Adam Lane followed coach Will Muschamp’s postgame press conference as the first player to speak. Muschamp quipped about Lane’s height, saying he needed to stand up so the reporters could see him.
Lane, at 5-foot-7, was already standing. Muschamp told Solomon Patton the same thing last year following his two-touchdown performance in a 20-point win against Arkansas. On Saturday, Orange tied Blue or Blue tied Orange, depending on how one judges that kind of thing. Muschamp, rocking a white visor, appeared relaxed and relieved. The new offense he promised looked good.
But for as many shotgun snaps as Jeff Driskel took in the Swamp, one fact remained clear as Lane garnered a three person-deep media crowd: The running game still matters. It will make or break Kurt Roper’s spread offense.
“It’s great, because we all have our different types of running styles. We fit perfect like a puzzle in this offense,” Lane said. “I feel like it’s going to be great next year.”
Those pieces were all UF had last season. Incumbent starter Kelvin Taylor returns, as does all-purpose back Mack Brown. Redshirt freshman Lane represents the UF doppleganger of Maurice Jones-Drew. Junior Matt Jones, out this spring because of a knee injury, gives UF a receiving option from the backfield. And don’t forget Driskel, who can win games with his legs when he is healthy.
Driskel befuddled a Vanderbilt defense in Nashville two years ago with a quarterback school record 177 rushing yards and three touchdowns. The passing game in 2013 looked like it came straight from a 1950s football highlight reel, but Florida’s identity doesn’t change by changing coordinators.
The last seven BCS national champions gained more than 200 rushing yards a game. Florida in 2006 was the last to not do so. UF managed 145.8 rushing yards per game in an injury-plagued 2013 season that saw Jones and two offensive line starters have season-ending injuries.
Roper remarked Thursday that there’s a shift toward spacing out offenses and working from the middle out instead of vice versa, which UF tried ad nauseam last year. Seemingly everything went up the middle.
Roper wants his players in space. Florida had one formation on Saturday with wide receiver Demarcus Robinson in the backfield with a running back and Driskel. The offensive possibilities are endless with that trio. Muschamp mentioned getting some duo of Jones, Lane and Taylor on the field at the same time.
“It’s about getting your best 11 out there. As those guys continue to improve, I think we could see that happening,” Muschamp said.
“The run game, again, hasn’t truly changed a lot. It’s all from the gun, but not a lot has changed from blocking schemes.”
It’s no secret Muschamp brought Roper in to improve Driskel as a quarterback. Muschamp consulted with Archie Manning in the offseason to see how Roper turned Eli Manning into an elite college quarterback.
Florida gave glimpses of what to expect offensively in 2014, but whether Driskel channels Eli throwing the football won’t matter. He dropped 15 pounds this offseason to become more elusive in and out of the pocket. His running coupled with his running backs will help more than anything.
They are Florida’s best offensive playmakers. They’ll give Driskel more time to throw. They’ll help drain the clock. They’ll be what makes Florida go. Let’s not forget about them.
Follow Adam Pincus on Twitter @adamDpincus
Adam Lane (22) breaks a tackle during Florida’s Orange and Blue Debut on Saturday in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Lane was UF’s leading rusher during the game.
