Statistical Breakdown: Todd Grantham vs. Tough Opponents

How good really is defensive coordinator Todd Grantham? Let's look deeper statistically at how his Florida defense has fared against stiff competition.

"Third and Grantham" has been studied at length - let's look at the whole package. 

Florida Gators defensive coordinator Todd Grantham had all of his praises sung following last season. In fact, the NFL's Cincinnati Bengals wanted him to leave Gainesville last season and come coach their defense. And the praise was deserved, UF's defense was spectacular in 2018 and finished the season off with a statement against Michigan in the Peach Bowl. 

Florida's defense in that game, against Shea Patterson who threw for 2,600 yards that year, shut everything down for the Wolverines. The Gators only allowed 13 points defensively (the other two came from a safety on a blocked punt), and recorded two interceptions, with one returned for a touchdown. 

And that wasn't the only good performance from Grantham's unit. Earlier in the season against a Joe Burrow-led LSU team, Florida recorded two interceptions, including one for a touchdown that iced the game. 

To this day, that contest in The Swamp is Burrow's only game at LSU with more than one interception. Edge rusher Jachai Polite also turned Burrow over with a strip sack. Grantham's unit held the Tigers to just 19 points that day, 16 points below its season average at 35. 

And then looking at this season, Florida's defense has had some spectacular days so far. To kick off the season against Miami, the Gators had 10 sacks on quarterback Jarren Williams and forced him to fumble once. Against Auburn, freshman quarterback Bo Nix - who had played good football through that point of the season - looked lost against Florida's defense. 

Grantham proved, on that day more than any other, his ability to crush inexperienced QB's. Nix hadn't thrown an interception in four straight games coming into Ben Hill Griffin Stadium - on that day, he threw three to the Gators. He completed only 11 passes on his way to 145 yards, posting his season-low 17.4 QBR. His lowest besides that is 50.2. 

But what about when Florida plays a polished signal caller? What about when Grantham's defense went against the new-and-improved Burrow in 2019? What about when Florida played against three-year starter Jake Fromm in Jacksonville against Georgia? 

I am sure you see where I am going here. 

Grantham's defense has a history of getting exposed when the quarterback on the opposite side does not panic. Burrow and Fromm's highest QBR's of the season have come against Florida. Fromm had 279 yards while completing 20 of 30 passes on his way to two touchdowns and no interceptions at the World's Largest Cocktail Party. 

Burrow? Unstoppable. 

The transfer from Athens, Ohio, is probably going to win the Heisman Trophy, and one of his Heisman moments came in his rematch against Florida. He completed an absurd 87.5 percent of his passes at 21 of 24 for 293 yards. Also, in the area that Burrow struggled most with last season statistically: Scoring touchdowns? He threw three with no interceptions that night. 

And we can move into last season as well. Fromm, outside of matchups vs. UMass and Georgia Tech, had his best QBR against UF last season as well at 96.3. And senior Missouri quarterback Drew Lock posted three touchdowns and no interceptions on Grantham's home field last season. The veteran QB was unstoppable that day, throwing for 250 yards and completing 75 percent of his throws. 

We have enough of a sample size now to know this much: Grantham excels against inexperienced quarterbacks, regardless of how talented they are. And we also know this: Grantham has struggled against experienced quarterbacks, regardless of how talented they are.