Florida may not have found five definitive starters on the offensive line, but that doesn’t mean the position remains unsettled.
After the unit’s strong performance Saturday against FAU, Will Muschamp and Charlie Weis said they are happy running a seven-man rotation.
Early in fall camp, Muschamp emphasized the need for the offensive line to get “five guys playing well together.” But now, with seven players proving they can make one cohesive unit, that desire no longer exists.
“On the offensive line I feel pretty settled in,” Muschamp said Monday.
Three players appear to have starting spots locked up: junior Xavier Nixon at left tackle, sophomore Jonotthan Harrison at center and sophomore Jon Halapio at right guard. Snaps at right tackle are split between redshirt freshman Chaz Green and junior Matt Patchan, while time at left guard is divided between senior Dan Wenger, who can also play center, and sophomore Kyle Koehne.
Although the group appears jumbled, Muschamp referred to it as “the mixture of guys we have a great comfort level with.”
A major concern with an offensive line platoon is a lack of chemistry, but Weis said he was happy with the group’s performance against Florida Atlantic.
“I liked the fact that there looked to be very good cohesion,” he said.
“To keep your mental mistakes low, especially at the offensive line position, is sometimes difficult. And, for the most part, that was attained.”
Given the off-field interactions between the linemen, it’s not surprising that they’re able to work well together on game day.
Halapio, Koehne and Harrison are roommates, and Green said his roommate Nixon has been very helpful in his development. Wenger said he was welcomed with open arms the moment he transferred from Notre Dame, and many of the linemen have found themselves pulling for Patchan after seeing him battle through numerous injuries in his career.
“We all connect together, communicate a lot better,” Halapio said. “We all just play well together.”
Green mentioned a number of reasons why having a rotation can be positive.
If Florida is going to continue to run the up-tempo attack they used against FAU, the ability to get offensive linemen off the field for a breather will be critical.
Taking off a few plays can also be helpful from a mental standpoint, as the Gators continue to adjust to a new system under offensive line coach Frank Verducci.
“You get a better glimpse of the whole picture when you’re on the sideline,” Green said. “Playing the game, everything is fast. You have to be able to adjust quick.”
Green added that watching a couple snaps from the bench gives Weis and Verducci an opportunity to offer advice regarding the defensive front or blocking scheme.
As is always the case, the decision of who starts Saturday will be made based on performance this week in practice.
According to Halapio, even the players didn’t know who was going to start against FAU until shortly before the game. Now, they know it doesn’t matter.
“We all trust each other,” Halapio said. “Whoever starts, it’s going to be a good offensive line. I guess we’ll find out.”
Contact Greg Luca at gluca@alligator.org.
Florida right guard Jon Halapio (67) said the offensive line now trusts each other. He said their off-the-field relationships have helped bring the unit closer together.
