(Photo credit: Florida Gators digital media team)
With just twelve days to go until the Florida Gators take the field to open the 2024 season against the Miami Hurricanes, it’s time for another round of updates from the Gators’ fall practices. What’s stood out?
Arlis Boardingham is developing into a real weapon
The Florida Gators have had a long history of explosive playmaking tight ends. Ben Troupe, Kyle Pitts, Cornelius Ingram, Jordan Reed, Aaron Walker, Erron Kinney, and even that guy who we won’t name because he did terrible things. So the expectations are always high there.
It’s unfair to compare current players to legends of the past– but Arlis Boardingham is making strides to become the next name on that list. He was always a very good pass-catcher, but his blocking abilities were called into question early in his career, which limited the amount of plays he could be on the field since his presence signified a pass was coming. No longer is that a concern, say people I talk to. And he’s as problematic as ever as a pass-catcher.
Boardingham has developed especially nicely as a route-runner. We’ve all seen his great hands in action before, and we continue to see them in fall camp, but he’s really improving in terms of working himself open with his feet. It’s getting to the point where safeties aren’t always able to stay with him and need some help from a cornerback. People on the ground in Gainesville think that the 2024 version of Arlis Boardingham is easily the best tight end Napier has ever had, and expect to see him get a lot of looks this year to help replace the departure of Ricky Pearsall.
The right side of the Florida Gators offensive line is a work in progress
Folks I talk to feel good about Austin Barber at left tackle and Jake Slaughter at center. They think that both those guys will take a big step forward in 2024. And there’s reason for optimism, because they both showed flashes of being SEC-caliber linemen at their respective positions.
The rest of the offensive line has drawn some concerns. Specifically at right guard and right tackle. Moving Alabama transfer Damieon George over from tackle to guard, where he’s more natural, could help some, as should the import of San Diego State transfer Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson, but multiple people have raised concerns about the right side of the line’s ability to hold up against SEC defensive lines.
The worry that people keep bringing to me is about consistency. Which of course is naturally going to happen in fall camp, as everybody is going to win and lose reps after enough time has elapsed, but there are plays where a lineman will fire out of his stance and neutralize his defenders with heavy-handed punches off the snap, and then there are other plays that, to understate it, simply don’t leave people feeling as confident.
The general consensus is that the offensive line as a unit should be better than it was in 2023. Better coached, with better players, who are in better shape, and with a better mindset. But while it’s generally agreed upon that the line will improve in 2024, the question remains, “by how much?”
The Florida Gators defensive line looks MUCH better
Maybe part of the offensive line’s problem is who they’re going up against. It may not be possible for a defense to be any worse than Florida’s was over the last two seasons, but I’m not using that H2 header here as a fact-by-default. There is, people in the know tell me, a genuine reason for optimism on the defensive line.
Returning guys like Kelby Collins and TJ Searcy showed glimpses of potential last year, but their pre-2024 fall practice reps compare very favorably to their pre-2023 fall practice reps. Add in Joey Slackman, a healthy Justus Boone and a fully healthy Cam Jackson and this new-look front for Florida is poised to cause lots of problems. There’s an anger to them that shows in most reps, a fire that they come to practice with that people say wasn’t there a year ago. And it’s omnipresent in returners and new pieces alike.
Folks do caution me that they’re not sure if this defensive line has a bona fide star on it– LJ McCray could become one, but he’s also still a true freshman– but they’re seeing a lot fewer missed gaps and missed assignments compared to last year. The disruptive abilities of Princely Umanmielen aren’t easy to replace, but it’s starting to sound like this defensive line does a lot of little things right and that by itself would mark a major improvement from 2023.
