Florida has not played well defensively against dual-threat quarterbacks in 2024, or really under Billy Napier in general. Texas A&M and Miami had quarterbacks that were able to routinely move outside the pocket and extend the play with their legs. Cam Ward and Marcel Reed combined for 116 rushing yards and did most of their damage while throwing on the run.
Napier believes the Gators have struggled creating a quality scout team, one that can replicate what opposing offenses are trying to accomplish.
“I would tell you a lot of our conversations this week with players have been about the practice environment relative to habit-building, the intentionality, the focus, in particular, the scout periods,” Napier said on Wednesday. “I think that’s an area where we can improve, the quality of those reps from start to finish and all parts working together to get that.”
Going into more detail, Napier believes they need to do a better job in between plays, establishing a sense of urgency in order to prepare for Mississippi State’s up-tempo offense, a staple of Jeff Lebby’s offense.
“I would say defensively between-play process have been the point of emphasis this week, Tuesday and Wednesday in particular,” Napier said. “Trying to recreate that in a practice setting, the opponent’s plays. That’s been a point of emphasis both practices and I think the players would say that has helped. We went back and defined that. We tried to create a game-like tempo between plays and we’re hopeful that it will help us moving forward.”
Mississippi State’s quarterback Blake Shapen is another guy that can take off on the ground if you fail to contain him and is comfortable throwing on the run.
“He’s experienced and he’s played a lot of football,” Napier said on Shapen. “I remember Shapen from high school and know a lot about him. He’s a gritty player, he’s a good athlete, he’s tough and he’s had success in the past. I think for me, any time you’re playing a veteran quarterback, there’s got to be a certain level of awareness about that. To me, that’s what I see. I see a tough, gritty competitor and certainly coach Lebby has always done a good job with the quarterback.”
Mississippi State’s offense will be a problem for Florida if they are unprepared. The Gators need to be lined up properly and emphasize creating negatives to knock Jeff Lebby’s offense off schedule.
The problem is not our lack of scouting. The problem is our lack of unpredictability on both sides of the ball.
We had 25 first downs (not including penalties on a first down play and including starts of drives with a change of possession). 13 were running plays. I am sure the percentage is higher with Samford and with Miami. We are a predictable team on offense. The first three first downs we had all were running plays to Montrell Johnson who is a great back, but who does not get off to fast starts.
That is a prescription for playing from behind. Naturally, as the game developed, we had no choice but to pass on first down because 1) our running game was ineffective, and 2) we were three scores behind.
Until we run some sweeps and jet sweeps, passes to TEs after they check off on the block on the fake to the tailback, which then can become a fake to the tailback, a fake to the TE, and a wide-open streaking WR (ON FIRST DOWN), we are going to constantly fall behind Division One programs that have SCOUTED our offense, and know that the probability is that we are going to run the ball off tackle almost every 1st down. ONLY when we establish that it is not a foregone conclusion that we are going to run the ball on first down, should we run the ball on first down.
The defense is the same. There is NO imagination. We are playing reaction football on defense and have been so for the last perhaps 6 years. We have to anticipate. We have to mix things up so that even if we don’t anticipate we at least confuse opponents. We are not confusing ANYONE so far this year.
Start the offense out on first down with a bread-and-butter play that does not take long to develop. On defense, blitz on first down. Put 8 in the block and force them to pass.