A bye week in football is like passing a class with a C: You hate to experience it, but you welcome it nonetheless.
Speaking of report cards, we at alligatorSports feel this week would be an excellent opportunity to grade the Gators’ offense, defense and special teams. The midway point of the season brings the opportunity to reflect on Florida’s performances in all three facets of the game while not missing out on the exciting opportunity to preview games like Missouri and Idaho.
Quarterback: B-
Feleipe Franks has completed 56.6 percent of his passes this season, slightly above his 54.6 mark from 2017. However, his ball security has improved immensely. Through seven games in 2017, he threw four picks on 125 passes. Through seven weeks this season, he has thrown five while attempting 57 more passes. Even without his five-touchdown performance against Charleston Southern, he still has more TDs than he had last year. If Franks can keep up this performance through the FSU game, his grade should rise to an A.
Running Back: B
Losing Malik Davis (broken foot) and Adarius Lemons (transfer) didn’t do the Gators’ backfield any favors. However, the duo of Jordan Scarlett and Lamical Perine — along with freshman Dameon Pierce coming in as the change-of-pace back — have carried the load admirably. The rushing attack still has more work to do with the team squarely in the middle of the SEC pecking order in yards per attempt and total yards.
Receiver: B+
Ole Miss transfer Van Jefferson has been a huge lift for the Gators receiving corps. He leads the team with 265 receiving yards and four touchdowns. Josh Hammond and Freddie Swain have also emerged as reliable targets for Feleipe Franks. The unit as a whole has lacked explosiveness despite doing well enough through the first part of the season. And none of Florida’s receivers have recorded a 100-yard game this season.
Tight End: B
Florida has gotten much better production from its tight ends as the season has progressed, especially since the Gators started incorporating Moral Stephens more into the offense. He’s caught three touchdown passes this year with 102 receiving yards. And even though R.J. Raymond had a couple drops in the first two games of the season, he had a critical 1-yard touchdown catch against Tennessee and has taken on an important role as a blocker.
Offensive Line: C
Left tackle Martez Ivey and right tackle Jawaan Taylor continue to show a lack of substantial improvement from the beginning of the season. Guard Brett Heggie has been on and off the field after an early season injury forced him to miss some time. Overall, it has been hit or miss with the O-line. One play, the guards will pull and make excellent blocks down field. The next, they’ll allow defenders to harass Franks in the pocket.
Defensive Line: A-
Jachai Polite, CeCe Jefferson and Jabari Zuniga have led a renaissance in Florida’s pass-rushing. The team is second in the conference in sacks (21), and the trio has contributed to the team’s seven interceptions with its consistent pressure. The only thing keeping this unit from grading out higher is its run defense. The Gators still give up over four yards per run and 163.1 yards per game on the ground.
Linebacker: B-
The return of David Reese has made all the difference in the world to this group. The effort on his first defensive series against Tennessee showed the type of leadership the unit was sorely missing. Rayshad Jackson filled in admirably in Reese’s absence and stepped up with Vosean Joseph’s ejection against Vanderbilt. Speaking of Joseph, the junior has stepped up as second-in-command on the Gators’ defense and earned himself an SEC Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts against LSU.
Cornerback: B-
Marco Wilson going down on the first series against Kentucky probably didn’t do the cornerback unit any favors, and it largely affected how the corners played. Wilson’s injury exposed Florida’s lack of depth in the position, now left with just sophomores C.J. Henderson and Brian Edwards, and freshman Trey Dean. Freshman C.J. McWilliams stepped up to help fill the void, but his inexperience showed against Mississippi State on its first three offensive drives. Henderson and Dean have played well in their starting roles, combining for eight pass breakups, and Henderson continues to be the backbone of that unit with an interception and two forced fumbles.
Safety: A-
Florida’s safeties have surprisingly been one of the team’s strongest units this season. Especially at the end of football games. Donovan Stiner’s sack of Mississippi State quarterback Nick Fitzgerald on a safety blitz to end the game stands out as one of the Gators’ biggest plays of the year. Both Brad Stewart and Stiner’s fourth-quarter interceptions of LSU quarterback Joe Burrow — Burrow’s first two of the season — also helped seal UF’s biggest wins of the season.
Quarterback Feleipe Franks has completed 56.6 percent of his passes this season, an improvement from his 54.6 mark a year ago.
