UF FB: Florida-Georgia Postgame Notes & Quotes

2024 Florida Football Postgame Notes

No. 2 Georgia 34, Florida 20
EverBank Stadium – Jacksonville, Fla.

OFFENSIVE NOTES

QB DJ Lagway connected with WR Aidan Mizell for a 43-yard TD pass at 0:06 in the first quarter for
Lagway’s 11th completion of 40-plus yards this season – in just three starts and 90 pass attempts.
Mizell’s 43-yard TD grab marked the longest reception of his career as well as his second-career TD
(both came this season on 40-plus yard catches).
Mizell finished with four receptions and a career-high 66 yards.
Lagway went 2-for-6 for 47 yards and one passing TD for a 154.1 rating while rushing four times for
18 yards before exiting in the second quarter due to injury.
He was replaced by redshirt freshman transfer QB Aidan Warner, who went 2-for-4 for eight yards in
the first half after taking over.
Warner finished 7-of-22 for 66 yards and one interception.
RB Jadan Baugh carried 17 times for 64 yards.
RB Ja’Kobi Jackson rushed 12 times for 74 yards, one touchdown and 6.2 YPC.
Florida led, 13-6, at the half for the team’s first halftime lead against the Bulldogs since 2020 (38-21).
WR Elijhah Badger’s 10-yard reception from Warner in the third quarter extended his streak to 34-
straight games with a catch (12th-longest active streak in FBS).
Badger had two catches for 36 yards.
Jackson scampered in for a 15-yard rushing TD to tie the game at 20-20 at 7:34 in the fourth
quarter.
For Jackson, it was his fourth rushing TD of the campaign and first since having three-straight
against Texas A&M, Mississippi State and UCF.
The Gators have punched in a rushing touchdown in seven of eight games this season, and 27 of
33 contests since 2022.
The Gators have rushed for 100-plus yards in seven of eight games this season, and 27 of their last
33 games since 2022.
In 25 of 33 games in the Napier era, Florida has registered at least one passing touchdown.
DEFENSIVE NOTES
● CB Devin Moore picked off QB Carson Beck in the first quarter for his second interception in the last
two weeks – the first Gator with picks in consecutive contests since Donovan Stiner vs. Towson and
Auburn on Sept. 28 and Oct. 5, 2019.
● CB Aaron Gates followed with an interception of Beck on the very next drive for his first-career pick.
o Gates finished with four tackles (three solo), one tackle-for-loss, one interception, one pass
breakup and one QB hurry.

● LB Jack Pyburn nabbed UF’s third interception of the day and became the second Gator to
produce the first pick of his career, doing so on Georgia’s first drive of the second half.
● Gates picked up his fourth tackle-for-loss of the season in the first half.
● The Gators logged multiple takeaways in three-straight games for the first time since delivering a
four-week stretch during the 2019 campaign (Sept. 14-Oct. 5, 2019)
● Florida has six interceptions in the last two games alone for a total of nine on the season.
● The UF defense posted three interceptions in back-to-back games for the first time since Sept. 14,
2019 vs. Kentucky (three) and Sept. 21, 2019 vs. Tennessee (three).
● LB Derek Wingo picked up his first sack of the season for a six-yard loss in the second quarter to
increase his career total to 5.5
● LB Myles Graham’s first-career sack came in a huge spot to force a Georgia punt in the fourth
quarter with UF trailing, 20-13.
● Graham also had a career-high three tackles.
● CB Dijon Johnson made his first-career start.
● DB Trikweze Bridges led Florida in tackles (eight) for the second-straight week for a total of 19 over
the last two games.
● The Gators have produced at least one turnover in 24 of 33 games in the Napier era.
● Since 1996, the Gators are sixth nationally in interceptions with an SEC-leading 421.

● The Gators recorded two sacks in tonight’s game.
o Since the start of 2021, Florida has out-sacked its opponents by a plus-18 margin.

SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES
● P Jeremy Crawshaw punted a career-high eight times for an average of 49.1 yards, featuring five
of 50-plus, four inside the 20-yard line and a long of 59.
o Crawshaw has punted for 50-plus yards on 70 of 165 career punts.
● K Trey Smack went 2-for-2 on field goals, hitting from 32 and 53 yards.
o Smack connected for his first 50-yarder of the season and the third of his career.

Explosive Plays (6)
● WR Aidan Mizell (from QB DJ Lagway): 43-yard TD reception, second quarter
● RB Jadan Baugh: 11-yard rush, second quarter
● RB Ja’Kobi Jackson: 18-yard rush, second quarter
● WR Elijhah Badger (from QB Aidan Warner): 26-yard reception, fourth quarter
● RB Ja’Kobi Jackson: 15-yard TD rush, fourth quarter
● WR Aidan Mizell (from Warner): 16-yard reception, fourth quarter
Series Updates
● Today’s game represented the 102nd all-time meeting between Florida and Georgia and 92nd
meeting in Jacksonville.
● With tonight’s loss, the Gators fall to 44-56-2 (.441) in the all-time series vs. the Bulldogs and 41-50-1
(.451) in Jacksonville.

HC Billy Napier falls to 0-3 against UGA HC Kirby Smart as head coaches.
THE STREAK
● Florida has scored in 456-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 games (1984-2014) against 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 Game Captains: #26 Jeremy Crawshaw, #6 Shemar James, #66 Jake Slaughter
● Coin Toss: Florida won the toss and deferred, Florida defended the south endzone.
● Attendance: 76,307

University of Florida Football
Media Conference
Saturday, November 2, 2024
Gainesville, Florida, USA
Coach Billy Napier
Press Conference

Georgia 34, Florida 20
BILLY NAPIER: Okay. I’m extremely proud of our team. I
think throughout this entire year the character of this group
has showed up. I think it’s a tough group and I do think
that I’m proud of the way think executed in the game today,
the effort in which they played, and the pride in which they
took in representing Florida and competing.
You know, I do think that the objective today was to come
here and put fanatical effort on the field. We wanted to
ramp up the intensity. We wanted to play with better effort.
We wanted to out-finish, out-compete, out-hustle,
out-physical, and we knew there would be poise and
composure needed.
We knew there would be momentum in the game that
would challenge the resiliency of the team. Certainly that
was the case. We felt like we understood the mission and
we felt like we had the men to do it. This group is very
unified. I think its unity is powerful, and I do think in the
last couple weeks this group has start to believe that they
can play with anybody and beat anybody.
Obviously there is a bunch of football here that could be
done better. I was proud of a lot of the players that
stepped up. We went into the game with some injuries.
We had some injuries throughout the game. But I do think
the players that had opportunities really stepped up and did
a great job for the team.
You know, I’m proud of our team. Proud to be associated
with that group in there. Obviously came up a little bit short
today, but I do think the game kind of went the way we
wanted it to. We made it ugly at times, but I do think we
had our team in position at times to win the game.
So what questions do we have?
Q. How challenging was it (regarding DJ – no
microphone.)?
BILLY NAPIER: Well, first of all, hats off to Aidan Warner.

We’re talking about a guy who didn’t go through spring
practice. Really did a lot of two-spot work in training camp.
Won the backup job or won the three job at some point in
training camp.
Then two weeks ago started taking real reps with the
second unit. So two weeks of work with the second unit.
For him to be able to go operate today, obviously made
some plays, made a handful of mistakes. They’re a really
good group on defense. We all understand that and know
that, personnel and schematically.
Yeah, it’s apparent that there was some challenges there,
but the guy made some plays. We literally tied it up. Didn’t
turn it over until late. Threw it away when he needed to.
Leaned on the defense. I thought Crawshaw was
outstanding. We played field position throughout.
Yeah, he was one of many like him that stepped up for the
team.
Q. Billy, you said on ESPN at halftime that DJ’s injury
was pretty significant. Anything else you can share
with us at the moment?
BILLY NAPIER: It’s soft tissue. We’ll have more for you
next week.
Q. … how confident were you because of the way you
were playing on both sides of the football?
BILLY NAPIER: No, I think our plan was working well, and
really continued to work well on defense and the kicking
game, and even on offense to some degree at times.
I thought third down was a challenge today. But, yeah, just
overall the effort, the physicality, fundamentals at the point
of attack, I thought we were in position for sure.
Q. What was your view on the snap? It looked a little
low to us.
BILLY NAPIER: Yeah.
Q. (Regarding momentum play.)

BILLY NAPIER: Yeah, one of many plays where maybe a
player had an opportunity to make a play and he didn’t
necessarily do it, right?
I mean, never comes down to just one play. We probably
played 180 plays out there today and there were multiple
opportunities for us to get it done.
Special teams are a team effort, and on that play, we did
not execute.
Q. Seem to be playing a little better. Week to week the
team seems to be playing with confidence despite the
injuries. What can you attribute to that? Just the body
language looks different. The product on defense has
really improved. Something you can point to or just a
process?
BILLY NAPIER: I think we have really impressive kids. I
think we have some unbelievable human beings on our
team. We don’t have a distraction. We don’t have one guy
that’s not compliant. We have no discipline issues.
We got a group that shows up on time; they work. I think
the leaders on our team have done a great job holding
people accountable. It’s becoming the expectation.
Ultimately, when it starts to work and you play toe to toe
with some of the better teams you start to believe. For the
first time since I’ve been the head coach here we showed
up and we believed we could beat that team.
I think ultimately belief is probably the most powerful in the
final value relative to what we teach. You got to have
integrity. You got to be together. You got to have
discipline. You got to have effort and toughness. If you do
all a those things consistently, then the product starts to
look the way it should look and there is a level of belief that
comes with that.
I think we have gotten to that point.
Q. Devin Moore came out of the locker room on
crutches after going down with an injury late in the
first half. Is there anything else you can you tell us
how he’s holding up?
BILLY NAPIER: Yeah, we’ll have an injury report on
Wednesday at 8:10 pm.
Q. Jadan and Ka’Kobi (indiscernible.) I saw Montrell
was dressed; he didn’t play. Because he couldn’t go
or what was…

BILLY NAPIER: Montrell wasn’t able to practice the way
we wanted him to. Wasn’t the right thing to do to put him
out there. It was a game-time decision. He wanted to
play. He was battling his tail off all week in the training
room.
Just wasn’t quite ready to play.
Q. You’re up on Tennessee; Graham goes down.
You’re up on Georgia; DJ goes down. Playing without
Tre, Montrell, some other injured players. Do you ever
feel snake-bit with these injuries?
BILLY NAPIER: Yeah, no, I don’t believe in this that.
Always been injuries in this game. Every team in the
country has injuries. One thing I can say is we built a
roster that has some competitive depth and that’s proved to
be beneficial.
You play in this league, the level of competition, the
explosive players, height, length, and speed of the game,
physicality of this game, you’re always going to need
depth.
We been fortunate to have it. Look, goes back to how you
practice. Goes back to how you install, how you teach the
two-spot practices.
Look, we have an incredible group of walk-ons that create
a practice environment that allows us to develop that
depth, and they take great pride in their role relative to
preparing the team.
It takes every person to develop a football team in terms of
how you practice, and certainly some of that work we been
doing this off-season, it’s the first time we been able to
practice like that since I’ve been at Florida.
Q. Also your quarterback room, what’s that look like
now?
BILLY NAPIER: Yeah, no, Aidan and Clay obviously have
taken a ton of reps. You know, again, Aidan, I would tell
you he’s had some really good practices the last couple
weeks. I mean, the kids love him. He has got some
self-confidence and he’s got arm talent. He cares about
Florida.
So we’ll rally around him and go put out ball down in play
again next week.
Q. How did the injuries affect you guys in the
secondary? Three guys went down on one series.
(Indiscernible.)

BILLY NAPIER: Yeah, no, I think we work though
contingency plans. We had to use them today, you know.
So just in general those guys competed their tail off, man.
I mean, the way Cormani has come on, and obviously
Trikweze, his position versatility, you know, we will be fine
there.
Q. What did you think of the defensive performance
overall?
BILLY NAPIER: Yeah, no, it was exactly the way we
wanted it to go. We affected the quarterback. We made it
sloppy. Made it ugly. We limited the explosive plays.
Made them go the distance.
Were able to get some takeaways. We obviously need to
capitalize on some of those short fields, but hats off to our
defensive staff. They had a great plan and the players
executed that plan.
We played with the type of intangibles that you want your
team to play with?
Q. (No microphone.) So many guys going down.
BILLY NAPIER: No.
Q. Despite everything that went on injury-wise for you,
Aidan got you down the field; tied the game at 20-all.
Can you go through the mindset of what those guys
are feeling down there on that field and how you’re
feeling as you’re in this game with the No. 2 team in
the country?
BILLY NAPIER: No, there is a lot of work that’s contributed
to what we experienced today. I’m just proud of the
intangibles that the kids showed.
You know, it’s not easy relative to maybe the way we
performed early in the year and the things that come with
that. For a group of young people to stick together and not
only continue to maintain their character, but to go to work
on the areas they needed to improve, stick together, never
heard a player make an excuse, complain, blame
somebody else, just work and collaborate with the staff to
get to the solutions and put the ball down in the practice
environment and work on getting better.
Leaders leading. Young players buying in and developing.
Ultimately played with several combinations of players
throughout the year.
Q. Do you know yet if DJ will come back from this
injury this season?

BILLY NAPIER: I think it’s soft tissue so those things are
sometimes subjective. We’ll get an MRI tomorrow and
have a little bit better idea. Give you a report on
Wednesday.
Q. Number one, since Aidan is more of a pro-style
quarterback, are you planning on doing any
adjustments because the O-line at times are struggling
a little bit in protection? And number two, because
you’re now down to the third guy, do you have that
feeling like sometimes you just want to put a little bit
of a leash and not make as many risks? I know DJ
liked to take off.
BILLY NAPIER: Yeah, no, I think you’re thinking the way
I’m thinking. I mean, I think your analysis is good. A lot of
things that went through my head today.
But I’m proud of Aidan. I have confidence in him. He’s
done a great job since he start taking reps a couple weeks
ago. For him to do what he did today, you know, I think
there is something to be said for that.
Look, he’ll continue to get better. You know, think about it
now, just a few weeks ago that guy is, you know, standing
around eating ice cream.
So then all of a sudden Graham Mertz is down, I’m the two.
You know, then here we go two weeks later it’s
Florida-Georgia and mid second quarter I’m trotting on the
field and I have a locker room of players that I have a
responsibility to.
So hats off to Aidan in term of how you handled that today.
Q. Just kind of expanding a little bit more on the
defense. Now six interception in the last two games.
What do you think is the reason you guys have been
able to force so many turnovers, especially today
where those — all three interceptions really kept you
guys in and had a big impact on the game.
BILLY NAPIER: Yeah, I think the rush and the coverage
are working well together. I think we’ve been able to make
them hold it a little bit. I think we done a good job sewing
up some of our zone concepts and principles. You know,
just I think we’ve gotten better at every level of the defense.
I think the front and the edges have gotten better inside
backers; secondary. I think all three of those combined.
Look, it goes back to leadership on that side of the ball
co-elaborating with the staff. Embarrassed with how they
played in the beginning of the year.