Myles Graham earned defensive player of the game honors against Florida Atlantic, a high point in what was otherwise a surprisingly shaky defensive showing for the Gators despite their crushing 66-21 victory. That’s right, a 45-point win margin, and we’re still talking about defensive struggles. Yikes!
Offensive Show, Defensive Struggles? You Betcha.
Florida’s offense went off, an absolute showcase against Florida Atlantic, hanging a massive 66 points on the board. You’d think with that kind of firepower, the defense would have been stifling, right? Nope. Not necessarily. Despite the lopsided scoreboard, the Gators’ defense had more than its share of struggles throughout the entire night. FAU quarterback Caden Veltkamp wasn’t shy, airing it out for 276 yards. And it wasn’t just through the air, as the Owls also rumbled for another 120 yards on the ground. Florida’s defenders couldn’t contain Kelby Vasin, either, who snatched 10 receptions for a solid 92 yards, proving to be a consistent and reliable target for Veltkamp all game long.
Graham’s Hustle Can’t Paper Over the Cracks
Amidst all those defensive deficiencies, one player consistently made his presence felt: junior linebacker Myles Graham. He was everywhere, causing havoc and constantly finding himself around the football. His impact was particularly important on a night when the Florida defense just couldn’t get off the field. Graham’s impressive stat line included 10 total tackles, breaking down to four solo stops and six assisted tackles. He even notched half a sack and half a tackle for loss. That kind of individual effort is exactly what you want to see, and it clearly earned him defensive player of the game. It was an encouraging individual sign, no doubt.
The reality, though, is that the overall defensive performance wasn’t as dominant as that 66-21 final score makes it seem. There’s plenty for Florida to clean up defensively, and they’ve got to address these concerns before their schedule gets significantly more difficult. One game isn’t enough to tell us everything about this defense, but the struggles are there.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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