Jon Sumrall’s first game as the Florida Gators head coach was one for the ages, but there is still room for improvement.
Jon Sumrall’s debut as Florida Gators head coach was a massive one, as they steamrolled the Florida Atlantic Owls 66-21 in The Swamp. Florida’s offense put up 624 total yards and 66 points in a dynamic performance that showcased multiple elements fans needed to see. With the blowout win in the books, there are four positives worth highlighting and three potential areas of concern.
Winner: Aaron Philo is the real deal
The Gators knew coming in that quarterback Aaron Philo had experience in offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner’s offense, and that familiarity was arguably the biggest reason he won the starting job. Philo looked incredibly comfortable in the pocket throughout his first start, finishing 16-of-21 for 275 yards, 3 touchdowns, and an interception that hit his wide receiver in the shoulder pads — not a turnover-worthy play in the slightest.
Philo was willing to attack vertically down the field and found his receivers in a multitude of ways, reading the defense well from left to right and doing a good job handling everything thrown at him. It helps to have a phenomenal group of skill players around him, but overall, you have to be happy with how things went in Philo’s first career start.
Concern: Snapping issues from Harrison Moore
One of the reasons starting center Harrison Moore made a lot of sense was his experience in Faulkner’s offense at Georgia Tech. Unfortunately, that did not manifest in consistent snapping. Moore botched multiple shotgun snaps in the first half, including one that resulted in a 20-yard loss on a Wildcat play with running back Jadan Baugh. That package was installed during fall camp, and the miscue nearly cost the Gators points. Whether this becomes an issue throughout the rest of the year is hard to say, but it’s something to monitor.
Winner: Jadan Baugh is the best running back in college football
There’s no better running back in the country than Baugh. He carried the ball only 14 times Saturday night but gained 160 yards with 3 touchdowns. Two of his scores looked almost identical: he displayed phenomenal patience, stuck his foot in the ground, juked to the right, and took it upfield for a short score. He also broke a 61-yard run off left tackle where he didn’t have the speed to quite finish it but had enough savvy to stop, put his foot in the ground, cut inside, and pick up extra yards.
Baugh knows he’s the best in the business, even throwing up the Heisman pose after one of his touchdowns Saturday night. It might be a little early for that, but is it?
Concern: The pass rush wasn’t getting home
The pass rush was not getting home early against FAU’s up-tempo offense. The question is whether Brad White chose not to throw a ton of complex blitzes against the Owls’ pace and instead stayed relatively static, trying to let guys win one-on-one while playing a more contained style. Florida finished with only 2 sacks: half a sack each for Jamari Lyons and Myles Graham, with Kamran James recording a full sack. It was noteworthy that the Gators weren’t able to generate consistent pressure, especially early on.
Winner: Wide receivers look explosive and deep
No matter how you slice it, the wide receivers looked fantastic Saturday night. Vernell Brown III had 6 receptions for 117 yards. Dallas Wilson added 3 catches for 47 yards. Bailey Stockton scored a touchdown, and T.J. Abrams hauled in a 63-yard catch, while Micah Mays Jr. also got involved…