Billy Napier enters his third season at Florida. (Photo: Ashley Ray/UAA Communications)
Gators Camp: Five Storylines Heading Into 2024 Season
Monday, July 29, 2024 | Football, Scott Carter
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By: Scott Carter, Senior Writer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Texas and Oklahoma are now members of the Southeastern Conference. Nick Saban is no longer the head coach at Alabama. The SEC East and SEC West are tossed in the history folder.
The list of changes in college football heading into the 2024 season is longer than the line at the Eiffel Tower during the Paris Olympics. The only thing that remains the same is that Vanderbilt is projected to finish last in the SEC.
Still, the game is more popular than ever despite constant disruption to tradition and the status quo over the past several years. The crowds and TV ratings say so. And that will only grow with the arrival of a 12-team playoff.
Think about this, Gators fans. Florida failed to crack the lineup in the first decade of the four-team College Football Playoff. Alabama (eight), Clemson (six) and Ohio State (five) dominated the field, accounting for 19 of the 40 berths.
However, under the 12-team playoff model intact for 2024, the Gators would have made the CFB Playoff in three consecutive seasons (2018-20). As the No. 10 seed, they would have traveled to face No. 7-seed Michigan in 2018 instead of playing the Wolverines in the Peach Bowl. No. 9-seed Florida would have traveled to No. 8 Wisconsin in the 2019 playoffs, and in 2020, No. 7-seed Florida would have hosted No. 10-seed Iowa State in the first home playoff game in school history.
The Gators' priority is to return to the mix of playoff contenders, something they have been unable to do the past three seasons. Florida is 11-14 in its first two seasons under head coach Billy Napier, and as Napier readies for his third year in charge, he does so with a more stable and talented team than his previous two seasons.
"One of the reasons I believe in our team is we have credible leadership,'' Napier said. "These guys are a small sample size. We have a ton of guys that could have been here."
Florida officially reports to preseason camp on Tuesday, and the team's first practice is Wednesday.
Napier is holding a press conference on Tuesday with assistants Russ Callaway and Ron Roberts, strength coach Tyler Miles, special-teams analyst Joe Houston and select players scheduled to join him on report day. Meanwhile, the Gators have 29 days to get in 25 practices before hosting Miami on Aug. 31 in the season opener.
Following months of mostly hot air and endless chatter, here are five prominent storylines around the Gators as camp opens:
1) STURDY SCHEDULE
The Gators play 11 of their 12 regular-season games against power conference opponents. They open the season against Miami and close it against Florida State. Those two games often determined an excellent or bad Florida season in past eras. According to the majority of strength of schedule analytics, the Gators have the country's most challenging schedule in 2024. If there is a cupcake on the schedule, it's Sept. 7 at home against Samford. The last time Samford visited in 2021, the Bulldogs scored 42 points in the first half on the way to a 70-52 Gators victory. You never know. There is no doubt about the final five games on Florida's schedule being a difficult stretch: Georgia (in Jacksonville), at Texas, LSU, Ole Miss and at FSU. Those schools went a combined 59-9 a season ago. Napier said there's only one way to approach it: one game at a time. "We're going to do that,'' he said. "We're going to focus on the work that's ahead. Then we'll look up at the end of the season, and we'll see what that earns."
2) PROGRAM DIRECTION
The Gators have suffered three consecutive losing seasons, one in the final season (2021) under Dan Mullen and the last two with Napier in charge. Napier's total rebuild has cleared several hurdles, from a deeper, more talented roster to an improved culture in the locker room and a more robust NIL system. Still, Napier enters his third season three games under .500 and with a five-game losing streak to open the season. The Gators have not done well after the bye week in Napier's two seasons, winning two of 11 games. That has to change, and considering the schedule, it won't be easy. That is why Napier's job status has been a repeated news item since the Gators limped into the offseason. Reporters asked Napier about the perception his job could be on the line if the Gators fail to have a winning season. "Change doesn't happen overnight. I think, ultimately, timing is everything. When we took the job, what we inherited, the work that needed to be done — I think we're on schedule to some degree,'' he said. "Should we have won a couple of games down the stretch? Would I have liked to close some of those games out in the fourth quarter? Absolutely. The reality is, from a systems standpoint, process standpoint, in-house, the culture, I think we've made tremendous progress. I think this offseason in particular, after observing things for two years, we made some changes that I think have really made a difference in the team. I'm with our team every day. Ultimately, that's why I've got confidence."
3) QUALITY QUARTERBACKS
The Gators have questions at several positions, and quarterback is no different. However, in the case of veteran quarterback Mertz and freshman DJ Lagway, the uncertainty revolves primarily around how much Lagway plays in his first season on campus. One of the team's strengths is the ability to lean heavily on Mertz, who has 43 career starts and passed the test in his first season at UF after transferring from Wisconsin. And a gift for Lagway, the prized five-star recruit out of Willis, Texas. By all accounts, Mertz and Lagway have developed a solid veteran-rookie bond that Napier has fostered to ensure maximum production at the position. What will the breakdown of playing time look like on the field? That remains unclear, but Lagway is in the plans. "You always have to prepare as if the backup is one play away from running out there and having to be the guy," Napier said. "Look, it would definitely make us harder to defend if both players are able to contribute to our team. Right now, we have to prepare as if the guy is going to play every play, so that's what we're doing."
4) BIG UGLIES
The Gators lacked depth and high-end talent on the offensive line a season ago and, as a result, used a mix of players to protect the quarterback and open running lanes. The results were predictable. The unit had stretches of consistency but, as a whole, needed an upgrade after the season. Florida surrendered 39 sacks, 22 more than Napier's first season and ranked 114th among FBS teams. And the running game dropped off, too. Enter transfer Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson, a senior who started 35 games in three seasons at San Diego State. Crenshaw-Dickson's arrival allowed returning starter Damieon George Jr. to move from right tackle inside to his more natural guard position. Meanwhile, assistant offensive line coach Jonathan Decoster replaced Darnell Stapleton, who departed for the NFL. We'll have a more in-depth preview of each position group during preseason camp, but for the Gators to move in the right direction in 2024, the offensive line must show drastic improvement from a year ago.
Newcomer Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson is one reason there is optimism Florida's offensive line will be better in 2024. (Photo: Ashley Ray/UAA Communications)
5) SEASON STORY
Media members who cover the SEC picked the Gators to finish 12th out of 16 teams, the lowest in decades (if not ever), according to the memory of this non-voting typist. While the national and regional media view the Gators as an also-ran, Napier voiced repeated confidence in this year's team. He is bolstered by the Gators' experience, an improved roster and veteran leadership in Mertz, Johnson and James. In talking to various media members at SEC Media Days, I heard them predict the Gators to finish anywhere from three to nine wins. If it's the former, that's not good for anyone in Orange & Blue. If it's the latter, Napier will be strongly considered as national coach of the year. These kinds of teams provide a lot of intrigue. In camp, you will hear a lot about players having a chip on their shoulder and wanting to prove the doubters wrong. You will listen to Napier talk about his belief in the 2024 Gators. You will hear opinions of all sorts from the media and fans. The good news is that in a month, we'll finally start to get some answers when the Hurricanes visit The Swamp.
