After watching the Florida Gators Basketball team cut the nets down in San Antonio, all eyes will turn back to football. The Florida Gators will be hosting their annual Spring Game on Saturday at 1 pm. A big event, a celebration for the basketball team, will be taking place beforehand. With a big season upcoming for Billy Napier and company, fans will be eager to see how this team performs. Despite being an in-house scrimmage, the Orange and Blue game gives fans a sneak peek at the lineups. Last season, fans got an early glimpse at freshman running back Jadan Baugh. Not known to many beforehand, after showing out during the scrimmage, he ended up compiling an impressive season. This is a chance for the players to show the coaches and fans why they should be on the field come September.
Gators Spring Game
First Look at the Freshmen
As mentioned, the Orange and Blue game is a great chance for the freshmen to receive their first “real” game action. All eyes will be on the heralded freshmen receivers. With Chimere Dike and Elijhah Badger off to the NFL, there is certainly a chance for some early playing time. Even after adding J. Michael Sturdivant from the portal, the Gators will need at least one of the freshmen to step up. The trio of Dallas Wilson, Naeshaun Montgomery, and Vernell Brown III will look to make an impact early in the offseason. All are rated as 4-stars or higher, and this should be a deep receiver room. With quarterback DJ Lagway not fully healthy, they will unfortunately not be catching passes from QB1 on Saturday. Instead, fans will have to wait to watch the full starting offense. However, the chance still remains for these young players to show off their skill sets.
Physicality in the Trenches
One of the primary reasons that fans are so high on this Gators team is the returning production in the trenches. Four out of the five starting offensive linemen return for this potent offense. With All-American Jake Slaughter leading the charge at Center, the trenches should be a strong suit offensively. With Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson the lone departure, Bryce Lovett is expected to slide in as the new tackle. If Florida wants to compete for a championship, this offensive line must keep Lagway intact. Already a strong rushing unit, if this group can improve on pass protection, the sky is the limit. Defensively, the Gators’ line is ready to keep wreaking havoc. Despite the losses of Cam Jackson and the mammoth Desmond Watson, this unit returns plenty of production. Headlined by Caleb Banks and George Gumbs, this is a veteran group that played well down the stretch.
Backups Ready?
Unfortunately for the viewers, Lagway will not be participating in the Orange and Blue game. Currently dealing with some nagging injuries, he has been limited so far during Spring Camp. Rather than push him towards another injury, it was decided that he would sit out. This leads to an interesting positional battle for the second-string quarterback spot. Last season, Yale transfer Aidan Warner stepped up when both Lagway and Graham Mertz were sidelined. Despite being in over his head, Warner showed some fight, never quitting in the face of adversity. Not lighting up the stat sheet, the Gators turned to the transfer portal to bring in some competition. Florida added Louisville transfer Harrison Bailey to fill out this position group. A veteran quarterback, the 23-year-old will be entering his sixth season in college. The Spring Game should shed some light on this positional battle for a hopeful Gators team.
Standing Out From the Pack
This game will be the culmination of weeks of practice, with players finally getting the chance on the big stage. Everyone should see some playing time from the starters, to even some of the walk-ons. No matter where a player finds themselves on the depth chart, they will all get their shot to compete. With key players still dealing with some injuries, this is a pivotal opportunity for many underclassmen. In the secondary, a name that has been repeated is Cormani McClain. This could be the former 5-star’s chance to show why he belongs in the starting lineup. Offensively, the skill positions will be closely monitored. With deep running back and receiver rooms, this game will provide some distance between the starters and the backups. Time will tell if the young players are ready for the speed of the SEC.
Final Thoughts
The Orange and Blue game is a fun experience for all involved. A full speed scrimmage, everything is fair game except hitting the quarterback. With some young freshmen vying for playing time, they will be tested in an SEC environment. The stadium should be rocking due to the pregame festivities. If Florida wants to match up with their basketball team, this is where the journey starts. Despite not fielding a fully healthy roster, this is still a chance to compete under the lights. Last season’s Spring Game provided some offensive fireworks with Gators fans getting their first glimpse at DJ Lagway. Now sidelined, the backups will be hoping to put on a show themselves. With an upstart defense, no one knows what to expect in this game. Both sides will be hungry to compete, as every player will be fighting for their job.
Main Image: Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun
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