So far, the best week of the season for Florida football has been when it played nobody.
During their first open week, the Gators went behind their practice walls and found something. What that was, I’m still not sure.
“I’m telling you,” edge rusher Jack Pyburn said at the time. “I think there will be a different mentality when this defense steps on the field.”
It wasn’t just the defense that needed a mental makeover. The offense had sputtered against Miami and Texas A&M, the two decent teams UF had played.
The Gators didn’t just lose those games. They looked so utterly hopeless that it was hard not to snicker at Pyburn’s proclamation.
But a funny thing happened on Billy Napier’s way to the unemployment office. If you check the current SEC standings, UF is tied with Alabama and one game ahead of Ole Miss.
Who, besides maybe Pyburn and his buddies, would have thought that was possible a month ago? And was it as simple as turning a switch during the open week?
“That week was about our players taking ownership of the first part of the season,” Napier said.
How Florida football approaches Open Week No. 2
Which brings us to this week. It’s Open Week No. 2, and the Gators have taken the same approach.
Instead of resting and tweaking, they are supposedly doing a mini version of the Junction Boys. That was the name given to the survivors of Bear Bryant’s first team at Texas A&M in 1954.
He took about 100 players to a fall camp in Junction, Texas. After 10 days of 100-degree heat, no water breaks and head-knocking scrimmaging, about 30 players were still around.
The temperature’s been closer to 80 this week in Gainesville, and water breaks are actually encouraged these days. But the Junction-like approach remains at Florida’s practices.
The roster’s been split, and the units are scrimmaging. The losers run gassers at the end of practice.
“These will be very competitive,” Napier said. “We’ll be working a bunch of situations that we feel we need to improve at.”
That sounds good, but I don’t think it explains the Open Week 1 transformation. UF simply didn’t seem to have the talent or the coaching to shut out Tennessee in the first half or run against Kentucky’s defensive front.
There had to be more to the secret open week sauce Napier’s been cooking up. In hopes of finding out, I tried to peak in on Wednesday’s practice.
There was a police SUV parked on the shoulder of SW 2nd Avenue, the road runs along UF’s practice fields. Its lights were flashing, but there was nobody inside. That was a relief.
The long fence was covered with blue tarps, but I found a small gap to peer through. I could tell you what I saw, but Napier would have to kill me.
Oct 19, 2024; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Florida Gators wide receiver Eugene Wilson III (3) gestures with Florida Gators offensive lineman Knijeah Harris (77) and Florida Gators offensive lineman Austin Barber (58) after a first down against the Kentucky Wildcats during the first half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images
Not really.
Truth be told, I witnessed what had been advertised. A lot of yelling. A lot of contact. A lot of intensely simulated situations, like what they want to happen in such-and-such a situation against Georgia.
At no point did I see Napier sacrifice a goat to the football gods.
After about 20 minutes, a member of the football staff spotted me.
“I’m sorry, sir. Practice is closed,” he said. “No peeking through the gate.”
“Don’t worry,” I said. “Kirby didn’t send me.”
He knew who I meant. What Florida wants to happen against Georgia is one thing.
What will happen could well be something else, and everybody behind the gates knows it.
“The open date is coming at a good time,” Napier said.
The Gators have changed some schemes and simplified things. But there’s no great secret to what’s gone on.
Florida was stinking it up, and it got Junction-like serious about living up to its potential. If Open Week 2 turns out like Open Week 1, we will never doubt Pyburn again.
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