Gators stock report: Who's up and who's down entering Week Six?

The Florida Gators took care of business last Saturday, as they hung yet another shutout against the FCS Towson Tigers. 

The game was an absolute blowout, ending in a score of 38-0, but there are still a few concerns heading into this weekend’s Top 10 matchup when the Gators face the Auburn Tigers.

Let's check in on the weekly Gators stock report heading into Week Six. Who is up, and who is down?

STOCK UP

RB Dameon Pierce: Pierce, the second running back on the depth chart, completely outperformed the first - Lamical Perine - this past weekend against Towson. 

Pierce ran low to the ground and was very hard to take down, and the same can’t be said for Perine. Pierce offers a different style of running, as he is an absolute bowling ball when he runs compared to Perine being so agile in space. The sophomore played well, running for 84 yards and a touchdown on six carries and averaging 14 yards per carry on the day. 

His score came on a 37-yard rush down the sideline, thanks to stellar blocking by the left side of the offensive line which allowed Pierce to get on the sideline and use his speed. 

Without accounting for the 37-yard run, Perine averaged 9.4 yards a carry, and for reference, Perine ran for 16 yards on six carries. Perine still offers more in the passing game, but I believe Pierce will see some significant reps next week against Auburn.

TE Keon Zipperer: Keon Zipperer played incredible - in garbage time for what it's worth, but we got a glimpse of the future at tight end for the next few years. 

Zipperer is a savvy receiver at tight end, and he had three catches for 31 yards and a touchdown against Towson. QB Emory Jones hit him a few times and found him on a screen to score in the fourth quarter. The freshman from Lakeland is difficult to bring down and he has very good speed for his size. 

Considering the lack of production we've seen from Lucas Krull, and lack of usage of Kemore Gamble, perhaps Zipperer could fight his way into more reps behind Kyle Pitts as the season goes on.

WR Tyrie Cleveland: Talk about a pleasant surprise… 

Tyrie Cleveland has played incredibly well to start off his senior season. Cleveland took some of the offseason to recover a collarbone injury against FSU last year, but it's evident that he didn’t miss a beat. He is starting to develop into a trusty receiver with good speed and route running, and he already has ten receptions for 167 yards and a touchdown this season. It’s not that impressive numbers wise but considering all the talent Florida has it is good to have trust in your 4 or 5 target. However, the area Cleveland absolutely excels in is blocking. 

Cleveland has also created countless opportunities for the other playmakers on the team with his blocking, and the Pierce touchdown run this weekend was a prime example. It also doesn’t hurt that he is a high-character guy and a leader on the team with great work ethic.

STOCK DOWN

The offensive line: I don’t even know where to start with the OL, as they were significantly underperformed against a team they should have dominated start to finish. 

I’m a strong believer in coach John Hevesy but his unit concerning to say the very least. Five games in and this group still can't open holes in the run game, and pass protection has been hit or miss, especially with Kyle Trask lacking the mobility that Feleipe Franks provided at QB.. The right side of the line is very weak and just lacks aggression when blocking up front. 

There is no reason why a team like Florida can’t block FCS defensive linemen, let alone get beat multiple times. Luckily Mullen has gotten into Hevesy’s ear, and the Gators tried multiple different lineups this past weekend along the line. I hope all of the shots Mullen is taking are waking these linemen up, because they need it as they are facing one of the toughest defensive lines in the nation this coming week.

Cornerback Trey Dean III: Trey Dean III had one heck of a  freshman year, stepping in for an injured Marco Wilson at outside cornerback. Dean is a baller, but he was picked on at STAR nickel cornerback on Saturday. 

Sure, he had a few great blitzes off the edge, but his coverage has left much to be desired. I personally think he’s out of position, as I believe he would fit right in at safety (which he played in high school). Dean made the All-SEC team as a freshman, but he just seems out of his comfort zone in coverage at STAR. 

Nickel is a position that is somewhat difficult to pick up, but I think defensive coordinator Todd Grantham is hesitant to switch him out for linebacker Amari Burney due to the lack of depth among the defense. Moving Burney to STAR would cause another linebacker to play the MONEY spot, and Florida doesn't have another linebacker who plays at Burney's level in coverage. I hope this is just growing pains within the move to STAR, and some of Dean's issues should be able to be corrected in the film room.