Cam's Column: Let's Pump the Brakes. That Defense is Something Else...

Saturday's win over Mississippi State was great for the Florida Gators, but we can't ignore that bad defense.

Mississippi State Bulldogs running back Johnnie Daniels runs the ball against Florida Gators defensive back Bryce Thornton. / Matt Bush-Imagn Images

STARKVILLE, Miss.-- To say the Florida Gators' 45-28 win over Mississippi State was needed would be an understatement.

Florida had yet to defeat an FBS opponent in almost a year and were facing a potential 1-3 start to the season. Head coach Billy Napier's seat is scorching hot and his potential firing has become a matter of "when" instead of "if."

However, the Gators buckled down and relied on its two quarterbacks in Graham Mertz and DJ Lagway, who combined for 277 yards passing, 46 yards rushing and four total touchdowns. I know it was against a Mississippi State defense that had just given up 41 points to Toledo, but give Florida's offense credit.

They did their part.

The defense, however, was absolutely atrocious on Saturday.

Against a Bulldog offense that averaged 213.7 yards a game passing (121st nationally), 97.7 yards a game rushing (113th nationally) and 19.3 first downs a game (74th nationally), the Gators' defense made Mississippi State look like playoff contenders, at least in the second half.

Mississippi State passed for 240 yards and one score, rushed for 240 yards and three scores and had 31 total first downs. The Bulldogs ran 90 total plays on Saturday. Florida was also called for four defensive penalties, all of which came from defensive backs in the second half.

"I just want to see a little more scrap, a little more fight, in particular on defense in some of these situations that we had today," said UF head coach Billy Napier. "We got multiple opportunities to get off the field, and I just think we got to challenge the leadership, and we have to get a little bit more out of them. I think ultimately that's what's going to be for us to have success in future we got to play complimentary ball, and at some point we got to play really good defense."

The issues began from the final drive of the first half with Florida up 28-7.

The Bulldogs used 19 plays over the next two drives to cut it to a one-possession game. They only needed 54 seconds late in the second quarter to begin their attempt at a comeback.

From that final drive in the second quarter to the end of the game, Mississippi State had 368 yards of offense, scored 21 points and were mere feet away from 14 more. The Gators did not force a single punt in that span.

The passing attack for the Bulldogs wasn't a major surprise, in my opinion. The Gators' pass defense has been virtually non-existent. I was, however, surprised that one of the nation's worst rushing attacks consistently thrashed Florida's front, even if they haven't been good all season.

Now, Florida was without three interior defensive linemen on Saturday, but this has been an issue that's plagued the unit since the first drive of the Miami game. This was supposed to be the game that they put it together.

"We got to get it fixed. If you want to play really good defense, you got to be strong up the middle. It's discouraging because it's at the core of what you do," Napier said. "And I think we've got the personnel in there to be really good."

Don't let it being a 17-point win absolutely fool you, though. Mississippi State fumbled the ball on fourth-and-goal on a bad play call (give Florida credit for making the stop), and were about to score again before the game ended.

As much as the offense looked like the one everyone expected heading into the season, the defense continually falls short. And, it isn't just a player issue or just a scheme issue or just a coaching issue or just an injury issue or just a "the other team was better" issue.

From top to bottom, coaching to players, scheme design to execution, this defense needs a complete overhaul, and it's needed one dating back to the Dan Mullen-era.

Mid-game, ESPN mentioned a conversion they had with co-defensive coordinator Ron Roberts, who is calling plays making it three different defensive play callers in three years for Napier. They said Roberts wasn't sure if his players believed in one another.

ESPN just said that Florida Gators defensive play-caller Ron Roberts told them he “wasn’t sure these defensive players still believe in each other”

— Brandon Olsen (@WNS_Brandon) September 21, 2024

I mean, there's not much to say.

Players, to their credit, have taken ownership that it's not scheme or coaching. It's on them. Justus Boone told me that on Wednesday at the weekly press conference. Trikweze Bridges and Pup Howard said as much post-game on Saturday.

But this isn't just a player-execution issue. Florida has essentially reset its defensive personnel both in depth chart and in staff since Napier's first season in 2022. The only thing that hasn't changed is the scheme, and it shows.

In all seriousness, this may be the last favorable game on the schedule.

I know FSU is left, and they're atrocious, but I think it'd be fair to say this defense could make DJ Uiagalelei look like Jameis Winston.

Up next is UCF, who is currently the nation's top-ranked rushing offense (375.7 yards per game), despite already having a bye week, but only the 95th overall passing offense (195 yards per game). This shouldn't be a confidence booster. We all saw what Florida's pass defense did, or should I say didn't do, against Miami, Texas A&M and now Mississippi State.

Honestly, the Knights may not even have to pass the ball to get a win in the Swamp.

After that is SEC foe Tennessee, who is coming off a ranked road win against Oklahoma in the Josh Heupel Bowl.

The Vols currently the nation's 6th-ranked rushing offense (290 yards per game) and 33rd overall passing attack (275.8 yards per game). Not to mention, that game's in Knoxville.

Good luck, Florida.

I'm not even going to bother looking at the schedule past that other than the fact that the Gators face five ranked teams out of its final eight games. The only three that aren't are the previously-mentioned UCF, Kentucky (who hasn't lost to Florida since 2020) and Florida State, who's arguably the Gators' best chance for a win the rest of the way.

That being said, maybe Saturday's win plus the bye week plus players returning from injury could be exactly what Florida needs to turn its defense around. The only issue is I've been saying that since the 2020 season only to be consistently proven wrong.

"We are what we are. I don't have any other answer for you other than I think we're capable of better, I think we can play better, I think we can coach better," Napier said. "And look, we've got an open date here. We need to take a good look in the mirror on both sides of the spectrum, players and coaches. And maybe we need to adjust who plays and who doesn't play."

Considering that open date, the Gators better take advantage of it and figure out adjustments quickly, or what's already been a difficult season will only get more difficult.