Previewing the 2023 Florida Gators Offense
In year two of his tenure, Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier will once again be calling the offense. In 2023, the offense will certainly look different. Napier will have a new QB but will have a new influx of speed at the receiver position to work with, something the offense lacked in 2022. The Gators return several key starters but will have to rely on players to come in and step up. Here is a preview of each positional group of the 2023 Florida Gators offense.
Quarterbacks
The Florida Gators lost their starting QB from a year ago, Anthony Richardson, to the 2023 NFL Draft after he was selected 4th overall by the Indianapolis Colts.
The Florida Gators coaching staff hit the transfer portal to find Richardson’s potential replacement and did so with former Wisconsin Badgers QB Graham Mertz, who was named the starting QB last week.
Florida QB Graham Mertz (15) – Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun
Mertz brings starting experience to the table, 32 games of it be exact, and the other two Florida QBs who competed for the starting job, Jack Miller and Max Brown, lacked in that department. Mertz came right in from Wisconsin, learned the playbook, became a leader, and was rewarded by being named the starting QB of the Gators.
Mertz is certainly no Anthony Richardson by any stretch of the imagination athletically, but he can still do exactly what Billy Napier wants from the position, which is to facilitate the football through short to intermediate throws, which will then set up the play-action deep shots down the field.
If Mertz makes the throws that he is supposed to and relies on what should be a very good running game, Florida’s offense will be successful in 2023.
Runningbacks
Florida RB Montrell Johnson (2) – Hannah White/Florida Athletics
Speaking of the running game, the Gators welcome back both of their star RBs from a season ago, Montrell Johnson and Trevor Etienne. Johnson followed Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier to Gainesville from Louisiana after he was named the Sun Belt Freshman of the Year. Johnson came right in and became the starting RB, rushing the ball 155 times for 841 yards and ten touchdowns last season, according to Sports Reference.
Florida RB Trevor Etienne (7) – Tim Casey/Florida Athletics
Etienne was a highly coveted prospect from Louisiana, and like Johnson, Etienne made a huge impression right away when he arrived in Gainesville. Etienne rushed 118 times for 719 yards and six touchdowns, according to Sports Reference.
Johnson and Etienne have rushing styles that complement each other well, with Johnson being the power back and Etienne being the more elusive speed back. The two were incredible a season ago, but they are primed for an even bigger season in 2023.
After Johnson and Etienne, the third-string RB was set to be Tulane transfer Cam Carroll, but in the Gators’ final scrimmage of Fall camp last week, he tore his ACL and will be out for the season. This means that freshman Treyaun Webb will be the next man up. Behind Webb is junior college transfer Ja’Kobi Jackson, but Webb will be the RB who will get most of the snaps if something were to happen to either Johnson or Etienne.
Offensive Line
In 2022, the Florida Gators offensive line was one of the team’s strengths. In 2023, the Gators will have to replace some key pieces and absolutely must keep their starters healthy due to a lack of proven depth at offensive tackle.
The Gators are returning starting center Kingsley Eguakun, starting OT Austin Barber, and starting left guard Richie Leonard IV. Eguakun has gone back-to-back seasons starting in every game for the Gators at center and will be the leader of the unit in 2023.
Florida OL Kingsley Eguakun (65) – Courtney Culbreath/Florida Athletics
As for Barber, he appeared in all 13 games for the Gators last season and started in five games when OT Michael Tarquin was injured. In 2023, Barber will face quite the challenge in just his redshirt sophomore season: making the transition from right tackle to left tackle.
If Barber can transition smoothly to left tackle, the Gators may have another potential All-American on their hands.
Florida OL Austin Barber (58) – Jay Metz/Florida Athletics
Guard Richie Leonard IV started in place of O’Cyrus Torrence when he went down with an injury and started in the 2022 Las Vegas Bowl when Torrence opted out to prepare for the NFL Draft. Leonard has been patiently waiting for his opportunity to start full-time since he arrived in Gainesville in 2020 and will get that chance in 2023.
Florida OL Richie Leonard IV (67) – Isabella Marley/Florida Athletics
As mentioned, Florida lost some key pieces along the offensive line from last season. Consensus All-American guard O’Cyrus Torrence and OT Richard Gouraige left for the NFL Draft. All-SEC guard Ethan White and OT Michael Tarquin departed through the transfer portal.
The Gators also lost OT Kamryn Waites for the season due to injury in Spring camp and a few weeks ago, lost projected starter Kiyaunta Goodwin, who transferred to Florida from Kentucky due to a family medical issue.
Florida did secure the commitment of former Baylor guard Micah Mazzccua to fill the void left behind by Torrence, but Mazzccua is recovering from a shoulder injury he suffered in Spring camp. The injury is expected to be healed up by the time Florida plays Utah on August 31.
Florida needs Mazzccua to stay healthy if the offensive line is to perform up to its full potential. Freshman guard Knijeah Harris is the next man up if Mazzccua goes down, who is having a great camp since arriving as an early enrollee in the Spring.
The Gators also secured the commitment of former Alabama starting OT Damieon George, who is projected to be the team’s starting right tackle.
From left to right, the projected starters are to be Austin Barber, Micah Mazzccua, Kingsley Eguakan, Richie Leonard, and Dameion George.
Other contributors along the offensive line include Jake Slaughter, freshman Roderick Kearney, Jalen Farmer, and Jordan Herman, but after that, inexperience starts to show. The offensive line staying healthy all season is imperative for the offense’s success.
Wide Receivers
Looking past the run game, Florida’s best receiver was a late transfer portal addition in former Arizona State WR Ricky Pearsall.
Pearsall led the team in receiving yards with 661 on 33 receptions for a team-leading five touchdowns last season, according to Sports Reference.
Florida WR Ricky Pearsall (1) – Hannah White/Florida Athletics
The Gators are returning WRs Caleb Douglas, who is set to have a big year two, Ja’Quavion Fraziars, Marcus Burke, Thai Chiaokhiao-Bowman, and Kahliel Jackson (who was awarded a scholarship for 2023) from a season ago, but excitement surrounds the three freshmen WRs Florida signed in the 2023 recruiting cycle.
Florida emphasized getting more speed at the receiver position with the 2023 recruiting class, which is something the room lacked mightily last season. Florida did so by securing the commitments and subsequent letter of intent signings of WRs Andy Jean, Aidan Mizell, and Eugene Wilson.
Jean, Mizell, and Wilson all add much-needed speed and explosiveness to the room, and all three of them will contribute on offense and on special teams throughout 2023. Jean and Mizell were early enrollees for Spring camp and made some plays in the Orange and Blue Game. Jean has been getting starter reps in Fall camp. Wilson arrived in Gainesville ahead of Fall camp and has already made some big plays.
The WR room has talent and was infused with some freshmen who are going to be pushing for starting spots throughout 2023, which should increase the level of play in the room across the board.
Tight Ends
Florida TE Dante Zanders (18) – Tim Casey/Florida Athletics
Since Kyle Pitts departed for the NFL Draft in 2020, how Florida utilizes tight ends in their offense has been puzzling, to say the least. Florida’s TE room took a hit in Spring camp when TE Keon Zipperer, who started last season at the position, went down with a season-ending injury. TE Dante Zanders, who played alongside Zipperer last season, will start in Zipperer’s place, but given how Florida utilizes TEs in the passing game, TEs Arlis Boardingham, Johnathan Odom, and potentially Tony Livingston will get some playing time as well.
Florida’s use of TEs last season varied week-to-week, but Zanders, Boardingham, and Odom should get the most playing time of anyone in the group. Another name of note is TE Tony Livingston who will potentially get some snaps as well.
