Gators Fall Camp 2023: Notes, Takeaways and Highlights From Open Practice
Photo: Florida head coach Billy Napier; Credit: Zach Goodall
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Florida Gators football is back, kind of.
On Saturday, Billy Napier's squad took the field inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium for the first time in front of fans in 2023, as the University of Florida opened gates for spectators and media.
It was the program's first open practice in nearly a decade, with the last coming during Will Muchamp's reign as head coach. The window allowed All Gators to further evaluate Florida's progression this offseason beyond the 15-minute practice sessions normally allotted to media.
You can find our participation report, takeaways, video highlights and more from the fifth fall camp practice of the year below.
Check out All Gators' takeaways from Florida's previous fall practices:
Notes and Photo Gallery From Day 1
Notes and Quarterback Video From Day 2
Notes and Observations From Day 3
Notes and Inside Linebacker Focus From Day 4
Gators Fall Camp 2023: Day 5 Notes and Takeaways
- For the first time this fall, Florida practiced in full pads on Saturday.
- Sophomore linebacker Shemar James (left knee), graduate transfer offensive lineman Lyndell Hudson II (concussion), senior wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (illness) and sophomore cornerback Devin Moore (upper body) were absent on Saturday.
- Offensive lineman Micah Mazzccua remains limited and in a no-contact jersey after suffering a shoulder injury in the spring. That being said, Mazzccua did take part in some team drills where he blocked defenders, indicating that he is making good progress in his recovery from the injury. As he had in previous workouts, Mazzccua also participated in individual offensive line drills.
- Tight end Jonathan Odom donned a black no-contact jersey and was limited to routes on air and blocking drills with his unit as he rehabilitates a knee injury suffered in Florida's bowl game against Oregon State to conclude the 2022 campaign.
- Senior tight end Keon Zipperer — expected to be sidelined for a significant portion of the season after suffering a knee injury in the spring — watched practice on crutches from the sideline.
- Walk-on freshmen, wideout Brian Green Jr. and defensive lineman Andre Morris, operated in a limited capacity. Green participated in no-contact drills with his position group while Morris worked off to the side.
Graham Mertz has a comfortable grip on QB1 duties. Who is Florida's QB2?
In a full practice setting, it is clear that Wisconsin transfer and redshirt junior Graham Mertz has the upper hand in Florida's quarterback competition. He received the majority of snaps with the projected first-team offense and appeared in the know on every play, quick to get things lined up and the play rolling without hesitation.
Mertz's first set of 11 vs. 11 reps left something to be desired as he failed to move the offense beyond handing it off, but he improved as practice went along and team drills expanded. He strung together a good final drive in team drills with adequate timing and accuracy, and finished the series with a pair of touchdowns in the red zone.
His best throw of the day targeted redshirt sophomore Marcus Burke on a comeback route, placed right along the sideline where only the receiver could make a play, and he did in toe-tapping fashion.
Mertz finished the day with a 9-of-15 passing line in 11 vs. 11 drills, with the two red zone scores.
But while Mertz seems to be in the driver's seat as QB1, who will serve as his primary backup remains unclear.
Redshirt sophomore Jack Miller III has been involved in the competition to start dating back to spring, but the development of redshirt freshman passer Max Brown has created a battle for the role of QB2.
Brown and Miller split reps with the projected second-team offense throughout the day, although Brown looked to receive the majority of those snaps. Brown was charted at 4-of-10 in team drills, pairing some impressive tosses with some late passes, while Miller's stat-line could not be verified as he bounced around the split practice field for team periods.
Pearsall, Moore absent from practice
Senior wide receiver Ricky Pearsall and sophomore cornerback Devin Moore were the only additions to Florida's participation report on Saturday, as neither practiced nor were observed in attendance.
A team source told All Gators that Pearsall missed the practice with an undisclosed illness and Moore was sidelined by an undisclosed upper-body injury.
Junior Ja'Quavion Fraziars and sophomore Thai Chiaokhiao-Bowman stepped up in place of Pearsall at slot receiver during practice. Redshirt junior Jalen Kimber and true freshman Ja'Keem Jackson took the majority of Moore's vacated reps with the first and second teams as they compete for a starting role opposite Jason Marshall Jr.
Freshmen talent emerging across Florida's roster
No matter what position one looked at, an observer would likely have found a freshman mixing in with the anticipated contributors at their respective spots throughout Saturday's practice.
Wide receivers Andy Jean and Eugene Wilson III frequently rotated within the first and second-team offenses throughout the day, and both have flashed aplenty in the practice setting throughout their young Gators careers, even though Wilson has participated fully just twice so far.
Jean is a sharp route-runner who uses clean footwork and technique to get open regularly, while Wilson is explosive with the ball in his hands and already seems to have found comfort receiving manufactured touches such as screen passes and creating ample yards after the catch.
Cornerbacks Dijon Johnson and Ja'Keem Jackson each made highlight-worthy plays in one-on-one drills that can be observed below. Jackson broke up an in-breaking pass while Johnson intercepted a late throw to the outside.
Although it is tough to assess running backs in practice as with plays being called dead and tackling to the ground generally being frowned upon, Treyaun Webb turned heads with a hard-nosed rushing style that welcomes contact. Thuds were audible when defenders attempted to tackle him, and on more than one occasion, Webb broke away from first contact and required multiple defenders to slow him down completely.
Edge rusher Kelby Collins memorably blew up a run play in team drills, to the excitement of Napier, who was standing right behind the running back who was stopped in the backfield.
An emphasis on tackling
In addition to any tackling practice completed in individual drills, Florida dedicated a period of its practice to tackling circuits.
At four separate stations involving tackling dummies, each defensive position group worked on angling toward and pursuing ball carriers, splitting blocks, securely wrapping up tackles and even gang-tackling with proper technique.
After missing 10.5 tackles per game during the 2022 regular season and similarly disappointing efforts in recent years prior, per Pro Football Focus, new defensive coordinator Austin Armstrong appears to have placed an emphasis on fixing the problem.
The drills were fast-paced and demanded good technique, otherwise, Armstrong and his fellow defensive coaches would demand a do-over from players who didn't meet the mark on their rep.
Highlight clips
Find a collection of highlight clips from the practice below, via Zach Goodall of All Gators. The majority of videos were taken during one-on-one drills in the red zone.
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