OGT 2023 Week 3: #11 Tennessee 16, Florida (1-1) 29 (9/16/2023)

[Escambia94]

Billy Napier gets a signature SEC win—the Gators’ first victory over a ranked SEC opponent in the Swamp since Auburn in 2019.

Statistic	UT	UF
1st Downs	17	22
3rd down efficiency	8-15	7-14
4th down efficiency	0-3	0-0
Total Yards	393	357
Passing	287	166
Comp-Att	20-34	19-24
Yards per pass	8.4	6.9
Interceptions thrown	1	0
Rushing	106	191
Rushing Attempts	29	42
Yards per rush	3.7	4.5
Penalties	10-79	5-30
Turnovers	1	0
Fumbles lost	0	0
Interceptions thrown	1	0
Possession	22:38	37:15

 

[DRU2012]

@Escambia94,
It is early, true, but aside from being told "it is a collarbone injury", I have been able to find out its seriousness or any further details on Eugene Wilson III's injury, or how long it will likely keep him out.
Mertz banged up his left hand, which was wrapped and gloved fir much of tge 2nd half, AND incurred a "laceration" on his right (THROWING) hand that at first at keast bled profusely...These contributed as much to curtailing the balanced throwing/passing game on offense as the actual developing game circumstances, at least until later in the 4th quarter when even for the Vols quick strike offense time began to run down.
I'm going on YouTube to hear Billy's postgame comments in hopes he will touch on all that; if not, he'll eventually address it on Monday I suppose.
I am concerned: Mertz's AND Wilson III's health are central to our success the rest of this season, obviously.
If YOU are able to learn anything, hope you'll put it up somewhere here ASAP.

 

[Leakfan12]

It was an alright game. I wish the second half was much better but again the Gators won the game.

 

[Leakfan12]

 

[DRU2012]

So:
(1) Consensus out there is that Josh Heuppel is and was a CLASSLESS FOOL in not only CALLING that meaningless. USELESS time out with a few seconds left, but in seemingly intending to see our QB hit one more time--poor sportsmanship and a stupid risk for all involved... NOT just for Mertz but his OWN players: ie. Their health AND availability for the next game if they are penalized or worse.
There is even now talk of the SEC looking into FINING him for it...Well deserved, since It damn near provoked a major postgame brawl.
(2) if you watched the postgame presser on YouTube, there was lots of Gator postgame insight and backstory info...The biggest news from my P.O.V. concerned the question of Eugehe Wilson's injury:
Accordong to Coach Napier, "X-rays showed "normal", no break...It was a bruised sternum that gave him pain that limited his movement; he wanted to play, but we decided it was dangerous, not necessary..." In other words, they weren't about to dope him.up just so he could go back in and play without that pain limiting his motion and strength. No word on how bad or how long he'll now miss, if at all. No word on Johnson's injury in the 2nd half..I expect there to be more questions and hence more detailed answers regarding ALL those on the injured list, before and after this game, at the next one on Monday.

 

[DRU2012]

It was an alright game. I wish the second half was much better but again the Gators won the game.

Agreed all around:
Even Billy himself voluntarily granted that he "probably got a little too conservative in the 2nd half"...That seemed pretty obvious--Some of that seemed as much the result of our getting pretty banged up, accumulating a growing collection of productive playmakers forced to the sidelines...at least that was MY suspicion as play went on.
Had we retained everyone I think we'd have done more than just match their one 2nd half fieldgoal--but it turned out Armstrong's Defense was able to make it stick.

 

[DRU2012]

Still some things to work on, obviously...
The Kicking Game, Special TEAMS in general continues to sputter. All those coaches not exactly showing positive results so far (a la Escambia notes on extensive behind-the-scenes coaching additions--maybe a couple less of THEM and a few additional PLAYERS?).
Sudden reappearance of the Gator "o-LAY!" (mis)tackling (non)technique there in the 3rd quarter was frustrating and disheartening too.
But much else WAS generally improved--and even the sloppy/lazy stuff neither lingered long nor cost us the game, obviously.
We ARE getting better, improving as a TEAM game-by-game, as Coach notes--and has repeatedly promised.
Stay relatively healthy, keep it going and continue to focus on ourselves, make the TEAM better and the results will continue on the upswing.
The rest will take care of itself.
One thing I really do like and approve of is the way our Coach (and by extension, everyone around him on this team) is DETAIL-oriented.

 

[Escambia94]

Here is a quick QB comparison:

Player	C/ATT	YDS	AVG	TD	INT	QBR
Graham Mertz	19/24	166	6.9	1	0	91.6

	C/ATT	YDS	AVG	TD	INT	QBR
Joe Milton III	20/34	287	8.4	2	1	52.5