Florida Gators head coach Jon Sumrall had some jokes about his punter after Week 1.
The Florida Gators kicked off the Jon Sumrall era in a major way, dominating Florida Atlantic by a score of 66-21.
The Gators' offense was firing on all cylinders, with quarterback Aaron Philo throwing for 275 yards and three touchdowns in the win. This was exactly the type of performance that Florida wanted to see in the season opener, giving the new head coach his first win with the program.
Throughout the night, it became clear that the Gators offense couldn't be stopped. And the team didn't punt the ball one time, much to the enjoyment of the coaching staff.
While this isn't likely to happen every game, the Gators will take it occurring in the season opener. But while discussing this, Sumrall did have some funny comments about punter Alec Clark.
"I would love to never punt. I love Alec Clark…Yeah I don’t care if I ever see him play," Sumrall said.
Florida had a total of 624 yards of offense as a team, showing pure dominance on the field. 281 of these yards came on the ground, with the Gators getting back to the basics to kick off the Sumrall era.
Historically, when Florida has been at its best, the running game has thrived, helping the rest of the offense. Running back Jadan Baugh put the team on his back in this contest, rushing for 160 yards and three touchdowns.
Baugh has generated a ton of buzz entering this season, and he more than backed it up in Week 1. The Florida star has some first-round draft hype around him, and if he can keep putting together these types of performances, the Gators could be a real sleeper in the SEC this season.
All in all, it was a strong statement from Sumrall in his debut with the Gators, giving the fans something to cheer about. It has been a long time since Florida has been relevant at a national level, but the future looks bright down in Gainesville.
Sumrall has made a name for himself in college football over the years, taking struggling programs and turning them around quickly. The Gators and their fans are hoping that he can do more of the same with Florida, and so far, it's been great.
Florida will take on Campbell in Week 2, giving them a good chance to start the year 2-0. But the Gators can't overlook this team, putting respect on whoever lines up against them.
