Can Florida Gators offensive line be a strength in 2016?

Jim McElwain inherited a mess along the offensive line. One can only imagine what McElwain’s reaction was when the ink dried on his contract and he opened up a roster to reveal that he didn’t even have enough offensive linemen for a five on five game of pickup basketball.

Say what you will about Treon Harris’ run as the Florida Gators starting quarterback, and fans had plenty to say, the offensive line didn’t do him many favors in 2015. Florida gave up a SEC high 45 sacks a year ago and struggled throughout the season to get a push, change the line of scrimmage, or provide a comfortable pocket for their quarterback.

“It’s a huge motivator,” sophomore Tyler Jordan said of leading the SEC in sacks allowed. “Of course we gotta protect the guy in the pocket better. And that kinda sticks in the back of our minds.”

They fabricated a group of linemen together but Florida deeply lacked experience and cohesion. The unit took its lumps in 2015 but believe that they will be better for having gone through it together.

“We were very young last year,” sophomore guard Tyler Jordan said. “Me, [Martez Ivey] and Fred [Johnson], just growing up a year, getting a year in the playbooks, a year in the weight room gives us a chance to be more physical.”

At times in 2015 the Gators sent out two sophomores and three freshmen to play. The experience of going on the road to venues like Tiger Stadium and facing Alabama’s monstrous defensive line forced the young linemen to grow up quickly. Too many times Kelvin Taylor would have to break a tackle just to get back to the line of scrimmage. Too many times a quarterback was sent scrambling for his life after a blown assignment. All learning moments.

“I think we’re coming together,” junior David Sharpe said. “We’re getting all of those little things done – technique, footwork, first step, our assignments and all that.”

Sharpe is the veteran of the group, along with redshirt sophomore Cam Dillard. The two have played in a combined 37 games and have started 24 times. That’s more than the entire offensive line combined for heading into 2015.

Experience doesn’t necessarily guarantee production but the guys that have spent the most time playing with and against the offensive line see improvement.

“It was a lot different last year,” senior defensive lineman Bryan Cox Jr. said. “I feel like they’re coming along better as a group this year and it’s going to help us a lot.”

The Gators have a starting five set (Sharpe, Ivey, Dillard, Jordan, Johnson) but are looking to build depth. That means Summers and McElwain will look to redshirt freshmen like Nick Buchanan, T.J. McCoy and Brandon Sandifer. They’re inexperienced, sure, but they’ve spent a full year in the system, weight room and in meetings with Summers, but does that make them ready?

“It’s a different speed, of course, especially in the SEC, playing against bigger, faster guys,” said Sharpe. “You get thrown into the fire and it’s a little tough coming from high school, especially. Just knowing what to expect and knowing what you have to do, it makes it way easier.”

They’ll know what to expect. They have more experience. They need to play better than they have. Only time will truly tell if the Gators offensive line has moved from a glaring weakness to a strength.

Nick de la Torre
A South Florida native, Nick developed a passion for all things sports at a very young age. His love for baseball was solidified when he saw Al Leiter’s no-hitter for the Marlins live in May of 1996. He was able to play baseball in college but quickly realized there isn’t much of a market for short, slow outfielders that hit around the Mendoza line. Wanting to continue with sports in some capacity he studied journalism at the University of Central Florida. Nick got his first start in the business as an intern for a website covering all things related to the NFL draft before spending two seasons covering the Florida football team at Bleacher Report. That job led him to GatorCountry. When he isn’t covering Gator sports, Nick enjoys hitting way too many shots on the golf course, attempting to keep up with his favorite t.v. shows and watching the Heat, Dolphins and Marlins. Follow him on twitter @NickdelatorreGC