Tech coach Josh Pastner's friend Ron Bell, who was ruled to be a booster. Bell was found to have provided players and a potential transfer with $2,424 of shoes, clothing, meals, transportation and lodging. Georgia Tech athletic director Todd Stansbury says the school will appeal the sanctions and plans to stand by Pastner. GOOD QUOTES FOR A FRIDAY From Gary Parrish of CBSSports.com on how the NCAA sanctions against Georgia Tech basketball might spell doomsday for Kansas: “This development also isn't good for Kansas, which was charged by the NCAA with more serious violations than Georgia Tech earlier this week. If the NCAA shows any kind of consistency, it's reasonable to assume KU will get at least what Georgia Tech just got -- and probably more -- unless it can successfully argue that Adidas consultant T.J. Gassnola was not a Kansas booster. Good luck, as they say, with that.” From Scott Dotcherman and Max Olson of The Athletic, Nebraska has added a “Life Skills Kitchen” where players can cook their own food if they want: “The Huskers converted an office space next to the training table into a small prep kitchen, complete with butcher block and fridge. Now athletes can venture away from the buffet line and cook their own damn eggs for breakfast, rice or noodle stir fry bowls at lunch and pasta bowls at dinner. Dietetic student works who run the station offer them answers and advice. When parents see this on recruiting visit tours, [Dave] Ellis (Director of Sports Nutrition)said, they tend to ask with amazement:'You’re gonna teach my kid how to cook?'” RANDOM THOUGHTS: Kedon Slovis remains in concussion protocol so Matt Fink will get the start for Southern Cal against #17 Washington Saturday. Fink came off the bench last week to complete 21-30 passes for 351 yards and three touchdowns in the Trojans' upset of Utah last week … Archie Manning says Peyton will return to the NFL soon, either in ownership or another front office position … Just because the New England Patriots released Antonio Brown doesn't mean they aren't obligated to pay him the $9 million signing bonus.

JUST CALL THIS GRAD TRANSFER U Perhaps the only thing missing from the Florida basketball complex is a flashing neon sign that reads “Grad Transfer U: Open for Business.” Mike White grins at the mention of the success he's had with two previous graduate transfers. Canyon Barry was the SEC Sixth Man of the Year while helping the Gators make the Elite Eight in the 2016-17 season and Egor Koulechov led the team in rebounding and finished second in scoring in 2017-18. Both Barry and Koulechov made the Gators a better basketball team in their one year in Gainesville and they remain close to White – “two of my favorite guys that we've had.” The latest member of the Florida Graduate Transfer Club could very well be the best yet and could take the Gators to places they haven't been since the Billy Donovan-coached 2013-14 Gators reached the Final Four. Kerry Blackshear Jr. arrives on campus with second team All-ACC credentials after a season in which he averaged 14.9 points and 7.5 rebounds at Virginia Tech, which was a missed shot at the buzzer from knocking off Duke and making the Elite Eight last year. Blackshear is a 6-10, 250-pounder with dancer's feet and the ability to score from the foul line on in. When he announced that he was leaving Virginia Tech, Blackshear was viewed as a near guarantor of a very deep run in the NCAA Tournament in 2019-20, which is why schools like Kentucky and Michigan State went so hard after him. He chose Florida, in part because Orlando is his home town and he grew up a Gator fan, but also because he had inside information regarding the Florida coaching staff, future teammates, the school and the social environment. As he was narrowing down his choices, Blackshear spoke regularly with former Virginia Tech teammate Jalen Hudson, who spent his final two seasons of eligibility playing for the Gators. “He told me this was a great opportunity,” Blackshear said at Florida's media day. “He told me what I would be getting into and how it's different than what I experienced at Virginia Tech. He's a really good guy who is in a good place. I leaned on him for advice and he was someone who helped lead me to a very good place.” If Blackshear's one-and-done year at Florida gets the Gators to the NCAA promised land, it might make this the ideal landing spot for the next great grad transfer. “Grad Transfer U, put that out there!” White says. “See who's available in the spring!” BALANCE IS A MATTER OF PERSPECTIVE If you go strictly by yardage, then you might think Dan Mullen is channeling his inner Mike Leach. Through four games the Gators are averaging 294.75 yards per game through the air and just 136.8 on the ground, but a closer examination shows it is nearly 50-50 balance. The Gators have actually run more plays (130) than passes (127) so the yardage discrepancy is a bit deceiving. We've heard so much talk that Florida's offensive line is young (four new starters) and hasn't gotten to a point that it can dominate in the run game for four quarters, but for all their youth, they've only given up five sacks in four games. Last year's O-line, which had four veteran starters, gave up 18 sacks in 13 games. That's 1.38 sacks per game last year, just 1.25 per game this year. Because opponents run such sophisticated pass rushing and blitz schemes, pass protection takes up far more practice time than is devoted to run blocking. Given Florida's talent, speed and depth at wide receiver, it only figures that Mullen is going to emphasize timing and protection throwing the ball far more than he does the running game in practice. It might also be noted that the Gators have had more success running the ball in the fourth quarters of the last two games. That might have something to do with the fact that opponents are worn down after spending so much time rushing the passer, but it might also mean that after spending so much effort pass protection that the O-line is ready to do some mashing and mauling in the fourth quarter. SEC FOOTBALL STUFF #2 Alabama (4-0, 1-0 SEC): Deonte Brown, back from NCAA suspension, has been practicing with the second team O-line. He started last year … Outside linebacker Terrell Lewis (hyperextended knee) participated in some drills. Nose tackle DJ Dale (strained patellar tendon) was seen going through drills with the D-linemen. Saturday: vs. Ole Miss (2-2, 1-0 SEC) Arkansas (2-2, 0-1 SEC): Running back T.J. Hammonds will return from a four-game suspension this week when the Hogs play Texas A&M. Saturday: vs. #23 Texas A&M (2-2, 0-1 SEC) at Arlington, TX #7 Auburn (4-0, 1-0 SEC): Last year Auburn gave up 349 rushing yards to Mississippi State. This year the Tigers are allowing only 89.5 per game and they're coming off a game against Texas A&M when they allowed only 56 yards. Saturday: vs. Mississippi State (3-1, 1-0 SEC) #3 Georgia (4-0, 1-0 SEC): Georgia is resting defensive end David Marshall (foot) all week with the hope of getting him back in time for the Tennessee game. Saturday: Open Kentucky (2-2, 0-2 SEC): It's still day-to-day on quarterback Sawyer Smith and his injured shoulder. If he can't go Saturday at South Carolina, Walker Wood, who was the #4 quarterback during spring practice, will get the start. Saturday: at South Carolina (1-3, 0-2 SEC) #4 LSU (4-0, 1-0 SEC): Coach O on the future of offense in the SEC: “I don’t know if we will go back to the wishbone, those days are over … the spread, the tempo, it’s the defense that has to catch up. We have to make adjustments.” Saturday: Open Mississippi State (3-1, 1-0 SEC): Quarterback Tommy Stevens could be back in the lineup Saturday at Auburn. HBC Joe Moorhead said, “He threw in practice yesterday like he had been throwing in camp. I don’t want to say he’s completely healed, but this is as good as he’s looked since the injury.” Saturday: at #7 Auburn (4-0, 1-0 SEC) Missouri (3-1, 1-0 SEC): Left tackle Yasir Durant is still trying to come back from a neck injury suffered a couple of weeks ago against Southeast Missouri State. He didn't play against South Carolina last week but has been practicing in the last couple of days. Saturday: Open Ole Miss (2-2, 1-0 SEC): HBC Matt Luke is hoping quarterback Matt Corrall will be healthy by the time the Rebels make the trip to Alabama Saturday. Luke said, “We are trying to get him back, he was very limited yesterday. We are trying to get him ready, John Rhys (Plumlee) is very different, so we would like to have both ready to play and make them prepare for them both.” Saturday: at #2 Alabama (4-0, 1-0 SEC) South Carolina (1-3, 0-2 SEC): Asked if he has any doubts about HBC Will Muschamp and staff, athletic director Ray Tanner said, “I believe in them now as much as when they came here.” Saturday: vs. Kentucky (2-2, 0-2 SEC) Tennessee (1-3, 0-1 SEC): Three more players have left the team – wide receiver Jacquez Jones and linebackers Will Ignont and Shannon Reid. Five players have left the team since the start of the season. Saturday: Open #23 Texas A&M (2-2, 0-1 SEC): It is being reported that redshirt freshman quarterback James Foster entered his name in the NCAA transfer portal only to withdraw it approximately one hour later. Saturday: vs. Arkansas (2-2, 0-1 SEC) at Arlington, TX Vanderbilt (0-3, 0-2 SEC): During the first half of their loss to LSU last week, LSU fans had apparently drunk Vanderbilt Stadium dry. When beer trucks arrived at halftime, the delivery men were given a standing ovation. Said Vandy coach Derek Mason, “This is Nashville. No stadium should run out of beer.” Saturday: vs. Northern Illinois (1-2) GOOD QUOTES FOR THURSDAY From Jim Bowden of The Athletic, New York Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen talks about the impact of rookie first baseman and former Gator Pete “Polar Bear” Alonso: “Pete challenges himself and his teammates to get better each day. He is not content with what he has done; rather, his focus is on what he can do next. With all of his accomplishments and personal pursuits, it is clear the helping his team win remains his priority. These are all qualities of a leader, regardless of age or service time.” From Dan Patrick, Florida Atlantic coach Lane Kiffin (formerly Alabama offensive coordinator) speaks about what Tua Tagovailoa would have done if he hadn't been inserted into the 2017 national championship game with Georgia in the second half: “If this second half doesn’t flip like this, and Alabama is moving the ball and doesn’t change (quarterbacks), people that really know what’s going on would tell you that Tua was leaving. Because Tua thought that he should be the starting quarterback and had outperformed him in practice and coach never gave him an opportunity.” From Adam Rittenberg of ESPN on if Michigan is disgruntled enough with Jim Harbaugh to fire him: “Harbaugh isn't getting fired. While the dismissal door is never completely closed for coaches, Michigan doesn't seem eager to boot a decorated alum who still boasts a 40-15 record, not to mention an eight-figure guarantee if fired this season. A more likely outcome is Harbaugh leaving on his own, as he annually receives NFL overtures. But the prospect of departing his alma mater without a Big Ten title or a win against Ohio State would permanently blotch his Michigan legacy.” From Bob McGinn of The Athletic on the six quarterbacks that were taken ahead of the New England Patriots' Tom Brady in the 2000 NFL Draft: “The six quarterbacks taken ahead of Brady – Chad Pennington, Giovanni Carmazzi, Chris Redman, Tee Martin, Marc Bulger and Spergon Wynn – are all out of the league. Besides Brady, nine quarterbacks from 2000 (six draft choices, three free agents) started at least one game. They totaled 233 starts, 36 fewer than Brady.” From Shalise Manza Young of Yahoo Sports on Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield responding to criticism by Rex Ryan, who got fired from his last NFL job back in 2016: “In the wise words of [Browns head coach] Freddie Kitchens, if you don’t wear orange and brown, you don’t matter, and Rex Ryan doesn’t have any colors right now for a reason.” RANDOM THOUGHTS: It is being reported that Pro Bowl running back Melvin Gordon will end his holdout and report to the Los Angeles Chargers … Zac Clark, a 16-year-old high school football player in Ohio saved the life of one of his neighbors when he lifted a Volkswagen off the man's chest …Urban Meyer says that if he were to return to coaching football there's no way it would be at Michigan. Meyer says he has no plan whatsoever to return to coaching because he likes what he's doing as a Fox Sports college football analyst and as an assistant athletic director at Ohio State ... Former Gator Pete Alonso padded his Major League leading home run total Wednesday night with a three-run blast in the bottom of the second against the Miami Marlins that traveled a mere 437 feet. Alonso his 51 homers and 118 RBI this season. He's got one more game to hit another homer to tie Aaron Judge for the all-time rookie record for home runs in a season.

Andrew Nembhard and Noah Locke are haunted still. Only sophomores, they’ve taken on the memory of a seasoned veteran, bearing scars that beget lessons. On a team of 14 with only four upperclassmen, these two returning starters have willingly said to their teammates, look at me, I’ll guide you through this season. They’ve done so motivated by a desire to rid the demons they perceive hindered their freshmen campaign. For Nembhard, the All-SEC freshman guard who spent the summer playing with his home country Team Canada, it’s all 16 of the losses compared to the 20 wins that have stuck with him, ending in the second round of the NCAA Tournament with a 49-64 loss to Michigan. Related: Andrew Nembhard says playing for Canada sets him up for NCAA season "Just I think, we lost a bunch of games last year that I feel like we shouldn’t have lost and the season didn’t go as I would like it to go and I think I could’ve stepped up in a bigger role last year and I think I want to change that this year. And since we have such a great team, I think it’s a great opportunity for me to kind of develop in that area.” “It took him time to develop as a leader,” says head coach Mike White. “He [was] a true freshman starting point guard in the SEC, so he led a lot more as a freshman than most freshmen do, and I think he's got that in him. We've challenged him since he's been here, but he's a really, really smart kid, and he gets it. He knows the game, and I think that he sees an opportunity there for himself and for his teammates to gain from that, from his leadership.” Right after the season ended, Nembhard decided to take the next step and went to the coaches directly to let them know his plan. H'e's got leadership capability and qualities. He's gifted in that regard,” continues White. "He became a lot more demonstrative late season. He became more vocal, became a little bit harder on his teammates late season, and really was a big reason, along with Kevarrius Hayes that we got into that tournament and won a game. And he wants to take it to the next level, and that's not—I didn't have to beg that out of him. He approached myself and our staff with that right when the season was over with.” Noah Locke, the Maryland native guard, has found fuel in the 55-61 March 2 loss at home to Georgia. “We weren’t supposed to lose that game,” he clearly states. "I mean that game, we were just supposed to win. We beat them back at their place. And I just felt like we weren’t locked in…We couldn’t find ourselves. It was a terrible loss for us and I mean that hit me, I was like, I felt like I didn’t do enough to help and me being hurt too, it was just definitely a lot going on in my head. I’ll learn from it, for sure.” Now Locke and Nembhard know what it’ll take to avoid those losses an White will be looking to them for guidance on this team that boasts six freshmen. “We'll use those guys a lot,” admits White. “I don't know what our leadership is going to be, but I think we have more potential leaders on this team than any team that I've coached. I think we have four, five, six, maybe seven guys that have a chance to lead in some capacity, Noah being one of those guys. We were talking [Tuesday], and he said, ‘Coach, some of these freshmen don't know what they're getting into, do they?’ I said, ‘Friday is going to be rough for them.’ Friday is our first big one. I said, ‘it's going to be shocking for some of these guys Noah,’ and he said, ‘I know, it's been funny in the locker room, a few of them have been talking about the fact that this isn't as bad as you guys said it was going to be,’ and Noah and I's stance, of course, is that these guys have been going through our half practices, most of it not even contact.” Locke, for his part, isn’t holding any punches on what the team needs to do to improve, even a month and a half away from their first tip-off; November 5 against North Florida. “I think it’s a lot that we gotta, it’s a lot that we gotta learn, it’s a lot that we gotta do to become a better team. It’s a lot of things that Coach White is trying to help us with. It’s a lot of things, we just gotta listen more. Some guys on the team right now aren’t really locking in and listening good enough. But once we all get that together, we’ll be fine.” All getting together will come, thanks in large part to two veteran sophomores who refuse to accept anything less. They’ve got some demons to exorcise and some different memories to make. It’ll be the entire preseason No. 4 Florida Gators team who benefits.

TWO MORE O-LINEMEN NEEDED The goal all along has been to find eight offensive linemen who can be trusted to get the Gators through the 2019 season. A third of the way through the season, Dan Mullen and his offensive line coach John Hevesy are still searching for two more guys to go with a starting five of tackles Stone Forsythe and Jean Delance, guards Brett Heggie and Chris Bleich, center Nick Buchanan and redshirt freshman Richard Gouraige, who Mullen says could actually play both tackles and both guards. “I don't get into starting, I get into the total number of reps,” Mullen said at his Monday press conference. “Starting is the first play and that's just one play of the game. Right now there are six we feel really good about and we're still working on getting the younger guys developed and ready to go. Obviously you want that for depth purposes to get through the rest of the year.” Saturday's game with Division IAA Towson will be the last non-conference opportunity for Mullen and Hevesy to evaluate some of the younger offensive linemen before the Southeastern Conference portion of the schedule begins in earnest next week with 7th-ranked Auburn the first of six straight SEC opponents. Although the Tigers aren't as big and strong as your typical SEC opponent, it's still different than going head-to-head in practice against the scout team. “It’s just going at a different speed during the course of the games,” Mullen said. “You look at where we’re at and you try to simulate as best you can at practice, it’s just not gonna be the same simulation with the speed, the quickness, the size and the physicality within the run game in practice right now with our O-line going against the scout D-line.” Defense has helped the running game: The fourth quarters of the wins over Kentucky and Tennessee have seen the Gators pick up a good bit of slack in the running game after tough going in the first three quarters. Mullen believes the Florida running game has gotten a boost from the defensive effort in both games. “All of a sudden, the 2-, 3- and 4-yard gains became 7-, 8- 9-yard gains, and then the running game starts to click,” Mullen said. “I think it was the patience and the fact that we had the lead and we were playing great defense allowed us to be patient with that and stick with it, and it finally started to kind of wear them down in the fourth quarter." Heggie SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week: Left guard Brett Heggie, who graded out 95% in the Gators' 34-3 win over Tennessee, was selected SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week. Others honored by the SEC were: LSU QB Joe Burrown (Offensive Player of the Week); Missouri DB Cale Garrett (Defensive Player of the Week); Georgia kicker Rodrigo Blankenship (Special Teams Player of the Week); Auburn DT Derrick Brown (Defensive Lineman of the Week); and Mississippi State QB Garrett Shrader (Freshman of the Week). SEC FOOTBALL STUFF #2 Alabama (4-0, 1-0 SEC): Nose tackle D.J. Dale (strained patellar tendon) and linebacker Terrell Lewis (hyper-extended knee) didn't practice Monday but both are expected to play Saturday against Ole Miss … OG Deonte Brown's NCAA suspension has been lifted but Nick Saban says he will have to earn his starting job back. Saturday: vs. Ole Miss (2-2, 1-0 SEC) Arkansas (2-2, 0-1 SEC): HBC Chad Morris said the loss to Mountain West bottom feeder San Jose State is “unacceptable and it's embarrassing.” Saturday: vs. #22 Texas A&M (2-2, 0-1 SEC) at Arlington, TX #7 Auburn (4-0, 1-0 SEC): ESPN college football analyst Marcus Spears says the 2019 version of Auburn HBC Gus Malzahn is someone the rest of the SEC needs to be very afraid of. Spears says, “That is the swagger he had when they were ripping off wins against Georgia and Alabama two years ago. He feels like he has the team he needs to shock people.” Saturday: vs. Mississippi State (3-1, 1-0 SEC) #3 Georgia (4-0, 1-0 SEC): Georgia ranks #19 nationally in total offense at 508.8 yards per game and #11 in total defense at 262.5 yards per game. Saturday: Open Kentucky (2-2, 0-2 SEC): Quarterback Sawyer Smith suffered a shoulder injury in the loss to Mississippi State. His status for Saturday is up in the air. Walker Wood could get the start although it's possible wide receiver Lynn Bowden Jr., a high school quarterback, could take some or all of the snaps against South Carolina. Saturday: at South Carolina (1-3, 0-1 SEC) LSU (4-0, 1-0 SEC): Quarterback Joe Burrow is hitting an astonishing 80.6% of his passes (100-124) and averaging 12.3 yards per attempt. His quarterback efficiency rating is 225.6 … Wide receiver Terrence Marshall (20-304 with six touchdowns) had surgery to repair a stress fracture Monday. He could miss six or more weeks. Saturday: Open Mississippi State (3-1, 1-0 SEC): With Tommy Stevens' status still up in the air, it's likely true freshman Garrett Shrader will get a second straight start Saturday when the Bulldogs travel to Auburn. Shrader has passed for 302 yards and run for 223 so far this season. Saturday: at #7 Auburn (4-0, 1-0 SEC) Missouri (3-1, 1-0 SEC): Defensive back Chris Mills had surgery to repair a torn ACL so he's out for the season … The Tigers rank sixth nationally in total defense at 231.3 yards per game. Saturday: Open Ole Miss (2-2, 1-0 SEC): Quarterback Matt Corrall, who suffered bruised ribs in the loss to California, is listed day-to-day by HBC Matt Luke. Saturday: at #2 Alabama (4-0, 1-0 SEC) South Carolina (1-3, 0-1 SEC): South Carolina safety Jamyest Williams, who started the first three games and played a backup role in the loss to Missouri, is leaving the team to save a year of eligibility so he can enter the NCAA transfer portal. Saturday: vs. Kentucky (2-2, 0-2 SEC) Tennessee (1-3, 0-1 SEC): Addressing the precarious job status of HBC Jeremy Pruitt, Paul Finebaum of the SEC Network said, “I think what you have to evaluate at some point this year, is whether or not it looks like Jeremy Pruitt has a clue. Right now, I think most people don’t think he does. If he can weather the storm and push the rock up the hill so to speak, then you have to stay with him.” Saturday: Open Texas A&M (2-2, 0-1 SEC): When the Aggies face Arkansas at Jerry's World Saturday, they will be going against last year's backup QB Nick Starkel, who is a grad transfer. Saturday: vs. Arkansas (2-2, 0-1 SEC) at Arlington, TX Vanderbilt (0-3, 0-2 SEC): In rushing for 130 yards and two touchdowns against LSU, Ke'Shawn Vaughn ripped off runs of 52 and 41 yards. Saturday: vs. Northern Illinois (1-2) GOOD QUOTES FOR TUESDAY From Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh on his Monday night radio show on WQAN 99.3: “Game's not over until it's over just like you're not dead until you're dead.” From Mark Bradley of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on the Georgia Bulldogs four games into the 2019 season: “With a month gone, Georgia is as we figured. It’s the third-best team in the land, still behind Clemson and Alabama, a hair ahead of LSU. There’s every reason to believe the Bulldogs can make the playoff, be it as the SEC champ or a one-loss conference runner-up. They can learn from what didn’t work against Notre Dame, but this lesson wasn’t the painful sort that comes with an “L” attached. They’re 4-0. They’re in good shape.” From Matt Hayes, writing for Saturday Down South, regarding Jimbo Fisher at Texas A&M and his guaranteed $75 million contract: “When you’re spending that kind of capital, you want return on your investment. So far, the Jimbo Fisher experiment at Texas A&M has been like one of those fancy, big-name mutual funds that looks good – until you delve into its history and uncover the inconsistencies.” KANSAS HOOPS GETS HIT WITH NCAA NOTICE OF ALLEGATIONS Yahoo Sports is reporting that Kansas basketball and football have both received a notice of allegations from the NCAA. The football violations both occurred under the former head coach and involved assistant coaches no longer with the program. The basketball violations are serious and an offshoot of the college basketball corruption trials. Reportedly, Kansas has been hit with a lack of institutional control, three Level I violations and a charge of head coach responsibility against Bill Self. Per NCAA bylaw 11.1.11, “An institution's head coach is presumed to be responsible for the actions of all institutional staff members who report, directly or indirectly, to the head coach.” Kansas is the second of at least six schools that the NCAA said would get hit with a notice of allegations. Among the other schools that could get bad news from the Men in Blue Suits are Arizona, Auburn, LSU, South Carolina, Louisville and Southern Cal. HOUSTON, WE HAVE A PROBLEM Apparently Dana Holgorsen isn't exactly winning friends and influencing people, at least on his University of Houston football team. Quarterback D'Eriq King and wide receiver Keith Corbin have announced they'll take a redshirt the rest of the season. King's dad said his son plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal although some sources are saying he doesn't plan to transfer, just take the rest of the 2019 season off. Now, if you are Holgorsen, would you let a guy who quits on the team after four games come back the next season? Holgorsen is noted for his weirdness so maybe he would say it's all fine and dandy, but most coaches who think with a measure of logic would say see ya! Holgorsen's son Logan is the only QB on the Houston roster who has thrown a pass in a game (1-1 for five yards). King, who threw for 36 touchdowns and ran for 14 last season before he was injured and missed the last two games, passed for 663 yards and six touchdowns while running for 312 and six more in the Cougars 1-3 start. Corbin, who caught 40 passes for 691 yards and 10 touchdowns last year, caught 11 passes for 192 yards and two touchdowns in the first four games. If you are one who wagers on such things, put your money transferring with Florida State University as a highly possible destination if Kendal Briles elects to remain on Willie Taggart's staff beyond the end of this season. Briles was the offensive coordinator last year at Houston when Major Applewhite was the head coach. RANDOM THOUGHTS: Former Ole Miss quarterback Jevan Snead has passed away. Snead, who played high school football in Stephenville, Texas for Chad Morris, currently the head coach at Arkansas, was committed to the Gators until Tim Tebow committed to the Gators in December of 2006. At that point, Snead pulled his Florida commitment and went to Texas. After a year at Texas he transferred to Ole Miss, where, in two seasons he threw for 5,394 yards and 46 touchdowns … We've had our first head coach firing in college football although it wasn't from Division I. Tim Chavous of Division II Saint Augustine was canned Monday after an 0-3 start … Now that he is through with the NFL, Antonio Brown has re-enrolled in school at Central Michigan, taking four classes, all of them offered online.

The No. 9 Florida Gators (4-0, 2-0) have every reason to be distracted this week. There’s a playoff implication game next Saturday with Auburn. And a date with FCS Towson on Saturday means that the HBO cameras in head coach Dan Mullen’s Monday afternoon press conference got a lot of attention. “I’m a huge ‘Game of Thrones’ guy. I was huge ‘Game of Thrones,’ ‘Veep.’ I loved ‘Veep,’ ‘Game of Thrones.’ We’ve got to ask them what they’ve got new coming out. You know, old-school, ‘The Sopranos,’ ‘Boardwalk Empire.’ I can keep going. I’ve watched most of the shows on HBO. So, we need to ask them really, what’s replacing Game of Thrones for us now?” As Mullen joked and showed his extensive knowledge of the HBO catalogue, the multiple cameras in the room caught every reaction. The network is airing a new docuseries focusing on four college teams during a game week. The Gators are the first up, airing Wednesday, October 1. The cameras caught Mullen recapping quarterback Kyle Trask’s first start, going 20-28 for 293 yards and two touchdowns (along with two interceptions) in the 34-3 win over Tennessee. They caught his explanation of about BUCK Jon Greenard making such a quick impact on the locker room and on the field with his six tackles, 3.5 sacks, three pass breakups and a forced fumble. They picked up his bragging on tight end Kyle Pitts who has become a threat like with his four receptions for 62 yards and touchdown on Saturday along with his improved blocking skills. The cameras made sure to catch Mullen sharing his fashion tips—or lack thereof. “I’m not a skinny jean, skinny-type clothing, European-cut type of guy. That’s not my deal. I have the physique, I think, probably, for it, but that’s just not my style. I’m no [former Gator quarterback] Jesse Palmer. I’ll get a text later this afternoon [for that].” But only twice did the cameras and media venture into the Gators upcoming opponent, the Towson Tigers. A lot of that is due to the languid nature of the week sandwiched between the Tennessee game and a (potential) Top 10 showdown next week with No. 7 Auburn that has already been tapped as the CBS 3:30et game of the week. When asked to break down Florida’s next opponent, Mullen began with the basics, filling in a room of reporters who are currently learning everything about the FCS team along with him. "Well, they're a school in Maryland. Baltimore area.” A pause there made this statement unwittingly ironic. Most of the Gators coaching staff and fans can break down every aspect of the Georgia football program. This week, simply learning the school’s location is of first priority. Mullen, in true coach speak, did however give the Tigers ample credit. “They're a very good football team when you look at them. Obviously playing in one of the best conferences in their division, the Colonial Athletic Association. I mean got a lot of great football teams and a lot of depth. Really similar, probably, to the SEC, with the depth their conference has, of great football teams. “When you look at them, very, very sound football team. Solid football team, back to front…they can put up numbers now. They are an explosive offense. They do a good job. They mix up personnel. They give you different looks. They have yet to play a game this year when they didn't put up big numbers. It is a group that understands their system, understands their offense and executes it very well. They distribute the ball around. They are a very good football team.” The Tigers are 3-1 and have outscored their opponents 160-99 thus far, with 52 of that 99 coming in an overtime loss to Villanova. In FCS rankings, Towson is currently ranked No. 10. This means technically, if want to embellish a bit and ignore only the FBS Top 25 holding weight, the Gators will face a Top 10 team in four of their next five games. No. 10 Towson, No. 7 Auburn, No. 3 LSU, South Carolina then No. 3 Georgia. The Gators are bigger, faster and stronger than Towson. They should handle this Saturday easily. But it’s a trap game. It’s the definition of a trap game. It’s Admiral Ackbar screaming from the deck that’s it’s a trap, type of game. But the force may just be with the Gators thanks to a mindset that refuses to overlook Towson, simply because of what it can mean for Auburn and beyond. As linebacker Jon Greenard said following the Tennessee win, “I'm excited about where we are right now. It's still somewhat early, midway through the season. It's not our best performance. We've got a lot of things to work on still. That's not our best performance. It was a greater performance than what we did and we had some pretty good numbers, but I just know what we're capable of and what we can do." Mullen is using those leaders and a pointed message to remind the Florida Gators there is a lot to play for and don’t get caught in the trap. “We talked to the team this week. Obviously, there will be a lot more hype on next weeks’ game [against Auburn], national hype, it will be the CBS game of the week. But for us to even have an opportunity to win that game, we have got to improve this week. It’s one of those things, you look at the steps we took, I thought we took some really good steps. I thought we played a lot better against Tennessee than we had in the previous weeks. That had a lot to do with because we practiced better. Our scout teams executed a little bit cleaner, the defense finished plays at practice a little bit better. Thought we did an amazing job of our Friday night and early Saturday morning, it was a quick turnaround and preparation going into the game, of guys really honing into their routine and getting ready to go perform on a Saturday. “If we don't continue to take a step forward with that this week, it'll show. And it'll show not just this week, it'll show the next week and the week after that and the week after that as you continue to move forward. So I think that's the message for the guys, is you can't, I mean we have great goals for this season, for the team. And they all include continually improving from one week to the next. And that's got to be the focus. On focusing on what's important. Right? What's important is, 'Am I getting better as a player?' And I don't want to downplay this week's game or next week's game, because if you ask me that question next week saying, 'You're a week off from another Top 10 matchup, this one on the road [against LSU], is it harder to stay focused?' No, it's on our exact attention to detail and our development and our improvement from one day to the next of getting better. And that's what we can control and that's what we need to worry about. If we're worried about other things, we're worried about the wrong thing and we're not going to be able to accomplish the goals we have as a team.”

OKAY, IT WAS TENNESSEE; HOWEVER … Here we were thinking that last year's Arkansas team – loser of a school record 10 games and winless in the SEC – was maybe the worst team we've seen in the Southeastern Conference since even before the turn of the century. Well, Arkansas wasn't THAT bad and if you don't believe it, then watch the 2019 Tennessee Vols. Because the Vols are so bad, there might be a tendency to discount the Gators 34-3 win over UT at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium Saturday afternoon. While true that the Gators didn't score a win over what anyone would describe a quality opponent, it was a win against an SEC team with a quarterback starting his first game since his ninth grade year in Manvel Texas some six-plus years ago. That is what matters most. Kyle Trask started a game, got a win and with the win gained the confidence he's going to need moving forward. It wouldn't have mattered who the Gators played Saturday as long as they (a) won the game and (b) Trask showed all those years on the bench haven't caused his skills to erode. Not only did the Gators win the game, but the defense held the Vols without a touchdown and Trask made enough quality throws that you have to think he's got a pretty high ceiling. One other thing of note: the Gators made it through a game without having someone carted off to the training room to deal with an injury that might keep him out for awhile. Perhaps one of the more encouraging signs we saw from Trask was his understanding that he's got a whole slew of outstanding receivers. He didn't lock on to one single receiver but, for the most part, scanned the field and got the ball to whoever was running free. Sure, he made some mistakes such as those two interceptions, but we saw far more good things than bad things. We saw enough to know that this Saturday's game with D1AA Towson will give Trask one more game to get comfortable as the starter before the Gators begin a stretch of six straight SEC games beginning with 7th-ranked Auburn. The Gators still have questions that must be answered, but based on what we have seen in a fourth quarter comeback against Kentucky and a first start against Tennessee, quarterback might not be one of the concerns moving forward. GATORS REMAIN #9 IN AP POLL; #8 IN COACHES While the Gators stayed put in the top ten in both the Associated Press and Coaches polls, Wisconsin was the big mover and shaker after its blowout win over Michigan. The Wolverines are #8 in the AP poll and #9 in the Coaches. Michigan dropped all the way back to #20 in both polls. The top three in both polls remains the same – (1) Clemson; (2) Alabama and (3) Georgia. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS TOP 25 POLL Clemson 4-0; (2) Alabama 4-0; (3) Georgia 4-0; (4) LSU 4-0; (5) Ohio State 4-0; (6) Oklahoma 3-0; (7) Auburn 4-0; (8) Wisconsin 3-0; (9) FLORIDA 4-0; (10) Notre Dame 2-1; (11) Texas 3-1; (12) Penn State 3-0; (13) Oregon 3-1; (14) Iowa 3-0; (15) California 4-0; (16) Boise State 4-0; (17) Washington 3-1; (18) Virginia; (19) Utah 3-1; (20) Michigan 2-1; (21) Southern Cal 3-1; (22) UCF 3-1; (23) Texas A&M 2-2; (24) Kansas State 3-0; (25) Michigan State 3-1 THE COACHES TOP 25 POLL Clemson 4-0; (2) Alabama 4-0; (3) Georgia 4-0; (4) Oklahoma 3-0; (5) LSU 4-0; (6) Ohio State 4-0; (7) Auburn 4-0; (8) FLORIDA 4-0; (9) Wisconsin 3-0; (10) Notre Dame 2-1; (11) Penn State 3-0; (12) Texas 3-1; (13) Oregon 3-1; (14) Iowa 3-0; (15) Boise State 4-0; (16) California 4-0; (17) Washington 3-1; (18) Virginia 4-0; (19) Utah 3-1; (20) Michigan 2-1; (21) Texas A&M 2-2; (23) UCF 3-1; (24) Wake Forest 4-0; (25) Southern Cal 3-1 RANKING THE SEC TOP TO BOTTOM (1) Alabama (4-0, 1-0 SEC): We've known all along the offense was really good with Tua throwing (17 TDPs so far) and all those receivers but now the defense is starting to come around. Alabama held Southern Miss to a single touchdown and just 226 yards. Next week: vs. Ole Miss (2-2, 1-0 SEC) (2) LSU (4-0, 1-0 SEC): Joe Burrow threw for 16 touchdowns in 13 games last year. He's got 17 through four games this year. He has an uncoverable receiver in JaMarr Chase who caught 10 Burrow passes for 224 yards and four of Burrow's six touchdown passes in LSU's 66-38 win over Vanderbilt. Next week: Open (3) Georgia (4-0, 1-0 SEC): The Bulldogs were bailed out by their defense and a crowd that kept causing Notre Dame to false start in critical situations. The Bulldogs don't have another tough game until the first weekend in November when they face Florida in Jacksonville. Next week: Open (4) Auburn (4-0, 1-0 SEC): Auburn held off a furious fourth quarter rally in which Texas A&M outscored the Tigers, 17-0, to stay unbeaten overall and win its SEC opener. The Tigers were outgained 391-299. Next week: vs. Mississippi State (3-1, 1-0 SEC) (5) FLORIDA (4-0, 2-0 SEC): The timing couldn't be more perfect for the Gators to play a D1AA team. Dan Mullen will be able to split up the QB reps among Kyle Trask and Emory Jones plus get the young kids experience they'll need for the two-game stretch coming up with Auburn and LSU back-to-back. Next week: vs. Towson (3-1) (6) Texas A&M (2-2, 0-1 SEC): Jimbo Fisher has to be seriously concerned with a running game that has produced a combined 109 yards against the only two decent teams the Aggies have faced, Clemson and Auburn. Next week: vs. Arkansas (2-2, 0-1 SEC) at Arlington, TX (7) Missouri (3-1, 1-0 SEC): Since biting the bullet to Wyoming in game one, Missouri has allowed only 21 points and 536 yards in the last three games combined. Next week: Open (8) Mississippi State (3-1, 1-0 SEC): True freshman QB Garrett Shrader was brilliant in the Bulldogs' 28-13 win over Kentucky, hitting 17-22 passes for 180 yards and running for 125. When Tommy Stevens gets healthy again he might not have a job. Next week: at Auburn (4-0, 1-0 SEC) (9) Kentucky (2-2, 0-2 SEC): The luster has worn off Sawyer Smith. After his poor fourth quarter against Florida, he followed that up by going 15-41 passing against Mississippi State. Next week: at South Carolina (1-3, 0-2 SEC) (10) Ole Miss (2-2, 1-0 SEC): Ole Miss is – and should be – livid over the horrendous job by the Pac-12 officiating crew and replay booth at the end of California's 28-20 win over the Rebels. Television replay seemed to indicate an Ole Miss touchdown but the ball was spotted at the one in the last few seconds and the replay booth didn't see fit to Next week: at Alabama (4-0, 1-0 SEC) (11) South Carolina (1-3, 0-2 SEC): The Gamecocks have a good shot at scoring their second win this week against Kentucky. That's a good thing because the next two games are (at) Georgia and Florida. Next week: vs. Kentucky (2-2, 0-2 SEC) (12) Vanderbilt (0-3, 0-2 SEC): Ke'Shawn Vaughn had runs of 52 and 41 yards against LSU, finishing the game with a season-high 130. Vanderbilt scored 38 points against LSU and still lost by four touchdowns. At least the Commodores have three consecutive games that they might be able to win. Next week: vs. Northern Illinois (1-2) (13) Tennessee (1-3, 0-1 SEC): The loss to Florida was a new low in a season filled with lows. At least in the losses to Georgia State and BYU the Vols got worn out in the fourth quarter. Florida wore the Vols out from the moment the game began. There is a really good chance Tennessee doesn't win an SEC game. Next week: Open (14) Arkansas (2-2, 0-1 SEC): As bad as Tennessee is, Arkansas is worse. When you lose to San Jose State at home, you are really, really bad. This loss seriously increases the odds that Chad Morris won't be gainfully employed in Fayette Nam next season. Next week: vs. Texas A&M (2-2, 0-1 SEC) at Arlington, TX ELSEWHERE IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL It has been a disastrous first third of the season for the American Athletic Conference, which tries to bill itself as a “Power Six” conference. Cincinnati got destroyed by Ohio State, 42-0. Houston lost big to Oklahoma and couldn't move the ball against that porous Washington State defense. And now UCF lost to Pitt. No Power Six this year and certainly no whining that the AAC belongs in the playoff picture. How can your quarterback (Anthony Gordon) throw for 570 yards and nine touchdowns and you still lose? Not only lose, but to UCLA? Washington State's Mike Leach will get hammered by those questions all week. Obviously a year of getting misused at Georgia hasn't hurt Justin Fields, who has thrown 13 touchdown passes and run for six more while leading Ohio State to a 4-0 start. This is kind of scary. Wisconsin's Jonathan Taylor ran for 203 yards and two touchdowns against Michigan even though he missed more than half the game with leg cramps. He had 143 yards in the first quarter alone. How the mighty have fallen. Florida State's official attendance for Saturday's win over Louisville was 46,350. There might have been 1,200 Tennessee fans at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium Saturday. GOOD QUOTES FOR MONDAY From Laken Litman of Sports Illustrated on Michigan after the Wolverines got totally dominated in every phase of the game by Wisconsin: “Michigan has now lost its last 14 games as an underdog and has only beat one ranked team on the road in the Harbaugh era (Michigan State in 2018). This year was a chance to change the narrative and win some big games. Contend for an Urban Meyer-less Big Ten title and make the College Football Playoff. Instead, just three games into the season, the outlook appears bleak.” From Paul Finebaum of the SEC Network, who went to Twitter to talk about Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh after the Wolverines were flattened by Wisconsin: “Congratulations to Jim Harbaugh and Michigan. Things are looking up. The 21-point loss today to Wisconsin was a slight improvement over the 23-point loss to Ohio State in the last Big Ten outing. Might be time to extend Harbaugh’s contract.” Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports in the ineptitude of Tennessee athletic director Phillip Fulmer, who he thinks will fire Jeremy Pruitt so he can hire himself as the HBC: “Managing a hundred-million dollar budget takes savvy and experience, and Fulmer’s presence is a giddy delight to the rest of the SEC athletic directors. With Fulmer around, they know it’s highly unlikely that Tennessee will remove itself from the underachieving, sputtering punchline that it’s turned into. A non-threatening Tennessee is good news for the Floridas, Georgias and Alabamas, who all have one less game to worry about each season.” From Illinois coach Lovie Smith after the Illini gave up 671 yards in a 42-38 loss to Nebraska, just a week after he fired his defensive coordinator after a loss to Eastern Michigan: “We are a better football team. Tonight it didn't turn out that way. There was a lot of factors that led to that, maybe just facing a really good offensive team, but we are definitely a better defensive team.” RANDOM THOUGHTS: Former Gator Jordan Reed might end his NFL career prematurely after the latest in a series of concussions he has suffered. Reed has never played a full season because of concussions and other injuries ... In the first game in years without Eli Manning as the starting quarterback, the New York Giants squeaked out a 32-31 win over the Tampa Bay Bucs … Antonio Brown says he's done with the NFL and promises to never play in the league again. Translation: “Since I can't play for anyone I won't play in the NFL but if I'm cleared of these rape charges and some fool of an owner will pay me, I'll play. I ain't easy but I can be had.”

THE SUNDAY EVENING QUARTERBACK: SEPTEMBER 22, 2019 The obvious story of the day Saturday was Kyle Trask, who made a rather smooth transition from backup to starter. If he was nervous, he certainly didn't show it the way he led the Gators down the field for a touchdown on the opening drive. It wasn't anywhere close to a perfect performance, but it was good enough to offer the promise that things will get better as he grows more comfortable in game situations. He finished 20-28 passing for 293 yards. Dan Mullen joked post game that Trask really only threw six incompletions since he completed two to the Tennessee Vols but even those interceptions weren't terrible throws. Were there open receivers elsewhere on both of them? The answer to that is yes, but on both interceptions if it's a perfect throw, it's a completion and one of them is for a touchdown. In assessing the two interceptions, Mullen called them both “coachable moments” and offered up the fact that neither of the picks hit an opposing DB in the chest, the sure sign of a bad throw and an even worse decision. At best, Trask is an adequate runner so it's unlikely he's going to be able to take off and pick up 20 yards when the field opens up in front of him. On Florida's first drive, he made a nice eight-yard run on an RPO that showed he's enough of a threat to keep defenses honest. It's entirely possible that Feleipe Franks would have gotten deep into the secondary on the same play but consider it a tradeoff. What Trask may lack in running skills, he will make up by spreading the football around and getting big plays in the passing game without a high risk factor. Unlike Franks, who tends to let his emotions sometimes carry the moment, Trask is more of an even keel. He won't get too high when he makes the good play nor too angry with himself when something doesn't go his way. He has a short term memory which enables him to move on to the next play almost immediately. Franks has such a big arm that he sometimes will try to fit a football into a very small window. When it works, it can be spectacular but if it doesn't it can be borderline disastrous. Other than the two interceptions Trask threw, there was only one other pass well defended by the Vols. That's because rather than try to make the big throw, he was quite content to find who was open and get the ball to him. Maybe the best compliment paid to Trask was that you would have never guessed by his play Saturday that the last time he started a game at quarterback was when he was in the ninth grade. He wasn't perfect but didn't have to be. What he needed most was experience and he got that, put up very good stats and did it all against an SEC team. Yes, it was Tennessee, but still it's an SEC team and that does count for something. SOME GOOD THINGS Ten different receivers caught at least one pass and seven caught two or more. The Gators averaged 9.2 yards per pass attempt and 13 yards per completion. Defensively, the Gators held Tennessee to 239 total yards. The Vols averaged just 5.3 yards per pass attempt and only 3.3 per rush. The Gators snuffed out a Tennessee drive inside the UF five when Jonathan Greenard batted down the first of the three passes he deflected. On the next play Trey Dean made a nice diving interception of a ball that was thrown too high and too hard for Tennessee's Jauan Jennings to catch. In addition to the three passes he batted down at the line of scrimmage, Greenard also forced a fumble in the fourth quarter that Amari Burney recovered. Burney also got an interception off a pass that Marco Wilson deflected in the third quarter. The drive at the end of the first half that resulted in a Lamical Perine touchdown on the very last play was outstanding. The Gators used all 4:56 of the clock, overcame a holding penalty, moved the football 61 yards on nine plays and wound up with a touchdown. When Tennessee drove for a field goal on its opening drive of the third quarter, the Gators did a great job answering with a touchdown to make the score 24-3. The 29-yard touchdown pass from Trask to Freddie Swain on a post pattern was as pretty a pass as you'll see. Kyle Pitts is going to be the weapon in the middle of the field the Gators haven't had in a long time. He's as fast as a lot of wide receivers and at 6-6, 240 too big and physical for the safeties. Saturday he caught four passes for 62 yards and spent the day running wide open in the middle. For the second straight game, the O-line had a better than average game in pass protection (only two sacks allowed) and did a good job run blocking in the fourth quarter. The Gators were flagged for only five penalties for -44 yards. There were no personal fouls or pass interference calls and only one false start. Marco Wilson had his best game with a tackle for loss, an interception and the deflection that Amari Burney turned into an interception. SOME NOT SO GOOD THINGS The Gators let too many scoring opportunities slip away. Realistically, the Gators should have scored somewhere between 49-60 points. There was the sack and fumble by Trask at the Tennessee 30 on Florida's second drive. That drive should have gotten at least three points. The right side of the O-line totally collapsed on that one. Maybe Trask should have unloaded the ball but his O-line didn't give him any help. There was the fourth and three at the Tennessee 30 on the next drive that the Gators didn't convert because the right side of the O-line didn't move anyone. I don't necessarily disagree with the choice to go for it on fourth down, but the way Florida's receivers were getting open, a throw was called for. Points avoided. The Gators settled for a field goal on their next drive when Trask was hurried on third-and-goal from the Tennessee five. Kyle Pitts basically whiffed on a chip block so Trask had a defender in his face. On the play prior to Trask's first interception in the third quarter, Trask was sacked for a 4-yard loss because he held the ball far too long. On the next play Trask underthrew Lucas Krull on the sideline and was picked at the UT 15. There was an open receiver short and over the middle. Trask took a shot at the end zone on the next Florida series but the Vols had safety help so Trevon Grimes was sandwiched and the ball picked. Had Trask looked underneath he would have found an open receiver about the 15. On Florida's first play of the fourth quarter, Trask got perfect protection and let fly with a ball that should have been an easy catch for Jacob Copeland but instead of a 69-yard touchdown pass, Copeland let the ball slide off his fingertips at the Tennessee 24. PARTING SHOTS There was a time when Florida-Tennessee was the hottest ticket in town whether the game was played in Gainesville or in Knoxville. Saturday, some of the few Vol fans who made the journey to Gainesville hawking tickets for $5. A best guess estimate is there were fewer than 1,200 in the entire stadium. When the Vols played the Gators in Gainesville in 2007 they sold their entire ticket allotment and there were probably 5,000 UT fans looking for tickets outside the stadium in the hours before the game. It's also disturbing to see big gaps in the East stands of BHG where the students sit. There were places where you could fire a shotgun with very little chance of actually hitting someone. NEXT SATURDAY The timing of an opponent from D1AA couldn't be more opportune as it will give the Gators an opportunity to rest some banged up guys while getting more experience for some of the younger guys who are going to be increasingly a part of the rotation as we get into the meat of the schedule. Trask will get the start at QB and will have a chance to get more comfortable in that role, while Emory Jones should get extended playing time in the second half. We know he can run the football and has good timing on the option, but this game should allow him to throw more and that's a necessity. It will be important for the second unit offensive linemen to get as many snaps as they can. The Gators haven't had to deal with an injury to the starting five so as many reps as the second unit can get in real game situations could prove helpful down the line.

The No. 8 Florida Gators defeated the Tennessee Volunteers 34-3 in what has become par for the course in this “rivalry” of late. It was behind an offensive line still gelling and with a redshirt junior backup quarterback making his first start since his freshman year of high school. While Kyle Trask was the obvious story on the day, there are still ample other topics to brag on and a few to worry about as the Gators face the middle of their schedule. So as you head back to work this week, study up first with these watercooler topics from the Gators win over the Vols. The Pass Protection is Becoming Elite It’s a little hard to stomach where the run game is through four games but in the meantime, let’s just sit back and enjoy the return of the fun-and-gun. Steve Spurrier said on Saturday that watching Kyle Trask at quarterback reminded him of Danny Wuerffel, the highest of compliments. With Feleipe Franks at the helm to start the season (before injured) and Trask taking over on Saturday, the Gators have now thrown for 250+ yards in four straight games. The last time that happened was a November stretch of games in 2007; yes when Dan Mullen was offensive coordinator. While credit is due to Franks and Trask, the time they’ve received in the pocket has been noticeably extended. While Trask gets the ball out a bit quicker than Franks, the line has given both QB’s close to four seconds to throw if they want it. This allows receivers time to break free on their routes and the passers time to let plays develop. So props to John Hevesy and this starting five (with Richard Gouraige as first guy in) for putting up a stiff front on pass protection. They’ve given up five sacks through four games, one less through this point last season, against lesser defensive lines. The Run Protection Isn’t…but Saw Flashes No, the run protection isn’t great. The run game is averaging 52.25 less yards per game than through four in 2018. The line has provided little to no lanes up the middle and running between the tackles only saw success on Saturday towards the end of the 3rd quarter (and beyond) after the Vols were wore down. Since the passing game has been clicking, the offense could arguably rely on that through the first half until they are able to wear down the defense enough to start to run more. But that’s a risky game to play. The best moments on Saturday were when Lamical Perine and Dameon Pierce went to the left tackle, bounced from there and got around the defense on the outside. This happened more than once when Chris Bleich and Kyle Pitts combined for blocks that gave Perine a seam. From there his vision took over and he took advantage. The senior had his best performance—62 yards and a touchdown on 14 touches—yet this season. With Jean Delance still nursing a foot injury, coaches were forced to bring him out at times and move Stone Forsythe from left tackle to right and have Richard Gouriage in at left. This beget some of the better run plays on the day and could be a possible lineup against Towson, giving Delance more time to rest his foot. The Sack Count is Ridiculous The Gators defense leads the country with 20 sacks through four games (well technically, they’re tied with Ohio State and Virginia but the number is at the top of the list). That means they’re on pace for 60 this season, a number that would bypass the 54 tallied by National Champion Clemson last season. That number is slightly inflated, thanks in large part to the 10 that was laid on Jarren Williams in the win against Miami. BUCK Jon Greenard is tied for 19th in the nation with his personal 3.5 sacks. When defensive end Jabari Zuniga returns from a nagging ankle injury, he’ll join Greenard and second BUCK Jeremiah Moon (who lines up at end to play with Greenard at times) and will look to create a trio that actually chases that statistical pinnacle. Can they actually reach 60 sacks? Probably not. But if they continue to get anywhere close to the push they’ve had in their first four games, then it could easily be the best sack showing in recent years. _____________________________________ Related: Spectacular it Wasn't; Solid it Was Related: Gators Will Remember 21st Night of September _____________________________________ The Turnover Count is (also) Ridiculous Tip drill for the win! Wow, what a turnover performance by the Gators defense on Saturday. It helped Florida win the turnover margin as there were some hiccups in Trask otherwise efficient first start (fumble and two interceptions). But Todd Grantham’s guys pulled in four of their own to win the margin and keep the Vols from scoring a touchdown all day. One interception by Marco Wilson looked as if UT quarterback Jarrett Guarantano intended the pass for the Florida corner it was so on the money. Wilson made arguably an even better play midway through the 3rd quarter. At midfield, Brian Maurer (who came in for a benched Guarantano) scrambled and looked to dump it off to a receiver at the sideline. Wilson tipped it back and Amari Burney was there waiting to pull in the ball. It was the second tip interception of the day. The first came when the Vols took what should have been a chip shot to the endzone. From the 3-yard line, Guarantano tried to fit one in double coverage to UT’s best receiver, Jauan Jennings. But Gators safety Shawn Davis got a hand in and tipped it backwards over the receivers head, where STAR Trey Dean III was waiting. Those are the plays that some would see and say “well it’s good to be lucky too” but the defense practice often those tip drills and are in place for those moments. Yea it’s good to be lucky. But the defense isn’t lucky on these turnovers; they’re prepared. And it’s paying off. Florida will next face Towson on Saturday at 4pm, kickoff on SEC Network. Broadcast information hasn’t been announced yet for the following Saturday against Auburn, but given the slate of games that day, it should be the 3:30 CBS game of the week.

Spectacular it wasn't but spectacular wasn't necessary Saturday afternoon at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. If you're looking to attach a label to 9th-ranked Florida's 34-3 win over the Tennessee Vols (1-3, 0-1 SEC) then maybe workmanlike fits best. The Gators (4-0, 2-0 SEC) came to work and did all the things that were necessary to make Kyle Trask's first start at quarterback since he was in the ninth grade in Manvel, Texas a success. Trask made his share of good plays, completing 20-28 passes for 293 yards and two touchdowns, but he also fumbled the ball away once when sacked and he threw a couple of interceptions, the first he's thrown since that freshman year in Texas some six years ago. Trask did enough good things to give the impression that he will get better with experience. Although he didn't make all that many mistakes, the ones he did make were the kind that Dan Mullen believes can be corrected. Mullen's assessment went like this: “The only play that matters is the next play. Don't worry about all the other things, just worry about being prepared and he did that.” Trask obviously spent the week leading up to the Tennessee game having to deal with media, something he never had to do as the backup, but he handled that well enough that he didn't feel particularly distracted. Essentially he just tuned out everything and everybody while doing what he's been doing every week since he arrived in Gainesville and that's preparing to play as if he's the starting quarterback. Instead of worrying that maybe he would never get a chance to prove he could get the job done, Trask never lost faith in himself and was willing to wait his turn. Perhaps that seems a little silly for a guy who didn't even start for his high school team. Prior to last week when he came off the bench to lead the Gators on a 19-0 run that turned a 21-10 deficit into a 29-21 SEC win, Trask had thrown fewer than 30 passes in three years at UF. That might have discouraged some people and convinced them that a transfer was in the cards. For others it might have been a slacker's approach of merely going through the motions but Trask took his role as the Florida backup quite seriously. That explains why he played with such poise when he had to take over for injured Feleipe Franks up in Lexington. It also goes a long way explaining why Trask was more than adequate Saturday when he not only became 1-0 as a Division I college football starting quarterback but notched a Southeastern Conference win to boot. In explaining how he felt about that accomplishment post game, Trask modestly deferred praise to his teammates and said for him it was simply a matter of being ready when his number was finally called. For the most part, Trask's first start was filled with made good decisions and accurate throws. He marched the Gators down the field on Florida's first possession of the game, hitting both his passes for 62 of the 75 yards on the scoring drive and converting a run pass option into an eight-yard gain on the ground. As for the rest of the game, he wore the Vols out in the middle of the field and showed the patience necessary to let his receivers make their breaks and get separation into the soft spot of the Tennessee two-deep coverage. The touchdowns covered 19 yards to Kyle Pitts and 29 yards to Freddie Swain. He spread the ball around to nine different receivers. If Trask had it all to do over again, he wouldn't have made the two throws that resulted in interceptions. Neither of the throws was particularly bad but they were both made against tight coverage. Trask explained that he thought on both throws he had a good matchup so he tried to fit the ball in and got burned. Mullen hates turnovers but the two picks he can live with. Mullen called them coachable moments, explaining, “I'm upset about an interception if he throws it and hits a DB in the chest because that's like, 'you know, he was standing there?'” The fumble? That's another story altogether. Maybe Mullen lives with a pick when it actually has a chance for a completion, but fumbles are all about protecting the football and mistakes caused by an inability to protect the football will be dealt with in practice. It won't be pleasant. If there is one thing that the stats don't tell but was obvious about Trask it is that he doesn't seem to get caught up in the moment. He's neither too high when he does something well or too low when he makes a mistake. It's that move on to the next play attitude, something you'll find in the better quarterbacks. They tend to have short term memories when it comes to their mistakes and long term memories when it comes to exploiting mistakes and matchups by the other guys. The running game didn't exactly conjure up memories of the day when the Gators had Neal Anderson, John L. Williams and Lorenzo Hampton wearing people out but it showed the most positive signs of life this season in the fourth quarter when the Gators ran for 71 of the 135 yards they gained on the ground agaisnt the Vols. A 135-yard game might not seem like much, but when you've struggled as much as the Gators have with the ground game this year, that is a very positive development. Over on the defensive side, the Gators kept the Vols out of the end zone and offset their own three turnovers by picking off three Tennessee passes and recovering a fumble. The Gators held Tennessee to 239 total yards, only 88 on the ground. If there was a real star on the defensive side of the ball it was Louisville grad transfer Jonathan Greenard, who had a sack, two tackles for loss, a forced fumble and three passes batted down at the line of scrimmage. As much as Tennessee tried to scheme around Greenard, he was still able to make plays and was a constant thorn in Tennessee's side. While no one will ever mistake this as spectacular, it's a good solid win, filled with more good plays than bad and of the bad plays, nothing so glaring to create a red flag signaling that something very seriously is wrong. When you consider the Gators are unbeaten and have a 2-0 start in the Southeastern Conference, solid is something you can live with, especially with a quarterback who's made his first start and with a defense that held an SEC opponent without a touchdown.

The No. 9 Florida Gators will remember the 21st night of September. It wasn’t mistake free and it wasn’t blemish free but it was perfectly imperfect. The No. 9 Florida Gators (4-0, 2-0) defeated the Tennessee Volunteers (1-3, 0-1) by a score of 34-3 on a near perfect afternoon. The defense played as ball hawks, forcing four turnovers and held the Vols to 239 total yards; and that was without starting corner CJ Henderson or starting defensive end Jabari Zuniga, both still out with injury. The offense clicked along, giving up three turnovers of their own but making up for it with 441 total yards and scoring on six of their 11 drives. The story of the day though was Kyle Trask (20-28, 293 yards, 2TD, 2INT). To be fair, the story was always going to be about Kyle Trask, just with the narrative dependent on his performance. Despite giving up the aforementioned three turnovers, Trask came away from his first start since his 9th grade year with momentum and the best passing performance by a Gators quarterback since Austin Appleby threw for 296 yards against these Tennessee Vols in 2016. "I thought he played solid,” said head coach Dan Mullen. “Even both interceptions, I mean he kind of threw in coverage but he kind of threw to guys. It wasn't like he threw to a guy and hit a defender in the chest. I mean he took a shot on two plays and gave receivers a chance. Got to make good decisions into taking those chances, but I thought he really managed the game well. He was sharp, good decisions all day long. I think the fumble, that's just one he's trying to hold the ball, hold the ball, hold the ball, hold the ball and make a play. Hey, if it's not there, just burn it and let's play the next play. That comes with experience. But overall I thought he played really well.” Given that Trask hasn’t started a game in such a long time, Mullen admittedly changed up his approach during the week. "I thought he was relaxed. You know, he'd never been in that situation before, in a long time. I kind of always was joking with him, 'Make sure you have fun. You've prepared for this. You've prepared the right way, make sure you have fun,' instead of my normal deal, 'If you're really nervous, you can go out there and throw a bunch of picks and you won't be nervous anymore. We'll fix that problem.' But just go out there and relax and have fun. But I think he prepared the right way. He's been preparing the right way, and so he got his opportunity and it's kind of what I would have expected.” For the kid who grew up in Texas with a tire in his backyard for passing practice, this past week has been a bit surreal. The scenery has changed as his media responsibilities have increased, he was pushed onto the national stage overnight and his chance to take over the Florida Gators following starter Feleipe Franks season ending injury has been a bit like a movie. The constant through it all has been the football field. “It's been pretty surreal but I feel I've done a great job of staying focused and locked in on the task at hand…there was a little bit of nerves going into any game just like anybody. Once you're preparing all week you feel confident so once you go out on the field you get locked in. You don't think about anything else. The crowd may be pretty loud but all you hear is silence when you focus on the task at hand.” “It’s an honor to be able to go out there and say that’s my quarterback now,” bragged receiver Tre Grimes (two receptions for 60 yards). “It’s kind of like a movie. He’s been through so much and had to overcome so much adversity, but he’s still stood strong and shows why he’s Kyle Trask and who he is today. It made him who he is, and now he’s our quarterback and doing really, really well.” Trask’s day started early due to the noon kickoff. He found a way into that silent bubble, coming through his first Gator Walk as a starter, completely locked in, eyes up, head forward, focusing only on the stadium he was walking into, not the thousands of screaming fans flanking his either side. Once in the stadium, the calm before the storm allowed him to walk across the field in that same silence and begin to imagine the noise. He came onto the field for warmups and was joined by Franks, who used his scooter (needed for his casted ankle until his Monday surgery) as a chair and was there for support as Trask began his pregame drills. The Gators offense received the ball first, so as the units prepared to take the field, Trask stood in the middle of that group of 11, just off the sideline, delivered the play call, clapped once and led the team to the line of scrimmage. It was a mild 81 degrees, a slight breeze and perfect football weather, primed for a perfect football story. A quick rush by Lamical Perine (14 carries, 62 yards, one touchdown) set him up for a 2nd and seven from their own 28-yard line. With Antonio Callaway, hero of the 2015 Tennessee game, watching from the sidelines, Trask took the snap in shotgun, dropped back and the crowd of 82,776 audibly drew in a breath. The ball sailed in a perfect arc, harkening back to former corner Jalen “Teez” Tabor in 2016 saying “he has the prettiest ball, Kyle Trask has the prettiest ball.” Then the crowd erupted as Tre Grimes hauled in the spot on 43-yard post pass. Two rushes later, tight end Kyle Pitts came across on a slant and pulled in the easy 19-yard throw from Trask for the touchdown. On the sideline, teammates celebrated but Mullen immediately pulled Trask and redshirt freshman quarterback Emory Jones (4-6, 20 yards) over for a meeting. As he went down the call sheet, the head coach asked what Trask had seen on each play. "I thought, especially early in the game, they were trying to give some different looks, coverages,” explained Mullen. “You know, show one thing but play something else, something opposite than what they’ve shown us on film…I thought [Kyle] did a really good job on those reads and those first few drives and managing what they were giving us. I’m on the sidelines here, going ok he’s going to go here with the ball, uh-oh, they’ve rolled it completely different than what they showed, then he goes to where he should have gone before.” From then on, the noise was often too deafening for Trask to block it out, but it was encouraging he and the offense on as they posted the fourth straight Gator game with 250+ passing yards. This is the first time Florida has had four straight with 250+ passing since 2007. Vols coach Jeremy Pruitt acknowledged Trask’s impact afterwards saying, “this kid played last week too and he played good last week and played good today. And we hit him a little bit today, too. But bottom line is we let them create too many explosive plays.” Those explosive plays, 15 in all with 10 coming on Trask throws of 15+ yards, were a result of a poise in the pocket and a command on the sideline. Nearly each time Trask came to the sideline he was met by Franks who went over the previous drive with him on the bench. Then he went and took over the huddle like he had from the beginning. “He came through like he’d been starting every game,” remarked receiver Freddie Swain (three receptions, 67 yards, one touchdown). “He’s comes and taps you on the butt and, ‘hey, let's go, we pick it up.’ You know, tap the O-line, you know. That's the kind of thing you need out of a quarterback, and he has good traits, so I think we’re pretty good.” Pretty good? That’s fair to say. Sitting at 2-0 in their division and undefeated overall, the Gators have a game against FCS Towson before hitting their brutal October slate—Auburn, LSU, South Carolina and Georgia (technically the first weekend of November). But they’ve found a way to rally around Feleipe Franks and if Saturday is any indication, they’ve found their next quarterback to lead the way. The rest of the Florida Gators season began today, meaning by this season’s end—no matter the outcome—we’ll remember the 21st night of September.