re: Game 1 (Saturday Sept 3, 2022) VS Utah Preview & Discussion Thread

I have absolutely no idea what the gators will look like this year.

What I do know is what UF has been lately, which is slower up front than I can remember and also quite soft on both sides of the ball.

So question - can UF stop the Utah spread and shred? I'm not too confident they can.

Basically the only hope we have at this point is that AR15 goes off and the weather gets the Utes tired.

quote:

---

I'm shocked you guys are so confident in this game after the team we've watched last year, and the issues with depth at WR.

I live out West, and I watch a lot of Pac-12 football.

Utah plays much more like an SEC team, and they are built much more like an SEC team than the other teams in the Pac-12, yes even moreso than Oregon.

They are legit.

---

Our lack of depth at WR is troubling, but what concerns me most about Utah is their offense against our defense.

Getting rid of 3rd and Grantham is great, and Toney has a lot of hype, but our defense has been putrid for 2 seasons, and was spotty against teams with a pulse in 2019.

Cam Rising is also the real deal. He will be tough to bring down.

Utah's defense was susceptible to pass plays, but as you mentioned, our WR core is a bit weak.

The two things, besides home advantage, that I like about this match up is that (a) Emory is gone (b) Mullen is gone.

Really only addition by subtraction

I know we looked awful last year, but I think a good chunk of that can be attributed to Emory just not being fit to play QB for this level of ball and Dan mailing it in and sucking.

And I believe they're returning like 75-85% of their team from lat year or something like that.

When Utes, Gators meet in season-opener, there will be storylines aplenty
The two programs collide Sept. 3 at ‘The Swamp’ in Gainesville, a game that will be televised by ESPN
By Jeff Call Jun 24, 2022, 5:28pm EDT

quote:

---

The first, and only, meeting between Utah and Florida in football happened 45 years ago.

That day, on Nov. 19, 1977, the Gators defeated the Utes in their homecoming game 38-29. Utah finished the season with a 3-8 record.

When the two programs collide again on Sept. 3 at “The Swamp” in Gainesville, it will be televised by ESPN and the Utes should be ranked in the national polls.

No doubt, times have changed.

“It’s evident when you put the tape on, this team’s got height, length, speed. They’re tough. They play with effort. They’ve got a reputation and a brand that they play to. So, we’ve got a ton of respect for Utah. — Florida coach Billy Napier on the Utes

And Utah is looking forward to this kind of test to kick off the season. The Utes are the defending Pac-12 champions and lost a heartbreaker in the Rose Bowl to Ohio State last New Year’s Day.

“We ended last season with Ohio State and we’re starting this season with Florida,” said offensive tackle Braeden Daniels. “Physicality will be really big for us. Physicality works everywhere and that’s something that we’re going to have to do.”

It’s one of the reasons Daniels chose Utah — to play in big games like this.

Daniels has been to the state of Florida on vacation, but has never visited Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, aka “The Swamp.”

“It’s going to be really exciting,” he said.

Of course, this season opener will be a homecoming for Ute linebacker Mohamoud Diabate, who spent the previous three seasons with the Gators before transferring to Utah.

“It brings emotion because those are the guys you grew up with and you had more workouts with those guys. Those are some of my closest friends. But at the end of the day, I want to destroy them,” he said. “When I step on the field, they know how I am. You’re my enemy now.

“At the end of the day, all that stuff that we’ve been through, all those times we were together, that goes out the window. I’m trying to do my job and I know it’s going to be the same on their end. It will come down to who prepares the best and who’s ready.”

The showdown between the Gators and Utes will mark the debut of new Florida head coach Billy Napier. In 2021, the Gators posted a 6-7 record and dismissed coach Dan Mullen.

“Any time you can open the season with a formidable opponent that you know your entire organization, staff and players respect, I think that’s a huge positive,” Napier told On3.com in May. “We got tremendous respect for Utah. Very familiar with their blueprint. They’ve had tremendous success. They’ve been one of the most consistent contenders in the Pac-12. Probably had one of their best teams in a long time last year.”

Napier is impressed with Utah’s talent.

“It’s evident when you put the tape on, this team’s got height, length, speed,” he said. “They’re tough. They play with effort. They’ve got a reputation and a brand that they play to. So, we’ve got a ton of respect for Utah.

“In the meantime, we’re trying to get better today. We’ve got a lot of work to do in preparation for the opener. But I do think that it’s a positive that it’s a formidable opponent, one that we all can agree deserves respect. They play really good football out there.”

Florida will play at Utah in 2023, as part of a home-and-home series that was announced in in 2019.

Though the two programs have met only once, there are a few connections between them.

Urban Meyer was the head coach of the Utes from 2003-04 and the Gators from 2005-10. Utah coach Kyle Whittingham and Mullen were part of Meyer’s staff in Salt Lake City. Former Ute quarterback Brian Johnson spent time on Mullen’s staff at Florida before moving on to his current position with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Utah’s games against Florida in 2022 and 2023 essentially replaces BYU on its nonconference schedule.

“We play nine conference games, which is more than some conferences. You’ve got to figure all those are going to be battles,” athletic director Mark Harlan told the Deseret News. “We play BYU but some years we might take a year or two off. In general, I would like to see another premier opponent when we can that matches up and makes sense to complement that overall philosophy.”

The Cougars ended their nine-game losing streak to the Utes last September.

“(BYU athletic director) Tom (Holmoe) has stated, and I have too, that if we’re talking about football scheduling, we want to stay close to communicating with each other and our staffs when there’s an opportunity that comes to either program,” Harlan said. “That was the case with the Florida series.”

A win at “The Swamp” to start off the 2022 season could be a huge springboard for Utah.

Former Ute quarterback Scott Mitchell likes that Utah is opening the campaign in a marquee matchup in SEC country.

“I like it, too, in that Utah usually starts slow. There’s this energy and realization that we’ve got to come out of the gates swinging early,” he said. “We’ve got to have our guys in line. We’ve got to have them firing on all cylinders. We can’t be trying to figure things out in our nonconference games. Who’s our offensive line? Who are our linebackers? What does our secondary look like? That’s got to be in place and dialed in for that first game.”

---

Box, stop the naysaying dude. The Gators will be better than expected. Utah will be the walking dead by 3rd qt when the humidity and heat gets to them. AR15 will be free to run and tear them an new azzhole.

quote:

---

Box, stop the naysaying dude. The Gators will be better than expected. Utah will be the walking dead by 3rd qt when the humidity and heat gets to them. AR15 will be free to run and tear them an new azzhole.

---

...

EDIT: I live out West. I've watched Utah PLENTY in the last few years. Make no mistake about it - they are legit.

quote:

---

Utah will be the walking dead by 3rd qt when the humidity and heat gets to them.

---

I think this is overrated. These are 18-22 year old guys. They will be fine. We will need to match their physicality (as Napier has said) or we’re doomed in this game.

I’m cautiously optimistic, but the way we ended last season and the talent left over doesn’t scream a very close game to someone returning 85-90% of their team.

Expect disappointment and you’ll never be disappointed.

quote:

---

Utah doesnt play at the Swamp the first week of September and that gives us a real advantage

---

Utah playing in the Swamp means what exactly?

That they are just going to roll over?

quote:

---

I doubt they live up to their preseason ranking though they are a good team. I did watch that QB that took over last season and he seems to be the real deal. Utah will be young on defense though with a bunch of true sophomores starting. Most got some experience last year however.

---

Utah's strength is how damn good they are on both LOS.

Their QB, like you said is very good and experienced.

UF has struggled BIG TIME against opponents who are excellent on both LOS.

Im not betting entirely on humidity and crowd noise, I think we are MUCH better than most think. Dont base our results from last year as the measuring stick. AR15 looks to be much improved in passing....come here kitty kitty....meow meow.