Curious to be taught extra in regards to the 100-year-old Trippi — a reputation that resonated however with out a lot readability — I discovered my solution to Newspapers.com. Trippi performed in an period unfathomable to the Gators and Bulldogs making ready for subsequent weekend’s showdown in Jacksonville.
When Florida and Georgia tangle at TIAA Bank Field in 9 days, barring a shift at the highest of the AP Top 25, it would mark the sixth time within the rivalry’s historical past that one of many faculties is ranked No. 1. The Gators entered atop the ballot in 1985, 1996 and 2009. The No. 1-ranked Bulldogs are set to for the second consecutive season.
The first time it occurred, Trippi was a Georgia sophomore enjoying within the shadows of Frank Sinkwich, the Bulldogs’ star operating again and 1942 Heisman Trophy winner.
In essentially the most lopsided sport within the historical past of the Florida-Georgia rivalry, Trippi scored two dashing touchdowns, returned an interception for a 60-yard landing and handed for a rating in No. 1 Georgia’s 75-0 win over the Gators. The loss left Gators coach Thomas Lieb shocked.
“My boys did their best, but they were beaten by the greatest football team Floridians have ever seen, or probably will ever see again,” Lieb said afterward. “Georgia has essentially the most misleading cross sample we now have needed to face. Their receivers have been just too quick to cowl, and the way in which the Georgia line operates, the cross protection of that crew was invincible. Well, there have been seven interceptions, and you may simply add that up. Four of them arrange touchdowns.”
Three years handed earlier than the subsequent time the Gators needed to take care of Trippi in 1945. He enlisted within the Army Air Corps in 1943 as World War II thundered. He returned to the Bulldogs halfway by the 1945 season and set a then-SEC single-game dashing file when he ran for 239 yards in a 34-0 win over the Gators. Trippi completed his faculty profession in 1946 with one other standout efficiency towards the Gators in a 33-14 win, inserting second within the Heisman Trophy race that season to Army’s Glenn Davis.
With each the Gators and Bulldogs off this week, we pay tribute to a legend of this nice rivalry. Perhaps a second of silence earlier than subsequent weekend’s sport is so as.
Meanwhile, Gators head coach Billy Napier will get his first style of Florida-Georgia in 9 days. The bye week for his crew got here at an ideal time following the 45-35 dwelling loss to LSU.
Napier’s debut within the rivalry appears a great time to assessment how earlier Florida coaches fared towards the Bulldogs. Here is a more in-depth look:
GATORS COACHES VS. BULLDOGS
| COACH | VS. GEORGIA | NOTABLE |
| Charles McCoy | 0-2 | Led UF in first matchup towards Georgia in 1915, a 37-0 loss |
| Al Buser | 0-1 | Lost his solely Florida-Georgia sport, 16-0, in Tampa in 1919 |
| William Kline | 0-1 | Suffered a 56-0 loss, 3 blocked punts at Athens in 1920 |
| Tom Sebring | 0-2 | Lost 32-9 at Georgia in ’26 after six-year break in sequence |
| Charles Bachman | 2-2-1 | First UF coach to beat Georgia, 26-6 win in Savannah in ’28 |
| D.Okay. Stanley | 0-3 | No success towards Bulldogs, outscored 35-0 over 3 defeats |
| Josh Cody | 1-3 | A 6-0 win in ’37 snapped UF’s 8-year drought vs. Bulldogs |
| Thomas Lieb | 1-4 | Highlight for Lieb an 18-13 upset of Georgia in 1940 sport |
| Raymond Wolf | 1-3 | Lone win in ’49 behind Chuck Hunsinger‘s 174 yards dashing |
| Bob Woodruff | 6-4 | His 30-0 win over Georgia in ’52 ushered in new period in sequence |
| Ray Graves | 6-3-1 | Established his presence with 22-14 upset win in 1960 sport |
| Doug Dickey | 3-6 | Bulldogs a thorn in Dickey’s tenure, by no means greater than ’76 loss |
| Charley Pell | 0-5 | Lindsay Scott, 1980 loss outlined rivalry throughout Pell years |
| Galen Hall | 2-3 | He received off to nice begin with 27-0 shutout of Dawgs in ’84 |
| Gary Darnell | 0-1 | As interim HC, second-half lead vanished in ’89 in 17-10 loss |
| Steve Spurrier | 11-1 | Head Ball Coach owned Bulldogs from begin, a 38-7 win in ’90 |
| Ron Zook | 2-1 | Won first two, however already doomed earlier than 31-24 loss in ’04 |
| Urban Meyer | 5-1 | Revamped offense, re-established UF dominance in ’05 win |
| Will Muschamp | 1-3 | Former Georgia participant lastly received win in sequence in last season |
| Jim McElwain | 2-1 | Like Zook, gained first two, however destiny sealed with 42-7 loss in ’17 |
| Dan Mullen | 1-3 | Pulled off a win in 2020, however could not preserve tempo in recruiting |
DEALING WITH DEFENSE
The Gators spent the bye week centered on high quality management, reviewing each aspect of the crew on and off the sector to see the place enhancements could be made within the second half of the season.
The protection tops the listing.
Florida is ranked 77th amongst FBS groups in scoring protection (28.1 factors per sport), 106th in complete protection (429.3 yards per sport), and lifeless final in third-down protection (131st), permitting opponents to transform 52.6 % (51 of 97) on third down.
That shouldn’t be what Napier nor his defensive coordinator, Patrick Toney, had in thoughts of their first season collectively at UF. And evidently, they’ve heard the moaning on social media about Florida’s incapacity to get off the sector on third down, a development that proved pricey as soon as once more within the loss to LSU.
“There’s lots of factors that contribute to that,” Napier stated. “We’re in the middle of that entire process, relative to evaluating all of the areas that contribute to winning football. I think at times this year we’ve played good defense, and then at times we’ve not played good defense.
“I feel it is very fixable. There’s no magic capsule, or secret potion right here. I feel there’s plenty of contributing elements and we’re in the midst of making an attempt to make some changes there.”
Statistically speaking, Florida’s best defensive performance came in its 26-16 loss to Kentucky. Florida limited the Wildcats and quarterback Will Levis to 272 total yards. Florida has held only one other opponent, Missouri, to under 400 yards. The Tigers amassed 370 yards in a 24-17 loss to the Gators.
The unit’s struggles are multi-faceted according to Napier, and include coverage, alignment, tackling and communication issues.
“The issues that we can management are the issues that we’re centered on,” he stated. ” Fundamentals, communication, alignment, and certainly playing good team defense. Being on the same page at the first, second, and third level. Then finishing, when given an opportunity. We’re looking for more consistency as a whole from individual players, from position groups and the unit as a whole.”
Meanwhile, as followers vent their frustration on social media, do not count on Napier, who is simply seven video games into his tenure, to start out tossing gamers and coaches underneath the bus. He understood the roster challenges previous to the season and nothing has modified.
He additionally backs Toney, who helped him construct a winner at Louisiana and led to his transfer to Florida. The Ragin’ Cajuns completed twenty second nationally in complete protection (334.6 ypg) a season in the past on the way in which to a 13-1 season and Sun Belt Conference championship.
“No one cares more than we do. No one cares more than our players do.” Napier stated. “No one cares more than our staff does. And certainly, no one cares more than Patrick. Absolutely one of the best coaches I’ve ever been on staff with and I’ve been around some of the elite coaches. And he had a lot to do with our defensive turnaround at the previous stop. He’s extremely bright and evaluating things objectively, technically, and making the necessary adjustments.
“We’ve received good folks within the constructing.”
There isn’t any relaxation for the weary.
The Gators face subsequent a Georgia crew averaging 41.7 factors (third in SEC) and 526.6 yards per sport (second in SEC). And for the file, Georgia converts 52.4 % (44 of 84) on third down, trailing solely Ole Miss (53 of 96, 55.2 %) within the convention.
BRAUN DEPARTS
Offensive lineman Josh Braun seemed the half, a bearded 6-foot-6, 351-pound hulk of a human. But in Napier’s first season, Braun hardly ever performed the half as a reserve glued to the sideline.
He began seven of 13 video games a season in the past, however after showing in solely two of seven video games this season, Braun introduced on social media this week that he has left the crew and plans to enter the switch portal on Dec. 5.
Braun’s announcement got here after he didn’t play in final week’s loss to LSU regardless of a lower-body damage to beginning proper guard O’Cyrus Torrence. Richie Leonard IV received the beginning nod in Torrence’s absence.
“I apologize to my teammates for the timing of this announcement and departure, but I must do what is in the best interest of myself and family,” Braun said in a statement. “I’ve cherished each second that I’ve been a Gator, and I sit up for the subsequent chapter of my life.”
Braun, who signed with Florida out of Live Oak Suwannee (Fla.) High, got married over the summer. In his statement, he said he plans to transfer as a UF graduate after the season and has a conflict in his studies with football.
Napier wished Braun well on Wednesday during his scheduled appearance on the Southeastern Conference coaches media call.
“Interesting choice relative to being proper in the midst of the season,” Napier said. “A lot of issues occurring there relative to massive image for him personally together with his spouse, his diploma, definitely his function on the crew. Josh has been a category act. Wants extra of a job. We’ve received nothing however respect in Josh and positively will assist him going ahead in any means potential.”
Braun arrived at UF as a prime 300 nationwide recruit. He initially dedicated to Georgia earlier than flipping to the Gators. He finishes his Gators profession with eight begins and 26 video games performed.
QUOTE OF NOTE
“I don’t necessarily know that it’s one specific thing. One thing I do know is that there’s been a lot of possessions and third downs, or whatever the case may be, individual plays when we’ve done it well. Consistency is the key, right? And this is a game that requires 11 players do their job to have success. So ultimately, that’s what we’re looking for. We’re looking for more plays where we’ve got 11 players doing their job with consistency.” — Napier on protection
EXTRA POINTS
Napier praised operating again Lorenzo Lingard for incomes enjoying time within the loss to LSU. Lingard, fourth on the depth chart behind Montrell Johnson Jr., Nay’Quan Wright and true freshman Trevor Etienne, performed significant snaps towards the Tigers. He rushed thrice for 16 yards. “Lorenzo has worked extremely hard, in particular as of late,” Napier stated. “He’s had phenomenal practices. I think he’s been much more intentional in the meetings and the walkthroughs. Lorenzo earned that and we gave him an opportunity. I thought he did a really nice job.” … Torrence, the switch from Louisiana who has graded as the highest guard within the nation in response to Pro Football Focus, has returned to apply. He missed the LSU sport resulting from a lower-body damage. “He’s making great progress,” Napier stated. … Meanwhile, Napier stated Wright has not been on the damage report after questions surfaced why he was not among the many 33 non-starters to play within the LSU sport … According to the analytics-driven ESPN.com Matchup Predictor, Florida has solely a 6.9 % to beat No. 1-ranked Georgia … The Bulldogs opened as a 15.5-point favourite in response to ActionNetwork.com.