Florida Football Season Preview: 2024 Predictions, Impact Transfers, More

hello again we are Chris Lee and Chase Robinson of Southeastern 16 here to preview Florida's football season for 2024 Chase I feel like Florida's just a place where it's been one little sesow after another for a few years between the Jaden rashada between Billy Napier and the hot seat and everything else that comes with Florida football and and the schedule has been a big talk of things to it I'm going to drop a stat on you at the end that's going to blow your mind about the strength of schedule that Florida's going up against but I think quietly there's a pretty solid football team underneath all that I'm very intrigued to see how the gator season goes yeah and I think it Go a number of different ways and because of the big schedule or tough schedule that's been the talk but yeah there's there's Talent on this team there's no doubt about it they're not going to be a pushover uh this year and we'll we'll see as we dive into this uh but first let's talk about our friends at bet online they are the world's most trusted betting platform and your number one source for everything online sports betting right now you can receive a 50% Free Bet of up to $250 on your first deposit to bet on anything from the Olympics to baseball to Formula 1 racing bet online has every stat every match up and even live odds and spreads while the games are being played when the game's over you can go to the online casino and get in on a game of blackjack or poker or unwind with one of the over 150 slots games head over to the website today to get in on the action use promo code believe bav for your 50% Free Bet credit on your first deposit up to $250 bet online the game starts here let's start a quarterback I think Florida's got I maybe the most underrated player in the league in Graham Merz you're not seeing him on any preseason L lists I mean it is a beauty pageant of season for quarterbacks but you look at the numbers a year ago completed 73% of his passes 20 touchdowns three picks 293 yards over eight yards in attempt just so solid now he's not going to run much as we know and he did lose a first round receiver Ricky peol to the NFL but I just like what Graham Merz gives them chase yeah and I you know I feel like he's under the radar guy like yeah people know about him but he doesn't get talked about a lot um there was a lot of hype going into last year about him but you know I feel like he he had good numbers he's consistent um but I I think it's what people are and and I feel like what I'm concerned about is is the guys around him and he does have talent but is there enough around him but I think Graham Merz as a whole is a good quarterback and that 73% completion rate really stands out to me like he he gets the J job done you know he he is efficient as as a quarterback so uh yeah he's losing guys around in Ricky peaw to the NFL is is a big loss uh for them at receiver but I think they do have the guys who can step up around him to to help get the job done but I think he does fly under the radar a little bit more than I than I feel like he should the backup situation there is kind of interesting too they've got DJ lagway who was number three player in the country signed a quarterback a big kid 63 239 consensus five-star and then kind of an under the radar Guy Kay Millan whose father was an NFL quarterback he transferred from Colorado state two years ago set an alltime record for freshman completion percentage at Colorado State threw for 1910 yards and 10 touchdowns that was a freshman record I'm not sure if I specified that then played one bad game to start the season didn't play the year now in Florida I don't think you'll see him but just kind of an interesting Mo that you don't see a lot of guys with that kind of career path and you don't get a lot of teams that get an experienced third quarterback but I think the concern is the guys around him um I'm maybe a little bit more concerned about the offensive line although I think they they did some nice things in some spots but I mean you've got a nice start you got Montell Johnson who According to some is the best running back in the league you got Eugene Wilson the Third who was a budding star you hit the transfer portal uh to get experienced guys from Arizona State again which is where they got peol and chamir dek from Wisconsin so I feel like they've got some some numbers here I don't know that there's a a Percy Harvin in this group but they they got some guys who can play a little bit they do and I like Montel Johnson um I think he could be a top three or four running back in in the SEC I really do he's he's Tak over for Travis etn who's moved on to Georgia so Montreal Johnson has kind of become the the go-to guy at running back uh he's not as explosive at etn but he he's capable of being um up there uh like he was so I think a lot of success is going to start with with running the ball for Florida um and then you look at the receivers and yeah you have Eugene Wilson which uh he's a sophomore he's going to be the go-to target um he he's I mean he he's a good he's a good pass Catcher And I think he's there he's going to get a lot of touches just because I'm I'm I'm a little concerned about the the depth of receivers following him um I think though you have some candidates of guys who could have breakout years that we may not be talking about right now heading into the year but that we will be talking about because I think grah merch will get them to ball a lot and I think one of those guys is the uh the transfer of uh uh chamar Dyk from Wisconsin uh Shamir Dyk he spent uh several seasons with Merz in Wisconsin and so I I think they may uh work well together this year I think he's a name to watch and and also Arizona State's um Elijah Badger I think he could be a guy that that we see a good bit uh getting some some passes uh to catch so those are a couple of guys I think khil Jackson's another one uh that could could see some some a lot of playing time for the uh for the Gators this year but just kind of making sure they spread the ball out some Eugene Wilson can't be the only Target but I think Dy is a great addition for Florida coming from Wisconsin and if they've played together it won't take them as long to Jael that is Merz uh and and uh and Dyk so I think that could be a really good addition to the wide receiver room yeah the the leading guy in terms of yards last year anywhere was Badger from Arizona State who caught 700 13 yards of balls Wilson is getting a lot of preseason all SEC love you might like to see a little more explosiveness out of him um 8.8 yards a catch a year ago um so he's G to be returning kickoffs and punts for them too so that's something to watch the offensive line uh Chase I think their their bcal is probably G to be their left tackle Austin Barber who was an eight game starter last year at left tackle uh they've got Devon Manuel at Arkansas who started four games for them at left tackle backing him up they got Brandon kinshaw Dixon on the other side from San Diego State where he was a 12-game starter and in between Damen George at Right Guard might be their most talented guy uh he started I think his career to Alabama a jake Slaughter at Center his experience it's not a line that just blows you away with talent but you look down and they've got a lot of guys that have played there or played elsewhere which is a good start it is uh you're right and um you know I think it really starts up front this year for for Billy Napier they did not have a great offensive line last year um if you compare numbers to 2022 uh they allowed 22 more sacks last year than 2022 and 1.24 fewer yards per carry than 2022 so it's kind of gone down uh so they had a lot of work to do in the offseason on the offensive line and Austin Barber I think is going to be key this year for Florida uh and him staying healthy I think is going to be a big he's struggled with injury here and there and so I think his getting back getting him back to 100% is going to be big for Florida uh also San Diego State transfer and and Brandon CAW uh Dixon I think he might be big this year for for Florida uh having him uh step in there and uh they right tackle he's started a lot of games not in the SEC but he started a lot of football games so I think that could be huge as well but this is such a crucial year for the offensive line because I we we talk about grah Merz he's a great quarterback very efficient guy we talk about the the players around him but if this offensive line doesn't hold up playing the schedule that they do it's G to cause a lot of difficulties for the offense difficulties that they really don't need uh in a year like this year there for the Florida Gators well defense has been just as big of an issue maybe a bigger issue it's just not the traditional Gator defense that's been so good you look across the board they don't have the dudes that they've traditionally had the superstars the first run NFL picks no that's said they got some good players they got Javon Marshall at corner who's going to be a top 100 pick in the draft probably Shamar James at linebacker hopefully he's a little healthier than last year he's getting some preseason all SEC love and they they kind of did some things in the poor um well not really in the portal on the defensive line although if you want to go back a couple of years you can say they did uh certainly did some things in the portal at defensive back but what's your overall impression of this defense well you know you look back again to last year last five games uh they averaged 38.2 points uh in those last five games um Napier had to make a change uh he got rid of his uh defensive line and secondary coaches he hired Ron Roberts to coach linebackers uh when when Jay baitman left uh for Texas A&M and so they they've tried to get a good staff in to get better talent and and use the experience they have so I look at the the front on the defense and I really like Kelby CL Collins and TJ cersi I think those guys are going to be huge and play big roles uh this year uh just from from what I've been reading uh as far as what's going on down in Florida I think they're going to be um big and then also uh safety Jordan uh Castell I think he's going to be a major player for these guys this year as well uh he had a good year last year uh 60 tackles and I think he needs to build on that uh this year but um yeah I it's it's going to be it's going to be an interesting year for the defense just because um they' they've got a new they got some new staff members there on the defense def they struggle towards the end of the year can they get some momentum to start the year uh I think is going to be is going to be big um yeah they they did get some guys out of the transfer uh transfer from Washington to Lane uh pen uh but they've got to um they they've got to build on on some things and they they've got to get some momentum and we've got to see a better defense than what we saw last year especially the second half half uh or or they're not going to be able to hold up against the schedule um they do have some depth on defense I think not as much though as they would like again for the schedule that they're facing I I feel like it a lot of it goes back to there it's going to be a tough physical year for Florida can the depth hold up on defense I think is a big question the defensive line is interesting Chase not an All-Star candidate in the bunch but man they're big I mean you get your hands up you're going to have a hard time getting passes off over this group most of them run 64 to 66 for whatever that's worth uh it's the biggest nose tackle tandem in the universe with Cam Jackson who runs 66342 and Desmond Watson 65449 both those guys have been there a while Jackson transferred in from Memphis I think two years ago and is a returning starter um they got LJ McCrae coming off the edge you could see him challenged Cersei for some time he was all a near consensus five-star recruit maybe a top 10 guy in the class According to some people and then they had a couple of guys uh Joey slackman not a name that you here talked about but he was the defensive player of the year in the Ivy League last year pin they'll stack him at defensive tackle I think uh and they get a kid named George gums who played at Northern Illinois and kind of an interesting story two years ago he was a tight end they moved him to defense last year year he started seven times six and a half tackles for loss three and a half sacks so a kid who is very raw in terms of his development but I think you start looking at the defensive line while there's not names that that jump off the top like you see at Georgia and some other places I do think they've got a lot of guys who seem like maybe they can play yeah and I think that's going to be important like you can you can turn yourself into kind of an all SEC guy uh and that's what they're going to be working for there may not be any going into the year but they can sure play like them and so I think that's what they're going to be looking for guys to to step up on this defensive front because I feel like that's where it all starts like um they've got some talent and they've got some guys who've played a lot of games and so uh let's use that experience you know and and uh and see what they can do but yeah I think it's going to be an important year for for the defensive front and really the defense has a whole for Florida because again we talk about their schedule we talk about kind of the high-powered offense that the SEC has at this point and uh and Florida's gonna have to be ready to play uh week in and week out and and uh I I feel like the secondary uh is is in a good spot again there may not be a lot of big names but they're ball players back there in the secondary I think that could be a strength for this team I really do yeah they really hit the portal at safety ASA Turner at Washington probably going to be the starter had issues staying healthy there started six times in seven games last year was an honorable mention all Pack 12 guy two years ago when he also missed some time to injury they've got uh the bridges kid I'm tra I guess it is from Oregon who was a part-timer there for the Ducks a year ago you mentioned Castile the returning starter who was a preseason LCC potential guy and then they got DJ Douglas who started 12 of 13 games at tan last year had three interceptions there so they they got some ball Hawkers it feels like in that secondary and that's look when your defense isn't getting stops um I I think I feels to me like their pass defense is just going to be better they've got so many more experienced bodies I mentioned the challenge of getting the throw off over those taller guys on paper feels like they're going to get better there he right and they need to and I think they will like anytime you you experienced doing something therefore you're going to get better and when you have experience back there I think it's automatically going to get better so yeah I I think it'll look much different much better and that's a very good thing for Florida this year and that will definitely help them in the long run all right solid and special teams Jeremy quaw their punter returns average 44.1 a kick a year ago Trey smack 17 of 21 on field goals hit all 29o Afters he's been on the roster a few years I think last year was his first year as a starter Wilson is going to get the return duties it seems he he has not really done much there and I do Wonder a little bit about you know as much as he's going to be relied on on offense you know how much do you want him returning kicks but we'll see there but I I teased you on the schedule Chase and we've talked about Florida's schedule is hard but I like to quantify things all right I you know the little points above average model yeah we do Florida's average opponent is 13.4 points a above average that's roughly the equivalent of playing Miami every week which coincidentally Florida opens with now usually you get a couple of dogs in there you know a lot of SEC SEC teams have scheduled an akan somebody like that that that brings that number down a lot there is no such break for Florida I'm just going to give you by comparison the next toughest schedule in the league is South Carolina 9.3 points above average on average Florida is what four points harder on on opponent average than than the next toughest SEC by comparison Missouri 1.7 points above average for its opponents wow that's how ridiculous this schedule is that's crazy uh when when you look at it that way that is I mean it's brutal and there's no way around that uh but that's the schedule you're given and I think this Florida team I mean they realize this is not easy but they realize the challenge ahead and they could prove a lot of people wrong look a lot of people are down on Florida a lot of people are down on Billy Napier well this team has a chance to go out and and kind of change the narrative and I'm sure that's what they've been talking through in the offseason as they begin fall Camp here that um let's change the narrative on what people think about Florida let's take let's take on this schedule head on and uh and see what we can do but I feel like the the roster is in a good place is just depth do they have enough depth to withstand this brutal schedule I think that's the biggest question for me well I feel like they least accumulated bodies who played yeah again you look on the defensive line um it's not a group that stands out but again adding slackman from pen he's a guy that people think is going to be maybe a third team guy at defensive tackle when you get guys that have been playing at that level that are depth maybe I might disagree a little bit I feel like they've got some depth and some spots know the secondary I look down in a corner um maybe the guys behind their starters have just kind of been unremarkable so if an issue happens to a Jason Marshall then maybe you're in trouble so I think health is going to have something to do with it but um yeah gonna be and back to that schedule Chase most teams are sitting at that on average your opponent is about six to seven points above average on an FBS level uh Florida is a full touchdown above that week in and week out it's just it's unreal so yeah that is yeah and that's a tough spot to be in but again that's that's what they've been given and I know they're ready for that challenge yeah I'm ready to see it um I'm gonna throw something out at you let's say Florida goes eight and four let's say Florida goes nine and three is does a nine and three Florida make the playoff I don't I don't see any three team three lost team making the playoff but it'll be a you know High Bowl bid for them uh but no I don't think so okay a three loss Florida team that means you're gonna have let me let me do the math in my head that means you're going to have at least five wins over Miami Tennessee on the road Georgia neutral site at Texas LSU Old Miss Florida State now you tell me you go five and three against those teams and Ace the rest of your schedule does that for forget the forget the record to the right the number to the right Ash is that a playoff team or is it not I I mean yeah if you beat those those type teams then yeah probably yeah no that's that's not a prediction I'm just again just thinking out loud here because I I think this is a fascinating team for this season so I think it is too yeah for sure yeah all right well uh we're looking forward to covering the Gators this year we cover the SEC in football basketball and baseball literally every week we have weekly shows in football basketball baseball if you like our content hit the like button we're not here for hot takes we're here to do our research and give you informed opinions uh we do that across all three Sports tell a friend and if you're interested in advertising we got an annual audience in the millions email caroline. Smith Sou easter4 yes we are now Southeastern 16 but that will get there let her know of your interest and we'll get back in touch with you for Chase Robinson I'm Chris Lee we are southeastern 16 presented by bet L line