By Franz Beard
A few thoughts to jump start your Thursday morning:
PRE-SPRING POSITION REVIEW: WIDE RECEIVERS
Billy Napier inherits nine wide receivers who have all caught at least one pass in their UF careers, but the closest thing to a go-to guy is Justin Shorter, a former 5-star recruit who oozes potential but has never been the focal point of the passing game. Xzavier Henderson is another one with marvelous potential but he’s never had a real chance to show it. Is it a case of needing a new offense with a better QB to bring out the best in Shorter, Henderson and the other receivers on the roster, or is it a case of Florida lacking the kind of receivers who can scare the bejabbers out of opposing defensive coordinators?
In Napier’s four years at Louisiana, the Rajin Cajuns ran the ball 59 percent of the time (2,121 rushing attempts; 1,475 passes) but the numbers were remarkably balanced – 11,725 rushing yards (221.22 per game) and 11,545 passing yards (217.83 per game). We can probably expect a similar offensive style out of the Gators in the fall.
Here are the nine scholarship receivers who will be going through spring practice:
Jordan Pouncey (6-1, 210 Super SR): He’s been at Florida two years since transferring in from Texas and has a 27-yard catch for a TD against Oklahoma to show for it. He doesn’t count against the 85-man roster. He has a good work ethic that hopefully will rub off on the younger guys.
Justin Shorter (6-5, 228, RJR): I am convinced that Shorter played all year with COVID. Why do I say that? Well, he ran wide open in opposing secondaries and nobody wanted to cover him. Emory Jones rarely threw it to him, obviously because he didn’t want germs on the football. Of course, I’m kidding, because Shorter did catch 41 passes for 550 yards but if he had gotten the ball as often as he was open, he would have had a monster year. With his combination of size and speed, he should be the focal point in Billy Napier’s new offense. He’s a former 5-star recruit who spent two years at Penn State.
Ja’Markis Weston (6-3, 216, RJR): We’ve spent two years hearing that Weston is a raw but talented receiver who rips and shreds in practice. That hasn’t translated to on the field production when it counts, however. His production is six catches for 81 yards. He needs a big spring.
Trent Whittemore (6-4, 210, RSO): Injuries have curtailed his production the last two years, but he’s as comfortable and capable outside as he is in the slot, which is his likely landing place in the new offense. His two-year totals are 29 catches for 328 yards and two touchdowns. He’s also 3-4 as a passer for 41 yards and two touchdowns.
Ja’Quavion Fraziars (6-3, 212, SO): He’s another big, fast guy whose body and practice laurels have yet to show up when the games count for real. Last year he had five catches for 35 yards and two touchdowns.
Xzavier Henderson (6-3, 193, SO): He’s another one that we keep waiting on to break out. He only had one game last year to write home to mom about and that was South Florida when he had four catches for 68 yards and a TD. His two-year totals are 35 catches for 425 yards and three TDs. This is a very important spring for him. He desperately needs to be productive.
Daejon Reynolds (6-2, 208, RFR): He played in the South Florida game and then sat the rest of 2021. He was a big time recruit out of high school when he was just too big and too strong for the DBs he faced.
Marcus Burke (6-4, 183, RFR): When he caught two passes for 73 yards in the loss to South Carolina everyone wondered where he had been all year. He has a chance to move way up the depth chart this spring. He’s long and deceptively fast.
Assessment: Shorter, Henderson and Whittemore are a nice foundation but none of them has really shown the ability to consistently stretch the defense. Is that because they aren’t that fast or because the UF offense in the hands of Emory Jones just wasn’t geared to getting the ball down the field? A trademark of Napier’s offenses at Louisiana was spreading the ball around and throwing deep off play action. In 2021, 11 different receivers caught at least 11 passes. It’s probably too early to put a label on what the UF offense will look like, but the Gators will throw the ball vertically.
More Florida football stuff: Former UF D-line coach David Turner is joining Geoff Collins’ staff at Georgia Tech. Turner and Collins worked together at Mississippi State when Collins was Dan Mullen’s DC … Billy Napier is reportedly hiring Benedict Hyppolite from Miami as a quality control assistant.
KELLY RAE FINLEY AND THE GATORS COULD ACHIEVE SOME MILESTONES TONIGHT
This remarkable turn for the better that the 17th-ranked Gators (19-6, 9-3 SEC) are going through under the direction of Kelly Rae Finley – if she’s not the SEC Coach of the Year then there is something wrong – has a chance for a couple of nice milestones tonight when Arkansas (16-8, 6-5 SEC) visits the O-Dome (7 p.m., SEC Network+).
With a win, Finley could become the only first-year coach in Florida history to win 20 games. The Gators are 9-3 in SEC play so with a win tonight, they could become the first Florida team with 10 SEC wins since Amanda Butler did it in 2016. The Gators have only won 10 or more SEC games three times in school history. The first two were by Carol Ross, who went 11-3 in 2001 and 10-4 in 1998. The school record for wins in a season – 24, twice by Ross and once by Butler – could either be equaled or bettered by Finley.
The Gators have won four in a row and nine of their last 10 games. What’s remarkable about this run that has turned UF into the second hottest team in the league is that the Gators don’t lead the SEC in a single team or individual category.
SEC Women’s Basketball
Thursday’s games: Arkansas (16-8, 6-5 SEC) at NO. 17 FLORIDA (19-6, 9-3 SEC); Auburn (9-14, 1-11 SEC) at No. 1 South Carolina (23-1, 11-1 SEC); No. 11 LSU (21-4, 9-3 SEC) at Mississippi State (15-9, 6-6 SEC); No. 12 Tennessee (21-4, 10-2 SEC) at Alabama (12-11, 3-9 SEC); Missouri (16-9, 5-7 SEC) at No. 21 Georgia (17-7, 6-6 SEC); Vanderbilt (12-14, 3-9 SEC) at Kentucky (11-11, 4-8 SEC); Texas A&M (14-10, 4-8 SEC) at Ole Miss (18-6, 6-5 SEC)
SEC Men’s Basketball
Wednesday’s scores: No. 1 Auburn (24-2, 12-1 SEC) 94, Vanderbilt (13-12, 5-8 SEC) 80; No. 25 Alabama (17-9, 7-6 SEC) 80, Mississippi State (14-11, 5-7 SEC) 75; LSU (19-7, 7-6 SEC) 84, Georgia (6-20, 1-12 SEC) 65
Saturday’s games: No. 1 Auburn (24-2, 12-1 SEC) at FLORIDA (16-10, 6-7 SEC); No. 25 Alabama (17-9, 7-6 SEC) at No. 4 Kentucky (21-5, 10-3 SEC); Ole Miss (12-14, 3-10 SEC) at Georgia (6-20, 1-12 SEC); LSU (19-7, 7-6 SEC) at South Carolina (15-10, 6-7 SEC); No. 16 Tennessee (19-6, 10-3 SEC) at No. 23 Arkansas (20-6, 9-4 SEC); Texas A&M (16-10, 5-8 SEC) at Vanderbilt (13-12, 5-8 SEC)
SOFTBALL: UF 47, EVERYBODY ELSE 2
The Gators (6-0) got their third straight run-rule win Wednesday night at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium when they scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth to walk off with an 8-0 win over Jacksonville. It was Florida’s fourth shutout of the season, lowering the team ERA to 0.18.
Freshman Lexi Delbrey (2-0) overcame some control issues in the first inning when she walked the bases full to get the win. Delbrey struck out nine and allowed two hits. She hasn’t allowed a run in 12-1/3 innings. Elizabeth Hightower pitched the final two innings, giving up one hit and one walk with two strikeouts.
The Gators managed only eight hits with Cheyenne Lindsey going 2-3 with a run-scoring triple. Freshman leadoff hitter Kendra Falby was only 1-3 but she was on base three times, scored three runs and stole her sixth and seventh bases of the season. Skylar Wallace had a two-run double and a sacrifice fly. Freshman Reagan Walsh hit a double and drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.
Next up for the Gators, who have outscored their six opponents 47-2, is Duke in the first round of the T-Mobile Tournament that starts Friday at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
SEC SWIM CHAMPIONSHIPS: GATOR MEN FIRST, WOMEN FIFTH
Led by the 200 meter freestyle relay team of Adam Chaney, Eric Freise, Kieran Smith and Macguire McDuff, the Florida men recorded the fastest time in the nation this season while setting an SEC meet record of 1:15.18. That vaulted the nationally 5th-ranked Gators into a commanding lead over second place Texas A&M at the SEC Swimming and Diving Championships in Knoxville. Adding to Florida’s dominance on Wednesday were Smith with a silver medal performance in the 500 freestyle and Chaney with a bronze in the 50 freestyle. The Gators are seeking their 10th consecutive SEC championship at the meet that runs through Saturday.
The Florida women moved up two spots to fifth place.
Day 2 men’s standings: 1. FLORIDA 497; 2. Texas A&M 360; 3. Alabama 358; 4. Tennessee 338.5; 5. Georgia 308; 6. Auburn 307; 7. (tie) Kentucky 277 and LSU 277; 9. Missouri 269; 10. South Carolina 202.5
Day 2 women’s standings: 1. Tennessee 467.5; 2. Georgia 373; 3. Alabama 367; 4. Kentucky; 5. FLORIDA 287; 6. Texas A&M 236; 7. Auburn 208; 8. Missouri 206.5; 9. LSU 202; 10. South Carolina 188; 11. Arkansas 163; 12. Vanderbilt 90
SEC FOOTBALL
Alabama: St. Nick’s Rehab Center for Wayward Coaches will be the new home of former Tennessee head coach Derek Dooley, who joins the Bama staff as a senior offensive analyst. Dooley, who spent five years working for Nick Saban at LSU, spent the last two years working on the New York Giants offensive staff.
Arkansas: Athletic director Sam Yurachek received a contract extension that will pay him $1.25 million per year.
Georgia: Offensive coordinator Todd Monken has gotten a raise to $1.25 million per year and defensive line coach Tray Scott has gotten a raise to $700,000 per year.
Missouri: Troy cornerbacks coach Al Pogue is expected to join the Mizzou staff as the cornerbacks coach.
Ole Miss: Lane Kiffin is hiring Western Kentucky defensive coordinator Maurice Crum as his co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.
Tennessee: NIL collective Spyre is planning to make UT quarterback Hendon Hooker a millionaire.
Vanderbilt: Hybrid LB/S DeRickey Wright has placed his name in the transfer portal.
ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: We are two months away from the SEC Spring Meetings in Destin but if you are prone to wager money on something other than the outcome of ball games, then here are three things you should make some money on – (1) The moment Texas and Oklahoma join the league the SEC will go to a nine-game schedule; (2) once it’s 16 teams a pod system where each team plays three permanent rivals and then plays every other team in the league on a home and home basis every four years; and (3) the SEC will eliminate divisions and instead the best two teams will play in the SEC Championship Game.
I feel very strongly that the league will adapt items one and two this spring because it will get rid of this silly scheduling problem we have now where you can go years between home and home games. This will ensure better games for television and better television games mean more money for every team in the SEC. As for item three, I think that’s what Greg Sankey would prefer although he may have to wait a year to get it approved. He would much rather see the two teams with the best records play for the title than perhaps an unbeaten team from one division playing an 8-4 team from the other division.
The College Football Playoff is going to expand and Greg Sankey wants to stay ahead of the curve. By making changes sooner and not later, he will force the other leagues to take similar actions. Sankey has insight. The other conference commissioners wear bifocals.
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