GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The conversation Sunday morning centered on a basic question: who are the 70 players the Gators would take on the road if they opened at Utah instead of at home against the Utes?
Those types of questions are flying around the Heavener Football Training Center fast and furious these days. Less than two weeks before the No. 7-ranked Utes visit The Swamp, first-year Gators head coach
Billy Napier and his staff are deep into the discovery process.
After reviewing Saturday's scrimmage at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, the second of preseason camp, they moved closer to some of the answers.
"I think we're making progress in terms of, 'ok, who is the two-deep on the offensive line relative to how we're going to practice the players?' " Napier said Sunday, offering an example of the lingering questions. "Who are the players that definitely will be up on the big field? Who are the rotational players? The players that may be on the look squad taking reps with the job takers? Then they may come back and forth. I think both sides there, we've got some dialogue to have to make some decisions."
As for specific position battles, Napier shed light on some of those Sunday during his first media availability inside the team's new $85 million standalone facility:
- Kickers Trey Smack and Adam Mihalek are in a tight battle at a position that proved unstable a season ago. Smack and Mihalek are newcomers vying for the job. Napier said there are multiple possibilities at this stage in camp. "We're going to be evaluating that as we approach the opener,'' Napier said. "I could see two guys doing two different jobs, and I could see it go the other way, too. The good thing is that I don't think we have a problem. I think we've got two guys that are very capable. There's healthy competition there. I've got confidence in both players."
- Napier said backup quarterback Jack Miller III suffered a thumb injury last week and has been diagnosed with a thumb avulsion fracture. "The same surgery that Drew Brees had just a couple of years ago," Napier said. "We anticipate him missing, I'm going to say, the first two games, and we're hopeful we get him back for Week 3." With Miller out, Jalen Kitna and Kyle Engel are splitting reps for the backup job. Meanwhile, true freshman Max Brown is also getting work with the fourth team. "I think we're very much a competition there for the backup spot,'' Napier said. "We obviously have some time. Both those guys are very smart and have a good understanding of what we do and move the team. This scrimmage showed they have the ability to move the team."
- With offensive lineman Ethan White sidelined due to an undisclosed injury, Richie Leonard IV and Josh Braun are taking the bulk of the snaps at right guard. White started seven games at left guard last season. Veteran O'Cyrus Torrence, an All-Sun Belt Conference transfer from Louisiana, can play either side on the interior line. As for White and injured freshman David Conner, another interior lineman slowed by injury, Napier said their statuses are different now. "Ethan had a minor setback and had a small procedure. He's out for a little bit. He'll be back,'' Napier said. "David Conner's is a little bit more extensive. I think a lot of that is to be determined in the future. Nothing major there with Ethan, but I think with David, it's to be determined."
- The defensive line remains one of the big question marks entering the season. The group is young and has several inexperienced players expected to take snaps in the opener. Napier is waiting to define more specific roles. "There's players like [Tyreak] Sapp, [Justus] Boone, like Princely [Umanmielen], Antwuan Powell. We've got a number of players that maybe haven't played college football that may have a significant role, that I think have the ability to affect our team,'' said Napier. "They're going to get their very first opportunity in a couple weeks. We've made some progress. I think we've got work to do there."
ROOM TO RUN
The Gators took a hit with the departures of
Dameon Pierce and
Malik Davis at running back after last season. But they gained a notable transfer when
Montrell Johnson Jr. decided to follow Napier from Louisiana.
Johnson instantly became Florida's most accomplished runner. He led the Ragin' Cajuns with 838 yards a season ago and 12 rushing touchdowns. Johnson is in a backfield group that features
Nay'Quan Wright,
Lorenzo Lingard and true freshman
Trevor Etienne.
Johnson said not to sleep on the Gators' stable of runners.
"I think it's going to be a monster similar to how it was at Louisiana,'' Johnson said of the rotation.
Wright, Johnson and Lingard are all expected to get playing time, and Etienne has been impressive in preseason camp and figures into the mix in the backfield and on special teams.
Napier on Sunday complimented the unit's performance in camp. Florida's running backs didn't receive much love from the preseason magazines, which ranked the group one of the team's weakest position groups.
"I think we're improving," Napier said. "I think we've got some guys in that room that can play winning football. I think even the young freshman has shown flashes. We've got four players that we trust. I think all those guys are smart. I think they're all dependable."
QUOTE OF NOTE I
"If I answered that question, I think they might fine me around here." – Napier on how much of quarterback
Anthony Richardson's running will be part of offense
QUOTE OF NOTE II
"Nah, not this weather. I don't think you can duplicate this. This is different." – Defensive back
Jordan Young on reports that Utah is turning on heat in its indoor facility to prepare for opener
QUOTE OF NOTE III
"I think I can do it all. I think I can run outside, make moves, be a bruiser at times. I think I'll surprise a lot of folks." – Johnson on what he brings to Gators
EXTRA POINTS
Napier said receiver
Ricky Pearsall (foot) and cornerback
Jason Marshall Jr. (hamstring) are expected back at practice this week. Both players have missed time in camp due to their injuries … A Southeastern Conference officiating crew visited over the weekend and worked the Gators' scrimmage on Saturday. "We had a kind of instructional session, educational session with them as our team speaker on Friday. They were at practice the entire day Friday, they sat in meetings Friday, and then they officiated the scrimmage for us and called it just like they would call it on game day. I think we benefited from that two-day period, and we certainly are thankful for the league to create that opportunity." … Napier said the Gators played turnover-free football on Saturday until the last play when the team was working on a two-minute drill sequence.
TOPICAL TWEET
As the Gators scrimmaged on Saturday at Florida Field, three of the program's most notable alums watched from the stands:
Steve Spurrier,
Danny Wuerffel and
Shane Matthews. The weekend trip to campus had double meaning for Wuerffel ...
