UF offensive coordinator Kurt Roper remembers the last time a team he coached played against Alabama.
In 2010, Roper — then Duke’s offensive coordinator — faced the Crimson Tide when they came to Durham, N.C., to take on the Blue Devils at home in 2010.
"That was a long day," Roper said. "13 (points), I think we had."
Thirteen was in fact all the Blue Devils’ offense could manage to get on the board.
Alabama rolled to a 62-13 victory. On top of that, the Duke defense was graced with stopping Mark Ingram — the reigning Heisman Trophy winner from 2009 — in his first game back following his Heisman win.
On top of that, the secondary had to deal with lethal wideout Julio Jones. Roper had to relive the blowout loss this week.
"That was an interesting ballgame," Roper said.
"If I’m remembering 100 percent correctly, Mark Ingram, it was his first game back from a knee (injury) or something like that. So he had actually sat out a couple of games. And it was Marcell Dareus’ first game back. ... So early in that game they give it to Mark Ingram and he scores. Next thing Julio Jones scores. You’re talking about first-rounders here."
While some coaches may put game tape of a walloping loss on the shelf, Roper said he watched the game again to make adjustments and gather intel on teams similar to Alabama — as the Saban coaching tree can be found across college football.
"I’ve watched it since then to try to learn anything from it, but we felt like, for that season, that really hurt us for a couple of weeks, that was tough to get over," Roper said. "But you’re talking about a bunch of first-rounders running around out there."
Driskel’s Time to Use His Feet: Florida quarterback Jeff Driskel, identified as a true dual threat quarterback, has done little with his legs in the Gators’ first two games of 2014.
The redshirt junior has just seven carries for 24 yards.
Offensively, the formula to beat a Saban-led Alabama team in recent years has consisted of two things — an up-tempo offensive scheme and a quarterback that can kill you with his legs.
The last two SEC teams to beat the Tide in recent years exemplified these traits: 2012’s Texas A&M, and last year’s Auburn team.
The quarterbacks in those Tide losses — Johnny Manziel and Nick Marshall — rushed for a combined 191 yards in their wins.
"I think it all depends on the structure of the defense. It’s something that obviously he’s got the ability to do. The more you see him run, the better he gets." Roper said. "I think he’s a guy that obviously possesses that ability to use him. We still want to be smart."
Roper also added that the offense didn’t call it much during the offseason and spring football during the installation of the new system, because those weren’t specifically live snaps.
Christy has renewed confidence: Kyle Christy made a name for himself in 2012.
The then-sophomore punter was a finalist for the Ray Guy Award given annually to the best punter in college football.
One year later, he struggled and was eventually benched for freshman Johnny Townsend.
"We don’t hold it against each other if one of us is punting good or one of us is punting bad," Christy said. "So I’d say we have a good relationship."
But against Kentucky on Saturday, Christy returned to his 2012 form, being named the SEC Special Teams Player of the Week on monday after averaging 48.7 yards per punt on six attempts against the Wildcats.
"Kyle Christy punted the ball extremely well," coach Will Muschamp said. "...Really flipped the field and early in the game.
Four of Christy’s punts landed inside the UK 20-yard line.
His final punt went for 61 yards, his longest since hitting a 62-yarder against South Carolina on Oct. 20, 2012.
On the season, Christy is averaging 48.6 yards per punt, good for first in the SEC and fifth in the country.
After going through an up-and-down 2013 campaign, Christy said he reached out to Philadelphia Eagles’ punter Donnie Jones during his slump.
"He said he struggled a lot his junior year and lost his starting spot, too, and then came back strong his senior year," Christy said.
"Now, obviously, he is doing good in the NFL. So it was good to know I wasn’t the only one it’s ever happened to."
Follow Morgan Moriarty on Twitter @Morgan_Moriarty
Kyle Christy punts the ball during Florida's 36-30 triple-overtime win against Kentucky on Saturday at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
