IGNITION — SUMRALL'S GATORS TORCH FAU ON THE LAUNCHPAD
We discussed the launchpad, we discussed the roster demolition, and we discussed trading the five-star show ponies for those who would chop off a statue's kneecaps.
The official conclusion of the static fire tests came on Saturday night, and thus the Jon Sumrall era launched.
Florida Gators fans, you can now drop your foam gator heads and breathe easily. In the 66-21 victory over the Florida Atlantic Owls at The Swamp, this newly assembled team has shown that the heavy machinery which Phil Trautwein brought in over the off-season actually does work. The flight deck is clear, the payloads have been delivered, and the rest of the state now knows about it.
The Grinder Takes Flight.
Remember when I said Aaron Philo wasn't a "sexy" name? I lied. Watching a quarterback actually understand the play clock and distribute the football on time is the sexiest thing I’ve seen in Gainesville in three years.
Philo ran the new OC Buster Faulkner’s system with the same cold efficiency as a sniper, mounting a fierce 38-point attack in the first half. He scored three touchdowns and quickly proved that Vernell Brown III's decision to stay was correct by hitting him with a 49-yard pass to open the scoring. Philo then exploited the Owls' secondary through passes to Bailey Stockton and Duke Clark. Also, since he's a hard-nosed player who doesn't mind making contact, Philo scored a touchdown by rushing for three yards.
There will be no confusion, no delays called as a result of the timeouts, just the quarterback taking the ball from point A to point B against the opponent's wishes.
The Angry Engine
Then there is Jadan Baugh. If you read this column during the offseason, you know I called Baugh the engine of this offense. Against FAU, that engine ran like a freight train with no brakes.
Baugh was a real demolition team in the red zone; he didn't just reach the end zone, he pushed aside the dirt to get there and managed to score three rushing touchdowns from 12, 7, and six yards out. The sight of Baugh going into the end zone is precisely what Sumrall had in mind when he talked about wanting a physical football team.
Let's consider the depth of the play. The tempo didn't slow down when the backups joined the game; Tramell Jones had a 6-yard pass with Micah Jones to end the touchdown sequence, and Patrick Durkin simply kicked a 53-yard field goal in order to make it clear to everyone that the special teams unit is awake.
Turbulence and Corrections
It wasn't a completely flawless launch. The defense hit some expected early turbulence, giving up two second-quarter rushing touchdowns to Ethan Ervin and Caden Veltkamp. It forced a halftime gut-check, and you could almost feel that classic Florida Fan PTSD creeping back in.
Rather than folding, this defense, which consisted of Sumrall's soldiers, adjusted by tightening the bolts, bowing up, and managing a complete shutout in the fourth quarter.
The Next Coordinates
The Gators (1-0) have established their violent offensive identity, but the airspace is about to get crowded.
September 12 vs. Campbell We remain at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium for a 5:30 p.m. kickoff. This is the dress rehearsal to clean up those defensive run-gap lapses.
September 19 at Auburn The first true hostile SEC environment awaits under the lights at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
This off-season we exchanged potential for production, and at the moment the level of production is terrifying. Should Philo and Baugh keep working at this high level, the Sumrall era isn't only getting off the ground—it's going to be preparing to conquer.
Strap in, Gator Nation. The payload is live.
Cody Queen is the lead columnist for the Queen Media Sports Report, bringing you the hard hitting facts, the deep dives, and the unapologetic truth about the teams you love. Queen Media Sports Report is brought to you by Backwater Royalty.
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