Sneak peek: Florida
AUBURN | Auburn’s 2019 football schedule begins with a big non-conference matchup, includes a long road trip in September, three more in October and ends with two huge rivalry games at home.
Today, we continue an early look at each opponent with the a road trip to a former annual rival.
WHO: Florida (10-3 last season, 5-3 SEC East)
WHEN: Oct. 5
WHERE: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium (91,916)
SERIES: Auburn leads 42-38-2 (last meeting 2011)
WHAT’S NEW: In his second season at Florida, Dan Mullen brought in veteran NFL and college coach Torrian Gray to work with the cornerbacks and veteran college coach David Turner to work with the defensive line. Gray coached at UF in 2016 while Turner worked under Mullen at Mississippi State from 2013-15.
WHO TO WATCH, OFFENSE: Feleipe Franks will enter his third season as Florida’s starting quarterback and the second in Mullen’s system. He completed 188 of 322 passes (58.4 percent) for 2,457 yards with 24 touchdowns and six interceptions as a sophomore. He also rushed for 350 yards and seven touchdowns on 110 carries. He was the first UF quarterback since John Brantley in 2010 to start every game of a season.
WHO TO WATCH, DEFENSE: Starting defensive end Jabari Zuniga had a strong junior season with 45 tackles, 11.0 tackles-for-loss, 6.5 sacks and four quarterback hurries. He’s already being projected as a first round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
OUTLOOK: Florida improved by six wins in Mullen’s first season and with 13 returning starters plus a top 10 recruiting class, optimism is high in Gainesville that the Gators are on their way back to the competing for SEC and national championships.
Franks will be surrounded by some talented skill players. Leading rusher Lamical Perine is back at running back plus Malik Davis is healthy after two injury-shortened seasons. The Gators’ top three receivers return led by former Ole Miss transfer Van Jefferson, who caught six touchdown passes last season. The offensive line is the biggest question mark on the team with only one starter, senior center Nick Buchanan, returning.
Florida should be strong upfront on the other side of the ball. Along with Zuniga, UF returns starting defensive linemen Kyree Campbell and Adam Shuler. Two of four linebackers return but Louisville graduate transfer Jonathan Greenard may be the best of the bunch at Buck. He had 15.5 tackles-for-loss and seven sacks for the Cardinals in 2017 before suffering a season-ending injury in the first game of 2018.
The secondary is stacked with all four starters returning including junior cornerback CJ Henderson, who projects as a first round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Fellow cornerback Marco Wilson was a preseason All-SEC pick in 2018 but suffered a season-ending knee injury in week two against Kentucky.
AUBURN CONNECTION: Greg Knox will be entering his 32nd season as a college assistant coach this year, 25th in the SEC, including 10 at Auburn from 1999-2008. He worked under Mullen at Mississippi State from 2009-17. Knox coached wide receivers at AU, but has been a running backs coach under Mullen at MSU and UF. Florida AD Scott Stricklin was in media relations at Auburn from 1993-98. Former Auburn AD Jay Jacobs is the executive associate AD for external affairs at UF.
The Gators have seven players from the state of Alabama on their roster including freshman linebacker Mohamoud Diabate from Auburn High School.
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