A new era of College Football has arrived for the folks in Gainesville, as Head Coach Billy Napier looks to retake the Gators’ throne as the top dog in the SEC East. Napier comes to Flordia after changing the entire perspective of the Lousiana Rajun Cajuns. There’s a lot of careful optimism surrounding the Florida program heading into the 2022 season. Florida has fourteen guys returning from last season, but how will those returning guys respond to a new system and way of doing things? The questions are valid and will be crucial storylines to follow as the Gators prepare for their season opener against Utah.

On the offensive side of the ball, the conversation this off-season shifted towards Anthony Richardson and off-season improvements made by the potential starting quarterback for the Gators. There’s no doubt that Richardson has the talent to lead the Gators in 2022, but the redshirt Sophmore lacks the experience needed to compete in the modern game of Southeastern Conference Football.

Elsewhere around the offensive side of the ball, Florida returns four on the offensive line and two in the receiving core from the 2021 season. On the offensive line, Florida has Richard Gouraige, Ethan White, Kingsley Equakun, and Josh Braun returning in 2022 to protect Anthony Richardson from the swarms of SEC defenders. Trent Whittemore and Justin Shorter will be the veteran leadership in the receiving core.

On the defensive side of the ball, Florida has eight returning starters from the 2021 season. Out of those eight guys, two returning linebackers strike up a bit of excitement for the Gator Nation heading into the 2022 season. Ventrell Miller and Brenton Cox are expected to make way for the Florida defense in the 2022 season. In particular, Ventrell Miller led the way for the Gators last season with 86 tackles.

Overall, there’s a new storm riding for the Florida Gators as Head Coach Billy Napier looks to channel the ghost of the past to bring back Florida Gators Football to its previous glory. Florida has the pieces to do so, it’s going to take time, but eventually, the Gators will return to a National Championship contending program. It won’t happen overnight, but the Gators have the right man as their Head Coach to lead the program into a future filled with Championships and glory.

Florida will open their season on Saturday, September 3rd, against the visiting Utah Utes before a massive week two matchup with the Kentucky Wildcats.