SEC Media Days: Three Florida Gators questions that should get answered
Four days from now the Florida Gators will enter the SEC Media Day circus in Nashville, Tennessee. Billy Napier will be bringing wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, offensive lineman Kingsley Eguakun, and cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. with him on July 19.
SEC Media Days provides great access for the media to coaches and players. It’s a long day with a lot of repetitive questions for the coaches and student-athletes. They’ll be well prepared for what questions the collection of reporters has for them. Will everything be answered? Probably not, but these are three questions we think Napier and his players can and should be able to shed light on for Gator fans that are tuning in.
The health of a few key offensive linemen
Billy Napier hasn’t always been one to talk about injuries. When a player has season-ending surgery, he hasn’t shied away from answering a direct question, but, as a lot of football coaches can be, would rather not divulge injury news unless they have to.
The Gators went through most of the spring without Micah Mazzccua (shoulder), Kamryn Waites (Achilles), and Jalen Farmer (arm) all missed spring camp. Mazzccua, a transfer from Baylor, will start at left guard if he’s healthy. Mazzccua would be the biggest question mark but the other two players are key depth pieces on the offensive line. Waites started the Las Vegas Bowl and has played both tackle and guard positions. Farmer spent most of the spring in a non-contact jersey with an arm injury. Not having Waites and Farmer allowed younger players to get valuable reps in the spring.
While perhaps only Mazzccua would project as a starter in this group, the Gators’ offensive line needs depth with Waites and Farmer. How healthy are they and can Florida fans expect them back for the start of camp this summer?
What will the defense look like and why did he pick Austin Armstrong?
Napier has raved about his new, young, defensive coordinator. There is n doubt that Armstrong was a coveted coach in the offseason. One source told Gators Online that Armstrong was on a short list for Kirby Smart if Georgia were to have an opening on the defensive side of the ball and Nick Saban hired Armstrong to his staff.
Napier was able to poach him from Alabama with a jump in title to defenisve coordinator. Armstrong will be the youngest Power 5 defenisve coordinator in the country this year, which will bring its own list of questions on Wedneday in Nashville. Napier clearly liked Armstrong as a replacement for Patrick Toney.
Now, the next question is what will the defense look like? Armstrong and Toney come from the same coaching tree. They have the same mentors and a similar system. Toney’s system was a failure in 2022. Part of that could be coming into a new job at a new place and not having the guys for your system.
“He does have a lot of great calls, he understands how to play us to our ability. He helps us make plays,” defensive lineman Tyreak Sapp said. “And he puts us in position, of course, but then he lets us be ourselves, too, lets us be what Coach Kali (James) likes to say, lets you be what you were recruited to be. What they brought you here for. Do what they brought you here for.”
The Florida Gators’ new NIL entity — Florida Victorious
Florida had one of the first fan-run collectives in the market as soon as NIL legislation made it possible in the state of Florida. There was a change earlier in the year. A new group has taken the lead for the Florida Gators NIL efforts. Florida Victorious is off to a great start. The company announced a “March to $2 Million” campaign in the month of May. They matched every donation.
As Billy Napier went through his speaking tour, a member of Florida Victorious’ board would speak to fans before the head coach. The biggest thing Napier and Florida Victiorus dressed to fans was that this was a professionally run organization. That the new entity had multiple full-time employees solely dedicated to making NIL a strength for the Gators. The question will be has it worked? Has it been effective in the opening months? From what we’ve gathered at Gators Online, yes. The group has been great for student-athletes on campus and the education that was done in the spring has helped. Napier would jump at the opportunity to answer more questions and continue to promote Florida Victorious on the SEC Media Day stage.
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