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Thursday, March 28, 2024
<p>Neiron Ball (11) helps tackle Kentucky Quarterback Patrick Towles (14) during the Gators' 36-30 win against the Wildcats on Satuday at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.</p>

Neiron Ball (11) helps tackle Kentucky Quarterback Patrick Towles (14) during the Gators' 36-30 win against the Wildcats on Satuday at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

Dante Fowler can’t rush the quarterback by himself.

The junior Buck linebacker is the only player on Florida’s defense that has more than two quarterback hurries on the season.

Against Kentucky on Saturday, Fowler finished the triple-overtime win with four of UF’s nine quarterback hurries.

"We scheme around teams and around those schemes we have jobs to do," Fowler said.

"So we’ve got to sit by them jobs and our job is to, you know, contain the quarterback and that’s what we did."

Because of Kentucky’s fast pace on Saturday — the Wildcats ran 78 plays — Florida did not have the opportunity to sub out its defensive linemen as often as it hoped to, and it showed on the field.

"I think both teams looked a little gassed by the end of the game, but that’s just part of it," UF defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin said. "I think our guys played with really good effort, competed well and they were still making plays and pressuring at times at the end."

When the Gators head to Tuscaloosa, Ala., to take on the No. 3 Crimson Tide on Saturday, Durkin plans to rotate between eight and 10 guys on the defensive line.

And with Alabama having a trio of running backs in T.J. Yeldon, Derrick Henry and Kenyan Drake that can carry their own against Florida, the defensive line needs consistency from all players.

Durkin looks to Neiron Ball and Alex McCalister as two players to help with the pass rush.

"Both those guys are good in one-on-one pass rush," During said.

The three Crimson Tide running backs have combined for 531 rushing yards and seven touchdowns so far this season, averaging 5.9 yards per rush.

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"They’ve got some very good, talented guys carrying the ball," Durkin said. "They do a great job of getting off blocks and tackle well. … They’re good enough to make guys miss and break tackles. We need more guys to get in there."

The Gators will also be faced with the task of defending against a mobile quarterback for the second week in a row.

After limiting Kentucky quarterback Patrick Towles to 22 rush yards on nine attempts, Florida now turns its attention to Alabama senior quarterback Blake Sims.

In three games this season, Sims is averaging 7.3 yards per rush and has two touchdowns on the ground to go with his four touchdown passes and 75-percent pass completion rate.

"I think just the awareness of our guys, it’s something that now they’re hearing it for a couple weeks in a row of what we have to do to contain the quarterback," Durkin said.

"Things are a little different. ... I think there’s definitely carryover for those guys, and they’re hearing the message for two weeks now."

Follow Jordan McPherson on Twitter @J_Mcpherson1126

Neiron Ball (11) helps tackle Kentucky Quarterback Patrick Towles (14) during the Gators' 36-30 win against the Wildcats on Satuday at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

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