Following a season of highs and lows, the Florida football team hit the field for its annual Orange & Blue spring game. With the Gators preparing to showcase the fruits of their labor this offseason, NBA Youngboy and Bossman Dlow blared over the speakers on a cool, blue-skied sunny afternoon in Gainesville as Ben Hill Griffin stadium came alive with anticipation.
Orange earned a 3-0 lead thanks to winning the team’s skills competition during Thursday’s practice. The Orange team deferred, kicking off with both a lead and the advantage of the ball at halftime, but was ultimately met by a strong performance from the Blue team’s run game and run defense.
Blue held Orange to just 147 yards in the first half that included just 24 on the ground, while rushing for 130 yards of its own. However, Orange flipped the script after halftime, bolstering its defensive front and making plays on offense. Graduate quarterback Harrison Bailey and freshman receiver Dallas Wilson led the Orange team in a comeback effort that came up just short, 38-32.
Sophomore quarterback Aidan Warner showcased poise and elite throw-making ability right off the bat, passing for 52 yards and a touchdown on the Blue team’s first possession of the game. On the other side of the ball, the early enrollees on Blue’s defense wasted no time making a splash.
Freshman defensive lineman Stephon Shivers batted down a pass at the line of scrimmage merely a play before Drake Stubbs, a freshman defensive back, intercepted Bailey and made a 15-yard return that set up the Blue team for a 23-yard touchdown run by senior Ja’Kobi Jackson.
Leading 14-3 early, the Blue team kept up the defensive pressure, getting the ball back into the hands of Warner with a stand that was highlighted by an athletic sack by freshman edge Jalen Wiggins. Florida’s run game continued to find success through the first half as the Blue team added a third touchdown. A 48-yard catch-and-run by sophomore running back Jaden Baugh was immediately followed by an electric 40-yard touchdown run by Jackson that showcased the senior’s shiftiness as the Blue team took a 21-3 lead.
“Ja’Kobi and Jaden both played fast… really, the plays were made once it got to the secondary. That’s where we had the biggest issues tackling,” coach Billy Napier said in a postgame press conference, noting that it was nice to see an offensive explosion but that it likely doesn’t bode well for Florida’s defense.
However, star freshmen Stubbs and Wilson were the players who most impressed Napier in Saturday’s game, with the coach explaining that the summer will be huge in terms of their development.
“He’s [Dallas] a big physical player…I’ve been impressed with his football intelligence, how he’s been able to retain information and obviously, you don’t produce like that today, unless you’ve been really working hard,” Napier said.
“I thought Stubbs was really active, he’s gotten active finding the ball. He continues to evolve in terms of knowing the system, but in general, physical player, not scared of contact, seeks it out. I thought he did a good job as a blitzer today.”
Tramell Jones Jr. got his shot in the first half and completed two of three passes for 30 yards. The freshman quarterback looked comfortable in the pocket and displayed great ball placement on a 24-yard pass to Wilson. However, he threw behind a receiver on fourth-and-2 to turn the ball over and end his day under center.
Warner continued to throw well, capitalizing on the offensive opportunity and sailing a 24-yard touchdown pass to sophomore receiver Aidan Mizzell.
During halftime, the Florida men’s basketball team took the field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium as hordes of rowdy reptiles celebrated the championship winning Gators.
Bailey and Wilson came back from halftime with a vengeance, with the graduate quarterback throwing for 270 yards and Wilson tallying 127 receiving in the second half alone. A 13-yard pass to Wilson on third down set the stage for a 25-yard touchdown pass to sophomore receiver Tank Hawkins that brought the Orange team within 11-points, 28-17, just after halftime. Additionally, Bailey’s 363 yards set a Orange & Blue game record, surpassing Chris Leak’s record of 335 in 2004.
“One of the best I’ve ever seen in college football. Every one of those guys have speed, has range, sure-fire hands and can run great routes,” Bailey said. “And most of them are first year in the system trying to learn how to run routes, get a feel for the offense, it’s a dangerous group for sure.”
With the Orange team seemingly waking up, the Blue team’s Jackson broke free for a 90-yard touchdown on the first play of the subsequent drive to put Blue ahead 35-17 and set a record for most rushing yards in an Orange and Blue scrimmage with 198. Jackson ran through multiple defenders and showcased his speed during his lengthy jaunt, setting a record for the longest run in an Orange & Blue game. He also tied the record for most rushing touchdowns in an Orange and Blue with three.
As a senior, Jackson has been referred to as a vocal leader on the team and explained, “I’m trying to be in front, I’m trying to show them how the drills goes and everything … Yeah, very vocal. I like to trash talk, I like that positive talk, through and through.”
However, Wilson continued to show out on the offensive side of the ball for the Orange team, catching two 20-yard passes on the next drive, ultimately finding the endzone for a touchdown as he was Bailey’s go-to receiver. A quick pass from Bailey to Clark secured Orange a 2-point conversion to bring the game within reach, 35-25.
“I was stoked to have Dallas when they announced the teams,” Bailey said. “I told him he was gonna have 10+ catches, 200+ [yards]. I was gonna find a way to get him the ball.”
Senior kicker Trey Smack stepped up on the following drive and nailed a 56-yard field goal to surpass the previous record for longest field goal in an Orange & Blue game, all but closing the door by giving Blue a 13-point lead.
However, the Orange team’s offense refused to go down easy as Bailey continued to throw well in the second half and launched an impressive 51-yard bomb to freshman wide receiver Naeshaun Montgomery. Wilson took full advantage of the great field position and snagged a 19-yard touchdown to cut Blue’s lead to 38-32.
“I was proud of the Orange team to regroup a little bit at halftime and come out and make it a game… I was worried” Napier said. “I think that we learned a lot just in terms of what’s required to play winning football.”
After allowing four touchdowns in the first half, Orange’s defense began to make big plays in the second half as it held the powerful pair of Warner and Jackson to just 10 points and forced a punt when it needed it most.
However, the Orange team didn’t have enough time to pull off a game-winning drive as Blue solidified its lead with a last-second defensive stand to win 38-32.
Wilson continued to produce, tallying an Orange & Blue record-breaking 10 receptions and tied the record for most receiving yards with 195. The early enrollee produced an unparalleled effort to punch a ticket to the end zone but fell just short as Blue team’s freshman defensive back Ben Hanks III made the stop at the five yard line as time expired.
Warner, the winning quarterback, commented on the ample skill around him at all times and had high regards for his backfield’s performance.
“Having Jack cheese [Ja’Kobi Jackson] and Jaden Baugh in the backfield makes it a lot easier for me, it’s great to be in the Swamp, for you to compete in the Swamp,” said Warner.
When asked about Dallas Wilson, Warner had only great things to say about the record-setting standout freshman.
“The kid is unreal. I wish he was on my team, the kid’s a stud…he’s big, he’s athletic, he’s making plays that people his size shouldn’t be making, and he’s a freshman,” Warner said. “He’s competing without DBs who are some of the best, I think, in the SEC and he’s super young, so his ceiling is sky’s the limit.”
Florida will continue working to get itself in shape for the fall season, aiming to improve on its run defense and tackling. With the Gators’ youngest stars looking solid, Florida will hope to translate its success running the ball with Jackson and finding open receivers downfield into its season opener against Long Island University on August 30.
Curan is the men's tennis beat reporter and a second-year journalism sports & media major. He enjoys spending his free time with pets, at the beach and fishing.
