‘We Have a Long Way to Go,’ ‘Two Straight Weeks Getting Exposed’ — Jon Sumrall’s Florida Falls Again as LaNorris Sellers Picks Apart Gator Secondary

South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers threw four touchdown passes and ran for another as the Gamecocks beat No. 16 Florida 38-19 on Saturday in Gainesville, handing the Gators their second straight lopsided loss.

Sellers completed 23 of 35 passes for 279 yards without an interception, a week after Missouri’s Austin Simmons threw for 340 yards in a 45-17 win over Florida. The Gators did not force a turnover in either game.

LaNorris Sellers Leads South Carolina Past Florida’s Struggling Defense

Florida (4-2, 2-2 SEC) entered Saturday ranked 16th in the SEC in pass defense at 266.6 yards allowed per game. Sellers threw touchdown passes to Nyck Harbor, Mazeo Bennett Jr., Donovan Murph and Lex Cyrus, and South Carolina (3-3, 1-3) pulled away after a 10-10 tie in the second quarter.

The Gamecocks converted 10 of 16 third downs and took control with two third-quarter touchdown drives after a 45-minute lightning delay extended halftime. Cyrus had no defender within 10 yards on his 21-yard score in the fourth quarter.

Florida coach Jon Sumrall said after the game that he had felt uneasy even after the 52-28 win over then-No. 4 Ole Miss, because he could see weaknesses that a 4-0 start was hiding. He said Florida had been exposed the last two weeks.

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He had said much the same on Monday. “I know people, after the first four weeks, wanted to act like we were really good. We have a long way to go to maybe establish where we want this program to get back to.”

Any pick of reactions to their performance against South Carolina on any social channel was the same.

In Pro Football Network’s grades, Florida’s defense entered Saturday with a PFN Impact Defensive Impact of 72.0 this season, 77th of 138 FBS team defenses, aka: the bottom half. Florida’s offense carried a PFN Impact grade of 88.4, tied for 9th of 138 graded FBS team offenses, aka: the top 10.

Cornerback Cormani McClain’s grade of 70.7 this season was tied for 460th of 624 graded and qualified FBS cornerbacks, the bottom half. Fellow cornerback Ben Hanks III’s PFN Impact Total D Grade of 71.4 was tied for 432nd of 624, also the bottom half. Both started at Missouri.

Sellers entered with a PFN Impact QBi of 79.5 this season, tied for 51st of 165 graded and qualified FBS quarterbacks, a mid-tier QB this season.

Myles Graham had two of Florida’s three sacks, but the Gators were credited with four hurries and no passes defended. Clearly indicative of their struggles: in the back end on defense.

Jon Sumrall Explains Florida’s Ongoing Secondary Struggles

It’s clear that the Gators’ struggles are not easy to solve quickly. Sumrall even noted earlier this week that it is not just a singular entity that needs work.

After the Missouri loss, Sumrall said the secondary’s struggles had several causes. “It’s not just one guy. There’s some times it’s coverage, discipline, detail and leverage.”

On Wednesday’s SEC teleconference, Sumrall said the staff cuts things players are not clear on from game plans at certain times, and that he had met with the cornerbacks to help build their confidence. “So, no hiding from the fact that we haven’t played as good as we want to back there, but we gotta continue to work and improve, and we are.”

After Saturday’s loss, Sumrall said the game came down to third-down defense and that coaches and players must be a lot better on third-and-long.

Florida played without receiver Vernell Brown III for a second straight game because of a knee injury. Sumrall said Wednesday that Brown was improving and growing more confident.

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One fan wrote, “Florida without Vernell Brown is a completely different offense.”

The offense also turned the ball over three times. On defense, starting safety Bryce Thornton returned after an injury in pregame warm-ups kept him out at Missouri, and he made five tackles.

Looking Ahead in Week 7 to Texas

Florida visits Texas, which entered Saturday ranked No. 1, for next Saturday’s Week 7 game at noon ET at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin.

Texas’ offense carried a PFN Impact grade of 71.7 this season entering Saturday, tied for 85th of 138 graded FBS team offenses, the bottom half. Texas’ PFN Impact DEFi of 94.9 was tied for 3rd of 138 graded FBS team defenses, the top half.

Another fan, pointing to the lack of consistent pressure and a secondary getting beat, wrote that it was “drawing board time on both sides.”

Sumrall said after Saturday’s loss that there is no quick fix and that the Gators have to go back to work. After the trip to Austin, Florida has an open date before facing Georgia on Oct. 31 in Atlanta.

This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.