How Florida Gators Defense can Improve Dramatically

For the Florida Gators defense to improve across the board, one aspect must be shored up quickly.

The return of Florida Gators linebacker Shemar James should help boost the run defense. / Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun / USA

On offense, the University of Florida possesses the potential to strike fear in the hearts of opposing defenses. Meanwhile, the defense definitely needs to tighten up aspects in order to match the offense, hoping to contend. 

Yet with less than two months until kickoff, the Gators can really focus on what plagued the defense in 2023. Looking backward at problems helps when you look forward to solutions. As a result, the area that Florida defense needs to improve most is rush defense.

 In 2023, the rush defense played an erratic, inconsistent brand of football that led to a similarly uneven season. The Gators ranked 79th in the country in stopping the run. In all honesty, Billy Napier doesn't have the earned winning collateral to withstand another losing season. 

Fewer Carries, More Yards

Last season, opponents ran the ball versus the Gators just 386 times. That ranks first in fewest attempts by an opponent in the SEC. By the same token, that number ranks seventh nationally, out of 133 FBS teams. Meanwhile, the Gators surrendered the fifth-most yards in the conference (1,867). 

Correspondingly, that number ranks sixty-first nationally. Granted, while on a FBS-wide level that yardage looks relatively average, remember the SEC remains the gold standard for all things FBS. As a result, tightening up the run defense becomes a top priority. Florida does not lack defensive talent. As cliche as " the defense must step up immediately" sounds, it underscores a dramatic need for improvement. 

Halftime Adjustments

To their credit, as much as Florida struggled versus the run in 2023, a few rays of positivity appeared. First, before halftime, opponents average 5.46 yards per carry. Emerging from the locker room after the break, the Gators lock in and opponents post a paltry 4.12 yards per carry.

Not to mention, Florida surrendered just thirty-seven rushes of ten-plus yards in the final half/overtime. On the other hand, the first thirty minutes of games, opponents ripped off thirty-seven chunk yardage plays. Whatever happened in the locker room, whatever corrections or sage words need to move before the coin toss. A different Gators team emerges after half time. 

Solutions

In Florida's 3-3-5, the front three occupy blockers and attempt to clog lanes, so the three linebackers can stop the run. In 2024, Florida needs to abandon the 3-3-5, or at least elements of it. Justus Boone needs to play with his hand firmly in the dirt, helping to set the edge, preventing backs from bouncing to the perimeter. Boone can use his play strength to anchor and provide a deterrent to any running back that wants to flow his way. 

Next, Washington transfer Asa Turner must roll up in run support. Turner, over his five seasons at the University of Washington displayed a nose for stuffing the ball. Granted, his ball skills may appear wasted in run support, but the defense needs a spark. 

Reinforcements will be arriving in the return of linebacker Shemar James and the transfer of Grayson Howard. The Gators need both players up to speed quickly.

Lastly, the secondary needs to get their collective noses dirty and put a hat on the ballcarrier, metaphorically. In taking better pursuit angles to the ball and shed blocks quicker immediately improves the run defense. Fewer business decisions and more football decisions make this situation better.

Overall

The University of Florida fields a defense full of playmaking athletes. Without a doubt, the unit can bring speed and tenacity to any situation. Under those situations, regardless of who lines up in front of them, the run defense needs to improve.