Gators head coach Billy Napier is urging his team to block out the noise and focus on execution heading into Saturday's trip to Mississippi State. (Photo: Jay Metz/UAA Communications)
Gators, Napier Refocus on Basics; Mertz and Lagway Both to Play at Mississippi State
Monday, September 16, 2024 | Football, Scott Carter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Did the season start only 17 days ago? Yes, it just seems longer.
Three games into the schedule, there is not much Gators head coach Billy Napier or his players can say to silence the critics other than to start stacking up wins.
They know that. You know that. Albert and Alberta know that.
Fans have told them loudly, whether via boos on Saturday at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium during a 33-20 loss to Texas A&M or insults on social media that often resemble a temper tantrum at the keyboard. Of course, the Gators have provided their denigrators ample ammunition with lopsided home losses to Miami and Texas A&M, sandwiching a win over FCS program Samford.
Napier departed Florida Field on Saturday to a round of boos as he entered the tunnel to the locker room. He was back in front of the media Monday afternoon, facing many of the same questions as Saturday.
Florida's loss was its seventh in eight games going back to last season and dropped Napier to 12-16 overall at UF.
"Saturday was very disappointing and frustrating,'' Napier said. "It's important for everybody to know, personally taking ownership of that. Everything that happens within our team and organization is my responsibility. We need to do much better."
Perhaps a change of scenery will help. The Gators (1-2, 0-1 Southeastern Conference) travel to Starkville, Miss., to face Mississippi State (1-2, 0-0) this week following three consecutive home games. The Bulldogs have their own issues, losing 41-17 at home to Toledo on Saturday after falling behind 28-3 at halftime.
Both teams are in dire need of a win to help flush the memory of their last performance.
The Gators have stumbled to open the season for many reasons in Napier's view. The list of miscues was long in the loss to the Aggies.
"The film is a combination of mental errors, fundamental and technical issues, and some decision making,'' Napier said. "No doubt we can help the players and try to put them in better positions at times."
The most glaring weakness for the Gators has been along the offensive and defensive lines. Miami and Texas A&M, for the most part, manhandled Florida's defensive pass rush, and when the Gators were on offense, both the Hurricanes and Aggies' defensive lines got the best of UF's offensive line. Florida managed just 52 yards rushing against Texas A&M. Meanwhile, the Aggies rushed for 310 yards on the ground.
Texas A&M's defense entered the game surrendering 5.3 yards per carry. The Aggies limited the Gators to 2.1 yards per carry.
"We got to get out there and perform,'' said veteran offensive lineman Austin Barber. "Like Coach said, we got to take the things we're being coached and apply them."
Napier faced pointed questions about his future Monday. He said that he has not had any conversations about his job status and that he remains "100 percent" confident there is a path to a fourth season in charge of the program in 2025.
He said it's his job to turn the program around and to keep the team focused.
"Accountability is the only option here,'' Napier said. "The most important thing, and I told the players after the game Saturday, is that they stick together. We can't control what is said on the outside. We can control what is said within the walls."
Florida will have to play better defensively to change the current narrative. The Gators are ranked last in the SEC in total defense (407.3 yards per game). Mississippi State is ranked 15th (388.0).
Texas A&M rolled up 488 yards of total offense despite redshirt freshman Marcel Reed starting at quarterback instead of Conner Weigman, who warmed up but did not play due to a shoulder injury. Reed led the Aggies to a 20-0 halftime lead as Florida's defense was unable to get the Aggies off the field.
"When things don't go your way, obviously there will be frustration,'' Gators fifth-year senior linebacker Derek Wingo said. "You work really hard all week, all offseason. You guys can point fingers or do whatever you might want to do, but at the end of the day, it's how we can go execute. We talk about [how] we didn't execute.
"It's just going back on the field, going back in the film room today and throughout the week to prepare for Mississippi State."
Florida has not played Mississippi State since 2018, a memorable return to Starkville for former UF coach Dan Mullen in his fifth game as Gators coach after leaving Mississippi State. The Gators won a defensive battle, 13-6.
Six years later, the two programs rank at the bottom of the SEC in total defense. Napier said Monday the plan is to continue to use a two-quarterback system with starter Graham Mertz and true freshman DJ Lagway.
"We're committed to playing both players,'' he said. "Some of it is open-ended. They know that. Both understand the dynamic. I think both of them can help our team."
Mertz finished 12 of 15 for 195 yards, a touchdown and an interception in his return from a concussion. Lagway was 6 of 13 for 54 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions.
The first three weeks of the season have taught everyone that it doesn't matter who is playing quarterback for the Gators if the defense doesn't improve and the running game doesn't get going.
"Hence my frustration,'' Napier said of the lack of a consistent running game. "We got to do better in that area. It's one of the things that make the engine go."
Three games into the schedule, there is not much Gators head coach Billy Napier or his players can say to silence the critics other than to start stacking up wins.
They know that. You know that. Albert and Alberta know that.
Fans have told them loudly, whether via boos on Saturday at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium during a 33-20 loss to Texas A&M or insults on social media that often resemble a temper tantrum at the keyboard. Of course, the Gators have provided their denigrators ample ammunition with lopsided home losses to Miami and Texas A&M, sandwiching a win over FCS program Samford.
Napier departed Florida Field on Saturday to a round of boos as he entered the tunnel to the locker room. He was back in front of the media Monday afternoon, facing many of the same questions as Saturday.
Florida's loss was its seventh in eight games going back to last season and dropped Napier to 12-16 overall at UF.
"Saturday was very disappointing and frustrating,'' Napier said. "It's important for everybody to know, personally taking ownership of that. Everything that happens within our team and organization is my responsibility. We need to do much better."
Perhaps a change of scenery will help. The Gators (1-2, 0-1 Southeastern Conference) travel to Starkville, Miss., to face Mississippi State (1-2, 0-0) this week following three consecutive home games. The Bulldogs have their own issues, losing 41-17 at home to Toledo on Saturday after falling behind 28-3 at halftime.
Both teams are in dire need of a win to help flush the memory of their last performance.
The Gators have stumbled to open the season for many reasons in Napier's view. The list of miscues was long in the loss to the Aggies.
"The film is a combination of mental errors, fundamental and technical issues, and some decision making,'' Napier said. "No doubt we can help the players and try to put them in better positions at times."
The most glaring weakness for the Gators has been along the offensive and defensive lines. Miami and Texas A&M, for the most part, manhandled Florida's defensive pass rush, and when the Gators were on offense, both the Hurricanes and Aggies' defensive lines got the best of UF's offensive line. Florida managed just 52 yards rushing against Texas A&M. Meanwhile, the Aggies rushed for 310 yards on the ground.
Texas A&M's defense entered the game surrendering 5.3 yards per carry. The Aggies limited the Gators to 2.1 yards per carry.
"We got to get out there and perform,'' said veteran offensive lineman Austin Barber. "Like Coach said, we got to take the things we're being coached and apply them."
Napier faced pointed questions about his future Monday. He said that he has not had any conversations about his job status and that he remains "100 percent" confident there is a path to a fourth season in charge of the program in 2025.
He said it's his job to turn the program around and to keep the team focused.
"Accountability is the only option here,'' Napier said. "The most important thing, and I told the players after the game Saturday, is that they stick together. We can't control what is said on the outside. We can control what is said within the walls."
Florida will have to play better defensively to change the current narrative. The Gators are ranked last in the SEC in total defense (407.3 yards per game). Mississippi State is ranked 15th (388.0).
Texas A&M rolled up 488 yards of total offense despite redshirt freshman Marcel Reed starting at quarterback instead of Conner Weigman, who warmed up but did not play due to a shoulder injury. Reed led the Aggies to a 20-0 halftime lead as Florida's defense was unable to get the Aggies off the field.
"When things don't go your way, obviously there will be frustration,'' Gators fifth-year senior linebacker Derek Wingo said. "You work really hard all week, all offseason. You guys can point fingers or do whatever you might want to do, but at the end of the day, it's how we can go execute. We talk about [how] we didn't execute.
"It's just going back on the field, going back in the film room today and throughout the week to prepare for Mississippi State."
Florida has not played Mississippi State since 2018, a memorable return to Starkville for former UF coach Dan Mullen in his fifth game as Gators coach after leaving Mississippi State. The Gators won a defensive battle, 13-6.
Six years later, the two programs rank at the bottom of the SEC in total defense. Napier said Monday the plan is to continue to use a two-quarterback system with starter Graham Mertz and true freshman DJ Lagway.
"We're committed to playing both players,'' he said. "Some of it is open-ended. They know that. Both understand the dynamic. I think both of them can help our team."
Mertz finished 12 of 15 for 195 yards, a touchdown and an interception in his return from a concussion. Lagway was 6 of 13 for 54 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions.
The first three weeks of the season have taught everyone that it doesn't matter who is playing quarterback for the Gators if the defense doesn't improve and the running game doesn't get going.
"Hence my frustration,'' Napier said of the lack of a consistent running game. "We got to do better in that area. It's one of the things that make the engine go."
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