Probably what excites me the most is the potential I feel like I see with the Gators this year. Can Mertz play above average? Can the OL line pass protect and run block? If so, the Gators could surprise a lot of people. However, something tells me not to allow my expectations to soar too high. No doubt the OL will play inconsistently as will Mertz; which probably means I will cuss at my TV again this year. Go ahead and share your thoughts, fellows.
I have quiet confidence in both Mertz and Coach Napier. I believe Mertz has a high floor ("servicable") and recall his incredibly high ceiling coming out of high school. I'm excited to see our already good RBs become great. I'm excited about the new track star WRs. I suppose I'm most excited about the defense. PS -- I still cussed at my TV on occasion when Coach Spurrier was roaming the sidelines and even still sometimes throughout those other great years when I got to see Tebow standing there ready to go in. LOL!
I love defense, so excited to see improvement...no more 3rd and ( insert DCs names here) I want to see lots of 3 and outs, and sacks from our D along with turnovers. I am excited about our defense..haven't been this excited about our D for a long time.. Of course, I want to see our QB do well , move the chains and score lots of points Hoping to see improvement from our ST too... And I have cursed at my TV no matter who our coach has been, from Ray Graves to current coach...I always said my TV has been in danger sometimes and I watch away games alone so I can freely curse..lol..I keep in control in the Swamp
To be perfectly honest - The 23-24 recruiting class, (hopefully UF finishes top 5 or better) the potential for the 24-25 recruiting class. It would seem that UF may have reached another level in recruiting and continues to make inroads for the future, hopefully CBN will (close out highly this cycle) and sustain high marks on the recruiting trail going forward. Also - Coach Austin, I am hopeful his philosophy will return UF to a position of prominance on defense in the SEC. Running back - We have a couple of real studs and up and comers, I'm excited about that room. Reciever - Looking forward to Ricky, Jean, Ja'Quavion and crew showing something! I refuse to allow "record" to influence my thoughts on the Gators, especially this year. While SEC coaching is almost as performance driven as a Funny Car race, CBN needs time to get his "funny-car" built to specifications! While I am sky high about the coming season, I believe that patience is the key. Wayyyy too many changes, personel turnover and unanswered / unproven performance issues for me to expect a super season W-L wise. I defer those expectations another year or 2. Last year was a huge wake-up call. I also think that the locker room was more unsettled than the fan base knows with Mullen/Grantham head cases - like Brenton Cox Jr. Its no coincidence (IMO) that UF was 6-4 and then lost 3 straight. But it seems CBN did some MAJOR house cleaning so hopefully that is not an issue this campaign. So there it is!
What excites me the most about the 2023 season is the 2023 season. I guess you could say I'm a man for all seasons. I just hope I don't lose my head about it.
Okay, I still cussed, but cussed less under Spurrier and Meyer. BTW, I go back to Bob Woodruff, but I remember the Ray Graves years the best. I expect the defense will be better and will keep us in most games. I am not sure what the offense will do. If the OL plays respectably, the run game will probably keep the score close. The absolute surprise for me will be if the quarterback plays exceptionally well.
I really just want to see competent and aggressive play on both sides of the ball. On defense I saw glimpses of it at times during the Utah game, then it disappeared. Really just want to see receivers running proper, crisp routes, an OL that can block without getting a ton of penalties for false starts or holding that puts us behind the chains, a QB that can go through his reads and check it down if needed, a defense that doesn't give up 5-6 yards per rush at times and has WRs running wide open through our secondary half the time, and most importantly can get off the dam field most of the time when it's 3rd and 10+. At this point all i want to see if good sound football Irregardless if the W-L record (well so long as the win loss record isn't 4-9). I expect us to play a lot better in year #2 under this coaching staff and be pleasantly surprised overall, even if we are still a year away from competing for the SEC East and other championships beyond that. Hope I am not wrong.
I'm looking forward to seeing the running backs putting on a show (including catching passes out of the backfield), watching the defense improve (at least to the point where third-and-long is not a bad thing), and also discovering what Mertz can do in this system with Pearsall and some of the young speedsters. But, I'm mostly just excited because... it's football season in Gator Country again.
10-2 Hear me out. The key to the season is the Utah game. Win that game we start out 7-0. Tennessee is 2-16 in Gainesville since starting out 3-0. Last win in 2003. That game at home is huge! Mcneese St, Charlotte, Vanderbilt Missouri. Pre-season unranked Kentucky and South Carolina on the road. Tough but winnable. Uga/Lsu the two loses. Arkansas at home. Big rivalry win at home vs F$U.
Excited to see an attacking defense. That lame, sit back in soft zone crap is out! Bring the heat. Bring the hurt!! Just Bring it!!!
I look forward to the new season because there’s hope another season of the team and school I have followed for 4 decades
I agree. We’re the dogs against Utah. That’s a huge game with more upside than downside. Would be a great way to start the season. Go Gators
I agree with EoW and you Skink. What a huge game and for both programs. Like last year it may be one of the, if not THE best game, of the season. Utah wants revenge. UF wants to establish something. Will Cam Risings knee be ready? Will UF finally play defense? Hoo boy, I'm gonna start drinking early for this one! (Maybe start this weekend? lol) I can't go - but I sure would like to. If the Gators can go there and win, I think that sets up, like EoW posted, as a confidence builder and a sign of things to come. For me this is like that Miami game of a few years ago. Glad we don't open with a patsy, lets find out early how good the Gators are!
