Florida Gameday Spotlight: Ricky Pearsall
If there is a heartbeat to Florida's football team, it is undoubtedly wide receiver Ricky Pearsall. He is a senior wide receiver from Chandler, Arizona, playing in his 5th season in Gainesville.
Pearsall is the spoon that stirs the pot, being the Gators' offense. He is a crisp route runner who can do special things with the ball in his hands. His quickness is perhaps his greatest weapon that can expose the Vols' defense if they are not careful when guarding him. Pearsall has been a threat to the SEC for a while now. His breakout season was in 2021 when he finished with 580 yards and four touchdowns. He followed that up with a great 2022 season, finishing with 661 yards and five touchdowns.
He is looking to be due for an even better season, as he has 215 yards through just two games. This past week, he got his first 100+ yard game in the Gators' win over McNeese. So, how well will Tennessee's secondary fair against Pearsall and his skill set? The Vols have currently limited their opponents to scoring (13.0 points per game given up). Pearsall also has just one touchdown all year so far, showing that he still has to break into a scoring frenzy. The Vols' defense has also given up just one passing touchdown all year, which came against Austin Peay.
Tennessee's secondary gives up around 5 yards per attempt through the air and limits opposing quarterbacks to just 183 yards per game. Opponents also have a third down conversion rate of just 27% against the Vols this season. The Volunteers' defense has the momentum right now to stop Pearsall. But Pearsall also has momentum himself to be a factor in this game. It will be a story to watch on Saturday as the Vols travel to the Swamp.
Florida Gators WR Ricky Pearsall before their spring game on April 23rd, 2023, in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by Matt Pendleton of USA Today)
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