Regardless of what happens to the Florida Gators during the 2024 season, you cannot blame scheme design at all. In a world of copycat offenses, Billy Napier decided to take an existing offense in the spread and tweak the finer details. As a result, Florida can affect every level and layer of defense. 

With that, and the numerous personnel shifts, Napier goes deep in his bag to keep the defense guessing. To a distant eye, the defense looks like just a quarterback-friendly scheme that only suits the passer. Yet, the Gators effectively ran the ball under Napier. Now, what can you expect in 2024 from the Florida offense?

Urgency

Make no mistake, the heat of the Florida sun combined with the warmness of the coaching seat exists in earnest for Billy Napier. Florida fans, alums, and administration demand excellence from a program that should always compete for great bowl games and more.

With hundreds of quality recruits in Florida, the Gators cannot afford another poor showing on the field after three-straight seven-loss seasons. Actually, Billy Napier cannot afford another. Not only are the wolves at the door, but they’ve managed to pick the lock and make themselves at home in the living room. With that, expect to see Florida take more chances this season. 

Granted, before this, Napier didn’t exude any conservative play-calling tendencies. Envision the scene in Rocky III. After intense training, Rocky wants to stop for the day, mentioning the word tomorrow. Apollo Creed’s response is “There is no tomorrow.” Basically, for Billy Napier, every game will either cement his status or weaken it.

Secret Weapon

When reviewing Florida on offense, you can immediately tell that Billy Napier loves 12 personnel. Basically, 12 personnel feature one running back and two tight ends. Now, add in shotgun and playmakers that can catch. 

More importantly, the players that may not draw the defense’s attention could end up hurting them the most. For example, redshirt sophomore tight end Arlis Boardingham will continue to beat defenses while not receiving an overabundance of targets.

Boardingham, a converted wideout, continues to find his way into the position. For the moment, he presents an explosive receiver-like to the offense, in lieu of crushing in-line blocking. Instead, Boardingham traces routes underneath with the ability to stick the foot in the ground and head downfield.  While the receivers will see the most targets, look for him to sneak out and wreak havoc in the open field.

Beneficiary

Perhaps no one will reap the rewards more than running back Montrell Johnson. Despite leading the team in yards and carries, Johnson will enjoy more touches since Trevor Etienne bolted for Athens and the University of Georgia. 

He should post the first thousand-yard season for the Gators since Kelvin Taylor in 2015. Along with the use of 12 personnel, Florida will throw multiple looks at the defense, with the intention of creating space for the run game. With Johnson’s decisiveness as a running back, he should eclipse the thousand-yard mark with a few games to spare.

Graham Mertz returns as quarterback, and he had his best season under Napier and the Gators after four yeas at Wisconsin. Last year’s prized recruit DJ Lagway should find his way on the field as well, but Napier, Mertz, and the Gators should conduct an efficient, effective offense this fall.

An Ohio tourist was bitten at a Florida beach while playing football in knee-deep water on the Fourth of July, officials said.

Authorities said that the 21-year-old from Ohio was playing football in knee-deep water at New Smyrna Beach when the shark bit him on his right foot.

Police said that the attack happened at 4 p.m. on Thursday – the Fourth of July.

The man suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to the hospital for treatment.

SHARK ATTACKS 4 PEOPLE AT TEXAS BEACH ON FOURTH OF JULY: POLICE

The Fourth of July shark attack came after four people were injured at a beach in Texas the same day.

The South Padre Island Police Department and the U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area confirmed to Fox News Digital that four people were injured during the encounter with the ocean predator on South Padre Island in the state’s southern coast.

SHARK WATCH: TRIATHLETE DRAGGED UNDERWATER DURING SHARK BLITZ: ‘YOU DON’T HAVE AN ARM… WHY ARE YOU LAUGHING?’

Police said that the attacks happened at approximately 11 a.m. local time along Beach Access 14, near Wanna Wanna Beach Bar and Grill.

Tiger Shark, Galeocerdo cuvier, Bahamas, Grand Bahama Island, Atlantic Ocean   (Photo by Reinhard Dirscherl/ullstein bild via Getty Images)

The shark encounter with the 21-year-old comes after Florida was recently named the shark capital of the world.

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The Florida Museum of Natural History’s International Shark Attack File found the most unprovoked shark attacks in the world in the Sunshine State, specifically in Volusia County, where there have been 351 attacks since 1882. 

Fox News Digital’s Ashlyn Messier contributed to this report.

Florida health officials have issued a mosquito alert after two locally acquired cases of dengue fever were confirmed in the Florida Keys.

The alert comes a week after a national health advisory by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), warning health care providers and the public of rising cases of dengue fever infections in the Americas.

Dengue fever is a viral infection spread by mosquitoes. The virus is thought to infect up to 400 million people every year, according to the World Health Organization, resulting in as many as 40,000 annual deaths. The disease is characterized by a high fever, often combined with aches and pains, nausea and vomiting, which can range from mild to severe (although typically only last two to seven days.)

Only about 1 in 4 people infected with dengue actually get sick and symptoms tend to develop within two weeks of getting bitten.

The disease is mostly found in tropical and subtropical climates, although local transmission has historically been reported in Florida, Texas, Arizona and California.

At the end of June, two locally acquired dengue cases were confirmed in Monroe County, bringing Florida’s total local case count to 10 since the start of 2024. So which other counties have seen confirmed local dengue cases?

This year, Miami-Dade has seen the highest number of locally acquired infections, with two in January, one in February, two in March and one in April. Hillsborough and Pasco have also seen one confirmed case each, in June and January, respectively.

While these case numbers are still very low, the Department of Health for Monroe County and Florida Keys Mosquito Control District are coordinating surveillance and prevention efforts to curb transmission in the region. These include door-to-door surveillance and mosquito-targeted insecticide spraying from trucks and the air where necessary.

The Florida Department of Health also recommend the following measures to protect yourself from mosquitoes:

• Apply insect repellents to skin and clothing (some may not be suitable for children so always read the label).
• Remove or cover any pools of standing water in which mosquitoes could breed, including in buckets, roof gutters, rain barrels, old tires and birdbaths. Even just a bottle cap of standing water is enough for mosquitoes to breed and multiply.
• Use air conditioning and window screens to keep the insects outside.

Is there a health problem that’s worrying you? Let us know via health@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice, and your story could be featured in Newsweek.