Kyle Engel at fall camp with the Florida Gators (Isabella Marley/ UAA Communications).

Gator Offense on Day 13 of Fall Camp

Ellie Shreve August 20, 2022 College Football, Football, Gators Football, Gators Sports 724 Views

The Florida Gators returned to the football practice field on Friday under the blazing sun for Day 13 of fall camp. As fall camp nears its end and the home-opener against Utah grows closer, the urgency and excitement of the team are rising. Media members stepped foot on the practice field, welcomed by blaring speakers and a new intensity to practice. Below are the biggest takeaways and observations of the Gator offense from Friday’s media viewing session. 

Quarterbacks 

Florida’s season undoubtedly rests on the shoulders of starting quarterback Anthony Richardson. Richardson exposed Gator Nation to his explosive talent last year.  However, the redshirt sophomore seems to have come a long way in practice. 

Richardson has been working hard at developing his passing game while stepping into the leadership role on the team. “I think he’s getting more comfortable in that leadership role and the things that come with being the quarterback at the University of Florida,” Napier said during media availability on August 9. 

While Richardson has received a lot of praise from his teammates and the coaching staff, he was also complimented by three former Gators who made their return to the swamp on Friday. Gator greats Trey Burton, Brandon Siler, and Kevin Carter all spoke following Friday’s viewing session. 

Carter says he’s very impressed with Richardson. 

While Richardson’s talent is undeniable, he struggled at remaining healthy last year. Florida would feel much more comfortable knowing there is a strong backup quarterback on hand. Jack Miller III was a promising choice to fulfill the role but Miller will be out for some time as he has undergone surgery on his right thumb. 

The Gators are now left with redshirt freshman Jalen Kitna, true freshman Max Brown, and redshirt sophomore walk-ons Kyle Engel and Jack Anders. During Friday’s viewing period, the quarterbacks worked in the following order during drills: Richardson, Engel, Brown, Kitna, and Anders.

During the media availability on August 9, Napier spoke highly of both Kitna and Engel. Napier explained how Kitna is the player he has seen the most growth in, “fundamentally he’s thrown the ball much more consistently and much more accurate,” Napier said. 

Napier also commended Engel for being a walk-on player that was awarded a scholarship for the spring and summer semesters due to his hard work. “He’s provided some depth there and really has a good understanding…a smart, intelligent player that’s got character and that brings a lot to our team and locker room,” Napier added. 

Engel was observed receiving more reps than usual during Friday’s practice. It was also good to see Kitna participating in the routes-on-air drills as he makes his return from a small procedure and undisclosed injury. Additionally, the quarterbacks were being watched by two NFL scouts, one from the Cincinnati Bengals and one from the Kansas City Chiefs. 

Wide Receivers 

Ricky Pearsall made his return to the practice field for the first time on Friday, after being out from practice for over a week due to bone bruises in his left foot. Despite only participating in a few blocking drills, it was encouraging to see him back out on the field.

Justin Shorter was seen wearing a non-contact jersey for the first time. Shorter did not participate in any of the drills with the wide receivers for the duration of the media viewing period. 

Marcus Burke returned to full participation after spending Wednesday’s viewing period confined to the sidelines on a stationary bike. The sophomore wideout ran impressive routes, catching every pass from Richardson and Brown with accuracy and speed. 

In addition, Ja’Markis Weston also participated in a routes-on-air drill after being observed in a non-contact jersey during Wednesday’s viewing period.

Tight Ends 

The tight ends began the viewing period by working on chute drills with position coach William Peagler. 

Peagler demanded the players execute the drills with precision. “Veterans first” he shouted as the tight ends lined up to begin the drill. The unit transitioned to working on blocking with sled drills soon after. 

Junior Keon Zipperer and redshirt junior Dante Zanders are expected to get the most playing time within the unit. Zanders looks the strongest during the blocking drills.

Redshirt freshman Nick Elksnis and sophomore Jonathan Odom have also been putting forth a strong performance. Odom stood out among the unit during Friday’s viewing session, as he received praise from Peagler during his reps.

Additionally, freshman tight end Arlis Boardingham was observed in a non-contact jersey working with the trainer in the south end zone. 

Running Backs 

The running backs spent the media viewing portion of practice working on routes with the quarterbacks alongside the wide receivers. Redshirt sophomore Nay’Quan Wright stood out on several passes from Richardson. Wright’s quick footwork and speed makes him easy to spot on the practice field.

Similarly, Lorenzo Lingard had a good day at Friday’s practice as he showcased his agility on every route. 

Offensive Line 

Offensive lineman Ethan White made his return to practice, dressed in a non-contact jersey. White was absent during Wednesday’s viewing session, after participating the previous day. He also was out for Florida’s first scrimmage of fall camp. 

Additionally, offensive lineman David Conner was absent from Friday’s viewing period. Multiple sources have shared the cause to be an undisclosed illness. 

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About Ellie Shreve

Ellie is a third-year sports and media journalism major at the University of Florida.

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