The Florida Gators came up short to the Kentucky Wildcats 26-16 on Saturday night. Billy Napier’s squad is now 1-1, and this Florida team definitely has a lot of areas to improve. Next week, Florida will play South Florida before taking a trip to Knoxville to take on Tennessee. Here’s a quick recap of Florida’s home loss to Kentucky.
Florida Needs Offensive Balance
Obviously, the passing game is where the Gators struggle. Anthony Richardson is expected to be a high draft pick, but he has to be more decisive with the ball. Kentucky did a great job of containing Richardson’s legs, and the Wildcats’ defense ended up forcing two interceptions. If Richardson throws under 50% again, it will be tough for Florida to win during SEC play.
Montrell Johnson Jr. and Trevor Etienne had average days running the ball, for their yards per carry were quite low without their big runs. Florida’s offense is so one-dimensional, and it seemed like everyone in the stadium knew what was coming. This is still game two, and the Wildcats are arguably the second-best team in the SEC East. Still, the offense must be able to spread the ball to compete.
Kentucky Played Their Best Game
Without Chris Rodriguez, what more could you ask from Kentucky? Granted, Will Levis did not have his best game, but some of the throws he made were worthy of him being a top 10 draft pick. Kavosiey Smoke really hurt the Gators’ defense with 80 yards; Dane Key and Chauncey Magwood also came in clutch with big receptions. Honestly, the Wildcats really did a great job of playing to their standard in a road environment.
Concluding Thoughts
For a first-year head coach, a win against Utah and a close loss to Kentucky is not a bad start at all. It will be interesting to see how both units adjust before getting into the team’s meat of the schedule. Definitely expect Richardson to bounce back, and the play-calling to be more geared to fit the scheme and talent of Florida. There’s still a long season ahead for the Gators.