Through a trio of injuries that led to a shuffle at tackle, Florida’s line has held the offense together.
Matt Patchan has yet to play this season due to a strained pectoral muscle, Chaz Green has missed the past two games with a left ankle injury and Xavier Nixon is dealing with a shoulder injury. D.J. Humphries and utility lineman Kyle Koehne have stepped up in their absence, supporting the unit that coach Will Muschamp said was one of the keys to UF’s fast start.
“We’re able to do more offensively because of up front,” Muschamp said. “We’re just better on the offensive line. … Much more physical up front, a year older, more mature, experienced, understanding a little bit more about climbing on the second level and those sort of things.”
Nixon, a senior who came to Florida as a four-star recruit and the No. 3 offensive tackle in the class of 2009, has started the first four games at left tackle.
After struggling to keep weight on during his first three years at UF, Nixon has bulked up to 314 pounds this season.
Muschamp sees the benefit in improved run blocking, even as Nixon has dealt with what Muschamp called a “legitimate” shoulder injury.
“He’s a guy who has pushed through it,” Muschamp said. “Run assignments the other night were very good. He blocked extremely well in the run game. He didn’t finish on a couple of things. Protection is something we need to solidify as far as his pass protection is concerned.”
Patchan started the final seven regular-season games of 2011 at right tackle but has not played a snap in 2012.
Muschamp said he expects Patchan to play at some point this year but added that the injury is painful and difficult to recover from, especially for an offensive lineman.
On Wednesday, Muschamp said Patchan “will probably be out the next couple weeks.”
Although Green is expected to return against LSU, UF’s coaching staff has said positive things about Koehne’s performance in his absence.
Koehne, who the coaches feel comfortable using at all five offensive line positions, has started at right tackle the past two weeks.
Humphries stepped in for Nixon at left tackle against Kentucky on Saturday, taking the majority of the second-half snaps. Coaches were complimentary of Humphries, a freshman who enrolled during the spring as a five-star recruit.
“D.J. deserves to play,” Muschamp said. “He played well.”
Said offensive coordinator Brent Pease: “He’s getting better and better, and he needed that game to get some experience of real live situations instead of just practice. … He did a really nice job. I thought he got a lot better.”
Although Humphries is listed at only 275 pounds on Florida’s roster, Pease said the freshman has become stronger because of the team’s work in the weight room.
Muschamp said the majority of the linemen benefited from their offseason work with strength and conditioning coach Jeff Dillman.
“We’re a stronger football team because of the weight room,” Muschamp said.
Contact Greg Luca at gluca@alligator.org.
Sophomore quarterback Jeff Driskel (6) drops back to pass as his offensive line withstands the rush against the Kentucky Wildcats on Saturday at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Despite injuries, the Florida offensive line has progressed in pass and run blocking since playing Texas A&M in the conference opener on Sept. 8.
