Earlier than he was even employed, Billy Napier gained a number of Gator hearts when he stated, “Scared cash don’t earn a living.”
He pushed all his chips onto the checkerboard desk that was Neyland Stadium on Saturday. It didn’t work out, however the Gators ought to have reclaimed a number of hearts and hope within the course of.
Tennessee gained 38-33 in a rollicking offensive extravaganza. It wasn’t over till Tennessee intercepted Anthony Richardson’s desperation heave towards the tip zone on the ultimate play.
That was about 50 performs later than when most thought the sport can be determined.
“There have been loads of instances we may have put our heads down and stop,” Richardson stated. “However we stored preventing.”
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The gambler on fourth down
You probably have purchased a UF “Scared cash don’t earn a living” T-shirt, the slogan means you’ll be able to’t be afraid to lose cash with the intention to notice massive returns later. Napier’s Let-‘er-Rip strategy was worthy of the best rollers in Las Vegas.
The Gators went for it six instances on fourth downs and transformed 5 of them. That allowed them to maintain buying and selling punches till the tip with Hendon Hooker and the explosive Vols.
It additionally allowed Tennessee followers to launch years of pent-up frustration in a single afternoon. the particulars:
UT had misplaced 16 of the previous 17. Josh Heupel has descended like a savior from the clouds. Saturday was alleged to mark a hinge level within the rivalry.
That’s why the Vols had been 10½-point favorites. That’s why Tennessee designated it a “Checker Neyland” sport, with followers carrying orange or white shirts to type an enormous checkerboard.
That’s why ESPN’s “Faculty GameDay” was in Knoxville with its pregame mob scene. Everyone on set picked the Vols, aside from Kirk Herbstreit.
“There was three hours of Tennessee love. All this speak about Tennessee,” he stated. “I simply image Florida sitting of their resort room getting mad.”
Then Lee Corso capped the festivities by placing on an enormous Smokey the hound canine head. Whether or not it was three hours of Tennessee love or a artful sport plan or each, the Gators performed as in the event that they felt like throwing their TVs out of their resort home windows.
The feistiness flowed. Napier even received a private foul for protesting a name. Below that placid exterior is a gambler who would not wish to be crossed.
You noticed his aggressiveness on the primary drive, when UF went for it on 4th-and-1 from its personal 40. It didn’t work, however the Scared Cash tone had been set.
“It was required,” Napier stated. “I simply consider in it.”
Particularly towards a group like Tennessee. To paraphrase Steve Spurrier, you don’t beat the Vols kicking area targets.
Passing sport lastly breaks by way of
One fourth-down conversion led to a second lengthy within the making — a landing cross.
It had been 276 days because the final one. Let historical past document that at 4:29 p.m., the drought was damaged with a Richardson 44-yard toss to Keon Zipperer.
Let historical past additionally document that Tennessee responded with a TD at about two minutes later. No Gator was inside 15 yards of Bru McCoy when he caught a 70-yard cross.
“Once we return and watch the movie, I feel there are going to be 12-15 performs the place Florida beat Florida,” Napier stated.
Most of them had been on protection. No one anticipated UF to stifle Heupel’s hurry-up assault. However the Gators by no means even pressured a punt as UT rang up 576 yards of whole offense.
That was 18 fewer than Florida had, which raises the query: Will the true Anthony Richardson please rise up?
His working means appeared to fade the previous two video games. That was partly as a result of defenses adjusting to him, and partly to UF wanting to maintain him wholesome.
Warning was not within the playbook Saturday. Richardson gained 62 yards on 17 carries. These weren’t eye-popping numbers, however working appears to loosen up Richardson.
He accomplished 22 of 44 passes for 453 yards. For the primary time in virtually a month, he regarded like he was having enjoyable.
“He flipped the change and competed within the sport,” Napier stated. “He confirmed who’s at present.”
Which ends up in one other query: Did the Gators present who they had been on Saturday?
On protection, you’d higher hope not. However AR’s resurgence alone ought to get Gator Nation out of its funk. So is the resiliency UF confirmed by taking so many haymakers from Hendon and never wilting.
Then there’s the Scared Cash angle.
It didn’t repay Saturday, however you get the sensation the Gators will ultimately begin cashing in.
— David Whitley is The Gainesville Solar’s sports activities columnist. Contact him at dwhitley@gannett.com. Observe him on Twitter @DavidEWhitley.
