Crunching the Numbers: Florida Gators vs. Kentucky Wildcats

Well, if that game doesn’t remind you of new Football Ambassador Steve Spurrier’s Florida Gators, then I don’t know what will. The Gators aired it out, pounded on the ground, made few mistakes, and won big by scoring loads of points. It was the Gators most complete game since their Ole Miss win last season and restored faith in many of the Florida faithful after last week’s lackluster win.

If you watched the game on Saturday, which I presume you did, you saw a team that ran crisp routes, opened running holes, protected their quarterback, played incredible defense, and graded out one of their most complete wins under Jim McElwain – even against a Kentucky team that has seemingly regressed recently.

After last week there were a lot of questions and this week there were many potential answers, but the season hasn’t been fully graded yet – so proceed with caution.

Let’s take a look at Luke Del Rio and these Florida Gators.

Luke Del Rio

Last week I had to try to talk a few folks off the ledge about Luke Del Rio. This week, I let him do the talking.

Del Rio had a great, albeit certainly not perfect, game. While Kentucky was never an SEC East contender, they boasted one of the best cornerbacks in the SEC, a few solid pass rushers, and ultimately, was an SEC team, full of talented players.

Del Rio threw for 320 yards with four touchdowns, the most a Gators quarterback has had in an FBS game since 2006, when Chris Leak did it against UCF and the first quarterback since Tim Tebow in 2007 to throw for 250 yards and complete 55% of his passes in consecutive games.

But, what’s more, is that Del Rio had an overall great game, even when adversity came. During the game, according to the folks over at Pro Football Focus, when Kentucky blitzed (10 times) Del Rio completed 80% of his passes for two touchdowns, 17.6 yards, and finished with a QB rating of 158.3. For the game, Del Rio had 320 yards, a 9.8 yards per attempt, a QB rating of 119.1, and a 59.4 completion percentage.

Del Rio wasn’t perfect. He had a few bad throws, threw his first career interception, and against a better team may have had few more interceptions. But, he played better than he was expected to and gives the Gators excitement at the quarterback position

Offense

When you score six touchdowns on offense, it is easy to point and find the positives. So let’s do just that.

• Jawaan Taylor, in my opinion, solidified his spot at right tackle. During the game, not only did Taylor not give up a hurry, pressure, or sack, plays ran to his side (10) netted 97 yards. Pro Football Focus rated him as the best player on the Gators offense on Saturday. Not bad for a freshman.
• Also, according to the folks at Pro Football Focus, Jawaan Taylor, David Sharpe, Cam Dillard, and Tyler Jordan all did not allow a single pressure, hurry, or sack during the game.
• While it is easy to attack the offensive line for their play this season, they have only allowed one sack on the season (7^th in the country). I would credit Luke Del Rio for his awareness, too.
• The Gators have four true running backs.  Mark Thompson showed his power. Lamical Perine showed his speed. Jordan Scarlett showed his ability to hit the hole. Jordan Cronkrite showed patience. None of these skills are isolated to just one of the backs, in fact, I would say all four showed varied skills during the game. With 244 yards, a 4.88 average, the Gators had their best game since Georgia last season (and the Georgia the season before). In fact, you would have to go back to Eastern Michigan in 2014 to see Florida have more than 244 yards against anyone other than Georgia.
• Lamical Perine had 105 yards rushing on 17 carries. His 6.18 yards per carry is the most a Gators running back has had on 10+ carries since Kelvin Taylor and Matt Jones did it against Georgia in 2014.
• With 320 yards receiving, the Gators had their most receiving yards since New Mexico State to begin last season.
• Antonio Callaway is averaging (yes, I know, only two games) 100.5 yards per game receiving. The Gators have not had a 100-yard per game receiver since Travis McGriff in 1998. Also, his 6.5 receptions per game would be the most ever for a Gator if the pace keeps up.
• While again only two games into the season, the Gators are converting on 62.6% of third downs (23-of-37). Last season, the Gators finished the season at a 36.41% conversion percentage. At this time last season, they were 14-of-28 (50.0%). Third down conversion correlates at a very high rate to winning percentage, so it will be important to see the Gators continue to thrive there.
• Still need to see the Gators improve in the Red Zone, something they struggled with last season. Don’t panic, but through two games they are 102^nd in the country.

Defense

You can’t say much about the Gators defense, other than that they are very dominant. In nearly every single defensive category that is tracked, the Gators rank near the top.

• Through two games, the Gators defense has only allowed 100 total plays, which is the third fewest in the country for teams that have played two games. Their 3.36 yards per play is the fifth fewest for teams that have played two games. And finally, their 168 yards per game allowed is the second fewest in the country.
• Opponents are 5-of-23 on third downs.
• The Gators only allowed 55 yards passing against Kentucky. The fewest they have allowed since Vanderbilt last season. Kentucky quarterbacks had a QB rating of 11.57, the lowest a team has had since that fateful Georgia Southern game back in 2013 (0.0).
• Saturday was the Gators first three interception game since Georgia last season and also the last time the Gators forced four turnovers.
• The Gators defense allowed nine first downs, the fewest since allowing eight against New Mexico State last season.
• Not at all stats based, but Jalen Tabor’s interception was one of the prettiest I have seen. It was clear he knew the play, jumped the coverage, and proved why he is the best cornerback in the country. The other two passes thrown Tabor’s way were incomplete.
• 23 players on defense played 10+ plays, which is awesome for building depth.
• Jabari Zuniga had two hurries and continues to build on a great redshirt freshman campaign. Although Jordan Sherit with 10 tackles and two sacks is my defensive line MVP thus far.
• #DBU: The Gators defense ranks second in the country in completion percentage allowed. Eight in pass efficiency defense. Second in fewest passing completions allowed. Second in passing first downs allowed.
• The Gators rank first in the country in sacks per opponent pass attempt at 29%.
• Further, the Gators rank seventh in two more categories: percentage of opponent plays that result in a turnover, sack or tackle for loss (26%) and fewest percentage of opponent plays that result in a touchdown or first down (17%).
• The Gators rank first in the SEC in scoring defense, passing defense, total defense, sacks, opponent 3^rd down conversion percentage, and fewest opponent long scrimmage plays.

Miscellaneous

• Johnny Townsend had just one punt that traveled 54 yards and has five punts on the season that have all resulted in a fair catch or landed inside the 20-yard line. He ranks third in the country with a 46.40 yard average.
• Eddy Pineiro was never going to be perfect on field goals for the season. I think he learned a lesson on the one kick he rushed.
• Pineiro ranks second in the country in kickoff average with 65 yards
• Still strangely enough, just like season, opponents aren’t committing penalties against the Gators. This year, opponents are only averaging only 4.5 penalties a game for 25 yards (106^th and 127^th in the country, respectively). Last season, opponents only averaged 5.0 penalties per game (111^th in the country) for 36.14 yards (126^th in the country).

What Does It Mean?

Still, like last week, not much yet, but is starting to mean something. We are starting to see that Florida has some good offensive playmakers. The offensive line is starting, maybe, to come into their own. The defense is as stout as ever. And maybe this team will surprise many.

I am feeling more confident about the Gators than I was before Kentucky and right now, that’s all one could ask for.