The Florida Gators enter the 2021 season following a trip to the SEC championship and an 8-4 record in 2020. This year’s team features a new offense with QB Emory Jones at the helm, and veteran weapons such as Jacob Copeland launched into the spotlight after the departure of stars to the NFL Draft. Here are some bold, but plausible takes for the Gators this upcoming season.
Gators Make It Back to the SEC Championship
Let’s just forget about the bowl games and playoffs for a second. In a 12-game schedule, it’s hard to expect Florida to beat both Alabama and Georgia especially when they look like the most talented teams in the country. While both of these matchups are home games for the Gators, it’s more likely for the Gators to defeat the Bulldogs since this game comes later in the season. If the Gators are able to beat everyone except Alabama, they will finish 11-1 and repeat as winners of the SEC East division. The only other tough game for Florida comes against LSU in Death Valley, but they are guaranteed to make another trip to Atlanta with a win in that game. Obviously, Florida can’t afford to slip up in any other game during the regular season.
Emory Jones Will Rush for 700 Yards or More
Although this may not seem to be a bold take, you have to consider the difficulty of the SEC. Only 10 QB’s rushed for more than 550 yards in 2020, and 12 QB’s rushed for 700 yards or more in 2019 throughout the FBS. It’s even harder for Jones to achieve this mark when you consider that Florida has to have a balanced offense for them to score with the likes of high-powered offenses in an era where defense no longer wins championships. Moreover, Emory will have to use his legs to the Gators’ advantage in the redzone to score rushing touchdowns for opposing teams to respect him as a dual-threat. Best expect for Dan Mullen to model the offense in a way such that Emory Jones can use his talents in an efficient manner. Honestly, Mullen has done this successfully on the offensive end every time.
Todd Grantham Gets Fired by the End of the Season
At this point, this has become a bold prediction. Dan Mullen has fired only one coordinator during his tenure as an SEC head coach. Even with a horrid defense last season, Mullen didn’t even budge to let go of Grantham. Perhaps the Florida Gators’ defense will change for the better after new coaching additions like Wesley McGriff in the secondary and Jules Montinar with the corners. Similar to Oklahoma, it seems defensive efficiency is the key piece for the Gators’ path to an SEC title. It is understood that today’s offenses are prolific, but defenses must have discipline to an extent. Truly speaking, as soon as Todd Grantham receives a head coaching offer, he will be gone. However, it’s hard to foresee that happening with the recent defensive performances.
Concluding Thoughts
While not impossible, the chances of all three of these bold takes occurring for the Florida Gators are slim. The key aspect for Florida this season is consistency. With lower expectations than last season, the Gators should be proud if they are able to win the games in which they are favored. Get ready for another long, but fun season!