GAINESVILLE - Florida’s defense took a hard hit at Missouri, and Brad White has responded by dialing up the pressure.
White, normally the steady hand in the room, has pushed his group harder this week after the Gators’ 45-17 loss to the Tigers exposed problems on every level. Safety DJ Coleman didn’t sugarcoat it.
“He’s definitely turned up the heat on us,” Coleman said. “Coach White’s more of a relaxed guy.
But this week, there’s no chilling. Forty-five points, that’s unacceptable at any level of football.
So if we give up 45, a lot of people will not be in this building any more.
“So, we can’t do it.”
Florida now has to answer quickly, starting Saturday against South Carolina and LaNorris Sellers, the Gamecocks’ dual-threat quarterback.
The breakdown at Missouri was everywhere. Up front, Florida couldn’t create enough push or a consistent pass rush.
At linebacker, gaps weren’t filled with enough consistency. In the secondary, the coverage issues kept piling up.
Missouri quarterback Austin Simmons had time to work and carved up the Gators for 340 yards, including touchdown throws of 47 and 31 yards. Running back Jamal Roberts also found huge openings, breaking off a 77-yard run to set up a one-yard touchdown and later ripping off an 80-yard untouched score.
Those four plays for 245 yards have stuck with White. Florida surrendered 560 total yards, the second-most allowed by one of his defenses dating to the 2021 season at Kentucky, and only the third time in that span an opponent topped 500.
“We can’t give up explosives, both in the pass game and then the run game,” he said. “We’ve got to eliminate those plays. We won’t be a good defense until we do that.
“Then at that point, then you can start playing competitive football.”
That kind of breakdown has Florida near the bottom of the SEC in a stat White’s old Kentucky defenses used to dominate. In 2024 and 2022, those Kentucky units led the conference in fewest plays allowed of 10 yards or longer. Right now, Florida is tied for last in the 16-team league.
Cornerback play and communication have been a big part of the problem.
On Simmons’ 47-yard touchdown to Donvoan Olugbode, sophomores Ben Hanks Jr. and Drake Stubbs were both looking to the sideline for the call as Olugbode ran right by them and made the catch with nobody around. Stubbs was ultimately responsible for the bust, but he was in the game only because Bryce Thornton, a four-year starter, was sidelined by an injury suffered during warm-ups.
“You never want to be without a good player, but that didn’t have a bearing on the game,” White insisted Tuesday. “The plays that needed to be made were one-on-one challenge players, and fitting two runs that didn’t have anything to do with him.”
Coleman said Thornton’s absence “hurts definitely,” but added “it’s just a next-man-up mentality.”
Alfonzo Allen, the fifth-year defensive back who stepped in for Thornton, delivered five tackles and brought a physical edge Florida didn’t show enough of against Missouri. Coleman said, “The way Alfonzo plays, it just brings energy to the whole team.”
Even so, Allen doesn’t bring Thornton’s range or experience.
Florida’s pass rush also has to do more to help the back end. The Gators finished with two sacks and six hurries against Missouri.
Emmanuel Oyabadejo, the fifth-year end and Jacksonville transfer, posted a sack and two hurries, but he has only played two seasons at the college level. Jayden Woods added two hurries and never got home against Missouri in the sophomore Kansas native’s return to the region.
“All of us put so much time and effort into it,” he said. “External stuff aside, it would have hurt the same, because I hate losing.”
Florida is a 13.5-point favorite against South Carolina, but the bigger issue is longer-term repair. The Gators need more physical play from the front, continued growth from Woods and better production from cornerbacks Cormani McClain, J’Vari Flowers and Hanks, all of whom arrived with top-recruit billing. Dijon Johnson is also still working back from a knee injury and played only six snaps at Missouri.
Myles Graham is another piece Florida needs to stabilize after a rough showing at Missouri. The veteran linebacker didn’t record a tackle early, then finished with five in the second half.
At this point in the season, there are no quick fixes.
“There’s not a waiver wire in college football,” coach Jon Sumrall said. “So we’ve got our roster set, and we have to help the guys that are here maximize what they can become - and that’s each guy individually.”
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