Time and time again, Gators football fans hear about how the team’s wide receiver group is one of the best in its history.
The reliability of Van Jefferson and Josh Hammond, the big-time play abilities of Tyrie Cleveland, the always-open attitude of Freddie Swain, the prototypical build of Trevon Grimes, the tenacity of Jacob Copeland and the wildcat ability of Kadarius Toney highlights just how talented the position is as a whole.
As far as the rest of the receiving corps, all but one tight end is struggling to make a significant impact in the passing game. Redshirt junior Lucas Krull was a player many thought would have a heightened role this season. He still has plenty of time, but outside of meaningful blocking, Krull has not had gotten much offense going. Neither he, redshirt sophomore Kemore Gamble, nor redshirt freshman Dante Lang has even logged a catch yet. True freshman Keon Zipperer had his breakout game against Towson, recording three catches for 31 yards plus a touchdown.
Sophomore Kyle Pitts is undoubtedly the bell cow of the group. Pitts, who saw some action at wide receiver during the offseason, started the season off strong and is continuing to improve from week to week. Something that contributes to Pitts’ on-field success is his sheer size and how he uses it to his advantage.
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Pitts finished that game (Tennessee) with four receptions, 62 yards and a touchdown.
Pitts’ size will almost certainly help him against Auburn. The Tigers’ tallest members of the secondary sit at 6-foot-2 – a full four inches shorter than Pitts. How can that be defended? As the old saying goes, “Don’t hate the player; Hate the game.”
What’s in a name? Surely William Shakespeare did not expect one of the most famous lines from one of his most famous plays to be applied to college football, but here we are. You can call it Kyle to Kyle, The Kyle Konnection, or my personal favorite, Kyle Squared ™. (Just kidding about the trademark, but know it came from somewhere.) Whatever you call it though, the undeniable chemistry between Kyle Trask and Kyle Pitts is a big reason for Florida’s offensive fireworks since Trask took over under center.
If you didn’t know that Trask broke a Gators record against Towson, now you know. Trask completed 18 passes against the Tigers, breaking Chris Leak’s record of 17. Four of those passes went to (and were caught by) Pitts. Pitts also accounted for Florida’s only two touchdowns through the air. Against Tennessee, Trask also scored two passing touchdowns. In his first-ever collegiate start, he employed Swain and Pitts to help him in the end zone. Make no mistake – Trask typically relies on the all-star wide receiver group to make plays. But when Mullen calls for the tight end, Kyle Trask finds solace in his name neighbor.
It’s difficult to say what will happen this weekend. Two undefeated teams meet with Auburn having played a more strenuous schedule, but will likely not have played in a more stressful environment. It’s Homecoming Week in the Swamp. A sell-out is imminent and players have been hyping up the atmosphere all week. The national momentum is swinging in favor of the Tigers, but the -2.0 betting line in Vegas signifies that this weekend’s game is up for grabs.
Attempting to call the outcome of what could happen Saturday is borderline pretentious. Having a hunch that Kyle Pitts, who is proving himself to be the mismatch nightmare many thought he could be, will get plenty of reps is likely right on the money.