Napier Sees 'Turning Point' for Gators in Comeback Attempt vs. Bulldogs
Photo: Billy Napier; Credit: Alex Shepherd
The No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs took a 28-3 lead into the home locker room of TIAA Bank Field on Saturday, comfortably out in front of their rival Florida Gators and looking to cruise to their eighth win of the 2022 season.
The final score, 42-20, suggests Georgia did just that. What it doesn't acknowledge was the Bulldogs' mere eight-point lead late in the third quarter, as the Gators had scored 17 unanswered points and limited UGA to just 32 yards on its first two drives of the second half, both ending in turnovers.
But even that third-quarter surge didn't provide UF the momentum to overcome UGA's 346 yards of offense in the first half, its own offensive inefficiencies seen mostly in the first 30 minutes with some lingering effects in the second, and simply being outmanned by Georgia in terms of talent across the roster.
“Not good enough," Florida head coach Billy Napier began to admit after UF's fourth conference loss of the season, marking the school's worst start in SEC play (1-4) since 1979.
"Got to coach better, got to lead better, players need to play better. Simple enough."
What was simple enough to understand by the common viewer was the clear and defined gap in talent between the two SEC squads. Look no further than the 28 five-star enrollments at UGA dating back to the recruiting class of 2017, with five alone in the 2022 cycle.
In the same span, dating back to the class of the most experienced players in Saturday's game (such as UF linebacker Ventrell Miller), Florida secured only two prospects out of high school considered to be of elite caliber.
There were self-inflicted mistakes such as questionable play-calling and general inefficiency (3.8 yards per play in the first half) offensively, missed tackles, explosive gains and ample third/fourth down conversions allowed defensively, and other patterns similar to what has been put on display by Florida throughout the season.
While such struggles have been on display throughout the year, the Gators had never found themselves in or even close to a 25-point hole at halftime prior to Saturday. Their previous largest margin of defeat was just ten points, in Weeks 2 and 7, and that number was more than doubled in Jacksonville.
Napier wouldn't acknowledge that gap when asked after the game, instead deflecting, despite suggesting this past Monday that "we all understand" the level of talent Georgia has built across its roster "pays off" and that Florida's long-term goal is to build something similar.
“It doesn’t matter if there was a talent gap or not. It matters who played the best today. Who executed the best today," said Napier. "We didn’t execute the best today.”
Still, while Georgia had the clear advantage in terms of roster depth and star power, Florida was able to make this game interesting when it mattered most. Talent gaps do not guarantee success — UF's 44-28 win over UGA in 2020 is a perfect example, as UGA had compiled 19 five-star signees compared to UF's one in between the class of 2017 and that game.
One might not have recognized the gap in talent on Saturday across the first 12 minutes of the third quarter.
That's why Napier, despite the final result, was proud of his team for its effort and second-half showing after being challenged at halftime to "come together and play aggressive," according to Gators quarterback Anthony Richardson.
He even viewed the comeback attempt as a potential turning point for Florida.
"I gained a level of respect for that group in terms of how they responded at halftime," Napier said. "I’d say that’s what I respect the most: They care. They really do care. I think today might have been a turning point to some degree relative to what is really in there, in your heart, in your soul, between your ears."
Ultimately, that kind of passion for the game, and for each other, is what Napier believes will help turn Florida football around.
"I told the players in the locker room just now, as long as I’m coaching here, we’re going to play this game for the people that we play with," shared Napier. "And I think that that takes time to develop. I think we’re getting somewhere in that regard.”
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