Florida Football: Gators defense bends but doesn’t break against Utah

When it comes to the defense, fans of Florida football are scarred from the Todd Grantham era. But Grantham is no longer in Gainesville and it’s Patrick Toney’s job to ensure the defense keeps up with Billy Napier’s dynamic offense.

Against Utah on Saturday night it looked like the Gators were going to implode in the second half, but two key goal-line stops saved the night for Florida football and gave Napier and crew their first victory of the season.

Florida Football: 1st half defense solid

Coming into the game it wasn’t a mystery what the Utah offense wanted to do. The Utes love to use two tight-end sets and either run the ball with Tavion Thomas, use a QB scramble with Cam Rising, or look to TE Brant Kuithe.

And in the first half Utah attempted to play to those strengths, but Florida seemed prepared.  Gator linebacker Ventrell Miller was up to the task to shut down Thomas, and Utah was only able to find Kuithe if they utilized window dressing to hide him pre play.

Utah’s first TD was off of putting Kuithe in motion and having him get lost in traffic.

Utah moved Kuithe all around. On one pass target he acted like he was going to block before releasing. He would line up in the slot and and catch screen passes. The biggest thing for Utah is that the Utes had zero vertical threat and as long as Florida could contain Thomas, Patrick Toney and crew just needed to key on Kuithe and all would be well.

Florida Football: Defense in second half bends too much

The second half was a different story because Thomas started picking up massive chunks of yards. Gator defensive tackle Desmond Watson and outside linebacker Antwaun Powell-Ryland Jr. were actually getting decent penetration, but beyond Miller no one for Florida seemed to step up to take down Thomas.

Brenton Cox overran his assignments and Gervon Dexter had minimal impact. It didn’t help Florida went with some two safety looks that invited Utah to run ball.

Utah marched right down the field with its opening possessions in the second half when it was faced with fourth-and-goal from the one.

Tyreak Sapp gets decent penetration while the rest of the line holds up. A hole is made for Thomas to run through but Miller makes one of his best plays as a Gator to not only fill the hole, but to stop Thomas in his tracks and jar the ball loose.

The next two drives however were more of the same for Utah. Kuithe continued to find ways to be open even when Florida was trying to put a safety on top of him. Cox completely bit on a QB option from Rising  on a 1st-and-15 that set Utah up for their second touchdown of the game.

On the touchdown, Kuithe goes in motion right and when the Gator defense reacted Thomas took a pitch left. Cox had a chance but whiffed as did Jason Marshall.

Utah’s third touchdown was like the second. Just re-read Cox overrunning options, Kuithe catching, and Thomas pounding up the middle.

With 85-seconds to work with and down by three, Utah’s final drive went like this:

– Devaughn Vele makes a catch off a Rising scramble

– Miller drops what would have been a game ending interception

– Utah finds Vele again on a crossing route where Marshall gets picked by Kuithe

– Short pass

– Short pass

– Rising scrambles for 28 yards after Florida doesn’t utilize a spy

– Short pass

– Kincaid gets Utah down to the 6 after Florida opts for soft coverage

– Incomplete

– Burney interception

Florida does get a bit fortunate on the interception. Utah receiver Solomon Enis was open in the center on the endzone, but that’s because Amari Burney makes the choice to bracket Utah’s actual target of Kincaid.

Kincaid slips on the play, probably thanks to the wet field from earlier rain. Slip or no slip, the throw to Kincaid was low and was never going to make it to him.

Beyond Burney’s athleticism allowing him to make the diving interception, his eyes when the play starts are glued on Kuithe running the flat. I would need to see the all-22 film to see if Burney baited Rising into the throw but that’s what it looked like from the TV feed.

Burney’s interception and Miller’s goal line stand covered up what would have otherwise been a disastrous second half defensive effort after a solid first half. The good news for Florida is that its week two opponent, Kentucky, will be missing its dynamic running back Chris Rodriguez and defensive units usually see great improvements from week one to week two.

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