When you hit rock bottom, there isn’t anywhere to go but up. The Gators hope that’s true because 2013 was, by all accounts, a disaster.
A 4-8 season can be ruinous for a major program like Florida, but coach Will Muschamp has a simple response to those who think he can’t pick this team back up:
“They’re going to see a good-looking team,” he said. “We’re going to have a good team next year.”
For his sake, they need to. After a mediocre first season, a surprising second campaign and abominable third season, Muschamp is down to his last strike.
Saturday’s Orange and Blue Debut will be his first chance to separate himself and the rest of his team from last season. It’s his first chance to show fans — the majority of whom could not make it to one of the Gators’ open practices — that his team is back on the right track. The game is right on time: The ticket lottery for the notoriously slow-to-arrive and slow-to-purchase fan base opens Monday.
Muschamp, now wrapping up his fourth spring with Florida, certainly has the tools to lead the Gators back to respectability — unlike last season.
Muschamp brought in former Duke offensive coordinator Kurt Roper to reform Florida’s anemic offense. After finishing 115th in total offense last year, the Gators were in desperate need of a makeover.
The Blue Devils, typically the doormat of the Atlantic Coast Conference, finished 10-4 and barely lost a 52-48 shootout in the Chick-fil-A Bowl to Johnny Manziel’s Texas A&M Aggies on New Year’s Eve.
Roper is looking to bring that explosiveness to Gainesville, and Muschamp said the offense is ahead of schedule.
Muschamp said the offense averaged more than 5 yards per play at its scrimmage on April 5. Last year, it averaged 4.79.
“I think our guys have a good understanding of what we’re trying to do offensively,” Roper said. “In 15 days, what you want them to be able to understand is, ‘What is our base? Who are we? What are we trying to accomplish offensively?’ I think they’ve got a good start and understanding on that.”
Roper has a major advantage over his predecessor, Brent Pease: a healthy Jeff Driskel, who will make his first appearance on Florida Field since suffering a season-ending injury there against Tennessee on Sept. 21, 2013.
Driskel looked a little shaky at the start of spring practice, but going into the spring game, he has a firm lock on the starting quarterback spot.
Now that he is back with the team, he wants to make sure the team doesn’t have to go through the same kind of disappointment it did last season.
“I mean if you do the same thing constantly, you’re going to get the same results,” he said. “So obviously we’ve got to do something better, put in more effort, put a little bit of extra time in the film room. But I think we’re on the right track and I don’t anticipate another year like that.”
Roper has praised Driskel’s work throughout spring training camp, saying Thursday that he was surprised how mobile the quarterback has been.
But quarterback wasn’t the only position where the Gators struggled. In fact, it would be easier to name positions that performed well than those that didn’t.
At running back, Matt Jones suffered a season-ending meniscus tear. Freshman wide receiver Demarcus Robinson made a splash in practice but failed to deliver during the season. UF tight ends combined for four catches and 42 receiving yards. Three offensive linemen missed multiple games with injuries. The defensive line struggled to adapt to the loss of Dominique Easley, who declared for the NFL Drafter after suffering a torn ACL and meniscus on Sept. 24, 2013.
It was too much to take.
“It leaves people looking around at each other wondering who is going to step up. Who is going to be that guy?” offensive lineman Max Garcia said. “I felt like we lacked some leadership last year.”
A semester later, new leaders are emerging. On the defensive line, Dante Fowler Jr. looks like the most likely candidate to fill Easley’s role. Teammates said Fowler confronted for academic issues and is helping whip the team into shape.
Fowler is not interested in going 4-8 again.
“It’s always in our minds,” Fowler said. “They got that reality check. Once that happened, everybody just wanted to buy in and everybody is going to want to listen because they’re hungry and they’re mad, too. Just like we are.”
In the secondary, sophomore Vernon Hargreaves III is proving to be a role model for the other cornerbacks.
Hargreaves said he has always gravitated toward being a leader, but he had a chance to rely on older players last year. But now, with four defensive backs — senior Jaylen Watkins and juniors Marcus Roberson, Loucheiz Purifoy and Cody Riggs — leaving the program for either the NFL or another school, the sophomore is taking the reigns.
“That’s the role I’m trying to figure out right now,” Hargreaves said. “Last year, it was easy to ask them what to do or expect. Now, they’re asking me. I’m still learning how to take that older brother role. It’s a process.”
The team takes its first real step in that process Saturday at 1:30 p.m. in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
The offense will take the field at Florida Field for the first time and will attempt to wipe out the sour taste last year’s team left in fans’ mouths. But for Roper, it’s just another day to keep working at installing the offense.
“I don’t really think of it in those terms,” Roper said. “I guess because I wasn’t here I don’t think of it in those terms, you know what I mean?
“I can’t say that those guys don’t have thoughts of it or anything, but I don’t bring it up. It really just doesn’t come up.
“We’re going be who we are, we’re going do what we do and let’s go have some fun playing football.”
Follow Adam Lichtenstein on Twitter @alichtenstein24
Dante Fowler Jr. awaits a snap during Florida’s 24-7 win against Kentucky on Sept. 28, 2013, at Commonwealth Stadium. Fowler looks to become one of UF's leaders on defense this season.
