Gators Territory continues its look ahead to the 2019 season and now we turn the attention to Towson. After starting conference play with Kentucky and Tennessee, Florida takes a break from the SEC to take on the Tigers.
Towson is coming off its first NCAA FCS Playoff berth and first playoff home game since 2013 after finishing 7-5. They tied for third place in the CAA at 5-3 and earned victories over then-ranked programs Elon, Stony Brook and Villanova, but fell in the FCS First Round to Duquesne.
The Tigers conducted spring practice early this year in order to prepare for some cold temperatures and had their spring game in late March.
Defensive improvement
The biggest concern for the Tigers heading into spring ball was how were they going to improve defensively. After ranking last against the run and last in total defense in the CAA conference in the FCS there were serious concerns.
The Tigers have brought on a new defensive coordinator in Robert Heyward in order to help improve a defense that returns seven starters.
There is not much information about how spring practices exactly went, but there were a couple standouts throughout the couple of months put together. Defensive backs Terrill Gillette and Coby Tippett have both made some plays and boosted a secondary in need of some help.
The new scheme brought in from Heyward is still taking some getting used to and the Tigers will need to put in more work this offseason studying the system in order to be fully ready for the season. However, the head coach was surprisingly happy with what he saw this spring from his defense.
"The defense was better than expected," said 11-year head coach Rob Ambrose. "We changed our scheme, and that made a learning curve for everybody. While some of it is similar, the terminology is different. It is like learning a new language in a short period of time. The kids picked it up, playing hard and fast."
Tom Flacco
The Tigers may have some struggles defensively, but the same cannot be said about their offense and the quarterback leading it.
Tom Flacco was voted Baltimore’s best college athlete by the Baltimore Sun for 2019 and has been the anchor for their team for some time as a redshirt senior.
Flacco has spent a good portion of spring ball not at practice this year, but only because he has picked up the baseball bat for Towsen, but the CAA Offensive Player of the Year is 100% committed to football as his number one sport.
When at practice Flacco has looked like his usual consistent self, and when he was absent it opened up opportunities for guys behind him to hone their craft.
Offense in a good spot
Flacco is not the only standout on this offense. Running back Shane Simpson, who was second in the FCS in all-purpose yards per game, returns. And leading recievers Shane Leatherbury and Jabari Allen are back as well.
The Tigers do lose starting center Nico Russolillo, but most of the offense is in tact and the head coach was very pleased with what he saw this spring.
"This is the second spring in a row with a workman-like attitude, they are not distracted by much," said Ambrose after the spring game concluded. "They are tight and together as team.
“They have goals, and they are working towards them. It is tough when there is not a bowl game on the backend: it is the playoffs, only one team in America that ends the season the way they want them to.
“Where we finished, how we finished, no one is pleased with that. We've adapted, we've adjusted, and I dare you to pick us tenth in the CAA again."
Spring Standouts
OL Cole Cheripko and Aaron Grymkowski – I am pairing both of these guys together because they both accomplished the same daunting task, playing all five offensive line positions this spring. Ambrose was very pleased with the versatility he saw from these two.
WR Daniel Thompson – The Tigers have a plethora of options on offense, but another never hurt and freshman receiver Daniel Thompson turned heads this spring.
