The Florida Gators entered the 2024 season with high hopes of revitalizing their defense. Ron Roberts joined from Auburn to assist Austin Armstrong, while young players who faced tough challenges in 2023 returned with valuable experience. Additionally, new transfers arrived to enhance depth and competition. These factors fueled optimism for a defensive turnaround. However, after four games in the 2024 season, the results have disappointingly mirrored previous performances.
The Florida Gators’ defense faces a critical challenge: improving their run defense. In their last two games against Texas A&M and Mississippi State, the Gators conceded a staggering 550 yards on the ground. Mississippi State’s performance was particularly alarming, as they gained 240 rushing yards against Florida, significantly exceeding their previous average of 97.67 yards per game. Currently, Florida’s defense ranks 107th nationally and 15th in the SEC, allowing an average of 188.8 rushing yards per game. With a bye week ahead, the Gators must address this weakness before facing UCF, the nation’s top rushing offense, averaging an impressive 375.7 yards per game.
Tackling inefficiency continues to plague the Gators’ defense, despite being a focus during the offseason. The season opener against Miami saw 11 missed tackles, but the recent game against Mississippi State set a new record under Coach Billy Napier’s tenure with 23 missed tackles. This regression is concerning, especially considering the team missed 116 tackles in the 2023 season.
Coach Billy Napier addressed these issues during the SEC Teleconference, stating:
“Part of the self-scout is to evaluate, you know, all of the efficient plays ran against us. I think the alignment, assignment and technique are the primary root of the cause, so I think we have to evaluate teaching, development, practice habits. I think ultimately that’s what we’ve done. The self-scout has revealed that. It’s alignment, it’s assignment and it’s technique. A very small percentage of the issues are schematic.”
“It’s more just the overall alignment, assignment and the technique-fundamental part. So, all hands on deck to get those fixed, and certainly tackling is part of that, and that’s what we’re in the middle of doing here,” Napier said Wednesday. “We’ve had a chance to really evaluate the first four weeks. It’s important that we take a good look in the mirror and build plans for improvement this week. Excited about the plans that we have in place to get better the next couple days here.”
Several key areas where the defense also needs to improve are third-down conversions, turnovers, and preventing big plays.
Opponents are converting 46.55% of third downs against the Florida defense. This rate has fallen dramatically from last season’s 35.63%, which ranked 6th in the SEC. This year’s rate is last in the SEC and 123rd in the country.
The Gators have forced only three turnovers in the 2024 season, compared to seven in the entire 2023 season.
Allowing chunk yardage is another significant issue for the Florida defense. The Gators rank second-to-last in the SEC in allowing 10-plus yard runs (24) and 12th in the conference in 20-plus yard runs (4). The passing defense isn’t faring much better, with Florida ranking 12th in the SEC in 10-plus yard passes allowed (35), last in 20-plus yard passes allowed (20), and tied for last in 30-plus yard passes (6). Overall, the defense has allowed the second-most 10-plus yard plays (59) in the SEC, the most 20-plus yard plays (24), and the second-most 30-plus yard plays (7) in the conference.
The Florida defense faces significant challenges ahead in the 2024 season, despite high hopes for improvement. With a bye week ahead, the Gators must urgently implement improvements to salvage their defensive performance for the remainder of the season.
MORE: Florida Gators’ Running Back Room: A Shifting Dynamic?
Support Gators Breakdown and get your Florida Gators merch at Fanatics
0 Comments