GAINESVILLE — Florida State coach Billy Napier begins spring practice Thursday, looking to set a new direction for a struggling program entering its third year.
Napier welcomes 30 new scholarship players and four new assistant coaches, and UF continues to have two offensive line assistants, the newest coach being Jonathan DeCoster.
Searching for answers, leaders, playmakers and momentum, the Gators will hold 15 practices in six weeks, culminating in the April 13 spring game at the Swamp.
While hope springs eternal, questions abound.
How much can you learn about DJ Ragway?
Landing the nation's No. 1 quarterback is key to Napier's long-term future. The 18-year-old will also have to wait his turn.
Graham Mertz returns for his second season in Gainesville after reviving his career by transferring from Wisconsin. Lagway sees Mertz, 23, as a mentor, but he will need to step into that role in 2024.
What Lagway can offer should start to take shape in the coming weeks.
The 6-foot-2, 238-pound Texas native has dual-threat abilities that Mertz lacks. Lagway could be the downfield passing threat that Mertz was unable to muster in 2023. Among SEC schools, UF's 14 completions of at least 30 yards were fewer than hapless Mississippi State.
Many envision Lagway filling a Tim Tebow-like role and Mertz doing the job Chris Leake did in the 2006 NCAA title game.
Ragwei first needs to develop comfort in the offense, timing with receivers and leadership in the huddle.
Tebow, another five-star QB, had a mediocre performance as an early enrollee in 2006. High-profile LSU flipper Feleipe Franks was a disaster in 2016, with three interceptions on four pass attempts in the spring game.
Tebow became a legend, but Franks, who had a lot of turnovers, was a textbook case of not realizing his potential.
Ragway's every move will be monitored and evaluated. Only time will tell what that really means.
What position group is there?
After a 5-7 season, every unit has a lot to prove, but none more so than the offensive line.
The Gators were unable to generate a consistent push in the run game, while Mertz took a hit, starting with being sacked five times in the season-opening loss to Utah, and playing in eight of those games. Then the opponent got downed at least three times.
UF has options with rebuilding the unit.
Damion George, a transfer from Alabama, has eight penalties at right tackle and may be a better fit inside. Meanwhile, Austin Barber's move to left tackle was controversial. His big redshirt sophomore, Kamryn Waits (6-8, 365 points), may also be better at guard than tackle.
Brandon Crenshaw-Dixon could be the most important of UF's 11 transfers. The 6-foot-6, 310-pound starter has started 37 games over the past three seasons at San Diego State, playing 18 on the left side and 19 on the right side.
Arkansas offensive tackle transfer Devon Manuel, a 6-foot-9, 310-pound three-star prospect who played in one game in 2023, is a possibility. Meanwhile, reserve guard Knijah Harris is poised to emerge as part of the Interior squad, as is fellow redshirt freshman Roderick Carney.
Longtime O-line coach Rob Sale and DeCoster are trying to keep the team together after Darnell Stapleton's departure from the NFL left Napier with a two-coach philosophy in the trenches.
No matter what, the Gators need to take big steps up front.
Will more voices on offense improve UF's offense and limit mistakes?
Napier's decisions calling plays the past two seasons have drawn criticism. Although he intends to remain in the role, the 44-year-old will likely seek enough input to focus more on the overall operations of the Gators.
He recently hired veteran coach Dan Enos as an analyst and promoted tight ends coach Russ Callaway to co-offensive coordinator with Sale.
Analyst John Donovan, who served as offensive coordinator at Penn State, Vanderbilt State and Maryland State under James Franklin, and in the same role at Auburn State, Fresno State and Boise State. Including Eric Kiesau, who played the role, UF now has four former OCs.
More brainpower could either improve UF's offense or give them too many cooks in the kitchen.
As 2023 progressed, the Gators offense improved.
UF averaged 19 points in the first four games against FBS opponents and 33.5 points in the next six games before Mertz suffered a season-ending injury at Missouri. His 30.5 points per game in college SEC play ranked fifth.
However, continued problems with clock management, use of timeouts and mistakes in substitutions undermined that effort. Delegating some offensive responsibilities may help.
Is Ron Roberts playing defense now?
First-time Power 5 coordinator Austin Armstrong's fast start quickly fizzled out, and the Gators' D faltered, averaging 38.2 points during a season-ending five-game losing streak.
When inside linebackers coach Jay Bateman left Dec. 21 to become defensive coordinator at Texas A&M, Napier turned to Roberts. The 56-year-old worked with Napier during his first two seasons at the University of Louisiana (2018-19) and has a strong relationship with Armstrong, calling him a “rising star” in an interview with the Orlando Sentinel last year. is.
Roberts could now light the way forward for Armstrong, 31, and a struggling defense.
“There's a mentorship there,” Napier said. “We’re getting people who can coach our coaches.”
New secondary coach Will Harris and defensive line coach Gerald Chatman are the 30-year-old duo replacing 50-something veterans Corey Raymond and Sean Spencer, who didn't always see eye-to-eye with Armstrong. is.
No matter who leads the show, Roberts will be a steadying force.
Can Napier finally fix special teams?
The “third phase” of the game was full of errors for two seasons.
The addition of New England Patriots assistant Joe Houston was a positive step, but much work remains as he works with embattled analyst Chris Couch.
Mistakes abounded in 2023, costing a lot of money.
During overtime of a 39-36 loss to the University of Arkansas, a 5-yard penalty and a 44-yard missed kick were incurred for a substitution violation late in the game after the field goal unit ran onto the field when the offense attempted to spike the ball. connected. Written by Trey Smack.
In the 24-11 season-opening loss to Utah, cornerback Jason Marshall and receiver Eugene Wilson III ran onto the field at the same time after the Gators were forced to punt. Each wore the number 3, causing chaos on the sideline, which was a recurring theme.
UF had 10 players on the field against the Utes, one of five times the Gators fielded too few players in a special teams game.
Every aspect of special teams, from operations to personnel to philosophy, is in dire need of a deep clean.
Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com.
