Quick turnaround. Glad we didn't catch someone like Syracuse with our banged up secondary. Miami is in the Pop Tarts bowl...
Gators to face Tulane in Gasparilla Bowl on 12/20...
- Thread starter Gator Fever
- Start date
Damn! I wanted the Pop Tarts Bowl, although I hate pop tarts.
I saw a bowl game named after Snoop Dogg
Oh goody, we get to play a team whose starting QB just entered the portal🤣🤣🤣🤣
Is there a local high school that could step in?
Is there a local high school that could step in?
Proud the team stuck together and rallied down the stretch. Have to give Billy Napier some props. The defense improved during the season quite a lot. Just the opportunity to practice for a couple of more weeks and get the players a reward by playing in a bowl game - any bowl game this year. Just to go into the off season on a positive note. Then hit the portal, hit the weight room and film room and come to spring practice fired up. Gooo Gators!!
Standout Group of 5 quarterback reportedly entering transfer portal
A top Group of 5 quarterback is set to hit the transfer portal after an strong 2024.
www.saturdaydownsouth.com
Presented by Johnson Blunts…
Seriously…imagine those swag bags…
The two teams that make that Bowl will suck for the next two seasons…lol…
Great way to finish the year given the 1st half of it. Hope we get a bowl win and improve to 8 wins on the season and carry that into next year. I have to say that 2nd half of the season was fun...even though we lost to TN...we were right there and it was a great game to watch. Hoping for a few good transfers that can make an immediate impact. Had Lagway not of gotten hurt UGA would have been a different game. Either way I was looking forward to the games again, instead of watching expecting to lose.
Hopefully we don't screw this game up.
I think our guys are going to be locked in...that's what we've seen out of them. This team has pride and never quit this season. I kept waiting for them to lay down this year and they never did, finally I had to give in that they were going to fight no matter what.
Heaven forbid if we blow another chance at a Gasparilla Championship…lol…
Need to keep everything positive going into the off-season. It would be embarrassing as heck if we lost to Tulane when they won't have their starting QB. Need to put away the stench from our last 2 bowl games.
Considering where they were after A&M…the finish was not only impressive, but improbable.
I continue to wonder how the season would have gone IF.............
IF Lagway had been announced the starter upon his Early Arrival.
IF DJ had taken all of the 1st team reps beginning with the Spring Practice.
IF he'd had an OC with an offense designed to compliment his dual threat and deep throw skill set.
IF-IF-IF................... Oh IF-IT.......
IF Lagway had been announced the starter upon his Early Arrival.
IF DJ had taken all of the 1st team reps beginning with the Spring Practice.
IF he'd had an OC with an offense designed to compliment his dual threat and deep throw skill set.
IF-IF-IF................... Oh IF-IT.......
Honestly, it was probably best the way it played out…
Mertz was the safe play and was certainly capable of having success…
As it was, there was no choice but to go to Lagway, which made the transition easier…
Lagway has went on record saying that his situation with Mertz was best the way it turned out. Mertz never missed being at a game after he was injured and on road games they were still roommates. Graham got him up quick to the the playbook before and after he got injured. So all the ones that still continue to hate on Mertz you stop it today. 7-5 is a good record to have considered what we all thought. Let's all be happy and have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Oh and Let's Go kick Tulane's A$$.
I had hoped for 8 wins this year but the way we did it...ending the season and playing defense the way that we did....it was awesome. 10 years ago I would have passed out if you told me that I would be this excited about a 7-5 team, we've really played inspired football down the stretch. If we continue to play like this we can be dangerous and take this program to the next level.
Graham Mertz W/L record as the Gator's starting QB:
2023 5-6, missed FSUcks game injured.
2024 2-3 before being injured out again.
Total 7-9 Loser as the starter in his 2 seasons, 16 games.
That's what he actually did in his 5th & 6th years as a starter.
Dispite what you claim he was capable of doing....
Mertz seemed like a good guy and he did what he could to be an aid and/or mentor to DJ, but the team would have been better off (IMOHO) if Graham had not returned in 2024. Water under the bridge now, and fan opinions will vary as always on what would have been best. I'm just fine with that.....
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In games that true freshman rookie QB DJ has started and finished the game in, he's 5-0.
Won vs Samford, UK, LSU, Ole Miss, FSU.
And they were ahead vs UGly before DJ was injured out.
Mertz was 2-3 before being injured out again.
Aidan was 0-1
If Mertz doesn't get hurt, we beat UT. We were up 10-0 when he left the game. With Mertz we definitely beat Samford, KY and FSU (all 3 with losing records). We would have a great shot at UGA. LSU and Ole Miss toss up, but keep in mind that both those teams dominated us statistically. Lagway hurt us against AM with his 2 picks. Biggest thing Florida did was changing the starting Dline. That was a bigger deal for us vs the change at QB. Once our D started getting some stops, it put us in position to win. Need to get way better at Oline or Lagway is going to get hurt again too. Maybe the D rallied around Lagway? That is definitely possible.
No it's not sad, because I don't GaS who his girlfriend is or moon over someone else's girl, and she/it didn't help him win games.
But being who and what you have (or don't have) going on, I can see why you'd believe it was..... 🙄
In case you didn't notice, DJ wasn't injured because of the OL, his footing gave out on his cut up field causing his injury.
seeing as how Army just pounded it right at Tulane in their last game, Billy should be able to get away with doing what he wants to do running the ball for once.. There's zero excuse to lose this game, our team is as hyped about being in a bowl game as any team that didn't make the playoff besides maybe Vanderbilt.
Why would the Tulane coach waste an opportunity to develop next season's QB for one that’s taking his abilities elsewhere?
Well they keep getting to be a bigger and bigger underdog every time I see the line.. it's up to 14 now
That's about the only thing I've noticed on Tulane. Unless they're losing more key players to the portal.
Just a BTW / FYI, 8-3 Navy just pounded 11-1 Army 31-13.....
American Conf. Standings:
Army beat Tulane 35-14 for Conf. Camps.
1. Army 11-2 - 8-0 Conf. Champ
2. Tulane 9-4 - 7-1 Conf.
3. Navy 9-3 - 6-2 Conf
While the Navy just beat Army 31-13 for the Commanders-n-Chiefs Trophy.
(Army 20 - 3 AF)
On any day in college football.........
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A near balance in run/pass offense seems best to me, but Billy does tend to lean a bit more on the running game. Pass ti set up the run, or run to set up the pass. Whatever works in any game is okay wid-me...
Gator's 2024 Season Stats:
1st Dns:
Rushing 100 --- Fumbles 12
Passing 107 --- Interceptions 12
Yds Gained and TD's:
57.6% Rushing 1,872 net on 417 for 24 TD's.
42.4% Passing 2,629 net on 307 for 17 TD's.
Note - Deep passes into the red zone that don't score leads to rushing TD's more often than long runs that don't score lead to passing TD's. Jus-sayin...
Because the importance of Bowl game prep leading into the next season is overrated….
