Gator Nation will get their first in-person look at Billy Napier’s program on Thursday evening when the Gators host their Orange and Blue Game inside the Swamp at 7:30. For those who can’t make it to the stadium, the game will be available for streaming via both SEC Network+ and ESPN+.
Here are 10 things to watch for during the game:
1. New coaches
Obviously, with a new coaching staff comes an entirely new way of doing things. This will be Gator Nation’s first chance to observe what Napier’s program looks like in-person.
Schematically, it’ll be interesting to see what exactly the offense looks like. Napier operated a more run-oriented attack at Louisiana, but he’ll have to make some tweaks based off of the personnel that he’s inherited at Florida.
The same goes for the defense. As long as fans don’t see cornerbacks give receivers ginormous cushions on third downs or blitz from the far side of the field, it’ll be a successful night.
Beyond the scheme, it should be fun to see how the coaches interact with their players. Some will probably be the fiery type of coaches that share their displeasure with anybody within a five-mile radius, while others will be calmer and more analytical.
2. A competitive spring game
This will be the first spring game of any sorts that the Gators have held since 2019. All of spring practice was canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic, and the program opted not to hold a game last year with the Swamp being used as a testing site.
But even the two spring games that were played under Dan Mullen made a mockery of the tradition. Former players like Chris Doering and Lawrence Wright ran off the sidelines to catch touchdown passes, and the defensive staff was basically told to let the offense put up some huge numbers.
It felt kind of like the football equivalent of watching the Harlem Globetrotters play. It was more entertainment than it was serious football.
Then, if you go back to the final two years of the Jim McElwain era, they had the teams divided where one team had the starters and the other had the backups, which led to some lopsided scores.
The rosters for the 2022 game haven’t been announced yet, but it sounds like they’re going to make it much more competitive. The teams will run out of separate tunnels on Thursday before the game.
This should be the most competitive spring game since at least 2015.
3. AR-15
As usual, all eyes will be on the quarterback on Thursday. He showed off his otherworldly athleticism early in the 2021 season but struggled down the stretch as he suffered injuries and Mullen put more on his plate.
Richardson’s upside is having a statue of him built outside the stadium and getting drafted in the first round. But he’s going to have to become much more consistent with his decision-making and accuracy to even come close to reaching his potential.
He’s fully healthy now and has continued to look a bit up and down with his accuracy in the open portions of practice this spring.
With the offensive line still a major question mark and a shortage of proven playmakers at receiver, the 2022 Gators offense will go as Richardson goes. It would be great to see him play a clean game on Thursday, with no turnovers or off-target throws.
4. New-look running back room
The top-2 running backs from the 2021 team, Dameon Pierce and Malik Davis, are preparing for the NFL Draft right now. The top returning back, Nay’Quan Wright, is still working his way back from a major leg injury and has worn a non-contact jersey in every practice that he’s participated in this spring.
If Wright is held out of the Orange and Blue Game, the ball-carrying duties will be shared by Lorenzo Lingard, Montrell Johnson and Demarkcus Bowman.
Lingard, the former Miami transfer who has received only 16 carries over the last two years, has received some first-team reps this spring and could do the same on Thursday. He isn’t the Gators’ most powerful back or their fastest, but he brings a nice blend of power and speed to the table.
Johnson should fill Pierce’s void as the bruising runner. He led Louisiana in touchdowns last season and finished second in yards. He made an impressive run in the Gators’ last scrimmage on Saturday, and he just might run somebody over again on Thursday.
Bowman, the explosive athlete and fan favorite, is probably the No. 3 running back on the depth chart right now (No. 4 if you count Wright), but his ability to make special things happen with the ball in his hand should allow him to get some more touches this fall. Coach Jabbar Juluke clearly sees the potential in him and has coached him hard this spring. He’s a candidate to break off a 50-plus-yard touchdown in the game.
5. Cybo
Offensive lineman O’Cyrus Torrence – whose nickname is “Cybo,” as in cyborg – started in 35 games at Louisiana and was selected to the All-Sun Belt team following each of the last two seasons.
He’s a very large (6-foot-5, 335 pounds) human with a ton of power. He projects as the Gators’ starting right guard, though he can also slide out to right tackle if needed.
Torrence should team with left guard Ethan White and center Kingsley Eguakun to form one of the best run-blocking groups of interior linemen that the Gators have had in several years.
Thursday will provide Gator Nation with their first chance to see him in orange and blue.
6. D-Line depth
UF’s starting defensive line looks solid on paper – strongside end Princely Umanmielen, JACK linebacker Brenton Cox and tackles Gervon Dexter and Jalen Lee.
However, there is almost zero experience behind them. Linemen Chris McClellan, Desmond Watson, Jaelin Humphries, Chris Thomas, Justus Boone and Tyreak Sapp have combined for 10 career tackles, and all of them are by Watson and Boone.
The backup edge rushers – David Reese, Chief Borders, Antwaun Powell-Ryland and Lloyd Summerall – have combined for three career sacks.
The Gators need to develop some depth along the defensive front prior to the season, and Thursday will provide a close look at the group.
7. Miller’s return
Sixth-year senior middle linebacker Ventrell Miller will play in the Swamp for the first time since the 2021 season opener against Florida Atlantic. He suffered an arm injury in the second game at South Florida and missed the rest of the season.
Miller is by far the Gators’ best run defender, and he’s made 166 career tackles, including 15 for losses.
He’s also an extremely intelligent player who is well respected by his teammates. He essentially serves as an extension of the coaching staff on the field.
Hopefully, Miller will make a few plays in the first half, and then they’ll let him rest and mentor his younger teammates in the second half.
8. Borders and Black emerging?
Second-year Gators Borders and Diwun Black have generated some buzz with their performances this spring.
Black, a former high school and junior college safety, has shown off his excellent coverage skills and made some interceptions this spring. He probably wouldn’t be a starter if the season started today, but he should have a role on passing downs due to his coverage skills and his pass-rushing ability.
Borders is practicing with the outside linebackers, but he has similar positional flexibility as Black. He should make his largest impact as a pass-rusher, though he does need to improve against the run to get on the field more.
The Gators could really use some versatile and athletic difference-makers on defense, and Borders and Black certainly fit that bill.
9. Cornerbacks other than Jason Marshall
Marshall had a very nice freshman season and seems poised to contend for All-SEC and All-American honors this season, but he needs somebody to step up across the field from him.
Jaydon Hill would likely be the starter there as of now, but Avery Helm and Georgia transfer Jalen Kimber are also in the mix. Hill and Kimber are both working their way back from season-ending injuries a year ago, and Helm didn’t give up a touchdown in 2021.
Somebody needs to emerge as a legitimate threat on the other side of the field so that opposing teams can’t just avoid Marshall’s side.
10. Penalties
Napier was very upset with the number of undisciplined penalties that his team committed in the scrimmage on Saturday, and he’s emphasized the importance of not beating themselves.
Costly penalties have killed the Gators the last two seasons, with the most egregious examples being the shoe throw against LSU in 2020 and the eight false starts at Kentucky last year. Napier probably wouldn’t be the coach at Florida right now if not for all of the undisciplined penalties.
Now that Napier is here, it’s his job to clean up the issues and field teams that force their opponents to earn everything.