Florida Football Friday Final: Gators aim to regain momentum behind new leadership vs. No. 5 Georgia

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Image Credit: Ashley Ray, UAA

It’s not exactly a new era for the Florida Gators, but hope amongst those watching the program is that the team will flash a bit of a new look Saturday when it takes its annual trek to Jacksonville, Florida, for the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party against the No. 5 Georgia Bulldogs. With Billy Napier out and wide receivers assistant Billy Gonzales in his place as interim coach, it remains a question how exactly the Gators will play after two weeks of practice under different leadership.

Gonzales this week plainly stated that his goal is to put players in a position to be successful; from there, they should be able to go out and achieve based on their natural talent and ability. While he stressed that Florida was not able to change too much in the middle of a season – the playbooks are in place and players have been coached in a certain manner not just this year but throughout Napier’s tenure – he hopes a couple wrinkles will allow the team to be more successful.

The offense, which has been most concerning over the last few years, will ideally be run at a faster pace, Gonzales said. The Gators will aim to get the playmakers involved early and often with a focus on execution and playing clean football.

The playbook will be opened up to a degree with Florida aiming to utilize some calls that have been repped regularly in practice but not yet utilized on the field. Still, at the end of the day, the Gators will not look much different overall against the Bulldogs.

The hope is that Gonzales’ leadership and significant changes to the offensive staff will allow Florida to be more competitive than it would have been otherwise.

The Gators were 0-3 against the Dawgs under Napier, scoring exactly 20 points in each game and losing those contests by an average of 19.7 points. Florida has lost four straight to Georgia and seven of the last eight dating back to 2017, taking a legitimate rivalry and turning it into a one-sided beatdown since head coach Kirby Smart took over UGA.

New voices, new message?

Whereas Napier basically involved himself in every part of the offensive operation — he was even the voice in sophomore quarterback DJ Lagway’s ear the entire time he was on the field — Gonzales has chosen to take a different approach. While he will be involved in the offensive game plan, Gonzales is leaving the operation up to his assistant coaches, who will be splitting responsibilities.

Offensive coordinator Russ Callaway will be overseeing the entire offense for the first time with quarterbacks coach Ryan O’Hara in the booth, directly speaking to Lagway through the QB’s helmet communication system during the game. Steve Spurrier Jr., an off-field staffer elevated to an on-field role, will serve as Lagway’s sideline coach, reviewing film and helping him between drives.

As Napier said three weeks ago, Lagway appears to be 100% healthy, continuing to take steps forward in practice, according to Gonzales. The interim coach said Lagway is as mobile as he’s ever been at UF, and as the team’s on-field leader, he’s done a tremendous job setting an example amid the offensive transition.

Lagway had thrown for 47 yards and a touchdown against Georgia last year before suffering an injury in the first half. Florida led 13-6 at halftime only to get outscored 28-7 over the latter 30 minutes. Aiming for a complete game, Lagway’s health will be key to the Gators standing any chance at pulling off an upset.

Walking wounded

Florida is the second-most injured SEC team this week with nine players out and two more listed as questionable for Saturday’s game.

Among those sidelined are a pair of starting wide receivers in freshman Vernell Brown III and redshirt sophomore Aidan Mizell, which will seriously handicap the program outside the sticks. Redshirt senior running back Ja’Kobi Jackson remains out, too, taking three significant offensive playmakers off the field before the ball is even snapped.

Two Bits

• Asked if his on-campus perception has been altered since taking over the program, Gonzales could only laugh: “Nobody knows who I am. That hasn’t changed.”
  
• Gonzales noted that redshirt sophomore wide receiver Eugene Wilson III is among the players he hopes gets involved more offensively. While Wilson was a highly recruited, top-tier athlete when he joined Florida, he was unable to get on the field in 2024 and has disappointed overall from a production standpoint, compiling just 922 yards and nine touchdowns receiving through 22 games. He has only caught 18 passes for 118 yards this season, none in the last game.