Five optimistic predictions for Florida Football ahead of 2024 season
![Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier talks with Florida Gators quarterback Graham Mertz (15) and Florida Gators running back Montrell Johnson Jr. (1) during fall football practice at Heavener Football Complex at the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL on Thursday, August 1, 2024. [Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun]](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_4286,h_2410,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images%2FImagnImages%2Fmmsport%2F213%2F01j5zk285kzr49q39bg5.jpg "Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier talks with Florida Gators quarterback Graham Mertz (15) and Florida Gators running back Montrell Johnson Jr. (1) during fall football practice at Heavener Football Complex at the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL on Thursday, August 1, 2024. [Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun]")
Yesterday, we at Hail Florida Hail gave our five doomsday predictions for Florida Football in 2024. We laid out what could happen in a worst-case scenario because, as Megadeth once said, peace sells, but who's buying?
But we are not complete monsters devoid of happiness. As we stated up front in the piece, we also believe there is a pathway for the Gators to have a great season if things go right.
The following are five things that realistically could go correct for Florida in 2024.
Special Teams Are Fixed
We have written plenty of pieces on the site highlighting the problems special teams had in 2023. In our doomsday piece, we specifically highlighted the field goal sequence at the end of the game against Arkansas, but as we all know, the unit has been plagued by a comedy of errors the past two seasons.
The rules changed in the offseason to allow off-field analysts to have more of a hands-on role on the field, and Billy Napier hired Joe Houston, a well-respected special teams coach who had previously coached at Iowa State and the New England Patriots.
Among the first things Houston implemented was a special teams mat, which sounds silly but is actually used by teams at every level, including the NFL. We were stunned Florida wasn't using one in the first place.
This unit has a great punter and kicker and the potential for some great returners. If they can have even the most basic organization in 2024, this unit should look a lot better.