They’re gonna hate to see how different Mertz looks next year too with a weaker running game and no Pearsall.
Enjoy the love while you have it Graham.
This is 1000% true.
Here is their 2023 running production. We all know that Montell Johnson followed Slingblade Billy from Louisiana, he's not going anywhere. And Graham Schmutz may never be allowed to run again. Which leaves RB Treyaun Webb and WR Eugene Wilson and their combined 32 rushes in 2023. They have one 3-star commit in Kahnen Daniels. That's it. So unless Treyaun Webb becomes A GAWD or they hit a grand-slam in the Portal, they are SCREWED in the run next year:
As for the passing game, I don't give a **** if DJ Lagway gets a lobotomy and enrolls at Florida, he will have nobody to throw to. If Eugene Wilson enters the Portal, they are dead. Their second-most productive returning WR is a walk-on. Their Top 5 returning receiving corps includes two TEs and one RB. They have 4-stars Jerrae Hawkins and Tawaski Abrams coming in, plus a 3-star. Without another grand-slam from the Portal, this is NOT looking good, and not because I hate the Gators. Outside of Eugene Wilson, here are the blue-chip WRs that Slingblade Billy has "developed":
Andy Jean (2023 Billy recruit) - 6 receptions in 2023
Aidan Mizell (2023 Billy recruit) - 2 receptions in 2023
Marcus Burke (2021 Mullet recruit) - 6 receptions in 2023
Ja'Quavion Fraziars (2020 Mullet recruit) - 4 receptions in 2023
Returning production:
WRs - 102 receptions (23 from walk-ons)
TEs - 39 receptions
RBs - 34 receptions
AND SLINGBLADE BILLY HAS A BACKGROUND AS A WIDE RECEIVERS COACH! Imagine if Cristobal was terrible at developing blue-chip OLs.
Teams will be able to triple-cover Eugene Wilson without any difficulty...