After redshirt senior Jonotthan Harrison played his last game for the Florida Gators — a 37-7 loss to Florida State on Nov. 30 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium to close out a 4-8 season — coach Will Muschamp knew he needed a replacement.
Harrison started 37 games in the middle of the offensive line over his final three years at UF and was the only player on Florida’s roster in 2013 with starting center experience at the collegiate level.
Muschamp had five criteria that he looked for in finding his new starting center once spring practice began.
“You need somebody that's really smart, somebody's that very decisive in their decision-making,” Muschamp said. “They need to be able to make a call, have confidence in the call and they need to be right. Then they need to be able to snap the ball.”
He thought of nobody better for the spot than Max Garcia.
“I didn't know about the snapping, but those first four, there's no question he was the right guy for the job,” Muschamp said of Garcia, who started at left guard and left tackle in 2013, his first season playing for Florida after transferring from Maryland. “He's very decisive in his decision-making. He is off-the-charts intelligent and a guy that has really done a nice job through camp snapping it.”
Garcia struggled with getting a clean snap during the first practices in spring, but his ability has improved as of late.
“Having a good snap is kind of an underrated thing in our offense,” quarterback Jeff Driskel said. “If the snap's off, it throws off the timing. He understands that, so he did put in the work as far as snapping the ball. As far as getting the offensive line on the same page, he's second to none."
Added Garcia: “In the spring, I struggled, but now it’s gotten to a point where at some practices, I don’t have any bad snaps. So, I’ve just been really focusing on that and you can see the development.”
Garcia will be the focal point of an offensive line that linebacker Mike Taylor described as “nasty” throughout practice.
“They’re finishing blocks up front, opening holes for the running back,” the redshirt senior said. “I don’t know if it’s because of the scheme that they’re running but I know that they’ve brought a new intensity with how they block and how they approach the game.”
Junior D.J. Humphries and redshirt senior Chaz Green will take the left and right tackle positions, respectively, while Trip Thurman will start at left guard and either Trenton Brown and Tyler Moore will start at right guard.
While his spot in the starting lineup hasn’t been solidified, Brown — a 6-foot-8, 360-pound senior from Albany, Ga. — is someone that Garcia is grateful to have on his side on game day.
“Trent makes me look so small when I’m standing next to him,” Garcia said. “But I like having him there. No one’s going to get through him. No one’s gonna bull rush Trenton Brown. That’s just not happening. And when he puts his hand on someone, that guy’s getting moved against his will. He doesn’t want to get moved, but he’s going to get moved. So having him there, he’s a force.”
Injuries plagued the offensive line in 2013, forcing the Gators to use seven different starting lineup formations throughout the season.
“We were beat up at times last year,” Driskel said. “Guys were asked to go either inside to outside or outside to inside, which is tough. But at the same time, you’ve got to have depth and you’ve got to be able to rely on more than five guys. I think we have started to build some depth. I think our offensive line works well together, and we have a lot of talent at the position.
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Max Garcia (76) runs at an opposing player during Florida’s 30-10 victory against Arkansas on Oct. 5, 2013, in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Garcia moved from guard to center during spring practice.
