Since head coach Jim McElwain and offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier took over the Florida Gators offense, the anticipation for that next step to be taken has been building. It’s been two years now, and while the Gators have had success, the offense has continued to underwhelm game in and game out.
“You know, it certainly is one of the things, as we all know, that I was brought here to do,” McElwain said on developing the offense. “And it hasn’t been done yet, and yet it’s been obviously something that is continually evolving as we get to the competition phase and the roster balance on that side of the ball.”
In the third year under these offensive minded coaches, things are finally expected to take a turn for the better. But why is that? Most point to the fact that Florida is more experienced in all areas on offense this season.
“I think it’s because the offense is a lot more mature,” said redshirt junior wide receiver Dre Massey. “We’re bringing a lot of us back. We’ve got a really good competition with the quarterbacks, and the receivers are a lot more mature, and I just think we’re all ready to go this year. Last year, everybody was kinda nervous going into the year, but I think this year going into camp we’re more ready.”
While experience is a great thing to have and can be a huge advantage, experience is not always synonymous with talent. The Gators believe the talent is finally there this season, because for the first time since McElwain arrived, there is competition at every single offensive position.
“I think it’s just competition within our group,” said redshirt freshman offensive lineman Brett Heggie. “The wide receivers, they’re as good as they come. And then, we’ve got numbers in our quarterback room now with all different levels of experience, and they can learn from one another. And then up front, again, this past spring was huge for us competing against one another. It really improved us, I think, as a whole group. I think going into this season, it’s going to be very special for our group and we’re gonna do good things.”
With so much competition on offense heading into fall camp, no one’s position is safe, and the players see that as a good thing.
“I would say competition is the biggest thing,” said sophomore wide receiver Freddie Swain. “It’s just knowing that a spot isn’t solidified right now. It’s knowing that if I have a bad day today, he might have a good day and now I’m back down. It’s just a lot of competition. Competition creates the best players, and that’s what we need.”
Obviously, the most notable competition on the team right now is the battle for the starting quarterback job. Redshirt freshman Feleipe Franks and graduate transfer Malik Zaire are set to fight things out to get the call against Michigan on September 2.
There is a lot of hope that either of these guys will be the quarterback this offense has been searching for over the last several years.
“I think it’ll be the quarterback to watch this year,” Massey said. “A lot of people are paying attention to that, actually, but whoever it is, is gonna do really good. They’re all great quarterbacks and they’re showing a lot of great things to this point, so I think whoever wins that battle is gonna have a great season.”
The pieces around the quarterback position have been developing as well. Nearly every offensive player pointed to Florida’s wide receivers as a group that is going to impress this fall. It is one of the deepest positions on the team with so many options and skillsets.
There are players like Antonio Callaway, Tyrie Cleveland and Brandon Powell who have already proven themselves. Then there are guys like Swain and Josh Hammond who are rising through the ranks. Then there is someone like Dre Massey, whose versatility has been long awaited and will finally be showcased this season. No matter who starts at quarterback, they will have plenty of targets flying around the field.
“There’s just so much talent in the receiver’s room that it’s scary,” said Swain. “Everybody in this room right now can go somewhere and start, and it’s all on one team. You’ve got different players. It’s speed, we’ve got quickness, strength, it’s just a little bit of everything in one room.”
Florida’s offensive line is also getting a lot of hype heading into the season. There are finally numbers there, and along with that, there seems to be a whole new aura around this unit. After its toughness was questioned by McElwain and most of the rest of the college football world last season, the offensive line took the challenge head on and decided it didn’t want to be disrespected anymore.
“We have a new mentality ever since Coach [Brad] Davis came,” said junior offensive lineman Tyler Jordan. “During the spring we started on it, but we’ve been working hard all summer to kind of have that aggressive mentality that the offensive line needs, and we’re ready to go out there and show everybody that we have it.”
There is a new confidence not only on the offensive line, but the offense as a whole in 2017. There has been a gradual feeling that things were headed in the right direction dating all the way back to last season, but for a couple of guys, there were specific moments when they had the realization that this offense was going to make strides this season.
“Probably when we were throwing the ball around one day and everybody on the offense was just back touchdown after touchdown after touchdown,” said Swain. “And everybody just kind of looked at each other and was like, ‘Yeah, it’s gonna be something special.’”
“I would say after the first week of spring we really started to notice how great we can be and the potential we have,” Heggie said of his moment. “And our guys are constantly working towards being the best they can be, so it’s gonna be a really good season.”
Other players spoke to a feeling of unity built on the team over the summer that is different from teams in the past.
“We’ve all been hanging out together this whole summer,” said Powell. “There’s been a lot of team bonding. We go places together as a group. That’s just something that I see and that’s making our game kind of better this whole summer.”
It is not time to praise this offense just yet with no body of work to go off of. The true test will come in September and throughout the rest of the season. The development of a capable offense has been a long time coming for Florida and it is a common understanding among players and coaches that now is the time to make the jump.
“It’s a process, and you want to go from here to there quickly, and we need to go,” said Nussmeier. “But at the same point in time, feel like we’ve set the floor and now we’ve got to rise. We’ve had a chance to turn over a couple rooms, get some guys in there we think we can turn the field over now, and now it’s time to go get it done.”