Florida’s offense is in a bad place, and the timing could not be much more obvious. With Aaron Philo set to take back over, the Gators are searching for anything that can get the run game moving again against Kentucky.
There is at least one useful example sitting right there from last week. Tennessee found a way to attack the Wildcats, and Florida would be smart to study how the Volunteers did it.
Kentucky’s defense has been ordinary by the numbers, sitting 76th in yards per game and 77th in points per game. Against Tennessee, it held together for a while before the fourth quarter finally cracked it open.
What stood out on film was not just the result, but the way Kentucky lined up. The Wildcats did a lot of pre-snap shifting up front, and they also brought safeties down into the box.
That looked familiar because Oklahoma had used a similar approach against Florida the week before. The difference was that Tennessee didn’t keep running into the movement the way Florida had.
On Tennessee’s first touchdown, Duane Morris broke free for a 66-yard score. Kentucky was shaded to Tennessee’s right before the snap, so the Volunteers countered back to the left. When the nickel/STAR bit on the quarterback keeper, Morris was off and running.
Later, Mike Matthews scored on a 24-yard touchdown after Tennessee used a reverse. Once again, Kentucky’s linebackers were shaded to Tennessee’s right, and the Volunteers attacked the other way.
Tennessee also showed more willingness to challenge the middle of Kentucky’s defense than Florida has.
That brings the conversation back to Florida’s own backfield. Duke Clark could matter here, even if there are obvious caveats attached.
No, we are not trying to start a running back controversy between Duke Clark and Jadan Baugh.
Florida’s offensive line might be so bad that the following observation doesn’t matter.
Still, Clark had some success against Oklahoma in part because the Sooners did not shift as much when he was on the field. One reason for that was usage: Clark was often in a Pistol set behind Tramell Jones, while Baugh lined up in shotgun to the side of Jones.
If Florida wants to keep Kentucky from shifting before the snap, more Pistol looks may be worth considering on Saturday. The Gators also need more counter runs in the plan. Tennessee showed they can work, and both Baugh and Clark have the ability to make them pay off.
For Florida, it’s another possible path out of a miserable stretch on offense.
In Other News...
Aidan Mizell Is Fueling An Uncomfortable Florida What If
Aidan Mizells move from Florida to UCLA is starting to look like one of those transfers that lingers in the background of a season, especially for Gators fans watching him settle in elsewhere. He had limited playing time in Gainesville, but out on the West Coast he has carved out a bigger role and already piled up 501 receiving yards early in the 2024 season, a sign that his talent was always there waiting for the right opportunity.
Mizells recent surge has only sharpened the uncomfortable what if for Florida: what if he had gotten the same runway in orange and blue? After injuries slowed his early 2026 season, he has earned more snaps and more trust at UCLA, and his production has followed, including a six-catch, 176-yard, one-touchdown performance against Illinois. For Florida, it is the kind of development that does not change the past, but does make it harder to ignore. [Read more 🡒]
Floridas Kentucky Outlook Just Shifted With Two Big Defensive Changes
Floridas Week 11 prep for Kentucky got a little clearer, and a little thinner, on the defensive side of the ball. The Gators updated their injury report with cornerback Dijon Johnson downgraded to out, while defensive lineman DK Kalu moved up to probable, a small but important shift as the team tries to sort out its depth before another SEC test.
The list of unavailable players still leaves Florida with some holes to fill, with Vernell Brown III, Bryce Thornton, Jaden Robinson and Evan Chieca all confirmed out. Even with Kalu trending in the right direction, the Gators will need to piece together their rotation carefully against a Kentucky team that tends to make every missing body matter. [Read more 🡒]
Floridas 2027 Class Is Starting To Answer A Big Roster Question
Floridas 2027 recruiting class took a meaningful step forward with the addition of two four-star forwards, Kamsi Awaka of Blair Academy and Ian Condon of Sidwell Friends. Awaka arrives as a consensus top-50 national prospect, while Condon comes in as the top recruit in Washington, D.C., giving Todd Golden a pair of frontcourt pieces with the kind of size and upside that tend to matter in the SEC.
For Florida, the timing is notable because Awaka is widely viewed as a player who can help answer a looming roster need after Rueben Chinyelus departure. Golden praised both signees for their skills and work ethic, and the early return on this class is already showing up in the rankings, where Florida sits 21st nationally and sixth in the SEC according to Rivals. [Read more 🡒]