UF’s red-hot Graham Mertz, Jacksonville’s Carson Beck square off in Florida-Georgia QB matchup
A hometown hero under center and one of the SEC’s hottest quarterbacks are set square off Saturday during their first Florida-Georgia game.
The opposing coaches lavished praise on the signal callers their defenses will face.
Gators coach Billy Napier sees first-year starter Carson Beck gaining confidence each week as he pushes to replace two-time national champion Stetson Bennett. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound junior is is second in the SEC in yards per game (306.7) and completion rate (73.6%) while taking a league-low 5 sacks.
“He’s got arm talent, he’s very accurate and certainly he’s done a nice job of making some plays with his feet,” Napier said. “He’s gotten better every week as he gains more experience and gets comfortable.”
The same is true of UF’s Graham Mertz, who has Georgia coach Kirby Smart’s attention following a two-game run featuring 6 touchdowns, no interceptions, 667 yards and a 71.4% completion rate (60 of 84).
“He’s maybe the No. 1 quarterback in the country for two games the way he’s played,” Smart said. “You can tell he’s got a lot of confidence in their system. They’re able to execute and do a lot of good things with him.
“He’s done a really nice job of not putting them in harm’s way with his decision-making, so they’re playing at a really high level right now.”
UF must return the favor and keep Mertz out of harm’s way. He’s been sacked at least 3 times in five of six games against FBS foes.
Beck, a 20-year-old Jacksonville native, will face pressure of another kind — from within. The Gators will aim to intensify it.
“Every week, protect and affect,” Napier said. “Ultimately, it’s about protecting your quarterback and affecting their quarterback.”
Eguakun’s return
The Gators’ effort to keep the pocket clean should improve with veteran center Kingsley Eguakun’s return.
Eguakun has appeared in only two games, a win against Tennessee and loss at Kentucky, since he sustained a high ankle sprain Aug. 16 during fall camp. The fifth-year senior has made 28 starts.
“We get a guy that has leadership, he has presence, and he has experience,” Napier said.
Left tackle Austin Barber also is back after missing the Gators’ Oct. 14 dramatic 41-39 win at South Carolina.
“It was hard,” he said. “But I will say this: I was their biggest cheerleader out there.”
Barber aims to make up for lost time in game that carries extra meaning for the Jacksonville native.
“It means everything, you see the history, you see where it’s at,” he said. “You can feel it every time you play there, just growing up watching the games, it’s crazy, on having to be able to play in these games, especially at home.”
Oscar Delp’s chance
Georgia star Brock Bowers’ injury is a major blow to the top-ranked Bulldogs (7-0, 4-0 SEC) and a potential boon for the Gators (5-2, 3-1).
Bower’s ankle injury also is an opportunity to Georgia sophomore Oscar Delp and example of the Smart’s relentless success on the recruiting trail. The 6-foot-5, 245-pound Georgian was the nation’s No. 1 tight end recruit in 2022.
Bowers leads Georgia with 41 catches for 564 yards and 4 receiving touchdowns. But Delp has 13 catches for 160 yards and 2 scores.
“It’s a deep team. They’re able to survive some of those injuries,” Napier said. “It’s plug and play. That guy has made plays this year, too. I do have a ton of respect for the caliber of player Brock Bowers is. He’s certainly a generational talent.
“I’d rather play them without him than with him.”
Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com