What we learned from the Florida Gators at 2023 SEC Media Days

NASHVILLE — Florida coach Billy Napier took part in his second SEC Media Days on Wednesday. Making the trip with him was Ricky Pearsall, Kingsley Eguakun and Jason Marshall Jr.

Here’s what we learned from Napier and the Gators in Nashville:

Napier will know QB starter ‘pretty quick’

The Gators head into fall training camp with multiple position battles to be determined, most notably at quarterback.

Wisconsin transfer Graham Mertz and Jack Miller III have spent the offseason competing for the starting job.

Napier indicated the QB race could be settled after the first scrimmage on Aug. 10.

“We’ll know pretty quick. At some point we’ll start giving the majority of the reps to the first team guy. We’ll go in and we’ll have competition,” Napier said. “I think it’ll happen relatively quick. We’re not going to make a decision until we’re ready to do that.

“We scrimmage, I think two times in training camp. We get through that first scrimmage, and we’ll evaluate and go through that first set of installation. Put the ball down and play and evaluate that first scrimmage at that point.”

Napier touts Florida’s transfer class

Mertz is one of 14 total transfers that the Gators added to their 2023 roster, along with 21 recruits from the high school ranks. Those 35 additions to the team offset the 35 departures they had from 2022.

Napier feels that Florida’s newcomers, particularly the 27 mid-year enrollees, will have a significant impact this season.

“I think we have kind of an influx of talented, young players. I feel really good about the portal work we did,” he said. “We added 10,000 snaps of experience. 123 starts. The line of scrimmage players, I do think there’s a component to that. Overall, our depth will be developed throughout training camp. 93 percent of our team was here in January. We had 27 midyears.

“I think that’s really unique in that regard. Essentially, we’ve been coaching this team since January. That’s given us a little bit of an advantage in developing depth. They went through the offseason program. They went through spring ball. Then they rebooted the computer and stated the instillation in OTAs. I think some of these young players will be in a better position to contribute.”

Injury update on Micah Mazzccua, others

Napier provided an update Wednesday on the status of Micah Mazzccua and a few other players who missed time or were limited in spring ball.

Mazzccua continues to fully recover from shoulder surgery but is still on schedule to return. His availability for the opener is TBD next month.

“Micah is the one player who’s yet to be completely cleared,” Napier said. “He’s doing great. He’s on schedule. Certainly he’ll get reps and he’ll have his opportunity to compete. I think before his injury he showed that he’s very capable. There will be some things that come with missing time. Overall, he’s on schedule to be ready to go.”

Napier added that offensive lineman Jalen Farmer, cornerback Devin Moore and linebacker Derek Wingo, while he anticipates offensive lineman Kamryn Waites (torn Achilles) being available “at some point” during the season.

Dallas Turner high on Austin Armstrong

Gators Online caught up Wednesday with Alabama linebacker Dallas Turner, who briefly worked with new Florida defensive coordinator Austin Armstrong earlier this year.

He was hired as Turner’s position coach in January but left the following month for the UF job. Despite Armstrong’s short stint, he made a strong impression on Turner.

“Very good person, very good person on and off the field. Just a good guy to be around,” Turner told Gators Online at SEC Media Days. “We didn’t spend too much time together, but I did get to see how he views things on the field.

“I feel like he’ll do a very good job (at UF). Florida has a lot of good defensive talent on the front line and in the back end as well. I feel like he’ll fit in well and be the type of defensive coordinator they need.”

Napier will continue to call plays

The Gators have a new coordinator on defense, while Napier resumes his play-calling duties on the offensive side of the ball.

Despite SEC coaches such as Jimbo Fisher, Hugh Freeze, Eli Drinkwitz and Lane Kiffin relinquishing calling plays, Napier will keep it up.

“I think it’s a relevant question. I do think it’s part of the evaluation to some degree. But I feel confident in our process,” Napier said to local media on Wednesday. “We’ve done it before. I do think some of the growing pains that come with year one, I went through some of those things much like some of of our other staff and some of our players did. I’m very hopeful we’ll continue to improve. I’ll benefit from year two just as much as any player or any staff member.”

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