In case you needed any more proof that expectations are higher for coach Dan Mullen’s UF football team this year, here you go:
At last week’s SEC Media Days, the Gators received 21 first-place votes in the SEC East, 17 more than last year. They were also picked to finish second in the division, a position higher than they were predicted to finish in 2018.
Georgia is once again the runaway favorite in the division, with 233 first-place votes. Alabama was picked to win the conference outright with 203 votes, 154 more than runner-up Georgia. A single person voted for Florida to win the SEC championship.
Despite the fact that the team is coming off a New Year’s Six bowl victory (as opposed to a 4-7 season in 2017), it actually received more votes to win the conference last year (two) than it did this year.
That wasn’t the only area in which UF performed worse than last year at the Media Days. Seven Gators earned All-SEC Preseason honors, down from eight in 2018. That doesn’t tell the whole story, though.
Two Gators – senior defensive lineman Jabari Zuniga and junior defensive back CJ Henderson – were selected to the Preseason All-SEC First Team. That matches last year’s total, when Martez Ivey and Cece Jefferson were selected.
Florida’s biggest improvement comes with the All-SEC Second Team. Four Gators – senior running back Lamical Perine, senior linebacker David Reese II, redshirt senior punter Tommy Townsend and junior athlete Kadarius Toney – were named to the team, twice as many as last year (Chauncey Gardner-Johnson and CJ Henderson).
Just one Gator – sophomore kicker Evan McPherson – was selected to the All-SEC Third Team this year, down from four last year (Toney, Reese II, Marco Wilson and Jordan Scarlett).
What the Gators lack in quantity they make up for in quality. More players in the first two All-SEC teams is exactly what Florida needs if it is to continue trending upward under Mullen.
Follow Sam Campisano on Twitter @samcampisano. Contact him at scampisano@alligator.org.
Defensive back CJ Henderson was one of two Gators selected to the Preseason All-SEC First Team. Henderson registered 38 tackles, three sacks and two interceptions last year.
