Florida’s X-Factor vs. Florida State: Linebacker Amari Burney

No Florida defender this season has had extra pressured turnovers than linebacker Amari Burney. Burney is tied for first on the Gators’ protection with two interceptions, sharing the lead with cornerback Jaydon Hill. 

Burney additionally has two pressured fumbles to go together with his interceptions, bringing his turnover complete to 4 on the season. 

With fellow linebacker Ventrell Miller slated to overlook the primary half of the sport, Burney must step up this week to fill the void and lead the protection within the first half towards the Florida State Seminoles. 

One other aspect of the sport Burney has carried out effectively on this 12 months has been his cross rush skills. On the 12 months, Burney has 53 cross rush snaps, of which he has produced 12 complete pressures (4 sacks and eight hurries), incomes him a 90.7 cross rush grade, which leads the Florida protection.

In opposition to Tennessee, Burney had simply seven pass-rush snaps, however he made probably the most of these seven, logging three quarterback pressures, two of which have been sacks and one quarterback hurry, incomes him a season-high 96.7 pass-rush grade.

In the case of being accessible, Burney ranks close to the highest. Solely safeties Trey Dean III (645 snaps) and Rashad Torrence II (623 snaps) have seen extra defensive snaps this season than Burney (582 snaps). 

The Gators will want certainly one of their defensive mainstays to play his finest soccer this week to assist decelerate the Seminoles’ Sixteenth-ranked offense nationwide and to assist alleviate a number of the strain of an offense that had a tough go-around final week at Vanderbilt.

Regardless of having been on the Gators’ soccer roster every of the final 5 years, courting again to 2018, this may solely be Burney’s third time taking part in towards Florida State and solely his second time beginning towards the Seminoles.

In final 12 months’s matchup, Burney had an up-and-down exhibiting. He was productive close to the road of scrimmage, registering one quarterback hurry, seven tackles and three defensive stops per Professional Soccer Focus.

In protection throughout final 12 months’s rivalry recreation, nevertheless, Burney was focused eight instances and allowed six receptions for 41 yards and a landing, giving up a completion share of 75% and permitting a 125.5 NFL passer score. 

Burney must enhance his protection efficiency from final 12 months if he has any shot of being the X-Think about slowing down the Seminoles’ offense.

The Gators will want the Burney that confirmed up for the Georgia recreation to point out up this week. In opposition to the Bulldogs in Week 9, Burney posted a season-high protection score of 90.5 whereas solely permitting one reception of 4 targets. Burney additionally notched an interception and a cross breakup to go together with it. 

With the Gators’ protection being down certainly one of its leaders in Miller for the primary half, in addition to silencing a number of the exterior noise across the workforce, the Gators collectively want an enormous day from the senior in what can be his final journey to Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee. 

If Burney might help lead the Gators to an upset victory over the Seminoles, it absolutely will go away an enduring imprint not solely on his personal thoughts however the minds of his teammates, the College of Florida and UF followers across the globe. Most likely the minds of upset Florida State followers, as effectively. 

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