Sack Leader of the Florida Gators Enters Transfer Portal.

The 2023 season saw the Florida Gators fall short of their expectations. They finished 3-5 in the SEC and 5-7 overall. The good news is that Graham Mertz, the quarterback, will be back. He finished the season with some impressive stats. But on Wednesday, there was a setback on the ball’s defensive end. Princely Umanmielen, the 2023 sack leader, has logged onto the transfer portal.

Gators of Florida Advantage Princely Umanmielen Navigates the Transfer Website
One major factor in the Gators’ difficulties was their inability to apply pressure on the quarterback outside of Umanmielen. The defense needs to apply pressure given the caliber of quarterbacks in the SEC and the current state of the game. Out of all the Gators players with seven sacks, Umanmielen was the only one with three or more. No other player on the team had more than five quarterback hurries, while he had 17. The defense now has a huge hole in it.

Billy Napier Faces Difficulties in His Work
This offseason, Napier has some work to do. It will be up to him and his team to try and get some talent into the portal. There could be a standout pass rusher in the 2024 recruiting class. In the end, it is up to the coaching staff to figure out how to use what they have to apply more pressure. The good news is that next season’s offense ought to be more reliable. Mertz’s return will provide a level of continuity that other teams lack.

Next year, the SEC will be a different league, and Florida will face new rivals. One of the hardest venues to play is still The Swamp, and maybe in 2024 they can have a resurgence season.

Nov. 18, 2023, Columbia, Missouri, USA: Graham Mertz, 15, of the Florida Gators, warms up before a game at Memorial Stadium’s Faurot Field against the Missouri Tigers. Required Credit: USA TODAY Sports/Denny Medley