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Friday, March 29, 2024

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - It was a block party - again.

No. 3 UF found more ways to block punts in Saturday's 42-14 rout of Vanderbilt, getting their hands on two of punter Brett Upson's kicks.

It was UF's fifth and sixth blocked punts of the season.

"(Coach Urban Meyer) knew everything they were going to do," said defensive end Carlos Dunlap, who had the two blocks. "And he had us prepare for everything they were going to do. All I had to do was do basically exactly what he told me to do."

After watching the Commodores do a similar punt formation against them last year, it wasn't surprising from the Gators' point of view.

"We had a good feeling they'd do the rugby kick," Meyer said. "It's all personnel. It's the best (punt block) group I've ever had."

ALL GROWN UP: Meyer continues to preach on the team's increased maturity.

"It's really refreshing to see these guys grow up a little bit," Meyer said. "It's our program. … It's the University of Florida program that's developing these guys. Mature team."

PENALIZING PENALTIES: In a game that finished with 16 penalties for 150 yards, the Commodores were the ones that were hurt the most. They were penalized nine times for 80 yards.

"It was too hard to make first downs after that deficit," Vanderbilt coach Bobby Johnson said. "We were digging ourselves even deeper with those penalties."

Johnson credited several of the penalties to his younger players.

"We just had crazy penalties hurting ourselves," Commodores quarterback Chris Nickson said.

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INJURY UPDATE: Linebacker A.J. Jones limped off the field Saturday with what looked like a leg injury, but Meyer said Jones is "fine."

The status of offensive guard Carl Johnson is still up in the air.

"Carl might have a little meniscus," Meyer said.

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