The Opening Kickoff: Gators at Vanderbilt

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Graphic: Scott MacCord/UAA Communications

The Opening Kickoff: Gators at Vanderbilt

Friday, November 18, 2022 | Football, Scott Carter

By: Scott Carter, Senior Writer

Florida Notes | Vanderbilt Notes | Vanderbilt Game Day | Broadcast Info

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Gators opened the curtain on their first season under Billy Napier with an outstanding performance, upsetting then-No. 7 Utah in the season opener.

They went from unranked to No. 12, the most significant one-week jump in program history.

And then they lost to Kentucky, barely escaped against an overmatched USF team, and lost at Tennessee.

Since that opening stretch, Florida has continued its roller-coaster season but appears to be peaking at the right time. The Gators (6-4, 3-4) have won two in a row heading into Saturday's visit to Vanderbilt (4-6, 1-5), playing more the way Napier envisioned when he left Louisiana a year ago to take over a Florida program coming off a 6-7 season.

"It's a lot of fun to come to work right now," Napier said this week. "I'm really very pleased with the staff's approach. The players, as they get more comfortable, I think they are really trying to play the game with the right intent. I think the chemistry, the team dynamic, and the morale is much better. Obviously winning helps that, but overall, just a lot of momentum."

Dominate from start to finish.

🎥 The #jOURney: Episode 10 pic.twitter.com/eflmNADnmx
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) November 15, 2022

The improvement is across the board, anchored by a running game that averaged 332.5 yards in wins over Texas A&M and South Carolina. Quarterback Anthony Richardson's leadership and decision-making have improved. The defense has not allowed a touchdown in the last six quarters. The offense went 50 consecutive possessions without a turnover until a fumble on the last series against the Gamecocks.

Those are elements easy to pinpoint and that show up in the box score. But Napier pinpoints a deeper reason for the team's recent surge.

"I see an intentional approach from players to be vocal about things that need to be addressed, things that need to be said … and I'm talking across the board," Napier said. "I'm talking about doing extra. I'm talking about accountability. I'm talking about being intentional about connecting with your teammates."

Much of Napier's focus in Season 1 has been building a foundation for the future. The recent stability is proof that the work is making an impact.

The Gators became bowl eligible with their 38-6 win over South Carolina and seek to finish November 4-0. First, they must take care of the Commodores on Saturday, then go to Florida State six days later and knock off the Seminoles at Doak Campbell Stadium.

Of course, one step at a time is Napier's motto. On to Nashville.

"We need to continue to establish what we expect from everyone that contributes, and then confront anything that's out of place," Napier said. "I think one of the great things is we're observing a lot of good things and promoting those behaviors and complimenting the things that we see being done the right way. So, a lot of fun to come to work right now and I think that's a good sign."

For more on Saturday's game between the Gators and Commodores, here is The Opening Kickoff:

THREE STORYLINES

Florida travels to Vanderbilt for its final SEC game of the season and in search of a season-high third consecutive victory. Florida's last three-game win streak came in 2020 when it reeled off six consecutive wins in the middle of the season. The 11 a.m. CT kickoff and cool forecast in Nashville provide a twist, but the Gators' mindset this week has been to remain focused on going 4-0 in November and continued improvement.
The Commodores are coming off their first SEC win since 2019, upsetting Kentucky at Kroger Field a week ago for the first conference victory for second-year head coach Clark Lea. Vanderbilt snapped a 26-game SEC losing streak to improve to 4-6 overall, two more wins than Lea's first season with two games left to play.
The Gators have cranked out the yards on the ground the past two games, rushing for 291 yards at Texas A&M and a season-high 374 in last week's home win against South Carolina. Florida is ranked 11th among FBS schools with an average of 225.7 rushing yards per game. Meanwhile, Vanderbilt's run defense is ranked 91st nationally, surrendering 164.3 yards per game.

THREE PLAYERS TO WATCH

UF receiver Justin Shorter is expected to return to action after missing the past two games with an injury. Shorter comes back at a good time with receivers Xzavier Henderson and Ja'Quavion Fraziars ruled out due to injury, and Trent Whittemore announcing this week that he has left the team to enter the transfer portal. Florida tight ends Nick Elksnis and Griffin McDowell have also announced they are entering the transfer portal.
Vanderbilt quarterback Mike Wright was named SEC Co-Offensive Player of the Week on Monday after passing for 184 yards and rushing for 126 in the win at Kentucky. Wright is a dual-threat player who averages 8.3 yards per rush, which leads all SEC quarterbacks with a minimum of 50 attempts. Gators QB Anthony Richardson averages 6.6 yards per carry.
Considering Wright's ability to run, the Gators will need to stay on their assignments and tackle well, starting with linebacker Ventrell Miller (62 tackles) and safeties Rashad Torrence II (team-high 73 tackles) and Trey Dean III (60 tackles).

FIVE DIGITS

22.4 – Average yards per catch for Gators receiver Justin Shorter, which tops the SEC.
4 – True freshmen to start for Gators this season after receiver Caleb Douglas started against South Carolina. He joined LB Shemar James, DB Kamari Wilson and S Miguel Mitchell.
290 – Yards needed by Montrell Johnson Jr. to become Florida's first 1,000-yard rusher since Kelvin Taylor in 2015 (1,035).
19 – Turnovers forced by the Gators this season, which is their most since forcing 23 in 2019.
44 – Games played by Vanderbilt since last winning back-to-back conference games (Ole Miss and Tennessee in 2018).

INJURY REPORT

GATORS — OUT: K Trey Smack (lower body), WR Ja'Quavion Fraziars (shoulder), WR Xzavier Henderson (lower body), CB Devin Moore (shoulder, out for season), LS Marco Ortiz (upper body); QUESTIONABLE — TE Keon Zipperer (lower body). VANDERBILT — OUT: DE Miles Capers (knee, out for season), DL Daevion Davis (leg), WR Daveon Walker (undisclosed). QUESTIONABLE: QB AJ Swann (undisclosed), RB Chase Gillespie (undisclosed).

NOTES FILE

Florida has dominated the series against Vanderbilt, winning 30 of the last 31 meetings. The Gators lead all-time 43-10-2.
The Gators have won 15 consecutive games at Vanderbilt, last losing to the Commodores on the road in 1988.
Florida has averaged 543.0 yards and 37.0 points in two true road games this season, a 38-33 loss at Tennessee and 41-24 win at Texas A&M.
Florida's defense has not surrendered a touchdown in the last six quarters, a span covering 20 possessions.
UF running backs Montrell Johnson Jr. and Trevor Etienne are one of three duos among FBS schools to have at least 500 yards rushing and average 6.0 yards per carry this season.
Johnson became the first Gators running back with back-to-back 100-yard games in a single season since Jordan Scarlett in 2016 when he rushed for a career-high 161 yards in the win over South Carolina.
UF quarterback Anthony Richardson has 11 touchdown passes and three interceptions in his last seven starts. He tossed four interceptions and no touchdowns in his first three starts.
Vanderbilt senior running back Ray Davis has four 100-yard rushing games on the season, including 129 yards last week against Kentucky.
Davis and Commodores quarterback Mike Wright (126 yards) became the first Vanderbilt duo to rush for 100 yards each since Kwane Doster and Norval McKenzie against Ole Miss in 2002.
Vanderbilt has scored three defensive touchdowns, which ranks first in the SEC. Linebacker CJ Taylor leads the way with a pair of fumble recoveries returned for scores.

THEY SAID IT

"When Coach Napier got here, they put a lot of emphasis on leadership, making sure that the older guys started stepping up and falling into that role. The leadership thing has been harped on often." — Gators center Kingsley Eguakun on veterans leading way
"Yeah, that's not normal." — UF safety Rashad Torrence II on teammate Desmond Watson squatting 720 pounds and benching 520
"I think he's learning how to prepare. He's learning the discipline that's required. He's starting to understand the importance of being the quarterback and the example. All eyes on your example, your urgency, your detail." — Gators head coach Billy Napier on the improvement shown by quarterback Anthony Richardson
"There are a lot of things externally that we don't allow to define us. We concern ourselves more with the internal narratives of the program. And my emotion after the game was just a reflection of the level of respect I have for the people that are here in the early part of this build." — Commodores coach Clark Lea on snapping a 26-game SEC losing streak
"Just stay warm. That's the main goal right there, and try not to get in your own head about it." — Gators quarterback Anthony Richardson on the weather forecast in the high 30s/low 40s at kickoff

THEY WROTE IT

Gators head coach Billy Napier, players react to players leaving during season to enter transfer portal writes Zach Abolverdi of On3.com.
UF reserve linebacker Diwun Black, whose main contribution was a fumble recovery on an on-sides kick at Tennessee, is no longer part of the program writes Graham Hall of 247Sports.com.
Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea is keeping his plans at quarterback close to the vest writes Aria Gerson of the Nashville Tennessean.
Gators quarterback Anthony Richardson finds his voice to help team find its footing writes Edgar Thompson of the Orlando Sentinel.
Gators focus on feel-good finish but players know heavy turnover awaits writes G. Allan Taylor of The Athletic.

BOTTOM LINE

For the second time in three weeks, the Gators have to roll out of bed and head to the stadium for an 11 a.m. CT kickoff. They won at Texas A&M two weeks ago by starting fast (offensively) and finishing fast (defensively). They will try to do the same on Saturday at Vanderbilt, perhaps on both sides this time. Still, the atmosphere at FirstBank Stadium won't be quite as juiced as it was at Kyle Field, but there are always a ton of Gators fans in Nashville to offer their support. Don't be surprised if the Gators look a little chilly at the start of this one, but by late afternoon, they should be well ahead on the scoreboard with a three-game win streak heading into the regular-season finale at Florida State.