Six Takeaways From a Monumental Florida Gators Victory Over Utah
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Photo: Anthony Richardson and Billy Napier; Credit: Alex Shepherd
Billy Napier is the first head coach in Gators history to defeat a ranked opponent in his debut at Florida, and the win couldn't have been more monumental.
The unranked Gators took down the No. 7 and reigning Pac-12 Champion Utah Utes by a score of 29-26 on Saturday evening, kicking off the Napier era of Florida football in a dramatic fashion with a perception-changing win and a much-needed morale boost for the program following its tumultuous 2021 season.
You can find All Gators' takeaways from the victory below.
Anthony Richardson was exactly what UF needed him to be
We wrote entering the game, and throughout the entire offseason, that the Gators will rely on quarterback Anthony Richardson to elevate the team as it continues to figure out its strengths and develops its depth.
Richardson absolutely rose to the occasion in his first career start in The Swamp.
With a game plan designed to utilize his strengths, Richardson is the reason why Florida was in this game from start to finish.
He stole the show with 106 yards and three touchdowns across 11 rushing attempts, but the dominance of Florida's run game made Richardson efficient as a passer, particularly on play-action. He completed 17-of-24 passes for 168 yards, his yardage primarily compiled via play-action deep crossers and shots up the seam.
According to Napier, Richardson trusted his instincts on at least four plays, getting through the concept called before tucking, running and making something dynamic happen with his legs.
"I think," Napier shared with excitement, "we’re figuring out here that this guy’s a pretty special player.”
It certainly seems that way.
Florida played sound football in a lot of areas on Saturday night, but it was obvious that the team needed sparks along the way in order to remain in the fight.
Richardson created those sparks almost every time he was asked to. From Utah's late second-quarter field goal on, Richardson led the Gators' offense down the field and matched every Utah score on the ensuing drive.
His electric two-point conversion, an exact scenario that Napier claims Richardson pulled off during fall practice, summed up his ability to elevate the offense perfectly.
The Gators will go as Richardson goes in 2022. If he continues to play as he did in the season-opener, then the Gators likely will play well above the outside expectations set entering the campaign.
Amari Burney has his breakthrough
Amari Burney has walked a long and winding road at the University of Florida, emerging as a legitimate contributor as a freshman before switching positions twice and putting inconsistent play on film in the four years since his breakout.
Most Florida fans won't remember Burney's first five years in orange and blue in the long run, though. Instead, they'll remember his victory-sealing interception in one of the most monumental wins in program history.
"To see that guy make that play," Napier said after calling Burney one of his favorite players on the team, "that’s a special moment for him.
“This is his sixth year here. He’s played like 1,600 snaps here. I call him old man all the time. We’re thankful for Amari. He’s got character, he’s a good communicator, he makes other players around him better, he’s a guy who really has risen to the occasion at that position and what we need at that position."
A tale of two run defenses
Although Richardson ultimately carried the team to the victory with Burney sealing the deal, Florida can thank its run defense for keeping the Gators in the game during the first half.
Utah's offense failed to pick up steam as its typically dominant rushing attack was limited to just 59 yards on 14 attempts in the first half.
Quarterback Cameron Rising got things moving a little bit with 75 passing yards and a score, but considering the lack of rushing production, the Utes were never able to create a comfortable lead even though UF's offense struggled to get into the redzone in the same stretch of time.
The second half was a different story for UF's rushing defense, though, which played a huge part in this game remaining a nail-biter until the very end.
The Utes finished with 230 rushing yards on 39 attempts, leading to each of their second-half drives meeting or surpassing nine plays and 69 yards in length. UF tried to combat the attack by loading the box with three inside linebacker sets and a single-high safety, but to no avail.
Utah's 11-play, 73-yard drive that ended in its final touchdown put the Gators in a position where they knew they had to score a touchdown in order to win the game. Fortunately for Florida, Richardson was capable of doing so.
Ricky Pearsall quickly emerges as a go-to receiver
You wouldn't have been able to tell wide receiver Ricky Pearsall missed half of his first fall camp with the Gators after transferring to Florida during the offseason by watching his performance on Saturday night.
Pearsall, who was sidelined for eight practices this fall with two bone bruises in his foot, was Florida's leading receiver in the contest, finishing with four receptions for 67 yards. He consistently found ways to get open up the seam and served as the Gators' deep threat on the night, averaging nearly 17 yards per grab.
“He definitely makes it easier for me. He knows how to get open and knows how to run good routes. I’m glad he can catch the ball," Richardson said of Pearsall. "The way he does things is going to help get other guys. I’m glad Ricky was able to do what he did today. I’m looking forward to more games with him.”
Richardson and the Gators will depend on Pearsall's ability to get open as the season lingers on.
That's the exact reason why Florida welcomed his transfer: While UF's wide receiver room has talent, it doesn't possess any other receiver that can make defenders miss and separate on deep routes the way Pearsall can.
Billy Napier isn't afraid to play freshmen
The challenge of taking on a top-ten opponent didn't stop Napier from seeing what he has in a group of talented true freshmen.
Each of the four rookies on Florida's two-deep roster — running back Trevor Etienne, linebacker Shemar James, cornerback Devin Moore and safety Kamari Wilson — as well as third-team defensive end Chris McClellan took the field for significant snaps during the game.
Napier indicated prior to the contest that the Gators would rotate players who had earned the coaching staff's trust this offseason into the game. That included the freshmen who quickly emerged as potential contributors in spring and fall camp, and it's clear now that each of these five players will serve a role for this team moving forward.
Etienne, James and Moore particularly stood out. Etienne led the Gators in yards per rush (12.8) with five carries for 64 yards; James was a consistent future in UF's linebacker corps and finished with four tackles; Moore forced Utah to burn its final timeout with a crucial open-field tackle that kept the receiver in bounds, three plays before Burney's interception.
Moore also locked down his receiver with a strong jam in the endzone on the final defensive snap — the receiver that Rising was targeting before Burney undercut the route and hauled in the pick.
The Napier era couldn't have gotten off to a better start
When it's all said and done, even though we can nitpick at the shortcomings from an Xs and Os standpoint, the Billy Napier era of Florida football began with a victory that has already changed the program's perception for the 2022 season and will undoubtedly give the Gators momentum entering their SEC schedule.
His tenure simply couldn't have gotten off to a better start.
Oddsmakers viewed Florida as the consensus home underdog throughout the entire offseason up until kickoff. My final game prediction was similar, as I predicted the Utes to win 27-24. Prior to the campaign, the conference's media voted that Florida would finish fourth in the SEC East behind Georgia, Kentucky and Tennessee.
It's hard to imagine that the consensus outlook on Florida hasn't changed over the last 12 or so hours.
You can expect the Gators to break into both the Associated Press and Coaches' top 25 polls this week after taking down a top-ten team.
Florida has plenty to prove before it can be taken seriously as a potential contender in the SEC East, and the eventual task of defeating Georgia still seems unlikely at this point. But following Saturday's monumental W, you can't rule Napier's Gators out moving forward.
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