Florida football: Five ways the Gators can beat the Volunteers

Florida football: Ventrell Miller plays

It’s unfortunate that at a program like Florida that the loss of one guy on defense creates a chain reaction that makes them look incompetent, but here we are.

After a respectable first-half performance against Utah and a solid all-around performance against Kentucky, the Gators’ defense looked inept against USF last week. Florida defended the pass well enough, but USF gashed Florida for 300 yards rushing.

Scooby Williams and Shemar James filled in for Miller and showed they still have a lot to learn about the position. James did look better than Williams and is listed as the starter for this week if Miller can’t go.

The presence of Miller will serve two purposes:

• Make sure the Gators are lined up correctly
• Keep Tennessee’s run game average

The Volunteers do not have an impressive rushing attack. At 4.18 yards per attempt this year, Tennessee ranks 10th in the SEC and 65th in FBS, and that’s with games against Ball State and Akron.

Florida doesn’t have to shut down Tennessee’s running game, they just need to keep it average and force the Volunteers into their normal passing attack.

That may seem like it’s playing into the Volunteer’s hand, except…