Gators Painful Lessons make for Improved 2024

The Florida Gators learned several painful lessons in closing the season with five-straight losses, and they'll be better for it in 2024.

Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier on the sidelines against the Missouri Tigers / Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

The last five games of the 2023 Florida Gators schedule saw the team lose in every painful way possible. Yet, 2024 offers the ability to learn from those 300 minutes of agony and build something better. With proverbial wind at their collective faces, Florida needs to bow up and take the lesson from those five games and carve a better path in 2024. 

Without hyperbole, this season rates as one of Billy Napier's most difficult and will define him for the rest of his coaching career. As a result, let's look at those minutes and see what the Gators can derive from those losses.

Shut The Door

In three of those defeats, Florida enjoyed a lead, even the slightest one matters. Each time, the dreaded combination happened. Offense and defense each failed to execute and salt the clock away. Instead, heartbreaking losses mounted and the season unraveled, ending in a season of disappointment. 

For example, the Missouri game stands out. Let's look at the Missouri game. With 1:36 left in the game, the Tigers started from their own 25-yard-line. Missouri quarterback Brady Cook converted a fourth-and-seventeen. 

Somehow, Luther Burden, Missouri's best receiver found an opening and roasted the Gators for twenty-seven. The old adage states, nothing behind you on fourth-and-a-mile. Will Harris, as new secondary coach will teach is defenders more of a sense of field awareness. While defensive breakdowns happen, remember that Cook also converted a third-and-eight in the same drive. Once is an occurrence, twice is a pattern.

Avoid Predictability

During the same game, on the last drive that Florida scored, Billy Napier decided to embrace conservative playcalling which jumped up and bit Florida. The Gators started with the ball on their own 38-yard-line. The clock registered 4:44 remaining on the clock. 

The offense ran the ball right at Missouri to early success. They did not throw a single pass during the drive. Florida drives the ball to the Missouri eighteen-yard-line. What better time to throw the ball to catch the defense loading the box? Plus, even a screen pass to the back will salt away time. Florida chose the path of least resistance, allowing Missouri to dictate at the line of scrimmage. 

With a win, the Gators becomes bowl eligible. Billy Napier, Critics will say that since Graham Mertz left the game due to an injury, and trusting a redshirt freshman quarterback is foolish. However, the team trusted Max Brown enough to suit up as Mertz's backup, why not let him throw the ball to create space?

Lessons Learned

The Florida Gators saw their season limp to a depressing end. 2024 does the team no favors, with regards to the schedule. Yet, to his credit, Napier assembled an even-more talented team with a bit more playmakers and depth on defense. Now, the work begins on crafting a better season. 

With expectations low outside of the swamp, the Gators can focus on the important matters. If they have a lead late, they need to end the game. Either sharpen up on defense or wear out the opponent's defense. Either way, five consecutive losses does not feel like it fits this incarnation of Florida football.