Texas vs. Florida Preview: Keys to the Game

Sarkisian needs to be ready for a talented Florida team heading into week 11, no matter who is under center or calling the plays.

Jul 17, 2024; Dallas, TX, USA; Florida quarterback Graham Mertz speaking to the media at Omni Dallas Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Brett Patzke-USA TODAY Sports / Brett Patzke-USA TODAY Sports

With question marks surrounding the entirety of the Florida football program, writing about the keys to the game three months away can be very difficult. We have no way of knowing if head coach Billy Napier will even be coaching the team, or if QB Graham Mertz is still starting, or what the front four and back five in the secondary will be.

Napier enters this season 11-14 as a head coach in his first two seasons in Gainesville, a disappointing beginning with no obvious improvements in site. Napier can recruit, bringing in two top-12 recruiting classes in the last two years, but that still isn't changing the media's mind about this team. After receiving a 2024 schedule where they'll likely face eight or more ranked opponents, Florida was voted to place 12th in the SEC on SEC Media Days, and a result like that could put Napier's job in jeopardy.

Still, this team is no bye week on the schedule, and head coach Steve Sarkisian will have to take the time to prepare for a matchup like this. Even with generally low standards for record expectations by the general media, Josh Pate's power ratings poll had Florida as a top-25 team on paper heading into the year, meaning they will be no slouch even when the Longhorns are at home.

Thankfully for the Horns, Texas will have the full power of Darrell K Royal Stadium and the fans at its back. Texas likely will pull a win out of this game, but its not going to be a cake-walk. Here are some of the biggest keys to taking down the Gators and advancing closer to an SEC championship.

1. Attack Attack Attack

Texas White wide receiver Isaiah Bond runs the ball in to score a touchdown during the fourth quarter of the Longhorns' spring Orange and White game at Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas, April 20, 2024. / Sara Diggins/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK

It's no secret what types of players Sarkisian likes; Speed, and lots of it.

Sarkisian spent the spring acquiring speedsters like Silas Bolden, Isaiah Bond, Matthew Golden and Amari Niblack to supplement a receiving core that already had speedsters like Johntay Cook. When Sarkisian wants to, he can have the five fastest players on the field lined up in passing formations.

That bodes well when playing a team like Florida. Though the Gators have speed on the boundaries, they lack the experience to deal with a motion-based offense like that of Sarkisian's.

The Gators run a 3-3-5 defense, meaning five defensive backs are on the field at most times. On their two-deep, Florida has just four upperclassman, with only two of them having been on the team last year. The Gators have talent, notably with players like Jason Marshall, Ja'Keem Jackson and coveted transfer Cormani McClain, but there is bound to be an adjustment period for all but Marshall and returning junior Devin Moore.

Luckily for Florida, they have three months from the start of practice to this game, but it may not be enough time. Texas' one through seven in their pass attack is possibly the deepest in the nation, and a banged-up Florida defense will have trouble staying in front of these players. Sarkisian has to make it his goal to go after these underclassmen and let players like Bolden and Bond dominate in the open field and down the field.

2. Sit Back on Mertz, Go After Lagway

Florida Gators quarterback DJ Lagway (2) and Florida Gators quarterback Graham Mertz (15) line up during fall football practice at Heavener Football Complex at the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL on Wednesday, July 31, 2024. [Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun] / Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK

The two quarterbacks who will be battling it out in The Swamp this year have drastically different playstyles, both which can be easily exploited by the Texas defense.

On one hand, you have sixth-year returner Graham Mertz, whose average depth of target last year was lower than all but one power-five quarterback. Mertz has never been a true ceiling elevator in college football but is one of the most efficient QBs in the SEC. With Mertz, the Longhorns need to stay patient and cover the underneath.

Mertz will live in the underneath game, targeting sophomore stud Eugene Wilson out of the slot. Mertz, however, is no threat with his legs or in the air. Texas can sit in a low cover two, send four pass rushers, and clog up the underneath routes. Texas needs to be ok with potentially being vulnerable over top because Mertz is not the type of player to punish you there. Force him into third and uncomfortable situations and the Gators will be stuck.

Lagway couldn't be any different. Possibly the closest high school recruit to CFB legend Cam Newton, Lagway has an incredible mix of size, speed and arm strength. Lagway would be a rare true freshman quarterback in the SEC if he were to start, but he could be a nightmare for the Longhorns.

To address Lagway, Texas should bring the pressure. Defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski loves a good blitz package, and getting after the young QB is extremely important. Lagway, if he were to play, would likely be experiencing his first road game as a college football player. The stadium will be loud, and nerves may take over. Texas needs to pressure him to make quick, smart reads, something Mertz would be a lot more capable of doing. Leaving cornerbacks one-on-one could be a problem if Lagway can use his escapability and get a ball thrown deep, but the Longhorns more times than not will be able to get into the backfield and disrupt the play.

3. Wear Them Down in the Second Half

Texas Longhorns running back CJ Baxter (4) braces as Washington Huskies linebacker Alphonzo Tuputala (11) goes for the tackle in the fourth quarter of the Sugar Bowl College Football Playoff semi-finals at the Ceasars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, Jan. 1, 2024. The Huskies won the game 37-31. / Sara Diggins/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK

Though it's easy to ask Steve Sarkisian to dial up 40 passing plays throughout the game to fully challenge the Gator defense, the Longhorns need to become calmer the later this game goes.

Last year, the Gators were 129th in CFB in explosive run rate allowed, allowing a 12+ yard run play on nearly 20% of the carries they faced. For Sarkisian, that's music to his ears.

If the Longhorns are able to get a lead early and carry it into halftime, the tempo should turn a completely different direction. The Longhorns offensive line is filled with giant human beings, as Sarkisian likes to remind people, and will have the strength and energy to wear down any defensive line they face.

But the Gators' D-line is an even easier case. Though Florida stocked up in the portal and recruiting on the line, they still have two of their three starting linemen coming back from season-ending injury in 2023. Another rotational player is learning how to move into the interior defensive line, and a lot of snaps may need to be played by underclassmen.

Given these potential problems up front, Florida may still see themselves giving up 20+ yard runs in 2024. Sarkisian has just the duo to attack this, as sophomore CJ Baxter brings reliable yardage while junior Jaydon Blue is one of the most explosive players in the nation. Texas' yin and yang attack at running back can tire out any defense, but against a team like Florida Sarkisian needs to exploit that ability. Even with just 10 carries, a guy like Blue can go off for 70 yards on the ground. That's something that needs to happen for Texas to secure this win.