Get to Know the Florida Gator Defense

On Saturday, Georgia will emerge from a much-needed bye week to take on rival Florida in the latest edition of the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party in Jacksonville, Florida. The Bulldogs have won each of the last two and five of the last six in the series against the Gators and are favored to add to their current Georgia-Florida winning streak this year. However, at at 5-2 overall and 3-1 in the SEC, Florida enters the game with designs to reverse its recent fortunes in the series and take a tie-break lead over Georgia in the quest for the SEC Eastern Division crown.

In a stark departure from the 2022 season, if Florida is to pull the upset on Saturday, it will be on the back of what has been a consistently strong Gator defense. Under new defensive coordinator Austin Armstrong, the Gators are only allowing 312.4 yards per game, a nearly 100-yard improvement from the 411 yards per game Florida surrendered a year ago. Similarly, under Armstrong, Florida has improved by more than a full touchdown in scoring defense this season, limiting opponents to 20 points per game as opposed to 28.8 points per game a year ago. The Gators have held six of their seven opponents under 400 total yards of offense and three of seven under 300 yards of total offense.

The statistical improvement has been almost across the board. Against the pass, Florida has improved from allowing 235 yards per game and 7.7 yards per attempt last season to 187 yards per game and 7.3 yards per attempt this season. Former Georgia corner Jalen Kimber mans one starting cornerback position for the Gators, while Jason Marshall Jr., a former five-star prospect, holds down Florida's other starting cornerback spot. While neither Kimber nor Marshall Jr. has played at an all-conference level and can often struggle defending the perimeter run and screen game, they bring athleticism to the Florida defense and, with 3 pass deflections apiece, have been solid in coverage. Safeties Jordan Castell and Miguel Mitchell, two young and lightly recruited players, have been more solid against the run, but have shown vulnerabilities against the pass. At 6-foot-2, 220 pounds, Castell has great size and flashes strong potential, but as a freshman, he lacks experience and is apt to miss assignments.

While Florida has also shown statistical growth against the run, improving from allowing 175 rushing yards per game and 4.5 yards per rush a year ago to 125 yards per game and 4.3 yards per rush this season, its performance against the run has been inconsistent. Two weeks after holding Tennessee - the SEC leader in rushing offense - to a paltry 100 yards rushing on 30 attempts in a win over the Volunteers, the Gators were gashed on the ground by Kentucky for 329 yards and a whopping 9.1 yards per rush. Florida followed that up by limiting Vanderbilt to 64 yards rushing and 3.3 yards per carry before surrendering 152 yards on the ground to a South Carolina offense that ranks 13th in the SEC and 123rd nationally with 93.7 rushing yards per game.

One of the leading factors behind Florida's inconsistencies defending the run is the lack of game-changing talent up front on the defensive line. The Gators do have a pair of giant space-eaters at nose tackle in the 6-foot-6, 366 pound Cam Jackson and the 6-foot-5, 438 pound Desmond Watson, but while both have been solid two-gapping defensive lineman for the Gators, they have not shown the ability to take over games. At defensive end, Tyreak Sapp is a solid veteran presence on the Florida defensive line, but he has athletic limitations that have kept him from being a dominant force up front for the the Gators.

While, Florida does lack difference-making athletes on the defensive line, when the Gators struggle against the run, it is primarily due to poor run fits from the second and third level of their defense. Inside linebackers Shemar James and Scooby Williams are talented athletes with bright futures ahead of them, but they are often inconsistent fitting against the run, which creates open holes and running lanes for opposing running backs to exploit. While Castell and Mitchell at safety have largely been good against the run, they also contribute to Florida's inconsistencies against the run at times with poor run fits of their own.

While the Florida defense is clearly improved from last season, it has been one of the least disruptive defenses in the SEC. Entering Saturday's game against Georgia, the Gators have only managed to tally 11 sacks on the season, ranking them dead last in the SEC. With 3 sacks to his name, JACK Princely Umanmielen is Florida's premier pass rusher. The 6-foot-5, 255 pound junior is a smooth athlete that can get home and pressure the passer in a variety of ways. Outside of Umanmielen, though, the Gators struggle to find ways to affect the quarterback. Beyond the pass rush struggles, the Gators also aren't particularly disruptive against the run, ranking 13th in the SEC in tackles for loss.

How to Watch Georgia vs. Florida

Gameday: Saturday, Oct. 28. 2023
Game time: 3:30 pm ET
TV: CBS
Location: TIAA Bank Field (Jacksonville, Florida)
Live stream on fuboTV: Start with a 7-day free trial!
Stream on ESPN - HERE
Broadcast Call: Brad Nessler (play-by-play) and Gary Danielson (Color) will be on the call

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