Three Areas in Which Florida Must Display Improvement vs. McNeese State

Florida needs much more than a win on Saturday in order to consider its performance against McNeese State a success.

Photo: Florida QB Graham Mertz and RB Trevor Etienne; Credit: Zach Goodall

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- After beginning the second season of the Billy Napier era of Florida football in uninspiring fashion out west last week, with a 24-11 loss to Utah, Florida returns home to host McNeese State on Saturday, in hopes of looking like a completely different team than the one witnessed on national television on Thursday.

In order to consider Florida's Week 2 showing against McNeese State a success beyond adding a "1" to the win column, the Gators must display significant growth in the following categories compared to what was observed in Week 1. 

Get back to the offensive identity 

Napier often points to his past to foreshadow the future, specifically when he talks about his offensive scheme. Look no further than Florida's 56-44% run-pass split from 2022 for proof. 

Asked if a run-first-and-often approach remains his preferred strategy on Monday, he called his history as a play-caller" well documented, but noted that he is willing to adjust when the situation calls for it.

Week 1, obviously, did, considering the Gators went down two scores halfway through the second quarter and never got back within one.

"You've got to build your team where you've got balance and you're capable of both," Napier said, "but I think just from a demeanor standpoint, I think we definitely want to be more committed to the run game." 

Expect the Gators to commit to the run game this week, which yielded 13 net yards across 21 attempts thanks to quarterback Graham Mertz's sack yardage hindering the overall rushing line. Running backs — sophomore Trevor Etienne, junior Montrell Johnson Jr. and freshman Treyaun Webb — combined for 34 yards over 11 carries, not all too inspiring context, although it is necessary. 

It is more likely that the running backs will combine for 34 carries, rather than yards, in a game that Florida is supposed to win, like the one this weekend that is without a point spread listed in the Sports Illustrated Sportsbook. That is what the offensive identity is supposed to look like.

Play clean football

We won't beat the dead horse that was Florida's fundamental and execution issues against Utah in Week 1. Those errors were detailed in-depth here, and here, and here.

We'll only add Napier's reiterated surprise by the problems. On Monday, he stated his belief that the team was prepared to play by the coaching staff, making the Gators' penalties and inability to carry out the game plan unforeseen to the head coach.

"I was surprised by that, to be quite honest. We had played pretty clean football [in the] scrimmages [and] practice setting. We'd done quite a bit of significant crowd noise work," Napier noted. "So, those were surprising. I really felt confident our team was ready to play." 

The competition level this Saturday is irrelevant pertaining to this topic. Drive-killing penalties, the inability to set up third and manageable and convert (in part a product of poor play-calling), and special teams woes must be a thing of the past, and only Florida can ensure that.

Build a lead, then share the reps

If Florida is successful in the first two categories, then this task should be completed naturally as the game goes on. 

It is no secret that Florida is a young and very inexperienced team across the board. Napier said as much during the offseason, and his point was proven by the number of freshmen, both redshirt and true, and first-time starters on the field for UF last Thursday,

Much will remain the same this week, and frankly for the rest of the year. Arguably, the best method to develop talent is to give young players the opportunity to get their feet wet. 

So long as Florida handles its business against McNeese — an FCS opponent taking home a check worth $500,000 in exchange for an anticipated loss — Napier should continue to deploy that strategy well into the depths of the roster. 

One example of what this could look like would be Mertz's removal from the game at or just after halftime. Without redshirt sophomore Jack Miller III available against Utah and with his status still in question, Florida's healthy backup quarterbacks, graduate transfer Micah Leon and redshirt freshman Max Brown, have combined for 13 career passing attempts. They all belong to Leon.

Each passer — even Miller, if he is cleared to play — should receive the chance to operate the offense in a game setting on Saturday. The same logic can be applied to virtually every other position, and Napier appears to be doing so. 

"22 guys who had never played at UF played in the game last week," Napier said during Wednesday's SEC coaches teleconference, "and I anticipate that number could increase this week.”

It's simple: Build it (a lead) and they (the backups and reserves) will come (into the game).

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