Florida Gators

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — After a record-setting performance that saw DJ Lagway venture into the ranks of Tim Tebow, Kyle Trask and Danny Wuerffel for the most passing yards in a single game by a Florida quarterback, Graham Mertz is set to return Saturday when Texas A&M visits.

A five-year collegiate starter, Mertz has been back at practice this week, receiving a share of the first-team snaps for the Florida offense. In his first game of the year, Mertz logged 91 yards through the majority of three quarters in Florida's routing by Miami. He left the game with a concussion and did not play in last week's win over Samford, opening the door for Lagway's 456-yard passing performance.

Mertz was wildly efficient last season in his first year with the Gators, finishing third in the nation with a 72.9% completion percentage. Mertz showed promise, including performances such as 423 yards against South Carolina, but the Gators still struggled. Florida finished a well-documented 5-7, missing a bowl game for the first time since 2017.

When Mertz graces the turf of Steve Spurrier-Florida Field on Saturday, it'll be in pursuit of a change. Mertz has lost his last five starts and looks to right the ship, giving Florida its first SEC win since Oct. 14 a season ago at South Carolina. Florida head coach Billy Napier is confident Mertz is prepared to make that change, emphasizing his performance in practice.

"He's had a great week," Napier said. "The ball is jumping out of his hand. I think he's getting back into a rhythm."

Tight end Hayden Hansen emphasized the same message.

"I don't think I've ever seen someone come back from a concussion just so sharp and on point," Hansen said.

Although signs point to Mertz starting against the Aggies, Florida fans may still get to see their freshman phenom. Napier detailed that both Lagway and Mertz have gotten first-team reps throughout practice.

"They're both preparing at a high level in anticipation of both playing in the game," Napier said, adding that "it's been awesome to see them work together."
  PUSHING THE O-LINE

Through the first two weeks of the season, Florida's offensive line has been anything but consistent.

The Gators rank 53rd in the nation in pass-block rating and have been worse in the run, rating 111th, according to Pro Football Focus. For reference, there are 134 teams in the FBS.

Although the Florida offensive line has only allowed three sacks this season, all of which came against Miami, there have often been breaks in their protection. Mertz, in Florida's 41-17 season-opening loss to Miami, was constantly under duress, leading to his concussion. If the Gators hope to succeed against Texas A&M, they will need a more robust performance in the offensive trenches.

Napier emphasized the pressure his staff is putting on the offensive line.

"We grade them stringently and give them feedback," Napier said on Wednesday.

That feedback must lead to adjustments on the field, which Napier also outlined.



"You obviously want the tackles to continue to grow and develop and get comfortable so that we can win the individual matchups on the edge and in the perimeter," Napier said.

Austin Barber and Devon Manuel have split time at left tackle in the first two games, with Kamryn Waites and Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson at right tackle.

Florida's line improved from Week 1 to Week 2, allowing no sacks with Lagway at quarterback, but that came against FCS-classified Samford. Texas A&M will likely provide more substantial pressure, but it's worth noting the Aggies' defensive line has the 97th pressure rate in the nation, according to PFF. The Aggies have only recorded one sack on the season.

Hansen explained that the offensive line isn't focused on the Aggies, though, but rather on taking accountability and making the necessary adjustments.

"They know the areas they need to improve, just like everyone else on the team," Hansen said.
 

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NO MORE DEPTH CHARTS

As with each of the last two weeks, Napier's Wednesday availability was expected to come along with a depth chart. That was not the case.

Napier announced that he would no longer provide a depth chart during the week, following suit with many of the other teams in the SEC. He explained the Gators would give an availability report, as required by the SEC for conference games, and that a lineup could be predicted based on the availability report.
 

Texas A&M-Florida availability report from the SEC.

Florida QB Graham Mertz isn't on it, meaning he's good to go. pic.twitter.com/UygrVupOTJ

— Andy Staples (@Andy_Staples) September 12, 2024

"We're just going to produce an availability report from this point forward. And then you piece together the depth chart based off of that," Napier said.

He emphasized that there is no intended advantage in switching to an availability report.

"I don't think you're allowed to have gamesmanship, truth be known," Napier said. "Literally, it's a medical."

Availability reports will be released Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and 90 minutes before game time each week.

In the first iteration of this system, the Gators featured 16 players listed as "out" or "questionable." This included seven notable defensive backs, including starters Asa Turner, Devin Moore and Sharif Denson. Denson and Moore are listed as "questionable," while Turner is still "out." All three were injured against Miami and didn't suit up against Samford.

In addition to the disappearance of Florida's defensive back depth, there were also four Gators receivers listed in the report, the most notable of which being starter Eugene Wilson III. Wilson III suffered an injury in practice this week following a performance on Saturday that saw him record six receptions for 141 yards and a touchdown. He is an integral part of the Florida offense. If Wilson is unable to suit up against Texas A&M, Mertz's return to his starting role will only be that more challenging.
 

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CATCHING ON Napier also focused on other position groups Wednesday night as he took questions for nearly 30 minutes for this week's matchup.

Coming off a stellar offensive performance, Napier dove into the value of each of his young receivers, detailing the development of Aiden Mizell and Tank Hawkins.

"I think those guys have made a ton of progress," Napier said. Adding that there is still "light years to go."

Napier also focused on the nose tackle play from his team, noting the improvement of Desmond Watson, Cam Jackson and Michai Boireau. Those players will likely need to step up against the Aggies, as Napier outlined how Texas A&M leans on the run to free up the play-action pass.

The Aggies' offensive system is new, and the team is still adjusting, but Napier believes the pure talent of the Texas A&M offense is lethal.

"They've got a handful of players that I feel are as good as anybody in the country, and I think they're featuring those players," Napier said.