36 | 2023 SOUTHERN FOOTBALL GUIDE
FLORIDA
HEAD COACH: Billy Napier 2022 RECORD: 6-7 (3-5) OC: Rob Sale FOUNDED: 1905 DC: Austin Armstrong & Sean Spencer STADIUM: Ben Hill Griffin (88,548)
Gainesville, FL
OFFENSE
DEFENSE
Florida hasn’t had three consecutive losing seasons since the 1950s. For that not to happen in 2023, the Gators’ offense must develop some young/unproven players quickly. The portal certainly has played a role in rebuilding this side of the ball. Quarterback Graham Mertz comes from Wisconsin and fans expect the upgrade in receiving talent around him (compared to Wisconsin) will translate into a big season. The receiving corps depth was depleted by the portal, but the group returning is certainly talented. Ricky Pearsall led the team with 33 catches for 661 yards, averaging 20 yards a pop. Caleb Douglas and Marcus Burke were used sparingly, but are SEC talents. Montrell Johnson Jr. and Trevor Etienne combined for 1,560 yards and 16 touchdowns. Cam Carroll from Tulane joins that pair. The offensive line could be the downfall if youngsters don’t develop rapidly.
Florida coaches knew that the defense had depth issues entering last season, and the unit wore down late in the season. This season, the line shouldn’t have depth issues. There’s tremendous size upfront beginning with Cam Jackson and Desmond Watson clogging the middle. Chris McClellan, Caleb Banks and Tyreak Sapp fill out the impressive rotation. Their play in the middle provides opportunities for Princely Umanmielen to roam free on the outside and Teradja Mitchell, a transfer from Ohio State, freedom in the middle. Corner Jason Marshall Jr. is really special in coverage. He will likely hear his name called early on the first day of the 2024 NFL Draft. The secondary has similar depth as the defensive line, both at corner and safety, with help on the way from freshmen. Expect Kamari Wilson to have a productive breakout season.
DEPTH CHART
DEPTH CHART
NO 15 2 4 88 1 18 58 54 65 67 78
PLAYER POS Graham Mertz QB Montrell Johnson Jr. RB Caleb Douglas WR Marcus Burke WR Ricky Pearsall WR Dante Zanders TE Austin Barber LT Micah Mazzccua LG Kingsley Eguakun C Richie Leonard IV RG Kiyaunta Goodwin RT
HT 6-3 5-11 6-3 6-4 6-1 6-5 6-6 6-5 6-3 6-2 6-8
WT 218 218 202 199 192 245 305 337 301 310 355
CLASS JR JR SO SO SR SR SO JR JR JR SO
NO 12 99 7 1 20 6 27 8 3 10 5
PLAYER POS Justus Boone DE Cam Jackson NT Chris McClellan DT Princely Umanmielen LB Teradja Mitchell LB Shemar James LB Jadarrius Perkins NB Jalen Kimber CB Jason Marshall Jr. CB Miguel Mitchell S Kamari Wilson S
HT 6-4 6-6 6-3 6-5 6-2 6-1 6-0 6-0 6-1 6-1 6-0
WT 263 371 325 254 247 228 186 185 198 219 220
CLASS SO JR SO JR SR SO JR JR JR SO SO
10 7 6 0 16 8 74 77 66 52 76
Jack Miller III QB Trevor Etienne RB Andy Jean WR Ja’Quavion Fraziars WR Thai Chiaokhiao-BowmanWR Arlis Boardingham TE Lyndell Hudson Jr. LT Knijeah Harris LG Jake Slaughter C Jalen Farmer RG Damieon George Jr. RT
6-3 5-9 6-1 6-4 6-0 6-3 6-5 6-3 6-5 6-5 6-6
222 213 198 218 200 245 329 325 301 307 361
SO SO FR JR SO FR SR FR SO FR SO
11 21 88 44 15 34 23 28 2 16 14
Kelby Collins Desmond Watson Caleb Banks Jack Pyburn Derek Wingo Mannie Nunnery Jaydon Hill Devin Moore Ja’Keem Jackson R.J. Moten Jordan Castell
6-3 6-5 6-3 6-3 6-1 6-1 6-0 6-3 6-1 6-0 6-2
263 415 308 253 240 231 181 195 178 219 205
FR SO FR SO JR JR SO SO FR JR FR
49 26
Adam Mihalek Jeremy Crawshaw
193 196
SO JR
7 1
Trevor Etienne Ricky Pearsall
213 192
SO SR
SPECIAL TEAMS K P
6-2 6-4
2023 SCHEDULE
DE NT DT LB LB LB NB CB CB S S
SPECIAL TEAMS KR PR
5-9 6-1
NEWCOMERS
S.2 ................................at Utah
O.14 ........at South Carolina
S.9 ............................McNeese
O.28 .Georgia (Jacksonville)
S.16 ...................... Tennessee
N.4 ........................... Arkansas
S.23 .........................Charlotte
N.11 ..............................at LSU
S.30 ....................at Kentucky
N.18 .................... at Missouri
Kelby Collins, Edge — With few big-time playmakers off the edge behind Princely Umanmielen, Collins could play this fall.
O.7 ........................ Vanderbilt
N.25 ................. Florida State
Ja’Keem Jackson, DB — Talented enough to play immediately.
Knijeah Harris, OL — Harris was tabbed the No. 1 center in the nation by ESPN and had his choice of pretty much any school in the nation. Jordan Castell, DB — Considered the No. 10 safety nationally, Castell enrolled early and worked his way into the rotation.
