From the Ashes.

[Soapy]

Week 3 Preview: vs. Florida Gators
Last Year's Record: 2-10, 1-7 SEC
Head Coach: Rich Rodriguez
Offensive Scheme: Spread Option
Defensive Scheme: 3-2-6

Recruits in Attendance
Keke Hagg [QB #4]: 6'2", 214lbs | Clearwater, FL (IMG) | 5-star
Davon Momah [WR #3]: 6'3", 205lbs | Tampa, FL | 5-star
Darrius Keyes [RG #4]: 6'3", 306lbs | Jacksonville, FL | 4-star
Alonzo Dubois [ILB #9]: 5'11", 229lbs | Jacksonville, FL | 4-star

Returning Team Leaders
Passing: None
Rushing: Treyaun Webb (152 yards, 2.7 ypc, TD)
Receiving: Eugene Wilson III (50 receptions, 694 yards, 7 TD)
Blocking: 24 sacks allowed
Defense: Justus Boone (46 tackles, 4 TFL, 11 sacks)

Last Meeting
CFB 2024 Regular Season, Week 1 - Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville, Florida
Miami Hurricanes 17 - 14 Florida Gators
--- QB Cam Ward: 28-42, 332 yds, 2 INT
--- WR Xavier Restrepo: 10 rec, 132 yds
--- WR Eugene Wilson III: 4 rec, 92 yds, TD
--- LB Shemar James: 17 tkl, 2 TFL

Florida Gators Projected Starters
QB #2 D.J. Lagway, Sophomore | 6'3", 239lbs | 82 ovr, 88 spd, 85 acc, 79 awr, 91 thp, 87 sac, 85 mac, 71 dac
HB #21 K.D. Daniels, Sophomore | 6'0", 197lbs | 89 ovr, 91 spd, 97 acc, 99 cod, 81 car, 96 btk, 88 spm, 99 jkm
WR #3 Eugene Wilson III, Junior | 5'10", 183lbs | 89 ovr, 93 spd, 97 acc, 91 cth
WR #11 Aidan Mizell, Rs Sophomore | 6'2", 186lbs | 83 ovr, 96 spd, 97 acc, 87 cth
WR #88 Marcus Burke, Rs Senior | 6'4", 197lbs | 78 ovr, 93 spd, 95 acc, 82 cth
TE #87 Gavin Hill, Rs Sophomore | 6'3", 246lbs | 82 ovr, 78 spd, 86 acc, 83 cth, 79 rbk
LT #58 Austin Barber, Senior | 6'6", 314lbs | 82 ovr, 93 str, 84 pbk, 82 rbk
LG #79 Damieon George Jr, Senior | 6'6", 345lbs | 82 ovr, 93 str, 78 pbk, 79 rbk
C #66 Jake Slaughter, Senior | 6'5", 308lbs | 89 ovr, 85 str, 88 pbk, 88 rbk
RG #77 Knijeah Harris, Junior | 6'3", 321lbs | 80 ovr, 88 str, 83 pbk, 76 rbk
RT #63 Caden Jones, Rs Sophomore | 6'8", 327lbs | 82 ovr, 98 str, 78 pbk, 77 rbk
---------------
DE #94 Tyreak Sapp, Senior | 6'3", 272lbs | 84 ovr, 79 spd, 83 str, 82 pmv, 86 fmv, 79 bsh
DE #19 T.J. Searcy, Junior | 6'5", 262lbs | 81 ovr, 80 spd, 88 acc, 87 str, 70 pmv, 82 fmv, 78 bsh
NT #11 Kelby Collins, Junior | 6'4", 278lbs | 84 ovr, 86 acc, 88 str, 82 pmv, 82 fmv, 86 bsh
LB #6 Shemar James, Senior | 6'1", 229lbs | 86 ovr, 84 spd, 90 acc, 84 awr, 88 tkl, 71 bsh, 75 mcv, 75 zcv
LB #5 Myles Graham, Sophomore | 6'1", 228lbs | 82 ovr, 84 sdp, 92 acc, 61 awr, 99 tkl, 89 bsh, 70 mcv, 81 zv
SPEAR #27 Dijon Johnson, Rs Sophomore | 6'1", 200lbs | 79 ovr, 91 spd, 95 acc, 67 awr, 72 mcv, 83 zcv, 86 press
CB #2 Ja'keem Jackson, Junior | 6'1", 189lbs | 88 ovr, 91 spd, 95 acc, 86 awr, 89 mcv, 73 zcv, 89 press
CB #25 Cormani McClain, Junior | 6'2", 175lbs | 86 ovr, 92 spd, 95 acc, 78 awr, 86 mcv, 68 zcv, 86 press
FS #4 Jordan Castell, Junior | 6'2", 210lbs | 86 ovr, 88 spd, 90 acc, 84 awr, 80 tkl, 77 mcv, 74 zcv
SS #13 Aaron Gates, Rs Sophomore | 6'1", 196lbs | 78 ovr, 88 spd, 91 acc, 67 awr, 70 mcv, 72 zcv
SPUR #18 Bryce Thornton, Junior | 5'10", 210lbs | 77 ovr, 88 spd, 92 acc, 70 awr, 73 mcv, 76 zcv
K #29 Trey Smack, Senior | 6'1", 200lbs | 82 ovr, 94 kpw, 84 kac
P #18 James Rivera, Freshman | 6'1", 199lbs | 67 ovr, 77 kpw, 84 kac
R #10 Tank Hawkins, Sophomore | 5'10", 176lbs | 92 ovr, 97 spd, 94 acc, 96 acc, 93 cod, 91 return

Hard Rock Bet™
Spread: Miami -6
Moneyline: Miami -229
Over: 52

[six7]

did the old squad dirty

[Soapy]

Miami WR Jeremiah Smith on the brink of superstardom as Gators await
Gabriel Lake -- 247 Sports Miami Insider

Ohio State's coaches were able to convince Jeremiah Smith, when he was coming out of college, that the best place for him to realize his potential as the next generational receiver was to come to Columbus. Mario Cristobal, a year later, sold Smith on that opportunity and more at Miami.

Through two games, Smith's gamble has paid off, leading the ACC with 266 receiving yards and scoring his first Miami touchdown last week against USF. Smith will play in his first rivalry game as a Miami Hurricane this Saturday when the Hurricanes host the Florida Gators.

"I came to Miami to play in games like these," said Smith on Tuesday, "You approach every week the same way with the same amount of intensity and preparation but some games, you know in the back of your mind that there will be more juice in the stadium and you have to be ready for it."

Cormani McClain to make first career start
Smith will likely matchup with a cornerback that Miami fans should be familiar with in Cormani McClain. McClain was at one point committed to the Hurricanes before flipping to Colorado and Deion Sanders at the eleventh hour, following in the footsteps of Travis Hunter. McClain lasted one year in Boulder before transferring to Florida, where he was a reverse and recorded fifteen tackles in twelve games.

McClain was listed as a starter in Florida's official depth chart, opposite Ja'Keem Jackson and listed as a team captain. The talented McClain has dealt with off the field issues and questions around his work ethic but the junior does appear to have put that behind him and was given a fresh start with a third coaching staff with Rich Rodriguez taking over for Billy Napier.

Miami's coaching staff has taken the high road when asked about McClain, whose recruitment certainly ended with a sour note.

"We wish all the young men that we recruit success wherever they end up," said Mario Cristobal when asked about playing McClain, "You wish that young man the best. Let him go and have great success. He might've been a Miami Hurricane... might not have been one... He's not one right now, and it doesn't matter. Go on and have great success, and I think all parties will be just fine."

Florida's 3-2-6 defense could be just what the doctor ordered for Miami's running game
Miami's offensive line had a tough outing against USF as Nicholas Vattiato was harassed all game and they were called for five penalties as a unit, negative several big plays.

Mark Fletcher Jr. and Chris Johnson Jr, Miami's top two backs, are averaging 4.5 yards per carry but have yet to break off a long run and most of Fletcher's yards coming after contact. This week against Florida, which features a defense with six defensive backs and only three down linemen, should be the perfect opportunity for Miami to establish the running game.

Defensive coordinator Luke Olson's 3-2-6 defense will make its Florida debut after the Gators' season opener against Bethune Cookman was cancelled due to inclement weather. While the defense worked in the Sun Belt and should improve Florida's chances of slowing down Miami's passing offense, it remains to be seen how effective it will be against the running game and in the SEC.

While Florida struggled last year, their defense was a bright spot at times, holding Miami to just seventeen points, intercepting Cam Ward twice and mostly keeping Miami's running game in check. Under Olson, the Gators are featuring lighter defensive linemen and lighter boxes, instead relying on two extra defensive backs near the line of scrimmage at SPEAR and SPUR to assist against the run.

Florida transfers Devin Moore, Kamari Wilson downplay playing their former teammates
Miami landed two former Florida transfers in cornerback Devin Moore, who started at corner for the Gators last year, and safety Kamari Wilson who spent one year in Gainesville before transferring to Arizona State. Moore was made available to the media and reiterated that it's business as usual for them.

"They're a rival and we know that this is a big game for our program and for the state," said Moore, "But from a personal standpoint, I don't have any negative feelings or anything like that towards [Florida] and I don't think Kamari [Wilson] does either."

Both defensive backs were the prized get of Florida's 2022 recruiting class, which ranked 17th in the country. Of the top five recruits of the class, only Shemar James remains as Chris McCellan is at Missouri and Jamari Lyons is at USF.

[Soapy]

did the old squad dirty

sometimes you gotta whoop somebody you love smh

[The Sauce]

It’s an interesting storyline to watch during a week that should focus the run game

[The JZA]

Jeremiah gonna have a breakout szn, cash it

[Soapy]

It’s an interesting storyline to watch during a week that should focus the run game

yessir, we gonna run the football in this household but if Cormani punk ass every matched up with Jeremiah, best believe the ball going to Uno

Jeremiah gonna have a breakout szn, cash it

The CPU WR sim stats are so inflated that he might not be an All-American but he does have a good shot at breaking some Miami records. would need over 85 receptions, 1172 receiving yards and 13 catches. That's seven catches, 97 yards and a TD per game in the regular season alone

[The JZA]

That's seven catches, 97 yards and a TD per game in the regular season alone

Make it 8 Rec, 100 Yds, 2 TD

[Baze]

Even Rich Rodriguez can't save these Gators

[Soapy]

That's seven catches, 97 yards and a TD per game in the regular season alone

Make it 8 Rec, 100 Yds, 2 TD

let's get it

Even Rich Rodriguez can't save these Gators

belt still coming