Billy Napier has learned that Florida players have developed a work ethic by the midseason point, and he appreciates how the Gators have developed that kind of identity.

“I think this group loves to compete. They’ve got some toughness about them, and I don’t think they’re scared. They embrace the work,” Napier said. “… It’s been a lot of fun to work with this team and see all the work behind the scenes. You see some of that on game day, but this group is a product of its work.”

The Gators are coming off a 24-17 win over Missouri in a game when Ventrell Miller made an impact.

“We knew that we were going to have to play our best ball and certainly defend them. We had a great plan and some great individual performances. … Every time you thought maybe they had something going, 51 came out of nowhere. … Ventrell’s an example of what Florida Gator football is all about.”

It’s a big recruiting weekend for Florida with LSU coming to town, and Napier explained what the Gators have in store.

“In-season official visits are always a challenge because your staff, their attention is divided,” he said. “… We always host recruits for games. … We have an open date the next week, so that creates a bit of a different schedule on Sunday, Monday for the staff, so we’re able to spend some more time with this group.”