Chaz Green could play in a game for the first time in three weeks on Saturday.
Coaches expect the junior right tackle, who suffered a right ankle sprain against Texas A&M on Sept. 8, to see the field when No. 10 Florida hosts No. 4 LSU this weekend.
“Chaz should be available,” offensive coordinator Brent Pease said. “If he can go, obviously he’s a good player and gives depth at the spot because he’s had a lot of game experience, so that would be a big plus for us.”
Junior Kyle Koehne started the past two games at right tackle.
After surrendering eight sacks against Texas A&M on Sept. 8, Florida allowed only three combined sacks against Tennessee and Kentucky.
UF averaged 6.1 yards per carry the past two weeks after gaining 4 yards per attempt during the first two weeks.
“Kyle Koehne has been doing a great job,” center Jonotthan Harrison said. “Chaz coming back is just going to help get a tackle rotation going and stay fresh the whole game.”
Learning from a young age: Offensive coordinator Brent Pease never got away from football. His father, a former high school coach, taught him the game.
The offensive coordinator named his father as one of his mentors. Together with his coaches, Pease’s father taught his son how to be a professional on a day-to-day basis.
“Especially with my dad, I had to do it out on the field but still come home to it every night and deal with that,” Pease said. “That’s always difficult. ... It was always good in the long run. You can see where it was beneficial.”
At Montana, Pease played quarterback under coach Tommy Lee.
Pease led the nation in total offense in 1986. He played for the Grizzlies from 1985-86 after two years at Walla Walla (Wash.) Community College.
“I probably started learning more football once I got into college with Tommy Lee and the Don Reed system, when I was throwing the ball in four wides and throwing the ball 55-60 times a game,” Pease said.
Lee is now the offensive coordinator at Hawaii.
Pease worked with current Southern Methodist coach June Jones while playing with the Houston Oilers from 1987-88. He served as a backup quarterback in the World League of American Football for the New York/New Jersey Knights, who were coached by Darrel “Mouse” Davis.
Pease arrived at UF after spending five seasons coaching on Chris Peterson’s staff at Boise State.
“Definitely learned a lot about coaching quarterbacks from Mouse Davis,” Pease said. “I learned a lot with Chris Peterson [about] offense in general and him being a head coach. Those are the guys that have groomed me that I have taken things from.”
Driskel beyond his years: Jeff Driskel will be facing the biggest test of his young career on Saturday against LSU, but Pease doesn’t want the first-year starter to press. Pease said Driskel’s performance in the first four games should be enough to be successful, provided his teammates come through.
“This isn’t about Jeff Driskel,” Pease said. “This is about 11 guys out there executing a plan.”
Pease only wants Driskel to continue progressing, as he’s done through UF’s first four games. That means taking care of the ball, managing the game and completing a high percentage of his passes.
Driskel has faced two Southeastern Conference teams on the road in his first four career starts, which hasn’t been done by a Florida quarterback since Chris Leak in 2003.
“He really is a mature guy,” Harrison said. “We love what we’re seeing out of him. He’s been in some tough situations, even playing Tennessee on the road. It was a loud atmosphere. But of course, by the fourth quarter, it was a complete opposite as the stands were completely empty.”
Contact Adam Pincus at apincus@alligator.org.
Quarterback Jeff Driskel (6) attempts a screen pass to running back Matt Jones (24) during Florida's 38-0 win against Kentucky at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Sept. 22. Offensive coordinator Brent Pease said he wants the sophomore to not try and do too much when Florida hosts LSU on Saturday.
