By: Nick Marcinko -- August 28, 2023 The Florida Gators are set to face off against No.14 Utah in their third-ever meeting with the Utes during week one of the 2023 season. In 2022, Billy Napier started off his inaugural season with a bang, upsetting No.7 Utah 29-26 behind a game sealing interception by LB Amari Burney. The Gators are looking for the same result in Salt Lake City one year later. Gator Country provides five keys to victory for the Gators on Thursday night. Florida vs Utah: Five keys to victory for the Gators | GatorCountry.com
ET - Charlie Pell told me a long time ago the keys to victory were simple, basic and will always be true: Blockin and tacklin..........
We need to get critical field position with Pearsall and Etienne returning balls. Hopefully Anderson's defense is everything we're hoping for and more.
I think that the addition of Anderson is the biggest change from last year! He is an excellent DC IMHO and the improved defense will help the offense tremendously! We will win some games that we might have lost with last year's defense.
If the d is good, I’d guess they will grow into that. I’m just hoping too 50ish and progressing throughout the year.
Interesting you should post this...it's one of On3's 5 Bold Predictions: Austin Armstrong’s defense will end in the top 40 This shouldn’t be bold but the Gators finished 97th in the country in total defense in 2022. They were oustide the the top 50 in 2021, and 83rd in 2020. His defense will be aggressive. That will turn into sacks and turnovers but Armstrong’s defense is susceptible to giving up the big play. Souther Mississippi gave up 42 passes of more than 20 yards last season and nearly half of those went for more than 30 yards. When you put defensive backs on islands. sometimes they get beat. It’s part of the deal. The Gators’ defense is deeper this season. Losing a player like Justus Boone could have crippled the defense a year ago. Now, Florida has answers. They have depth. That will help keep the defensive line fresh. A pass rush is the secondary’s best friend. Fresh defensive linemen keep linebackers clean and available to make plays. The Gators SHOULD be better on defense.
I think they will be better no doubt. How much so game one vs at the end of the year I don’t really have a feel for. All we’ve seen is a spring game which is a dress rehearsal and not real football. So much has changed, it’ll be like Xmas Thursday night, no idea what we are getting. Let’s hope it’s good. There’s good reason for them to be favored but we might have some surprises.
Just pray we don't get burned on the deep pass...too bad. We're playing against some of the best QB's in college football.
His deep passes don’t scare me. His short stuff kills but maybe we don’t have to worry about his legs. We saw what he had last year and he couldn’t score 30 on our defense. It wasn’t all that scary of an offense. I worry about us not them. What do we have.
Not just talking about a gimpy Rising (or Barnes). Joe Milton Devin Leary Spencer Rattler Carson Beck KJ Jefferson Jayden Daniels Brady Cook Jordan Travis
It’s the sec, you have to come to play every week. If you don’t, any game can be lost including Vandy I guess.
There’s little separating from us winning lsu, fsu, Tenn, Vandy and Kentucky.6 wins and 10 wins isn’t that far apart. Beating Georgia and being a 12 win team is way out of reach. Would could’ve won all of those other games.