Cole Pepper
The Florida Gators and Miami Hurricanes renew their in-state rivalry Saturday in Gainesville as the two teams meet on the football field for the first time in five years (3:30 p.m. ABC).
What should be expected from the two teams?
Florida enters a pivotal season for head coach Billy Napier. After finishing last season 5-7 and missing out on a bowl game, Napier’s seat is at least warm, if not fully hot. Napier’s Top 15 recruiting class last year may help to earn him some leeway, but expectations in the Swamp are for Florida to contend for the SEC East championship every year. So far, Napier has not delivered.
Florida’s biggest advantage over Miami to start the season would seem to be the experience the Gators return. Quarterback Graham Mertz is back for his second season as the starter after an efficient first year, though he will be expected to produce more big plays than he did a season ago. Freshman D.J. Lagway was one of the top recruits in his class. He is waiting in the wings, but Napier has been effusive in his praise of Mertz.
“We have one of the best quarterbacks in the entire country on our team in Graham Mertz,” Napier said on Wednesday. “You start with that. He’s a leader of our team. It’s been his team from Day 1 of the offseason and he’s been fantastic.”
Other key returning players include running back Montrell Johnson Jr. and wide receiver Tre Wilson. Both will be expected to shoulder more of the load. Johnson will not have Trevor Etienne to share carries in the backfield after Etienne transferred to Georgia. Wilson, meanwhile, will be the focal point of opposing secondaries with the departure of Ricky Pearsall to the NFL draft.
On the offensive line, left tackle Austin Barber and center Jake Slaughter return as starters. The unit struggled last season and must play better to allow Mertz more time to throw downfield.
On defense, the secondary is likely to be the strength of the Gators team. Safety Jordan Castell is a physical player who had three interceptions last season. He was named to the All-SEC freshman team. Florida will look for more out of Castell in his sophomore campaign.
Like Florida, Miami enjoyed a strong recruiting class last year. Head coach Mario Cristobal’s class was ranked fourth best in the nation. The Hurricanes finished last season 7-6 and lost to Rutgers in the Pinstripe Bowl. Like Florida, expectations are for the Canes to be much better this year. Miami opened the season ranked 19th in the Associated Press preseason Top 25 poll.
Miami added Washington State transfer Cam Ward at quarterback. He will have some experienced receivers to throw to. Xavier Restrepo led the Hurricanes with 85 receptions last season while Jacolby George caught a team-high eight touchdowns.
The Hurricanes will have to handle the crowd noise in Gainesville. The game is highly anticipated and expected to be a full house.
“It’s a loud place, they do a great job getting ready for a game,” Cristobal said. “The noise level itself you have to simulate in practice, but it can’t be counted on. That’s why we have other methods of communications, the wrist bands, the signals.”
