Five bold predictions for Florida football this season
By Will Thomas
![Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier addresses the team after the game during the Florida Gators Orange and Blue Spring Game at Steve Spurrier Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Thursday, April 13, 2023. [Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun]Ncaa Football Florida Gators Orange Blue Spring Game](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape%2Fcover%2Fsport%2F10fc071274ccde63ab199d2e9f797f19c6c60fa85d7d5321534bc1be781d534a.jpg "Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier addresses the team after the game during the Florida Gators Orange and Blue Spring Game at Steve Spurrier Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Thursday, April 13, 2023. [Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun]Ncaa Football Florida Gators Orange Blue Spring Game")
Florida football: Jason Marshall Jr. will be a Thorpe Award finalist
I talked earlier about the defense, and how
is due for a breakout season. A 5-star recruit out of high school, Jason had a great freshman campaign before falling into a bit of a lull in his sophomore season.
But the whole defense was bad last year, and it’s hard to blame Marshall for that.
With a new-look defense around him and another year of experience under his belt, I expect Jason to not only come back and play like a 5-star but to be a finalist for the Thorpe Award, which is given to the best DB in the country.
Last season Marshall picked off one pass and had 29 tackles, which was very similar to his freshman season. Now it’s time for him to take over.
An aggressive defense means less time for the QB to make a good decision. Bad decisions mean bad passes. Bad passes mean interceptions.
Another reason we didn’t hear his name a lot last year was because of how well he was doing his job. They never threw over to his side and instead took advantage of the weaker corner on the other side of the field.
Marshall is a proven cover man with good ball skills and instincts. As a part of a better unit, we’ll see him shine and play like a first-round draft pick.
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