Tramell Jones Jr. didn’t sugarcoat Florida’s offensive issues after the Gators’ 23-7 loss to Oklahoma. The quarterback said the problems that have been dragging the unit down are the kind that keep showing up in the worst possible moments: penalties, turnovers and drives that never get rolling.
Florida had stretches where it looked like it might finally settle in, but those moments kept getting wiped away. Jones pointed to a pair of back-to-back holding penalties that stalled a promising possession after the offense had built some momentum on third down.
“We had the momentum going into that drive. We had explosives.
We had good runs and then those two holdings back-to-back kind of slowed us down,” Jones said. “That’s where we had to take advantage of the penalties and we can’t have those in those situations.”
He also owned a costly interception on third-and-short, saying Eric Singleton Jr. was open on the play before Oklahoma’s cornerback got involved and made a play on the ball.
“You gotta play turnover-free football, especially in the red zone. Especially when we’re in scoring distance,” Jones said.
The quarterback said Florida’s run game still needs more consistency, even with Duke Clark giving the offense a lift after returning from injury. For Jones, the answer isn’t on one player alone.
“I think it’s not only Jadan, it’s everybody. All of us.
Even me,” Jones said. “I think what I can bring to the table can open up the run game for us.”
Jones said the Gators have to get back to the habits that helped them early in the season, and that starts with practice and film study to clean up what’s going wrong. With three games left, he isn’t treating the season like it’s slipping away.
“That’s why you keep working. That’s why you keep watching film,” Jones said.
“We still have three games left to play. That’s a lot of football, so we’re going to keep working.”
Florida now has to turn those words into cleaner football fast. For Jones, the formula is simple: keep drives alive, handle third down, cash in in the red zone and stop handing opponents chances through avoidable mistakes.
In Other News...
Florida Just Proved Something Bigger Than Another Win Over FSU
Floridas 81-72 win over Florida State did more than keep the early-season record spotless. It showed a team that can win in different ways, even when the offense is clunky for long stretches. The Gators were out of rhythm in the first half, but they found enough shot-making from deep and at the line to take control after halftime and move to 3-0, while also stretching their winning streak over the Seminoles to six straight.
Thomas Haugh led the way with 21 points, and Boogie Fland added 14 after returning from an injury scare, a reassuring development for a Florida team still sorting out its early identity. The bigger takeaway may be the way the Gators finished, turning a shaky start into a comfortable result against a rivalry opponent and giving themselves another sign that this group has some resilience before the schedule gets tougher. [Read more 🡒]
Floridas Bowl Outlook Suddenly Includes A Reunion Fans Will Notice
Floridas loss to Oklahoma left the Gators at 5-4 and officially shifted the conversation from playoff dreams to bowl possibilities, with the focus now on what kind of matchup they might draw when the postseason picture comes into view. For a team that still has work to do to steady its season, the next few weeks are about finding a way to finish strong and get back on the right side of the ledger.
One projected bowl pairing has a wrinkle fans would notice right away: a possible reunion with former Florida quarterback DJ Lagway, now at Baylor. Lagway arrived in Gainesville as a highly rated recruit and had an uneven run with the Gators before transferring, and his first season in Waco has brought its own turbulence, including an ankle injury and coaching changes. If the projection holds, Floridas bowl trip could come with a familiar face across the field. [Read more 🡒]
Florida Gets An Early Shot With A 5-Star Line Target
Florida is getting in early on one of the most coveted young linemen in the country. Kendrick Harris, a five-star offensive tackle from Duncanville, Texas, has picked up a scholarship offer from the Gators, and the class of 2028 prospect already carries the kind of national attention that usually comes with much older recruits. Rated as the top interior offensive lineman in his class, Harris is already on the radar of major programs across the country.
The next step in that pursuit will come when Harris visits Gainesville for Floridas home game against Vanderbilt on Nov. 21. For the Gators, the timing matters as much as the offer itself, giving them a chance to make an impression early while the race for a player with multiple Power Four options is still taking shape. In a recruiting cycle this young, getting him on campus is only the start, but it is the kind of start Florida wants with a prospect of this caliber. [Read more 🡒]