Tre’Vez Johnson Talks Gators D

Time to Bounce Back

The 20th-ranked Florida Gators are coming off a deflating 20-13 loss to an unranked Kentucky Wildcats squad that has caught fire. The Wildcats are now 5-0 and ranked ahead of Florida. For the Gators, they dropped to 3-2 and the loss likely dashed their hope at an SEC Championship berth.

However, they can look to their defense’s secondary unit as a bright spot. Gators safety Tre’Vez Johnson made an impact in the game, intercepting Kentucky quarterback Will Levis. The secondary as a whole showed out in Lexington, holding Levis to just 87 yards on 7-for-17 passing. While the Gators still lost, there were positives to draw from the game and Johnson maintains an aim to not dwell on the loss and bounce back. He says the only way the Gators can move forward is “staying positive and coming out here ready to work.”

Ready to Work Indeed

The Gators are now gearing up to host the Vanderbilt Commodores for their Homecoming weekend game. The matchup will make it four consecutive SEC opponents for the Gators. Unfortunately for Florida, they have lost two of the previous three. Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Johnson emphasized that he hates losing. “Beat Vanderbilt,” he responded when asked what the Gators’ goal is now. Despite the loss to Kentucky, the Gators are still heavily favored to beat Vanderbilt. The Commodores present an opportunity for Johnson and the rest of the defense to take advantage of. Vanderbilt comes into the game having scored just 16 points per game, a figure that ranks in the bottom five among all Division I FBS schools.

Good news for the Gators’ defensive outlook continues as Johnson is liking what he’s seeing on defense. The safety commented on defensive coordinator Todd Grantham’s ability to put him and his teammates “in the spot to make plays.” Johnson also praised his teammates’ physicality and covering ability, saying that “everybody in the secondary has a good attitude” and “[comes] ready to work everyday.” Florida’s game against Vanderbilt will kickoff on Saturday at noon in the Swamp.