2021 Florida Football Postgame Notes
Missouri 24, Florida 23 (OT)
November 20, 2021
Memorial Stadium at Faurot Field – Columbia, Mo.
Florida Competes in First Overtime Game in Six Seasons
● Today marked Florida’s first overtime contest in 76 games – since Nov. 21, 2015, when Florida defeated Florida Atlantic, 20-14.
o This is the first-ever overtime game in the all-time series between Florida and Missouri. o This is the first time in nine games of this series that the outcome has been determined by fewer than 17 points.
● Quarterback Emory Jones caught his first-career receiving touchdown on his second-career reception, opening the overtime period with a six-yard receiving score from wide receiver Trent Whittemore.
o Whittemore improved to 3-for-3 on pass attempts for 41 yards and two touchdowns this season.
Gators Offense
● With 360 total yards today at Missouri, Florida’s 5,284 yards this season is its second-most through 11 games in the last 20 seasons, trailing only the 2020 campaign (5,597).
o This is Florida’s sixth-highest total through 11 games dating back to 1965.
● Florida now has 2,369 total rushing yards this season following today’s 93-yard showing on the ground, which is the program’s third-highest total (2008, 2009) through 11 games since 1990. o This is Florida’s ninth-highest rushing total through 11 games dating back to 1965. ● With today’s performance, Florida has now out-gained its opponent in 10 of 11 games this season. o Florida out-gained Missouri, 360-286.
● With 45 rushing yards at Missouri, quarterback Emory Jones moves into a tie with Tim Tebow (2008) for third all-time in program history for single-season rushing yards by a quarterback with 673. o Jones is one of three Gators quarterbacks to rush for 600-plus yards in a season (Tim Tebow, Terry LeCount).
o Only Tim Tebow has rushed for more yards in a single season
● Quarterback Emory Jones eclipsed 3,000 career passing yards with 261 yards through the air today. o Jones now has 3,019 career passing yards.
● Emory Jones recorded his sixth-career 200-yard passing game today (all in 2021) including his third straight.
● Running back Dameon Pierce found the endzone one time today to bring his season total to 14 total touchdowns (11 rushing, three receiving).
o Pierce entered the game ranked third in the SEC in touchdowns with 13.
● Wide receiver Trent Whittemore’s 45-yard reception from quarterback Emory Jones marked the longest catch of his career.
● Wide receiver Jacob Copeland caught a career-high eight receptions today while finishing with 102 receiving yards.
o Copeland’s previous single-game career high was six receptions, set at Kentucky on Oct. 2, 2021.
● Emory Jones caught his first-career receiving touchdown on his second-career reception, opening the overtime period with a six-yard receiving score.
Gators Defense
● The Florida defense held Missouri to 19 total yards including just one rushing yard on three carries in the first quarter of play.
● The Gators held the Tigers to 11 rushing yards in the first half.
o Running back Tyler Badie, who entered the game leading the SEC in rushing by more than 200 yards, was held to just 19 rushing yards on eight carries (2.4 YPC) in the first half. ▪ Badie had 38 yards on his first-12 carries.
● The Gators recorded a season-high 10 tackles for loss in today’s game.
o Florida tied its season high of seven TFLs by the end of the first half.
● After converting on their first third down of the game, Florida stopped Missouri on 10-consecutive third downs thereafter (1-for-11) before the Tigers converted on their 12th third down. o Missouri finished 3-for-15 on third-down conversions.
● Entering the game ranked sixth in the SEC and tied-for-41st nationally with 25.0 sacks this season (2.50 per game), the Gators recorded four sacks at Missouri to bring their season total to 29. o Florida’s 150 sacks since Mullen’s debut 2018 season rank first in the SEC and fourth nationally.
o Florida ranked tied-for-14th in the FBS and second in the SEC with 34 sacks last season. ● Defensive lineman Zachary Carter recorded 1.5 sacks and 1.5 TFLs today to bring his season total to 8.0 sacks and 11.5 TFLs.
o Carter entered the game ranking tied-for-fourth in the SEC (t-29th in FBS) with 6.5 sacks and tied-for-seventh in the conference with 10.0 TFLs.
● Safety Rashad Torrence eclipsed 100 career tackles with seven tackles in today’s game. He now has exactly 100 career tackles and 75 in the 2021 season.
o Torrence entered today’s game with 93 career tackles including 68 this season. ● Defensive lineman Antonio Valentino recorded his first-career sack as Gator in the second quarter to force a Missouri fourth down and eventual field goal.
o Valentino also set a career high with two tackles for loss.
o This is Valentino’s seventh-career sack overall (had 6.0 at Penn State).
● Eight different Gators registered at least 0.5 TFLs today: Brenton Cox, Ty’Ron Hopper, Amari Burney, Zachary Carter, Khris Bogle, Mohamoud Diabate, Antonio Valentino and Gervon Dexter. ● Ty’Ron Hopper set career highs with 12 tackles (11 solo) and two TFLs.
o Hopper topped his previous career high of seven total tackles in a game.
o Hopper paced the team in tackles in today’s game.
Florida Special Teams
● Jeremy Crawshaw punted eight times for an average of 38.6 yards with a long punt of 67 yards (second longest of career), five punts inside the opposing 20-yard line and two 50-plus yard punts. ● Kicker Chris Howard hit a career-long field goal of 42 yards to open the scoring at 3-0 on the first drive of the game, topping his previous career best of 32 yards.
o Howard improved to 7-for-7 in his career on field goal attempts.
▪ Howard also connected on a 26-yard field goal in the second quarter to put
Florida ahead, 6-3, and a 33-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to tie the game
at 16-16.
o Howard set a single-game career high with three field goals.
Explosive Plays
● Malik Davis: 15-yard rush, first quarter
● Jacob Copeland (from Emory Jones): 16-yard reception, first quarter
● Emory Jones: 15-yard rush, first quarter
● Kemore Gamble (from Jones): 19-yard reception, second quarter
● Jacob Copeland (from Jones): 49-yard reception, second quarter
● Trent Whittemore (from Jones): 45-yard reception, third quarter
● Justin Shorter (from Jones): 19-yard reception, third quarter
● Malik Davis (from Jones): 26-yard reception, fourth quarter
● Malik Davis (from Jones): 17-yard reception, fourth quarter
● Emory Jones: 10-yard rush, overtime
Series Updates
● Today’s game represented the 11th all-time meeting between Florida and Missouri including the fifth time the two teams faced off in Columbia.
● With today’s loss, Florida falls to 5-6 against Missouri and 2-3 against the Tigers in Columbia. o Florida is still 2-1 vs. Missouri across the last-three meetings and 4-3 against the Tigers dating back to 2015.
o UF HC Dan Mullen falls to 3-2 (2-2 at UF) against Missouri.
● Mullen falls to 1-1 vs. Missouri head coach Eliah Drinkwitz.
o Mullen’s Gators defeated Drinkwitz’s Tigers, 41-17, last season.
● In four games vs. UM under Mullen, UF has outscored UM, 104-85 (+4.75 PPG), and out-gained UM, 1,583 yards to 1,261 (+80.5 YPG).
● UF has totaled 300-plus yards and 200-plus passing yards in seven-straight games vs. Missouri.
● Florida held Missouri under 300 total yards for the third-consecutive meeting.
● This is the first time in nine games of this series that the outcome has been determined by fewer than 17 points.
Other
● UF has scored in 421-consecutive games — which is an NCAA record.
o The Gators broke Michigan’s record of 365-consecutive games (1984-2014) against LSU on Oct. 7, 2017.
o The next-closest active streak belongs to TCU, as the Horned Frogs have scored in 366- straight contests.
● Florida has finished with fewer than 10 penalties in 41 of its last 43 games.
● Florida Game Captains: #6 Zachary Carter, #20 Malik Davis
● Missouri won the toss and deferred; Florida received and defended the north end zone. ● Attendance: 47,818
2021 Florida Football Postgame Zoom Quotes
Dan Mullen, Florida Head Coach
Missouri 24, Florida 23 (OT)
November 20, 2021
Opening statement…
“Just way too many mental mistakes and opportunities to make plays we didn’t make in critical moments of the game. That’s our seventh-straight loss in one-possession games and that’s on us coaches. Just got to create the mental toughness for the guys to make sure we have the right guys in the right position to make a play when the game is on the line and we haven’t been able to do that. It’s really disappointing that way.”
On where the team goes from here with one game left…
“You know, the Florida football program is going to be here for a long time. It’s not about one game. It’s about getting the program better. Go play next week. You play seven days from now and finding a way to make the program better.”
On whether he thought about going for a field goal at the end of the fourth quarter… “We were. We were, and on the first play, we called a draw on the first play and our running back slipped and fell backwards. So, at that point, we had a great look for it. It looked like – you know, you’re trying to go call a draw, you think they’re going to be back in coverage. Get the drive kind of started right there, but he slipped and fell. At that point, you’re kind of like, ‘okay.’ That slowed us down there.”
On his assessment of the run defense…
“It was solid at times; not solid at times. You know. Let me look at the stats here. I thought we contained [Tyler Badie] most of the night. 27 carries though but still gave up 146 yards rushing to their running back. Overall, it was okay.”
On his future…
“We had meetings last week about what direction we need to go in the future with assistant coaches and who we’re going to bring in here and what our candidates are looking for the future and changes we need to look to make. I’ve had those discussions with him. For the Gator Nation, that’s seven times we’ve lost one-score games in a row over the past couple of years. We’ve got to find a way to make that one more play for the Gator Nation right there. That would be a seven game swing, which would be a pretty big swing right there, you know over the last couple of years.”
On whether he considering going to Anthony Richardson…
“Anthony’s been banged up, had more injuries in practice this week, so it was limited in his opportunity, in his ability to practice. So, no.”
On running the ball on first down at the end…
“Well, you’re going to try to get the drive going in a two-minute drive. You know they’re going to be back in prevent pass defense, so you call the draw on the first play to kind of get the drive going. We were in our two-minute mentality, two-minute mode coming off the sidelines. You’re trying to look to get in that situation. You’re looking to get an eight-yard gain on the first play. Then you get into the two-minute rotation. There’s all different philosophies. You go in for the first call of a two-minute drive, but in that scenario we thought, ‘Hey, they’re going to be spread out’ and they were. They were in a split front, with two-three techniques. We called a drop play to go hit it and we slipped and fell. So, at that point, we actually probably have the next three plays called. But we changed it once that happened and it was second down and 14.”
On his emotions…
“Obviously disappointed right there. You put a lot of work in and another close game that we didn’t find a way to pull out here in the end. So it’s obviously disappointing. You look at it: double the penalties and almost triple the yards with penalties, at critical moments in the game. Our ability not to score down in the red zone. We don’t create any turnovers on defense. I guess, we created one and it got taken away from us. Kicking game, we’d kind of like make a good play and then make bad plays. So I’m obviously disappointed. You’re obviously disappointed ‘cause you want to come out … as a coach, I want to try to make sure I’m putting these guys in a position to go succeed and do really well and make plays all the time when they have opportunities to. And we’re not doing that. So that’s disappointing.”
On what he saw on the last play of the game…
“We got lined up, we had the call, and we had a timeout available. I said, ‘Hey are we ready for what, expect what they’re going to do out of that formation.’ They said ‘yeah.’ I asked if you want to take the timeout just to go over, they said, ‘no I think we got it covered.’ On that scenario, there’s that conversation going on. There was that conversation before they even went on the field. To see how they come out and line up and are we comfortable with what they’re going to do. We felt we’d have it defended. We had a guy right in the quarterback’s face, obviously weren’t able to make the play and then we blew the coverage.”
On the unpredictability of the season…
“We’ve got to be mentally tougher. That’s the coaches. We have to make sure that we are mentally tougher in that way with our preparation.”
On conversations with athletic director Scott Stricklin…
“I mean, the conversation we had is really, this is, what are different things we need to do to improve? So, I mean, we’ve always worked pretty well together that way of looking at it and looking at where we are, what we need to do. What are some problems? What are some issues? How do we fix those issues? Where can we make improvements?”
On his commitment to being at Florida…
“Yeah. I love being the coach of the Gators. You know? I mean, we’re out there trying. We’re giving it everything we have, every single week. We go in there, try to coach our guys up, try to put them in position. Try to motivate them. I think our guys, like I said, our guys have got a great attitude this whole year. At practice guys come out, they work. I mean, it’s pretty unfortunate. It’s tough. It’s a play here and there and looking at our guys, that’s on us. It’s making sure that we have got every aspect of the game covered and our players have every aspect of their preparation covered to make that one more play. It’s tough. Losing seven-straight one-score games is tough. That’s a tough one.”
On whether he feels the fanbase has turned on the team unfairly…
“Fans are, they can do whatever they want. I don’t always see it. I’ll be perfectly honest with you. I know maybe you guys get it or you guys have a lot of that stuff. When I walk around everybody I see is very, very supportive. We do that long walk to practice every day and everybody I see is extremely positive and supportive and I see that from a lot of our fans. I think they love the Gators. They want to win. We want to win. I think they see a team that goes out there and gives really good effort. It’s a little inconsistent with what we’ve been able to do.”
On what went wrong today…
“Had the opportunities to make plays, didn’t make them. We’ve got to be much better. Just a tough one.”
On the early field goals and not finishing through…
“That really hurt. Some great opportunities to make plays and we missed some reads there. We’ve got to find a way to buckle down and have the attention to detail to win close games. I think that’s, like, six in a row we’ve lost one score games. That’s on us as coaches. We’ve got to get them right and find a way to win those games.”
On penalties…
“Every critical moment of the game, penalty went against us. Again, it’s a tough one. We’ve got to get better.”
On the overtime touchdown play…
“I had that set up there for that situation.”
On Missouri going for two and Florida almost getting to the quarterback… “We did. Again, had a chance to make a play and we didn’t. Just a shame. We came up a point short.”
On the effort level….
“We’ve got to have the mental effort match the physical effort of our guys right there and not make some critical errors.”
2021 Florida Football Postgame Quotes
Florida Student-Athletes
Missouri 24, Florida 23 (OT)
November 20, 2021
#55 Antonio Valentino, Redshirt Senior, Defensive Lineman
On the loss…
“Obviously it doesn’t feel good, but I’m trying to look at things from a positive standpoint. Defensively, I think we played lights out all night except for a couple plays that were extremely late in the game. That’s what I’m taking this as. As a defense, a lot of people were questioning us, questioning our desire and willingness to play, especially after the last week, giving up as many points as we gave up. I’m taking this as: our defense came together, and we played together as one. As C-Rob always says, ‘Play as one.’ I think we did that tonight. Obviously, we are backed into a corner. We were backed into a corner a majority of the season. You got two options when you are in a corner. You either die in the corner or you fight out. The best part about that is, to me, that we’re still in the corner and we still got another opportunity to fight outside of it. Get ourselves out of the situation that we’re in. Obviously, no, it doesn’t feel good. I don’t know what happened on the last play. I didn’t see anything, obviously. It doesn’t feel good, but I’m trying not to look at everything super negative. I’m just trying to figure out how I can help my team get better.”
On rallying around Coach Mullen…
“I wouldn’t have come to the University of Florida if I didn’t believe in Coach Mullen. What we have to do is we have to take everything extremely seriously. He gave a talk to us after the game. He was talking about attention to detail and how seriously everything has to be taken, not that everybody is not taking everything seriously, but when it comes to being a Florida Gator and playing to that championship caliber and expectations, the details have to be extremely important. Everything has to sharp. Everybody has to be sharp and do their responsibilities on all phases of the ball: offense, defense and special teams. That’s what coach has been saying. I wasn’t perfect tonight. None of us were perfect tonight, but there’s always room to grow and really hone in on what coach is saying and not take anything personal or anything like that. Just listen to the message of what coach is saying. That’s what I’m doing. I’m going to do my best in the locker room in all situations to echo his message. That’s my coach. What he says to us, to me, is very important. Whatever coach says, that’s what we’re doing, and I got his back.”
On the run game…
“I don’t think anything changed. I think he had two explosive runs early in the third quarter. That was it. You watch this guy’s film, you give him a seam his going to make you pay for it. A couple times he found a seam and he got the yards he was capable of getting. I still think defensively we did our jobs. We came out there, didn’t let the pressure get to us, so we just tried to go out there and execute.”
