Billy Napier was hired at Florida to eventually lift the Gators to the standard set by Kirby Smart at Georgia. However, it’s painfully clear that process won’t unfold in one year or even two.
By Matt Zemek
Follow @14powerscom
Napier will need time to recruit and develop players, building Florida to the level where it can compete with Georgia not just in the SEC East, but on a larger national level. He would obviously love to ruin Georgia’s season this year, but the main thing for him and his Florida coaching staff is to learn lessons, internalize them, and apply them for the road ahead. Let’s see what Florida must emphasize on the field if it wants to make any kind of run at upsetting the defending national champions:
1 – Richardson’s best game
There is no path to victory for Florida if Anthony Richardson doesn’t play well. Coming off an idle week, Richardson needs to be at his best. It will be fascinating to see if Richardson can bring his best fastball to Jacksonville and find ways to run for big plays as well. He will need both his running and passing ability to beat a defense as great as Georgia’s. One point to keep in mind here is that while Georgia has set a high standard in 2022, that standard has not been as lofty as the 2021 UGA defense’s track record. Georgia has allowed 22 points in multiple games this season. Last year, Georgia didn’t allow 22 or more points to any opponent other than Alabama in the SEC Championship Game. If Florida scores 22 points, that probably won’t be enough to win, but it will be enough to make this game competitive in the fourth quarter.
2 – Red Zone
Georgia escaped against Missouri earlier this season because its red-zone defense stood tall and forced a bunch of field goals. Florida can’t kick field goals and expect to win, unless it trails by two points in the final minute of regulation. On defense, the Gators have to shut off the big play and use a bend-don’t-break strategy in which they can make the sure tackle, force Georgia to make more plays, and hold the fort inside their own 20.
3 – Third downs
Florida fans remember “Third and Grantham,” mindful of how bad former defensive coordinator Todd Grantham was on third downs in Gainesville. This year, Florida’s defense has continued to be woefully inadequate on third downs. That simply has to change against Georgia. We all know the margin for error is already microscopic for the Gators; they have to get off the field if they want to increase that margin to any meaningful extent.
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