2024 Florida Football Postgame Notes
No. 8 Tennessee 23, Florida 17 (OT)
Neyland Stadium – Knoxville, Tenn.

OFFENSIVE NOTES

Florida deployed a two-QB system for the fourth-straight game, and for the third-consecutive
contest, QB Graham Mertz handled the first, second, fourth and fifth drives of each half while QB DJ
Lagway manned the third possession (no sixth drive of first half).
o Lagway started the second half for the first time in the four weeks of UF’s two-QB system.
o Mertz was 11-of-15 for 125 yards and one TD for a 165.3 rating before leaving due to injury.
o Lagway finished 9-of-17 for 98 yards, one TD, one interception and a 109.0 rating.
Lagway hit WR Chimere Dike for a 27-yard touchdown with 0:29 remaining in the fourth quarter to
tie the game at 17-17.
WR Eugene Wilson III returned to action for the first time since Week 2, catching five passes for 35
yards.
RB Montrell Johnson Jr. rushed 12 times for 85 yards (7.1 YPC).
WR Elijhah Badger recorded a reception for the 32nd-consecutive game, which ranks 11th in the
FBS.
TE Hayden Hansen had a career-high three receptions for a total of 40 yards.
TE Arlis Boardingham scored the first TD of the game with a 13-yard reception from Mertz in the
third quarter.
o It represented Boardingham’s second touchdown of the season including his second in
the last three games.
The Gators totaled 194 yards to Tennessee’s 130 in the first half.
o Mertz (8-for-11) and Lagway (3-for-3) combined for 11-for-14 passing and 121 yards in the
first half.
o Five different Gators caught multiple passes in the first half: Badger, Hansen, Boardingham,
Dike and Wilson III.
Mertz has thrown for a touchdown in 30 of his last 34 starts including 15 of his 16 starts as a Gator.
In 24 of 31 games in the Napier era, Florida has registered at least one passing touchdown.
The Gators have rushed for 100-plus yards in five of six games this season as well as 25 of their last 31
games since 2022.
Florida has won the time of possession battle in 13 of 18 contests since the start of last season.
● By totaling 49 more yards than Tennessee, the Gators have out-gained their opponents in 17 of
their 31 games since 2022.
DEFENSIVE NOTES
● The Gators have at least three sacks in four of six games this season for a grand total of 16.
● Florida’s first-and-second-quarter shutouts of Tennessee marked just the fourth and fifth quarters the
Vols have been blanked in this season.
o The Gators shutout the Vols in the first half (second time for UT this season), as Tennessee
did not even manage to reach the red zone.
o Florida has six tackles for loss highlighted by three sacks in the first half.
● The Gators registered multiple takeaways (two) for the first time this season.
● Florida forced a turnover on the opening drive of the game, as LB Grayson Howard recovered a
Nico Iamaleava fumble.
o The Gators have produced a turnover in five of six games this season and 22 of 31 games
in the Napier era.

● The fumble recovery marked the second of Howard’s career – his second in the last three games.
● DB Trikweze Bridges and DL Brien Taylor Jr. combined for a first-quarter tackle-for-loss, marking the
first of the season for Bridges and increasing Taylor Jr.’s season total to 1.5 TFLs.
o Bridges made his first start as a Gator.
● Florida logged three sacks on Tennessee’s third drive alone.
● LB Jaden Robinson notched his first-career sack for UF’s first of the game.

● DE Tyreak Sapp recorded UF’s second sack of the game to increase his season total to a team-
high 3.5 sacks.

● EDGE George Gumbs Jr. and Robinson then combined for UF’s third sack of the drive.

● DT Cam Jackson and DL Caleb Banks teamed up for a second-quarter TFL.
● DB Sharif Denson intercepted Iamaleava in the second quarter for UF’s second takeaway.
o The interception was Florida’s third of the season and second in as many games.
o Since 1996, the Gators are sixth nationally in interceptions with an SEC-leading 415.
● Denson finished with one interception, 1.0 TFL and three tackles.
● The Gators recorded three sacks in tonight’s game.
o Since the start of 2021, Florida has out-sacked its opponents by a plus-19 margin.
o Florida’s 217 sacks since 2018 season ranks second in the SEC and 11th nationally.
● DL Desmond Watson picked up his first-career pass breakup at the line of scrimmage.
● Florida held its opponent to under 200 passing yards for the 13th time in the Napier era.
SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES
● LS Rocco Underwood recorded his third tackle of the season to lead all FBS long snappers.
● P Jeremy Crawshaw punted five times for an average of 44.8 yards, highlighted by two punts inside
the 20-yard line, two of 50-plus yards and a long of 59.
o Crawshaw has punted for 50-plus yards on 63 of 153 career punts.
● K Trey Smack went 1-for-2 on field goal attempts, hitting from 42 yards out and missing from 47
yards in overtime.
o Smack improved to 6-for-7 on the season.
● WR Chimere Dike returned consecutive fourth-quarter punts for 30 and 27 yards.
● LS Gannon Burt made his collegiate debut in the fourth quarter.
EXPLOSIVE PLAYS (13)
● WR Chimere Dike (from QB DJ Lagway): 17-yard reception, second quarter
● WR Arlis Boardingham (from Lagway): 20-yard reception, second quarter
● TE Hayden Hansen (from QB Graham Mertz): 17-yard reception, second quarter
● RB Montrell Johnson: 23-yard rush, second quarter
● WR Elijhah Badger (from Mertz): 18-yard reception, second quarter
● RB Montrell Johnson Jr.: 13-yard rush, second quarter
● WR Chimere Dike (from Mertz): 25-yard reception, third quarter
● RB Montrell Johnson Jr.: 20-yard rush, third quarter
● QB Graham Mertz: 15-yard rush, third quarter
● WR Eugene Wilson III (from Lagway): 18-yard reception, third quarter
● RB Jadan Baugh: 12-yard rush, fourth quarter
● RB Ja’Kobi Jackson: 13-yard rush, fourth quarter
● WR Chimere Dike: 27-yard TD reception, fourth quarter
SERIES UPDATES
● Today’s game represented the 54th all-time meeting between Florida and Tennessee and 28th
meeting in Knoxville.
● With tonight’s loss, the Gators fall to 32-22 (.593) in the all-time series vs. the Vols and 14-14 (.500) in
Knoxville.

HC Billy Napier falls to 1-2 against UT HC Josh Heupel as head coaches.
Florida has totaled 300-plus yards of offense vs. Tennessee in 10-straight games and in 15 of the last
16 meetings.
The Gators have rushed for 100-plus yards in 18 of the last 19 matchups with Tennessee.
THE STREAK
● Florida has scored in 454-consecutive games — an NCAA record and 53 games longer than any
other college football team in history.
o Florida broke Michigan’s record of 365-straight games (1984-2014) vs. LSU on Oct. 7, 2017.
o The last time Florida was shut out was on Oct. 29, 1988 vs. Auburn (L, 16-0).

GAME DETAILS
● Florida dropped to 5-6 all-time in overtime games, 0-3 on the road and 0-2 vs Tennessee (1998).
● Florida Game Captains: #56 OL Austin Barber, #88 DL Caleb Banks, #15 LB Derek Wingo
● Coin Toss: Florida won the toss and deferred, Florida defended the north end zone.
● Attendance: 101,915

2024 Florida Football Postgame Quotes
Billy Napier, Florida Head Coach
No. 8 Tennessee 23, Florida 17 (OT)
October 12, 2024

Opening statement…
“The first thing would be I have a ton of respect for the young men in that locker room and the way
they competed in the game. They were prepared and in the right frame of mind, and attacked it. I
do think they played extremely hard; played with passion. All three parts of our team. Certainly, the
tale of the tape is the missed opportunities in the first half on offense. We had many opportunities to
score points and left a ton of points out there. Couple short-yardage situations. And then obviously
the sneak, fumble on the one-yard line. But defensively, man, I have to say, our guys kept us in the
game. I thought we had a great plan. We kept the routes in front of us. We played really good on the
perimeter. I thought we did a nice job creating some negative plays. And then, obviously, did a
good job on conversion downs and able to affect the quarterback. What a game. Obviously, had a
few injuries there. And then, certainly, Graham [Mertz] getting banged up was a big part of the
game. And then DJ obviously rose to the occasion and got us back in it there with a big throw at the
end to tie it up. I just think we left a lot of opportunities on the field in the first half in terms of points.
And ultimately, this was one of those games where the margin was really small. Our staff had the
team ready to play. Thought we had a good plan. I think our kids fought their tail off. I have a ton of
respect for that. We made some plays in the kicking game. Obviously, had the miscue right before
half. There’s no question that we had a substitution issue there, but we would not be in the game
without the special teams’ performance. Those punt returns were critical. I certainly thought we had
control of the field position throughout.”
On electing not to go for the two-point conversion after Tennessee’s timeout…
“Well, we had a play that we felt good about. And then, obviously, they burned their timeout. I think
we felt, from the three there, that we were playing pretty good on both sides of our team at that
point in time, so we felt like, let’s go play overtime. We give our guys a chance to play some more
plays. I thought defensively, we kept ourselves in it. Wasn’t quite ready to do that at that point in
time.”
On having 12 men on the field at the end of the first half…
“It was relative to an injury, just to be cut and dry. It was a substitution error based off an injured
player that stayed on the field. That’s exactly what it was.”
On the status of the injuries to Graham Mertz and Montrell Johnson Jr…
“I think it’s tough. Obviously, Graham played phenomenal in the game, in my opinion. I thought he
was lights out. Really prepared well. He came to play. He does have an injury. Lower-body injury.
We’ll give you some updates on that once we get to next week. But, it was significant enough that
he couldn’t complete the game. Montrell Johnson was in that category as well. Wasn’t able to
return. And then, R.J. Moten had an injury. That was a little bit of a setback.”

On whether he still believes the team is improving after the loss…
“I would think the defensive performance and then just our ability to move the ball throughout. We
had opportunities in the red area. I think we’re 3-of-6 in terms of scoring opportunities. Ultimately, that
was the tale of the tape. Fumble on the one-yard line. Third-and-one, we get stopped. Forced to kick
a field goal. We got for it on fourth-and-one, great play by their corner running over the top. Great
tackle. And then we missed the field goal in overtime. Technically speaking, just a ton of missed
opportunities in terms of points in the first half.”
On what stood out to him about the UF defense…
“Well, we played with good gap integrity. I thought the line of scrimmage, on the edges, we tackled

well. We mixed in the pressures. We were able to create some negative plays. We made some long-
yardage situations. And then ultimately, we were able to get off the field. We were pretty good on

conversion downs throughout the day. Defensively, we kept ourselves in the game. We had a
chance to really take control of the game in the first half, and we missed on those opportunities.”
On what he saw from Jadan Baugh and the running backs in Montrell Johnson Jr.’s absence…
“Those guys are all capable players. Jadan, Ja’Kobi [Jackson], those are rookies, right? But, I do think
that they’re both very capable. Certainly, Jadan has already done some good things this year, and
we have a ton of confidence in both players. They practice the right way. They have character.
They’re smart, they’re tough and they’re productive. So, we’re going to continue to give those guys
the ball.”

2024 Florida Football Postgame Quotes

Florida Student-Athletes
No. 8 Tennessee 23, Florida 17 (OT)
October 12, 2024

6 Shemar James, Junior Linebacker

On the team’s defensive improvements…
“It was great for us, to see the improvements week-to-week. It starts in practice, going against the
offense each and every day, they make us better. It was great to see the product get put on film.”
On what has powered the defensive turnaround…
“I would say it’s the competitiveness at practices. The support staff that helps us get better, each and
every day. It’s a bunch of hands-on learning, and like I said, going against this offense each and
every day, they make us better. We make each other better.”
On what he saw from Tennessee’s offense in the first half versus the second half…
“They changed it up on us, coming out of halftime. It was up to us to adjust, and we came up short
on that. Now, it’s getting back to the drawing board and getting ready for the next game.”
On the team’s expectations through the first half of the season and moving forward …
“We always have high hopes, for this team, for each other. This is something we weren’t expecting,
but you can’t cry over spilled milk. It’s a next-week mentality, next-game mentality, next-job
mentality. We can’t cry over losses or what may happen, all we know is that we have to come in
next week and get a win.”
On the takeaways forced by the defense…
“We preach about takeaways in practice. We run takeaway drills in practice and it was great to see
that come to the film on Saturdays. I wish we could have had a little more.”

17 Chimere Dike, Senior Wide Receiver

On how important it is for the team to stay together…
“Yeah, I think it’s huge. I think that we have the type of character of guys in the locker room that is
needed and definitely a tough one today, but you have two choices: you can either fold or you can
respond and keep getting better, and I want to pick the latter of the two and get to practice on
Monday and get to watch the film tomorrow. It’s a tough pill to swallow, but you know we got to and
we got to move on and get better.”
On the mood in the locker room at half…
“I think that we knew that as long as we were taking care of the things we needed to take care of,
especially offensively, you know we could’ve maybe had some more points, but we had confidence
going into the second half we were going to be able to clean those things up. Obviously, looking
back on it, you wish that you would’ve in the first half as well. You know those are things that you
can’t change. Now, you gotta move on and improve.”
On rallying around DJ Lagway…
“Yeah, obviously it’s tough. Graham is our leader. Guy who has had a lot of experience and is a big
part of our team. I think DJ did a really good job responding in that situation and going to work. I think
he fought his tail off and that’s all you can ask for.”
On the forced usage of true freshmen in the backfield due to in-game injuries…
“Super proud of those guys [QB DJ Lagway and RB Jaden Baugh]. It’s a big moment. Obviously, a
huge game and the way that they played and competed for four quarters, you gotta respect that
and they definitely are going to be a huge part of this team moving forward.”
On how important it is to move on from this…
“Yeah, I think obviously you have to go in tomorrow and be honest with yourself about what you
need to clean up. I think that’s the first thing. But then after that you can’t cry over spilled milk. We
got more games to play, and we got a really good team in the locker room. We just know we have
to put things together and we are going to continue to have a really good week of practice, and go
in The Swamp on Saturday and compete.”