Florida gets another home date at The Swamp on Saturday, and there’s no mystery about what the Gators need to carry over from their opener: the energy, the production and, on the other side of the ball, a cleaner effort.
Florida hosts Campbell on September 12 at 5:30 p.m. on SEC Network Plus after rolling past Florida Atlantic 66-21 on September 5. It’s the last tuneup before SEC play opens September 19 at Auburn.
For Bailey Stockton, a transfer from Georgia Tech, the atmosphere in Gainesville made an immediate impression.
“Ninety-plus got your back," Stockton said. "That’s what I was thinking.
Like right when we ran out of the tunnel, we had that team prayer, you could just feel the energy. It was awesome.”
Florida coach Jon Sumrall pointed to defense as the area that still needs the most attention.
"The biggest improvement we have to make defensively," Florida football coach Jon Sumrall said, "I don't think our guys didn't play hard. I watched the tape a couple of times now, at least, and I think they cared to play hard. I don't know that we played with great awareness or attention to detail."
The Gators’ opener still produced plenty to like, starting with quarterback Aaron Philo. In his first start for Florida, the 6-1, 207-pound quarterback went 16 of 21 for 275 yards and three touchdowns against one interception. He also connected on the longest throw of the day, a 61-yard completion to TJ Abrams.
"There's no shock, you know, the poise that he plays with, and the confidence that he plays with," Florida offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner said. "He's always had that.
We want to continue to, you know, tame some of the throws. But for the most part, he did good."
Florida’s ground game also arrived in a big way. Jadan Baugh, listed at 6-1 and 225 pounds, piled up 160 yards and three touchdowns on 14 carries. It was his second straight 100-yard game and the sixth of his career.
In the passing game, Vernell Brown III made his own statement. The 5-foot-11, 178-pound receiver caught six passes for 117 yards and a touchdown, giving him his first career 100-yard receiving day and his first career touchdown catch. With Eric Singleton Jr. in doubt for Saturday because of an ankle injury, Brown could be even more central against Campbell.
On defense, Myles Graham was everywhere in the opener. The junior linebacker finished with 10 tackles and a half sack, and he said the first game gave Florida a clear look at what has to tighten up.
"I'm glad that we can see where we're at, and we can see, you know, what we need to improve on," Graham said. "Because, all across the board, from the front seven to the back end, we all need to get better."
DJ Coleman also made a strong first impression after transferring from Baylor. The 6-0, 206-pound safety recorded an interception, a pass breakup and two tackles, and he said his work ethic traces back to watching his father, a truck driver who drives 18-wheelers throughout Texas.
"Just seeing him wake up at 3 in the morning every day, it's cold outside, rainy or hot," Coleman said. "No matter what, you’re getting up and getting to it, coming home late at night. So just seeing his hard work ethic just instilled it in me that I gotta work hard.”
Florida’s depth chart for Campbell includes Aaron Philo at quarterback, Jadan Baugh at running back and Vernell Brown III and Bailey Stockton at one receiver spot, with Eric Singleton and TJ Abrams at another and Dallas Wilson, Micah Mays and Kahleil Jackson at the third. At tight end, Lacota Dippre and Heze Kent are listed first, with Amir Jackson and Luke Hapring behind them.
Up front, Bryce Lovett is listed at left tackle, Knijeah Harris at left guard, Harrison Moore at center, T.J. Shanahan at right guard and Emeka Ugorji at right tackle.
On defense, Kamran James leads the line at defensive end, with Brendan Bett at nose guard, DK Kalu at defensive tackle, and Jayden Woods at EDGE. Myles Graham is listed at one linebacker spot alongside Myles Johnson, while Aaron Chiles and Ty Jackson are at another, and Jaden Robinson and TJ Bullard are listed at the third. Kanye Clark and Alfonzo Allen Jr. are listed at STAR, with Ben Hanks III and Dijon Johnson at corner, Cormani McClain and J'Vari Flowers at the other corner, and Bryce Thornton, Cam Dooley, DJ Coleman and Lagonza Hayward at safety.
Special teams lists Alec Clark and Nicholas Inglis at punter, Patrick Durkin and Liam Padron at kicker, Vernell Brown III and Bailey Stockton at punt returner, and London Montgomery and J'Vari Flowers at kick returner.
In Other News...
Florida Just Turned One Visit Into A Bigger Recruiting Opportunity
Maxwell Hillers latest trip to Gainesville was supposed to be about checking in as a five-star offensive line commit, but it also turned into something more useful for Floridas long-term recruiting picture. He brought along his younger brother, Colton, and the visit gave the Gators a chance to make an impression on a high-level basketball prospect whose college choices are still taking shape. Maxwell spent part of the day with offensive line coach Phil Trautwein, and the conversation centered more on preparation and development than on the usual recruiting pitch.
For Florida, the timing matters because Maxwell has already sounded confident about the program after watching the offense perform well recently. The Gators also came away with a potential added benefit from Coltons experience on campus, since a positive outing at the game could help keep Florida in the mix against Duke. It is the kind of family visit that can matter beyond one roster cycle, especially when the first impression goes well enough to create another conversation later. [Read more 🡒]
Kanye Clark Just Gave Gators Fans A Real Feel For This Defense
Kanye Clarks first night in a Florida uniform gave the Gators a useful early glimpse of what this defense can be under game pressure. The UCLA transfer looked back on the season-opening win over Florida Atlantic, where the pace of the Owls offense put the defense in a constant sprint, and he pointed to the teams offseason conditioning as a big reason Florida was able to hold up through it. He also singled out DJ Coleman for his leadership and the timely plays that helped steady the unit when the game started to stretch.
Now the challenge shifts to Campbell, and Clark already sounded like a player who understands the test ahead. He noted the Camels tempo and their passing game, the kind of mix that can force a defense to stay sharp from snap to snap, and it gives Florida another early chance to see how far this group has come. For a defense trying to establish its identity, those first two weeks can tell you a lot, even before the bigger questions get answered. [Read more 🡒]
Floridas FCS History Still Includes One Loss Gators Fans Cant Forget
Since the NCAA moved to the current subdivision structure, Floridas annual tune-up games against FCS opponents have mostly gone the way the Gators would expect. The year-by-year record tells a familiar story of lopsided wins, early-season experimentation and the occasional chance to empty the bench while still getting a look at younger players and depth pieces. It has also turned into a useful snapshot of how Florida has handled those games since 2006, with scores and standout performances showing just how rarely the Gators have been pushed in them.
Still, there is one result in that stretch that sits apart from the rest and has never really left the fan base. The broader review of Floridas FCS history makes clear that nearly every meeting has ended comfortably, but one loss remains the kind of blemish Gators fans remember whenever the schedule turns to an overmatched visitor. The rest of the record may be routine, yet that lone setback is what gives the series its edge and keeps the conversation going whenever Florida lines up against an FCS opponent again. [Read more 🡒]