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SEC Media Days: Three Florida Gators Storylines to Follow
Each year, conference media days in mid-July signal the impending kickoff of the college football season.
On Monday, the SEC began their annual event with Commissioner Greg Sankey opening the floor for coaches and players from LSU, Texas A&M and Missouri to take questions from local and national media members in Nashville (Tenn.).
The Florida Gators are set to take the podium on Wednesday for the second time with Billy Napier at the program's helm. An eventful offseason has created plenty of topics for the head coach and the player representatives in attendance alongside him to discuss.
Before Napier, cornerback Jason Marshall Jr., wide receiver Ricky Pearsall and center Kingsley Eguakun are showcased at 2 p.m. EST, which aspects of the Gators' upcoming campaign will be the topic of conversation for the quartet of representatives?
Quarterback
From a No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft to unproven entities, the Gators' quarterback room is a major question mark. It will ultimately define Florida's level of success — or lack thereof — in the impending campaign.
Anthony Richardson left big shoes to fill when he departed for the pros after his first full year as a starter. The Gators, as a result, took to the transfer portal in search of a new man behind the center to lead Napier's offense.
Wisconsin transfer Graham Mertz earned the call. He steps into the fold alongside former Ohio State transfer Jack Miller III for the starting spot come August 31 in Salt Lake City, Utah, although Mertz's previous in-game experience in the power five gives him the edge to assume the role.
Even then, aside from the competition itself, more uncertainty looms regarding the aptitudes of either quarterback to effectively lead the Gators offense in a way conducive to success.
Despite operating a system geared toward the rushing game that can cater to the needs of an unproven, and underperforming, passer, there are concerns that Florida will put on an archaic offensive display without the capability to rely on the quarterback to make routine throws at all three levels and take care of the football.
The ground attack, albeit expectedly stout with Montrell Johnson and Trevor Etienne returning to take on a bulk of the carries, will be the life and death of the unit in that scenario.
Will Mertz be able to manage the unit with a complementary array of passes in the mistake-free form Napier commands in 2023, or will the offense fall victim to regression amid immense change from a year ago?
Austin Armstrong and the defense
Florida's defensive ineptitude over the last three campaigns is a well-documented lapse that has defined the Gators' drastic decline from their 2020 SEC Championship appearance.
Staff turnover following the 2021 season brought hope for newfound growth in all areas of the program, but especially where stopping opposing offenses were concerned.
However, sometimes it has to get worst before it gets better. Patrick Toney, an oft-praised young coordinator mind, possessed an adequate scheme on paper but struggled to overcome the preexisting personnel issues left behind by the previous staff.
The 2022 defense was indicative of that as it ranked No. 97 in total defense — allowing 411 yards per game, 5.92 yards per play and 28.85 points per game through 13 contests.
Now, for the third time in as many years, yet another new coordinator enters the fold as Austin Armstrong, 29, is set to manage Florida's defense. However, unlike his predecessor, Armstrong won't have to start from ground zero. Instead, there is a firm foundation for the scheme implemented.
He's tasked with maximizing the unit's effectiveness in 2023 and beyond.
Keeping the same multiple-front system operated in 2022, the concepts and verbiage remain largely similar, offering a promising dose of familiarity for the returning pieces expected to produce and communicate at a high level.
The biggest difference will come in the unit's approach, with Armstrong expressing a higher tendency for blitzes, simulated pressures and press coverages relative to Toney. If his time at Southern Miss — on top of a memorable spring game outing — is any indication, the Gators are expected to pin their ears back up front and in the second level while allowing the coverage men to operate in bump-and-run coverage at the line of scrimmage.
Marshall, the Gators' veteran cornerback and projected first-round NFL Draft pick, for one, will benefit from the press-man responsibilities. His consistent success has the potential to elevate the group as a whole.
As a result, Florida's potential surge on the defensive side of the ball has garnered heavy attention throughout the offseason.
It's not just wanted. It's expected.
Can Florida's defense witness a resurgence in 2023 with the fresh and aggressive approach Armstrong deploys?
Incorporation of Youth
Amid a multi-year overhaul of the Florida roster in an attempt to return the unit to SEC standard, young, ready-now talent is a coveted asset.
Throughout the 2022 season, the impact of underclassmen significantly aided the Gators to realize more success than it would have without their presence. The most notable example was Etienne, who produced as a creative and elusive ball carrier option for the stout two-headed backfield monster with Johnson.
However, linebacker Shemar James, defensive lineman Chris McClellan, wideout Caleb Douglas, cornerback Devin Moore, safety Miguel Mitchell and safety Kamari Wilson made valuable contributions in their respective playing time.
For Florida to witness the significant growth it yearns for in year two of Napier's reign, a 2023 class — which notably increased the quality of talent on the roster — will be vital.
Wideouts Andy Jean and Eugene Wilson, defensive lineman Kelby Collins, cornerback Ja'Keem Jackson and safety Jordan Castell are among those who possess the ability to take the field early and often in their first year donning orange and blue.
The duo of pass catchers presents varying skills of speed, route running, and multi-level explosiveness to present a spark to the offense despite the aforementioned questions marks at quarterback.
Collins can be a reliable rotational prospect for an edge group that will be hyperactive in crashing into the backfield. Jackson and Castell can present similar depth to a risk-taking secondary group.
That's not to mention an unexpected emergence from the group of 20 enrollees or the return of a redshirt freshman like tight end Arlis Boardingham — who nursed a year-long shoulder injury during his inaugural season with UF.
Nonetheless, several underclassmen are slated to assume crucial roles in all three phases of the game during the 2023 season. But to what extent will Florida's undeniably talented youth see the field?
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