Despite giving up 464 yards of total offense and struggling at times on Saturday, Florida’s defense held the Rebels to 3 of 14 third down attempts and 2 of 4 fourth down attempts with only 17 total points, tying their season low. Ole Miss came into Saturday’s game with the second-ranked passing offense in the country while also ranking second in total offense sitting right behind Miami, according to the NCAA.
Everything that was said from this coaching staff this offseason is coming to fruition, and that’s a testament to how hard the Florida Gators fight for Billy Napier.
“I think that when we were trying to build our team and put our team together, there’s an understanding in this league that you’ve got to be really good in the trenches. I thought we were better on both sides today up front, and short yardage defense is a big component. Those are identity plays. I think we had guys step up and make plays. But again, I think they had six turnovers if you include the 4th down stops and the missed field goal and a couple picks and the muffed punt. We took full advantage of those,” Billy Napier said postgame.
With one of Florida’s most reliable defensive backs in Aaron Gates going down with an injury, Gators’ safety Bryce Thornton made a statement and put the secondary on his back against Jaxson Dart and The Rebels.
On Saturday, Thornton cracked a career high 14 total tackles (5 solo) and recorded two game-defining interceptions to give the Gators their second-straight victory over a ranked opponent.
“Bryce has been a huge bright spot, stepping up in a major way. Obviously, we’ve had some injuries there. Two picks and a career high in tackles, and coming off of an injury,” Napier said on Thornton. “Bryce has been in that training room every day for weeks, and I think he’s really stepped up for our team in a major way.”
Thornton’s injury suffered halfway through the season never knocked the sophomore off course. Instead, Thornton remained focused and made it a priority to get healthy.
“It means everything. Coming off injury, it was big for me because I never had an injury that put me out,” Thornton said. “So just trying to stay mentally locked in and all the coaches, all the players helping me, so it really meant a lot.”
Without having players like Caleb Banks step up and become a completely different player halfway through the season, who knows where Florida’s front four would be right now.
Banks led all of college football in pressures this weekend to go along with 2.5 sacks and 3.5 TFL against Ole Miss. A total of 10 other Gators combined for 17 pressures overall.
“I felt like this defense, everybody played a part, and the D-line had a great game,” Thornton said on Florida’s defense. “I feel like they helped, especially the back end contain, made him throw — especially for my pick, difficult throws, and I feel like the linebackers played a big part in my picks, also, just getting him to overthrow the ball, and then the DBs, we’re always going to be together. So, I feel like just the whole, we’re always coming together.”
After not living up to expectations the Gators placed on themselves to start the season, this team made it a priority to prove doubters wrong. The perseverance and resilience of this team has got them further than anyone thought they would get, and not much could get in their way through thirteen weeks.
“Well, we’ve got a long way to go, and I think obviously we’ve improved. I think it goes back to what I’ve told you guys before,” Billy Napier said. “I think belief is the most powerful thing in the world, and I think that at some point mid-season, I think we figured out and we started to believe, look, we can play with any team in the country.”
It’s clear that this team isn’t the same team we saw at the beginning of the season, and things are truly looking bright for the first time in a long time for the Gators. Like Billy Napier said, hope and belief are powerful, and that’s something this team will always have under this coach.
The Gators (6-5) will travel to Tallahassee next weekend to face the Seminoles (2-9) and attempt to get their seventh win of the season before heading into bowl week.