Fired Up Fridays:  Football is back, Hall of Fame Game, and Gators Prep for the Season

Fired Up Fridays:  Football is back, Hall of Fame Game, and Gators Prep for the Season

Hall of Fame Game

August is here and there are signs everywhere that football, both NFL and college, is just around the corner!  In fact, the Hall of Fame game was just last night! 

The Chicago Bears and Houston Texans faced off during the annual Hall of Fame game in Canton, Ohio.  The game featured a new tweak to the kick off rule, which is supposed to increase kick returns but do it safely, whatever that means.

Houston scored first, but then in the second quarter the Chicago Bears crawled their way back leading 14-10 at the half. 

Sadly, the game was cut short at the end of the third due to inclement weather with the game going to the Bears as the winners.

Florida Gators Report to Fall Camp

Also, college football camps have started, including my Florida Gators.  Coach Napier and company opened football camp for the Florida Gators on Monday, July 29 and expectations are at an all-time high.

Coach Napier said, “This camp will be the most competitive camp that we’ve had since I’ve been at the University of Florida, and we have more competitive depth.  We have more experience.”

I hope that’s true because the Gators need to rebound from an abysmal 2023 season where they didn’t make a bowl game.

Biggest concern is we have no depth at the quarterback position.  While I have no issue with veteran Mertz, my concern is with freshman backup DJ Lagway.  Lagway, who is ranked 4th nationally by 247Sports, is very impressive at the high school level.  He played 42 games at Willis High School in Willis, Texas amassing 4,604 yards and 58 touchdowns his senior year.  That said, though, he just doesn’t have the experience needed for the next stage in his football journey.  Hopefully, DJ can get some solid reps during camp, but more importantly, I hope Mertz can stay healthy. 

Like I’ve said many times before, anything short of a positive record and a bowl game I would consider this season a failure and would not object to the University of Florida football program looking for another coach.

Hopefully, that does not happen!

The weekend is upon us!  Time to get fired up!

Around the Interwebz …

Fired Up Fridays:  NFL Training Camps Have Started and College Football is 29 Days Away!

Fired Up Fridays:  Panthers Look Rough Against the Patriots and Countdown to College Football Has Begun