Florida State (6-3) fell to Florida (9-3) by a 69-55 score this afternoon in Gainesville, FL.

This game was tight early but Florida ended the first quarter on an 11-2 run to take a 19-11 lead after the first quarter. The Gators would never look back from there. Florida led 60-35 after the third quarter. FSU made it a bit more respectable in the fourth quarter winning that final quarter by eleven points but the deficit was too much to overcome.

The Gators were able to impose their will on FSU from almost the opening tip. The Seminoles struggled with UF’s pressure defense for the entire game. That pressure led to a whopping 23 turnovers for FSU while the Gators committed only seven. Florida State actually outshot the Gators from the field (40%-36.2%) but with all of the turnovers FSU only had 55 shots while UF had 69.

River Baldwin had a double-double with 15 points and 10 boards. Morgan Jones was the only other Nole in double figures with 12 points.

With the win, Florida snapped a five losing streak to Florida State. The last time UF beat FSU before today was in 2015.

This was an extremely disappointing performance from the Seminoles. FSU did continue to play hard until the end. However, the Noles were never able to fully get comfortable in this game due to UF’s pressure defense.

FSU really needs to get the point guard situation figured out. Bianca Jackson played today but she clearly isn’t 100%. The Seminoles are very vulnerable if their floor leader isn’t fully ready to go and that was proven in a big way today.

Florida State will try to regroup on Thursday, Dec. 16th when they welcome Houston to Tallahassee. The game will tip at 7pm and will be broadcast on the ACC Network Extra

SATURDAY PRACTICE

They have already practiced today.

Once again, they were in shorts and a helmet.

I was told it was once again a laid-back atmosphere.

One big addition today, after being absent (along with all the other transfer portal players) yesterday, linebacker Mohamoud Diabate was at practice today (but in a sling).

As Inside the Gators reported yesterday, we were told that he entered his name in the portal to keep his options open but wasn’t 100-percent leaving.

https://insidethegators.com/forums/1/topics/14675/replies/77626

FRIDAY PRACTICE by Matt Wheeler

Inside The Gators

After holding conditioning workouts with Nick Savage and staff over the last two weeks, Florida held their first bowl practice this afternoon.

To be clear, the person giving me this information isn’t out there taking attendance, but according to them, none of those players who have entered the transfer portal (Mincey, Bogle, Diabate, Copeland) were at practice.

Then of course, Anthony Richardson wasn’t out there.

Without Richardson, it was Carlos Del Rio who took snaps after Emory Jones.

Perhaps the best news for Florida defensively is that Kaiir Elam was out there, so he will apparently play in the bowl game.

They practiced in helmets and shorts and did some positional drills, and some 7 on 7 as well as full team work.

Billy Napier and a few from his staff were there watching for a little while, and then left.

I was told it was a pretty light mood, mostly because it was a short practice their first day back after it. They’ll practice again tomorrow, and it will be a longer one, and likely more intense.

The Florida Gators are one of two SEC programs who will have a new head coach during the 2022 season. Billy Napier was hired from Louisiana, replacing former head coach Dan Mullen to rebuild the program.

Napier was on the Paul Finebaum Show on Friday, detailing his goals in Gainesville over the next few seasons. He said everything will be about the players and Florida will make sure they come first.

“We’re going to build a special experience, an elite student-athlete experience,” Napier said. “It’s going to be player-based. I think you got to keep people at the core of what you do and we’re going to surround these players with great people that are really good at what they do, that really have authentic care for the player. We’re going to work our tail off in recruiting and evaluating and when we get them here, we’re going to have a very specific plan for their development.

“The game is about the players, right? I coach for the players. I’m excited for our plan. I’ve been fortunate to work with some of the best in the entire country. We’re going to implement those lessons we learned along the way but I do think there is a different level of commitment here than there has been in the past. From a facilities standpoint and an infrastructure standpoint.”

Napier to still call plays for Florida

Napier brings an offensive-minded play style to the Swamp: he’s coached tight ends, quarterbacks and been the offensive coordinator at Clemson, he’s coached quarterbacks at Colorado State, tight ends at Florida State, wide receivers at Alabama, quarterbacks at Arizona state and more — getting a new gig at Florida, he says, won’t change that.

The new head coach still plans on calling the plays for the Florida Gators offense moving forward, regardless of who he hires as his offensive coordinator. He plans on maintaining his strong foundation of offensive principles.

“I will be calling the plays here,” Napier said in his introductory press conference. “I think it gives us an advantage, in my opinion. We’re one of the only teams in the country to have two offensive line coaches (at Louisiana). We’ll have an offensive line coach and an assistant offensive line coach (at Florida).”

Napier comes to Florida with an intriguing resume, with his most recent stop being a four-year stint as the head coach at Louisiana-Lafayette. Napier in 2018 took over a Louisiana program that had not eclipsed six wins since 2014, and he turned the Ragin’ Cajuns into a top-25 program with apparent ease; after a 7-7 campaign in his first year, Louisiana amassed two 11-win seasons and a 10-win finish. The Ragin’ Cajuns finished 2020 as the No. 15 team in the AP top 25, and they should finish in the top 25 once again this year.

Napier discusses goals while at Florida

The Florida Gators are one of two SEC programs that will have a new head coach during the 2022 season. Napier was hired from Louisiana, replacing former head coach Dan Mullen to rebuild the program.

Napier was on the Paul Finebaum Show on Friday, detailing his goals in Gainesville over the next few seasons. He said everything will be about the players and Florida will make sure they come first.

“We’re going to build a special experience, an elite student-athlete experience,” Napier said. “It’s going to be player-based. I think you got to keep people at the core of what you do and we’re going to surround these players with great people that are really good at what they do, that really have authentic care for the player. We’re going to work our tail off in recruiting and evaluating and when we get them here, we’re going to have a very specific plan for their development.

“The game is about the players, right? I coach for the players. I’m excited for our plan. I’ve been fortunate to work with some of the best in the entire country. We’re going to implement those lessons we learned along the way but I do think there is a different level of commitment here than there has been in the past. From a facilities standpoint and an infrastructure standpoint.”

Napier comes to Florida with an intriguing resume, with his most recent stop being a four-year stint as the head coach at Louisiana-Lafayette. Napier in 2018 took over a Louisiana program that had not eclipsed six wins since 2014, and he turned the Ragin’ Cajuns into a top-25 program with apparent ease.

GAINESVILLE, FLA. — Veteran defensive backs coach Corey Raymond is leaving LSU for Florida, a big-time coup for new coach Billy Napier.

Napier officially announced Raymond as the team’s cornerbacks coach and assistant head coach for the defense Thursday.

A three-year starter at LSU (1989-91) who went on to play six years in the NFL for the New York Giants and Chicago, Raymond spent the past 10 seasons at LSU. He also served as the program’s recruiting coordinator the past two years.

Raymond’s secondary at LSU produced seven All-Americans: Eric Reid (2012), Jalen Mills (2015), Jamal Adams (2016), Tre’Davious White (2016), Greedy Williams (2018), Grant Delpit (2018-19) and Derek Stingley Jr. (2019-20).

Raymond previously spent time at Nebraska (2011) and Utah State (2009-10). His also served a prior stint at LSU (2006-08).

Napier negotiated a $12.5 million salary pool to hire 10 full-time assistants and dozens of support personnel. He is expected to part ways with most or all of former Florida coach Dan Mullen’s staff, which is preparing the team to play UCF in the Gasparilla Bowl in Tampa on Dec. 23.

Raymond joins a staff that already includes co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach Patrick Toney, director of strength and conditioning Mark Hocke, running backs coach Jabbar Juluke and offensive analyst Ryan O’Hara.