As UF’s offense cycled through its pre-snap motions, fullback Hunter Joyer could hear the effect it was having on the defense.
With new offensive coordinator Brent Pease calling the shots for the first time, the Gators shifted formations before the snap on about 60 percent of their plays. That put the defense into scramble mode, forcing it to adjust to a look it wasn’t expecting.
“You can tell it confuses them,” Joyer said. “I can hear them just from the other side of the ball trying to switch and get lined up right. If we can do it right and get it fast enough and quick enough, I think they won’t even be able to get lined up right and it will wear them down.”
As was common practice in Pease’s six years at Boise State, UF rotated backs, tight ends and receivers before the majority of its snaps.
At times it was as simple as a tight end switching to the opposite end of the line, while in other cases as many as four players were moving at once. In one instance, Jacoby Brissett moved from tight end to quarterback to take the snap as Trey Burton left the shotgun formation to split out wide.
“It’s like a Jedi mind trick at first,” linebacker Mike Taylor said. “You’ve got to be mentally prepared.”
The confusion wasn’t always confined to the defense. Multiple snaps were delayed as backs and receivers waved each other into position, and quarterback Jeff Driskel recalled a scenario when he forgot to send someone in motion altogether.
It was still a solid day overall for Florida’s offense. After racking up only 5.7 yards per play during the first three quarters, the offensive units exploded to combine for 12.8 yards per play in the fourth.
While most of the attention was on the quarterback battle between Brissett and Driskel, the offensive line closed a strong spring season on a high note.
“We’re just better up front,” coach Will Muschamp said. “We’re tougher. We’re stronger. … I’m just really pleased with our progress on the offensive line. If there’s any one unit of our football team that I think has made tremendous strides and needed to, it’s been there. We’ve got to continue to do so.”
Muschamp said the biggest key in the offensive line’s improvement is experience. The group returns four starters — left tackle Xavier Nixon, center Jonotthan Harrison, right guard Jon Halapio and right tackle Matt Patchan.
The only new face in the projected starting five is James Wilson, a sixth-year senior.
“That’s the biggest improvement we had from last season,” Brissett said. “I feel like it’s a unity at the line.”
Driskel said he felt the protection was great, citing plays where he had as many as five or six seconds to find a receiver.
Florida finished No. 105 nationally in total offense last season. But, with a new coordinator and an improved offensive line, there is a sense of confidence heading into the fall.
Taylor said SEC defenses won’t know what hit them.
“Oh, they’ll be screwed,” Taylor said. “They’re going to be so confused. Good luck.”
Contact Greg Luca at gluca@alligator.org.
Gators offensive coordinator Brent Pease watches the action during Florida's spring game on last April at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Although UF has run the ball 65.8 percent of the time this season, Pease has brought creativity to the offense from his previous job as offensive coordinator at Boise State.
