Zach Carter prepares for Death Valley

Taking on LSU in Death Valley is a rite of passage for the Gators, and the defense is looking up to the task.

Still Not Perfect

Starting the 2021 season, the Florida defense needed some work, and blame began to fall on Defensive Coordinator Todd Grantham.  The defense has slowly improved, however, leading to a shut-out against Vanderbilt. Tackling has been Florida’s biggest issue, and while Vandy went scoreless, it was not a perfect game. The Commodore’s kicker missed three straight field goals after getting deep into Florida territory. Defensive-lineman Zachary Carter believes that the best way to overcome these faults is to focus on the Gator leadership.

Carter leads the Gators in sacks, with 5.5 this season. This ties him for seventh in the league, and he hopes to increase this number this weekend.

In the Shadow of Death (Valley)

Florida-LSU is one of the best games in college football. The two teams have a history of close fought and memorable games. While Florida has lost the last two matchups, the Gators are the favored team on the road. Carter is excited for the game and believes that the defense will be up to the challenge.

While Death Valley remains one of the hardest stadiums to play in, LSU fans are expected to be low in attendance. The Tigers have not been living up to expectations, and fans are starting to lose faith in head Coach Ed Orgeron. The Gators open as 10.5 point favorites, and the defense is the goal to keep it that way. Carter and the D-Line have been slowly improving, only allowing 16.5 points a game compared to LSU’s 26.2.

The defense has slowly been building connections this season, and their teamwork is beginning to show on the field. Carter says that looking at older players such as Kaiir Elam and Jeramiah Moon has given the younger players a goal to strive towards.

.@RivalsMike highlights five players who are constructing dominant seasons, with one being #Gators DL Zachary Carter.

"He already has as many sacks (five) and one fewer tackle for a loss (eight) than all of last season."

MORE: https://t.co/DgKm2Vac6x pic.twitter.com/jDilHzji3z

— Corey Bender (@Corey_Bender) October 5, 2021

The Gators will take on LSU on Oct. 16, at noon at Tiger Stadium.