One step forward, two steps back: Florida Gators football

One step forward, two steps back. We have all heard that one many times and that is what it seems like these days with regards to Gator football. A week ago, the Gator Nation was celebrating a hard-fought win over LSU on the road that clinched a second straight SEC East championship. The Gator Nation was ecstatic. One week later, Florida Gators football fans are licking their wounds from yet another beat down by in-state rival FSU and the realization that winning the East is not the accomplishment they believed it to be. Of course, a win over Alabama in the SEC Championship Game would swing the pendulum way back to the positive side. Not many believe that will happen.

Florida limps into the conference title game with as many as twelve former starters out for the game. It was the list of injuries that made everyone skeptical going into the LSU game and injuries certainly played a part in the FSU game. The simple truth however, is that the majority of those injuries are on the defense and it is the offense that is once again stumbling down the stretch. It seems unlikely that the Florida offense will suddenly “get well” against Alabama’s defense. Gator fans, actually the entire college football world, is wondering just when Florida will fix this offense.

The national pundits all want to weigh in on the discussion of what might be wrong with the Gator offense. It just is not that complicated. Jim McElwain arrived in Gainesville a little less than two years ago to find just six available offensive linemen. Six! Bill Belichick couldn’t field a viable offense with six linemen available. McElwain has added bodies along the O-line but they are either young or projects or both. It has become apparent that Jordon Scarlett and Lamical Perine are quite capable runners if the line opens holes for them. While the passing game is not likely to be prolific with the current QB play, it would probably be adequate with decent pass protection. Which is to say, that the offense is not going to improve significantly until this young, inexperienced O-line has time to develop. It is to be expected that another off-season and spring camp should mean a more effective offense regardless which one of the Gator QBs takes the reins next season. So cheer up, better times are almost certainly ahead.

That said, the potential of a three-game losing streak to end the season for a second straight year is disheartening. The current status of the 2017 recruiting class is not helping to alleviate any of that concern. I cannot speak for what is on the mind of all Gator fans (although I have heard from many), I can only accurately state what I see as a fan. In my opinion, coach McElwain seems to have the program moving forward. What he needs now is the talent and depth to make this team comparable to the successful programs on Florida’s schedule. There is only one way to accomplish that. Recruiting. You must recruit well to survive in the SEC.

This is the first staff at Florida that has struggled this badly to recruit in a very long time. Even Ron Zook and Will Muschamp were able to sign top five classes. According to the recruiting site I checked, McElwain signed the 23rd ranked class in the nation when he took over for Muschamp and the 14 ranked class last year. Right now they have Florida’s class ranked 25th. Meanwhile, half the schools in Florida’s path are putting together top ten classes. McElwain and his staff MUST recruit better than they have to this point if Florida is going to keep pace with the likes of Alabama, LSU, FSU and Georgia. Something seems to be missing from a recruiting standpoint and whatever it is needs to be fixed and soon. I am not sure that this staff understands how aggressively you must recruit to not only get a commitment but to hold onto that commitment. I also think this staff believes it can find lower ranked recruits that they can coach up to be elite players. While that might happen to some extent it is no substitution for putting in the work and energy to sign your share of elite recruits. Still, it is not fair to pass judgment on any recruiting class until it is actually signed and I will wait until February to see how this staff closes out this class.

As much as I would love to completely avoid it, I guess I will discuss the upcoming game with Alabama. I wish I could offer you a reason why Florida might win the game. I mean, being in a game means you have at least some chance of coming away with a victory, but this is a beat up Gator football team that is once again struggling mightily on offense down the stretch. Alabama is a deep, talented team on a mission. It is difficult to envision Florida as anything more than a speed bump on the Tide’s road to the championship. Just one more armadillo on the curb. The most likely scenario is that the Gator defense will put up a valiant effort in the first half only to become exhausted because the offense cannot stay on the field. In the second half Alabama will likely pull away and win handily. That might sound familiar.

So, let’s assume the Gators lose in Atlanta, what can they do from there? This is where the real sign of improvement must show. For fan confidence, player confidence and recruiting momentum Florida desperately needs to go win a bowl game. Surely some of the walking wounded will heal up enough to take the field in the bowl game. I believe it is imperative that the Gators show up and dominate their opponent in whatever bowl game the end up attending. McElwain cannot afford another full-tilt collapse to end the season. Three straight losses would indeed indicate one step forward-two steps back.

Mark Miller
Mark Miller's bravery knows no limits. He's a Gator living deep in the heart of Georgia. Mark's weekly columns appear in the Coosa Valley News in Rome, Georgia, where Gators are few and Bulldogs are many. His updates about football and life among the heathens will appear in Gator Country on a weekly basis.