In a wide receiver corps that’s as deep as the one on Florida’s sideline, it’s tough to pick out a guy that’s the best — so tough that I’m not going to be the one to do it.
Instead, I’ll attack a different argument — one thats not very common.
Most underrated.
With, again, a unit that is so deep and so talented, it’s hard to think that even one of the guys is underrated.
Freddie Swain, Van Jefferson, Trevon Grimes, Tyrie Cleveland — they’re all good.
But I excluded one guy from that list. And I’d bet that at least half of the people that read that list wouldn’t even realize that one of Florida’s biggest playmakers was purposely omitted to prove a point.
Josh Hammond.
Ever heard of him?
Now that his name is front of you you’re going face-palming yourself in disbelief that you could forget No. 10. And, to be frank, you should be face-palming yourself.
After all, this is the same guy that didn’t drop a single pass thrown his way in 2018. That’s right — not one.
Which leads me into the biggest reason he’s so underrated.
Hammond’s consistency is second to none.
When Feleipe Franks was under center for the Gators, Hammond was his go-to guy.
Yet, now that Kyle Trask has taken over, Hammond is still getting reps. Even despite the fact that Kyle undoubtedly favors other guys named Kyle.
Through the 2019 season Hammond has snatched 24 receptions for 307 yards and two touchdowns.
Not the sexiest stat line, which again, contributes to him being underrated.
Hammond isn’t the guy that breaks off these huge plays (though he can), but rather he serves as an unwavering rock in the Gator offense.
While averaging just 12.8 yards per catch, Hammond is often used as the check down. And with his solid hands, why wouldn’t he be?
However, Hammond’s success doesn’t just come through the air. With his speed and patience, Hammond fairs fairly well on the ground as well.
In Florida’s come-from-behind win over Kentucky, Hammond blasted off for a 76-yard touchdown off of a jet sweep to put the Gators ahead of the Wildcats.
Josh Hammond is talented. Though in a field of diamonds, it’s hard to shine the brightest.
However, perhaps what makes Hammond so special is his unselfishness. This, of course, comes back to the fact that Florida’s receiving unit is so deep. Those in the Gator receiving group have no choice but to be unselfish as the ball can only be spread around so much.
But Hammond’s unselfishness is something everyone sees.
Trotting out to the logo ahead of every game is Hammond, linebacker David Reese and fellow senior wide receiver Freddie Swain.
Following the toss, one of the two senior receivers will take their seat on the sideline, while the other gets to start the game. While it isn’t exactly what one would expect from a pair of senior captains, Hammond and Swain devised the alternating rhythm on their own merit.
“Me and Freddie didn’t really care, so we were like we’ll just switch it every week and just roll with that,” Hammond said.
All the while, Dan Mullen gets a kick out of it.
“It’s kind of funny, the two guys that play the same position are two team captains, Freddie and Josh,” coach Dan Mullen said. “They play the exact same (position). One question I can’t answer for you is how many games either one of them have started this year.
Social media jokes that Hammond has been a Gator forever. They post parody pictures with Hammond’s face alongside lineups that include Fred Davis, Reidel Anthony and Ike Hilliard.
Rest assured, Hammond hasn’t been on the football roster since the 1990s.
However, his time at Florida is coming to an end. And one can only hope, that Hammond’s name is one that is remembered for years to come.
The 15th-ranked Florida Gators etched another W into the record books with a sweep over Auburn at Auburn Arena Wednesday evening. The Gators secured the victory by a 25-17 scoreline in each frame.
Bringing that W I N back to Gainesville! Holly Carlton posts a season high hitting percentage, all the highlights from our match at Auburn! 🐊🏐🎉 pic.twitter.com/zDyV5fx4Du
Holly Carlton picked up the most kills in the match with 13. She took a total of 20 swings and made one error for a final clip of .600.
Thayer Hall was the only other Gator to reach two figures on the night. She bagged 10 on 23 attacks and made one error, giving her a hitting percentage of .391.
One area that Hall stood out was with her service. She finished with three service aces, as many as Auburn had as a team and more than half that the Gators had.
Carlton and Lauren Dooley both had two blocks, the most on the team. Allie Gregory led Florida in digs with eight, followed closely by Hall and Marlie Monserez with 11 each.
Team Stats
As a team, the Gators had another successful night in the attack. Florida saw out the match with a .361 hitting percentage.
The Tigers, however, could only manage a .096 hitting percentage as a team. This was, in part, due to Florida’s back and front rows taking turns saving points. On the other hand, Auburn committed 20 attack errors. Florida made just 10.
The Gators had 7.0 blocks to Auburn’s 5.0. Additionally, the guests’ well-rounded dig efforts led to an advantage over the hosts of 51-36.
What’s Next?
Next up, the Florida Gators have their last road match of the season at Georgia in Athens. First serve is set for noon on Sunday.
After that, Florida will return home to close out the final two games of the season. On the 27th, Florida has Arkansas at 5 p.m., and on the 30th, Texas A&M come to town for the 4 p.m. game.
Former Florida players have typically dominated the defensive side of the ball in the NFL this season, and that held true in Week 11. However, with two former Gators starting at quarterback, this was definitely the most offensively charged week of 2019.
Jacoby Brissett (quarterback, Indianapolis Colts) returned from a one week hiatus (knee) to start in a divisional matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars, and he came back a winner.
The Colts claimed the contest, 33-13, as Brissett passed for 148 yards, a touchdown and an interception on 15 of 24 attempts. He also rushed for a touchdown.
Indianapolis mostly relied on its running game, but Brissett made plays when he needed to, finding receivers on short-to-intermediate routes.
Perhaps his best play came on fourth-and-goal from the one. Brissett scrambled to his right, neared the sideline and fired a bullet to receiver Marcus Johnson, who was draped by a defender and somehow able to stay in bounds. Also factoring in this game was Taven Bryan (defensive tackle, Jacksonville Jaguars). The 2018 first round pick had two tackles for loss.
Jeff Driskel (quarterback, Detroit Lions) started his second-straight contest due to the absence of Matthew Stafford (back).
He proved more than capable of filling Stafford’s void against the Dallas Cowboys despite a 35-27 loss. Driskel threw for 209 yards and two touchdowns on 15 of 26 passing. He also ran eight times for 51 yards and a touchdown, and he didn’t turn the ball over.
His rushing touchdown came on an easy read-option at the goal line, and he was at his best when he improvised outside of the pocket. On his first touchdown pass, he rolled to his right and found Marvin Jones in the back of the end zone for an 11 yard score.
On his final touchdown drive, he scrambled for a 23 yard gain in addition to finding Danny Amendola on a throw across his body for 21 yards. He concluded the five play march with a 25 yard strike to Jones over the middle for a touchdown.
Driskel’s teammate, Jarrad Davis (linebacker, Detroit Lions), also played well. He forced and recovered an Ezekiel Elliot fumble on the first play of the game, and he finished second on his team in tackles with seven (four solo). A few more Gators had strong defensive performances in losses as well.
Jaylen Watkins (corner/safety, Los Angeles Chargers) had one of the best games of his career, compiling 11 tackles (seven solo) in a 24-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Mexico City. Only Thomas Davis had more tackles (12) than Watkins in Monday night’s game.
Jon Bostic (linebacker, Washington Redskins) led his team with seven tackles (four solo) in a 34-17 loss to the New York Jets. He also had an interception and defended a pass. And Carlos Dunlap (defensive end, Cincinnati Bengals) racked up six tackles (two solo), a sack and a tackle for loss in a 17-10 defeat at the Oakland Raiders.
In free agent news, Vernon Hargreaves (corner) was signed by the Houston Texans following his release from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Hargreaves did not play in Houston’s 41-7 massacre at the hands of the Baltimore Ravens, but he’ll likely suit up for Thursday night’s game against the Colts.
Mark Stine is a contributin writer for Chomp Talk. Follow him on Twitter @mstinejr.
In the summer of 2010, NBA star LeBron James famously uttered, “not one, not two, not three, not four, not five, not six, not seven,” implying the Miami Heat were building a dynasty after an offseason of superstar acquisitions.
While the Heat ultimately earned the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference on the way to an NBA finals appearance, many seem to have forgotten the first month of the season.
Miami opened the season 9-8 after losing four out of five in November. Rumors were rampant that head coach Eric Spoelstra would be replaced due to the slow start.
However, team president Pat Riley backed his head coach, and the team made a run to the finals and culminated with two titles in a four-year span.
__________
What does all this mean?
It means it’s way too soon to judge Mike White and his Florida basketball team, regardless of what fans on social media think.
Mike White might as well be our McElwain or Muschamp. Which makes @ScottStricklin cowardice around firing White all the more fucking infuriating
When does this fan base start to critique Mike White? I mean—what’s the red line for him/them? That’s a legitimate question and not meaning to be shady—but I’d like some Mike White fans to answer this question.
The Gators started the season ranked No. 6 in the AP Poll, but have quickly fallen out of the rankings after a 2-2 start.
This Gators team returned only five players from a year ago, meaning as many as six newcomers are seeing significant action.
As the 2010-11 Heat proved, sometimes it takes time for players to gel.
White has already made an adjustment in the starting five as freshman Scottie Lewis has replaced sophomore Noah Locke in the starting lineup.
Lewis is a potential one-and-done player who can score in a multitude of ways. Maybe more so than anyone else on the team, Lewis has the ability to go off at any time and is Florida’s best pure scorer.
Note: It will be interesting to see what White does with the starting lineup if Tre Mann (day-to-day, concussion) is unable to play.
None of this is to say Mike White is without fault for the rough start. Losing to rival Florida State is never going to be acceptable, and White’s 0-5 record against the Seminoles is not going to make the Florida faithful happy.
But this team deserves time.
__________
A Potential Answer:
One of the biggest problems for Florida thus far has been its shooting from distance. As a team, the Gators are shooting just 24.1% from beyond the arc, despite nearly twenty attempts per contest.
Talented transfer big Kerry Blackshear rarely gets an easy basket down low because the opposition can collapse in the paint, largely due to the poor shooting along the perimeter.
Freshman Omar Payne has proven his ability to play at this level and should see more time on the court with the senior forward. With Payne on the floor, Blackshear would have the opportunity to play a more stretch-four position. The Gators would also likely play more of an inside-out game, which should lead to open shots from deep.
The Gators would then play a much more traditional five of Payne, Blackshear, Johnson, Lewis, Nembhard. This lineup should find plenty of opportunities in the paint and would allow Tre Mann and Noah Locke to come in off the bench and provide a spark when necessary.
__________
Mike White will get the ship righted. He’s proven his coaching acumen with four straight 20-win seasons and an elite eight appearance with far less talented teams.
Instead of overreacting to the early season struggles of a young, up and coming team, let’s sit back and watch the development.
By the middle of the SEC schedule, we will know a lot more about this team.
It was National Signing Day for baseball recruits last Wednesday as most high schools prospects signed their National Letter of Intent. The Florida Gators have already signed the majority of their class with a few more commits yet to sign.
The Florida Gators 2020 baseball recruiting class ranks fifth in the country on Perfect Game. The Gators have seventeen commits in their class including one JUCO commit. Fourteen of the seventeen commits have signed their NLIs but the other two are expected to sign with Florida.
Here is the Florida Gators 2020 baseball recruiting class:
OF Zac Veen
The Florida Gators top commit in the 2020 recruiting class is outfield Zac Veen. The Perfect Game All-American is one of the top high school prospects in the country.
On Perfect Game, Veen is the 12th ranked prospect and sixth ranked outfielder in the country. Veen is a 6’4″ 190 pound left-handed power hitter. He’s got one of the sweetest swings in all of high school baseball. His highest exit velocity has reached 99 mph which is better than 98% in his class. Veen is a five-tool player that has both college and pro scouts raving over him. It’ll be incredibly difficult to keep in the class as he’s projected to go in the first round of the 2020 MLB Draft.
3B Coby Mayo
Another Perfect Game All-American in Florida’s 2020 recruiting class is third baseman Coby Mayo. The Stoneman Douglas third baseman was one of the most wanted recruits once he decommitted from UCF.
On Perfect Game, Mayo is the 15th ranked prospect and third ranked third baseman in the country. The 6’4″ 215 pound corner infield is one of the best power hitters in his class. His exit velocity has reached 105 mph which is top five in the country. He’s a very sound defender with good hands and a strong arm that’s been clocked at 94 mph across the diamond. Coby Mayo could be a future star at Florida if he makes it on campus.
C Mac Guscette
Perfect Game All-American catcher Mac Guscette was another Gators commit that signed his NLI to the University of Florida. Guscette is a 6’0″ 195 pound catcher out of Venice High School in Venice, Florida.
On Perfect Game, Guscette is the 52nd ranked prospect and fifth ranked catcher in the country. Guscette has a 1.88 pop time and has been clocked at 80 mph from behind the plate. He’s a solid hitter with good bat to ball skills and good power. His exit velocity has been clocked at 94 mph but will gain more power as he develops. He’s a solid overall catcher but has more offensive potential than most of the catchers in his class.
SS Colby Halter
One of Florida’s most solid commits throughout his entire recruiting process was Colby Halter. The middle infielder out of Jacksonville, Florida committed to Florida as a freshman and never second guessed his decision.
On Perfect Game, Halter is the 73rd ranked prospect and the fifteenth ranked shortstop in the country. Halter is coming off a busy summer as he played for the United States National 18U Team. Halter is great athlete with a 6.80 60 yard dash. He’s a good defensive shortstop with good footwork and a strong, accurate arm. At the plate, Halter is a line drive hitter with some pop. His max exit velocity has been clocked at 97 mph. It’ll be interesting to see if Halter sticks in the class.
LHP Timothy Manning
Another South Florida commit in the Florida Gators 2020 recruiting class is Timothy Manning. The left-handed pitcher out of Cardinal Gibbons is one of the top ranked pitchers in the country.
On Perfect Game, Manning is the 74th ranked prospect and the seventh ranked left-handed pitcher in the country. At 6’2″ 175 pounds, Manning is a very projectable pitcher that’s very polished. His fastball has been clocked at 90 mph but he has good command on both sides of the plate. He’s got good feel for his curveball but is still developing his changeup. Manning still has a lot of upside as he starts to physically mature.
RHP Lebarron Johnson
Lebarron Johnson is another pitcher in the Florida Gators 2020 recruiting class that’s very projectable. The 6’4″ 200 pound right-handed pitcher is from Jacksonville, Florida and attends Paxon School/Advanced Studies.
On Perfect Game, Johnson is the 140th ranked prospect and 49th ranked right-handed pitcher in the country. Johnson’s fastball tops out at 91 mph with tons run and sink. His slider has a lot of bite to it and gets a lot of swing and misses. His ceiling is one of the highest in the 2020 recruiting cycle. He’s a great athlete as he’s been clocked running a 6.61 60 yard dash. If developed properly, Florida could have one of the best power arms in the SEC.
SS Sterlin Thompson
The Florida Gators grabbed a last minute commit in the 2020 recruiting class and flipped him from one of the in-state schools.
Shortstop and former Stetson commit Sterlin Thompson announced on Sunday that he has committed to the Florida Gators. Thompson was a surprise late get for the Gators and is one of the highest ranked prospect in the country.
On Perfect Game, Thompson is the 154th ranked prospect and 31st ranked shortstop in the country. Thompson is a 6’3″ 185 pound shortstop out of Ocala, Florida and attends North Marion High School. He has a lot of offensive upside with his pull power and still has room to fill in his frame. His exit velocity has been clocked at 93 mph. Thompson could be a future corner infielder as he continues to mature physically.
SS/RHP Jordan Carrion
American Heritage senior Jordan Carrion is one of the top two-way players in the 2020 recruiting cycle. Jordan Carrion is a 6’1″ 160 pound shortstop/right-handed pitcher out of Plantation, Florida.
On Perfect Game, Carrion is the 164th ranked prospect and 33rd ranked shortstop in the country. Carrion is a primary shortstop but could also be a quality pitcher for the Florida Gators. On the mound, Carrion is a two pitch mix pitcher and has been clocked at 92 mph. He’s been used a closer at American Heritage High School. Carrion is the one of the top defensive recruits in the country. He’s got great hand, very smooth and has a strong arm. At the plate, he’s a contact hitter that drives the ball to right field a lot. Good base runner and runs a 6.63 60 yard dash.
3B Wyatt Langford
Wyatt Langford is a power-hitting corner infielder with good speed. He’s been clocked running a 6.75 60 yard dash. His exit velocity has touched 98 mph which is in the top 3% of his class.
Langford can also play catcher as he has a 1.89 pop time and was clocked at 80 mph from behind the plate.
On Perfect Game, Langford is the 184th ranked prospect and the thirteenth ranked third baseman in the country.
Langford played with Canes National in the summer and attends Trenton High School. Over the summer, Langford batted .367 with two home runs, nineteen RBIs and had a 1.035 OPS. Wyatt Langford hasn’t signed his NLI yet but he will on Wednesday.
1B TJ Curd
TJ Curd is a 6’0″ 190 pound first baseman out of Port St. Lucie and attends Treasure Coast High School.
On Perfect Game, Curd is the 227th ranked prospect and the ninth ranked first baseman in the country. Curd is a left-handed hitter with a smooth swing and very good bat speed. He hits the ball with some lift to create a launch angle. His exit velocity has touched 94 mph. On defense, Curd is a very skilled first baseman with good hands and footwork. Curd could also be a solid defensive left fielder if needed. In his junior season, Curd batted .344 with one home run, 18 RBIs and had a 1.113 OPS.
RHP Jackson Nezuh
Another top right-handed pitcher signed in the Florida Gators 2020 recruiting class is Jackson Nezuh. He’s Florida’s eleventh highest ranked commit in their 2020 recruiting class.
Jackson Nezuh is a 6’2″ 175 pound pitcher out of St. Cloud, Florida and attends the TNXL Academy.
On Perfect Game, Nezuh is the 269th ranked prospect and the 90th ranked right-handed pitcher in the country. His fastball sits in the high 80s and tops out at 92 mph. His curveball is his best pitch as he throws it with command and tightness.
SS Tyler Shelnut
Tyler Shelnut is a 6’2″ 175 pound middle infielder out of Fort White High School in Lake City, Florida.
On Perfect Game, Shelnut is the 345th ranked prospect and 72nd ranked shortstop in the country. Shelnut is high ceiling prospect that’ll develop once he starts to fill in his frame. He’s a very sound defensive prospect as that’s his biggest strength. Shelnut has good speed as he’s been clocked running a 6.82 60 yard dash. At the plate, Shelnut is line drive hitter and has most of his power towards his pull side.
RHP Chase Centala
Right-handed pitcher commit Chase Centala was the last 2020 prospect to commit to the Florida Gators (before Thompson flipped from Stetson). Centala made his commit official a few days after the National Showcase.
On Perfect Game, Centala is a top 500 prospect and the 196th ranked right-handed pitcher in the country. At 6’1″ 185 pounds, Centala presents solid strength but still has some room to fill in his frame. His fastball sits in the high 80s and tops out at 91 mph. His best off-speed pitch is his changeup and is developing a slurve. Centala has good command and feel on all three of his pitches.
RHP/INF Carson Pillsbury
Another top two-way prospect in the Florida Gators 2020 recruiting class is Carson Pillsbury. The 6’3″ 200 pounder out of Inverness, Florida is primarily a pitcher.
On Perfect Game, Pillsbury is the 89th ranked prospect and 27th ranked right-handed pitcher in the state of Florida. Pillsbury signed with the Gators over FAU, Florida State, Miami, Ole Miss, UCF and West Virginia.
As a pitcher, Pillsbury’s fastball tops out at 91 mph with sink. As a hitter, Pillsbury makes a lot of contact and drives the ball to all fields. In his junior season, Pillsbury batted .486 with six home runs, 46 RBIs and seven stolen bases. He also had a 6-2 record with a 2.10 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 40 innings pitched.
RHP Blake Purnell
Right-handed pitcher Blake Purnell is a 6’3″ 190 pounder out of St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
On Perfect Game, Purnell is the 115th ranked prospect and 35th ranked right-handed pitcher in the state of Florida. Purnell’s fastball sits in the mid to high 80s and tops out at 90 mph. Purnell committed to the Florida Gators over the summer. He last played for the Ohio Warhawks in WWBA World Championship in Jupiter, Florida.
RHP Ryan Slater
Right-handed pitcher Ryan Slater is a 6’3″ 170 pounder out of East Lake High School in Palm Harbor, Florida.
On Perfect Game, Slater is the 167th ranked prospect and 46th ranked right-handed pitcher in the state of Florida. His fastball has been clocked at 88 mph but will continue to add more velocity as he matures physically. In his junior season, Slater was the 2019 8A-7 Player of the Year. Slater had a 9-2 record with a 0.92 ERA and 71 strikeouts in 68.2 innings pitched.
RHP Franco Aleman (JUCO)
Right-handed pitcher Franco Aleman is the only JUCO commit in the Florida Gators 2020 recruiting class. Out of high school, Aleman was the 80th ranked prospect and 30th ranked right-handed pitcher in the country.
He signed with Florida International University and transferred out after one season. Aleman earned a spot in the weekend rotation as a true freshman. In his freshman season, Aleman had a 3-5 record with a 3.97 ERA and struck out 53.
The 6’6″ 215 pound pitcher currently attends St. John’s River CC. He won’t sign with the Florida Gators until the first week of December. Aleman is a power arm with a fastball tops out at 94 mph and good curveball with lots of depth. Over the summer, Aleman played in the Cape Cod League and dominated with the Falmouth Commodores. He had a 2-0 record with a 1.16 ERA and 27 strikeouts.
The Florida Gator women’s basketball team continued its hot start to the season with a 60-46 win at home against Presbyterian.
Monday’s game tipped off at 10:30 a.m. Over 1,000 elementary school students attended the game to cheer on the Gators as part of Field Trip Day.
“I thought it was super fun,” said Lavender Briggs. “They were energetic the whole entire time, so they gave us energy.”
Florida picked up its fourth-straight victory behind a balanced scoring effort from the team. The highest scorers for the Gators were Kiki Smith (3-10) and Lavender Briggs (4-12) with 11 each.
“That’s one of the benefits we have this year with our team,” said Johnson. “All of us can score; we’re all aggressive and have the mindset to win.”
One of the areas Cam Newbauer had to adjust his defense was with guarding Presbyterian’s Jade Compton. Coming into the game, Compton was 0-5 from three-point territory in three games. However, against Florida, she scored five threes on nine attempts. She ended the contest with a game-high 20 points on 7-16 shooting.
“We gave her some space early and she hit a couple,” said Newbauer. “In the second half, we wanted to go over on ball screens to force her to get off the line.”
Overall, the Gators kept Presbyterian to 15-52 from the field and just eight points in the paint. Despite another solid defensive performance, Florida has some tough games coming up against No. 21 Indiana and No. 12 Florida State.
The Gators turned the ball over 20 times against Presbyterian. Coach Newbauer says that Florida needs to be more poised offensively, because a stat like that could prove to be costly against the Hoosiers.
The game against Indiana will tip off Friday at 6 p.m. in Exactech Arena.
The Florida Gators went into Columbia, Missouri, needing a good performance out of its defense. They got it.
UF outgained Missouri by 130 yards on Saturday, its third best margin against Power Five opponents this year (Tennessee, 202; Vanderbilt, 432). While it struggled in the pass game early, it picked up the pieces in the second half.
Offense: C+ Despite getting a big win in its final SEC game, the Gators offense struggled in the first half. The unit moved the ball decently early (earning 176 total yards in the half), but it couldn’t pick up critical third downs (going 1 for 8). And it was usually just one play that stifled UF drives. Kyle Trask found a fruitful connection with receiver Van Jefferson on the opening drive (three receptions, 50 yards), but a sack made it third-and-15, and Florida settled for a field goal (important early points nonetheless). Another sack stifled the next drive, and the third one was cut short on a miscommunication between Trask and running back Lamical Perine. On the fourth drive, Trask started feeding receiver Jacob Copeland, but a drop by the redshirt freshman on third-and-3 ended that march. Trevon Grimes was his quarterback’s favorite target on the fifth possession, but a sack in the red zone caused the Gators to take another field goal, and they wouldn’t make it past their own 40 before halftime. However, Trask came back and played a much better third quarter. He was 10 of 12 in the frame, passing for 127 yards and two touchdowns. He also didn’t take a sack. The biggest knock on the redshirt junior was that he made a couple of dangerous throws, both of which should have been intercepted. Two players who stepped up and made plays when called upon were Emory Jones and Kadarius Toney. Jones led Florida in rushing, averaging 6.5 yards per carry (six attempts for 39 yards). He also connected with Toney on his lone pass attempt for a 48 yard reception. In addition to his big catch from Jones, Toney also had a 25 yard run on a jet sweep. The pass from Jones to Toney set UF up at the Missouri six, but it couldn’t punch it in for six. That drive was a good barometer of the game for Florida, which averaged over nine yards per play on first down but was 3 of 14 on third down. Mizzou had difficulty bottling up the Gators’ playmakers, but when it came down the crucial plays, the Tigers got off the field more often than not.
Defense: A Jon Greenard means everything to this defense. The edge rusher had five tackles for loss and two of UF’s three sacks (and he still applied pressure on T.J. Slaton’s sack). Greenard was easily the most outstanding player on the field on Saturday, and he led the Gators to their second-straight win without relinquishing a touchdown. Another player who had a nice performance was corner Marco Wilson. The redshirt sophomore made a tone-setting, open-field tackle for loss on Missouri’s first drive, and he punctuated the day with an interception on the final drive. While the Florida offense struggled on third down, the defense thrived. The Tigers were 5 of 18 on third and only 1 of 7 in the first half. By the time they made their second conversion, it was already a 20-6 UF advantage. The Gators also forced six three-and-outs on 14 drives. That’s a 43 percent rate. And who was Florida’s best player on third down? Greenard. He had two tackles for loss on third down, one of them exemplifying his maturity and dsicipline. Mizzou ran a misdirection play on third-and-2. Quarterback Kelly Bryant faked a toss to his running back and turned around to run against the grain of the play. The Florida defense was supposed to move toward the toss, and it did, except for Greenard. He stayed home and stuffed Bryant for another three-and-out. With the leadership of its grad-transfer, Florida finished SEC play by playing its best defense.
Special Teams: A- If you’re going to kick three field goals and punt eight times, you better hope your punter and kicker brought the best versions of themselves. Evan McPherson and Tommy Townsend did. McPherson nailed all three of his kicks from 47 yards, 39 yards and 22 yards. His first two conversions were the difference in the first half, as UF took a 6-3 lead into the locker room. Townsend averaged a hearty 45.9 yards per punt and booted three over 50 yards. Unfortunately a 71-yard boomer trickled into the end zone for a touchback, but he did pin the Tigers inside their own 20 four times. He had one bad punt for 28 yards. The ball took an unfortunate bounce on an already short kick, bringing the line of scrimmage to the UF 46. Mizzou took advantage of the good field position with its second field goal of the game, making it 13-6. As far as returns went, Freddie Swain only returned one punt for no yards. It wasn’t at all his fault, as horrible blocking from his teammates allowed him to be swarmed by four Tigers. Missouri also had a decent kick return for 30 yards by Tyler Badie, but the damage was mitigated by a defensive three-and-out for UF.
Coaching: C+ Good teams don’t hurt themselves. Penalties are self inflicted wounds that come down to decision making and coaching, and the Gators made some egregious mistakes in that department, especially after the play was over. Kyree Campbell was the first culprit. The defensive tackle slapped Missouri center Trystan Colon-Castillo in the face. The penalty moved Missouri from its own 25 to its own 40. Late in the second quarter, Trevon Grimes committed and absolutely critical unsportsmanlike conduct penalty when he headbutted a Missouri defender. Grimes wasn’t defending a teammate, he was well away from the play, which was a third down converted thanks to a defensive holding. He moved Florida back to its own 33, destroying what was an attempted march toward points at the end of the second quarter. These penalties are absolutely inexcusable in the 11th game of the season. They have to know better than to commit selfish acts like those. And their coaches have to emphasize how damaging plays like that can be, especially on the road in a division matchup. On a better note, while third down execution was poor, Florida did some nice things offensively. They spread the ball around, targeting a primary receiver on separate drives. Jefferson, Copeland, Josh Hammond and Kyle Pitts were all primary targets for Trask on different possessions. This forced Missouri to take away a threat from a previous drive, opening up a new receiving option, who Florida then targeted. Jones came in at quarterback and opened up the running game. His presence causes the defense to account for another rushing threat and commit to protecting against the run. This also helps hit deep passes, sucking up safeties so that a player, such as Toney, can beat them over the top. Jones’ pass to Toney was underthrown, but if it wasn’t, it would have been a touchdown. The Gators also did a nice job of utilizing Lamical Perine in the passing game. Since they can’t use him in the running game with a mediocre offensive line, they split him out wide and matched him up against a linebacker. Perine had four receptions for 24 yards, but he also beat his linebacker for a 15 yard touchdown. The UF defense also buckled down on Missouri’s more potent rushing threat, allowing only 52 yards on 29 carries. Instead, the unit made Bryant beat it with his arm, and he couldn’t, completing 25 of 39 passes for 204 yards. The Gators had a good game plan going into Columbia, they just couldn’t keep their wits about them at points.
The Florida Gators fell to the Kentucky Wildcats in five sets (25-21, 15-25, 23-25, 26-24, 15-12) for the second time this season. As a result, Kentucky (13-2) overtook Florida (12-2) in the Southeastern Conference standings.
Additionally, Florida’s winning streak has now ended at 10 matches.
After Kentucky took the first set, Florida came back to take the next two. In the fourth set, the Gators had a chance to close out the game. They had a 24-23 lead when Kentucky called a timeout.
Following the break, the Wildcats came out and took the final three points to even up the set count.
In the fifth and final set, Kentucky took a commanding 5-0 lead. Florida fought to bring it back within two at several stages of the frame, but the Wildcats refused to give away the lead. They closed out the set 15-12 to secure the comeback victory.
Phenomenal Hitting
Both teams hit the ball extremely well. Kentucky ended the match with a .330 clip, followed closely by Florida at .327.
UK’s Leaders
Leah Edmond led the match with 30 kills on just 48 swings. She had four errors for a final clip of .542.
Edmond’s teammate Alli Stumler had herself a match, too. She put up 27 kills on 66 swings with five errors for a .333 percentage.
BREAKING – Leah Edmond Named One of 10 Finalists for 2019 Senior CLASS Award: https://t.co/JWMCJlqwjn
Edmond and Stumler combined for 57 kills. The rest of UK had 21.
UF’s Leaders
Thayer Hall led the Gators with 22 kills. She had 49 attacks and four errors and ended the game on a .367 clip.
Rachael Kramer provided consistency at the middle blocker position in the attack. She picked up the second-most kills on the team with 14 on just 19 attacks.
In addition, Kramer led the team in blocks. She finished the match with seven, but after two sets, she had already picked up five.
Gator Corner
“Today, their two left sides were fantastic.” – Head coach Mary Wise
“I had so much fun playing that. Those are the matches you look for all year long.” – Rachael Kramer
What’s Next?
Florida has four more matches remaining in the regular season. The next two are on the road at Auburn and Georgia, and the final two are at home against Arkansas and Texas A&M. The match at Auburn is on Wednesday and will begin at 9 p.m.
Florida flew up to Hartford, Connecticut for their first road test of the year. In a heated battle with the Huskies, Florida fought well, but came up on the short end, 62-59.
Going into the halftime break, Florida was down 25-20, yet another slow start for the Gators. The 3-point shooting did not help as the Gators were 1-10 in the first half.
The struggle continued into the second half as the Gators finished the game 5-20 from downtown and 20-55 from the floor overall.
Today, we saw the experience take over for the Gators. Down the stretch Mike White leaned much more on his older guys than on the freshmen.
Kerry Blckshear fouled out with 4:36 left, however he posted 15 points and 8 rebounds. Andrew Nembhard also had a day posting 14 points, 7 assists, and 5 boards.
With time running down the Gators passed up on two three-point opportunities and Keyontae Johnson turned the ball over allowing UCONN to run the clock out.
Quick Observations:
Florida basketball battled in their first road game of the year.
The freshman still need time; however, things should come together.
Tre Mann left the game at the 4 minute mark with an injury and never returned.
Quick Stats:
FG%: 40
3FG%: 25
FT%: 77
Rebounds +/-: -1
TO: 13
Up Next:
The Gators are back in action this Thursday against St. Joseph’s at 2:00 PM in the Charleston Classic. Florida will play three games over the four days of the tournament.
The Florida Gator women’s basketball team improved to 3-0 with a 84-48 victory over Samford. This is Florida head coach Cam Newbauer’s best start to a season since taking the job in Gainesville.
The 🐊🐊 started hot and never stopped! All the scoring from Saturday's win over Samford! 🥳🔥🏀 pic.twitter.com/ZubZgkH3H0
After last weekend’s victory over Longwood, Coach Newbauer spoke on the importance of dictating games on the defensive side of the ball. The Gators epitomized this philosophy in the first half, keeping Samford to just 18 points on 8-34 from the floor.
Meanwhile, the Gators’ offense was clicking on all cylinders. Three Florida players went perfect from three-point territory in the first half: Kiki Smith (3-3), Lavender Briggs (3-3) and Ariel Johnson (3-3).
The Gators were more efficient behind the arc than they were inside of it. As a team, Florida shot 11-15 on three-balls compared to 8-17 on two-point attempts.
One area the Gators improved on from the game against Longwood was limiting turnovers. In the first quarter on Sunday, Florida turned the ball over nine times. Against Samford, in the first two quarters, Florida gave it away just seven times.
The Pace Slows
Despite the 36-point margin of victory by the end of the game, the Gators outscored the guests by just one point in the second half. The threes stopped falling, and the pace of the game slowed down.
The Gators failed to score a three-pointer in the second half until just over two minutes remained in the fourth quarter.
Stats
Briggs led the Gators with 19 points and nine rebounds on 7-16 shooting. Smith followed closely with 18 points, five boards and four assists on 7-11 from the floor.
Overall, the Gators shot 33-64, 13-25 from three.
“I like how aggressively we played on both ends of the floor, but defensively, we set the tone early on.” -Cam Newbauer
What’s Next?
Florida has a quick turnaround with another home game on Monday against Presbyterian. It will tip off at 10:30 a.m.
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