A common criticism of Billy Napier's tenure has been his teams' tendency to be disorganized and to commit penalties, which have delivered multiple aching headaches for Florida fans.
In fact, we've essentially seen a Napier team practically invent a penalty in where Florida put two players with the same number out onto the field at the exact same time.
But most notably, you've probably seen fans complain of Napier's teams' signature penalty of having twelve men on the field.
Well those criticisms vanished last night, as the Gators committed ZERO penalties.
What this means
This stat may not put points on the scoreboard, but it's easily one of the most underrated aspects of the game. We've seen Florida seasons turned completely upside down due to penalties, with Marco Wilson's iconic "shoe throw" coming to mind for most.
It's only the second time in school history the Gators didn't commit a single infraction, with the last and only other game being in 2021 against LSU.
The Sharks, on the other hand, committed 12 penalties for a whopping 100 yards, which gave the Gators a significant advantage in this department.
Indicating a change?
Again, on the surface, this stat may not seem super important, especially coming against a team as overmatched as Long Island, but this development could actually point to a massive change in Billy Napier's tenure.
Napier has repeatedly emphasized the importance of improvement, especially regarding penalties, so last night's disciplinary performance proves that the Gators have made strides in this area.
It's a small step forward in the grand scheme of Napier's troubles, but could a development like this suggest that the Gators have rapidly improved in other aspects?
We can't really find a true answer to that question as we're limited to a sample size of just one game against severely underdeveloped LIU, but Florida's next three games against South Florida (who may be ranked when they come to Gainesville), LSU, and Miami will surely give us the answers that we're looking to uncover.