COLUMBIA, S.C. — After tweaking the offensive line in the second half against Vanderbilt, Florida came out with a makeover on the front against South Carolina.
Sixth-year senior transfer Dan Wenger got the start at center while Jonotthan Harrison, who started the first nine games at center, shifted to left guard.
“It was just a decision by the coaches,” Wenger said. “I was told I would be moving there, and it was just — I can’t argue or do anything. Whatever the coaches say goes. I’m on board with them, and I know they have our best interests and the best interests in the team for us.”
Coach Will Muschamp said the move was due to “consistency in snaps,” which Harrison has struggled with at times this season.
In the second half against Vanderbilt, Harrison was benched in favor of Sam Robey following an errant snap that resulted in a 21-yard loss. Robey finished the game and was said to be working with the first-team offense at center early last week.
While Harrison flipped positions with Wenger, the change didn’t last long. Harrison was replaced early on by Kyle Koehne, and Muschamp said after the game that Harrison “got banged up.”
Despite the lineup change, there were familiar results for the Gators’ offensive line. The unit allowed three sacks on the afternoon, upping its season total to 21, tied for 67th in the nation.
The group also struggled in the red zone, as Florida had three drives move inside the South Carolina 5-yard line and came away with a touchdown just once. The other two drives stalled after rushes for negative yardage and a false start on left tackle Xavier Nixon, respectively.
Injuries: Offensive lineman Chaz Green (ankle) and linebacker Lerentee McCray (shoulder) were held out of Saturday’s game. Both warmed up with the team before the game, but neither saw the field.
While those two were inactive, running back Chris Rainey returned from an ankle injury he suffered against Georgia.
Although Jeff Demps got the start in the backfield, it was Rainey who shouldered the load against South Carolina. He carried the ball a team-high 17 times for a game- and season-high 132 yards, and his 47-yard run early in the fourth quarter set up the Gators’ only touchdown of the afternoon.
“Can’t run 100 percent, but I did the best I can,” Rainey said after the game, adding that his ankle was still sore.
The redshirt senior was walking with a noticeable limp after the game.
Linebacker Jelani Jenkins also returned from injury, reclaiming his starting job after suffering a concussion against Georgia and sitting out last week’s win against Vanderbilt. Jenkins recorded four tackles and broke up a pass against South Carolina.
Freshman first: Safety De’Ante Saunders notched his first career interception early in the first quarter against the Gamecocks.
On South Carolina’s second drive of the game, cornerback and fellow freshman Marcus Roberson pressured quarterback Connor Shaw on a delayed blitz, Saunders anticipated the pass, jumped the route and made an athletic diving grab to give Florida the ball near midfield.
The Gators’ ensuing drive resulted in a Caleb Sturgis field goal, the game’s first points.
Contact Tom Green at tgreen@alligator.org.
